Baked Falafel Salad + Two Creamy Dressings

Chickpeas are an amazing bean and I'm finding out just how versatile they are. I've used chickpea's in a lentil stew, roasted them with spices for snacking on and used them on top of salads. They are the main ingredient in hummus, which is just as versatile as the chickpea itself. They are great freshly cooked and I have no problem snacking on them just like that. They also make good things like socca bread and chickpea omelettes (recipes coming soon). Its flour can be used and combined with other gluten free flours to make gluten free baked items too. And now, I come across the falafel, another great way to use chickpeas. High in protein and full of fiber, anything made with chickpeas is a great addition to a healthy lifestyle.

This last week I've been falafel making and am here to share with you my experiences. Falafels are a Mediterranean food and can be used in various ways like in salads, or made into sandwiches using pita bread and the ingredients of the salad base within this recipe along with a nice drizzle of dressing. You can also enjoy them by simply pairing your falafels with hummus, a flat bread and fruit (fresh grapes come to mind) for a great snack or simple meal. Along with the falafel recipe are two creamy style dressings. One is a more traditional dressing using tahini as the base while the other is not so traditional using avocado and cucumber. The avocado and cucumber dressing is inspired by my Avocado & Cucumber Soup and works great as a dressing too. I loved them both and decided to add them together for varying tastes. Hope you enjoy them!

Let me share with you a bit about my trials of falafel making. I have used canned beans and dried beans that have been soaked. It's important to soak them for at least 12 hours so they soften all the way through, but it's ideal to soak for 18 + hours and rinse well (this will help with gassiness and allow your body to absorb more of their nutrients). For me, both the canned and soaked beans worked out great without any issues. Use whatever style bean you prefer, or is convenient. You may like to try both for yourself to see which one you like best, I had no preference. I also made them with added flour and/or oil like some recipes call for. I personally found the flour and oil to not be necessary. I've baked my falafels in a skillet and on cookie sheets, both work great. I've also added a few extra ingredients like coriander which is nice but have omitted it here just to keep it simple as possible (although I do have the garlic & onion powder...I like them for good measure). But by all means, if you have coriander on hand go ahead and throw in a teaspoon if you like. As for the greens, feel free to use only parsley or cilantro if you like. That's a little about my experiences. I'm sure there is more to learn and each of us will have varying outcomes due to our kitchen appliances, tools and taste. All in all, these were great falafels and I see them being made fairly regularly around here!

Start by adding the ingredients to your food processor/blender...

Blend until fairly smooth, stopping every now and then to scrap down the sides. And then your on to shaping your falafels into whatever size you like.

These were some bite size falafels I made using a heaping teaspoon to scoop up the mixture, this yielded about 24 or so mini falafels. The ones below are the larger patties which I used approx 3 tablespoons per patty and yielded about 6. You can vary your size according to your needs and uses. All the ways I baked them they came out nicely firm on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside, soft and tender. I know the ones below looked like a parched desert but trust me they weren't dry on the inside.

Once your falafels are baked...make your salad or enjoy them however you like!

Baked Falafal Salad + Two Creamy Dressings

Salad Base

• spring mix or choice of leafy greens
• red onion, thinly sliced
• tomatoes, sliced 
• cucumber, thinly sliced

Falafals

• 1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed OR 3/4 heaping cup garbanzo beans soaked for at least 18 hours and drained (they will double in size)
• 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (optional)
• 1 small shallot or 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• pinch or two cayenne pepper, chili powder or smoked paprika (depending on your mood)
• himalayan salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Coat your cast iron skillet or cookie sheet with coconut oil, or oil of choice.

In food processor/blender, combine all the ingredients for the falafels. Blend until fairly smooth. Form patties into whatever size you like....

For larger patties: Scoop 3 tablespoons per patty...will yield apprx. 6.

For small patties: Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon per patty...will yield apprx. 12.

For mini patties: Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon...will yield approx. 24.

Place patties on greased skillet/cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for 15 minutes.  Total cooking time 25 minutes. If you find that your falafels are not as browned as you like, place them under the broiler for a minute or two, just be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

Store leftover falafels in an air tight container. They will soften overnight. To warm them up and return crispness again to the outside, place under broiler or in a toaster oven at a high temp for a minute or two while keeping an eye on them so they don't burn. 

Lemon-Tahini Dressing 

• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 1 garlic clove, pressed OR a dash or two garlic powder
• juice of 1 large lemon
• few dill fronds, cilantro or parsley, minced 
• himalayan salt to taste
• 1/3 cup water, + more to thin
• pinch of cayenne

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until well combined. Taste for seasoning and add more water as needed 1 tablespoon at a time or add more lemon juice. Store leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.


OR, for something different and refreshing...

Avocado-Cucumber Dressing 

• 1 avocado
• 1 cucumber, peeled
• a few springs cilantro and dill fronds
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• dash of onion powder
• salt to taste
• water as needed to thin

In food processor/blender, combine all the ingredients except for the water. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Add water a tablespoon or two at a time until desired consistency. Best chilled in the refrigerator before serving. Leftovers will hold up a day or two in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It may last a little longer but it's gone by day two around my house.


Once patties are ready, make your salad, top with falafels and dressing.

Enjoy!

How do you like your falafels? I like to experiment and would love to hear any suggestions and ideas!

Chickpeas are an amazing bean and I'm finding out just how versatile they are. I've used chickpea's in a lentil stew, roasted them with spices for snacking on and used them on top of salads. They are the main ingredient in hummus, which is just as versatile as the chickpea itself. They are great freshly cooked and I have no problem snacking on them just like that. They also make good things like socca bread and chickpea omelettes (recipes coming soon). Its flour can be used and combined with other gluten free flours to make gluten free baked items too. And now, I come across the falafel, another great way to use chickpeas. High in protein and full of fiber, anything made with chickpeas is a great addition to a healthy lifestyle.

This last week I've been falafel making and am here to share with you my experiences. Falafels are a Mediterranean food and can be used in various ways like in salads, or made into sandwiches using pita bread and the ingredients of the salad base within this recipe along with a nice drizzle of dressing. You can also enjoy them by simply pairing your falafels with hummus, a flat bread and fruit (fresh grapes come to mind) for a great snack or simple meal. Along with the falafel recipe are two creamy style dressings. One is a more traditional dressing using tahini as the base while the other is not so traditional using avocado and cucumber. The avocado and cucumber dressing is inspired by my Avocado & Cucumber Soup and works great as a dressing too. I loved them both and decided to add them together for varying tastes. Hope you enjoy them!

