Vegan

Quickest Carrot Cake Ever!!!

Genevieve 2 Comments
Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting

So I have really been into juicing lately… and of course that means tons of carrot pulp, usually I just compost it. One time I did try to make soup with it, but don’t ever make that mistake… super grainy and all the juice was out of the carrots so the soup was NOT sweet and creamy like it normally is. I know there are a ton of recipes out there for using carrot pulp for the fluffy consistency of raw, dehydrated cookies, but really I wanted something sweet and QUICK!

I happened to have Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix on hand, so I thought to myself… “why not try to make it carrot cake?” I juiced 4 carrots and added the juice back to the pulp. Then I dumped in the whole cake mix and eventually it turned into thick cake consistency. I did add a couple of other things and they are in the recipe below. I love cashew cheesecake, so I made a variation for a Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting and DELICIOUS!!!

Carrot Cake Recipe

  • Bob’s Red Mill Vanilla Cake Mix
  • 4 carrots (juice and pulp mixed)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon pie spice
  • Optional: coconut flakes, chopped dates, raisins, pecans, whatever you like!

Juice 4 carrots and mix the juice and pulp together. Then mix in all the other ingredients until uniform in consistency. Use coconut oil to oil the pan (to avoid sticking). Bake at 325 for 20-30 minutes (depending on pan size and oven size)

Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2-1 cup raw cashews
  • juice of 1/4-1/2 lemon (depending on how lemony you like it, and a little zest never hurt anyone)
  • 2 TBS maple syrup or agave
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 TBS coconut oil (unrefined organic tastes best)
  • water (just enough to make creamy)

If you are using a food processor to make frosting then I would highly recommend soaking cashews for at least 4 hours prior. I used my vitamix and didn’t have the foresight to soak beforehand and it still turned out super smooth. When you refrigerate this frosting it will thicken or if you use more cashews. I liked it more like a glaze when I first made it and then after refrigerating it was thick like a super buttery frosting. Just use frosting as needed and don’t put on the whole cake (since you need to refrigerate the frosting and that would dry the cake out). Top piece by piece and enjoy!

Loving the Falafel

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Baked Falafel (coated in flax meal) with Tabouli

Baked Falafel (coated in flax meal) with Tabouli

Last week we had another great Creative Healthy Cooking Class… the theme was Lebanese cuisine, and WOW was it delicious!!! We made baked and lightly sautéed falafel balls. The baked ones (that look fried) are actually covered in freshly ground flax meal to really up the nutritional profile… not that the dinner needed it with all that parsley. We also made tabouli, tahini sauce (with unhulled sesame seeds to maximize the calcium content), and of course hummus.

Falafel (serves 4)

  • 2 cups garbanzo beans (sprouted first, then cooked 10 minutes)
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • ¼ small onion (chopped)
  • 1 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 TBS flax seed

Grind the flax seed to make flax meal and set aside. Then add all other ingredients into a food processor and blend until uniform in consistency. Should be able to form mixture into balls (slightly larger than golf ball size). Then take flax mixture to coat the outside of falafel balls and bake in oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes until crispy. Enjoy with tahini or in a sandwich, wrap or on top of a salad.

*Instead of baking you can also flatten balls slightly and sauté in coconut oil lightly on each side and enjoy! (Pictured below)

Tahini Sauce (serves 4)

  • 4 TBS sesame seeds (try to use unhulled)
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • ½ cup water
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • salt or liquid aminoes to taste

Blend ingredients together in blender until smooth consistency. Can add lemon zest for more lemony flavor as well. Makes a great salad dressing (if you add a little more water and vinegar) or use as a dip for veggies or to slather on steamed greens… delicious!!

Falafel lightly sauteed in coconut oil topped with tahini sauce

Falafel lightly sauteed in coconut oil topped with tahini sauce

Delicious Vegan and Gluten Free Brownies

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Super Delicious Raw Brownies!!!

Super Delicious Raw Brownies!!!

