Forbidden Rice and Vegetable Salad

Do you like forbidden things? Do you like pina-coladas and getting caught in the rain? The smell of the ocean? Yeah, well, this is about salad, so stay focused. I found this recipe using that nifty Whole Foods recipe app I mentioned in a previous post. This recipe was already gluten free and vegan, but I didn't quite have everything it called for, so I adapted it (again.) I've written the recipe below as I actually made it. Delicious! Nutty and different.

1 cup forbidden rice (on the rice aisle at Whole Foods) I cooked mine in the rice cooker
3/4 cup grated carrots
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 large zucchini, chopped
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 Tblsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tblsp. almond oil
1 tsp. prepared mustard
sea salt
pepper

Toss rice with carrots, yellow pepper, and cucumber in a large serving bowl.

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot, but not smoking. Add zucchini and green onions and saute for 5 minutes or until zucchini is crisp tender. Add to rice mixture. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, almond oil, and mustard, until blended. Drizzle over salad and toss to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.

***Here's a little secret about me. I really dislike raw zucchini. Really. It's like my circus peanut (that's a little message to Lindsey.) But cooked zucchini, I love. So one of the things I really liked about this salad is that the zucchini is cooked. Yum!***

Ricemellow

Do you know about this stuff? Well you should. Because it's a vegan solution to making many bars and treats that would be non-vegan otherwise (containing gelatin and many even contain gluten). Here's a link to the site of the people who make it. They have a bunch of great recipes on the site too. I find ricemellow at Whole Foods on the baking aisle -- but not in the same place as honey and molasses, etc. Down at the other end with the tapioca and other dessert stuff. So if you can't find it, ask.

Vegan Fajitas

Pretty straightforward here. And pretty tasty.

3 Portobello Mushroom Caps, roasted
1/2 onion, slice thin
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1/2 packet taco seasoning (I use Trader Joes)

Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat. Saute onion and pepper for 3-4 minutes, then add mushrooms, cut into strips. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and add water according to package instructions.

Eat in corn or brown rice tortillas with all the fixings. Or, if you're like me, eat on a bed of salad greens and make it a fajita salad.

Minestrone

I know many people eat soup year round, but I don't. It makes me warm, and in summer, I don't want to be any warmer. But it's actually for that very reason that I make soup several nights a week in the winter.

This soup has been a family favorite for many years. I actually ate it for the first time as a child, when our neighbor Jean Kennard made it for us. She shared that recipe with Mom and I copied it when I was a newlywed for my own cookbook.

I once made this minestrone for a sick neighbor in New York. Afterward, he followed me around devotedly, shoveling my walks and smiling and waving whenever he saw any of us. Daniel said I should have made the soup for him sooner.

So, last night, I made it vegan, and it was still amazing. Really, it's hands down the best minestrone I've ever eaten.

Minestrone

1 can white beans (great northern, kidney, marrow, or navy)
4 Tblsp. olive oil, divided
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup diced, unpeeled zucchini
1 cup carrots
1 cup potatoes
1/3 cup celery
2 Tblsp. finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped leeks
2 cups drained, canned tomatoes, chopped
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
2 parsley sprigs tied together
1 tsp. salt
pepper
1/2 cup plain white rice

Put 2 Tblsp. olive oil in a heavy skillet and toss peas, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, and celery until lightly coated. Cook 2-3 minutes until softening, but not browned. Set aside.

In a large stock or soup pot, put the remaining olive oil. Once heated, stir in the onions and leeks and stir constantly until both are soft and lightly browned. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, vegetables from the skillet, vegetable stock, bay leaf, parsley sprigs, salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 25 minutes.

Remove and discard the bay leaf and parsley sprigs, add the rice, white beans, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook another 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Vegan Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

When I moved to Arizona from Texas, one of the great things about moving here was Cafe Rio!!! Except, then I remembered that the reasons why I loved Cafe Rio no longer applied since I was now a vegan (pork barbacoa salad, oh how I loved you--but then I learned how pigs are raised and slaughtered and now I don't crave you so much). Well, we still make a trip to Cafe Rio periodically, although it's only for a meat-less salad. I figured out how to make their creamy tomatillo dressing vegan! So, we have it around the house for our own salads. You will need:

2-3 large tomatillos, diced
juice from 1 lime
1 C vegan sour cream
1 C veganaise mayo (the grapeseed one)
big bunch of cilantro (approx 2+ cups)
1 jalapeno or hatch chile
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 C red onion OR 3 stalks of green onion, chopped

Put it all in your food processor and mix until smooth. If you don't have a food processor, invest in one. I have the Kitchenaid from Costco (approx $100).

