IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN...BREAD (And muffins too)

Time to get in a little seasonal baking.  Thought I would try some whole food plant based and oil free pumpkin bread.  Once Halloween is over, take your pumpkin and roast it in your oven flesh side down, until it's soft.  You can also steam or boil the flesh.  The quick scenario is to use canned pumpkin (just pumpkin puree, not the pumpkin pie blend)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

Dry:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup oat flour (make your own by putting whole oats in your spice grinder)

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground mace (or nutmeg)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup organic raw coconut sugar

Wet:

1 cup (8 oz.) pumpkin puree (I also sometimes use 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas)

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Thoroughly mix all dry ingredients together (a whisk works well for this).  In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients.  In a large bowl, combine both the wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.  Don't over mix.  Pour bead mix into a 9 X 5 X 3 inch loaf pan (paper, paper lined, non-stick or silicon pan).  Bake for 45-47 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.  

Tastes great with a little of my plant based Cream Cheez

To make muffins, use paper cupcake paper cups and muffin pans.  Put one paper cupcake (muffin) cup in each of the muffin slots.  Fill each cup 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  A toothpick in the center should come out dry if they're done.  

NOT SO BEEFY STEW

 Fall is here and root vegetables are at all the Farmer's Markets.  This is fairly easy and delicious.  You can use TVP Beef Chunks for that beefy texture and added protein or just keep it Veggie.

Ingredients:

1 cup Rehydrated Beef Chunks (Soy)
1 pint of sliced mushrooms (crimini or other flavorful mushrooms)
2 onions rough chopped
3 carrots chopped
4 celery stalks chopped
1 large leek thinly sliced (white part only)
2 turnips peeled and cubed
1 celery root peeled and cubed
2 Beets Roasted in aluminum foil in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour at 400 degrees
4 potatoes (I used large red and yukon gold, 2 each ) peeled and cubed
32 oz Roasted Vegetable Stock or I also like Kitchen Basics brand unsalted Vegetable stock in a pinch
1 tablespoon dried Rosemary, crushed
2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence, crushed between your fingers
6 cloves of peeled garlic thinly sliced
carrot tops (greens) or flat leaf parsley, chopped for garnish
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Miso Paste (I used red)
1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Mushroom Base
1 tablespoon Tamari
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon salt or to taste (taste before adding as the other ingredients may satisfy the need for salt)
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper

In a heated non-stick stock pot saute the onions and mushrooms.  When the onions have caramelized, add the carrots and celery and continue sauteing.  Add the Tomato Paste.  If the saute begins to stick, add a bit of the stock to release the pieces stuck to the pan.  Add the leeks and garlic.  Add the Tamari, Balsamic Vinegar, Miso Paste and Mushroom Base.  Add the Rosemary and Herbs De Provence.  Add the remaining vegetables and stock.

If you are adding TVP chunks (textured vegetable "soy" protein), re-hydrate 1 cup first in 2 cups of stock or water that's been brought to a boil and 3 tablespoons of Tamari.  Re-hydrate for at least 10 minutes or until soft and then chop into different size pieces.  

Add the "beef" and S&P to the pot and cover to simmer for about an hour.  Taste for flavor and adjust if needed.  After serving sprinkle with chopped carrot greens or parsley.

Delicious served with a Crusty piece of my Perfectly Perfect Sourdough Bread.

WHOLE FOOD PLANT BASED (WFPB)

This is the latest book that supports the nutrition program I follow which is Whole Foods Plant Based.  Very interesting read.  Not a diet book, rather a book on why this is a healthy way to eat and gives you information to quiet the naysayers.

Pronounced Kay-seen

EGGS RANCHERO (aka Tofu Scramble Mexican Style)

EGGS (TOFU SCRAMBLE)

14 oz soft firm tofu
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

ENCHILADA (RED) SAUCE

1 large red onion (sliced and sauteed)
Tortilla Chips (fat free) (about a cup and a half)
1 15 oz can pinto or black beans, rinsed.
1/2 cup (or more) sour cream
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

For the red enchilada sauce:

In a separate sauce pan, add all of the following ingredients and heat until lightly boiling.
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon crushed oregano (Mexican oregano if you can find it)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups Roasted Vegetable Stock (or more if you want the sauce thinner)

Mix all of the ingredients for the eggs in a non-stick saute pan and heat completely.  Add the sauteed onions and continue cooking.

In a separate bowl, mash half of the beans.  Add the mashed beans and whole beans to the eggs.  Add the red sauce and stir.  Finally, add the tortilla chips and continue cooking until the chips have absorbed the sauce and softened.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped cilantro.

SHEPHERD'S PIE (Lentil Version)

I've already posted a version of this with seitan but, since seitan is not easily found, I created a different version using lentils.  My very picky aunt even loved this.

Ingredients:

2 sweet onions chopped
2 celery ribs chopped
2 cups crimini mushrooms sliced
5 cloves of garlic rough chop
4 cups Roasted Vegetable Stock
2 teaspoons dried thyme crushed between your fingers
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons Tamari
1 cup Textured Soy Protein TSP
1 cup cooked lentils
1 cup frozen peas
1 large carrot peeled and sliced into rounds
4 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
1/4 cup of my Sour Cream  or Aioli
1/2 cup almond milk
sea salt to taste (about 3/4 teaspoon) for the mixture and the same amount for the potatoes
white pepper to taste

Caramelize the onions in a non stick skillet.  Add the celery and mushrooms and sauté until soft.  Add the garlic and thyme and continue to sauté for about two minutes.  Add 2 cups of the Roasted Vegetable Stock and the granulated onion and garlic.  Mix well and reduce for about 5 minutes.  Add the tomato paste, ketchup, crushed red pepper, tamari and carrots. Mix well and add the TSP.  The TSP will begin to hydrate and soak in a lot of the moisture.  If it becomes too dry, add more stock.  Continue to cook the mixture for about 10 minutes until it reduces and there's not much stock left.  Add the lentils and peas, and if it becomes too dry again, add more stock.  You may have some stock left over at the end.

Quarter the potatoes and add to a pot of cold water.  Cook for about 25 minutes until they are fork tender.
Drain and mash adding the almond milk, sour cream, salt and white pepper.

In a baking dish add the vegetable lentil mixture.  Smooth out the top and add the mashed potatoes.  Loosely cover with aluminum foil and put in a preheated 350 degree over for 45 minutes.  Remove the aluminum and bake for another 15.  If you want, you can briefly put the pie under a broiler to get a little browning going on the top.

FAST, EASY, HEALTHY, OH AND DELICIOUS

Costco has a new product that gets lots of green veggies without the usual work.  In other words, it's cut, washed and dried (and I don't mean hair)  Have a look.  

I used a 15 oz can of black beans.

To that I added a teaspoon each of granulated garlic, granulated onion and cumin, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  

Pour the canned black beans into a non stick skillet.  Add the dry spices and stir.  Add about 3 cups or the Power blend greens and 1/4 cup water.  Cover and stir occasionally.

Serve over a bowl of brown rice. 

DONE!

I also added a dollop of Cream Cheeze