Clean Food, Recipe 9- Gazpacho

This is the final recipe I have to blog about, for now.  I made this for a family reunion over the weekend.  It was inspired by the food I picked up from my CSA this week.  I came home with a bagful of tomatoes, green bell peppers, red onions, and cucumbers!  When I saw this recipe I knew right away that this was what I HAD to make!  It's SO easy too!  I love this cookbook- just can't get enough of it and the ease of preparation for the recipes is the best part.  So, for this one you start by blanching the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain and let them cool, then peel off the skins and dice them up.  Place the diced tomatoes into a large soup pot along with minced red onion, minced green bell pepper, diced cucumber, minced garlic, fresh chopped parsley, fresh chopped basil, fresh chopped cilantro, tomato juice, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, hot sauce, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.  Dump and stir!  That's IT!  It doesn't get any easier than that folks!  (The only thing left to do is chill it until ready to serve.)  This recipe was a HIT too, making it an even better investment of time.  Everyone loved this cold summer soup- I was getting compliments on it left and right.  I've had BAD gazpacho's before, but I must say that this was really, really good.  Not the best I've had, but definitely second place in my book.  A surefire winner and a great way to use up fresh summer veggies- love it!

My rating- 9

Clean Food, Recipe 8- Carrot Fruit Soup

This beautiful bright orange soup was our dessert last night.  Again this is simple to prepare and barely heats up the kitchen.  Summer's gorgeous bounty gets placed in a large soup pot- 1 whole diced canteloupe, 2 diced peaches, and 1 diced mango.  To this you add in 1 1/2 cups fresh carrot juice (for best nutrition it's best to use fresh juice that you make right before you make this soup, if you don't have a juicer though, you can find carrot juice in health food stores and big supermarkets), the juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, and a pinch of sea salt.  Bring this mixture to a simmer and cook it for about 3-6 minutes, or until the fruit has softened a bit (the time will depend on how ripe the fruit is when you use it).  All that's left to do is puree it with an immersion blender and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.  When ready to serve simply ladle into bowls and garnish with blueberries.  I really liked this soup.  I'm not usually a big fan of fruit soups, but this was delicious.  I loved the hint of clove as a back note against the fresh fruit and it was cool and refreshing, perfect for a hot summer day.  The blueberries are the perfect addition to this, don't leave them out- they make the dish.  I know I'll make this again- it's a great way to begin or end a summer barbecue- yum yum!

My rating- 8

Clean Food, Recipe 7- Pineapple Tempeh Kebabs

This was dinner for my family last night.  A great recipe for the summer because all the cooking is done out at the grill, so no heat is put into your house.  It's simple too, so it won't have you slaving in the kitchen all day either.  To begin you simply steam the tempeh for 5 minutes (you cut two 8 oz. pieces of tempeh into squares).  The steamed tempeh gets put in a sealable container with wedges of red onion, and triangles of green bell pepper, and pineapple.  Next comes the fantastic marinade.  I love this marinade- so flavorful and so easy.  Simply whisk together pineapple juice, olive oil, tamari, maple syrup, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, chopped fresh mint, and some finely minced red onion.  Pour this on the tempeh and veggies, put on the lid and shake it up.  Refrigerate for at least an hour and you give it a good shake now and then till you're ready to grill.  When you are ready to eat simply put the tempeh and veggies on metal or wooden skewers (soak the wooden ones first, if using these) and then grill over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side.  Now for the verdict on these- I will start with my favorite parts- the marinade and the pineapple.  I LOVE grilled pineapple, that was my favorite part of the skewer!  As for the veggies, they were good too, but didn't soak up the marinade like the pineapple.  Now for the bad part- the tempeh.  I really liked it crumbled up in the quesadillas I made last week, but just in hunks in this dish, not so much.  In fact, I sort of had to muscle it down- just not a fan.  Another disappointment?  The tempeh really didn't soak up the marinade like I thought it would (and mine marinated for over 2 hours), so it didn't really taste like much.  I'm pretty confident this won't be a recipe I revisit often.   :(

My rating- 5

PS- Even though this recipe didn't float my boat, the marinade did, so I will probably use this again on it's own when looking for a great, quick, versatile,  flavorful marinade.

