Edamame Dip!

Something funny happened the day I made this dip. Brett and I were selling our beloved Jeep Wrangler to a kid just out of college (I love how I call him a kid when we're probably about the same age). The kid had come over earlier in the day to check out the Jeep and see if it was something he wanted to buy. He ended up liking it and said he'd come back with his Dad to pay for it. 

While we were waiting for him and his dad to come back over, I started making this dip for a house warming party we were going to that night. As soon as they entered our house and the dad saw my food processor full of edamame, tahini and parsley he asked, "Are you vegan?" I told him I was and he said, "I could tell as soon as I saw what ingredients you were using!" 

We then proceeded to talk about how long we had been vegan, our favorite go-to recipes, and how much better we feel now that we eat more plants. We could have kept on talking, but Brett and the kid had already finished up the paperwork for the car. How funny! 

Edamame Dip

(Serves a small gathering)

Ingredients:

• 1 14 oz. bag of frozen edamame, cooked and cooled
• 1/4 cup chopped onion (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
• 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh parsley
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon red chili paste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Add all of the ingredients except for the olive oil and water into a large food processor and process until combined and finely chopped.
2. While the processor is running drizzle in the water and then the olive oil and continue to process until smooth. You may want to scrape down the sides of the processor occasionally.
3. Pour the dip into a bowl and serve with veggies and pita chips!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Avocado Hummus: A Perfect Spread for Sandwiches!

I made a big mistake. I went a few months without eating an avocado.

I know, I know. It's horrible.

But I must say that going so long without that plant-based, buttery goodness made it taste that much better when I did finally have it again. 

I'm not entirely sure why I went so long without buying them. It could have been my frugal nature or the fact that I'm usually traveling and rarely home. Thankfully my avocado-less streak ended when Brett and I were at my parents house during the first two weeks of May. We landed in Virginia around lunch time and were quite ready for a meal by the time we made it to my parents house. My Dad whipped out stuff for taco salads: lettuce, black beans, salsa, jalapeños and avocado. I quickly made Brett and myself some salads and as soon as I took a bite with a piece of avocado, it was like a choir started singing in my mouth. It was creamy and rich and so flavorful and I couldn't stop saying, "Mmmmmm!" Seriously, it was like buttah.

The rest of the week I put avocado on everything from salad to toast and ate it right of a spoon too. One of the best things I ate was a veggie sandwich where I included both hummus and avocado. It was such an amazing combination. I didn't want it to end. 

That combination got me to thinking, "Why don't I just combine the two myself?" So I did.

This hummus is great with veggies. It's a perfect spread for sandwiches. It also completes a "snack plate" for lunch if you eat it with some Power Seed Crackers or Whole Wheat Rosemary Wheat Thins!

Avocado Hummus

(Makes a big ol' bowl)

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas)
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 avocados
• 4 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Using a food processor process the tahini and lemon juice for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process for 30 seconds more. By whipping the tahini and lemon juice, you'll be able to get a really creamy hummus.
2. Add in the olive oil, garlic, cumin and salt and process for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and process 30 more seconds.
3. Add in half the chickpeas and process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add in the remaining chickpeas and process for another 1-2 minutes until as smooth as possible.
4. Add in the avocados. Turn the processor on and slowly add in the water until you get a smooth consistency.
5. Pour the hummus into a bowl and if desired, drizzle with some more olive oil before serving.

Notes: Process found and recipe adapted from here.

Start by whipping the tahini and lemon juice for 1 minute.

Whip everything some more after adding in the olive oil, garlic, cumin and salt.

Add in 1/2 the chickpeas and, you guessed it, whip some more!

Finish by whipping in the avocado and then slowly adding in the water while the processor runs

until you get a really smooth consistency.

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Cilantro Lemon Quinoa Salad

I don't know about you, but sometimes I completely forget about certain ingredients that I love. I know, I know. It doesn't really make sense to forget about something you love, but I did. I guess with cooking there are just so many different ingredients that I want to experiment with that I get excited about a certain cuisine or ingredient and then others get forgotten for a while.  

This happened with quinoa. Ever since I was introduced to quinoa I loved it. It's so easy to cook and you can go any which way with the flavor by using different seasonings. You can use it as a side dish or make it the main course by adding in some veggies and beans. 

This past week Brett and I were at my parent's house in Virginia. On Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day at Great Falls National Park with my parents and my brother and sister-in-law. The day couldn't have been more perfect. It was warm with a nice breeze and we got to the park early enough to scope out a good spot. The only unfortunate thing that happened was that the water in the bathrooms stopped working and there were only two porta potties for the whole park. It took about 30 minutes to wait in line. Other than that we had a great time together as a family! I got to go on a trail run earlier in the morning and the rest of the time I spent reading, walking around the park, people watching and talking with my family. 

The week before Mother's Day, Brett and I were super busy meeting with people in the area for work. We ate most of our meals out so by Sunday I was aching to cook. I asked my parents if I could be in charge of the Mother's Day meal and they gladly let me take over.  I decided to go with something that would be easy to make the day before and that didn't have to be served hot. This Cilantro Lemon Quinoa Salad was the main course which I paired with Homemade Grilled Flat Bread and hummus. For dessert we had Vegan Strawberry Shortcake with Coconut Whipped Cream (recipe coming soon!) My brother and sister-in-law also picked up a roast chicken. Everyone said everything tasted great which was encouraging. I'm always a little nervous cooking dairy-free and meat-free meals for others. 

I'm also thankful that quinoa is now back in my life.

Cilantro Lemon Quinoa Salad

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas)
• 2 avocados, chopped
• large handful of cilantro, chopped

For the Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 2 small lemons
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. For the quinoa: In a medium-sized sauce pan bring the vegetable broth and quinoa to a boil. Once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and let the quinoa cook for 10-15 minutes until all of the broth is absorbed. After the broth is absorbed, remove the sauce pan from the heat, still covered, and let the quinoa sit for a few minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool. While the quinoa is cooking prepare you veggies and dressing.
2. For the Dressing: In a bowl whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and set aside.
3. For the Salad: Once the quinoa is done cooking and your tomatoes, avocados and cilantro are all prepped, stir together the quinoa, tomatoes, chickpeas, avocado and cilantro in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. If possible let the salad sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes before serving to allow all the flavors to meld. Enjoy!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

8 Ingredient Strawberry Rhubarb Tart...Summer is Here!

What would your perfect day look like?

Mine would start early in the morning with some oatmeal, tea and reading. Then I would pop a chick-flick on while experimenting in the kitchen. I'd then bring those baked goodies to a brunch with friends and enjoy delicious food and great company.

Then the party would head outside...to the beach! We'd drive with the top down and the music blaring, iced coffee in had. Once at the beach I'd simply soak up the sun, read a good book and have good conversation. If the water was warm enough I'd get in.

Before heading home we'd stop at a hole in the wall food joint and eat our fill. Then the day would end with popcorn and a good movie. 

And then I'd sleep like a baby.

Of course this is just one of many days that I would love, but this one was real and happened yesterday! Two of our friends were in town for the weekend and they only had two things they wanted to do: see friends and go to the beach. So we made it happen!

While my sister Ruth and I were in Ireland we went to a farmer's market and of course I couldn't stop thinking of recipes I want to try out in the kitchen based on the colorful produce and baked goods we saw. I have always loved anything combining strawberries and rhubarb, but I had never bought rhubarb before. When we saw the bright, red rhubarb at the farmers market I knew I had to try cooking with it A.S.A.P., and a Saturday brunch with friends was the perfect time to do that.

This Strawberry Rhubarb Tart is oh, so easy and only requires 7 ingredients! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Strawberry Rhubarb Tart

(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

Single Pie Crust:

• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons earth balance spread, chilled + a little more for brushing
• 3-6 tablespoons ice, cold water

Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:

• 2 cups chopped rhubarb (~1/2 lb.)
• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar + a little more for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

For the pie crust:

1. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add in the chilled, earth balance spread and use a pastry cutter (or your hands) to cut the spread into the flour until course crumbs form. Use an up and down chopping motion. The crumbs should be no larger than pea-sized.
3. Add in 3 tablespoons of ice water and stir with a fork. Draw the flour from the bottom of the bowl to the top and push down any large clumps.
4. Add more water by the tablespoon until you can pinch a marble-sized amount of dough with your fingers and it stays together. Only add as much water as is necessary!
5. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in saran wrap or place it in a plastic bag and chill it in the fridge for 1/2 hour to 2 days.

For the filling and to assemble the tart:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the chopped rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and lemon juice until the strawberries and rhubarb are well coated. Set aside to let the mixture moisten.
3. Take out your chilled pie crust and on lightly floured parchment paper roll the ball into a 14" circle, about 1/8" thick.
4. Place the parchment paper and dough on a baking sheet and carefully spoon the strawberry and rhubarb mixture into the middle of the circle, leaving about 2 inches of dough around the edges.
5. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling one section at a time and push the overlapping dough together slightly so that it sticks together. Continue this all the way around the tart until it's finished.
6. Brush some melted earth balance on the top of the crust and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 
7. Bake for 40 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
8. Let the tart cool for a while and then cut into 8 slices and serve!

Notes: I used the ratios for Crisco's pie crust recipe for the crust and substituted earth balance spread for the crisco.

For step-by-step pictures see below!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Indonesian Peanut Sauce and a Noodle Recipe!

Let me just start by saying that these pictures don't do this dish justice. This peanut sauce is rich, creamy, easy to make and oh, so versatile. I actually hated cooking as a child, but I do remember that this is one of the first recipes I wanted to learn how to make. Growing up, my Mom always made it using chicken as the main ingredient, but you can use it in so many ways. This peanut sauce thickens the longer you let it heat over a hot stove, which causes it to stick to every nook and cranny of whatever you pour it over. Delicious, peanut-y goodness in every bite.

I had forgotten about this sauce for a long time and randomly remembered it after botching a different peanut sauce recipe. I could tell as I tried out the new recipe that it wouldn't be nearly as good as the Indonesian Peanut Sauce I grew up eating. It never thickened and therefore wouldn't be able to coat the noodles very well. Thankfully, I soon after remembered this Indonesian Peanut Sauce and found  the recipe saved on a document I had on my computer. Score! Brett noticed such a big difference between the first recipe that I botched and this recipe I'm going to share with you now. I really hope you try it out! I bet you have all of the ingredients already in your fridge.

  

Indonesian Peanut Sauce

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

For the Peanut Sauce

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar (or brown sugar)
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)

For the Noodle Dish:

• 4 servings of cooked, whole wheat linguini or any kind of noodle you desire
• Chopped veggies of choice (I like zucchini, bell peppers and broccoli)
• Protein of choice (tofu, tempeh, etc.) cut into bite size pieces

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a bowl and whisk until fairly smooth.
2. Pour the sauce into a skillet over medium heat and whisk often to keep the sauce from sticking or clumping. Let the sauce cook for about 5-10 minutes until it has thickened.
3. For the Noodle dish, saute your chopped veggies and protein in a separate skillet while the peanut sauce thickens.
4. Once the sauce is almost done cooking, add in your veggies, protein and pasta to the peanut sauce. Toss all the ingredients together so that the noodles, veggies and protein can get fully coated with the sauce.
5. Add more red pepper flakes if desired and serve warm!

 

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Experimenting with Breakfast Foods!

I'm one of those weird people that absolutely loves mornings. Sometimes I'll go to bed super early, just so I can wake up before the sun and the rest of humanity. If I could, I would wake up at 5 or 5:30 every morning. Mornings are when I'm most productive and my mind is most alert. I can crank out a ton of work before Brett even wakes up. 

Another major reason I love mornings is because I love breakfast. I could easily eat breakfast food three times a day. Lately I've been cooking and baking up a storm and so sometimes, due to the overflow of breakfast-like foods in our house, I just have to eat breakfast for lunch...or dinner. It's rough. Like these Lemon Poppy Seed and Yogurt Pancakes. Brett and I were working from home the other day and around lunchtime I began craving something lemon and poppy seed flavored. So...

...these pancakes made with Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt were created. Brett and I loved them!

One of the main reasons I've been cooking and baking a ton is because I've decided that, when I have time, I want to get to the point where I can make most of our staple foods at home from scratch. Brett and I are planning to move overseas next year and I feel like I should get the basics down pat now so that if we don't have access to certain foods overseas I can just make them myself! Mainly, non-dairy foods like yogurt and almond milk have been on the top of my list to learn how to make. Other things are Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, wheat thin crackers, tortillas and granola. 

Homemade Almond Milk

It's been so fun to learn more about the science behind the foods I love to eat and experiment making them myself...especially when those foods are breakfast foods!

So today I'm going to share with you "What-I-Made-And-Ate-For-Breakfast" and also some of the staple foods that I hope I can still make for Brett and me when we live overseas.

One of those staple foods just happens to be yogurt! I never knew making yogurt was possible a couple of weeks ago. I just thought it fell from the sky into our groceries stores. But seriously, I love yogurt, but non-dairy yogurt is so expensive and probably not as accessible overseas so I've been determined to learn to make it myself. And guess what? It's not hard!

I can make this whole quart of almond milk yogurt using a crockpot and it cost about two bucks! I'm going to keep experimenting with it until I can get a thicker consistency, but I still love it and have been eating it everyday and even using it to bake with.

Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt with grapes, banana, strawberries and homemade granola!

Homemade granola sweetened with applesauce, agave nectar and cinnamon.

Still working on perfecting this!

Overnight oats with 1/2 cup Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt, 1 mashed, overripe banana, 

1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons chia seeds and a splash of almond milk

I even used used my homemade yogurt in these fiberlicious Pumpkin Bran Muffins! Brett and I loved these and have been eating them daily for the past week.

 For our one year anniversary I made these amazing Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans (Recipe coming soon!). I usually don't call recipes I create myself amazing, but these really were to die for. Brett gave me a high five after the first bite. Success! It's definitely going to be a new family tradition to make these on special occasions.

And of course coffee. I've been trying to find the perfect ratio for making iced coffee concentrate and I just came across this recipe yesterday. Pour 1 cup of coffee grounds into a pitcher and then pour in 4 cups of water. Stir and let it sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, pour the mixture through a coffee filter into a clean container (I filtered mine right into our coffee pot!) Now you have the perfect iced coffee concentrate! Mix 1 parts concentrate with equal parts water and there you have it!

This is the coffee grounds and water mixture before I strained it.

Don't worry, it doesn't turn out gritty like that!

Well there you have it: my experiments and breakfast foods from the past week! 

What foods do you try to make at home from scratch?

Do you have a recipe for making homemade yogurt?

Also check out Jenn's blog to see what other people are creating!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Lemon Poppy Seed and Yogurt Pancakes

I love Saturday morning pancakes...especially for lunch on Friday because you're working from home and are still wearing your PJs. Yesterday Brett and I did just that. We worked from home and didn't get dressed until 5 PM when we had to leaving to go watch Frozen. Rough life right? My office was doing an outdoor showing of Frozen and they give away free hotdogs, pop corn, chips and slushies. It's always fun to watch a clean movie outside on a nice, Florida evening with friends.

But back to food.

I never get sick of breakfast food, but I rarely spend more than a few minutes zapping some oatmeal in the microwave or pouring almond milk over a bowl of cereal. Yesterday though I was craving some lemon poppy seed pancakes and thankfully that sounded good to Brett too. 

Lemon poppy seed is one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations. If I had to choose one kind of muffin to eat for the rest of my life, lemon poppy seed would win. Hands down. And we all know there are some amazing muffins out there. 

It just light and sweet but not too heavy. I whipped these up with half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour and I used almond milk and my homemade non-dairy yogurt as the main wet ingredients. Add in some lemon juice, zest and some poppy seeds and then you're good to go!

Look how light and fluffy those lil' guys look!

And you can never go wrong with some earth balance and agave on top. Perfection.

This was a new recipe and I'm happy to say that it is Brett approved. I was pretty pleased with the results myself. It's so fun to make something common like pancakes a little more special, especially on a Friday afternoon.

Lemon Poppy Seed and Yogurt Pancakes

(Serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

• Scant 1/2 cup almond milk
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup non-dairy, plain yogurt
• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water)
• 2 tablespoons applesauce
• 1/2 whole wheat flour
• 1/2 all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons natural cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon's worth)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir the lemon juice and milk together and set it aside for a few minutes to curdle.
2. Prepare your flax egg by whisking 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons of water together. Set aside. 
3. In a medium sized bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and zest.
4. Add in the yogurt, flax egg and applesauce to your milk and lemon mixture and stir until combined.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until mostly lump free.
6. Using a skillet and some cooking spray, cook about 1/4 cups of batter at a time, flipping each pancake when the edges begin to bubble and the bottom is golden brown.
7. Serve warm with earth balance spread and your choice of syrup!

Eat Consciously,

         Faith