Classic Ratatouille...

It had been way to long since my last blog entry, I realize that. I had hoped to get back to regular blogging after we returned from our Washington/Oregon Road Trip, but things were just hectic, and I didn't have the time nor the energy, nor the inclination to do much cooking, or blogging. I don't know if today will mark my return to blogging or not, but I did want to post this recipe that I made last week because I thought it turned out rather good, and who couldn't use more vegetables?

Classic Ratatouille

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves Minced
4 Large Tomatoes
1 Large Onion Diced
1 Red Pepper Diced
1 Yellow Pepper Diced
1 Medium Eggplant Diced
2 Large Zucchini Diced
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste Mixed with 1 Tbsp Water
1 tsp Sugar
1 Bay Leaf
3 Springs Thyme
1 Tbsp Minced Basil
1 Tbsp Minced Parsley
1-2 Additional Garlic Cloves to taste
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Black or White Pepper to taste


- Score a cross into the bottom of each tomato.  Plunge into boiling water and boil for 20 seconds. remove from the water and blanch in ice water. peel the skins away from the tomato, and chop the tomato. Reserve.

- Heat 1Tbsp Oil in a pot. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes. Add the 4 garlic cloves, the red and yellow peppers. Cook for about 4 minutes and then remove the vegetables from the pan.

- Heat the second Tbsp of Oil in the same pan. When it's hot add the eggplant and cook for 4 minutes until beginning to brown. Add the zucchini and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the veggies are a nice deep brown.

- Add the Onion and Pepper mix back to the pot.  Add in the tomato paste mixture and stir well to combine. Cook for 2 minutes and then add in the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme and basil. Stir well and cover to cook for 20 minutes. Check the vegetables after 10 minutes and if they look too dry add in about 1/4 cup water.

- Mix the remaining 1 or 2 garlic cloves with the minced parsley. When your Ratatouille has finished cooking add the garlic/parsley mix and stir lightly just to combine.

- Serve your Ratatouille hot with crusty French Bread or Garlic Bread. Enjoy with a glass of red wine for good measure.

Vegan Mofo #17: Boulangere Potatoes...

This is a classic French Gratin dish that tastes similar to scalloped potatoes but doesn’t make use of a lot of heavy cream or butter. The name apparently translates to ‘Potatoes in the Style of the Baker’s Wife’ and the story goes that French families used to make this dish then take it down the baker or the Boulangere to be cooked in the big ovens. Who knows if that’s true or not, but it’s kind of a fun story no?

Anyway, it’s a simple dish - even if it takes time to cook - and it’s super tasty, a great accompaniment to any hearty fare, and a nice alternative to the richer gratin’s out there.

Boulangere Potatoes

2lb’s Potatoes sliced thin on a mandolin
2 Large Yellow Onions sliced thin on a mandolin
2 Tbsp Parsley Minced
2 Cups Hot Water mixed with 1-2 Vegan Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1oz non-dairy Butter Cubed
Sea salt and Black Pepper to taste

- Preheat the oven to 350'F

- Grease a large glass baking dish and place a layer of sliced potatoes in the bottom. Top with a layer of sliced onions and season with salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of parsley. Over top of this place another layer of potatoes and keep layering in this fashion until you run out of ingredients or space.

- Pour the stock over top and dot with the butter. Season the top lightly with salt, pepper and any remaining parsley.

- Place in the oven and bake for an hour (maybe a little more depending on your oven) or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.

- Remove from the heat, let cool about 10 minutes and serve.

Vegan Mofo #10: Irish Weekender Oatmeal...

I’m going to break away from France for a moment and go back to Ireland because I want to talk about oatmeal. I know, you’re thinking oatmeal, boring! But it’s not! Not if you do it right anyway. Oatmeal or porridge is a pretty common breakfast staple in Ireland, Scotland, and England, it’s been eaten in various ways for centuries, and there’s a reason why people have relied on it as a staple food for all that time. It’s easy, it’s hearty, and it’s filling, best of all it’s cheap, and healthy too.  Of course no one really likes plain old cooked with water oats, and so it can be more or less healthy depending on what you add into it.

In reading about Irish cooking I came across a paragraph discussing oatmeal in which it said oatmeal is usually cooked with water and salt and served with a bit of brown sugar or honey, though on the weekends oatmeal might get ‘dressed up’ as a treat, or if it’s being served to guests it may be made a bit fancier. It also said that when staying in an Irish guesthouse you’re bound to get treated to a bowl of oatmeal loaded up with ‘the works’ and so it was these additions that I found particularly interesting and decided to combine them all in one bowl for what I think is hands down the best, and most delicious oatmeal I’ve ever eaten.

