Posts by admin:
- 3/4 cup steel cut oats
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1 apple, chopped
Deep Dish Chocolate-Raspberry Oat Bars
October 25th, 2010
Hello my friends! I hope you all had an awesome weekend! I am on a total high from this weekend’s performance because it was absolute perfection! I am so proud of my Ryan because he is the best conductor. I have all the right to be biased because it is so true. Ask around. 🙂
Saturday, the day of the performance, we had a 3 1/2 hour rehearsal period because we had to work with the steel drum band that had traveled from Detroit to perform with us. The rehearsal was smooth and Ryan kept on reminding all the Holland Chorale not to over sing since our performance was that VERY evening. Folks, it was hard not to over sing since we had that steel drum band. It was definitely so beautiful to listen to different instruments. God is wonderful how he allows people to discover uses for instruments. Here is a sample of our rehearsal: (How much ghetto can I get? Silly Youtube tells me it has not been processed but it is! Click here to listen}
Sunday was of course a day of rest since we needed it VERY much. We visited out friends church and worshipped with a huge congregation. Holland is small and there are several churches in the area, but I never thought it would have a choir close to 125 people. Reminds me of my choir back in Texas. We later took a nap and then enjoyed a lovely hike in a new reserve in town. I captured the beautiful colors of the leaves and tried not to inconvenience the friends we were with by taking pictures of every gorgeous leaf I found. What can I say, I love FALL!!!
As soon as I got home last night I baked something right up. Can you tell I missed being in MY kitchen??? I have had several ideas floating through my head working with some freezer jam that I have had in my fridge. I knew I needed to make something delicious and perfect with my favorite beverage. I wanted to make something that was gluten-free but I did not quite get that adventurous since I did not have that much time in the kitchen.
I paired dark chocolate with raspberry and oats and came out with a delicious bar that both Ryan and I speechless as we took turns taking bites. We were watching Everything’s Fine and boy was it FINE! The flavors combined pretty perfect even to the point Ryan asked for seconds. As I look at my kitchen this morning I wonder how I have JUST 3 bars left. Seriously folks. I can’t keep the pan full around here.
This is a good thing! Even though I used 1 cup of oat flour and 1 cup of spelt, if you feel adventurous, you are welcome to try making this with 2 cups of gluten-free oat flour. I will be trying it in the future but I needed to share the recipe ASAP. Enjoy the recipe because they won’t last in your an for long! 🙂
Deep Dish Chocolate-Raspberry Oat Bars
print recipe
makes 9 bars (9×9 glass pan)
Crust
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free oat flour
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 chia egg (1 Tbsp ground chia seeds + 4 Tbsp warm water)
or flaxseed egg (1 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal + 4 Tbsp warm water)
2 Tablespoons SO Delicious coconut milk
Filling
1 cup raspberry freezer jam or store-bought jam
Topping
3/4 cup gluten-free oats (Bob’s Red Mill)
2 Tbsp Tropical Traditions coconut oil, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp oat flour
3 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×9 pan with coconut non-stick spray.
Crust preparation
Mix up your chia egg and set aside for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl mix the spelt and oat flours, baking soda, and salt. Add maple syrup, brown sugar, and coconut milk to the chia egg is and combine well. Add 1/2 cup coconut oil to flour mixture and using a fork or patry cutter, combine the two ingredients until it resembles wet sand. Add the wet ingredients and combine well.
Press dough into the 9×9 dish, allowing the dough to rise above the edges of the pan about 1 inch. This is not a layer, but more a crust to contain the filling.
Add 1 cup of raspberry jam onto the crust and spread evenly.
Topping preparation
In a medium add oats and melted coconut oil and combine well. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Add the crumble topping to the raspberry mixture and spread evenly.
Bake for 45 minutes and cool for another 45 minutes. These bars are so good a little warm though. They are even better the NEXT day! I wrapped one up for Ryan for lunch so I know he will like that surprise. 🙂
Note: I have already seen people make comments about how this post is ruined since I used half spelt and half oat flour. I am limiting my gluten and NOT elmininating it. This would be the reason the blog states raw and vegan recipes and not gluten-free. I will be indicating which recipes are specfically are gluten-free for those readers. I am in the process of testing this recipe as completely gluten-free. Thanks! 🙂
Sharing is Caring!