Last night I got to try some amazing brownies that my brother made… they were super moist, rich and delicious! The ingredients are simple and takes only a few minutes from start to finish, to eating!!! He got the recipe from the The Rawtarian Blog and I believe only made one change in the recipe. Instead of doing just cacao powder he used 1/2 cacao and 1/2 cocoa powder. I like using cacao, but for those of you who want that really familiar chocolatey taste, try doing 1/2 until your palette really enjoys the super food cacao.

 

Super Delicious Raw Brownies (from The Rawtarian)

  • 1 cup pecans (you can use walnuts in a pinch, but pecans are much better!)

  • 1 cup dates

  • 5 tablespoons raw cacao (cocoa) powder

  • 4 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut

  • 2 tablespoons agave nectar

  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. Place pecans alone in your food processor and process until the pecans become small and crumbly.

2. Add dates to the raw brownie recipe and process again until the mixture sticks together and the dates are well processed.

3. Add the remaining ingredients to this raw brownie recipe and process again until the mixture turns a lovely dark chocolatey brown. Stop processing before it gets too buttery. (There should still be air between the small bits so that you will be able to press them down into your brownie pan.)

4. Dump the mixture into a brownie dish or small cake pan and press down firmly using your clean hands.

5. Refrigerate this raw brownie recipe for a couple of hours. You do not have to refrigerate it, but it is much easier to slice when chilled. By the way, this is actually a raw brownie recipe that keeps its shape! So it can be good for serving to non-raw fooders because the presentation of this raw brownie recipe is good when chilled.

6. Store this raw brownie recipe in the refrigerator if it lasts that long!

Recipes from Indonesian Cooking Class

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Spicy Sambal, Tempeh Me Goreng, and Curried Greens (with my cat waiting to steal some food)

Spicy Sambal, Tempeh Me Goreng, and Curried Greens (with my cat waiting to steal some food)

Last Tuesday we had a really great time cooking up some delicious Indonesian food. We started by making the basic yellow sauce that is common all over Indonesia… of course I had to do some modifications because the sauce usually has shrimp paste and a ton of ingredients that I couldn’t find even at Asian markets in Portland. It took some experimenting, but alas the recipe has been tested by two classes and my family and everyone enjoyed it!!

We used the yellow sauce for the greens (green beans work really nice too) and then we made a sweet tempeh. The tempeh dish is called Tempeh Me Goreng, that has a sweet soy sauce over it, but again to make it gluten free some modifications where made and I have to say this is my favorite way to prepare tempeh now… try it, you’ll see.

The spicy sambal is something you can get creative with, depending on how hot you like your food. For the second class we had some serious spicy food lovers so I put in a habenero pepper to give it a real kick!

Indonesian Curry (serves 4)

  • 4 cloves garlic
  • ¼ medium onion
  • 1 in. piece of turmeric
  • 1 in. piece of ginger
  • 1-2 chilli peppers (depending on how hot)
  • juice of 1 lime
  • ½ teaspoon coriander
  • black pepper to taste

Mince up all the ingredients in food processor. Then use 2-3 TBS coconut oil on medium heat to sauté ingredients together for 5-10 minutes. Can use immediately or put in fridge for later use. Will keep for 1 week or more in fridge.

Mixed Greens (serves 4)

  • 6-8 cups chopped greens
  • Indonesian Curry + 1 cup coconut milk
  • Liquid Aminos or salt to taste

Use any greens you like: spinach, kale, mustard, collard greens, or even green beans. Steam for just a couple minutes if cooking spinach or for 5 minutes for the tougher greens. Then top with Indonesian Curry and about a cup of coconut milk.  Add liquid aminos or salt to taste.

Tempeh Me Goreng (serves 4)

  • 1 package organic tempeh
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ medium onion
  • 2 TBS agave or maple syrup
  • 3 TBS liquid aminos (coconut or soy)
  • 1 TBS black strap molasses

Traditionally the tempeh is deep-fried first, but since we are already going to be sautéing them with the onion and garlic there is no need to fry them beforehand unless you want them crunchy. Slice the tempeh into thin strips. Use 2-3 TBS coconut oil on medium heat to sauté chopped onion until slightly brown. Add garlic and tempeh and cook until golden. Mix in the agave, aminos, and black strap molasses. Ready to serve and enjoy!!!

Sambal Oelek (Spicy Sauce)

  • 2 jalapeno peppers
  • 2 red chilli peppers
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 TBS rice wine or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
  • salt to taste

Finely chop the peppers and garlic. Sauté over medium heat to soften and add vinegar until starts to thicken. Add agave and salt to taste. Stores in refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

My Favorite Meal Ever!!!

Genevieve 7 Comments
Portobello with Bok Choy and Yams

Portobello with Bok Choy and Yams

Okay so I am not completely sure if this is my favorite meal ever… but it has to be in the top 3. I made this the other night after going to the grocery store kind of hungry and well, I picked out my favorite foods. Portobello mushrooms, baby bok choy, and yams were the highlight of this meal. I love making portobello mushroom steaks because they are so versatile; you can get creative with cooking techniques and what to seasoning you’d like to use. Since I had the baby bok choy I decided to go a little more Asian themed, but I have also made this dish in the winter with cooking wine and making a thick mushroom gravy to go over the top. Since it is Spring and lighter foods are in order, the gravy was just from the sauted onion and garlic, liquid aminos and celery to make a nice broth that I poured over the top. Another reason I love this recipe is it gets converts: when I first met my husband he told me the two foods that he didn’t like were mushrooms and yams and every time I make this dish he freaks out about how amazing it is!!!

Portobello Mushroom Steaks (serves 2)

  • 2 Portobello mushrooms
  • 1/4 medium onion
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 3-4 TBS liquid aminos (soy or coconut)
  • 1-2 celery stalks (finely chopped)

Add a couple tablespoons olive oil to large sauce pan to saute onion and garlic lightly. Then add a couple cups of water with the liquid aminos and mushrooms. Cover and steam for 5 minutes. Then add baby bok choy and celery and steam for another 3-5 minutes depending on how well you like the greens cooked. The gravy is the liquid from all the steamed and sauteed veggies… you can thicken it if you like or serve as is. I love making a gravy with pumpkin seeds, but you can use walnuts, cashews, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds… any seed of your choice. Check out a recipe for Pumpkin Seed Gravy in part of my Fall Cooking Class Series.

Cube a large yam and boil in separate pot while cooking up the mushroom steaks so everything is done at the same time. You can just mash them up or add Earth Balance Vegan Butter to make them even creamier. Remember be creative: use different greens, try other seasonings… have fun experimenting.

When everything is done I like to pour the gravy over the top of it all and enjoy this amazing dish!!!

My Ideal Day… Yoga, Buckwheat Pancakes, Green Smoothies and More!!!

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Today started out by going to Yoga… there is a lovely yoga studio in town called Cannon Beach Yoga Arts. You can check out their schedule here. Anyway I took a Vinyasa yoga class to start off my day. All I had before class was some peppermint tea to help me hydrate and detox (ie. sweat more) in the class. In Chinese Medicine we use peppermint to release the exterior and it is slightly cooling in nature. Releasing the exterior typically means promote sweating, but it is also helpful in the first stages of a cold or flu. Western herbalism uses peppermint in a different way; to regulate peristalsis in the intestines and soothe an upset stomach. The essential oil is also helpful for headaches and clearing the sinuses too.

Okay enough on the properties of peppermint. Here is how my day was ideal… tea, yoga, and then on my bicycle ride back home it was slightly cool so I wanted something warm for breakfast. We had just gone to Bob’s Red Mill in Portland and had a ton of raw buckwheat, so I decided on buckwheat pancakes. We had the buckwheat in it’s whole form, so I blended it up dry in the vitamix for only 10-20 seconds and used the flour/meal to make delicious blueberry pancakes. After enjoying the pancakes I made a green smoothie and off to work I went. The pancake recipe is a small one so you may want to double it.

