Gluten Free Teff Ginger Molasses Cookies

Teff is becoming more popular these days in the public eye. Everyone is looking for the next big grain and this might be it. I have enjoyed teff for many years now in the form of injera bread, a spongy, sour bread traditionally served with Ethiopian food. Teff is considered a "super food" high in protein, calcium, iron, amino acids and is also gluten free! Baking with teff is new to me, but with a little one in my house now, I am interested in using grains in baking that serve a nutritional point and are higher quality. These cookies are awesome! Because they are 100% teff, they are slightly sandy in texture, but don't let that sway you. They are still moist and so, so flavorful. I completely forgot about the texture three cookies in! These spice filled cookies would be great any day of the week and especially around the holidays. They are sweetened with only molasses, dates and apple sauce and with no oil added, you could actually consider this to be a HEALTHY cookie!
Teff flour can be found at Ethiopian markets or natural foods stores. The Whole Foods near me sells it in their baking aisle and in bulk, making it easy for me to buy only what I need.

Teff Ginger Molasses Cookies
makes 12+
10 pitted dates
3/4 cup 100% apple juice
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup almond butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups brown teff flour
1 tbl orange zest
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350.
In a small pot, combine the dates and apple juice and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to soften the dates. Transfer to a food processor and add the molasses, almond butter and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend until a smooth dough forms.
Scoop out balls of dough about 2 tablespoons each. Flatten on a greased baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Kid-Friendly Banana Bread

I call them kid-friendly but really these are friendly for all ages. I made these for my 9 month old baby girl but I enjoyed them a lot! These sugar-free, gluten-free treats are a wonderfully healthy treat perfect for little hands to hold and enjoy.

Kid Friendly Banana Bread
yields 1 dozen small muffins
2 cups old fashioned gluten free oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a muffin or doughtnut tin.
In a food processor, grind the oats into a fine powder and transfer to a bowl. Add the baking powder, soda, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and salt.
Puree the bananas in the food processor and add to the oats along with the applesauce and melted oil.
Stir to combine.
Divide into 12 muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes. 

I used a doughnut tin I have but never get any use out of it. Whatever shape you do, keep these in small shapes so they stay moist.
Enjoy!
Freeze to store extras.

Watermelon Cucumber Lemonade

It's summer and that means one thing for people who have their own gardens: too much cucumber and too much zucchini. Thankfully I am able to fully benefit from my friend's first world problems. I am more then happy to take this off their hands. With only so many things you can do with cucumber, I decided to use a few and experiment with different drinks. This non-alcoholic summer beverage is a perfect addition to your recipe repertoire.

One Year Ago Today Roasted Vegetable Baguette with Parsley Pesto

Two Years Ago Today Sweet Corn & Roasted Garlic Tamales with Tomatillo Sauce
Three Years Ago Today Cauliflower Fritters with Mango Dipping Sauce & Pineapple Ceviche

Sweet watermelon, crisp cucumber and fresh lemon juice combine into a perfectly sweet and refreshing drink for everyone to enjoy.
 
Watermelon Cucumber Lemonade
yields 10 cups
1 lb of watermelon, medium chunks
8 oz of cucumber, skin on, medium chunks
1/2 cup light agave
10 cups water, divided
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Combine the watermelon, cucumber, agave and 2 cups of water in a blender and blend until smooth.
Strain out the pulp and seeds and discard.
Combine the juice with the remaining 8 cups of water and fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine.
Chill and serve!

Potato Corn Chowder

This soup fills all the requirements of a great chowder: thick, rich, creamy and satisfying. One batch of soup serves two purposes. Half of the soup stays chunky with potatoes and corn and the other half is blended with cannelini beans to transform into a silky, hearty broth. No flour or cornstarches are needed to make a great chowder.
As you can see, this soup is served in a bread bowl. The soup itself is gluten free, the bread bowl is not!