Portabella-Poblano Fajitas
October 22nd, 2010
Thursdays are probably the busiest days of the week. We travel a totoal of 3 hours to get to our weekly destination for chorale rehearsals. What does this mean? It means I do not get a lot of cooking that day. It means if I do, I am a pretty frazzled person. Ask Ryan. I am usually not a happy camper. I have said it before but I am not a meal planner and some times I do not believe I need to be in the kitchen all evening AFTER cooking dinner. If I have leftovers I will usually pack those for the busy Thursdays. Sometimes I cook something really quick and pack it the SAME day. Not a happy camper. I feel like 3 people on these days.
This week I had plenty of leftovers and was stree-free yesterday. Ryan had leftover Orecchiette and Spinach with White Wine Sauce for lunch and then I made him lunch for dinner. It was so simple and hectic-free people.Why had I not convinced Ryan and myself that this would be an easier process? At least I enjoyed it. I had steel cut oatmeal for dinner last night. So easy, filling and delicious!
Boil water and add the oats and the applesauce for 15-20 minutes. Add the spices, cherries, apples, and extract and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir often. Remove from heat and enjoy!
Wednesday was our non-busy day so I knew it was my chance to make a nice meal at home. I had 5 portabella caps staring at me in the fridge and was wondering what to do with them. I quickly decided to make veggie fajitas because it had been a while since we had enjoyed some Mexican food. The fajitas were SO easy to make and so flavorful. I added a side of refried beans that could be added to the tortilla and another side of shredded lettuce and guacamole. It was a quick dinner but very tasty.
Even though I used poblano peppers for my fajita skillet, any other type of peppers may be used. Ryan likes stewed tomatoes in his fajitas so I added one tomato to the grill. A quick mixture of salt, pepper and lime juice bring the flavors together quickly. It was an even amount of veggies. I complained to a friend that so often are veggie fajitas JUST peppers and onions that I forget what else CAN be grilled.Creativity sometimes is lacking. Enjoy this recipe any night of the week!
Portabella-Poblano Fajitas
serves 2
3 portabella mushroom caps, sliced
2 poblano peppers,seeded and sliced
1 medium to large onion, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lime, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Heat a large wok or stove-top grill over medium heat, 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the sliced onions and peppers and grill for 5-8 minutes.
Slice the portabella mushrooms by removing the stem and slicing each cap 1/2 inch thick. Slice stem as well and add mushrooms to the onion-pepper mixture.
Drizzle the last Tablespoon of oil and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the sliced tomato and minced garlic to the mixture and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Add salt, pepper and lime juice and mix well. Ready to eat.
Assembly
Serve with a side of 4 corn tortillas each, 1/2 cup refried beans, 1 cup shredded lettuce each, guacamole, and hot sauce for a delicious meal!
Sharing is Caring!
Gingerbread Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake
October 20th, 2010
I have to take a break from my Skinny Bitch recipes and tune you into my favorite category: BAKED GOODS! If I had a choice in my non-vegan days I would probably have a website like Daydreamer Desserts. Her site boasts beautiful recipes and pictures but I know I can never eat and bake like that! Well, I mean, I could, but it would all be vegan and I would not be focused on losing the weight I need to be losing. That is totally another story.
I enjoy making desserts as I have said before so when I found out we were having company over I immediately knew what I wanted to try. I have been really enjoying reading all the Project Food Blog posts Foodbuzz.com because I have been exposed to lots of talent and people just like me who enjoy being in the kitchen and creating. One of my all-time favorite blogs is Angela’s at Oh She Glows. I feel like we are on the same wavelength and she enjoys veganizing and creating her own dishes like I do. Why not support another great cook?
When I saw Angela post her 4th entry for the food competition I knew I had to make the upside down pear cake. I do not think I have ever eaten a pear cake, that I can remember, but I have usually eaten cake with apples or pineapple. When I saw two large organic Bosc pears at my health store it was another given that I was going to be baking the cake.
