Yep, these are vegan!

Courtesy of my ancient and first acquired vegetarian cookbook, "Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook".  A moist, chocolatey, dairy free cupcake which tastes great and stays moist even after a few days!  (I have found other recipes which seem to have a shorter shelf life and get "cakey" and dry after a day or two.)

cakes:

preheat oven to 375  degrees
line a 12 cup tin with baking cups

in a large bowl whisk together the following dry ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

in a separate bowl combine the following liquid ingredients:
6 tbsp veggie owl
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp cider vinegar

stir liquid ingredients into the dry ones only until blended.
pour evenly into lined cupcake tin.
bake about 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
remove and cool.

icing:


blend with mixer: 2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of vegan margarine. (I like Earth Balance) until mixture is thick but well combined. add 1/4 cup of plain soy or almond milk,
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract. continue to blend with mixer until smooth. frost your cupcakes when they are completely cooled.  this frosting recipe makes a lot! you can cut in half really for 12 cupcakes or just use an extra yummy amount!

            
  Autumn is for falling leaves, chilly air, cozy scarves and roasted pumpkin seeds....
Get even more energy out of iron-rich pumpkin seeds by roasting them in a cast-iron skillet.
Yum!

Tuscany Bean Soup
A warming and just hearty enough soup for the early days of Fall...

-Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a soup pot and saute 1 chopped medium    onion, 2 chopped celery stalks and 3 chopped garlic cloves until tender.  Add 1 can (28 ounce) of canned tomatoes and cook over medium heat.  Break the tomatoes into smaller pieces with a spoon.
Cover this and cook for about 15 minutes and stir occasionally if you remember!  Add a 15 ounce can of white beans with their liquid, 3 and a half cups of water, and salt and ground pepper to taste.  Cook for another 15 minutes.

Add one cup of small pasta shells to the soup and cook until shells are done.  Ladle into pretty bowls, add coursely chopped basil leaves and serve with a crusty loaf, crackers or corn bread!  Ladle a second helping when finished with the first...

*Did you know?
-when beans are combined with grains such as pasta or barley, they form complete (and easily digestible) proteins? They also really help to amp up the flavor of soups and thicken the stock. 

-onions not only add pungency to your soup but are also a good source of vitamin C.

"Eating"...

"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than we are." -Adelle Davis


After a year of stepping away from my blog to tend to other things, I am back to share. My two latest yummies are: yogurt (soy or dairy depending on your dietary needs), a handful of sliced almonds, a handful of dried cherries, half of a sliced pear and a pour of maple syrup. Voila! A healthy, quick and light summer breakfast, lunch or snack! Best enjoyed outdoors in a summer breeze..


Second, green smoothie is back! My fave for summer: two frozen bananas, an apple, a pear, cold filtered water, a few fresh dates and a few leaves of kale. Perfect food! Thanks to Arnold's Way in Lansdale, PA for always inspiring me with these!  Best enjoyed anytime, anywhere, with those you love!

awareness of the energy you put in to create your meals + the energy it takes to have the ingredients available = the energy of the food itself when eaten and digested. (ie: buy local, homegrow, shop farmers' markets, share with neighbors, do your best and make the best possible choices you can, do it all with love!) All we can do is try!

TTFN  Ta-Ta For Now.... 

"Holy Hiatus" and "New Life"

   I know, two titles for this post. I couldn't decide on one or the other.  "Holy Hiatus" because I literally have not posted since October! I'd like to say I was oh so busy with extraordinary things- exciting projects, etc, etc.  But it was really just life flying by faster than ever without a moment's warning of just how fast it wants to go.....(with some ordinary extarordinary things going on in the mix - since isn't "all of this " extaordinary afterall?)
   And then also "New Life" as I post the pics of my tiny seedlings from early Spring on my cold but sunny windowsill which have now become strong (most of them) little basil, parsley and cantaloupe plants and some flowers ready to bloom.I write this as I just learned of a very old friend's passing (not old in age, just 44 years, but a friend from what seems a whole lifetime ago) and can't help but get some solace from these seedling babies that all life begins again and continues on and we are all ever so linked and intertwined in more ways than we will ever really know or understand....
   So it's simple right? Plant seeds, watch them grow, celebrate life, good food, good health, love, friendships, family. Tread lightly and love LOUDLY for life just loves to fly by quickly and we must embrace the good stuff - now.


for T.D.D.

Eggplant Sandwiches

Friends of ours recently let us have their week's share of produce from their local farm share crop. We were blessed to receive some beautiful veggies including a yummy eggplant. I decided to try this eggplant "sandwich" recipe which uses no bread. It turned out to be truly delightful! Please try it if you love eggplant! Cut a medium eggplant into about 1/2" thick rounds. (Mike accidentally cut ours thinner but we made it work just as well.) He made up for it by salting the eggplant rounds before cooking to help prevent chewiness. Jut sprinkle with salt and let sit for a few or until moisture droplets can be seen. He swears by this method, so I abide. We try to make cooking, when we do it, a pleasant experience for all as opposed to butting heads..... Anyway, you're going to dip each round in a bowl of flour and coat well. Then you will dip each in a mixture of 2 eggs beaten (vegans can use soy milk and some lemon juice). Let excess egg drip off of each round, then coat in a pre-prepared bowl of panko bread crumbs and any dried herbs you desire. See my southern fried tofu recipe from September for a more lengthy breading instruction. Heat oil in a skillet and place each round in when hot,  cooking each side until golden brown. Take them out and blot with a paper towel to remove any excess oil. (Cooking time was about 2-3 minutes per side.) I then began to "build" my "sandwiches" with the eggplant rounds as the "bread". First put down a round, then lettuce of your choice (we used romaine), then tomato slices, then basil, then a cheese of your choice, (we used mozzarella, but thought goat would be delicious, too), then top with an eggplant round again. These were firm enough to pick up and eat like a sandwich which made it even better! We added a glass of organic red wine from Frey Vineyards in California and we had ourselves quite a little meal that we were proud of and was delicious! 

P.S. Vegans can substitute a vegan cheese, and really you could get completely creative with how and what you stack on this sandwich! Have fun!

Southern Fried Tofu Wedges

As summer weather begins to fade around here, I start turning to more "warming" foods and recipes, hence, southern fried tofu wedges!

Start with a 1 pound block of extra firm tofu, rinsed drained and patted dry. Cut it horizontally into 3 equal slabs, then cut each slab into 4 triangles. (My math genius tells me this will give you 12 wedges in all!)

I then make an "assembly line" of my ingredients so I can whip these bad boys up in seconds flat!

Put 2/3 cup of flour on a plate.  Put 2/3 cup of plain soymilk with 2 tsp. of fresh lemon juice in a bowl and stir. Finally, put a cup or so of bread crumbs, some nutritional yeast (optional), salt, pepper, dried oregano, basil, dill, parsley and any other dried herbs you wish to use together on a flat plate and combine well.

Now all you have to do is dip each piece of tofu in the flour and coat well, then dip in the soured soymilk again coating well, and finally coat in the breadcrumb mixture and then set aside until all pieces are coated! (Just like the days of my childhood helping mom with her breaded porkchops-except these are cruelty free and much healthier for you!)
Lastly, coat a large skillet with veg oil and heat on medium. When hot, add the tofu wedges in a single layer.  Cook until the bottoms are well browned then flip and do the same for the other side.  When you remove the tofu from the skillet be sure to place on a paper towel lined plate to blot off any excess oil.  Then add your favorite condiments and voila! We like to use hot sauce, barbecue sauce and honey in our house, but not all at the same time!

These can be eaten with a fork but we also like to just pick em' up with our fingers, dip and eat! Little ones seem to like this form of eating, too! 

Couscous with Chickpea and Cauliflower Stew

Not that I love firing up the stove top during these hot summer months, but this stew was worth it! And then we just ate outside! It took hardly any time at all and made a tasty, hearty meal. I heated 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan ("Don't get saucy with me Bernaise!") then added 1 chopped medium onion and stirred until softening began. Then I added 1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and pinches of salt and pepper. I stirred some more until fragrant.

Next I added a few chopped tomatoes with their juice, a rinsed can of chickpeas and one head of cauliflower cut into small florets. A 1/2 cup of water was poured in and brought to a boil. I reduced heat and simmered, stirring occasionally until veggies got tender and liquid thickened. (About 15-20 minutes). Lastly, I folded in a 5 ounce package of spinach which I chopped and let it cook until just wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.

One cup of couscous was put in a large bowl and I added one cup of hot water to it. I covered and let sit for 5 minutes, fluffed with a fork and served with the stew. No, you don't even need a stove top to make couscous, just some hot water! Now it's chow time!

Mothers' Day "In The Raw" Brunch

Long gone are the lazy days of Sunday brunches at corner cafes since my little guy has turned two. Although my second choice this year was even better than the best Sunday brunch at ANY corner cafe! We all went to Arnold's Cafe in Lansdale, PA (which was originally located in Manayunk) It's a raw foods cafe and health food store, so it's pretty darn casual and kid friendly, too! Score! And everytime I eat there I get so inspired to buy, prepare and eat more raw foods everyday. Preparing raw is a lot of fun, but of course having someone else make it is even better! They have a delicious menu of salads, entrees, smoothies and desserts! I am literally like a kid in a freaking candy store when we go there! I decided on a "Zesty" salad, Mike got a "Toona Sandwich" which was all vegetarian and all raw! We also got a blueberry smoothie which my two year old slurped down without coming up for air, some "Rejuvenator" juice which was apples, carrots, celery and ginger all put through a juicer, and ended with a banana, carob and date whip which is literally better than any icecream I have tasted! Okay, now my mouth is watering! I forgot to mention they also have soups and wraps and host a whole bunch of workshops and potlucks to inspire and educate on raw food living! It's worth checking out and may just inspire you as well! Happy Momma's Day to me!!!

P.S. Arnold's is big on their "Green Smoothie" mission. Promoting them for building strong immune systems, prevention of cancers and other diseases.....sooooo..........we have been on a green smoothie kick here in our house (bananas, leafy greens (such as spinach) apples, water and some blueberries) and we are loving every slurp!

"Chickpea of the Sea" Sandwich

What a great, healthy and animal friendly alternative to your average tuna or chicken salad sandwich. It's also a great picnic season food and a better packed lunch option then opting for yet another overpriced crappy lunch at work! (ahem, Mike)

Anyway, I loved, loved, loved this sandwich and it is packed full of protein and other vitamins! Take a look:

Strain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and throw them in your food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of cumin, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, squeezed juice from half a lemon, salt and pepper to taste, two stalks of celery cut into one inch pieces and three scallions cut into one inch pieces. I also added nutritional yeast for extra vitamins, but it's optional. Next I ran the processor on low then high to get a nice chopped consistency for the celery, scallions and chickpeas. You can chop it to a smoother or chunkier consistency as you prefer. I then spread it on toasted multigrain bread with flax seeds, added nice crisp pieces of lettuce and finished with some vegan mayo spread. With the additional sides of chips, carrots and cucumbers, this tasted like a club sandwich served at a favorite corner cafe! Except I didn't have to dish out $12.00 for it. (But I did have to clean up.)

Edamame and Penne

This one is all about quickness, as I came up with it after I realized my husband wasn't going to be home for dinner and I had a few minutes until my sleeping toddler awoke from his nap.

I prepared the penne as directed on box, steamed the (frozen) edamame, and got some minced garlic warmed in olive oil with salt and pepper. While the oil was warming, I added the steamed edamame to it for just a few minutes. When pasta was done, I strained, then added the oil, garlic and edamame mixture right on top while warm and finished with some parm and fresh ground pepper.

Yum.

"Let Them Eat Broccoli"

I was never fond of broccoli. I usually preferred it raw if at all, with some veggie dip. But over the years I have really learned to enjoy it- and thank goodness! I recently came across an article that states that a study conducted by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine found that broccoli contains a chemical called sulforaphane that kills a pesky bacteria called "helicobacter pylori" (WHERE do they come up with these names?) which causes stomach ulcers and potentially deadly stomach cancers. So increasing it in your diet can prevent suffering from stomach aches and can also quite possibly prevent stomach cancer. In some Third World countries millions are infected with helicobacter pylori, likely linked to poverty and poor sanitation conditions. The research suggested that even a minor change in diet such as eating more broccoli can essentially help people heal themselves.

So if THAT isn't enough for you to get chomping on some of the green stuff, then how about the fact that it contains vitamin C, dietary fiber, and multiple nutrients with cancer fighting compounds? Basically, find a way to work it into your and your family's diets! Try it raw with veggie dip alongside some other colorful veggies. Or try it steamed with a dash of sea salt as a side dish. Chop it into salads, make a cream of broccoli soup, experiment with some new broccoli recipes! And get healthy!

nourish

have you nourished your body today?

old interview

I have been "winter cleaning" the house, and am going through old magazines to give away. I came across this interview with Dharma Mittra in an old Yoga Journal from 2007. I felt the need to share. Vegetarianism simplified.

Birthday Brunch! Tofu Scramble!

Mike made me this scrumptious brunch for me for my birthday! Yay! The main dish was a yummy tofu scramble. Great for all you vegans out there and just an all around healthy and tasty dish! He sauteed chopped onions and carrots in some oil, then added diced tofu. He also added turmeric and salt and pepper. It cooked for just a few minutes and was served hot with chopped parsley on top. Added as sides were rosemary potatoes, veggie sausages and a bagel half. Steamin'!!! Lucky me!

Warming Veggie Soup

This is not a dainty soup by any means. It's a "throw it in the pot and get it cookin'" kind of soup. It's the kind of soup you make in a log burning house and that keeps you warm from head to toe. I don't do any kind of delicate chopping and have been known to throw whole carrots and celery stalks right into the pot for this one. It's soup for a daredevil chef! I chose carrots, potatoes, parsnips, onions, celery and parsley. I roughly chopped large chunks of all, and put into a nice tall stainless steel stock pot filled with salted water. I also added one veggie boullion cube to amp up the flavor, but the veggies themselves will provide enough flavor that you may not even need it if you don't have. After that I just let it simmer away until the potato and carrot softened. I added some black pepper and pre-cooked egg noodles (do you know they also make eggless egg noodles for all you vegans out there?) and a dash of apple cider vinegar. This abundant soup kept giving for days and on the last night I added some leftover soy chicken breast pieces to make it even heartier!

I would kill for this soup if out camping in the cold or after a day of skiing or sledding. It would also be great if you have the sniffles, but if you eat this soup often you probably won't ever GET the sniffles.......

Now go get soupin'!

Veggie Chili for Chilly Days

So go get yourself a good old fashioned crock pot if you don't already have one. Or better yet, ask around at your next family gathering and see if anyone has one laying around. My mother-in-law gave us this one (probably from the late 70's early 80's) and it rocks! Chili is hearty, healthy and won't break the bank! Plus, you can pretty much put whatever you like in it and omit what you don't! Nothing is better on a cold, raw day than a nice warm veggie chili. Friends who say they could never go veg because they hate salads and "cold" food and crave hearty meals would surely be satisfied by this meal!

We used two types of beans: kidney and pinto. We also threw in some chopped carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes (boiled quickly then peeled and seeded) and chili powder! We used almost a dozen tomatoes which pretty much made the "sauce" consistency in the chili. We added salt and pepper to taste and a little bit of water as needed. We also added a soy based beef tip substitute this time. Then we turned the slow cooker on and pretty much just let it do its thing. We would stir and check accordingly, allowing the aroma to fill the kitchen. It cooked for about 10 hours, and we enjoyed with soy sour cream, chopped scallion and cilantro. Warmed us to the bones!

I recommend a nice warm corn bread as a side!

Warming Potato Chard Soup

I can live on soup alone when the weather turns to chilly and the leaves are no longer ON the trees. This soup is so warming and healthy that I can literally feel it working wonders as I slurp it down! It has a nice light, clear-ish broth and is full of minimal yet key ingredients: 3 cups of water, pinch of salt, 2 cups of chopped taters, 1/2 cup shelled soybeans (edamame), 3 tablespoons of raw pumpkin seeds or raw papitas (to top the soup), 1 cup of chopped zucchini, 2 cups of slivered green or red chard, 3 tablespoons of whit or yellow miso, 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, fresh basil and rosemary.

Place water, salt, taters and beans in a pot on high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes until taters are tender.

Meanwhile, place the pumpkin seeds or raw papitas in a skillet over medium heat and dry toast for a few minutes until puffed up and browned. Remove from heat and set aside. (A great source of omega-3 fatty acids- just another reason to make a big ol' jack o'lantern and get some seeds!)

When taters are tender, add zucchini and chard and simmer another 5 minutes. Ladle some broth into a small cup and add the miso-combine until smooth. Add that back to the pot of soup along with the basil, rosemary and apple cider vinegar. Add salt to taste and top with seeds once poured into serving bowls. Get ready to feel good......

I also added a dash of nutritional yeast (from health food store) to add more B vitamins.

nutrition breakdown:

basil and rosemary- help calm the mind and improve mental function

miso and taters- help with acid conditions in the body

chard- calcium and magnesium rich

apple cider vinegar- good mood food

Thai Coconut Soup

This is one of Mike's specialties and is one of the reasons I love Autumn. It's not only "sweata weatha" but "soup weatha"! I think it's different every time he makes it, but always delicious! He uses a box of veggie broth and a couple cans of coconut milk. This simmers with oyster mushrooms, although he used shitake this time. (I suppose you could use your favorite mushroom and get away with it). He adds salt and pepper to taste, jalapeno pepper to taste and adds lime zest. He tops off with green onion and cilantro before serving with some nice artisan bread. The flavors all compliment each other so nicely, it's truly a beautiful, tasty soup!

GREAT ALTERNATIVES!

My current three favorite alternatives all available at Trader Joe's!

Earth Balance natural buttery spread- tastes great and also works great for baking and cooking.

Tofutti "Cuties" are little perfect portion "icecream" sandwiches. Yummy!

Trader Joe's brand Soy Milk Creamer- perfect for coffee, hot cocoa or chai tea when you want a little creamier consistency than just soy milk but without the dairy! (Be sure to shake well before use as directed on package to avoid settled ingredients pouring out into your yummy drink.) Mike was getting annoyed by this, but once you shake it, the problem is gone!