Garden Green Bean Saute

garden green beans
small carrots
yellow onion
2 tbsp Earth Balance Vegan Spread

1: Saute all ingredients at once in Earth Balance
2: Simmer on low, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened
3: Salt and pepper to taste




*Fun fact: These green beans and carrots are both from my Las Vegas desert garden.

Cheesy Black Bean Rice

2 cups white rice (cooked)
1 cup black beans
1/4 cup tomato sauce (optional)
1/2 cup Daiya Vegan Cheddar
1/2 yellow onion (chopped)
sweet paprika
cumin
salt & pepper 

1: Saute onion with salt and pepper in a bit of olive oil
2: Add black beans, tomato sauce (if you want it to be saucy) and enough cumin and sweet paprika to mildly flavor the beans, but not be overpowering
3: Add rice, salt and pepper.  Mix well.
4: Right before its heated to your liking, add the Daiya just until it is melted and well mixed.  Enjoy!

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup Earth Balance (2 sticks)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1/4 teaspoon of salt

powdered sugar




1: Heat oven to 400ºF
2: Cream butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla.  Stir in flour, salt and optional nuts until dough holds together

3: Shape into 1-inch balls and space 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet
4: Bake 9-11 minutes until lightly brown on bottom, then cool on a wire rack for one minute
5: Roll in powdered sugar, cool for a couple minutes, then roll them with a second coat
Enjoy :)

.::Options::.
-Toast flaked coconut on a flat baking sheet for about 3 minutes, then add it to cookie dough
-Add 3/4 cup minced nut of your choice.  Pecans and/or almonds are my recommendation

She thought of him fondly as plan "B" by Anne Taintor

Spindle Treats

pretzel rods 

1 cup Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1/2 cup natural peanut butter 

1 tbsp organic vanilla 

various non-dairy sprinkles 

wax paper (important!)


Melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and vanilla in a saucepan on medium heat until it has a smooth consistency. Remove from heat and use a rubber spatula to aid in wrapping 2/3 of the pretzel rod in the mixture. Immediately roll it on a plate of sprinkles until it is completely covered. Lay it on wax paper to harden. Yum!

Cucumber Dill Medley

3 Cucumbers 

10 Roma Tomatoes 

Vegan Spread (Smart Balance Light/Earth Balance) 

Fresh Garlic 

1/2 chopped Red Onion 

Scallions (bunch) 

Fresh Dill (bunch)




Saute garlic with a bit of vegan spread. The amount of garlic you use will depend on what your preference for garlic is, but a good rule of thumb would be a quarter of the amount of onions/scallions you are using. Next add sliced scallions and chopped onions. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and cube them. Add them to the mixture along with lots of minced fresh dill and continue to saute on low until the tomatoes become a bit saucy.

Chop the cucumbers any way you like (biased, sliced, squared, etc) and either saute them with a tiny amount of vegan spread or keep them raw. Place them on a dish and spread the tomato mixture over the top like a sauce. Enjoy!

*This recipe can also be made using Zucchini in place of the cucumbers and poppy seed added to the sauce.

Thanksgiving Meal

Ingredients & Directions:

• MASHED POTATOES
  (red & russet potatoes, rice milk, vegan butter, white pepper, parsley)
• VEGETABLE GRAVY
  (sauteed red onion, celery and red pepper, which I then pureed. I added vegetable broth, some potato starch to thicken, then a pinch of salt and pepper and let it simmer. Delicious!)
• BUTTER NOODLES
  (Barilla angel hair pasta, vegan butter, parsley)
• BANANA BREAD
  (homemade with rice milk and Ener-G Egg Replacer)
  

Review: Cheese: Daiya

Daiya Vegan Cheese Alternative

Oh, how I love thee.  You melt in a very cheese-like way, you make all of my cheesy favorites possible again...and you're so much better than soy!  <3

Review: Mayonaise: Vegenaise

Yes!!  The perfect mayo alternative!  I use this in potato salad, coleslaw, BLT and chik'n sandwiches.  Delicious!

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's
(l-to-r)

21 Seasoning Salute
Cumin
British Multi-grain English Muffins
Cumin & Chili Chickpeas
Multigrain Entertainers Crackers
Sesame Pita Pockets
Spicy Hummus
Basmati Rice Medley
Vegetable Broth
73% Belgian Dark Chocolate Non-Pareils
White Kidney Beans

Review: Wheat Thin Fiber Selects: Garden Vegetable

Extremely delicious with roasted pepper hummus!  You might eat the whole box...not saying that I did or anything. ;)