Breakfasts on the weekend are a bit of a celebration around our house. Jim and I like nothing better than to sit down to a leisurely hot breakfast complete with pancakes, scramble, smoothie and coffee. If you're wondering what a vegan scramble might be, ponder no more. I'm here to solve the mystery.
A scramble might be very reminiscent of the scrambled eggs you remember from your childhood. If that's what you're looking for, try the Scrambled Eggless Eggs recipe from How It All Vegan. This recipe uses medium tofu and will satisfy your scrambled egg craving.
What if you're not fooled by close fascimiles of non-veg favorites? Then try something totally different to round out your big breakfast. Chickpea scramble is one of our favorites.
What if you've got some leftover beans and some leftover veggies that you want to use up? Toss them into a hot frying pan and cook them until crispy. Add some seasonings (a tablespoon of maple syrup, a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and a tablespoon of tamari go a long way towards making any scramble breakfasty) and you're good to go.
Just yesterday I combined leftover greens with sweet and sour sauce and leftoverFennel Bulb Navy Bean Soup, added the maple syrup combination mentioned above and cooked until crispy. It made a yummy addition to our apple pancakes and apple straawberry banana smoothie.
In short a scramble can be anything you want it to be. What's your favorite?
Showing posts with label breakfasts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breakfasts. Show all posts
Monday, October 06, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Yogurt, Socks & a Scarf Rescue Tutorial
I seem to have overcome my mental cooking constipation. I tried Melanie's yogurt recipe and am delighted to report, it worked! It was so exciting to take the cover off the thermos and see yogurt. It's a little tangier than the store bought Silk yogurt but that's ok by me. I packed some in Jim's lunch today with dried blueberries stirred in. I'm anxiously awaiting his report.
I'm on day two of my latest batch of sprouts. This go round I'm sprouting alfalfa, mung beans, broccoli and red clover. I've taken to using less seed than recommended and letting my sprouts get a little bigger instead. It makes them seem like a more substantial food source to me.
I meant to mention that I had tried using half the amount of sugar in the carob banana muffins that I made a few days ago. The results were good. Sure the muffins aren't as desserty but why do they need to be? If I were making them for company I would probably use more sugar but for us in everyday life, I think health should come first and that means using less sugar.
I've finished the first sock of Tasha's pair!
I'm am so excited! The sock could be tighter around the ankle but she didn't seem to notice and I have no plans to point it out. I'm going to check my gauge. I suspect smaller needles will solve my problem on future pairs. Fortunately, when I bought these needles off ebay I bought them as part of a set. I now have double pointed needles in all sizes 10 and under so no trip to the store is required.
Here's a little tutorial on how to give new life to a favorite scarf that's gotten raggy around the edges. Jim's had this scarf as long as I've known him and, though it pains me to admit this, I met him 20 years ago this past December. Jim loves this scarf but it looked like something had taken a bite out of the edges in several places.
I thought about just folding the edges under and stitching but that would create a right and wrong side which didn't seem like a good idea. I mean we casually through on scarves and wear them as they fall, how goofy would big seams look if the wrong side was facing out?
Instead I opted to fold one side in.
Next, I folded the other side in to create a finished edge. In the interest of keeping the scarf with two right sides, I brought this edge over the the other edge I'd folded. This meant folding the scarf essentially in half, which most people do when they wear it anyway.
Once it was pinned, I ironed the edges to make them flat. The I made four seams to hold everything in place. One seam needs to run along the finished edge that you've created. Another two need to run along the pieces that were folded under. The fourth one is to hold the two sides of the scarf together without creating a bubble at the edge.
Here's Jim modeling the finished product.
I'm on day two of my latest batch of sprouts. This go round I'm sprouting alfalfa, mung beans, broccoli and red clover. I've taken to using less seed than recommended and letting my sprouts get a little bigger instead. It makes them seem like a more substantial food source to me.
I meant to mention that I had tried using half the amount of sugar in the carob banana muffins that I made a few days ago. The results were good. Sure the muffins aren't as desserty but why do they need to be? If I were making them for company I would probably use more sugar but for us in everyday life, I think health should come first and that means using less sugar.
I've finished the first sock of Tasha's pair!
I'm am so excited! The sock could be tighter around the ankle but she didn't seem to notice and I have no plans to point it out. I'm going to check my gauge. I suspect smaller needles will solve my problem on future pairs. Fortunately, when I bought these needles off ebay I bought them as part of a set. I now have double pointed needles in all sizes 10 and under so no trip to the store is required.
Here's a little tutorial on how to give new life to a favorite scarf that's gotten raggy around the edges. Jim's had this scarf as long as I've known him and, though it pains me to admit this, I met him 20 years ago this past December. Jim loves this scarf but it looked like something had taken a bite out of the edges in several places.
I thought about just folding the edges under and stitching but that would create a right and wrong side which didn't seem like a good idea. I mean we casually through on scarves and wear them as they fall, how goofy would big seams look if the wrong side was facing out?
Instead I opted to fold one side in.
Next, I folded the other side in to create a finished edge. In the interest of keeping the scarf with two right sides, I brought this edge over the the other edge I'd folded. This meant folding the scarf essentially in half, which most people do when they wear it anyway.
Once it was pinned, I ironed the edges to make them flat. The I made four seams to hold everything in place. One seam needs to run along the finished edge that you've created. Another two need to run along the pieces that were folded under. The fourth one is to hold the two sides of the scarf together without creating a bubble at the edge.
