Fancytime Brown Rice Waffles

 

 

 

It's time to get fancy with this healthy, wafflicious recipe. With 1 cup of brown rice flour plus 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice, these crispy waffle's are packed with over a 1/4 cup of rice per 2 waffle serving.

 

 



I also opted not to sweeten these waffles. That way they can be served savory or sweet. Sprinkled with a little salt they remind me a little of a soft pretzel so sometimes I even dip them in mustard.


Don't diss it till you try it.


They also complement salads nicely. And if it's sweet you're craving, they're great drenched in pure maple syrup, or drizzled with my Dark Chocolate PB Sauce.


First they're savory:

Then they're sweet:

(Makes about 16 waffles)
Ingredients:


-1 cup brown rice flour
-1/2 cup tapioca flour(also called tapioca starch)
-1/4 cup almond flour(you can also grind whole almonds in a food processer to make your own almond flour)
-2 tsp. baking powder
-2 tsp. baking soda
-1/2 a banana
-3 Tbs. oil(I used olive oil)
-1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
-1 1/2 tsp. distilled white vinegar or lemon juice
-1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice


Method:

Preheat your waffle iron. Mix all ingredients except cooked brown rice in a large mixing bowl. Fold in brown rice. Once your waffle iron is preheated, spray with cooking spray and pour in waffle batter(the amount you'll need depends on how big your waffle mold is, but I used 1/4 cup scoops). Cook to desired crispiness, about 5-8 minutes.

Earthquake Cake (With A Twister)

 

 

 

I'm hilarious. In case anyone was unaware. This cake is parenthesized (With A Twister) both as a super funny play off the natural disaster theme of this cake's name and because I added my own twist to the traditional cake recipe. A vegetabley twist.





 

 

 

 

Chocolate, pecans, shredded coconut, cream cheese frosting and... vegetables?! I took this delicious cake recipe and raised it nutrition from over 1 1/2 cups of vegetables: pumpkin, carrot and zucchini to be exact. And I promise you can't taste them.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

For Cake:

-100 grams dark chocolate

-1 cup pumpkin puree

-1/2 cup carrot puree

-1/4 cup zucchini puree

-3 Tbs. oil

-1 cup non-dairy milk

-1 Tbs. white or apple cider vinegar

-1/2 tsp. vanilla

-1 cup oat flour(You could probably substitute white or wheat, or other gf flours for the oat and tapioca. I can't guarantee the results, but I almost never use the same exact mix of flours twice. I'm just spontaneous like that)

-1/2 cup tapioca flour(also called tapioca starch)

-1/2 cup cocoa powder

-1 tsp. baking soda

-1/2 tsp. baking powder

-1/4 tsp. salt

 

 

For Frosting(these are my original measurements, but next time I make this recipe I'll 1 1/2 or double them):

-8 oz. vegan cream cheese

-2 Tbs. coconut oil

-1 Tbs. vanilla

-1/4 tsp. salt

-pinch cinnamon

-2 tsp. coconut flour

-3 Tbs. agave or liquid sweetener of choice

 

For Bottom of Pan:

-1 cup unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut

-1 cup chopped pecans

 

 

Method:

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour milk and vinegar into a bowl and let sit. Meanwhile, melt your chocolate then add pureed vegetables(I steam mine before I puree them), oil, vanilla and milk mixture. Fold in dry ingredients.

 

 

Warm cream cheese until stir able and mix in remaining frosting ingredients.

 

 

Grease a 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle pecans and coconut evenly over bottom. Pour cake batter over and spread until even. Dollop cream cheese frosting and swirl into the cake with a knife(this part is fun!). Bake for 30-45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes away with moist crumbs.

 





Magical Vegetable Garden Lasagna

 

 

 

This lasagna is packed with over 8 cups of vegetables! And this is not counting the fresh spinach, which all good vegans know shrinks an insane amount when cooked. Let's just say, if I could shrink as well as spinach does, they'd be writing comic books about me.

 

 

 

 

Also this is probably one of the most delicious things ever. And I used to hate lasagna. Like detest it. But this lasagna(original recipe credited to Ashleigh), is so magical, it reformed me. I used to have so much hate in my life, but now there are only unicorns and happy, vegan lasagna thoughts. That's just the magic of this lasagna.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

-1 box lasagna sheets(I used no-precooking needed rice sheets)

-4 1/2 cups sauce(I used 1 recipe each of my It's Time To Get Sauce-y Balsamic Red Sauce, Pesto With Pizzazz and Wowzers White Sauce, but you can use all red or a combination of any)

-About 8 cups chopped veggies(I'm just guesstimating on the measurement, but I used 1/2 a ginormous yellow squash from a friends garden, 1/2 box mushrooms, 2 carrots and 2 small heads of broccoli)

-One 5 oz bag spinach

-1 1/2 cups Daiya mozzarella style shreds(Click here for nutrition facts and ingredient list)

(Fun fact: Dayaa means "loving, kindness and compassion" in Sanskrit)

 

 

Method:

(I'm going to write this as I made it, with all 3 sauces, but if you're not using all 3, just sub for the ones you are using)

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread a small amount of red sauce at the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Arrange a single layer of lasagna noodles. Spread 1/2 of white sauce over sheets and top with 1/2 of each type of vegetable and dollop with 1/2 of pesto. Wash, rinse and repeat. Top this amazing pan of delicious with your Daiya shreds and pop into the oven covered with foil for 40 minutes, then cook 20 minutes longer uncovered. Enjoy the magic.



It's Time To Get Sauce-y

 

 

 

 

In honor of my recent -and weird- obsession/cravings for every type of pasta dish known to mankind, I thought I'd post recipes for my three favorite, basic vegan pasta sauces.

 

 

So I used to be almost afraid to eat pasta. Yes, I know that's weird. For some reason I was convinced that it was horrendously bad for you in every way, shape or form. And if I ate it, I was going to explode... or something to that effect.

 

 

I'm not a huge fan of white flour, or white flour products anyways, which probably added to my pasta weirdness, so when I discovered brown rice pasta my mind was blown. BLOWN. It opened me up to a whole world of more nutritious pasta products including quinoa pasta and mung bean pasta(I haven't actually tried this one yet, but it intrigues me).

 

 

 

 

But I digress. The star of this blog is the sauce, not the noodles. I also healthified those. And let me tell you, although they are all delicious, the Wowzers White Sauce recipe(which I invented on the spot -not to brag or nothin') is sooooooooooo good. These are winners. And they go really well in my lasagna recipe: Magical Vegetable Garden Lasagna

 

 

 

 

 

Balsamic Red Sauce(Makes 2 cups):

 

 Ingredients:

 

 

-1 onion, diced

-4 cloves of garlic, minced

-2 big tomatoes(I like heirloom), cubed

-1/2 cup canned tomato sauce

-1/4 tsp. salt

-2 tsp. dried basil

-2 tsp. dried oregano

-1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

 

 

Method:

 

 

Sauté onion and garlic in a little water until softened(you can do this in olive oil as well if you prefer). Add tomatoes, sauce, salt and herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low/medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes or so. Remove from heat and mix in balsamic vinegar.

 

 

Pesto With Pizzazz(Makes 1 cup):

 

 Ingredients:

 

 

-4 cups packed fresh basil

-4 cups spinach

-1 cup nuts(I've used almonds, walnuts and pecans with good results. Pine nuts are traditional, but too expensive for my sad college student budget)

-1/4 tsp. salt

-4 cloves of garlic

-1 Tbs. olive oil

-2 Tbs. nutritional yeast(I have made pesto without nutritional yeast, but it adds a really nice flavor)

-The juice of 1/2-1 lemon(I use 1 or sometimes more because I like my pesto super pizzazzy)

 

 

Method:

 

 

Throw all ingredients into your handy dandy food processor and blend until as smooth or chunky as your heart tells you.

 

 

Wowzers White Sauce(Makes 1 1/2 cups):

(This white sauce is so good, it'll make you say "wowzers!" Sometimes even I can't believe how amazingly cheesy I am.)

 

 Ingredients:

 

 

-2 cups non-dairy milk, up to 3 if needed(I use unsweetened almond milk)

-1/2 cup cashews

-1/4 cup nutritional yeast

-2 cloves garlic

-1 Tbs. olive oil

-1 1/2 Tbs. brown rice flour

-1/2 lemon(1 if you're feeling tangy)

-1/2 tsp. salt

-Pepper

-1/2 tsp. garlic powder

-1/2 tsp. onion powder

-2 tsp. mustard

 

 

Method:

 

 

Blend first 4 ingredients on high in your vitamix if you have one, or blender if you don't. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in brown rice flour and cook for a minute or so until browned. Add milk mixture, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders and mustard. Bring to a boil and simmer until sauce reaches desired thickness. If too thick, add more milk to thin out.

 

Try one of these sauces on its own or mix 2, or all 3 together if you're feeling brave.

 

 

 

 

 



 

Apple Pie Breakfast Cookies

 

These are yum. They taste like muffins. But apple pie flavored. And cookie shaped. And healthy. So you can eat them for breakfast. You're welcome.


Oh look! An Apple Pie Breakfast Cookie:

 

 

Oh look! Peanut butter:

 

 

 

 

Oh look! A knife:

 

 

 

 

 

Oh no! I spilled peanut butter on my Apple Pie Breakfast Cookie:

 

 

 

 

 

Whoops!

 

 

Best mistake of my life. Make this.

 

 

(Makes 4, big 1/4 cup cookies)

 

 

Ingredients:

 

 

Cinnamon apples:

-2 large or 3 small apples

-2 tsp. cinnamon

-1/2 cup apple juice

-Optional: 1 packet stevia

 

Cookies:

-1/2 cup old fashioned oats

-1/2 cup oat flour

-1/4 tsp. salt

-1/4 tsp. baking powder

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-A pinch of ginger

-1 1/2 tsp. ground flax + 1 Tbs. and 1 tsp. water microwaved 15-30 seconds or until thick(this is a flax egg; vegan egg replacement. 1 Tbs. flax + 3 Tbs. water = 1 egg)

-1 tsp. vanilla

-2 Tbs. non dairy milk(I use unsweetened almond)

-2 Tbs. agave

-Optional: 2 Tbs. chopped walnuts or pecans

 

 

Supplies:

 

 

-Pot

-Spatula

-Measuring cups and spoons

-Mixing bowl

-Cooking spray(I like coconut oil or olive oil)

-Baking sheet

 

 

Method:

 

 

For apples: Dice apples and combine all ingredients in a pot and cook on medium until apples are tender.

 

For cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Fold in apples and form into 1/4 cup mounds on greased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly into discs and bake for 12-15 minutes or until firm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty In Pink Roasted Veggie Dip

 

 

This dip gets it's vibrant color from roasted beets although most of it's volume comes from yellow summer squash.

It turned out so pretty Ashleigh and I thought we'd almost rather look at it than eat it... But then we tasted it. As she remarked,


"This is probably the most magical dip I've ever made."


She pretty much ate half the dip before getting around to photographing it. And this from a self proclaimed squash hater. It's creamy, garlicy, and full of good things for you without tasting like "health food". Believe me, and if not me, believe the reformed squash hater. You've got to try this dip! 

 

(Makes about 1 cup of dip)

Ingredients:

 

-1 beet

-2 yellow summer squash
-1/4 of a large purple onion

-6 cloves garlic(This dip is pretty garlicy so cut down if you want a milder dip. I like the flavor of roasted garlic though)

-1 Tbs. olive oil

- 1/4 tsp garlic powder

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/4 cup vegan cream cheese(or sub regular cream cheese if you like)


Supplies:


-Metal baking sheet
-Food processer
-Spatula
-Measuring cups and spoons


Method:


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, coat your baking sheet with 1 Tbs. of olive oil. Slice the yellow summer squash, beet, and onion, and add to baking sheet along with whole garlic cloves. Toss to combine. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until squash is tender, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Scoop mixture into a food processer and add salt, garlic powder and cream cheese. Pulse until mixture is combined. Enjoy as a dip for crackers, chips, veggie sticks, or however your beautiful heart desires.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Oatmeal

 

 

 

This oatmeal is to legit to quit. It's the bomb dot com, the bees knees, the cats pajamas and every other colloquialism that would indicate this-oatmeal-is-so-good-I-want-to-punch-someone-in-the-face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I get the urge to punch people when I become excitable. Don't judge me. I'm working on it.

 

 

 

 

But really, this oatmeal is delicioso. Chock full of pumpkin, cinnamon and chocolate, who wouldn't want to eat this for breakfast?

 

 

(makes 1 serving)

Ingredients:

 

 

-3 Tbs. oats(I like my oatmeal on the thinner side, but if you don't, I'd recommend adding 2 Tbs. or so more oats)

-3 Tbs. oat flour(if you don't have oat flour, you can grind oats in a food processer or blender)

-1/2 cup non-dairy milk(I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

-1/2 cup water

-1 Tbs. agave or maple syrup(or sub 1 packet stevia)

-Optional: 1 drizzle molasses(for a brown sugar flavor)

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-Pinch salt

-Chocolate chips

-Optional: Cinnamon sugar for topping(I use raw sugar or coconut sugar)

 

 

Supplies:

 

 

-Pot

-Measuring cups and spoons

-Spatula

-Small oven safe dish

 

 

Method:

 

 

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and cinnamon sugar topping in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium low heat and cook until oatmeal has reached desired consistency(for me this took about 10 minutes). Once you are happy with your oatmeal, you can sprinkle with chocolate chips and eat as is, or, to make it fancy: pour into an oven safe dish, lightly swirl with chocolate chips(I cooled oatmeal slightly so the chips wouldn't melt as fast), top with cinnamon sugar and broil until caramelized on top.

 

Question: If you could turn any dessert into oatmeal, what would it be?