Honestly, I’ve eaten it three times since I’ve made it, though I wouldn’t recommend you eat your oatmeal quite like this every day, it’s certainly nice for a treat, a weekend, guests, or just a simple change of pace from your daily routine. Give it a try, even my husband liked it and he's never been a fan of oatmeal.

Irish Weekender Oatmeal 

Basic Recipe

1 Cup Steel Cut Oats
2 Cups Water
Pinch of Sea Salt

Optional to Serve 

Nondairy Milk
Nondairy Cream (Either store bought such as Silk, So Delicious or Califia, or thick homemade Cashew cream)
Bee Free Honey (or Agave if unavailable but I really recommend Bee Free)
Brown Sugar
Irish Whiskey

- Combine Oats, water and salt in a medium sized pot on the stove and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Stir a few times and then reduce the heat and let simmer 20-30 minutes until oats are cooked and most of the water has been evaporated.

- Make sure to keep an eye on the simmering oats and to stir from time to time to prevent them sticking to the bottom of the pan.

- Scoop your oatmeal into individual serving bowls and top as desired with optional serving ingredients.

- For my oatmeal I added a good amount of Soy milk, then sprinkled the top with a couple of teaspoons of brown sugar. Then I drizzled a bit of Bee Free Honey over the bowl, swirled in a spoonful of Califia Cream, and topped it off with a thimbleful of Irish Whiskey. So damn good! Try it!

- Enjoy your Irish Oats with some fresh baked scones, and a large steaming mug of Irish Breakfast Tea, Earl Grey, or Coffee.

Chickpea Flour Scramble - With Breakfast Taco Option...

I’ve been meaning to post this recipe for a while now, but I’ve found myself preoccupied of late. Sorry for the long absence, but I hope this recipe will make up for it. So, on the 23rd of April I really wanted a hearty breakfast. I woke up ravenous and desiring a scramble of some sort. Unfortunately I didn’t have any tofu on hand, neither did I have any canned chickpeas to make Isa’s Chickpea Scramble. However, it occurred to me in a brief moment of culinary genius that if I could make a scramble with whole beans, why couldn’t I make a scramble with chickpea flour? I had heard of it done before, and didn’t think it could be all that hard. I imagined it was somewhat like making a socca - which I love - and so I set to the task of making a chickpea flour scramble.

I was very skeptical that it would work out, especially in the beginning when I realized that the chickpea flour mix just didn’t want to break apart. The whole thing clumped together and wasn’t cooking. I thought I was going to have to scrap the whole endeavor - and no doubt if you try this recipe you might just think the same thing at first, but trust me, it works! - lucky for me I have patience - which is what this recipe needs - I kept at it and was rewarded by one of the most brilliant breakfasts ever. In fact I loved it so much I ended up making it the next day for my husband and I, as he hadn’t been home when I made it the first time. Skeptical as he was, he loved it too, and we devoured this scramble in taco form, though in my opinion it’s also just as good without the tortillas and extras.

What I love about this recipe is you can make the chickpea flour taste like whatever you like, I kept it simple and kept a traditional scramble flavor but you can literally add anything. You can add any spices you can add any vegetables and it creates the perfect gluten-free, and soy free scramble alternative for those who have allergies or sensitivities. More and more people are avoiding soy and gluten but that doesn’t mean they have to cut scrambles out of their lives too.

Personally I think this scramble has a better texture and mouth feel then a tofu scramble. Don’t get me wrong I do love tofu scrambles but I prefer a slightly dryer scramble and tofu scrambles usually have a bit of wetness to them. Also I think that the chickpea scramble mimics eggs better then tofu as it gets firm, but also retains that spongy, springy, softness of an egg. So if you’re looking for a new scramble to try give this one a go. I know it probably sounds weird but trust me the reward is worth it, I know you’ll love it.

Chickpea Flour Scramble 

1 ½ C Chickpea Flour
2 ½ C Water
1 tsp Black Slat
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
½ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4 tsp Black Pepper

3 Green Onions diced
1 Ripe Tomato Diced

For Tacos 

Corn Tortillas
Shredded lettuce or Salad Mix
Vegan Cheese
Ketchup
Hot Sauce


- Lightly oil a medium sized pan, and heat over medium heat.

- In a bowl combine the chickpea flour through the black pepper and mix until thoroughly combined.

- Once the pan is hot add the chickpea flour mixture to the heated pan. Cover the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes until the top looks glossy and the edges look cooked.

This is how it'll look when you first pour it into the pan

- Using a metal spatula begin scrambling the half-cooked mixture as you would scrambled eggs. Begin by folding and flipping the mixture over. Let it cook another 2 minutes or so and begin flipping again. Bare in mind that the mixture will be sticky and it will only be partially cooked making it difficult to fold, and separate but keep at it. It does take some time but use your spatula to continue to break the mass into smaller and smaller chunks, flipping them and cutting them. It should take at least 10 minutes.

After about 10 minutes

- After 10 minutes the mixture should be a bit dryer and it should be easier to break into pieces. The pan may well be very dry at this time and you can add a touch more olive oil to the pan to help prevent sticking as well as to help crisp up the chickpea mix. About a tablespoon of oil should be more then enough. Continue to flip and break up the chickpea mixture into smaller pieces with your spatula. Another 10 minutes and you should have some small and medium sized chunks, it should by now resemble a more traditional tofu or egg scramble.

Another 10 Minutes 

- When you have the chickpea mix broken into the size chunks you prefer, and they’re nicely dried and cooked through add in your green onions and cook another minute.

We're almost there, it's time for green onions!

- Add in your tomatoes and cook another 2 minutes.

Just about done, add your tomatoes!

- Your scramble should be more then ready now, and you can eat it as is - as you would any traditional tofu scramble. You can eat it on toast, as a side with ketchup, or as I did in tacos.

The finished product, so worth the effort!

- For Chickpea Flour Scramble Tacos spoon some of the chickpea scramble into a corn tortilla, top with your favorite shredded vegan cheese, a handful of shredded lettuce or salad mix, and then drizzle with ketchup or hot sauce as you desire. It would probably even be good with salsa.

Tacos anyone?

ENJOY!!

Cream of Leek Soup with Pink Peppercorns...

Believe it or not I came up with this recipe on the plane from Brussels to Chicago. It was partially inspired by a side dish of curried leeks I ate while in Luxembourg City. I was thinking about that dish on the plane ride home, and thinking how happy I was that spring was finally upon us. Leeks seemed to be a pretty popular meal item most places we went in Europe, which was fine by me since I love them so. You might think that after weeks of eating them I might be bored of them, but that wasn’t the case at all, in fact I only wanted more, and for whatever reason I kept thinking curry, coconut leek soup. This idea just wouldn’t leave my brain the entire plane ride home, and somewhere over the Atlantic I came up with the idea of adding fancy pink peppercorns and tarragon into the mix. Sounds crazy I know, but damn if it wasn’t delicious! This made a nice sized pot of soup, but my husband devoured most of it in one sitting. I wouldn’t be surprised if you did as well.

Cream of Leek Soup with Pink Peppercorns 

3 Medium-Large sized Leeks
6 Cloves Garlic Minced
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 tsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Tarragon
1 15oz Can Coconut Milk
2 C Vegan Chicken Broth
½-1 tsp Pink Peppercorns crushed
Green Onions or Chives to Garnish
Sea Salt to taste

- Thoroughly wash the leeks and slice thinly.

- Melt the coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Add sliced leeks, garlic, and curry powder and saute for 6-10 minutes until leeks are bright green, soft and fragrant.

- Add the Vegan Chicken broth and simmer for about 10 minutes.

- Carefully remove leek and broth mixture form the pot, place in a high-speed blender and blend on high until completely smooth.

- Return the soup to the pot, and add in the coconut milk, tarragon and ½-1 tsp of Sea Salt - or to taste. Stir until the coconut milk is completely blended into the soup, then let simmer for about 5 minutes.

- Turn off the heat and stir in the pink pepper corns and green onions or chives. Saving a little of each to garnish each bowl. Serve and enjoy.

Braised Endive...

And I’m home again. I believe I mentioned some time last month that during March I’d be away on holiday in Europe, but in those busy, havoc filled days leading up to our departure I completely forgot to leave a note saying that I was going, and wouldn’t be back until the end of the month. Whoops!  Anyway, I’m home now, and I’ll try to be a good blogger. I feel very inspired after our getaway and have come back with all sorts of interesting ideas for recipes and dishes that I can’t wait to start making. The one thing about vacation, and it doesn’t matter where we go, or how well we eat when we’re there but upon returning home I am always, so, so grateful to be cooking for myself once more. Vacation is all about decadence, local vegan eats, local vegan delicacies, good wine, great coffee, and a lot of food that’ll fill you up! We eat a lot of bread on vacation especially for breakfast - something I don’t do at home - and it seems we never eat as many vegetables or drink as much water as we would at home. So, even though I never want to come home, the one thing I’m always grateful for is to be in possession of a kitchen again.

One of the first recipes I made after returning was this deliciously French preparation of Endive. You know, it’s funny, I never gave much thought to endive before but we ended up eating quite a lot of it in France, Luxembourg and Belgium. Not that I didn’t like endive before, I just never did anything with it. Kind of like how I used to dislike and ignore Arugula until we went to Germany in 2012 and I came home with a new appreciation for it. Funny how stuff like that works huh? Anyway, this recipe is simple to prepare and would make a great side dish to any hearty French inspired meal. I’m thinking Portobello Frites!