Here's Jim modeling the finished product.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Successfully Using What's in the Freezer
Here's the ultimate tightwad, no additional energy expended way of keeping your coffee warm on a cold winter day.
But what, you may ask, is your coffe mug sitting on?
The wood stove of course! A girl's got to keep her coffee hot. BTW all you tea drinkers, I've put my tea bag into a mug of water and heated that here as well.
I thought I'd take a few moments and give a run down on how my efforts to use what was in the freezer were going. Before getting started I have to confess, I bought onions, carrots and four tomatoes.
I'm really pleased with the fig spice cake and the healthy fig date cookies that I made. The recipes were simple and everyone liked them. I'm itching to try Chile's fig butter recipe. It was in Thursday's comments but just in case you missed it, here it is. (And go check out her blog, NOW!!) Thanks for the recipe Chile!
Chile's Fig Butter
1/2 pound ripe figs
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 c water
1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp each: allspice, cinnamon, cloves
2 tsp vanilla
Wash figs, de-stem and quarter.
Simmer in water until soft.
Puree in blender.
Return to saucepan, using additional 1/2 c water to rinse out blender and add to pan.
Stir in sugar and dry spices.
Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
I loved the sweet and sour bean sprout recipe from the NY Times Natural Foods Cookbook. We ate it first as a side salad. The next night, I drained off the liquid, the sprouts leach water overnight like fresh cabbage in coleslaw, and used it to season some tvp. I served the tvp with the sprouts inside a crepe. It was easy and delicious. For family members who thought the combination of seasoned sprouts and seasoned tvp was too intense, I gave the option of using unseasoned sprouts.
Today I'm trying the broiled sprout patties. Overall, I'm thrilled with sprouting! It's easy to feel like you have a green thumb this way! If you haven't tried it, what are you waiting for??
The plethora of parsley in the freezer found its way into the vegetable broth recipe from Vegan With a Vengeance. It lends a buttery flavor to the finished broth. Of course, I used the veggies I had and left out the ones I didn't. I also left the veggies in, mashed them with a potato masher and served this as a soup with rice. Then I used the leftovers in split pea soup. Both were excellent.
But there was still more parsley in the freezer, so I made tabbouleh. Hence the four out of season tomatoes I bought which I fear I'm going to eco-hell for buying. The recipe I used called for pouring boiling water over the bulgur and letting it sit 45 minutes before draining. I had never done this but it worked perfectly. That's an energy saving cooking method I intend to use again. (BTW, on a similar not, Chile's method of letting steel cut oats soak overnight and then cooking only briefly in the morning is so superior to the crock pot method I've used. You really must try it.)
The tabbouleh was delicious as well. I served it with Navajo Fry Bread topped with sprouts and homemade hummus from the Vegan Lunchbox Cookbook. Its a slightly milder recipe than others out there but my family loves it.
Now to dig a little deeper and see what else is lurking in the freezer...
But what, you may ask, is your coffe mug sitting on?
The wood stove of course! A girl's got to keep her coffee hot. BTW all you tea drinkers, I've put my tea bag into a mug of water and heated that here as well.
I thought I'd take a few moments and give a run down on how my efforts to use what was in the freezer were going. Before getting started I have to confess, I bought onions, carrots and four tomatoes.
I'm really pleased with the fig spice cake and the healthy fig date cookies that I made. The recipes were simple and everyone liked them. I'm itching to try Chile's fig butter recipe. It was in Thursday's comments but just in case you missed it, here it is. (And go check out her blog, NOW!!) Thanks for the recipe Chile!
Chile's Fig Butter
1/2 pound ripe figs
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 c water
1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp each: allspice, cinnamon, cloves
2 tsp vanilla
Wash figs, de-stem and quarter.
Simmer in water until soft.
Puree in blender.
Return to saucepan, using additional 1/2 c water to rinse out blender and add to pan.
Stir in sugar and dry spices.
Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
I loved the sweet and sour bean sprout recipe from the NY Times Natural Foods Cookbook. We ate it first as a side salad. The next night, I drained off the liquid, the sprouts leach water overnight like fresh cabbage in coleslaw, and used it to season some tvp. I served the tvp with the sprouts inside a crepe. It was easy and delicious. For family members who thought the combination of seasoned sprouts and seasoned tvp was too intense, I gave the option of using unseasoned sprouts.
Today I'm trying the broiled sprout patties. Overall, I'm thrilled with sprouting! It's easy to feel like you have a green thumb this way! If you haven't tried it, what are you waiting for??
The plethora of parsley in the freezer found its way into the vegetable broth recipe from Vegan With a Vengeance. It lends a buttery flavor to the finished broth. Of course, I used the veggies I had and left out the ones I didn't. I also left the veggies in, mashed them with a potato masher and served this as a soup with rice. Then I used the leftovers in split pea soup. Both were excellent.
But there was still more parsley in the freezer, so I made tabbouleh. Hence the four out of season tomatoes I bought which I fear I'm going to eco-hell for buying. The recipe I used called for pouring boiling water over the bulgur and letting it sit 45 minutes before draining. I had never done this but it worked perfectly. That's an energy saving cooking method I intend to use again. (BTW, on a similar not, Chile's method of letting steel cut oats soak overnight and then cooking only briefly in the morning is so superior to the crock pot method I've used. You really must try it.)
The tabbouleh was delicious as well. I served it with Navajo Fry Bread topped with sprouts and homemade hummus from the Vegan Lunchbox Cookbook. Its a slightly milder recipe than others out there but my family loves it.
