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!

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!

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! 

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! ^^

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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.

Super Simple Buffalo Tofu (No-Added Salt, Low-Fat, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free)

Hey guys! I'm sure you've all been wondering where I've been lately. I've been trying to take everything slowly now because next year will be extremely busy what with my job and getting a new school done. I've also been working on bodybuilding for something that is totally not focused on simply cosplaying as Tanya from "Mortal Kombat" (cough). I've been trying to update every five days and making sure that you guys have plenty of simple things to look at and try.

This tofu only requires about five ingredients, most of which are pretty interchangeable whenever you like. All you need is some good tofu and a nice, nonstick skillet for this smokey, savory and spicy meal component. Here we go!

(Ingredients)

• 1/2 package of Firm Tofu
• 1/4 cup of Louisiana Hot Sauce
• Black Pepper, Chipotle Powder and Garlic Powder
• Water per slice

(Directions)

• First, slice your tofu into rectangles and press until all the liquid is out, then slice into triangles and marinate your slices in the mixture above for however long you feel. If you're pressed for time you can just put these on the stovetop and they'll still be delicious.
• Place into the pan without any oil at medium-high heat, and if anything starts to stick you can put in a few droplets of water which actually helps make it a bit crispier. Flip and repeat.
• Serve with celery and carrots or eat on its own - its a treat that certainly isn't naughty but tastes like it is!

Banana & Vanilla Lofthouse Cookies (Low-Fat, Soy-Free)

Isn't this just the cutest!? I especially love this new chocolate mold that I got from JList - there's a side with rabbits and hearts while the other is bears and stars. The way the milk ends up in the eyes at the bottom of the chocolate straw I've made is really out of this world. I've also use the mold to shape some cute bunny cookies that I've coated with sugar, and with the leftover dough I've made sugar-coated bunny ears and an adorable turtle! These were served with Chinese Hose Tea but still ended up looking quite white.

(B&V Lofthouse Cookies Ingredients)

• 2 cups of Cake Flour
• 1/4 tsp of Baking Powder
• 1 Dry packet of Vanilla Pudding
• 1 Semi-Ripe Banana
• 2 tbl Vegan Margarine
• 1/2 tsp Organic Banana Extract
• 1/4 Cup Almond Milk

(Directions)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift together your flour and baking powder.
• Using an electric mixer mix the vanilla powder, margarine and banana, while pouring in the extract.
• Slowly add a small amount of almond milk about a tablespoon at a time, alternating with the flour mixture until no longer sticky but still slightly wet.
• Pack together by hand and wrap into a log. Refrigerate for about 1-2 hours, slice and either coat with sugar or leave as you like.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottoms, then place into a cookie jar or container with a top and place them in while still hot.
• Repeat with the rest of the batch until the whole jar is cooled and frost the un-sugared cookies, sprinkles are best for the "lofthouse" effect.

Peruvian Stirfry, Lomo Saltado with Cauliflower Rice (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Low-Fat, Low-Sugar)

I've been wanting to try this forever! The ingredients fit so well, you get a vinegary punch from hot sauce and a kick from that and some jalapenos with a bit of sweet and acidic flavor from caramelized onions with home-stewed tomatoes. This truly is a stirfry with great balance, and to absorb this melody of flavors you just need some thick-cut fries to sop it all up, they never get soggy and they always stay delicious. Instead of using seitan as I usually would, I decided to make it extra simple and just used some portabella mushrooms that I had in the fridge and it worked perfectly!

(Lomo Saltado Ingredients)

• 1/2 Large Red Onion
• 2 tbl of Sambal Oelek
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 Jalapeno
• 2 Mini Yellow & Orange Bell Peppers
• 1 & 1/2 Large Tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp of Vinegar
• 1 tsp of Hot Sauce (your choice)
• 1/4 cup of Collard Greens
• 1/4 cup of Sliced Portabella Mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp of Stevia (optional)
• Salt to taste (optional)
• Cumin and Garlic Powder to taste
• Cilantro

(Cauliflower Rice Ingredients)

• 1/3 head of Cauliflower
• 2 tbl of Olive Oil
• Salt to taste (optional)

A large amount of Thick-Cut Fries (pre-cooked in an oven)

(Directions)

• Simply roast your cauliflower until softened and crisped a bit.
• run through a blender of food processor until it has the light texture of rice - but don't allow it to get mushy. Place aside.


