tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652514712010264772024-03-13T12:04:05.468-04:00Three Horsepower VeganWhole foods go in, whole foods come out.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-84513283930485800212010-06-11T10:17:00.007-04:002010-06-13T11:06:39.790-04:00Champagne BreakfastFor a long time my smoothies have fallen into a carrot-oriented rut. It was nice to discover that carrots were a tasty component for green smoothies made in the Blendtec, and it helped me up my raw vegetable intake without having to add loads of fruit to counterbalance bitter greens.<br /><br />There are a few drawbacks, though. If you get overzealous with the carrots in a smoothie, the consistency can end up somewhat like baby food. And if you try to add water to the smoothie at the beginning, before you blend, it seems to affect how smoothly the carrot blends--that is, having lots of water in the jar I think makes the carrot more likely to separate into little shreds as oppose to puree. <br /><br />My smoothies were getting bigger and bigger. While great for nutrients, it takes a long time to drink an entire, thick jar of green/carrot smoothie, and now that I am biking longer distances to work, something lighter appealed. So I'm abandoning the carrot temporarily in favor of this (named for its beautiful color).<br /><br />Add to Blendtec jar:<br /><br />2 Valencia oranges, peeled and sectioned (the ones from the farmer's market here are incredibly sweet)<br />7-10 romaine lettuce leaves, torn into large pieces<br />1 oz walnut halves, soaked in salted water overnight (releases nutrients)<br />1/4-1/2 cup cold water<br /><br />Blend on Whole Juice Cycle once.<br /><br />I also tried this this morning with an overripe peach that needed to get eaten, in addition to the oranges. Delicious!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/TBJHqbtl39I/AAAAAAAAAds/s-9ixKatrEc/s1600/champagne.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/TBJHqbtl39I/AAAAAAAAAds/s-9ixKatrEc/s400/champagne.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481522490782375890" /></a>TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-27550499032026688792010-04-27T08:00:00.004-04:002010-04-27T08:08:26.322-04:00Banana Apple ElixirDorky name, but trying to describe the wonderful taste and texture of this morning drink.<br /><br />1 Granny Smith apple, diced, seeds and stem removed<br />1 Golden Delicious apple, diced, seeds and stem removed<br />1 very ripe frozen banana, halved<br />1 large carrot, sliced into coins<br />1 small yellow summer squash, sliced into coins<br />1 romaine lettuce heart, cut or torn into large pieces<br /><br />Add first 5 ingredients to Blendtec jar with about a 1/2 cup-1 cup of water. Run on Whole Juice cycle once. Add lettuce and several ice cubes and a little water to the remaining space in jar and run on Whole Juice cycle again, so that the lettuce gets good and blended in.<br /><br />I've found the heavy pulpiness of frozen bananas balances well with apples, though it does result in a very sweet smoothie. I don't bother coring the apples because it gets blended so well you don't notice, though it's typically easy to knock the seeds out. Summer squash like yellow squash or zucchini is a good way to add vitamins and fiber without influencing the taste very much.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-58677416624491548792010-03-19T20:03:00.004-04:002010-03-19T20:14:22.981-04:00Vegan Raw Hollandaise Sauce1 granny smith apple, cored if desired, and quartered<br />2 tablespoons nutritional yeast<br />1 tablespoon miso paste<br />a few pinches of chaat masala (optional)<br />1/2 cup of water<br /><br />Add all ingredients to Blendtec and run on whole juice cycle once.<br /><br />Yet another iteration on the savory apple-based sauce, I served this over some simple oven-roasted asparagus and really enjoyed the effect. Not sure if it really tastes like Hollandaise as I haven't had it in years, but I thought it paired well with the asparagus and had a rich, cheesy, slightly tangy flavor. This recipe probably made about 2 cups of sauce.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-50718426012872792572010-02-20T11:24:00.007-05:002010-02-20T13:48:11.304-05:00Blended Mushroom Gravy over Turnip Cauliflower Mash<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S4AtsBGyr-I/AAAAAAAAAbc/W6gpBFjt2yE/s1600-h/P1010010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S4AtsBGyr-I/AAAAAAAAAbc/W6gpBFjt2yE/s400/P1010010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440398584097976290" /></a><br />Turnip Cauliflower Mash<br /><br />2 large turnips, peeled and cubed, peels reserved<br />one or two large cauliflower florets<br /><br />Boil or pressure cook until very soft. Drain well, reserving the cooking liquid. Mash with a potato masher or stiff fork. Peeling the turnips makes them easier to mash, but cooking the peels into the gravy retains their fiber and nutrients while adding some body and flavor.<br /><br />Gravy<br /><br />2 large handfuls of white button mushrooms, sliced<br />1/2 yellow onion, chopped<br />peelings from two large turnips<br /><br />1 tablespoon dry rubbed sage<br />1 teaspoon fennel seeds<br />1 teaspoon paprika<br />1 tablespoon miso paste<br />cracked black pepper to taste<br />any other seasonings of choice<br /><br />Place first three ingredients in a non-stick skillet and simmer or saute in water or broth until soft, adding more liquid as necessary (about 1/2-1 cup). Allow to cool until just warm. <br /><br />Add pan contents and reserved turnip liquid to Blendtec. (Be very careful about adding hot liquids to the Blendtec; the steam can cause the lid to come off when you blend.) Add seasonings and miso. Pulse until completely blended. Add water to desired consistency, or if too watery, add a few tablespoons of cooked beans or your thickener of choice. Reheat if necessary and serve poured over mashed vegetables.<br /><br />I really enjoy the white bean gravy from Vegan with a Vengeance. This mushroom gravy is a good alternative if you want a gravy that doesn't rely on flour for thickening, but aren't in the mood for beans. (Or in my case, had way too many cheap mushrooms that needed to get used up). I think some red pepper, cooked celery or garlic might have improved this gravy.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-68195059775989396872010-01-23T16:45:00.000-05:002010-01-23T19:49:36.793-05:00Broccoli Raab Pesto<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S0o_pg7wIPI/AAAAAAAAAbE/QL-n9UzNDsc/s1600-h/P1010003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S0o_pg7wIPI/AAAAAAAAAbE/QL-n9UzNDsc/s400/P1010003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425218683568922866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S0o_o9_PtjI/AAAAAAAAAa8/oub4ZNVP13I/s1600-h/P1010002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 352px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S0o_o9_PtjI/AAAAAAAAAa8/oub4ZNVP13I/s400/P1010002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425218674188334642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S0o_p5eBYVI/AAAAAAAAAbM/FLsZnIPG0v0/s1600-h/P1010006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 316px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S0o_p5eBYVI/AAAAAAAAAbM/FLsZnIPG0v0/s400/P1010006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425218690155110738" /></a><br /> <br />Broccoli Raab Pesto<br /><br />About half a pound of broccoli raab greens<br />1/2 cup of pine nuts<br />Three medium cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />1/4 cup of water or lemon juice<br />Salt to taste<br /><br />Blanch greens in boiling water for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse in cold water. Reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid for use later in recipe, if desired. Drain and squeeze all excess water from greens and coarsely chop. Add greens, garlic, olive oil, nuts and water to Blendtec and pulse until well blended. It may take awhile to get completely mixed--when it looks well integrated and creamy, it is ready.<br /><br />This experiment came about as a result of a great deal at the Farmer's Market that resulted in two gigantic bunches of broccoli raab, and a Christmas gift of pinenuts (I had let my family know there are certain kitchen items I consider somewhat of a luxury). The bunches were so big that I was having trouble fitting them in my crisper drawer, and the leaves were getting unhappy fast. So I chopped off the upper parts of both bunches, saving the lower stalks for another use (though a number of stems still made it in, and probably don't hurt), and put them to work in this recipe.<br /><br />I was impressed by the bright color and thought it tasted great and not much different from basil pesto. So far we've used it on vegan pizza, and as a garnish on a blended white bean soup.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-47810709560412880692010-01-09T11:49:00.006-05:002010-01-10T10:08:22.933-05:00Prickly Pear Pear Smoothie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S0i0te9eQLI/AAAAAAAAAa0/O5jdSca8S6U/s1600-h/P1010001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/S0i0te9eQLI/AAAAAAAAAa0/O5jdSca8S6U/s400/P1010001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424784444665774258" /></a><br /><br />2 prickly pears, peeled and sliced (this is a helpful <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cut_and_prepare_prickly_pears/">guide</a> with nice pictures)<br />1 large Bartlett pear, quartered and seeded, then roughly chopped<br />2 medium carrots, trimmed and chopped<br />1 medium head of romaine lettuce, washed and torn or chopped into large pieces<br />about 1 cup of water<br /><br />Add all ingredients to Blendtec, water last. Run on Whole Juice cycle twice (add ice cubes on the last cycle if you want ensure a perfectly cold drink) and serve.<br /><br />One advantage to frequently perusing the Reduced for Quick Sale (RQS) Rack at Harris Teeter is that you often find things for very cheap that you might not normally buy -- in my case it's usually some interesting produce often associated with Mexican cuisine. I got a bag of prickly pears for dirt cheap and immediately thought of trying them in a smoothie (along with the extremely ripe marked down organic pears I also got from the rack).<br /><br />Peeled prickly pears have a smell that reminds me of berries. They also contain numerous edible but not exactly chewable seeds which would probably be nearly impossible to remove. I found this ruby-colored green smoothie very tasty. I thought the prickly pear complemented the carrot, though the Bartlett did overpower a little and I could have added more lettuce, as it was very sweet.<br /><br />P.S. The next day I made this again and added several more leaves of lettuce and more water, and it was even better.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-72904674144610951352009-12-12T19:35:00.001-05:002010-02-20T13:51:56.652-05:00Cashew-chatel Cheese<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SyQ7ScE4XwI/AAAAAAAAAYM/VyHvp3LyUf8/s1600-h/P1010007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SyQ7ScE4XwI/AAAAAAAAAYM/VyHvp3LyUf8/s400/P1010007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414517839966527234" /></a><br />2 cups raw cashew pieces<br />1/3 cup large flake nutritional yeast<br />2 teaspoons of miso paste<br />juice of half a lemon<br />1/2 - 1 cup water (to desired consistency)<br /><br />Add all ingredients to Blendtec. Based on the recipe for Peanut Butter in the Blendtec Recipes Book, cycle blender up to Cycle 1, and allow to finish cycle. (It may appear as though nothing is happening.) Then cycle up to Cycle 5 and allow to run full cycle. Between cycles, scrape mixtures towards the blades. You will notice that the mixture near the blades gets creamier and smoother with time. Repeat process until mixture reaches desired consistency. Adding water may speed the process but will make it thinner. I added about half a cup of water and my "cheese" was spreadable, but a little thinner than your average nut butter right out of the blender. A day later we discovered it had firmed up closer to a cream cheese consistency (see picture above).<br /><br />This turned out well, and went great on a freshly homemade bagel---"cheesy," thanks to the nooch, with a nice texture. The sweetness of the cashews really still comes through, more miso probably wouldn't hurt. You could also replace some of the cashews with cooked white beans, but I would recommend making your nut "butter" first, and adding the other ingredients later, as it can be a challenge to get the nuts thoroughly ground up. Soaking the nuts overnight might also ease the process.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-33147208762258250022009-11-01T10:39:00.000-05:002009-11-01T13:43:48.522-05:00Jalapeno Mojito Hot Sauceroughly a pound and a half of jalapenos, trimmed but not de-seeded<br />the juice of about 12 limes<br />salt to taste<br />a few sprigs of mint, about 1/8th of a cup<br />a quarter of a medium yellow onion, peeled<br /><br />Simmer the jalapenos in water for about 5-10 minutes--if you like heat, consider setting some aside and adding a couple raw at the end. Drain and add to Blendtec, followed by remaining ingredients. Pulse to desired consistency, then store in clean jars or bottles and refrigerate. Let rest for a day before serving.<br /><br />This came out really hot. Next time I might cook the jalapenos longer (when I made it, I cooked all the jalapenos except half of one which was left over from something else). But it's still good, very thick with a lot of jalapeno flavor, not just heat. I will probably use it sparingly as a garnish and also perhaps try cooking with it.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-68541433536468813092009-10-04T16:09:00.000-04:002009-10-04T16:12:29.903-04:00Best Anniversary Gift Ever<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAOKDWgXI/AAAAAAAAAXU/fmPIIsjE2CE/s1600-h/muffle1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAOKDWgXI/AAAAAAAAAXU/fmPIIsjE2CE/s400/muffle1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388838672342090098" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAOhuzwTI/AAAAAAAAAXc/AUPsyMei_No/s1600-h/muffl2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAOhuzwTI/AAAAAAAAAXc/AUPsyMei_No/s400/muffl2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388838678698377522" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAO_3j_xI/AAAAAAAAAXk/Heev8HdXNh4/s1600-h/muffle3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAO_3j_xI/AAAAAAAAAXk/Heev8HdXNh4/s400/muffle3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388838686788157202" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAPIG0lQI/AAAAAAAAAXs/FgrTqGai-jA/s1600-h/muffle4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAPIG0lQI/AAAAAAAAAXs/FgrTqGai-jA/s400/muffle4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388838688999642370" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAPjLQKZI/AAAAAAAAAX0/vccHIhaHctE/s1600-h/muffle5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAPjLQKZI/AAAAAAAAAX0/vccHIhaHctE/s400/muffle5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388838696265984402" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAU62dwSI/AAAAAAAAAX8/0iBdGhHSdwE/s1600-h/muffle6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SskAU62dwSI/AAAAAAAAAX8/0iBdGhHSdwE/s400/muffle6.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388838788520591650" /></a><br /><br />Yes, he built a "Blender Muffle" from foam and cardboard. It's perfect for my morning green smoothie; I can hit the pre-set cycle button, slip the muffle over the Blendtec and let it run the 50-second, loud, grinding "Whole Juice" cycle course.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SsewNFITojI/AAAAAAAAAXE/9utlLc7hvYs/s1600-h/P1010012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SsewNFITojI/AAAAAAAAAXE/9utlLc7hvYs/s400/P1010012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388469217933894194" /></a><br /><br />The photo doesn't do the craftsmanship justice, but my eardrums (and my roommates' sleep patterns) will benefit greatly.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-24524073889832026362009-10-03T11:39:00.000-04:002009-10-03T16:23:34.763-04:00Hot Sauce<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SsexrK7-YDI/AAAAAAAAAXM/_TW0H1r2zzs/s1600-h/P1010004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SsexrK7-YDI/AAAAAAAAAXM/_TW0H1r2zzs/s400/P1010004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388470834400485426" /></a><br />just under a pound of peppers, I used some very spicy banana peppers<br />juice of one lime<br />1 cup apple cider vinegar<br />1/2 tablespoon coarse salt<br />7 cloves of garlic, peeled<br />two small tomatoes<br />couple tablespoons of chili powder (mostly for color)<br /><br />Trim and chop up peppers and tomatoes. Big pieces are fine. I didn't bother seeding the peppers because I like heat, and also, it reduced the chances of hurting myself on the juice. Add all ingredients to Blendtec, liquids last. Pulse for about 10 or 15 seconds, until well-pureed. It will be frothy. Transfer to deep saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 or 15 minutes. Transfer to clean glass jars or bottles and refrigerate.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-82442437193605042892009-09-06T09:52:00.008-04:002009-09-29T16:49:01.851-04:00Hot Salsa6 vine tomatoes, quartered<br />2 medium jalapenos, 2 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, split and seeded<br />1 medium to small onion, quartered<br />4 cloves of garlic, peeled<br />1 tsp ground cumin<br />1 tsp dried ground coriander<br />1 tsp salt<br />the juice of three limes<br /><br />Add all ingredients to the Blendtec jar, juice and spices last. Pulse five times. Chill over night.<br /><br />Sorry, meant to get a picture later but then we ate it all. Turned out quite nice!TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-26603295897822706162009-06-11T17:57:00.004-04:002009-06-11T17:59:10.755-04:00Gadget giveaway!Wing It Vegan is giving away another interesting-looking kitchen contraption, a 4-in-1 appliance which steams, cooks rice, dehydrates and makes yogurt. Check it <a href="http://wingitvegan.blogspot.com/2009/06/healthy-chef-4-in-1-appliance-giveaway.html">out</a>. Just leave a comment before July 8th to enter the give-away.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-65119761548996574402009-05-09T13:59:00.005-04:002009-05-13T22:57:25.750-04:00Coconut Lime Sorbet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SguIdwCQfpI/AAAAAAAAAUg/hycJ93Rju6w/s1600-h/P1010004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SguIdwCQfpI/AAAAAAAAAUg/hycJ93Rju6w/s400/P1010004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335508228242439826" /></a><br />several limes, peeled, halved and frozen (about 4 cups)<br />one 14 oz can light coconut milk<br />1/2 cup raw sugar (or to taste)<br /><br />Add all ingredients to blender (Blendtec recommends adding liquid ingredients first.) Run on Ice Cream cycle. Serve immediately.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-66796457641630968642009-05-04T09:41:00.004-04:002009-05-04T17:42:26.884-04:00Raw ApplesauceBorrowed from <a href="http://swellvegan.wordpress.com/2008/11/19/raw-applesauce/">Swell Vegan</a>.<br /><br />2 medium apples, cored and chopped into medium pieces (I used Granny Smith)<br />juice of one lime<br />2 tablespoons ground flax seed<br />1 teaspoon garam masala<br />1/4 cup water<br /><br />Speed up to 8 and let run until desired consistency is reached. Surprisingly tasty. Flax seed lends a nice nuttiness, and no sugar is needed.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-73655902025615254602009-05-02T14:02:00.007-04:002009-05-02T15:39:30.626-04:00Derby Day Hummus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/Sfyftq_1HUI/AAAAAAAAAUI/hADBfpeddXk/s1600-h/P1010020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/Sfyftq_1HUI/AAAAAAAAAUI/hADBfpeddXk/s400/P1010020.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331311665884765506" /></a><br /><br />Horses like carrots, right? I'm headed to a Derby party this afternoon, and decided to riff off of Fatfree Vegan's <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/04/shiny-happy-hummus.html">carrot hummus</a>. I came into a great deal of cheap eggplants recently, and was roasting one to make my favorite <a href="http://3horsepowervegan.blogspot.com/2009/02/whole-baba-ghanouj.html">eggplant dip</a>, so decided to try roasting the carrots along with it, instead of steaming or boiling them.<br /><br />2 medium carrots, halved<br />1/4 cup water or chickpea broth<br />4 cloves garlic<br />1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas<br />juice of one lime<br />1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste<br />1/4 teaspoon paprika<br />1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes<br />1/4 teaspoon garam masala<br />1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds<br /><br />Roast carrots at 450 degrees until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Add all ingredients to Blendtec; set on speed 1 and allow to run full cycle. Then speed up to 5 and run until smooth. This hummus was still a bit chunky, but I liked it that way. Cutting the carrots into smaller pieces before roasting would probably make them roast faster, and maybe blend more smoothly. I don't usually like cooked carrots, but the flavor of this dip was awesome. My only regret is I should have doubled the recipe.<br /><br />In honor of Derby Day, and the horse theme of this blog, here is a picture I almost tried to incorporate into the masthead (I think it was the first thing that came up when I did a google image search for vegan horse):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SfygYR22xOI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/6k1U2USjD7o/s1600-h/horse.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 385px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SfygYR22xOI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/6k1U2USjD7o/s400/horse.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331312397870613730" /></a><br /><br />Yep, they eat pretty much what I eat.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-53833308055871330252009-04-28T12:18:00.000-04:002009-04-28T12:19:36.985-04:00Avocado Lime Cilantro Dressing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SeI6J_122GI/AAAAAAAAATA/GyVcmd28gI0/s1600-h/P1010015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 346px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SeI6J_122GI/AAAAAAAAATA/GyVcmd28gI0/s400/P1010015.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323881652935907426" /></a><br /><br />1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted<br />juice of 5 limes<br />1 small bunch of fresh cilantro, about 1 oz<br />1 teaspoon sea salt<br />4 cloves of garlic, peeled<br />1/4 cup water<br /><br />Place all ingredients in Blendtec. (Of course, scoop the avocado out and discard the skin. But leave the stems on the cilantro.) Hold pulse button down until smooth. The resulting dressing is very thick, like smoother, creamier guacamole. Thin with water or olive oil if desired.<br /><br />Note, this is a good use for overripe avocados that have begun to brown. The addition of cilantro and lime juice guarantees a beautiful, bright vibrant green color.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-90203803162068452602009-04-12T09:28:00.005-04:002009-04-12T10:02:25.864-04:00Reduced for Quick Sale Meets Farmer's Market Smoothie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SeH0HsPo57I/AAAAAAAAAS4/WS4XvfA4wFQ/s1600-h/P1010005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SeH0HsPo57I/AAAAAAAAAS4/WS4XvfA4wFQ/s400/P1010005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323804647501653938" /></a><br /><br /><br />If I have one weakness as a shopper, it's reduced for quick sale produce. I have no qualms about eating a bruised and even slimy pear, a slightly wrinkled bell pepper, and I love eating overripe bananas out of hand. The vast majority of the produce I purchase comes from the farmer's market or the local co-op, and I aim for in season and local as much as possible. But the reduced for quick sale produce rack at the local grocery store sometimes offers foods I can't resist. In this case it was a lumpy cantalope and a couple bunches of small red bananas.<br /><br />half a medium cantalope, cubed<br />1/4 pound of green leaf lettuce<br />1/4 pound of cos lettuce<br />one medium navel orange, peeled and segments separated<br />3 ripe small red bananas (or one large regular banana)<br /><br />Blend until smooth.<br /><br />I'm not a huge fan of the cantalope flavor, so I tossed in an orange to balance it. After a taste I decided it could use something else, and tossed in a few baby bananas. Sweet and creamy.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-42170408662565342512009-04-05T19:10:00.005-04:002009-04-05T19:29:18.008-04:00Red Walnut and Banana Bean Bars<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/Sdk9cMVn24I/AAAAAAAAASw/l3XIWXpknvo/s1600-h/P1010006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/Sdk9cMVn24I/AAAAAAAAASw/l3XIWXpknvo/s400/P1010006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321351989272501122" /></a><br /><br />1 can kidney beans (15 oz), rinsed and drained<br />1/4 cup organic sugar<br />1 very ripe medium banana<br />1/4 cup raw walnuts<br />1/4 cup brown rice<br />2 tablespoons flax seed<br />1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />a generous pinch of cinnamon<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 and oil a 8 by 8 baking dish, or Pyrex pan of similar size.<br /><br />In a very dry Blendtec, place brown rice and flax seed. Press the speed up button until the level reaches 9; allow Blendtec to run full 50 second cycle. Add the remaining ingredients to resultant flour, but first stir the contents of the jar, taking care to get the flour out of the corners of the jar where it may have collected. Speed up again to level 9 and allow to run until smooth and well-blended. Scrape contents of jar into pan, smoothing with the spoon or spatula as necessary. Bake for 26 minutes. Allow to cool on counter and then refrigerate for a few hours before enjoying.<br /><br />This was inspired by Celine's recipe on <a href="http://havecakewilltravel.com/2009/02/26/chickpea-blondies/">Have Cake, Will Travel</a> several weeks ago. I have long been infatuated with the Black Bean Brownie recipe that started this all and have been keen on trying some kind of baked good where I could grind the grain myself and then mix it all at one go---Celine's ingredients included stuff like brown rice flour and nut butter that one can make in the Blendtec. I wanted to use fresh fruit, though, instead of preserves, so various experiments ensued. I was always surprised at how thick and sticky the batter seemed and Celine recommended replacing some of the flax with more flour; on a whim I decided to switch the amounts of flax versus brown rice flour entirely. I think it did help, but feel free to tinker with it yourself. The kidney beans were kind of a whim also; I had a super ripe banana that needed using and thought I would give this one more try and kidney beans were the only cooked beans on hand. I loved the flavor, especially the cinnamon that came through.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-86446329367253759042009-03-22T20:27:00.004-04:002009-03-22T20:37:36.221-04:00Vegan Chip Shop Curry Gravy1 medium tomato, chopped<br />1/2 a medium yellow onion, chopped<br />1 medium apple, quartered and cored<br />2 large cloves of garlic, peeled<br />1 tablespoon miso<br />1 tablespoon wet tamarind (optional)<br />1 cup water<br />1 generous teaspoon garam masala<br />1/2 teaspoon turmeric<br /><br />Cook onion and tomato on the stove-top til soft. Place all other ingredients in Blendtec, onion and tomato last. Run Whole Juice cycle once.<br /><br />I took this sauce to a St. Patrick's Day themed potluck, along with some homemade seitan sausages. I was inspired by the curry sauce often served with fries at Irish pubs. It's actually based off of a sauce I created for the Spring Onion Pancakes I am trying to perfect (I think try number four is coming up---the recipe itself is ridiculously simple but the cooking method is the tricky part), the tomato, onion and spices are what made it a British 'gravy.' The tamarind adds a great tang but is admittedly a little obscure. Asian or Indian markets sometimes sell it. It's a dense block of tamarind pulp. Typically you would add water and mush out the stray seed pods and fiber to create a tamarind juice to add to recipes, but the Blendtec obviates this step.<br /><br />This made a tasty, healthy dip for fake sausages, but could be great on steamed vegetables, crepes, as a salad dressing. There are numerous possibilities.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-16042088757341215462009-02-24T08:37:00.004-05:002009-02-24T08:41:30.818-05:00Orange is the New Green SmoothieI just happened upon this delicious combination. Maybe using the Whole Juice cycle is what makes it so silky, but truly I think the pith of the orange has something to do with it.<br /><br />My New Favorite Smoothie<br /><br />2 large seedless navel oranges, peeled and separated into quarters<br />1 medium carrot, cut into three inch pieces<br />5-6 lettuce leaves, leaf, romaine or cos lettuce<br /><br />Place all ingredients in Blendtec. Run Whole Juice cycle. Serve.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-11325326664244578342009-02-16T22:06:00.005-05:002009-02-16T22:18:00.600-05:00The Whole Baba Ghanouj<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SZoqD6azTJI/AAAAAAAAARI/QK-J8pZqT3U/s1600-h/garlic.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SZoqD6azTJI/AAAAAAAAARI/QK-J8pZqT3U/s400/garlic.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303597757891824786" /></a><br /><br />1 medium eggplant (approximately one pound)<br />1 tablespoon capers<br />2 cloves of garlic, peeled<br />juice of 1 small lemon<br />fresh ground black pepper to taste<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375. Trim the stem and quarter your eggplant. Brush the largest cut sides with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Prick numerous times with fork or knife. Bake about 45 minutes, or until very soft.<br /><br />When eggplant is cool enough to handle briefly, toss it into the blender with the capers, garlic and lemon juice. Leave the peel on. Run on Sauces/Dip cycle. Serve immediately, while still warm, garnished with pepper, or chill for later.<br /><br />I love baba ghanouj, but I always thought scraping out the eggplant pulp and discarding the skin was sort of tragic. I liked this dip. If you like a creamier dip, you can add the traditional tahini or olive oil. You could also roast your garlic with the eggplant, for a sweeter, mellower flavor.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SZoqD5rnp-I/AAAAAAAAARA/l6Jl9Jh3NJo/s1600-h/P1010010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SZoqD5rnp-I/AAAAAAAAARA/l6Jl9Jh3NJo/s400/P1010010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303597757693929442" /></a>TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-7730461440626533672009-02-14T12:50:00.001-05:002009-02-14T12:54:01.692-05:00Mistakes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SZcEiTjU9-I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/D3vKsdrKUXA/s1600-h/P1010028.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SZcEiTjU9-I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/D3vKsdrKUXA/s400/P1010028.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302712073662560226" /></a><br /><br />This is what happens when you attempt to make scallion pancakes -- those delicious, crispy appetizers commonly found in Korean and Chinese restaurants -- but add the scallions at the wrong step. I was going for big visible pieces and got a nice tasting but uniformly green batter. There were other things that needed tweaking, but I'll be giving it another try, so look for the recipe soon.TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765251471201026477.post-17950747857394820422009-02-08T22:29:00.000-05:002009-02-11T18:31:29.207-05:00Orange Creamsicle Smoothie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SY-m4TQSsKI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/uYNuysgYu6w/s1600-h/P1010001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 382px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SY-m4TQSsKI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/uYNuysgYu6w/s400/P1010001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300638772609855650" /></a><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />1 medium carrot, trimmed and cut into 3-inch long pieces<br />1 large seedless navel orange, peeled and quartered<br />1 cup cooked great northern white beans<br />1/2 teaspoon of alcohol free vanilla<br />1/3 of 1/4 teaspoon of powdered stevia extract (that's 0.083 teaspoons)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SY-m4q8i7DI/AAAAAAAAAQg/Zcqxgkp-uTs/s1600-h/P1010009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SY-m4q8i7DI/AAAAAAAAAQg/Zcqxgkp-uTs/s400/P1010009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300638778969484338" /></a><br /><br />Method:<br /><br />Place orange and carrot in Blendtec jar, run Whole Juice cycle. Add remaining ingredients. Of course, if you lack stevia you can use your sweetener of choice. Similarly, if you can't find alcohol-free vanilla, you could try a non-dairy vanilla-flavored milk or yogurt, keeping in mind this will add sweetness as well as change the consistency. Run on Smoothie cycle. Serve.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SY-m4jX4GJI/AAAAAAAAAQY/T8EIkaFwzFI/s1600-h/P1010007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SY-m4jX4GJI/AAAAAAAAAQY/T8EIkaFwzFI/s400/P1010007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300638776936634514" /></a><br /><br />This is a thick smoothie. I liked it. My roommate tasted it and wasn't as pleased with the consistency. We agreed that another orange or an apple added at the Whole Juice cycle would probably improve it in both flavor and texture. Be careful with the stevia; you could even go less and you definitely don't want to go more.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SY-m5BcISjI/AAAAAAAAAQo/lk-d24E5kvc/s1600-h/P1010012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 392px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_urbgS_uOn1E/SY-m5BcISjI/AAAAAAAAAQo/lk-d24E5kvc/s400/P1010012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300638785007536690" /></a>TJFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14019540823615020571noreply@blogger.com1