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

  • 1 cup raw buckwheat (ground=1 1/2 cups)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • sprinkle of cinnamon (I almost always add cinnamon to blueberries or lemon zest)
  • dash of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • enough water to get the pancake batter consistency

Mix dry ingredients first and then mix in wet. The consistency you are looking for is like a runny oatmeal. Start with adding just a little water and then slowly add just enough for the right consistency. Use a large pan or skillet on medium heat and put some coconut oil in the pan to coat the bottom. Coconut can tolerate medium to high heat so it’s great for making pancakes. Flip the cakes when one side is browned to your liking and enjoy!!! I love maple syrup and sometimes I will take a small pan and heat up the blueberries and a little maple syrup to make blueberry syrup and it’s delicious!

Pear, Mango and Spinach Green Smoothie

Pear, Mango and Spinach Green Smoothie

Pear Mango Spinach Smoothie

  • 2 ripe pears
  • 1/2 ripe mango
  • 2 cups spinach packed (or other greens)

Place all ingredients in blender and add 1-2 cups of water, just enough to blend to a uniform consistency. This is my favorite smoothie to date since it tastes so much like pear, and I LOVE pears!!! It made 6 cups of smoothie, enough to have a couple cups in the morning and take a big jar to work for my lunch. After work I am going to make my favorite meal ever!!! Portobello mushroom steaks, yams, and greens… recipe to be posted soon.

Super Fast and Delicious Tomato Bisque

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Tomato Bisque with a Kick

Tomato Bisque with a Kick

After coming home to make dinner… I was kind of tired and wanted something quick. Well I didn’t realize how fast I could actually make dinner (under 7 minutes). It was a tomato bisque with a kick! You can make it without the serrano pepper too and it is great regardless. I topped the soup with a delicious garlic infused cashew sour cream, and YEAH!!! I actually made the sour cream first and put it in the freezer while I made the bisque. Then I didn’t even clean out the blender very well so I still had enough cashew cream to make the bisque nice and creamy. Add some cilantro on top because it is good for detoxifying and tastes great too!

Tomato Bisque

  • 1 -28 oz. can of organic diced tomatoes (I can’t wait until it’s summer for fresh tomatoes)
  • 1 cup water
  • handful of raw cashews (optional, but make creamier)
  • 1 Serrano pepper (optional for a kick)

Blend these up in a blender and then heat on stove until desired temperature. You can even add some fresh or frozen corn to give it more texture and a slightly sweeter flavor. I added corn because the serrano was a little too spicy for me.

Garlic-Infused Sour Cream

  • 1 cup raw cashews (soak them first if you don’t have a high-speed blender)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 garlic clove
  • pinch of salt

If using a high speed blender add a little bit of water and blend until super thick and creamy (almost as thick as sour cream). Then put in freezer while heating up soup to thicken and spoon it on top. If using a food processor make sure to soak the cashews ahead of time (at least 4 hours… can even soak overnight for convenience) and only add water as needed. You may want to double this recipe to have some amazing sour cream on hand… keeps in refrigerator for about a week.

Fun Party Snack… Un-Tuna Pate

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Untuna Pate

Un-Tuna Pate

Last weekend was my nephew’s 1st birthday and I wanted to make some healthy and fun party snacks. Of course they are gluten-free and vegan, and even my mom thought they tasted like tuna. I never really know about such things since I haven’t had tuna in almost 20 years, but I was happy they were a crowd pleaser. They were super easy to make as well!

Un-Tuna Pate

  • 2 cups sunflower seeds (soaked at least 4 hours or overnight)
  • juice of 1 lemon or lime
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • other herbs to try: dill, celery seed, chipotle, oregano… whatever inspires you!!!