• Mince your jalapeno, garlic and onion and then saute in a dry pan over low heat until they lightly caramelize.
• Season and then add in your bell peppers and tomatoes with your liquids.
• Continue to cook on low until the tomato has softened and released more juices, then mix in your collard greens, mushrooms and seasonings. Cook and taste, adding what you feel is needed.
• Then, turn off the heat and add your cilantro before folding in your fries and serving with your cauliflower rice.

I hope that you enjoy! ^^

Seitan Fajitas (Low-Fat, Oil-Free, Simple)

I had this for breakfast and used the same exact recipe for my "A Bento For Dad". The only difference being that I used no oil to cook this in my non-stick pan in. Plus, I steamed everything else for a lower fat and healthier meal, which makes me pretty happy! The seitan is extremely  soft, but still has enough 'chew' and flavor to just be eaten on its own (which I generally do). So, I hope that you like this as much as me.

(Fajita Seitan Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten (I used Arrowhead Mills)
• 2 tsp of Garlic Powder
• 3 tsp of Salt-Free Taco Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp of Cumin
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 4 tbl of Jelled Chickpea Broth
• Enough Water to mix

(Fajita Seitan Directions)

• Mix your dry ingredients together, then add in your broth and mix until there is too much gluten to mix in.
• Then you can slowly add in your water and knead with your hands about fifty times or until it is spongey.
• Cut into bite-size pieces and boil in water or broth for about an hour, then stir/pan-fry for a few minutes with olive oil or a dry pan until it has crisped to your liking.
• Sprinkle with extra seasoning, present with vegetables and fold in a nice flour tortilla, then you're done!
• Enjoy!

5-Minute Mug Cake (Banana with Crumble) Soy-free, Gluten-Free, No-Sugar Added, Low-Fat

This cake is so delicious and moist, it has great lift and the best part that it has absolutely no added sugar and is very low-fat! If you're like my family and tend to take a few single-servings then this is perfect for you! This cake is so moist, fluffy, only slightly sweet and great for breakfast. Full of spices, fruity goodness and very filling for those on the go. Just a few calories to keep you going and much better than those office muffins.

(Mug Cake Ingredients)

• 1 Ripe Banana (frozen and defrosted)
• 2 tsp of Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of Nutmeg
• A sprinkle of Cardamom and Allspice
• 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp of Baking Soda
• About 3/4 cup of Gluten-Free Whole Grain Flour
• 1/2 tsp of Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/4 tsp of Vanilla
• 1/4 cup of Vegan Buttermilk (curdled with Lemon)

(Crumb Topping Ingredients)

• A handful of Gluten-Free Oatmeal
• 1/2 tsp of Cold Vegan Margarine (trans-fat free)
• 1/4 cup of Applesauce
• Spices to taste
• Stevia (very optional)

(Directions)

• For the Crumble: Rub the ingredients together, chill in the fridge until the batter is ready then top with the crumble.


• For the cake: Mash your banana into a pulp with a whisk and add your spices. Then add the baking powder, baking soda, lemon juice and flour. Fold in your flour, a few tablespoons at a time and then fold in your vanilla and vegan buttermilk.
• Spray your mug with non-fat, non-stick spray liberally and then pour in your batter. Tap lightly on a countertop about 20 times and then place your crumble on top.
• Place in the microwave for about 2 minutes and 50 seconds (you may need to adjust per your microwave), eat carefully and enjoy!

Single-Serving Cupcakes (Strawberry Daquiri) for Cupcake Wars

My mum woke me up a few days ago and told me how "Cupcake Wars" on the Food Network was holding an all-vegan competition. It wasn't until I saw the exact commercial that I got especially excited - I mean, I've only seen one recipe labelled as vegan throughout the entire Food Network website so this was a total shocker. However, I also knew that they had hosted "The Veg Edge" on their sister channel, "The Cooking Channel" and had much hope for all of this. In celebration I decided to take a recipe from one of the many cupcake challenges and twist it up a bit.

