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.

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

5 c. Flour*
2 t. Baking Soda
1 T. ground Ginger
1 t. ground Cinnamon
3/4 t. ground Cloves
1/2 c. Molasses
2 c. Applesauce
2 T. Vinegar

4 droppers of stevia

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt until well blended.
3. Add the molasses, applesauce and vinegar and continue whisking until well mixed.
4. Slowly stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture.
5. Chill dough in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes until firm enough to roll.
6. On floured parchment paper, or a lightly-floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8” thick. Sprinkle extra flour on top, if the dough is sticky (the dough was VERY sticky - needed plenty of extra flour for handling)
Cut dough into gingerbread men or holiday shapes.
7. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes until light brown. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool completely if decorating.

*used a mix of einkorn and sorghum

Adapted from: http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/2010/11/28/low-fat-gingerbread-cookies/

Gingerbread

2 and 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 – 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1 cup unsweetened organic applesauce
1/2 cup water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 dropper liquid stevia

Coconut sugar mixed with cinnamon for topping

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, sifting in the baking powder and baking soda. Stir through until well combined. In another bowl, first combine the molasses with the applesauce, stevia, and vanilla, and mix together. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Gently fold and mix through, until just combined (do not overmix). Transfer mixture to a parchment lined baking pan. If using any optional toppings, sprinkle those on. Bake for 37-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove, and transfer (keeping in pan) to cooling rack. Let cool completely, then remove from pan and slice. Makes one quickbread.

Adapted from: http://plantpoweredkitchen.com/chocolate-gingerbread/

Thanksgiving 2015

Winter Salad: https://protectivediet.com/recipe/winter-fruit-salad

Beet bread: https://protectivediet.com/recipe/zucchini-bread

Pumpkin apple cornbread: https://protectivediet.com/recipe/jalapeno-cornbread-muffins

Wild rice

Mashed potatoes

Dijon-herb green beans: http://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/dijon-herb-green-beans/

Onion and mushroom gravy: https://protectivediet.com/recipe/vegan-mushroom-gravy

Cranberry-orange sauce: https://protectivediet.com/recipe/cranberry-clementine-sauce

SPOTLIGHT: Protective Diet

There are so many good recipes out there, both online and in cookbooks. I have my own recipe for Lentil Shepherd's Pie that I'm going to publish soon (I forgot to take pictures, so I need to make it again first). 

As part of this blog, I want to do "Spotlight" posts in which I focus on specific cookbooks, blogs, or other websites I enjoy. My main purpose in this blog is sharing what I, and my family, eat. The spotlights will be an extension of that idea.

Lately, I have been thoroughly enjoying the "Free Recipes" section of protectivediet.com. These recipes are easy, delicious, and meet my standards. The one caveat is that you need an account on the site in order to access the recipes. It is free to make the account necessary for the Free Recipes, and, to me, worth it. If you like what you see below, you might want to consider doing so.

I subbed shredded beets for the zucchini in this recipe. If you need it wheat-free, sub oat flour.

https://protectivediet.com/recipe/zucchini-bread

I subbed beets for the carrots in this coleslaw. Can you tell I had a lot of beets around?

https://protectivediet.com/recipe/coleslaw

https://protectivediet.com/recipe/cacao-breakfast-muffins

https://protectivediet.com/recipe/gluten-free-apple-oat-breakfast-muffins

This was the leftover alfredo sauce from this recipe. I put it on top of my broccoli; it reminded me of the cheesy sauce I used to put on my broccoli as a kid.

https://protectivediet.com/recipe/fat-free-fredo-sauce

https://protectivediet.com/recipe/spinach-lasagna

I used this sauce to top broccoli and brown rice. Yes, I've definitely been in a broccoli mood.

https://protectivediet.com/recipe/no-fat-not-yo-cheeze-sauce

Stovetop Lentil Shepherd's Pie

On his mission, Austin picked up a specific way of making shepherd's pie that included ground beef and onion, corn, mashed potatoes, cheese, and ketchup. Since he liked it so much, I quickly picked up the habit. The last time I made this was with his help, towards the end of my first trimester with my eldest son. This was immediately after a three-month whole foods vegetarian stint, and I found that I no longer appreciated the dish; it didn't help that I was still getting over my morning sickness.

Since then, I have tried a few vegan versions, but none stuck. Last night, Austin suggested that lentil shepherd's pie sounded appetizing to him. In my mind, this was easy enough, considering my experience with the dish. I didn't get out a recipe; I simply hit the kitchen. What I came up with knocked the socks off any other version I've tried thus far.

I originally wrote this post back in November, but hadn't taken photos and thought I would make it again and do so. I guess I'm too interested in trying new things! I have done "Shepherd's Pie" a handful of times since, but always differently than this, so I'm going to go ahead and post this anyway. Sorry!

Stovetop Lentil Shepherd's Pie:

8-10 red potatoes, cut into chunks

4-7 cloves garlic

1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning 

1 cup lentils

2 cups water

1 onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 bunch chard, chopped, leaves and stems divided

1 tbsp no-salt seasoning

1 tsp sage

1 tsp rosemary

4 cups frozen corn

Salt and pepper

Ketchup of choice, for serving*

Place the potatoes, garlic, and Old Bay seasoning in a pot and cover with water. 

Place lentils, water, onion, carrot, chard stems, no-salt seasoning, sage, and rosemary in a separate pot. 

Set both pots to boil at the same time. Once the lentils reach a boil, reduce to simmer. Once the potatoes reach a boil, reduce to medium heat. Cook each for 15-20 minutes, until the both the lentils and potatoes are cooked through. Mix the chard leaves into the lentils and cover with a lid. Drain most of the water from the potatoes into a mason jar (save excess for other recipes calling for veggie broth). Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, adding back liquid as needed, until the potatoes are the desired texture.

Thaw and heat the corn separately (I did this in a microwave). Layer all elements as desired. Salt and pepper to taste, and top with ketchup.

*My family uses an agave-sweetened brand found at a whole food store. Most recently, I bought an unsweetened version and sweetened it to taste with liquid stevia - as the agave ketchup had become unpleasantly sweet to me, self-sweetening the unsweetened ketchup is definitely to my liking.

Fresh Pumpkin Spinach Tomato Sauce

Our neighbor gave us a big bowl of homegrown tomatoes that were the inspiration for this sauce, on a day I was planning on making a butternut squash dish. I ended up using pumpkin by mistake - I had cooked and pureed both a pumpkin and a butternut squash today, and didn't realized I'd added the pumpkin until I opened the fridge again to find the brighter-colored squash puree still sitting there. It turned out wonderfully anyway!

My toddler's unmixed plate.

Fresh Pumpkin Spinach Tomato Sauce

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped 

3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup tomato paste

4 cups fresh spinach

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp sage

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp marjoram

Salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast to taste

Saute onion and bell pepper, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown. Add seasonings, stir, then add tomatoes. Reduce head to medium-low. Add pumpkin, veggie broth, and tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is fully incorporated. Add the spinach. Once the spinach is wilted, add half the sauce to a blender and blend on low (you can also do this part with an immersion blender). Add back to the pot and stir until fully mixed. Serve over cooked noodles.

This recipe is NOT an adaptation :)

Lentil Marinara with Spaghetti Squash

1 cup dry red lentils

2 cups water

1 onion, chopped 

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp granulated or fresh garlic

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp no-salt seasoning

1 whole cooked spaghetti squash, deseeded and pulled out of skin

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Take all ingredients through no-salt seasoning, placing them in a pot. Boil, then simmer on low for 30 minutes.

Once the lentils are cooked through, add the cooked spaghetti squash and the balsamic vinegar. Stir thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a baked potato if desired.

Adapted from: https://tastespace.wordpress.com/2014/02/15/lentil-marinara-sauce-with-spaghetti-squash/

Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

This sauce is a slight variation of my normal quick sauce - the basic difference being the addition of squash, and higher levels of spices.

Makes 6-8 cups, about two meals' worth. 

3 cups butternut squash flesh, cooked

2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes

1 6-oz can tomato paste

2-4 cloves garlic

2 tbsp basil

2 tbsp dry onion or onion powder

1 tbsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp marjoram (optional)

1/2 tsp sage (optional)

1/2 tsp thype (optional)

Dash red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt to taste

Blend all until the sauce is the desired consistency. Heat if preferred. We like using it to quickly cool our veggies and noodles, especially for the kids. Enjoy right away, or store in fridge for up to a week, or freeze for later. We like layering it with noodles and oil-free sauteed veggies.

Butternut Oatmeal Cookies

When I decide to do something new and different from other recipes I find, I still use a stencil from another recipe as a guide to the right measurements. There's probably an exact formula to get texture right, but I haven't learned it yet.

The first time I made these cookies, I started with a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe that included oil. But I had already run out of last year's canned pumpkin, and the box of pumpkins I ordered wouldn't be here until the next day. Butternut squash seemed to be a great substitute, as well as lending natural sweetness.



In fact, most of the ingredients here lend natural sweetness. The original recipe included some agave, but I subbed extra applesauce.

To cook the squash, I used the technique of piercing the squash multiple times and cooking it in the crock pot - this is so quick!

This particular picture was the second go around in which I roasted both a pumpkin AND a butternut squash:

Butternut Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe makes two sheets of cookies, or about 24.

INGREDIENTS
2 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if desired)
1/2 cup flour*
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups cooked mashed butternut squash
3/4 cup applesauce or pumpkin**

1 dropper liquid stevia (optional)
2/3 cup raisins
*I have successfully used almond flour, and a combination of sorghum and teff.
**I used applesauce the first time, but had freshly roasted and pureed pumpkin ready the second time, so figured I'd sub out.

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients in a medium to large bowl.
Stir in wet ingredients and then raisins.
Spoon out 1-2 tablespoons cookie batter on baking sheet. For a flatter cookie, press batter down and shape with fingers.
Bake 15-20 minutes (it'll depend on the cookie's size; check on them every 5 minutes).
After baking, allow cookies to cool for about 10 mins and then transfer them onto a cooling rack and cool completely. They are very soft and if you don’t allow them to cool completely they will crumble. 

Adapted from: http://www.kimscravings.com/2014/09/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-oatmeal-cookies/

Pumpkin Seed Lentil Loaf

I am starting with a picture of Plant-Powered Families because this post is on a recipe directly from this book. I changed none of the ingredients (except I used quick oats because we were out of rolled oats - I had to crack open a food storage can for this recipe). I changed little about the process. This recipe belongs to Dreena Burton (though, if you read the description in the book, the original recipe came from a book called "Vive La Vegan!"). That said, we're ecstatic about this recipe here. Austin gave it a 10/10. He gives a ton of 9/10s (let's face it, I'm excellent at cooking what he likes), but he saves the 10s for true love (my words, not his).

We served this to the sister missionaries, as well as a friend of ours who eats the same whole foods, plant-based diet as us. She said she'd need the recipe to feed it to others (since she at least knew WE liked it), I figured I should post here - that IS why I made this blog, right? 

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of my own finished product. I doubled the recipe (which is the measurements I give below) and used a 9x13 dish instead of a pie pan. Instructions will be altered accordingly.

Pumpkin Seed Lentil Loaf 

1.5 cups dry lentils

3 cups water

1/2 cup dehydrated celery, or 1 cup fresh chopped celery

2 large onions, chopped

2 cups rolled or quick oats

4 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

1 clove garlic

Pepper to taste

4 tbsp soy sauce, liquid aminoes, etc.

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce*

4 tsp black molasses

1 cup pumpkin seeds

Combine lentils, water, onion, and celery in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for about 30 minutes, until the lentils have absorbed the water.

Preheat oven to 375. In batches if you need to (I personally have a rather small processor), run everything, except the pumpkin seeds, in the food processor until fairly smooth but retaining some texture. If you did this in batches, combine it all in a big bowl.

Add the pumpkin seeds to the processor and pulse several times until they're broken up. Add these to the mix and make sure everything is combined thoroughly and evenly.

Transfer to a 9x13 casserole dish and back for about 30 minutes. At this point, I covered it in foil and baked for another 8 minutes. 

Once removing from the oven, let it stand for a few minutes in order to firm up - trust me, this really makes a difference. Slice into wedges and serve.

Serving suggestion: baked potatoes and steam-sautéed broccoli.

*I've heard Happy Herbivore has a vegan Worcestershire sauce recipe in one of her cookbooks. I haven't seen it myself. I happened to buy my first bottle at Whole Foods a few months ago and used that.

Herb Oat Muffins

I kind of dislike it when bloggers give long explanations for recipes, but this is my first post, so I feel a need to explain this blog.

I love to cook. I enjoy my kitchen immensely. And I have a ton of people who ask what I eat, and what I feed my family. I want an easier way to quickly share recipes with my friends and family. I'm not trying to start the next big vegan blog, as my pictures can attest to. I just want to have links I can share.

Truly, this blog is an extension of the post I recently wrote on my other blog, found here: http://throwawaythescale.blogspot.com/2015/08/what-i-eat.html?m=1

In that post, I talk about how and what we eat in a week, and give a sample of meals from that particular week.

Now, on to the muffins:

Another thing I don't care for is thickeners in gluten-free recipes. They cost a lot, and aren't really the best choice nutritionally. I LOVE using oats as a quick swap-out for baking recipes that involve wheat (I'm self-diagnosed wheat intolerant). It's simple, easy, cheap, and has turned out great every single time I do it. Oats are naturally sticky and moist when wet. They don't rise like wheat, but I can live with that.

I have never found a wheat-free bread recipe like this (if you have, please share a link in the comments - I would love to try it!). I only wish I had thought of this sooner. These bread "muffins" were super easy to make, and they're delicious! They're not really suited for sandwiches, but I made them to dunk in soup, and they are the perfect candidate.

I do a lot of adaptations. These muffins are adapted from The China Study Cookbook.

Herb Oat Muffins (makes 7 muffins):

2 1/3 cups oat flour (rolled oats run through the food processor)

1/2 tablespoon rosemary

1/2 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon basil

1 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons molasses

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Transfer to muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with soup or enjoy on their own!