Easiest, Yummiest Mac and Cheese

It's finally Autumn in North Texas, my favorite time of year! After another brutally hot summer, it's finally cool enough to open the windows and let some crispy fresh air come inside. Even better, it's pouring down sweet, much-needed rain right now. I have the house to myself. And I'm catching up on both my cleaning and my Netflix queue. It's a great day! Of course, a great day like this calls for some comfort food. I made chocolate oatmeal energy balls last night, so sweets are covered. The only thing missing is something cheesy. Enter the Easy Vegan Macaroni and Cheeze recipe from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. I just did a quick Google search for "the best" vegan mac and cheese and this is what popped up. Oh, and guess what? It's absolutely delicious! Creamy and "cheesy," even better than the boxed stuff - vegan or otherwise. Give it a try. It's perfect for this Fall weather, and I'm 99.99% certain that I will be serving it on my Thanksgiving table this year.

EASY VEGAN MACARONI AND CHEEZE
(recipe by Susan Voisin, who writes at blog.FatFreeVegan.com)
"Besides being low-fat, this recipe is also low in sodium, so salt-lovers may need to add salt. The tahini adds a little fat but a lot of flavor; still, leave it out if you need a completely oil-free dish.

Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta (regular or gluten-free), cooked according to package directions
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup plain, fat-free soymilk (may use other non-dairy milk)
• 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons tahini (optional, but lends creaminess and flavor)
• 1 teaspoon mellow white miso (or additional salt)
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Put the pasta on to boil, according to package directions. While it’s cooking, blend water and all remaining ingredients together in a blender. When the pasta is al dente, drain it, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and return the pasta to pan. Add the sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Add a little of the pasta water if more moistness is needed.
2. If the sauce is not as flavorful as you’d like, add a little more mustard and onion powder.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8 
Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 303 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat; (10% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 54g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 316mg Sodium; 5g Fiber. Also, if you use nutritional yeast fortified with B-12, one serving provides 100% of the daily requirement of that vitamin."

I Can Finally Eat Basil. Life is Good.

Look at those lovely, waxy leaves. They smell and taste as good as they look!

I have been waiting patiently for weeks and weeks to eat the fresh basil I planted in my garden. The crazy-deliciousness of fresh basil is just beyond compare. I've been regularly sniffing the leaves (I admit, I am a chronic leaf sniffer), my mouth watering, just hankerin' for the time I could snip off a few and put them on something - anything - edible, to throw it's flavor profile right out of the ballpark. Normally, my thoughts might hint toward spaghetti or whatever is saucy and of the Italian variety. But it's already blistering hot here in North Texas, so I'm trying to use the oven as little as possible.

Instead, I found some gorgeous tomatoes at Aldi, for super cheap. Big flavorful fatties in a four-pack, for a buck and some change. So, I sliced them up, spritzed them with a generous helping of balsamic vinegar, put a fresh basil leaf on each one, then topped them with a slice of cucumber and some black pepper. They were AMAZING! Light and full of the fresh flavors of summer. I am planning to serve these at every dinner party I throw from now until the end of time. Give it a try!

P.S. If you're not already growing your own basil, it's not too late!
Here's a great website with all the info you need to get growing.
http://www.growing-basil.org/

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"AwesomeSauce" Even Omnis Will Love

My favorite vegan restaurant, Spiral Diner Fort Worth, makes an amazing nacho dish with what seems to be the latest sensation, a vegan "cheesy" sauce made from cashews. I love these nachos super hard. They are mouthwatering and fantastic. I even eat the jalapeno slices on top, because there's the microscopic possibility that they might be ever-so-slightly impregnated with the sauce. The only problem is that, despite their fantastic food and friendly waitstaff, Spiral Diner has one slight imperfection... It's expensive! And I'm eternally broke! To be fair, they do charge a decent price considering that the bulk of their foodstuff is organic. And, if I could afford it, I would not feel ripped off eating there every single day. Hell, every single MEAL if I could! But, sadly, my trips to Spiral happen only a handful of times per year. And I am forever trying to copy their recipes so that I can make their delicious yums at home for a fraction of the price. They do teach cooking classes on occasion, but I can't afford those either. What's a poor vegan to do??

