Christine's Premium Motor Oil

Christine's Premium Motor Oil tastes oddly like chocolate syrup...

There are those perfect vegans in the world whose taste buds are so pure, unadulterated and refined that they claim to never crave any unhealthy foods. They might say, for instance, "I used to Jones for ice cream 24/7, but now all I ever want is kale." To this I say both Piff and Twaddle. C'mon, guys. Are you seriously telling me that you never crave slumber party food? Like, never?! 

Well, the opposite of that is me - I am a junk food enthusiast who could live on homemade popcorn drenched in vegan butter and nooch, and who loves to bake bake bake! Yes, I do try to control my intake of junk food, and I eat my fair share of kale, but I would be straight-up lying if I said I never had a sharp craving for the rich stuff - sugary, chocolaty, richy rich, ooey gooey, yummy stuff. Yeah, you know what I'm talkin' about!

Luckily, thanks to the absolute necessity of learning to cook if you want to be a healthy vegan, I can make my own versions of just about anything I'm craving. That's where this li'l awesome recipe comes in.

My six-year-old daughter, Lila, wanted ice cream with chocolate syrup. (She has two boxes of Ruby's Rockets in the freezer, but - no! - it had to be ice cream.) We all know the frozen banana ice cream trick (if you don't know it, scroll down to the bottom of this post), and it always suffices. She loves the stuff. But what about the syrup? I could probably find something that's technically vegan at the grocery store, but I don't want my little toot gobbling up gallons of HFCS and artificial dyes. What to do? Keep reading and you'll find out...

Christine (1983)

Anybody remember the movie Christine? The book was by the great Stephen King, the movie by the equally great John Carpenter. If you've never seen it, it's honestly really good. And, like so few horror films from the 80s, it stands the test of time. If you have cable TV (I, myself, do not *sigh*) I'm sure you'll be able to catch it in October when AMC starts running horror films all month. I highly recommend that you DVR it. Also, the title character, Christine, is a car. Thus, the motor oil association.

And now, let's get to the chocolate syrup recipe... Nom nom nom.

Christine's Premium Motor Oil

1 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

1 cup sugar, or more to taste

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla
A few drops/squirts liquid stevia (optional)

• Bring the milk to a gentle boil in a small saucepan, stirring frequently with a whisk. 
• Add the sugar and whisk to dissolve.
• Add the cocoa and salt. Whisk to mix. Reduce heat to medium-low. 
• Let mixture simmer for a few minutes, stirring or whisking occasionally, until it starts to thicken a bit. It will thicken more as it cools.
• Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla.
• Grab a spoon and try some. If it's not sweet enough, you can stir in a few drops of liquid stevia to pump it up.
• Allow to cool before pouring on ice cream or stirring into milk. This stuff makes a fantastic glass of chocolate milk!!
• Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.

Oh yeah, buddy! Banana ice cream with homemade chocolate syrup.
Life is gooooooooooood.

Side Note: We have begun homeschooling our daughter and this recipe was a fantastic cooking lesson for a six-year-old. It didn't have a lot of ingredients, but it did involve actual stove top cooking and mixing. She loved it!

Banana Ice Cream

If you've never made the banana ice cream, you must try it! It's so wonderful, and so insanely easy, you will never look back. Peel some bananas, break them up into two or three pieces and freeze them. When you're ready to make the ice cream, just toss the frozen bananas into a food processor and whirl until smooth - no sugar needed. My kid eats it right out of the processor tub and this is the reaction I get every time.

 A smile worth every dollop of ice cream dropped on the kitchen floor.

C.H.U.D. C.H.I.L.I.

Why, yes, that is an edible C.H.U.D., complete with carrot claws and olive eyes. Is it too terrifying to eat, or too cute? I'll let you decide.

Happy MoFo, everyone! Let's get this month-long party started! 
The theme I'm working with is 80's horror films. And what better film to start with than C.H.U.D.?

I grew up in Waco, TX, and the only place to rent movies was at a place called Flicks, which was in a tiny converted house wedged between the Piggly Wiggly and a full-service gas station. I was a frequent Flicks customer. My PawPaw drove me there every Friday and Saturday and I would easily watch between 4 to 6 horror films every weekend. There really wasn't much to do in Waco, TX, in the 80s before you were old enough to drive. My grandparents weren't too savvy about the movie titles, and they never ventured into Flicks themselves, so they didn't have a clue what I was watching. Seriously, I saw The Exorcist (alone!) at ten years old. And The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And The Amityville Horror. And on and on and on... Am I scarred for life? Maybe, but the point is this: My middle-aged brain is now full of mildly useless trivia and quotes from all the horror movies I watched as a kid. And now I'm going to parlay that knowledge into fun recipes for the purpose of Vegan MoFo 2014. Woo Haw!

C.H.U.D. (1984)

C.H.U.D. - if you didn't already know - stands for Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers. The movie is terrible, but a lot of fun to watch. This one is particularly special to me because it is the only horror film I ever watched with my grandparents in the room. I was horrified the entire time it played, but MeeMaw and PawPaw chuckled in the background and chatted with each other, probably just bored and wishing they were playing dominoes or something.

I really want to get my hands on the C.H.U.D. DVD because, apparently, there is a fantastic commentary track that is "better that MST3K" (according to a reviewer on the movie's IMDB page). Being a huge fan of MST3K, I need to find out if this is true. I suspect it might be, as Daniel Stern is one of the commentators and that guy is hilarious.

So, anyway, on to my first MoFo creation, C.H.U.D. C.H.I.L.I!

I topped my C.H.U.D. C.H.I.L.I. with sliced and browned
Tofurky Italian Sausages and fresh pico de gallo.

1 cup vegetable broth, or more as needed
Half a white or yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 red bell pepper, diced (can sub green if you're broke)
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large zucchini, peeled and chopped (don't peel if it's organic)
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 28-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste 
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

• In a large pot, get your vegetable broth cooking over medium-high heat. Once it's pretty toasty, toss in your onion, garlic and carrots. Saute them in the broth until they begin to soften. This only takes a few minutes. Don't let your veggies turn to mush.
• Add the zucchini, bell pepper, jalapeno and spices. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add more broth if needed, just to keep things from sticking.
• Throw in your beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover and cook for about half an hour on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Dribble in some extra broth to get it to the texture you like. Some folks like thick chili, some like it runny. 
• When it's about ten minutes from being ready, toss in your cilantro. I like to give the cilantro just enough time to flavor the chili, but not overcook it so that it stays bright green and beautiful.
• Keep tasting and tweaking every now and then. You might want more spices or more beans. This chili is very forgiving. Just get it to the point that it tastes fantastic to YOU.
• I like to top my chili with sliced and browned sausages (Tofurkey's Italian Sausages are only $2.99 at Trader Joe's right now!) and fresh pico de gallo. You can also try some vegan sour cream or vegan cheese! Vegan queso is delicious on this too.
• Enjoy, and don't get too close to any steamy manholes.

Catching You Up + Cauliflower Puree

Before I type anything else, I have this to say...

Robin Williams - with your kind eyes, your super fast wit and your hilariously spastic comedic delivery - you were the star of my youth ("Nanu, nanu!"), the lead in the film that defined my love of poetry and books ("Carpe diem, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.") and just an all-around amazing performer whom this world will miss very much. Your legacy will live on in the smiles and laughter of many generations to come. Truly, I hope you have found peace.

Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Texas Suicide Prevention

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

In other news, my mom is still recovering from the stroke she had back in December, the ginormous stroke that took her speech, her ability to read and write, her ability to really do anything at all, and prompted me write the former post declaring that my blogging days were over.
But I'm sure you knew, somewhere deep down inside, that you wouldn't get rid of me that easily. You did, right?!
I am happy to report that, although my mother still hasn't fully regained her ability to speak, nor the gifts of reading and writing, she is fully autonomous in every other way, and is even cooking and sewing again.

In more other news, I was watching a documentary about the Galapagos today while I was cooking dinner (which I chose for the sole purpose of thinking it would be innocuous if my kid walked in) and my five-year-old just happened to wander into the room right when the narrator started talking about illegal and reprehensible shark-finning. Lila flipped! She said, "They cut the fins off of that shark! And it was awake, Mom!" She was so unbelievably pissed about it, she said, "Mom, I want to start my own TV show and tell people about how we should treat animals." So, now I give you the very first episode of "Live Action TV with Lila." Enjoy!
P.S. The chocolate smeared on her face is the subject of an upcoming, and very delicious, post. As we say in the TV biz, stay tuned!

In more other other news...
I recently had a lovely staph infection in two places - on my face and my boobs. Yep! That's me - ol' staph  knockers. [drops mic and walks away]...
Don't ask me how this happened. I have been under a lot of stress lately and I think my immune system just said, "Aw, screw this. I'm goin' on vacation." Anyhoo, I took an antibiotic to clear that mess up, and another antibiotic for an ear infection. And yet another for a stomach problem that I'm pretty sure was caused by the first two antibiotics. So, you guessed it, I am now the poster child for systemic candidiasis. If you don't know what that is, look it up. It sucks.
Medicine won't fix my candidiasis, which I know for certain because I was given three months worth of candida-killing pills and all they did was make it worse. I am now achy, chronically-fatigued, grouchy, overwhelmingly sleepy 24/7, bloated and crazy with allergies and acne. Candidiasis blows chunks, and I have given up on medicine. To that end, I ordered a book from Amazon called The Candida Cure and I am now on the Candida Diet, which eschews gluten, potatoes, mushrooms, wine, all forms of sugar (even "natural" ones), anything fermented (good-bye kombucha, I'll miss you!) NSAID pain relievers, corticosteroids, and even tofu! But if it works, it will be well worth the effort. I will keep you posted on my progress.

Tonight I made my first Candida Diet dinner, consisting of a salad with veggies and a delicious cauliflower puree.

I am obsessed with the show Master Chef and I am always drooling over those purees they make. Parsnip puree, sweet potato puree, cauliflower puree. You name it, they've cooked it up and pureed it. And it always looks amazing! So, I thought I would give it a try in place of mashed potatoes. And, you know what? It was delicious!

Here's the recipe:

1 head of cauliflower (rinsed and cut into pieces)
1/2 cup vegetable broth or no-chicken stock
2 tablespoons vegan butter (Earth Balance works best for me)
Salt and pepper, to taste

• Place the cauliflower and the broth into a medium-size stock pot.
• Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. 
• Turn down the heat to medium-low and allow the cauliflower to steam in the broth. It takes anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the lid and add the butter.
• Place everything into a food processor and whirl it around until smooth and creamy.
• Salt and pepper to taste. 
• Enjoy!

"Bye! Until next day!"
-- Lila, from Live Action TV with Lila

Gluten-Free Hot Fudge Brownies

Okay, I know this picture looks like a plate full of steamy hot you-know-what, but trust me, it's really a plate of gooey awesomeness. Hear me out...
I have yet to bake a single recipe in the New Dawn Kitchencookbook that I haven't gone ga-ga over, and this one is no exception. As usual, I craved a sweet treat. And my daughter was begging me to make a bowl of buttercream frosting for her to eat. Ummmm... I don't think so! My pantry is seriously looking deserted right now, so I wasn't sure what - if anything - could really be concocted from the confines of it's barren recesses. So, I started digging through my cookbooks to see if I had any remotely viable options, and after a few minutes of leafing through cookbook pages, I stumbled across the 'Hot Fudge Brownies' recipe in Dawn Grey, PhD's fantastic (but self-published and therefore not widely known) cookbook New Dawn Kitchen: Gluten-Free, Vegan, and (easily) Sugar-Free Desserts. It was the strangest recipe for brownies I've ever made. And I will admit that I was very skeptical when I was pouring boiling water over raw sugar and cocoa. I even exclaimed once, "What the hell am I making?!" But it turned out oh-so-scrumptious. When I took it out of the oven, the crusty top was pulsing with the hot fudge underneath, and little bubbles of fudge were popping in the cracks. It looked like a dream. I could only wait about five minutes before I had to dig in and taste it. Yes, I burned my tongue. Please try to exhibit more self-control than I did. The cookbook recommends that this be served warm, so I was just following instructions. Yes?

"2 cups All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
1/2 cup granulated sweetener (I used organic white sugar)
3/4 cup powdered cocoa
4 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt product (I used fine sea salt)
1 cup chocolate milk product (I used Silk chocolate soy milk)
1/4 cup oil (I used canola)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups boiling hot water, divided
2 cups packed brown granulated sweetener (I used brown sugar)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, white sugar, 4 teaspoons cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
• Spread into two 9x9" square baking pans (I used one 9x13" pan, lightly coated with baking spray). Combine brown sweetener and remaining cocoa into a separate bowl until blended, then sprinkle over the two pans equally.
• Pour 1 3/4 cups hot water over each pan. For hot fudge effect, do not stir.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, until toothpicks come out clean. Rotate pans after 20 minutes. (I forgot to rotate - didn't seem to hurt.)
• Best served warm with mock whipped cream or non-dairy ice cream."
• Makes about 15 brownies.

NUTRITION INFO (per brownie):

Calories: 244 / Total Fat: 5.1g (Saturated Fat: 0.6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2.4g) / Cholesterol: 0mg / Sodium: 559.8mg / Potassium: 192.4mg / Total Carbohydrates: 61.9g (Dietary Fiber: 3.2g, Sugar: 47.2g) / Protein: 2.9g

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A Big Fat Bowl of Comfort

Today has just been one of those crappy, ho-hum days where my sick, grumpy daughter is puking on everything in sight and the best thing on TV is Satan's School for Girls, starring Shannon Doherty (which, I'll admit, I am watching with perverse fascination). My cat's are whining. My kid is whining. Now I'm whining... I finally decided "enough is enough!" So, I set out to make some good old-fashioned comfort food. Sadly, my larder is pretty bare, but after a little digging I managed to piece together a delicious, and very nutritious, chili. And I'm happy to say that it turned out great! I'm working on my second helping as I type. Try it out - it's seriously good for what ails ya. Now it's time to go make some cupcakes and take a nap...

1 14-ounce package Ground Beef-style Gimme Lean, cubed
2 tablespoons oil
1 25-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 kidney bean cans of water
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 vegetable bullion cube (no MSG)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper

• In a cast-iron or non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium, then gently brown the Gimme Lean on all sides. No need to be methodical with this, just keep tossing it all around with a spatula until all pieces are nice and brown and slightly crispy on the outside.
• In a large pot, place all remaining ingredients. Stir well and heat to boiling. 
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add Gimme Lean, stir well, then cover. 
• Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITION INFO (per serving):

Calories: 244.9 / Total Fat: 5.2g (Saturated Fat: 0.8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2.3g) / Cholesterol: 0mg / Sodium: 855.3 / Potassium: 250.8mg / Total Carbohydrates: 35.8g (Dietary Fiber: 10.4g, Sugar: 3.9g) / Protein: 14.4g

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Thai Coconut Curry Soup

Coconut and red curry, with a splash of lime and sesame is the grandest mixture of flavors I have ever tasted. As a family, we eat this soup about once a week. No joke. It's easy to make, and it is beyond delicious. Try it! 

1 15-ounce can of coconut milk (I don't recommend using light)
2 cans' worth of water or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, or ginger paste
1 heaping cup fresh snow peas
1 cup string beans, cut in half
1 large carrot, diced
Small handful of Thai basil leaves, left whole
1/4 cup lime juice, or more to taste
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce (gluten-free, if needed)
A few splashes of sesame oil
Pinch of chili powder
1 pound firm tofu, lightly pressed and cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt or Gomasio, or more to taste
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips (for garnish)
Freshly ground black pepper (for garnish)

• Bring coconut milk and water just to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.
• Add curry and ginger. Whisk until both are well-incorporated.
• Add carrots and spices (except basil leaves). Cover and simmer until carrots are almost soft, but take care not to overcook them. Nobody likes a mushy carrot.
• Add tofu. Cover and simmer a few more minutes.
• Add all remaining ingredients (except garnishes). Cover and simmer for just a few more minutes, until beans turn bright green but are still crisp. 
• Garnish with bell pepper strips and freshly ground black pepper. 
• Makes about six servings.
• Optional addition: If you really like the coconut flavor and want to take it over the top, add a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil when you put in your tofu. It's amazing!

NUTRITIONAL INFO (per serving):

Calories: 168.2 / Total Fat: 14.7g (Saturated Fat: 8.4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.9g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5g) / Cholesterol: 0mg / Sodium: 577.8mg / Potassium: 389.6mg / Total Carbohydrates: 105g (Dietary Fiber: 3.2g, Sugar: 2.4g) / Protein: 10.6g / Iron: 19.4%

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It's a Gluten-Free Vegan Birthday!

If you follow Bankrupt Vegan on Twitter, then you might know my husband, Jason, who "tweets" for me on there. I put him in charge of that because, frankly, I have no idea what Twitter is for. But, he seems to have the scoop on it, so I just let him handle that aspect of Bankrupt Vegan. 

Anyway, last Friday night I threw an all-vegan, all gluten-free party in honor of Jason's 38th birthday. I am happy to report that all of the food was a big hit! Most of the guests were not vegan, but they liked everything so much they were asking for recipes ("winning!"), so I wanted to go ahead and post those on here for them, and for you!

This was the spread I offered:

• Three-Bean Taco Chili
• Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
• Sabra Hummus with Julienne Veggies
• Tortilla Chips
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• Roasted Cashews
• Tamari Roasted Almonds
• Big ol' Jar of Pickles
• Li'l Jar of Olives
• Plate O' Green Grapes
• Duane's Fabulous Homemade Mojitos

And here are the recipes!

THREE-BEAN TACO CHILI
1 cup dry pinto beans
1 cup dry kidney beans
1 cup dry black turtle beans
8 cups water
1 piece of kombu (optional - keeps the gas at bay!) 
1 large yellow onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 16-ounce jar diced tomatoes, drained
1 package taco seasoning
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed and leaves chopped
2 tablespoons paprika
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons liquid smoke (Colgin brand is gluten-free)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional) 

• Soak the beans in water overnight with your kombu. Discard water and kombu, and rinse the beans in a collander.
• Place beans and 8 cups water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for an hour.
• Add onion and garlic. Stir and re-cover. Allow to simmer for 2 to 3 more hours, until beans are tender. 
• Add remaining ingredients and cook for another 1/2 hour to an hour, until all the flavors are bold and bright. 
• Serve it up and enjoy!

QUINOA TABBOULEH SALAD
*Got that recipe right HERE!

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE
(from "Chocolate Cupcakes" recipe in New Dawn Kitchen)
This recipe makes the best gluten-free chocolate cake you have ever eaten in your life, but it makes terrible cupcakes. I've made this cake twice for large crowds, and it was a big hit both times. I made the cupcakes once, and they sucked. Even the kids wouldn't eat them. They were crunchy around the edges, they stuck to the paper, and they were sunken down in the middle by about a half an inch. How can a cupcake recipe make such delicious cakes, and such god-awful cupcakes? I have no idea. But, trust me, this cake is absolutely fantastic!

2 cups garbanzo flour 
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Xanthan or Guar gum
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup applesauce, preferably unsweetened
3/4 cup (6 oz) soy yogurt, any flavor
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 cup hot water 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly grease and flour either two 9" round cake pans, or one 9x13" sheet cake pan. Or use baker's spray.
• Whisk together all dry ingredients.
• Add oil, sugar, applesauce, yogurt, and vanilla. Mix well.
• Pour boiling water over mixture and mix rapidly for 30 seconds. 
• Add milk and stir until smooth. 
• Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for 30 minutes. Then rotate pans and bake another 20-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cool completely before frosting.

VEGAN FLUFFY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
(from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)
Almost everything I have ever made from this cookbook has been beyond fabulous. I have recommended this cookbook to, literally, a hundred people or more. I absolutely adore this cute little book. But I'ma be honest wit you. The "Gluten Freedom Cupcakes" are... blech. They taste okay, but they are really dry and crumbly. God help you if you let a kid eat one on your nice rug. With the way it crumbles, a dozen little pieces will hit the floor and get smashed into the fibers by tiny feet. I am speaking from experience here. That little warning aside, everything else in this cookbook is amazing, and this frosting is straight from God's own Heaven. It is classic bakery-style buttercream, and it is so good you might feel a ray of holy sunlight shining down on your while you eat it. Seriously, if wars were fought with this buttercream instead of bullets, they would end in less than two minutes. The next time you have PMS, make this frosting. It will cure you.

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegan shortening 
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 plain soy milk or soy creamer

• Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. 
• Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.
• Add the vanilla and soy milk, beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.

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Cheezy Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

Yeah, yeah, I know... My quiche has fallen apart. I'm actually still working on perfecting this recipe, but it turned out really tasty last night, so I thought I'd go ahead and share what I've got so far.
The problem here was twofold:

1. I was impatient and didn't let it cool before I sliced into it.
2. I didn't properly press my tofu, so that added quite a bit of excess water to my quiche.

