Vegan Orange Chicken (Gluten-free option, Chinese-American)

 

You know what I really miss? Seitan. Do you know what I really, really used to dislike? Orange chicken! Let's see how much my opinion will change when we combine them.

But this orange chicken was spicy, sweet, tangy and so simple! It was so complex and so smooth, it bared a slight resemblance to the bright orange sauce you would order at any quick Chinese restaurant, but once you get this awesome sauce in your mouth - there's no going back. It's medium-thick, so you can taste the crispy, nuggety goodness of the seitan without it being over-powered by an overly-saccharine thick sauce.

I didn't have time to actually MAKE the seitan, though...so that's where good Ol' Gardein* comes in. I just ignored the fact that they have a sauce to go with it, because that's how I do.

 *You can use tofu, for a sure-fire GF option!

 

Orange Sauce Ingredients:

1 tsp Minced Garlic

1/2 tsp Ginger

2 Cups Orange Juice

1 tsp Soy Sauce

2 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar

3 tbl (Apple) Honey or Agave Nectar

2 tbl Sriracha

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Cornstarch + 1-2 tsp cold water (mix)
Sprinkle of Red Pepper Flake
Cracked Black Pepper
The best part of this sauce is that you can start it at any time - even the day before and then you can just warm it up or "bake" it onto the vegan chicken!

Mix all the ingredients except for the cornstarch slurry, and make sure to do a taste test before adding all the hot and sweet stuff!

Whisk it all together, and let it bubble a bit...keep stirring! Faster and faster, and then you can drizzle in the corn starch. Keep stirring until fully incorporated, and then a little bit after. Let it boil and cook down a bit and RESIST adding more!

Let the cool down while you follow the instructions on cooking Gardein's Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n. The plot thickens...

Or at least the sauce does! Pour it over your chick'n, slam it on top of rice and you're good to go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vegan Yellow Cake Recipe (Soy-Free)

Have you ever heard of "The Vegg"? Its a product that I've been using for a while this month and that I really like. Its meant to replace the egg yolk in most recipes and while yellow cake varies in amounts - its generally pretty high. I've found that "The Vegg" works excellent in replacing the egg yolk and that I can easily strengthen it by combining it with cornstarch. This cake ended up being really moist and great despite my oven having to be at 400 degrees for about an hour to cook anything now.

(Vegan Yellow Cake Ingredients)

• 1 C. of Coconut Oil
• 2 C. of Raw Sugar
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 2 TBL. Cornstarch
• 1 tsp. of The Vegg
• 1/4 C. of Cold Water
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 C. Non-Dairy Milk + 1 TBL. Apple Cider Vinegar

(Directions)

• Cream your coconut oil with the raw sugar then add in the baking powder and vanilla extract.
• Blend your cornstarch, vegg and the water together in a blender, then cream it into your oil and sugar.
• Alternate with your flour and milk and fold/stir them together
• Preheat your oven to 350, spray and line your pan with parchment paper
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until fully cooked, allow to rest and then frost with your favorite frosting recipe or use a chocolate fondant like I did!

Enjoy!

Fat-Free Vegan Gravy

 

 

 

I have a thing for seitan but sometimes just a fried, steamed or boiled piece isn't enough for me. I need to stretch out and make sure that everyone who eats this also gets a great deal with veggies and that's why I think my fat-free gravy is best. It something that I loved to use on Boca Burgers with lots of jalapenos and steamed rice for Vegan Loco Mocos (I never liked it with tofu for some reason...). You can easily make chik'en seitan, boil some beans or have some tempeh for this or some other type of seitan and smothered in the gravy. I would say it even goes great with some biscuits and a tofu omelette in the morning!

!

(Fat-Free Vegan Ingredients)

• 1/4 C. All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2-1 C. Vegetable Broth
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Minced Garlic and Onions
• Sliced Mushrooms, Green and Jalapeno Peppers & Steamed Broccoli

(Directions)

• Cook your onions until translucent, then add in your garlic and stir.
• Add in your other vegetables except for the broccoli, sprinkle on your flour and cook until it has browned and the flour has cooked out.
• Slowly dribble in your broth and allow to thicken.
• Fold in your broccoli and serve it over anything you like

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Seitan (Vegan Mofo)

