Alfredo Sauce // Raw, Vegan

Creamy Alfredo Sauce

2/3 cup almond milk
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup almond meal
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 - 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
salt & pepper, to taste
Sprig rosemary, chopped fine
Garlic and onion powders, to taste

First, blend milk & walnuts on high, then add the almond meal; blend to combine. The mixture will be quite thick at this point. With blender running on low, add the rest of the ingredients, one by one.
Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. This takes more pepper, and less salt, than expected.  
The nutritional yeast can get too strong, so add carefully.
Lemon juice is an absolute must - lending the required tanginess without overpowering, as vinegar does.

If sauce is too thick, add more almond milk and blend to thin it.

Important:

don't toss this with hot noodles; the heat will cause the sauce to "curdle".

It won't be smooth and  silky like alfredo sauce should be; it'll still taste good, however.

Garnish with lemon thyme - delicious!

Lemon zest would be a good addition to the sauce, as would most any herb. 

This, on sauteed mushrooms? It'd be amazing!

This would also make an excellent salad dressing.

It's just an added bonus that it's raw, vegan, and actually GOOD for you!

Inspired by a recipe in the April 2014 issue of Taste for Life

Angelfood Cake Shake

This tastes remarkably like angelfood cake.

 When I say that, I mean, the best of the cake, as I know it - almond-y, sweet, light - is condensed, except raw and vegan, of course, and in drinkable form! 

This shake was made up on the spot, another recipe from The Accomplice.

It makes good use of soaked almonds - raw almonds which have been almost-sprouted by an overnight soak in cold water to cover.  When prepared this way, almonds retain their crunch, but are much more easily digested than the unsoaked version, they're quenching and very addicting and once you try them, you won't want to go back to unsoaked. I'm definitely spoiled for life for any others.
Soaked almonds keep several days at room temperature as long as the soaking water is replaced with fresh, cold water each day.  They make an amazing snack just on their own.      

Vanilla bean would add greatly to this.

Angelfood Cake Shake

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2/3 - 1 cup Medjool dates

About 5 cups water

2 tablespoons tahini

1/2 cup soaked almonds*

5 drops almond extract

Blend dates, water, and tahini until dates are

broken into tiny pieces. Blend again.

Then add the almonds, blending until broken down.

Let settle; then blend again.

By now it should all be emulsified.

Add extract and blend a final time.

Drink immediately. 

*see above for description

an original recipe from anyfig.blogspot.com

Millet & Lentil Salad + Cumin & Lime

A riff on the tabbouleh salad I love so much, served at a local Mediterranean food place,

this version is gluten-free and very colorful.

It's fresh and bright; sure to put a spring in your step.

 

Millet is incredibly good for you, loaded with B-vitamins and one of the few alkalizing grains.

The parsley is rich in minerals and very purifying for the kidneys. The lentils provide high-quality protein, and when combined with grains like rice or millet, a complete protein.

Limes are also alkalizing. The apricots are a source of vitamin A, an essential for the eyes. 

                        This salad comes together very quickly.  It's ideal as a clean option for lunch. 

Cumin-Lime Millet Salad

1 1/2 cup millet

1/2 cup lentils, regular, brown/green

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

7 cups hot water ~ cold can be used; it'll just

    take longer to come to a boil 

      Onion powder, garlic powder, celery seed,

 rosemary, oregano, & salt - to taste

Toast the first three ingredients in a dry pan over medium heat

until deeply golden and deliciously fragrant.

Add water & spices, bring to a boil, then lower heat and

simmer, covered, until liquid is mostly absorbed.

Meanwhile, finely chop

1 cup dried apricots 

 1 Persian cucumber 

1 bunch parsley 

                                                  1 bunch green onions ~ using both green and white parts

Add chopped apricots to cooked millet mixture;
cover to let apricots plump up; remove from heat. 

Toss the next three ingredients together in a large bowl.
Once millet mixture is cooled, add about half of it to the bowl & stir to
 combine it all; you want a good millet-to-veggie ratio; half may be enough, and you can always add more.

Finally, dress the salad with
a generous drizzle of quality olive oil,
the juice of 3 limes & their zest (if using zest, grate limes over salad prior to squeezing them) 
and salt & pepper to taste.

Serve with additional lime wedges and mint tea to drink. Enjoy!

** an original recipe from http://anyfig.blogspot.com ** 

Soda Bread

This is the only photographic record of the two loaves of soda bread I made over the last couple days.

 They disappeared fast.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, of course, soda bread is sort-of tradition around here. 

Looking at the recipe we've always used, I was momentarily appalled; two eggs;

 so much buttermilk! And sour cream. I was not about to use those ingredients, let alone that amount.

I remembered reading something about how coconut milk can be used to replace sour cream (or was it yogurt? Or both?).  And I knew that if you add an acid to milk you can substutute it for buttermilk.

So, thus began the experimental vegan-izing of Irish Soda Bread.

It turned out quite well.

I didn't want to use 3 whole cups of raisins, and we didn't have regular ones anyway.

Golden raisins were substituted to good effect; they lend the loaf an excellent tang, a brightness.

Also, we discovered that, like many breads, this is best eaten fully cooled, preferably the next day. 

This soda bread is amazing when paired with tea. Try it dunked in a robust black tea (we had Twinings "Irish Breakfast" tea) with a little leftover coconut milk stirred in.

A delicious & quick snack.

This also goes perfectly with pea soup.

My Soda Bread  

1/2 cup natural cane sugar

1 cup oat flour

3 cups all purpose flour (unbleached)

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

2 cups golden raisins

2 Tbsp flaxseed meal

6 Tbsp warm water

2 cups full-fat coconut milk

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Grease a 9" glass pie plate (deep-dish). Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the raisins.

In a smaller bowl, combine the milk & lemon juice; set aside.

In a glass, stir together the flaxmeal & warm water; set aside for about 10 minutes.

Whisk this flax mixture, then combine with the coconut mixture; stir well until combined.

Pour mixture over the dry ingredients. Fold everything together until flour is just moistened.

Pour dough into prepared dish and smooth top. 

Bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan, then cut into wedges.  

   

** An original recipe from http://anyfig.blogspot.com **

Pea shoots, from garden to table

Pea shoots are in season right now, and taste so very green and vibrant - a sure sign of spring to come.  I love picking them from the garden, snacking as I go.

According to peashoots.com, they have seven times more Vitamin C than blueberries! No wonder they hit the spot.  They are amazing just plain, but they make an exceptional garnish for soups - uncooked, of course.  (Vitamin C is one of the most easily-lost nutrients when cooked.)

I made a version of this soup today, using available ingredients, and using coconut oil instead of sunflower. I also omitted the ginger tea powder and used fresh-grated ginger + coconut sugar instead.  I also left out the jasmine tea, and used liquid from some steamed vegetables that happened to be on hand.

The vegetables used usually reflect the time of the year - this batch for instance, with collards, broccoli, and cauliflower, as well as pea shoots, seems somewhere in between winter and spring.     

As you can see, the recipe can be varied widely - sometimes I've added sweet potatoes at the start with the onions, or sometimes carrots. As long as the essentials of ginger, onions, mushrooms, and soy sauce are used, the rest of the ingredients can be switched around to your liking.   

 Here's to spring. Enjoy!

The end of winter?

The honeybees, and the peach trees, seem to think so.

Rice pudding, revisited + a variation

Possibly my favorite dessert, ever.

This version of my rice pudding uses meyer lemon zest for an extra kick. The basic recipe here.
Also, I used coconut oil instead of avocado.  


(NOT an endorsement for Coca-Cola;  I just love the image on the glass)


 This time it turned out much more 'rice-y' - I used a larger rice-to-liquid ratio. I quite like the thick, creamy result!  

I don't know why, but rice pudding just goes perfect around this time of year.

Just in time to celebrate Lunar New Year!

Wake up mid-winter // reflections on childhood visits to the mall + an orange smoothie

  I never really went to the mall that much... but the fact that I did only a few times made them each an occasion. It was a visual feast for a little kid... All the shop fronts and the little 'kiosks'.  I loved to walk by the Hotdog On a Stick booth... just to see (and smell!) the superabundance of sliced lemons on hand for their lemonade.  And the cookie booth! There was always a warm waft of baking coming from that one. And sometimes, for a treat, I would get an Orange Julius. I used to love that!  So I was really disappointed when I looked up a copycat recipe and found all sorts of weird ingredients, things I'm trying to avoid. Some even called for eggs (!) In a drink? I don't think so!

So I'd resigned myself to be content with just the memories... until one day, in a flurry of smoothie-making, I stumbled on a flavor combination that tastes remarkably like the drink as I remember it.  

It began with some Meyer lemons - a gift from a friend. Meyer lemon water is delicious, but.. more could be done.

There were a few persimmons needing to be used up.

And out of practically nothing, my peace of mind was temporarily restored. 

Frothy, orange-y, and delicious. There's no better way to chase off winter blues.

"Orange Julius" Smoothie

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1 banana

2 small firm-ripe Fuyu persimmons (or 1 large)

1/2 a Meyer lemon

Juice & pulp of 2 navel oranges

1 cup or so water*                                         

Break or slice the banana into roughly 1 1/2 " pieces and add to blender.

Cut the persimmons, stemmed and seeded if necessary, into quarters; add to bananas.

Chop the lemon, discarding any seeds, but using the skin, and add it to the bananas & persimmons.

Squeeze the oranges over the rest of the fruit, then add the orange pulp, removing any seeds.

Add the water, and blend until smooth.

Makes enough for 2 as a snack, or 1 for breakfast.

 *Alternatively, ice can be used.

Of Birthdays and Biscuits

So, my birthday came and went recently.

Gifts of honey and liqueur, among other things, came my way. Comb honey; sage honey; orange blossom honey; whipped,"creamed", organic honey!

A bounty to add to my collection (which includes the mesquite honey pictured above).  

 I spent the day with family. Togetherness seemed to be the theme: everyone pitched in for dinner and made the meal. Even the cats wanted in on it.  

There was a beautiful cake from Mom and Dad. Mom added fresh raspberrries and blackberries to dazzling effect. Oh so professional - I thought it'd come from the bakery that way! 

None of us could resist the fruit, this being mid-winter, and us being berry fiends, so they didn't last on the cake too long, but as they say, presentation is everything!

  

  There was a BisCake - part Biscuit, part Cake! So delicious and simple. My brother, AKA Hoss, an expert biscuit maker, thought it up spontaneously; why go through all the rolling and cutting if all the dough 

can be baked in a single pan? This method turned out really well. To make it more cake-like, he added a touch more sugar, more flour, and used a full 10 tablespoons of red palm oil. The fact that he used oat flour really made it crumbly and tender. Really incredible.     This was so good, in fact, that a few days later, when The Accomplice had his birthday, he made a request for a BisCake as well, only this time, it was made with barley flour and soaked in pure Grade B maple syrup.

The main course was spaghetti  - an excellent choice for the somewhat chilly night.

The sauce - tomato paste and crushed tomatoes, skillfully seasoned by my other brother and vegan accomplice - was addicting and abundant.  I'd been avoiding wheat for a while, but nevertheless, this really hit the spot!   

Deep, dark Creme Yvette went exceptionally well with the spaghetti.  What the liqueur has to do with my birthday, I haven't a clue, but it's perfect, because the violets are going crazy right now. I finally had an excuse to pick some of them for the pictures!

Leftover bis*cake, crumbled and topped with some of the blackberries and some comb honey made for a memorable breakfast/brunch.   

So. Another one bites the dust. But.

 All in all, a good day.



Easy Homemade Limeade



 After the holidays are over, it's time to kick back and relax. Time to rest and repair.
Light, bright limeade is just the thing. 

Tangy, quenching, refreshing; it tells the palette 'winter won't last forever'.

When I've made limeade in the past, the flavor always fell flat. Finally, I figured out the problem; the essence of the lime is concentrated in the zest; so why not use it in the drink? 

This method of infusing the syrup with the zest and straining it has produced the best limeade I've ever had, homemade or otherwise.   

To make  Limeade:

Into a small saucepan, zest 2 large limes and 1 medium lemon.
Add 1 1/2 cups water and 1/4 cup natural sugar and 1 tablespoon mild honey (I used saguaro cactus-flower honey), or to taste.
Stirring constantly, bring just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside to infuse for at least 20 minutes; the longer it stands, the stronger the flavor.
Juice the zested  limes and lemon, and add to the cooled syrup.
Taste the syrup; it should be tangy, with a nice balance of tart and sweet, and it should taste a little too strong; water is added later. Juice more limes and lemons & add to the syrup if needed. I find that 2 limes to 1 lemon strikes the perfect taste, but the ratio can be adjusted according to your taste.
Add water to taste, being conservative at first. If too much is added to the concentrate, the flavor will be too dilluted.

This will make about two really puckery 8-oz. drinks.  This is easily doubled or tripled, and while you are going to the effort make syrup anyway, you may as well make a big batch. Trust me, it goes fast; I had to make 3 batches in one day! And any remaining concentrate can be refridgerated for up to 3 days. Not that it has any chance of lasting that long :)

Absolutely garnish with a mint sprig, if possible. (I usesd citrus mint, but any mint would be good)

Swirled through the drink, it adds a subtle hint of flavor, and you just can't beat what it adds to the presentation.  

** an original recipe from any fig **    

Pumpkin-Pecan Streusel Cake

 Coffee cakes, crumb-topped loaves, etc. have always been my weakness.

One of them, anyway.  

The crisp, decadent streusel, the toasted, crunchy nuts, the tender, often-spiced cake. Mmm.

                       This recipe is all that, and more; pumpkin puree stirred right into the batter adds

an extra layer of flavor. It's incredibly moist and delicious.
Try it for breakfast with coffee, tea, or (almond) milk.

An indulgence you can feel good about, this cake is vegan! 

                                                   I dare you to eat just one piece.       

The original recipe comes from the excellent Veganomicon (see the "Eat to Live" section of my book recommendations), one of the most innovative vegan cookbooks I've ever laid my eyes on (which is to say, Many). A must-see for anyone interested in vegan cuisine. I've adapted it somewhat, using natural sugar, almond milk instead of soy for a better, richer flavor, and replacing the canola oil called for with sunflower oil. I added more/less spices to my taste; the amounts are general.

Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Cake

 To make the streusel, combine

1/4 cup flour and

3 tablespoons light brown sugar. Drizzle in

1 tablespoon sunflower oil,

mixing with a fork until moist crumbs form.
Add in 1 cup chopped pecans & stir to combine.
Set streusel aside.
Preheat the oven to 350F.

For the cake:
Combine
1 (15-oz) can or 1/2 a large can pureed pumpkin,
3/4 cup almond milk

3/4 cup sunflower oil

1 1/2 cups sugar
and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract,

and mix well.

Add

 1 1/3 cup flour,
1 tablespoon baking powder,
1 teaspoon salt,
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon,
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg,
3/4 teaspoon ginger,

1/2 teaspoon allspice,

and 1/8 teaspoon cloves to the pumpkin mixture,

 folding in with a fork. Fold in
1 1/3 cup more flour,
 mixing just until combined and no dry flour remains.
Pour batter into a well-greased 13"x9" pan, smoothing to spread evenly.
Scatter the streusel evenly over the batter.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested in the center.

Let cool and cut into squares. Makes 18 generous servings.

This recipe adapted from Veganomicon at Any Fig http://anyfig.blogspot.com.



Biscuits, biscuits, biscuits!

This recipe has evolved from one in an ad in MaryJanesFarm magazine. The original is splattered and wrinkled, likely gone forever. Luckily we had the foresight to write it down.
 Our version is completely clean. 

The Basic Biscuit Recipe

2 cups flour*

1 Tbsp. unbleached cane sugar -we use Zulka brand
1/2 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder

2/3 cup almond milk + 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar**

8 Tbsp. oil*

Combine milk & vinegar, then mix all ingredients together to make a sticky dough. Turn out onto well-floured surface and sprinkle flour on top of dough, too. Knead and turn until no longer sticky. Roll out to about 1/2" - 3/4" thickness and cut with a (regular size) canning jar lid.

To cook over a wood-burning stove:

Line the bottom of a frying pan with a circle of parchment paper. Place four biscuits in pan and cover with lid. Bake on top of pot-bellied stove over hot fire (not coals) for around 20 minutes, until risen and slightly golden on bottom.

Or, To bake in the oven, preheat oven to 375F and bake 20 minutes or so, or until golden on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

* Various flours and oils can be used. If using a solid oil, like palm or coconut, use 10 tablespoons, and cut in with a fork or pastry cutter.

The vinegar in the milk can be replaced with vanilla extract for a cookie-like taste. 

Pure red palm oil makes the richest biscuits.

** Coconut milk - the full-fat kind, not the refridgerated type - makes even richer biscuits, and tastes especially good in BisCakes.

barley flour makes crumbly, cakey biscuits,

oat makes very soft, tender biscuits.

rye flour is closest to regular all-purpose flour

and of course, all-purpose flour (unbleached) can be used as well.

To make a BisCake:
Use 3 cups of flour (oat does especially well here),
4 teaspoons baking powder,
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar,
1 full cup milk,
add vanilla to taste.
Be generous with the shortening (pure red palm oil); mounded tablespoons are fine.
Grease a 9" deep-dish pie plate and flour it with whatever flour is being used.
Once dough is ready, dump the whole thing into the pie dish and push to edges.  
Bake at 400F until golden at edges, as shown. Let cool on a rack 5 minutes at least before cutting into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. These are excellent for brunch along with honey