The Kind Diet, Recipe 24- Mixed Berry Cheesecake

This beautiful looking cheesecake was my latest endeavor.  I have tried other vegan cheesecakes in the past and I wasn't very impressed, not so with this one!  It was very easy to put together, though it does take awhile, so plan to make this on a lazy afternoon.  To start you make the crust- simply melt down 3/4 cup of earth balance in a sauce pan.  Once it's melted you mix in about 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs until it's all incorporated.  Pat this down in the bottom of a greased springform pan and you are ready to bake.  Just a quick 5 minutes at 350 degrees is all you need.  While the crust cools you assemble the cheesecake filling.  This couldn't get any easier- just process together silken tofu, nondairy cream cheese, safflower oil, maple syrup, soy milk, arrowroot, vanilla extract, and lemon extract in a food processor until it is smooth and creamy, with no lumps.  Pour this over the crust and bake about 45 minutes.  VOILA!  You've got vegan cheesecake!  How easy is that?  My favorite part?  I could lick the spatula and not worry about getting sick since there are NO eggs in this recipe- yum yum!  Now comes the hard part.........waiting!  You cool the cake to room temperature (this takes several hours), then you top with mixed fresh berries that you have tossed in a few teaspoons of maple syrup and chill until ready to serve.  I skipped the chilling part because I just couldn't wait- I had to try a piece!  I was so pleasantly surprised!  The crust had great flavor, but the filling is the stand-out in this recipe- SO creamy and refreshing- the lemon extract really accents the fruit and makes it so summery and cooling.  This is the perfect recipe to make if you are hosting a summer party and you have to make something for dessert that everyone will love- my whole family loved this!  My husband had 2 slices (which he shared with my 2 year old), my 4 1/2 year old ate one whole slice, and I had one slice too- just like that half the cake is gone!  Make two of these for a party- it will disappear quickly!  My only disappointment was that I like a really good crunch with my crust that it seems only butter can give, so I think next time I'll try to tweak it a bit (maybe pre-bake it a bit longer and/or add a bit of sugar?) to see if I can increase the crunch of the crust.  Other than that, this is a SURE winner!

My rating- 9.5

Clean Food, Recipe 6- Tempeh Quesadillas

Another great recipe from Clean Food!  I made these exquisitely easy quesadillas last night for dinner.  These are completely vegan, I didn't tell my husband and he raved about how fabulous they were.  In fact, I think he liked them more than I did!  My two year old gobbled them up as well (and she's my pickier eater!)- so these are a real crowd pleaser.  So, here's all you have to do- cut 8 oz. of tempeh into pieces and steam for 5 minutes.  Once it's cooled you crumble it up and mix some salsa into it.  When you are ready to make the quesadillas you start by oiling a non-stick skillet and then you lay down a rice tortilla (found in the freezer aisle of your natural food store) on top of that goes some vegan cheese (I used Daiya cheddar-style shreds), then half of the tempeh mixture, some shredded romaine lettuce, and more vegan cheese.  Top that with another tortilla and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden and crisp and the cheese is melted.  Repeat that whole process again to make a second quesadilla.  It is literally minutes in the kitchen and you've got dinner.  It might not seem like this would feed many either- but this meal was a great bargain- I have a family of four and we had leftovers!  It was really filling and so satisfying.  If you are looking to make a meal that will please meat eaters and vegetarians, this is the meal to turn to.  It's also a great meal to make if you are new to vegetarianism or veganism and having a moment when you crave something indulgent- this recipe will do the trick- it's fantastic comfort food!  LOVED it!

