We went to Alabama to visit my parents over the holiday weekend and they cooked us scrumptious cuisine! It was nice to have a cooking break :-) When I returned, I tried a couple of new recipes out, but they need some adjustments--works in progress.
However, I also made a couple simply delicious dishes to share with you guys! First, I will post up the chocolate carob muffin recipe from last week. I milled my own flour for these and they were very tasty, but no need to do this to make these great. I would recommend using whole wheat flour (whole wheat from white wheat berries imparts a more mild "wheat" flavor...usually called 100% white whole wheat flour). It is healthier and doesn't take away from the flavor of these wonderful muffins, making them into a perfect breakfast or snack. Also, a little known trick...if you don't have dark brown sugar, you can use blackstap molasses, about 1tablespoon per cup of sugar and fork mash it into the sugar until it becomes...brown sugar! Not to mention unsulphered blackstrap molasses is good for you!!
Vegan Chocolate Walnut Muffins Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup almond milk or soy milk
- 1 1/2 t. apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 t. baking soda
- 3/4 t. baking powder
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1 cup agave nectar
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 t. vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 cup carob chips (or dark dairy-free chocolate chips)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional, I did not use this)
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil a 12-cup muffin tray and set aside. In a small-medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dairy-free almond milk and cider vinegar until well combined. Set aside.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, dark brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. Add the agave nectar, oil, and vanilla extract to the almond milk-vinegar mixture, whisking until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin emerges clean. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkling with powdered sugar if desired.
The other meal I made this week is an original recipe and is one I like to make fairly often. It is versatile, simple, and delicious. I usually make it at the end of a week when I have odds and ends of veggies I need to use up! I recommend serving it with freshly baked bread like I did...nothing like fresh bread with freshly ground flour (optional). I used this amazing vegan recipe.
Anything goes Potato Soup
Ingredients:
* Red Potatoes (1-1/2 pounds), scrubbed with peels on, quartered
* Carrots (1-2), cut into 1 inch chunks
* 1 head Broccoli, 1/2 head Cauliflower florets, cut into pieces
*whatever other veggie you would like to chop and add such as onion, celery, zucchini, ect. the possibilities are endless!
* 6-8 cups of broth/stock
* 1 cup soy/almond milk
* 1 Tbsp. vegan margarine
* 1/2 cup daiya cheddar cheese
* 1 Tbsp. Parsley
* salt and pepper to taste
1. Place potatoes in a large soup pot with carrots and cover with water, the water level should reach about an inch over the potatoes. If I don't have broth on hand, or when I am trying to save money, I throw in a natural bullion cube or two (my favorite brand pictured below, they also have low sodium varieties). Please, please to not get the regular bullion cubes squares, full of MSG and other things you don't want to spend your money on!
2. Cook this on medium heat for about 25 minutes after the water begins to boil, covered. Then add in other veggies that take less time, such as broccoli or zucchini. Add the parsley. Cook 10 more minutes.
3. Turn off heat and add milk and margarine. Use potato masher (for thicker consistency) or immersion blender (smoother) and mash. Stir in cheese, salt, pepper and enjoy!
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