Now to dig a little deeper and see what else is lurking in the freezer...
Friday, January 04, 2008
Cool it Down and Still Get Your Zzz's
I made a big batch of Dr. Fuhrman's Famous Anti-Cancer Soup and served it along with biscuits and a tofu scramble for dinner last night. The soup really hit the spot. I like the creaminess the cashews give it. As usual I didn't follow the recipe exactly. I didn't use the Vege Base the recipe called for because I didn't have any. Instead I added a bit of miso before serving and it worked out very well.
We had to cook all the winter squash because it just wasn't holding well in our quasi root cellar anymore. I also needed a quick breakfast for everyone to grab as they race out the door to catch the school bus. Naturally, I realized this much later in the day than I would have hoped.
For a change I made the pumpkin cranberry scone recipe from Veganomicon, the latest cookbook from Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, which I got for Christmas - Thanks Ray!! The recipe uses cardamom which I rarely use but it lends such a nice flavor. Its also a quick recipe to make and cook which gives it bonus points in my eyes.
I really like Isa's pumpkin muffins from Vegan with a Vengeance because of the combination of spices she uses as well. They really highlight the pumpkin. Truth be told, my kids and I know the spices in the pumpkin muffins by heart. We have a habit of chanting them as I head to the spice cabinet to get them. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice cloves. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice cloves. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice cloves. You get the idea!
Of course I'm guilty of not following this recipe exactly either. I decreased the sugar, used currants instead of cranberries, added some sunflower seeds, used oatmeal in place of some of the flour and all of the flour I did use was whole wheat. (I wanted it to be more of a breakfast than a dessert.)
While making these scones, I discovered a less than orthodox way of dealing with how to cool this sudden burst of after dinner cooking and still getting to bed quickly. You can't put hot stuff in plastic containers (well you could, if cancer doesn't scare you but I'm not going to) besides hot baked goods make condensation which leaves you with nasty, soggy stuff in the morning. I can't leave anything on the counter to cool because my dogs and cat think its a buffet just for them. What to do?
My solution was to turn the oven off a few minutes before the scones were done and leave them in the oven until morning. Wait, you might be screaming, you'll still have a soggy mess because you didn't put them on a wire rack to cool. True the underside was a bit moist, which sounds much better than soggy, but this was easily corrected by a little go round in the toaster oven. I wouldn't do this everytime but it sure got me out of a bind this time.
For anyone wondering what squash has to do with pumpkin scones, any winter squash can be used in place of pumpkin in recipes.
We had to cook all the winter squash because it just wasn't holding well in our quasi root cellar anymore. I also needed a quick breakfast for everyone to grab as they race out the door to catch the school bus. Naturally, I realized this much later in the day than I would have hoped.
For a change I made the pumpkin cranberry scone recipe from Veganomicon, the latest cookbook from Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, which I got for Christmas - Thanks Ray!! The recipe uses cardamom which I rarely use but it lends such a nice flavor. Its also a quick recipe to make and cook which gives it bonus points in my eyes.
I really like Isa's pumpkin muffins from Vegan with a Vengeance because of the combination of spices she uses as well. They really highlight the pumpkin. Truth be told, my kids and I know the spices in the pumpkin muffins by heart. We have a habit of chanting them as I head to the spice cabinet to get them. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice cloves. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice cloves. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice cloves. You get the idea!
Of course I'm guilty of not following this recipe exactly either. I decreased the sugar, used currants instead of cranberries, added some sunflower seeds, used oatmeal in place of some of the flour and all of the flour I did use was whole wheat. (I wanted it to be more of a breakfast than a dessert.)
While making these scones, I discovered a less than orthodox way of dealing with how to cool this sudden burst of after dinner cooking and still getting to bed quickly. You can't put hot stuff in plastic containers (well you could, if cancer doesn't scare you but I'm not going to) besides hot baked goods make condensation which leaves you with nasty, soggy stuff in the morning. I can't leave anything on the counter to cool because my dogs and cat think its a buffet just for them. What to do?
My solution was to turn the oven off a few minutes before the scones were done and leave them in the oven until morning. Wait, you might be screaming, you'll still have a soggy mess because you didn't put them on a wire rack to cool. True the underside was a bit moist, which sounds much better than soggy, but this was easily corrected by a little go round in the toaster oven. I wouldn't do this everytime but it sure got me out of a bind this time.
For anyone wondering what squash has to do with pumpkin scones, any winter squash can be used in place of pumpkin in recipes.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
It Must Be a Tradition
I was just looking back in my archives to see if I had posted my leftover Halloween candy solution and I discovered that I made the exact same meal this year as last year! Apparently vegan sloppy joes are a Halloween staple at my house. Who knew?? I guess this underlines the need to have a repertiore of a few quick and easy meals to pull out for nights that spiral out of control.
This year I served the sloppy joes with baked potatoes instead of bulgur. I used homemade ketchup that I made and froze this summer in the recipe. The boys loved it more than storebought ketchup. Jim did not but he ate it anyway. (The girls ate at friends' houses so I have no input from them yet.) That's how it always goes!
Ruthie posted a Quick Raisin Bread recipe that I'm itching to try after work today. Conveniently, we've run out of quick grab breakfast items so it fits in nicely with my plans.
After a week of running around like a mad woman, my errands are all done. I've even put the car issue to bed and I did it all by myself. (Ladies, let's all stand up and sing a rousing chorus of "I Am Woman Here Me Roar") I have to confess, after 17 years of marriage, I prefer working as a team to flying solo on big decisions. (Although Jim was involved in the research at home, I was the one doing all the leg work.) I'm glad that's over and done with.