My rating- 9.5

Clean Food, Recipe 5- Sprouted Quinoa Tabbouleh

I have been immersed in my Clean Food cookbook by Terry Walters this week- LOVE this cookbook and highly recommend it!  I'm working my way through the summer chapter and made this tabbouleh recipe a couple of days ago.  The beauty of this recipe is how simple it is.  The night before you plan to eat it you just rinse some quinoa and then cover it to soak.  In the morning you drain it and rinse it well.  Let it sit out on the counter in the strainer and rinse it a couple of more times throughout the day.  By the time you are ready to make dinner it should have sprouted!  This concept is SO cool to me- I love it!  What an interesting preparation for quinoa (one of my favorite grains).  To prepare all you do is toss the sprouted quinoa with some fresh mint, fresh parsley, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and sea salt.  That is IT- no cooking required!  This recipe is fantastic- it's super simple, really yummy, totally refreshing, and a great use of summer ingredients (I am just brimming with cucumbers and tomatoes from my CSA right now).  I know I'll make this again and it was a hit with my family- even my 4 1/2 year old liked it!  This one is a sure winner.

My rating- 9

Confession Time

Well, I have a confession to make......I have to say that I am no longer vegan.  I know, I know (gasp!), but let me explain.  When I created this blog I had been eating vegan for about a month and I really thought that I was going to commit to that lifestyle forever.  However, as time passed I realized that vegan just doesn't conform to me or my lifestyle very well.  I admire anyone who eats that way 100% of the time, but that was just not right for me.  So, I call myself a "flexitarian"- which means that I mostly eat vegetarian (even vegan a lot of the time), but some of the time I may have a little cheese or meat (gasp again!).  I am selective though- we are part of a meat CSA in our area so all my meat is from a local farm that uses no hormones or antibiotics and the animals are well taken care of (free range and grass fed) and humanely slaughtered.  The way I eat is very important to me and I don't take it lightly- so I hope any vegans who visit my blog will not be offended that I occasionally might have a piece of organic chicken (or some organic eggs from free-range chickens at our CSA).  I do eat vegan a lot of the time though (probably about 60-75% of the time), so the reviews of different vegan recipes will continue.  I'm hoping to have more reviews coming your way this week, but until then it sure does feel good to get that off my chest, I wanted to be honest about where I am on my path and just put it all out there.  Have a fabulous weekend and no matter what you are (vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, omnivore), PLEASE think about what you put in your mouth very seriously- your body will thank you and love you for it!

The Kind Diet, Recipe 23- Peach and Mint Iced Tea

So, it's been a very hot summer where I live and I was very excited to get some peaches from my CSA last week so that I could make this iced tea.  I have been waiting for peach season to start so that I could make this iced tea ever since I got this book.  So, I went home and made this iced tea immediately.  It's very easy- just steep some green tea bags in boiling water for about 10 minutes.  Remove the tea bags and then allow the tea to cool to room temperature.  Once it has cooled you add in 4 ripe peaches that you have sliced up, 1 small bunch of mint leaves, and some maple syrup to sweeten it up.  That's it!  Chill it and serve over ice.  I have to say that it wasn't as good as I was hoping for, I can't even really say what I think is missing, I just think my expectations were too high.  However, it was good and refreshing and a great way to use local peaches in the summertime, so I am sure I will make this again.  I'll just do a bit of tweaking to get it just right for me- but it's a good place to start!  A cool, refreshing drink for a hot summer day!

My rating- 8

The Kind Diet, Recipe 22- Pomegranate and Lime Iced Tea

Today I felt like I needed to make a refreshing summer drink.  It's been really hot where I live for the last couple of weeks and I'm just getting sick of drinking water on ice- I wanted something different, but still healthy.  So, I decided to make this iced tea recipe today.  All you do is take 6-8 green tea bags and steep them for 10 minutes in 8 cups of boiling water.  Then you add in 2 cups of 100% unsweetened pomegranate juice, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 3 limes that are thinly sliced.  Then you chill it and serve cold over ice.  Super easy and a nice change of pace in the drink department.  I have to say that I love pomegranates and I love limes, so I was really excited about trying this out, but I think I had this grand vision of what it would taste like in my head, so I ended up being a bit disappointed.  It IS very refreshing and the flavors are good, but just not incredible- and that's what I was hoping for.  I like it though and I know it will get used up (we are big iced tea fans in this household)- definitely a nice, fresh, new alternative to plain old water- something I'm sure I'll make again and maybe next time I'll make some of my own additions to punch it up a notch.

