Vegan and Thriving

When changing one's eating habits, in the beginning, buying a variety of new cook books can but exciting but a bit overwhelming.  Especially when you have so many that before you realize it you are barely using them.

For this reason I try to keep most of my recipes online but I keep a core of vegan cook books that I always go back to.  One of these books is Brendan Brazier's The Thrive Diet.

I often get caught up using just one or two books or just a handful of the same recipes that I have to remind myself to go back and explore the recipes already sitting on my shelf, including some old favourites.  Like this simple, yet so delicious yam (or sweet potato) oven fries recipe (p. 243, The Thrive Diet):
 

Garlic Oregano Yam Oven Fries
 Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients
2 medium yams, chopped into wedges or sticks
2 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
2 tbsp coarsely chopped pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1.5 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tbsp basil
Sea salt to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 300F. Toss everything together in a bowl, mixing well to coat all the wedges, using your hands directly in the bowl works best.  Spread the yams evenly on a non-stick cooking sheet (or use parchment paper) and bake for about 35 minutes.  Cook them for another 5-10 minutes if you prefer them crispy.

Add some organic ketchup or BBQ sauce and enjoy!

Quinoa is the New Soup Good for the Soul

Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Original recipe from You Won't Believe It's Vegan, p.74

I wanted to make this recipe but realized I was missing a few things but I went ahead and did it anyway, made a few substitutions and add-ons, so here is the version I made:

1 cup of baby carrots, washed and diced
1 large red onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups of vegetable broth + 3 cups of hot water
1/2 cup quinoa, well rinsed
1 cup spinach, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

1. In a 4- to 6-quart stockpot, sauté the onions, garlic, carrots, sweet potato and spices in the olive oil, over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the vegetable broth and hot water and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the quinoa to the pot.  Let cook until the quinoa start to plump and soften, about 15 minutes.

4. Add the spinach at the end of the quinoa cooking time, and cook just until the vegetables are softened and wilted.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Sweet Summer Stew

This stew is probably best served during the cold nights of Fall or Winter but I love sweet potatoes and couldn't resist trying this recipe.  I've never be a fan of making soups and stews, it was always just easier eating them out of a can right? Never again! The amazing aroma produced while making this stew was good enough to make any mouth drool over.

This stew is great for a hearty, healthy dinner on those cold nights or rainy days like today!  This fantastic stew includes brown lentils which is super high in iron and protein - an excellent plant-based substitute for meat.



Sweet Potato-Lentil Stew
Original recipe from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone, p. 166

Serves 4 - 6

1/2 cup salflower oil (I used canola oil)
1 medium onion, diced (I used half of a red onion)
2 small tomatoes, diced (I used about 3/4 cup of grape tomatoes, chopped)
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1.5 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
Pinch of fine sea salt
2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes
7 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup brown lentils (I used green lentils)

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, deep pot.  Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until the onion starts to soften.  Stir in the tomatoes and ginger and cook for 3 minutes.  Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, and a pinch of salt.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes, then taste for seasonings; try to use only enough salt to heighten the flavours.

Add the sweet potatoes, broth and lentils.  Stir well, and bring to a boil over high heat.  When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes or until the lentils and sweet potatoes are soft.

Family Lunch

For my father's birthday weekend and as a treat for my family I made them a lunch, which included: salad, butter chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, vegetables and rice.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with cashews and balsamic vinigarette

A very basic salad I tossed together which included spinach, fresh sliced strawberries, cashews and balsamic vinigarette.

Asparagus and Carrots in Spicy Maple Glaze

I found this gluten-free recipe at a great website called Recipegirl.com, here's the link:  Asparagus and Carrots with maple butter sauce

Amazing Sweet Potato Wedges

I also found this recipe online, the original recipe is from this site: Cate's World Kitchen.  I altered the recipe a bit, I only used all-natural peanut butter (no almond butter) and cut my sweet potatoes in to wedges and baked them that way.  They were still soooooooo yummy!

Last but not least I did make butter chicken, which tasted amazing and was a lot easier to make then I thought just a bit time consuming.  To perfect this recipe it's all about timing.  I found this recipe on the Key Ingredient website (that's where I get my recipes to load my Demy).

Butter Chicken

4 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

5 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoons Black Pepper

½ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

¼ teaspoons Ground Coriander

¼ teaspoons Cumin

¼ teaspoons Cardamom

1 whole Lime, Juiced

1 whole Onion, Diced

¼ cups Butter

1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Tomato Sauce

1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Petite Diced Tomatoes

1 pint Whipping Cream

1 bunch Chopped Cilantro, to taste

2 cups Basmati Rice (or However Much You Want)

Combine first 9 ingredients and marinate overnight.

Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Add marinated chicken and cook about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat with the lid on. Add the whipping cream (can use light cream or half-and-half instead) and cilantro just before serving over Basmati rice.

And for dessert .... Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes!

Best, Gluten-Free, Pizza Crust, Ever!

Sweet Potato Pizza Crust
I got the original recipe from fatfree.com but made my own alternations of course.

3 cups cubed sweet potatoes
1 cup gluten-free flour
Herbs of choice

My pizza toppings, like to keep them simple:

- Olive oil (base)
- Spinach
- Red peppers
- Chicken
- 1/2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp Honey garlic BBQ Sauce

  


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Boil potatoes until done and then mash. Slowly add flour. Mix together.
3. Add herbs of choice. Spread out over a lightly sprayed cookie sheet or pizza pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Take out and top with sauce and toppings of choice. Bake another 20 minutes until done.

Just three ingredients for the pizza dough.

Pressing out the pizza dough - my tray was way too big!

 

'Oh, I can't wait to get me a feller and make me some pie!'
- Elaine from Seinfeld