BTW, speaking of women roaring, does anyone else hate the image of the very pregnant woman that cafemom uses in all its ads? There's something about it that just irritates me. There's never a mom with a child, just a very pregnant woman. We're not all pregnant, all the time. It reminds me of a book Jim's been reading, The Terror Dream, about how images of women in post 9-11 America have been presented.
This year I served the sloppy joes with baked potatoes instead of bulgur. I used homemade ketchup that I made and froze this summer in the recipe. The boys loved it more than storebought ketchup. Jim did not but he ate it anyway. (The girls ate at friends' houses so I have no input from them yet.) That's how it always goes!
Ruthie posted a Quick Raisin Bread recipe that I'm itching to try after work today. Conveniently, we've run out of quick grab breakfast items so it fits in nicely with my plans.
After a week of running around like a mad woman, my errands are all done. I've even put the car issue to bed and I did it all by myself. (Ladies, let's all stand up and sing a rousing chorus of "I Am Woman Here Me Roar") I have to confess, after 17 years of marriage, I prefer working as a team to flying solo on big decisions. (Although Jim was involved in the research at home, I was the one doing all the leg work.) I'm glad that's over and done with.
BTW, speaking of women roaring, does anyone else hate the image of the very pregnant woman that cafemom uses in all its ads? There's something about it that just irritates me. There's never a mom with a child, just a very pregnant woman. We're not all pregnant, all the time. It reminds me of a book Jim's been reading, The Terror Dream, about how images of women in post 9-11 America have been presented.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Baby Its Cold Outside
This morning when I woke up, there was frost on the ground. I don't mean a little frost, I mean real frost. The current temperature outside is 27 degrees! So, for the first time this season, I started my morning by lighting the woodstove. It's so hard to get up in a cold house. (The thermostat said it was 60 degrees inside.)
Despite the extra work, I'm glad the cold weather is here. I like the feeling of slowing down and settling in for the winter. I like perusing projects that I've wanted to start or finish but haven't had time for. The wood stove draws everyone to the living room and I like that as well.
This morning we enjoyed steel cut oats, already hot and waiting for us, in the slow cooker. What a welcome sight it was! If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it on cold mornings. The ratio I use is from 125 Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes. It calls for 1 1/4 cups steel cut oats and 4 cups of water. Everyone adds their own soymilk in the morning to cool it down a bit. It does take a little longer to eat than a muffin or quick bread that you can take in the car but sometimes we need to force ourselves to slow down.
However, instead of slowing down today, I'm going to be extremely busy. There is a laundry list of errands to be run and things that must get completed before the day ends.
Despite the extra work, I'm glad the cold weather is here. I like the feeling of slowing down and settling in for the winter. I like perusing projects that I've wanted to start or finish but haven't had time for. The wood stove draws everyone to the living room and I like that as well.
This morning we enjoyed steel cut oats, already hot and waiting for us, in the slow cooker. What a welcome sight it was! If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it on cold mornings. The ratio I use is from 125 Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes. It calls for 1 1/4 cups steel cut oats and 4 cups of water. Everyone adds their own soymilk in the morning to cool it down a bit. It does take a little longer to eat than a muffin or quick bread that you can take in the car but sometimes we need to force ourselves to slow down.
However, instead of slowing down today, I'm going to be extremely busy. There is a laundry list of errands to be run and things that must get completed before the day ends.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Recipe Roundup
I've had some recipe successes as well as a notable flop recently. Here's the scoop.
The granola bars I made were a definite success. For the most part they hold together and what doesn't hold together is willingly gobbled up as cereal. Try as I might, I can't find the source of the original recipe but I suspect it came from the Vegetarian Group. Naturally I tinkered with it so it only vaguely resembles the original recipe anyway. Here's my version:
Granola Bars
Combine the following on an ungreased cookie sheet:
2 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
Set your oven to 300 degrees and place the cookie sheet in your oven for 20 minutes while its preheating.
Heat the following in a small saucepan:
2 Tbs canola oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup pureed dates
Place 1 cup of raisins into a mixing bowl. Pour in dry ingredients and stir to combine. Remove wet ingredients from heat, stir in 2 tsp of vanilla extract* and 1 tsp cinnamon and then pour over dry ingredients. Quickly stir until everything is coated.
Continuing to move quickly (because this beccomes a sticky mess rather quickly) press this mixture into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly and then cut into bars. Let the whole thing cool completely before attempting to remove from pan.
*I skipped the vanilla extract because I used vanilla sugar.
I did finally make a very mild baba ganoush a few days ago. Everyone liked it but I had made a lot, far too much to use in sandwiches. I sliced two onions and cooked them in a bit of water until they carmelized. Then I added a can of black olives and some chick peas. I tossed these around until they were heated through. Then I added in the leftover baba ganoush and again let it heat through before serving it over pasta. The result was really tasty and everyone took leftovers for lunch the following day!
Last night, it seems, I was feeling a little too kitchen confident because part of last night's dinner won the stinker of the week award. Our Tuesday CSA pickup had a small amount of broccoli pieces in it, perfect for cream of broccoli soup. Having never made vegan cream of broccoli soup, I headed to the cookbooks. I wound up using the Broccoli Cheez Soup recipe from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. Visually and texturally, the soup was perfect but the taste was a little too intense. Everyone ate it but they requested it never reappear on the menu.
