Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Peanut Butter is good when you make...

Apple Peanut Butter

About 2 cups of delight,
 I was amazed that the apple or peanut butter flavor did not come out but it served a good spread on toast.  


Materials

2 whole Apples washed and de-stemmed
5 Tbsp. Dry Roasted Unsalted Peanut Butter (preferably freshly grounded or made) 
Pinch of Salt (optional)

Tools

Food Processor or Blender
Wooden Spoon
Measuring Spoons
Clean storage bowl

Instructions

  1. Half your apples and put them in the blender or food processor and blend them up until you make apple sauce
  2. Add the peanut butter a tablespoon at a time until well mixed and until the mixture is fluffy and smooth
  3. Add a pinch of salt in step one or two
Optional you can add raw honey to make it sweet. 

Apple Peanut Butter

A close up view


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

It is Honey Butter with out the butter...

Butterless Honey Butter

 This is a simple mind blowing dish. It has similar texture and taste of regular Honey Butter made from margarine. 

Materials
1 part Coconut Oil firm and cool
1 part Raw Local Honey
Sea or Himalayan Salt

Tools
Mixing spoon
Mixing bowl (glass preferably)
Measuring cups & spoons

Instructions
  1. Mix the salt and coconut oil until it has a warm 'buttery' taste
  2. Add the honey and mix until well blended. 
  3. Place in refrigerator to cool and harden. Also can be served immediately according to preference. 
Enjoy on top of warm dairy free corn bread and goodies. I had to create something on the spot to give it a try and boy it was delectable. 

Please try it and let me know if you had similar successes  

Thursday, August 14, 2014

News Flash!!

A New Forks Over Knives App!


This is great! Forks Over Knives has provided a new app for your phone. It has recipes, tips of living a plant-based diet, and many other convenient tools. Below is the link to the iTunes app. Take advantage of the possible resources that we are now becoming more available. 

The Link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/forks-over-knives-the-recipes/id903911740?mt=8 

Sun Power Butter

RAW Sunflower Peanut Butter

This recipe is a quick fix. I typically eat this right after I make it. It has a great creamy texture.

Yields 1/2 cup 

Materials

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1-2 tbsp. coconut oil
1 tbsp. raw honey
2 dashes of cinnamon powder
pinch of salt

Tools

Food Processor 
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
wooden spatula

Instructions

  1. Combine Sunflower seeds and peanuts and process for about two minutes or until the peanut and sunflower mixture starts sticking to the sides of the bowl. 
  2. Add your coconut oil.  The mixture should 'cream' up.
  3. Add the honey, cinnamon, and salt 
  4. Mix until it is well blended
  5. Scoop into a bowl  and it is ready to be eaten. Hand mix raisins or fresh fruit for a delectable treat.  

Monday, July 21, 2014

A Pictoral Process

Mean Vegan Taco

Two Tacos

Caution they are great fillers, two was more than enough.

Materials

two home made tortillas
your favorite guacamole
two kale leaves of choice
two large leaves of lettuce
Cabbage Carrot Relish
Vegan tofu keilbasa
Salsa of choice (optional)
 cayenne pepper (completely optional)

Tools

Sharp knife
large spoon
clean flat surface or cutting board
frying pan

Instructions (See the pictures)

1.  Place the tortilla flat
2.    Thinly spread guacamole on the surface of the tortilla
3.    Slice the kale down the stem and place on each side of the tortilla
4.    Follow the same procedure with lettuce placing it on top of kale
5.   Place relish onto the lettuce
6.  Lay your recently cooked vegan sausage kielbasa in the center and fold it.
7.  Garnish with your favorite salsa and enjoy
 
I even sprinkled some cayenne pepper to give it a little zing but that is completely your choice.

great for hotdogs and burgers

Cabbage Carrot Relish

This was made on the fly as I was creating a scrumptious dish.