This sandwich is really good and super big - as you can see from the seitan to bread ratio. As with all of my seitans, this is very juicy and filled with spicy flavor. Surrounding the seitan is a crisp and crunchy tempura and panko crust that makes it so good in capturing the spices and seasonings.To top it off it is baked with Sabra Brand garlic hummus, onions, kale and a delicious onion bun. I would suggest baking the sauce completely onto the seitan in an oven like I did with my second slice as it can easily irritate the system. Alright, let's get started! ^^

(Buffalo Chicken Seitan Ingredients)

• 1 C. Vital Wheat Gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tbl. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Paprika
• 1. Tbl Veg. Oil
• 1 C. Cold Water
• 1/2 C. Hot Sauce
• 1/4 C. Sriracha

(Vegan Hamburger Helper Directions)

• Mix your dry ingredients together then knead in your wet ingredients, except for the sauces, for 35 turns.
• Boil for 25 minutes, 10 of which covered with a pot top and the rest uncovered.
• Split the seitan in half then coat in a vegan tempura batter such as this one.
• Coat in crumbs and fry in a pan for 30 seconds on each side, then dip into your mixed hot sauces and bake in the oven until crisp. Add your hummus or vegan cheese, onions, kale and bake for a few more moments before serving it upon a toasted bun.

Enjoy!

Vegan Hamburger Helper (Low-Fat)

 

 

 

I'll be honest, one of my favorite meals as a kid was Hamburger helper - it was quick, easy and cheap to buy. Now that I'm more all around health conscious I don't see the need to go back there again, but with a slightly more healthier (in some way) version I've got it all together. You've got the creamy low-fat cheeze, a bit of zing from mustard and the nice alternating textures between noodles and your preffered "beef". Its a great meal that you can make ahead, freeze and then just pop in an oven or microwave later.

(Vegan Hamburger Helper Ingredients)

• 1 C. of Soy or Rice Milk
• 1 tbl. Garlic Powder
• 1/4 C. Nutritional Yeast (half that if powdery)
• 2 tbl. Corn or Tapioca Starch
• Pinch of Salt, Mustard Powder and Paprika
• 1 tbl. Cold Water
• Veg. Ground Beef and Elbow Macaroni

(Vegan Hamburger Helper Directions)

• Heat your milk and add in your nutritional yeast and garlic powder, whisk together as you make a slurry of your starches and cold water.
• Add your salt and slurry into the boiling mixture and whisk. Turn off heat and then fold in your ground beef as you boil your noodles.
• Fold your noodles into the cheeze and veg. beef and serve warm.
• Enjoy!

Apple Brown Betty Crisps; Second Vegan MoFo Post

Yesterday it was peaches and now its apples, it seems to be a fruity start for my Vegan MoFo posts but this is just the beginning. I want to take something homey and comfortable and just transform them in terms of texture, shape or overall asthetics to make it different. For me, food is about comfort and a way of expression - and this super simple caramel sauce with cooked apples is superb. This requires absolutely no leaveners and just a few minutes of baking time depending on how you like it. Sweet, salty and buttery due to margarine served on both soft and crispy "crackers", I can really appreciate this and I know you will as well.

(Apple Brown Betty Crisps Dough Ingredients)

• 2 and 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Raw Sugar
• 1/2 stick Vegan Margarine
• A Generous Pinch of Cinnamon
• Enough Rice Milk to mix

(Directions)

• Cream your margarine and sugar together with a whisk.
• Sift in your salt and flour, then fold until it starts to become crumbly.
• Add enough rice milk to make it a nice, sticky dough and then fold in half of the chopped apples.
• Refrigerate as you work on your apples in caramel sauce.
• Bake for about 25 minutes after adding apple topping or until done. Serve warm.

(Apples in Caramel Sauce Ingredients)

• 1/2 Medium-Sized Chopped Apple
• 1/2 stick of Margarine, Cubed
• 1/2 cup Raw Sugar
• 3 tbl Soy or Rice Milk
• A Generous Pinch of Cinnamon and Salt

(Directions)

• Melt half of your margarine and then toss in your apples, sugar and a bit of salt, slowly add more margarine as you like.
• Wait until the sugar and fat have cooked together, bubbled and darkened to a nice caramel
• Add in your milk and cook for another minute or two, then allow to cool before topping onto your almost-frozen dough and bake.
• Enjoy!

Asian "Fig Newtons" with Golden Milk (Guest Posted on Veganosaurus)

When I was a little girl my favorite cookie to eat was always a Fig Newton (actually, the whole pack...) but as I slowly became more health conscious I lost touch with these soft pillows of tasty goodness. I don't believe that either Newtons can be considered "healthy", but when I decided to take a spin on two of my favorite treats (Fig Newtons and Dadar Gulung, a pandan crepe stuffed with coconut) I was instantly happy. There are two ways to make these treats and to gobble them down with, I've provided some delicious and silky, smooth golden milk.