Braised Endive 

6-8 Endive
1 Tbsp Non-Dairy Butter
1-2 tsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp dried Tarragon
½ C Vegan Chicken Stock
*** 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Soy milk

- Trim the ends of the endive, and melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan on the stove.

- Fry the Endive on all sides until it browns slightly. Add the sugar, vinegar, tarragon and stock and then bring to a boil.

- Reduce to a simmer, cover the pan and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes, until endives are tender and nicely browned. Turning over once halfway through cooking.

- When the Endives are nice and tender remove the lid from the pan and let simmer 3-4 more minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. (Keep in mind you want some liquid for serving, but you don’t want an entire pan full of it) Add in the soy milk and simmer another 2 minutes.

- Remove Endive from the pan and plate. Drizzle with some of the remaining sauce and garnish with minced chives or parsley. Serve and enjoy!

***Note - For a soy-free version make sure to use soy-free non-dairy butter, and sub coconut milk for the soy milk.***

Creamy Carob Banana Dream Smoothie...

This has seriously been my favorite breakfast smoothie of late. I came up with it a few weeks ago when I was craving a creamy, chocolate flavor but wasn’t really in the mood for my usual chocolate smoothie. For whatever reason I found myself really craving carob - which I do like, but don’t normally get that crazy about. - Since I had some carob powder on hand I decided to give it a try. The carob, coconut, date, banana, cashew combo works so well! You’ll be amazed, and become totally addicted to it like I did. Plus it’s so simple you can’t not try it, and it’s naturally sweetened, no sugar or artificial sweetener here.

Creamy Carob Banana Dream Smoothie

1 ½ Frozen Bananas
1 C Unsweetened Vanilla Coconut Milk
3 Medjool Dates Pitted
1 ½ Tbsp Carob Powder
1 Tbsp Cacao Nibs
*** 1 heaping Tbsp Cashew Butter

- Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend for 60-90 seconds until completely smooth and creamy.


*** Note - For a different but equally amazing flavor swap out the Cashew Butter with Hazelnut Butter. SO GOOD!*** 

Zuppa Toscana...

This may come as a surprise to ‘die-hard’ Zuppa Toscana fans but I have never had a bowl of this - seemingly - famous soup, until today. Unbeknownst to me this is everyone’s favorite soup at the ‘Italian’ Restaurant chain Olive Garden, and though I’ve eaten there many times I’ve never had it. So why did I decide to make a vegan version? Well, the answer is really quite simple, this past week I kept seeing recipes for homemade Zuppa Toscana popping up on Facebook and other social media. My first reaction after reading the ingrieients list was ‘gross’ and ‘so unhealthy’ as the original contains loads of sausage, bacon and heavy cream, but then my second thought was ‘but what if it was vegan?’ and so for the past few days I’ve been dreaming of a veganized version of a soup I’ve never eaten, crazy right?

Today, as it happens was also a perfect day for soup as it’s quite damp, cold and rainy outside. Wonderful soup weather and so I happily set to the kitchen to try my hand at this unknown delicacy. I’m not quite sure what I was expecting, something creamy, salty, smokey and spicy I guess, and really this soup did not disappoint. It’s loaded with so much delicious flavor, and made me go back for a second bowl. Further proof that food doesn’t need animal flesh or secretions to be tasty and decadent.

Zuppa Toscana 

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1lb Vegan Italian Sausage Sliced - I used Field Roast
1 Large Yellow Onion diced
12 Garlic Cloves minced
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
4 ½ C Vegan Chicken Broth - or Vegetable Broth
6-8 Russet or Yukon Gold Potatoes diced- I used 8 and made a  mix of both
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 C Kale torn into bite-sized pieces
½ to 2/3 of a 15oz Can Full Fat Coconut Milk - How much you use depends on how many potatoes you use.
1-2 tsp Liquid Smoke - I used 2 tsp.
Ground Black Pepper to taste
1/4 C Minced Parsley

- Heat half the Olive Oil in the medium sized sauce pan over medium-high heat.

- When sizzling, add in the sliced Italian Sausage and cook until browned. About 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot, and place on a plate, set aside.

- Heat the remaining oil in the pot, and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes until golden and fragrant.

- Add in the red pepper flakes, and fennel seeds, saute another 2 minutes.

- Add in the Vegan Chicken broth, the potatoes, and the salt. Bring to a boil, and cook for five minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

- Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon crush some of the potatoes to thicken the soup. Leave some potatoes whole because you want the soup chunky, you want to crush just enough to get a nice creamy thickness.

- Once potatoes have been crushed, add in the cooked Italian Sausage, and simmer for five minutes.