Let me share with you a bit about my trials of falafel making. I have used canned beans and dried beans that have been soaked. It's important to soak them for at least 12 hours so they soften all the way through, but it's ideal to soak for 18 + hours and rinse well (this will help with gassiness and allow your body to absorb more of their nutrients). For me, both the canned and soaked beans worked out great without any issues. Use whatever style bean you prefer, or is convenient. You may like to try both for yourself to see which one you like best, I had no preference. I also made them with added flour and/or oil like some recipes call for. I personally found the flour and oil to not be necessary. I've baked my falafels in a skillet and on cookie sheets, both work great. I've also added a few extra ingredients like coriander which is nice but have omitted it here just to keep it simple as possible (although I do have the garlic & onion powder...I like them for good measure). But by all means, if you have coriander on hand go ahead and throw in a teaspoon if you like. As for the greens, feel free to use only parsley or cilantro if you like. That's a little about my experiences. I'm sure there is more to learn and each of us will have varying outcomes due to our kitchen appliances, tools and taste. All in all, these were great falafels and I see them being made fairly regularly around here!

Start by adding the ingredients to your food processor/blender...

Blend until fairly smooth, stopping every now and then to scrap down the sides. And then your on to shaping your falafels into whatever size you like.

These were some bite size falafels I made using a heaping teaspoon to scoop up the mixture, this yielded about 24 or so mini falafels. The ones below are the larger patties which I used approx 3 tablespoons per patty and yielded about 6. You can vary your size according to your needs and uses. All the ways I baked them they came out nicely firm on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside, soft and tender. I know the ones below looked like a parched desert but trust me they weren't dry on the inside.

Once your falafels are baked...make your salad or enjoy them however you like!

Baked Falafal Salad + Two Creamy Dressings

Salad Base

• spring mix or choice of leafy greens
• red onion, thinly sliced
• tomatoes, sliced 
• cucumber, thinly sliced

Falafals

• 1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed OR 3/4 heaping cup garbanzo beans soaked for at least 18 hours and drained (they will double in size)
• 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (optional)
• 1 small shallot or 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• pinch or two cayenne pepper, chili powder or smoked paprika (depending on your mood)
• himalayan salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Coat your cast iron skillet or cookie sheet with coconut oil, or oil of choice.

In food processor/blender, combine all the ingredients for the falafels. Blend until fairly smooth. Form patties into whatever size you like....

For larger patties: Scoop 3 tablespoons per patty...will yield apprx. 6.

For small patties: Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon per patty...will yield apprx. 12.

For mini patties: Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon...will yield approx. 24.

Place patties on greased skillet/cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for 15 minutes.  Total cooking time 25 minutes. If you find that your falafels are not as browned as you like, place them under the broiler for a minute or two, just be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

Store leftover falafels in an air tight container. They will soften overnight. To warm them up and return crispness again to the outside, place under broiler or in a toaster oven at a high temp for a minute or two while keeping an eye on them so they don't burn. 

Lemon-Tahini Dressing 

• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 1 garlic clove, pressed OR a dash or two garlic powder
• juice of 1 large lemon
• few dill fronds, cilantro or parsley, minced 
• himalayan salt to taste
• 1/3 cup water, + more to thin
• pinch of cayenne

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until well combined. Taste for seasoning and add more water as needed 1 tablespoon at a time or add more lemon juice. Store leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.


OR, for something different and refreshing...

Avocado-Cucumber Dressing 

• 1 avocado
• 1 cucumber, peeled
• a few springs cilantro and dill fronds
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• dash of onion powder
• salt to taste
• water as needed to thin

In food processor/blender, combine all the ingredients except for the water. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Add water a tablespoon or two at a time until desired consistency. Best chilled in the refrigerator before serving. Leftovers will hold up a day or two in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It may last a little longer but it's gone by day two around my house.


Once patties are ready, make your salad, top with falafels and dressing.

Enjoy!

How do you like your falafels? I like to experiment and would love to hear any suggestions and ideas!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili

Meals that can easily fit into your meal rotation are what I really love to share. As we can get a bit bored with the usual meals, it's nice to have more easy options that come together in a cinch. I love finding these simple dishes that truly work and can be made over and over again. That is what I share with you today. Nothing complicated in this recipe, everything is probably in your kitchen right now or you can find right away at your favorite grocery store. Eating vegan meals every day that are healthy and tasty is really easy once you get the hang of it. 

This lovely chili is a one pot meal that is ready in under an hour. Leftovers hold up extremely well too!

Bring on the chili...

Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes or 1 1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 large sweet pototo, diced (with or without the skin...I leave the skin on)
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• a few dashes of garlic powder
• a few dashes of onion powder
• himalayan salt to taste
• 4 cups (32 oz) water or vegetable broth, + more as needed
• avocado, cilantro and/or diced onion, for garnish (optional)

In large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, cook until soft and they start to turn brown (about 7 - 10 minutes). Add garlic, cook for another minute or so. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder, cook for 2 more minutes stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, liquids, beans and sweet potato, stir until combined. Add quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover slightly ajar and cook for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chili is ready when sweet potatoes are tender. Add additional water if chili is too thick for your liking. Serve with optional garnishes. You may also like to top it with this easy Cilantro Lime Cashew 'Sour Cream'.

Notes: As with all recipes, adjust seasoning to taste. Add a 1/2 teaspoon or so chipotle powder for some added heat. Also, use whatever beans you prefer. You may even like to use one kind of bean instead of two.

Easy and delicious...Enjoy!

Adapted from this recipe at Milk Free Mom

Meals that can easily fit into your meal rotation are what I really love to share. As we can get a bit bored with the usual meals, it's nice to have more easy options that come together in a cinch. I love finding these simple dishes that truly work and can be made over and over again. That is what I share with you today. Nothing complicated in this recipe, everything is probably in your kitchen right now or you can find right away at your favorite grocery store. Eating vegan meals every day that are healthy and tasty is really easy once you get the hang of it. 

This lovely chili is a one pot meal that is ready in under an hour. Leftovers hold up extremely well too!

Bring on the chili...

Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes or 1 1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 large sweet pototo, diced (with or without the skin...I leave the skin on)
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• a few dashes of garlic powder
• a few dashes of onion powder
• himalayan salt to taste
• 4 cups (32 oz) water or vegetable broth, + more as needed
• avocado, cilantro and/or diced onion, for garnish (optional)

In large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, cook until soft and they start to turn brown (about 7 - 10 minutes). Add garlic, cook for another minute or so. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder, cook for 2 more minutes stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, liquids, beans and sweet potato, stir until combined. Add quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover slightly ajar and cook for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chili is ready when sweet potatoes are tender. Add additional water if chili is too thick for your liking. Serve with optional garnishes. You may also like to top it with this easy Cilantro Lime Cashew 'Sour Cream'.

Notes: As with all recipes, adjust seasoning to taste. Add a 1/2 teaspoon or so chipotle powder for some added heat. Also, use whatever beans you prefer. You may even like to use one kind of bean instead of two.

Easy and delicious...Enjoy!