(Three Single Serving Cupcakes Ingredients)

• 3/4 cup of All-Purpose (or White Whole Wheat) Flour
• 1/4 cup of White Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tbl Stevia
• 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder
• 1/8 tsp Turmeric
• A few tbl of Non-Dairy Milk
• 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 tsp Veggie Oil

(Strawberry Icing Ingredients)

• 1/4 cup of Coconut Cream(whipped until fluffy)
• 1/4 tsp of Coconut Oil (liquid)
• 2 Medium Strawberries (diced to a pulp)
• 1/2 tsp of Lime Juice
• 1 tbl of Stevia *

(Kiwi Curd/Filling Ingredients)

• 1/2 Pureed Kiwi
• 1/2 tbl Stevia *
• 1 tbl of Cornstarch
• 5 tbl of Water
• 1/4 cup of Water
• Lemon Zest

(Directions)

• For the cupcakes: Whisk your dry ingredients together, fold in your milk and vanilla extract then add in your oil.
• Place into your baking molds and tap them each lightly about 20 times onto the counter.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until your toothpick comes clean from test-time.
• Let them cool and then prepare your fillings and "icing"


• For the Strawberry Icing: Mash your strawberries with the juice and stevia, then fold them into the coconut cream and oil.
• Place into a plastic or pastry bag and wait for your cupcakes to cool.


• For the Kiwi Curd - Combine everything except for the tablespoons of water and cornstarch, then heat on medium.
• Mix tablespoons of water and cornstarch, then add to kiwi. Cook until it has thickened. Let the curd cool, place into a pastry bag and wait until your cupcakes are cool.
• Then use a skewer to make a hole in the middle of the cupcake, add in your curd and top with your icing - then turn onto the Food Network around 7:30/8:00 and enjoy yourself!

Note* - You can use raw sugar or other sweeteners if you don't enjoy stevia.

Mum's Meals

Bulgur and Lentil tacos with avocado, onions, garlic, cilantro and tomato (2 servings)

If you follow me on Facebook then you know that my mother has asked me to fix her meals as she is now on a (mostly) plant-based diet with low-fat and low-sodium for her health. Hopefully she will become vegetarian and possibly vegan soon, but she is doing good either the way and all I want for her is to be the healthiest that she can be. This is just a compilation of the things that you guys have missed from me lately since I've been running around so much lately. I hope this will make up for at least part of the week! Hehe. ^^

Fat and salt-free dinner with roasted zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms and peppers
with garlic and onions.

Its shaped like the United States! ^^ Enchilada pie with broccoli cream and an onion + mushroom filling.



Ethiopian Wot with carrots, fresh cauliflower, roasted cauliflower stem and berries.


I hope that you guys enjoy this post and are inspired by it! If you want me to post the recipes for anything - just comment here and ask - and don't forget to follow me on Facebook!

Kuririn Parfait (Low-Fat and Sugar-Free)

I came up with this yesterday because I was a bit tired of making Hello Kitty for everything - and I bet you guys were too. I had originally had my eyes set on a King Cake but after an incident (that you'll know about if you follow me on Twitter) that was saved by my beautiful freezer that also resulted in ensuring that I had a very seedy cake - I decided to make a hamster themed dessert! Trust me - its fantastic and addicting.

(Seed Cake Dry Ingredients)

• 4 tbl of Coconut Oil (slightly cold)
• 1 and 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 3/4 cup of Chia Seeds (soaked with water)
• 2 and 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 cup of All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
• 1/4 cup of Stevia (or other Powdered Substitute)
• 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups of Vegan Buttermilk

(Directions)

• Cream together your stevia and coconut oil and then slowly add in your chia seeds.
• Fold in your flour and other dry ingredients. Then pour in your wet ingredients. Mix gently until fully incorporated and place into a greased baking dish.
• Bake for about an hour at 350 degrees or until well-browned and cooked. Let it rest, then chill.
• Put some cake into your serving dish. Top with homemade coconut whipped cream, dehydrated bananas, a fanned strawberry and put a little bit of pandan on one banana slice and place it near the strawberry for the full "Kuririn" effect.

