My Best Cornbread Yet!

Easy to make - super moist, slice-able & made without eggs!

1 1/2 C gluten-free flour (I use Red Mills made from garbanzo beans) 

1 1/2 C corn flour (not meal, but flour - I used Maseca Masa brand)

1/2 C organic sugar 

1T baking powder (no skimping on this one; just barely over level)

1 t salt

1 C soymilk (almond milk works well also)

1 C Soy Sour Cream

1/3 C Canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. My oven runs hot, so I set it between 325 & 350, which worked perfectly for me.

Spray 9x9 glass pan (preferably)

Whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder & salt in a bowl.

In another bowl whisk together milk, creamer & oil.

Fold dry ingredient mixture into wet ingredients. Do not over mix.

Pour into pan - shape gently as necessary.

Bake 35 minutes. Depending on your oven you can always tent the bread after 25 minutes, but only if it's browning too quickly. Mine did not have this problem.

Cool on rack & slice.

*I have used this recipe for over 10 years & yet I am always tweaking the ingredients, baking time & temp. This morning's batch was the best. The original recipe came from Williams-Sonoma; however I've changed all of the ingredients & their amounts over the decade. By the way, excellent with my Creamy Tomato Soup recipe!

PUMPKIN PORRIDGE

So why try pumpkin porridge? Because it's good for you! When I met my husband I was surprised to learn he was eating this for breakfast at least 5 days out of each week. Since he's slim & trim I decided he must be doing something right and joined him one morning. At first I had to notify my taste buds to adjust to the simplicity of the flavor, but then... I'm addicted!

Living in northern Utah during this time of year you crave hot/warm drinks & meals, pumpkin porridge fits the bill. Easy to make, low in calories & nourishing:

Dish out a serving of canned pumpkin (if you can, use freshly steamed pumpkin). I eat about a cup.

Pour in almond milk or any other plant-based milk. Just takes 1/2 cup to become creamy.

Drizzle in 1 heaping (or not) teaspoon of molasses (organic is always better). We use this sweetener for this meal because molasses is highly alkaline, which your body prefers.

Sprinkle in a dash of cinnamon (good for leveling out blood sugars).

Top with crushed nuts. (I've tried many, but crushed roasted peanuts has been one of my faves, as are walnuts & almonds too.)

Microwave for 1 minute, 35-40 seconds depending on how hot you like it.

Enjoy

Benefits:

1. A few years ago when I was working with dogs, I learned to serve them 1/2 portion of canned pumpkin and 1/2 portion of dog food to help dogs slim down. I filed this in my brain until recently.

2. If you are constipated, this food will regulate you. 

3. Since any orange food is filled with vitamin A & E, this squash actually helps your skin to rejuvenate.  

4. It's just plain yummy!

Special note: If you're not quite used to eating simple foods, this dish might take a bit to get used to - but oh the rewards!!!

Peace,

Marcy Hope Williams

   

SWEET POTATO SPICE CAKE WITH HAZELNUTS & CANDIED GINGER

This is the most decadent cake I've ever made and yet, the cake itself is fairly mild in flavor. This is also the first time I tried vegan cream cheese, which I'm happy to report - I love! It's been decades since I've enjoyed cream cheese frosting, now the story changes.

I was also surprised that somehow the candied ginger zing mellows out once combined with the cream cheese & hazelnuts. Overall I received super reviews from friends & family and the cake was gone in one night!

I finely diced the candied ginger (instead of the long strips shown above) which created I think a more decadent final look of the cake. Also I used a white sweet potato, but I think next time, I'll try  a yam as shown above.

Cheers! 

This cake is similar to carrot cake—grated sweet potatoes make it moist and rich. The cake can be made up to three days ahead, but frost and garnish it within 12 hours of serving.

Cake

·         ½ cup raisins

·         3 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 Tbs. baking powder

·         2 tsp. baking soda

·         1 tsp. salt

·         1 tsp. ground cinnamon

·         ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

·         ⅛ tsp. ground cloves

·         ¾ cup vegetable oil

·         ½ cup dark brown sugar

·         ½ cup sugar

·         1 cup plain almond milk

·         2 Tbs. lemon juice

·         1 medium sweet potato, peeled and finely grated (3 cups)

·         ½ cup finely chopped candied ginger

·         ½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Topping

·         1 8-oz. pkg. vegan cream cheese

·         1 Tbs. agave nectar

·         ½ tsp. vanilla extract

·         ½ cup finely chopped candied ginger

·         ½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

1. To make Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 10-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

2. Place raisins in small bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes, then drain, and set aside.

3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in bowl. Whisk together oil, brown sugar, and sugar in separate bowl; whisk in almond milk and lemon juice.

4. Stir flour mixture into oil mixture with spatula until thick batter forms. Fold in sweet potato, candied ginger, hazelnuts, and raisins. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center of Cake comes out clean. Cool pan 10 minutes on wire rack, then unmold Cake onto wire rack to cool completely.

5. To make Topping: Whisk together cream cheese, agave nectar, and vanilla in bowl until smooth; spread over cooled Cake. Decorate top of Cake with candied ginger and hazelnuts.

November 2013 p.70 Vegetarian Times

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-spice-cake-with-hazelnuts-and-candied-ginger/

My version

Best Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe - Ever!!

Best Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe - Ever!!!

This recipe will be found in The Vegan Table by author, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

This is the 1st recipe we tried from this cookbook, but so far, so good - tis the best vegetarian lasagna recipe I've ever tasted & I'm not exaggerating!

My daughter who cooked this filling meal tweaked Colleen's recipe a titch. She used brown rice noodles instead of wheat - which I rather enjoyed - it lightened up the meal a bit. And she did add soy mozzarella grated cheese in the middle layer & on the top.

Definitely delicious! 

Just Like Mom Used to Make... Nah - Better! 

My mother used to make the most delicious Thanksgiving yams. I tried to duplicate them once when I had moved to Utah. Needless to say, they didn't taste like mom's. 

Did she leave out a secret ingredient? Was it the altitude difference? (she lived by the ocean) or was it just her expertise in cooking? 

I could never figure it out & finally gave up on most of mom's recipes. 

I can tell you though, mom's recipe for yams began with a can of yams.

Years later I found this recipe at Wild Oats, (now called Whole Foods) - 

a yam recipe from real yams! 

I've tweaked the recipe just a wee bit for my family's enjoyment. 

Just for variety & for the special holidays, I'll prepare these yams this way. 

My family is always excited to see them on the table. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

 You'll find the recipe at the end of the pictures. 

Can I tell the difference between canned yams & yams from the garden  - you bet I can!

Here's my ingredients. 

The peppermint tea & cookie on the right aren't really a part of this recipe, 

just inspiration to help me cook when I'm hungry.  

1st - preheat oven to 375-400 degrees. 

I like to prepare my 9 by 13" glass pan by first spraying it with a light mist of Pam - 

you can use any type of oil to accomplish this.  

Personally I would rather take this precaution than having to do the scrubbing or soaking later. 

Peel the yams - I really don't wash them as I think they're clean under the skin. 

Here are the 5 yams all peeled. 

Slice them up 1/8 to 1/4" thick. If they're really large I either half them or sometimes quarter them. I like them quartered the best because they seem to be able to absorb the juices better. 

Scatter in pan. 

You'll combine the margarine, sugar & spices in a small sauce pan. 

Bring to a small boil, & quickly reduce to simmer until sugar dissolves. (sorry, missed this pic).

Spoon over yams.

Mix a bit. 

Cover with foil & cook for 55 minutes at 375-400 degrees.

Uncover, then cook another 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with optional nuts & brown for 3 minutes at 500 degrees.   

Voila! A yummy entree!

                               Candied Yams                                

Serves 8

5 medium to large yams (preferably organic)

4 1/2 T magarine

2/3 C golden brown sugar packed (preferably organic)

1 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground nutmeg

1/8 t ground ginger

1/2 t salt

Optional Toppings

1/2 c chopped pecans, or 1/2 c sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375-400 degrees. Place potatoes in 9x13x2 inch glass baking dish. Combine margarine, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger & salt in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil & stir until brown sugar dissolves. Pour this mixture over yams & toss to coat. Cover dish well with foil.

Bake 50 minutes. Uncover & continue to bake until potatoes are tender & syrup thickens a bit (basting occasionally) about 20 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 500. Top yams with nuts & brown about 

3 minutes. 

Enjoy!

**************

Eggplant Antipasto

**************

This recipe, worth making - is from my mother's files from 1978 with a few tweaks from me. 

You'll find the recipe at the end of the pics.

So here's your ingredients - pretty simple... and just plain pretty!

A close-up.

Here's your onions & red bell peppers diced.

Here's a dicer my mother gave to me - it sure comes in handy when you're trying to dice uniformly.

Mushrooms are very easy to chop in this tool, onions a bit harder & require kind of a slam.

Saute your diced vegetables (cubed eggplant & garlic have been added) in olive oil.

You can see the vegetables shrinking down. 

After about 10 minutes, they're done.

Add your 6 oz can of tomato paste with water, fructose, salt, pepper, oregano & balsamic vinegar in separate bowl & whisk. Add to vegetables. Throw in a couple of bay leaves & cover.   

Simmer for about 30 minutes covered - until your eggplant is tender & you're done! This has a surprisingly different taste, a great alternative as a winter stew. 

Doesn't this bread look scrumptious? 

Whole-grain bakeries are popping up in most communities these days & well worth the search. 

My daughter served up her dish this way. You can also use this Mediterranean dish as a side dish or even as an  hors d'oeuvre.  I sometimes serve this on top of golden couscous. My mother likes to serve it on a pizza crust and sometimes she even serves it cold - I prefer it warm though.  

Eggplant Antipasto

3 c cubed eggplant (do not skin)

1 med red or green bell pepper (diced)

1 or 2 onions (chopped)

1 c small Portabello mushrooms (coarsely chopped)

2 t fructose

2 t oregano

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

2-3 bay leaves

2-3 large cloves (crushed)

1/3 c olive oil (or less)

6 oz can of tomato paste (preferably organic)

1/2 c water

2 T Balsamic vinegar

Saute eggplant, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms & garlic in oil for 10 minutes.
Whisk together in separate bowl, tomato paste, water, fructose, vinegar, oregano, salt & pepper. 
Mix into vegetables & stir gently. 
Cover & simmer for 30 minutes or until eggplant is tender. 
Can be made 3 days in advance.
Keep covered in refrigerator.
Enjoy!   

Do you have a Sweet Tooth?

Well here's a simple antidote! 

Black Raspberry Crisp

3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 c quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2 c packed organic brown sugar

1/4 c sliced or slivered almonds (walnuts would work too)

5 Tbsp soy margarine

5 Tbsp organic banana

3/4 c pure fruit jam or preserves

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly mist an 11 x 7 (or thereabouts) baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Hand mix together flour, baking soda, oats, sugar & almonds. 

3. Yes, using your fingers, mush together the butter & banana into the dry mixture. Your goal is to resemble coarse crumbs. Add more banana if need be. Set aside 1/3 c of mixture.

4. Spread remaining flour mixture onto bottom of prepared dish. Spread jam evenly over mixture. Top with a sprinkling of the reserved 1/3 c of flour mixture. 

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is slightly brown. Cool & cut into 20 or so bars. 

You can use any jam you'd like -  I use Smucker's Simply Fruit. I think next time I might use apricot, or even partially boiled sliced apples, or maybe even fresh peaches! Possibilities are endless! I have another recipe which is more formal, made with fresh blueberries, (a Blueberry Betty) but for a quickie - I think this serves the purpose! Enjoy!

From Eden's Kitchen

Blueberry Muffins - yummy!

Here's a pic of the muffins Eden made on her shelf - before she went shopping (I'll show you a pic after she's done shopping later - she does have the gift of finding food items I never knew existed!).

I asked if I could share the recipe with you, so here it is:

She tweaked this "really simple" Cranberry Muffin recipe found in Cooking with the Right Side of the Brain: Creative Vegetarian Cooking by author Vicki Rae Chelf to create a very tasty & moist vegan  muffin.  

1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour

3 t baking powder

1/2 cup real maple syrup

2 T oil (we use safflower)

Energ Egg Replacer for 2 eggs (3 t replacer + 4 T water) (I've been using this brand for decades.)

1/4 c Whole Soy & Co Lemon Yogurt (We were out of almond milk so she got creative.)

1 t real vanilla

1 1/2 t cinnamon (Eden added this ingredient.) 

1 c frozen organic blueberries (She told me she didn't even let it thaw.)

Yield: 9 nice-sized muffins

Time: 25 minutes

1. Sift together flour, baking powder & cinnamon.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together maple syrup, oil, egg replacer mixture, yogurt (or milk) & vanilla.

3. Stir dry ingredients into liquid ingredients. Beat enough to blend well, but don't over-beat. 

4. Fold in blueberries.

5. Spoon mixture into well-oiled muffin tins.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 

7 Enjoy!

*Special note - Eden is an amazing cook & raw-food preparer - she has blended her love of organic whole foods with her artistic flair to create some of the best-tasting & best-looking treats & meals we've created in our home.