Smoothies!

  I have a Vita - Mix. And I LOVE it. A lot. Everything about it is true. It makes peanut butter, soup, margaritas, tahini, grinds grain, kneads bread, and of course, smooths smoothies.

 You don't need a Vita Mix to make smoothies. Any good blender will do just fine.

The recipe? Experiment! Here is my usual:

apple juice
frozen strawberries
frozen bananas
can of peaches

There is also peanut butter, blueberries, canned tropical fruit, pears, pineapples, carrots, spinach....all available at Aldi!

I also love their new Nature's Nectar Blendz. Fruit/vegetable juices. Yummy!

I have started adding a non Aldi product to our smoothies - Amazing Grass' Green Super Food.

So tonight's ( I made it to hold off hunger til supper was done) smoothie:

Peach/mango/carrot Aldi juice blend
3 frozen bananas
1 can peaches
1 can pineapple
2 scoops Green Super food

Enjoy!

Pineapple-Cashew-Quinoa (or brown rice) Stir-Fry

  We LOVE this meal, adapted from a recipe in the Veganomicon. We serve it wit with peas and tofu cubes.  The lime juice adds a lot, and Chris smothers his in Sri Racha. We made it tonight on a whim, without the basil or ginger root, because the cupboards were bare. You could probably leave out the soy if you're allergic!

 Servings: 4

QUINOA (or brown rice)

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

STIR-FRY

• 4 ounces cashews
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 scallions, sliced thinly
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 hot red chili pepper, sliced into very thin rounds (opt.)
• 1/2 inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup peas, cooked
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced into thin shreds
• 2 cups pineapple (chopped, canned is ok)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons vegetable stock
• lime wedge (to garnish)  

Directions:

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
PREPARE THE QUINOA FIRST: Combine the quinoa, juice, water, and soy sauce in a medium-sized pot.

1. Cover, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.
2.  Stir a few times, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa appears plumped and slightly translucent.
3.  Uncover, fluff, and let cool.
4.  For best results, place the quinoa in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
5.  If you're in a hurry, chill the covered quinoa for at least an hour.
6.  When ready to use, break up any chunks of the cold quinoa with a fork.
7.  PREPARE THE STIR-FRY; Use the largest nonstick skillet you have (at least 11 inches in diameter) or a wok.
8.  Have ALL of your ingredients chopped and easily within reach.
9.  Place the cashews in the dry pan and heat over low heat, stirring them, until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes.
10.  Remove the cashews from the pan, raise the heat to medium, and add the peanut oil, scallions, and garlic.
11.  When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the sliced chile pepper and ginger.
12.  Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add the red bell pepper and edamame.
13.  Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until the bell pepper is softened and edamame is bright green.
14.  Add the basil and mint, and stir for another minute before adding the pineapple and quinoa.
15.  In a measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, and vegetable stock.
16.  Pour over the quinoa mixture.
17.  Stir to incorporate completely and coat the quinoa.
18.  Continue to stir-fry for 10 to 14 minutes, until the quinoa is very hot (it helps to use two spoons/ spatulas to scoop the quinoa around).
19.  Serve with lime wedges and additional soy sauce, to season individual servings to taste.

PS -
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha  :)

Vegan Pizza Bread Night

We made mini pizzas tonight, with mushrooms, black olives, pineapples, onions, jalapeños, all on top of some of that wonderful Mad Farmers' bread.  We slightly toasted the bread in the oven first, then added the toppings, and popped them back in the oven for a few minutes.  The Daiya cheese substitute even won the approval of the biggest cheese fans in the house.

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

Let's veganize it. Replace sour cream with Sour Supreme or coconut milk and butter with Earth's Best  or olive oil.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• salt to taste
• 1 large roma (plum) tomato, seeded and diced

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and lime zest. Set aside in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend.
2. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add sweet potatoes, and chicken stock. Season with cumin, chili flakes and ginger. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
3. Puree the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender. If using a counter top blender, puree in small batches, filling the blender just a bit past half way to avoid spillage. Whisk peanut butter into the soup, and heat through. Stir in lime juice, and salt.
4. Ladle into warm bowls, and top with a dollop of the reserved sour cream, a few pieces of diced tomato, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 207 | Total Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 11mg

FCBD Minestrone

This is from FatChanceBellydance's new vegan cook book Devotion.  It is delicious!

1 TBSP olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 med. onion
2 carrots, coined
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 1/2 cups potatoes,cubed
3 zucchini, cubed
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 15oz can kidney beans
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans
1 cup pasta of choice
5-6 chard leaves (or spinach)
2 Tbsp dried basil (or fresh - yummy!)
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. salt
1 28oz and 1 15 oz can water (use the cans to measure)

In a large pot on med. heat saute oil, onions, carroy, celery and garlic for 5 min.
Add tomatoes, beans including liquid, potatoes, water, herbs and salt.
Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender (10 min)
Add zucchini, card and pasta, bring just to a boil, then turn off heat.

Allow to sit on the stove for a few hours for full flavor.

Kids Fun Snack Balls

Low Sodium recipes contain less than 800 mg sodium

• 1/2 cup Millville corn flakes, or wheat cereal
• 1/4 cup Berryhill creamy peanut butter, creamy
• sheet waxed paper

Crumble the cereal in a bowl. Mix in the peanut butter, stirring thoroughly. Form mixture into small balls. Place on wax paper and put in freezer for 10 minutes or until hardened. Serve.

Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein	Fiber	Sugar	Cholesterol	Sodium
107 Kcal	8.13 g	5.93 g	4.29 g	1 g	1.68 g	0 mg	74.3 mg

Spinach and Potato Soup

Serves: 6 • Prep time: 10 min • Cook time: 20 min

• 6 Tbsp. butter or Smart Balance or olive oil
• 6 small all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 or 2 finely chopped onion (do your kids like onion?)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 can (14.5 oz.) broth
• 12 cups baby spinach leaves or 3 or 4 pkgs frozen spinach
• 3 cans evaporated milk or plain soymilk (optional) 

Melt butter in 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and cook onion, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add potatoes and broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in spinach and cook 5 minutes or until wilted. Process soup with a submersible blender just until smooth. Return to saucepan (add milk) and heat through. Season, if desired, with freshly ground black pepper.