Crock Pot Cabbage Casserole

Ingredients

12oz Yves Veggie Ground
1 Onion, diced
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbs Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Bags coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
2 14.5oz Cans no-salt added diced tomatoes
1 15oz Can no-salt added tomato sauce
1/2 Cup water
2 Cups brown rice, cooked
1/2-1 Cup mozzarella Daiya Cheese

Add all ingredients to Crock pot and combine.  Cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours.

Notes:  Yves Veggie Ground can be found in the produce section at Wal-Mart.

Crock Pot Not Refried Beans

Ingredients:

1 pound Pinto beans, soaked
1 bag frozen bell peppers, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2-1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water

Combine all ingredients in the Crock pot and cook on high 3-4 hours or low 7-8 hours.  After cooking, mash with a spoon or mixer. 

These can be used to make a dip or as a burrito filling.  Top beans with onions, cilantro, tomatoes, salsa, lettuce, and black olives for a filling meal.

Banana Blueberry Muffins

Makes 18 Muffins

Ingredients

4 medium bananas, mashed
1 cup applesauce
1 cup coconut almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut sugar
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup frozen blueberries

Mix together wet ingredients in order.  Then add dry ingredients to wet in order given.  Last stir in blueberries. 

Fill muffin pan, makes 18 muffins.  Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.

Notes:  I mashed my bananas in the mixer.  Any non-dairy milk can be used.  I used coconut sugar to avoid using refined sugar, however, any sugar would suffice.  Also, whole wheat flour could be substituted with flour of choice.

Chili dogs

Tofurky Italian sausage in a bun, topped with dill pickle relish, homemade chili and green onions.

Black Bean and Corn Sweet Potato

 

Black Bean and Corn Sweet Potatoes

serves 4

 

Ingredients

 

4 Small sweet potatoes, baked

 

15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

15 oz corn, drained and rinsed

1 Bunch green onions, sliced

2 Cloves garlic, minced

 

2 tsp agave nectar

3 Tablespoons lime juice (or to taste)

2 tsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (or to taste)

 

Mix black beans, corn, green onions and garlic in a bowl.  Then, add agave nectar, lime juice, and peppers and stir until combined.

 

Top sweet potatoes with black bean and corn mixture.

 

This is a very quick and easy meal for a busy week night, and it is quite filling.  You can bake your potatoes in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or just microwave them if you are short on time.  The taste of this meal can be adjusted depending on the amount of peppers, agave, and lime juice used. 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 



Fruit Salsa

 

Fruit Salsa

makes enough for a party!

 

4 Apples, peeled, cored, and diced

4 Kiwis, peeled and diced

2-16oz containers of strawberries, diced

12oz Frozen raspberries, thawed

1/4 Cup lemon juice

2 Tbs brown sugar

5 Tbs fruit preserves, jam, or jelly

Orange juice

 

 

Place apples, kiwis, strawberries,and raspberries in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, brown sugar, and fruit preserves.  Then, add orange juice by the tablespoon to small bowl to thin out sauce to desired consistency. Pour sauce over fruit, and stir to coat.  Serve with cinnamon pita chips.

 

Notes: More or less lemon and orange juice can be used.  Any fruits in season would work in this recipe.  A sprinkle of cinnamon or fresh minced mint can change the taste, as well.  This can be served without chips as a salad, too.

Oatmeal Pancakes

I wanted to try something a little different for breakfast and I stumbled across this super easy recipe for Vegan Oatmeal Pancakes, so I decided to try it.  I tripled the recipe and it made about 8 medium size pancakes.  When I first mixed it up it was really soupy, so I added about another 1/3 cup of oats.  It will thicken as it stands and absorbs the liquid.  I also used unsweetened almond milk to make mine.  These could be gluten free if you used certified gluten free oats.  For a topping, I used a thin layer of peanut butter, sliced bananas and a little drizzle of pure maple syrup.  They are very tasty and quite filling.

Here is my version of the recipe

1 cup thick rolled oats, ground into flour using a food processor or blender

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 Tbs turbinado

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/3 cup Vegan chocolate chips

dash of salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, let stand for 3-5 minutes or until some of  the liquid is absorbed.  Pour about 1/4-1/3 cup of batter on pre-heated griddle or non-stick pan and spread out.  Bake for a couple minutes on each side until golden brown.

Quinoa Salsa

Quinoa Salsa

serves 6-8 

1 Cup quinoa, uncooked

1 3/4 Cup water

2-3 Cups black beans, cooked

2 Avocados, diced

1 Pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1/2 Red onion, diced

4 Cloves garlic, minced

1 Red bell pepper, diced

1 Bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Lime juice to taste

1/2-1 tsp cumin, or to taste

1/2-1 Tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Toast dry quinoa in pot on medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes.  Then add water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed.  Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients in a large bowl.  When quinoa is cooked, add to bowl, stir and serve!  This can be eaten as a salad or as a salsa with corn chips.

 

Curried Lentil Soup in a Jar

I made these Curried Lentil Soups in a Jar as Christmas gifts.  I am actually thinking that maybe I will make some just to have on hand at home.  Click here to get the recipe.

Caramel Apple Cake

 

Caramel Apple Cake

serves 8

 

1 Box Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix

1 21oz can apple pie filling

Caramel Agave Sauce

 

Mix cake mix and pie filling in a mixer and pour into prepared 7x11 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.  Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve warm.

Pumpkin Chia Pudding

 

Okay, so this picture does not do this pudding any justice, but trust me, it is really good.  It was so good, I didn't even realize I had eaten it all in so few spoonfuls!  It is a healthy dessert that satisfied my sweet tooth.

 

Pumpkin Chia Pudding

makes 1-2 servings

 

1/2 Cup canned pureed pumpkin

1/2 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1Tbs maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

3 Tbs chia seeds

 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and enjoy!

 

Veggie and Biscuit Pot Pie

I quadrupled this recipe to make this hearty biscuit pot pie.

 

Herbed Biscuits

makes 12-24, depending on size

 

4 Cups whole wheat flour

2 Tbs baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 Cup unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 Cups unsweetened original almond milk

1 tsp dried oregano

1 dried thyme

1 tsp dried dillweed

 

Mix all ingredients in bowl by hand.  Drop by spoonful on to baking stone and bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes.

 

 

Chickpea Potato Salad

I followed this recipe for the most part.  And even though I was tired and didn't feel like cooking when I got home from work today, I still made it and it really wasn't that time consuming at all.  It is very tasty and surprisingly filling!

 

 

Chickpea Potato Salad

serves 4

 

4 medium potatoes, cubed

15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cucumber, diced

3 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 6oz  can black olives, sliced

1/4 cup capers, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup pepperoncini peppers, drained and sliced

2 1/2 Tbs chili garlic sauce

1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

 

Boil potatoes until tender-crisp.  While potatoes are boiling, place remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Add drained potatoes to bowl and combine.

 

Notes:  This can be as spicy or as mild as you like, just add more or less of the chili garlic sauce.  My daughter can't handle much heat at all, so I didn't put any chili sauce on hers and she liked it just fine.

Garlic Fries

 

Garlic Fries

 

8 Potatoes, scrubbed and sliced or pressed into fries

1/2-1 Tbs olive oil

10-12 Garlic cloves, minced

1/2 Tbs dried parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

 

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat.  Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

 

Notes:  We used our new fry press to cut these.  While we had the oven on today, we baked 12 potatoes for 20 minutes.  We are going to use the press to make fries out of these potatoes later this week.  I'm hoping this will decrease the baking time some.  I will update later.

Raspberry Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

picture from speedyremedies.com

 

 

Raspberry Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

serves 10-12

 

4 Cups thick rolled oats

2/3 Cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 Cup chopped walnuts

1 Cup slivered almonds

2 Cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

2 Bananas, sliced

1 Cup vegan chocolate chips

4 Cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

2 Tbs flaxseed meal + 6 Tbs warm water, let thicken for a minute or two

6 Tbs unsweetened applesauce

2 Tbs vanilla extract

 

 

In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, walnuts, almonds, raspberries, bananas, and chocolate chips.  Pour into 9x13 stone baking pan.  Next, whisk together almond milk, flaxseed meal mixture, applesauce and vanilla in a bowl.  Pour mixture over dry mix in pan.  Bake for about 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

 

Notes:  I created this recipe after reviewing several recipes on the internet.  It is an easy filling breakfast.



Crockpot Chickpea Chili

 

Crockpot Chickpea Chili

serves 10+

 

1 Bunch cilantro, minced

1/2 Large onion, diced

14 oz Bag frozen pepper strips, diced

1 Small poblano pepper, diced

1 Small jalapeno pepper, diced

1 Small serrano pepper, diced

2 Cloves garlic, minced

3 14.5 oz Cans fire roasted tomatoes

2 16 oz Cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 16 oz Can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Cup water

1 16 oz can tomato sauce

1 15 oz can corn with peppers, drained

1/4 Cup green chiles

1 Tbs lemon or lime juice

2 tsp yellow curry powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cinamon

2 Tbs chili powder

3 Tbs Italion seasoning

 

Place all ingredients in crockpot and stir.  Cook on low 4-6 hours.

 

Notes:  Adapted from this recipe.

Super Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake

Super Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake

serves 8+

 

18.25 oz Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix

15 oz canned pumpkin puree

 

Mix two ingredients together in mixer and pour into prepared 11x7 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

Notes: Original recipe found here.  The batter will be thick.  I drizzled the Apple Cider Icing found with the original recipe on top of the cake.



Breakfast Scramble

 

Breakfast Scramble

serves 8-12

 

6 Medium potatoes, diced

1/2 Large onion, diced

1 Green bell pepper, diced

1 Red bell pepper, diced

2 14oz Packages extra firm tofu, crumbled

4 Tofurky Italian Sausages, sliced

4 Tbs green chiles

3/4 Cup nutritional yeast

3 Tbs Dijon mustard

3 tsp garlic powder

3 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2-1 tsp black pepper

 

In a large pan on medium heat cook potatoes, with enough water to keep from sticking, until tender crisp.  Add onion, green pepper, and red pepper and cook a few minutes until tender.  Add crumbled tofu, sausage, green chiles, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, salt, and pepper.  Stir until combined and heat through.  Serve when desired temperature and tenderness are reached.

 

Note:  Scramble can be eaten as is, or served on toast or a tortilla.  Adapted from this recipe.

Spicy Cabbage Salad

 

 

 

Spicy Cabbage Salad

Serves 6-8

 

4 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs lemon or lime juice

4 tsp minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce

1/2 tsp salt

4 Cups packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)

2 Medium carrots, shredded

1 Bunch cilantro, minced

 

In a large bowl, mix together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, lemon or lime juice, chiles, and salt.  Add cabbage, carrots, and cilantro to mixture in bowl and stir to coat. 

 

Notes:  This is a spicy salad that is very good eaten alone or on a tortilla with beans.  Chiles in adobo sauce can be found in the Mexican food section of the grocery store. 

 

 

 



Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

 

This is a guideline to the crock pot spaghetti sauce I made the other day using my garden tomatoes and fresh herbs.  So, feel free to add and subtract ingredients as you please! 

 

Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Servings: Depends on amount of ingredients used

 

Fresh tomatoes

Onion

Black Olives

Red bell pepper

Garlic

Fresh herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, etc)

1 box Pomi marinara sauce

Black pepper

Mushrooms

 

In a food processor, chop tomatoes, onions, black olives, red bell pepper, garlic, and herbs.  Add all ingredients to crock pot and turn on low for 4-6 hours.  Serve over cooked pasta.