One Year Ago Today Sweet Potato & Plantain Tacos with Mango Barbecue Sauce, Pico and Black Beans

Two Years Ago Today Two Bean Sofrito and Aranitas

Three Years Ago Today Boysenberry Lemon Truffles

Potato Corn Chowder
serves 4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, small dice
4 medium sized red potatoes, skin on, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tbl fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup unsweetened, plain almond milk
1-15oz can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

In a large soup pot, sweat the onions in olive oil until translucent and fragrant, 5-7 minutes. Add the potatoes, garlic, corn and thyme. Season with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper. Add the almond milk and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Transfer half of the soup to a blender along with the beans and blend until smooth. Pour back into the soup pot and mix to combine.
Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Simple Cabbage Stew

A trip to the Farmer's Market today yielded everything I needed to make this dish. Thankfully there was a break in hot summer weather and I welcomed the overcast with my favorite meal: soup. As you can see from the picture below, I was able to get my hands on a beautiful array of tomatoes. Lightly sauteing them with a bit of garlic provided a wonderfully rich and hearty broth.

One Year Ago Today Mocha Chip Popsicles
Two Years Ago Today Chopped Chickpea Salad
Three Years Ago Today Maple Dijon Tofu with Almond Crumble and Artichoke Puree

 Simple Cabbage Stew
serves 3
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 white onion, small dice
1 large carrot, small dice
2 cups small diced fingerling or yukon gold potatoes, skin on
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 small green cabbage, cored, roughly chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, smashed
salt, to taste

In a stock pot, saute the onion and carrot in 2 tbl olive oil for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to become tender. Add the potatoes and season with dill, pepper and 1 tsp of salt. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add the cabbage and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and prepare the tomato broth.
In a small pot, saute the tomatoes, whole and garlic in 1 tbl of olive oil. Season with salt and cook over medium high heat for 7-10 minutes until the tomatoes burst. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
Add the tomato broth to the soup and cover the pot. Cook over medium-low for 10 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.

No Churn Pineapple Sorbet

There is only one trick to this perfectly creamy and tart sorbet and it must not be skipped! The trick is to use fresh pineapple that you freeze yourself. Prebought frozen pineapple is not nearly as sweet and flavorful and the end result will be much more tart and bland than you want. You also want to make sure you are blending the pineapple frozen, don't skip this step! You will notice that the result is practically ready to eat right from the blender. Blending unfrozen pineapple will make your mix much more watery and the end result will be more like water ice instead of a creamy sorbet. These are simple but important steps and can be applied to any kind of fruit! Try it with peaches or grapes or mix fruits to create your own blends.

One Year Ago Today Single Serve Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie
Two Years Ago Today Eggplant Onion Burgers with Fig Hazelnut Jam
Three Years Ago Today Broccolini Pizza with Corn Sauce

Two ingredient, fresh pineapple sorbet that requires only a good trusty blender and some patience. No ice cream machine needed here!

No Churn Pineapple Sorbet
yields 1 quart or 4 cups
1 fresh pineapple, cored, small dice (about 4 cups)
1 cup water
1 cup organic cane sugar

Cut and freeze the fresh pineapple completely.
Transfer the frozen pineapple to a blender along with the water and sugar. Blend until thick and completely smooth.
Transfer to a sealed container and freeze.

Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas

If you love quesadillas but can't find or aren't a fan of vegan cheese then these are for you. I personally can find and do like (some) vegan cheeses but would always rather choose a less processed or homemade product over the latter. These quesadillas won't make you miss cheese and will satisfy that insatiable craving once and for all.

One Year Ago Today Sweet Apricot & Hazelnut Pannini
Two Years Ago Today Stuffed Guero Chile with Broken Spaghetti & Red Sauce
Three Years Ago Today Indian Buffet, at home


These flavor packed quesadillas get their gooey cheesy flavor from a surprising yet perfect ingredient- red pepper hummus! Combined with sauteed vegetables and tender black beans, these quesadillas are sure to please all.

Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas
serves 2-4
3 tbl extra virgin olive or canola oil
1 poblano, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced scallions
2 tbl roughly chopped cilantro
4-10" flour or corn tortillas
1 cup roasted red pepper hummus
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
vegan sour cream, optional
salsa, optional

In a large saute pan, cook the poblano, garlic, red onion and scallions with a pinch of salt in 1 tbl of oil until just tender, 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss in the cilantro.
Spread 1/2 cup each of hummus on 2 tortillas and top with 1/2 cup black beans and the vegetable mix. Top with another tortilla and press down lightly to pack together.
Heat 1 tbl of oil and add the quesadilla to the pan. Once golden brown on the bottom, flip to toast the other side. Cook the second quesadilla the same way.
Use a sharp knife to cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.

White Bean & Pine Nut Stuffed Artichokes

Once you get the knack of cleaning out a fresh artichoke, it really isn't so hard. Just make sure you scrape out all the little hairs in the center and discard many of the tough outer leaves. There will be a lot of waste but that's just the nature of a good artichoke.

One Year Ago Today Grilled Corn Crostini
Two Years Ago Today Black Pepper Tofu with Broccoli
Three Years Ago Today Sea Foam!

Creamy white beans, garlic, fresh rosemary and toasted pine nuts make a perfect, hearty filling to all the great fresh artichokes you find during the summer.

White Bean & Pine Nut Stuffed Artichokes
serves 3
2 lemons, divided
3 artichokes 2 tbl extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 shallot, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbl minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup pine nuts
1-15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup white wine
1 tbl nutritional yeast, for sprinkling

Prepare a large bowl of water with the juice of 1 lemon for the artichokes to sit in while you are cutting them up. This will prevent them from turning brown.
Cut off the top 1-2 inches of the artichoke and remove the stem. Set the stem aside to use in the filling. Peel off the tough, outer green leaves of the artichoke (I took the first 3 layers off).
Spread the leaves of the artichoke apart gently and scoop out the hairy choke in the center. Once clean, place in the lemon water until all of the artichokes are done. Cut off the tough outer green skin on the stems and dice.

In a saute pan, sweat the shallots until tender and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper and toast until the garlic is golden brown. Add the pine nuts and continue to cook until the pine nuts have toasted. Add the white beans and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Tightly pack each artichoke with bean mixture.
In pot large enough to hold the artichokes, combine the broth and white wine and bring to a boil. Add the artichokes and cover. Cook for 25 minutes, checking after 15 to make sure you still have enough liquid at the bottom of the pan.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.

Blackberry Cucumber Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

When blackberries are in season, I try to incorporate them into my diet as much as possible. Originally I intended to make this salad with raspberries but when the grocery store came up dry, I chose blackberries. Turns out blackberries provided a much more flavorful punch for this delicate salad and added little bursts of juicy berry in each bite.

One Year Ago Today Cobb & Slaw Salads in jars

Two Years Ago Today Squash Blossom Crepes with Grilled Scallions and Poblano Cream

Three Years Ago Today Curried Tofu Salad Sandwiches


Baby spinach, English cucumbers, agave glazed walnuts and tart blackberries serve as a perfect summer salad for lunch or a light dinner. Definitely don't skip out on the lime dressing, it brings all the flavors together and adds just the right amount of tang to each bite.

Blackberry Cucumber Salad
serves 3
6 handfuls of baby spinach
2 cups fresh blackberries
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup sweet walnuts
10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
 sea salt

Toss the spinach leaves with a bit of dressing and divide among three bowls. Top with blackberries, cucumbers, walnuts, mint and a drizzle of lime vinaigrette. Finish with just a light pinch of sea salt and serve.

sweet walnuts:
1 tsp coconut or canola oil
1 cup roughly chopped raw walnuts
2 tsp agave nectar
pinch of sea salt

Over medium heat, combine the oil and walnuts in a saute pan and begin to toast. After 2 minutes, drizzle in the agave and salt and toss. Cook 2-3 more minutes, tossing every 30 seconds so the nuts don't burn. Once they are nice and toasty, set aside.

Lime Vinaigrette
1/4 cup canola oil
juice from 1 1/2 limes (around 3 tbl)
1 tbl agave nectar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp lime zest
pinch of sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend for 2-3 minutes to allow the dressing to come together and become thick and creamy. Taste and season with a touch of agave if the dressing is too tart or a pinch of salt if it is too sweet.

Strawberry Rhubarb Granita

Granita's are like shaved ice that you can make at home without any fancy ice machine. All you need is a trusty fork to do the shaving and what you end up with is a smooth, silky, icy fruit dessert that is guilt free and enjoyed by everyone.

