Simple Mushroom Chili

Usually my chili is more complicated than this, but I texted this stencil to Austin one night when we were really busy, and I wasn't going to be home to cook dinner.

Quarter all those mushrooms! (3-4 cups)

Use 3 full cans black beans and 2 full cans tomatoes.

Combine all in pot. Add:

1-2 tbsp paprika

1/2-1 tbsp cumin

2 tbsp dried onion

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp pepper

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp cayenne

Bring all to boil. Add more water if necessary. Cook until mushrooms are soft. Turn off heat and stir in as many greens as fit - they will wilt as you stir them in. Serve on top of rice, toast, or chopped corn.

Creamy Red Lentil Soup

Trust me when I say I don't use the words "best soup ever" lightly (unlike SOME people I know ;)

Ingredients:

3 cups dry red lentils

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tbsp no-salt seasoning

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp dry garlic

1/2 tsp cayenne

2-3 cups broccoli florets

2 red onions

2-3 cups baby carrots

2 red bell peppers

6-7 cups water

1/2 cup raw hemp seeds, blended until smooth in 3 cups water.

Place everything (except the blended hemp seeds) in an Instant Pot and set the timer for 5 minutes. You can also boil everything on the stove until the lentils are cooked through. Once thoroughly cooked, stir in the blended hemp seeds and top with salt and pepper to taste. 

This recipe's background is definitely spotted! 😂

Vanilla Birthday Cake and Cashew Frosting

It's my youngest son's birthday today; I thought I'd share our go-to birthday cake recipe. Everyone rated it a 10. There were no leftovers.

Vanilla Cake

2.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 cup raw sugar

1 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients thoroughly then pour into silicone cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick (or butter knife ;) comes out clean. Allow to cool before spreading the frosting on top.

(Adapted from here: http://happyherbivore.com/2011/08/vegan-vanilla-cupcakes-recipe/ )

Cashew Frosting

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup medjool dates, pitted

Soak ingredients overnight. Drain liquid. Run through a food processor until very smooth. Apply to cake.

Blueberry Pie

Crust:

8 pitted medjool dates

1/2 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup almond flour

1 tbsp ground flax

Dash of cinnamon

Filling:

1/4 cup chia seeds

1 cup water

2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed (with juices)

1 tbsp ethyritol

First, mix all filling ingredients and let sit so chia can gel. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Next, in an electric mixer, combine dates and water. Let it churn on low until broken up, soft, and beginning to dissolve. Add vanilla extract, followed by all dry ingredients. Let it churn until a thick dough has formed. Roll out on counter until flat and relatively round - I used my hands. Stick a couple holes in the middle. Mine turned out a little thick. 

Pour blueberry chia mixture into baking dish of choice (I used a silicone baking pan per my son's request). Carefully work the crust off the counter, then place it on top and tuck at the corners until it looks good to you.

Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for a while before cutting into it.

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This pie is mildly sweet - it's not meant to hit a sweet tooth, it's not meant to be irresistible. It's meant to fill a desire for "dessert" while staying in control of your cravings. It might not "do it" for you, but it will still be tasty! I made this because my 4 year old saw blueberry pie on his show and wanted to make one. I have never made pie before. That son said it was a 9, my husband rated it the same. He's bringing some to work, which is rare!

Recommended Reading/Viewing

Resources are listed immediately following this first section.

My Give and Take:

In the last year, my views on eating animal-based products has developed significantly. As I say this, I want to please discourage any negativity anyone might direct towards me, on this blog or elsewhere. If you have questions, that is fine. I do not wish to be attacked.

Today (May 31, 2016) marks o-fish-ially one year since I ate fish. It has been since September that I ate animal products of any kind. Most of you know that I started this journey for health reasons: I believe a whole foods, plant based diet is the most optimal diet for health, and the best way to avoid the top 15 killers in America. My resources list is mostly based upon that idea.

As many people eating this diet for health reasons, I have also come to question the ethics of eating meat, and have deeply mulled over these questions over the course of the last three years.

I officially classify as fully vegan, and hopefully not in a way that sounds negative to anyone. I do not believe the whole world should or could be vegan. I believe in kindness towards all living creatures. I believe in sustainable agriculture.

I do not believe in the hatred many vegans express.

I do not think it's "wrong" to eat meat. I believe animals were meant to be an emergency food source. I believe that, the way God designed the world, we were supposed to live in harmony beside animals. Often this would mean eating meat and other animal byproducts as a way of not being wasteful - a form of compassionate living. Sometimes this would mean killing in order to save your own life.

That's not the world we live in. We live in a world in which animals are severely and cruelly bred for food, most of which is not necessary or healthful. The way I have explained how we eat to my son is this: many people can't choose how to eat. They must eat what they have. We are blessed enough to choose what we eat, and so we eat what's most healthful to our bodies and the planet.

In a perfect world, what would be most healthful to our bodies and the planet would be to eat about 2 ounces of animal foods per week, averaged across the entire globe's population. That is not how it is, therefore it is a good choice not to eat animal foods in order to lift the burden currently placed on our planet.

From my careful study and research, animal foods are not necessary for perfect health. In excess, animal foods can be hugely detrimental to health.

My last thought: have you ever killed the food you eat? Do you think you could? If you don't think you have the stomach for it, is it morally right to PAY someone else to do that for you?

I eat a whole foods, plant-based diet as classified by Dr. Colin B. Campbell.

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Materials:

This list covers both nutritional and ethical reasons for eating the way we do. There is plenty missing; I only included what I have actually read personally.

Documentaries:

Forks Over Knives

Veganomics

PlantPure Nation

Cowspiracy
What the Health

Books:

The China Study

Whole

Food Over Medicine

My Beef With Meat

Discovering the Word of Wisdom (LDS perspective)

Healthy at 100

Super Immunity

Disease-Proof Your Child

Raising Vegetarian Children

How Not to Die

Eating Animals

The Starch Solution

The Pleasure Trap

Forks Over Knives Families

The End of Heart Disease

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

The McDougall Program for Women

The Cheese Trap

Dr. McDougall's Digestive Tune-Up

Proteinaholic

Cookbooks:

The Happy Herbivore series

The China Study Cookbook

The Forks Over Knives Cookbook

Plant-Powered Families

Websites:

Nutritionfacts.org

Discoveringthewordofwisdom.com

Forksoverknives.com

http://ldsmag.com/author/jane-birch/

"Official" Knutson Vegan Brownies

The title as declared by Austin.

And honestly, I just threw everything together. Apparently these are a keeper. They're gooey and chocolatey, and Austin has declared that they can finally take the place of "real" brownies.

1 cup whole wheat flour or oat flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder (can be subbed for more carob)

1/4 cup carob powder (can be subbed with more flour)

1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour (can be subbed with another flour)

1/4 ground flaxseed

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 spotted banana, mashed

1/2-3/4 cups brown rice syrup (can sub other syrup/nectar)

1/2-1 cup applesauce

2 droppers full of liquid stevia

1/4 cup chopped unsweetened chocolate

1/4-1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Mix all dry ingredients, and then add in wet ingredients, checking for consistency and flavor. Texture should be thick, but smooth and gooey. Stir in chocolate and hazelnuts last. Pour into brownie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until firm. Brownies will be super soft and will fall apart easily when cut until completely cooled. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Customized these for what Austin was in the mood for.

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup almond flour

1 cup mashed banana (2 bananas)

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips (we used 69% cocoa)

Mix all together, saving chocolate chips for last. Bake at 350 for 17 minutes, or until golden. Let sit to stiffen.