Category: Vegan

Gluten Free · New Favorite · Vegan · Vegetables · Vegetarian

Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans and Dried Cherries

cathysmaha1 Comment

Autumn brings cooler weather, falling leaves and wonderful vegetables.  I’ve become a huge fan of roasted vegetables and loved the idea of combining squash with Brussel sprouts.  Adding cherries, nuts and honey were the icing on top of the vegetables.

This is a wonderful dish for a potluck, holiday and just an ordinary night at home.

ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

4 cups Brussel Sprouts, ends trimmed, yellow leaved removed, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

1.5 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and dubbed into 1 inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Other ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans or halves
1/2 cup dried cherries (or Craisins)
optional:  2-4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (I did not add additional honey)

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet.
  • In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussel sprouts, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt (to taste) and toss. Place on foil-lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.  During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning.  The cut sides should be nicely browned and partially charred.

Roasted Butternut Squash

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a foil-lined baking sheet.
  • In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded), olive oil, honey, and cinnamon. Toss to mix.
  • Place butternut squash in even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until squash is softened.

NOTE:  You can roast both the Brussel sprouts and the butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time .

Assembly

  • In a large bowl, combine the roasted Brussel sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cherries (or cranberries) and mix to combine.

OPTIONAL: For more sweetness, add 2-4 tablespoons or honey or maple syrup…add slowly to desired amount of sweetness.

Adapted from Juliasalbum.com

Cakes · Gluten Free · New Favorite · Vegan · Vegetarian

Chocolate Cake…Vegan and Absolutely Delicious

cathysmaha2 Comments

Who doesn’t like chocolate cake?  I wanted to make a chocolate cake for a gathering of friends, two of which are Vegan.  We all love to share salads, fruits, pastas, but dessert is always a bit tricky.

This cake was moist, delicious and almost healthy!  I would make it again and again whether my guests were Vegan or not. Even one of my Grand Dogs thought it was worthy of his attention!

Chocolate Cake…Vegan &Delicious

3/4 cup plain flour/GF flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup unrefined cane sugar/brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting: 

This makes a small amount of frosting as the cake doesn’t need much, but for a full batch

    1 1/2 tbsp. lite Nuttelex or other dairy free butter/margarine alternative
    1 1/2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
    1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
    1/2 tsp. vanilla

    • Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F.
    • Grease and line a small cake tin (or cupcake tins)
    • In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
    • In a separate medium mixing bowl combine applesauce, sugar and vanilla and pour into dry ingredients.
    • Mix until just combined and pour into cake tin.
    • Bake for 20-35 minutes or until cooked through and a skewer inserted removes clean. If making cupcakes, cook for ~10-15 minutes or until cooked through.
    • For the frosting, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a mixer, adding in the cocoa and vanilla and mixing until combined. If needed, add a couple of drops of milk/non dairy milk until your desired consistency is reached

    Recipe from Southerininlaw.com

    Gluten Free · New Favorite · Salads · Vegan · Vegetarian

    Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

    cathysmahaLeave a comment
    Fresh fruit salad in winter is a real treat. This recipe is delicious, combining several fruits including apples, kiwi, blackberries, pomegranate, bananas and Mandarin oranges. The dressing is fresh and tasty, delivering a nice side to compliment any meal.
    IMG_7698

    WINTER FRUIT SALAD WITH LEMON POPPY SEED DRESSING

    Dressing

    1/4 cup olive oil
    1/4 cup vegetable oil
    3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
    3 Tbsp. honey
    3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
    2 tsp. poppy seeds

    • Combine all ingredients and mix well.

    Salad

    8 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented (I used Cuties)
    4 apples, diced
    4 ripe kiwis peeled and diced
    4 bananas, peeled and diced
    1 1/2 cup pomegranate arils (from about 1 large)
    1-2 cups blackberries (I added to the recipe)

    • Combine all salad ingredients. Toss with dressing and serve immediately.

