Today is my hubby's birthday. He doesn't generally like to make a big deal about it, and I've learned over the years that making him a nice supper and birthday cake is about all he really wants. Our favorite cake is carrot cake, so I decided to throw in a few surprises this time, just because it's a special day.
Mix the following dry ingredients in a medium bowl:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup white flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
Combined the following ingredients in a large bowl:
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup raw white sugar
3 egg replacers
1 cup melted Earth Balance (or other butter alternative)
2 cups grated carrot
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
Grease a 9"x13" glass baking sheet with a little Earth Balance. Pour in cake batter and smooth the top.
Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy with your favorite icing, ice cream substitute, or just on its own.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Easy Thai Lettuce Wraps
We hosted a few friends for a games and appetizers night this past weekend. They're not vegetarian and I wanted to make something they would find familiar - and something they could eat without missing the meat. I came up with this easy recipe for lettuce wraps. Enjoy!
You will need:
1 head of butter lettuce
3 cups of assorted veggies (onions, carrots, red peppers, snow peas, etc...), chopped fine or julienned
1/2 cup chow mein noodles (cooked vermicelli noodles work well here, too!)
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
For sauce:
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 Tbsp tamari/soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
juice of one lime
juice of one orange
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Put all of the sauce ingredients into your blender, and blend until cilantro is chopped finely.
Saute all veggies in a pan with a little peanut oil. When veggies are warmed through, and have a little color, mix in the noodles and the sauce. As soon as all ingredients are mixed, remove the mixture from the pan so the sauce doesn't stick and burn.
Serve individual lettuce leaves beside the bowl of veggie filling. Garnish with chopped peanuts.
Delish!
You will need:
1 head of butter lettuce
3 cups of assorted veggies (onions, carrots, red peppers, snow peas, etc...), chopped fine or julienned
1/2 cup chow mein noodles (cooked vermicelli noodles work well here, too!)
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
For sauce:
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 Tbsp tamari/soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
juice of one lime
juice of one orange
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Put all of the sauce ingredients into your blender, and blend until cilantro is chopped finely.
Saute all veggies in a pan with a little peanut oil. When veggies are warmed through, and have a little color, mix in the noodles and the sauce. As soon as all ingredients are mixed, remove the mixture from the pan so the sauce doesn't stick and burn.
Serve individual lettuce leaves beside the bowl of veggie filling. Garnish with chopped peanuts.
Delish!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Tomato-tato Soup
I had a soup similar to this at Stella's Cafe several months ago, and I just couldn't get the gorgeous flavor combination out of my head! I loved the extra spicy hit of black pepper, so I've been quite generous with it in my recipe for this delicious soup.
Start with the soup basics. Using your biggest soup pot on medium high heat, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil as you chop up 6-8 pearl onions (I leave them in big chunks. If you don't have pearl onions, use one large yellow onion), one large carrot, and 4 ribs of celery. Saute them for a few minutes until the onions begin to color.
At this point, fill up your kettle and boil 1.5 litres of water - you'll need it in a minute.
Dice 4-6 potatoes (I leave the skin on) fairly small (so they cook quickly) and add to the pot. Season with salt and pepper at this point. Use at least a teaspoon of pepper - trust me. Add 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp thyme, and 2 bay leaves. Saute for a few minutes until potatoes just start to soften.
Add two large cans of tomatoes and stir.
Add 1.5 litres of boiling water.
Check your seasonings, and add more salt or pepper as needed.
Bring to a boil, turn down heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
Serve with crusty toasted bread with pesto spread on it. Yum!
Start with the soup basics. Using your biggest soup pot on medium high heat, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil as you chop up 6-8 pearl onions (I leave them in big chunks. If you don't have pearl onions, use one large yellow onion), one large carrot, and 4 ribs of celery. Saute them for a few minutes until the onions begin to color.
At this point, fill up your kettle and boil 1.5 litres of water - you'll need it in a minute.
Dice 4-6 potatoes (I leave the skin on) fairly small (so they cook quickly) and add to the pot. Season with salt and pepper at this point. Use at least a teaspoon of pepper - trust me. Add 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp thyme, and 2 bay leaves. Saute for a few minutes until potatoes just start to soften.
Add two large cans of tomatoes and stir.
Add 1.5 litres of boiling water.
Check your seasonings, and add more salt or pepper as needed.
Bring to a boil, turn down heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
Serve with crusty toasted bread with pesto spread on it. Yum!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Sweet Potato Hummus
My friend Ashley and I planned a much-needed friend-date for this past Thursday night, and I wanted to bring along a healthy and light snack. I love hummus but I have a garlic intolerance so I can't eat most varieties out there. I've tried to make my own hummus at home and generally speaking, it hasn't gone well. But this time, I pulled out my good friend the sweet potato and... magic!
