Blueberry Scones

These scones were born out of my desire to spend my grocery money strategically this week. To make that possible, I figured I needed to make some meals using what I already had in my refrigerator and pantry. I had some flour and frozen blueberries....so I decided to make scones.

These were so good, I loved them before they were even cooked. I must have had a scone's worth of dough before they went in the oven. Luckily, I loved them just as much hot out of the oven.

Blueberry Scones - Whole Grain

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy milk
1 tsp vinegar

2 cups flour (you can use all purpose or a mix of whole wheat and all purpose)
1/2 cup natural sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup cold vegan margarine

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the soy milk and the vinegar together in a measuring cup and set aside to let thicken.

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon). Whisk to incorporate them well. Next, cut in the cold margarine using a fork, pastry blender, or your hands. You want to get it to where there is small pea sized pieces of margarine in the flour. At this point, pour in the curdled soy milk and mix until the dough starts to pull together.

Scones are like a sweet, dense biscuit which takes a thick dough. This dough is not quite as pliable as other doughs, but will pull together. Knead it about 20 times on a heavily floured board. Then roll it out into a large rectangle. At this point, sprinkle the blueberries on top of the dough, and then fold the edges over to seal the blueberries in the middle. You should have a long rectangle of dough. You can lightly roll it out again, or just press it out gently with your hands to flatten a bit, but you still want a narrow rectangle and are not trying to get it to reach the ends of the board again. At this point, cut the dough into about sixteen triangles.

Put the triangles on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. You want them just starting to turn golden brown and cooked through so that a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. With some fruit, nuts, and coffee these make a wonderful breakfast.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 47 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories   141 Calories from Fat   54

% Daily Value*

Total Fat   6.0g 9%

Saturated Fat   1.0g 5%

Trans Fat   0.0g

Cholesterol   0mg 0%

Sodium   257mg 11%

Total Carbohydrates   20.3g 7%

Dietary Fiber   0.8g 3%

Sugars   7.3g

Protein   2.0g

Vitamin A 5% • Vitamin C 1% Calcium 5% • Iron 5%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Shiitake Umami Soup

I make this soup all of the time. I love to have this going alongside whatever other dishes I am making and I just add whatever veggies I have leftover from other recipes. It is so nourishing and good for you with all the veggies, greens, and ginger. To me, the broth captures that umami flavor that is so satisfying. I think the wine brings out the shiitake flavor somehow. The shiitakes are a must, but you can play around with the veggies and add whatever sounds good to you. Broccoli, green pepper, cauliflower, shallots, etc. - go for it!

Shiitake Umami Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups water
6 dried shiitake mushroom caps
2 inch strip kombu
2 tbsp wine (I used a cooking wine)
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp agave nectar

1/2 small onion, diced small
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced (I like to include the celery leaves for more flavor and less waste)
2 cups fresh greens (collards, mustard, radish, whatever you have)
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Directions:

Combine the water, shiitakes, kombu, wine, soy sauce, and agave in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes to soften the mushrooms and the kombu. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shiitakes and kombu from the broth and put them on a cutting board.

Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the broth, and let that cook while you prep the carrots and celery. Add those and then tear up the fresh greens and add them to the pan. Also, slice the reserved mushrooms, mince the kombu, and add those as well. Finally add the minced ginger and let it cook for one more minute. Taste for the tenderness of the vegetables, adjust the seasonings and serve.

For 4 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 409 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  66 Calories from Fat  2

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  0.2g 0%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  720mg 30%

Potassium  298mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates  13.9g 5%

Dietary Fiber  2.8g 11%

Sugars  4.9g

Protein  2.3g

Vitamin A 117% • Vitamin C 22% Calcium 8% • Iron 7%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Creamy Pasta Salad with Garbanzo Beans

Pasta with veggies, garbanzo beans, and a vegan mayo dressing....you really can't go wrong with this fresh tasting salad.  Now that spring is officially here, I am craving cool dishes that are easy and highlight the flavors of spring. This dish is one of my long-time standbys. I make it often in the warmer months and it is good every single time.

Creamy Pasta Salad with Garbanzo Beans

Salad Ingredients:

1 lb box of pasta (I like to use whole grain elbows, shells, etc.)
1 13 oz can of garbanzo beans
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 cup frozen peas

Dressing Ingredients:

2/3 cup Vegenaise or your favorite vegan mayo
1/2 - 1 tsp salt to taste
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp red wine vinegar
3 tsp dried parsley, or 1 1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Boil and salt the water for the pasta and cook the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking peel and chop the cucumber, drain and rinse the garbanzo beans, and rinse the frozen peas in warm water. You can also put the frozen peas in the bottom of a colander and they will be thawed when you pour the hot pasta over them to drain the cooked pasta.

Mix the dressing ingredients in a measuring cup. When the pasta is cooked and cooled (just run some cold water over the pasta after you have drained it), put all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss.

For 10 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 145 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories   417 Calories from Fat   113

% Daily Value*

Total Fat   12.6g 19%

Saturated Fat   1.4g 7%

Trans Fat   0.0g

Cholesterol   0mg 0%

Sodium   341mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates   60.8g 20%

Dietary Fiber   8.8g 35%

Sugars   5.9g

Protein   14.1g

Vitamin A 9% • Vitamin C 7% Calcium 6% • Iron 23%

Nutrition Grade A-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Savory Breakfast Quinoa with Tempeh

I wanted a healthy, wholesome, and satisfying breakfast option so I turned to one of my favorite grains, quinoa, for the base. With seasoned tempeh and spinach, this dish is very satisfying. It is well worth the three steps necessary to make it.

