Mojito Instant Kombucha

I am still going strong with making instant kombucha variations. This is my latest favorite....because mint is coming up fresh in my garden. Yay spring! I have been having an instant kombucha almost everyday between lunch and dinner. I find it takes the edge off my afternoon munchies, and this flavor tastes of summer which is making me quite happy. I hope you will enjoy it, too.

Mojito Instant Kombucha

Ingredients:

1 cup apple juice
1/8 cup fresh mint leaves (about 10 medium sized leaves)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar, with the "mother"
2 tbsp lime juice
1 12 oz can seltzer water (plain or lime flavored)
1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)

Directions:

Crush the mint leaves in your hands to release the flavor. Add all ingredients to a 24 ounce jar, stir and enjoy. It is even better after letting it sit in the refrigerator overnight to let the flavors combine. Also, if you use the chia seeds they will need some time to absorb the liquid and become more gel-like. I like to let them soak for at least an hour. I realize that this makes it not-quite-so-instant, but it is still a lot faster and easier than fermenting your own kombucha.

With Chia Seeds:                                             Without Chia Seeds:

Coriander Quinoa with Oven Roasted Vegetables

This dish is healthy and full of flavor. I love the fresh mint, citrus and coriander....they make for such a refreshing flavor profile. This meal is great as is, or folded into a pita or tortilla to take on the go.  It is also awesome with hummus, tzatziki sauce (made with vegan mayo), a drizzle of hot sauce, or you can go crazy and add all three!

Coriander Quinoa with Oven Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 cup sweet potato cubes (about half of a large sweet potato)
2 carrots, peeled and diced (try to mimic the size of the sweet potato)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 14 oz block extra firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes

1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water

2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp dried dill
rounded 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp minced fresh mint

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Prep the veggies and the tofu and put them in a roasting pan or oven-safe casserole dish. Whisk the marinade ingredients in a small bowl (maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, tamari, salt, pepper, and liquid smoke) and pour over the tofu and veggies. Toss to coat everything with the seasonings. Put in the preheated oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Try to use a big enough dish to roast them in so that the veggies and tofu are not crowded. The cooking time will depend on the crowding in the pan and the size of the pieces of tofu and veggies.

While the veggies roast you can start the quinoa. Rinse the cup of quinoa and put it in a sauce pan with the two cups of water. Bring to a boil, and then cover and lower the heat to let it steam for 15 minutes. Once the quinoa is done, fluff it with a fork and then add the seasonings (coriander, cumin, dill, salt, lemon juice, mint) and toss again to coat.

Combine the quinoa with the roasted veggies and fold it all together. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Serve with a slice of fresh lemon and more minced fresh mint.

Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Soup

It has been a fairly cool spring so far here in Colorado. I have barely worn shorts or sandals and am still wearing sweaters and boots, which is unusual for May. Warm nourishing meals like soups are still perfect for the evenings and this one is especially good. It is packed with healthy veggies and spices to warm you and fill you up.

Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

7 cups water

1 cup red lentils
1 tsp Thai red curry paste
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried parsley

1 tbsp vegetable bouillon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion begins to turn opaque and soften. Then add the garlic and stir while it heats through for a minute. Then add the celery, carrot and sweet potato and cook for about 5 minutes more. Next, add the tomatoes, water, lentils, red curry paste, apple cider vinegar, paprika and parsley.  Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes until the veggies have softened and the lentils have cooked through. Red lentils are softer than green or brown ones and some might even dissolve a bit into the broth, which is great because it thickens and flavors the broth. Once the vegetables are tender, add the bouillon and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with over rice, with bread or crackers, or alongside a salad.

Pressure Cooker Black Beans

One you get in the routine of making beans from scratch it is not too bad, and they taste really good when made fresh. Once your beans are soaked, it is easy to throw them in the pressure cooker and they will be ready to eat in under an hour. Plus, buying dried beans in bulk is much cheaper than buying them canned so it's a win all around.

You can serve these in burritos, over rice, with sweet potatoes, as a soup, on nachos, or refried.

Pressure Cooker Black Beans

Ingredients:

1 cup black beans, soaked for 8 hours

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 white onion, diced small
1 small jalapeño, seeds removed and diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp cumin
1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground epazote (optional digestive)

3 cups water

1 tsp salt
1 tbsp lime juice
2/3 cup fresh cilantro, minced

Directions:

Heat the vegetable oil in the bottom of your pressure cooker. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent and tender, about 10 minutes. Then add the jalapeño and garlic. Sauté for another couple of minutes. Then add the seasonings (cumin, coriander, and optional epazote) and stir for 20 seconds.

Next, add the soaked black beans and 3 cups of water. Seal the pressure cooker lid, and bring to a boil. When the indicator shows it's boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes more. Let the beans cool until you can open the pressure cooker. Add the salt, lime juice and fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Instant Kombucha

I recently tried kombucha and it is my new favorite treat. Kombucha is something I like to drink a few times a week for a refreshing change from my usual water and tea, but it is expensive. Here in Colorado, it is around $3.00 - $4.00 per 15 oz bottle. Even on sale it is still around $2.00, and $5.00 a week for two kombuchas is a lot, to me. So I started looking into making it at home, but am a bit hesitant due to the multi-step process and potential for mold, etc.

So, I came up with an alternative....instant kombucha. It's a kombucha life-hack that I am super excited about. It is quick and easy to make this kombucha copy-cat recipe at home, and is a much cheaper alternative to store bought. I grabbed some 24 oz glass jars that I have cleaned and kept from store bought marinara sauce and used these for my instant kombucha combinations.

Because it is made with apple cider vinegar with "the mother" it still has some health benefits due to the good bacteria it contains. Now, I enjoy this drink and the probiotic benefits more often because I can quickly and easily prepare it at home. I have found it works well to mix up the vinegar, juice, other flavors (like ginger or zest), chia seeds, etc. ahead of time. I like to prep this all on Sunday and then put the jars in the fridge. Then I add the sparkling water right before drinking it, and it works great.

Berry Ingredients:

1 cup fruit juice (I use a cranberry, cherry, blueberry mix)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 12 oz can lemon seltzer water (I use a generic brand that is about $.17 per can)

Ginger Ale Ingredients:

1" piece of ginger, sliced
1 cup apple juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 12 oz can lemon seltzer water

Lemon Tea Ingredients:

1 cup brewed and sweetened iced tea
2 tsp lemon juice (add the zest if you are using a fresh lemon)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 12 oz can lemon seltzer water

Directions for all:

Combine the ingredients in a clean jar or bottle and enjoy. Add in zest, chia seeds, or other spices to your taste and enjoy!

"Cheesy" Vegan Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are big on flavor and low in fat. After reading The Starch Solution, I have been tweaking many of my go-to recipes to eliminate added oils. These low-fat mashed potatoes are not lacking in any way; you won't miss the vegan margarine, I promise. The nutritional yeast and spices give these a richness in flavor and a bit of the cooking water makes them nice and fluffy.

"Cheesy" Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 russet potatoes, peeled and diced (sometimes I leave the peel on a couple of the potatoes)
1-  1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Directions:

Wash and dice the potatoes, cutting them into 8 pieces works well. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and let them cook for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are softened through and easy to pierce with a fork.

Use a 1 cup measuring cup and scoop up a cup of the cooking water, set this aside and drain the potatoes. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, adding in a little of the reserved cooking water to create a nice creamy consistency. Add in the seasonings (salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast) and stir to combine, taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Makes about 4 servings.

Grilled Tomato and Pepper Soup

My Mom created this recipe last autumn when she was inspired to find a way to use the abundance from her vegetable garden at the end of the growing season. She made extra to share with us and it was so good, I had to get the recipe to capture here.

Grilled Tomato and Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

10-12 Roma tomatoes
2 mild green chilis
3 bell peppers

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 sweet white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

1 - 2 tbsp minced fresh basil (or sub 1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp minced fresh oregano (or sub 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

5 cups water
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable bouillon (or use 5 cups of vegetable broth)

Directions:

Heat a grill and grill the chilis and peppers for about 4 minutes per side. Cook them until they are just blackened. Then grill the tomatoes for about 6 minutes per side until they are soft and the skins begin to split. Remove the tomatoes and peppers from the grill and cover them so they will continue to steam a little while you begin to prep the onions and garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and saute until they begin to soften and the onions turn translucent. While your onions and garlic cook, peel the tomatoes and remove the stem end. Then peel the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Chop the tomatoes and peppers (reserve 1/4 cup of peppers) and add them to the pan. Next, add in the herbs and seasonings (basil, oregano, salt and pepper). Give everything a stir to coat the veggies with the seasonings. Add the water and bouillon and bring the soup to a simmer. Partially cover the pan and let the soup cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

Blend the soup with an immersion blender or process in small batches in a blender (be careful not to burn yourself). Taste, and adjust the seasonings. Add the reserved pepper pieces to individual bowls as you serve the soup. You can also garnish each with a little more of the fresh basil and oregano. This soup is great alongside a garden salad, sandwich, or pasta dish.