But, hey, if you don't mind this dish not looking so traditional, you can throw that tofu right in without pressing it, and start noshing on it as soon as it comes out of the oven. I won't judge. And it still tastes great! 

1 frozen vegan pie shell (I recommend Wholly Wholesome)
1 block extra firm tofu, drained/pressed/crumbled
1 cup vegan cheddar, shredded
6 large white mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1 cup loosely packed spinach leaves, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
Handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon paprika
1/8 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered - for garnish

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place all ingredients, except garnishes, into a large bowl and stir until well-mixed.
• Spoon into pie shell and press with back of spoon until top is level.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes. Watch closely - don't burn your crust!
• Remove from oven, allow to cool at least 10 minutes.
• Top with chopped tomatoes.
• Makes 6 servings.
• Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFO (per serving, calculated with a whole wheat shell):

Calories: 365.7 / Total Fat: 23.7g (Saturated Fat: 7.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5.4g) / Cholesterol: 0mg / Sodium: 718.8mg / Potassium: 468.0mg / Total Carbohydrates: 26.2g (Dietary Fiber: 9.1g, Sugar: 4.3g) / Protein: 18.8g

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Fruity Yogurt Freezer Pops

I'm going to be experimenting with freezer pops and ice cream quite a bit over the summer because my daughter constantly asks for both. I sometimes get lucky and find Rice Dream or Almond Bites (her favorite!) at the salvage grocery store, but I cannot afford either at the regular grocery. So, for those times that I'm not so lucky, I need a quick fix to replace her daily question, "How 'bout some ice cream, Momma?"

This is my first attempt, and I think it turned out pretty nicely, but I really want to try something with chocolate, and maybe some tofu in it, so I can dose her with extra protein while she snacks.

10 large strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1 banana
1 6-ounce cup vanilla or strawberry yogurt (soy yogurt is fine)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup agave nectar

• Whirl all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. 
• Pour into preferred freezer pop vehicle. If you have nothing available, an ice tray with plastic baby spoons or straws works great.
• Allow to freeze overnight. 
• Makes about 6 servings, dependent on the type of pops you're using.
• Enjoy! 

NUTRITIONAL INFO (per serving):

Calories: 100.6 / Total Fat: 0.6g (Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g) / Cholesterol: 1.7mg / Sodium: 24.1mg / Potassium: 167.6mg / Total Carbohydrates: 22.2g (Dietary Fiber: 1.2g, Sugar: 19.1g) / Protein: 2.0g

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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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Gluten-Free Blackberry Crumb Cake

I bought three clamshells of blackberries several weeks ago when they went on sale for a dollar apiece, and I chucked them right into the freezer to await the day when I would find a use for them. Today, my friends, is that day! 
Try this yummy crumb cake on for size...

CAKE
1 cup vegan butter, softened (I recommend Earth Balance)
1 cup organic sugar
1/2 cup agave nectar
4 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer
1/4 cup water
1 cup plain soy yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
18 ounces fresh or frozen blackberries

TOPPING
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup unpacked organic brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream together butter, sugar and agave in a large bowl until light and fluffy. This may take several minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together egg replacer and water until no lumps remain. Add to the large bowl and combine with creamed butter and sugar mixture. Set aside.
• Use the egg replacer bowl to whisk together yogurt, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice.
• And, in yet another medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add flour and yogurt mixtures to the large bowl. Mix well.
• Gently fold in the blackberries.
• Pour batter into a greased 9x13" pan. Use a spatula to even it out.
• Use your flour bowl to mix your toppings together. Then gently shake them out onto your cake batter in the pan.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes, or longer if needed. Use a knife to test the cake in the center of the pan. When it comes out clean, your cake is done. Watch cake closely during the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
• Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. 
• Makes 12 servings.
• Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFO (per serving):

Calories: 386.90 / Total Fat: 22.5g (Saturated Fat: 6.0g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6.2g) / Cholesterol: 0mg / Sodium: 387.8mg / Potassium: 97.8mg / Total Carbohydrates: 44.7g (Dietary Fiber: 4.7g, Sugar: 19.5g) / Protein: 4.6g

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