The granola bars I made were a definite success. For the most part they hold together and what doesn't hold together is willingly gobbled up as cereal. Try as I might, I can't find the source of the original recipe but I suspect it came from the Vegetarian Group. Naturally I tinkered with it so it only vaguely resembles the original recipe anyway. Here's my version:
Granola Bars
Combine the following on an ungreased cookie sheet:
2 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
Set your oven to 300 degrees and place the cookie sheet in your oven for 20 minutes while its preheating.
Heat the following in a small saucepan:
2 Tbs canola oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup pureed dates
Place 1 cup of raisins into a mixing bowl. Pour in dry ingredients and stir to combine. Remove wet ingredients from heat, stir in 2 tsp of vanilla extract* and 1 tsp cinnamon and then pour over dry ingredients. Quickly stir until everything is coated.
Continuing to move quickly (because this beccomes a sticky mess rather quickly) press this mixture into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly and then cut into bars. Let the whole thing cool completely before attempting to remove from pan.
*I skipped the vanilla extract because I used vanilla sugar.
I did finally make a very mild baba ganoush a few days ago. Everyone liked it but I had made a lot, far too much to use in sandwiches. I sliced two onions and cooked them in a bit of water until they carmelized. Then I added a can of black olives and some chick peas. I tossed these around until they were heated through. Then I added in the leftover baba ganoush and again let it heat through before serving it over pasta. The result was really tasty and everyone took leftovers for lunch the following day!
Last night, it seems, I was feeling a little too kitchen confident because part of last night's dinner won the stinker of the week award. Our Tuesday CSA pickup had a small amount of broccoli pieces in it, perfect for cream of broccoli soup. Having never made vegan cream of broccoli soup, I headed to the cookbooks. I wound up using the Broccoli Cheez Soup recipe from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. Visually and texturally, the soup was perfect but the taste was a little too intense. Everyone ate it but they requested it never reappear on the menu.
Monday, September 10, 2007
My Favorite Crepe Recipe
My all time favorite crepe recipe comes from The Power of Your Plate by Dr. Neal D. Barnard. The recipe is actually called Eggless Omelets, although I find it more satisfying as a crepe.
Combine in a blender:
2 cups flour (I use whole wheat pastry)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes (although I use powder and it works fine)
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups water
1 Tbs oil (I use olive oil)
Blend until smooth. The recipe says it can rest for up to 30 minutes or even overnight but I always use it right away and it works fine. Pour 1/4 cup onto a nonstick griddle (I use cast iron) over medium high heat (I cook it closer to medium but that may be a quirk of my stove).
Either tip the pan to spread out thinly or use the back of a spoon. Let cook until the edges begin to curl up. Flip and cook on the other side. Serve stuffed with whatever you like.
I made them this weekend and stuffed them with Chickpeas and Greens and Cajun Black Eyed Peas. Delicious!
Combine in a blender:
2 cups flour (I use whole wheat pastry)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes (although I use powder and it works fine)
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups water
1 Tbs oil (I use olive oil)
Blend until smooth. The recipe says it can rest for up to 30 minutes or even overnight but I always use it right away and it works fine. Pour 1/4 cup onto a nonstick griddle (I use cast iron) over medium high heat (I cook it closer to medium but that may be a quirk of my stove).
Either tip the pan to spread out thinly or use the back of a spoon. Let cook until the edges begin to curl up. Flip and cook on the other side. Serve stuffed with whatever you like.
I made them this weekend and stuffed them with Chickpeas and Greens and Cajun Black Eyed Peas. Delicious!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Power Failure
As Chile suggested, I tried soaking my steel cut oats over night. It really did cut the cooking time down and there was no difference in the taste. I'll definitely be using that trick again.
The boys have really enjoyed the first few days of camp. I've enjoyed the way it tires them out. It really helped yesterday evening when we lost power due to a very strong and destructive thunderstorm at about 7:30pm. They were tired and ready for bed with no argument. Poor Biscuit, he is really terrified of thunderstorms. He spent the evening hiding in his crate.
The girls and I spent the evening sitting around a table with a bunch of candles talking and listening to music. I tried to cross-stitch but I almost went cross-eyed
from the dim light. We also had two of the shake type rechargeable flashlights. These were very handy, although one stopped working for no apparent reason. We cant' seem to get it recharged or maybe the bulb blew out. I'm not really sure. I'll ask my technical advisor when he heads back up Friday evening.
Today was so hot and humid that I walked around the lack rather than jogging. The air was just too thick. Of course there was another reason for walking. When the power came back on at about 4:00am the radio in the ktichen came back on, LOUD! I jumped out of bed to turn it off and promptly fell onto the floor when my foot caught on the blanket. At least it doesn't hurt.
It looks like we really didn't lose anything in the fridge except a half empty container of soymilk, although I'm a little leery about the Vegenaise. I'm just grateful when have power back and no trees hit our house.
The boys have really enjoyed the first few days of camp. I've enjoyed the way it tires them out. It really helped yesterday evening when we lost power due to a very strong and destructive thunderstorm at about 7:30pm. They were tired and ready for bed with no argument. Poor Biscuit, he is really terrified of thunderstorms. He spent the evening hiding in his crate.
The girls and I spent the evening sitting around a table with a bunch of candles talking and listening to music. I tried to cross-stitch but I almost went cross-eyed
from the dim light. We also had two of the shake type rechargeable flashlights. These were very handy, although one stopped working for no apparent reason. We cant' seem to get it recharged or maybe the bulb blew out. I'm not really sure. I'll ask my technical advisor when he heads back up Friday evening.
Today was so hot and humid that I walked around the lack rather than jogging. The air was just too thick. Of course there was another reason for walking. When the power came back on at about 4:00am the radio in the ktichen came back on, LOUD! I jumped out of bed to turn it off and promptly fell onto the floor when my foot caught on the blanket. At least it doesn't hurt.
It looks like we really didn't lose anything in the fridge except a half empty container of soymilk, although I'm a little leery about the Vegenaise. I'm just grateful when have power back and no trees hit our house.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
The Odd Simplicity of Summer Eating
This morning my son asked me if I would make his favorite breakfast. Would you believe its steel cut oats with a handful of currants sprinkled in? If I put the steel cut oats and water into a covered pot on medium heat they are done by the time I get out of the shower. Rob sprinkles in the currants and tops with soymilk before eating. Simple and delicious.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Winter Squash Seeds?
We're eating a lot of winter squash this time of year but what can you do with winter squash seeds? Actually, just like you can use winter squash in place of pumpkin in almost any recipe, you can bake the seeds of almost any winter squash just like you would pumpkin seeds. I actually think acorn squash seeds taste better than pumpkin seeds.
I bake the seeds in a 300 degree oven until they start to pop, about 45 minutes. I usually dry roast them but recently, I tried adding a tablespoon of tamari to them after they had begun to pop. I stirred it around and returned them to the oven for 5 minutes. Once cooled they were really delicious, although if you burn them with the tamari, they are almost inedible.
I've also ground the plain, cooked seeds into a flour and substituted it for half of the flour in my scone or pancake recipes. It gives a uniquely nutty flavor to the recipe. If you do this, be sure to really grind the seeds down to flour or you'll find little shards of seed getting stuck in your throat and the recipe won't hold together as well.
I bake the seeds in a 300 degree oven until they start to pop, about 45 minutes. I usually dry roast them but recently, I tried adding a tablespoon of tamari to them after they had begun to pop. I stirred it around and returned them to the oven for 5 minutes. Once cooled they were really delicious, although if you burn them with the tamari, they are almost inedible.
I've also ground the plain, cooked seeds into a flour and substituted it for half of the flour in my scone or pancake recipes. It gives a uniquely nutty flavor to the recipe. If you do this, be sure to really grind the seeds down to flour or you'll find little shards of seed getting stuck in your throat and the recipe won't hold together as well.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all! I always feel a bit introspective this time of year. Whenever I'm alone, with four kids this usually means when I'm in the shower, I find myself taking a mental inventory of the last year. No matter what my feelings are on the events of the prior year, reviewing them helps me plan for the upcoming year.
I'm especially pleased with the way holiday gift giving went this year. For the most part, everyone kept it low key. Since there are so many of us, my siblings and I drew names out of a hat for gift giving. Our spending limit for these gifts was $20-$25 and this made for some really thoughtful and creative gift giving. It helps that most of us have the "keep it cheap, ow it hurts to spend that much" gene.
I got my sister, Mary, a 1 year subscription to The HomeEconomiser Newsletter $12 and I pre-ordered her a copy of America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money $10.36. Certainly, its not the right gift for everyone but Mary and I tend to really be on the same page about finances.
In food news, I got a request for my chickpea scramble recipe. I thought I'd already posted it but apparently I hadn't. The chickpea scramble is basically my Potato Scramble recipe with about 4 cups of cooked chickpeas instead of potatoes. Here it is:
Chickpea Scramble
4 cups cooked chickpeas
2 onions, chopped
any or none of the following: chopped carrot, chopped broccoli, chopped kale or any other chooped vegetable
1/2 cup tamari
1 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1 Tbs. maple syrup
In a heavy pot, I'm partial to cast iron, brown the onions in a little olive or canola oil. Add the chickpeas and the optional items. Whisk together last three ingredients and pour over chickpea and onion mixture. Add water to just cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered about 25 minutes. To make it thicker mash 1/2 of the chickpeas before serving. Serve as is or as a crepe filling.
I'm especially pleased with the way holiday gift giving went this year. For the most part, everyone kept it low key. Since there are so many of us, my siblings and I drew names out of a hat for gift giving. Our spending limit for these gifts was $20-$25 and this made for some really thoughtful and creative gift giving. It helps that most of us have the "keep it cheap, ow it hurts to spend that much" gene.
I got my sister, Mary, a 1 year subscription to The HomeEconomiser Newsletter $12 and I pre-ordered her a copy of America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money $10.36. Certainly, its not the right gift for everyone but Mary and I tend to really be on the same page about finances.
In food news, I got a request for my chickpea scramble recipe. I thought I'd already posted it but apparently I hadn't. The chickpea scramble is basically my Potato Scramble recipe with about 4 cups of cooked chickpeas instead of potatoes. Here it is:
Chickpea Scramble
4 cups cooked chickpeas
2 onions, chopped
any or none of the following: chopped carrot, chopped broccoli, chopped kale or any other chooped vegetable
1/2 cup tamari
1 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1 Tbs. maple syrup
In a heavy pot, I'm partial to cast iron, brown the onions in a little olive or canola oil. Add the chickpeas and the optional items. Whisk together last three ingredients and pour over chickpea and onion mixture. Add water to just cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered about 25 minutes. To make it thicker mash 1/2 of the chickpeas before serving. Serve as is or as a crepe filling.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Amish Baked Oatmeal
I got this recipe from Donna over at The Vegetarian Group. Its a great resource for vegetarian and vegan recipes just be warned its high volume. I stick with the digest format to make it manageable.