    Recipe adapted from CookingClassy.com

    Family · Garden · Home · Italian Dishes · New Favorite · Pastas · Vegan · Vegetarian

    Roasted Tomato, Sausage and Pesto Sauce

    cathysmahaLeave a comment

    Fall brings the bounty of tomatoes, basil and much more. Older daughter, Megan, told me about a roasted tomato and pesto sauce she made. I tweaked it a bit to serve my tastes. I love the idea of adding pesto to a rich, red tomato sauce. It was delicious and definitely a new recipe for my collection.

    ROASTED TOMATO AND PESTO SAUCE

    1 pound Italian sausage, cooked and drained
    3 cups roasted tomatoes and peppers, cooled and blended (recipe below)
    1/2 cup chopped onion
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    3-4 garlic cloves, diced
    Cube of pesto (about 1/3 cup)
    26.5 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, chopped or blended
    1 cup water
    1 tablespoon fresh, chopped basil
    1 pound cooked pasta (I used bow tie pasta) and 1 cup of pasta water
    Parmesan Cheese (optional)

    • Core and slice tomatoes. Halve and remove seeds from peppers.
    • Arrange the tomatoes and peppers on a heavy cookie sheet (I line with parchment paper).  Drizzle with Avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt.
    • Roast at 400 degrees until the edges of the vegetables start to char and are cooked through.
    • Blend the mixture to a smooth consistency.
    • Cook and drain the sausage. Drain and set aside.
    • Sauté onions in olive oil and when almost cooked through, add the garlic. Continue to salute until garlic is cooked through.
    • Add roasted tomatoes and peppers, pesto, San Marzano tomatoes, water, basil and sausage.
    • Heat thoroughly.
    • Add 1 cup of pasta water to sauce. Stir.  Add drained, cooked pasta, and stir to mix thoroughly.
    • Serve with Parmesan cheese.
    Appetizers · Family Favorites · Garden · New Favorite · Vegan · Vegetarian

    Fresh Corn and Tomatillo Salsa

    cathysmahaLeave a comment

    My garden continues to produce plenty of tomatillos and when paired with fresh sweet corn, cilantro and seasonings, it makes a wonderful salsa. I’ve also used it to top my favorite Papusas from the Farmer’s Market. It wold also be wonderful paired with chicken or fish. A new favorite!

    CORN AND TOMATILLO SALSA

    4 ears fresh corn kernels
    2 seeded and finely chopped jalapeno peppers
    4 cups husked, chopped tomatillos
    1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
    1/2 cup chopped onion
    2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
    2 tablespoons water
    3 tablespoons fresh, chopped cilantro
    tortilla chips

    • In a large skillet, combine the corn kernels and jalapeño peppers. Cook and stir for 10 minutes, until the jalapeños are soft.
    • Add the tomatillos, green pepper, onions, lime juice, water and coriander to the corn and jalapeño mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Remove from heat. Cool. Stir in cilantro.
    • Cool salsa in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
    • Serve with tortilla chips

    Recipe adapted from:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/19686/corn-and-tomatillo-salsa/?internalSource=search%20result&referringContentType=search%20results

    Appetizers · Family Favorites · Garden · Gluten Free · New Traditions · Vegan · Vegetarian

    Tomatillo Salsa Fresh from the Garden

    cathysmahaLeave a comment

    Last year was the first time I ever planted tomatillos plants in my garden. While my tomatoes struggled last year, the tomatillos went crazy and they are even crazier this year given all of the summer rain in Colorado.

    My first try at tomatillos salsa went the easy – route and it was delicious. I froze a few bags for winter enjoyment, too! I plan to branch out this year and try a few other recipes, too!

    GREEN TOMATILLO SALSA

    8 ounces (5-6 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
    1 jalapeno (or 2 serranos), stemmed
    5-6 sprigs fresh cilantro (thick stemmed removed), roughly chopped
    1/4 cup water
    1/4 cup finely chopped onion
    salt to taste

    • Chop the tomatillos and the jalapeño.
    • In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos, jalapeño, cilantro and 1/4 cup water. Process to puree, then scrape into a serving dish.
    • Stir in the chopped onion and salt.
    Appetizers · Garden · New Favorite · Vegan · Vegetarian

    Cinnamon Basil Pesto

    cathysmaha3 Comments

    Cinnamon Basil was a garden experiment that produced more than I expected. Now, what do I do with it?

    I found this interesting Cinnamon Basil Pesto recipe and decided to try it in three ways:

    • Simple spread on a wafer/cracker
    • Served on top of a mild cheese (brie, gouda, etc.) and wafer/cracker
    • Served on top of a mild cheese with wafer/cracker and drizzled with honey

    This fun experiment ended with the pesto, cheese and honey winning my vote! 

    CINNAMON BASIL DESSERT PESTO

    1/3 – 1/2  cup walnut oil
    2  cups firmly packed, fresh cinnamon basil leaves
    1/2  cup chopped almonds
    1/2  cup flaked coconut
    1/4  cup freshly grated Asiago cheese (1 oz.)
    2   teaspoons raw sugar or packed brown sugar

    • In a food processor or blender combine 1/3 cup of the oil, the basil, almonds, coconut, cheese, and sugar. Cover and process or blend until nearly smooth, stopping and scraping sides as necessary and adding enough remaining oil until of desired consistency.
    • If the pesto is not to be served immediately, divide it into three portions. Place each portion in a small airtight container. Refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 3 months. Makes about 1-1/3 cups pesto.
    Vegan · Vegetables · Vegetarian

    Roasted Kohlrabi and Beets…Really!

    cathysmaha1 Comment

    This is the first year that I have participated in Grant Farms Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).  My older daughter, Megan, and I decided to try it this year and we’ve enjoyed the fruit and vegetable surprises each week.

    Kohlrabi was not a new vegetable to me but I haven’t had it since I lived at home on the farm.  My Mother would slice it and eat it raw with salt. It reminds me of a very crisp, slightly sweet, potato. However, I wanted to try something different and decided to roast it with a few red and gold beets, also in my CSA delivery.

    The leftovers were equally good served chilled.  Is this my favorite vegetable recipe? No, but I’m always up for a new adventure and I enjoyed it.

    ROASTED KOHLRABI AND BEETS

    3 medium to large Kohlrabi, peeled and chopped
    5-6 medium beets, peeled and chopped
    1 large onion, chopped
    1 large clove of garlic, minced
    1/4 cup olive oil
    1 tablespoon Kosher or Sea Salt
    black pepper to taste

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
    • Line large baking sheet with parchment paper or generously grease with olive oil.
    • Place chopped vegetables on baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil, add salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
    • Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and stir vegetables.  Bake another 45 minutes under tender.
    Gluten Free · New Favorite · Salads · Vegan · Vegetarian

    Cruciferous Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

    cathysmahaLeave a comment

    Trader’s Joe’s finally came to Denver last year and what fun we’ve had exploring their many wonderful products.  During one of my trips, they were tasting their Cruciferous Crunch Salad with mixed nuts and Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette.  Yummy in the tummy!

    trader-joes-cruciferous-crunch-collection

    The recipe is so simple, it doesn’t need one.  Chop the contents of the salad mix. Chop about 1 cup of mixed nuts (or nuts of your choice), and top with Trader Joe’s Asian Style Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette dressing. Toss and serve immediately.

    It’s simple, delicious, and good for you.  What’s not to like?

    Gluten Free · New Favorite · Salads · Vegan · Vegetarian

    Strawberry, Blueberry and Spinach Salad

    cathysmahaLeave a comment

    It’s salad time, again.  I love salad 365 days a year but with fresh produce and fruit in spring and summer, it’s the best! This salad is so simple and so delicious and you can have it anytime. Experiment with different greens, fruit and nuts and enjoy!

    What a yummy patriotic salad to share this Memorial Day weekend.

    STRAWBERRY AND SPINACH SALAD

    Baby Spinach salad mix
    1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
    1 cup fresh strawberries, rinsed, drained and sliced
    1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

     Sweet Balsamic Dressing

    1.5 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    1 teaspoon honey
    1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    Salt & pepper, to taste

    • Blend salad dressing ingredients together and chill.
    • When ready to serve, toss salad with dressing and serve immediately.

    Recipe from Faithfulprovisions.com