Fun Edible Bowls

Edible bowls are a fun way for kids (and adults!) to eat some fresh fruits and veggies!  I think we've all seen the intricately carved fruits from various places (think cruises or all-inclusive vacation spots) but this is a super simple and quick way to present your raw snacks.  

Previously I talked about making healthy foods look appealing (here) to entice kids (and ourselves) to eat more of it.  I also discussed fun salad ideas for kids here.  

To make the orange bowls, simply slice a small portion of the bottom of the orange off so it's a flat surface.  Then slice off a bit more of the top and run a sharp knife around the inside rim to hollow out the fruit. (Use the fruit to squeeze the juice onto the apples or pears to keep them from turning brown while on display.)  Fill with fruits like grapes, apples or pears.  Okay, so this particular bowl is not actually edible but you get the idea!

The second "bowl" idea is to find the right shaped bell peppers and hollow them out, then load with more peppers, carrots, zucchini strips or whatever veggie you like.  It's fun to find peppers that are a bit funny shaped like the red one laying on it's side.  

Vegan Kids Rock!

This Memorial Day weekend I'd imagine most people will be firing up the BBQ to grill some flesh.  Instead, try some vegan hot dogs, vegan veggie burgers or another alternative to celebrate our service men and women.  

Swiss Chard

I have a plethora of swiss chard growing in my garden. My 5 year old started them out from seeds and to my surprise they have taken over a large section of my yard.  So now that they're here, I must utilize them!  I'm sure I'll have more swiss chard recipes to come but here's the one we had for dinner tonight.  Oh, and I think I'll make swiss chard chips tomorrow...like kale chips, ya know-in the oven or dehydrator 'til crispy.

Guess what else?  It's an EASY recipe.  Go figure.

Swiss chard is an amazing leafy veggie that's high in Vitamins A, C & K, minerals, fiber and protein.  You can't beat that!  (While I was chopping the chard for this dish my 2 year old was munching on the raw leaves-so good for his little growing body.)

Swiss Chard Linguine

serves 6

6 oz. (or half a standard package) whole wheat linguine
2 Tb. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 C. yellow or white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 C. swiss chard, roughly chopped
3/4 C. garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed & drained
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
sea salt & ground black pepper to taste

Boil linguine according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Saute onion and garlic 3-5 minutes, then add swiss chard.  Stir and saute another 3 minutes and add garbanzo beans.

Once noodles are cooked al dente, drain and add them to saute pan, tossing together with swiss chard mixture.

Add garlic powder, salt & pepper.

Serve!

The garbanzo beans are a great addition to this pasta dish because they add a lot of fiber.  The whole wheat noodles are already loaded with fiber but we really can't have too much of it!  Garbanzo beans also provide us with phytonutrients.

Easy Vegan Lasagna With Garlic Bread

The secret to making this lasagna seem like it took hours is to buy no-bake noodles.  Feel free to omit the vegan Italian sausage if you’re used to veggie lasagna.  If you leave it in, this is a great meal for the carnivores in the family who will most likely miss the meat!

Easy Vegan Lasagna

makes 8 servings

prep time=20 minutes

cook time=30 minutes

12 no boil lasagna noodles

2 1/2 C. tomato sauce

1 1/2 Tb. cooking oil

1 1/2 C. yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 C. shitake mushrooms, cleaned and chopped

12 oz. vegan Italian sausage, crumbled

3 C. fresh baby spinach, chopped 

1/2 C. vegan sour cream

1/2 C. vegan cream cheese

1/4 C. fresh basil, chopped

1 1/2 C. vegan shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 C. vegan parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

 Directions:

Step 1.  Preheat oven to 375F.  

Step 2.  In medium skillet add oil, onion and garlic, cooking over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and vegan sausage, stir and heat through another 5 minutes.  

Step 3.  Next, add spinach and cook an additional 2 minutes until leaves are wilted.  Turn off heat and stir in sour cream, cream cheese, basil, salt and pepper.  

Step 4.  Add 1 C. sauce to bottom of 9" x 13" baking pan, spreading out evenly.  Layer in 4 lasagna noodles, making sure to overlap slightly.  

Step 5.  Spread with 1/2 of the sausage mixture.  Add 1/2 C. sauce.  Sprinkle on 1/2 C. mozzarella cheese and 1/4 C. parmesan cheese.

Step 6.  Layer 4 more noodles on top of that.  Add the other 1/2 of the sausage mixture, 1/2 C. tomato sauce, 1/2 C.  mozzarella cheese and 1/4 C. parmesan cheese.

Step 7.  Add the final layer of 4 noodles.  Spoon on remaining 1/2 C. tomato sauce and sprinkle on remaining 1/2 C. mozzarella cheese.

Step 8.  Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes.  Uncover and bake additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted thoroughly and lasagna is bubbly.  

Step 9.  Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before cutting and serving. 

GARLIC BREAD

prep time=5 minutes

cook time=15 minutes 

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tb. Earth Balance butter

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 loaf of whole grain baguette, unsliced

 Directions:

Step1.  Preheat oven to 350F. 

Step 2.   In a small sauté pan over low heat, saute garlic in oil, adding in butter and garlic powder.  Heat for about 4-5 minutes or until garlic starts to sizzle (be careful not to burn the garlic!).  Remove from heat.

Step 3.  Place both bread halves on a baking sheet, open sides up.

Step 4.  Brush bread generously with butter mixture using a silicon pastry brush or use a spoon to drizzle and spread it on, making sure to coat everything evenly.

Step 5.   Place the halves back together and wrap with foil.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Step 6.  Remove from oven, unwrap the foil and place the bread open sides up again. Place it back into the oven for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the tops are slightly brown and the butter mixture is nice and melted.

Step 7.  Slice into thick pieces and enjoy right away!

Farm Sancuary's Vegan Recipe Contest

Did you guys here about this recipe contest?

http://www.justeatstour.org/vegan-recipes/

Farm Sanctuary is sponsoring a Just Eats Tour across America, sampling amazing vegan foods.  Click on the link above if you're interested in submitting a recipe or to try out some tasty recipes on their site.

Hmm...what to cook....

Vegan Camping?

I must confess something.  My family and I are not campers.  I think I went camping once as a kid and definitely didn't take a liking to it.  I totally love and appreciate nature and all but I also love indoor plumbing, my soft mattress and screens (hello, mosquitos!).  I'm a wuss for sure-I'll admit it!

This past weekend, one of my kids had an opportunity to camp with his class and one of each of their parents.  Gratefully, my husband agreed to go.  We really were/are clueless about the whole scene, but our son was so excited that it didn't matter.  And what amazing memories it created!

With the basics of knowing how to set up a tent, making sure to put on enough bug spray (DEET-free please...my hubby purchased Organic EcoSmart brand repellent at Target) and packing the essentials, there was still the issue of food.  I knew our son's other classmates would be gung-ho for grilling hot dogs, roasting sugar-filled marshmallows and grubbing down on flesh-filled bacon in the morning, as those seem to be "normal" camping trip experiences.  I had a talk with my son about his food choices while on this trip and gave him the go-ahead to relax and eat what he felt he wanted, but he stuck to his vegan lifestyle (I'm so proud) which, unfortunately,  meant he didn't eat much.

My hubby did prepare somewhat by bringing along some fruit, nuts (although there was a peanut allergy in the bunch), healthy bars, and veggies.  I don't think my son would've eaten vegan hotdogs so that wasn't an option.  They could've packed a can-o-beans but that wouldn't of gone over well.  I've also seen freeze-dried packaged meals at REI but that was another non-favorite.

I decided not to send them off with vegan marshmallows, although it would've been a smarter choice.  I thought it might be awkward if they brought their "own special" marshmallows unless we had enough for everyone (which also gets pricey if you've ever done the number crunch between a bag of regular marshmallows vs. the vegan counterpart).

That being said, I didn't want to make a huge deal out of our veganism and become ostracized.  But I wonder if it could be done differently next time.

I'm curious if any of you have had experience with bringing along vegan food on camping trips or road trips when you're with groups of people who aren't vegan or even vegetarian.  How did you survive it?  What tips/tricks do you have?  (Just in case I decide on an impromptu family trip out into the wilderness!)

The kid who looks the most excited is the one who camped!

"Vegucated" movie coming soon!

Vegetable Flatbread

Looking for a quick, healthy, kid-friendly dinner idea?  Grab some flour, vegetables and little helping hands to whip up this quick meal!  Technically, flatbread is just made with flour, salt and water, sometimes using a few spices and herbs and then rolled flat.  But you could use pizza dough for this recipe too!