The original recipe calls for eggs and butter so I tinkered a bit and here's what I came up with:
Katie's version of Amish Baked Oatmeal
The night before I combined the following in a greased 9" x 12" pan:
1 1/2 Cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 Cup vanilla sugar
1/2 Cup milk or soy milk
1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup of raisins
In the morning, since I was unable to get out of bed, I had graduated from the bathroom floor by that point, Leenie added:
1 1/2 cups of plain soymilk
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until edges are golden
brown. Immediately cut and spoon out into bowls; add
milk. Top with fruit and/or brown sugar if desired.
Serves about 6
This was really delicious and mighty convenient. Thanks to Donna for sharing the recipe.
The original recipe calls for eggs and butter so I tinkered a bit and here's what I came up with:
Katie's version of Amish Baked Oatmeal
The night before I combined the following in a greased 9" x 12" pan:
1 1/2 Cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 Cup vanilla sugar
1/2 Cup milk or soy milk
1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup of raisins
In the morning, since I was unable to get out of bed, I had graduated from the bathroom floor by that point, Leenie added:
1 1/2 cups of plain soymilk
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until edges are golden
brown. Immediately cut and spoon out into bowls; add
milk. Top with fruit and/or brown sugar if desired.
Serves about 6
This was really delicious and mighty convenient. Thanks to Donna for sharing the recipe.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
The Missing Granola Recipe
I'm not certain what went wrong with the granola link yesterday but here's the recipe it should have linked to. It combines my favorite elements of several granola recipes. The most important bit of wisdom that I've gleaned in my years of granola making is add dried fruit to the granola at serving time, NOT before cooking.
In a large mixing bowl combine the following:
1/2 cup brown sugar (although lately I've been using only 1/4 cup and increasing the molasses)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
Stir in:
5 cups uncooked oatmeal
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut
Spread onto greased pan and bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes stirring occasionally. We enjoy this with raisins, dates or cranberries and soymilk.
In a large mixing bowl combine the following:
1/2 cup brown sugar (although lately I've been using only 1/4 cup and increasing the molasses)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
Stir in:
5 cups uncooked oatmeal
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut
Spread onto greased pan and bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes stirring occasionally. We enjoy this with raisins, dates or cranberries and soymilk.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Raspberry Crumble Bars
Yesterday, I discovered that we had some ripe red currants as well as some ripe black raspberries in our yard. It was such a thrill to fill a bowl from our own patch!
Now that the kids are all home from school for the summer, the kitchen looked like Grand Central as dinner prep began. Tasha worked on emptying and reloading the dishwasher. Leenie chopped a large head of cabbage for the Oriental Cilantro Slaw from The Complete Vegetarian Kitchen by Lorna Sass. Ameleii was the ingredients guy. Now that he can read he's quite good at getting what you need for a particular recipe. Kyle was busy putting away ingredients that I no longer needed.
There was a hum about the kitchen as everyone worked, sometimes grudgingly, together. Then again, it may just have been the rumbling of our stomachs. Not all of my kids like to cook but its a skill that will serve them well as they get older. I include them, whether they want to be included or not.
As the meal began to fall into place, everyone's thoughts kept returning to the fresh berries. What were we going to do with them? There wasn't really enough to let everyone just eat some. Of course that was largely due to the fact that everyone had been eating them. I wanted to make some kind of a tart but wasn't really sure where to begin so I began pulling recipe books out.
Inspiration finally came from Cooking with PETA. Using the recipe for Raspberry Crumble Bars as a guide, I concocted this delicious dessert which reminded everyone of the Raspberry Linzer Tarts we used to get at a local farmer's market before going vegan.
This recipe is still a work in progress. The results are crumbly and don't maintain a bar shape. You might want to add a little more liquid to hold it all together better, I plan to. For anyone interested in recipes with little sugar, this is not the one. I think you could easily decrease the sugar without destroying the recipe. I plan to try using half the amount of sugar next time.
Katie's Version of Raspberry Crumble Bars
Combine the following with a whisk or fork:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs flaxseed meal whisked into 2 Tbs of water
In a seperate bowl combine:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 Tbs baking powder
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut
Add dry ingredients to wet. Press 2/3 of the mixture into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Place black rapsberries and red currants on top of this mixture. We used about 2 cups of the berries. Use a fork to crumble the remaining dough on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Now that the kids are all home from school for the summer, the kitchen looked like Grand Central as dinner prep began. Tasha worked on emptying and reloading the dishwasher. Leenie chopped a large head of cabbage for the Oriental Cilantro Slaw from The Complete Vegetarian Kitchen by Lorna Sass. Ameleii was the ingredients guy. Now that he can read he's quite good at getting what you need for a particular recipe. Kyle was busy putting away ingredients that I no longer needed.
There was a hum about the kitchen as everyone worked, sometimes grudgingly, together. Then again, it may just have been the rumbling of our stomachs. Not all of my kids like to cook but its a skill that will serve them well as they get older. I include them, whether they want to be included or not.
As the meal began to fall into place, everyone's thoughts kept returning to the fresh berries. What were we going to do with them? There wasn't really enough to let everyone just eat some. Of course that was largely due to the fact that everyone had been eating them. I wanted to make some kind of a tart but wasn't really sure where to begin so I began pulling recipe books out.
Inspiration finally came from Cooking with PETA. Using the recipe for Raspberry Crumble Bars as a guide, I concocted this delicious dessert which reminded everyone of the Raspberry Linzer Tarts we used to get at a local farmer's market before going vegan.
This recipe is still a work in progress. The results are crumbly and don't maintain a bar shape. You might want to add a little more liquid to hold it all together better, I plan to. For anyone interested in recipes with little sugar, this is not the one. I think you could easily decrease the sugar without destroying the recipe. I plan to try using half the amount of sugar next time.
Katie's Version of Raspberry Crumble Bars
Combine the following with a whisk or fork:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs flaxseed meal whisked into 2 Tbs of water
In a seperate bowl combine:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 Tbs baking powder
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut
Add dry ingredients to wet. Press 2/3 of the mixture into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Place black rapsberries and red currants on top of this mixture. We used about 2 cups of the berries. Use a fork to crumble the remaining dough on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Easy Breakfast Ideas
Before reading any further be warned, when it somes to frugal breakfasts on the run, planning is everything. I'm a reformed "let me just grab a bagel and coffee on the way" kind of a gal. Back when I was commuting to work, I padded in extra time to hit the gas station and get the coffee and bagel bacause I "had no time" for breakfast at home. At that time, it cost me $2.19. I worked three days a week. If you do the math you'll discover, I was spending $341.64 a year on my little splurge. You could argue its not that much but I personally wouldn't throw out a check for $341.64.
For those of you with spouses, here's another morsel of food for thought. My hubby had a similar habit but he commuted 5 days a week. That same $2.19 per day adds up to $569.40 per year for him. Together we were spending in the ball park of $911.04 per year on a breakfast that packed little or no nutritional punch.
Climbing out of the rut took planning and a fair amount of trial and error. Oatmeal may be one of the cheapest and most nutrient dense breakfasts around when prepared with soymilk and fruit but its useless if you have no time to eat it. Everyone loves my homemade granola but the time it takes to chew a bowl of it makes it impractical for weekdays. As our family has grown extra time has become less and less available. We need things that can be eaten in the car or on the way to the school bus without leaving a trail like Hansel & Gretel.
I try to make a batch of something on Sunday to get us through a week of breakfasts. Whatever I make also doubles as a healthy afterschool snack. For the six of us, I usually make 4 loaves of banana or pumpkin bread or about 8 scones to get us through the week.
Here are my favorite recipes:
Raisin Oatmeal Scones (this is from The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyzyn with a few slight changes)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup uncooked oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup soymilk with 2 tsp vinegar whisked in
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix dry ingredients and cut in canola oil and raisins using a fork. Stir in soymilk mixture until just combined. Divide dough in half and form two circles about a half inch thick on a greased baking sheet. Cut into quarters and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
variations: add a hanful of walnuts with the raisins and a drizzle of real maple syrup over the top
Banana Bread (from the Compassionate Cook by PETA with a few changes)
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the canola oil and sugar, then stir in remaining dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients (sometimes I whirl these in the blender to avoid banana chunks.) Pour into an oiled loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread or Muffins (this is from a local pumpkin farm, Secor Farms, again with some minor variations from the original)
Combine:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup soymilk
let stand for 5 minutes.
Beat in:
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree
2 Tbs flaxseed meal whisked with 4 Tbs water
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
In a seperate bowl combine:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice (ginger will work in a pinch)
Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Mix until well blended.
Optional add ins:
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup rasins or dates
Turn batter into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. For muffins bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.
For those of you with spouses, here's another morsel of food for thought. My hubby had a similar habit but he commuted 5 days a week. That same $2.19 per day adds up to $569.40 per year for him. Together we were spending in the ball park of $911.04 per year on a breakfast that packed little or no nutritional punch.
Climbing out of the rut took planning and a fair amount of trial and error. Oatmeal may be one of the cheapest and most nutrient dense breakfasts around when prepared with soymilk and fruit but its useless if you have no time to eat it. Everyone loves my homemade granola but the time it takes to chew a bowl of it makes it impractical for weekdays. As our family has grown extra time has become less and less available. We need things that can be eaten in the car or on the way to the school bus without leaving a trail like Hansel & Gretel.
I try to make a batch of something on Sunday to get us through a week of breakfasts. Whatever I make also doubles as a healthy afterschool snack. For the six of us, I usually make 4 loaves of banana or pumpkin bread or about 8 scones to get us through the week.
Here are my favorite recipes:
Raisin Oatmeal Scones (this is from The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyzyn with a few slight changes)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup uncooked oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup soymilk with 2 tsp vinegar whisked in
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix dry ingredients and cut in canola oil and raisins using a fork. Stir in soymilk mixture until just combined. Divide dough in half and form two circles about a half inch thick on a greased baking sheet. Cut into quarters and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
variations: add a hanful of walnuts with the raisins and a drizzle of real maple syrup over the top
Banana Bread (from the Compassionate Cook by PETA with a few changes)
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the canola oil and sugar, then stir in remaining dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients (sometimes I whirl these in the blender to avoid banana chunks.) Pour into an oiled loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread or Muffins (this is from a local pumpkin farm, Secor Farms, again with some minor variations from the original)
Combine:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup soymilk
let stand for 5 minutes.
Beat in:
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree
2 Tbs flaxseed meal whisked with 4 Tbs water
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
In a seperate bowl combine:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice (ginger will work in a pinch)
Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Mix until well blended.
Optional add ins:
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup rasins or dates
Turn batter into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. For muffins bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.
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