Thursday, August 30, 2012

Alternative: Cinnamon Roll Ala Mode


Quick processed food treat.  Not healthy.  Not recommended for daily consumption...but it's an easy treat so go for it!


1 package Immaculate Cinnamon Rolls
1 pint Soy Dream Butter Pecan Frozen Dessert

1: Preheat oven to 350.
2: Unwrap rolls and place into a bread pan or small casserole dish.
2: Bake for 25 minutes or until rolls are browned at the edges
3: Drizzle frosting over rolls
4: Stack rolls on top of one another in tray and serve
5: I like mine with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream.  Yum!

Cheesy Goulash

2/3 package of Garofalo Pasta (I used Casarecce cut)
1 15 oz can of organic tomato sauce
2 tbsp Earth balance
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 red onion
1/3 cup Daiya cheddar shreds
a bit of parsley or oregano

1: Boil pasta according to direction, the Casarecce I used was ready in 11 minutes.  Strain and set aside.
2: Chop onion and saute with garlic and Earth Balance.  I used 2 tbsp of this previously made garlic butter instead.
3: Add tomato sauce and and cook on medium-low heat.
4: Add the pasta (2/3 of the package, as the entire package will make a dry pasta) and parsley/oregano and stir until mixed.
5: Add Daiya and stir in until melted. 
6: Serve immediately, as the sauce is quickly absorbed by the pasta.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Brooke's Quinoa Medley


1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup olive oil
chopped red onion, tomato, red pepper and fresh basil
minced fresh garlic, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar


1: One cup of quinoa and one cup of water in saucepan and lightly salt water.
2: Bring to boil and once boiling, cover and lower heat to a simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all the water and appears translucent.
3: Once cooked, pour into serving bowl and fluff with fork and allow to cool.
4: Drain black bean and corn and add 1/2 cup of each to quinoa.
5: Add chopped red onion, tomato, red pepper, fresh basil and fold into cooked quinoa.
6: In side bowl mix 1/2 cup of olive oil and minced fresh garlic, salt, pepper and add balsamic vinegar if you like (eyeball 3 tablespoons). You can also add dry italian herbs to the mix.
7: Pour wet ingredients over quinoa and gently fold in.
8: Let sit in refrigerator for an hour so it gets absorbed.

You can also double this recipe and play around with portions to fit your liking.

I recently enjoyed this dish at a family dinner and it was so delicious, I had to share.  Yum!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Spicy Burrito

jalapeno cilantro tortillas
1/2 red pepper and 1/2 green pepper
1/2 onion
1 can black beans
1 cup white rice
salsa
guacamole
cumin

1: Saute sliced peppers and onions
2: Cook beans with 2 tbsp water and enough cumin to suit your taste
3: Cook rice according to typical instruction (1 cup rice, 2 cups boiling water, reduce to low heat and cover for 20 minutes).  Add parsley and a bit of olive oil to flavor.
4: Assemble into a burrito and enjoy.


I made this to resemble Qdoba style vegetarian burritos.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Chocolate Vanilla Float


1/2 cup So Delicious Coconut Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
1/2 cup A&W Cream Soda

You know what to do!  :)

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Tomato & Sunflower Seed Bread

3 small campari tomatoes
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbsp McCormick Bak'n Pieces
2 tbsp California French Dressing, Catalina or similar red dressing
1 small square focaccia bread, sliced

1: Slice tomatoes into wedges

 2: Add sunflower seeds and bac'n pieces to tomatoes
3: Gently stir in red dressing
 4: Scoop over sliced (warmed) focaccia pieces and serve immediately.

Italian Sausage Pasta


3 cups premade pasta
1 or 2 Field Roast Italian sausages
1 1/2 cup Bruschetta sauce
1/3 sweet onion
Daiya pepperjack shreds
1 tbsp Earth Balance
1 tbsp minced garlic

 1: Saute onions and garlic with Earth Balance
2: Melt Daiya into mixture and stir in pasta until mostly coated
3: Scoop on plate and set aside
 4: Slice Field Roast Italian with Eggplant sausage and saute with olive oil
6: Pour bruschetta in with sausage until heated
 7: Pour sauce over pasta; makes enough for two large portions or three lunch-time portions.  Enjoy!


Saturday, August 4, 2012

Vanilla Mocha; Keurig-Style


1 K-cup sized coffee (I use Ekobrew and fill it with my own coffee!)
1/2 cup very vanilla Silk soy milk
1 tbsp Hershey's syrup

Optional: 1 tsp peppermint or vanilla syrup

1: Add Hershey's syrup (and optional syrups) to the bottom of coffee cup
2: Brew one 8 oz. or 10 oz. cup of coffee
3: Separately, in a pot, add soy milk on medium heat
 4: Whisk the soy milk until it is very foamy.
5: Add to coffee/syrup mix and enjoy!