One Year Ago Today Chocolate Oat Breakfast Smoothie

Two Years Ago Today Black Eyed Pea & Kale Crusted Tempeh, Roasted Cauliflower with Breadcrumbs

Sweet strawberries and fresh rhubarb pureed until smooth and frozen then shaved into a perfect summer treat.

Strawberry Rhubarb Granita
serves 8 
4 rhubarb stalks, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
3 cups cold water
1 tbl fresh lemon juice

Combine the rhubarb, strawberries and sugar in a small pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until the rhubarb is tender, stirring occasionally.
Transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Add the water and lemon juice to the blender and pulse to combine.
Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish and freeze until solid. Scrape with a fork when ready to serve.
For leftovers, freeze and rescrape with a fork every time you get some more.

Two Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

I think everyone, in the early stages of their vegan life, makes a chocolate mousse using silken tofu. I know I did. And while I still think that kind of chocolate mousse is delicious, it is not anywhere near as simple, fast and easy as this mousse. It's almost insulting to me that I never thought of this before. Now that I know, I can sleep well at night knowing that with just two ingredients I can have rich, ready to eat chocolate mousse in less than 10 minutes. It also works as a fantasic frosting for cakes or filling for tarts.

One Year Ago Today Tofu Teriyaki Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Two Years Ago Today California Burger

Two Ingredient Chocolate Mousse
serves 4
10 oz semi sweet chocolate chunks
1 cup water
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract, optional

Combine all of the ingredients and melt until smooth. Place the melted chocolate in a bowl, over another, larger bowl of ice water. Make sure the bottom of the chocolate bowl is touching the ice.
Whisk vigorously for 5-10 minutes until thick. Do not over mix or the mousse will become grainy.

Sugar Free Chocolate Granola

One Year Ago Today Chocolate Oat Breakfast Smoothie

Two Years Ago Today Short Rib Sandwich with Caramelized Red Onions, Mushrooms & Cheese Sauce

This granola takes seconds to prepare and is a truly healthy blend of oats, nuts and seeds sweetened with pureed dates, cocoa and cinnamon.

Sugar Free Chocolate Granola
yields 4 cups
20 pitted dates
3 tbl melted coconut oil
1/2 cup water
3 tbl cocoa powder

3 cup regular or gluten free old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup salted, roasted peanuts
3 tbl sesame seeds
2 tbl cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup chocolate covered raisins (optional and will not make it sugar free)

Preheat the oven to 300.
Combine the dates, oil, water and cocoa powder in a blender and blend into a thick, smooth paste.
Combine the oats, almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds,  cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Coat with the chocolate mixture.
Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring after each 15 minutes.
While still warm, toss in the chocolate raisins if using. Let cool and serve.

Fennel & Artichokes with Lemon and Mint

One Year Ago Today Chicory Pudding Cake with Salted Butter Pecan Ice Cream & Bourbon Ganache
Two Years Ago Today Squash Wontons in Chili Ginger Broth with Baby Bok Choy

Roasted, sweet fennel, artichokes & garlic tossed with fresh fennel fronds, mint and lemon.

Fennel & Artichokes
serves 2 as a side
1 large fennel bulb, cut into wedges, fronds reserved for garnish
1-15oz can quartered artichokes, drained and rinsed
3 garlic cloves, smashed and halved
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
juice and zest from 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
8-10 mint leaves, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 425.
Toss the fennel, artichokes and garlic with olive oil, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes.
Roast in an even layer on a baking sheet for 30 minutes then turn the broiler on. Place the baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and cook for 8-10 more minutes until lightly charred.
Toss with 3 tbl roughly chopped fennel fronds and mint leaves. Taste and season with salt.

Garlic Cassava with Chickpeas & Kale

Cassava root is something you may or may not have seen at your grocery store. If you have seen it, it might be next to the ginger, jicama and other wacky looking roots. It's thick and long, tapered on the ends and the outside almost resembles tree bark. The inside is white and solid like a potato. Cassava also goes by the name Yuca, and is a great vegetable to add in to your diet. Try starting out by replacing some potato dishes with cassava and see how you like it. This dish is jam packed with oniony-garlic flavor and is definitely a must try if you are preparing cassava for the first time.

One Year Ago Today Tofu Rice Bowl with Pickled Daikon & Dragon Sauce

Two Years Ago Today Caramelized Onion & Seitan Flatbread with Grilled Artichokes

Garlic Cassava with Chickpeas & Kale
serves 3
1 large cassava root, peeled, 1/2" slices
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tbl minced cilantro

Cover the cassava in a pot of cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender. Drain.
Steam the kale for 10 minutes while the potato is cooking.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the garlic and shallot and cook until tender and browned, 5-7 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Once the cassava is drained, add to the onions. Add the cilantro and toss. Cook 2-3 minutes more to allow flavors to meld.
Taste and season with salt.
Season the kale with salt and serve the cassava over a bed of kale.

Bean & Cheese Tamales with Tomatillo Poblano Sauce

A lot of my food ideas come from each a version of that food earlier in the day or week and being completely dissatisfied with it. Earlier today I purchased a poblano tamale and it was boring and plain tasting. Immediately I wanted to give back the credit tamales deserve and make a batch for dinner to enjoy. These did not disappoint!

One Year Ago Today Coconut Tempeh Skewers with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Two Years Ago Today Fennel Apple Salad

Simple masa dough encased around pinto beans, vegan cheddar and steamed to perfection. Serve with thick avocado slices and smother in roasted tomatillo and poblano sauce.


 Bean & Cheese Tamales
4 large tamales
 basic masa dough:
2 cups masa
2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 cup solid coconut oil 
Combine the masa, salt and water. Stir to combine. The dough will be somewhat dry. Crumble the oil in the dough in small pea sized chunks and mix into a smooth, soft dough. Divide into 8 even sized balls.

filling:
8 dried corn husks, soaked in water until tender and pliable (at least an hour)
1 cup pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar
1/4 tsp salt
Lay out four large corn husks, wide end closest to you. 2 balls of masa go in each tamale. Flatten one ball into a long rectangle and sit in the center of the corn husk.
Combine the beans, cheddar and salt in a bowl, mash lightly.
Spoon some of the bean filling in the center of the masa. Flatten the second ball in your hands to the same size as the masa on the husk. Cover over the beans and seal the edges.
Wrap the husk as far around the masa as you can. Take a second corn husk and cover the top and bottom. Peel a string of husk off and use that as a tie. Assemble 4 tamales.
Prepare a steamer and cook for 30 minutes until the dough has cooked through.

Tomatillo Poblano Sauce
5 tomatillos (mine were TINY, about the size of large gumballs)
3 garlic cloves, whole
1 poblano pepper, whole
4 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
sea salt, to taste
3 tbl cilantro leaves and stems
2 tbl water
1 tbl lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 450.
Toss the peeled tomatillos, garlic and whole poblano pepper in 2 tbl of olive oil and season with salt.
Roast for 30 minuts until tender and lightly charred.
Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano.
Combine all of the roasted vegetables along with the remaining 2 tbl of olive oil, cilantro, water and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Watermelon, Jicama & Kiwi Salad

This salad could not be more simple! It's crisp and refreshing and would be great for a bbq, snack or side dish. Of course you don't have to take the time to cut perfect squares (you end up with a lot of waste this way), simply chopped and tossed together in a bowl is perfect.

One Year Ago Today Linguini with Garlic Sauce, Basil & Pea Shoots

Two Years Ago Today Summer Squash Soup with Almond Mint Pesto
 
Fresh watermelon, crisp jicama and kiwi tossed in a light olive oil, lime and mint dressing.

Watermelon Jicama Salad
serves 4
1 mini watermelon, medium cubed
1 medium sized jicama, medium cubed
4 kiwis, medium cubed

Combine together and toss with mint dressing.

Mint Dressing
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl roughly torn fresh mint
2 tbl lime juice
sea salt, to taste

Combine together and dress over salad.

Locro: Argentinian Hominy Stew with Quiquirimichi

Hominy is something I love but often forget about. When looking for different hominy recipes, I came across a popular Argentinian recipe for stew and thought I'd put my own spin on it. This would also be a great crock pot recipe, left for hours to stew and simmer while you are out.

 
One Year Ago Today Fried Sweet Potato, Rye Waffle, Onion Jam & Boysenberry Syrup

Two Years Ago Today Thai Peanut Pizza

White hominy, tender butternut squash, soyrizo, chickpeas, garlic, corn and tomatoes make up this hearty stew served with a spicy red bell pepper sauce.

Argentinian Hominy Stew
serves 6
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, medium dice
10 oz vegan chorizo
2 cups butternut squash, small dice
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbl salt
1 tbl tomato paste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cayenne
1 bay leaf
1-28 oz can white hominy, drained
1-15oz can chickpeas, drained
1-15oz can diced tomatoes
4 cups water
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup scallions, roughly chopped, for garnish

In a dutch oven or large pot sauce the onion in olive oil until tender, 5 minutes. Add the chorizo, squash and garlic and saute 5 minutes more. Season with salt, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, pepper, cayenne and bay. Stir to combine and cook 5 minutes more. Add the hominy, chickpeas, tomatoes, water and corn.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a low boil and cover. Cook for 30 minutes until the squash is tender.
Pour into bowls and garnish with scallions and quiquirimichi sauce.

Quiquirimichi Sauce
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1/2 red onion, small dice
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp pepper
2 tbl water

Saute the bell pepper and onion in olive oil until tender and caramelized, 10 minutes. Season with paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, cayenne and pepper. Cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a blender and blend with water until smooth.

Broccoli Pistachio Soup

This soup is AWESOME. It's so creamy and full flavored from salty pistachios and a drizzle of coconut milk at the end. It's a no fail recipe that tastes less than 30 minutes to make and have on the table.

One Year Ago Today Thai Cashew Snack Mix

Two Years Ago Today Rosemary Pecan Tempeh with Parnsip Puree & Chive Butter


Full heads of broccoli and pistachios are slowly simmered together then blended into a creamy, lucious soup with a hint of coconut milk and garlic.

Broccoli Pistachio Soup
serves 3-4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 heads broccoli, stems and florets roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
salt, to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup pistachios, plus more for garnish
3 tbl coconut milk, for drizzling

Saute the broccoli plus stems and garlic in olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat until bright green and slightly tender, 7 minutes. Season with salt.
Add the broth and pistachios and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
Taste and season for more salt if necessary.
Divide among bowls and garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk and some pistachios.

Blueberry Almond Butter Smoothie

A "peanut butter and jelly" pairing with a classy twist! Frozen blueberries and almond butter blended together into a thick and creamy smoothie perfect for any meal, snack or even dessert.

other smoothies:
Peanut Butter Banana Green Smoothie
Chocolate Avocado Smoothie

Blueberry Almond Butter Smoothie
1-16oz cup
1 cup frozen blueberries
3/4-1 cup almond milk
2 heaping tbl almond butter
2 tsp flax, chia or hemp seeds

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy!

Hemp Heart Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

These gluten free, vegan, soy free pancakes will let you give in to your weekend brunch cravings without making you feel like you gave in to temptation.
"Hemp Hearts" are hulled hemp seeds and can be found sold as both. I buy mine in bulk at Whole Foods to save on cost. They are a perfect, incredibly beneficial addition to these but don't stop there. Add them to smoothies or sprinkle them on top of yogurt or salad.

One Year Ago Today Fennel Rubbed Sausage with Pomegranate Reduction and Sweet Potato-Carrot Mash

Two Years Ago Today 4 Juice recipes for Detoxing

Hemp Heart Pancakes
serves 3
1 3/4 cup hemp, oat or almond milk
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup hulled hemp hearts
1 banana, roughly chopped
2 tbl maple syrup
1 tbl melted coconut or canola oil, plus extra for cooking
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and smooth.
Grease a hot griddle pan and pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

 Blueberry Compote
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
2 tbl maple syrup
2 tbl water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

Combine the 1 cup of blueberries, maple syrup and water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until the berries have burst. Add the vanilla and salt. Remove from the heat and pour over pancakes. Garnish with the remaining fresh blueberries.