My rating- 8

Clean Food, Recipe 4- Strawberry Custard with Fresh Berries and Lemon Peel

WOW!  This recipe is amazing- that's what I wrote next to it in my book- amazing!  I cannot say enough wonderful things about this recipe and I know that every single strawberry season from now on I will be making this.  Not only does it taste great, but it's also simple and easy to prepare.  It's all done in the food processor- so not a ton of clean up after either!  To start you simply take 2 pounds of fresh strawberries (de-stemmed) and puree them in a food processor.  This puree then gets passed through a fine-mesh strainer and you are left with a gorgeous pink, seedless puree.  After cleaning out the processor you add 24 ounces of firm silken tofu to it and puree this until there are no lumps and it's whipped and creamy.  To that you add in some vanilla extract, maple syrup, all-purpose unbleached white flour (or white rice flour or ivory teff flour, if you are gluten sensitive), and the strawberry puree.  This all gets pulsed together to combine and you are left with the most beautiful pink substance I have ever seen.  This is so pretty- it is the perfect dessert to make for a tea party, a girls night party, a little girl princess party, or any elegant dinner party- it's absolutely stunning to look at.  This mixture then gets placed into a serving bowl (I used a clear glass one so you can see the gorgeous custard through it) and then refrigerated for about 1 hour.  When you are ready to serve you place it in bowls or parfait glasses and top with some fresh berries (I just kept it simple and sliced up some fresh strawberries) and lemon peel.  So simple, so elegant, and so fresh.  No one will ever guess there is tofu in this recipe (my husband and kids loved it and are none the wiser!)  Just have a no-tell policy!  The lemon zest adds such a brightness and freshness to this dish- you simply cannot leave it out- if you make this (and you should!) make sure you have a lemon on hand- you'll be amazed at how adding one simple thing can punch the flavor up SO much!  This is one of the best dessert recipes I've made in awhile- simply delicious!

My rating- 10!

Clean Food, Recipe 3- Grilled Vegetables with Pasta

This was dinner for my family tonight.  Another great use of summer veggies, easy to prepare, and the kitchen stays relatively cool too (you only need to cook pasta indoors, unless you have a fancy schmancy grill with a burner and then you can do it outside).  There's a lot of prepping veggies in this recipe, but other than that it is quick and easy to do.  All you do is toss some veggies (orange bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, cremini mushrooms, and some cipollini onions- or whatever veggies you happen to have on hand that you can skewer) onto skewers and grill them for about 5-7 minutes.  These get tossed with some cooked fusilli pasta, 1 minced garlic clove, some extra-virgin olive oil, chopped fresh basil, sea salt, and black pepper.  Super simple, very easy- the colors let you know that this is healthy for you- another recipe that just screams summertime!  The flavor of the grilled veggies really adds depth of flavor, but it is still so light and fresh.  I know I'll be making this dish every summer- a great way to use up whatever veggies you have on hand and make them taste great!

My rating- 8

Clean Food, Recipe #2- Pesto Pasta Salad

I have to start this by saying that I am absolutely IN LOVE with this cookbook.  It revolves around eating seasonal, fresh, veggies and fruits and I have been diving into the summer chapter this past week and I LOVE it!  I am a member of a fruit and vegetable CSA in my area and this is such a great cookbook to go to when I need quick ideas on how to use up summer's bounty.  We went to a cookout at a friend's house yesterday and I brought this delicious pasta salad.  I absolutely ADORE pesto and I grow basil in my own garden, so it's always a great way to use it up, but I've never made a vegan pesto before.  It was just as easy and delicious as the original recipe.  Simply combine in a food processor the following: garlic, fresh basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, soy or rice parmesan cheese, and extra-virgin olive oil.  That's it- SO simple and really yummy!  For the salad you simply cook up some fusilli pasta and then throw in some diced yellow bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, and some pitted black olives.  Then you take some broccoli florets and sliced carrots and you cover them with boiling water for 1 minute.  Drain and rinse with cold water and add those to the pot as well.  Then you add the pesto and toss it all together- dinner (or lunch) is served!  It only took me about 30 minutes or so to throw this together and the flavors are delicious and so fresh- it simply tastes like summer.  I had leftovers for lunch today and still have more for tomorrow (it makes a HUGE batch!)- I can't wait for lunch tomorrow!