Adapted from this recipe at Milk Free Mom

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Cajun Quinoa Cakes + Lemon-Dill-Sriracha Rémoulade

I have been on a sriracha kick lately and happen to have found this recipe for these quinoa cakes with this great sounding rémoulade, and just had to give it a try. So glad I did as they were delicious! This recipe comes from Randy Clemens up and coming new vegan sriracha cookbook called, The Veggie-Lover's Sriracha Cookbook. This is the first recipe he is sharing from the book and you can find the original recipe here. His book will be ready to hit the shelves in the early part of July. You can also pre-order by clicking the book title link above. It will include 50 veggie loving recipes that will be based on fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and beans...no fake meats...all will pack a punch with the sriracha chili sauce.  

These were great quinoa cakes and the sauce was so flavorful! I started with a small amount of sriracha here but feel free to add as much as you like, or none at all. You may even like to add some spices to the quinoa cakes as these are really simple with minimal seasoning except for the salt and pepper. It's really all about the sauce in this dish. I didn't change up the recipe too much either except for subbing the vegan mayo base of the rémoulade to a cashew base (see note below).

Above are some of the simple vegetables for the quinoa cakes. I would suggest chopping your celery and bell pepper a little smaller than what I have here to help the patties stay formed. These were easy to put together, a little messy but once you do one or two you get the hang of it. I formed balls and flattened lightly, once on the griddle I pressed down with the spatula to flatten more.  

Pair it all with some fresh steamed asparagus and you have yourself a wonderful meal. Artichokes would also be great with this. I can see dipping the leaves in this rémoulade sauce...mmm!

Cajun Quinoa Cakes + Lemon-Dill-Sriracha Rémoulade

Ingredients

Quinoa Cakes

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup flour of choice + more as needed (I used GF oat flour)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• himalayan salt & freshly ground pepper
• olive oil for the skillet

Lemon-Dill-Sriracha Rémoulade

• 2/3 cups cashews* (preferrably soaked for 2 -3 hours)
• 1/3 cup water + more as needed
• 1 tablespoon sriracha, + more to taste (original recipe calls for 1/4 cup)
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 heaping tablespoons fresh chopped dill
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• dash or two onion powder
• salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

In small pot over medium high heat broth/water and quinoa to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Once done, remove cover, fluff with fork and let set for another 15 minutes to cool and absorb remaining water.

While the quinoa is cooling, start your flax egg by mixing the ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl and set aside to thicken.

Prepare the rémoulade by placing all the ingredients in a blender/food processor, except the dill, and blend until smooth (the magic bullet is a perfect tool for this job). If you mixture is too wet add a few cashews and blend again...if too thick add 1 tablespoon water at time until desired consistency. Stir in the dill hand. Taste for seasoning adding more of whatever you like while blending by hand. Cover and keep at room temp or place in the refrigerator until ready to use (I serve mine at room temp). This can also be made a couple days in advance and kept in the refrigerator (will stay fresh for up to a five or six days).

On to the quinoa cakes, in a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, flax gel, flour, onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic. The mixture should be moist enough to stick together, remaining slightly tacky. Add additional flour or water, 1 -2 tablespoons at time if needed to adjust consistency. Season liberally with salt and cracked pepper. Form into approx. 8 to 12 patties about 1/2 inch thick (I got eight out of mine). (Patties can be made a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator.)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan/griddle over medium heat. Add the patties and cook, undisturbed, until nicely browned on one side, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook other side for an additional 4-5 minutes.

Keep finished quinoa cakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or on a foil-lined baking sheet) in the preheated oven until all cakes have been cooked. Plate the hot quinoa cakes with a generous dollop of rémoulade and pair with a steamed vegetable of choice. Serve immediately.

Notes:

* Feel free to use vegan mayo instead of cashews for this rémoulade. When making the rémoulade, replace the cashews and water with 1/2 - 3/4 cup vegan mayo. Mince your garlic and make sure zest of lemon is finely grated or minced. Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix by hand.

The quinoa cakes can also be baked in the oven until golden brown and heated through on a lightly greased baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, flipping once after the first 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

I have been on a sriracha kick lately and happen to have found this recipe for these quinoa cakes with this great sounding rémoulade, and just had to give it a try. So glad I did as they were delicious! This recipe comes from Randy Clemens up and coming new vegan sriracha cookbook called, The Veggie-Lover's Sriracha Cookbook. This is the first recipe he is sharing from the book and you can find the original recipe here. His book will be ready to hit the shelves in the early part of July. You can also pre-order by clicking the book title link above. It will include 50 veggie loving recipes that will be based on fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and beans...no fake meats...all will pack a punch with the sriracha chili sauce.  

These were great quinoa cakes and the sauce was so flavorful! I started with a small amount of sriracha here but feel free to add as much as you like, or none at all. You may even like to add some spices to the quinoa cakes as these are really simple with minimal seasoning except for the salt and pepper. It's really all about the sauce in this dish. I didn't change up the recipe too much either except for subbing the vegan mayo base of the rémoulade to a cashew base (see note below).

Above are some of the simple vegetables for the quinoa cakes. I would suggest chopping your celery and bell pepper a little smaller than what I have here to help the patties stay formed. These were easy to put together, a little messy but once you do one or two you get the hang of it. I formed balls and flattened lightly, once on the griddle I pressed down with the spatula to flatten more.  

Pair it all with some fresh steamed asparagus and you have yourself a wonderful meal. Artichokes would also be great with this. I can see dipping the leaves in this rémoulade sauce...mmm!

Cajun Quinoa Cakes + Lemon-Dill-Sriracha Rémoulade

Ingredients

Quinoa Cakes

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup flour of choice + more as needed (I used GF oat flour)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• himalayan salt & freshly ground pepper
• olive oil for the skillet

Lemon-Dill-Sriracha Rémoulade

• 2/3 cups cashews* (preferrably soaked for 2 -3 hours)
• 1/3 cup water + more as needed
• 1 tablespoon sriracha, + more to taste (original recipe calls for 1/4 cup)
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 heaping tablespoons fresh chopped dill
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• dash or two onion powder
• salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

In small pot over medium high heat broth/water and quinoa to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Once done, remove cover, fluff with fork and let set for another 15 minutes to cool and absorb remaining water.

While the quinoa is cooling, start your flax egg by mixing the ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl and set aside to thicken.

Prepare the rémoulade by placing all the ingredients in a blender/food processor, except the dill, and blend until smooth (the magic bullet is a perfect tool for this job). If you mixture is too wet add a few cashews and blend again...if too thick add 1 tablespoon water at time until desired consistency. Stir in the dill hand. Taste for seasoning adding more of whatever you like while blending by hand. Cover and keep at room temp or place in the refrigerator until ready to use (I serve mine at room temp). This can also be made a couple days in advance and kept in the refrigerator (will stay fresh for up to a five or six days).

On to the quinoa cakes, in a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, flax gel, flour, onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic. The mixture should be moist enough to stick together, remaining slightly tacky. Add additional flour or water, 1 -2 tablespoons at time if needed to adjust consistency. Season liberally with salt and cracked pepper. Form into approx. 8 to 12 patties about 1/2 inch thick (I got eight out of mine). (Patties can be made a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator.)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan/griddle over medium heat. Add the patties and cook, undisturbed, until nicely browned on one side, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook other side for an additional 4-5 minutes.

Keep finished quinoa cakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or on a foil-lined baking sheet) in the preheated oven until all cakes have been cooked. Plate the hot quinoa cakes with a generous dollop of rémoulade and pair with a steamed vegetable of choice. Serve immediately.

Notes:

* Feel free to use vegan mayo instead of cashews for this rémoulade. When making the rémoulade, replace the cashews and water with 1/2 - 3/4 cup vegan mayo. Mince your garlic and make sure zest of lemon is finely grated or minced. Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix by hand.

The quinoa cakes can also be baked in the oven until golden brown and heated through on a lightly greased baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, flipping once after the first 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Creamy Lemon Herb Dressing

My last post of 2012. What a great year this has been! Food blogging and taking pictures has been a fun and learning experience. I've improved much but still have a ways to go. Meeting like minded people and being inspired everyday has been amazing. I look forward to what adventures lie ahead. I leave you all with this really wonderful dressing. I know many will be eating healthier as a New Year's resolution and this dressing will help you get some freshness in your meal plans. I personally found myself tipping the bowl to get the last of it. It's light and refreshing on its own, adding it to a fresh salad just makes it that much better. I've been waiting to find a great creamy style dressing that's easy to make at home and finally I've found one that fits my needs. This is raw, nut free, soy free, gluten free and of course vegan. I think this will amaze you as much as it amazed me. Happy New Year's to you all....Cheers!

The base of this recipe is hemp hearts. If you're unfamiliar with hemp seed hearts, you will want to add these great little seeds to your lifestyle. They are easy to sprinkle in smoothies, on salads, add some to the top of your toast and jam. In this recipe they create a wonderful creaminess. Hemp seeds are a great source of omega 3 & 6 and are a high quality complete protein. Four tablespoons, or 1/4 cup, of hemp seeds contain 15 grams of protein, and they're also a good source of fiber containing 2.5 grams per quarter cup. They also contain high concentration of vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid and many other micro-nutrients that your body needs. Another great thing about hemp seeds is that they do not need to be soaked to aid in digestion, they can be eaten raw and the body will absorb and digest all nutrients readily and easily. They contain a lot of nutrition in a small package. If you love hemp hearts, you may also like my other recipes containing hemp hearts. Raw Healthy, Happy, Hemp Seed Cookie Balls & Raw Creamy Miso Soup w/ Mushrooms...a few great ways to use hemp seeds!

Now, let's make some delicious dreamy creamy dressing...

Creamy Lemon Herb Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup hemp hearts
• 1/3 cup water, plus more as needed for thinning
• juice of 1 medium lemon
• a few strands chives, broken into 1 inch pieces
• a few sprig leaves fresh dill 
• a few sprig tops fresh cilantro and/or parsley
• dash or two garlic powder
• dash or two onion powder
• himalayan salt to taste 

Using a blender, I used the magic bullet for this, combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Taste for flavor adding anything extra to suit your taste...more lemon?...more herbs?...more garlic or onion powder? Chill before serving. Makes about 5 servings.

Store in an air tight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

Note: I have not made this in a regular blender. The magic bullet works wonders but if you don't have one this should work fine your blender at home. You may consider doubling the recipe if using a larger blender. Mix and match herbs to suit your taste.

Salad shown consists of romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and topped with cracked pepper...simple and delicious!

Enjoy!

How to Freeze Fresh Herbs:

Fresh is always best, but I do find that I buy fresh organic herbs and then they get thrown away. If you find that is the case for you, below is a few simple ways to freeze your herbs making them easily ready for this recipe and others.

Fresh dill sprigs can be frozen for up to a couple months, but they will darken in color. There is no need to thaw before using. Frozen dill weed will still always have more flavor than dried dill. Below are two methods for freezing dill.

Cilantro is best used fresh, freezing turns it mushy, so fresh is best for great flavor.

Parsley is another herb that freezes well. You can freeze parsley the same as dill by using one of the two methods provided below.

Chives also freeze well. Frozen chives have the same flavor as fresh chives. To freeze chives you can cut the strands into small pieces, lay on cookie sheet and place in freezer for about 20 minutes. Once frozen place in air tight container, should last up to year. You can also freeze by using the ice cube tray method below.

Whole Stalks: 

Dill: Place a bunch of dill, stalks and all, in a reusable plastic bag or airtight container. Once the dill freezes, use clean kitchen shears to remove the needed portion, then return the remaining dill to the freezer. Entire stalks can be used to flavor soups and stews, then use a slotted spoon to remove the dill just before serving.

Parsley: Chop parsley into small pieces, place in reusable plastic bag or airtight container.

Ice Cubes:

An ice cube tray provides serving size cubes of herbs that can be tossed into soups, stews and other hot dishes. Dice the herbs, place a small amount in each section of an ice cube tray, add water and freeze. Once frozen, remove the cubes and store them in resealable plastic bag or freezer container. You can also add veggie broth instead of water, or combine herbs as well for a ready to use herbal blend.

My last post of 2012. What a great year this has been! Food blogging and taking pictures has been a fun and learning experience. I've improved much but still have a ways to go. Meeting like minded people and being inspired everyday has been amazing. I look forward to what adventures lie ahead. I leave you all with this really wonderful dressing. I know many will be eating healthier as a New Year's resolution and this dressing will help you get some freshness in your meal plans. I personally found myself tipping the bowl to get the last of it. It's light and refreshing on its own, adding it to a fresh salad just makes it that much better. I've been waiting to find a great creamy style dressing that's easy to make at home and finally I've found one that fits my needs. This is raw, nut free, soy free, gluten free and of course vegan. I think this will amaze you as much as it amazed me. Happy New Year's to you all....Cheers!

The base of this recipe is hemp hearts. If you're unfamiliar with hemp seed hearts, you will want to add these great little seeds to your lifestyle. They are easy to sprinkle in smoothies, on salads, add some to the top of your toast and jam. In this recipe they create a wonderful creaminess. Hemp seeds are a great source of omega 3 & 6 and are a high quality complete protein. Four tablespoons, or 1/4 cup, of hemp seeds contain 15 grams of protein, and they're also a good source of fiber containing 2.5 grams per quarter cup. They also contain high concentration of vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid and many other micro-nutrients that your body needs. Another great thing about hemp seeds is that they do not need to be soaked to aid in digestion, they can be eaten raw and the body will absorb and digest all nutrients readily and easily. They contain a lot of nutrition in a small package. If you love hemp hearts, you may also like my other recipes containing hemp hearts. Raw Healthy, Happy, Hemp Seed Cookie Balls & Raw Creamy Miso Soup w/ Mushrooms...a few great ways to use hemp seeds!

Now, let's make some delicious dreamy creamy dressing...

Creamy Lemon Herb Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup hemp hearts
• 1/3 cup water, plus more as needed for thinning
• juice of 1 medium lemon
• a few strands chives, broken into 1 inch pieces
• a few sprig leaves fresh dill 
• a few sprig tops fresh cilantro and/or parsley
• dash or two garlic powder
• dash or two onion powder
• himalayan salt to taste 

Using a blender, I used the magic bullet for this, combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Taste for flavor adding anything extra to suit your taste...more lemon?...more herbs?...more garlic or onion powder? Chill before serving. Makes about 5 servings.

Store in an air tight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

Note: I have not made this in a regular blender. The magic bullet works wonders but if you don't have one this should work fine your blender at home. You may consider doubling the recipe if using a larger blender. Mix and match herbs to suit your taste.

Salad shown consists of romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and topped with cracked pepper...simple and delicious!

Enjoy!

How to Freeze Fresh Herbs:

Fresh is always best, but I do find that I buy fresh organic herbs and then they get thrown away. If you find that is the case for you, below is a few simple ways to freeze your herbs making them easily ready for this recipe and others.

Fresh dill sprigs can be frozen for up to a couple months, but they will darken in color. There is no need to thaw before using. Frozen dill weed will still always have more flavor than dried dill. Below are two methods for freezing dill.

Cilantro is best used fresh, freezing turns it mushy, so fresh is best for great flavor.

Parsley is another herb that freezes well. You can freeze parsley the same as dill by using one of the two methods provided below.

Chives also freeze well. Frozen chives have the same flavor as fresh chives. To freeze chives you can cut the strands into small pieces, lay on cookie sheet and place in freezer for about 20 minutes. Once frozen place in air tight container, should last up to year. You can also freeze by using the ice cube tray method below.

Whole Stalks: 

Dill: Place a bunch of dill, stalks and all, in a reusable plastic bag or airtight container. Once the dill freezes, use clean kitchen shears to remove the needed portion, then return the remaining dill to the freezer. Entire stalks can be used to flavor soups and stews, then use a slotted spoon to remove the dill just before serving.

Parsley: Chop parsley into small pieces, place in reusable plastic bag or airtight container.

Ice Cubes:

An ice cube tray provides serving size cubes of herbs that can be tossed into soups, stews and other hot dishes. Dice the herbs, place a small amount in each section of an ice cube tray, add water and freeze. Once frozen, remove the cubes and store them in resealable plastic bag or freezer container. You can also add veggie broth instead of water, or combine herbs as well for a ready to use herbal blend.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Winner! Mac & Cheese Bake

Winner, Winner....Mac & Cheese Dinner!

First off, let me say that this was a supreme hit with my 12 year old daughter who usually turns her nose up at almost everything I make! As a matter of fact, I hear her in the kitchen right now nibbling on the left overs...this is a good day. We have a winner here...this mac & cheese bake will hit the spot for the kids, just don't say a word about what's in it. ;) Now had I added veggies in the bake, it would not have passed which is why this is just a simple recipe. Feel free to add in veggies like broccoli, kale, etc...whatever you may usually add into a mac & cheese bake! 

As for myself, I seriously could have sat there and ate this whole thing myself. I haven't had a mac & cheese bake in I don't know how long. The cheese is just great! I especially love the bread crumbs and the light dusting of smoked paprika I added on top of my portion. I paired mine with some sauteed Tuscan kale which was terrific! 

Vegan Mac & Cheese Bake

Ingredients

• 16 oz. package pasta of choice (I used rice penne pasta) (works with an 8oz package too)
• paprika, garnish

For the bread crumb topping

• two pieces of bread or 1 cup bread crumbs 
• tablespoon olive oil
• twist or two of the salt grinder

Cheese Sauce

• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked for a 2 -3 hours (aides in digestion)
• 1 3/4 cups water or unsweetened almond milk, or combo like I did
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• juice of one large lemon or 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, to taste*
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• dash of cayenne powder 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook your noodles al dente and set aside.

While waiting for the water to boil, start with your bread topping first. I toasted two pieces of bread we had on hand really well and processed them in the food processor until crumbly, a high speed blender will work too. Place the crumbs in a small bowl, drizzle with olive oil and a twist or two of the salt grinder, mix well and set aside. Quickly rinse the processor/blender bowl and move on to the cheese sauce.

For the cheese sauce: In food processor/blender, combine all of the cheese sauce ingredients except for about 1/2 of the water/milk and blend until creamy. Add remaining water/milk and blend again. Taste for flavor adding anything extra to suit your taste.

Once pasta is cooked and drained. Add pasta back to the pot it was cooked in, add the cheese sauce and combine well. It may seem like too much liquid but the pasta will take care of most of it.

In baking dish, pour mac & cheese and top with bread crumbs. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, check after 15 minutes if crumbs are darkening too much for your liking, cover with foil.

When done, let cool about 10 minutes and serve. The sauce will thicken upon standing.

* The chili pepper adds a really nice flavor without being too powerful. If your worried about the spiciness, especially for the little ones, I would suggest using the smaller amount, taste and add more if desired.

Notes: If you use a smaller baking dish or use ramikins, lessen the cooking time to 10 - 20 minutes depending on the size of dish you use.

Enjoy!

Why I ♥ this cheese so much is not only does it taste fantastic and its easy to make, but also because not one cow was harmed, or had their baby taken away, or just simply had to live a life of misery in order to satisfy a taste we have come accustomed to without even realizing how these animals are handled, especially through factory farming. That in itself makes all dairy products undesirable to me. I began my vegan journey for health reasons and soon found out just how unpleasant the meat and dairy industry really is. It is not a question of whether it's wrong or right to consume animals and their products...that depends on your circumstances. But I do believe that in this day and age we live in we simply do not need them to survive, and we definitely do not need to factory farm them the way it is being done.

Veganism for me is liberation for ALL sentient beings! And it most certainly starts with my fork. :)

To find out more about the life of factory farmed animals and animal rights you can visit PETA.org for more information.

Winner, Winner....Mac & Cheese Dinner!

First off, let me say that this was a supreme hit with my 12 year old daughter who usually turns her nose up at almost everything I make! As a matter of fact, I hear her in the kitchen right now nibbling on the left overs...this is a good day. We have a winner here...this mac & cheese bake will hit the spot for the kids, just don't say a word about what's in it. ;) Now had I added veggies in the bake, it would not have passed which is why this is just a simple recipe. Feel free to add in veggies like broccoli, kale, etc...whatever you may usually add into a mac & cheese bake! 

As for myself, I seriously could have sat there and ate this whole thing myself. I haven't had a mac & cheese bake in I don't know how long. The cheese is just great! I especially love the bread crumbs and the light dusting of smoked paprika I added on top of my portion. I paired mine with some sauteed Tuscan kale which was terrific! 

Vegan Mac & Cheese Bake

Ingredients

• 16 oz. package pasta of choice (I used rice penne pasta) (works with an 8oz package too)
• paprika, garnish

For the bread crumb topping

• two pieces of bread or 1 cup bread crumbs 
• tablespoon olive oil
• twist or two of the salt grinder

Cheese Sauce

• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked for a 2 -3 hours (aides in digestion)
• 1 3/4 cups water or unsweetened almond milk, or combo like I did
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• juice of one large lemon or 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, to taste*
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• dash of cayenne powder 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook your noodles al dente and set aside.

While waiting for the water to boil, start with your bread topping first. I toasted two pieces of bread we had on hand really well and processed them in the food processor until crumbly, a high speed blender will work too. Place the crumbs in a small bowl, drizzle with olive oil and a twist or two of the salt grinder, mix well and set aside. Quickly rinse the processor/blender bowl and move on to the cheese sauce.

For the cheese sauce: In food processor/blender, combine all of the cheese sauce ingredients except for about 1/2 of the water/milk and blend until creamy. Add remaining water/milk and blend again. Taste for flavor adding anything extra to suit your taste.

Once pasta is cooked and drained. Add pasta back to the pot it was cooked in, add the cheese sauce and combine well. It may seem like too much liquid but the pasta will take care of most of it.

In baking dish, pour mac & cheese and top with bread crumbs. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, check after 15 minutes if crumbs are darkening too much for your liking, cover with foil.

When done, let cool about 10 minutes and serve. The sauce will thicken upon standing.

* The chili pepper adds a really nice flavor without being too powerful. If your worried about the spiciness, especially for the little ones, I would suggest using the smaller amount, taste and add more if desired.

Notes: If you use a smaller baking dish or use ramikins, lessen the cooking time to 10 - 20 minutes depending on the size of dish you use.

Enjoy!

Why I ♥ this cheese so much is not only does it taste fantastic and its easy to make, but also because not one cow was harmed, or had their baby taken away, or just simply had to live a life of misery in order to satisfy a taste we have come accustomed to without even realizing how these animals are handled, especially through factory farming. That in itself makes all dairy products undesirable to me. I began my vegan journey for health reasons and soon found out just how unpleasant the meat and dairy industry really is. It is not a question of whether it's wrong or right to consume animals and their products...that depends on your circumstances. But I do believe that in this day and age we live in we simply do not need them to survive, and we definitely do not need to factory farm them the way it is being done.

Veganism for me is liberation for ALL sentient beings! And it most certainly starts with my fork. :)

To find out more about the life of factory farmed animals and animal rights you can visit PETA.org for more information.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf

After a few attempts (five to be exact) at making this lentil loaf, I have finally come up with a veggie version that tastes pretty darn good and is extremely filling. I wanted to keep this easy with ingredients you may already have in your pantry. After doing a little digging I was able to piece this together from a few resources like the one from Made to Create which is wonderfully simple and also had good reviews from when I shared it on my facebook page! And also this one from Oh She Glows which is a walnut version using apples and raisins but I wanted one with all veggies (Her's looks delicious and I will be trying it too). Last but not least I referenced this recipe at My Vegan Cookbook. 

I especially love the glaze for the top of this loaf. You could serve some extra on the side, or double the amount if you like and put a little extra on. And if you like spicy, you'll love the ground chipotle pepper in this recipe with the glaze, such a nice combo of sweet and spice! I found the higher amount of chipotle listed below to be just perfect for myself, adjust to your liking starting with the smaller amount if your not a fan of spice. 

The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf

Ingredients

Loaf
1 cup dry lentils
2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)
1/3 cup water (6 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for sauteing, or steam saute using 1/4 cup water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small bell pepper, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced or grated
1 celery stalk, finely diced
3/4 cup oats (I used GF oats)
1/2 cup oat flour or finely ground oats
1 heaping teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 heaping teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder & onion powder...for good measure!
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, optional
cracked pepper & sea salt to taste

Glaze
3 tablespoons organic ketchup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup


Rinse lentils. In large pot add 2 1/2 cups water with lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. It's ok if they get mushy, we are going to roughly puree 3/4 of the mixture when cooled. Once done, remove lid and set aside to cool. they will thicken upon standing, about 15 minutes is good.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In small bowl combine flaxseed meal and 1/3 cup water, set aside for at least 10 minutes, preferably in the refrigerator. This will act as a binder and will thicken nicely upon sitting.

Prepare vegetables. In saute pan heat oil or water over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion, bell pepper, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes. Add spices mixing well to incorporate. Set aside to cool.

Using a submersion blender or food processor, blend 3/4 of the lentil mixture. For me this was an important part, I tried it other ways and this worked to help as a binder. If using a submersion blender, tilt your pot slightly to the side for easier blending.

Combine sauteed vegetables with the lentils, oats, oat flour and flax egg, mix well. Taste, adding pepper and salt as needed. Or any other herb or spice you might like. Place mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, leaving it overlapping for easy removal later. Press down firmly filling in along the edges too.

Prepare your glaze by combining all ingredients in a small bowl, mix until incorporated. I recommend making each tablespoon heaping so you have plenty of this great sauce on top. Spread over top of loaf and bake in oven for about 45 - 50 minutes. Let cool a bit before slicing.

And a few photos of some of the steps...



Prepare your lentils. Make your flaxegg and set aside...



Mince and dice your vegetables. Saute veggies, adding herbs and spices, set aside.



Once everything is mixed, press into your prepared loaf pan...I used a 9x5. Top with glaze...

 Bake and let your loaf cool, remove and serve (these are two different loaves)...

 Your work is done...except for the dishes...maybe you can delegate that to someone else. :)

Enjoy!

After a few attempts (five to be exact) at making this lentil loaf, I have finally come up with a veggie version that tastes pretty darn good and is extremely filling. I wanted to keep this easy with ingredients you may already have in your pantry. After doing a little digging I was able to piece this together from a few resources like the one from Made to Create which is wonderfully simple and also had good reviews from when I shared it on my facebook page! And also this one from Oh She Glows which is a walnut version using apples and raisins but I wanted one with all veggies (Her's looks delicious and I will be trying it too). Last but not least I referenced this recipe at My Vegan Cookbook. 

I especially love the glaze for the top of this loaf. You could serve some extra on the side, or double the amount if you like and put a little extra on. And if you like spicy, you'll love the ground chipotle pepper in this recipe with the glaze, such a nice combo of sweet and spice! I found the higher amount of chipotle listed below to be just perfect for myself, adjust to your liking starting with the smaller amount if your not a fan of spice. 

The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf

Ingredients

Loaf
1 cup dry lentils
2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)
1/3 cup water (6 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for sauteing, or steam saute using 1/4 cup water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small bell pepper, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced or grated
1 celery stalk, finely diced
3/4 cup oats (I used GF oats)
1/2 cup oat flour or finely ground oats
1 heaping teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 heaping teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder & onion powder...for good measure!
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, optional
cracked pepper & sea salt to taste

Glaze
3 tablespoons organic ketchup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup


Rinse lentils. In large pot add 2 1/2 cups water with lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. It's ok if they get mushy, we are going to roughly puree 3/4 of the mixture when cooled. Once done, remove lid and set aside to cool. they will thicken upon standing, about 15 minutes is good.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In small bowl combine flaxseed meal and 1/3 cup water, set aside for at least 10 minutes, preferably in the refrigerator. This will act as a binder and will thicken nicely upon sitting.

Prepare vegetables. In saute pan heat oil or water over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion, bell pepper, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes. Add spices mixing well to incorporate. Set aside to cool.

Using a submersion blender or food processor, blend 3/4 of the lentil mixture. For me this was an important part, I tried it other ways and this worked to help as a binder. If using a submersion blender, tilt your pot slightly to the side for easier blending.

Combine sauteed vegetables with the lentils, oats, oat flour and flax egg, mix well. Taste, adding pepper and salt as needed. Or any other herb or spice you might like. Place mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, leaving it overlapping for easy removal later. Press down firmly filling in along the edges too.

Prepare your glaze by combining all ingredients in a small bowl, mix until incorporated. I recommend making each tablespoon heaping so you have plenty of this great sauce on top. Spread over top of loaf and bake in oven for about 45 - 50 minutes. Let cool a bit before slicing.

And a few photos of some of the steps...



Prepare your lentils. Make your flaxegg and set aside...



Mince and dice your vegetables. Saute veggies, adding herbs and spices, set aside.



Once everything is mixed, press into your prepared loaf pan...I used a 9x5. Top with glaze...

 Bake and let your loaf cool, remove and serve (these are two different loaves)...

 Your work is done...except for the dishes...maybe you can delegate that to someone else. :)

Enjoy!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Enchiladas Verde w/ Cashew Crema

I love enchiladas...not the kind with tons of processed cheese, be it vegan or otherwise, but the kind just like this one...fresh veggies and fresh sauce. It may not look like much but these were super! This is straight up casual dining at its best. Unfortunately it doesn't plate as well as I was hoping so make sure to keep this amongst your closest friends and family who don't mind a messy yet delicious meal. The verde sauce was amazing. I made it the day before so it could really set and combine flavors. It would make for a great salsa or even a taco salad dressing. And this version of the cashew crema is nice with the smoked paprika flavor, giving it just a touch of the smoky paprika flavor (add more if you like). Another cashew cream that would work fantastic here is this 'Cilantro Lime Cashew 'Sour Cream'.  

I didn't go to far from the original recipe as I loved everything about it and it was fantastic. I added some black beans for protein and carrots for more color. Also, if you don't want to make the verde sauce, feel free to use a good brand pre-made verde sauce instead. But I highly recommend making your own as it is delicious!

Enchiladas Verde w/ Cashew Crema

Cashew Crema

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2+ hours

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional)

2 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

salt, to taste

1/2 - 3/4 cup water

Verde Sauce 

2 lb fresh tomatillos, husked and quartered

1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup parsley or cilantro, chopped

himalayan salt & cracked pepper

Enchiladas

1 medium zucchini, chopped into 1/2″ pieces

2 ears of corn, shucked with the corn cut off the cob

3/4 cup or 1/2 pint cherry/grape tomatoes
1 carrot, peeled and diced (optional)

olive oil

1/2 -1 teaspoon cumin

himalayan salt & cracked pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

9 - 12 corn tortillas

Start with your paprika cashew crema, this can be made in advance, a day or two and kept in the fridge, or you can assemble it while the enchiladas are cooking as long as you soak your cashews first. Soak cashews in two cups water for 2+ hours, drain and rinse well. Place cashews, lemon/lime juice, paprika, onion powder, salt and 1/2 cup water into food processor/blender and blend until smooth, about 4 minutes or so. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin to desired consistency. Taste for flavor. Add more paprika to your liking, but keep in mind the color will change.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the zucchini, corn and tomatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with 1-2 tsp olive oil. Add cumin and a pinch of salt & pepper, toss to coat with the olive oil. Spread the vegetables in an even layer on a roasting pan lined with parchment paper, silpat or lightly greased with oil and roast for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.

While the veggies are cooking, start your sauce, this can also be made a day or two in advance. Place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeno, and vegetable broth in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor/blender, add the parsley or cilantro, salt and pepper to taste and process until smooth. Set aside. You may need to process your verde sauce in two batches. It makes quite a bit. 

Once everything is ready, start putting the enchilada's together. Wrap your corn tortillas in a dampened paper towel and microwave 45 seconds. This steams the tortillas and makes them pliable. Pour 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/4 c of the vegetable mixture, a spoon full the black beans, roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Once filled, pour the remaining sauce on top of the enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees F, until heated through. You may also like to leave the foil off for the last 10 minutes to let the exposed tortillas get a bit crispy.

Serve with the cashew crema. A side of avocado would be great too.

If you only use half of the recipe like I did, the left overs make great taco fillings.

Enjoy!

I love enchiladas...not the kind with tons of processed cheese, be it vegan or otherwise, but the kind just like this one...fresh veggies and fresh sauce. It may not look like much but these were super! This is straight up casual dining at its best. Unfortunately it doesn't plate as well as I was hoping so make sure to keep this amongst your closest friends and family who don't mind a messy yet delicious meal. The verde sauce was amazing. I made it the day before so it could really set and combine flavors. It would make for a great salsa or even a taco salad dressing. And this version of the cashew crema is nice with the smoked paprika flavor, giving it just a touch of the smoky paprika flavor (add more if you like). Another cashew cream that would work fantastic here is this 'Cilantro Lime Cashew 'Sour Cream'.  

I didn't go to far from the original recipe as I loved everything about it and it was fantastic. I added some black beans for protein and carrots for more color. Also, if you don't want to make the verde sauce, feel free to use a good brand pre-made verde sauce instead. But I highly recommend making your own as it is delicious!

Enchiladas Verde w/ Cashew Crema

Cashew Crema

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2+ hours

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional)

2 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

salt, to taste

1/2 - 3/4 cup water

Verde Sauce 

2 lb fresh tomatillos, husked and quartered

1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup parsley or cilantro, chopped

himalayan salt & cracked pepper

Enchiladas

1 medium zucchini, chopped into 1/2″ pieces

2 ears of corn, shucked with the corn cut off the cob

3/4 cup or 1/2 pint cherry/grape tomatoes
1 carrot, peeled and diced (optional)

olive oil

1/2 -1 teaspoon cumin

himalayan salt & cracked pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

9 - 12 corn tortillas

Start with your paprika cashew crema, this can be made in advance, a day or two and kept in the fridge, or you can assemble it while the enchiladas are cooking as long as you soak your cashews first. Soak cashews in two cups water for 2+ hours, drain and rinse well. Place cashews, lemon/lime juice, paprika, onion powder, salt and 1/2 cup water into food processor/blender and blend until smooth, about 4 minutes or so. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin to desired consistency. Taste for flavor. Add more paprika to your liking, but keep in mind the color will change.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the zucchini, corn and tomatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with 1-2 tsp olive oil. Add cumin and a pinch of salt & pepper, toss to coat with the olive oil. Spread the vegetables in an even layer on a roasting pan lined with parchment paper, silpat or lightly greased with oil and roast for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.

