Extend Your Dinner with a Quick, One-Pot Miso Soup

I was whipping up a quick dinner, baked tofu with soba noodles and bok choy, when we had an unexpected guest for dinner. My noodle dish is only really big enough for the three of us, despite the fact that it says serves four. So, I whipped up a quick post of miso soup to help stretch the meal. Everyone was full, and I even had one serving of noodles and soup left for today’s lunch…yum.  Here’s how to do it:

Ingredients:

Scallions – 3 thinly sliced (white parts only)

Shallots – 2 large, thinly sliced

Napa Cabbage – 1 head  or other asian greens (I used only 4 leaves from this head of cabbage for another recipe, so this was just some leftovers in my fridge)

Vegetable Broth – 4 cups

Miso Paste – 1-2 Tbsps (more or less depending on how salty you like it. you can use any kind of miso paste red, yellow or white. I used yellow)

Tamari/Soy Sauce – 1 Tbsp

Olive oil – 1 Tbsp

Tempeh or Tofu  – optional (I used Lightlife Ginger Teriyaki flavored Tempehtations because I had some on hand that needed to be cooked)

How to do it:

In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallots and sautee until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions and cabbage and sautee until softened, another 1-2 minutes. Add 4 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, then add miso and tamari/soy sauce and the tofu or tempeh if using, then cover. Simmer for another 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Tell everyone how you just threw together some leftovers in the fridge and soak in the compliments.

Cinco de Mayo! A DIY Low-Cal Vegan Margarita, ole!

I love, love, love (did I mention love?) margaritas! Unfortunately, I stopped drinking them for a few years because I couldn’t justify the calories (a few hundred in each = no bueno). Luckily I had the opportunity to drink a real margarita made with just a few simple ingredients: good tequila, real lime juice, agave nectar, water and a little salt. The store bought margarita mixes have 0% juice. So you may be wondering, “What’s in it then?” Exactly! It’s really just sugar and nothing good for you. So..an added bonus is that this recipe actually allows you to get a little nutrition (click the links above for info) with your booze; how awesome is that?! Now, on to the good stuff. Get your glass ready and salt the rim ‘cuz here we go!

My Favorite Margarita Recipe

1.5 oz of Good Tequila (and I’m not kidding, nothing in a plastic bottle please).

The juice of one lime.

3/4 oz of agave nectar

3/4 oz of water

Shake it up, pour it over ice and it’s party time!

I’m off to responsibly enjoy one of these tasty treats with my husband’s signature guacamole and my famous fish tacos. Buenos Noches!

Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap

Firstly, Dr. Bronner’s is celebrating their 60th anniversary! They’ve been making soap for a really long time, which means it must be good. I first learned of Dr. Bronner’s Magic soap some time ago, but I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I hadn’t actually tried it unitl recently. I think that in talking with friends and family that Dr. Bronner’s is most notable for their soap making, but they do offer lines of other products including hair care and cleansers. Some benefits of the soap touted on the website include: 

Fortunately for me, my local Target had a temporary price reduction on all of the soaps and I took this as a sign that I needed to finally purchase this soap. I chose the lavender for a  few reasons, but mostly because I love the smell. Dr. Bronner’s website has the following description:

DESCRIPTION:
A relaxing fragrance for tired and stressed-out souls lavender calms the nerves and soothes the body. Perfect just before bedtime or to start your day out with a tranquil peace of mind. All oils and essential oils are certified organic to the National Organic Standards Program. Packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

INGREDIENTS:
Water, Organic Coconut Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide**, Lavandin Extract, Organic Olive Oil*, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Lavender Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
* CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS
** None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin

This soap is Fair Trade, organic and not tested on animals, and packaged in 100% recycled plastic bottles, so I can feel good about buying it. More importantly the ingredients are proven to be good to your skin. Now let’s take a look at the ingredients individually:

The ingredient second to water is organic coconut oil. According to the website Organic Facts:

Hair Care: Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair providing them a shiny complexion. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair. It is therefore used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing various conditioners, and dandruff relief creams. Coconut oil is normally applied topically for hair care.

Skin Care: Coconut oil is excellent massage oil for the skin as well. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins including dry skin. The benefit of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil. Further, unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin with the application of coconut oil. Coconut oil therefore is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaking of skin. It also delays wrinkles, and sagging of skin which normally become prominent with age. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. Therefore coconut oil forms the basic ingredient of various body care products such as soaps, lotions, creams, etc., used for skin care.

Infections: Coconut oil is very effective against a variety of infections due to its antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. According to the Coconut Research Center, coconut oil kills viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis, herpes, SARS, etc. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, etc. Coconut oil is also effective on fungi and yeast that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete’s foot, thrush, diaper rash, etc.

All of that information sounds good and I had no idea that coconut oil could be so useful. The next ingredient is used in making soaps and is essentially lye. It dissolves in water, which is why it is marked with a double asterisk and the note that explains that it is used to make the soap, but disappears once mixed in. The next ingredient present that is of significance is Lavandin Extract. What is lavandin extract exactly? Well, according to Snowdrift Farm:

Soapmakers love lavandin oil, and it is grown as a major commercial crop throughout Europe, though its origins are in France. Lavandin is an hybrid — a cross between Lavender officianalis and Lavender aspic or spike lavender. This cross-breeding provides the plant with the stamina needed to grow abundantly at lower elevations.

Most of the gorgeous deep blue and purple flowers seen in travel photos of the French countryside and attributed to growing lavender in France — is actually lavandin. Lavender grows well only at elevations of 1800 feet or greater. The heartier lavandin can grow at 1000 feet elevation and upwards. Snowdrift Farm imports our lavandin oil directly from the grower, near Grasse (France).

So, what’s the difference for you, the handcrafter? For starters, there are structural differences between the plants. Lavandin produces a 3-pronged flower-head, while true lavender gives a single “spike”. Scent-wise, the lavandin contains far more camphor, making it a “louder”, far less subtle note than true lavender. We prefer true lavender, such as Bulgarian lavender in perfumes, but do not discount lavandin when it comes to soaps and body care products. Lavandin has the capability of sticking around longer in soaps and lotions because of its chemical composition, making it the perfect oil for these applications. For more information about Lavandin, we recommend Julia Lawless’, “The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils.”

Further, according to Victoria Anisman-Reiner in her article titled, “Lavandin Not the Same as Lavender” she indicates that it is important to note that Lavandin extract does not have the same health benefits as lavender. However, lavandin extract is frequently used in soap, shampoo and cosmetics because the scent lasts longer and, “Lavandin is known to be highly antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial…Both lavandin and lavender are non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing to the skin”. Lavender oil is used in smaller quanitites in the soap though, so we’ll just go ahead and cover those benefits now.  The benefits and uses of lavender oil are many and varied, so I’ll return once again to Organic Facts for the details on this essential oil. You can read the details provided in the article by clicking on the link above, but here is a quick summary of the benefits:

• pain relief: muscle aches and join pain
• nervous system: calming scent that helps with stress, migraine headaches, anxiety, depression nervous tension, emotional stress and increases mental activity.
• respiratory disorders: colds, asthma, flu, infections of the throat and respiratory tract.
• skin care: lavender has been used to treat a plethora of skin conditions including acne, psoriasis, eczema, sunburn, wounds and more.

I’ve covered the benefits of olive oil previously and it has done wonders for my skin. Used alone it wasn’t sufficient to keep my face clear, but it’s super for removing eye makeup and moisturizing the under eye area. All of the oils used in Dr. Bronner’s soap are non-comedgenic and health benefits that range from moisturizing to antiseptic. They are mild and unlikely to cause skin reactions.

I have some seriously sensitive skin, so sensitive that  I can’t even use products with witch hazel becuase I have an allergic reaction ending in contact dermatitis, which is an extremly rare reaction to the herb. I’ve been using it for about two weeks now in the shower as a bath wash. My skin is clear, smooth and not oily at all. Given the good response that I’ve had to date I decided to expand my use of it to my hair and face. I washed my hair with it and it suddenly felt very, very weird. I can’t describe it exactly but it was like my hair felt heavy and didn’t separate easily. I’m not sure what would have happened had I washed with just the soap, but I immediately followed with my regular shampoo and conditioner to no ill effect. Phew, that was a close one! If I had read the FAQ’s section of Dr. Bronner’s website prior to washing my hair with the soap I would have read the following:

Can I shampoo and condition my hair organically?

1) Shampoo with your favorite Dr. Bronner’s soap. True soaps clean hair well but can leave a tangly look & feel; however…

2) Rinsing with our new Organic Shikakai Conditioning Rinse results in spectacular look and feel! Just stir 1- 2 capfuls of this rinse into a cup of water, close eyes and slowly pour while massaging into hair. Keep hand combing hair until hair feels entirely sleek (~30 seconds). Rinse out well. Repeat if necessary in extra hard water conditions or with longer hair.

3) After drying lightly with a towel, massage in Dr. Bronner’s new USDA Organic Leave-In Conditioning Crème for added silkiness and softness.

I’ll experiment with that on a weekend, but not before work.  I did wash my notoriously sensitive, acne-prone, combination to oily skin with it though. So far, so good. My face doesn’t feel oily, but it does feel very soft and smooth. It didn’t sting, tingle or feel weird in any way. I’m recovering from the witch hazel experiment, so I didn’t want to feel anything at all. I’ll report back on how my face handles the transition, but at the first hint of breakout I will jump ship!  So, while it isn’t likely that I’ll be doing all 18 suggested uses for the soap (listed in the FAQ’s and below), so far as a body wash it’s pretty excellent. It’s good for the environment and feels good on my skin; no complaints there so I feel as if it is money well spent and mission accomplished. I’ll continue to use Dr. Bronner’s and if I am feeling advertous enough to employ my soap for different uses other than skin care, I’ll be sure to report back.

The 18 Uses for Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap:

What are the 18-in-1 uses?

Dr. Bronner recorded the “18 in 1 uses” on his label, which we have left mostly intact since his passing in 1997; however, people have told us many, many more uses for it than that. Here is his version. A more paraphrased one follows.

Dr. Bronner’s version:

1. Always dilute for Shave-Shampoo-Massage-Dental Soap-Bath!
2. Peppermint is nature’s own unsurpassed fragrant Deodorant!
3. A drop is best Mint Toothpaste; brushes Dentures Clean!
4. A dash in water is the ideal Breath Freshener & Mouth Wash!
5. Peppermint Oil Soap for Dispensers, Uniforms, Baby, Beach!
6. Dilute for ideal After Shave, Body Rub, Foot Bath, Douche.
7. Hot Towel-Massage the entire body, always towards your heart.
8. Pets, silk, wool & body tingles head to toe – keeps cool!
9. 3 dashes in water rinse most Sprays Off fruit & vegetables!
10. 1/4 oz in qt H2O is Pest Spray! Dash, no rash Diaper-Soap!

Paraphrased:

• For everyday body-washing: Get wet and pour soap full-strength onto hands-washcloth-loofah. Lather up, scrub down, rinse off, and tingle fresh & clean.
• For other uses, dilute from one part soap into 40 parts water for light cleaning, to cutting it in half or using it full strength for heavy-duty grease-cutting jobs.
• For shampoo, though we now recommend our new Shikakai soaps for this, many people are fond of using it as such. The method of application is to wet hair and scalp very thoroughly, squirt some soap into hands and work into a lather. Wash hair, then rinse well. Afterwards use our new citrus hair rinse and leave-in conditioners as directed.
• For the laundry, use 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup for one regular load; adjust as needed depending on hardness of water. I’ve been told that adding a dash of baking soda makes it even better.
• For toothbrushing, apply a drop or two of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap to a wet toothbrush. Brush as you normally would, rinsing accordingly. Be careful about using more than a couple drops of soap, as you might start foaming at the mouth. Many people with sensitive or softer teeth like to use our soap as a toothpaste because it lacks abrasives.

New MorningStar Farms Sweet & Sour Chik’n

Most of the time I bring leftovers to work for lunch (ok, well I try anyway). If I don’t bring my lunch I have a variety of tempting and not so healthy options to choose from. In order to combat these days when I just don’t have any leftovers to bring, or when I simply don’t feel like eating them, I’ve picked up a few frozen, vegetarian meals. I noticed that Morningstar Farms had two new frozen entrees available: Sweet & Sour Chik’n and Lasagna with Sausage-Style Crumbles. (Apparently the lasagna was good, because my daughter has already devoured both of the boxes that I purchased).

Today I’m trying out the Sweet & Sour Chik’n. While I sit waiting for the microwave I noted that on the back of the box it says, “Made with Gardein, The All-Vegetable Protein”. Intrigued, I decided to head over to the Gardein website.  Here I learn that Gardein is actually used in a lot of entrees, not just my fake chicken lunch. In fact, it appears that they have their own line of foods, so I’ll be sure to keep my eyes peeled for those, but I’m fairly certain that they aren’t yet offered at my local Safeway. Their website is filled with the usual materials about how eating a plant-based diet is good for you and the environment, and of course, I couldn’t agree more. Interstingly though, they also have information on community gardens and how to start one up yourself.  The press kit also has a Q&A section with answers to some of the things that I wanted to know such as:

1. What is gardein™? gardein™ is a  line of tasty, plant-based foods with a meaty texture. Our products are made from a blend of soy, wheat and pea proteins, vegetables and grains. gardein™ is good for you; it is high in protein and easy to digest; the majority of our products provide you with a good source of fiber too. gardein™ is free of cholesterol, trans fats and saturated fat; the majority of gardein™ products are low fat too. gardein™ products are also vegan-friendly, meaning they are free of animal and dairy ingredients.
2. How do you make gardein™? Think of how bread or pasta is made. gardein™ is made using a similar approach. We mix water, veggies, grains, flavors and spices together to create the ‘dough,’ form it and bake it in special ovens to give gardein™ a fibrous look and its meaty mouth-feel.
3. Where do the ingredients come from that are used in gardein™?
   The majority of gardein™ ingredients come from North America.  We use all non-GMO ingredients and some organic ingredients. We like to diversify our proteins by using wheat, soy and pea proteins. We are also the first company of our kind to add ancient grains—quinoa, amaranth, millet and kamut—to our foods. Some of our spices come from India and some of our grains from South America.

The nutritional value of this meal is ok, but not great. It has 340 calories, but no cholesterol and only 6g of fat (of which .5g is saturated and there are no trans fats). The sodium is high at 550mg and the carbs are high due to 12g of sugar (and it’s tastes like it!). It does have 14 grams of protein and 4g of dietary fiber as it’s redeeming qualities however.

Finally, the taste test. Yes, it’s pretty good. The faux meat is actually really delicious, although the tempura batter coating doesn’t hold up well to microwaving, making the outside a bit mushy. The flavor of the meat is dead on for chicken and the texture is not as chewy as seitan, but more substantially meaty than tofu or tempura. It reminds me a bit of Quorn, actually. Personally, I find the dish to be overly sweet and I wish that they’d cut down on a bit of that unnecessary sugar, but it’s a good meal in a pinch and I feel full and happy.

A New Staple Cookbook: The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook

I’ve been looking to expand my cookbook selection and was lucky enough to stumble upon this little gem, The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook by Robin Robertson. The title appealed to me because my family isn’t fully vegetarian, but we do eat mostly vegetarian meals. By that I mean, that I cook vegetarian/vegan options on the weekdays and usually the weekends end up being a free-for-all. I can’t imagine a life without the occasional burger or sushi, so we just limit our meat intake to one or two meals a week. That being said, it’s been a tough road of trial and error learning to cook vegetarian/vegan meals. Some have been great, so good that I would take it over the juiciest steak any day, but unfortunately some have been so bad that I yearned for a nice cardboard box to chew on in exchange. I’ve had this book for a few weeks now and have the opportunity to read it cover to cover several times and have made quite a few dinners from it as well.  While the overwhelming majority have been good, there are a few bland ones and one that was actually dangerous. That’s right, I said dangerous. It was the Chipotle-Glazed Portobello Fajitas on page 154, where the recipe said to use “one 6-ounce can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce”.  Um..no, don’t do it! However, the happy ending to this story comes when I get all in a huff, track down this Robin Robertsons website and send her an email informing her of the severe gastro-intestinal distress this nightmare of a recipe caused. I did not expect her to return an email, it just made me feel better to give her what for.  Imagine my surprise, when just a few hours later I got a lovely, apologetic email with the recipe correction and the promise to notify her publisher. What a class act! So, it turns out you are only supposed to use 1, or 2 peppers if you are feeling really adventurous; never the whole can.  This being the first recipe that I had made I was fully ready to light this book afire until I received that email detailing the mistake and the correction (Thanks again Ms. Robertson!), but after that I felt a little better about diving back in. So, don’t let this experience put you off, just remember to update your copy on page 154.  Two of my very favorite recipes in the book are Vegetarian Scrapple (sheer genius!) and Oyster Mushroom Chowder. These healthy and delicious alternatives to my favorite country girl comfort foods have long made up for “the chipotle fajitas incident”.  I live in the city now, but these dishes take me right back to my roots in rural St. Mary’s County where Scrapple and Oyster stew are old-fashioned staples. There are at least two dozen more recipes that I intend to plow through and in the end, this book has some really great vegetarian alternatives for people who like to eat meat.

Oyster Mushroom Chowder

The creamy oyster mushroom has a slightly “seafood” taste and a texture similar to oysters. Kelp flakes, or ground kelp, are available in shaker containers in natural food stores. Sprinkled on the chowder, it makes a lovely garnish while adding a nutritious taste of the sea.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 large white potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or l/8 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 1/2 cups soy milk
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
• 8 ounces oyster mushrooms
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• Kelp flakes (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, stock, thyme, salt, and cayenne and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the potato is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer 1 cup of the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Return the mixture to the soup and stir in the soy milk. Heat to a simmer and stir in the cornstarch mixture, stirring to thicken. Slice or quarter any larger mushrooms, leaving the smaller ones whole or halved. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet, add the mushrooms, sprinkle with the Old Bay seasoning and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms to the soup, taste to adjust seasonings, and serve. Garnish with kelp flakes if desired.

Serves 4

Grab a copy for yourself here:

Blown MTB Tube = New Wallet

bike innertube wallet – More DIY How To Projects

Crockpot Mushroom, Wild Rice, Lima Bean Soup

This recipe has been modified from the original Butterbean Soup with Portabellas and Wild Rice to use the items I had in my pantry and give it a bit more flavor because I found the original to be a bit bland.  While my recipe is no longer fat-free thanks to the addition of a bit of olive oil, it is still vegan and delicious. I’ve been addicted to my crockpot lately and relied on that to slow cook my soup while I was at work and I walked in to a delicious warm meal on a bitterly cold day; a real treat. I also paired mine with a bit of sourdough garlic toast for dinner and then poured the remaining soup over the leftovers from the Wild Mushroom Risotto for lunch today and it is amazing! I’ll break my recipe down to show the steps that I took to prep the night before I began cooking.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Dry lima beans (could substitute butter beans, navy beans or whatever you’ve got in your pantry).

2 medium onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups water

6 oz mushrooms, sliced ( I used plain old buttons, but cremini would be great).

1/4 cup wild rice

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped

1 tsp soy sauce

1-2 tsp salt (to taste)

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 – 2 tbsp cumin (to taste)

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp smoked paprika

*My family loves smoky, spicy flavors and they really paired well with this dish, but if you prefer you can crank up or turn down the heat by adding or omitting the cayenne

Day 1 (the evening before I planned to serve the meal)

Place the dry beans in a large bowl and fill with water, then set aside to soak overnight. Next, saute the onions in 1 tbsp of olive oil until soft and translucent Add the garlic to the onions and continue to saute for another minute or two, until the onions begin to brown and the garlic/onion mixture is fragrant. Fill your crockpot (I used a 4qt and had plenty of room) with the water, onion/garlic mixture, wild rice, soy sauce, salt, pepper, sage, and rosemary and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Day 2

In the morning, add the beans and mushrooms to the crock pot and cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. After 8+ hours have passed, give the soup a stir and use a potato masher to soften the beans and thicken the soup. Finally, add the remaining spices, top with a swirl of olive oil and serve.

It’s an easy, filling and healthy soup perfect for a cold winter’s day with a crusty loaf of bread and a glass of wine. Enjoy!

The Cookie Exchange: 4 Dozen Gluten-Free, Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

My mother has decided to begin an annual tradition of exchanging cookies. The idea is that everyone brings four dozen cookies and we all eat lunch, sample the cookies and play games to spend time with friends and kindle that Christmas spirit. The challenge is that we are a motley crew and among us we have meatatarians, country girls, gluten-free gals and some weirdo vegans (ie, mom, and yes that is a tongue-in-cheek reference).  Everyone is short on time and funds during the holidays and some of us (ahem) are just challenged in the baking arena, so coming up with an easy, low-cost DIY gluten-free, vegan cookie recipe was tough.  Luckily I found a good recipe base online and with just a few simple modifications I present to you:

The No-Bake Gluten-Free, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter “Cookie”

*The term cookie is used loosely here because there isn’t any actual cooking involved This recipe makes 48 cookies.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sugar in the Raw

1 Cup RICE DREAM Rice Drink, Enriched Original, Organic

1 Cup Hershey’s Cocoa, Special Dark

5 Cups Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quick Cooking Rolled Oats

1 Cup Smart Balance Light Butter

1 Cup Natural, No-stir peanut butter

2 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:

Place oats, peanut butter and vanilla into a large bowl. Next, combine sugar, milk, cocoa powder and butter substitute in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir frequently and allow to boil for about one minute, or until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined, thick and bubbly. Pour the chocolate mixture over the oats mixture and stir well. Really work to combine the mixture quickly because it will thicken and begin to solidify as it cools. Form about a tablespoon of the mixture at a time in your hands like little burger patties and then place onto waxed or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Once you have formed all 48, place into the fridge to cool.  You can dust with powdered sugar once cooled to make them look a bit more festive, as in their natural state my daughter and I decided that they look a bit like reindeer poo Enjoy!

Sunday Morning: Chocolate Covered Banana Pancakes

When I cook I draw inspiration from flavor combinations that I know I enjoy. I usually have a set of ingredients that I know taste good together and then I build them I cook them in new and imaginative ways. This morning I woke up craving a frozen chocolate covered banana, like the kind you get at summer carnivals. I knew that I had some bananas that were well past their expiration, so voila! Chocolate covered banana pancakes were born. I tested them out on my picky, vegetarian 13-year old daughter and her best friend/neighbor. These are definitely the tastiest pancakes I’ve made to date. I used 1/2 cup of whole wheat white flour and 1/2 cup of unbleached all purpose flour, which I thought gave them a nice texture, but you can use whatever flour you’ve got. I used raw sugar, but again, white is fine. Also, I used 1/4 cup of egg replacer, but for anyone wanting to use farm fresh eggs, just use one large. Finally, I use light vanilla soymilk, but regular moo juice works great too.  Here goes:

Chocolate Covered Banana Pancakes Recipe

1 cup flour (1/2 whole wheat white, 1/2 unbleached all purpose)

1 tbsp. sugar (raw or white)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup egg replacer, egg whites, or 1 egg

1 cup light vanilla soy, regular soy, or straight moo juice

2 tbsp vegetable oil (1 for the pancake batter, 1 to keep your nanercakes from sticking)

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark choc., don’t use milk choc.; it’s too sweet)

You’ll have two bowls, one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet.  Mix the flour through the salt into one bowl. In the second bowl, pour in the milk and the bananas and mash with a fork or potato masher. Mix in the rest of the wet ingredients and add the chocolate chips last. Grab your pan and put a bit of the oil in and heat over medium heat. Add a 1/4 cup of batter and watch for the bubbles.  The bubbles will start on the outer edges and work their way to the middle. Once the bubbles show in the middle, flip your pancake and lightly brown. Lift the edge of the pancake and once it looks golden brown, scoop it up, put it on a plate and yell “It’s nanerpuss”! Proceed to dance around the kitchen and enjoy.

I spray a pump or two of fake butter on mine, but the girls enjoyed them plain. I think a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar would also be tasty, but they are so sweet and good I think that syrup would be overkill. I hope you enjoy these delicious pancakes as much as we did. Feel free to comment on recipe adjustments if you think it needs any, and be sure to let me know if you liked them too. Happy Sunday!

What do you mean marshmallows aren’t vegetarian?

So, who knew…marshmallows contain animal bones, organs, and animal skin (a.k.a. gelatin). Ewww!  My mother is currently obssessed with Vegan marshamallows and even sent me a link to her favorite purveyor of these tasty treats, Sweet & Sara so that I can remember to get these for her birthday.  Sara, a vegan, had a craving for rice crispy treats and developed her own recipe for home-made vegan marshmallows. What really sets Sara’s marshmallow’s apart are the flavors: vanilla, toasted coconut, cinnamon pecan and strawberry. You can buy them online direct from Sara herself or at many local health food stores, as I am sure I will do for my mother’s birthday. However, since this is my blog on saving money and doing it your self, here is a recipe for some plain, old-fashioned vegan marshmallows to make at home direct from the Vegan Marshmallows blog:

The blog details the recipe with photos, information on where to buy the ingrediants, alternates to corn syrup and flavored marshmallow recipes. I’m intrigued by the Vegan Smores and will commit to making those this fall and posting my opinion and photos of the final products. Enjoy!