My rating- 9

Honorable Mention Recipe #7- Ethiopian-Style Bread Salad

Well, I now have a new favorite salad recipe.  I made this salad for my dinner tonight and it made me so happy.  This recipe is from Tosca Reno's newest cookbook- The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook and I am really excited to share it with all of you.  There's lots to love about this recipe- it's simple, it doesn't heat up your kitchen in the summertime, and it's DELICIOUS!  All you do is toss together some green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, jalepenos, and cubed whole wheat sourdough bread in a big bowl.  Make an insanely simple dressing with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper and toss that into the salad and you are done.  That's it!  So simple and refreshing and so satisfying.  I made this about 2 hours before I wanted to eat it to allow the flavors to really develop and it was divine.  This will definitely become a go-to salad recipe- a nice departure from the typical tossed salad that we all eat in the summer.  I love it!  Thanks Tosca!

My rating- 9.5

Clean Food, Recipe #1- Nuts over Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

So this is the last recipe I have to write about tonight.  I made this a few days ago for a special treat with the berries and rhubarb that we got from our CSA.  This recipe is fantastic for a few reasons- it's a great way to use up fresh, in season ingredients, it's healthy, but still sweet enough that it will fulfill a craving, and lastly it's gluten-free.  How awesome is that?  Vegan AND gluten-free- a great recipe to make for a party or gathering too since so many people are allergic to gluten these days.  It DOES have lots of nuts though, so not a good pick if you have friends or family with nut allergies.  Anyway, it's a cinch to put together and so tasty.  You start by making the crust.  This is super easy because it's done in the food processor.  You pulse together equal parts almonds, walnuts, and pecans in the food processor until they resemble coarse meal.  Then you pulse in some brown rice flour, maple syrup, canola oil, and sea salt.  This is your crust and also your topping- it serves double duty- so cool!  So, you take 2/3 of this mixture and pat it down into a pie plate and then bake it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.  While the crust cools slightly you make the filling.  All you do is combine some apple juice and maple syrup in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Once boiling you whisk in some arrowroot and agar powder (the agar powder elluded me- I couldn't find it anywhere, so I just left it out and stuck with the arrowroot powder).  Once the mixture thickens a bit you add in some rhubarb and strawberries and cook it down until the rhubarb begins to break up.  Pour it into the pie shell and then top it with the rest of the crust mixture and bake for 40 more minutes.  One note- be sure to place the pie plate on a baking sheet while baking- it WILL overflow a little bit, so be prepared and don't destroy the bottom of your oven!  I love this pie- it's the perfect balance of sweet and sour and the nuts add a heartiness and richness that truly makes it stand out.  I have some friends that are allergic to gluten and this is now going to be a great recipe in my back pocket for summer get-togethers with them- now no one needs to feel left out at dessert time!  (And those of us who are not gluten sensitive can enjoy it too- it's perfectly delicious!)

