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Vegan Dressing with Barley

6 Comments

Vegan-Dressing1

Three days left till Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving for us is always at my brother's house. he and my sister-in-law prepare the main and a few sides, everyone else shows up with a side or two.

If you're like me and you're still trying to decide what to make to please the crowd, especially if you have vegetarians or vegans in the crowd, you may want to put this recipe on your list. You'll please the vegetarians, vegans and maybe a few turkey eaters as well.

In our crowd, I'm the vegetarian who doesn't eat meat. I have to pass on eating dressing, because it's usually prepared with chicken stock and sometimes it has chicken parts added.

This year I'm bring this vegan dressing or is it stuffing? Oh I don't know. I'm from the south, so I'll call it dressing.  Stuffing is what I'll be doing, stuffing this wonderful hearty goodness into my mouth.

What's makes it hearty?

A mix of multigrain and ciabatta baguette and hearty barley.

Baguettes

I think barley is the forgotten grain, most people tend to think of soup when it's mentioned. But you can use if for so much more than a pot of soup. The addition of barley adds fiber and protein and makes this dressing much more filling.

Serving-Vegan-Dressing-

Moist on the inside, crisp on the outside, hearty, wholesome and so satisfying!

Serve it with my Cranberry Pear Chutney and you may not have any leftovers for Black Friday or maybe Black Thursday Night.

Servings-of-Vegan-Dressing

Yummy and perfect for any gathering.

Vegan-Dressing3
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Vegan Dressing with Barley

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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: TheWholeServing
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 50 mins
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Side Dish

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 loaf day old multigrain baguette and ½ loaf day old ciabatta baguette cubed (I used Trader Joe's) ( 9 cups)
  • 1 cup of uncooked barley
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • ½ white onion chopped,(about ½ Cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
  • 2 ½ to 3 cups vegetable stock
  • salt and pepper to taste (I use sea salt, it has more minerals and less processed)
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cube bread and place in large bowl, set aside.
  3. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in small saucepan add barley and cook until done.When done drain and set aside.
  4. While barley is cooking, heat oil in a large sauté pan to medium high, add in onions and celery, sauté until translucent.
  5. Add in garlic and herbs and sauté a minute or two more.
  6. Add in barley and 1 cup of vegetable stock and cook 2 minutes more.
  7. Transfer sauteed ingredients to bowl of bread and toss, add in 1 cup of vegetable stock and mix. Add in more stock as needed, Bread should be wet, but not dripping wet.
  8. Add in dried cranberries, pecans and 1 tablespoon of the parsley and toss well.
  9. Spray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or spread with vegan butter.
  10. Transfer mixture to a 9x13 pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
  11. Allow to cool slightly and sprinkle on remaining parsley before serving.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 260
  • Sugar: 6.8
  • Sodium: 160
  • Fat: 7.8
  • Carbohydrates: 41.7
  • Fiber: 6.2
  • Protein: 7.6
  • Cholesterol: 0

Shared with the following:

Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Link Party#34   Cornerstone Confessions-Titus Tuesday Link Party#131  The Dedicated House-Make It Pretty Monday

Klienworth & Co.-Create Link Inspire Link Party   Food Faith and Fitness-Show Stopper Saturday Link Party

Cranberry Pear Chutney

12 Comments

Cranberry-Pear-Chutney.1

Chutney!
What is chutney anyway?
Merriam Webster's definition-
chut-ney
noun
:a thick sauce if Indian origin that contains fruits, vinegar, sugar, and spices and is used as a condiment.

My definition of this recipe-
Cranberry Pear Chutney
noun
:simple to make condiment that's out of this world delicious and nutritious.

Cranberry-Pear-Chutney-with

Cranberries - a good source of vitamin C, fiber, vitamin E, K, manganese and some naturally occurring phytonutrients .
There's research that shows cranberries can be beneficial in fighting liver, breast, ovarian and colon cancers.

Source

Pears - a good source of fiber, vitamin B2, C, E, copper and potassium.
Pears are helpful in preventing high blood pressure, cancer, high cholesterol and pear juice can help relieve fever.

Source

Tray-of-Cranberry-Pear-Chut

This super delicious condiment can be served with just about anything
toast
pancakes
ice cream
sandwiches
salads
hot breakfast cereal

alongside appetizers

This stuff is OMG good with cheese and sliced ciabatta bread!

Give this a try and let me know how you serve yours.

And go ahead, replace your plain ordinary cranberry sauce this holiday season with this super delicious Cranberry Pear Chutney.

Thanksgiving-Hostess-Gift


It also makes a great hostess gift.

Happy Holiday Cooking!

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Cranberry Pear Chutney

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4 from 1 review

  • Author: TheWholeServing
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Yield: 20 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 ½ cup fresh washed cranberries
  • ½ cup chopped onions(about ½ a medium onion)
  • 2 firm medium pears, chopped into small cubes(about 2 cups)
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 three inch sprigs of rosemary (optional)
  • ½ cup dried cranberries

Instructions

  1. Place first 9 ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
  2. Once boiling, reduce to medium low and stir occasionally.
  3. Allow to boil until mixture starts to thickens, after 10 minutes stir in dried cranberries and cook for 5 minutes more. It will be ready when liquid coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Remove from heat and transfer to serving dish.
  5. Serve warm or allow to cool completely.
  6. Refrigerate unused chutney.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 20
  • Calories: 35
  • Sugar: 6.3
  • Sodium: 1.3
  • Fat: 0.1
  • Carbohydrates: 8.9
  • Fiber: 1.1
  • Protein: 0.1

Shared with House on theWay, Inside Bru Crew Life-Time To Sparkle Link Party, What'd You Do This Weekend Link Party#98, Pint Sized Baker, Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Link Party #33, New Mrs. Adventures-Tasty Tuesdays, The NY Melrose Family-Whimsy Wednesday, Ducks 'N A Row-Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #100, Our Three Peas-Wine'd Down Wednesdays, The Best Blog Recipe-Weekend Re-Treat Link Party, Domestic Superhero-Pinworthy Link Party, Dear Creatives Inspiration Spotlight Friday, Show Stopper Saturday Link Party, Petite Allergy Treats-Saturday Night Fever Link Party Kleinworth & Co.-Create  Link Inspire Link Party 

Rosemary and Thyme Creamy Carrots

3 Comments

Rosemary-Thyme-Creamy-Carro

I'm so looking forward to the holidays!

I'm a Georgia girl living in Texas, and because of my work schedule I rarely get to be with my Georgia family on Thanksgiving, but lucky for me I have a brother who lives in the area, and his house is where everyone gathers.

We all bring a side dish, I haven't yet confirmed my side, but this carrot side might just be the one.

Rosemary-Thyme-Creamy-Carro (2)

Such a simple and easy recipe, but the flavor is far from simple. The rosemary and thyme add complexity to the smooth and creamy texture.

The aroma, oh my the aroma that fill the house, takes me back to my childhood days in Georgia.  My mother used herbs during the holidays more than any other time of the year, so now when I smell rosemary, thyme and sage it takes me back to childhood holidays.

When guest see this dish they may think sweet potatoes, so give them fair warning before their first bite.

If you're making this dish for a large group, it can easily be doubled, as well as made ahead a day or two.

Happy Holiday Cooking!

Rosemary-Thyme-Creamy-Carro
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Rosemary and Thyme Creamy Carrots

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  • Author: TheWholeServing
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Vegetsble

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb. baby carrots
  • 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 2 inch sprigs of rosemary ant thyme
  • 3 tablespoons room temperature Earth Balance Vegan butter
  • ¼ cup plain almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Place carrots, potatoes and sprigs in large pot of cold water.
  2. Bring to a boil and cook until tender.
  3. While carrots cook, chop herbs and set aside.
  4. Drain, remove sprigs and allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Transfer to food processor, add Earth Balance, milk and oil.
  6. Process until smooth, transfer to a large bowl, stir in herbs.
  7. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  8. Transfer to serving dish, keep warm until ready to serve.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6
  • Calories: 166
  • Sugar: 4.4
  • Sodium: 70.2
  • Fat: 9.4
  • Saturated Fat: 6.7
  • Carbohydrates: 19.5
  • Fiber: 4.1
  • Protein: 2.1
  • Cholesterol: 0

Shared with Our Three Peas-Wined Down Wednesday, Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Link Party, New Mrs. Adventures-Tasty Tuesdays, Pint Sized Baker, Inside Bru Crew Life, Yesterfood-Treasure Box Tuesday, The Best Blog Recipes-Weekend Re-Treat Link Party#93, Joyful Healthy Eats-Show Stopper Saturday Link Party, Be Different Act Normal-Show & Tell Saturday Link Party

Vegan Banana Pumpkin Pancakes

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Pumpkin-Banana-Pabcakes-6

I woke up with a craving for pumpkin pancakes Sunday, pulled out all the ingredients, only to realize I didn't have any almond milk. How could that happen, I always have almond milk.  It was decision time, do I go to the store to get more milk or change the breakfast menu, then it hit me, I'll make banana milk.

What's banana milk? Well, you mix one banana with one cup of filtered water and blend until smooth, add more water if you want a thin milk.  Simple and easy, it fixed my problem and made some super tasty pancakes.

Pumpkin-Banana-Pancakes-Close-up

 The banana milk gives these pancakes a subtle banana flavor and it's OMG good with pumpkin. Give them a try, and let me know what you think.

Stack-of-Pumpkin-Banana-Pancakes-

These are perfect for a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning and for the upcoming holiday get-togethers.

Pumpkin-Banana-Pancakes-2

I did it again, another GIF. What can I say, I like pouring syrup.