This is a great dressing for a variety of salads, but especially the hearty ones that include everything but the kitchen sink--kind of like a Cafe Rio salad! :o) Enjoy!

Favorite Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are some kind of wonderful. Why? For two reasons really: 1) Kids devour them, despite the fact that 2) They are totally magic and can withstand all sorts of modification and tampering. In fact, the original recipe was from one my oldest sister, Darla found years ago on the Nestle site. She had been searching for recipes that used whole wheat flour and that her kids would actually eat. I used this recipe for the same reason for years, until I found out all that wheat was making my family sick. Ooops. But I returned to the basics of the recipes and altered it to make it gluten free -- and once again my kids LOVED them.

Enter vegan baking. I wanted to see if these delicious muffins could withstand more tampering. And good news folks, they can -- AND they're better than ever. This recipe is so good, you can even put in other things beside pumpkin, like mashed yams, a little zucchini, really whatever you want. Enjoy!

Favorite Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose gluten-free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon guar gum (If you don't have it, don't worry, omit)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon chia seeds (or flax seeds)
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup honey or agave nectar
1 can (15 oz.) packed pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) vegan chocolate chips

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease thirty-six 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or line with baking cups.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, guar gum, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine chia seeds and water. Then add applesauce. Next, stir in sugar and agave (or honey). Add pumpkin and oil; mix well. Stir in flour mixture until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes; remove from pans.

Cinnamon Crunch Brunch Cake

Coffee cakes, brunch cakes, who eats cake for breakfast anyway? Well, after trying this, if you don't eat cake for breakfast, you'll want to... This cake is so moist and yummy, you'll want to thank me by inviting me to come eat it with you each time you make it. And don't worry, I'll be glad to come.

I also want to note that I am usually a scratch baker, primarily because mixes contain a bunch of stuff that I don't like, or can't eat, or both. But one of the great things about many of the GF mixes, is that they are free of extra crap like trans fats, colorings, flavorings, etc. And sometimes, doctoring a mix can make your life much easier, especially in a pinch.

Cinnamon Crunch Brunch Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

For the cake, combine:
1 pkg. Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix (half of a 3.4 oz box)
1 6 oz. coconut yogurt, vanilla flavor
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tblsp. almond milk
1 Tblsp. GF vanilla extract

Mix on low speed only until ingredients are incorporated, about 30 seconds. Then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and mix another 1.5-2 minutes until batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Then top with filling:

Drizzle the batter evenly with 1/4 cup agave nectar. Next, using a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup packed brown sugar and 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Sprinkle cinnamon & sugar nut mixture over the agave nectar. Then, using a dinner knife, swirl the crunchy topping into the batter. Bake about 35-40 minutes or until the top springs back lightly when touched. I recommend letting it cool before cutting -- at least 20 minutes.

**Variations: You can use maple syrup instead of the agave or even honey, although many vegans do not use honey. Alternatively, almonds may be used for the topping, or walnuts -- although that will also change the flavor -- but use what you prefer.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Salad

Yesterday was Fast Sunday -- which means my family comes home from church HUNGRY! I started making this salad as a side dish for the dinner meal I was making. Then, I just kept adding things thanks to my hunger. When I was done, the salad wasn't too kid friendly -- at least not my kids -- but it was great for me, since I was not eating the GF chicken enchiladas I made for everyone else. This salad was a great accompaniment to my roasted portobello.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Salad

mixed greens (I used mixed field greens and some iceberg)
1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, quartered
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1/2 can black olives
2 tomatoes, diced (or equivalent of bite sized tomatoes)
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/2 container alfalfa sprouts
any other salad veggies you have on hand: cucumbers, bell peppers, snow or sugar snap peas, etc.

Toss with a good balsamic vinaigrette

Fiesta Salad

Now I know darn well that eating and posting about a salad seems like the easy way out on a blog dedicated to GF and vegan eating. Duh... every one knows that vegans eat salads and that salads are gluten free. But the truth is, a good salad is my favorite thing to eat in the whole world -- period. It's actually a joke in my family. So here is the first of two really tasty, and filling salads that worked well as meals for me last week.

My family likes taco salad -- or at least our version of taco salad. So that was my inspiration for this salad.

Fiesta Salad

Layer a handful of mixed greens on a dinner plate
Top that layer with 1/3 cup cooked brown rice
Sprinkle 2 Tblsp Daiya cheddar shreds on top of the warm brown rice
Top that with a handful of grape or cherry tomatoes
Garnish with a few black olives and several spoonfuls of mango-pineapple salsa or the salsa of your choice

*Variation*
You can saute an onion and throw in some beans, then add your brown rice and some taco seasoning (I like Trader Joes because it does not have additives), so that you have some spicy protein... however, I thought the plain brown rice gave the salad a nutty flavor

Pressure Cooker Beans

Since going gluten-free and vegan, I find I must eat plenty of beans in my daily diet to make sure I get enough protein. Although there's plenty protein in most fruits and veggies for a daily intake, eating beans just makes sure I get there with my protein and fiber. Plus, they can really be put into any dish and there's so many ways to prepare them. Having a pressure cooker in my kitchen means I can cook them quickly (within an hour) and I don't have to soak them overnight. Plus by not eating canned beans I control my sodium intake (there's a lot in canned beans) and I also avoid the chemicals associated in canned foods due to the packaging. Here's my general pressure cooker bean recipe:

Pinto beans cook 1 hour

Black beans cook 1 hour

Kidney beans cook 1 1/2 hours

Garbanzo beans cook 2 + hours

You will need:

Pressure cooker

enough water to cover beans, about 1 inch above

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups (pinto) beans

1/2 C onion chopped (optional)

1 clove of garlic minced (optional)

Rinse beans under cold water. Evenly spread out in the bottom of your pressure cooker and add water to cover, about 1 inch above beans. Add salt, oil, onion and garlic. Securely tighten lid on pressure cooker. Set on high until the dial rocks or spins/whistles full steam, then turn down to low for one hour. After an hour, take off heat until the dial is not rocking or spinning. Remove lid and test consistency. If the beans are a little tough or chewy, then cook for another 1/2 hour. Keep testing at 1/2 hour increments until beans are right consistency. I find one hour is about enough for pinto and black beans.

Vegan Pesto

You need a food processor for this recipe. I invested in one from Costco, a KitchenAid, and use it all the time. I use this recipe as a dipping sauce for artichokes or to mix with brown rice pasta. I have included a recipe below that we like to eat the pesto with. But here's the pesto recipe first:

Super big handful of fresh basil--enough that it fills up your food processor

Enough Olive Oil

1/2 Cup toasted almonds

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp salt, or salt to taste

Fill your food processor up with the basil without cramming it in. Leaves should be slightly loose in the processor. Put in your toasted almonds, garlic, and 1/2 tsp salt. Start your food processor and let it chop for several seconds before starting to drizzle in your olive oil. How much olive oil you put in depends on how you like the consistency of your pesto. I probably end up putting in 1/4 - 1/2 cup of olive oil depending on what I'm using the pesto for. Once you have a consistency close to what you think you want, taste it to see if it needs more salt. Add however much salt you think it needs (probably no more than another 1/2 tsp) and turn on your food processor again. Drizzle with more olive oil if it needs it.

Here's a recipe I love to mix my pesto in with. You need:

1 pkg of brown rice pasta

1 big bunch of fresh green beans, cleaned with ends snapped off and chopped into about 1 1/2 inch segments.

Boil water as suggested on pasta wrapper. When water is ready add pasta AND green beans to water at the same time. Cook for recommended time on pasta wrapper/box. When done drain and rinse everything in a colander under cold water. Shake excess water, put in a big bowl and add your pesto. This is a fast dish to make and super tasty.

Asparagus/Tomato/Basil Salad

This one is a favorite, and we eat it at least once a week:

1 Cup cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half

1 bunch asparagus cut in 1-2 inch segments and steamed for 5-7 min. (depending on how well done you like it)

2 tsp dijon or brown mustard

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 Cup olive oil

bunch of fresh basil chopped

1-2 avacadoes diced

juice from 1 lime

Put it all in a bowl, mix it up, eat it.

Breakfast Options

This week, I tried to do a few new things with breakfast. If I'm in a hurry (I am getting 5 kids out the door, after all) I'll just have a bowl of GF Kelloggs Rice Krispies. These are very low in sugar and they suffice with a bit of almond milk. However, I've found that they are also not very filling -- so you need something to eat again about 2 hours later.

On Wednesday evening, before I went to bed, I made GF oatmeal in the crockpot. I like to use the gluten free oats from Bob's Red Mill. I put 2.5 cups of water in the crockpot and stirred in 1 cup of oats with a pinch of salt. I also stirred in 1/4 cup of golden raisins. In the morning, I ate this with a bit of almond milk stirred in and a teaspoon of agave to sweeten it up a little -- a breakfast that left me full much longer and was very warming on these cold, winter mornings.

Last night, I tried something similar with kasha in the crockpot, to be served for breakfast this morning. I've never cooked kasha previously, but I found a recipe using a delightful new app from Whole Foods. The app allows you to search for recipes depending on your diet and whether you adhere to any special guidelines. It also has a cool feature allowing you to put in a few ingredients that you have on hand and then it will search for recipes using those ingredients. I decided to try a recipe called "Kasha Breakfast Porridge." Kasha is toasted buckwheat, which is gluten free and not related to wheat at all. At my Whole Foods market, it's located on the aisle with rice and beans.

In the crockpot I combined:

2.5 cups water
1 stick of cinnamon, broken in half
1 cup kasha
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Like the oatmeal, I cooked it on low overnight and in the morning, I had a yummy, warm breakfast -- high in protein, very low in sugar, and fat-free. DELISH! As you can see from the photo, I topped mine with blackberries and a drizzle of almond milk.

Flavorful Couscous Salad

I adapted this recipe from one found over at Food 52

This version is both vegan and lower in fat to keep in line with the guidelines set by Dr. Colin Campbell.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish, or 3-4 as a main dish

Caramelized onions:

1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
high heat safflower oil pan spray
water
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Spray a large skillet with pan spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Add a little water (1 tablespoon or less). Add the vinegar, making sure all of the onions are coated with it.

Cook until the onions are a rich caramel color, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool.

Couscous salad:

1 box Lundberg roasted brown rice couscous, prepared with water according to package directions, cool completely

1/3 cup good olive oil

2 teaspoons agave nectar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

1 can cooked chick peas, drained

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/4 cup dried prunes, chopped

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1+ Tblsp. dry, mixed in with the dressing)

While couscous is cooling, make dressing by whisking together the oil, vinegar, agave, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dried parsley (if using). Set aside for later.

Once the couscous has cooled, gently fold in the remaining ingredients and mix in the dressing.

Serve cold or at room temperature. Enjoy!

My Grocery List this Week

So, here's the grocery list, recipes will follow. Because I feed a large family, I try to choose recipes that kids will actually eat and that don't use a lot of hard to find ingredients. I also want to use things I have on hand, so that I'm continually rotating my shelf stable foods and using up fresh veggies as quickly as possible. Also, as you can see, I've also included foods that I've run out of, or am close to running out of -- a lot of spices and basics this week -- like vinegar, salt, etc. Many things on this list are purchased only a few times a year.

Balsamic vinegar
Red wine vinegar
White vinegar
Agave nectar
Molasses

Pine nuts

Fresh basil
Fresh parsley
Fresh flat leaf parsley
Fresh cilantro
Minced garlic
Nutritional yeast
Active yeast

Cloves
Italian Seasoning
Allspice
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Ginger
Rubbed Sage
Turmeric
Coriander
Salt
Almond Extract
Mint Extract
Garam Masala
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Tamari? (most Tamari contains soy, which I don't use, so I'm going to check the shelves for alternatives)
Vegan Beef Broth

Coconut yogurt
Coconut milk
Almond Milk
Unsweetened applesauce

Tapioca
Tapioca Starch

Dates
Apricots
Prunes

Bananas
Berries

Onions
Red onion
Mushrooms
Portobello mushrooms
Red, green, yellow peppers
Zucchini
Leeks
Kale
Carrots
Celery
Spinach
Sweet potato
Tomatoes
Limes
Citrus
Yellow beets
Parsnips
Green beans
Spaghetti squash

12 kalamata olives
Canned black olives

Canned beans, black, white, kidney, pinto
14 oz. can whole, peeled plum tomatoes
15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
28 oz. can whole tomatoes
Tomato paste
Spaghetti sauce
Canned green chilies

Dry black beans
Dried red lentils
Raw wild rice
Brown rice

Frozen raspberries
Frozen fruits
Frozen veggies
Frozen lima beans
Frozen peas

Happy New Year! Happy New You...

Here's our story:

A little over a year ago, our oldest was diagnosed with celiac disease as well as an allergy to soy and beef. After learning the tricks of cooking and baking sans gluten for our larger than average sized family, I watched Forks Over Knives and read several articles about plant based nutrition and became convinced that some of our family's health related issues could be repaired with a plant-based diet. So, new for 2012, I will be posting our recipes, menus, and successes here -- and invite you to share your feedback.

To better health!