My rating- 9

Honorable Mention Recipe #6- Breakfast Bake

This recipe is from none other than Kim Barnouin again (can you tell I've been browsing through her cookbook lately?).  I actually made this for breakfast this morning (another great recipe to make on a lazy morning) and I am SO glad I did!  You start in a skillet with some grapeseed oil and some onion.  Once the onion softens you add in some garlic, diced russet potato, some chopped up soy sausage, and some chopped mushrooms.  This all sautes for a bit and then you spice it up with a bit of salt, pepper, dried thyme, and fresh rosemary.  Once you let the flavors all get to know each other for a few minutes you take this mixture and turn it out into a 13x9-inch pan (I lightly sprayed mine with vegetable oil spray to prevent sticking).  Then you pop it in the oven for about 25 minutes (at 400 degrees).  The last step is putting a bit of shredded vegan cheddar on top and baking for an additional 5 minutes until it melts.  That's it- not difficult AT ALL- really simple, but yet it has complex flavors.  This was SO flavorful and everything was cooked perfectly- I adore the flavors in this casserole- it's hearty and comforting- perfect for a brunch and perfect to make for meat eaters as well- you won't miss the meat, this is just as satisfying and maybe even more delicious.  I know I'll be making this again, for sure!

My rating- 10!

Honorable Mention Recipe #5- Banana and Cinnamon Muffins

Well, Kim Barnouin has come through with another great recipe again, from her latest Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.  These muffins are SUPER fun to make and kids LOVE them (at least, mine did- especially my 4 year old- she couldn't get enough of them!).  I was definitely suspicious that a great muffin could be made with no dairy, no eggs, no butter- but I found out that it CAN!  These take a bit of time to pull together though- so make these on a lazy morning when you aren't in a hurry- they will be worth the effort, I promise!  First you have to curdle some milk, so you take some almond milk and add in some apple cider vinegar to curdle it.  In another bowl you mix together some unbleached all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  In yet another bowl (one of the negatives of this recipe- you need so many bowls!) you mix some earth balance with evaporated cane sugar with an electric mixer until nice and fluffy.  Then you add into that some soy yogurt, the curdled milk, and vanilla.  After you beat that for a bit you finally add in 2 large mashed bananas.  Finally you mix the wet ingredients into the dry and you've got your batter.  This gets poured into muffin tins and baked for about 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes you pull them out and top them with a crumble mixture (chopped walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon) and then pop them back in the oven to bake an additional 10 minutes (at 325 degrees).  The verdict?  Utter yumminess- I don't think that's a word, but that's what these are.  They are moist and flavorful and the topping is the PERFECT addition- it completes these and it's crunchy and sweet- OH SO good!  While these have the yumminess factor I do have 2 complaints (which knocked my rating down a notch)- number one- this recipe makes too much batter!  It makes WAY more than 12 muffins- so I ended up with just enough extra to fill up my mini-muffin tin as well.  If you happen to have one I suggest doing this, especially if you have kids- my kids loved seeing muffins just for them!  The other issue is that putting the topping on halfway through baking is SUCH a hassle and a MESS.  I understand why she does it (you don't want the walnuts to burn), but I think next time I'm just gonna take a chance and put the topping on from the start- eliminating a step and a messy hassle.  Don't let that stop you from trying these out though- they are really delicious!

My rating- 9

Honorable Mention Recipe #4- Lentil Tacos with Fresh Salsa

Wow!  Do I ever have some catching up to do!  I was sick again and then on vacation- so I've been doing some cooking, but not a lot of writing!  I'll be getting all caught up tonight.  First up is this honorable mention recipe from Kim Barnouin's latest book.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe!  It's super easy to make- takes a bit of time, but most of that time is walk-away time while the lentils cook.  All you do is start with some lentils and onion in some boiling water- these cook until soft, about 30 to 40 minutes.  Then half the lentils go in a food processor with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and tomato paste.  The puree gets mixed with the whole lentils and this is your taco filling.  To serve with it you simply make a salsa with cherry tomatoes, red onion, garlic, jalepeno, lime juice, cilantro, and a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.  SO SIMPLE!  Then you serve this with some shredded lettuce and avocado (I actually just mixed the avocado into my salsa- delicious!) in either heated soft corn tortillas or crispy taco shells (we picked crispy this time).  These are perfect for summer- so fresh and delicious and great on the waistline too- you won't feel heavy or weighed down after eating one of these and you get a great amount of protein and good fats with this recipe too.  I know this will become a quick and easy go-to meal- perfect for days when you don't want to exert much effort in the kitchen.

My rating- 9.5