Rompin' Red Lentil Sauce

Credit for this recipe goes to Anne Esselstyn. It's so good & so versatile. The last time I made it I used it on pasta, as a pizza sauce & to enhance some leftover lentil soup. Or you can just eat it by the bowlful. I like to top it with a large handful of baby arugula when serving. Apologies for the photo. I didn't think to take one until there was just a bit left in the bottom of the storage bowl.


Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tbs garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup red lentils
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tbs nutrional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a large, heavy bottomed pot stir fry the onion over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the celery, carrots & garlic & continue cooking until vegetables soften & begin to brown.
Stir in the dried basil, oregano & red pepper flakes & continue to cook for 1 minute.
Increase the heat & stir in the tomatoes, broth, lentils & paste. Allow to come to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the fresh parsley & basil, nutritional yeast & black pepper. Simmer a few minutes more, then serve over pasta.

Nanae's Dragon Sauce

Best dressing ever! Leah shared this with me as a new option for my Buddha bowls. The cook at her school makes it and the little ones gobble it up. So...I decide to try it on the weekly Sunday family gathering. It's a hard group of mixed eaters- no vegans(just me.) The crew loved it! I forgot to take a photo.. It disappeared fast.

PS I just added a photo at the bottom. Dragon sauce on my breakfast.

Blend in food processor or high speed blender.

version one:
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup or less olive oil (I used less)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup water (I used more)
1/4 cup tahini
1 clove garlic

My healthier version 2:
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/8-1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup tamari1-2 TB garlic powder
water to thin
(It doesn't miss the oil)

Fall Harvest Buddha Bowl

Fall Harvest Buddha Bowl with Creamy Cashew Apple Cider Dressing

I bought some big beautiful "buddha bowls" from my friend Thien this winter.  This purchase has inspired me to try all kinds of combinations of food in the bowls. (Check out Thien's site: https://tnpottery.wordpress.com/ ) And then I stumbled upon this recipe in Kara Lydon's blog- "the foodie dietitian." Yum!!!!

Thien's bowl

Ingredients

For the Buddha Bowl:
• 3 cups chopped butternut squash (about 1/2 large butternut squash)
• 3 cups chopped apples (about 2 large apples)
• 1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 cups quinoa
• 1 small bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

For the Cashew Apple Cider Dressing:
• 1 cup cashews, soaked for at least one hour
• 1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon minced)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the Buddha Bowl:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss butternut squash, apples and chickpeas with 1 tablespoon olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
3. Transfer to a large parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes, or until squash and apples are tender and chickpeas are crispy, tossing halfway through.
4. Cook 2 cups quinoa according to package instructions.
5. Add kale to the large mixing bowl and toss with remaining olive oil and salt. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread kale out in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges of the leaves are slightly browned but still mostly green.
6. Divide quinoa evenly between bowls. Add chickpeas, squash, apples and kale. Drizzle cashew apple cider dressing over top and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
For the Cashew Apple Cider Dressing:
7. In a high-speed blender or food processor, blend or pulse all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Drizzle over fall harvest buddha bowls.

I almost forgot to take a photo! It was so yummy there is hardly anything left!

vegan raw gingerbread truffles

truffles dipped in choclate

This recipe came directly from Kara Lydon's blog, "the foodie dietitian." It's so delicious! As soon as I received it in my inbox it was to the kitchen. I love gingerbread!!!!
Check out her blog-  http://karalydon.com/recipes/

truffles rolled on raw cocoa powder

Gingerbread truffles 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted (approx 10 dates)
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 3 tablespoons cacao powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

Optional toppings:
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder for dusting (raw) OR
• 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips +
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut oil

Instructions

1. In food processor process the nuts into a fine powder.
2. Add dates, ginger, molasses, cacao powder, cinnamon, cloves and allspice and pulse to crumb-like consistency.
3. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and place onto wax paper or parchment-lined baking sheets. Store in freezer for 20 minutes or until chilled.
4. Remove truffles from freezer and use one of the options for coating below:
5. Add cacao powder to a plate and roll each truffle in the powder until coated OR
6. Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking frequently until melted. Turn off heat and place the balls, one at a time, into the melted chocolate until coated. Remove and return truffles to parchment-lined baking sheets.
7. Store in the refrigerator to keep chilled.

This will be a holiday favorite!

Rose and Basil

My friend and I visited NYC today. What do you think our number one preoccupation was?
Food.  NYC has the best vegan food selection anywhere! This was a find we stumbled upon. Rose and Basil. Vegan chocolates, lattes and the best chocolate peanut butter chia pudding ever! You will soon see my try at making this delicious, nutritious treat.  Our barista was really nice and helpful. She answered all of my questions about the ingredients. Rose and Basil  just opened this past summer. Do visit this new gem before the lines are super long! Soon everyone will know about it.
Merry Christmas folks!

Balsamic Dijon Roasted Brussel Sprouts

breakfast sprouts topped with hummus

This certainly is yummy! An unexpected mix of ingredients make for an excellent way to get more cruciferous veggies into your diet. I borrowed this recipe from Chef AJ.  I tried it once with the big 'ol bag of shave Brussels sprouts and kale from Costco (I shared earlier that earlier.) Makes it even quicker and easier! Since then I have tried it on butternut squash and sweet potato chunks and,of course, the halved and whole frozen Brussels sprouts.
 
Preheat oven to 450F.
Trim the ends off of 2 pounds of Brussels Sprouts and cut in half or fourths This depends on how large the Brussel Sprouts are. In this bag of frozens the sprouts were small so I didn't do anything!

Place in a large bowl and add 1/4 cup of your favorite low sodium Dijon mustard or salt free Stone ground mustard and 1/4 cup of your favorite Balsamic vinegar. Mix well until the veggies are completely coated. Bake on a piece of parchment paper or nonstick silicone baking mat for at least 30 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. If your Brussels sprouts are quite large or you prefer them crispier or more blackened, roast up to 30 minutes longer until they are done the way you like them. Make sure you stir them around every 10-15 minutes.


*Try cooking them with thinly sliced red onions.

Christmas Salad

What a beautiful, delicious winter salad this is. My new fave!

For the salad:
1 cup quinoa- cooked (remember to rinse before cooking) I like to cook it with veg broth and some onion powder instead of water
1 bulb fennel- spiralized thin or sliced very thin
3 cups salad greens of choice - I use a mix of kale, spinach and arugula
1 large pomegranate

dressing:
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 large lemon juice juiced
1 shallot minced (once I used onion when I forgot to buy shallot- then use about 1 TB of onion finely minced)
salt, if you want

Cashew cheese
1 cup raw cashews soaked 24 hours- rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons light yellow miso
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 large clove garlic
1/4 cups water (or more for consistency)
1.2 tsp salt is desired

Prepare the cashew cheese:
Place cashews, miso, lemon juice garlic, water and salt if you want into food processor or vitamix.
Blend  for  a short time and then scrape down sides. Blend again. Stop when the cheese is fully mixed and whippy. Place in container and into the fridge for at least two hours.

Prepare dressing:
Whisk together all ingredients.

Combine fennel, pomegranate seeds, and grains with the dressing. Then lightly toss in the greens. Serve with a dollop of cashew cheese. 


Thank you to Gena Hamshaw for this recipe. I changed it lightly, but the recipe is essentially hers. Check out her wonderful blog at The Full Helping .