Thanks to Susmitha of Veganosaurus, I could post these and spread them to a whole new audience. I am honored to have guest posted on your blog! ^^

(Dadar Gulung Newton Filling Ingredients)

• 4 large Dates, minced (or Date Paste)
• 1/4 cup of Unsweetened, Toasted Coconut
• 1 tsp of Raw Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Clementine Zest
• A mix of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom and Allspice
• 1/2 tsp of Virgin Coconut Oil

Toast all of your dry ingredients together, let them cool partially and then add in your coconut oil. Set aside and make the dough.


(Dadar Gulung Pastry Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Oat Flour
• 1/2 cup of White Whole Wheat
• 4 tbl of All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp of Raw Sugar
• 1/4 tsp of Baking Powder (omit if you want them crunchy like I did)
• 2 tbl of Virgin Coconut Oil (semi-solid)
• About 3 tsp of Pandan Extract
• Enough Coconut Cream to Mix

Mix your dry ingredients together first, then fork in your coconut oil. Dribble in your pandan extract and coconut cream, then knead your dough until it becomes a smooth ball. Refrigerate for 15 minutes and reminisce about your childhood in the meantime. Roll out to your preferred thinness, taking mind that this will puff up only slightly, and then put your coconut filling in the middle. Pinch your sides up and moisten lightly with the leftover coconut cream, then roll onto the newly formed seam and cut even pieces from your dough log (which should be a rectangle by now). Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until cooked to your liking and serve with golden milk


They look like mini-burritos, don't they? If you have any extra dough you can roll it in some chocolate chips and bake for the same amount of time, or you can make a fantastic and pretty healthy pie crust. Better yet - you could make straws to sip your golden milk with (they stay crunchy) or a variation on cannollis with a coconut cream topping!


(Golden Milk Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Non-Dairy Milk
• 1/2 tsp of Turmeric
• 1 tbl of Raw Sugar or Agave Nectar
• Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Allspice and Cloves (to taste)

Warm all of your ingredients together and strain, let cool and strain if necessary.

Thanks for visiting my post and many thanks to Susmitha for hosting me! I hope that you all have enjoyed this short experience as much as I have!

BBQ Ribz, Baked Beans & Potato Salad (High Protein)

I've been wanting to work on seitan ribz for almost two years now, and I finally got the chance over Labor Day weekend late last month. The process took longer than I thought, only because I had left town for pretty much the whole day when I planned on putting these lovelies on the smoker-grill. They were so tender with a slight chew and very juicy with a hint of smoke and a caramelized crust from the dry rub. To serve with the BBQ dinner for one, I made a big pot of baked beans and made some quick, single-potato salad for atmosphere.

(BBQ Baked Beans Ingredients)

• 1/2 pound of Navy Beans&
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 8 cups of Cold Water
• 1/2 cup of Agave Nectar
• 4 tbsp BBQ Sauce

(BBQ Baked Beans Directions)

• Combine all of your ingredients except for the salt into a slow cooker and cook for eight hours.
• Add salt after tasting.

(Potato Salad Ingredients)

• 1 Medium-Sized Potatoes(diced)
• 1/4 Minced White Onion
• 5 tbsp Vegan Cream Cheese
• A splash of AC Vinegar
• A pinch of Salt and Pepper

(Potato Salad Directions)

• Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.
• Mix your cheese and vinegar together and toss in your potatoes.
• Fold in your onions and season with salt and pepper as you like.
• Refrigerate for at least an hour.

(BBQ Ribz Ingredients)

• 2 and 1/2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten
• 2 tsp Oil
• Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt, Onion Powder and Black Pepper
• 2 cups Cold Veg Broth

(BBQ Ribz Dry Rub Ingredients)

• 1/4 cup Raw Sugar
• Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper and Chili Powder
• 2 tsp Salt

(BBQ Ribz Directions)

• Mix your dry ingredients together with your oil and then slowly pour in the broth.(Don't use all of this, because you will need some later.) Knead fifteen times.
• Let your seitan rest for about 30 minutes and set your oven to 300 degrees.
• Fill a long casserole dish with more broth and your preferred seasonings, then spread out the seitan into it.
• Roast your seitan for 30 minutes, flip and cook for thirty minutes more.
• Cut into ribz and slice off anything uneven. Pop a few popsicle sticks into them, then allow to cool in the fridge.
• Coat the ribz in the dry rub. Grill/smoke for 20 minutes to an hour and serve with the rest of your meal.

