Thursday, May 31, 2012

Honorable Mention Recipe #3- Seitan Sweet Potato and Onion Hash

Okay, so I had a DELICIOUS dinner last night!  Thanks to Kim Barnouin and her new cookbook.  This recipe is so easy- it came together in 20 minutes and it was SO yummy!  My husband loved it too, so it will please vegetarians and omnivores alike.  All you do is saute some cubed seitan (this was our first time trying out seitan- we really liked it!) in some grapeseed oil for about 5 minutes.  The seitan then comes out of the pan and gets set aside.  In the pan goes more grapeseed oil and sweet onion and red bell pepper.  After that softens you add in some diced sweet potato and saute that all together for another 5 minutes.  Add some veggie broth, chives, rosemary, and thyme and you are practically done- this simmers for another 5 minutes or so and dinner is served.  This was absolutely delicious- I am having the leftovers for lunch as I write this- it fills your kitchen with the most amazing aroma too- the fresh herbs add a nice earthy flavor and the sweet potatoes were cooked perfectly.  I know that I'll be making this again- it's a perfect stand-by meal, so easy to throw together and you could easily adjust the ingredients to fit whatever you have on hand.  This one is a winner!

My rating- 9.5

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Honorable Mention Recipe #2- Strawberry Shortcake

So, I have stumbled across another blog-worthy recipe from yet another vegan cookbook.  (Who knew there were so many out there?!?!)  This one is from Kim Barnouin's most recent cookbook- Ultimate Everyday Cookbook. (For those of you who are familiar with her popular vegan book series, you know who I mean.  For those who haven't heard of her series- just google her name and you'll find it.  It has a swear word in it and personally I don't swear because I think it makes women sound trashy, so I will just refer to this book in the future as the Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.Despite the name of her series, she does have some fantastic recipes and this is one of them.  Who doesn't love Strawberry Shortcake this time of year?  It's a must have recipe, right?  Now I can eat it vegan style with NO guilt!  (Okay, maybe a twinge of guilt because it does have some sugar and white flour in it- but just a little bit!For me, this is a truly seasonal dessert that I have made year after year (usually by making Bisquick biscuits).  This recipe really isn't all that different from the norm.  For the berries you simply mix up some sliced strawberries with a bit of evaporated cane sugar (just 1 tablespoon sugar per 2 cups of berries).  For the biscuits you mix unbleached all-purpose flour with some baking powder, evaporated cane sugar, and salt.  Then you cut in some cold, cubed earth balance (this is a vegan butter substitute).  In a measuring cup you mix almond milk and some vanilla extract and then this mixture gets added to the dry and VOILA! the batter is made.  I have 2 qualms with this recipe- the first being this- she has written this recipe as a cut-out biscuit, so she tells you to roll out the dough and cut the biscuits out with a biscuit cutter.  NOT HAPPENING KIM!  This batter was WAY too wet to roll out, so instead I decided to make them like the good-old Bisquick biscuits and just do drop biscuits (the recipe makes 8).  This worked really well!  I was happy with the result, but just confused how they could ever be cut-out biscuits- oh well.  They taste GREAT, so who cares about the method of making them?  Plus, it turned out to be easier to just do drop biscuits- a time saver! Serve these up with the macerated strawberries and some vegan whipped cream and you have a heavenly dessert that will bring back childhood memories.  These shortcakes are perfect- absolutely delicious!  If you make these though- I would double the amount of strawberries that you use.  I like mine filled with berries and didn't find 2 cups to be enough for 8 servings!  (That was my second qualm!)  I loved this so much I may make this again next week since our local strawberries are rolling in right now.............yum yum!

My rating- 9.5

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Vegan with a Vengeance, Recipe 1- Lemon Corn Waffles with Blueberry Sauce

We had a bit of a lazy morning today, so I decided it would be fun to think out of the box and make some homemade waffles today, vegan style!  While I try to eat clean most of the time, sometimes you just need a fun recipe to spice things up a bit, especially when you have kids.  That being said, I certainly would not eat this on a regular basis, but boy was it worth the effort!  (And the splurge!)  For the waffles you mix sifted dry ingredients in one bowl (all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cornmeal), and wet in another (canola oil, soy milk, soy yogurt, zest and juice from 2 lemons, and some sugar- only a bit- 1/4 cup).  Make a well in the dry and then mix in the wet and your batter is done.  Heat up your waffle maker and make them according to your waffle maker directions.  While the waffles cook you make the blueberry sauce.  In a saucepan you mix 1 pound of slightly thawed frozen blueberries with some arrowroot starch (this acts like cornstarch, you could use that as well) and you toss it with the berries until it dissolves.  Then you put the mixture over medium heat and cook until the berries release juices and are heated through.  Lastly, you add in some maple syrup and vanilla extract and cook the mixture until it's nice and thickened up.  I have to say that these are a perfect combo of flavors.  Surprisingly, these have just the right amount of sweetness too- they are not cloyingly sweet, but just right.  The blueberry sauce is too DIE for- so yummy and perfect with the bright lemony flavor of the waffles.  The sauce thickens up just like the blueberry pie filling out of a can, but it's so much healthier for you and you control the ingredients- what could be better than that?  It is SO worth the 10 minutes it takes to whip it up!  A testament to how good these little beauties were?  My almost 5 year old ate 2 1/2 waffles and LOADS of the blueberry sauce!  My 2 year old wouldn't touch the waffles, but ate a bunch of the blueberry sauce.  Needless to say, I had quite the mess on my hands after!  It was definitely worth it!

