Strawberries & Chocolate

Strawberries & chocolate...need I say more?

Two simple ingredients, yet a deliciously complex flavor-melted vegan chocolate chips and organic strawberries...ahhhh!

Organic strawberries have been on sale where I shop so I've been buying them up by the pounds.  They are so sweet and great on their own, in fruit salads or in smoothies!

Fruit Salad

Sometimes it's all about the presentation!  

I did a little experiment on my boys this afternoon.  I made your basic fruit salad (chopped honeydew, mango, canteloupe & strawberries), placed it in a "normal" bowl and left it on the table as they passed by.  One said "oh, I guess I'll have some...", the others didn't bat an eye.  Then I placed it in a "fancy" glass and left it on the table.  Immediately, they all said with delight, "Ooooh! Can we have these??!".  Suckers!!

It just goes to show that sometimes it really does matter how we present our food to not only kids (who are easy targets!), but even ourselves!  I find when I make an effort to make a more colorful, beautiful salad for myself it always tastes better than one that's thrown together in a hurry.

And since it's closing in on 80 degrees here, cool refreshing fruit sounded like just the right thing!

Asian Noodle Salad

I am a sucker for almost all vegan Asian cuisine so this quick & easy noodle salad was a breeze to throw together.  The only thing that's cooked is the noodles so the veggies keep their raw integrity in this dish!  (My kids weren't too crazy about this recipe but they can be fussy about noodles)

I've been wanting to try these "miracle noodles" and think this would be a great dish to use them in.  Anyone have any experience with them?  I'm intrigued...

Asian Noodle Salad

makes 6 servings

8 oz., or 1 pkg., udon noodles

1 C. snow peas

1/2 C. sliced mushrooms

1/2 C. chopped carrots

1 C. bean sprouts

1 C. baby corn

1/2 C. water chesnuts

1/2 C. green onions

2 Tb. sesame oil

1 Tb. peanut oil

2 Tb. rice wine vinegar

2 Tb. soy sauce

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Add snow peas to noodles & water 1 minute before draining.  Drain pasta & peas. 

Mix sesame & peanut oils in a small bowl.  In another small bowl, whisk together soy sauce & vinegar.  

Put noodles & peas in large bowl.  Add oils & toss.  

Mix in remaining ingredients.  Add soy sauce & vinegar; toss until well coated.  

Optional: top with chopped peanuts

Mango Salsa

My parents made a salsa recipe based on this one last night for some friends and I had to try it!  It's from a friend of theirs who made it with kiwi instead of tomatoes.  I just used what I had on hand.  This salsa is so refreshing and full of flavor.  (And it's a breeze to make!)

Mango Salsa

3 mangos, peeled & chopped

1 C. chopped tomatoes

1 medium vadalia (sweet) onion, diced

1 Tb. green chili, chopped (optional)

1 1/2 tsp. honey

juice of 1 lime

1 bunch cilantro, chopped 

Mix together and chill for at least 2 hours or better, overnight.

You could easily add in kiwi, avocado or a different herb of your choice.

Serve it with some healthy flax seed chips or multi-grain crackers.

Although Mexican mangos are just starting to come into season and are readily available where I live, not all mangos are created equal so you may need to do a little investigating first.  

Mangos are also super high in Vitamins A & C!

Is Eating Organic Food Important?

Vegan Surprise Cupcakes (Mini Choc. Chip Cheesecakes)

Let me just start off by saying that if you're will power needs work, do NOT make these.  If you don't have someone to share them with, do NOT make these.  You'll regret it if you do.  

Now that we're clear, I thought these little guys would be a great way to kick off the weekend (which is rainy here in Northern California). My mom used to make these for me as a kid (non-vegan, or course) for special occasions.  They are creamy on the inside and chocolatey, gooey all over.  You'll definitely want to use a liner for your muffin tin as they are crumbly.  It's really hard to eat just one!

Vegan Surprise Cupcakes

(mini chocolate chip cheesecakes)

makes 18 cupcakes

Bowl 1:

1 1/2 containers (12 oz.) softened vegan cream cheese (Tofutti brand)

1 Tb. cooking oil

1/2 C. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

Bowl 2:

1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour

1 C. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 Tb. vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1/3 C. cooking oil

1 C. water
1 C. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350F.  Mix items in bowl 1.  Mix items in bowl 2.  Prepare muffin tin with liners.  Fill each cup 1/3 full with chocolate batter mixture, then add 1 Tb. cream cheese mixture, then top with a bit more chocolate batter so the cup is 2/3 full.  Fill each cup the same way.  Top with crushed almonds, walnuts or whatever nuts you like (optional).

Bake 30 minutes.

Two of my three kids didn't particularly like the texture of these cupcakes and asked me to make them next time without the filling and the nuts.  Um, wouldn't that just be a plain ol' chocolate cupcake then? 

Vegan Meatballs with Fresh Pasta Sauce

I can't remember the last time I had a REAL meatball (they sound so gross to me now), but I know that these vegan imposters are delicious!  They've surprised many people who have dined on them before I revealed their real identities.  This recipe is based on my Italian grandmother's authentic Italian meatball recipe....ahhh, I can smell her cooking now...

Vegan Meatballs

makes 18-24 “meatballs”, depending on the size

1 (~12oz.) package meatless grounds

4-5 slices of bread 

1/3 C. vegan parmesan cheese

2 Tb. parsley flakes (or replace with basil)

1 Tb. garlic powder 

sea salt, to taste (~1 tsp.)

1/2-3/4 C. cooking oil*

Directions:

Step 1.  In small bowl, combine bread and enough water to cover; soak.  

Step 2.  In large bowl, mix meatless grounds, vegan parmesan cheese, parsley flakes, garlic powder and sea salt.  When the bread is mushy, squeeze out the excess water well and add it to the other ingredients.  

Step 3.  Mix well using your hands and form into golf ball-sized balls.

Step 4.  Either *fry the faux meatballs in a large pan with cooking oil over medium-high heat, turning until all sides are evenly brown and crispy.  Alternatively, you could bake the faux meatballs in the oven (375F for 30 minutes, turning occasionally).

FRESH PASTA SAUCE (V, GF)

makes about 2 C. of sauce

8 oz. whole wheat or *brown rice pasta of choice 

2 Tb. extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 (~14 oz. cans) diced, tomatoes

2 Tb. flour

1 medium-sized onion, yellow or white, diced

2 Tb. fresh Italian herbs of your choice (parsley, oregano, basil), roughly chopped

 sea salt & pepper to taste

1 C. organic vegetable stock

1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes 

Directions:

Step 1.  Saute onion & garlic in oil for a few minutes, or until the onion is transparent, but not brown.  

Step 2.  Toss chopped tomatoes with flour and add to pan, sauteing until tomatoes begin to cook and soften.  

Step 3.  Add herbs and stir gently, about 2 minutes.  Add stock.

Step 4.  Simmer at least 20 minutes.  Add more or less stock, depending on your preference.

*Use brown rice pasta for a gluten-free version.

Raw Cauliflower Popcorn

I saw this fun recipe on The Renegade Health Show on YouTube.  It's from Philip McCluskey who is a raw food expert and has amazing recipes.  Check out his site here!  Anyway, it's fun, EASY, tasty and so good for you.

Raw Cauliflower Popcorn

Raw head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces

nutritional yeast, a LOT! 

sea salt, to taste

optional: spirulina for a green version

After you've rinsed and chopped the cauliflower, put it in a large tupperware container or plastic (sealable) bag.  Add nutritional yeast (maybe 1/2 C. or more), sea salt (about 1/2 tsp.) and optional spirulina (about 2 Tb.).  Seal it all shut and shake, shake, shake until all the pieces are well-coated.  

This is a great recipe to make with kids as they can do most of the work and love to participate!  My kids and I voted and definitely preferred the "cheesy" popcorn over the "green" popcorn, but test it out and see what you like!

Note: if you have a dehydrator, just place it in overnight and you'll have crunchy pieces (they do shrink though so make a lot!)

Chocolate Candy (Granola) Bars *Award Winner!

*Winner of Farm Sanctuary's Just Eats Tour Vegan Recipe Contest!

Between my three boys, each one prefers a different type of granola bar.  And I get so annoyed when I buy them from the store because it can get expensive!  So I've been playing around with different recipe combinations and finally found one that all three kids love!  (I think the trick was to call them "bars" instead of "granola bars"!)  Oh, and these are chewy.

Chocolate Candy (Granola) Bars

yields 12 bars

2 C. rolled oats

1 C. whole wheat flour

1/4 C. ground flax seeds

1 Tb. hemp seed

1/2 C. Sundrops chocolate candies (like M&M's but healthier)

1/4 C. raw cacao nibs or chips (you could use vegan choc. chips too!)

1/2 C. crushed walnuts or whatever nuts you like*

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 C. Canola oil

1/4 C. brown rice syrup

1/2 C. raw agave nectar

1 Tb. black strap molasses

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 C. water

Preheat oven 350F.  Spray 8" X 8" baking pan with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.  In smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients and add to dry.  Mix well, then add chocolate candies, chocolate chips or cacao nibs.  Stir well and pour into prepared pan, pressing down evenly.

Bake 20 minutes, let cool.  

Cut into bars or squares and keep in airtight container.  

(My kids prefer them chilled rather than room-temperature for whatever reason so see what works best.  These are great to freeze too!)

*obviously you can omit the nuts if there are allergies, but I sometimes like to crush mine super fine so my kids don't even know they're in there

Pasta With Asparagus & Baby Bell Peppers

Luckily, my whole family likes asparagus and baby bell peppers so this dish was a no-brainer.  And for some reason bow-tie pasta always goes over well with the kids!  This recipe was adapted from "Down Home With The Neely's" on the food network.  I love watching cooking shows with my kids-it always gets our taste buds goin'!

Pasta With Asparagus & Baby Bell Peppers

serves 6-8

1 lb. whole wheat bow-tie pasta

1 bunch of organic asparagus, trimmed in 2" pieces

5-6 baby bell peppers, chopped (or other organic bell peppers-choose what's on sale)

1/3 C. onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

zest & juice of one lemon

1/2 C. extra-virgin olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven 425F.

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and cool.

Drizzle asparagus and bell peppers with olive oil and toss with salt & pepper.  Place in oven on cookie sheet to roast for about 10 minutes.

In small bowl, combine garlic, onion, mustard, lemon zest & juice.  Whisk in olive oil, drizzling slowly.  Add salt & pepper. 

Combine pasta, asparagus & bell peppers and sauce in large bowl.  Gently toss until everything is well coated.  

Black olives would be great in this too, or for the "meat-lover", you could add some fake sausage crumbles.  Add a loaf of whole wheat bread with Earth Balance butter and a side salad!

Flowers From the Yard

I'm glad we snatched these up before the rain came!  (This lovely bouquet was all cut by my 5 year old nature-boy.)  It's been a downpour here and is supposed to continue for a few more days...ugh.  

Vegan Potato Salad

With the weather getting warmer in some areas (apparently NOT the East Coast-sorry!) it makes me think of BBQ's!  One thing I used to always make when we'd BBQ was potato salad.  Now that I'm vegan, BBQing  has taken on a whole new identity, but I still miss that creamy cool side dish, so here's the vegan version, which I think is just as good!  (Even my non-vegan husband eats this one!)

Vegan Potato Salad

serves 4

4 large potatoes, peeled
1/2 C. Veganaise or vegan mayonaise

3/4 C. celery, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 C. red bell pepper, diced

1/2 C. sweet pickle relish, plus 1 Tb. of the liquid*

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 Tb. dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. sugar

salt & pepper to taste

Boil peeled potatoes in large pot of salted water.  Cook until tender but firm, about 12 minutes.  

Drain & let cool, then chop into bite-sized pieces.

Add all of the other ingredients and combine until well mixed.

Refrigerate until chilled.
*the addition of the sweet pickle relish liquid adds so much to this recipe...a secret from my  mother-in-law

Pair it with a veggie burger and some raw vegetables!

Smart 11 Year Old (This Video Is So Great!)

You Are What You Eat (and so are your kids!)

I recently came across this great little article in Family Circle Magazine about how kids eat what their parents eat.  I'd say this definitely puts more pressure on us parents (myself included!) to eat healthier to be a better influence on our growing youngsters!

They Are What You Eat. Seriously.

written by Brian Wansink, PhD 

check out his website here

Allow me to introduce you to a mom in upstate New York downing a pizza the size of a bike tire.  And a Wisconsin dad dipping cheese fries in ranch dressing.  And two parents munching fried calamari with tartar sauce on a sunny California boardwalk.

What do they have in common?  All uttered this statement to me: "I can't control what my kids eat!" 

Mind you, all of them were with their kids at the time.  And, in fact, they were controlling what their offspring ate-just not for the better.

My Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University recently studied more than 400 parents in the U.S. and Canada who buy and prepare most of the food their families eat at home-the so-called Nutritional Gatekeepers. (I bet you're one of them, or you wouldn't be reading this magazine.)  We found that, on average, they controlled 72% of what their families eat-for better or worse.

It's for better if they have fresh fruit on the kitchen counter instead of cookies.  Or if they send their kid to school with carrots, multigrain crackers and a cheese stick for snack, instead of just saying, "Buy what you want."

What if they don't take a banana, or eat the packed snack?  Chalk it up to the 28% you don't control.  At least you gave them a healthy option they might not otherwise have considered.

And therein lies the power of the Nutritional Gatekeeper-offering good choices.

If we want our kids to eat better, we need to show them how it's done.  If we munch our way through a giant bag of potato chips while watching "The Biggest Loser", why shouldn't they?

Another example: Because I'm not a coffee drinker, I down a diet soda every morning.  "Gross," you might think.  I don't agree, but here's what's finally making me reconsider this 30-year old habit.  Every time I have a can in my hand, my two daughters ask for a sip.  They don't beg for diet soda when I'm not around.

So it turns out, we do influence what our kids eat, more than we think.  It's just a matter of whether that's for the better-or worse.

I know from my own experience, this is so true!! Whenever I have a hankering for chocolate, guess who also eats more chocolate?  It goes both ways though in my house.  In the days when I was almost all the way vegan, but I wanted a little nibble of cheese, my hard-core vegan son would lay on the guilt and remind me why I shouldn't eat it.  (Want some puss with that cheese?  Ew.)

Breakfast of Champions

This breakfast sandwich will leave you feeling satisfied & confused because you'll think you're eating something naughty!  It's great for convincing your non-vegan friends/family members that a plant-based diet is just as satisfying as a carnivorous one.  So easy!

Vegan Breakfast Sandwich

sprouted whole grain bread

hashbrowns (I used Trader Joe's frozen hashbrowns)

vegan bacon (I used Morning Star Farms Bacon Strips, which has egg whites in it FYI)

Earth Balance butter

Toast & butter bread.  

Cook hashbrowns and bacon strips in small skillet on top of stove until hashbrowns are cooked through and crispy on the outside and bacon is crispy and slightly brown on both sides (about 5-7 minutes).

Or you could zap them both in the microwave if you're super short on time!

Assemble your sandwich and eat!

Sliced avocado or tomatoes would be great on top too!

Smoothie For Kids

It's so easy, even this 1st grader can do it!

Note: he used Almond milk for the milk and usually we (I) add more greens then he did!

Vegan Pizza Faces

Vegan pizzas are always a hit in my household.  You'd be surprised at how little you miss the "real" stuff with all of the great vegan alternatives out there.  We made a healthy whole wheat crust (great for kids to help knead and shape the dough!), used Daiya vegan cheese which melts fabulously, and an assortment of whatever veggies I had on hand to make the faces.  (Spinach, basil, peppers, olives, & sundried tomatoes.)

Of course, if you're short on time, you can always find healthy whole wheat pre-made crusts as well.  Zucchini, tomato slices, artichokes or mushrooms would be a great addition too!

Vegan pizzas are also great with sausage crumbles, homemade pesto sauce instead of tomato sauce, or whatever else you fancy!

Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

(makes 8 servings or so- one large pizza or 3 mini ones)

2 C. whole wheat flour

1 package active dry yeast

3/4 tsp. salt

1 C. hot water

1 Tb. vegetable oil

1 Tb. sugar 

Preheat oven 425F

In large bowl, combine flour, yeast & salt.  Add water, oil and sugar.  Stir together well until all ingredients are well-mixed.  

Cover with kitchen towel and place in warm oven or on counter until it rises, about 45 minutes. 

You can pre-bake the crust at this point after pressing the dough into a well greased pan, or add the toppings now and bake.  (Pre-baking for 3-4 minutes creates a crispier crust)

Bake about 12-15 minutes, until toppings bubble.

Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

I don't know if I'm happy or sad about this crazy good RAW dessert recipe.  I mean, talk about rich and satisfying-so easy to go overboard on these babies! The best part?  It's quick and easy!  No one will care that it's raw vegan food.  

Oh, and you can use other nuts besides cashews if you prefer.  

I tried it with walnuts too and it was so good!  

Warning: these are addictive.

Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

makes 8-10 golf ball sized cookie balls

2/3 C. raw cashews (or try walnuts)

1/3 C. regular oats (not quick oats)

3 Tb. raw agave nectar (or use pure maple syrup)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 C. vegan chocolate chips (to make it truly raw, use raw cacao chips or nibs)

Process cashews and oats until well mixed, using a VitaMix or food processor  

Add agave and vanilla and process further until dough forms (it will form a clump-only takes about 25 seconds!)

Remove from VitaMix or food processor.

Add chocolate chips or cacao nibs and stir until incorporated.

Form golf ball sized balls.

Note: You may need to wet your hands to keep them from sticking. 

If my kids weren't sleeping while I made these cookie dough balls, it would all be gone by now!  I'm going to see if I can make what's left last until tomorrow....not sure about that though!

Pour yourself a cold glass of almond or rice milk to go with it and you'll feel like a kid again too!

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Eating from the Backyard

My kids and I picked some yummy stuff from the yard today!  

Since the broccoli's all eaten up for now, we  taste-tested some of the other things like the mustard greens pictured above.  My youngest two were eating it raw, which means they were benefiting from it's many health benefits, including: antioxidant power, detox support, vitamins C, E, & K, and it's ability to lower cholesterol.  There are a slew of other reasons to eat it or grow it too!


(By the way, I've never thought of myself as an avid gardner, but I am learning.  These greens are something my 5 year old planted after his Gramma gave him some seed packs for his b-day.  I didn't even know what the heck they were at first when they started to grow!)


The oranges are now in perfect season, apparently, because they taste super sweet, as opposed to when I sampled them a few months ago.  I used them in the juicer today too along with some of the mustard greens, apples, & carrots.  So good, it's like a Jamba Juice!!

One more note: it's wise to rotate your green leafy veggies on occasion.  Not only will you reap the health benefits of each, but if you only eat one type you'll get a build-up of it's alkaloid.  Check out this video for more information!

Quick Citrus Broccoli Stir-Fry

I was watching one of the cooking channels yesterday when I came across a delicious looking stir-fry recipe.  It was from Sunny Anderson's Show, "Cooking For Real".  Although she uses animal products in most of her recipes, this is one that's easy to adapt into a scrumptious and quick vegan meal.  I love the simplicity of it.  The whole thing came together in less than 10 minutes!

Now I know I said, in my previous post, to eat your greens & veggies raw.  I'm still stickin' by that-but this morning we all had our kale-filled smoothies and salads for lunch so I think we're okay on the cooked broccoli!  I might even sneak in some Vegan Peanut Butter Cups tonight...

Pair this with wholesome brown rice and vegetable pot stickers (steam or broil them) and you've got a quick and healthy Asian-style meal.

Quick Citrus Broccoli Stir-Fry

2 Tb. tamari or nama shoyu

1 Tb. raw agave nectar

2 Tb. fresh lemon juice

1 Tb. fresh orange juice

1 lemon, zested

3 Tb. vegetable or peanut oil

2 1/2 C. fresh broccoli, trimmed

1 1/2 C. coleslaw mix (I used Trader Joe's carrot/broccoli slaw)

In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, agave nectar, lemon and orange juices, and lemon zest.  

In large non-stick skillet, heat oil over high heat.  Add broccoli and saute, turning, until slightly brown on some sides.  Do not over cook-keep it crisp-about 5 minutes or so.

Add coleslaw mix to skillet and toss.  

Add sauce and mix thoroughly to coat the broccoli and coleslaw.

You could add some cashews or peanuts to this at the end for some added protein.

Note: My kids asked what I was making for dinner and when I described it to them, they said "awww, do we have  to eat that?", then when they saw it on my plate, they grabbed at it and begged for some.  Sometimes it's all in the presentation I guess!

Eat Your Raw Greens & Veggies

Eating raw greens and vegetables is such an important daily part of our diets; kids included.  

Kale, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, arugula, radish and cabbage are among the Brassicaceae family that contain two cancer preventatives; sulforaphane and glucosinolates.  Many healthy properties are lost when these nutrient-rich plants are cooked, baked or sauteed.  

Research shows that by cooking these foods, most of the anti-cancer properties are lost.  90% of the sulforaphane is lost when cooking broccoli.  That's 90%!!!  And if you boil an of these veggies you'll loose up to 77% of the glucosinolates.   

If you don't believe me, check out VegNews Magazine Online where they sum up which foods are best to eat raw vs. cooked.  Or look to Victoria Boutenko who has done an amazing amount of research on the subject of raw food and the benefits of getting raw greens in your diet every day.

I'm not saying go raw, but I am saying it's worth it to look into the amazing positive effects eating more raw greens and vegetables can do to you and your family's health and well-being!

Creamy Chicken Salad (Vegan)

One of the foods I've missed most since becoming vegan a year ago is creamy foods; think mac 'n cheese, alfredo sauce, potato salad, and chicken salad.  This creamy (vegan) chicken salad recipe really hits the spot and leaves me with no guilt as it's cholesterol free!

Creamy Chicken Salad (Vegan)

serves 2-4 

1 1/2 C. faux chicken strips (I used Trader Joe's chicken-less strips)

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/3 C. tomatoes, diced

1/3 C. onion, diced

1/3 C. raisins

1/3 C. walnuts, crushed or chopped

1 C. basil, spinach or lettuce, finely chopped

2/3 C. vegan mayo

1/2 lemon, juiced

salt & pepper to taste

Chop or dice faux chicken strips and place in medium sized bowl.  Add peppers, tomatoes, onion, raisins, basil/spinach/lettuce and walnuts.  Toss together.  In separate small bowl, mix together mayonaise and lemon juice with salt and pepper.  

Place in whole wheat or spelt tortilla shell or, if you're being really good, in romaine lettuce leaf.

Roll up and enjoy!

Fresh Black-Eyed Pea Salad

I've been trying to incorporate more legumes in my diet but find it difficult because they're not my favorite thing to eat.  I got a little motivation from Angela of OhSheGlows.com who's always cooking up delicious looking, healthy recipes. 

So I came up with this quick and easy (and super healthy) number!

Fresh Black-Eyed Pea Salad

2 C. cooked and drained black eyed peas

3-4 strips vegan bacon (oh yeah!)

1 large tomato, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1/3 C. red onion, diced (optional)

1 Tb. fresh parsley, finely chopped or 1 tsp. dried

3 Tb. balsamic vinegar

1 Tb. dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tb. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 lime, juiced (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Rinse black-eyed peas and place in medium sized pan with enough water to cover.  Bring to boil, then simmer 40 minutes or until soft.  (If you're using canned peas, of course, you can skip this step)

In small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, lime juice, garlic and olive oil.  Set aside.

Cook vegan bacon (I used Morning Star Veggie Bacon Strips) according to package directions and crumble or chop.  

In medium bowl, toss together tomato, pepper, onion and cooked black-eyed peas.  Add dressing mixture and bacon; toss until well incorporated.  Add salt, pepper and parsley.  

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or better yet, until the next day.  Toss well again before serving.

Although black-eyed peas are called peas, they are actually considered part of the legume family.  Legumes are beneficially to our health (especially vegans) because they're not only high in fiber and low in fat, but they are also one of the least glycemic sources of carbs. They are a great source of protein and contain tons of vitamins (like Riboflavin, some B12 and B6, Folate, Vitamin A and Vitamin C)!

Chewy Chocolatey Vegan Brownies

I heard someone, somewhere simply utter the word brownie and I couldn't get it off my mind.  So I went on a mission to create the perfect vegan brownie to satisfy my craving. 

Chewy Vegan Brownies
makes 9 servings

2 C. flour (I like whole wheat pastry flour)

1 C. water

2 C. sugar (date sugar, coconut palm or turbinado/raw sugar)

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3/4 C. cocoa powder

1/2 C. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 C. dark chocolate chips 

optional: 1/2 C. chopped walnuts (adds omega 3's!)

Directions:

1.  Using a medium sauce pan, heat water and 1/2 cup of the flour over low heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick and gooey.

2.  Remove from heat and let it cool completely.

3.  Using a large wooden mixing spoon, stir together the sugar, salt, vanilla, cocoa powder & oil, then add in the flour/water mixture.  Mix until well combined.

4.  Add in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and baking powder, stirring until well incorporated.  Now stir in the chocolate chips and optional nuts.

5.  Spread the mixture into greased 9" x 9" pan.

6.  Bake at 350F for 25 minutes, or until a fork or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool before slicing.

These will be gone quick!!

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Ahhh...California....

These are a few of the things blooming in my backyard.  Gotta love California livin'!

Big Bro' Convinces Lil' Bro to Eat Raw Broccoli

I've been trying to convince my 2 year old that the broccoli growing in our backyard is super tasty but he hasn't believed me yet.  Well, that all changed today when his big brother, who's 5, grabbed some broccoli and ate it, then gave some to him.  They finished off what was growing out there!  They even ate the pretty little yellow flowers that bloomed on the ones that weren't harvested yet.  (Both boys thought that was super cool!)

Just be sure to teach kids not to go around eating just anything though, please, as some plants are poisonous!

Salad Sandwich

When my kids get sick of salads, we sometimes make "salad sandwiches"!  We call them Subway sandwiches because the kids get to pick what they want on them (of course, they only get to pick from healthy things so it's a win-win).  Be sure to use sprouted bread though.
One of my kids claims he hates hummus but when I secretly smear it on his sandwiches he devours them!  Use the same things you'd throw in a salad (see my previous post on making salads fun for kids) but put it between two slices of slightly toasted bread and you've got a winner!

We also use Veganaise which tastes like regular mayo but there are other great versions as well.  Mix that with the hummus and add olives, sprouts, salad greens, micro greens (packed with vitamins A & C among other great things!), peppers, avocado, etc.

Enjoy!