Pumpkin-Banana-Pancakes
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Vegan Pumpkin Banana Pancakes

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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Celeste @TheWholeServing
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • Dry Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Wet Ingredients
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons melted Earth Balance, coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Place all dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk (affiliate link) together.
  2. In another bowl mix the wet ingredients together, slowly mix the dry into the wet and mix until all combined.
  3. If you are using a dispenser bottle, transfer batter to bottle.
  4. Brush preheated griddle or skillet with oil or spray with cooking oil.
  5. Squeeze or spoon 3 tablespoons of batter on griddle or skillet.
  6. Allow to cook for 30 to 40 seconds on one side, bubbles will appear.
  7. Flip and allow to cook on other side.
  8. Serve with sliced bananas and maple syrup.
  9. Add chopped nuts if you like.
  10. Enjoy.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4
  • Calories: 223
  • Sugar: 9.6g
  • Sodium: 399.7mg
  • Fat: 7.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.7g
  • Carbohydrates: 37.3g
  • Fiber: 5.7g
  • Protein: 3.6g
  • Cholesterol: 0

Shared with New Mrs Adventures-Tasty Tuesday, Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Party, Pint Sized Baker, Inside Bru Crew Life, Little Miss Celebration- Best of The Weekend Party, Food Faith Fitness-Show Stopper Saturday Link Party, Belle of the Kitchen-Saturday Night Fever Link Party

Apple Cinnamon Sticky Buns

39 Comments

Sweet juicy apple tossed in cinnamon, brown sugar, rolled up in soft tender bread. It’s like eating a cinnamon apple pie.

Many many years ago in the late 80's, when I lived in Atlanta, I entered an amateur recipe contest, US Open Cook-Off.

I submitted several recipes, but it was my Apple Cinnamon Sticky Buns that won me the entry into the bread division competition. On the day of the competition, my parents drove up from my home town of Augusta, for support.

When the judges approached my table, I tried to read their faces for a clues, but nothing, and then the waiting for the announcement of the winners. We waited and waited and waited, finally I decided to go grab a bit to eat with my parents, there was no way I would win. I left something inside, went back to get it and, what do ya know, my name was being called for third place winner, WOW, so this is my award-winning Sticky Bun recipe.

Over the years I've only made this bread once or twice since then. When my daughter found out about this, she insisted I make it again, so here it is my Award Winning Apple Cinnamon Sticky Buns.

This will turn into yummy goodness.           See that empty spot, someone couldn't wait for the invert.

Sweet juicy apple tossed in cinnamon, brown sugar, rolled up in soft tender bread. It’s like eating a cinnamon apple pie.

A lot has changed over the years, one of them being my eating habits, so I made a few changes to the original recipe. I omitted the eggs, Earth Balance replaced butter, coconut sugar for white sugar and I added whole wheat pasty flour for softness.  Still an amazingly delicious bread.

Sweet juicy apple tossed in cinnamon, brown sugar, rolled up in soft tender bread. It’s like eating a cinnamon apple pie.

That's some sticky goodness!  Get your napkins ready.

Sweet juicy apple tossed in cinnamon, brown sugar, rolled up in soft tender bread. It’s like eating a cinnamon apple pie.

Sweet juicy apple tossed in cinnamon, brown sugar, rolled up in soft tender bread. It’s like eating a cinnamon apple pie.

Sweet juicy apple tossed in cinnamon, brown sugar, rolled up in soft tender bread. It’s like eating a cinnamon apple pie.

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Apple Cinnamon Sticky Buns

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Ingredients

Units Scale
  • DOUGH
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 3 tablespoons, Earth Balance Vegan butter, or real butter
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat pasty flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, or regular sugar
  • GLAZE TOPPING
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 stick Earth Balance Vegan butter(½ cup)
  • 1 cup pecans
  • FILLING
  • 3 tablespoons room temperature Earth Balance Vegan butter
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar
  • 2 medium apples, thinly sliced or shredded
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ cup pecans, optional

Instructions

  1. Pour almond milk into large measuring cup, add earth balance and heat in microwave for about 45 seconds or until everything is warn and melted. Mixture should be warn, not hot, if too hot it will kill the yeast.
  2. Sprinkle on yeast set aside and allow to proof at least 10 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl whisk (affiliate link) together flour, salt and sugar. Create a well in the middle of flour and pour in yeast mixture.
  4. Mix flour and milk together, when dough comes together, transfer to lightly floured surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkling on flour as needed to keep dough from sticking to surface or your fingers, you should have a soft springy ball.
  5. Place ball into a greased bowl, cover with towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for one hour in warm place.
  6. While dough is rising mix together ¾ cup of brown sugar and 1 stick of room temperature Earth Balance Vegan butter and spread on bottom of 9x13 pan, set aside.
  7. Peel apples and slice into thin strips or shred in food processor, mix together in medium bowl with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, cover and set aside.
  8. When dough is ready roll it out on a lightly floured parchment paper into a large rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
  9. Spread on 2 tablespoons Earth Balance Vegan butter, top with brown sugar and apples and pecans.
  10. Carefully roll from the longest end using parchment paper to help keep roll tight.
  11. With seam side down, carefully cut into 2 inch slices and place in pan. Melt remaining Earth Balance and brush on rolls.
  12. Cover and allow to rise again for about 1 hour, during last 15 minutes of rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  13. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
  14. Allow to cool slightly, invert, serve and enjoy!
Sweet juicy apple tossed in cinnamon, brown sugar, rolled up in soft tender bread. It’s like eating a cinnamon apple pie.

Shared with Great Idea Thursday's Link Party, What's On The List, Joyful Healthy Eats-Show Stopper Saturday, Little Miss Celebration, House of Yumm-Saturday Night Fever, New Mrs Adventures-Tasty Tuesday, Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Party, Pint Sized Baker, Inside Bru Crew Life

House on the Way

Mushroom Bul Go Gi Lettuce Wraps

4 Comments

Asian-Wraps

You've had a long day and all you want is something good to eat fast. This is a good food fast recipe to keep you out of the fast food lane.

A few years ago I found Ani Phyo, Health and Wellness Expert, on You Tube, after trying some of her recipes I purchased several of her cookbooks and subscribed to her channel. The information she shares is valuable to anyone who wants to go fully raw or just reduce processed foods and add more fresh living  foods to their diet for optimum health.

There are many advantages of eating raw whole foods, but these are the top ones for me.

  1. Higher nutrient values, because they haven't been cooked.
  2. Gentler on the digestive system, the body can process raw foods faster, which makes it a great way to detox without starving yourself.
  3. Can help reduce the risk of cancer. There is more oxygen in fresh fruits and vegetables, eating them puts your body in a higher oxygenated alkaline state, and cancer cells can't survive in that kind of environment.
  4. Best of all, energy.  When I am eating more fresh raw meals, I find I have much more energy to get through my days and it gives me natural energy for my runs.

This recipe is an adaptation form one of her recipes I found on her You Tube channel.

Asian-Lettuce-Wraps

Instead of using soy sauce I used raw coconut aminos, it's soy free and has 65% less sodium. The brand is Coconut Secret, I found mine at Whole Foods, if you can't find it, you can use reduced sodium soy or tamari sauce. I didn't have a pear, so I just omitted it, but the recipe still worked out fine.

I used a mix of shiitake and baby bella mushrooms and since I had a sweet pepper I wanted to use, I added it to the mushrooms.

Mushrooms-and-Peppers

While the mushrooms are marinating, make the sauce.

After only 15 minutes the mushrooms were ready to serve, with that hearty meaty feel.

Marinated-Mushrooms

Assemble, spoon on sauce and enjoy!

Close-Up-Asian-Lettuce-Wrap

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Mushroom Bul Go Gi Lettuce Wraps

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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups, sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 cups, baby bella mushrooms
  • ½ cup, sliced sweet mini peppers (optional)
  • ½ cup, raw coconut aminos
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • Sauce
  • ¼ cup raw coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoons, miso
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 1 teaspoon, hot chili oil
  • 1 teaspoon, toasted sesame oil
  • 1 head of Boston, Bibb or Romaine lettuce, washed and separated
  • broccoli and carrot julienne strips (I purchased pre-cut from produce department)
  • mung bean sprouts

Instructions

  1. Place mushrooms and peppers in a medium bowl, add in raw coconut aminos, garlic and oil, stir and set aside.
  2. In another bowl, stir together aminos, miso, agave, chili oil and sesame oil until well combined.
  3. Scoop mushrooms into lettuce, draining off most of the liquid.
  4. Top with broccoli, carrots and mung beans and drizzle on sauce.
  5. Enjoy!
Asian-Lettuce-Wraps

This post was shared on Huckleberrylove.com, Mad Skills and New Mrs. Adventures, Titus 2 Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays, Our Three Peas-THE Pin-it Party

Strawberry Cherry Coconut Ice Bar

8 Comments

F-Strawberry-Cherry-Coconut

Labor Day, the holiday that marks the end of summer and the start of Fall has come and gone and they're fall decorations in all the stores, but the heat is still on here in Texas.

If you're still dealing with the heat like I am, this is a beautiful, delicious frozen treat that's sure to help cool you down.

I've been craving a frozen treat that's not plain old almond or coconut ice cream, popsicles, or anything dairy.  And then it happened, I cleaned out my fridge and freezer.

Plated-Strawberry-Cherry-Co

Whenever I have fresh foods that are approaching the use me or loose me phase, I freeze for later use.  After the fun of cleaning my fridge and freezer, I had all I needed to put together a sweet, delicious frozen treat.