Vegetable Flatbread

serves 4

For the Crust (or use pre-made crust):

1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour

1/3 C. Earth Balance or vegan butter, melted

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 C. soy/almond/rice milk + 1 Tb. vinegar (to make it curdle like buttermilk)

For the topping:

1 Tb. cooking oil

1/2 C. onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 C. assorted olives, roughly chopped

1/4 C. steamed broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/4 C. red bell peppers, chopped

1/4 C. Earth Balance or vegan butter, melted

1 1/2 Tb. vegan parmesan cheese

In small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine milk and vinegar.  Stir slightly and let it sit 3-5 minutes until bubbles form or it "curdles".

In medium bowl, combine flour, 1/3 C. butter and salt.  Stir until combined.  Slowly add "buttermilk" mixture and stir until dough forms.  

Place dough on floured surface and knead for 1 minute.  Form into ball and cover with damp dishtowel, placing in warm spot in the kitchen.  Let it sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven 350F.  

In medium saute pan, add oil over low-medium heat.  Add onions and cook 5 minutes, or until tender.  Add garlic and peppers.  Remove from heat.

Prepare cookie sheet or pizza stone with non-stick spray or parchment paper.  (I used rectangular cookie sheet)

Knead and toss the dough until it flattens out, making sure to flour your hands first so they don't stick.  You could also flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out but it's more fun to pretend to be a pizza maker and sort of toss the dough into the air and let gravity pull it into shape.  Kids love this part too!

Place dough onto cookie sheet or pizza stone and flatten it out evenly.  Add sauteed onion, garlic and peppers on top.  Next, sprinkle on the olives and broccoli.  Pour the melted butter all over the top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake 10 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes.  Cut and serve!

Baby Pak Choy aka Chinese Cabbage

Many months ago we planted baby pak choy seedlings after sprouting them indoors.  Since then, they have flourished and I can hardly keep up with consuming them before they turn to flower!  My kids have taken to eating parts of it raw, right out of the garden.  (I prefer it sauteed a bit!)

Baby pak choy is a variety of Chinese cabbage; most of us have probably heard of bok choy.  This amazing vegetable has been around for thousands of years, highly sought after for its' medicinal purposes.

Anyway, it's jam-packed full of Vitamins A & C, which helps prevent disease.  It also contains folate, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.

There are several ways to cook baby pak choy (boil, steam...), but my favorite is to simply saute it.  This little plant is amazing because it grows fairly quickly and cooks up in no time at all!  And I'm all about quick!

                                          


Sauteed Baby Pak Choy

serves 4

4 bunches of baby pak choy (or whatever variety you prefer)

1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1 Tb. extra-virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

sea salt & pepper to taste

Heat sesame oil over medium heat in saute pan.  Add cleaned/dried baby pak choy, giving it a little stir so it's coated with sesame oil.  Add minced garlic.  Saute 3-4 minutes, turning throughout.  (It should still be bright green but the leaves should be tender and slightly wilted now.)

Transfer to serving plate and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  

(Obviously, if you're serving this to little ones, be sure to cut it up small enough for easy bites as it can be tough to chew.  Older kids may like to eat it whole with their hands and bite off pieces.)

PS The cute little edible flowers are super fun for kids to decorate their plates with and then eat!

Chocolate Explosion Love Cookies

So what's with the name, you ask?  Chocolate Explosion Love Cookies?  Well, that's a combination of names my boys came up with after taste testing these cookies.  And I kinda like it!  

I was planning on making just plain ol' chocolate chip cookies but accidentally added more molasses than I wanted and then decided to fill the centers with a chocolate surprise.  This was a good accident because  I've never seen cookies gobbled up so quick by all three of my kids.  

Chocolate Explosion Love Cookies

makes 16-18 

1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 C. date sugar (I'm tellin' ya, if you haven't tried this yet-it's a great product!)

1/4 C. cooking oil

1/3 C. pure maple syrup

1/4 C. black strap molasses (unsulphured)

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 C. dark chocolate or vegan chocolate chips and/or pieces (I used a 71% cacao with almonds fair trade, organic bar like this one that I had the kids chop to bits)

Preheat oven to 350F.  In large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda & powder, salt and sugar.  

In separate medium bowl, combine oil, syrup, molasses and vanilla (adding the oil to your measuring cup first helps the next two sticky ingredients slide right out!).  

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and pieces.  

Form into balls, making sure to add a larger chunk or piece of chocolate for the center, shaping the dough around it.  Then, carefully flatten it out a bit and place it on ungreased cookie sheet.  Place cookies 2" apart and bake for 9 minutes. (I like them when they're chewier-not cooked too long and since they're vegan, you don't have to worry about undercooked eggs.)  

Cool on pan for about 1-2 minutes, then place on cooling rack or paper bag to cool longer.  

So these have a fair amount of molasses in them, which I failed to mention earlier because I think some people would be turned off.  However, don't let it scare you because the flavor it gives is rich and adds a tasty depth to the cookie.  Blackstrap molasses is an old school sweetener that seems to get overlooked.  It's filled with calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium copper and manganese.  (My youngest has issues with low iron levels so I love that these cookies are high in iron-go figure!)  I thought my kids would hate the taste but hidden behind the chocolate, nobody was the wiser.  Now I'm off to find more uses for molasses!

And on another note, after almost a decade in California, I'm still amazed by the beauty of it's vegetation.  Our pomegranate tree is starting to bloom such pretty bright flowers!  

Our apple tree is growing sweet green apples again to be ready for us to eat and juice in the fall.  Gotta love nature!!

Then it started sprinkling on me and this delicate pale pink rose that I couldn't resist shooting an image of.

Fast Kid-Friendly Coleslaw

This almost all-raw version of coleslaw is jam packed with flavor and crunch.  It has two fruits and two veggies so if you can get your kids to try it you'll be a happy mom!  What an easy recipe to throw together too, and great for potlucks or BBQ's as a side dish or salad. 

(This recipe is from my mom-I only adjusted it a tad!)

Fast Kid-Friendly Coleslaw

1/4 head of cabbage, chopped or shredded

1 1/2 C. carrots, chopped or shredded

1 apple, diced (or you could substitute pear)

1 Tb. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/3 C. vegan mayonaise

splash of apple cider vinegar

1/2 C. raisins

sea salt to taste

Chop or shred cabbage and carrots, place in large mixing bowl.  In small bowl, add diced apple and lemon juice; toss well and add to cabbage and carrots.

Now add in mayonaise and apple cider vinegar, tossing it all together.  Throw in the raisins and mix again.

Season to taste.

Refrigerate for at least an hour to help the flavors blend.

Chopped walnuts would be delicious in this too and would add some healthy omega 3's to the mix!

Chocolate Nut Butter Bars

With all of the snack duties, pot lucks and events happening lately with my kids' school and sports functions I've been needing to come up with a quick and easy dessert recipe.  I usually bring a fruit salad wherever we go and thought this would be a nice addition to the mix.  Plus, this is a great one for little hands to help with (i.e., the crushing of the cereal).

Although it is a sweet dessert, it's made with brown rice syrup, cereal and nut butters, topped with dark chocolate.  So these aren't as sinful as they may seem!

Chocolate Nut Butter Bars

makes 16 bars

3 C. crushed cereal (Corn Flakes, Kashi, Chex)

1/2 C. almond butter

1/2 C. peanut butter

1/2 C. brown rice syrup

1/4 C. pure maple syrup or agave nectar

1 C. dark chocolate (Fair Trade please!!!)

1 Tb. almond, soy, rice or hemp milk

In medium saucepan, melt nut butters, brown rice syrup and pure maple syrup (or agave) over low heat, stirring.  

Add crushed cereal.  Mix well.

Spray 8" x 8" pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour (or plop) in cereal mixture.  Press down evenly.

In small saucepan, melt chocolate and milk over low heat, stirring constantly.  Once melted through, pour over bars.

Cool in 'fridge until firm.  Slice into bars.

Peaceable Kingdom Documentary

I just recently came across this documentary although it's been out for some time.  A warning though: some parts are tough to watch (which drives the point home).  This helps to reinforce why I'm vegan.  Share it with others!!

Can You Spot the Fake Ones?

A creation from my crafty lil' 5 year old.  Happy early Mother's Day to the wonderful moms out there!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting *Award Winner!

This recipe won Honorable Mention: Farm Sanctuary's Just Eats Tour Vegan Recipe Contest!

Indulge yourself with these cute pink cupcakes slathered in fresh creamy strawberry frosting.  You'll think you've done something naughty!

Vanilla Cupcakes

(makes 1 dozen standard cupcake or 24 mini cupcakes)

Ingredients:

1 C. non-dairy milk
1 tsp. white vinegar
1/2 C. Earth Balance butter
3/4 C. sugar (I like coconut palm or date sugars)
1 1/3 C. cake flour (or use all-purpose)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.

2.  Prepare muffin pan by spraying with non-stick spray or line with cupcake liners (TIP: it's a good idea to very lightly spray the inside of the cupcake liners to prevent sticking).  I like to also dust it with flour.

3.  In small bowl, combine milk & vinegar and set aside to "curdle".

4.  In large bowl, use electric beaters to cream together butter and sugar.  

5.  Beat in flour, baking powder and baking soda.

6.  Next, add in milk mixture and vanilla, mixing until everything is just combined.

7.  Pour batter into prepared cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full.

8.  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

9.  Transfer to wire cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.  

Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

3/4 cups of fresh organic strawberries, finely chopped

1 cups of Earth Balance butter, whipped

1-1 lb. package powdered sugar (or about 4 C.)

1 tbsp. of  almond milk, vanilla

1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract

In large bowl, combine chopped strawberries, butter, most (not all) of the powdered sugar, 1 Tb. almond milk and vanilla.

Mix with electric beaters until the consistency is creamy and the strawberries are well incorporated. (The frosting should turn pink at this point.)

Add more powdered sugar or almond milk as needed for the right consistency to spread. Now you're ready to frost the mini cupcakes!

Veggie Fajitas

What else is there to do on a beautiful, sunny, warm, late Sunday afternoon but grill some fajitas?  The flavor of grilled onions and bell peppers makes you forget that these are even vegan!  Use an indoor grill pan on the stove if you have one.  

Quick & easy, these fajitas are topped off with homemade vegan sour cream.  So simple. So delicious.

Veggie Fajitas

makes 4-6 servings

1 Tb. Vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 bell peppers (1 green, the other two your choice of colors), thinly sliced into strips

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 packet fajita seasoning mix

2 Tb. Water or vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

4-6 large whole wheat tortilla shells

romaine lettuce or salad greens, washed, dried and roughly chopped

1 large tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes, diced

additional optional toppings:

vegan sour cream

homemade guacamole**

1.  Heat oil in a medium-sized grill pan (best) or sauté pan over medium heat.  Add onions and peppers, cooking for about 6-8 minutes, stirring. The onions should begin to get caramelized and both the onions and the peppers will get slightly browned all over.   

2.  Add the beans and garlic.  Mix it all together in the pan using tongs and sprinkle in the fajita seasoning and water or vegetable broth.  Cook for 3-5 minutes more over low heat while you stir to ensure the flavors get mixed in well.  

3.  Add salt and pepper, toss again and turn off heat. 

4.  Heat tortilla shells in microwave, in low oven (200F) or over gas stove*. 

To assemble the fajita:

1.  Add pepper mixture to the center of a tortilla, top with shredded or roughly chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes and optional vegan sour cream and/or guacamole.  

2.  Roll it up by tucking one center end up and rolling the entire tortilla from one side, leaving one side open to eat from.

*If you’re using the gas stove method, grip the tortilla with tongs, holding it over the flame for about 10 seconds, then turning and doing the same on the other side.  It will get crispy and air bubbles will form, just be careful not to burn it!

vegan sour cream:

(yes, you could just buy some Tofutti brand but sometimes it's fun and less expensive to make it yourself!)

1/2 C. cashews or almonds (soak for one hour first if possible)

1/2 C. unsalted raw sunflower seeds

1/3 C. water (more or less as needed for creamy consistency)

juice of one lemon

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. agave or brown rice syrup

1 tsp. sea salt

fresh herb of choice (I used cilantro)

Blend all ingredients together in until smooth and creamy (about 3-5 minutes).  Keep in refrigerator for about an hour or two before serving (it will thicken up).

And for dessert?  How about some yummy vanilla vegan ice cream with organic chocolate syrup?  Oh, yeah!  (I bought the chocolate syrup from Whole Foods before I learned about the chocolate issues happening in our world.)