Buffalo Walnuts

Long time no blog! I think I say that every time I post something.

So I have recently become obsessed with all things buffalo. I have made buffalo tofu, buffalo popcorn, buffalo fried rice, and finally buffalo walnuts! I think I am boarding on addiction… Any who, you can pretty much take the basic buffalo recipe and out it on anything, I have. Plus, it is easy and quick!

• 2 cups walnuts
• 3 tablespoons Earth Balance or coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Rinse off walnuts, to remove any small pieces that may be stuck to them.

In a small sauce pan, melt together Earth Balance/coconut oil. Then stir in hot sauce, and let simmer for a minute. Add walnuts and toss to coat. Then spread in a single layer on baking sheet.

Bake walnuts for about 20 minutes or until all the sauce has dried up. Keep an eye on them, as they can burn quickly. I checked mine every 5 minutes.

Once cooled, you can store them in an air tight container.

Curried Peanut Sauce Tofu and Kale from Isa Does It

I got Isa Does It for my birthday back in November. Since then I have been absolutely in LOVE with this cookbook! It has been featured in my photo blog more than a couple times. All of the recipes in this book are packed full of flavor, and are honestly some of the best things I have made at home in a long time. I highly recommend you get this cookbook!!!

I changed up the name a bit because I didn’t end up putting this in a bowl. I only ended up changing some minor things, so the recipe is basically the same. I have really been on a curry kick lately. This recipe is perfect with the creamy peanut butter to mellow out a bit of the heat. I found myself wanting to lick the bowl clean!

Curried Peanut Sauce Bowl with Tofu and Kale

Based on a recipe from Isa Does It

Tofu

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 14 ounce package extra firm tofu
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Cut tofu into 1/2 inch pieces and lay out on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Place an equal sized backing sheet on top and some sort of weight (I used a stock pot). Let tofu drain/press for 15-20 minutes.

In a cast iron skillet, preheat oil on high heat. Add cubed tofu, carefully. Brown tofu evenly on all sides. Remove from heat and let excess oil drain off on a paper towel.

Sauce

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger (I used a micro plane)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon sriracha

Preheat a sauce pan over medium heat. Saute ginger and garlic in olive oil for about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until peanut butter dissolves and sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. At this point you can add some more curry to taste, if you like.

Kale

• 1 large bunch kale

Get you steaming device ready (I use a bamboo steamer over simmering water). Wash the kale, remove stems and tear into bit size pieces. Add to steamer and cook for about 5 minutes.

Assembly

• 4 cups cooked brown rice (I used a rice cooker)

Spoon rice onto plate or in a bowl. Top with kale, some cubes of tofu and spoon sauce over the top. You can add some additional sriracha or whatever you like at this point.

Miso Roasted Brussels and Quinoa Miso Ginger Salad

Long time no post! Sorry, I have been having a block on what I want to share with you guys. Then I decided I just needed to start sharing something, right?

I have been struggling to not eat junk food all the time (darn you holidays!). Getting back to proper portion sizes and not eating a ton of processed foods, has been a challenge! This one is a hybrid of a couple different recipes. The roasted Brussels, helped scratch that crispy fried food itch I have had, while still being mostly healthy. Quinoa has been my sub for starchy pasta or rice, and it is way more filling, which has helped with portion sizes.

I hope you all have been well, and happy new year!

Based on recipes by Bon Appetit and In Fine Balance

Quinoa

• 1 1/2 cups rainbow quinoa, rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups water

Combine quinoa and water into a pot (with a tight fitting lid). Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes, covered.

Once the 5 minutes are up, fluff with a fork.

Brussels Sprouts

• 1 pound of Brussels sprouts, dark leaves removed, and halved
• 1 teaspoon light miso
• 3 teaspoons water
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or tamari, for a gluten free option)
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, plus more for serving

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Dissolve miso in water, whisking until there are no more clumps. Add in soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup and sesame oil.

In a large bowl combine prepared Brussels sprouts and glaze. Scatter Brussels sprouts on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minute or until they are browned and caramelized, tossing halfway through.

Dressing

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of ground white pepper

Whisk together all ingredient until well combine (or blend them in a Nutribullet).

Assembly

• 1 carrots, grated
• 2-3 green onions, diagonally sliced

Toss carrots with cooked quinoa and dressing. Top with the miso roasted Brussels sprouts and green onions.

Barely and Marinated Artichoke Salad

So of course the week I decide we are gonna eat healthy and have a bunch of different kinds of salad is the week Colorado decides to flood like crazy! My heart goes out to all the people that have had to deal with this crazy weather. I hope all are safe and well.

This is a light super easy salad to make. It can be eaten warm or cold, and keeps well for leftovers. I LOVE artichokes, so I was more than happy to have leftovers. It is a bright and light salad, that keeps to full and ready to go.

Recipe based on a recipe by Health Is Happiness

• 1 1/2 cup barely
• 16 oz jar marinated artichokes, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add the barley. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for about 40 minutes, until barely is cooked. It should still have some bite to it. Drain, and set aside to let cool for 10 minutes.

While the barely is cooking prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Whisk together lemon juice, and olive oil. Combine the barely with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Boyfriend’s Birthday Weekend in San Diego!

Here is the photo story of our weekend in San Diego for my boyfriend’s birthday. It is a combo of camera and cell phone pictures.

 

This was an amazing trip. I feel so lucky to have spent it with 2 amazing people. Rob I love you so much and I hope you had a great birthday weekend. And I am sure there will be many more great birthdays to come.

I hope you all enjoyed this post. I have a couple recipe posts coming up soon for you. I love you all. Thanks for letting me share my trip with you!

Veggie Nuggets

I have been trying to work more raw food into my diet. Since it has been so darn hot, I can’t bring myself to turn on the stove (especially since I don’t have A/C). Although this recipe isn’t technically raw (since I don’t have a dehydrator) it is still super healthy and delicious!!!!

These veggie nuggets are hearty and filling. They have a great flavor! They have a tomato flavor from the sun dried tomatoes and they is mellowed out with the sweet corn and the sunflower and sesame seeds.

These guys are a little time consuming, but you get a TON of nuggets out this recipe. After they are made, they are a great quick lunch or an amazing topping for a salad. This is totally time well spent!

We went paddle boarding (our first time) this weekend at a local lake and these nuggets were a perfect lunch. I even got my Mother and her friends to try them. They all loved them. I even got asked for the recipe.

Based on a recipe by Raw. Vegan. Not Gross.

Nuggets:

• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds, soaked 1 hour in 6 oz of water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoons miso
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked 1 hour
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 onion
• 3 ears corn
• 1 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cup ground sunflower seeds
• 2 cups ground sesame seeds

Coating:

• 1 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon chile pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Start soaking your chia seeds and sun dried tomatoes for 1 hour.

Add the maple syrup and apple cider vinegar to the blender and pulse. Next add in the garlic, chili powder, miso, cayenne, cumin, salt, and chia seeds. Blend again.

Add onion, tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, and corn. If you start having problems blending, just use a spatula to move the mixture down and make sure everything is getting blended. Pour this mixture into a bowl and clean out your blender.

Grind sunflower and sesame seeds in a high-speed blender or coffee grinder. Add your ground seeds and nutritional yeast in with the mixture already in your bowl, and mix everything together with a spatula.

In a small bowl, assemble your breading mixture by just tossing together your ground flax, chili pepper, and salt.

To make our patties, use a large soup spoon to scoop it up, and form into a patty shape, coat each patty with your breading mixture, then lay it on your dehydrator sheet, or on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Dehydrate overnight, or bake in an oven for about an hour at 200 degrees F, flip them, and then bake for one more hour.

I know it isn’t raw, but I served mine with ketchup.

Potato and Kale Tart

I have been going to a local vegan bakery (Beet Box) a lot! I am addicted. I posted a picture of their potato and kale savory tart on my photo blog and a follower Allyhope18 at HopefullVegan asked me if I had a recipe for this. So here is my take on a potato and kale tart!

Filling:

• 3 Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 bunch of kale
• 2 cups raw cashews
• 4 cups filtered water + ½ cup more for blending
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Soak cashews four hours – overnight in filtered water

Drain all water and blend with ½ cup filtered water, lemon juice white wine vinegar, nutritional yeast , and half of salt, until smooth (this will take at least 10 minutes unless you’re working with a high-powered blender like a vitamix or blendtec) .

You may need to add more water if your cream cheese is a bit too thick – for example if it looks more like cashew butter than cream cheese, but don’t add too much.

Test seasoning, add more salt if needed and blend to finish.

Cut potatoes into small bite size pieces. Boil potatoes until fork tender. Place kale in colander and wash. Rip into small bit size pieces, removing the stems. Pour boiling water from potatoes over the top on the kale, and drain the excess water out.

Mix potatoes and kale with cashew cream cheese, and set aside until it is time to fill tarts.

Crust:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (more as necessary) coconut oil, cool enough to be solid
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cane or demerara sugar
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup ice water

In a food processor Start by placing the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S blade. Pulse to combine. Add your solid coconut oil and pulse until mixture is crumbly and will stick together when you squeeze it. Pulse in 1/3 cup water, or until the dough holds together well when you make a handful of it and is visibly starting to come together in the food processor.

Turn dough onto a clean, dry surface that has been dusted with flour. If you’re not ready to use the crust, shape it into a flat ball, wrap with saran, place in a freezer bag, and freeze. If you are ready to use it but not this very second, you can store it in the fridge till it’s time to bake.

Assembly:

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Cut dough into 8 pieces, and roll out into small circles to cover the inside of a large muffin tin or mini tart pan. Prick bottom of crust with a fork. Line dough with foil and weight down with oil beans or rice.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove foil and beans. Fill each crust with potato and kale filling. And bake for 20 more minutes or until crust is a light golden brown color.

Sriracha Sesame Tofu

I have been following Olives for Dinner for awhile now and she makes some of the most inspiring, tasty looking food. My photos are put to shame by her beautiful ones. But I hope I did this yummy dish some justice. You should totally go check out her blog (if you haven’t already).

I made her Quick and Easy Tofu with Ramen Noodles, but I opted for rice noodles instead. Super delicious recipe! My boyfriend loved it. This was a great dinner before our 4th of July hike. Kept my full and energized the whole time.

The tofu has got a great texture, and the sesame seeds and cashews provide a great crunch. I think my favorite part of this dish is the everything sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It has note of sesame, and spicy, just yum in my book.

The great thing about this dish is you can easily adjust the spiciness level to your tastes. If you like it less spicy, add less pepper to your everything sauce, and less sriracha to the final dish.

Her recipe can be found here. I really hope you love this one as much as I do. Happy eating!

Raw Pad Thai

This recipe is amazing for those hot summer days when you just don’t wanna turn on the stove. I have also been trying to work in more raw recipes into my diet. This is a more of a slaw, but heavily inspired by Pad Thai.

This is a request by the lovely Casandra at Nourished Intuition.

Based on a recipe by The Taste Space

• 2 cups broccoli slaw
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons raw coconut flakes (in place of peanuts)

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons raw agave nectar
• 1 lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 4 dates, soaked for 2 hours
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, more if you like
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 2 tablespoons water, or more to thin to your desired consistency (but no more than 4 tablespoons)

Place the slaw, carrot, peppers, cabbage and cauliflower in a large bowl.

In a blender, combine all sauce ingredients. Blend to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add more water

Pour the sauce over the vegetables in the bowl and toss to combine well. Plate the veggie mixture and top with coconut. This will keep in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

Zucchini “Hotdogs” with Sweet Potato Fries

I was in the mood for a hotdog last week, but I have been trying to not eat so much soy, since it is so processed. I was trying to think of a vegetable that would be a great replacement. I had also been craving zucchini fries. So I thought I would just combine the 2 into a junk food extravaganza! lol And well you can’t eat a hotdog without a yummy side, right? So I also made some sweet potato fries 😉

These are pretty simple recipes and they really fit into the summer mood.

Based on a recipe by The Vegan Pact

Zucchini “Hotdogs”

• 2 large zucchini, cut into 8 sticks
• 1 cup whole wheat organic breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp flaxseed egg (one egg), or egg replacement
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 8 hotdog buns
• favorite hotdog toppings

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with parchment.
Whisk together 1/4 cup oil, mustard and flaxseed egg. Place zucchini slices in a large mixing bowl and pour mixture over them and toss until evenly coated.

In a smaller bowl, mix together bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper and paprika. Dip each coated zucchini stick into the breadcrumb mixture and turn until completely covered. And place on baking sheet and repeat until all sticks are coated.
Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes-flip over and bake for 5 more minutes.

Place one zucchini stick on a hotdog bun, and top with your favorite hotdog condiments.

Sweet Potato Fries

Based on a recipe on Instructables.com

• 2 large sweet potato
• sea salt (coarse)
• freshly ground black pepper, chunky
• good quality olive oil

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Line backing sheet with parchment paper.

Peel potatoes and slice into fry like shapes. Place on baking sheet.

Drizzle potatoes with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Spread out fries so they are in one layer.

Bake fries for 15 minutes. Take out and flip them. Bake for 15 more minutes or until desired done-ness.