Yeilds one cup of relish

Materials 

2 cups of chopped cabbage
1 medium carrot shredded
1 bacth of Cheese Sauce
1/4 tsp Dill
pinch of Garlic
pinch of basil
pinch of cumin (optional)

Tools

Food processor (a must, but if not a blender would work)
Small mixing bowl
mixing spoon

Instructions

  1.  Put your shredded carrots and chopped cabbage into the processor. blend until everything is coarsely chopped
  2.  Put into a small mixing bowl and add cheese sauce and spices.
  3. Hand mix until evenly mixed, you can add more spices and desired flavors to the dish tasting as you go. 
  4. Put into air tight storage container for later use
You can enjoy immediately or later according to preference. I used this in place of a pickle relish.


 
 

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

It is just a mess of things

Shredded Cheese Salad Topping

The Story:    I was out inventing again and decided to process my typical salad recipe. To my dismay the salad tasted awful almost metalic. Not wanting to waste and not knowing what to do, I dished into a container and put it the refrigerator. After a day or two, I thought why not just add my amazing cheese sauce, bake a potato, and throw in some sauteed mushrooms. I did and wow! I was amazed how delicious the dish turned out.  

Yeilds 1 1/2 cup 

Materials

1/2 portion of a Kimball's Typical Salad
Double batch of that amazing cheese sauce
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

Tools

Food processor
Mixing bowls
Mix spoons

Instructions 

  1. Put salad into food processor, blend until all is evenly blended
  2. Combine ingredients and mix until well mixed
  3. Sautee the Mushrooms the way you like and add into the mix
  4. Serve on top of warm baked potato or romaine lettuce or a slice of bread and possibly chips 


FYI The story retold my first attempt, but recently I just tried again and proved successful. 

Could also add diced tomatoes, olives, onions or whatever your heart desires


Have it raw and no other

RAW Peanut Butter

Materials

1 cup of raw unsalted peanuts
1/4 coconut oil or oil of choice
salt (optional)

Tools

Food Processor
Storage container
Spatula

Instructions 

  1. Process your raw peanuts into a flour consistency
  2. add your oil by degrees, scrape the sides if necessary and blend until smooth or desired texture. You may want to add more oil to make it creamy. 
  3. Dish out into a storage container and keep in a cool dry area. 

Really Awesome Wonderful (R.A.W.) ....

Peanut Butter Balls

by Ann Wigmore
13 1 inch size balls

Materials

1/2 cup RAW peanut butter*
1/2 cup sunflower seed meal**
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup raw local honey

Tools

Large Mixing bowl
Spoons
Serving dish

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together 
  2. Pluck out a finger full of batter and roll into balls
You could add fresh blueberries or other fruity choices that could make this a delicious meal

* On other post
** Grind them up in grinder or food processor 

RAW PB Balls with Blueberries

See original Recipe from Dr. Christopher's Herbal Recipe Website.

A little of this and a little of that

Simplified Tortillas 


Materials

1/2 cup Flour of choice
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. Water 

Tools 

measuring cups and spoons
small mixing dish
Cast Iron Frying Pan
Metal Turner Spatula
mixing spoon

Instruction

  1. Dump your flour first.
  2. Add your 1/4 cup water and mix. 
  3. Add more water by the tablespoons until the flour water mixture becomes either thick or runny. 
  4. Heat your cast iron pan at medium heat, add a little oil to grease the pan
  5. Pour  and spread the batter into as thin as you possibly can. 
  6. Let it cook until the whole tortilla changes color. Once it completely changes color, wait for about a minute or two because the tortilla would be ready to flip. Test with metal turner spatula by poking and prodding the edges
  7. Flip and let cook for a minute or two or five until other side is lightly browned.
  8. Place on cooling rack
FYI: If you have a runny batter, the tortillas will be soft and pliable, a thick batter with provide a stiffer tortilla 



Eat with what ever dipping sauces or stuffings 
Here are some ideas
With Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
With your favorite Salad Mix
Shredded Carrots, Cheese Sauce, and Hummus


Monday, June 23, 2014

Butterless Fingers (aka Bread Sticks)

Garlic Finger Sticks

Yields 12-13 Breadstick fingers

This was a great simple recipe  and it was enjoyable to create these garlic flavored bread sticks and dip them in a double batch of the dairy free cheese sauce or your favorite sauce. 

Materials 

1 cup of Sprouted Spelt Flour
1/2 cup Whole Grain Pastry Flour
1 1/2 tsp of Salt
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 - 1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
1 tbsp. of plant based sweetener

Tools

Large Mixing Bowl
Strong wooden spoon
Measuring Cups and spoons
cookie sheet oiled 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Combine dry ingredients first
  3. Add your 1/2 cup water and mix. add more water or flour until the dough could be kneaded
  4. Knead you dough for about a minute or two
  5. Let it sit up to an hour
  6. Pluck off finger size portions of dough and roll the dough into finger length bread sticks and place on the lightly oiled pan. 
  7. Sprinkle some more garlic powder onto along with some salt (optional)
  8. Place in oven and let it cook for 20 or 30 minutes until the crust is firm and bounces on tapping the crust. 
  9. Take out and let it cool, and place  the mini breadsticks on a cooling rack until they have completely cooled. 
  10. Pull out your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy. 





A Vel Vettaless cheese recipe

Cheese And Salsa

This was an amazing zesty italian flavored cheese and salsa mix that I had ever had.

Yield 2 cups fo sauce

Materials

Double batch of Cheeseless Sauce
1/2-3/4 cup of your favorite Salsa
1/4 tsp cumin powder
dash of Tarragon leaves
dash of cayenne powder (optional)
Bag of your favorite chips

Tools

Mixing bowl
Measuring spoons and cups
Mixing Spoon
Serving Bowl

Instructions

  1. Mix your cheese sauce first.
  2. Dump your salsa into the cheese sauce and hand mix until blended
  3. Pour into your serving bowl and enjoy with chips.


 Please refrigerate if you are not planning to use it right off or for an hour or two later. You could possibly let it sit over night to allow the flavors to merge. 




Friday, June 13, 2014

You'll Scream, We Scream for ....

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

This recipe is very simple and serves as a base recipe for your imagination. I thought I was going to miss ice cream since it is somewhat expensive to buy just a pint of dairy-free ice cream. But this provides an economical solution in the long run especially for a single person. 

Serves 2

Materials

2 peeled frozen Bananas
1/2-3/4 plant based milk (sweetened or unsweetened)
1 1/2 Tablespoon Peanut Butter (smooth or chunky)

Tools
Food Processor or blender
Measuring cup
Spatula

Instructions

  1. Peel and freeze your bananas overnight at least and pull them out when you want to use them. 
  2. Dump your bananas into your processor with your peanut butter.
  3. Pulse a few times, you may want to hold down your machine because the bananas will make it bounce. 
  4. Pour in your milk and turn on your machine until it becomes smooth. You could add more milk to thin out the mixture
  5. Serve and enjoy
There are many variations that you could do to this simply by adding chocolate chips, frozen fruit, fresh fruit or what ever. 

Here is a similar recipe that I had while pursuing other websites







Monday, June 2, 2014

I will tell you once, it is not beef!

Meatless Burger Patty

Up to 6 patties

Materials


8 ounces of Mushrooms (sliced or not)
½ cup vital Wheat Gluten
½ yellow onion
1 ½ tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
dash of salt
½ cup of Flaxseed meal
1 cup sprouted spelt flour
1 tsp. olive oil


Tools


Food processor
Small mixing bowl
Cast iron fry pan or stainless steel fry pan
Measuring cups and spoons

Instructions
1              Combine all except the flaxseed meal and flour into your food processor and mix until the mixture becomes a messy mixture.
2              Combine your flaxseed meal and flour in a small bowl.
3              Grab a fingers full of the burger dough or whatever you may call it, and roll it in the flour mixture, just enough to coat the outside
4              Form the burger in your hands as thin as you possibly can
5              Place on hot frying pan, greased with olive oil.
6              Smash the burger with a spatula and let it cook until the burger becomes brown on the pan.
7              Turn and wait until cooked.
8              Place your favorite toppings, sauces, and on your favorite bread, buns and enjoy



 This recipe is amazing. I was shocked how much it had the similar texture of a meaty burger patty. It is not at all spicy with the cayenne. 



Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Let's have Lent

Lentil Rice Soup

2 cups

Materials
½ green lentils
½ cup of short grain brown rice
4 cups water
Spices to taste
½ cube of vegetable broth


Tools
Stainless steel saucepot
Wooden spoon
Measuring Cups
Measuring spoons



Instructions
1                   Boil the rice and lentils for about five minutes.
2                   Bring the heat down to a simmer and add your spices and vegetable broth into the soup.
3                   Simmer for the next three hours or until the brown rice is soft

          Serve warm
You may also can serve this over  polenta, baked potatoes, or rice. Who knows?

You can soak the lentils and rice over night to create a shorter cooking time.  

Sorry there is no picture for this dish. I consumed it all up before I remember to take a picture. 

Let's bake it, not once, but twice

Cayenne Twice Bake Potato

Serves As many potatoes that you use

Materials

1 potato medium or large
1 tsp. of Garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne powder
1 tsp. nutritional yeast optional
Dash of salt
Up to 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Tools

Measuring spoons
Soup spoon
mixing bowl small or medium

Instructions

1     Place the potato into the oven, turn on the oven to 450 F for 45 mins
2     Once the outside of the potato is firm and feels crispy pull them out and with a knife cut the potatoes in half. The potato needs to have a firm crust in order for the the next step to work out well.
3     With a soup spoon hollow out the potato while hot and put the remains into a bowl, wrap your and in a towel or something to keep it from burning while holding the potato
4     With a fork or the spoon mash the potatoes until smooth and add your olive oil until the potatoes become into a mash potato consistency.
5     Add your dry ingredients and mash until all is evenly blended and smooth.
6     Stuff the potatoes with the cayenne potato mixture

Enjoy either warm, hot or cooled according to your whims.

You may add bits of sauteed mushroom and onion, or a slice of raw onion chopped or diced, whatever your heart desires.


 
 

This was one of my earliest recipes with the thermos wheat and sprout wheat cereal. I would also like to mention that one would need an electric oven for this because a gas stove, unless it is an exceptially good oven, would take a long time and it hasn't produced the desired results for me.


Here is a simple breakfast tip

Breakfast Ball

Serves 3/4 cup Breakfast ball

Materials

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
1 banana

Tools

Food Processor
Measuring cups

Instructions


  1. Put your raisins and oats in food processor
  2. Pulse a few times
  3. Take a small bite from your banana
  4.  place the rest into the food processor
  5. Blend until the whole clumps together into a ball
  6. Turn off 
  7. Take out your ball of goodness 
  8. Roll it into a smooth ball 
  9. Eat it like an apple. 


Estimated time from start to finish about 5 minutes.  Can anyone beat that?!



When the roll is called up wonder....

Mini Cinnamon Rolls with Raisins

Serves 6 rolls

Materials 

I cup of wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/3-1/2 cup water or plant based milk
1 tbsp. dry sweetener (coconut sugar, etc.)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract. 
Dash of Cinnamon

maple syrup 
Cinnamon
dry sweetener
Nutmeg (optional) 
raisins (optional)
rolled oats (optional)

Tools 

Large mixing bowl
large wooden mixing spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
cookie sheet

Instructions

  1. pre-heat oven on at 350
  2. Add the dry ingredients first.
  3. Add your water and vanilla 
  4.  mix, knead, and form with spoon
  5. until the dough is smooth and not sticky
  6. Roll out your dough 
Add 
  1. rub the maple syrup on the dough
  2. sprinkle the sweetener, raisins, and oats
  3. roll the dough
  4. Cut about two inch sections
  5. place on lightly oiled cooking sheet

Place in oven for about 20-25 minutes. 

Let cool and enjoy




Wednesday, April 23, 2014

A pocket for what?

Apple Sauce Pockets

These were like the store bought fruit pastries that I used to love. So without the glaze I was able to recreate something similar.

