Tuscan Pizza Sauce (vegan, gluten free, low fat)

This pizza sauce is a new favorite in our house. We came up with it after running out of the store bought Italian seasoning blend.

1 (15 oz) can organic tomato sauce

1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp whole fennel seed, gently crushed or chopped (not ground)
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp organic coconut sugar (optional)
sea salt to taste

Mix all ingredients and your pizza sauce is ready to top your pizza.

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NOTES: This spice mix is also great in other pasta sauces. Combine the basil, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, fennel, black pepper and sea salt and add to your favorite pasta recipe. We add it to a very small amount of Earth Balance dairy free butter, and toss it with fresh pasta and sauted veggies like zucchini and bell pepper for a quick meal.

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*gluten free, soy free, and low fat

Baked Herbed Tofu Cutlets (vegan, gluten free, low fat)

These quick and easy tofu cutlets can be eaten as is, added to your favorite salad, a sandwich, a wrap or even dipped in your favorite dipping sauce. Lately I've been eating them in salad—a bed of romaine lettuce with onion, tomato and drizzling a vegan honey mustard-style dressing.


BAKED HERBED TOFU CUTLETS

Yield: 8 cutlets / 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

juice of 1 lemon
1 lb. block organic tofu, drained and sliced into 8 cutlets

6 Tbsp fine gluten free breadcrumbs (recipe here or use store bought)
2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp finely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

Preheat oven to 425˚ F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place juice of 1 lemon into a shallow dish, large enough to fit the tofu cutlets. In a separate shallow dish, mix breadcrumbs with parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

Dredge tofu cutlets in lemon juice, then in the herbed bredcrumb mixture. Place cutlets onto the parchment covered baking sheet and bake at 425˚ F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

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NOTES: These cutlets refrigerate well, great for take along lunches.

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*gluten free, soy free, and low fat

Herbed Scalloped Potatoes (vegan, gluten free, low fat option)

Sometimes I hesitate to share recipes if I don't yet have a photo of the dish and the process. But for the most part, that just holds me back from sharing. So from here on out, I'm going to share sooner, even if it means coming back at a later date with photos. This is one of those recipes. Each time I've made it, there isn't enough light in the late evening to get good photos. I'll be back with those as soon as I can, but for now, enjoy this new recipe. It's perfect for greeting autumn—also known as comfort food season.

HERBED SCALLOPED POTATOES

Yield: 9x13 inch pan / 12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups thinly sliced golden potatoes
2 Tbsp vegan butter, plus additional for dish (optional, see notes)
4 Tbsp garbanzo bean flour
3 cups organic soy milk, divided
2 slices vegan smoky gouda cheese (optional, skip if going low fat)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground sage

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Grease a 9x13" casserole dish with vegan butter.

Place sliced potatoes in the greased casserole dish in a staggered manner so the sauce can reach all the potatoes.

For the sauce, place the vegan butter into a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add about 1/4 cup of the total 3 cups of soy milk, and whisk in the garbanzo flour one tablespoon at a time, incorporating the flour completely. Add the remaining soy milk, and heat to just below boiling. Just before the mix boils, add the gouda cheese. Once the cheese is melted, add the remaining ingredients (salt through sage). Bring sauce to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Remove the sauce from heat, and pour over the potatoes. Gently shake the pan to encourage the sauce to reach all the potatoes.

Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350˚ F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 60 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the potatoes to rest 10 minutes prior to serving.

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NOTES: For low fat option, 1) use parchment to line the pan instead if you're following a low-fat vegan diet, omit the vegan butter by using a little more soy milk when incorporating the garbanzo flour, and 3) omit the cheese.

For a soy free option, substitute almond milk or a similar plant milk.

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*gluten free, can be soy free, can be low fat

Garlic "Parmesan" Croutons (gluten free, vegan)

I'm not much of a salad eater. Which is ironic since most people who learn I'm a vegan usually respond with the comment, "What do you eat, salad?"

Rarely.

But these croutons have rocked my not-so-into-salad world. I tossed them into my tofu BLT salad and slathered it in ranch dressing...and suddenly I'm seeing a lot more salad in my future.

A quick hint, I start my croutons a few days ahead, since I bake my own bread. I cut the bread and let it "stale" in the refrigerator a day or two, as stale bread seems to make a better crouton. You can sub any stale bread in place of the Sweet Potato Flat Bread, just be sure you have about 4 cups of cubed bread to start.


GLUTEN FREE CROUTONS

Yield: About 4 cups of croutons
Prep Time: 10 minutes + time for preparing 1 recipe Sweet Potato Flat Bread
Cook Time: 50 minutes

You will need a very large (or two small) cookie sheet and parchment paper for this recipe.

Ingredients

1 recipe Sweet Potato Flat Bread, cut into bite size cubes
2 Tbsp vegan butter, melted
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 heaping tsp dried parsley
2 heaping Tbsp nutritional yeast

Preheat oven to 325˚ F. Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.

Cubed bread.

Combine herbs and salt in a small bowl. Place bread cubes in a separate, large mixing bowl.  Drizzle about 1/4 of the melted vegan butter and 1/4 of the herb mixture, tossing to coat the bread cubes. Repeat this process until you've used all the butter and herb mixture to coat the bread cubes.

Place bread cubes in a single layer on lined cookie sheet(s).

Pre baking.

Bake bread cubes at 325˚ F in for 10 minutes, then stir and return to oven for another 10 minutes. Continue baking and stirring, shortening time between stirring as the cubes darken. Bake until the cubes have thoroughly dried out and become crouton crunchy. Keep a close eye on your first batch, all ovens bake a bit differently and it's easy to burn these within a few minutes.

Post baking.

You can serve these immediately, warm or cooled. Cool completely before storing and eat within a day or two for best flavor and texture.

Chomp. Yum. Mmmmmmm!

*gluten free, can be soy free if using non-soy vegan butter

© 2016 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Blueberry Cobbler (vegan, gluten-free, low fat)

Don't be surprised if this cobbler doesn't make it to your plate!

This year I've made some of the biggest leaps yet in my culinary adventures. Mostly it's because I've given myself permission to explore more, and in that exploration to trust my intuition on how to take a typical recipe and transform it so that it works for my body's needs.

This is one such recipe. Who knew you could make a delicious cobbler with no fat? I certainly didn't, and wouldn't have expected this kind of flavor!

I took hints from about 10 different recipes, then blended that with my own twist on biscuit batter to come up with a cobbler base that won't leave anyone missing gluten (and trust me, I truly miss being able to eat wheat-based breads).

It would be a crime to keep this one to myself. So, here you go. You're welcome. :)

BLUEBERRY COBBLER

Yield: 9 servings / 8"x8" cobbler
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes

You'll need parchment paper for this recipe.

FOR THE FILLING:

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 Tbsp arrowroot flour (dissolve in the lemon juice first)
1 tsp vanilla


FOR THE COBBLER BASE:

Dry Ingredients

1 1/4 cups rice flour
1 cup garbanzo bean flour
1 Tbsp tapioca starch
1 Tbsp potato flour
1 Tbsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground chia seed
2 Tbsp coconut sugar

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup rice milk (or other plant milk)
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp vanilla


Method

Preheat oven to 375˚ F.

Line an 8"x8" glass baking dish with parchment paper. (If you use a metal dish, you'll likely need to lessen the bake time.)

Assemble the cobbler filling by combining all filling ingredients and set aside. (Be sure the dissolve the arrowroot flour in the lemon juice as noted before adding it to the remaining filling ingredients.)

Assemble the cobbler base. In a medium sized mixing bowls, whisk together the dry ingredients (rice flour, garbanzo flour, tapioca starch, potato flour, baking powder, sea salt, ground chia seed and coconut sugar). In a separate small bowl, combine the rice milk and applesauce; mix well and stir into the dry mixture until all dry ingredients are moist.

Place about 3/4 of the base mix into the parchment-lined baking dish, spreading the mixture evenly to coat the base of the pan.

Cover the base mixture layer with all the filling mixture.

Use the remaining 1/4 of the base mix to dollop the top of the cobbler. There's no need to spread out the topping, just make sure the dollops aren't really thick by making multiple small dollops instead.

Bake at 375˚ F for about 40 minutes or until crust is a golden brown. Serve warm or cool. Try it with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or the vegan version of cool whip, coco whip...YUM!!!

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NOTE: If you have a sweet tooth, you may prefer more sugar than listed in this recipe, so feel free to adjust. You can also substitute stevia for a sugar free version of this recipe.

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*gluten free, soy free, low fat

Crabby Cakes with Tartar Sauce (vegan, gluten-free, low fat)

Crabby Cakes with Tartar Sauce

Before going vegan, I was a "seafood" lover. Since regaining my compassion, I can't fathom the thought of seeing these beautiful sea creatures as food, so I've been super curious about recreating the flavors and textures of seafood dishes, vegan style of course!

My first attempt to veganize crab cakes turned out really great. I call them "Crabby Cakes," because I like I said, I can't fathom eating a beautiful crab now, so even the name "Vegan Crab Cakes" makes me feel crabby! So Crabby Cakes they are.

The texture and taste is truly seafood-like...so much so that if I hadn't made these myself, I'd have been a bit worried about what was really in them!

These little cakes come together pretty simply, it took me just a few minutes to assemble them, and baking them brought the flavor together perfectly. You could also fry these in coconut oil first and then bake them, if you prefer.

I think you'll love these as much as I did. Enjoy!

I love to serve these with baked oven fries and slaw.

CRABBY CAKES

Yield: 6 small crabby cakes (serves 2)
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes

You'll need parchment paper for this recipe. The Tarter Sauce recipe is here.

Ingredients

1 (14 oz) can heart of palm, diced small
1 Tbsp grated carrot
1/4 cup frozen, canned or fresh corn kernels (I used roasted frozen kernels)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

1 flax egg (see note below)
2 Tbsp (approximately, see instructions) garbanzo bean flour

1/2 cup plain gluten free bread crumbs (store bought or make your own, recipe here)

Ready to pop in the oven!

Method

Preheat oven to 400˚ F.

In a small mixing bowl, combine heart of palm, carrot, corn, green onion, parsley, dill, lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in flax egg. Add garbanzo flour a little at a time, stirring between additions, watching for the mixture to started coming together into a texture that will allow you to form the cakes easily. The cakes should bind nicely but still be fairly moist, so if they aren't binding, add a little more flour while being mindful not to over add and make them dry.

Form 6 small cakes with the heart of palm mixture. Coat each cake with breadcrumbs, and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. The cakes will bind together even more upon baking, and will hold together easily when moved from the baking sheet to your plate.

Bake cakes in a 400˚ F oven for 25 minutes, or until cakes are light golden brown.

Serve with chilled tartar sauce (recipe here).

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NOTE: If you're new to flax eggs, place 1 Tbsp ground flax meal + 3 Tbsp water FOR EACH EGG NEEDED in a food processor (I use a the Magic Bullet for this job...works like a charm) and process for at least 1 minute. This creates a wonderful "gummy" texture that mimics an egg and works perfect for subbing eggs in most baking recipes. Bonus, no cholesterol!

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*gluten free

Tartar Sauce (vegan, gluten free, low fat)

Try this delicious sauce with my Crabby Cakes recipe!

TARTAR SAUCE

Yield: 1/2 cup sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 0-30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup tofu mayo (recipe here)
1 Tbsp low-fat Vegenaise or other prepared low-fat vegan mayo (optional, improves texture)
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp sweet pickle relish
1 1/2 tsp finely minced onion
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Method

Combine all ingredients and serve immediately or chill for up to 30 minutes before serving.

P.S. This sauce is a Crabby Cake's best friend.

*gluten free

Tofu Mayo (vegan, gluten-free, low fat)

This is a super simple recipe for tofu mayo, a sauce that can be used on sandwiches, in dressings and dips, in certain sauces to replace oil, and in any recipe that calls for mayonaisse.

TOFU MAYO

Ingredients

1 (1 lb) pkg organic silken tofu, drained
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp coconut sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp mustard powder

Method

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Place in a storage container and refrigerate. Your tofu mayo should stay fresh for at least 1 week if properly refrigerated.

*gluten free

Easy Homemade Breadcrumbs (vegan, gluten-free, yeast-free, low fat)

I've been on the hunt for vegan, gluten-free, yeast-free and low fat bread crumbs for far too long. Everything I find in stores is either including ingredients I'm not willing to put in my body or sugar-laden and over-priced. I really, really wanted to try a vegan version of crab cakes recently, so it was time to solve the breadcrumb dilemma (vegan crab cake recipe on its way).

My idea was to make a biscuit dough, bake, crumble and re-bake to create breadcrumbs. And much to my surprise, it worked! Not only would I have eaten the biscuits as made, but the breadcrumbs were absolutely delicious.

It was one of those ideas where I really went out on a limb, didn't expect much and was thrilled at the wonderful results.

Ok, your turn!

SUPER EASY HOMEMADE BREADCRUMBS

Yield: Approximately 2 cups bread crumbs
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Bake Time: 12-15 minutes + 15-20 minutes

You'll need parchment paper for this recipe.

Dry Ingredients

1 1/4 cups rice flour
1 cup garbanzo bean flour
1 Tbsp tapioca starch
1 Tbsp potato flour
1 Tbsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground chia seed

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup rice milk (or other plant milk)
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread breadcrumb dough in an even layer onto the cookie sheet (for me, the dough was about 1/2 inch thick, and I was able to spread it easily with my mixing spoon).

Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until dough is slightly golden on bottom and edges.

Step 1: Bake the dough

Cool the dough thoroughly. Once cooled, gently crumble (so as not to create doughy lumps) the baked dough into small crumbs. You don't have to worry about getting the crumbs super small, as you'll be grinding them after the re-baking process.

Step 2: Crumble the bread

Preheat over to 300˚ F.

Place the crumbs in a thin layer on two parchment-lined cookie sheets (I was able to reuse my first sheet of parchment). Bake at 300 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, stirring the crumbs every 5 minutes to encourage even drying and toasting. Make sure the breadcrumbs are "crunchy," they should be fully dried out. I bake mine until they were a rich brown color.

Step 3: Bake bread crumbles to a rich golden brown

Cool the breadcrumbs thoroughly. I prefer my crumbs much smaller than what comes out of the oven (see above photo), so I grind them to suit my needs. Place about a cup of crumbs at time into a food processor or small blender (I used my Magic Bullet, it worked perfectly). Pulse the crumbs a few seconds at a time, until they are the consistency you desire, using caution not to turn them into dust, which is easy to do if you aren't watching closely.

Store your leftover breadcrumbs in an airtight container. They should keep for about a week at room temperature as long as you baked them long enough to remove all moisture. To store them longer, keep them in an airtight container in the freezer, they should stay fresh about 6 months this way. I put my breadcrumbs in a mason jar tucked into a gallon size freezer bag to help protect them from moisture, and tucked them in the freezer. As with all food storage suggestion provided here, they are just suggestions; use your own good judgement on food storage, and when it doubt, throw it out. It's never worth it to eat food that hasn't been properly stored.

These breadcrumbs are super tasty and work great in my Crabby Cakes recipe (coming soon)!

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*gluten-free, soy-free, low fat

Caribbean Beans and Rice (vegan, gluten-free, low fat)

One of my favorite places on earth is a small surf town in Costa Rica, on the coast of the Caribbean Ocean. My partner John and I have led several yoga retreats there, and no one is ever ready to leave at the end of the 9 day journey. I love the laid back vibe, the jungle and how it comes up to the edge of the volcanic sand beaches and the local cuisine...it really is a slice of paradise!

This recipe totally takes me back to the Caribbean experience. Not only is it absolutely delicious, it's simple to put together and is ready in about 35 minutes from start to finish. You'll be putting this in your meal plan rotation for sure!

Now if I can just figure out how to recreate the Caribbean Ocean breeze...

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CARIBBEAN BEANS AND RICE

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 (13.5 oz) can light coconut milk (or sub 1 1/2 cups water)
1/2 cup water
2 vegetable bullion cubes (I use "
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried thyme leaves
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp dried crushed aleppo pepper, more if you like spicy (or sub crushed red pepper or 1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeds removed and diced small)
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste

1  (14.5 oz) can diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained
1 (15 oz) can small red beans, with liquid (or 1 1/2 cups cooked red beans, with liquid)
2 cups uncooked basmati rice, rinsed and drained

fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)


Method

Pour coconut milk and water into a medium stock pot over medium heat; add bullion cubes and spices (including salt), stirring briefly to incorporate as the water warms. Add drained tomatoes, red beans with their liquid and the uncooked basmati to the coconut spice mixture, stirring the mixture again. Cover stock pot with a tight lid and increase heat to high, bringing the rice mixture to a boil; immediately reduce heat to low, creating a slow simmer. Simmer on low for 25-30 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed into the rice.

Remove from heat, stir gently as not to mash the rice, and serve immediately, garnishing with fresh cilantro if you have it on hand.

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RICE COOKER COOKING METHOD: If you use a rice cooker, combine coconut milk, bullion cubes and spices in a small stockpot before adding to your rice cooker with tomatoes, beans and uncooked rice. Use your standard setting and cook as you would plain rice.

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*gluten-free, soy-free, low fat

Sweet Potato Flatbread (gluten free, vegan, low fat)

I went gluten free for my gut health in 2012, and I have yet to find a vegan, gluten free bread that I really love. This flatbread has been life changing! Well, at least taste bud changing. :)

It's pretty versatile because it holds up really well. You can make traditional sandwiches out of it, although I tend to go open face style with it. It's delicious plain or topped with whatever deliciousness you can dream up!


SWEET POTATO FLAT BREAD

Yield: 6 servings / slices
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes

You will need parchment paper for this recipe.

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cups garbanzo flour
1/2 cup rice flour
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (not baker's yeast!)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp garlic powder

Wet Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed, boiled and mashed (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
2 flax eggs (see recipe note below)


Method

Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, mix well. Add mashed sweet potatoes and flax egg, mixing thoroughly until all dry ingredients are fully incorporated.

Spread batter on a parchment-line cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan, until the batter is about 1/4" thick. Bake at 375˚ F for 30 minutes, or until bottom is golden brown.

Lift parchment onto a cooling rack to cool the flatbread (it comes away from the parchment easier as it cools). Cut into 6 pieces and serve.

This bread is wonderful warm, room temperature or refrigerated (in fact, it performs great in the fridge).

My favorite way to top it, with a basic Chickpea Salad and garden fresh tomato. Get creative, I'd love to hear what you do with this incredible bread. Enjoy!

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RECIPE NOTE: If you're new to flax eggs, place 1 Tbsp ground flax meal + 3 Tbsp water FOR EACH EGG NEEDED in a food processor (I use a the Magic Bullet for this job...works like a charm) and process for at least 1 minute. This creates a wonderful "gummy" texture that mimics an egg and works perfect for subbing eggs in most baking recipes. Bonus, no cholesterol!


© 2016 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Quick & Easy Yellow Rice (vegan, gluten-free, low fat)

Seriously. Quick and easy peasy! (Pun intended.) And so yummy. Why would you ever go back to that weird packaged stuff after having this? You won't, trust me.

I pulled this together today after finding myself in need of a quick lunch. Start to finish, lunch was done (and delicious) in 20 minutes.

This rice makes a quick and filling meal for up to two people, or you can serve it as a side dish for up to four people. Confession: I ate the whole batch by myself. O_o

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QUICK & EASY YELLOW RICE

Gluten free, soy free, oil free, low fat and vegan.

Yield: 2-4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

You'll need a medium sauce pot with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice
3 cups water (see recipe note below)
1 tsp onion flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper) (optional)
pinch of black pepper
2 vegan bullion cubes (any flavor)

1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen chopped kale or spinach (or any other green you love)

Method

Rinse and drain rice, and add to a medium saucepan. Add water, onion flakes, garlic poweder, turmeric, aleppo, black pepper and bullion. Put saucepan on stovetop over high heat, and after about 2-3 minutes of heating, give the mixture a good stir to make sure the bullion has dissolved and the spices are throughly mixed into the rice. Now cover with a tight-fitting lid and keep pan on high heat until it reaches a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low to create a simmer. Let the rice mixture simmer for 15 minutes or until all water has absorbed into the rice. Remove cooked rice mixture from heat and stir in the frozen peas and frozen kale; let it sit in the pot for about 5 minutes to heat through and then serve.

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RECIPE NOTE: I always give the standard rice to water ration (1:2) in my recipes, but do like to note that this isn't how I actually cook my rice. This is for two reasons, 1) I prefer a dry rice so that it holds up to stirring and serving rather than becoming mushy and 2) I purchase an aged, long grain basmati from my local Indian Grocery store that performed better with a lower water ratio. For this recipe, using my preferred style of basmati rice, I put only 1 2/3 cups water in the recipe. This won't necessarily work for all types of basmati rice, so if you plan to experiment with decreasing the water, to it in small increments until you find what works for your rice.


© 2016 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Glazed Lemon Poppyseed Muffins (vegan, gluten-free, low fat)

As many of you know, I've been living the gypsy life for the past 16 months, and as such, I haven't had time to dedicate to recipe posting (mostly because my partner's been doing ALL the cooking except the occasional pot of gravy that he asks me to make...gravy is my thing, being a Southern girl). A lot has changed since I last posted, but the biggest change you'll see here is that I'm now on a low fat version of my vegan + gluten-free eating style. This came about after finding out how fat consumption effect me hormonally. It's turned out to be a big key in understanding and healing my lifelong battle with hormone imbalance.

Another recent change is that although I still plan to make travel a big part of my life, I'm no longer doing it full time. This shift has created some role changes for my partner and I, and as a result, I'm happy to announce that I'm back in the kitchen again, and will be doing my best to share what I'm making on a more regular basis.

Let's kick off the celebration of being back together with something sweet! I recently opted to purchase an oversize back of organic lemons instead of the single lemon that I needed, because the single lemons were pesticide laden. So, I had to find a way to use up a LOT of lemons in a hurry. Enter lemon poppy seed muffins. I was out of poppy seeds, so the batch pictured doesn't show them, and they're certainly optional.

I modified this recipe pretty drastically from one that I found online. It was loaded with unnecessary fats, sugar and gluten. I hope you enjoy my modifications. My nephew was begging for them and said they "taste like lemonade!" They're really good, especially warm from the oven with fresh glaze. Get ready to have your house smell amazing with these in the oven!

Thanks for being here. It's good to be back with you.

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GLAZED LEMON POPPYSEED MUFFINS

Gluten free, soy free, oil free, low fat and vegan.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 standard muffins

You'll need a 12 cup standard muffin tin and muffin tin liners for this recipe. Glaze recipe below.

Wet Ingredients

zest of 1 organic lemon (conventional lemon peels are pesticide heavy)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup rice milk (or other plant milk)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 flax eggs (see note below)

Dry Ingredients

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/4 cup coconut sugar (sub stevia if you're sugar free)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups rice flour (or other gluten-free flour)

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine wet mixture with dry mixture, and stir until just combined.

Place 12 muffin liners into a muffin tin, and spoon muffin batter evenly among the liners.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until tops turn a golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from pan and apply glaze while warm (recipe below).


Glaze Ingredients

Glaze is optional, leave it out if you need a low / no sugar diet. The muffins are delicious on their own!

1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp lemon juice or rice milk (or other plant milk)

Method

Add lemon juice or rice milk to powdered sugar very slowly, stirring until it reaches a smooth, thick yet pourable consistency. You may need more or less liquid to powdered sugar ratio.

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RECIPE NOTE: If you're new to flax eggs, place 1 Tbsp ground flax meal + 3 Tbsp water FOR EACH EGG NEEDED in a food processor (I use a the Magic Bullet for this job...works like a charm) and process for at least 1 minute. This creates a wonderful "gummy" texture that mimics an egg and works perfect for subbing eggs in most baking recipes. Bonus, no cholesterol!


© 2016 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Creamy Alfredo Sauce (vegan, gluten-free)

Yum! This recipe couldn't be simpler. Whip up a batch of this delicious Alfredo-style sauce and satisfy your love for smooth, creamy, rich sauce!

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CREAMY ALFREDO SAUCE

Gluten free, soy free, oil free and vegan.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: About 2 1/2 cups alfredo sauce, about 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews
1 can full fat coconut milk
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp freshly ground peppercorns
sea salt to taste

16 oz gluten free noodles, cooked according to package directions or noodles of choice

Method

Place cashews in a food processor or high powered blender and process until it forms a nut butter. Add the coconut milk, garlic cloves and ground peppercorn to the cashew butter and process until well blended.

You can eat this sauce raw, over zucchini ribbons or place the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat and warm through (cook a little longer if the garlic flavor it too strong, as the garlic warms it will mellow). Serve heated sauce over your favorite noodles, and enjoy!

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RECIPE NOTES:

*If you prefer a thicker sauce, add 1 TBSP of garbanzo flour as you heat the sauce, it will thicken right up.
*Add steamed broccoli, wilted spinach, or sautéed mushrooms for a heartier dish.


© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Creamy Dill Dip (vegan, gluten-free)

Simple. Creamy. Delicious. Dip for just about anything.

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CREAMY DILL DIP

Gluten free, can be soy free (choose soy free mayo and sour cream), vegan.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 cups of dip

Ingredients

1 cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)

1 cup vegan sour cream or plain vegan yogurt (I use Wayfare brand sour cream)

2 tsp dried dill weed

1 tsp dried onion flakes

1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Method

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill at least 20 minutes before serving for flavor to meld. Dip away!!!


© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Chick'pea & Grape Salad (vegan, gluten-free)

I have always been a big fan of Summer salads! You know, all those delicious favorites that show up at potluck gatherings. *drool*

I was thinking of titling this recipe "Chickens run wild and free salad." Since stepping on to the path of a compassionate lifestyle, I have been reworking my favorite dishes from earlier in life. This recipe is the IDEAL salad to get cruelty off the Summer salad menu, as it is packed with flavor and can easily make it's way onto the non-vegan's plate. Every year, 50 BILLION chickens are slaughtered worldwide. We, the consumers, are the only ones who can drastically reduce (and perhaps someday, eliminate) this astounding statistic.

If you are or were a fan of chicken or tuna salad, this tasty replacement is a great place to start. I have been totally vegan for just over 3 years now, and can I say…this tastes so much like chicken salad to me that I had trouble eating it at first! :)

So go ahead, give it a whirl. You will love the taste of cruelty free.

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CHICK'PEA AND GRAPE SALAD

Gluten free, can be soy free (use a soy free mayo and sour cream), vegan.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 (24 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup small diced onion
1 stalk celery, diced small
1 cup grapes, sliced into quarters
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)
1/4 cup vegan sour cream OR plain vegan yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice

dash of paprika
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp freshly ground black peppercorns
sea salt to taste

Method

In a food processor, pulse chickpeas 5-8 times, until they appear coarsely chopped (be careful not to turn them into a paste or hummus-like texture).

Place pulsed chickpeas in a mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients and stir gently to blend. Adjust salt to taste and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

√ serve on your favorite bread or wrapped in a tortilla with a crisp of lettuce
√ serve over a bed of kale, lettuce, spinach, or mixed greens
√ serve a scoop as a 'side' dish on a crisp of lettuce


© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Garlic Chive Almond "Feta" Cheese (vegan, gluten-free)

Oh my goodness. I am in LUV with nut-based cheese.

Yep, that's right. You can make cheese with almonds, cashews, macadamia and more!

Making nut-based cheese can be really easy depending on your approach. Although there ARE more complex ways to create nut-based cheeses with different flavors and textures depending on the intended use, this is a very simple way to get started.

Warning…this is delicious. Prepare to have it fly off the party cheese platter, it's delightful for non-vegan pallets as well!!! Just make sure you notify those you share it with that this cheese is made of nuts, as some people have (sometimes severe) nut allergies.

Do allow at least 24 hours to make this cheese (although I have been known to eat it straight from the blender).

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GARLIC CHIVE ALMOND "FETA" CHEESE

Gluten free, soy free, oil free and vegan.

Prep Time: 24 hours
Bake Time: 40 minutes (baking is optional, you can eat this raw)
Yield: 4 cheese wheels

Ingredients

2 cups whole raw almonds, soaked overnight and skins removed (optional, see notes)
2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup purified water
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves fresh garlic)
1 Tbsp dried chives
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 tsp sea salt (depending on your taste)

Method

In a food processor or high powered blender, pulse the almonds until they are coarsely ground. Add the remaining 6 ingredients and process until as smooth as possible (up to 10 minutes depending on your processing method).

Place the almond mixture in 3-ply cheese cloth and hang over a bowl (see photos above) for 12 hours or overnight at room temperature (you can also put it in the refrigerator, I just prefer the flavor better when it cultures at room temp). As the cheese hangs, the excess moisture will drip into the bowl, just discard this liquid.

Unwrap the almond mixture, form into 3 or 4 small "wheels"  and place in a lightly oiled (I used coconut oil) oven-safe dish or pan, and bake at 350˚ F for 40 minutes or until very lightly golden in color (my oven is temperamental, so the ones pictured here are very golden…still delicious). Cool (or eat warm!) and serve as a spread cheese or crumble into any dish that calls for a "feta" style cheese.

RECIPE NOTES 

About the Flavor
The good news is the flavor of this cheese is delicious immediately after mixing it together. The even better new is that the flavor improves after the initial 12 hours in the cheesecloth at room temp, again right after baking, and even more when it rests overnight in the refrigerator after baking. I enjoyed the flavor at 48 hours immensely. 

About the Texture
This cheese will be a wonderful texture for cheese spread or a thick dip immediately after mixing. After baking and a few hours of refrigeration, it slices easily for crackers or hors d'oeuvres. If you let it rest in the refrigerator overnight after baking, it takes on more of a "feta" style texture and can be crumbled. So far it hasn't survived more than 48 hours in my house…so maybe I will hide some in the fridge for texting to see what happens over the course of a few more days. You can also experiment with baking time if you want a drier, more crumbly cheese.

About Soaking and De-skinning the Almonds
The first time I made this cheese, I did not soak the almonds or remove the skins. It was delicious. If you are not going to soak the almonds, increase to water to up to 1/2 cup to provide enough moisture for processing the almonds to a smooth consistency. For ease of removing skins, bring a small pot of purified water to an almost boil, remove from heat and add almonds, soaking them in the hot water for a couple of minutes; strain the almonds and pop off the skins.

Raw Almond Cheese Option
Baking the cheese is optional, you can skip the de-skinning step to keep the almonds raw and serve as a raw nut cheese spread. I haven't tried it in the dehydrator yet, but I'm sure that would work nicely as well to dry it to a feta consistency.

Flavor Variations
Feel free to experiment with flavor variations. Try replacing the peppercorns with 1 Tbsp dried chives or any other flavor combinations you can imagine!



© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Baked Mac-N-Cashew Cheese (vegan, gluten-free)

Often non-vegans say something to me like: You made a choice to go vegan, why are you trying to make vegan foods that are like non-vegan foods (like cheese, burgers, etc.)? My reply is always that I did not lose my taste for foods like mac-n-cheese, I lost my taste for cruelty. I love recreating the flavors and textures I grew up with, and I've adopted a lot of new flavors and textures too. Being vegan isn't about deprivation, feeling like you have to give up a pleasure. Instead, it's about re-inventing how you experience a flavor or texture, so that the delight of your palate doesn't take away the life or freedom of another living creature.

I recently ventured into the world of making vegan cheeses, and I must say, my first attempts turned out great! I've explored recipes from several sources, and now I am ready to start exploring a little on my own. I took some of what I had learned about vegan cheese flavor and textures, and put it to the test making a baked macaroni and cheese dish. Much to my delight, it turned out deliciously!

Feel free to take your own experimental journey with this recipe. I have made several versions (ok, about a dozen or so!), all yummy in their own way, and this is the one I landed on as my favorite for texture, flavor, and satisfaction all around.

My partner, John, and I are doing lots more experiments with vegan macaroni and cheese, and we will share them with you in future posts! He made one a few days ago that was so velvety and creamy that I practically licked the plate clean (imagine a vegan and far healthier and tastier version of "Velveeta").

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BAKED MAC-N-CASHEW CHEESE

Gluten free, soy free, oil free and vegan.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 25 minutes
Yield: 11x7 casserole, about 4 servings


Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews or 1/2 cup cashew butter
1 1/4 cups water

3 oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained (optional)
1 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp freshly ground black peppercorns
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 can full fat coconut milk (canned, not the stuff in the carton or low fat)

8 ounces quinoa macaroni or spiral noodles, uncooked

For extra YUM factor, feel free to add any other veggies like kale or spinach (wilt first), peas, onions, or sautéed mushrooms just before baking.

Method

In a food processor, process raw cashews until it forms into nut butter texture (skip this step if using pre-made cashew butter, just place the butter in your food processor). Add water and process until cashew butter is dissolved in the water and it VERY smooth (you may need to scrape the processor bowl a few times). Add the next 10 ingredients and process until the tomatoes are fully incorporated. Add the coconut milk and process another minute or so to combine.

Poor the cashew cheese mixture over uncooked noodles placed in a 11x7 casserole dish. Bake at 450˚ F for 20-25 minutes or until noodles are al dente (liquid will completely absorb into the noodles and leave behind a cheesy, baked macaroni texture).

This dish is very flavorful and quite rich! Delicious served with freshly ground black peppercorns on top. Serves 2 for a full meal, serves 4 as a side dish.

© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan, gluten-free)

Mmmmmmmmmm! When I first went gluten-free, I thought the world of warm, moist baked goods had vanished forever. It took me about a year to start experimenting with gluten-free baking, and much to my surprise, just like being vegan, it wasn't so bad. In fact, it was surprisingly yummy! The following recipe is adapted from a few other recipes I found when trying find a chocolate chip cookie that I could love. I often hear people exclaim that they would "have never thought they were gluten-free!"

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CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Gluten free, can be soy free (use a soy free vegan butter) and vegan.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 15 minutes
Yield: About 2 dozen cookies


Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup vegan butter (like Earth Balance), melted
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 flax and chia blended "eggs" (see recipe note below)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups oat flour
2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (more if you like a very sweet, chocolatey cookie)

Method

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Combine dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) and wet ingredients separately, then combine wet and dry mixture in a medium mixing bowl, mixing well. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a non-stick baking sheet (or line with baking parchment) and bake at 350˚ F for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are just beginning to brown. The flax and chia "egg" is a great binder, but with gluten-free goods, you may need to wait a few minutes before removing them from the pan to a cooling rack to avoid unnecessary crumbling.

Enjoy with a tall, cold class of rice milk…oh, yeah!!!

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RECIPE NOTES

To make 1 Flax and Chia blended "Egg" for binding (you will need to DOUBLE this for the recipe above as it calls for 2 of these "eggs"): Combine 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds + 1/4 tsp ground chia seeds + 3 Tbsp warm water, process in food processor for about 1 minute or until it reaches an egg-like consistency. You could skip the chia if you like, and just use flax, but I find the combo works better for this cookie.

© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Fudge Brownie Torte (vegan, gluten-free)

Oh. My. Goodness.

Yep, I did it. Not only is this DELICIOUS, but also vegan and gluten free. You may just want to make two while you're at it.

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FUDGE BROWNIE TORTE

Gluten free, can be soy free (use a soy free vegan butter) and vegan.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

You will need at 10" springform pan or tart pan. Place your pan in the freezer to chill at least 10 minutes prior to prepping it by lightly coating with chilled vegan butter and dusting with rice flour.

Brownie Layer Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup vegan butter (like Earth Balance), melted
1/3 cup coconut sugar
2 flax "eggs" (see recipe notes)
1 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients

1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 cup garbanzo flour, sifted
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Method

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Combine wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls, then combine wet and dry mixtures and whisk well until all dry ingredients are moistened. Spread brownie mixture into prepared pan (see above) and bake for 20 minutes, or until brownie layer begins to pull away from the edges of the pan. Do not remove from the pan, cool completely.

Fudge Layer Ingredients

4 avocados, pitted and peeled

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 cup coconut sugar

2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted

1 tsp vanilla

Place all 5 ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Layer the avocado mixture on top of the cooled brownie layer. Scroll down for final instructions...

Cover and place the torte in the freezer for at least 1 hour before serving, removing springform or outer ring of tart pan and thawing about 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftovers (as if!) covered in the freezer.

YUM!!!

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RECIPE NOTES

To make 1 Flax "Egg" for binding (you will need to DOUBLE this recipe as you need 2 flax eggs for this recipe): Combine 1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp warm water, process in food processor for about 1 minute or until it reaches an egg-like consistency

© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.