The next question was, when was I going to bake this lovely cake? Between my day job, working out and other duties I decided to bake it before I started my job and after my early morning workout. How about 7am baking? I loved it actually. I love having dessert prepared before the main meal because it seems like the most important part of a meal. At least it is for me!
What is your favorite part of a meal? Dessert, main dish, sides?
The result?? This cake is SUPER moist and so delicious! Ryan gave me one look when I asked him how he liked it where I knew he was in spiced cake heaven. It goes perfect with your favorite hot glass beverage of choice. 🙂 Enjoy!
Gingerbread Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake
Print recipe
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time 50-60minutes depending on pan size
makes 10-12 slices
Inspired by Karen Bates via The New York Times
by Oh She Glows
Cascading Caramel
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
6 Tablespoons Soy Free Earth Balance margarine
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon coconut peanut butter
2 pears, peeled, and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
Gingerbread
1/2 cup Soy Free Earth Balance margarine
1/2 cup vegan sugar
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 & 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a 10 inch cake pan with coconut spray and set aside. Wash, peel, and slice pears into ¼ inch wedges. Set aside. [Note: I only had a 9-inch pan which worked fine, I just baked it for 50-60min]
Cascading Caramel: In a sauce pan, add the Earth Balance and sugar and bring to a boil. Stir well and reduce heat to medium. Stir for a few minutes. Add in the salt, maple syrup, and peanut butter and stir well for another couple minutes. Pour into greased cake pan and quickly spread around with a spoon to coat the bottom as much as you can. Be sure to do this quickly as the caramel begins to harden up very fast. Set aside and make your cake batter.
Cake batter: With a mixer, beat the Earth Balance and sugar until fluffy. In a small bowl mix the wet ingredients together (molasses, maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla) and whisk. In a medium sized bowl mix the dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, ginger, and cinnamon) and whisk. Alternating the wet and dry mixtures, slowly add them into the butter/sugar mixture a bit at a time. Mix until fully incorporated. Dump mixture over the pears in the cake pan and smooth out with a large spatula.
Bake in the oven for approx. 50-60minutes at 325F if using a 9 or 10-inch cake pan. Allow to cool for around 20 minutes and then gently turn out onto a platter as shown in post, flipping the cake upside down.
Sharing is Caring!
Orecchiette with Spinach in a White Wine Garlic Sauce
October 19th, 2010
I am happy that I already have several recipes in line from last week to feature this week because I am going to have a busy week this week. Ryan’s week is busy with tests, presentations and rehearsals. I am also involved in these rehearsals since our Holland Chorale is performing their Fall Concert this Saturday. I am VERY much looking forward to it since one of our big works is Glenn McClure’s Caribbean Mass. Here is the first movement:
I cannot wait to perform it. I have a solo / duet in the last movement of the mass. The work is different from anything I have ever performed and very unique. I am sure it will also be a unique performance for those who come and listen. Here is a clip of the last movement.
Here is my second recipe I tested from the new Skinny Bitch Ulitmate Everyday Cookbook. Even though I did not have the same pasta as originally posted in the cookbook, easy subsitutions can be made. I only had orecchiette pasta on hand since I had been wanting to try this new shape. There is nothing like eating small ears! GRoss I know, but orecchiette in Italian means “small ears.” 🙂
The sauce was perfection and so gourmet. I did not have a small bottle of white wine, so I opened a bottle of Chardonnay so Ryan and I shared the rest of the bottle at dinner after I used some for the recipe. This pasta dish is really an easy recipe but I felt like I was eating a dish from a French restaurant. The flavors of the mushrooms, white, spinach, tomatoes, and garlic was a perfect blend.
My picture is nothing to gloat over, but everything cooked down and blended in the pasta so I hope this does not detract you from making the dish. Ryan wants me to make this again soon, so I hope this is a sign of its wonderful success. Enjoy!
Orecchiette with Spinach in a White Wine Garlic Sauce
makes 6 servings
1 (1-pound) box orecchiette, uncooked (original recipe uses spaghetti)
3 Tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
5 medium white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups vegetable stock, divided ( I use Rapunzel bouillon cubes )
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped in large pieces
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan cheese ( I use this homemade recipe)
In a large pot, boil water over high heat and cook the pasta according to package directions until is is all dente. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp of oil and the mushrooms and saute’ for 5-8 minutes or until slightly caramelized and golden. Add salt and pepper and cook 1 additional minute. Stir in 2 Tbsp of the stock and saute’ until the stock is absorbed. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Add another 1 Tbsp of the oil to the pan and saute onion over high heat for 10 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Stir in the garlic and saute’ for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Spoon the onion mixture into the same bowl as the mushrooms.
Return the pan to the stove over medium-high heat and the remaining oil. Add the soinach and saute; until the sinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp of the stock and cook until absorbed. Sesaon with salt and pepper to taste. Retunr the mushrooms and onion mixture, and the tomatoes to the pan with the spinach and cook over medium-high heat. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by two-thirds, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining stock and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce beings to reduce again and thicken (it should still be brothy.) Add the Parmesan cheeze. Top the pasta with the sauce and toss to coat.
{My note: the borth with be absorbed in the pasta and be so delicious!}
Sharing is Caring!
The New Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook {Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas}
October 18th, 2010
I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine went by too quickly AS USUAL! Sometimes I just need one or more days to just make up for a long week. Would it NOT be nice to have the weekend be our work days and the week as our off days? Ha! I live such a dream do I not?
 |
| MSU vs Illinois |
We enjoyed a gorgeous day watching MSU slaughter the Illini. The first half of the game was pretty slow with horrendous from the refs and penalities from both teams. I wondered for that first half of the game why they were doing so badly on a beautiful sunny day? I think it is because they were distracted by Gerard Butler being at the stadium. YES! Gerard Butler was at the game in person. WHy, you may ask? Well, MSU are known as the Spartans and since Mr. Butler was in 300, the question from the movie is shown throughout the game, “Spartans, what is your profession?? Who! WHo! WHo!” Mr. Butler was present to ask the question and th rest of the game was history. He conducted the band for a little bit, took pictures whith everyone, and distracted people. HE would certainly distract me! It was cool to have a celebrity at the game.
This weekend I took advantage of going through a wonderful cookbook that Perseus Book publishers sent me to review. The new Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook by Kim Barnouin just came out and I had the priviledge to try out several recipes from the book.
The next few days I will be featuring 3 of her recipes that we have enjoyed. They only require the ingredients you normally have in your fridge or pantry and easily accesible. The pictures in this book are beautiful and enticing and the first 70 pages out 300 pages talk about ingredients, spices, products and green living, and information about harmful foods and ingredients. It is very informative and even more so than the collaborative work from the first Skinny Bitch book and Skinny Bitch in the Kitch Kim Barnouin’s cookbook is a hardback cookbook with easy-to-follow recipes and creative ones at that.
The first recipe I tried focused on black beans. It almost reminded me of the Mexican dish called Enfrijoladas with pureed beans and corn tortillas, but this recipe turned them into enchiladas. They were perfect in spiciness and very flavorful. Ryan is not a BIG legume consumer, but he definitely liked the recipe. I think it is because it had cheese on it. 🙂 Enjoy the recipe and stay tuned for several more during the week.
What is your favorite Skinny Bitch recipe?
Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas
makes 4 servings
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 canned chipotle peppers (I substituted 2 fresh serrano peppers, seeded and chopped)
1 cup diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
12 corn tortillas
1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Fresh salsa for serving
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium saute’ pan, heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil over medium-heat. Add the onion and saute’ for 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook 6-8 minutes. Add the chili pepper. cumin, and red pepper flakes and stir. Add the black beans and mix well/ Pour a little less than half of the cooked bean mixture into a food processor or high-powdered blender. Add the tomatoes and serrano peppers and blend well, for the black bean sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
In a medium pan, heat the remaining oil over medium-heat. Place 1 tortillas at a time in the pan and flip to warm both sides.
In a 13×9-inch baking dish, spread just enough of the black bean sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Fill each tortilla with about 3 Tablespoons of the black beans and black bean sauce. Roll and fold the seam under and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, pouring the rest of the black bean sauce over the top. Spirnkle with vegan cheese and bake for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with cilantro and serve with fresh salsa.
Make sure you check out my NEW “Vegan Substitutes” tab and “Performances and Recordings” tab!
