Monthly Archives: September 2012

First Day of School

by

7

Not just the first day this year… but the first day of kindergarten!

Sierra was only slightly nervous as she left the house looking prepared for her new future as a kindergartener.

She requested maki rolls for her lunch. Her favorite. That’s pickled ginger on the side (she could eat a whole jar if I let her). I tried to make the maki look like a school bus. I colored the rice with turmeric and filled them with yellow peppers.

Sierra bravely climbed on the bus and as the school bus pulled away I noticed my knees shaking. My body was remembering my first day of school so many years ago…

Sierra and I agreed to a tradition of “Freaky Friday” lunches. We don’t have time for fancy bento everyday, but Monday’s are “Maki” Mondays and Friday– it’s scary monster time!

Shared on Motivate Me Monday,

Carrot Cake Quackers and Vegan Carrot Cookies

by

11

Quackers

New book

I love it

great stories

Bento

dairy-free

buy online

Culinary Creativity: Let your restrictions set you free, available on Amazon.

Carrot Cake Muffin Recipe
(see below for cookies)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 cup quinoa flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
3 tablespoons oil (most kinds will be fine)
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup honey
1 cup shredded carrots (about 3 large carrots)
1/3 cup raisins

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with papers (makes 6-7 muffins). This recipe might work out fine to oil the muffin tins instead of paper but I didn’t test that.

Combine the dry ingredients.

Combine the wet ingredients.

Mix the wet and dry together and add the carrots and raisins.

Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup.

Bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the tin to cooling rack immediately so that the papers don’t get soggy.

* We enjoy these as muffins without frosting. I did frost them for the photo shoot and as a special treat, but there is no specific recipe for the frosting.

Carrot Muffin

Vegan Carrot Cookie Recipe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 tablespoon flax meal with 2 tablespoons water (or 1 egg for non-vegan)
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons oil (most kinds will be fine)
1/4 cup raw agave nectar (or honey for non-vegan)
1/2 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 carrots)
1/3-1/2 cup raisins

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the flax and water and set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients.

Combine the wet ingredients, including the flax.

Mix the wet and dry together and add the carrots and raisins.

Place spoonful-dolops of cookie batter on the baking sheet. (These don’t spread so you can place them close together.)

Bake for about 12 minutes (keep an eye on them to be sure the bottoms don’t get overcooked).  Set them out on a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Makes about 16 cookies.

Shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Wellness Weekend

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

by

0

Enjoy this excerpt from my book, Culinary Creativity: Let your restrictions set you free. Thank you!

veganshepard

Traditional shepherd’s pie is lamb and potatoes. This recipe has veggie burgers and mashed roots instead, and I love it. I got the idea of using veggie burgers from a vegan cookbook. We eat soy-free, so we use Sunshine Burgers (original flavor), but you could use any veggie burger you like.

veganshepherd

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
Dash freshly ground black pepper
3 veggie burgers, crumbled
1/2 cup green peas, (frozen or thawed)
1 batch Mashed Roots (page 106 in Culinary Creativity: Let your restrictions set you free or use mashed potatoes)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preheat the oven to 375oF. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes (stirring occasionally) until the carrots are al dente. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes; then stir in the aminos, stock, herbs, and pepper.

Prepare a 9×9-inch baking dish with oil. Add the crumbled burgers and peas. Then pour the sautéed mixture evenly over the top. Spread the mashed roots on top.

Bake for 30–35 minutes until the dish is hot, bubbling, and golden brown. Move to the top shelf if the top isn’t golden after 25 minutes. Serve warm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am sharing this recipe on