Happy Holidays!

We wish you a wonderful holiday and happy, healthy, wholesome eating.

Figgy Pudding

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

1 cup molasses

2 cups dried figs (about 1 pound), stems removed, chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Garnish: Whipped cream

In an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the eggs and molasses and beat again. Add the figs, lemon peel, buttermilk, and walnuts. Blend 1 minute. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend until everything is incorporated.

Grease and flour and 8 by 4-inch soufflé dish and pour in the batter. Bake in a 325-degree F. oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Easy Black Bean Chili

12 oz can of black beans
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch of cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tsp of ketchup
1 cup of chunky salsa
salt and pepper to taste

Add beans (do not drain) and all of the other ingredients, simmer for

20 minutes on low temp and serve. I like it over rice with cheese and sour cream.

Vegan Eggnog

• 4 cups soy milk
• 1 tbsp vegan instant vanilla pudding powder

• 1 cup nondairy whipping cream or heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

Whisk together half of the soy milk and instant pudding untill thickened. Add the remaining soy milk and the cream and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients, except cinnamon. Allow to chill overnnight before serving, and sprinkle with cinnamon just before

Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

¨       8 pounds tomatoes, seeded and diced

¨       1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

¨       1 large onion, minced

¨       3 cloves garlic, minced

¨       1/2 cup olive oil

¨       salt and pepper to taste

In large saucepan, cook tomatoes and basil over medium-low heat until tomatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, in medium skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent.

Add onion mixture to tomato mixture and add salt and pepper. Let simmer on low heat for 2 hours or until thick.

Stuffed Manicotti

1  (16-ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese 

1  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry

1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1 1/2  teaspoons  dried oregano

1/4  teaspoon sea  salt

1/4  teaspoon  black pepper

1  (8-ounce) package manicotti (14 shells)

2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, cottage cheese, and the next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a medium bowl. Spoon about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture into each uncooked manicotti. Pour half of tomato-basil pasta sauce(see above) into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer over sauce, and top with the remaining sauce. Pour 1 cup water into dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella evenly over sauce. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until shells are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Quest for a Vegetarian Sloppy Joe

I have been on a quest for sometime to make the perfect vegetarian sloppy joe.  I think this is the best recipe so far.

4 Amy'sVeggie Patties
red and yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup of vegan barbecue sauce
1 Tsp of ketchup
1 tsp of Louisiana Hot sauce
1/2 tsp of brown sugar
1/2 tsp olive oil

Defrost veggie patties in microwave and the crumble until it resembles ground meat, set aside. Saute bell peppers in olive oil until soft, add veggie crumbles and heat through, in a bowl add barbecue sauce, ketchup, hot sauce and brown sugar whisk together and pour over the veggie crumbles and stir continue cooking until the mixture simmers.  Pile of a bun or fresh Kaiser roll with your favorite cheese.

The livestock sector is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, while all the cars, lorries, ships and planes added together do not account for more than 13% of greenhouse gas emissions.

It's so easy to commit to one day a week without meat, not only will it be beneficial to the environment, but it can have a positive impact on your health as well.  If you are a die hard meat lover, try using a meat substitute like Morning Star Crumbles, they work great with tacos, chili, or spaghetti sauce.

for more on this subject:  http://hubpages.com/hub/The-carbon-footprint-of-meat-consumption

Lemon Rice

• equal parts rice and water
• juice of 2 lemons
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter

you can boil this or steam it, juice both lemons (reserve 2 slices for garnish) add the juice to rice and water, next add the garlic, bay leaves, rosemary and butter, cook rice per instructions and serve hot

Sweet Potato Curry

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

½ yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons of green curry paste

1 can of coconut milk

¼ teaspoon of ginger paste (you can use fresh if you like)

½ teaspoon of rubbed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon of coconut oil

in a wok or stir fry pan Heat coconut oil and sauté onion and garlic until onion is transparent,

add pre-boiled cubed sweet potatoes, curry paste, coconut  milk , red pepper flakes and ginger paste, heat to a boil and then let simmer for 10 minutes, serve over jasmine rice

The First Thanksgiving

The only written eyewitness account of the first Thanksgiving dinner was a letter written by colonist Edward Winslow to his friend in England in late 1621. History scholars have scoured this correspondence to try to accurately forge an account of the true Thanksgiving meal. The vision of the feast this letter and history form is far from how it is traditionally replicated in modern America.

Foods That Were Not Served at the First Thanksgiving

• Turkey - Turkey was often eaten by both the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims but is not specifically mentioned in Winslows’ letter. The account mentions “wild fowl” only and could have referred to duck or geese instead of wild turkey.
• Popcorn - There was no popcorn, corn was prevalent but was not popped.
• Cranberry Sauce - Fifty years after 1621 there is mention of a cranberry sauce for use with meat in English recipes. Prior to this time sugar, a necessary ingredient in cranberry sauce was an incredibly expensive import. Both the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag would add whole cranberries as an ingredient to add tartness, however cranberry sauce itself would not appear until the 1670’s.
• Potatoes - White potatoes were virtually unknown in England at the time of the Thanksgiving feast, they were only raised by specialized botanists at the time and were not a part of the English diet. Sweet potatoes were, in the early 1600’s, imported into England from Spain and were used only by the ultra wealthy for their purported aphrodisiac properties.
• Pumpkin Pie - There were no readily available ingredients for the crust of a pumpkin pie at the time. Pumpkin and squash were included in the feast but served as vegetables only. After 1621, pumpkin dessert recipes included pumpkin pieces sliced similar to apples only.
• Apples - Apples were not present in 1621 in Plymouth.

Foods Included in the Original Thanksgiving Feast

In addition to the wild fowl, pumpkin and squash mentioned above, the following foods were certainly abundant and most likely were included in the “harvest” celebration:

• Fish
• Lobsters
• Eel
• Mussels
• Oysters
• Corn
• Parsnips
• Collards
• Turnips
• Spinach
• Onions
• Dried Beans
• Dried Blueberries
• Grapes
• Nuts

1621 Thanksgiving Meal Details

• The celebration lasted for three days, not one, and consisted of intermittent feasting and entertainment (games and shooting of muskets).
• It was most likely held in October, not November.
• There is no evidence that the Indians (Wampanoag) were explicitly invited.
• It was not called “Thanksgiving”. It was a “harvest festival”.
• It did not become an annual event.

“by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” - Edward Winslow – December, 11, 1621


Read more at Suite101: The Original Thanksgiving Day: The Surprising First Thanksgiving Menu- No Turkey, No Pumpkin Pie? http://www.suite101.com/content/the-first-thanksgiving-day-a34145#ixzz162NT0aMH

Cleansing Tea

mix green tea leaves, dandelion root and peppermint root

• peppermint aids in digestion
• dandelion cleanses the liver and kidneys
• green tea is used to treat everything from headaches to depression

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner- Green beans and Cranberries

This is a great recipe from the PETA website: http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut on the diagonal
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup cranberries
1 clove garlic, minced and pressed
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drain the beans in a colander and hold under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Blot the beans with a paper towel to remove the excess water.
• Put the beans into a dry skillet and heat over medium heat until the remaining moisture on the beans evaporates. Stir in the margarine, cranberries, garlic, parsley, tarragon, salt, and pepper, tossing to coat well.
• Cook until heated through.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving -Apples and Sweet Potatoes

·         4-5 sweet potatoes, sliced or chopped

·         2 apples, chopped

·         1/4 cup maple syrup

·         2 tbsp brown sugar

·         2 tbsp margarine, melted (earth balance, for vegans)

·         1/4 tsp cinnamon

·         1/4 tsp nutmeg

·         salt and pepper to taste

Place apples and sweet potatoes in a crock pot or slow cooker.

Sprinkle remaining ingredients on top of the potatoes and apples.

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Vegan Potato Soup

about 1 pound of potatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil  
2 chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 vegetable bouillon cubes
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
4 cups of water
cheddar soy cheese, shredded

dollop of Tofutti’s vegan sour cream

In a large stock pot, saute the onion with  sea salt until the onion turns slightly translucent

Add the garlic and stir well with the onions. Saute for another minute
Add the potatoes and saute for about a minute or two
Add the water and bouillon cubes
Cover and bring the soup to a brisk boil
Reduce heat to a simmer
Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes
Turn off the heat and use an immersion or hand held stick blender to puree the soup in the pot. You can also pour the soup into a blender and puree the soup one cup at a time.
Add the fresh rosemary leaves while blending and blend until smooth making sure that all of the chunks are pureed out.
Once the soup is pureed and smooth, return to the soup pot to reheat.

Top with cheese and sour cream

Alicia Silverstone's Recipes: See What She Eats to Stay Healthy, Energetic and Happy

my husband and I are currently reading this
it has wonderful information ,as well as, great recipes

Alicia Silverstone's Recipes: See What She Eats to Stay Healthy, Energetic and Happy

I'm not crazy about casseroles but...

• 2 cups of plain soy milk
• 1 8 oz tub of cream cheese (you can use vegan if you like)eat
• 1 can of rotel tomatoes
• 1 can of sliced mushrooms, drained
• 2 cloves of garlic, mashed into a paste
• Pasta of your choice, I used rotini
• grated cheese for the top
• cracked black pepper to taste

cook pasta according to directions
heat soy milk on medium temp, add cream cheese and garlic paste and stir until the cheese melts.
once cheese is melted and milk and cheese are combined then add tomatoes, mushrooms, and pepper
pour mixture over pasta and top with shredded cheese, bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner-Cranberry Sauce

 

• 1½ c sugar
• 1½ c water or water/orange juice mixed
• 1 t grated or minced orange zest
• 4 c fresh cranberries

 

Mix sugar, liquid, and zest in the saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.
Add cranberries, lower heat, and simmer until the berries are tender and the skins have popped, 10 minutes or so.
Transfer to a bowl and chill until the sauce is like jelly.

Meatless Burgers

One of our favorite meals is soy burgers and sweet potato fries.  We recently decided to do a comparison of three different meatless burgers we have found.



Nutrition Information: 130 calories, 0 saturated fat,
0 trans fat, 390mg sodium, 12g carbs

Nutritional Information:  170 Calories, 1g saturated fat,
0 trans fat, 360mg sodium, 4g carbs

Nutritional Information:  120 calories, 1.5 saturated fat,
0 trans fat, 380mg sodium, 6g carbs

• Overall we like the taste and texture of the Boca and Morning Star best. 
• Morning Star has the best texture for grilling
• None of the brands held up well in the microwave, not recommended, grill or grill pan work best.
•  Amy's has the best nutritional value.



Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner

Popovers

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 teaspoon room temperature for pan
• 4 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 cup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease a 6-cup popover pan with the 1 teaspoon of butter.
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and process for 30 seconds. Divide the batter evenly between the cups of the popover pan, each should be about 1/3 to 1/2 full. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the popovers to a cooling rack and pierce each in the top with a knife to allow steam to escape. Serve warm.

 

Store bought Roux and Voodoo Seasoning

 this is my favorite roux

Voodoo Seasoning



Vegetarian gumbo

Pre-made Roux (don’t ask me how to make it, I either don’t get it dark enough or I burn it)

2 generous Tsp of Voodoo Seasoning (dried herbs like oregano and thyme and some other good stuff)

the holy trinity

¨       2 onions

¨       Red, yellow and green bell pepper, diced

¨       4 stalks of celery

6 cups of vegetable broth

1 can of stewed tomatoes

3-5 shakes of Louisiana Hot Sauce

3 cloves of garlic

1 ½ cups of chopped okra (I like frozen)

Salt and pepper to taste

About a tsp of file powder

In a large stock pot

follow the directions for the roux

sauté the holy trinity in some olive oil, veggies should still be firm

add vegetable broth to the roux then the trinity, hot sauce, garlic, tomatoes, okra,

voodoo seasoning and salt and pepper

 bring ingredients up to a boil and let it simmer about an hour or all day so the house smells good

spoon over cooked rice and add file powder to thicken

Comfort Food-Improvised Sandwich Press

sometimes you just need a good old fashioned
grilled cheese sandwich

sushi plate and Buddha statue makes
a great sandwich press

homemade sour dough and Amish American cheese


*try using 1 part butter to 2 parts olive oil for cooking
can be modified for Vegans using a whole grain bread,
vegan butter and soy or rice cheese

desserts-Cake Balls

• 1 package cake mix
• 1 container prepared frosting

• Chocolate or white Almond bark for coating

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.

Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner

Pumpkin Soup
4 cups cooked pumpkin
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetarian soup stock

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Gently add the onion, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and browned. This will take around 30 minutes. Add the cooked pumpkin, then gently stir in the vegetable stock. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes. To thicken the soup, simmer uncovered for ten minutes and allow to stand before serving.

Mindful Eating

We are all so busy in the world today.  It makes the practice of mindfulness very difficult, this is especially true in my life right now, in fact I decided to post this while I ate my dinner (peanut butter sandwich) last night from a napkin, as I stood over the sink in the kitchen.  I was the only one home and it seemed silly to mess up a dish, or even sit down and enjoy my food, I simply inhaled it and went back to the paper I was working on.  This attitude has contributed to the rampant obesity we have come to accept in this country.  Like in meditation, we must sit and develop awareness regarding our bodies and it's basic need for nourishment in our daily lives.  Here is a wonderful description by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Mindful Eating

 

Mindful eating is very pleasant. We sit beautifully. We are aware of the people that are sitting around us. We are aware of the food on our plates. This is a deep practice. Each morsel of food is an ambassador from the cosmos. When we pick up a piece of a vegetable, we look at it for half a second. We look mindfully to really recognize the piece of food, the piece of carrot or string bean. We should know that this is a piece of carrot or a string bean. We identify it with our mindfulness: "I know this is a piece of carrot. This is a piece of string bean." It only takes a fraction of a second.

When we are mindful, we recognize what we are picking up. When we put it into our mouth, we know what we are putting into our mouth. When we chew it, we know what we are chewing. It's very simple.

Some of us, while looking at a piece of carrot, can see the whole cosmos in it, can see the sunshine in it, can see the earth in it. It has come from the whole cosmos for our nourishment.

You may like to smile to it before you put it in your mouth. When you chew it, you are aware that you are chewing a piece of carrot. Don't put anything else into your mouth, like your projects, your worries, your fear, just put the carrot in.

And when you chew, chew only the carrot, not your projects or your ideas. You are capable of living in the present moment, in the here and the now. It is simple, but you need some training to just enjoy the piece of carrot. This is a miracle.

I often teach "orange meditation" to my students. We spend time sitting together, each enjoying an orange. Placing the orange on the palm of our hand, we look at it while breathing in and out, so that the orange becomes a reality. If we are not here, totally present, the orange isn't here either.

There are some people who eat an orange but don't really eat it. They eat their sorrow, fear, anger, past, and future. They are not really present, with body and mind united.

When you practice mindful breathing, you become truly present. If you are here, life is also here. The orange is the ambassador of life. When you look at the orange, you discover that it is nothing less than fruit growing, turning yellow, becoming orange, the acid becoming sugar. The orange tree took time to create this masterpiece.

When you are truly here, contemplating the orange, breathing and smiling, the orange becomes a miracle. It is enough to bring you a lot of happiness. You peel the orange, smell it, take a section, and put it in your mouth mindfully, fully aware of the juice on your tongue. This is eating an orange in mindfulness. It makes the miracle of life possible. It makes joy possible.


from the website: http://chetday.com/mindfuleating.htm

Thich Nhat Hanh was born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo in Thừa Thiên (Central Vietnam) in 1926. At the age of 16 he entered the monastery at Từ Hiếu Temple near Huế, Vietnam, where his primary teacher was Dhyana (meditation Zen) Master Thanh Quý Chân Thật .A graduate of Bao Quoc Buddhist Academy in Central Vietnam, Thich Nhat Hanh received training in Zen and the Mahayana school of Buddhism and was ordained as a monk in 1949.

Happy Veterans Day

In honor of Veterans Day, I wanted to present a little information on food in the military.  It has come a long way since the days of the Civil War. 

The Armed Forces Recipe Service is a compendium of high-volume foodservice recipes written and updated regularly by the United States Department of Defense Natick Laboratories, and used not only by military cooks but by institutional and catering operations. It originated in 1969 as a consolidation of the cooking manuals of the four main services, and is based on previous military publications dating back to the first standardization efforts in the US Army in 1896. Recipes are based primarily on American cookery, though with the addition of specialized items such as vegetarian, kosher, and halal recipes to meet more specialized needs of those being served. The Service database is now distributed by the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence, a division of the US Army Quartermaster School based in Fort Lee, Virginia.

Each recipe card has a standardized format; each recipe is calibrated to feed 100 people, with a basic nutritional analysis across the top of the card. Traditionally available primarily in print format, the AFRS database is also available electronically. 

Here is a military vegetarian recipe!

Cabbage and Tofu Dumpling Soup

Dumplings:
1/4 pound firm tofu
4 tablespoons water
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Soup:
1/2 medium head cabbage
1 tablespoon corn oil
8 cups boiling water
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Chopped scallions

Dumplings: Blend tofu with water until smooth.

Sift dry ingredients. Stir in tofu mixture. Knead for 1 minute, form into 1/2-inch balls and set aside.

Soup: Mince core of cabbage and shred leaves finely. Heat oil in soup pot. Add cabbage and sauté over medium heat until golden.

Add water and bay leaf; return to a boil.

Add dumplings, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The dumplings should be floating on the top at this point. Remove bay leaf.

Dilute soy sauce in a bit of the broth, then add to the soup. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve garnished with scallions.

Servings: 6

For the Holidays

Eggnog Daquiris
equal parts store bought eggnog and ice
2-4 shots of a premium vodka
1/3 cup of condensed milk
blend until smooth
DRINK UP!

Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Crudités is a French term that refers to "raw vegetables," so a platter of crudités typically consists of one or more types of raw vegetables served with one or more dips. These are great for parties and can be served as an appetizer or in place of a salad. The sky is the limit, use what you like best.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Simple Vegetarian Dressing

1 Package of premade stuffing cubes

1 container of organic vegetable broth

1/2 cup of sliced onions, chopped

1/2 of a small white onion

2 large stalks of celery, chopped

1 can of organic mushrooms

1 can of organic water chestnuts, drained

1/3 tsp of dried tyme

1/3 tsp of dried sage

cracked black pepper to taste

sea salt to taste, but remember the broth as a lot of sodium so taste befor you add

saute veggies in a tsp of vegan butter until soft, add 1 cup of vegetable broth and let simmer
in a large mixing bowl add your stuffing cubes, sage and tyme
pour the sauted veggies and hot broth over the cubes to hydrate
stir and contiue to add the rest of the cold broth to the mixture until it is soft and wet
Spoon in a metal baking dish and spread evenly
bake until the liquid is absorbed totally and the top is brown

Fall Comfort Foods

Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe

1 1/4 cups of flour

1 1/2 tsp of ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp of sea salt
4 Tsp of vegan butter
1/ cup of sugar
1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
1/4 cup of cinnamon flavored applesauce
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and sea salt
in a different bowl cream butter, and sugar together and beat until fluffy
beat in syrup and apple sauce until smooth
dissolve baking soda in a cup of hot water, stir until the mixture seems curdled
stir into mixture and then add to the flour mixture
combine ingredients well, fill cupcake liners 1/2 full and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees
cool and frost

*I used a store bought cream cheese frosting.

I Made My Own Sugar Scub!

• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• juice from a whole lemon
• 3 drops of almond essential oil, for scent

Natural Beauty Remedies

Easy Pizza







brush with olive oil and sprinkle on Italian seasonings
Bake at 450, for 10 minutes or until crisp



for sauce use all natural Bruschetta
it's perfect for pizza

saute some veggies in 1tsp vegan butter and 1tsp of olive oil

top crust with bruschetta, veggies and your choice of cheese,
 bake until cheese melts

slice and eat