Today I was really, desperately craving those nachos. Like, I mean, I had to have 'em, man! And I know the  not-so-secret ingredient in Spiral's "cheesy" sauce is cashews. But, since when can a poor person afford raw cashews? Since almost-never, that's when. So, I farted around with a couple of cashew-free "cheesy" sauce recipes I found online and came up with my own delicious chip-dipping substance, sans the expensive cashews. And it is fabulous!

Even your omni friends will love it. They won't have any idea it's vegan - it's way too decadent to be rabbit food! They'll think it's some exotic, richly creamy awesomesauce. Hence the name, "awesomesauce." I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (can sub all-purpose flour)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon mustard

• Whisk all ingredients together in a medium saucepan.
• Bring to a slight bubble, stirring constantly, over medium heat. 
• As soon as mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and continue whisking until sauce thickens. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, so be careful not to overcook.
• Turn heat off and remove saucepan from heat source. Stir a few more times and serve. 
• Enjoy!

P.S. AwesomeSauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. To reheat, just add a tablespoon or two of water and stir gently over medium-low heat until warm.

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"Cheesy" Corn Grits with Yellow Squash

Sorry I haven't been posting much this week. My husband and daughter both have sinus infections (and so does everyone else in town, it seems) thanks to the massive influx of ragweed blowing in the air. Lo and behold, although I too have been struggling with allergies to the ragweed, I have managed to stave off the sinus infection via use of the magical Neti Pot. If you have seasonal allergies, get one! It totally works. It feels gross when you're pouring salt water into your schnoz, but it's totally worth it. And now I'm the only human in town who doesn't have a sinus infection. I wonder if the Neti Pot also works for zombie outbreaks? Better keep it handy, just in case...

So, today the family seems to be perking up a bit. My husband even cleaned the family room and the kitchen while I took an amazing nap with my two fat kitty cats, Paddy and Putter Jack! It was a magical Saturday afternoon for Jen, y'sir. And when I woke up, feeling totally renewed, I blew into the kitchen to concoct this grits recipe. I had some leftover squash after frying up squash and zucchini in fabulous beer-batter (yes, those are beer-battered zucchini sandwiches you see in the photo) and I didn't want it to go to waste, so here's how I used it:

3 cups water
1 cup white corn grits
1 tablespoon olive oil (or water)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup yellow squash, finely chopped
1/2 cup vegan cheddar, shredded
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper, to taste

• Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan.
• Add the grits while gently stirring.
• Reduce heat to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until water is absorbed.
• While grits are cooking, saute squash and garlic with oil (or water) in a smaller pan or skillet, until soft.
• When grits are finished cooking, add squash and garlic, along with all remaining ingredients to your grits and stir until the vegan cheese is melted.
• Salt and pepper on the plate after serving. 
• Enjoy!

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Easiest-Ever Hummus Quesadillas

My allergies are really buggin' me today, so I was looking for something quick and easy to whip up that would still qualify as healthy. Well, thanks to yesterday's Hep Halloween Hummus post, I have an abundance of yummy hummus to smear on any thing that will hold it. Today that thing was a whole wheat tortilla. I was going to stop there, but I suddenly got inspired! I sprinkled on some Daiya Cheddar, then some salsa. Then I grilled it all up on a cast-iron griddle and topped with a blob of Tofutti Sour Cream. It was fantastic! Don't you just love it when that happens?

Here's what the construction-in-progress version of my quesadilla looked like...

And here's Lila, all dolled up in her Dorothy-from-Kansas Halloween costume (she's gonna have that thing worn out before Halloween even gets here), chowing down on her quesadilla...

And, listen folks, I apologize if you get tired of seeing pictures of my kid. I just feel the need to prove to skeptical parents that children will actually eat this stuff and really enjoy it! I can't tell you how many times I've heard parents say stuff like, "My so-and-so will only eat french fries," and "I can't get so-and-so to eat a vegetable to save my life." Lila loves french fries too, but she eats plenty of other, really healthy stuff to balance the occasional intake of fries. Kids will eat vegetables, and they don't even need to be drowned in Ranch dressing. I promise! Sometimes you just have to get creative. Boy, riding this high horse really makes my butt hurt...

