No Knead Pizza Dough

This past weekend, my girlfriends got together to throw one of my high school girlfriend a baby shower. She is the first one of our group to have a baby and we wanted to do something special for her.

Since the mom-to-be has a dairy allergy, we set out to make everything dairy free. I made these vegan chocolate cupcakes that were a huge hit! I started out using the 2D tip, but the frosting ended up stringy since I used half shortening. It looked fine for the pink vanilla frosting since it looked like flowers but I just used a piping bag without a tip for the chocolate. I topped them with cupcake toppers from here.

We really had a mish-mosh of a menu that included Chinese and Italian cuisines. Since my friend loves pizza, I decided to make pizza for her using vegan cheese.

I've made pizza before, but I really hate kneading dough, even if it's with the Kitchenaid mixer. I've tried it in the bread maker with the dough cycle as well, but it wasn't quite right. This dough was perfect for me, since it required no kneading! All I had to do was dump all the ingredients in a bowl, mix, then leave it alone! Since I had so many other things to for the party, I decided to give this a go.

I halved the recipe and it made 3 good sized pies (about 12" each). I was going to try making garlic bread with this as well, but I ended up using it all for pizza.

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No Knead Pizza Dough

made by cathy's kitchen journey
as seen on King Arthur Flour, originally from Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day




ingredients:

• 3 cups + 3 tablespoons (25 1/2 ounces) lukewarm water
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 TBSP instant yeast
• 1 1/2 TBSP kosher salt
• 9 cups (38 ounces) all purpose flour

directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly moistened (use a spatula if necessary).
2. Loosely cover and set aside in a warm area. Let rise for 2 hours.
3. After 2 hours, transfer the covered bowl to the fridge for at least 3 hours, or up to 7 days.

to make pizza:

1. Preheat oven and stone (if using) to 450° F.
2. To make pizza, portion out a softball sized piece of dough (about 8 oz).
3. Dust a piece of parchment with cornmeal and place the dough on top. Add another piece of parchment over the dough and roll the dough out between the 2 pieces of parchment. Leave the dough to sit for 30 minutes to reduce shrinkage.
4. Remove the top piece of parchment, top with pizza sauce, cheese and choice of toppings. Transfer to baking stone or pan with the parchment. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your pizza.

Yield: I halved the dough recipe, which yielded 3 pies

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Vegan Stuffed Shells

As I mentioned earlier. Gary really missed stuffed shells. While I made the lasagna with the filling, he still wanted stuffed shells. I decided to make it since I wanted to try out the filling with the spinach.

I found it really weird that Gary has never mentioned anything about stuffed shells in the 6 years we've lived together. That might be one of the reasons I've never made before, but I digress.

Although the original said to scoop 2 TBSP of filling in each shell, I found that to be a bit much. I used a medium cookie scoop, which was about 1 TBSP of filling. It made it a lot easier to fill as well. Even doing that, I still have some shells left over. You can save them and serve with sauce or use them in another recipe.

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Vegan Stuffed Shells

made by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from PBS Food




ingredients:

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 16-oz block extra firm tofu
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 box jumbo shells (about 25 shells)
• 1 24-26 oz jar marinara sauce

directions:

1. Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels, lightly squeeze out extra water. Crumble into the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender along with olive oil, salt, oregano, garlic and nutritional yeast. Process on high until smooth and “ricotta-like”.
2. Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in the defrosted spinach to the blended tofu mixture.
3. Cook shells in boiling salted water until el dente. Drain, and add cold water to so it's easier to handle.
4. Preheat oven to 350° F. Pour about ½ cup pasta sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Using a medium cookie scoop, stuff shells with 1-2 T of filling and place in pan, seam side down. Repeat until all shells have been stuffed. (I had leftover shells)
5. Pour remaining pasta sauce over shells, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Yield: 6-8 servings

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Caramelized Baked Chicken Wings

A couple of friends were coming over for lunch and I wanted something easy to make that would also taste phenomenal. I saw this recipe on allrecipes.com and it looked pretty simple. I had all the ingredients, so I decided to make this. This was great for me because it took minimal prep time, and all I had to do was cook the sauce then pop it in the oven. Great for someone like me who wants to sleep late and still want lunch! ;)

As usual I went through some of the comments to see how some people have adapted the recipe. Most of the time, people don't rate honestly on all recipes. They've adapted the recipe significantly then still in turn give the recipe 5 stars. It's kind of unreliable, and I have to take the comments with a grain of salt. Especially when I know my own tastes.