Start by roasting one large sweet potato in the oven. Easiest way to get this done: cut lengthwise so you have two long halves of potato. Spread on a baking sheet, skin side down, and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for about a half hour - but you'll know it's done when the potato is tender. Pull it out of the oven and peel off the skin. Put the potato flesh into your food processor.
Add one can of chickpeas (rinsed), 2 Tbsp tahini, the juice of 1/2 a lemon (at least this much, maybe more to your taste), 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp tumeric, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne (or more to your taste).
Blend it up until very smooth. Serve with lemon zest shaved on top. Dip carrots, celery or pita chips!
Start by roasting one large sweet potato in the oven. Easiest way to get this done: cut lengthwise so you have two long halves of potato. Spread on a baking sheet, skin side down, and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for about a half hour - but you'll know it's done when the potato is tender. Pull it out of the oven and peel off the skin. Put the potato flesh into your food processor.
Add one can of chickpeas (rinsed), 2 Tbsp tahini, the juice of 1/2 a lemon (at least this much, maybe more to your taste), 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp tumeric, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne (or more to your taste).
Blend it up until very smooth. Serve with lemon zest shaved on top. Dip carrots, celery or pita chips!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Delicious Beet Borscht
Well, friends, I finally committed! I have been researching CSAs and organic/local farms recently to see about getting a weekly/biweekly fresh veggie basket delivered to our house. It's easier and less expensive than doing my own grocery shopping, and I'll get to try a variety of produce that I know comes from natural sources and is pesticide/chemical free.
So I found a service and my first delivery was today! I've signed up for biweekly baskets from Fresh Option Organic Delivery (freshoption.ca). Today's basket included an amazing assortment of fresh fruits and veggies, and I was immediately inspired to get cooking. I've just whipped up this easy and flavorful beet borscht and couldn't wait to share it with you!
First things first: roast your beets. You'll need about 3 medium beets. Cut a large piece of aluminum foil and wrap your beets into one package. Crimp the edges so they're sealed. Roast for 45 minutes at 450 degrees, and poke them occasionally with the tip of a paring knife. If they feel tender, they're done.
While you're roasting the beets, start the flavor base for your soup. Chop into large chunks: 8 pearl onions (or one medium white onion) one large carrot, and 3 or 4 ribs of celery. Saute for 10 minutes in a large pot with a little olive oil, until onions start to brown and carrots are tender. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Dice two red potatoes and add them in. Saute until potatoes begin to brown slightly. Add 1-2 tsp of thyme and 1 tsp sage.
When beets are tender, remove aluminum foil and peel them. This can be done by rubbing with a paper towel, or wearing rubber gloves and rubbing the beets between your hands. Once peeled, cut the beets into chunks and add to your pot. Cover the veggies with 3 cups veggie stock and 3 cups water.
Simmer soup for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Variation: if you love cabbage, add some! Instead of 3 cups veggie stock, make it 5 cups. After soup has simmered the 15-20 minutes, add two large handfuls of shredded cabbage and stir until just tender but still a little crunchy. Delicious!
So I found a service and my first delivery was today! I've signed up for biweekly baskets from Fresh Option Organic Delivery (freshoption.ca). Today's basket included an amazing assortment of fresh fruits and veggies, and I was immediately inspired to get cooking. I've just whipped up this easy and flavorful beet borscht and couldn't wait to share it with you!
First things first: roast your beets. You'll need about 3 medium beets. Cut a large piece of aluminum foil and wrap your beets into one package. Crimp the edges so they're sealed. Roast for 45 minutes at 450 degrees, and poke them occasionally with the tip of a paring knife. If they feel tender, they're done.
While you're roasting the beets, start the flavor base for your soup. Chop into large chunks: 8 pearl onions (or one medium white onion) one large carrot, and 3 or 4 ribs of celery. Saute for 10 minutes in a large pot with a little olive oil, until onions start to brown and carrots are tender. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Dice two red potatoes and add them in. Saute until potatoes begin to brown slightly. Add 1-2 tsp of thyme and 1 tsp sage.
When beets are tender, remove aluminum foil and peel them. This can be done by rubbing with a paper towel, or wearing rubber gloves and rubbing the beets between your hands. Once peeled, cut the beets into chunks and add to your pot. Cover the veggies with 3 cups veggie stock and 3 cups water.
Simmer soup for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Variation: if you love cabbage, add some! Instead of 3 cups veggie stock, make it 5 cups. After soup has simmered the 15-20 minutes, add two large handfuls of shredded cabbage and stir until just tender but still a little crunchy. Delicious!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Coconut Rice Curry Soup
This soup is spicy and satisfying, not to mention very easy to make!
Start by dicing up one large onion and sauteing it in olive oil. Add one diced bell pepper and one heaping tablespoon of thai red curry paste (more if you want it really spicy). Stir occasionally for four minutes.
Add one cup of rice (I prefer a mix of brown and wild rice, but use what you have) and four cups of water. You can use veggie stock instead for extra flavor. I add the water and then two veggie bouillon cubes. Bring to a simmer and keep it on medium-low heat for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally so rice doesn't stick to the bottom.
While soup is simmering, chop up one large sweet potato into 1/4" cubes... and decide how you want to cook it. You have options here: either roast at 500 degrees until the cubes are soft and browned (about 20 minutes, give or take), or just throw them into the simmering soup after the 40 minutes are up, and let it simmer another 10 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through. If you roast the potatoes, coat them in a little olive oil and curry powder.
After the rice is fully cooked, add 1 can of coconut milk plus another cup of water. Then add 1 tsp tamari (or soy sauce), salt and pepper to taste, and 2 tsp tumeric for color. Stir the soup and heat it for another 5 minutes until the coconut milk is warmed up and mixed in well with the rest of the soup. Then pour in your roasted potatoes.
Garnish with cilantro/lime/cashews. Serve very hot.
Start by dicing up one large onion and sauteing it in olive oil. Add one diced bell pepper and one heaping tablespoon of thai red curry paste (more if you want it really spicy). Stir occasionally for four minutes.
Add one cup of rice (I prefer a mix of brown and wild rice, but use what you have) and four cups of water. You can use veggie stock instead for extra flavor. I add the water and then two veggie bouillon cubes. Bring to a simmer and keep it on medium-low heat for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally so rice doesn't stick to the bottom.
While soup is simmering, chop up one large sweet potato into 1/4" cubes... and decide how you want to cook it. You have options here: either roast at 500 degrees until the cubes are soft and browned (about 20 minutes, give or take), or just throw them into the simmering soup after the 40 minutes are up, and let it simmer another 10 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through. If you roast the potatoes, coat them in a little olive oil and curry powder.
After the rice is fully cooked, add 1 can of coconut milk plus another cup of water. Then add 1 tsp tamari (or soy sauce), salt and pepper to taste, and 2 tsp tumeric for color. Stir the soup and heat it for another 5 minutes until the coconut milk is warmed up and mixed in well with the rest of the soup. Then pour in your roasted potatoes.
Garnish with cilantro/lime/cashews. Serve very hot.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
what to do with kale and eggplant
Last night, one of our friends stayed for dinner. Eirik, a self-proclaimed "meatatarian," is a bit of a foodie and honestly, I wanted to impress him and show him that vegan cooking isn't all rice and beans and boring veggie side dishes. So I created a vegan feast which turned out beautifully (if I do say so myself). PS - Eirik agrees!
I started out with a gorgeous eggplant and tomato casserole, adapted from Laura Calder's recipe (found on www.foodnetwork.com). I substituted a few ingredients and it was delicious! It tastes like a thick and hearty tomato soup, and the eggplant is really filling. Here goes:
Eggplant and Tomato Casserole
Take 1 large eggplant and cut into 1cm thick coins, then cut in half again so they resemble half moons. Brush both sides with olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste if desired, and roast at 450 degrees for 30 minutes, flipping them over at the halfway point.
While the eggplant roasts, dice one red onion and saute in olive oil until soft. Add Frank's Red Hot Sauce - about 1 tsp, or to taste and stir for another minute. Then add 2 large cans of diced tomatoes, and mix well. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Then add 3 Tbsp fresh chopped herbs (basil, oregano, sage, rosemary... whatever you have). Remove from heat.
In a large casserole dish, spoon just a little tomato sauce into the bottom, then spread out one even layer of eggplant slices. Top with a generous even sprinkle of breadcrumbs, and pour a layer of tomato sauce on top. Repeat until eggplant is used up. Top with remaining tomato mixture, a generous layer of breadcrumbs and Daiya mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees or until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are crunchy.
This recipe makes such good next-day leftovers. Just reheat in the oven with another layer of breadcrumbs and Daiya. See?
I knew I wanted to use kale in my side dish, so I made a variation of a recipe found in Kim Barnouin's Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook. Her recipe for Kale Ravioli is sure to impress any doubtful carnivore.
Ravioli Filling:
**If you don't have any cooked brown rice on hand, start here! You will need 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, so follow your package directions to make the rice... and then continue making your filling.
Saute 1/4 finely chopped red onion with 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger. When onions are soft, add 2 cups finely chopped kale (kale should be smaller than bite-sized pieces so it mixes well with the other small ingredients in the filling) and 1/2 cup cooked brown rice. Cook 5 minutes until kale is wilted. Mix in 2 tsp tamari if desired (adds great depth of flavor).
Wonton Wrappers:
Whisk together 2 cups white flour and 1/2 tsp salt in medium bowl. Slowly stir in 1/2 c warm water until dough is stiff. Knead on floured surface, about 5 minutes. Dough should become stretchy. Do not overwork or your ravioli will be tough! Cover the dough with the bowl and let it sit 20 minutes. Divide dough into 3 balls and roll each one out very very thinly. You will need to make 8 3-inch squares from each ball of dough. Once you have rolled and cut all dough, you will have 24 3-inch squares.
Assembly:
Place a tablespoon of filling into the center of each wrapper. Fold in half (diagonally, to create a triangle) and moisten your fingertips to seal the edges. Steam ravioli for 3 minutes (you may need to do this in batches) then fry ravioli in 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil for 1 minute on each side.
This ravioli recipe can be adapated as a side dish for many recipes. Serve with a white wine sauce to accompany an Italian meal. Or whip up a peanut sauce and pour over ravioli for an Asian twist. Hoisin sauce makes an easy dipping sauce too. Try out new filling options: swap cabbage and julienned carrots for kale; or what about a dollop of mashed sweet potato with curry and chickpeas? Once you've mastered the basic prep and assembly, you can make these ravioli taste like anything!
And here's the final product:
I started out with a gorgeous eggplant and tomato casserole, adapted from Laura Calder's recipe (found on www.foodnetwork.com). I substituted a few ingredients and it was delicious! It tastes like a thick and hearty tomato soup, and the eggplant is really filling. Here goes:
Eggplant and Tomato Casserole
Take 1 large eggplant and cut into 1cm thick coins, then cut in half again so they resemble half moons. Brush both sides with olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste if desired, and roast at 450 degrees for 30 minutes, flipping them over at the halfway point.
While the eggplant roasts, dice one red onion and saute in olive oil until soft. Add Frank's Red Hot Sauce - about 1 tsp, or to taste and stir for another minute. Then add 2 large cans of diced tomatoes, and mix well. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Then add 3 Tbsp fresh chopped herbs (basil, oregano, sage, rosemary... whatever you have). Remove from heat.
In a large casserole dish, spoon just a little tomato sauce into the bottom, then spread out one even layer of eggplant slices. Top with a generous even sprinkle of breadcrumbs, and pour a layer of tomato sauce on top. Repeat until eggplant is used up. Top with remaining tomato mixture, a generous layer of breadcrumbs and Daiya mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees or until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are crunchy.
This recipe makes such good next-day leftovers. Just reheat in the oven with another layer of breadcrumbs and Daiya. See?
I knew I wanted to use kale in my side dish, so I made a variation of a recipe found in Kim Barnouin's Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook. Her recipe for Kale Ravioli is sure to impress any doubtful carnivore.
Ravioli Filling:
**If you don't have any cooked brown rice on hand, start here! You will need 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, so follow your package directions to make the rice... and then continue making your filling.
Saute 1/4 finely chopped red onion with 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger. When onions are soft, add 2 cups finely chopped kale (kale should be smaller than bite-sized pieces so it mixes well with the other small ingredients in the filling) and 1/2 cup cooked brown rice. Cook 5 minutes until kale is wilted. Mix in 2 tsp tamari if desired (adds great depth of flavor).
Wonton Wrappers:
Whisk together 2 cups white flour and 1/2 tsp salt in medium bowl. Slowly stir in 1/2 c warm water until dough is stiff. Knead on floured surface, about 5 minutes. Dough should become stretchy. Do not overwork or your ravioli will be tough! Cover the dough with the bowl and let it sit 20 minutes. Divide dough into 3 balls and roll each one out very very thinly. You will need to make 8 3-inch squares from each ball of dough. Once you have rolled and cut all dough, you will have 24 3-inch squares.
Assembly:
Place a tablespoon of filling into the center of each wrapper. Fold in half (diagonally, to create a triangle) and moisten your fingertips to seal the edges. Steam ravioli for 3 minutes (you may need to do this in batches) then fry ravioli in 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil for 1 minute on each side.
This ravioli recipe can be adapated as a side dish for many recipes. Serve with a white wine sauce to accompany an Italian meal. Or whip up a peanut sauce and pour over ravioli for an Asian twist. Hoisin sauce makes an easy dipping sauce too. Try out new filling options: swap cabbage and julienned carrots for kale; or what about a dollop of mashed sweet potato with curry and chickpeas? Once you've mastered the basic prep and assembly, you can make these ravioli taste like anything!
And here's the final product:
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