- Add in the Kale, and coconut milk and simmer for an additional 6 minutes until the kale is wilted and tender.

- Turn off the heat, add in the minced parsley, and liquid smoke and stir to combine. Add in black pepper as desired and taste for seasonings, adjust as needed. Let stand 10 minutes before serving so that the flavors have time to develop.

- Enjoy with some nice crusty bread and a glass of red wine.

*** Note - Field Roast is NOT gluten-free, but you can make this soup Gluten-Free buy using a GF Vegan Sausage.***

Garlic Sesame Gai Lan with Chestnuts...

My husband and I have been really diggin’ on Chinese food lately. I think every day this week I’ve made something from Donna Klein’s “The Chinese Vegan Kitchen,” and we just can’t get enough. Asian cuisine in general is our favorite, and my husband would be quite happy to live the rest of his life on noodles and rice. So this week when we were doing our grocery shopping I found myself particularly enamored with the fresh Asian greens. The Choy’s, the Chives, the Cabbages, and then there were these huge bunches of Gai Lan that really caught my attention. Growing up in Vancouver - with Chinese food being a particular staple, I’m quite familiar with Gai Lan, but despite having eaten it at many restaurants I’ve never actually cooked it at home. Despite not knowing what exactly I was going to do with it I just couldn’t help but grab a bunch.

Gai Lan - in case you don’t already know - also goes by the name of Chinese Broccoli, and as that name would suggest it’s very similar. Though the stems are longer and thinner, and it has a lot long, flat, spinach-like leaves. The taste of Gai Lan is mild, but slightly more bitter then broccoli. Gai Lan is eaten throughout China, but is particularly common in Cantonese Cuisine. Oh, and fun fact, Broccolini - those cute little baby broccoli’s - are actually a hybrid of regular broccoli and Gai Lan. Cool right? Anyway, you can use Gai Lan in just about any way you like, stir-fry’s, soups, vegetable side dishes. You can boil it, roast it, fry it, or saute it. You can season it lightly, or drench it in a nice sauce. The possibilities are endless, but I decided to go with a very simple preparation for my lunch yesterday. I was really craving sesame and garlic and I knew that combination would taste great paired with Gai Lan. I wasn’t wrong. I also had a package of chestnuts leftover from another dish I made a while back and so I decided to toss those in too. You can leave them out if you prefer but I think they really add something to the overall dish. If you’ve never had Gai Lan I urge you to give it a try next time you see it at the market.

Just a little note about this recipe, it is not in any way meant to be a 'traditional' Chinese recipe, as you might have guessed from my use of Korean Chili Pepper, but it is delicious!

Garlic Sesame Gai Lan with Chestnuts 

1 Large Bunch Gai Len
8 Cloves Garlic Sliced thin
1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 ½ Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Agave
3oz Roasted Chestnuts Chopped
1-2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
1/4 Gochugaru (Korean Red Chili Powder)
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste (Optional)

- Slice the ends off the stems of the Gai Lan and discard.

- Remove the stems from the leaves, set the leaves aside and slice or chop the stems.

- Heat the Sesame Oil in a large pan over the stove, when hot add in the sliced garlic and chopped Gai Lan stems. Saute on high for 5-6 minutes until garlic is golden and fragrant and stems are bright green.

- Add in the soy sauce, agave, and Gai Lan leaves. Saute for 2-3 minutes until leaves are wilted.

- Add in the Chestnuts, sesame seeds, gochugaru, and salt and pepper. Saute 1 minute.

- Remove the pan from the heat and serve with additional Sesame seeds and gochugaru if desired.

*** Note - You can make this Gluten-Free by making sure to use a Gluten-Free Soy Sauce. You can make this Soy-Free by making sure to use a soy-free sauce like Bragg's Liquid Aminos, or Coconut Aminos***

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal...

As I think I’ve mentioned before I pretty much love pumpkin flavored everything. I’ve also been on a real oatmeal kick lately, and so I’ve had the idea to combine these two things for weeks now, only I’ve just been to lazy to actually do it. Finally this morning as I was enjoying a piping mug of peppermint hot chocolate and watching the snowflakes fall I decided it was time to give creativity a whirl.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when it was all said and done, but I figured adding traditional pumpkin pie flavors to a bowl of oatmeal couldn’t go too wrong. I was right. This is a really warming comforting bowl of morning oats, full of autumnal and winter flavor. Perfect for any cold morning or any day you’re craving a bit of a pumpkin fix. Even my husband who despises all things pumpkin loved this sweet soothing breakfast. If you like your pumpkin pie a bit on the spicy side you can increase the ginger to 1 tsp, and up the nutmeg as well. I’m pretty picky when it comes to nutmeg which is why I only used a 1/4 tsp. These oats are fantastic topped with maple syrup and dried cranberries but you could use dried cherries as well or another sweetener of your choosing, and if you’re interested in kicking up the pumpkin another notch serve this with one of the delicious non-dairy pumpkin spice milks instead of regular old almond, soy or rice milk. Trust me on this!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal 

2/3 C Steel Cut Oats
1 15oz Can Coconut Milk
½ C Pumpkin Puree
½-1 Tbsp Blackstrap Molasses
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp Cardamom
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
Pinch of Cloves

To Serve 

Maple Syrup
Dried Cranberries
Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
So Delicious Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk - or your favorite non-dairy pumpkin spice milk, or any regular non-dairy milk.