 

Anyway, here's how to piece that bad boy quesadilla together:

2 whole wheat tortillas (or whatever your favorite is)

3 tablespoons your favorite hummus, or more to taste

2 tablespoons your favororite salsa, or more to taste

A generous sprinkling of shredded vegan cheddar cheese

A dollop of vegan sour cream

• Start your griddle heating up! I put mine on medium heat.
• Smear the hummus on one tortilla.
• Pile on cheese and salsa. You might want to use a spoon to spread the salsa around a bit.
• Place the other tortilla on top.
• Grill gently on a cast iron griddle or skillet. It doesn't take long, maybe just a minute on each side.
• Cut with a pizza cutter while still on the griddle.
• Place on a plate and top with vegan sour cream.
• Enjoy!

The Night Before Halloween

Wilton Haunted Manor Treat Stand

Halloween Skull & Crossbones Ice Cube Tray

Hep Halloween Hummus

What makes this hummus special for Halloween, you ask? There's a rubber finger in the bottom of the bowl! Mwa-hah-hahhhhh!!!

Can you tell we are big fans of Halloween at my house? Uhhh, yeah. That's an understatement. We *lurve* Halloween super hard! It's always been my favorite holiday, and I think that's partially because it comes at the advent of my favorite season, autumn. I just love everything about autumn! The colors, the pumpkin pastries, the smells, the lowering temperatures after another ass-hot Texas summer. It's great! Behold my current fireplace mantel decorations, a shrine to all things autumn.

Make this hummus for your next Halloween party, and don't forget the rubber finger!

2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1/4 cup tahini paste
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, minced
1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce or liquid aminos
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

• Throw everything into a food processor and whirl until smooth and creamy. 
• Enjoy!

P.S. For an even cheaper version of classic hummus, click HERE.

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Quinoa with Roasted Corn and Cilantro

My husband, believe it or not, does the majority of grocery shopping for our family. My daughter goes with him and they make it a fun outing, which gives me a nice little break every week. But it also means that I sometimes wind up with weird stuff, and missing some key items too. No offense to my shoppers, they are great! There's just a gap in the way I shop and the way my husband shops. He has to have a definitive list, with every detail on it, or he will not pick up what might be missing in a future recipe. Like, I might see quinoa on the grocery list, and I will immediately know that I want to make quinoa-tabouleh salad and, even if the remaining ingredients aren't on the list, I still know what else to grab. He doesn't shop like that. But that's okay because, really, the wonderful thing about it all this shopping business is that it often forces me to be creative, and it is this exact thing that most often helps me to create new recipes. Like this southwestern version of my quinoa-tabouleh salad. I wasn't sure that cilantro was going to taste good with quinoa, but when I found three full bunches of cilantro, which is easily my favorite summer herb, in my fridge, I knew I had to find more ways to use it than just slapping it into my homemade pico de gallo. That's where this new quinoa salad comes in. It was really light and delicious, oil free, and perfect for any end-of-summer shindigs you might attend.

2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup quinoa
1 large ear corn, roasted (I roast mine right on the gas burner)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Big handful of cilantro leaves (about half a bunch), coarsely chopped
Juice from one large lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

• Bring vegetable stock to a boil. Add quinoa. Stir, reduce heat and allow to simmer (stirring occasionally) until quinoa is soft. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Use a sharp knife to saw the kernels off of your corn. Don't cut yourself!
• Add all ingredients to quinoa. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate.
• Enjoy! 

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A Vegan Thanksgiving Feast

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day yesterday! My mom wasn't able to visit, so it was just me, my husband and my daughter this year. It was also the first time I have ever been responsible for the entire meal, all by myself. I was a little bit nervous, but luckily I was able to veganize my mom's fantastic sweet potato casserole recipe, I made our old favorite Mac N Nooch recipe, along with some homemade bread, and I found some great packaged items to fill in the gaps. I completely forgot to roast the fresh organic corn I had bought, but oh well...

My pictures aren't too great, but you can get the idea. I took them in haste while my hungry family looked on with desperation in their eyes. They were all, "C'mon! Let's eat!" while I snapped away. I'm so mean.

MOM'S SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This stuff will change your life, I kid you not!

CASSEROLE

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, boiled, mashed and slightly cooled

1/4 cup vegan butter*

1/2 cup agave nectar (or brown sugar)

1/4 cup vegan creamer (I used Silk Hazelnut)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

TOPPING

3/4 cup date sugar (or brown sugar)

1/3 cup vegan butter, melted

2 cups walnuts, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Put all casserole ingredients together in a large bowl and stir until mixture is creamy. *If your potatoes have cooled completely, you may need to pre-melt or soften your butter. But if your potatoes are still warm the butter will melt nicely as you stir.
• Stir topping ingredients together in a separate bowl until all walnuts are coated.
• Place the casserole mixture into a deep 8 or 10-inch circular casserole dish. 
• Spread topping evenly across casserole.
• Bake for 45 minutes.
• Makes about 8 big servings.
• Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFO (per serving):
Calories: 316.1 / Total Fat: 22.3g (Saturated Fat: 4.2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4.7g) / Cholesterol: 0mg / Sodium: 102.3mg / Potassium: 179.4mg / Total Carbohydrates: 28.2g (Dietary Fiber: 2.8g, Sugar: 15.3g) / Protein: 3.8g

OUTRAGEOUSLY EASY BIG BREAD
This is my go-to bread recipe. I've been making it for years. It's so fluffy and delicious, and requires very little (if any) kneading. And if you have a Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook, it's even easier!
Go HERE for the recipe.

CREAMY MAC AND 'NOOCH' CASSEROLE

Fantastic, creamy mac and "cheese" with a crunchy topping you can't resist.

Go HERE for the recipe.

HERB STUFFING WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

I used Arrowhead Mills Organic Savory Herb Stuffing. I prepared it as directed on the bag, but it came out a bit dry, so I added a quarter cup of melted butter. Once I poured some gravy on top, it was perfect!
I also lightly browned some of Tofurkey's fantastic Italian sausages and tossed them into the stuffing. It made a great "meat" entree for our table.

MASHED POTATOES WITH VEGETARIAN CHICKEN GRAVY

These mashed potatoes were so easy and really tasty! I purchased them at a health food store for only two dollars a box. Nice!

DESSERTS
I purchased three delicious pre-made pies from Sprouts Farmer's Market. We didn't go with the traditional pumpkin and sweet potato pies because I was doing this whole shindig all by myself (next year I'm going to look into pre-making and freezing homemade pies), but the cherry, strawberry with rhubarb, and dutch apple pies I snagged at just $3.99 each were totally vegan and absolutely delicious.

Well, I hope this gives you some inspiration for your next big holiday feast. See you at Christmas!

Baked Butternut Squash Sticks

 HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Who says July 4th fare can't be healthy? A loaded veggie burger on a multigrain deli flat, butternut squash french "fries," and loads of fresh watermelon with blueberries and strawberries on the side, makes a great Independence Day meal without blowing your arteries out. That's how we do it!
Now I know you may be thinking, "Butternut squash fries?! Why, God, why???" But there is no need to consult your maker on this one. These baked "fries" are delicious, and abundantly nutritious. Plus, they're easy to make - and it's really fun to dig into a weird looking squash. For added chuckles, let your guests' kids spoon all the seeds out for you, and then chuck the gooey innards at their slightly-hammered parents. That's 4th of July in nutshell right there. Ahhh, sweet Americana... 

1 large butternut squash
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of chili powder
Dash of cayenne (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Use a vegetable peeler to carefully peel the rind from the squash. Keep peeling until all the little green lines have disappeared.
• Cut the squash in half lengthwise and use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds and all that other goopy stuff.
• Now, cut the neck off of the squash and cut large wedges, as equal in size as possible.
• You can do the same with the "bowls" of the squash or you can save those for another recipe. Stuffed butternut squash, anyone?
• Toss your wedges and spices into a large bowl that has a tight-fitting lid. 
• Secure the lid and shake the wedges around until they are all well-coated.
• Place in a single layer on a large, lightly-oiled baking sheet.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Flip the fries over, and bake another 10-15 minutes, until outside is crisp and inside is soft.
• Makes 4 servings.
• Enjoy!

Gingered Cranberry Waldorf Salad

This is a tangier, sweeter version of the traditional Waldorf salad. It's a perfect addition to summer barbecues, and it will get gobbled up fast at potlucks. Give it a try!

2 Granny Smith apples, cut into small cubes
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon ginger powder
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

• Place apples, carrots, cranberries, walnuts, and mayonnaise into a large bowl and gently stir. 
• Add mayonnaise and ginger. Stir to coat. 
• Drizzle rice vinegar all over salad. Add pepper. Stir again .
• Makes about 8 servings. 
• Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFO (per serving):

Calories: 117.9 / Total Fat: 6.1g (Saturated Fat: 0.7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g) / Cholesterol: 3.5mg / Sodium: 181.4mg / Potassium: 79.3mg / Total Carbohydrates: 16.7g (Dietary Fiber: 2.3g, Sugar: 13.0g) / Protein: 0.8g / Iron: 1.0%

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Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

This is my newest addiction. It is so good! I have always loved tabbouleh salad, even long before my health journey began. A plate full of falafel, tabbouleh, and dolmas was, and still is, one of my very favorite meals. So, when my husband and I decided to try gluten-free for a while, I assumed that I would have no choice but to give up my good friend, tabbouleh. But, now I don't have to! I found a delicious substitute for the bulgur wheat - quinoa! It tastes wonderful, and adds a lot of extra nutritional value toward your daily protein goal.
And, hey, remember all that fresh mint I told you about in my garden? Well, I have fresh Italian parsley growing out there too. So, badda bing. Scrumptious tabbouleh is mine once again! Give it a try.

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
4 green onions, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1/2 large cucumber, diced
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint, finely minced
1/8 cup fresh parsley, finely minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice, or less (to taste - I like a lot!)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa and stir. Cover and reduce heat. Allow quinoa to simmer on medium-low heat until all water is cooked off, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to burn your quinoa. Allow to cool.
• Place cooled quinoa into a large bowl (preferably something with an airtight lid).
• Add all remaining ingredients and gently stir until very well-mixed. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Stir again before serving.
• Can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for two or three days. But it's best on the first day, when the veggies are still fresh and crisp!
• Makes about 6 servings.
• Enjoy! 

NUTRITION INFO (per serving):

Calories: 192.6 / Total Fat: 8.8g (Saturated Fat: 0.9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5.0g) / Cholesterol: 0g / Sodium: 6.8mg / Potassium: 97.1mg / Total Carbohydrates: 24.6g (Dietary Fiber: 3.7g, Sugars: 2.1g) / Protein: 4.7g / Iron: 18.3%

 

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Awesome Vegan "See Food" Feast

Being a Southerner, I pretty much grew up on my Mee Maw's fried catfish. And I have a particular fondness for the flavor of seafood because I met my husband in the seaside town where I attended college, and we were always surrounded by the stuff. It smelled great, tasted better. Since becoming vegan, I've never found anything quite akin to great seafood or my granny's fried catfish... until now!!

Here's what you see on the plate:

• Pan-Fried Tofu Wedges with Easiest-Ever Tartar Sauce.
• Cauliflower Hummus and Tortilla Chips
• Asian-Inspired Veggie Slaw
• and some olives too

And here are the recipes:

PAN-FRIED TOFU WEDGES
1 pound extra-firm tofu, lightly pressed and sliced into 16 equal wedges
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of cayenne
1 cup canola or vegetable oil

• In a small pan or wide, shallow bowl, whisk together soy milk, arrowroot, and lime juice until no lumps remain. The lime juice may curdle the milk slightly, but that's okay. I usually don't marinate the tofu, but I suppose you could marinate it up to an hour before cooking. 
• Mix all dry ingredients together in another small pan or wide, shallow bowl. 
• Heat oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.
• Gently dredge your tofu slices, one at a time, through the milk mixture and then through the cornmeal mixture, making sure each piece is completely and evenly coated. 
• Place gently into the frying pan. Cook for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side, turning with both a small spatula and a pair of coated tongs. Only cook a few at a time. I like to place them onto a rack in my lightly heated toaster oven after they're done frying, so I can keep them nice and warm while I finish cooking them all. It also allows some of the oil to drip off. 

EASIEST-EVER TARTAR SAUCE
1 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/4 cup dill pickle relish
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and black pepper, to taste

• Throw it all in a bowl and stir it up. Easiest ever.

CAULIFLOWER HUMMUS
1/2 head's worth cauliflower florets, gently boiled until softened
3 cloves garlic
2 cups garbanzo beans
1/4 cup garbanzo bean cooking liquid, or more to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1/8 cup lemon juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Dash of cayenne

• Chuck everything into a food processor and blend until creamy.

ASIAN-INSPIRED VEGGIE SLAW
I saved the best for last! I have been fiddling with this slaw (or "salad," depending on your mood) for a while now. And I think I have finally perfected it! Give it a try.
1 medium zucchini, finely diced
1 medium yellow squash, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
1/2 head green cabbage, diced

• Throw everything into a bowl and coat liberally with the following dressing. Add the dressing a little bit at a time, to taste. You probably won't use it all, but it keeps great in the fridge!

ASIAN GINGER DRESSING
2 teaspoons minced ginger root (I used the little frozen cubes)
3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
1/4 cup water
1/8 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon garlic powder
A few shakes of sesame oil
2 tablespoons lime juice

• Put all ingredients into a bottle, or something that you can vigorously shake, and shake it until it's well-mixed. I actually prepare and store this dressing in an old soy sauce bottle. It keeps very well in the fridge for several days. Just be sure to shake it up again before using it.

Sweet Chili Carrot Fries

Looking for a novel new way to eat your carrots? Look no further than these Sweet Chili Carrot Fries! Easy to prepare, and baked in a jiff, they are the perfect after-school snack. They also make a great side to veggie burgers and tofu dogs. I served them with Tofu Florentine last night, and the whole family loved them. Delicious!

16 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Black pepper, to taste

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Place the carrot sticks in a large Tupperware bowl that has a tight-fitting lid.
• Pour oil and remaining ingredients into the bowl, on top of the carrot sticks.
• Secure the lid and shake the ingredients around vigorously until every last carrot stick is coated with flavor.
• Place the carrot sticks, in a single layer, on an ungreased cookie sheet. 
• Bake for about 15 minutes. Check the carrot sticks, shake the pan, flip them around, whatever you need to do.
• Continue to bake for an additional 5-15 minutes, until carrot sticks are soft in the middle but nice and crunchy around the edges. Watch them closely.
• Makes 4 servings.
• Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Agave-Sweetened Corn Bread

Remember that great deal on brown rice flour I told you to take advantage of a short while back? Well, now it's time to start feeding the fiddler and using that stuff! At the behest of Kris Carr's new book, Crazy Sexy Diet, my husband and I have decided to try a gluten-free and sugar-free diet for a while to see how it treats us. As usual, he's already lost fifteen pounds and I have lost nothing. Nothing! Why am I perpetually unable to lose weight? Am I cursed?? Anyway, I will say that the gluten-free transition has given me a lot more energy. I've been going to the park with my little one a lot more, and I even hoisted my big butt up onto a bicycle and rode a while yesterday. So, weight loss or not, I am definitely seeing positive changes. Thanks, Kris Carr! Now if I could just get into the habit of downing a big green smoothie every morning instead of a cup of coffee... Well, I'm still working on that.
This recipe is adapted from the cornbread recipe in the Gluten-Free Vegan cookbook. The only things I did different were that I left out the sorghum flour (I just doubled the brown rice flour), I substituted canola oil for the grapeseed oil, and I brushed a little bit of melted Earth Balance butter over the top of the finished product. Can you say, "Yummy-licious?!" We ate this cornbread with some homemade black turtle beans, and it was the perfect complement. Hope you like it too!

CORNBREAD  
(recipe from Gluten-Free Vegan by Susan O'Brien)
"This cornbread can be stored in an air-tight container for several days."

1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer (whisked together with 2 tablespoons warm water)
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 cup hemp or soy milk
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
4 teaspoons baking powder*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cornmeal

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 
• Spray an 8 or 9 inch square pan with vegetable oil nonstick spray.
• In a small bowl, whisk the egg replacer with the warm water, until bubbles form and the powder has completely dissolved.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the agave nectar and oil, and beat until smooth and thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg replacer mixture and milk, and continue to mix until well blended. 
• In a separate bowl, combine the brown rice and sorghum flours, baking powder, salt, and cornmeal, and stir well together. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until it becomes incorporated. Do not overbeat. Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake until lightly browned on top, 18 to 20 minutes. 
• Cool on wire rack and serve. 
• This is wonderful served as an accompaniment to black beans, with a side of guacamole.

*The baking powder link I provided in the recipe will take you to a really good deal on aluminum-free baking powder by Bob's Red Mill. None of the stores in my area supply aluminum-free baking powder, so I was really happy to find this and wanted to share it with you guys!

  
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 Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

The Virtuous Vegan: Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cuisine