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Wheat Free

Pumpkin Cocoa Muffins

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

Have you entered to win my first-ever FREE giveaway? Contest is open until Dec. 31st so get your entries in!**

I’d like to introduce you (if you don’t know them already) to 2 new ingredients that I have become rather fond of recently. I’ve known about them for a long time, but only now started cooking and baking with them. It’s all part of my conscious effort to step outside of my comfort-zone, and not just in the kitchen, as I’ve mentioned here and here.

First up is teff. While very popular in Ethiopia and India, it is not as commonly used here, although I assure you easy enough to find if you are looking. It is the smallest grain in the world and mostly consists of bran and germ. Remember, what makes a whole grain “whole” is that its bran and germ has not been lost in the refining process. This is where the nutrients are found in whole grains. Teff is very high in calcium and is also a great source of phosphorus, iron, copper, aluminum, barium and thiamin. It is high in protein, carbohydrates and fiber. Teff is gluten free, which is an added bonus if you are sensitive or intolerant to gluten, and has a sweet nutty flavor. Store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

Moving onto grapeseed oil. I think the thing I love most is its very high smoke point (420 degrees), which makes it ideal for baking and cooking at high temperatures. Compare this to the smoke point of unrefined extra virgin olive oil, which is only 320 degrees.

Side note: It is important to know the smoke point of the oils you are cooking with because at that specific temperature the oil begins to break down and form free radicals. Free radicals can lead to disease.

An excellent source of vitamin E, it is not surprising that grapeseed oil is a popular ingredient in cosmetics from hair conditioners to lotions and anti-aging products. Make sure your grapeseed oil is “expeller pressed”, which means that a chemical-free mechanical method of oil extraction was used.

These two high quality products contribute to some very tasty muffins. High quality ingredients create high quality food. Enjoy!

Ingredients: (makes 12 muffins)

1 cup teff flour

1 cup Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix

¼ cup grapeseed oil

¾ cup Maple Syrup (I used organ Grade A Dark Amber. It’s a little sweeter than the light syrups so you don’t need as much)

15 oz pumpkin

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I like the Chatfield’s brand)

Dried cranberries (optional)

Dark Chocolate – 70% or higher (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease muffin tins or line with paper muffin cups.

Combine all ingredients except dried cranberries and dark chocolate in mixing bowl.

Use electric hand mixer to blend ingredients thoroughly.

I made 3 muffins with dried cranberries added and 3 muffins with chopped dark chocolate added. 3 squares of chocolate for each muffin is a good estimate or ½ cup of dried cranberries for each 3 muffins.

Fold in your toppings and fill each muffin container all the way.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until muffins are golden brown on edges.

Posted in Baking, Desserts, Fall, Nutrients, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Snacking, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 3 Comments »

Vegetarian Eggplant Chili

Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

**Before I forget, have you entered to win my first-ever giveaway? Contest is open until Dec. 31st so get your entries in!**

Lately it has been unusually freezing in Asheville. How about for you?

I prefer to warm up from the inside out instead of cranking up the thermostat, and this chili definitely did the trick. I ate it over a bed of quinoa and steamed green veggies (broccoli, Swiss chard and Brussels sprouts).

If eggplant were a person, it would be the equivalent of Brad Pitt or Eva Longoria (both considered attractive by both sexes, right?) Eggplant has sexy curves and the purple skin is one of a kind, not to mention a beautiful shade. The purple is more than just pretty; the color pigment is called nasunin, a phytonutrient and antioxidant that prevents oxidative damage to our body cells.

Ingredients:

1 cup pinto beans

1 cup black beans

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 small or medium eggplant, chopped

3 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

3 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons turmeric

Directions:

Beans should not be cooked or canned. It’s less expensive if you get them in the bulk section of your grocery store.

Add all ingredients into your slow cooker and turn on the heat. Cook until beans are tender – approximately 6 hours.

Serve over quinoa or other whole grain.

Posted in Fall, Nutrients, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 2 Comments »

Navy Beans are not Navy

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

So it turns out these white beans got their name because they were a staple food in the US Navy in the early 20^th century. There’s a fun trivia fact for you! These little guys are a great source of fiber, folate, manganese, protein, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, iron and vitamin B1.

I threw this together from what I had in the refrigerator and have to say it came out pretty darn tasty. I ate it on top of a bed of steamed kale and mushrooms. I think next time I make this I will slice the red onions instead of finely chopping them. Oh and I’ll add sliced avocado on top. Mmmm.

Ingredients: (serves 6-8)

2 ½ cups (or 2 cans) navy beans

1 large eggplant, chopped into ½ inch cubes

1 large red onion, chopped or sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup low sodium vegetable stock

Extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons paprika

½ teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash

3 whole chilies, chopped with seeds (optional)

Directions:

Lightly steam eggplant so that is just cooked a little bit – about 8 minutes. You don’t want it to get mushy.

In large skillet, sauté onions, garlic and chilies in extra virgin olive oil or water until onions are soft.

Add carrots, eggplant and vegetable stock.

Turn heat up until stock is boiling. Reduce heat and simmer.

Add beans.

Stir and cook until vegetable stock has thickened. Add spices.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Posted in Nutrients, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 1 Comment »

Dinner In Less Than 15 Minutes

Sunday, November 28th, 2010

This afternoon I went to see the new Harry Potter movie. By the time I got home it was almost 7:00pm, and needless to say, I was pretty hungry. Since I was out of town all week and spent the day catching up on schoolwork after the long Thanksgiving weekend with family, I didn’t have anything waiting for me to heat up for dinner. Yikes!

Instead of ordering take out on the way home, I got to work as soon as I walked through the front door. To start, I poured about 30 ounces of low sodium vegetable broth into a medium pot, stirred in a can (15oz) of sweet potato puree (although pumpkin puree or butternut squash puree would have worked just as well) and cranked up the heat. While the soup was heating up, I chopped one head of broccoli, about five mushrooms and put them into a pot to steam. By the time the broccoli and mushrooms were steaming, I had chopped up a head of swiss chard and added that on top until all the vegetables were perfectly steamed. Although I didn’t plan it, I have to admit the timing was perfect, because the soup was hot and ready. I grabbed a ladle, and poured the soup into a bowl, added the veggies and dinner was ready. Dinner made with whole foods and satisfying? Double bonus!

We all are busy this time of year. Whether it’s shopping for holiday presents, putting in extra hours at the office, or cramming for exams, planning and preparing wholesome meals can be forgotten until our stomachs are already grumbling. It’s important to have a backup plan instead of resorting to take out or that leftover cake sitting on the counter from Thanksgiving to help keep our immune systems alert, energy constant and overall feeling good.

What are your favorite “back up plans” for dinner?

Posted in Fall, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 3 Comments »

Spicing things up with dahl

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

Recently I have decided to begin learning about and experimenting with Indian-style cuisine. Ryan is a big fan of Indian food, which is very unfamiliar to me, as I grew up eating mostly Mediterranean-style dishes. I also have never had a high tolerance for spicy foods. As I have previously mentioned, I am making a conscious effort to break out of my food-related comfort zone, and learning how to cook Indian-style food falls under that umbrella. I like to think of it as an early Hanukah present to Ryan – the gift that will keep on giving!

Since Indian-style cuisine is vegetarian friendly and the notorious spices and seasoning contain many health-promoting properties, I find myself wondering why I didn’t start this little project sooner. While a little intimidated at first, because lets be honest, unfamiliarity can be daunting, I am happy to report that I found a wonderful introductory cookbook, and that my first attempt was a huge hit.

As I learned, dahl includes the entire family of dried beans and dried peas – split, whole, skinned and unskinned. It is a major source of protein and is often eaten with grains, including rice or flatbreads, and yogurt. The texture is usually wet and slightly soupy.

If you’re like me and you have no threshold for spicy chilies, add the chilies to half of the dahl for your heat-loving dining companions, or just leave it out. The dahl will still be loaded with flavor, but without the extra heat.

Adapted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey.

Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils, washed and drained

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 medium onion, half finely chopped and half cut into fine half rings

½ teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 cloves garlic, cut into thin slices

3 or 4 dried hot red chilies, sliced in half and chopped

Directions:

Put red lentils, 3.5 cups of water, turmeric and chopped onions into pan and bring to a boil.

Turn heat to low and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the lentils are very tender.

Add salt and stir in

Pour oil into frying pan with medium heat. Add sliced onions once oil is hot. Stir for 30 seconds.

Add garlic and chilies. Stir until onions and garlic are golden-red.

Pour contents into pot with lentils and stir to mix.

Serve warm over rice or vegetables.

Posted in Books, Recipes, Rice, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 1 Comment »

Saffron-Spiked Moroccan Stew

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

Recently someone told me that they wouldn’t mind decreasing or even eliminating meat from the their diet except for the fact that vegetarian meals are bland and flavorless. Um, what? Where and what has he been eating?

Ok – so processed food, prepared food, and yes, even restaurant food contributes to over stimulated taste buds. These foods are loaded with salt, chemicals, preservatives and artificial flavors, causing our taste buds to forget what real food tastes like. Add in mindless snacking and rushed meals while driving, standing up, or in front of the TV and it’s surprising that our tiny organs of taste haven’t packed their bags and headed for somewhere new where they can really be appreciated!

We have become so used to rich food being the “norm” that anything “less than” is considered tasteless and bland. Unfortunately, it is the rich food that is also empty in calories, lacking in nutrients, and creating the vast array of health problems many are facing today.

Truth be told, it takes time to undo the effects of many years of over stimulating our taste buds, but it can be done. Incorporating spices into our meals is a natural way to enjoy our food while simultaneously increasing the nutritional density.

This recipe, from The Vegan Table (with very slight alterations), is loaded with flavor. It provides the perfect warmth on cold and windy days like today. Serve it over a bed of quinoa and dinner is served!

On a side note – I am loving the recipes in The Vegan Table cookbook. Recipes are broken down by “occasion” such as “casual meals for four to six”, “feasts for the holidays” and “buffets, heavy appetizers and finger food”, so if you love to entertain like I do, coming up with menus is a cinch. Check out some of my other favorite books here. They make excellent gifts for the holidays.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups vegetable stock

3 tablespoons vegetable stock

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

2 large red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne

1 teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon saffron threads

3 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into ½ inch cubes

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cups cooked chickpeas

Directions:

Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable broth in soup pot on medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and red pepper. Cook until onions are translucent (about 7 minutes). Add more broth as needed.

Stir in spices and let sit for 1-2 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes, 1.5 cups of broth, sweet potatoes and chickpeas.

Bring to a boil and reduce to low heat.

Simmer until potatoes are tender – approximately 30 minutes.

Serve warm.

Posted in Books, Entertaining, Fall, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free, Winter | 2 Comments »

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

Until recently, butternut squash ranked pretty high on my list of “foods that intimidate me”. Ok, so may be I don’t really have a list, but there are some pretty intimidating gifts from Mother Nature out there! Note: I have been and am continuing to approach these foods and figure out how to enjoy them at home, not just when someone else is preparing them for me.

I love the way butternut squash tastes, but its shape (it looks like a giant pear) and hard outer shell can make preparation…well, a little intimidating. I’ve seen this winter squash sold chopped up into cubes in grocery stores, but the extra cost and environmentally-unfriendliness (packaging isn’t very “green”) of this concept has kept me from caving and making the purchase. So when I saw this recipe from Smitten Kitchen I thought this was the perfect opportunity to “squash my fear” (pun intended).

Butternut squash is in peak season in October and November. This is when you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck – maximum flavor and nutrients and minimal cost. Butternut squash is an excellent source of the omega-3 essential fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, which can lower triglycerides and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It’s also a great source of vitamins A, C, B1 and B5 as well as manganese.

So if you also find butternut squash to be a little scary, keep reading to learn how to deal with this beautiful and delicious vegetable. If you know you’re way around already then skip to the recipe and enjoy!

To begin, cut the butternut squash in half between the neck and the bulb. Slice each half in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Then you can peel the skin off and cut the remaining portion into cubes. How easy is that?

So here is the recipe, which I adapted from Smitten Kitchen. I love the combination of the butternut squash and the chickpeas! I ate it on top of a bed of steamed kale with some broccoli, but it makes an excellent side dish as well. It serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil

15oz (1 can) chickpeas, drained, rinsed

¼ sweet onion, coarsely chopped

Tahini Sauce:

1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In baking dish, combine butternut squash, garlic, coconut oil and onions. Make sure the butternut squash and onions are evenly coated with oil.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the squash is soft, and remove from oven.

To make the tahini, combine all of the ingredients into a bowl and whisk together. Add more water as necessary for preferred consistency.

Pour chickpeas onto butternut squash. Add tahini or serve it on the side. Serve warm or at room temp.

Posted in Eating Local, Fall, Recipes, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 4 Comments »

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bread

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

Pumpkins are everywhere this time of year. Not only do they make a great fall decoration, but they are actually pretty good for you too. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber, alpha and beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium, vitamins C and E and pantothenic acid. The carotenoids that give the pumpkin its orange color are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and serve as a good immunity booster.

So in the spirit of fall and eating seasonally, enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups Arrowhead Mills All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Mix

15 oz canned pumpkin

½ cup coconut oil, liquid form

½ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 tablespoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Dash of salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Small dark chocolate bar, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inch loaf pan

Combine ingredients, except for chocolate chunks, in mixing bowl. Add the coconut oil last and blend immediately before the oil has a chance to harden back up.

Use electric mixer to blend ingredients thoroughly until smooth

Fold in chocolate chunks with spoon

Pour batter into loaf pan

Bake for one hour

Allow to cool before slicing

Posted in Baking, Desserts, Eating Local, Fall, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Wheat Free | 1 Comment »

Fall Friendly FatFree Vegan’s Quiche

Saturday, October 16th, 2010

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned over the course of my wellness and nutrition journey has been the importance of eating locally and seasonally. Before my journey began I rarely factored the season into my grocery list and menu planning. Not only was this a huge waste of money, but I was also contributing to environmental pollution by supporting businesses that transported food from several hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

This quiche, inspired by FatFree Vegan, follows the same general formula, but I replaced the vegetables in the original recipe with fall friendly foods instead.

Ingredients:

One 12-ounce package extra-firm silken tofu
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoon tahini
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 ½ cups brown rice, cooked and still warm or room temperature

1 apple (I used Pink Lady)

1 small onion, chopped

3 mushrooms, chopped

4 generous handfuls of spinach

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease pie pan (I used one that is 9 ½ inches)

Combine tofu, water, nutritional yeast, tahini, onion powder, turmeric and sea salt in blender and puree until smooth and creamy.

Add 3 tablespoons of tofu cream to brown rice and blend thoroughly. Spread brown rice into pie pan and press evenly into the bottom and sides of the dish. Bake for 10 minutes, remove dish from oven and set aside.

Slice out 6 to 8 thin slices of apple and set aside. Peel and chop the remaining apple.

With heat, add a thin layer of water to the bottom of a saucepan and add onions, apple and mushrooms. Once cooked, add spinach and cook until it is wilted.

Spread the cooked vegetables on top of the rice crust in the pie pan. Distribute it evenly across the crust.

Pour the tofu mixture over the vegetables and spread it evenly across.

Add the 3 inch asparagus tops on top and spray lightly with olive oil.

Bake for one hour or until edges begin to brown. Allow to cool for 10 to15 minutes before serving.

Posted in Eating Local, Entertaining, Fall, Holidays, Recipes, Rice, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 2 Comments »

The FatFree Vegan’s Inspired Asparagus and Mushroom Quiche with a Brown Rice Crust

Monday, October 11th, 2010

I have to admit, this recipe, inspired by The FatFree Vegan Kitchen, is a little more involved than what I usually prepare in the kitchen. That being said, it is completely worth the effort and now that I did it once, each additional time will be faster and easier. It is a great recipe to have in my “back pocket” for special occasions and holidays. Plus, it’s so darn pretty.

When I first came across the quiche recipe on The FatFree Vegan Kitchen I was tempted to tuck it away until spring or summer when asparagus and bell peppers are in season, but mushrooms are seasonal in the winter and the daytime temperatures have been in the 70’s and 80’s lately, so may be I didn’t have to wait after all. With the warmer temperatures, I was craving something a little lighter and cooling, but still filling. I decided that this quiche wasn’t too out-of-season if I made it now before jackets became mandatory for the next handful of months. May be it’s a stretch for you, but I was eager to make this quiche so this is my reasoning, as nutty as it may sound. Now that I have the general skeleton of the dish down, I am ready to make it Fall friendly – I’m thinking apples, spinach and mushrooms for the second layer. Yum!

Since this recipe is a little more intricate than what I am used to, I followed it pretty closely. The biggest differences are that I used more spices and skipped the vegan milk and substituted with water instead. I also ended up using less brown rice than what the original recipe called for. The pie pan that I used was 9 ½ inches in diameter.

Ingredients:

One 12-ounce package extra-firm silken tofu
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon rolled oats
2 teaspoon tahini
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 ½ cups brown rice, cooked and still warm or room temperature
1 bunch asparagus
1 small onion, chopped
2 clove garlic, minced
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease pie pan (I used one that is 9 ½ inches)

Combine tofu, water, nutritional yeast, rolled oats, tahini, onion powder, turmeric and sea salt in blender and puree until smooth and creamy.

Add 3 tablespoons of tofu cream to brown rice and blend thoroughly. Spread brown rice into pie pan and press evenly into the bottom and sides of the dish. Bake for 8 minutes, remove dish from oven and set aside.

Chop off the top 3 inches of the asparagus and set aside. Chop the remainder of the stalk into ½ inch slices.

With heat, add a thin layer of water to the bottom of a saucepan and add onions, garlic and the thin slices of asparagus (do not add the asparagus tops. Cover and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and bell pepper and more water if necessary.