- Combine Oats, Coconut Milk, Pumpkin Puree and Molasses in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil.

- Once boiling reduce to a simmer and add in all of the spices.

- Let simmer gently on the stove top, stirring occasionally for 30-40 minutes until oats are tender and much of the liquid has been absorbed.

- Divide the oats into bowls and top with Maple Syrup, Dried Cranberries and Your Choice of Non-Dairy Milk.

Product Review - Almond Dream: Pumpkin Spice Almond Drink...

Fall is by far my favorite season. I love the weather; love the feel of the cool breeze on my face, love the smell of decaying leaves as they flutter from the trees. I love the howling nights, and the wet afternoons. I especially love fall food. Stews, one-pot meals, casseroles, scones, pies, lots and lots of coffee and tea. These things are comforting, warming, soul-soothing. I especially love pumpkin favored goodies, cinnamon spiked treats, and nutmeg spiked drinks. I love the culture of fall, I love dressing in layers, I love spending time in nature to witness the changing beauty, I love giant pumpkins, and I love Halloween. As October crosses into November many people get sick of the typical fall foods like Apple Pies and Pumpkin everything, they’re ready to move onto stuffing and cranberries, and spinach salads that have walnuts and pears. Not me, I’m quite happy that pumpkin is a fall-winter cross-over food.

You may recall my post about Califia Farms  new Pumpkin Spice Latte from a few weeks ago. Well, I discovered yet ANOTHER pumpkin flavored beverage This one is Almond Dreams, Pumpkin Spice with Cinnamon nondairy beverage. I was super excited to discover this because almond milk probably tops my list of favorite non-dairy milks, yet aside from the awesome Califia Farms line of almond based drinks, most almond milks lack inspiration. Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate and vanilla almond milk, but where’s the flurry of holiday almond based beverages? Where’s the Chocolate Peppermint Almond Milk? Where’s the Gingerbread Almond Milk? Know what I’m saying?

Anyway, I very excitedly scooped up a carton of this the minute I saw it on the shelf and I couldn’t even wait to get home to try it. I cracked this baby open in the car and took a long hearty swig, much to my husband’s amusement. Unfortunately, Almond Dream’s Pumpkin Spice didn’t blow my socks off. Now, don’t get me wrong, this is a rather tasty drink, it’s just not what I was hoping for. It didn’t tickle my tastebuds the way other pumpkin flavored drinks do. It didn’t wow me. As much as I like nutmeg, I find it to be an acquired taste and for me the line between just enough and too much is a very fine one. In the end I just thought the spiciness of this drink was not to my liking, and this particular pumpkin spice was somewhat thinner then I would have liked. Thicker then rice milk mind you, but a little thinner then your average almond milk. I did like that it wasn’t overly sweet, and that it’s lower in calories then many other holiday beverages. Although I found that the spices kind of muted the pumpkin flavor in this drink, and that it ended up tasting more like an eggnog then a pumpkin spice beverage.

So in the end, my conclusion is that if you really love pumpkin this drink may be worth giving a try. Certainly if you have allergies to soy, or coconut, or simply don’t like coffee this is a good option for you to meet your pumpkin needs. If however you’re somewhat picky like me when it comes to fall spices this may not be the right drink for you. Though, you never know until you try and I urge you to test it yourself and make your own decision.

As far as the practicalities are concerned Almond Dream’s Pumpkin Spice is soy, gluten, and dairy free, and contains 50 calories per serving. It has 2% sodium, 1g Protein, 7g sugar, 10% Vitamin A and Calcium, 25% Vitamin D, 30% Vitamin E, and 50% Vitamin B12.

You can learn more here Almond Dream

Super Easy Superfood Oatmeal...

Quinoa for breakfast is nothing new. In fact, combining quinoa and oats for a delicious protein rich breakfast isn’t new either, but it is new to me. As quinoa continues to grow in popularity here in the United States I continue to come across new and interesting uses for it. Of course, I never have time to try all the recipes I see, or even half of them, and when it comes to breakfast food I’m usually at a disadvantage anyway since I’m not much of a morning eater anyway. Which is why I normally opt for a fruit or green smoothie.