My rating- 10!

PS- If you want to make these even more special- serve with a dollop of vegan soy-whipped cream.  YUM!

Honorable Mention Recipe #1- Italian Mariara Beanball Subs

So, I've decided to include honorable mention recipes- recipes from books that I am not going to cook my way through, but that are SO good that I just have to write about them.  (For me this means they rate a 9 or higher.)  This particular recipe is from Tosca Reno's new book- The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook.  I made these Beanball Subs for dinner a couple of nights ago and they were outstanding!  Everyone in my family liked them (except for my picky 2 year old), my husband couldn't get enough!  They are actually really easy to make too- it just takes a bit of forethought because you do use some cooked red quinoa in the recipe.  So, I simply cooked up the quinoa in the morning so it was ready to go when I was ready to make dinner.  Here's how the recipe goes- in a food processor you process onion, garlic, basil, and parsley until smooth.  Then you put that mixture in a bowl and add some cooked cannellini beans (about 1 can) to the processor and process until chunky.  Add the beans to the aromatics and add to that the red quinoa, Bragg's liquid aminos (these can be found in the health food section of your grocery store), nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, whole wheat bread crumbs, wheat germ, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.  This all gets mixed up (it's fun to do with your hands!) and then you form it into golf ball sized balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about  35 minutes and your beanballs are done!  All that's left to do is assemble.  Cut up a whole-grain baguette into 5 6-inch sections and top that with 4 beanballs, 1/2 cup marinara sauce (I had homemade, but forgot to thaw it, so had to resort to store bought- just try to use a healthy sauce- I used Newman's Own Marinara), and sprinkle on some more nutritional yeast (this is also found in the health food section and is a great replacement for cheese- it has a similar taste).  If you have a family that is split- some vegan/vegetarian and some meat eaters this is a WONDERFUL recipe!  Meat lovers and veggie lovers alike will LOVE this recipe!  It's not lacking in flavor by any means- and it really hits the spot- it's a truly satisfying meal.  Serve it up with some greens on the side and you have one fantastic meal!  Thanks Tosca for this fabulous recipe!

My rating- 9

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

The Kind Diet, Recipe 20- Crocodile Crunch

Okay, so I lied- I actually will be caught up after THIS recipe!  I decided to make breakfast for dinner tonight.  It's been hot outside and I don't feel like cooking, for starters, but it's also just me and my girls tonight and I thought this sounded like a fun thing to make for us all to chow down on.  What kid (or adult, for that matter) wouldn't at least want to TRY something called Crocodile Crunch?  You'll see why it's called that later (it's the secret ingredient!).  First things first- you start by chopping up any variety of fruits you want into bite-sized pieces.  I used kiwi, strawberries, banana, and apple.  She also suggests using avocados, pears, or mango.  Just make sure you choose sturdy fruits that can stand up to a sauce.  Mix up all the fruit in a bowl and then you make the sauce.  This is the secret- spirulina.  This super food powder is what turns this dish it's crocodile green color.  To start the sauce you mix the spirulina with some hemp milk.  Then you add in some almond butter, followed by some maple syrup and freshly squeezed orange juice.  This is your sauce and it gets poured down all over the fruit.  Mix it up to coat it all and then you top the mixture with some dried coconut and kamut flake cereal (I actually ONLY had some oat flake cereal on hand, so that's what I used).  Divide into bowls and serve it up.  What could be more refreshing at the end of a hot day then a bowlful of fruit?  Not much, and when it's a funky green color, it doesn't get much cooler than that!  Now for the taste test- WOW!  I have to say that with it's deep green color it does almost look more like a science project gone bad than food, but once you taste this you will be instantly IN LOVE.  It is SO good for you, but you wouldn't really know it- it tastes like a dessert and it's got crunchy and soft textures- the combo of flavors is superb.  I am in love with this and will be making it often this summer- it's also a great way to use up nature's bounty of fruits in the summer- make a big batch of this and watch it disappear!  AMAZING!

My rating- 10!

PS- My 4 1/2 year old really liked this recipe, but my 2 year old?  Not so much- the green color really freaked her out (plus she is my picky eater anyway).  I'll just keep trying!

The Kind Diet, Recipe 19- Basic Rice

I am happy to say that after reviewing this recipe I will be ALL caught up.  I made this last week in preparation for the Clean, Mean Burritos.  I STINK at making brown rice, so I was excited to see this basic recipe in this book, I was hopeful that it would solve my problem of mushy, stuck together brown rice.  To start, you rinse the 1 cup of brown rice (she says to rinse it once, but I rinsed it twice).  The next step is optional- you let the rice soak in fresh water for 1 hour or overnight.  I skipped this step since I didn't have that kind of time.  Whenever you are ready to cook the rinsed rice you simply drain it off and place it in the pot with 2 cups fresh water and a pinch of sea salt.  Bring it to a boil over high heat and then cover the pot, reduce the heat as low as it will go and let it rip for a full 50 minutes (no peeking!).  Let it sit a few more minutes off the heat with the lid still on and you are ready to eat.  Unfortunately, I have to say that I was still left disappointed- while I saw a marked improvement in the stickiness and mushiness in the rice, it still had MUCH more than I was hoping for- so I am still on a quest for perfect brown rice.  Perhaps next time I will soak it overnight- maybe that will do the trick.

My rating- 6.5

The Kind Diet, Recipe 18- Clean, Mean Burritos

I have to start by saying that we are not big burrito eaters in my house.  That being said, I think we'll eat them more often now that I have found such an easy, clean recipe for them!  These take a little forethought to put together, but are really very simple to do.  First you make a batch of brown rice.  (That's the forethought part- you can even make the rice the night before if that's easier for you.)  Once that's made you can start getting the burritos together.  I fancied them up a tad- her recipe just calls for cooked beans (I used kidney beans), but I decided to heat them in a skillet with a bit of water and mash about half of them up.  I also added a bit of garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper to the beans to spice them up a bit.  To assemble the burritos I simply put a little bit of the brown rice in the center of a tortilla with some of the bean mixture.  Then I added chopped cucumber, avocado, shredded lettuce, and chopped cilantro and rolled that bad boy up!  Serve them up with some vegan sour cream and maybe a bit of salsa and you have dinner.  I love this recipe because it's simple, clean, delicious, AND a complete meal in one cute little package!  You get your protein, carbs, and veggies all in one!  I love that!  These are also excellent as leftovers for lunches- so you'll be sure to use up all the leftover ingredients- no waste!  I know I'll make these again this summer- they are filling without being heavy- perfect for the nice weather.

My rating- 9

The Kind Diet, Recipe 17- Chorizo Tacos

So, I made these tacos before I got sick and forgot to write about them!  I just realized I left them out!  These should not be left out either, because they were delicious.  Even my carnivorous husband loved these- he ate a ton of them!  I did have to improvise a bit with this recipe though.  The recipe calls for sliced vegan chorizo or taco crumbles and I couldn't find either one of those.  So, I bought some smart ground and just sauteed it up in a pan with some olive oil and  taco seasoning and created my own taco crumbles.  SO good!  The only other thing you need to do for this recipe is heat up some corn tortillas in the oven in a damp kitchen towel and chop up the condiments.  We had some shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, salsa, hot sauce, vegan shredded cheddar cheese, and vegan sour cream.  This was such a fun meal to make (especially if you have kids)- everyone can choose their own toppings and assemble their own tacos, and it's even better that it tasted great!  This literally came together in 15 minutes- perfect for a busy weeknight, and great for the summer because there's very little stove time.  If you use hard taco shells instead of the soft you can cut out even more oven time- there's no need to heat those.  I know I'll be making this again soon- it was a hit!

My rating- 9.5

By the way- these taste JUST like the real thing- if you don't tell, they'll NEVER know it's smart ground instead of ground beef!  My husband asked me a few times- "there's really no meat in here?"!

The Kind Diet, Recipe 16- Rustic Pasta

Hello all!  I am so sorry that I haven't had any new posts in awhile, but I was dealing with sickness last week and just couldn't handle one more thing.  I am feeling MUCH better this week and started off the week great with this pasta dish for dinner last night.  It wasn't the best day to be making pasta (it was 85 degrees outside), but I had to make this since I had all the ingredients already.  So, despite turning my house into a sauna, I set to work on making this wonderful recipe.  I must say that this is a keeper.  I think this recipe is brilliant because you use only 1/4 pound of pasta, but you end up with this HUGE pot of pasta that will easily feed a family of 4.  The trick?  You add 1 full head of shredded cabbage!  The cabbage mimics the shape of the pasta (that is, if you use spaghetti like I did), and it really bulks up the dish.  It turns out that this was actually a great recipe to eat on a hot day because you end up eating mostly veggies and only a little bit of tummy-filling pasta- genius!  It ends up being filling, but light- I didn't feel stuffed after eating it.  So, all you do for this is saute some onions in olive oil to start.  Add in some garlic and celery and once those soften a bit you add in some shoyu (this is a type of soy sauce found in the Asian section of your market), garlic powder, sea salt, the shredded cabbage, and some marinara sauce.  That's it!  It was SUPER simple and so delicious.  We were in a hurry last night, so I just served this on it's own, but it would be great with a side salad and some fresh, homemade garlic bread.  I think that's what I'll do next time- YUMMY!  I cannot say enough about this dish- I just love it!  Oh, and even more important- it tastes fantastic!  Easy and it tastes great?  It's a no-brainer- this will be in my rotation!

My rating- 9.5

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The Kind Diet, Recipe 15- Lemon-Poppy Seed Poundcake

After a very rough weekend (I've been down with a stomach bug since Saturday night), I am finally getting back to the land of living again and ready to tell you about this recipe.  I actually made this on Friday, but couldn't even look at or talk about food for 3 days, so I finally feel well enough to write about it.  I have to start out by saying that I would not call this recipe "poundcake"- it definitely does NOT have the texture of poundcake.  These are actually fluffier and lighter, not dense and rich.  I think this is more of a cross between a muffin and an angel food cake.  (As far as the texture goes, anyway.)  Needless to say, whatever you want to call it- it's very yummy!  You can either bake these up in 3 mini loaf pans, a muffin tin, or 4 mini bundt pans- I used the muffin tin.  The recipe is easy to tackle- once again it's dry in one bowl (whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, maple sugar, egg replacer, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).  Then, in another bowl you mix together some plain, unsweetened rice, soy, or nut milk with some lemon juice.  Once this mixture curdles you add in some safflower oil, maple syrup, and lemon extract.  Mix the wet with the dry and fold in some poppy seeds and you are ready to bake.  Once they are baked you let them fully cool on rack.  Once cool you top them with a terrifically sweet and tart glaze.  You simply cook some maple syrup and lemon juice together on the stove top over medium heat.  Then you mix in some diluted kuzu (this can be found in health food stores or grocery stores with health food sections) and let it come to a boil.  The kuzu acts like cornstarch and thickens up the sauce so that it forms a thick, syrupy glaze.  This glaze is SO good- I LOVE the tartness of it- it is wonderful.  Pour it over the muffins and you have a delicious treat.  She gives an optional glaze that is made with berries as well- that would be really nice to try out in the summer, I'll try that one next time.  I know I'll make these again- the cake is moist and tender and the glaze is spectacular- it's really delicious.  My kids and husband liked them too, so that is a HUGE bonus! 

My rating- 9

Note- Alicia lists this recipe in the dessert part of her book, but I really liked these as a breakfast treat with some fruit in the morning.  I prefer sweet to savory in the morning, so if you are like me, you will LOVE these as a special treat on a weekend morning- SO yummy!  Another thought- these would be wonderful to make for a brunch or a tea party- they'd be the perfect addition, especially in the spring and summer, the lemon is so light and fresh!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Kind Diet, Recipe 14- Crispy Peanut Butter Treats with Chocolate Chips

Last night I noticed that I had run out of my homemade treats and I decided that I better get to making some more!  So, I whipped up a batch of these crispy treats.  Another ridiculously easy recipe to make, I had a dessert ready in no time (especially since these are no-bake).  All you do is melt some brown rice syrup on the stove top with a bit of sea salt, then you mix in some peanut butter until it melts and combines.  This mixture gets poured onto brown rice crisps cereal and you toss to combine.  Let the mixture cool to room temperature (this is challenging to wait, but you really need to- so don't skip this step!), and then once it cools off you add in some grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate chips.  Stir and then press the mixture into an 8x8 or 13x9-inch pan.  Let sit for at least an hour to set up and you've got dessert!  I made these in an 8x8-inch pan and I think that next time I'll make them in the 13x9-inch pan instead- these are HUGE when in the smaller pan, and harder (I think) to control the portion size.  That being said, they are VERY good- really sweet, so if you have a sweet tooth you will love these and the peanut butter flavor is so yummy- just enough without being too overpowering.  I do have to say though, that I'm not a big fan of rice crispy treats (which these can be compared to), so these aren't my favorite dessert out of the ones I've made so far in this book.  I'd rather make a batch of the oatmeal cookies or peanut butter cups before these again.  Alicia includes a variation in the book for Almond Raisin Bars, so I'll definitely be giving these a try too- they would be a tad healthier since they don't have chocolate.

My rating- 8

The Kind Diet, Recipe 13- Baby Bok Choy Drizzled with Ume Vinaigrette

I have to say that while kale is my all-time favorite dark, leafy green, baby bok choy is a close second for me.  It is absolutely amazing and one of my good friends was kind enough to pick me up a bunch from an organic farmer at our local farmer's market a couple of weeks ago.  It was gorgeous- while I was wondering what to do with it I stumbled upon this recipe and decided to give it a try since I had all the ingredients on hand.  This is the easiest recipe from this book so far.  Simply steam the bok choy for 1-2 minutes and then pour on the vinaigrette (umeboshi vinegar, which you can find in the Asian aisle of your big grocery store or in an Asian market, and flaxseed oil- SO simple!).  She has an option of adding some Gomashio (an Asian condiment that I have yet to make or buy), but this was optional, so I left it out and instead just added some freshly ground black pepper and a little sea salt.  A note about the salt- I should have tasted the Umeboshi vinegar before I added salt- it is actually very salty on it's own, so I ended up with bok choy that was a bit too salty.  Lesson learned- NO salt needed next time!  I love this recipe though- the simplicity of it is great, but it also tastes great too.  I've already made this version twice, but she also has a variation with leeks and cabbage that I plan on trying out next time- that sounds SO yummy as well!  One more quick note on this recipe- it's so beautiful and elegant- it would wow guests at a sit-down dinner party and no one will ever know it literally only took you 2 minutes to make it!  Now THAT's a recipe!