One of the comments mentioned to cook the sauce to thicken it first before adding to the chicken. I decided to do that first, but in the end, my sauce wasn't too thick. Now, looking back at the comments, she also mentioned to add cornstarch. I've adjusted the recipe below to include the cornstarch. Even without the full caramelization of the wings, the flavor turned out great!

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Caramelized Baked Chicken Wings
made by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from allrecipes.com




ingredients:

• 3 lb (about 20 pieces) chicken wings
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 TBSP ketchup
• 1 cup honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 TBSP cornstarch
• salt and pepper to taste
• minced scallion for garnish (optional)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C).
2. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.  
3. Place chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken to complete cover.
4. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until sauce is caramelized.
5. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle any remaining sauce over the chicken.

Yield: 4 servings

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Vegan Zucchini Lasagna

When I first saw this recipe for the tofu ricotta, I knew it would be a winner. I've used tofu as a ricotta replacement before, and it worked very well. However, at that time, I didn't have as much knowledge I have now about tofu.

I've always been a fan of tofu, but I never really knew the difference between firm or silken or whatnot. I just ate anything my mom fed me. Now that I have to find dairy alternatives, I have to be creative in what I use. This tofu ricotta worked out beautifully and you really wouldn't believe it's vegan until I tell you.

Gary had a hankering for stuffed shells earlier in the week. Lucky for him, I had this recipe in my back pocket and I was already planning on making it. He thought the filling was perfect for shells, and of course it worked well in lasagna too, as I first thought when I saw this. Try this, and I bet you won't miss the cheese either!

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Vegan Zucchini Lasagna

made by cathy's kitchen journey
tofu "ricotta" adapted from PBS Food




ingredients:

• 9 lasagna noodles
• 1 block (16 oz) firm or extra firm tofu, drained
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 1 large zucchini, peeled and slice lengthwise
• 1 24 oz jar marinara sauce
• vegan cheese (optional)
• vegan parmesan (optional)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, then boil lasagna noodles for 10 minutes. Once done, drain and add cold water.
2. In a food processor, blend the tofu, oil, salt, oregano, garlic and nutritional yeast until smooth and the consistency of ricotta.
3. Peel and slice the zucchini lengthwise with a mandolin. 
4. In a 9x13 baking dish, add 1/2 cup of the sauce.
5. Pat dry 3 lasagna noodles and add to the pan. Spread half the tofu mixture (you might have to use your hands), then layer with half the zucchini, overlapping slightly.
6. Add 1/2 cup sauce then layer with 3 more noodles, the remaining tofu, and the remaining zucchini. Then top with another 1/2 cup sauce.
7. Top with remaining 3 noodles, then pour the remaining sauce on top.
8. Cover the pan loosely with foil, then bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
9. During the last 5 minutes, top with cheese and sprinkle with parmesan if desired.
10. Let rest for 5 minutes. Run a knife through to cut into 9 even pieces.

Yield: 9 servings

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Filipino Grilled Chicken

When I first started documenting my kitchen journey, I never thought I would meet such a great community of food bloggers. I often visit forums and chat with a few online. We follow each other on twitter. We've become friends over the years and we've gotten to know each other, even when most of them are many miles away.

While I've met some in person, I've yet to meet Krystal. She's one of the ladies I've met chatting online. Her and her husband, Eric are having a baby soon, and I delighted when I was asked to make something for her virtual baby shower, hosted by our wonderful Joelen.

Since Krystal is Filipino and her husband is Cuban, we were asked to make something inspired by their heritage. I decided to make this Filipino grilled chicken. I originally wanted to bake this since it wasn't quite bbq weather, which would defeat the purpose of this being grilled chicken. Then I remembered that I had bought a stove top griddle way back when I was still living with my parents! I decided it was time to take it out and take it for a test drive.

This came out very well. Since I used the boneless chicken thighs, they cooked up fast. I only had 3/4 cup vinegar left, so I only used that much. There was still plenty of liquid to marinade the chicken. The sweetness of the sugar and soda cut the vinegar very nicely, and the flavors worked well together. I can't wait til grilling season to try this again!

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Filipino Grilled Chicken (Inihaw na manok)

made by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from The Ivory Hut




ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 12 oz lemon-lime soda (such as 7-up, Sprite, or Sierra Mist)
• 3 bay leaves, torn or crushed
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 TBSP ground black pepper
• 2 lbs chicken (I used boneless skinless thighs)

directions:

1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except chicken. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.. Reserve half for basting in a separate container with a lid.
2. Place the chicken in a plastic zip top bag. Pour the the marinade into the bag. Seal tightly and mix the liquid around to coat the chicken. Place in fridge to marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
3. When ready to grill, take the chicken out of the fridge and let come to room temperature. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on a plate. Discard marinade.
4. In a sauce pan, bring the reserved marinade to a boil over medium-high heat until it has reduced to a sticky syrup.
5. Bring the grill to 350° F or heat on medium heat. Grill the chicken for 10 minutes each side, basting each side with the sticky syrup. [Depending on the size of your chicken, cook time may be longer. My chicken pieces were flat, so they cooked fairly quick on the grill.]
6. Cook until juices run clear. Take the chicken off the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6-8 servings

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Braised Moroccan Chicken

Sometimes we get bored of the same old thing. Especially with chicken recipes. It's one of our main proteins, so there's so much you can do with chicken before you get bored with it. It's not like we've been in a rut lately. I have been trying new things in the kitchen, but we have our basics we always gravitate towards.

I'm glad I tried this recipe, even though I forgot about bookmarking it a while back from Weelicious. Even though her blog caters to kids, there are a lot of great recipes for everybody!

I had everything on hand to make this and it was so simple to make. The chicken was moist and flavorful because of the dark meat. If you haven't tried dark meat before because white is technically slightly better for you, try it! I didn't really think the short cooking time and the simple ingredients would yield such fantastic results, but I'm now a believer. Simpler is sometimes better, and this recipe proves it. This will definitely go in my rotation more often.

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Braised Moroccan Chicken

made by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from Weelicious




ingredients:

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 small onion, cut in half then sliced thin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1 lb (about 4-5 pieces) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

directions:

1. In a hot pan on medium heat, heat the oil. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add the spices and tomatoes, then bring to a boil.
3. Add the beans and chicken, and stir to coat thoroughly.
4. Reduce heat to medium low to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
5. Serve over your choice of grains.

Yield: 4 servings when served with rice or other grain

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Lentil Black Bean Stew

I've been looking for more lentil recipes so I can make something other than lentil loaves. This recipe came to me as part of the recipe swap, and it looked good to me. I showed it to Gary, and I'm so glad he's now on board with most vegan, bean, and lots of healthy recipes!

I think this came out ok. I made a mistake of not cooking the lentils enough and they were a little bit undercooked. It does say cook for 25 minutes, but I thought since I used brown lentils I could cook it for less time. I kept testing it out, and individual lentils were fine, but once I had a spoonful, I could tell it wasn't cooked enough. I also added a whole can of black beans instead of the 1 cup. I was a little confused with the ingredients list since it was all in one paragraph, but 1 can worked out. I think there wouldn't have been enough food for Gary if I only used 1 cup.

On a side note, don't you hate buying a can of tomato paste to use only one tablespoon at a time and the rest go to waste? Well, I bought a tube from Whole Foods a while back and left it in the fridge. It's lasted forever, and I can squeeze out as much as I need at a time. Of course, if you have a can of the stuff, you could probably freeze it and it will work the same, but I think the tube is easier.

Also, remember to check out Sarah's blog for the full roundup of soup and stew recipes, including my submission of hearty beef stew.

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Lentil Black Bean Stew

made by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from Runner's World




ingredients:

• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 TBSP tomato paste
• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over for stones
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• juice of one lime (1 TBSP)
• salt and pepper to taste
• cilantro for garnish

directions:

1. In a pan on medium heat, add oil, and onion and cook until soft. Add garlic, spices and saute for 1 minute.
2. Add vegetable broth, tomato paste, then cover and bring to a boil.
3. Add the lentils and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
4. Partial mash the black beans and add to the pot. Add the lime juice, salt and pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to bowls and garnish with cilantro.

Yield: 2 servings

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Spiced Cake Donuts

I finally broke down and bought a donut pan. Gary has wanted me to make donuts for a while now, but I refused to make them. I haven't been the biggest donut fan because they are fried greasy messes. Have you ever eaten one for breakfast, burped hours later and that taste came right back up with the burp? Yea, I get that and it grosses me out. It stays with me all day and it's not the healthiest breakfast out there to start the morning off right.

Another reason I didn't want to fry anything at home was because of the hassle of using a lot of oil, then not knowing what to do with it afterward. The cleanup is a mess, and it's not worth it for a dozen donuts. Then came the baked donut. It's lots easier to make and easy cleanup as well. I've seen many recipes out there, so hey, why not. It'll get Gary off my back and I can have cake for breakfast :). I started off with the recipe right on the back of the packaging, adapting it slightly to make it dairy free. The first words out of Gary's mouth, "Wow, these are good!" I guess these are a winner!

I haven't quite got the hang of how much batter to use yet, as you can see by the different sized donuts in the picture. I'm hoping my future donuts are just as delicious and uniform in size.

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Spiced Cake Donuts
recipe by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from the back of the Norpro package




ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup soy milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 TBSP shortening

for the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 TBSP hot water
• sprinkles, optional

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Spray the donut pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt.
3. Add in milk, eggs, vanilla, and shortening and mix until just combined.
4. Fill each donut cup about 3/4 full.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until donuts spring back when touched.
6. Cool slightly before removing from pan.
7. To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioners sugar and hot water. Dip the donut to coat on one side. Flip over and sprinkle the sprinkles on top if using.

Yield: 12 donuts

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Roasted Sesame Maple Ginger Tofu

I've always liked tofu, but other than putting it in soups like my mom did, I never really ventured out. When I saw this baked tofu recipe, I knew I had to try it. It looked simple enough and the flavors sounded great. Gary was onboard, so that was also my deciding factor in finally making it.

This tasted great and Gary enjoyed it even though it wasn't fried! It had a nice crispy exterior and chewy center that worked very well. I did reduce the sesame oil by half, since Gary doesn't like the taste of it. He's fine with everything else sesame though, go figure.

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Sesame Maple Ginger Tofu

made by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from Cara's Cravings




ingredients:

• 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed, cut into 1 inch squares
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 TBSP tahini
• 1 TBSP soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 TBSP pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 TBSP sesame seeds
• pinch of ground ginger
• pinch of red pepper flakes

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475° F.
   
2. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with nonstick cooking spray and add the tofu cubes. Lightly spray the top with more nonstick cooking spray and season with salt & pepper.
3. Roast for 10-12 minutes, or until the pieces of tofu are lightly browned on the bottom. Turn the pieces over, and roast for another 10 minutes.
4. Whisk tahini, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, vinegar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper flakes in a small bowl until combined.
5. Remove the tofu from the oven, and toss with the tahini mixture.
6. Pour the the tofu back on the sheet, and drizzle the remaining sauce on top. Return the sheet to the oven and roast for another 5-7 minutes, mixing with a wooden spoon halfway through, until desired crispiness is reached.

Yield: 2-3 servings

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Potato Sausage Breakfast Scramble

Most weekends, I try to make something new for breakfast or dinner. I don't have much time on weeknights, so it's my time to experiment. Sometimes recipes fail, but this one was definitely a success.

I received this breakfast scramble for the recipe swap and I knew Gary would love it too. We're huge fans of potatoes (the theme of the swap) as well as the eggs and sausage. We've made similar breakfasts using the same type of ingredients, but I don't recall ever scrambling everything together.

Since we don't eat pork, I used some fresh turkey sausages for this. The links I bought were in a 1lb package, so I used half. I also used two potatoes instead of one, well, because one just didn't seem like enough. In the end, Gary asked for more, so this was definitely a hit!

Remember to check out Sarah's blog for the full roundup of potato recipes, including my submission of sweet potato chili! Yes, sweet potato counts!

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Potato Sausage Breakfast Scramble

recipe by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from Cooking for Fun




ingredients:

• 1 TBSP oil
  
• 8 oz turkey sausages, casings removed
  
• 2 potatoes
  
• 1 small onion, diced
  
• 3 eggs, beaten
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• shredded cheese, optional
  

directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add oil and brown sausage, breaking it up as it cooks.
2. Add potatoes and onion to the pan, and add a splash of water. Cover and cook about 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
3. Move sausage and potato mixture to one side, add egg to the empty side of the pan and scramble. Gradually mix into the sausage mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. If adding cheese, add now and cover until melted. Transfer to bowls and serve.

Yield: 2 servings

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Vegan Mocha Muffins

If you're looking for a super sweet breakfast treat to start your morning, sorry, you're not going to find it here. What you'll find here is a great healthy muffin which has just the right amount of sweetness that will start your morning off right. I'm not saying that I don't eat sweets for breakfast. I've eaten a cookie before and considered it breakfast. Heck, one of my favorite cereals is Cinnamon Life, even if I haven't eaten it in a while.

As I've grown up, my tastes have changed and I tend gravitate toward healthier options. Getting Gary to eat healthier has been a struggle at times, but even he has changed over the years. In the past, he wouldn't be caught dead eating a vegan meal, now he loves most of them.

I made these one Saturday morning when I got up seconds before my alarm even went off. It snowed all night and left us with a few inches outside. What a better way to start off the morning with a warm muffin out of the oven! I made these while Gary was still sleeping and he ate 2 immediately. He enjoyed them and that's awesome to hear from someone who used to eat 5 whoppers in one sitting when he was a teen!

The only change I made from the original recipe was swapping out plain unsweetened soy milk for the vanilla kind. Gary's picky about soy milks, and the Westsoy brand is only made with soy beans and water, the less ingredients the better!

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Vegan Mocha Cupcakes

recipe by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from Vegan Diner




ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
  
• 1 TBSP flax seed meal
  
• 1 TBSP instant espresso powder
  
• 1 TBSP baking powder
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
  
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1 cup canola oil
  
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee, cooled
  
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line or grease a 12 cup muffin tray. Brew coffee and reserve 1/4 cup for batter. Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, flax, espresso powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
4. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined, then whisk in the cooled coffee.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, divide the batter into the 12 cups.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until tops are puffed up and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. (mine were done at 20)
7. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
   

Yield: 12 muffins

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Tofu and Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

Happy New Year!

Here's to a new year, and a new you! I don't really make resolutions, but if I had to make one, it would be to eat healthier, less meat, and more whole foods. I've already started doing that, but I will continue to do so this year.

One of the things I've started reading up on and cooking is vegan meals. We've had a few good recipes for breakfast that are vegan, but we don't really have many vegan dinners. This meal was great because not only was it vegan, it was tasty and filling as well!

I made the mistake of using a stainless steel pan for this. I guess I missed the part about using nonstick! The tofu stuck a little and the sauce burned off a little. Next time I make this, I will definitely use a nonstick pan.

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Tofu and Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

recipe by cathy's kitchen journey
adapted from Vegan Yum Yum, as seen on Made Just Right




ingredients:

• 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed, cut into small squares
• 1 TBSP canola or peanut oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp mirin

peanut dressing:

• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 1 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 TBSP seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tsp hot chili oil (I omitted)
• pinch of salt

for serving:

• steamed broccoli
• 1 grated carrot
• cooked rice
• crushed peanuts (optional)

directions:

1. Whisk sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth (be patient, it’ll look curdle at first then smooth out) and set aside.
2. Fry tofu in the oil over high heat in a non-stick skillet until browned on both sides. Drain and return to hot pan (turn off the heat). Mix soy sauce and mirin together and pour over tofu, mixing well. It will bubble up and form a light glaze.
3. Plate rice, add broccoli, tofu, carrot, and crushed peanuts. Drizzle with sauce and serve.

Yield: 2 servings

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Slow Cooker Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili

After the holidays, I had a few sweet potatoes left over. What a better way to use them up than in a chili! I saw this recipe on the Real Simple facebook page before Thanksgiving and I knew I wanted to try it with whatever sweet potato I had left. This is a great meatless chili and packed full of vitamins and fiber!

I thought Gary wasn't going to go for it at first, but he actually enjoyed it. He didn't miss the meat! Since he can't have dairy, he didn't add any of the toppings therefore making it vegan, and it was still delicious!

Although you can definitely taste a hint of sweet potato and cinnamon, I didn't really see it. I think it could use a bit more next time. I also used dried beans instead of canned, since I had them on hand anyway. I added more water since I was using the dried beans, and I'm glad I did. It soaked up very nicely, and the chili was still thick and hearty. I only added one jalapeno because we're not big spicy people, but it could probably have used more. I usually don't have peppers on hand, but you can definitely use whatever you have.

This made a lot, so you can store them in single serving portions and freeze for later.

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Crockpot/Slow Cooker Vegan/Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili
adapted from Real Simple

ingredients:
1 cup dried black beans
1 cup dried kidney beans
1 cup dried great northern beans
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (or more of desired)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 TBSP mild chili powder (or 1 TBSP medium-hot)
1 TBSP ground cumin
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups water
optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced scallions, sliced radishes, and/or tortilla chips

directions:
The night before, pick out stones and discolored beans and soak in cold water (changing the water once) in the liner of a 4-6 qt slow cooker.

If you have time right before making this, I recommend sauteing the onions, garlic and peppers to bring out some flavor. If not, you can follow the directions below.

Right before cooking, drain the beans and rinse in a colander. Combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, black pepper. Add the tomatoes (and their liquid), beans, sweet potato, and water. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has thickened, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours

Serve the chili with the sour cream, scallions, radishes, and tortilla chips. [to keep it vegan, use Daiya (or your choice of vegan cheese), or omit the cheese and sour cream all together]

Makes 4 heaping servings, or 8-10 smaller bowls

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Buttermilk Pancakes

To be honest, I sometimes find Gary's palette a little on the bland side. He loves white rice, ketchup, plain brothy soups. If you give him some ketchup, he can eat shoe leather and call it a day. In my efforts to get variety in his diet and be a little bit more creative, I would add different types of fiber and fruits and vegetables. If I don't end up finding a recipe I like, I will adapt the heck out of one. In the end, the recipe wouldn't be too close to the original recipe. When I come up with a flavor combination I want to try, there's no stopping me!

When I made the multigrain waffles, he asked if I can make "regular" ones -- "you know like l'eggo my eggos"? When I made the orange cinnamon rolls, he asked if I could omit the orange next time and make it plain. When I ask him what flavor ice cream he wants me to make, he says chocolate -- although he recently asked for cookies and cream! I'm not saying that all these recipes are bad! They're far from that! He liked them, but just asked for something not too out of the ordinary.

So, that's what I did. I made him 'buttermilk' pancakes. I went with a basic recipe and deviate too much from it. The only adaptation I made was using soy milk and vinegar to make a sour milk instead of using buttermilk. Otherwise everything was the same. These were the most fluffy pancakes I've ever made!

The verdict? "I liked these, but I like the strawberry, coconut and apple better."

So I guess my efforts in making them healthier or coming up with crazy flavors are worth the efforts!

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Buttermilk Pancakes
adapted from Better Homes and Garden 14th edition

ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 TBSP granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 TBSP vinegar plus enough soy milk to equal 1 1/2 cup total (or 1 1/2 cup buttermilk)
3 TBSP canola oil

directions:
In a measuring cup combine vinegar and soy milk. Let sit for 5 minutes (skip this step if using buttermilk).

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.

In another bowl, whisk together the soy milk mixture, egg and oil. Add to the flour, and stir until just combined.

Using a ladle, pour 1/4 cup batter onto a hot griddle. Cook until surface has completely bubbled, then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve with maple syrup.

Makes about 12 pancakes

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Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

When I first came up with this, I was originally going to mix in some spaghetti so I didn't totally shock Gary when there was no pasta. However, I ran out of spaghetti, so left it as all squash. To my surprise, Gary actually liked it. When I told him all these vegetables were in them, he was surprised as well. I did a good job hiding them! He enjoyed it and gobbled it up even though he knew all these different vegetables were in the dish.

So I wasn't planning blogging it. It didn't seem too intriguing, but I took a picture anyway and Gary encouraged me to blog it. It was a half-assed quick pic, so please ignore the craptastic photo above. I guarantee it's quite tasty indeed. I was also super hungry from the time change (an hour really throws everything off!) and couldn't wait any longer to eat. I wasn't sure what I would call this, so since the meat sauce is similar to a bolognese style sauce, that's what I ended up naming it.

If you have some fresh basil or parsley, I would suggest adding that as well. Although this dish was tasty, it was missing a fresh ingredient garnish.

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Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

ingredients:
1 small spaghetti squash (3-4 lbs)
1 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper

2 TBSP canola oil
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 stalks celery hearts, finely chopped
3/4 lb ground turkey
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I used a tomato basil)

directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Line a sheet pan with foil, and lightly spray with oil. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. Place the squash cut side down and bake in oven for 1 hour. Allow to cool slightly before handling.

Meanwhile, on medium-high heat, add 2 TBSP oil. Sweat the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery for 10 minutes. Add turkey and cook until no longer pink while breaking it down with a wooden spoon. Add mushrooms and cook for another minute. Add sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Using a fork, scrape the spaghetti squash into a large bowl. Toss in 1 TBSP olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the meat mixture to the bowl and toss together to combine. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

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Mixed Berry Fruit Smoothies

Whenever we have a light dinner, we usually chase it down with a a couple of smoothies. Lame, I know, but we're both not too in to alcohol, and sorta watch what we eat. I normally don't eat a lot throughout the day, so it wouldn't hurt to have some extra fruit. I love smoothies, but the mass market ones can also be chock full of sugar and stuff I don't want to ingest. Our smoothies are frozen fruit and juice, nothing else!