Savory Breakfast Quinoa with Tempeh

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth (I like Better Than Boullion)

2 cups chopped fresh spinach (frozen would work just as well)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce

1 8 oz package tempeh
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa and put it in a saucepan with the 2 cups of vegetable broth. Bring it to a boil and lower the heat to low. Cover and let the quinoa cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, fluff the quinoa and put it in a large serving dish. Cover and keep warm.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the sesame oil in a frying pan and add the chopped spinach. Let it cook down and then add they soy sauce. This just takes a few minutes, when the spinach has wilted it is done. Add the spinach to the quinoa, and start on the tempeh.

To make the tempeh, slice it into small bite sized pieces and put it in a frying pan with the 1/2 tsp salt and the 1/2 cup of water. Cover and let the tempeh cook in the water until the water has evaporated. Then push the tempeh pieces to the sides of the pan and add the vegetable oil to the middle of the pan. Then start to stir fry the tempeh with the seasonings until the tempeh is coated with the flavors of the garlic powder, sage, thyme, cayenne, nutmeg, maple, and nutritional yeast.

Finally, add the tempeh to the quinoa and spinach and enjoy.

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 188 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  237 Calories from Fat  85

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  9.5g 15%

Saturated Fat  1.8g 9%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  614mg 26%

Potassium  498mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates  25.9g 9%

Dietary Fiber  2.7g 11%

Sugars  2.4g

Protein  13.9g

Vitamin A 19% • Vitamin C 5% Calcium 8% • Iron 18%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Oven Baked Home Fries

I love skillet potatoes with breakfast, but can never get them to come out like the restaurants do. This is probably because I can't stomach adding as much oil as is necessary to cook them this way. This recipe is the perfect compromise because the potatoes are baked instead of fried. They come out perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

This weekend we had them with scrambled tofu, soyrizo, and homemade tortillas. It was a wonderfully satisfying breakfast that was exactly what I needed to fuel my workout that day. I threw the leftovers together and enjoyed them for breakfast the next day. It was really good leftover, too and was a nice break from my muffin obsession.

Oven Baked Home Fries

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
fresh or dried parsley

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Wash the potatoes and dice them into bite sized pieces. I like to leave the peel on. Also, try to dice them as uniformly as possible for even cooking. Dry the diced potatoes with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as you can and then toss them with all the other ingredients (the oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley).

Bake them on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 20 minutes, stirring them halfway through. After 20 minutes, check to see if they are done. It may take another 5 or 10 minutes depending on the size of the pieces.

For 4 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 374 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  286 Calories from Fat  35

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  3.9g 6%

Saturated Fat  0.6g 3%

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  313mg 13%

Potassium  1507mg 43%

Total Carbohydrates  58.3g 19%

Dietary Fiber  8.9g 36%

Sugars  4.3g

Protein  6.3g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 121% Calcium 3% • Iron 11%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Pad Thai (Peanut Free)

Pad Thai is so good. The creamy sauce that coats the noodles has so much depth, and the rice noodles have a smooth texture that I love. We used to go out for pad thai, but with our son having a peanut allergy, we stopped going out to get it and learned to make it at home.

Wanting a peanut free version of pad thai for my son, and a vegan version for me, I got to work researching the traditional pad thai sauce ingredients. I also used the Cheater Pad Thai recipe from Happy Herbivore as a jumping off point, and after several changes settled on this recipe as our favorite. My husband placed it in my top two vegan recipes of all time! Woo-hoo, what cook doesn't love to hear that?

Pad Thai (Peanut Free)

This hilarious skit from Portlandia depicts a hilarious food allergy pride parade and one of the floats is a thai restaurant with the allergy land mine of pad thai.

Haha it cracks me up every time..... If you do not want or need to avoid peanuts, you can substitute peanut butter and peanuts for the Sunbutter and soy nuts in my recipe.

Ingredients:

8 ounces fresh or dry rice noodles (fresh are awesome if you can get them)

1 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
8 oz seitan (or protein of your choice, tofu, tempeh, Gardein, etc.)

2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp Sunbutter
2 tsp agave nectar
2 tsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

1/2 cup roasted soynuts
fresh cilantro, minced

Directions:

There are four steps to this recipe: start the noodles, prepare the veggies, mix the sauce, and assemble.

Start the water for the noodles, and prepare the noodles according to the package directions. The main thing is to be sure not to overcook them as they will get mushy. You want the noodles to have some texture and bite to them.

Heat the sesame oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute or so, being careful not to let it burn. Thinly slice the carrots and the cabbage and add them to the pan. When the carrots and cabbage begin to soften a bit, push them to the sides of the pan and add the seitan to the middle of the pan to let it cook through.

While the seitan is heating, mix your sauce. Mince the ginger and put it in a measuring cup with the soy sauce, Sunbutter, agave, tamarind, and chili garlic sauce and whisk it all together.

When the noodles are done and the seitan is heated through on both sides, assemble the dish. Toss the noodles with the seitan and veggie mix and coat it all in the sauce. Serve with crushed roasted soy nuts and minced cilantro.

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 272 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories   351 Calories from Fat   94

% Daily Value*

Total Fat   10.4g 16%

Saturated Fat   1.8g 9%

Trans Fat   0.0g

Cholesterol   0mg 0%

Sodium   1385mg 58%

Total Carbohydrates   23.8g 8%

Dietary Fiber   6.8g 27%

Sugars   6.0g

Protein   35.9g

Vitamin A 124% • Vitamin C 19% Calcium 5% • Iron 8%

Nutrition Grade B-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet