Gluten Free Vegan

2012-01-05T16:05:00.044-05:00

My Favorite Exercise DVD's

Well the party is over and I can’t think of a better time than after the holidays to share with you my favorite exercise DVDs. My exercise routine is simple…. I exercise Monday, Wednesday and Fridays for an hour. The hour consists of cardio, weight training and abs. But when I have been naughty over the holidays I have to do extra so I add cardio on Tuesdays and Thursday. If you click on the links under each DVD suggestion you can watch a short segment of the workout. I doing kick boxing, stability ball, weighted bar, yoga and pilates. It’s good to mix it up so your muscles don’t get use to doing the same thing.

                 Beginner Routines

These are 2 great DVDs if your new to exercising or if you’ve fallen off the wagon and are getting back into it again.

Walk Slim - Leslie Sansone (beginner)

When I first got this I found one major flaw I hated hearing Leslie Sansone’s non-stop chatting during the routine but then I discovered it had a music option meaning you can turn her off and just do the routine to the music…Making this a perfect walking routine with great upbeat music that inspires you to move and low impact (no jumping). It’s a 2 DVD set …1 and 2 mile walk the other is a fast 3 mile walk.

http://www.collagevideo.com/item.aspx?item=7824

Get Moving - Chris Freytag (beginner)

Chris Freytag is upbeat but not too perky. She always gets me into the routine even when I start out not wanting to do anything. I just noticed someone gave this DVD on College Video a negative review. She said… “I have been exercising for 7 years and do a combination of aerobics and strength building exercises but these workouts I did not care for.” Well all I can say is it’s beyond me why someone working out for 7 years would still be doing a beginners workout and she is probably not happy because she is not being challenged enough - time for intermediate or advance workouts…duh. This workout not only offers a great low impact cardio routine but also upper body toning, low body strengthening, core building and yoga.

http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/prevention-get-moving-7675

Yoga For Back Care – Rodney Yee (beginner)

I had problems with lower back pain but ever since I started doing simple stretching exercises I’m virtually pain free now. I do this DVD every morning. It's 25 minutes long. It’s filmed outside. I’m sucker for beautiful scenery and peaceful music. Oh and Rodney Yee isn’t too hard on the eyes either. His voice is very calming to listen to. This was my first time buying a DVD with this instructor but it certainly won’t be my last. I was able to buy this DVD at my local Shoppers Drugmart for $9.99

http://www.amazon.ca/Yoga-Back-Care-Gaiam-Rodney/dp/B000YV1L12/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Yoga Conditioning – For Weight Loss (beginner and intermediate)

I have to agree with one review…..I’m not sure why it’s called yoga for weight loss, because it’s not a fast moving yoga like power yoga. But that’s fine with me I use it to improve my balance and for toning. Beautiful red rock desert setting and quiet music sooth you into a wonderful yoga routine that you will love. I’ve already given this DVD to 3 of my friends for gifts. I do this DVD every Sunday.

http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/yoga-conditioning-for-weight-loss-7409

                Stability Ball Workouts

A stability ball works multiple muscles at one time while forcing your body to balance itself. This creates a very effective and challenging workout. When sitting on the ball, lifting weights additional muscles are activated that work to keep you balanced on the ball. That means you are now working harder and essentially getting more bang for your buck while not increasing your exercise time. It improves a person’s balance. It is believed that using a stabilty ball can to improve the stability of your spine and reduce the risk of back pain in sedentary individuals. Doing a push-up on a stability ball uses more muscles than if a standard push-up was performed (It can increase muscle fibers).

Balanceball Core Cross Train - Tanja Djelevic (intermidate)

Here is another great workout with a lovely background it was filmed outdoors in the Arizona Canyon Lands. The moves are very unique, fun and surprisingly challenging! No cardio just great toning.

http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/core-cross-train-balance-ball-7958

Cardio BalanceBall - Tanja Djelevie (intermediate)

I have a sweet spot for Tanja... yes she is perky but not in a way that is annoying. Doing cardio with a stablity ball sure does get your heart pumping. The movements do legs, arms, abs and cardio all at the same time! The cardio is challenging the weight segment not so much unless you do the full cardio (not the short one) and you can use 5 pound weights instead of 3. Just like her other balance ball workout (toning only) it was filmed outdoors in the Arizona Canyon Lands. Sorry I couldn't find a video clip of this DVD. Check out all the great reviews on Amazon!

                      Kickboxing

Kickboxing will work out the entire body and not just target areas. Kickboxing allows for women to strengthen, tone and reduce fat all at the same time. Since kickboxing is a total-body workout, women will also increase flexibility, burn calories, improve coordination and increase cardiovascular fitness. Unlike many workouts kickboxing can be fun to do!

I can’t pick up on fancy moves or complex chorography just basic moves please and these DVDs deliver. Kickboxing is my favorite type of exercise. To get as much as I can out of every workout I wear weighted gloves with every kickbox video that I do.

Knockout Body – Jessica Smith (intermediate)

I love this workout and I love Jessica Smith. Jessica is fun, upbeat but serious at the same time. The music goes so well with this workout. I recommended this workout to a friend and she likes doing it as much as I do.

http://www.totalfitnessdvds.com/10-MINUTE-SOLUTION-KNOCKOUT-BODY-p/3.htm

Kick Start Your Metabolism – Chris Freytag (intermediate)

Chris Freytag and Jessica Smith are my favorite fitness instructors so you can imagine my surprise when I saw that Jessica Smith is one of the background exercisers on this DVD. I love instructors that have good and positive energy and that are not overly chatty. Chris Freytag really looks like she is enjoying what she's doing and she makes you enjoy it as well. The moves are done at the right pace which allows anyone to keep good form and really work the muscles you should be working instead of quick, staccato jarring movements all over the place that are of no benefit and can cause injury. It flows. It is fun. It's engaging.

http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/prevention-kick-start-your-metabolism-with-chris-freytag-5693

                           Abs

Strong abs improves your posture, by helping you stand up straighter and taking the strain off of your back. Decreases your risks of back injury. When lifting heavy objects it is easy to strain your back, which is why strong abdominal muscles help prevent back injuries - your abs will share some of the load. Decrease your risk of developing heart diseases, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. This is because by working your abs you are burning body fat, and the less body fat that you have the lower your risk is to develop these diseases. A girl name Suzie left the following comment.... the exercise that works the abdominal muscles the hardest also puts essentially the most pressure on the lower back and that exercise is double hanging leg raises. She is so right that's why I want to mention Billy's Ultimate Bootcamp, listed below in my bootcamp section has many double hanging leg raises in it and I always modify them by keeping one leg down and bent so I'm only lifting one at a time and keep my head raise in a crunch position.