Materials and tools are located on my previous Lil' Pastries Post
  1. Follow steps 1-3 of Pastry Basic recipe.
  2. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until the dough is thin. 
  3. Use a dough press or a lid of a jar, to cut out your pocket. 
  4. Place a small spoonful of apple sauce in the center topping it with cinnamon 
  5. Lightly wet the edges of the dough and press the edges together until sealed 
  6. Place on a lightly greased pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the crust becomes lightly brown. 
  7. Pull out of oven, let the pastries cool and place them on a cooling rack until completely cool
Eat and enjoy. 

A swirly twirly thinga-ma-bob


Cinnamon Apple Swirls

These are similar and fun to create especially with left over dough. They almost had a taste of mini cinnamon rolls.

Materials and tools are located on my previous Lil' Pastries Post
  1. Follow Steps 1-3 of the Basic Pastry Recipe.
  2. roll out the dough until thin
  3. Sprinkle cinnamon powder and spread apple sauce over like you would for cinnamon rolls. 
  4. Roll up the batter cut with a sharp knife 
  5. Gently place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet. 
  6. Place them in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the smell becomes irresistible but the crust has to be firm or lightly golden brown. 
  7. Let cool on sheet. If you have a favorite glaze to put on these, go right ahead and do so. I haven't created one yet (one day I will, I need more inspiration)
  8. Remove and place them on a cooling rack until cooled. 
Eat warm or cool and please enjoy. 


Lil' Pastries

This was inspired by roommate, Peter Lucht, when he made some kind of Borscht Pockets the other day. After stewing and playing with idea one night I thought I would like attempt to make something of that sort.

Basic Pastry Recipe


Materials

1 cup Pastry Flour (Sprouted perferably)
1 tbsp. Baking Powder
1 tbsp. dry sweetener
1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp. unsweetened Applesauce (see previous post)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon to taste


Tools 

Measuring spoons
Large mixing bowl glass or stainless steel
Fork
Clean Counter Top
Cookie Sheet
Dough Press  (optional depending what you want to do)
Rolling Pin

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven at 350 F
  2.  Put all your dry ingredients together into your mixing bowl
  3. Add your wet ingredients one at a time. Use a fork to mix until the dough forms. You may want to add a little more flour until you can kneed and work with the dough
  4. Let your imagination run wild with what you can do. 
  5. Cook pastry for about 25-30 minutes

Dishing ideas

Variations in posts to come

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Who's Monkeying around?

Oaty Chunky Monkey

One to two cups

Materials
2 Frozen bananas (overnight)
1 tbsp. Peanut butter*
1 tbsp. unsweetened carob powder
1 cup plant-based milk
¼ cup oat flour

Tools
Food Processor or Blender
Measuring Cups
Spatula
Measuring spoons


Instructions
1                   Place the frozen bananas first into the blender add your peanut butter, cocoa powder, and oat flour
2                   Pulse a few times then add your milk and bend the mixture until you have reached your desired consistency
3                   Pour into cups, add your favorite toppings
4                   Enjoy with a smile

 This comes close to being like ice cream. It is a good energy drink. This sometimes becomes my breakfast. This is about 90% non-original from Forks over Knives Cookbook. The book calls for ½ cup chopped dates, and unsweetened cocoa powder. I use carob powder and oat flour 

*I use Yokes Unsalted Dry Roasted Peanut butter in the bulk food section. It is absolutely divine. 


Let's Go Bananas!

Banana-Nut Smoothie

Serves one

Materials
2 bananas
1 ½ tsp. Peanut Butter (Dry Roasted Unsalted preferably)
1 ½ tsp. Almond Butter (Dry Roasted Unsalted, preferably)
¼ cup Oat Flour
1 tbsp.- ½ cup Plant-based milk

Tools
Blender or food processor
Measuring spoons and cups
Spatula

Instructions
1                   Put your bananas, nut butters, and oat flour together.
2                   Pulse your ingredients together and then mix on medium or high speed.
3                   Add your milk by degrees until your desired consistency has been achieved
4                   Scoop or pour into a cup, top off with a trial mix, or a granola and enjoy. 



*For North Idahoans, you can buy at a good price fresh almond butter at the Heath Corner in Yokes as well the fresh peanut butter. They provide terrific unsalted dry roasted peanuts and almonds and sell them by the pound. Maybe at other health food stores you may be able to find such services.