My rating- 10! 

The Kind Diet, Recipe 12- Mom's Granola

Ok, I REALLY have a thing for oats because I love granola just as much as oatmeal cookies and oatmeal!  I used to make my own granola back in the day, but then started not to make it because of the calorie issue.  Yes, granola is caloric, but if eaten in moderation and made with healthful ingredients it can really be a healthy food to incorporate into your diet.  Make it from scratch and you'll always know what's in it!  The great thing about granola is that you can put whatever you want in it.  I followed the recipe this time, but next time I'll get a little crazy and switch things up a bit- switch the nuts and add some raisins or dried cranberries next time- you can really do whatever you want!  Another bonus- it's easy to make!  Simply toast some oats in the oven on a baking sheet for a few minutes, then mix them up in a big bowl  with maple sugar, wheat germ, shredded coconut, sunflower seeds (I used these, but she also suggests sesame seeds), chopped nuts (I used walnuts.  She also says you can use raisins, but I left those out this time.), safflower oil, maple syrup (or brown rice syrup, whichever you have on hand), and some vanilla extract.  This all gets tossed together, spread out on 2 baking sheets and put back in the oven for about 10 minutes.  Super simple and SUPER delish!  I have eaten this for breakfast everyday for almost a week now.  It makes a HUGE batch- enough to last up to a week, depending on how many people in your family will eat it.  Paired with some sliced banana or strawberries and some of whatever your fav non-dairy milk is- this breakfast is hearty and oh so good!  If you are a granola nut (or even if you aren't, for that matter), you MUST try this recipe!  I love it!

My rating- 9.5

The Kind Diet, Recipe 11- Whole Wheat Biscuits

I have to start by specifying what type of biscuits these are.  These are not dinner rolls, they are breakfast biscuits.  The kind that you roll out and cut out with a biscuit cutter and serve with jam and butter or in the South with sausage and gravy.  (Obviously, no butter, sausage, or gravy for me!)  Anyway, I served these up with some earth balance spread and homemade strawberry jam- yum!  They are very easy to put together- whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, and sea salt get mixed together in a bowl.  Then you slowly add in some safflower oil until the mixture looks sandy and wet.  Then you gradually add in some plain rice or almond milk (soy would be fine too) until the dough comes together.  Knead it a bit and then pat it out and cut out biscuits.  Bake these in the oven for only about 10 minutes and you've got breakfast biscuits!  So easy- this could even be done on a weekday morning, it's that simple.  I liked these- they were good.  Not great, but good.  They were a little dense in texture and felt very heavy in my stomach, so next time I make them I think I'll do 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour and 1 cup spelt or unbleached all-purpose flour, in an effort to lighten them up a bit.  (The recipe calls for 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour.)  The denseness is my only complaint, otherwise I thought these were a great alternative to your usually VERY bad for you biscuits.  I'm sure I'll be making these again- they'd be great for a brunch or tea party with girlfriends.

My rating- 8

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

The Kind Diet, Recipe 10- Quick Date-Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal

So, I probably love oatmeal just as much as oatmeal cookies.  It is one of my stand-by breakfasts.  I probably have it 3-4 times per week, so I am always on the hunt for a new way to have it.  This recipe is really great because it comes together really quickly and you can assemble it when you first get up and let it sit while you do other things until you're ready to eat it.  All you do is take some oats, maple syrup, chopped walnuts, chopped apple, chopped dates, and sea salt and mix them together in a bowl.  Pour some boiling water over to cover and then cover the bowl with a plate or pot lid until the liquid is absorbed.  Right before eating you add some cinnamon and flaxseed oil.  This recipe is delicious- I've made it twice already and I know this will be a staple for me.  As with the oatmeal cookies, the flavor combinations for this oatmeal are endless as well- just pick whatever fruit, nut, and spice combination you would want and create your own flavors!  My one note about this recipe is that it's a HUGE portion!  I actually need to cut the recipe in half and it ends up being the perfect amount for me.  (The recipe calls for a whopping 1 cup of oats!  It's so much food I didn't know what to do with it all!)  So, unless you are really voracious in the morning, I suggest halving the recipe, unless of course, you are making it for two.

My rating- 9.5

The Kind Diet, Recipe 9- Oatmeal, walnut, and Dried Plum Cookies

I just so happen to adore oatmeal cookies.  There is something about them that is so comforting- even the smell of them baking in the oven seems to relax and calm me.  This was another recipe I was jumping up and down about because I couldn't imagine life without oatmeal cookies.  Again this follows very basic methods- mix dry in one bowl (oats, flour, maple sugar, baking powder and soda, and sea salt) and wet in another (maple syrup, safflower oil, vanilla, and molasses), and then combine the two.  Mix in some chopped walnuts and dried plums (otherwise known as prunes) and you are ready to shape into 10-12 BIG oatmeal cookies.  These bake up in about 10 minutes, super simple.  This recipe will not disappoint you- these are INCREDIBLE.  I would go so far as to say that they are the best oatmeal cookies I've ever had.  The best thing about these is that this recipe is just a springboard for dozens of different flavor combinations.  The versatility of this is fantastic.  I've already made this recipe twice (for dinner at my Mom and Dad's and for our family another time), and everyone who tries these loves them.  They are fantastic.  Some variations I've thought of trying out are: 1. Cranberry, orange, pecan.  2. Coconut, macadamia nut, vegan white chocolate.  3. Cherry, almond, vegan chocolate chip.  YUM!  I cannot wait to try these variations out and come up with some more to try out- the possibilities are endless!  I am so grateful for this recipe, and so is my family!

My rating- 10!

PS- I have to say that so far I have found that The Kind Diet really has it together with the desserts- every single one I've tried so far have been good and most are amazing!  Not to mention that they are made with cleaner ingredients than some other vegan cookbooks, so they are better for you too- eliminating the guilt!  So, if you have sweet tooth like myself, but want to keep your treats cleaner and healthier, I highly recommend getting this book!

The Kind Diet, Recipe 8- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I have to start this by saying- who doesn't LOVE peanut butter cups?  These used to be an obsession of mine and still remain a temptation so when I saw a vegan recipe in this book for them I was totally psyched!  These are SO easy to make that I've actually already made them twice!  The first time I made them for my family and last weekend I made them for dessert for a cookout with some friends of ours.  These will easily please vegans and non-vegans alike.  In fact, if you don't tell, they'll never know!  To make them all you have to do is melt some earth balance butter and crunchy peanut butter in a pan on the stove.  Add in some maple sugar to sweeten (this is found in the natural foods aisle of your grocery store, or at health food stores), and some crushed graham crackers and the filling is done.  (One note- if you like more of a salty/sweet contrast in your peanut butter filling, simply add in a pinch of sea salt.)  This mixture gets poured into muffin tins (with the liners in place) and then you make the chocolate topping.  It's SO simple- just melt some grain-sweetened nondairy chocolate chips with some plain soy, rice, or nut milk and pour on top of the peanut butter mixture in each cup.  If you wish, top them with some chopped nuts and then chill for at least 2 hours.  (I found that overnight is really the best way to go- if you can stand waiting that long to eat one!)  When I made these I did nuts on half (the recipe makes 12) and no nuts on the other half- this way you please the adults and kids, since kids can sometimes be weird about nuts on top of their treats.  My non-vegan husband and kids LOVE these- they disappear VERY quickly every time and our guests really liked them too.  This will be a staple treat in our home- this recipe is amazing, a true home run!  Thanks Alicia!

My rating- 10!

The Kind Diet, Recipe 7- Sicilian Collard Greens with Pine Nuts and Raisins

One of my favorite things in life right now are dark, leafy greens.  I could literally eat mounds of them everyday- they are SO good!  I don't normally pick collards though, so this was a departure for me.  (My favorite is kale.)  Anyway, I made this recipe on the same night I brought the Barley Casserole over to my parents house for dinner.  This was one of the fastest side dishes to make- it comes together in about 10 minutes!  It's just some collard greens, toasted pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, raisins, and balsamic vinegar.  So simple and rustic.  I have to say that collards are a bit bitter for me, I prefer the more subtle flavor of kale or bok choy, but it was good.  Not my favorite recipe for dark greens, but I'll give it a try again.  I wasn't a huge fan of the raisins in the dish, so I may omit those next time.  Alicia also recommends swapping out pine nuts for pumpkins seeds and the balsamic vinegar for shoyu for an even healthier side dish.  I might try it that way next time and omit the raisins, I just found them to be too sweet.  These greens weren't a huge hit with the family either.....bummer! 

My rating- 5.5

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The Kind Diet, Recipe 6- Hearty Pinto Bean Stew

This is my most recent recipe from The Kind Diet.  This was dinner tonight at my house.  It was rainy and damp out (although not super cold), but I was in the mood for a comforting stew today.  I did cheat a bit and make this stew with canned pinto beans (the recipe calls for using dried beans and soaking them overnight, but I had canned on hand, so I figured, why not?).  Since I used canned beans this already simple recipe was even easier for me to whip up.  I made this in about 30 minutes this afternoon.  I was able to make it before I had to pick my daughter up from school, that way I didn't have the hassle of cooking when we got home, all I had to do was heat it up!  Anyway, this recipe is very easy and convenient.  Simply heat up some tomato soup (Alicia recommends the one by Imagine, that's what I used), with some water, and shoyu (found in the Asian aisle) and bring this to a boil.  Then add the beans and simmer a bit.  Then you add in some onion, garlic, fresh basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes and simmer for a bit longer, until the stew thickens up.  Season to taste with sea salt and you're done.  That is, if you want to be.  She also suggests adding in some chopped up tofu dogs for a beans 'n' franks effect.  It just so happened that I had some leftover tofu dogs from this weekend, so I chopped those up and added them too.  (Amazingly, it really did taste like beans 'n' franks!)  Served it up over wild rice with a big salad on the side.  It was really comforting and filling, the perfect meal for a rainy day.  However, I think the next time I make it I'll omit the tofu dog- the tofu dog seemed to take away from the flavor of the beans, and they were really good!  It was, however, a very nostalgic meal- brought me back to the flavors of childhood picnics and barbecues........

My rating- 7.5

The Kind Diet, Recipe 5- Sweet Potato-Lentil Stew

I love stews.  What better meal to make on a cold, damp day then a lentil stew?  (It just so happens that the day I made this stew it was cold and rainy out.)  And this one is even better because it also has sweet potatoes in it.  This is another easy meal that would come together really easily on a weeknight.  A one pot meal that comes together in less than an hour.  Easily accessible ingredients also make this recipe a winner in my book.  Simply saute onion, tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, and sea salt in some safflower oil.  Add some sweet potatoes, vegetable broth, and lentils to the mix and you've got dinner!  This stew is hearty and satisfying and when you eat it you just know you are doing something wonderful for your body. It's really versatile too. I served mine over couscous one night and had the leftovers with the cornbread another night- both ways were delicious.  This isn't the best stew I've ever had, but it was really good and super easy to prepare.  I know this will become a winter staple in my home.

My rating- 8

The Kind Diet, Recipe 4- Eggplant Chana Masala

This was one of the first dinners I made from this book.  It's easy to prepare and the ingredients are easy to find, so that was appealing.  I'm not a huge fan of chickpeas (which are the main ingredient in Chana Masala), but I DO love eggplant, so I decided to make this one.  It only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish- great for a busy weeknight.  Garlic, onions, curry powder, and cumin all get sauteed in some olive oil to start.  This is SO aromatic and exotic- the scent of this dish will just take you away- it's a transport meal, I love those kinds of meals.  Anyway, eggplant, chickpeas, canned tomatoes, and vegetarian chili all join the party and simmer away for about 30 minutes.  Once it comes to a thick, stewy consistency, it's done.  Stir in some chopped cilantro and you're ready to serve.  I served this over some brown rice, to make a complete meal.  For some reason, I just wasn't digging this recipe.  I was so excited about it because it smelled amazing as it cooked, but the flavor was lacking for me.  I might make it again and add some extra levels of flavor- perhaps some hot sauce to spice it up?  I can't put my finger on it, but something was missing.  The eggplant was also very bitter in this- so I suggest salting it for about 30 minutes before using it in the recipe. 

My rating- 6

The Kind Diet, Recipe 3- Cornbread

I LOVE cornbread and I was very skeptical when I came across this recipe for it in Alicia's book.  How could cornbread be cornbread with no butter, milk, or eggs?  It seemed an impossible task.  I really wanted to try it though, so I gave it a whirl.  Once again this was a breeze to make, just mix wet ingredients in one bowl (maple syrup, soy milk, safflower oil) and the dry in another (cornmeal, whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, sea salt).  Combine the dry and wet and you are done.  I made these in a muffin tin- I like the idea of having a perfect little portion size, this recipe will make 12 muffins.  They only take about 20 minutes or so to bake up and they will fill your house with the most amazing aroma.  I was hooked from first bite.  BEWARE!  These are seriously addictive!  I found myself thinking about them all the time- they are absolutely delicious and thanks to the maple syrup, they are sweet enough to satisfy a sweet tooth.  They don't need any earth balance spread- they are perfect on their own, absolutely amazing!  Even the texture is spot on- they are moist and tender.  If you prefer your cornbread on the savory side, I'd recommend cutting down on the amount of maple syrup.

My rating- 10!  (These are all I've ever wanted in a cornbread muffin!  I actually liked these BETTER than any other cornbread recipe I've made, just writing this makes me want to whip up a batch.  YUMMY!)

The Kind Diet, Recipe 2- Barley Casserole

This recipe really intrigued me.  I haven't eaten barley very much in my life, so the thought of an entire casserole devoted to barley seemed very unique to me.  I actually made this to take over to my Mom and Dad's house for dinner a couple of weeks ago (my Mom is a vegetarian).  It was pretty easy to make and assemble- only took about 60 minutes of prep time.  Not too bad.  So, the way it works is you take pearled or hulled barley- whichever you can find, and you cook it in water for 1 hour until tender (it says to drain off excess water, but my barley soaked it all up).  While that cooks you saute some onion and garlic in some olive oil.  Then you add some grated carrots, diced celery, shoyu (a kind of soy sauce found in the Asian section of most big grocery stores), sea salt, dried basil and oregano, and garlic powder.  These get cooked until the veggies are tender (it won't take long).  Then the barley goes in and you toss it all together.  Next, you make the Tahini Dressing.  This is SUPER easy- just whizzed up in the blender.  You simply throw some sauteed onion, tahini (sesame paste), shoyu, garlic powder, paprika, dried basil, and dried oregano into the blender.  Add some water and then blend it up until it has a creamy consistency- super easy!  To assemble you layer in half the barley mixture, then some Tahini Dressing, then finish with the rest of the barley mixture and Tahini Dressing.  This bakes for about 35 minutes.  Now, for the critique..........I am very sad to say that this did not go over well with everyone.  It did have a really good flavor, but that was about all it had going for it.  The barley was really dried out and chewy.  The texture was just ALL wrong- way too dry, I mean like Sahara Desert dry!  I'm not going to completely toss this one to the wayside though, the flavor was really delish, so I think I'll try adding some veggie stock next time when it bakes and see if this helps the barley stay moist and creamy.  This way just didn't work out, sorry Alicia!