Almonds, dates, coconut milk, strawberries and cherries, put them together and freeze-- you get crunchy, smooth, creamy and tart delicious goodness.

Strawberry-Cherry-Coconut-B

You can use whatever fruit you have on hand, got blueberries, make it blueberry- blackberries, raspberries, pineapples, go for it!

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

Spoonfun-Strawberry-Cherry-

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Strawberry Cherry Coconut Ice Bar

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  • Author: Celeste
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Total Time: 6 hours 30 mins
  • Yield: 20 1x
  • Category: Sweets, Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • Crust
  • 1 ½ cups pitted dates
  • dash of sea salt
  • 1 ½ cups whole almonds
  • Strawberry Cherry Sauce
  • 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries
  • 1 ½ cups pitted cherries
  • 4 pitted dates
  • 2 tablespoons, fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Coconut Cream
  • 3 cans of full fat coconut milk
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Process almonds and salt in food processor into small bits.
  2. Add in dates and pulse until mixture forms a dough and comes together. When dough stays together when squeezed between fingers it's ready for the next step.
  3. Line a 8 x 12 cookie sheet with parchment paper, making sure to leave extra on each end for easy removal.
  4. Transfer date mixture to pan and press using back of spoon or fingers to about ¼ inch, set aside.
  5. Place strawberries, cherries, dates and lemon juice in blender and process until smooth.
  6. Transfer to bowl, cover and set aside.
  7. Open two cans of coconut milk, making sure not to shake can.
  8. Using a spoon, scoop off the solid cream, leaving the water at the bottom of the can, and place in medium mixing bowl. Store coconut water for use later, great for mixing in smoothies.
  9. Add in 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup to coconut cream and mix with hand blender until well combined and mixture thickens.
  10. Add in ½ cup of strawberry/cherry mixture to cream and mix until well combined.
  11. Spread cream mixture over almond/date crust.
  12. Place in freezer and allow to freeze for 1 to 2 hours, it will not be completely frozen, but solid enough to spread on next layer.
  13. Spread remaining fruit mixture over the cream layer, return to freezer and allow to freeze 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
  14. Open final can of coconut milk and scoop off cream, placing in small mixing bowl.
  15. Add in remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and beat with hand mixer until mixture thickens.
  16. Transfer to squeeze bottle or piping bag (affiliate link) and store upright in a glass in fridge until pan mixture is completely frozen.
  17. When completely frozen, remove from pan and cut into squares.
  18. Squeeze coconut cream over squares using a back and forth motion.
  19. Transfer to serving platter and serve.
  20. Store extra squares in airtight container in freezer.

This post was shared with Mad Skills and New Mrs. Adventures, Titus 2 Tuesday

Roasted Mini Sweet Pepper Dip or Sauce

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Roasted-Mini-Pepper-Dip-Clo

Summer is over,

well not technically, but it's over for me.

 At work we're back to dropping children off to school in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon. (My day job is a Center Director at an Early Learning Center).

Back-to-School is always a busy time of the year, it gets a bit hectic and I become a super multitasker and before I know it, it's late afternoon.  Lately I've been satisfying my late afternoon hunger with this simple, quick and easy mini sweet pepper dip served up with fresh veggies, crackers or crusty whole wheat toast.  It also makes a great spread for sandwiches.

Roasted-Mini-Pepper-Dip

This is a versatile recipe, add in some vegetable broth and you have got yourself a tasty soup that can be eaten as is, add in some steamed veggies, zucchini noodles or meat if you're a meat eater.

To keep it vegan I used nutritional yeast instead of cheese. I'm trying to reduce the amount of cheese I consume and nutritional yeast is becoming my best food friend. No, it's not cheese, but it adds a nutty, cheesy flavor.

Pepper-Pasta-Sauce

Or toss on pasta for a quick dinner after a busy day. Get creative, add in what you like, cheese lovers can sprinkle on cheese.

Above-Sweet-Mini-Pepper-Sau

This is so yum, yum!

Roasted-Pepper-Sauce

Roasted-Mini-Pepper-Dip-Clo

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Roasted Sweet Mini-Pepper Dip

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  • Author: Celeste Meredith
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Entree, Snack

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pound, about 20 mini sweet peppers
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons, Weber All Natural Roasted Garlic Seasoning
  • ½ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • ¾ cup nutritional yeast
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, about 4 to 6 medium basil leaves.
  • ¼ teaspoon, red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Sliced vegetables of your choice and/or sliced baguette

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Wash and dry mini peppers and place on baking sheet.
  3. Cut small slit in each pepper to allow steam to escape.
  4. Drizzle on extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Weber seasoning.
  5. Roast in oven for 25 minutes, or until peppers start to brown in areas.
  6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  7. When peppers are cool, remove stems by pulling from top.
  8. Place peppers in high speed blender or food processor, add in sun-dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast and basil leaves, process until smooth.
  9. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  10. Transfer to serving dish and serve with fresh vegetables and/or sliced baguette.
Roasted-Pepper-Sauce

 

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Roasted Sweet Mini-Pepper Sauce

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  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pound, about 20 mini sweet peppers
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons, Weber All Natural Roasted Garlic Seasoning
  • ½ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 cup cup nutritional yeast
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, about 4 to 6 medium basil leaves.
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • ¼ teaspoon, red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 pound box of spaghetti noodles
  • basil leaves for garnishing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Wash and dry mini peppers and place on baking sheet.
  3. Cut small slit in each pepper to allow steam to escape.
  4. Drizzle on extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Weber seasoning.
  5. Roast in oven for 25 minutes, or until peppers start to brown in areas.
  6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  7. While Peppers are cooling prepare noodles according to box directions.
  8. When peppers are cool, remove stems by pulling from top.
  9. Place peppers in high speed blender or food processor, add in sun-dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast and basil leaves, process until smooth.
  10. Add in vegetable broth and process 4 to 6 seconds.
  11. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  12. Toss noodles in sauce, plate and tear washed and dried basil leaves over pasta and serve.
  13. Optional for non-vegans- sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

This post was shared with Mad Skills and New Mrs. Adventures. Titus 2 Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays, Joyful Healthy Eats-Show Stopper Saturday Link Party, Cooking On the Front Burner- Best of the Weekend Link Party

Asian Sweet Potato Salad

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Asian-Sweet-Potato-Salad-N

  Simple and easy!

Yes, this is a simple, easy, not your everyday ordinary salad.

The out of ordinary in the salad is Asian sweet potato, yummy roasted Asian sweet potato. There are many varieties of sweet potatoes, with skin colors from white, yellow, red, purple and brown, and the flesh range from white, orange, reddish-orange and yellow. Sweet potatoes are classified as either soft or firm and this Asian sweet potato is firm, which makes it perfect for tossing in salads. I tossed with seasoning and light olive oil and roasted in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  I like crispy potatoes so I roasted just a bit longer.

Roasted-Asian-Sweet-Potatoe

I love all varieties of sweet potatoes, firm or soft, they are simply good for you. Here are a few facts about this nutrient dense vegetable.

  • Good source of protein
  • Good source of fiber and carbohydrate for energy
  • Low in fat
  • Has vitamin c, B6, thiamine, and pantothenic acid
  • Contains potassium, copper and manganese

It's a good thing when taste good is also good for you!

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It could not be easier, I just tossed the potatoes on a bed of greens, sprinkled on a few sliced almonds and drizzled with balsamic glaze. I had to make myself a second salad, cause the first one just wasn't big enough.  Smooth creamy potato, crisp salad greens and sweet and tart glaze, oh so good, you have got to give this one a try.

20140718-081239-29559089.jpg
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Asian Sweet Potato Salad

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  • Author: Celeste Meredith
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Salad

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 to 3 medium Asian sweet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons of light olive oil
  • Weber roasted garlic & herb seasoning
  • 1 5oz. bag of mixed salad greens
  • ⅓ cup sliced almonds
  • Vegan balsamic glaze

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Peel and dice sweet potatoes into 1 or 2 inch cubes.
  3. Place potatoes onto a baking pan.
  4. Drizzle with light olive oil and sprinkle on seasoning, toss to coat.
  5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until fork tender, tossing halfway through baking time.
  6. Allow potatoes to cool a bit.
  7. While potatoes are cooling, place greens onto plates.
  8. Sprinkle on warm potatoes, sliced almonds and drizzle with glaze.
  9. Serve and enjoy!

Watermelon Wedges with Vegan Balsamic Glaze

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WatermelonAngled

I've been so loving watermelon lately!

 I wanted more than just plain sliced melon, and I've had this recipe in my head for a few weeks, so I finally put it on a plate.

Quick and simple, take plain sliced watermelon slices,

Plain-Watermelon

Toasted coconut chips, I took mine off before every chip was brown, I didn't want it to burn.

Toasted-Coconut

Sweet balsamic glaze,

Sweet-Balsamic-Glaze

and end up with this beautiful, delicious dish.

GlazedWatermelon

The sweetness of the watermelon, mixed with the tart flavor of the glaze, satisfies that salty-sweet craving I get sometimes. I normally use purchased glaze, but this time I made my own. Most glaze recipes use brown or white sugar, but I used maple syrup to keep it vegan.

Add these watermelon wedges on top of a bed of greens and it makes a nice salad, serve after dinner for a healthy dessert or eat anytime you need a tasty snack.

CloseupWatermelon

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Watermelon Wedges with Vegan Balsamic Glaze

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  • Author: Celeste Meredith
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 8 to12 1x
  • Category: Snack

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 and ½ cups balsamic vinegar
  • ¾ cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup coconut chips
  • 1 medium watermelon, sliced in wedges

Instructions

  1. Add balsamic vinegar and maple syrup to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce to a very low simmer, stirring occasionally.
  3. Cook until liquid has reduced by half and coats the back of spoon.
  4. Pour into glass serving dish or jar, set aside and allow to cool.
  5. Sprinkle coconut chips into a large non-stick dry skillet and place over med heat.
  6. Stir coconut chips as they start to brown.
  7. When most of the chips are golden remove from heat and transfer to storage container.
  8. Assemble watermelon slices on serving platter or plates.
  9. Drizzle on glaze, sprinkle with coconut chips and serve.

This post was shared on Tasty Tuesday's at New Mrs Adventures.

Strawberry Coconut Butter

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Strawberry-Coconut-Butter2

 

Coconut butter is a wonderful thing, (a bit pricey). but you can make this amazing, wonderfulness yourself and keep your money. It's got to be one of the easiest recipes around, there's only one ingredient, dried coconut. I used this recipe I found on chocolate-covered Katie the first time I made coconut butter.  For this I added a second ingredient and took it from plain old coconut butter, to extra-ordinary strawberry coconut butter!

Plain coconut flakes

Coconut-Flakes

Plus fresh strawberries

Strawberries

Equals delicious strawberry coconut butter.

Close-up-Strawberry-Butter

What's so great about making this is you can push start on the food processor and walk away and do the dishes, a load of laundry, oooor not.  When it's all done store in the refrigerator, because of the added strawberries.  Below is how it looks after firming.

Spoonful-Strawberry-Coconut

Enjoy on crackers

CrackersUT

Toast

Strawberry-Coconut-Butter-w

 in smoothies.

The ways to enjoy are limitless, at room temperature, softened or straight out of the fridge.

Strawberry-Smoothie

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Strawberry Coconut Butter

Jar of strawberry coconut butter with a white berry basket filled with fresh strawberries and two fresh strawberries on the table next to the jar.
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Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 ½ cups of full-fat unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 2 cups sliced strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons, maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place flakes in food processor and process until flakes have liquefied, about 10 minutes or so, depending on your climate.
  2. Check after 5 minutes and scrape down sides if needed.
  3. Add in strawberries and maple syrup once coconut has liquefied and process until well combined.
  4. Transfer to glass container, (mason jars are great), and store in the fridge.

Have fun and enjoy!

Strawberry Infused Lemonade

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Infused-Lemonade

It's starting to heat up a bit here in Texas and this strawberry infused lemonade is the answer, it's a healthier version of the sugar loaded lemonade.

I have always infused my water with citrus and sometimes mint, but lately I have become obsessed with infusing with berries and other herds like basil and rosemary.

It's amazing how something so simple, yields so much flavor overnight.  I'm sure there is a time and place for longer infusion times, like infused liquors, I'll have one of those to share with you later.

This is the perfect recipe for your July 4th gathering, no one will miss the sugar.

Strawberry-Infused

This is such a beautiful drink, and if you like, add spirits to make it an adult drink.

Strawberry-Lemonade

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Strawberry Infused Lemonade

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Tart, refreshing summer beverage.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 cups of filtered water
  • ⅓ cup agave nectar
  • 1 and ¼ cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 10 lemons
  • 1 and ¼ cups of fresh sliced strawberries
  • 1 lemon, sliced in circles
  • frozen blueberries

Instructions

  1. Pour the water into a large glass pitcher, add the agave and mix well.
  2. Add the lemon juice, mix well.
  3. Pour in sliced strawberries and sliced lemons, stir, cover and refrigerate overnight.
  4. The next day, pour lemonade into a serving pitcher using a fine strainer.
  5. Serve with sliced strawberries and frozen blueberries.
  6. To make this an adult drink add the spirit of your choice.
  7. Have fun and enjoy!

Citrus Cactus Juice

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🌵 This Citrus Cactus Juice is like sipping sunshine! Tangy citrus meets prickly pear coolness for a desert dance of flavors! Refreshment, one sip at a time! 🍹🍊
 
 
 
 
Cactus2
 
 
 
 
 
One of my co-workers who has family from Mexico, shared a cactus soup with me a few weeks ago, and I liked it.  She shared with me the many ways the cactus plant could be used, so after doing a bit more reading about this amazing plant, I was convinced I needed to add it to my grocery list.
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Matcha Chia Pudding

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Matcha-Pudding
 
 
 
What a combination, Matcha and Chia Seeds!  What is Matcha? It's a powerful green tea loaded with health benefits, because the whole tea leaf is ground into a powder and used.  Although matcha has caffeine, there is a difference in how the body metabolizes matcha, it’s both a stimulant and a relaxant, perfect for keeping your mind focused during your day.   There are loads of antioxidants found in matcha, and because with matcha the whole tea leaves are consumed, not just steeped as with other teas, you receive more of the health benefits. 
 
The other power player here is chia seeds, these tiny seed are loaded with powerful benefits to our bodies. According to Dr Wayne Coates -AZChia.com, 15 to 20 grams (2 to 3 tablespoons) of Chia a day will provide you with all the omega-3 your body needs.  For more about the benefits of chia, check out this post. Ch Ch Ch Chia.
 
I usually only use these two power players in my smoothies or maybe sprinkled over cereal or salads, but when I was invited to try some Matcha powder from KissMe Organics, I wanted to do more than just drink it.  The idea of making a pudding came to mind, but I needed something to make a pudding consistency without using gelatin, chia seeds was the answer.  When chia seeds absorb moisture, it thickens and becomes gelatinous.
 
I found that this culinary grade matcha from KissMe Organics, mixes more smoothly and it doesn't clump together as much as some of the others I have tried.  For more on how to order click HERE.
 
 
Matcha-Above
 
 
I had never had chia pudding before so I was pleasantly surprised with the smooth creamy consistency. The whipped coconut cream on top took it to another level of decadent loveliness.  It was hard for me to share.
 
 
 
Matcha1
 

 

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Matcha Chia Pudding

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  • Author: Celeste Meredith
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 15 mins
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Sweet Treats

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup almond or coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon matcha powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • maple syrup to taste
  • 2 tablespoons, chia seeds
  • 1 can of full fat coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • maple syrup to taste

Instructions

  1. Place can of full fat coconut milk in refrigerator to chill, I left mine in over night.
  2. In a large bowl,whisk (affiliate link) together milk, matcha powder and vanilla extract until well blended.
  3. Sweeten with maple syrup to taste, I added 2 tablespoons.
  4. Spoon mixture into serving bowls cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 2 or 3 hours or overnight.
  5. Stir in chia seeds, cover and place in fridge for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
  6. Open the can of coconut milk and scoop out the firm layer of coconut cream from the top. The water that's left can be used in smoothies or you can just drink it.
  7. Place cream in a large bowl and mix with hand mixer until fluffy and light.
  8. Mix in vanilla and syrup to taste.
  9. Spoon cream on top of pudding.
  10. Serve and enjoy!
 
Disclaimer: This post is a review for culinary grade Matcha from KissMe Organics. I was given the opportunity to try this product from KissMe Organics for the purpose of this review. I received no further compensation for this review and the opinions are my own. The content of my review is my true and honest experience with this product. 
 
This blog post was shared on Titus 2 Tuesdays., and New Mrs. Adventures.

Spinach Cannellini Hummus

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Spinach-Cannellini-Humus.1
 
I was craving some hummus, but I didn't have any prepared chickpeas, so I used cannellini beans instead.
 
Traditionally chickpeas are used to make this nutritional snack, but you can use almost any bean.
I didn't want plain and simple, so I added spinach to boost the nutritional value. Another addition was nutritional yeast, for a clean nutty flavor.
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Pea Salad

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Pea Salad
 
It seems that every time there is a family or work gathering involving food everyone ask that I bring pea salad. It has become my go-to crowd pleaser, I have to admit, it's a rather tasty salad.
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Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup

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Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup
  I love the creamy texture of broccoli, but not the calories the cream adds. This hearty vegan version is dairy free, but not free of flavor. The use of cannellini beans, cauliflower and just a bit of coconut milk does the trick. Process soup and save some broccoli chunks to add in for added texture.

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New Year Greens

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Eggs and Greens Bake
Growing up in the Georgia, our New Year's tradition was to consumed collard greens and black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for year long health and wealth.
According to tradition, black-eyed peas represent tiny coins and symboliz wealth and financial rewards, greens being the color of cash, made you wealthier, so eating a meal with both of them would bring you health and wealth.
I still hold on to these traditions, but this year I'm preparing my greens in a whole new way, I'm baking them with eggs nestled in them. This recipe was adapted from a recipe I found in Bon Appetit's May Issue, Company Eggs. The original recipe used chard and heavy cream, I traded them out for collards and coconut cream.  Delicious, Delicious, Delicious!
Eggs and Greens Bake
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New Year Greens
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 and ½ teaspoon, Herbes de Provence
sea salt to taste
cracked black pepper to taste
1 bunches of collard greens, thick center ribs removed, leaves coaresly chopped
¾ cup coconut cream
5 large eggs
2 oz. sharp white cheddar, grated
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add greens to the skillet by the handful, tossing to wilt between additions.
6. Cook, tossing often, until tender, about 8 to 1 minutes; add 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
7. Spread green mixture evenly in a baking dish.
8. Using the back of a spoon, make 5 small divots in the green mixture.
9. Crack one egg into each divot.
10. Season eggs with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence
11. Sprinkle grated cheese over top.
12. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, and yolks are still runny, let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Have Fun and Enjoy and Have a Very Happy New Year!