Saturday, December 26, 2009

Great & Easy "Dips" for your New Years Party!

Spinach Dip
Servings 4

Box Frozen Chopped Spinach (Thawed)
1 Tub Tofutti Sour Cream
1 Pkg Vegan Vegetable Soup Mix*
1/4 Cup Veganoaise
Combine all ingredients and mix well. To serve, cut off the top of pumpernickel bread, and hollow out the bottom, leaving about an inch thick pumpernickel bowl. Pour dip into bread bowl and chill for a few hours before serving. Use the hollowed out bread to dip into the mixture. 

Onion Dip 
Servings 4
1 Box Soft Silken Style Tofu
1 Pkg Vegan Onion Soup Mix*

*Note: Some soup mixes contain beef or other animal fat. Keep this in mind when shopping.
  
Blend tofu into a sour cream consistency. Add onion soup mix and stir well. Cover and chill for an hour or two before serving. Serve with chips or vegetables.



Basic Guacamole 
Servings 4

4 Avocados 
1 Lime, juice squeezed
1 Tablespoon sea salt
2 Tomatoes, diced
Slice the Avocado in half, remove the pit.  Spoon out the avocado into a bowl and mash the Avocado in a bowl until smooth.  Add the lime juice, salt stirring to a creamy texture.  Add the tomatoes, stir and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Excellent to add & stir in some fresh Salsa too!!

Fresh Salsa
4-6 Servings

3 tomatoes, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded & diced
1 yellow onion
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 Jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon or lime
1 TSP cumin
1 TSP oregano
1/2 TSP salt & pepper
1/4 TSP ground cayenne
1 can diced tomatoes


In a large mixing bowl, combine the fresh diced tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and canned diced tomatoes, mix well.


Place 3 quarters of the mixture in a food processor or blinder (5 seconds).  Pour back with the chunky mixture and stir well.


Chill the salsa for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.  Great with Tortilla Chips or topping on your favorite mexican dish.


Traditional Hummus
4-6 Servings

1 1/4 cup chick peas, soaked in water over night (or 1- 15 oz can) drained & rinsed
3-4 Tablespoons of Tahini
2 lemons, juiced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon of salt
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Soak you chicks peas over night.  Drain and put into a pan with plenty of fresh water. Bring to a boil, remove scum and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until they are very soft.  Drain reserving the cooking water.

Using can chick peas, rinse throughly, put into a pan with fresh water.  Bring to a boil and drain reserving the cooked water.

Blend the cooked chick peas to a puree in a food processor or blender add the remaining ingredients, except for the oil and a little of the cooking water- (just enough to blend it to a soft, creamy paste).  Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Pour hummus into a shallow dish and drizzle over the olive oil.

Serve with vegetables of choice (carrots, celery, broccoli), pita chips or pita bread.






Great Egg Replacer

Flax seeds can make awesome binders!


To replace 3 eggs: bring one cup of water and 2 to 3 tablespoons whole flax seeds to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for about five minutes, stirring occassionally, until the mixture thickens into goo (similar in texture to egg whites). Strain and cool the goo, and use like eggs.


For cakes, I add the flax goo last, after everything else is mixed togther because it really can firm up a batter. And I usually don't bother to strain the flax seeds out (because it's a pain) unless I'm baking something really fancy.




Ground flax seed recipe (for 1 "egg"): Take 2 tbsp ground flax seed and combine with 3 tbsp water.


You can also use half a banana for 1 "egg".


3 tbsp applesauce = 1 "egg".

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Fudgy Brownies

This makes yummy Holiday treats for all your friends & family!!!

Fudgy Brownies

2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
10 ounce of blueberry or strawberry spreadable fruit
1/4 cup soy milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 TSP almond extract
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 TSP baking powder
1/2 TSP baking soda
1/4 TSP salt


Preheat oven to 325.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.  Melt 2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips in microwave for 1 minute.  Stir and microwave for one additional minute.  Set aside

In a large mixing bowl combine; spreadable fruit, soy milk, sugar, oil and extract.  Mix on high speed for 2-3 minutes or until no clumps are visible.

Sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir until well mixed.  Use a fork to mix, the batter will get very thick.

Mix in the melted chocolate and fold in the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.  Nuts are also excellent to fold in!!!

Bake for 50 minutes, remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.  Don't use a toothpick with this recipe, the chocolate will always stick.

ENJOY!!!