My rating- 5

The Kind Diet- Recipe No.1- Coffee Fudge Brownies

Hello everyone!  I have a confession to make..........I already started cooking my way through The Kind Diet cookbook a couple of weeks ago- so these first few recipes were made in the last couple of weeks.  This brownie recipe was the first vegan recipe I made.  I figured if vegan brownies aren't good, then how could I be vegan?  I went into this with an open mind though- knowing that I couldn't possibly compare vegan brownies with regular ones.  These were actually a snap to make, simply combining the dry ingredients in one bowl (whole wheat pastry flour, brown rice flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) and the wet in another (soy/rice milk blend, brewed decaf coffee, canola oil).  Then, simply combine the wet with the dry and add some chopped walnuts.  This bakes in an 8x8 pan for about 30 minutes in a 325 degree oven.  So far, so good- this is easy!  The hardest part is that you have to wait after they bake and let them cool completely and then you make a glaze for them.  The glaze is just grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate chips and earth balance butter.  These get melted together in a double boiler and then poured all over the top of the brownies.  Now comes MORE waiting- in the fridge they go for at least 1 hour.  The hardest thing about this recipe is all the waiting you have to do before you can eat them!  When you finally get to dig in they are suprisingly good!  I accidentally used carob chips when I made these and it gave the glaze a slightly bitter and almost woody taste, but it was strangely delicious.  Next time I'll use vegan chocolate and see how they turn out.  The brownie part was delicious- it was not a chewy brownie by any means though (my favorite kind), it was actually a bit crumbly in texture, which was a bit annoying because it was hard to get it to stay together when serving them.  The only other complaint I had was that they tasted a bit salty to me, so I think I'll reduce the 1 teaspoon sea salt down to 1/2 teaspoon next time.  Overall, this recipe was a great way to kick off my new lifestyle- definitely good enough to ease a chocolate craving whenever it may hit!  My husband, who is not making the switch to a vegan lifestyle, and both my kids liked them too.  I consider them a hit- no one would ever know they were vegan if you didn't tell them- these are a great recipe to bring to a dinner party or get together.  You will know that there is a dessert you can eat and no one else will even realize they are vegan- PERFECT!

My rating- 7.5 (I rate on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest.)
I simply couldn't give a higher rating because of the crumbly texture- I'm still holding out hope for a chewy vegan brownie!  :)

Monday, May 7, 2012

And so the journey begins...........

Today marks the start of a new journey for me.  I am taking on veganism.  I just recently decided to make this change in my life (for health and ethical reasons) and I'm going into it full force.  My biggest fear with this new way of life is the cooking.  I love to cook- my life revolves around eating and cooking, it's a passion of mine.  For the last few years I have cooked my way through cookbooks and sent e-mails reviewing the recipes to a group of my close friends.  No one likes to waste time, energy, or money on a recipe that turns out badly.  My goal is to help people not waste those things.  I was depressed that I may have to stop doing my hobby of cooking my way through cookbooks and reviewing the recipes, then it hit me- why not review VEGAN recipes?  So, I have decided to begin this project- cooking through vegan cookbooks and I will do the honors of testing out the recipes.  I'm just an average Mom of two with an average life, just like the rest of us and I will tell it how it is.  Whether you are a veteran vegan looking for some new recipes to spice things up or a newbie like me- I'll let you know if that Tofu Scramble you are thinking of making will really be worth it or not.  So, before you run out the door to head to the grocery store and get the ingredients, check out my blog to see what I thought!  I'm going to work through a few cookbooks at once, this way I can keep things interesting for me and you.  I've decided to start with 4 cookbooks.  For the next few months I will live and breathe recipes from these 4 books- first up- The Kind Diet, by Alicia Silverstone.  This book is the main reason I went vegan- so I must pay it homage!  Next, Vegan with a Vengence by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.  Third book- Clean Food by Terry Walters.  This book is really great because it tackles food from a seasonal perspective- working the way through the book by seasons, so this one will take me at least a year to complete.  I'm super excited about eating seasonally, so can't wait to start trying these recipes out!  Last, but not least, I will pick The Conscious Cook, by Tal Ronnen.  This book will really challenge my cooking skills and stretch my talents.  (It's a fancy book, written by a professional chef.)  I know I will learn a lot from this oneSo, that is my plan- I hope I can provide you all with useful information and I can't wait to get started- stay tuned...............