These smoothies are great for a morning pick me up. This is a great base for any add-ins such flax or any other boost you may want.

I get aggravated sometimes when we use our mugs and tall glasses for smoothies. They're not really equipped to keep something cold for a long time. When I saw that the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program was offering Tervis tumblers up for grabs, I jumped at the chance! I've heard such great things about them, but I've never actually used one before. I wish I had got one sooner because this thing is awesome! I filled the Tervis with the smoothie and it kept it cold til the last drop. Because of its double insulation, it didn't sweat on the outside and my hands stayed dried. When I get a chance, I'll probably get a few to use at home.

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Mixed Berry Fruit Smoothies

ingredients:
1 cup frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries)
1 cup frozen mangoes
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

directions:
Add all ingredients into a blender. Blend until combined. If the mixture is too think to pour, add a little bit more juice to thin it out.

Makes 2-3 servings

disclaimer:
As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a complimentary Foodbuzz Tervis tumbler. All the reviews and opinions are my own.

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Vegan Multigrain Waffles

Lately when Gary isn't asking for pancakes, he's heating up a few frozen waffles for breakfast. His latest addiction is quinoa waffles. He loves the nutrients and protein it gives him, and it gives him more energy for whatever he needs to do. I haven't found a quinoa waffle recipe yet, but if you have one let me know.

I did decide to make this multigrain version to try out as an experiment. You see, I "borrowed" my sister's waffle maker a while back, and I don't plan on returning it anytime soon :). These came out great, and I liked the wholesome nutty taste the oatmeal added. Overall, this recipe is a keeper as a basic waffle that will fill you up all morning.

This was an easy recipe to whip up in the morning. My 15 yr old waffle maker heated each batch up in about 7 minutes.

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Vegan Multigrain Waffles
source: Vegan Visitor

ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup quick cooking oats
1/3 cup ground flax seed meal
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 TBSP white sugar
2 cups soy milk
2 TBSP vegetable oil

directions:
Preheat waffle maker according to your manufacturer's directions.

In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients (flour through sugar). In a mixing cup, add the oil to the soy milk. Whisk the milk into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, and most lumps are gone.

Spray or brush the waffle maker with oil. Pour enough batter into waffle maker and cook per the waffle maker's instructions. Mine took about 7 minutes each batch of 2 waffles. Repeat until batter is used up, spraying/brushing more oil as necessary.

tips:
*make sure you don't cover after removing from the waffle maker, otherwise it will get soggy
*toast the waffles to make them extra crispy
*store leftovers in a freezer bag and reheat in toaster for a quick morning breakfast!

makes about 8 waffles (more or less depending on your waffle maker)

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Vegan Orange Cinnamon Rolls

When I saw this recipe in the Vegan Diner book, I knew I had to try it. I was always intimidated from making cinnamon rolls, because it had ingredients and steps I hate the most...yeast, and rolling out dough. When I read the instructions for this recipe, I thought it was pretty simple, so I gave it a try. I'm so glad I did, because this came out beautifully! The dough rose as instructed, and it rolled out nicely as well!

I've only seen recipes for cinnamon rolls that included milk, so I would end up having to adapt it. This recipe called for soy milk powder, which I always have on hand anyway. I use it when I make bread recipes in the bread machine, so this recipe was right up my alley. I usually purchase it at Whole Foods, but if you can't find it, you can omit it and sub the 1/2 cup of water with soy milk.

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Vegan Orange Cinnamon Rolls
adapted from Vegan Diner

ingredients:
dough:
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water, room temperature
zest of one orange
1/4 cup hot water (110°-115°F)
1 tsp granulated sugar
3 3/4 - 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour (start off with 3 3/4 cup and add as needed after kneading)
2 TBSP soy milk powder
1 tsp fine salt
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

filling:
3 TBSP vegan butter (rec: Earth Balance)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 TBSP orange juice (fresh from the orange you zested)

directions:
Spray or liberally coat a 9x13 baking dish with oil or shortening. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup, measure and whisk together agave, orange juice, 1/2 cup lukewarm water, and orange zest. Set aside.

Place in the bowl of a stand mixer, add hot water and sugar. Then add flour, soy milk powder, salt then yeast last. Turn on mixer on low to stir and combine.

Add liquid ingredients slowly while the mixer is on to form a ball. Replace with the dough hook of the mixer and knead for 3-5 minutes until the dough is smooth. If it's still sticky, add more flour 1 TBSP at a time.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm area and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. (I turn my oven to warm for 5 minutes, shut it off, then put the bowl in the oven to rise.)

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 16x12 rectangle. Brush on softened butter/margarine while leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and spread evenly. Then sprinkle cinnamon on top of the sugar. (I sprinkled out of my spice jar and didn't measure.)

Rolling along the long edge, form a spiral, jelly-roll style. Pinch the edges to close up the seams. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 12 even pieces. Place the pieces into the prepared baking pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise again for 30 minutes until almost double.

Remove plastic wrap and bake in preheated oven at 350° for 30-35 minutes until firm to the touch and lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice in a medium bowl. Drizzle over warm cinnamon buns and serve.

Makes 12 cinnamon buns.

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Veggie Loaded Turkey Meatloaf

As I was making the chocolate zucchini cake, I shredded a bit too much zucchini. Gary came home with some ground turkey so I decided to use the rest of what I had in this meatloaf.

We rarely eat meatloaf, but Gary for some reason wanted after seeing the meatloaf pan on an infomercial. So I have my fair share of unitaskers, but this one was something I would NOT get! I have two loaf pans and they're already rarely used, so getting another one was out of the question!

I think this meatloaf turned out great. Leftovers were even great as a sandwich! Gary thought it could have used a little bit more salt, but it was fine for me. So if you like things a little bit saltier, you might want to add more. This is definitely a great way to use up some leftover summer vegetables!

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Veggie Loaded Turkey Meatloaf
sauce adapted from allrecipes.com

ingredients:
1.5 lb ground turkey (the pack we bought was 1.3 lb)
1 medium zucchini, grated about (1 cup grated, more or less)
1 large carrot, grated
1 egg
1/2 cup panko
1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper
2-3 dashes worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup ketchup
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP brown mustard

directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray (not necessary if using nonstick)

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the loaf (turkey through worcestershire sauce). Shape into a loaf and press into loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160°.

While baking, prepare sauce. Spread sauce over top of the loaf, and put back into oven for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve as sandwiches or with sides of your choice.

Breakfast Muesli with Raisins and Flaxseed

This past week, I decided to participate in a recipe swap with a few ladies from the message boards I frequent.  I wasn't sure what I was going to end up getting, but I did request something dairy free to be adaptable for Gary.

This week's theme was breakfast items. I shared the strawberry pancake recipe that Gary loved so much! I received this breakfast muesli. I was concerned when I got this, because I've actually never seen Gary eat oatmeal. I've always been the oatmeal/yogurt/cereal type breakfast person, and he was the meat and potatoes type. Little did I know, his dad used to make oatmeal with eggs for him all the time! I also love how this was prepped and left alone overnight, so it was great when we were rushing out the door the next day!

I originally started out to halved this recipe since we were going to be out of town for a few days. I accidentally poured too much maple syrup in, so I ended up making the full amount. Glad I did, because we actually loved it and ate quite a bit of it in one sitting on it's own.

I did have a few adaptations. I omitted the wheat germ since I didn't have any on hand. I subbed the cranberries with these giant plump raisins I had, and I ended up using the quick oats since it was all I had. I thought I had regular, but I was mistaken. Nonetheless, it worked out fine. I also used almond milk to keep it dairy free.

Check out Taste of Home Cooking for the entire recipe swap round up!

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Muesli with Raisins and Flaxseed
adapted from: Baby Food Scoops

ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (I used raisins)
1/3 cup wheat germ (I omitted)
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup maple syrup (may alternatively use agave nectar or sorghum)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
3 cups milk (I used almond)

For serving: yogurt, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts), fresh fruit

For drizzling: maple syrup or agave nectar

directions:
Combine first seven ingredients (through vanilla) in large bowl.

Pour milk over mixture, stirring to combine.

Cover and chill at least 4 hours (or overnight).

to serve:
Place yogurt in a bowl or custard cup.

Top with oat mixture and add desired toppings.

Drizzle with additional maple syrup or agave nectar, if desired.

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