Crunch-Free Xtreme Abs - Jackie Warner (intermediate)

2 workouts both 17 minutes long one is done standing up and the other is done on the mat. This has to be one of the best core workouts I've come across. Great instruction, timing, and best of all, it works. Considering this is not billed a "cardio" workout, you still will work up a sweat. Modifications for less advanced folks which I found myself using at times because both workouts are challenging but doable. This is great to add onto another workout that is missing or does not have enough of an ab workout for you. I was able to buy this DVD at my local Shoppers Drugmart for $9.99

http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/jackie-warners-crunch-free-xtreme-abs-5914

                  Bootcamp Workouts

These are workouts I do especially when I need to slim down/look my best before doing certain animal rights demonstrations. Sometimes standing outside in front of many people wearing a skin tight outfit, my underwear or sometimes even topless behind a sign….yikes. (some pictures at the bottom of this blog...now don't start getting excited I'm 48 years old...lol)

Xtreme Timesaver Training - Jackie Warner (high intermediate)

Although this workout does not have the fun factor like Billy Blanks Ultimate Bootcamp or Jessica Smith’s Ultimate Bootcamp (both listed below) this is still a great workout! It's a challenging workout that will leave you sweating by the end. She a serious trainer and you only have to see her body especially her abs to know she knows how to get results. Has a modifier exerciser and yes I do have to follower her at times. I was able to buy this DVD at my local Shoppers Drugmart for $9.99

http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/jackie-warners-xtreme-timesaver-training-5894

Billy's Ultimate Bootcamp – Billy Planks (high intermediate)

Ah an oldie but goodie. I’ve done this workout for a long time. Although they use special bands for the weight portion of the workout you really don’t need them in fact I have them and I just use 3 pound weights. Billy Planks is tough but fair. This workout will kick your butt. I think the music is great, really gets you going.

http://www.totalfitnessdvds.com/TAE-BO-BILLY-S-BOOTCAMP-BASIC-ULTIMATE-p/175.htm

Ultimate Boot Camp - Jessica Smith (high intermediate to advance)

The segments goes by FAST and each segment got/kept my heart rate up. All the moves have a fresh & unique feel to them without being complicated or confusing. I felt my muscles being worked in a different way than traditional strength training moves. She adds in agility moves and balance work as well.

Don’t be a hero…don’t try to do it all the first time or you will be in serious pain the following day….I know this from experience.

http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/10-minute-solution-ultimate-boot-camp-5823

Anti Skins Peta Tour - London, Ontario - November 3, 2011

Anti Skins Peta Tour - Windsor - November 4, 2011

Compassion For Animals - National Anti Fur Demonstration
Hamilton - Feb 14, 2011

Then Laura Lee came down from the mountain. Held in her hands were two tablets inscribed were the words.... Have A Heart Don't Buy Fur.....

2011-12-06T13:49:00.015-05:00

Tetrazzini

I have 4 all time favorite recipes so far. This is my all time favorite recipe. I thought I would share it with you around around the Christmas season so you could make it and impress your friends at holiday get-togethers. This one will be especially appealing to non vegans. I'm not going to lie this isn't a low calorie recipe but you deserve to a treat once in a while.

If you don't like mushrooms (hard to believe but I do know a few people that don't) you can always add more broccoli instead of the mushrooms. For you non cooks this is very easy to make. If you don't have a problem with gluten then just use regular pasta and add regular all purpose flour of course. I always use frozen spinach and broccoli for dishes like this not just because it's convenient but I believe there is more nutritional value since they are frozen shortly after being picked as opposed to fresh which travels a long way before making it to your table. This recipe also freezes well just sprinkle a little water over top before re-heating just to add some moisture back.

1 1/2 cup gluten free pasta, spiral or elbow, cooked

1/4 cup vegan margarine

1/4 cup all purpose flour (gluten free)
*(or use recipe below)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 cup mimic crème or homemade cashew cream*

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 cups spinach fresh or 1/4 cup frozen

1 1/2 cups broccoli florets fresh or frozen (defrosted) cut in half if large in size

1/2 cup Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large pot, melt margarine over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and gradually stir in broth and cream. Return to heat and bring to low boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in noodles, mushrooms, spinach and broccoli.

Pour mixture into a lightly grease 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle on vegan cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

*Cashew Cream

Put one cup of unsalted cashews in a hot water for a half hour then drain and add cashews to a blender. Blend well; Add water to help it blend to a smooth and fairly thick texture.

*Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mix

Blend the together:

1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 cup quinoa flour
1 Tbsp marsa harina

2011-11-30T10:42:00.037-05:00

Falafel Seasoned Hummus

I love falafels but when you make them at home they never turn out as good because you can’t get the texture really crispy on the outside like restaurants that use a deep fryer. I also find them to be very time consuming to make. Then I got an idea....what about falafel seasoning added to hummus. Which solved another problem of mine I’m not that crazy about plain hummus it’s just too boring and beanie tasting for me.

The great thing about this spread is its so versatile. You can have it as dip with crackers, in a wrap with mixed greens or as a spread in a sandwich. It would be great to serve as an appetizer around Christmas time. For guests that are not into spicy food just add a dash of hot sauce to the hummus sauce and serve a separate one for those guests that like some kick….like me.

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1 tsp garlic, minced

Spice Mix:

1 1/2 tsp chili

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp pepper, freshly ground

1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 can (15 ounce) chickpeas drained and rinsed

3 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Heat oil in a skillet over medium – high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir occasionally until tender about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in the spice mix.

Process the chickpeas in a food processor along with lemon juice. Add the bean mixture and sesame seeds skillet. Stir until evenly combined. Let cool

* If your like me and don’t have a food processor then add the lemon juice and half the chickpeas into a blender and blend you will have to use a knife to help it along. Add the rest of the chickpeas along with 1/3 water.

Hummus Sauce

tomatoes, chopped and sqeeze out most of the liquid
(I prefer cherry tomatoes)

cucumber, chopped

hot sauce

Renee’s Poppy Seed dressing or Tahini Veggie Dip from my blog …

http://glutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2011/06/tahini-dip-nothing-like-cool-and-creamy.http

I don’t have any set measurements. Mix a little dressing or dip (a few teaspoons) with your chopped cucumber and tomatoe then add your hot sauce according to taste.

*Once your hooked on this dish your going to want to make it often, so to save time just make several batches of the spice mix a head of time.

2011-11-11T12:39:00.011-05:00

Cream Of Broccoli Soup

3 cups chopped broccoli flowerets ( fresh or frozen )*

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot flour or cornstarch

2 cups unsweetened milk (almond, soy or rice)

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

2 cups broccoli florets (optional), steam till almost tender,
don't steam if using frozen broccoli
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine broccoli, broth, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, bay leaves and garlic in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes (less time if you using frozen broccoli). Discard the bay leaves. Place the broccoli mixture in a blender, cover and puree until smooth.

Place the flour or cornstarch in a medium pot over medium heat. Gradually add the soy milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add the pureed broccoli mixture and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the 2 cups broccoli florets (optional) and simmer for 5 minutes (less time if you using frozen). Remove from heat. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon thyme, salt, lemon juice and black pepper. Makes 4 cups.

*I use frozen broccoli whenever I can (I believe there are more nutrients left in it) I also like to adding extra freshly ground pepper on top before serving.

2011-10-13T13:56:00.021-04:00

Mushroom Cacciatore

I have four favorite recipes so far and this is one of them! There is one catch I found with this dish...you must serve it after you cook it, DON'T reheat it because it seems to lose its wonderful favours. So promise me you won't reheat it...Thanks! I discovered this also tastes delicious served at room tempature. Leave it out of the fridge the following day to let it naturally warm up. Don't forget to bring this along to summer potlucks and barbeques. This recipe is my version of Racheal Ray's Portabella Cacciatore.

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/portabella-cacciatore/

Pasta

2 cups penne or rigatoni pasta, uncooked (gluten free)

1 Tbsp vegan margarine

1/4 cup Daiya mozzarella vegan cheese (optional)

Cacciatore Sauce

3 cups button or portabella mushroom caps,

cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 poblano peppers , halved,
seeded and thinly sliced widthwise*

2 bay leaves

2 tsp marjoram or oregano

2 tsp soy sauce (gluten free)

a pinch or to taste of dried rosemary

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup white or red wine

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 1/2 cup canned chopped tomatoes, drained

Cook pasta, drain then add it back to the hot pot. Toss pasta with margarine and cheese then add the cacciatore sauce below to pot with pasta.

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat with oil. Add the mushroom and cook until darkened and softened, 12 to 15 minutes. Add onions, peppers, bay leaf, marjoram, soy sauce, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook 8 to 10 minutes or more to soften. Add garlic the last the 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute, add wine and reduce a minute or 2. Then add the vegetable broth and tomatoes and lower heat to a simmer. Remove bay leaves. Serves 4 to 6

* You can also use 2 cubanelle peppers or one large green pepper instead of poblano peppers. I prefer poblano peppers because they have a have some heat to them.

2011-09-05T10:57:00.017-04:00

Asian Coleslaw

There is nothing more refreshing on a warm summer day then some cool coleslaw too bad our summer is now over. Wish I had been able to post it earlier but I know somewhere in the world they are enjoying nice warm weather.

For The Dressing

Put the following in a blender or food processor:

1 Tbsp onion
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 tsp ginger, minced
3/4 tsp garlic clove
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup soft tofu
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Tbsp soy sauce (gluten free sauce)
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes

For The Salad

Mix in a salad bowl:

4 cups napa or green cabbage, shredded
1 cup kale, torn or cut into small pieces
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/4 cup radicchio, shredded

Stir the dressing into the salad. Refrigerate serve chilled. Optional - sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over top before serving. Serves 4

2011-08-01T15:41:00.010-04:00

Chickpea Ala King

This is one of my guys favorite dishes. I love it too! This recipe comes from The Virtuous Vegan cookbook.

2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 cup red pepper, chopped
1/3 cup potato flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
2 cups milk (rice, soy or almond)
1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup scallions, green and white parts, finely chopped

Sauté the mushrooms and peppers in a small amount of oil till cooked tender crisp in a large pot, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour, nutritional yeast and spices continue stirring for another minute, just to warm the mixture.

Remove from heat and gradually stir in the milk, mixing constantly to avoid lumps. Return to heat and constantly stir until thickened. Add chickpeas and scallions and cook another 3 to 5 minutes or until the chickpeas are thoroughly warmed. Serve over rice, quinoa or gluten free bread. Top with freshly ground pepper. Serves 4

2011-07-20T12:17:00.036-04:00

Pink Cadillac Smoothie

This is one of my favorite smoothies it's a great way to give you energy but also relieve stress because mangos contain a lot of tryptophan, the precursor of the "happiness-hormone" serotonin. Bananas can also act as mood enhancers or mild sedatives because they contain tryptophan too (although it’s not one of the major sources, a medium still contains about 10.6 mg of tryptophan).

I think this would be a great drink for at work. Blended it in the morning, put it in your fridge at work and take when needed. This is also a great drink with a little vodka add to it. (not for a work of course...lol). I still enjoy having a few drinks...usually once a month.

I became a raw vegan a month ago. Your classified as being raw if 75% to 100% of your food is raw. 3 out of my 4 meals that I eat each day are raw. Usually my evening meal is cooked. So I'll still have lots of cooked, gluten free, vegan recipes I want to share with you.

This is a picture my typical breakfast I only eat and drink fruit in the morning, then just raw vegetables through out the day along with 2/3 cup of walnuts and almonds. Dinner is usually a cooked meal. Then back to vegetables for my last meal of the day.

You can make lots of raw meals but many seem to be very time consuming such as spouting your own grains and using expensive equipment like a dehydrator. I like to keep it real simple. There are a few really easy and not time consuming things I make which I will share with you in the future. If you know anyone interesting in becoming raw this one on the most detailed and interesting books on the subject ....

http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Raw-Essential-Guide-Vegan/dp/1570672385

Pink Cadillac Smoothie

1 cup each:

mango, peeled

strawberries, fresh or frozen

orange juice

Put in a blender and blend till smooth.

2011-07-05T12:16:00.025-04:00

Tofu Nachos

This recipe comes from The Get Healthy, Go Vegan cookbook co written by Neal Barnard. This is so tasty. I had to bump up the seasonings quite a bit. He seems to like things more on the bland side I find. I added the chipotle powder too because I just love the smokey flavour it adds to recipes.

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 tsp garlic, minced

1 large red pepper, diced (optional)

1 Tbsp oil

1 container firm tofu (420g) drained/pressed* then crumbled

2 Tbsp regular chili powder

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp each of cumin and oregano

2 Tbsp soy sauce (gluten free)

3/4 cup tomato sauce

tortilla chips

green onions (optional topping)

Sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper in oil for 4 minutes then add remaining ingredients except the tomato sauce, tortillia chips and condiments. Cook for 3 minutes, then add the tomato sauce and simmer over low heat until mixture is fairly dry. Warm your tortilla chips in oven for a few minutes then add your tofu mixture and green onions. Serves 4

*To learn how to press tofu:

http://glutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-press-tofu-cut-tofu-block-in.html

2011-06-22T15:54:00.014-04:00

Tahini Veggie Dip

Nothing like a cool and creamy veggie dip on a hot summer day. I have not gone a day without having this since I tried it several months ago. I ran out of Marukan brand seasoned rice vinegar and used another brand and it did not taste as good. Don't use plain rice vinegar either it won't taste good.

You can also add more water to make it more thinner for a salad dressing. I also like to add chopped tomatoes and cucumbers to it and use it as a tahini type sauce to go over falahels balls.

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar (Marukan brand only)
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup water
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Add all ingredients into a blender, blend for a minute then chili in the refridgerator before serving. It will thicken up in refridgerator as it cools.

2011-05-22T13:03:00.008-04:00

Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

I like to serve pancakes on special occasions. My birthday will be coming up in about a month so these are what I'll be serving to any overnight guests. I would recommend doubling this recipe if you are cooking for more than just one or two people since it only makes five 5 inch pancakes.

Whisk in bowl:

1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup chickpea or soy flour
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp plus 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Wisk in another bowl:

2/3 cups milk (rice, almond or soy)
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
3 Tbsp water

1 1/2 Tbsp of vegan margarine, melted

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until combined (I use a hand blender). You can add fruit, nuts, etc.

Heat frying pan over medium heat. Using a paper towel, coat the bottom of the skillet with a thin film of olive oil. (drop some water onto the frying pan if it sizzles it hot enough) When the skillet is hot but not smoking, add 1/4 cup of batter and tilt the pain to distribute it evenly. Cook the pancake until browned around the edges and bubbled on top, around 3 minutes. Turn the pancake over and cook for 1 minutes longer. Repeat with the remaining batter; lightly re-oil the pan each time. Reduce the heat to a lower heat if the pancakes begin to stick.

When all the pancakes are cooked, cover with foil and reheat in the oven before serving. Makes five 5 inch pancakes.

Pour 1/4 of batter per pancake onto a thoroughly heated pan. I heat the pan over medium heat.

Blueberry Breakfast Sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp + 2 tsp water

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

In a small pot, combine sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir in water. Add blueberries; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Serve warm or cold over pancakes.

2011-04-07T16:32:00.014-04:00

Very Veggie Pizza

2 tsp garlic, minced mixed with 2 Tbsp olive oil
pizza sauce
mushrooms, sliced
spinach, fresh or frozen and thawed
broccoli, fresh flowettes or frozen and thawed
Daiya mozzarella vegan cheese
hot pepper flakes
2 gluten free pizza crusts, recipe in previous blog

Spread the minced garlic in olive oil over your 2 pizza crusts. Then spread on the pizza sauce, mushrooms, spinach and broccoli. Top with vegan cheese and lots hot pepper flakes – when you feel you’ve added too many then that’s just enough.

2011-04-07T16:12:00.036-04:00

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

If your tired of the crappy gluten free pizza crusts on the market and have the time to make your own this is a good recipe to try. I've made just a few minor changes from the orginal recipe just in the seasonings....

http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/archives/gluten-free-pizza/

Yeast Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup soy milk

1 Tbsp yeast

1 tsp sugar

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup brown rice flour

1 cup corn starch
2 tsp xanthum gum
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano

2 tsp olive oil

2 tsp cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Yeast Ingredients

Heat the milk in the microwave so that it is warm (not so hot that it would burn your finger, just warm). Combine the milk with the sugar and yeast in a small mixing bowl. If you stir the mixture while you slowly pour the milk, then it should all dissolve very nicely. Let this sit while you proceed to the next step – it needs to have time to get bubbly.

Dry Ingredients

Combine the brown rice flour, corn starch, xanthum gum and spices in a larger mixing bowl.

Putting it all together

Add the oil and vinegar to the yeast mixture, which should have some air bubbles by now. Then pour all of that into the flour mixture and stir well. Once you’ve done this, the dough will be somewhat sticky, and now is a good time to sprinkle some extra rice flour on it. Now that the rice flour is cutting down on the stickiness, form the dough into a ball and let it sit while you get your pans ready.

Generously grease your 2 pizza pans with olive oil or cooking spray on the pan and then sprinkle a bit of rice flour on top of that.

Split the ball of dough into two pieces – one for each pan. Starting from the middle of the dough, use your fingers to press down on the dough and spread it out towards the edges of the pan to make a 9 inch thin crust pizza. I use coffee mug as a roller to help it along. When you get the dough to the edges, continue to push the dough up onto the side of the pan, so that you will have a nice crust.

Pop the crusts into the hot oven for 8 minutes. While they are cooking, prep your pizza toppings. I like broccoli, mushrooms, spinach and of course Daiya vegan mozzarella on top with a sprinkle with lots of red pepper flakes.

Take the crusts out of the oven.

Lightly brush some olive oil onto your crusts and spread it over them evenly. (This will keep the pizza sauce from making your crust soggy.). *If your making my very veggie pizza recipe in the post above this one you would mix in 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in 1 tablespoon the olive oil before brushing it onto each pizza crusts. Now add your pizza sauce and the toppings.

Makes 2, thin crust, 9 inch pizzas

2011-03-06T17:47:00.015-05:00

Steward's Stew

This recipe comes from the cookbook Tofu Cookery. I haven't had a chance to make many recipes from it so far but this one sure is great! I was halfway through making when I notice there really isn't much by way of seasonings in it. I got worried because I started to think there was no way it would taste good but it sure did. This is a now one of our favorites at our house.

1 1/2 cups firm tofu, drained/pressed*

cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1/4 cup soy sauce (gluten free)

Place tofu in a glass or stainless steel pan Pour soy sauce over the tofu. Let the tofu marinate in the fridge while you prepare the vegetables.

Combine in a large pot and boil until the vegetables are almost soft:

5 cups water
4 carrots cut into chunks
2 medium size potatoes cut into chunks
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp salt

Drain the soy sauce from the tofu and pour in into the vegetables.

Combine in a paper or plastic bag:

1/2 cup all purpose gluten free flour* (my mix below)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Close the bag and tightly and shake into combine the ingredients. Add the drained tofu cuts. Close the bad tightly and shake again to coat them.

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a medium skillet. Brown the tofu cubes on top and bottom. Be careful not to knock off the breading when turning the cubes. Add the tofu to the almost soft vegetables. Mix any left over breading into a smooth past with a little of the broth, then add to the stew. Simmer until heated through. Serves 4.

*The gluten free flour mix I use:

1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1/8 cup quinoa flour
1 Tbsp marsa harina

Mix in a bowl.

*To learn how to press tofu:

http://glutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-press-tofu-cut-tofu-block-in.html

2011-02-24T12:50:00.009-05:00

The Virtuous Vegan Cookbook

I have never plugged a cookbook before and lord knows it's not because I don't own tons of them. Infact, collecting cookbooks was kind of addiction for me at one time. The simple fact is that although the cookbooks I've tried had two or three good recipes in each of them I never thought that was enough to give them high praise until this cookbook came along. I have enjoy mostly all of the recipes I've made from this cookbook, they really hit the spot. These are the ones I've made so far that I really enjoyed......

Lentil Rice Loaf (recipe in previous post)
Orange Creamcicle Drink
Quinoa Burgers
Potato and Tofu Curry
Garbanzos Ala King
Spinach Salad
Tofu Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
Tofu Tetrazzini (which is my favorite recipe I have ever made including pizza!)

The only negative I would say is there are some recipes that I would like to make but I won't because they require a large amount of Daiya vegan cheese. As I mentioned in a previous post although it's totally yummy, its also expensive. I use it sparely by sprinkling it on top of some dishes, for pizza or the occasional grilled cheese.

2011-01-11T23:52:00.013-05:00

Lentil Rice Loaf

This recipe comes from the The Virtuous Vegan a wonderful cookbook which I will tell you about in my next posting. This lentil rice loaf is very tasty. I'm looking forward to the summer when I can make veggie burgers on the grill with this lentil loaf mixture. I'm sure they would turn out great since this mixture holds together very well.

1/2 cup walnuts, ground into course meal

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

1 cup mushrooms, finely diced

2 cup lentils, cooked

1 cup brown rice, cooked

3 Tbsp potato flour

3/4 tsp basil

1/4 tsp oregano

2 Tbsp ketchup

pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 350F. Oil a loaf pan and set aside.

Sauté vegetables in the oil until soft. Add to a large bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mash all ingredients together. Press mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until cooked through.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. You can then serve this in squares whole or sliced. This is not the final step for me I like to cut it into serving slices then pan fry it until it’s dark and crispy on both sides. Pour ketchup on top. Serves 4

2011-01-01T16:42:00.014-05:00

Vegan Chedda Cheese Sauce

Can't think of a better way to start the new year off then to introduce vegan chedda cheese sauce. I served it over nachos with just some chopped pickled jalapeno peppers at a vegan potluck. They really like it! I love to spread it on tortilla wraps and just pan fry it....like a grilled cheese.

Not into making your own well there is a fantastic commercial cheese called Daiya. It's not like the crap vegan cheese we had to put up with in the past. Look it up on the net and see how people are raving about it and yes it melts, in fact its not that great cold its when you melt it that the magic happens!

It's available is some health foods stores such a http://www.panaceaecoshop.com/ a wonderful, totally vegan store in Toronto. You should try to support vegan stores with your business when ever you can. Give mine a try. It's way cheaper, low in calories and very tasty.

1 1/2 cups water

2/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes

2 Tbsp + 1 tsp corn starch

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp tahini

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp sweet paprika

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend. Then add to a small pot on medium heat. Stir often till it boils. Let sauce thicken the remove from heat. The sauce will also become more thicker once it’s refrigerated. Makes 2 cups.

2010-11-22T12:45:00.026-05:00

Most People Don't Even Show Symptoms Of Celiac Disease Even While It Destroys Their Intestinal Lining...

For 3 years I suffered with back and rib pain till it became chronic pain. I also developed acid reflex problems. I had every test done they found an unexplained fractured bone in my chest and bruised ribs they could not figure out what caused that or what was causing my pain. The pain just never seemed to go away. I was taking all kinds of things for pain and over time nothing worked. I was even at the hospital and got a needle in my back with demeral to relieve my pain they also gave me demeral for me to take when I was at home. I usually took Tylenol 3 with codeine. I had such extreme fatigue to the point where I would have to have a chair beside me when I would be in the kitchen cooking or wash dishes and have to sit down and rest every 15 minutes. My knees had become so painful that over time I would find myself unable to get out of bed. I just simply could not stand on my legs. Finally when I developed malnutrition and went down to 96 pounds I was tested for celiac disease. Which tested positive.

I found an article in Prevention Magazine called 7 Diseases Doctors Miss and one of them was celiac disease.....celiac disease, a genetic inability to digest gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten damages the lining of the small intestine, making it difficult to absorb nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, folic acid and iron, Left untreated the disease causes osteoporosis, enema, infertile, miscarriages and lymphoma. Mostly, celiac disease is left untreated. It takes, on average 11 years to diagnose. In many cases, a person is symptom free even while the illness destroys the intestinal lining. The article does not mention gastric problems but this is common for people with celiac diease.

I now have osteopenia and I suffered from severe anemia for many, many years. My doctor never believed me when I told her I was taking the iron supplements she told me to take because my iron count just never improved.

The pain in my ribs, back and knees have now gone way along with my reflex problem once I stopped eating products with gluten. I have found out that the celiac diease was causing arthritis pain in my knees but its not a common symtom of celiac diease. Could you have celiac diease and not even know it?

2010-10-19T21:22:00.006-04:00

Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal

With the arrival of fall what better way to heat things up than with a warm bowl of oatmeal. This recipe comes from Neil Barnard's newest book...The Get Healthy Go Vegan Cookbook

1/2 cup gluten free oats (regular)*
1 cup water
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup pure pumpkin (canned)
1 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix ingredients in a bowl and heat for 4 minutes on medium setting in microwave. Makes around 2 cups. I sometimes add chopped apple to this oatmeal hence the reason why my oatmeal picture has apple in it but the recipe does not.

*I get my gluten free oats at the Bulk Barn their called Only Oats their cheaper than Bob's Red Mill gluten free oats which I saw at Fontinos supermarket.

2010-10-13T20:53:00.010-04:00

Laura’s Bean Quesadillas

Made with one of the best homemade vegan cheese sauces around!

Sid, my friend tweaked my vegan nacho sauce by adding salsa along with some chili powder and this wonderful vegan cheese sauce was born! Sids non vegan friends said they thought it was cheese whiz. Then I used it to create my own quesadilla. I have been addicted to eating this ever since I first tried it. Seriously you have to try it! Here is a picture she took of our creation...

Vegan Cheesy Whiz Sauce

1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes (not brewers yeast)
1/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp chill powder
6 ounces cold water
1 Tbsp non-dairy margarine
1 Tbsp medium salsa
2 Tbsp ketchup
1/4 tsp prepared mustard

Also…

gluten free tortillas (small)*
kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Diana’s Spicy Southwest Chipotle marinade

Mix dry ingredients in a saucepan. Whisk in water. Cook over medium heat while whisking until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Whip in margarine, salsa, ketchup and mustard. Put aside.

On one side of the tortilla spread some cheese sauce. Then add a layer of the kidney beans on top. Close tortilla. Heat a frying pan over medium heat; add a little margarine to a pan and put tortilla on melted margarine and flip over to coat the other side. Fry till brown and crispy.

Remove from heat open up tortilla and add a thin layer of the marinade sauce. Close tortilla and enjoy!

* Can add cornstarch to water to make sauce thicker.

* My favorite recipe for homemade gluten free soft tortillas:

http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/archives/gluten-free-casein-free-flour-tortillas/

I use quinoa flour instead of soy flour for my tortillas.

2010-10-05T01:42:00.009-04:00

Savoury Scrambled Tofu

I tried different scrambled tofu recipes in the past but this is the only one that I have ever really liked. This recipe comes from the cookbook refresh.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, chopped
2 cups firm tofu, drained/pressed*
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 pinch turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups mushrooms, chopped and sautéed (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic then sauté until translucent. Crumble the tofu with your hands and add to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes. Combine the yeast, garlic powder, turmeric, salt and pepper into a small bowl and add just enough water to form a thin sauce. Whisk with a fork to remove all lumps. Pour mixture onto your tofu and stir frequently. Add your sautéed mushrooms and cook until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.

*To learn how to press tofu:

http://glutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-press-tofu-cut-tofu-block-in.html

Makes a great breakfast burrito too!

2010-10-04T20:26:00.005-04:00

Tortilla, Corn and Tomato Soup

I just made this last night and could not wait to share it with you. It’s oh so tasty. It's a great starter soup for fajitas, burritos or quesadillas. Feel free to add more hot sauce for a little extra kick.

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
3/4 cup corn
2 cups vegetable stock and 2 cups water
3/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp basmati or jasmine rice
2 tsp hot sauce
1 cup plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 cup of corn tortillas, lightly broken

Add olive oil to large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, green pepper and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onions are golden in colour. Stir in corn and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in stock, water, black beans, rice and chili. Bring to a boil reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cornstarch (dissolved in 1 Tbsp of water) and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Ladle into bowls and garnish with tortilla pieces before serving. Serves 4

2010-09-15T01:44:00.006-04:00

Orange Style Tofu

I came across this recipe on www.vegweb.com. I knew I had to try it after reading all the glowing reviews such as this one..."Ok, I am officially addicted to this stuff. It's so hard to find chinese recipes that actually taste like something from a restaurant, but this one seriously does!"

2 Tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp
1 lb (450g) medium tofu, pressed *
1 tsp garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate (from the can)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce (gluten free)
1/4 cup brown sugar (turbinado is vegan)**
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or adjust to you taste
4 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
2 green onions, chopped (garnish)
rice, cooked

Cut tofu into small bite sized pieces and sauté in 2 Tbsp oil until browed.

In a medium pot sauté garlic in 1 tsp oil. Add 1/4 cup water, orange juice concentrate, lemon juice, vinegar, so sauce, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium.

In a small bowl mix together cornstarch and COLD water until thoroughly blended. Pour cornstarch mixture into sauce, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes until sauce thickens. Add tofu; cook for about 5 minutes. Serve over rice and sprinkle with green onions over top.

To learn how to press tofu:

http://glutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-press-tofu-cut-tofu-block-in.html

**The Great Sugar Debate: Is it vegan?

http://www.vegfamily.com/articles/sugar.htm

2010-09-14T21:13:00.009-04:00

Black Bean Avocado Enchiladas

Not only are these delicious and healthy for you but its also very versatile. I make sure I have left overs so I can have them for breakfast the next day. They also taste great cold so you can enjoy them for lunch too. Great for serving at picnics too! Makes 6

2 (19 oz) cans of black beans, drained
1 medium red onion, chopped (1 1/4 cup)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
6 gluten free tortillas*
2 firm avocado, thinly sliced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
4 Tbsp Diana's Southwestern Chipotle Marinade

In a small skillet, sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic, cumin and salt. Stir spiced onions and lime into beans. Mash beans with a potato masher or blend in a food processor.

To assemble enchiladas, place tortillas on a flat surface. Spread 1/2 cup of black beans down the center and few strips of avocado on top. Roll tortillas around bean mixture.

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix the southwestern sauce in bowl with the crushed tomatoes. Spread 1 cup of it on the bottom of a well oiled 9 X 13 baking pan. Place enchiladas in pan, side by side and cover with a 1/2 cup of the southwestern sauce. Cover pain with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Cover with more sauce before serving.

Once out of the oven put more sauce on top and serve. What I like to do is pan fry it after I take it from the oven. Then cover it with sauce and serve. Makes 6

2010-09-14T17:21:00.007-04:00

Spicy Roasted Dijon Mustard Potatoes

This recipe is one of Oprah’s Winfrey’s favorite recipes. One taste and you will know why!

oil
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
4 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
14 baby red or white potatoes, sliced in half (unpeeled)

Preheat the oven to 400F and oil a roasting pan. Put the mustard, paprika, cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to blend.

With your hands coat the potatoes evenly. Place the flat side down of the potatoes onto a well oiled roasting pan, leaving a little space between them.

Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until potatoes are fork tender. Brush on melted margarine all over potatoes before serving. Serves 4

2010-08-14T20:51:00.006-04:00

Corn, Black Bean and Avocado Salad

This colourful, flavorful, high-fiber salad is sure to become a favorite!

1 can (19 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz whole-kernel corn, drained
1 cup of chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup green onions
cilantro to taste (optional)
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 each ground cumin and chili powder (*see tip below)
1 cup diced avocado (*see tip below)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Serve immediately.

*Tip: for added “kick” try chipotle chili powder. Since avocado turns brown very quickly, peel, sliced and add it to the salad just before serving. Serves 4

2010-07-23T23:40:00.005-04:00

Spicy Peanut Sauce Stir Fry

The Sky Dragon in Hamilton used to make a wonderful spicy peanut sauce which they served over veggies and rice. I would have it every time I was there. Now I've figured out how to make it myself. You have to try this.

Tofu Cubes

Half a container of medium tofu, pressed*
5 Tbsp cornstarch
peanut oil, for frying

Cut into bite-sized cubes. Toss with cornstarch, coating the cubes. Heat some oil. (just enough to ensure pan is coated) Fry the tofu cubes in batches, making sure all sides are lightly browned. Remove from pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Vegetables

2 cups broccoli, 1 cup carrots and 1/2 cup celery into
bite size pieces. Microwave or steam vegetables until tender.

Sauce

4 Tbs peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1/2 cup milk (rice, almond or soy)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 tsp soy sauce (gluten free)
4 Tbsp chili sauce
1 tsp chili flakes

Heat milk in a small pot. Add peanut butter, stir well. Then add other seasonings. Transfer sauce, vegetables and tofu cubes into a large pot. Stir and once thoroughly heated pour over rice or noodles. Serves 4

To learn how to press tofu:

http://glutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-press-tofu-cut-tofu-block-in.html

2010-07-20T00:56:00.012-04:00

Hot and Sour Tofu Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup red bell peppers, cut into julienne strips
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup snow peas, steamed until almost tender
4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 Tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed hot red peppers flakes
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 lb medium tofu, pressed
then cut into 1/2 in cubes

Heat the olive oil in pot and saute bell peppers until tender almost tender. Add vegetable stock and soy sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer, cover lightly and cook for 5 minutes. In a small bowl blend cornstarch with 3 Tbsp water.

In a bowl add the vinegar, pepper flakes, cornstarch blend and sesame oil. Then transfer into the hot soup, stir well then add the tofu, snow peas and green onions. Again cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Serves 4

2010-07-15T01:29:00.010-04:00

My 2 Favorite Recipes For My Garden Fresh Tomatoes...

Hummus Quesadillas

Rachael Ray calls this recipe Cheeseless Quesadillas I like to call them Hummus Quesadillas. Regardless of what they should be called I've be addicted to them ever since I tried them. I used to have kidney beans mixed with Diana's Spicy Southwest Chipole Marinade and toast for breakfast but that's been moved to lunch time now and this dish is what I have every morning. It's so refreshing. The only thing I do different from her recipe is I don't add the roasted peppers.

At the time I took this picture I hadn't found a good recipe for making my own soft tortillas so I was using Chipotle Corn Tostadas for my Hummus Quesadillas (thats what was used in the picture)

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/cheeseless-quesadillas

Pico de Gallo

I hear you either love cilantro or you hate it and there is no in between. The first time I had it was in a salsa I had in while on holidays in the Dominican Republic. I fell in love with it! Give it a try. Fresh cilantro is very cheap and it's available in the produce section in most supermarkets.

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_tomato_salsa

2010-07-14T21:05:00.006-04:00

Falafels

It seems everyone has a falafel recipe and why wouldn't they their so dame good. I tried many recipes on the net but they didn't have as much favour as when you get them from a resturant. This one does! I think I got the recipe from an old Vegetarian Times magazine. The tahini sauce is from the cookbook Vegan With A Vengence. I'll be honest many times I'm too lazy to make the tahini sauce so I just have it with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and lots of hot sauce on top. This recipe has been doubled because I find making falahels to be time consuming. I just freeze the falahel patties and take them out when needed.

4 cups canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
4 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup brown rice flour
2 Tbsp coriander
2 Tbsp cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp tahini
oil for frying
pita bread

Condiments

hot sauce
lettuce, chopped
tomato, red onion and cucumber, chopped
tahini sauce (recipe below)

Mash chickpeas in batches on a plate using a potato masher. Once all mashed then mix and mash well with all the rest of the ingredients excluding condiments of course.

Wet hands often and shape the mixture into 1 1/2 inch patties. In a large pan heat oil. Test the oil by throwing in a pinch of the batter; if the oil immediately bubbles up rapidly, it is ready. Cook the patties. Remove from pan and transfer onto a flattened paper bag or paper towels to drain.

On one side of a pita spread some tahini sauce, then add hot sauce, some falafel patties, lettuce, tomato, red onion and cucumber. Then fold over.

Tahini Sauce

1 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 tsp garlic, chopped
1/4 cup tahini
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
Juice from 1/4 lemon of a lemon
a dash of fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 cup cold water

Heat the garlic in 2 Tbsp the olive oil in a small sauté pan over very low heat for 2 minutes; just until it’s fragrant (don’t burn the garlic). Place the heated garlic and all the other ingredients in a blender blend until smooth. Refrigerate at least 1/2 hour in an airtight container. You may need to mix in a little extra water once it’s chilled.

2010-07-05T02:05:00.008-04:00

Grilled Vegetable Fajitas

Show your neighbors that murdered animals aren't the only things that can go on the grill. These colourful vegetable fajitas are sure to please the eye and palate of all your guests this summer.

4 Tbsp lime juice
2 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
2 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 lb asparagus spears, cut into inch pieces
1 medium sized red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick chunks
1 mediumred pepper cut into 1/2 inch thick chunks
1 medium zucchini cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 can of refried beans
8 small gulten free tortillas*
tomato salsa * recipe below
guacamole * recipe below (optional)

Heat gas grill to medium-high, prepare charcoal grill with medium-hot coals or cast iron skillet with ridges (that’s what I use). In a bowl, stir in lime juice, cumin, chili powder and cayenne.

Place onion rings on a large plate, brush both sides with some of the lime juice mixture. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Set aside.

Place the remaining lime juice mixture into a large bowl. Put in all of the vegetables except the onions and coat them with the mixture. Take out and spray or brush on oil all over the vegetables including the onions. Grill all vegetables. When cooked place on a platter.

Put tortillas briefly on grill. Spread each with 2 Tbsp warm refried beans, then 2/3 cup mixed grill vegetables. Top with salsa and guacamole (optional). Fold in half. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas then serve warm.

Tomato Salsa

3 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp garlic, finely chopped

In a blender add all ingredients. Press chop button for a few seconds then stop and stir then do it once again. You want it to still be a little chunky and not totally smooth. Refrigerate and served chilled.

Spicy Guacamole (optional)

1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted (reserve pit)
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp jalapeno chili, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt or more to taste

In a medium bowl add avocado, using the back of a spoon, mash avocado until creamy but textured. Add remaining guacamole ingredients and mix well. Add the pit to guacamole to prevent rapid browning.

* My favorite recipe for homemade gluten free soft tortillas:

http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/archives/gluten-free-casein-free-flour-tortillas/

I use quinoa flour instead of soy flour for my tortillas.

2010-06-14T19:48:00.021-04:00

Tomato Herb Mac and Cheese

My friend tried the cheese sauce I had posted (from refresh cookbook). She then add some pesto and pasta to it and created what I call Tomato Herb Mac and Cheese. It's so yummy!

1 cup tomato sauce
2 1/2 tsp pesto sauce (recipe below)
1/3 cup vegan cheese sauce (recipe below)
2 Tbsp vegan margarine
5 cups brown rice spiral noodles, cooked

Heat a medium size pot on medium heat; add margarine when melted add the pesto sauce. Add tomato sauce and cheese sauce. Stir till blended then add your pasta.

Vegan Cheese Sauce

4 1/2 Tbsp all purpose gluten free flour (recipe below)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes*
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup light tasting oil
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 tsp soy sauce

Put dry ingredients in a sauce pan over low heat. Whisk in the vegetable stock to make a paste. Bring to boil; simmer 1 minute. Add the oil, mustard, and soy sauce to the ingredients in the saucepan. Whisk until smooth.

All Purpose Gluten Free Flour

Blend together:

1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 cup quinoa flour
1 Tbsp marsa harina

Easy Pesto

4 tsp almonds, toasted in the oven or frying pan
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp dry
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
1/8 tsp nutmeg

In a food processor or blender add toasted almonds and grind. Then add, garlic, basil, olive oil, nutmeg. Process until a coarse paste is formed.

*To learn more about nutritional yeast flakes:

http://glutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2010/11/nutritional-yeast-flakes-nutritional.html

Hamburger(less) Helper

One day I decided to add Yves veggie ground round (before being diagnosed with Celiac Disease of coarse) and Hamburger(less) helper was born. This would be a great first time recipe to try out on non vegans or people that can eat gluten products. Make the recipe from above but just add 1 1/2 cups Yves veggie ground regular NOT Italian to it.

2010-06-03T22:59:00.024-04:00

Garden-Style Stuffed Potatoes
For Dinner

Goes well with yves vegan sausage (for those that can have gluten) and salad.

Garden Style Stuffed Potatoes
For Breakfast.......

Pan fry them and serve with refried beans and salsa

4 large regular, scrubbed

1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp, finely chopped garlic
1 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika (optional)
1/4 scallions, chopped (optional)

Prick each potato with a fork a few times then place in a bowl with an inch of water. Microwave on high for 10 minutes then redistribute the potatoes in bowl so they can heat evenly. Heat for 5 more minutes or until potatoes are tender.

While potatoes are cooking, sauté onions in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Add broccoli, cover and steam for 2 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in lengthwise and scoop out inner flesh, leaving skins as "boats" to be stuffed.

Discard 1 cup of the potato flesh. In a very large mixing bowl mash potatoes. Add sautéed vegetables, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Spoon filling into potatoes skins, pack firmly. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes.

Brush entire potato skin with melted vegan margarine before serving. Top with scallions and a dash of paprika (optional). Serves 4.

2010-05-22T19:44:00.005-04:00

Tofu, Mushroom, Spinach Lasagna

At Shoshoni Yoga resort they have a hard time convincing their vegan dinners that there’s no cheese in this recipe. It really is amazing.

530g constainer of soft tofu (no need to drain this type of tofu)
1 tsp oil
3 cups mushrooms, clean and chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp basil
1 can spicy spaghetti sauce (680ml)
4 cups of fresh spinach, washed stems
8 brown rice lasagna noodles, cooked till almost tender*
1/2 cup Daiya mozzerella vegan cheese*

To prepare tofu layer, blend tofu in blender until smooth. In a saucepan, heat oil and sauté mushrooms and garlic. Add tofu and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg and basil. Preheat oven to 375 F.

To assemble lasagna, spread a good amount of the sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Cut lasagna noodles in half and place 5 of them over the sauce. Spread some of the tofu mixture over each lasagna noodle then some spinach. Add another layer of noodles over top cover with tofu mixture again and then spinach. Add a final lasagna noodle then spread a layer of sauce on top. You should have 3 layers of noodles when done.

Add a layer of sauce over the top of the pasta. Sprinkle with mozzerella cheese then cover lasagna with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes (make sure to leave enough room between the foil and the lasagna or the foil will stick to your cheese topping). Add freshly ground pepper on top. Serves 5

*I use Tinkyada's Brown Rice Lasagna Pasta which I get at Freshco supermarket.

*Update - since taking this recipe picture I have discovered how great this lasagna is with Daiya mozzerella vegan cheese sprinkled on top!

2010-05-15T02:01:00.005-04:00

The Benefits of Beans

I would love to see everyone adding a lot more beans into their diet. I'm a huge fan of beans. Their what I consider the perfect food. My morning meal always consists of beans and sometimes at lunch too and many of my evening meals consist of bean soups, bean burrito's and bean based chili's.

Prevents Heart Disease

If you're wondering how to replace red meat in your menus, become a fan of kidney beans. These hearty beans are a good source of protein, and when combined with a whole grain such as whole wheat pasta or brown rice provide protein comparable to that of meat or dairy foods without the high calories or saturated fat found in these foods.

Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are other beans. Eating high fiber foods, such as kidney beans, helps prevent heart disease.

Gives You Energy to Burn While Stabilizing Blood Sugar

If you have insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, kidney beans can really help you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy.

For Energy

Can increase your energy by helping to replenish your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with kidney beans is a good idea--especially because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, kidney beans are low in calories and virtually fat-free.

Protein Power Plus

If you're wondering how to replace red meat in your meals, become a fan of kidney beans. These hearty beans are a good source of protein, and when combined with a whole grain such as whole grain pasta or brown rice provide protein comparable to that of meat or dairy foods without the high calories or saturated fat found in these foods.

Lowers Risk Of Cancer

Women who took 2-3 serving of kidney beans and lentils per week reduced the instance of breast cancer by as high as 24%. People who consume kidney beans on daily basis are availing of the richness of the antioxidants contained therein helping them trim down chances of cancer and diabetes.

Unlike canned vegetables, which have lost much of their nutritional value, there is little difference in the nutritional value of canned kidney beans and those you cook yourself.

My Quick Bean Breakfast

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Diana's spicy southwestern chipotle marinade sauce*
6 inch tortillas

Mix beans together in a large bowl. Half way fill a small bowl with the mixed beans. Heat beans in microwave, then stir in some southwestern sauce. Pour beans onto one half of a tortilla then fold over. Put into the microwave for 20 seconds. Remove and cover top of tortilla with a thin layer of the sounthwestern sauce.

*Diana's spicy southwestern chipotle marinade can be found in your supermarket in the barbeque sauce section.

2010-05-14T20:47:00.012-04:00

House Dressing

This delicious, light dressing has become the staff favorite at Fresh restaurant. It's also my favorite too!

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp raw sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp soy sauce (gluten free)
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 extra virgin oil or flaxseed oil*
3/4 cup grapeseed oil (or any light tasting oil)

In a blender, mix all ingredients accept the oils until totally pureed. With the blender running, add oil in a thin stream until dressing is emulsified. Then pour into a dressing bottle and give it a shake before each use.

*Flaxseed oil is available at health food stores and an increasing number of grocery stores. It has a mild nutty flavor and is high in Omega 3 fatty acids. It goes rancid quickly so buy it if it is refrigerated and packaged in a black container and buy the smallest amount possible. Once opened I believe it should be used within a month.

2010-04-14T21:01:00.008-04:00

Bob Green’s No Cheese Lasagna

This is so good and its made with nuts not soy. The only negative is that nuts aren’t cheap so look for those sales and stock up. You can keep your nuts fresh, longer by storing them in your freezer. Here is Bob Greens recipe..

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/bob-greenes-no-cheese-vegetable-lasagna/

*Below is my version of Bob Green’s recipe …..

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp garlic, minced
fresh basil leaves, to taste, optional
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup water
1 cup Hunt’s Tomato Sauce
(the kind with onions, herbs and spices)
4 brown rice lasagna noodles (cooked till almost tender)
3 cups spinach, washed thoroughly
2 cups fresh tomatoes sliced, then cut into quarters

Preheat oven to 375F. Coat a 9–inch square or a 10 X 8 pan with cooking spray. Combine the almonds, walnuts, onion, garlic, basil, nutmeg, salt, pepper and water in a food processor or blender and process until smooth about 1 minute.

Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce on bottom of the pan. Cover pan with 2 of the noodles, spinach, tomatoes and nut mixture. Repeat the layers again (last layer the nut mixture) and transfer to oven for 20 minutes then pull lasagna out from the oven and brush on some of the remaining tomatoe sauce over the outer layers of the lasagna noodles. Otherwise I find that the edges get dried out. Cook for 20 minutes more or until top gets lightly brown. Before serving reapply more tomatoe sauce around the edges and some over top (according to taste) and add freshly ground pepper on top. Serves 4

* Why I made so many changes to the orginal recipe:

I could not find no cook lasagna noodles so I just used regular ones and cooked them.

I used a smaller amount of onion. I love onions but his amount just sounded like too much.

Not into having too much basil. I think one cup of fresh basil like he uses would over power the whole dish. I did not add the basil instead I used Hunt’s tomato sauce the kind with onion, herbs and spices. It had just enough added herbs for me.

Instead of using 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom and 3 on top I decided to use only 2 lasagna noodles on the bottom and 2 on top so I would have more nut mixture to make a more cheesier lasagna.

2010-03-14T20:15:00.005-04:00

Smokey Black Bean Soup

The deep red-brown of this soup makes it a color cousin to Mexican molé sauce. It makes a dramatic presentation when topped with tortilla strips or guacamole. Chipotle chilies packed in Adobo sauce are available in most large supermarkets. Any canned, diced tomatoes will work well, but the fire-roasted variety sends this soup over the top.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, (1 cup)
2 stalk celery, chopped,
2 carrots, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 tsp garlic, chopped
1/2 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, remove seeds by rinsing it
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 cups vegetable broth mixed with 2 cups water
3 (19 ounce each) cans black beans, drained
28 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, preferably fire-roasted

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, celery, carrots, red pepper and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with cumin; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth with water. Mix in beans and tomatoes.

Transfer 1/2 of the soup to blender along witht the chipotle chili puree until smooth. Pour pureed mixture back into remaining soup. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Top with freshly grated pepper before serving. Serves 6

2010-03-14T17:45:00.008-04:00

Pecan Tofu Loaf

This recipe comes from the cookbook High Road To Health. I don't think I would recommend this cookbook since this recipe is the only one I have enjoyed. In all fairness I have not made all of the recipes in it but I have made several. So here is the one hit wonder.

2/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tsp olive oil
8 medium mushrooms, finely chopped
2 1/2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
2 Tbsp brown rice flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp water
4 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes*
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 (454g) firm tofu, drained/pressed*
5 Tbsp raw tahini
Special sauce recipe below

Sauté the onion in olive over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, covered for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

Place the pecans and almonds in a blender. Using short stokes at medium speed chop the nuts until then have the texture of very coarse corn meal. Combine nuts, flour, cornstarch mixture, yeast, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl and mix well.

With your hands crumble up tofu in small pieces. Combine the tofu thoroughly with the onion mushroom mixture and tahini. Add to the dry ingredients and combine well using your hands. Press firmly into an oiled loaf pan and bake at 350 F for 1 hour. While the loaf is baking, prepare the sauce. Remove loaf and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Then serve with a thin layer of special sauce over top.

Special Sauce

1/3 cup onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup water
4 Tbsp regular BBQ
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Place in a pot and bring to a boil then cover and simmer over lowest setting for 25 minutes. This special sauce recipe was given to me by my friend, Sid.

*To learn how to drain/press tofu:

http://glutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-press-tofu-cut-tofu-block-in.html

* To learn more about nutritional yeast flakes:

http://glutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2010/11/nutritional-yeast-flakes-nutritional.html

2010-02-14T18:37:00.004-05:00

Carrot Hashbrowns

1 large stewing carrot, grated
2 large potatoes, finely grated, squeeze all of the liquid out
1/4 cup brown rice flour
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place grated potato between some paper towel’s and try to remove all the water. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed. Form into 5 small patties. Season with salt and pepper on each side. Heat oil in a skillet and fry patties until browned on both sides. Serves 2

2010-01-14T18:31:00.006-05:00

Egg(less) Egg Salad

This recipe comes from the cookbook reFresh they call it House Mayo. From the minute I tried it it reminded me of how egg salad used to taste. So I changed the tofu they used in the original recipe to a more firmer one to make a more thicker type spread. Many people have become hooked on this recipe will you be next?

1 1/2 cups onion, chopped*
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp mixed dry herbs * see receipe below
1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 package of extra firm tofu (350g), chopped
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce (gluten free)
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp raw sugar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
100 ml safflower or any light tasting oil

*I know 1 1/2 cups of onions sound like alot it is correct its not misprint.

Combine onion, garlic, red wine vinegar, nutmeg, pepper, herbs and vegetable stock in a frying pan and cook over medium heat until liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Combine the above onion mixture, soy sauce, tofu, mustard, sugar, oil and vinegar in a blender and blend until totally smooth. I would suggest only put in about half the tofu at a time then blending it then adding the rest. Stop occasionally and use a dinner knife to stir the mixture at the bottom in blender. Once well blended; pour into storage container and chill in the refridgerator.

Spread a good amount over your favorite toasted whole grain bread then add a good amount fresh ground pepper, some salt and top with chopped iceberg lettuce. Yum!

Mixed Dry Herbs*

1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp sage
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme

*I make a large amount of the dry mixed herbs and keep it in a spice jar so it ready when I need it that way I don't have to keep mix it every time I want to make this recipe.

2009-04-23T02:22:00.006-04:00

How To Press Tofu

Cut tofu block in the center into half, then cut those 2 blocks into half in the center and then cut those 4 slabs into half. Thats the easiest way I know how to end up with 8 even tofu slabs. Lay a tea towel down then cover it with several paper towels (made from 100% recycled fibers of course). Place your tofu slices on the paper towels. Its a mystery why I have 9 cut pieces in the picture instead of 8...lol.

Then cover the exposed tofu slices with more paper towels and then with another tea towel.

The final step is just to add books to weigh down the tofu in order to press out all the water. Leave for 20 minutes then tofu will be ready to use in your recipe.

2009-03-22T18:14:00.003-04:00

Nutritional Yeast Flakes

Nutritional yeast is yellow in color and with a nutty cheesy flavor, its an inactive yeast that is a favorite amongst many vegans because of its unique flavor and similarity to cheese when added to foods. Its rich in B-complex vitamins and B12 which is one of the rare vegan sources of B12.

Where To Get It:

Nutritional yeast can be found at Bulk Barn food stores or health food stores. I've even seen it also at Fortinos Supermarket. Be sure you don’t get brewer’s yeast by mistake, as its quite similar in appearance. It's best if you store your nutritional yeast in the freezer to keep it fresh.

Avoiding Dairy for Health Reasons:

Did you know that an ingredient in cheese that is called casein is the same glue substance that beer companies use to glue their beer bottle labels on with? Please see this video called Milk The Deadly Poison;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYpafipJyDE;

Avoiding Dairy For Humanitarian Reasons:

The suffering that animals endure just for someone to have a piece of cheese or glass of milk is unimaginable. Please see this video called Meet Your Milk;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsjhS0nnDZk