Hope you have a great BBQ!

Oatmeal Walnut Raisin Cookies for Dad (Low-Fat, Low-Sugar, for Diabetics)

My father's birthday was a few months ago and while he generally doesn't like gifts, I did get on the phone with him and asked what type of cookies he would like. He shocked the both of us by stating he wanted oatmeal raisin cookies with walnuts inside. These were the perfect cookies for him, but I was a bit nervous as I'm not very experienced with these types. They may not look fantastic in the photo, but he was absolutely ecstatic to see them. The recipe makes about 11-12 cookies. Since he is a diabetic I had a lower sugar content and also gave him only half of the batch.


What's your favorite type of cookie?

(Ingredients)Makes 12

• 1/2 cup of White Whole Wheat
• 1/4 cup of Dry Oats
• 1/2 tsp of Baking Soda
• 3/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 5 tsp Raw Sugar
• 1/4 cup Chopped Walnuts
• 1/4 cup of Chia Seed Gel
• 2 tbl of Veggie Oil
• 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
• A few tbl of Golden Raisins
• Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice and Cardamom to taste

(Directions)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix your flour,oats, baking soda, and baking powder together in large bowl.
• Next,add nuts, raisins, and vanilla extract. Mix together
• Blend in oil and spices until incorporated.
• Stir in your sugar and chia gel until blended.
• Place 1 tbsp sized dollup on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Once done, let cool. Enjoy!

Chicken, Chorizo Enfrijoladas (Sugar-Free, High Protein)

The lesser-known sibling of the enchilada is most definitely one of the tastier variations, especially for those that aren't a lover of even mildly spicy foods. Even lesser known are the encremadas - but that's a different story. No, our hero today is the simple black bean - full of protein and barely any of the fat you might get with typical Mexican dishes. The dish, while made up of quite a few components here, is  actually quite simple and so very addictive - I even enjoyed the vegan cheese from Galaxy. Something about this dish just speaks to me, and my family enjoyed it so much that they've been asking for leftovers for lunch and dinner consistently. These are best fresh and fresh made tortillas from your local market make these even more tasty. Chicken seitan mixed with spicy chorizo wrapped in a soft yellow corn tortilla and topped with a lightly murky black bean sauce then baked to a crisp perfection with vegan cheese before being served simply with a thick and acidic salsa or your preferred toppings.

The baked sauce in the casserole after the tortillas are plated is something that could seriously be made a meal on its own. Its like the best type of refried beans that you could ever eat and you'll just want more of it. I honestly almost ran out of tortillas and totally ran out of black beans while making this, I may have even hoarded some of the leftovers for myself. This is a dish that absolutely needs to be crafted and shared on a regular basis, like many Mexican dishes this is one that will help everyone gather around the dinner and have an amazing meal. Its quick to make and you can take a shortcut with pre-cooked, canned beans but it still won't hold as much water as freshly cooked and heated beans from the crockpot. That's not to say that it isn't alright to do this, but take some time out of your morning to just place the beans on "low" on the crockpot and cook until dinner time.

(Enfrijolada Ingredients)

• Soyrizo
• Chicken seitan(recipe follows)
• Corn tortillas(as many you have to fill dish)
• Enfrijolada Sauce(recipe follows)

(Enfrijolada Sauce Ingredients)

• 1 Pound of Dried Black Beans
• Salt, Pepper, Oregano (to taste)
• 1 Red Chili (optional)

(Enfrijolada Sauce Directions)

• Wash your beans and place into your slow cooker with the water for about 8 hours until fully soft.
• Let cool until room temperature then add in your other seasonings until you enjoy the taste.
• Set aside

(Chicken Seitan Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tbl Chili Powder
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder and Pepper
• 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth

(Chicken Seitan Directions)

• Mix your dry together, then the oil and knead in the broth. Knead about 35 times then boil for 25 minutes
• slice into pieces and cook in a non-stick skillet with extra seasonings and chorizo.

(Assembly Directions)

• Heat your tortillas if they are more than a day old.
• Fill with chicken seitan and soyrizo, roll like a taquito.
• Nestle into a casserole dish that has been pooled with the bean sauce. Top with more bean sauce.
• Top with some vegan cheese mounted on top to make the sauce even more delectable.
• Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is browned.

Serve with some nice tomato salsa, white onions and a smile - everyone will enjoy! Be sure to scoop out the leftover bean sauce and cheese from the baked casserole dish because it is pure heaven! 

Apple Pie Larabars (No-Added Fat, No-Added Sugar)

To be honest, I'm not a fan of most bars - whether it be Lara, Luna or Cliff (although I prefer the latter). Normally they're too high in sugar and calories and quite low in the protein that I want after an intense workout - plus they rarely taste like the description. Although the sugars are normally natural from dates and the like, its still quite a lot of ingredients for me - and so I've chosen to make my own variations of things that I loved both as a kid and now. This truly tastes like an apple pie - and its very quick to make with no added oils!

(Ingredients)

• 1/4 cup of Homemade Date Paste
• 1 1/2 cups of Old-Fashioned Oats (replace with Walnuts if you wish)
• 1/2 Chunked Green Apple
• 2 tsp of Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of Cardamom and Coriander
• A few Squeezes of Agave Nectar
• Vanilla Rice Protein Powder (optional)

(Directions)

• Place your oats in a blender with your spices, blend but allow some oat pieces to remain whole and then combine with your date paste and agave nectar in a bowl. If it has not come together and stuck, slowly add water to it and then fold in your apples.
• Place into a dish lined with parchment paper and dehydrate at 150 degrees for about 15 min to one hour but do not allow it to become like baked oatmeal.
• Cut into squares, serve and enjoy - add some stevia around top for texture!

Raw Mint Chocolate Ice Cream (No Added Sugar, Gluten-Free, Raw)

I was in the middle of making my favorite avocado smoothie and some beet pancakes when I noticed that I had way too big of a smoothie for it to be fresh. Instead of saving it or waking someone else up to eat the other half I instead decided to  freeze it, and oh boy was I happy that I did. The next day there was a slight heat wave but I was prepared! This is more similar to chocolate ice, unless you use an ice cream maker, but the mint and chocolate flavors are really fantastic, and can help your kids out with a sugar-free way of eating more fruits and veggies.

(Ingredients)

• 1 Large Ripe Banana
• 1/2 Large Ripe Avocado
• 1/4 cup of Cocoa
• 5 tsp Stevia
• 3 drops of Food-Safe Mint Oil
• About 1 & 1/2 cups Non-Dairy Milk

(Directions)

• Blend the ingredients until fine and then freeze, taking it out every three hours or so to scrape and mix it to your liking. Skip the step if you are churning and let it thaw for five minutes or so when you are ready to eat.
• Grab a spoon and enjoy!

Guest Post: By Susmitha Subbaraju

Susmitha is perhaps one of the friendliest people that I have encountered online and has accepted me into the group "Vegan Temptivists" on Facebook, which is truly an honor - especially since she is my first guest blogger! She is an extremely talented artist in practically all of the mediums and makes amazingly mouth-watering recipes. Her blog, http://blog.veganosaurus.com/ is full of delicious, stunning and unique recipes - she isn't afraid to veganize and is most definitely outgoing when it comes to the things that she loves. Check her out because you won't regret it! ^^

---

Before I became vegan, 9 years ago, I was never interested in baking and barely interested in cooking. But turning vegan opened up a whole new world of ingredients and possibilities to me and I couldn't help but be inspired to get creative in my kitchen. That's when the baking bug bit me and ever since then there's been no looking back.
Since I'm vegan for ethical reasons, for the longest time I had the attitude that I'd rather use a few less than healthy ingredients in my baking (all purpose flour, processed oils etc...) than compromise on the taste and texture of the finished goodie. My main focus was to have people taste my cakes and pastries and be blown away by the deliciousness of vegan desserts.

When my more health inclined vegan friends spoke of using date syrup or whole wheat flour in their cakes, I used to turn up my nose and say, "those healthy cakes won't impress non-vegans into turning vegan so what's the point?" I even tasted a few of those healthy cakes and cookies with an open mind but was left unimpressed which further strengthened my belief that good cakes had to be made of all purpose flour and contain a generous amount of oil.

Then a few months ago, my friend Arun kicked that attitude right out of me by bringing this amaaaazing chocolate cake to our monthly Vegan Bengaluru potluck. I thoroughly enjoyed it. He told me that it contained absolutely no oil, was made of whole wheat flour and was made without an oven! My jaw would've dropped hearing that last bit except that I was busy gobbling up the cake.

Since I associate Bou Shin's blog with healthy eating as much as the cute bentos, I figured a healthy cake recipe would be perfect for my guest post here. :)

I made a bunch of changes to Arun's original recipe based on the ingredients I had at home.

(Here's my version of the Healthy Chocolate Cake recipe)

• 1 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 C Jaggery Powder (can use Sugar if you can't find jaggery but it's less healthier that way)
• 1/3 C Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 Small Mashed Bananas + 2 tsp Flax Seed Powder+ 1/4 C Water (whipped together for a few minutes)
• 3 tsp Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 C Water
• 1/2 C Walnuts - broken into little pieces
• 2 Small Mashed Bananas + 2 tsp Flax Seed Powder+ 1/4 C Water (whipped together for a few minutes)

(Directions)

• Bring 3 to 4 C of water to boil in a large pan/pot/steamer (the baking dish should easily fit inside).
• Line a baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly grease with a few drops of olive oil.
• Mix dry ingredients (except sweetener and walnuts) and sieve a few times to make the flour airy.
• Mix jaggery/sugar with wet ingredients and whip for a few minutes to create air bubbles.
• Mix wet and dry ingredients quickly until there are no large lumps (do not over mix).
• Stir in the walnuts and transfer to baking dish.
• Place an upside down the plate or bowl inside the steamer pot (to add height) and place the baking dish inside it.
• Cover the pot and steam on medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and continue steaming for another 15 minutes.
• Remove the baking dish from the pot and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.
• Gently lift the cake along with the foil out of the dish and place on a cooling rack.
• After the cake has cooled completely, peel off the foil.
• Slice and serve plain or with melted chocolate poured over it.
• Enjoy!

Thanks Bou Shin for having me over on your blog.

Rice Waffles (Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Wheat-Free, Fat/Oil-Free)

I haven't had wheat flour in the house for about a month now, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm able to get out of the whole "dry wheat toast for breakfast with fruit" and instead moving on to other carbs. These are great for those that can't have gluten or wheat, and thankfully they have stevia to make them slightly sweet without rotting your teeth. These are toothy, crispy and absolutely delicious with a  great texture. They're very similar to hand-pounded mochi waffles and are, infact, half-hand pounded to give them that nice texture. Cinnamon sprinkled throughout, topped with fruit and agave nectar makes this an amazingly cheap, quick and fun breakfast.

(Ingredients)

• 2 cups Cooked White & Brown Rice
• 1 tsp of Baking Powder
• 2 & 1/2 tsp Stevia Powder
• 2 tsp of Cinnamon

(Directions)

• Cook your rice according to the directions and once it has steamed for about 15 minutes (after full cooking) you can take half of the rice and put it into a large metal bowl.
• Use a crab mallet, mortar and pestle or whatever you can and start to pound the grain. The goal here is to let everything get mashed together so that the grains stick. Once it has gotten into a sticky paste, fold in your dry ingredients and pound them in, stretching and pulling the rice across the bowl as you pound and mix.
• Then, take an electric mixer and continue to beat the rice down until only a few half-shaped grains are left.
• Preheat your waffle iron and spray heavily, then place a big dollop in the middle and cook until crisp - you may need to "cook" it twice. Be sure to watch out for the steam.
• Serve with your favorite toppings, a big glass of non-dairy milk and enjoy!

Baked Kinako Rice Pudding (Gluten-Free)

Have you ever been making a rice dish, be it casserole, onigiri or stir-fry, and found that it was too mushy to be used as is? Don't fear - if you just have some sugar, organic soybeans and peanut butter you can have an absolutely mouthwatering and addicting, enjoyable dessert. This sweet and salty treat is traditionally served on Japanese new years in squares after being broiled in the oven until puffy in crispy, then it is quickly dipped in hot water and rolled in sugar, salt and roasted soy beans. It is so delicious and, in my opinion, the best type of mochi there is - even besting my coconut mochi

(Ingredients)

• About 1 cup of cooked Mixed Rice (Brown + White)
• 1/4 cup of Crunchy Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup of Raw Sugar
• 4 tbl Vegan Margarine
• Toasted and Ground Soybeans
• Water to Mix
• Salt to taste

(Directions)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Take about half of your mushy rice and place into a blender with some water. Blend until it is a thick paste and mix with your rice and other ingredients other than the soybeans.
• Pack into a parchment-paper lined baking dish and then coat liberally with more sugar and a bit of salt, being just as liberal with your beans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, take out and see if it is done - if it is still sticky but has started to brown then you are at a great place.
• Using a large and clean knife, cut into sizable squares and crank the heat up to 400 degrees. Continue baking until it has finally started to crisp and finally be fully cooked.
• Allow it to rest slightly but keep it warm, and give a slice to everyone with a nice small scoop of vanilla ice cream or to add more fun to it. You could also put each slice on a stick and let everyone (under careful supervision) toast their mochi pudding to their liking in a nice toaster oven.
• Enjoy!

Vegan Italian Beef W/ Homemade Hot Giardineria (Fat-Free Option)

This has got to be the best "slow-cooked" seitan that I have ever had - its so tender and juicy from the broth I made, with little to no chew so it literally melts in your mouth. The juiciness helps reactivate more of the creaminess and meltiness from the flavored cream cheese (chive and garlic)  that I spread upon the buns before toasting them to an utmost crispness. The light spice from the peppers and the kick from the salt and vinegar make this an extremely addicting sandwich that anyone could love.

(Italian Beef Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten(Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 tsp of Basil
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 3 tsp Italian Seasonings
• 1 tsp Olive Oil or Chilled Chickpea Broth

(Broth Mix Ingredients)

• 5 cloves Crushed Garlic
• Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Salt and Italian Seasonings
• Molasses to darken the broth
• 1 gallon of Cold Water

(Italian Beef Directions)

• Mix your dry and your oil together and slowly add in your cold water. Knead lightly about 30-35 times and keep whatever liquid comes out in the bowl with the seitan.
• Combine your broth ingredients together in a large pot and bring to a boil. Then add in the seitan and leftover liquid. .
• Place a pot top on the seitan and turn the heat on low, then check about 20 minutes in to see if it has expanded, if it has you can spoon a little broth on top and make sure that nothing has over boiled. Let this cook for about five more minutes until well-browned and it looks cuter.
• Remove the pot lid, then turn the heat to the highest degree and cook for exactly one minute.
• Return the pot top and cut off the heat, letting it sit from two hours to the whole night
• When you are ready, place your large piece of seitan on a plate and squeeze the water out of it - but do not drain your broth at all.
• Take a fork and a knife and cut the seitan in half, then scrape the "skin" and "meat" off from each other, away from you. If a piece gets bigger than your thumb, chop it up.
• Place into a nice pasta drainer or fryer net and allow for your seitan to warm up in the broth as you turn the heat on medium. Once it has warmed, you can get some of the extra liquid out by cooking it in a dry, non-stick skillet.
• When the seitan has come to your liking, place atop two well-toasted buns that have been schmeared with cream cheese or vegan margarine and then delicately lay on your giardineria.

(Homemade Giardineria Ingredients)

• 2 stalks of Diced Celery
• 1 small Diced Carrot
• 1/2 Diced Green Bell
• 1 (half) De-Seeded Jalapeno Pepper
• 2 cloves Diced Garlic
• 1/4 Diced White Onion
• Diced Green Olives and Cauliflower
• Oregano, Black Pepper and Salt
• 1 cup of White Vinegar
• 1/2 cup of Olive Oil (add none if you want fat-free)

(Homemade Giardineria Directions)

• Pour boiling water on your vegetables, dip them in cool water then combine all of the ingredients in a jar.
• Let it sit in the fridge, untouched, for 2-6 days or until you believe it is ready. Serve atop your Italian beef and enjoy!

Vegan Haluski & Seitan Pork Steak (German-Inspired, Sugar-Free)

This is an easy to love dish - you have thick, homemade rye noodles covered in the warm juices of pan-fried cabbage and collard greens. Mixed with it are caramelized onions, garlic, mace and sweet, sticky rutabaga. On top of that is fennel-spiced seitan "pork" that has been lightly fried with garlic powder, salt and all sprinkled with a light touch of mace and nutmeg. This is the perfect family dish that can be made into a casserole or each item eaten on its own.

(German Pork Seitan Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten(3/4 Arrowhead Mills 1/4 Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Fennel Seed
• 1/4 tsp Mace
• Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup Ice Cold Water)

(German Pork Seitan Directions)

• Mix your dry together, including the oil, and then slowly pour the water in until all of the Vital Wheat Gluten flour is gone
• Knead lightly so that the dual-flours and spices can come together, but don't let them become too strong.
• Boil for about 15 minutes with the top on, then remove the top and boil for 15 more minutes.
• Place onto plate to let cool, slice into steaks and pan-fry in a small amount of oil after patting dry.

(Rye Noodles Ingredients)

• 4 cups of Dark Rye Flour
• 6 cups of All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Salt
• Water to mix

(Rye Noodles Directions)

• Mix your dry and then knead your water in until it is a durable dough and no longer soft.
• Knead lightly so that the dual-flours and spices can come together, but don't let them become too strong.
• Place through a pasta roller then roll it through a dye-cut part of the pasta maker (or slice it yourself).
• Coat in flour and boil until they float.
• Pan-fry with your cabbage and serve under your seitan.

(Fried Cabbage Ingredients)

• 3/4 Cubed Rutabega
• 1/2 Sliced Large Cabbage
• 2 thinly Sliced White Onions
• 6 Minced Cloves of Garlic
• Salt, Pepper, Fennel and Mace
• Garlic Powder

(Fried Cabbage Directions)

• First, caramelize your onions in a dry pan then remove
• Boil the rutabaga until it changes color slightly, then add in your onions. Once they soften to being almost forkable - add in your cabbage and seasonings.
• Place a pot top on then wait until it is all cooked.
• Add in your garlic, taste, then take out what you want to pan-fry with the noodles.

Assemble everything together and enjoy!

*Mace can be replaced with nutmeg or allspice in smaller amounts*

Hummus Croutons w/Lemon Vinaigrette (Whole-Wheat, Gluten-Free Option)

Croutons are so easy to make - if you have a crusty or even soft loaf of bread you can make an addicting salad topper. When it comes to "homemade" food, nothing is better than warm, well-seasoned crispy toasts. Combined with tomatoes, greens, Italian herbs and lovingly coated with a nice lemon vinaigrette, this makes an excellent snack.

(Hummus Croutons Ingredients)

• 4 Slices of Whole Wheat or GF Bread
• 5 tbl Olive Hummus
• Minced Garlic Cloves
• Garlic Powder, Italian Seasoning and Salt
• Olive Oil (optional)

(Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients)

• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• Juice from 1/2 Lemon
• 1/2 tsp Dijon or Stone-Ground Mustard
• Minced Garlic and Basil
• A pinch of Salt and Pepper

(Directions)

• Cut your bread into thick pieces.
• Coat with the above ingredients and bake at 400 degrees until crispy.
• Meanwhile whisk your vinaigrette ingredients together, making sure that everything has time to meld and that the olive oil is the first thing in the bowl.
• Allow the flavors to meld for about an hour, then combine with your favorite salad greens, croutons and enjoy.

Raw Vegan Brownies (Soy-Free, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free)

Lately I've been trying a lot more raw vegan foods and recipes to get rid of over-processed sugars and take a short vacation from wheat. It has really been working for me and I'm extremely energetic due to it, which just makes me a bucketload of fun. As for these brownies, you could say that they are more than chockful of nuts - the whole base is made out of nuts and pressed into the tops of each brownie is a delicious coconut flavored almond. It took maybe only three or four hours for these to dehydrate, but it depends on how moist or crisp you want these to be. They're lightly chocolatey but full of coconutty-goodness, and a sprinkle of stevia on top can really make them "pop!"

(Ingredients)

• 5 Softened Dates or Prunes
• 1/2 cup of Coconut Flour
• 1/4 cup of Plain Almonds
• 3 tsp Grated Raw Chocolate (sub cocoa if not fully raw)

(Directions)

• After softening your fruit in warm water, you can process it with the rest of the ingredients.
• Press into a dish lined with parchment paper and dehydrate at 180 degrees for 2-5 hours or until it looks well done. I still like to stick a knife in it to test its "gooeyness" and the edges to see if they are plump or crisp. Press it thinner if you like them a bit on the crisp and chewy side.
• Allow to cool slightly, serve and enjoy.

Fat-Free Kale Chips (No-Salt, Fat-Free, Sugar-Free)

This is super-simple and incredibly fast, especially if you use the roasting method. They're a great fat-free alternative to potato chips and I really prefer these over them. You can make these sweet or savory, dusting in some stevia and coating these in chocolate or maybe even adding a touch of salt and crushing them into some granola - whatever suits your fancy.

(Ingredients)

• 1/2 bunch of Roughly Chopped Kale
• Garlic Powder
• Salt-Free Chipotle Seasoning

(Directions)

• After removing the stem and chopping the kale, wash it and place onto some parchment paper.
• Season with your preferred spices and bake at 400 degrees for about 7-10 minutes or dehydrate at 150 degrees for a few hours.
• Enjoy!