Of course, there are those rare days when I wake up with breakfast on my mind, and today was one of those days. Normally when I crave breakfast it’s something carby, or decadent. It’s always something that requires work and effort and it’s very seldom wholesome. Today was different, maybe it’s the cool autumnal weather, or the fact that I’ve been feeling less then ideal lately, but I woke up craving oats. Actually, that’s a lie, I’ve been craving oats for days now actually but I’ve just been to lazy to make them. Since I woke up extremely early this morning for no apparent reason, and have the day off I decided that if I wanted oatmeal then there was no time like the present.

The original idea was just to make a basic pot of oatmeal that would be large enough to last me through the weekend, but as I was standing in front of my pantry I thought “why not try that whole quinoa breakfast thing?” So I decided to add some quinoa to my oats. Then I started thinking about what else might be good. I had a single apple sitting in my fruit basket, and that always tastes great in oatmeal, I have bags of random Superfood burning holes in my pantry shelves and so why not add them too for a super nutrient dense, antioxidant rich breakfast? See how it is? Once you get started down a certain path you can’t stop, and I ended up with one of the most enjoyable bowls of oatmeal ever. The goji and mulberries really added a nice element to the oatmeal, a subtly sweet and complex blend of flavors. Even my husband who is no fan of oatmeal, but reluctantly agreed to try it, loved it!

The beauty of this oatmeal is you can literally do whatever you want with it. There are so many things you can add in, so many variations, an endless amount of options to keep you interested. This morning I chose to add the blueberries, cherries, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, maple syrup, pomegranate molasses, and unsweetened almond milk to my bowl and it was divine. My husband meanwhile chose blueberries, cherries, flaxseeds, chia seeds, raisins, maple syrup, pomegranate molasses and vanilla almond milk.

However you choose to eat it, I hope you enjoy it!

Super Easy Superfood Oatmeal 

1 ½ C Steel Cut Oats
½ C Quinoa
5 C Water
1 Granny Smith Apple Peeled and cubed
4 Tbsp Goji Berries
4 Tbsp White Mullberries

Optional Add Ins per Serving 

2 Tbsp Fresh or Frozen Blueberries, Raspberries, or Blackberries
8 Fresh or Frozen Whole Pitted Cherries
2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed
1 Tbsp Raw Sunflower Seeds
1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds
1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
1-2 Tbsp Raisins
1-2 Tbsp Walnuts
Sliced Banana
½ - 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
½ - 1 Tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
Almond, Coconut or other favorite non-dairy milk

- Combine the Oats, Quinoa and Water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat and let simmer on the stove for 40-60 minutes, stirring occasionally until the oats have thickened and are tender.

- Ten minutes before the end of cooking add in the peeled chopped apple and stir to combine.

- Five minutes before the end of cooking add in the Goji and White Mullberries and stir to combine.

- Remove the cooked oatmeal from the heat, and spoon out individual servings. Top each serving with desired add-ins.

*** Note - To ensure this is Gluten-Free use GF oats. *** 

Product Review - Califia Farms: Pumpkin Spiced Latte Flavored Cold Brewed Coffee with Almond Milk...

You know it’s fall, not only when the leaves begin to yellow and the weather grows chill, but when you can’t seem to throw a rock without hitting something that’s ‘pumpkin spice.’ The words Pumpkin Spice are now synonymous with fall;  it’s the kind of winning, warming, comforting combination that almost everyone loves. Pumpkin Spice Scones, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Spice Cake, Pumpkin Spice tats, and perhaps most famous - and most beloved - pumpkin spice coffee. Of course, pumpkin spice is not always easy for us vegans to come by because so many of these delicious fall treats are loaded with dairy, but fret no more as the world of vegan holiday drinks has recently been expanded!

That’s right, Califia Farms - who I’ve posted about before, Here and Here - have tossed their hat into the ring once more and developed a Pumpkin Spiced Latte Flavored Cold Brewed Coffee with Almond Milk. As far as I know there’s two other vegan pumpkin spice beverage on the market, and they’re made by Silk, and So Delicious, of course these are both pumpkin flavored beverages sans Coffee. So Califia is unique in that respect since as far as I know it is the only Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Coffee Beverage on the market.

So lets get down to the nitty-gritty stats. For an 8oz serving this Pumpkin Spice Latte is 100 calories, 35 of which come from fat, 17g carbohydrates, 1g protein, 1g Fiber, 14g sugar, and 50% of your daily calcium. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, non-GMO, Kosher, and the bottle is BPA-Free. The only allergens are almonds, and coconut. It is a little high in sugar though which may be a turn off for some people.

How does it taste? Pretty decent. However in my opinion the spices are a little heavy, and the pumpkin is hard to distinguish. It gets a little drowned out by the nutmeg, and the nutmeg makes this taste a lot like eggnog. I respect the effort that Califia Farms put into making this product for all of us pumpkin spice lovers out there, but I think I’ll probably stick with their regular cold brewed coffee. Of course, who knows, you might love nutmeg, or you might not love an overwhelming pumpkin flavor and so this would be right up your alley. Or maybe you’ll just love it regardless. I actually think this would be great used as a creamer in a cup of strong coffee but I haven’t gotten around to trying that yet.

However you decided to use it, I hope you enjoy it, and regardless of my own feelings it’s always nice to have someone out there ‘vegan representing’ you know?

You can learn more about Califia and their products Here

Happy Fall!

Spicy Beef and Spinach Lasagna...

It’s been unseasonably cool here the past week. Mostly the days are warm but in the evening it cools considerably and there’s a good breeze. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, I love cooler weather - fall is my favorite time of year - but this kind of weather really makes me want to eat ‘out of season’ you know? The other day when it was particularly grey and quite cool I suddenly felt in the mood for lasagna. I have about a million different lasagna recipes in my arsenal but I didn’t want to use any of them. Instead, I wanted to get creative, so I took a look around and found a package of Beyond Meat Feisty Beef Crumbles that I’d bought when they were on sale but never used. I don’t normally buy these kinds of things but since they were new, my husband and I thought we’d try them out but I just never knew what to use them in, until I realized they would be perfect in lasagna.

Since I was only making a lasagna for my husband and I, and I only had one package of beef and one package of cheese I made a small one using my 8x8 baking pan. You could probably double the recipe for a larger lasagna if you needed to, but this dish is super hearty and filling, we only ate one slice each which is a real anomaly for us - especially my husband who’s been known to turn into Garfield at the site of lasagna. This recipe exceeded my expectations and I was quite happy with the end result. So next time you need to make a really hearty, meaty, cheesy lasagna for the omnivore in your life give this one a shot - provided they don’t mind a little heat of course!

Spicy Beef and Spinach Lasagna 

6 Square Lasagna Sheets (8x8)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion Diced
8 Cloves Garlic Minced
*** 1 Package Feisty Beyond Meat Beef Crumbles thawed (Or your favorite vegan beef)
1 ½ tsp Crushed Fennel Seeds
14oz Can Diced Tomatoes
8oz Can Tomato Sauce
1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp White Pepper
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 Tbsp Capers
3-4 Tbsp Minced Pepperoni Peppers
10oz Fresh Baby Spinach
*** 1 Package Daiya Mozzarella Shreds (Or your favorite vegan Mozzarella)

Tomato Sauce for Topping 

1 8oz Can tomato sauce
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
4oz water
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp capers
2 tbsp minced pepperoni peppers
½ bunch minced parsley
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste
1 tsp Dried Basil

Noodles 

- Set a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. When boiling add the lasagna sheets and boil for 5-6 minutes until the sheets become soft and pliable. They don’t need to be fully cooked. Drain them, and rinse them.


Filling 

- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 5-6 minutes until softened.

- Add in the crushed fennel seeds and the beef crumbles. Saute for 5 minutes, until crumbles have browned.

- Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, capers, red pepper flakes, and Pepperoni Peppers. Simmer for about 10 minutes then remove from the heat.

Sauce 

- Heat the olive oil in a small pot on the stove. Add in the garlic and saute for 4 minutes until golden.

- Add in all the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Then decrease the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.

- Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.

Assembly

- Preheat oven to 350'F

- Lightly grease an 8x8 baking pan. Layer in 2 of the lasagna noodles. Cover the lasagna noodles with enough spinach to cover them. Layer in enough of the meat filling mixture to cover the spinach. Then sprinkle enough of the cheese over the filling to cover.

- Layer 2 more lasagna sheets overtop, and repeat with remaining spinach, meat filling and cheese.

- Layer the last 2 lasagna noodles on top. Cover the top with the tomato sauce, and then cover in foil and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Alternately you can bake the lasagna without the sauce and spoon the sauce over top after it finishes baking.

- Once finished remove from the oven, garnish with fresh minced parsley, then cut and serve! Preferably with a nice side salad.

*** Note - Just because I used Beyond Meat crumbles and Daiya Cheese doesn’t mean you have to. Use whatever you favorite vegan meat and cheese are, though if you use a plainly seasoned vegan beef you may want to add a bit more heat to the dish, it’s up to you. Something to keep in mind that this dish is gluten-free and soy free - as long as you use gluten-free lasagna noodles -because both beyond meat and daiya are gluten and soy free products. If you're using other vegan products and gluten or soy is an issue you'll have to read the labels to make sure.***