Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Here is a recipe a friend made for us for dinner tonight. My kids loved it and so did I! Not to mention it is super easy!

1 tsp. oil
1 T. each-minced garlic and chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
4 c. broth
1 can black beans (original recipe calls for chickpeas, black beans are better)
1 can solid pack pumpkin
1 c. corn kernels
3/4 c. bottled medium spicy salsa

Garnish: cheese, sour cream, avocado, or whatever else you think would be good

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin. Stir over medium heat for 1 minute.
2. Add broth; stir in beans, pumpkin, corn and salsa. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes to develop flavors.  Serve with garnishes.

Taco Pizza

Check out this recipe for Taco Pizza. I made it on a whim and happened to have all the ingredients.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/taco-pizza/

I didn't use cheese or meat and it was still really good!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups canned* chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (165 grams) natural peanut butter (can use PB2 from gym to make healthier, check your labels)
1/4 cup (80 grams) honey (agave would be amazing too!)
1 teaspoon baking powder**
a pinch of salt if your peanut butter doesn’t have salt in it
1/2 cup (90 grams) chocolate chips

* My can was a 400 gram can, 240 grams without the water, and I used all but a few tablespoons

** If you need grain-free baking powder, you can use 1 part cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 2 parts arrowroot.

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C.

Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they’re combined.

Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.

With wet hands, form into 1 1/2″ balls. Place onto a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don’t do much rising. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Yields about fourteen 1 1/2″ cookie dough balls.

Baked Mac Oh Geez

Just tried this. My no dairy girl loves it.  I love her "Geezy" grin.

Reprinted with permission.

• 3 to 3 1/2 cups dry cut pasta (ex: macaroni, penne) (about 10 oz)
• 3/4 cup raw cashews (see “nutrition facts” link below for a nut-free version)
• 1/2 cup raw brazil nuts
• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 medium clove garlic
• 2 tsp arrowroot powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp (rounded) dry mustard
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups milk of choice (preferably: unsweetened almond or soymilk)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For breadcrumb topping:

• 3/4 to 1 1/4 cups dry whole-grain breadcrumbs (See “nutritional info” link below, for gluten-free option)
• 1/2 to 1 tbsp olive oil
• Couple pinches sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Throw pasta into a deep pot of boiling salted water. While pasta is cooking, blend all sauce ingredients (ingredients 2-11) in a blender or in a deep bowl with an immersion blender. Once pasta is almost tender, fully drain (don’t rinse). Mix noodles with sauce, and immediately pour into a lightly oiled 8 x 12” baking dish. (It will look like there is a lot of runny sauce – it will thicken up, trust the pasta!) Mix breadcrumb toppings in a small bowl, then sprinkle over top of casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 17-18 minutes. Then, remove foil cover and bake another 5-7 minutes or until topping is golden brown and crisped. Don’t overbake or sauce will get too thick. Remove from oven and place vegan macaroni and cheese casserole on a hot plate (rather than on top of oven, since residual heat from oven will continue to thicken the sauce). Serve! 

Savory Quinoa & Vegetable Soup

I can't wait to try this one!

We usually think of quinoa as a grain, but it is actually the seed of a plant and as its scientific
name Chenopodium quinoa reflects, it is related to beets, chard and spinach. Quinoa is a
protein powerhouse. This delicious soup is both packed with nutrition and satisfying and rich
in flavor.

Ingredients: (Serves 6)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 yellow onion (diced into small pieces)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 very large red potatoes (about 14 oz.) (diced into small squares)
2/3 cup quinoa (uncooked)
3 vine ripened tomatoes (diced) (or I use one can diced tomatoes)
2 carrots (diced into small squares)
1 yellow squash (diced into small pieces)
9 cups unsalted vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. sea salt
pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. stevia powder (I use about 1 tsp agave)
1 Tbsp. nutrtional yeast
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
4 fresh basil leaves (sliced)

Instructions:
1.) Add olive oil to a large stock pot and add minced garlic & onion. Season by sprinkling
some salt and pepper while cooking.

2.) Add quinoa, diced potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, dry seasonings, stevia, salt &
pepper. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, Cook for about 5 minutes.

3.) Add vegetable broth and yellow squash. Bring to a boil and then turn to low and simmer
for 20 minutes.

4.) Add nutritional yeast and stir well. Turn burner off and add in chopped parsley and basil
leaves.

5.) Serve with crusty bread and a green leafy salad. ENJOY!!

Raw Ranch Dressing

Loved this dressing at the Silly Witch's house! 

1 ¼ cup cashews

¾ cup water

5 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic (or 1-2 Tablespoons granulated garlic)

5 teaspoons onion powder

1 Tablespoon parsley

3 teaspoons sea salt

1 huge handful cilantro (optional, for cilantro flavor)

For Mexican flavor, can also add:

1 jalepeno

2 tomatillos

Mix all ingredients in blender except cilantro until smooth. Add cilantro and pulse until

green bits are chopped, but visible.

Taste and make changes as necessary.

Stir-fried Cauliflower with Thai Red Curry Sauce

Here's a yummy curry recipe the Silly Witch fed us at her house! Could you please post the source Silly Witch?


Sauce

1 Cup coconut milk

3 T fish sauce

1 teaspoon grateed lim zest plus 1 T juice

1 T light brown sugar

2 teaspoons red curry paste

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

CAULIFLOWER

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 large head cauliflower (3 pounds), cored and cut into 3/4-inch florets

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

6 ounces snow peas, strings remioved

 2 Tablespoons minced fresh basil

1. FOR THE SAUCE:  Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl until smooth.

2. FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:  Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cauliflower and cook,  stirring occasionally, until just barely tender,  about 3 minutes.  CLear center of skillet; add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, garlic, and genger and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir mixture into cauliflower.  Reduce heat to medium-high and stir in sauce mixture.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is just tender, about 2 minutes.  Add snow peas and continue to simmer until cauliflower is fully tender, about 3 minutes longer.  Sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately.