Have you ever eaten something that is so wholesome and delicious that you could eat one every day forever and never get sick of it.  These muffins are that for me.  My mom started making these when I was in college.  She would made a batch and wrap them up and stick them in the freezer.  In the mornings I would grab one or two and take them to school with me to snack on.  Now I do pretty much the same thing.  I always make a double batch and leave a few fresh ones out and then wrap the rest in tinfoil and freeze them for later.  Aaron loves throwing them in his lunch box and I usually set one on the countertop to thaw and enjoy with a warm cup of tea.  That is definitely heaven to me!

The last few batches I have made I have experimented with a few different add ins. The basic recipe calls for raisins which are very tasty.  I have added in walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, dried blueberries and dark chocolate chips.  They are all delicious!   My favorites are chopped up pecans and dried blueberries.  I think this recipe would be tasty with any dried fruit and nut combination.  The chocolate ones are delicious also, but then how could they not be?  Sorry you avid recipe followers but I am an eye baller and just grab a handful of stuff and throw it in the batter.  This technique hasn’t failed yet:)

Orange Bran Flax Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c oat bran
• 1 c white flour
• 1 c ground flax seed
• 1 c wheat bran
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 oranges, peeled
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 c buttermilk, I sour soy milk with 1 T apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 c canola oil
• 2 egg equivalent, or eggs
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 1/2 c raisins

Directions

1. Combine the oat bran, flour, flaxseed, wheat bran, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Blend the oranges, brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and baking soda.
3. Mix into the dry ingredients.
4. Stir in raisins.
5. Pour into a greased muffin pan and bake @375 for 18-20 minutes.  Makes 18 muffins.

What a wonderful holiday season my little family had!  We made the trek down to sunny St. George to spend Christmas with my Mom and Dad.   Preceding the festivities we went up the mountain to spend 3 snowed in days with my parents and both my brothers families at the ski resort.  It was magical!  Bella had her first skiing lesson, Sophie went high speed tubing, and lots of QT was spent enjoying the fam.  The plan was to stay through New Years, but for some odd reason Mia’s sleep routine got seriously messed up.  She did sprout her first 2 teeth and start crawling during this vacation so maybe that is why.  So we hopped in the car and came home.

Now I am not one for new years resolutions, but I have decided to work on a few projects I have been contemplating and post about them.

One thing I have been very interested in learning about is chemicals in body products and safe green alternatives.  I have been doing research on this on and off for years and decided it was time to stop being complacent with dousing my body in neuro-toxins, hormone disrupter’s and worse daily just to “clean” my body.

Another shift I am making in my home is to use greener house cleaning products.  My solution for this in the past has been to buy the more expensive “green”  brands but I am learning that this is not much of an improvement.  I have found some really great resources and will be making some simple cleaning products that will save me a ton, lessen my impact on our sweet little planet, and keep my family from living in a home saturated in chemicals.  I know I probably can’t get all the chemicals out of my home because it is in so much of what we buy, but I would like to do as much as I can.

My sweetie and I would also like to put together some emergency preparedness kits for our family.  My family always had them growing up and it definitely seems like a good thing to have on hand.

I am in the middle of experiment with new hair and body soap and will get the ball rolling next week with an enthralling report on my findings.

May 2011 be the best year yet!

Tonight I decided to cook a few dishes that I have been ogling over for awhile.  The first is Tofu Stuffed with Brown Rice and Mushroom Stuffing.  I got this recipe from Susan V over at fatfreevegan.com.  It is a long recipe and somewhat involved, but the end product is ever so tasty!  Baking tofu enhances its texture so much that I think it will be my method of choice from here on out.  Digging a whole in the middle of your tofu triangle is easier than you may expect and so worth it.  I can see this basic idea working in so many other applications and will definitely be playing with it some more.  The rice stuffing is very tasty and would be good as a side dish as well.  My seven year old who is still a little tofu shy gobbled the stuffed tofu right up and asked for seconds.  I was happy to oblige:)  This recipe is a keeper and I will absolutely be making it for special occasions in the future.

Tofu Stuffed with Brown Rice and Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 lb extra firm tofu
• 1 c veggie broth
• 1/4 t sesame oil
• 1 1/2 T soy sauce
• 1/2 t rosemary
• 1/8 t black pepper
• 1 c long-grain brown rice
• 2 1/2 c water
• 1 t salt
• 1/3 c chopped parsley
• 1 t garlic minced
• 1/4 t poultry seasoning
• 1 lg onion chopped
• 1 rib celery chopped
• 2 t garlic minced
• 6 oz mushrooms chopped
• 1 1/2 t thyme
• 1/2 t rubbed sage

Directions

Tofu:

1. Cut the tofu in half through the middle (hard tofu will already be cut).
2. Then cut each of the halves in triangles by cutting down through the top on the diagonal.
3. Turn the triangles cut-side down, and cut in half to form eight equal triangles.
4. Using a slender knife, carefully cut around the edges of the long side of each triangle, about 1/4 inch away from the edge. Be sure to hold the knife at the same angle as the edge of the tofu to avoid cutting through the outside of the tofu. Make your cuts as deep as you can without risking cutting through the outside wall.  Making additional cuts in a grid pattern helps in getting the tofu out.
5. Use a spoon (a grapefruit spoon works great here) to remove the tofu from the middle of each triangle. Go as deep as you can, being careful to keep the pouch intact.
6. Put the tofu pouches in a shallow pan that will hold all of them on their sides. Mix the broth with the remaining ingredients and pour it over the tofu, making sure that some goes into the pouches.
7. Marinate for at least 30 minutes; then carefully turn the tofu over and marinate the other side for 30 minutes or more. When the rice is done, proceed with stuffing.

Brown Rice and Mushroom Dressing

1. Spray a large, non-stick pot with canola oil and set it on medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery, and cook until the onions start to become translucent, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, mushrooms, herbs, and rice and sauté for another minute.
3. Add the water and salt and cover tightly. Turn the heat very low and cook for about 45 minutes, or until rice is tender and water is mostly absorbed. Resist opening the lid until 45 minutes have passed!

Stuffing the Tofu

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

1. Drain the marinade from the tofu and reserve it.
2. Add the parsley and 1/4 cup of the marinade to the rice and stir.
3. Spray two medium-sized baking dishes with non-stick spray.
4. Using a small spoon, gently stuff each piece of tofu with as much rice as you can fit in.
5. Stand the stuffed tofu in one of the two baking dishes.
6. Put the remaining rice dressing in the other dish. Put both dishes into the oven and bake until the tofu is becoming light brown, about 35 minutes. Watch closely to make sure it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Serve atop additional rice dressing with gravy  if desired.

Serves 4

This recipe is also from Susan V. at fatfreevegan.com.   This Double Layer Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake is oh so easy and absolutely delicious!  I wanted to make this so so so bad for Thanksgiving, but could not for the life of me find silken tofu.  Alas, it was not meant to be.  So the last time I went to the health food store I stocked up on silken tofu because it is shelf stable and lasts for awhile, not to mention impossible to find.

I am definitely making this  recipe for my parents on Christmas.  No one will ever guess it is vegan!

Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese tofutti
• 12 oz silken tofu firm or extra firm
• 1/2 c agave nectar or sugar
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 1/2 T lemon juice
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1/2 c pumpkin puree
• 2 t rum (optional)
• 3 T brown sugar
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t ginger
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1 pre-made graham cracker crust

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Put the first set of ingredients (toffuti through vanilla) in a food processor and puree until completely smooth. It should be silky smooth–not chalky or lumpy.
3. Remove a heaping cup of this mixture from the processor and spread it in the bottom of the crust.
4. Add the next set of ingredients (pumpkin through nutmeg) to the ingredients remaining in the food processor and process until well blended. Smooth it carefully over the white layer in the crust, heaping it slightly in the middle.
5. Bake until the center is almost set, about 50-60 minutes. (Insert a toothpick. If it comes out liquidy and cold, give it more time, until the center is firm.)
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 3 hours. Serve to delighted guests.

Coconut Cream

1 C coconut cream

1 C powdered sugar

Beat like crazy and enjoy:)

The last time I made this recipe I totally botched it!  Unlike many crock pot recipes, this one does not cook all day long and does not have a ton of liquid in it so if you over do it it will burn (which is what I did).  However, it is still pretty darn easy and a rather tasty dish.  Throw this in your blessed crock pot and you will be rewarded with a delicious bowl of hearty beans and veggies with a tasty biscuit crust.



Crockpot Potpie

Ingredients

• 3 T olive
• 1 medium onion chopped
• · 1 large carrot chopped
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 1 c white flour plus 2 T
• 1 large potato peeled and diced
• 2 (15-oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1/2 c frozen peas
• 3/4 c veggie broth
• 1 T tamari
• 1/2 t thyme
• 1/2 t dried savory
• · 2 t baking powder
• · ½ t baking soda
• ½ t salt
• 1/2 c milk (I use rice milk)

Directions

1. Heat 1 T of the oil in crock pot, add onion and carrot. Cover to soften while the rest of ingredients are prepared. Stir in 2 T of flour. Add the potato, chickpeas, and peas, stir in the stock, tamari, thyme, and savory and season with s & p. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
2. About 1 hour before you’re ready to serve, make the crust; In a large bowl combine remaining 1 c flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 t salt. Quickly stir in the milk and remaining 2 T oil until just blended.
3. Spoon the biscuit topping over the surface of the simmering veggies. Turn setting to high, cover and cook until the crust is cooked through, about 1 hour. Serve within 10-15 min for best results.

-Put a few paper towels under the lid of the crock pot so that the moisture doesn’t drip down into the biscuit crust.

Ok so the title shouldn’t be phat it should be FAT.  I just realized that my sweet little baby is very close to 6 months old.  She is sitting up on her own and even sleeps 4 to 5 hours at a time woo hoo!  I suppose it is time to get around to losing the baby fat.  Mine that is:)  I gained a scale toppling 60 lbs while pregnant with her.  I’m not entirely sure why but when I’m pregnant I seem to throw the towel in and go nuts food wise.  I suppose since I’m going to be rotund anyways I might as well be very rotund.  Stupid I know, but that seems to be the pattern.

This time around was a bit different  though.  After reading several  eye opening books and having thought about this for a few years my sweetie and I decided to adopt a mainly vegan diet.  Too bad I was already chunky by then:)  I have lost 20 lbs but would definitely be much more comfortable getting the remaining 40 off.  40 lbs is a lot!

So in honor of the fact that it’s not Monday, the first day of a new month or God Forbid the first day of a new year (all very terrible times to decide to change!)  I have decided that it is high time to get to losing that last 40.  Starting tomorrow, Friday, I vow to not snack at all till next Friday.  Thats it.  Lets see what happens shall we…..

I remember going to the St. George Arts Festival with my late Grandma Richardson when I was about 10 years old.  We wandered down the street fair and enjoyed the lovely weather.  The highlight for me was definitely the Navajo Tacos!  Yesterday I was making bread so I made a little extra dough and saved it for dinner.  All I can say is that this dinner was sososo tasty!  I’m not sure how fried dough could be anything but delicious.

To make this see the recipe for whole wheat bread and make half as much.  Fry in oil over medium high heat and pile high with your favorite taco toppings.  We like refried beans, tofutti sour cream, daiya cheese, lettuce, cucumbers and avocados.  Tasty:)

Homemade bread is like a warm snuggly hug from someone irresistible.  I love the way it makes my whole house smell intoxicating.  If you can’t tell my drug of choice is bread.  Making bread is so simple.  I think people who think it is hard have never actually made it.  However, the last few batches I made were having issues.  I kept getting random loaves with doughy patches which might be tasty in brownies or cookies but is just nasty in bread!  I thought maybe it was my oven but the spots were too random for that to be true.  I finally realized that my grandmas old metal bread pans were the culprit.  I went out and bought some new shiny glass bread pans and wala… perfectly cooked non-doughy bread.

I tried another technique today that made a big difference in both the time it took to raise and the resulting yummy crusty crust.  In high school and college I worked at Subway and Hogi Yogi.  One of the tricks they use to get the bread to rise quickly is by using a proofer.  A proofer is a warm moist place to raise the bread quickly.  In order to implement this technique at home I turned my oven onto its lowest setting (mine was 170 degrees but all ovens are different), and put a glass oven safe bowl on the lowest rack filled with water.  My loaves raised in 15 minutes!

I also made a little extra dough and put in the fridge to use to make fry bread tacos tonight.  Yum!

Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients

• 1/3 c honey
• 1/3 c oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
• 2 1/2 c warm water (100 to 110 degree’s f)
• 1 1/2 T active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 t salt
• 6-7 c  whole wheat flour (or mixture of white and wheat)
• 1 1/2 T dough enhancer (optional)
• 1/3 c vital wheat gluten (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the water, yeast and 2 cups of flour.  Allow to sponge for 15 minutes until the mixture is frothy.
2. Add the honey, oil, dough enhancer, vital wheat gluten, salt and 4-5 c flour and mix.  Slowly add more flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
3. Knead for 7-10 min.
4. Form into a ball and let rise in a greased bowl covered until it doubles in size, about 30-60 minutes.
5. Punch down the dough and form into loaves.  Place the dough in greased bread pans.
6. Let rise until doubled 30-60 minutes.
7. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes.  Makes 3 to 4 loaves.

When it gets cold outside the only thing I want to eat is soup, soup and more soup.  I have made this recipe a few times and absolutely love it.  A few months ago I was really discouraged and bummed that eating a plant based diet was so hard.  It’s not.  Its actually really fun and tasty.  I was just needing to find some new recipes that were simple, easy and delicious.  I stumbled across a great cookbook at just the right time that simplified my life immensely.  It’s called Fresh From The Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Roberston.  I LOVE this cookbook.  It has recipes for things you would never imagine could be cooked in a crock pot like cheesecake, bread, and Chex mix just to name a few.  She even teaches you how to make Seitan (a vegetarian staple).  It seems like crock pots are synonymous with a big cheap hunk of meat and a cream of something soup with carrots and potatoes.  That combination is neither healthy or very appetizing after you’ve made it once or twice.  Who knew you could make such a variety of plant based meals with this nifty appliance.

Back to the recipe.  This soup is hearty, wholesome and delicious.  Olive Gardens version doesn’t hold a candle to it.  It calls for a 1/4 cup of pesto mixed in at the last minute, but when I pulled my jar of pesto out of the fridge alas, it was fuzzy!  My soup was still tasty but its just not the same.  The pesto really puts it over the top.

Minestrone

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 rib celery diced
• 1 lg carrot diced
• 2 cloves garlic diced
• 4 oz green beans frozen
• 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes left undrained
• 1 medium zucchini diced
• 6 c veggie broth
• 1/2 c pasta any small shape
• 1/4 c pesto

Directions

1. Turn slow cook on high and add oil and onion, celery, carrot and garlic to slow cooker. Put lid on and prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Add all ingredients except the last 2.
3. Cook for 7-8 hours.
4. 45 min before done add pasta.
5. Stir in pesto before serving.

What is warm, comforting and makes your house smell like pumpkin pie first thing in the morning?  Apple Pie Oatmeal that’s what.  I found this recipe a few months ago and am head over hills in love with it.  I had to go buy a smaller slow cooker and get an outlet plug timer, but it was well worth it!  Throw the ingredients in the night before and ta da.  A delicious, healthy no effort breakfast that’s ready and waiting to warm your soul right when you roll out of bed.  I think I’m in love!

Slow Cooker Apple Pie Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2 c steel cut oats
• 2 c water
• 2 c apple juice
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 dash nutmeg
• 1 small apple peeled and diced

Directions

1. Use a 4 qt slow cooker. Spray the crock pot with oil.
2. Add all the ingredients and stir.
3. Cook on low for 5 hours. Makes 6 servings.

Today was a busy cooking day.  This morning I decided to give scrambled tofu a try.  I keep reading in the blogosphere how much everyone loves scrambled tofu so I tracked down a recipe and gave it a whirl.  It was a bit too over spiced but not bad.  I added some black beans to the skillet, then rolled the mixture up into a whole wheat tortilla and top it with a sprinkling of Daiya chesse.  It was rather tasty!  Even picky little daughter #2 gobbled it down.

This morning I threw a bunch of veggies in the crockpot to simmer all day long to make some Veggie Stock.  I need it for a few recipes next week and had some celery and carrots that needed to be eaten up.  Home made Veggie Stock is sososo easy to make and very economical when you consider that a 32 oz carton of organic veggie stock is $4.50 and my organic homemade version is $1.25 for the same amount.  I pour to strained stock into large mason jars and store in my freezer.  It is super convenient and an easy way to use a bunch of veggies that you may not be able to gobble up before they go bad.  If I don’t have everything the recipe calls for I just compensate by adding a little more of one of the veggies I have on hand.

Easy Veggie Stock

Ingredients

• 1 T evoo
• 2 medium yellow onion quartered
• 2 large carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 rib celery cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic left unpeeled and crushed
• 2 large potatoes peels from potatoes
• 1/3 c parsley coarsely chopped
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1/2 t pepper corns
• 8 c water
• 2 t tamari
• 1 t salt

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cover and cook for 8-10 hours.

2. Allow the stock to cool slightly, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a pot or bowl, pressing the veggies against the sieve to release all the juices.

3. Store the cooled stock in tightly sealed containers where it till keep for 3 to 5 days in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

This afternoon the girls and I whipped together a batch of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Whenever I get my big blue baking  bowl out Sophie and Bella run to the kitchen and grab stools so they can help.  Bella at 7 is actually getting helpful whereas Sophie just holds the measuring cup or the blender with me.  These cookies are cakey and delicious!  This recipe makes 5 dozen (seriously) and freezes perfectly, so be prepared for delicious leftovers.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c margarine, softened
• 2 c brown sugar
• 15 oz canned pumpkin
• 1 egg equivalent
• 1 t vanilla
• 4 c white flour
• 2 c oatmeal
• 2 t baking soda
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1 t salt
• 12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a large bowl cream the margarine and the sugar.
2. Add in the pumpkin, egg equivalent, and vanilla.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and gradually add to the wet ingredients.
4. Beat until well combined.
5. Stir in the chips.
6. Bake @ 35o degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Last, but certainly not least, we decided to enjoy another Tofurky as our experience with it on Thanksgiving was so surprisingly delightful.  Our sprouting vegan buddy Lewy has been visiting and we wanted to show him how tasty eating this way can be.  Even my pickiest daughter loved it!  When we tried Tofurky on Thanksgiving we didn’t know what to expect.  I don’t really try to replace meat but couldn’t resist giving this a try and I’m glad we did.  It also makes a tasty sandwich the next day:)

Bella enjoying some cookes