While the veggies are cooking, start your sauce, this can also be made a day or two in advance. Place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeno, and vegetable broth in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor/blender, add the parsley or cilantro, salt and pepper to taste and process until smooth. Set aside. You may need to process your verde sauce in two batches. It makes quite a bit. 

Once everything is ready, start putting the enchilada's together. Wrap your corn tortillas in a dampened paper towel and microwave 45 seconds. This steams the tortillas and makes them pliable. Pour 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/4 c of the vegetable mixture, a spoon full the black beans, roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Once filled, pour the remaining sauce on top of the enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees F, until heated through. You may also like to leave the foil off for the last 10 minutes to let the exposed tortillas get a bit crispy.

Serve with the cashew crema. A side of avocado would be great too.

If you only use half of the recipe like I did, the left overs make great taco fillings.

Enjoy!

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Blackened Tofu, Stir Fried Kale & Quinoa

 My new favorite way of eating kale is stir frying it in my wok. I actually crave this stuff and make a whole bundle and eat it all by itself for dinner. I know I eat a lot of things some people would think is weird but this is really delicious in my book! I also know many of you who have a love of kale will just love this stir fry. For tonight's dinner I decided to serve it with some blacken tofu....now we're really cooking! Blackened tofu, kale and quinoa....I'm loving these Superfoods. :)

Let's begin with the kale...the king of the leafy greens!

Ingredients

kale, I used 10oz organic package from Trader Joe's

2 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, fine ground

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons sesame oil

salt to taste

sesame seeds to garnish

In large wok or saute pan heat oil on medium high. Add kale and stir fry for about a minute. Sprinkle nutritional yeast and garlic powder over top, turning and moving the kale around to get all the spices mixed well throughout the kale. Continue stir frying for another four to five minutes. You may leave a cover on for a minute here and there in between stir frying to help soften the kale. When kale turns bright green it's about ready to be removed from heat. Test a piece and see if it's too your liking, if not stir fry a little longer. Some may like it crisp and some may like it softer. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.

On to the blackened tofu that was such a nice accompaniment...

Ingredients

one block firm or extra firm organic tofu

2 tablespoons tamari, bragg's liquid amino's or soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Spice Blend

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon black or white pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Open and drain tofu. Slice tofu into slabs, whatever size you prefer. Press tofu between paper towels or cloth to remove excess moisture. In a shallow dish place tofu and tamari, bragg's or soy sauce and let set a few minutes, turn after a few minutes to let the other side soak.

In medium size bowl, combine all spice blend ingredients and mix until blended. This is fairly spicy so you may consider using less black pepper and/or cayenne.

In saute pan, heat oil on medium high heat. Place tofu pieces in spice blend, press gently to get a good coating, turn and repeat on the other side. Place coated tofu onto saute pan and cook a few minutes on each side. They will  blacken nicely as they should and be so tasty! Serve with quinoa, rice, kale or anything that calls to you. Serves four. I used half a block and kept the spice measurements the same.

Let's do some quinoa, another Superfood! I finally got the right way to cook it that I like...

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, I used tri-color from Trader Joe's

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt to taste

Rinse your quinoa under cool running water for about a minute or two to remove any dust. If you forego this step your quinoa will have a bitter taste. Well worth the step. In medium to large pot add quinoa and water, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15-20 min. Once done stir and let set for 10 minutes uncovered to rest and soak up any excess water. Stir once again before serving. It will be a perfect quinoa, fluffy and sprouted.

I love quinoa, it can be eaten alone or served with so many other veggies and fruits. Season for the dish you are serving it with, or don't use any seasoning at all...it's really good all by itself. The other day I had some left over quinoa and black beans in the fridge and decided to mix them together and serve it cold with lots of strawberries in the mix....sounds weird but it was so good! Anyhow tonight it is served with blackened tofu and kale. :)

Enjoy !

Blackened tofu inspired by this recipe at Daily Garnish....Great visual instructions as well!

 My new favorite way of eating kale is stir frying it in my wok. I actually crave this stuff and make a whole bundle and eat it all by itself for dinner. I know I eat a lot of things some people would think is weird but this is really delicious in my book! I also know many of you who have a love of kale will just love this stir fry. For tonight's dinner I decided to serve it with some blacken tofu....now we're really cooking! Blackened tofu, kale and quinoa....I'm loving these Superfoods. :)

Let's begin with the kale...the king of the leafy greens!

Ingredients

kale, I used 10oz organic package from Trader Joe's

2 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, fine ground

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons sesame oil

salt to taste

sesame seeds to garnish

In large wok or saute pan heat oil on medium high. Add kale and stir fry for about a minute. Sprinkle nutritional yeast and garlic powder over top, turning and moving the kale around to get all the spices mixed well throughout the kale. Continue stir frying for another four to five minutes. You may leave a cover on for a minute here and there in between stir frying to help soften the kale. When kale turns bright green it's about ready to be removed from heat. Test a piece and see if it's too your liking, if not stir fry a little longer. Some may like it crisp and some may like it softer. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.

On to the blackened tofu that was such a nice accompaniment...

Ingredients

one block firm or extra firm organic tofu

2 tablespoons tamari, bragg's liquid amino's or soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Spice Blend

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon black or white pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Open and drain tofu. Slice tofu into slabs, whatever size you prefer. Press tofu between paper towels or cloth to remove excess moisture. In a shallow dish place tofu and tamari, bragg's or soy sauce and let set a few minutes, turn after a few minutes to let the other side soak.

In medium size bowl, combine all spice blend ingredients and mix until blended. This is fairly spicy so you may consider using less black pepper and/or cayenne.

In saute pan, heat oil on medium high heat. Place tofu pieces in spice blend, press gently to get a good coating, turn and repeat on the other side. Place coated tofu onto saute pan and cook a few minutes on each side. They will  blacken nicely as they should and be so tasty! Serve with quinoa, rice, kale or anything that calls to you. Serves four. I used half a block and kept the spice measurements the same.

Let's do some quinoa, another Superfood! I finally got the right way to cook it that I like...

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, I used tri-color from Trader Joe's

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt to taste

Rinse your quinoa under cool running water for about a minute or two to remove any dust. If you forego this step your quinoa will have a bitter taste. Well worth the step. In medium to large pot add quinoa and water, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15-20 min. Once done stir and let set for 10 minutes uncovered to rest and soak up any excess water. Stir once again before serving. It will be a perfect quinoa, fluffy and sprouted.

I love quinoa, it can be eaten alone or served with so many other veggies and fruits. Season for the dish you are serving it with, or don't use any seasoning at all...it's really good all by itself. The other day I had some left over quinoa and black beans in the fridge and decided to mix them together and serve it cold with lots of strawberries in the mix....sounds weird but it was so good! Anyhow tonight it is served with blackened tofu and kale. :)

Enjoy !

Blackened tofu inspired by this recipe at Daily Garnish....Great visual instructions as well!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad