Thursday, January 15, 2015

Our Favorite Breakfast Muffins

Muffins are the go-to breakfast when we need a break from oatmeal or oatbran. These are great - full of fiber, vegan (which means allergy-friendly), and oh so tasty!

In a bowl, mix...
1 1/2 cups oat bran
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flax meal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Separately, mix...
1 can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons oil

Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir to combine. Pour into prepared muffin tin and bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Some Allergy Friendly Desserts

These are some egg-free, dairy-free desserts I have tried and been satisfied with. Note that they are not all vegan, but wherever milk is listed as an ingredient I use almond milk, I use coconut oil instead of butter, and my "egg" of choice is 1 Tablespoon of flax meal plus 3 Tablespoons of water (mix together and let sit for 5 minutes).

No Bake Walnut Cookie Bars - These are pretty rich but they do taste good.

Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes - I made these for AK's birthday last year so C could have some too. I made the following substitutions: subbed coconut oil for the butter, almond milk for regular milk, honey for the sugar, and used regular whole wheat flour instead of cake flour. Baked at 325 for longer than recommended (maybe about 20 minutes) and they turned out great!

Strawberry Beet Cupcakes - I know. But you must try them before you judge. I made them for C's birthday and they were a hit with everyone there. And yes, there were lots of people there.

Pumpkin Bars - I doubled the recipe and had to cook longer than it says, but they turned out really well.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Cauliflower Soup with Dumplings

WHAT???? I know. Because everything is better with dumplin's.

For the soup...

3-4 strips bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
3-4 carrots, diced
2 heads cauliflower, chopped
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth

Brown the diced bacon in a large pot or dutch oven. Add onion and carrots and cook until tender.
Stir in flour, and then slowly stir in chicken broth. Simmer for 3-5 minutes to thicken, and then add cauliflower. Cover and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 15-20 minutes.

At this point I took about a third of the mixture and pureed it in the food processor, then stirred it back in. I think you could get away with skipping this step, but the soup wouldn't be as creamy.

For the dumplings...

1 cup flour (whole wheat is fine)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 T coconut oil or butter
1/2 cup milk (really a little shy of 1/2 cup works best for me)

Mix flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. Cut in the fat with a pastry cutter or 2 knives. Stir in the milk. This is just your basic biscuit dough. Form the dough into mini balls and drop into the simmering soup. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Taste-test a sweet little dumplin' to make sure it is done.

We didn't have a drop of leftovers from this meal. If that's not an endorsement, I don't know what is.

Enjoy!

Sausage, Lentil and Rice Casserole

Another scrumptious way to enjoy our favorite little lentil friends...

1 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 1/2 cups lentils, uncooked
6 cups chicken broth (or combination of chicken broth and water, depending on what you have on hand)
1 pound sausage
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt, pepper, cumin, and italian seasoning to taste

Place rice and lentils in a large casserole dish and cover with the broth/water.
Brown sausage in a pan, then add onion and cook until onion starts to brown. Add garlic and stir for just a minute. Add mixture to rice/lentils and stir.
Add seasonings to taste, and then place in 300 oven for 2 hours or until liquid is absorbed and everything is tender.

This one was a hit in our house! Enjoy!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Beef and Barley Stew

This warm, comforting meal is super simple. Brown one pound of ground beef or venison. Add one sweet onion, 3-4 carrots, and 3-4 ribs of celery, all chopped, and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms, 2/3 cup pearled barley, 1 can fire roasted tomatoes, 4 cups beef broth, and 1 cup water, as well as salt, pepper, and any italian herbs on hand. Cover and simmer for at least an hour. Serve with fresh cornbread and enjoy!

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Mexican Hashbrown Casserole

This idea came from Six Sisters Stuff.

Brown one pound of ground beef or venison. Once the meat is cooked, add one diced sweet onion and one diced bell pepper (I used orange). Cook until the onion is translucent, and then stir in one can of stewed tomatoes, one small can of chopped green chiles, and one bag of refrigerated hashbrowns. Spice it up with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add as much or as little cheese as you like (remember you can always add cheese later, when you serve it). Pour into a casserole dish, cover, and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Pumpkin Spinach Macaroni





One of my favorite moments in life is seeing the first little pie pumpkins out at the grocery stores each fall. As always, I couldn't resist grabbing a few, and after cooking them (cut them in half, clean them out, and bake at 400 for 45 minutes, face-down on a baking sheet) and scooping out the pumpkin-y goodness, here is my first pumpkin recipe of the season...

Bring a pot of water to a boil to cook whole wheat elbow pasta while preparing the sauce. For the sauce: Heat 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil (or butter) in a separate large saucepan. Add a couple spoonfuls of flour and cook out for a minute. Stir in 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup milk (I used almond milk). Simmer for a few minutes, then stir in 1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin and 8 oz frozen chopped spinach. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups grated cheese (I used pecorino romano) and drained macaroni.

Top with extra cheese and serve with fresh, warm bread...


Enjoy!