Pulse garlic and onion in food processor until finely chopped. Then pour off the water you soaked the seeds in and add them to the food processor with the lemon juice and pulse until you get the consistency you want (you may even want to add a little water if you are looking for a creamier consistency). I made mine chunky so the appearance was more tuna-like. Transfer contents into a mixing bowl and add the chopped celery, parsley, salt, pepper and any other herbs you’d like. One tip to making it even more fishy is adding some seaweed… a sheet of nori works really great.

Then I added a small dollop on square cut pieces of romaine lettuce… you can use chard, collard greens, seaweed as a healthy and beautiful way to serve these. Top with some spiralized or shredded carrot and ENJOY!!!

Who Needs Coffee When You Have GREEN SMOOTHIES!!!

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I have been absolutely loving GREEN SMOOTHIES! I used to make them all the time and when I would try to share them with someone… well let’s just say it wasn’t the most palatable experience. But now after reading Green Smoothie Revolution by Victoria Boutenko, the smoothies I make are amazing and other people love them too. So the smoothies I used to make were out of spiralina, wheat grass, kale, maybe an apple. Yes they are good for you, but they tasted a lot like a grass smoothie.

It was actually my brother who said he was reading Green Smoothie Revolution, and actually making the smoothies and liking them. He had better energy and digestion from consuming 1-2 quarts of green smoothies/day. I had heard of this book before and I just assumed that it would be more of my crazy super green smoothies that tasted a bit too green. So I borrowed his book and actually followed some of the recipes and… WOW!!! So delicious, so fruity, still a beautiful green color (at least the recipes that don’t have blueberries or beet greens), and I keep wanting more. I have been consuming green smoothies every day for the past 2 weeks and I can tell you, even living on the Oregon coast with the lack of sunshine my energy is better than if I were having a couple shots of espresso!!!

Today the green smoothie I made (pictured below):

  • 1 mango
  • 1 banana
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 2 large kale leaves
  • 1 or 2 cups water (enough to blend up)
Green Smoothie

Green Smoothie for Today!!!

Some tips for making delicious GREEN SMOOTHIES:

  • rotate greens (meaning use different greens every couple days: maximizes nutritional value)
  • use fruit high in soluble fiber (this makes smoothie homogenous in texture and prevents separation)
  • drink 1-2 quarts/day (increases energy: can even be used as a meal replacement)
  • remember greens have the most protein/cal of any food so you will be getting all the protein you need
  • experiment to find recipes that you love!!!
  • check out Green Smoothie Blog for more recipes and ideas

Spring Cooking Class Series

Genevieve 3 Comments

It has been quite a while since the last cooking class… so I am excited to be starting up again! Since I got to spend some time in Bali I thought it would only be appropriate to make some great Balinese cuisine. The most popular dish I saw and consumed in Bali was Nasi Campur (mixed rice). Sounds simple enough, but you would not believe the presentation of this dish at some of the local warungs (small cafes). Basically it involves rice with veggies, tempeh, and sambal, a hot mix of chiles and garlic for those who like it spicy! My favorite restaurant in Bali, Warung Sopa was in Ubud, more of the cultural center of Bali… lots of beautiful rice patties and artwork. I especially loved this restaurant because you got to choose which veggie and/or tempeh or tofu dish you would like in your nasi campur.

So my cooking class for April is going to be Balinese themed… we will be making Nasi Campur, with seasonal greens and tempeh or seasoned soy curls as sides. Of course there will be sambal to light our digestive fire. For dessert is a pudding made out of chia seeds and freshly made coconut milk with bananas on the top! The dessert is actually inspired by Ani Phyo, from her Ani’s Raw Food Asia book. Chia seeds are even more packed with omega-3’s than flax seeds!!! The cooking classes are on Thursday, April 5th and Tuesday April 17th. Go to my website to see the cooking class schedule for more info. As always the Creative Healthy Cooking Classes are vegan and gluten-free!

vegan nasi campur

vegan nasi campur