I hope you enjoy! Whose your favorite Sanrio character?

Baked Mini Apple Donuts (Low-Fat and Sugar-Free)

Do....uh...do I eat it? I mean, they're so adorable! They smell delicious though, and I'm a bit hungry. If you want to make your own little yummy donuts that make you question your hunger - you've come to the right place! These donuts were actually a happy accident as I was attempting to make healthy smores donuts, and I poured about two tablesoons of ACV into the mix. In an attempt for retribution I looked for apples to add and found that someone had made a delicious apple pie. ^^; So here we are!

(Mini Apple Donuts Ingredients)

• 1/2 Cup of Bulgur Flour (just grind some bulgur wheat)
• 1/2 cup of Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 cup of All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Annato Powder
• 5-8 tbl Stevia (or other dry sweetener)
• 2 tsp of Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 1-2 cups of Water (go slowly)
• 4 tbl of Oil (sub Applesauce or Chickpea Puree)
• 2 tbl of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

(Directions)

• Whisk all of your dry ingredients together. In seperate bowl,combine the oil to the water, extract, and vinegar. Then, then fold in dry ingredients with a spatula.
• Pour a small amount into your silicone donut pan (you have one, right?) and then bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until you feel that they're browned and ready.(Be sure not to let them be too thin or overspread themselves on top of the pan as that results in dryness.)
• Let them rest for about 15 minutes from the oven and then place the mini donuts on a wire cooling rack until they have cooled to the touch.
• Eat as many as you want (you may want to avoid the giraffe, however) and enjoy! ^^

Breakfast Bento

My first (and simplest) non-kyaraben bento, normally I don't photograph these types - but this was too adorable!

Breakfast Bento Ingredients:
1 Lightlife Sausage
Scrambled Tofu
Oatmeal Yogurt
Steamed Kale
Blackberry and Dark Chocolate Pancakes (Whole-Wheat)

It was a great and filling breakfast that only took thirty minutes to prepare - I hope that you enjoyed my first non-character bento!

Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Delicious, crunchy and extremely easy to make - these are a healthier alternative than the boxed cereal and can be made at any time. This is a soy-free dish with lots of oat milk, seeds, raw sugar, cinnamon and low fat oils that the whole family will most definitely love.  Just add a squeeze of agave nectar (if you want it really sweet), some more flax seeds, your favorite fruit and you're ready to enjoy a nice homemade breakfast. This meal also has a raw vegan and gluten-free alternative.

(Regular CTC Cereal Recipe)

• 3/4 cup of White Whole Wheat
• 1/4 or 1/2 cup of Raw Sugar
• 1/8 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tbl Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• 2 tbl Chia Seeds with cold water
• 3 squeezes Agave Nectar
• 1 tsp of Canola Oil
• Enough (gluten-free) Oat Milk to mix

(Regular CTC Cereal Directions)

• Mix all of the dry ingredients together with a spoon first,then mix in the wet ingredients.
• Knead about 40 times. Let the dough rest for about ten minutes.
• Roll the dough out as thinly as you like. The more thickness it has, the less crispness and the less time it will last on the shelves.
• Cut your squares, slather with oat milk and sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until fully browned and crisped.
• Fix your bowl of cereal and Enjoy!

(Raw Vegan Cereal Version)

• 1/2 cup of Ground Flax Seeds
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tbl of Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tbl Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• 5 tbl of Raw Agave Nectar
• 1/4 cup of Raw Sugar
• 3 tbl of Gluten-free Oats
• 2 tbl of Coconut Oil

(Raw Vegan Cereal Version Directions)

• Grind your dry ingredients together, mix in the wet, and cut into thin squares.
• Dehydrate or "bake" at 150 degrees for a few hours until fully dry.
• Add to your favorite fruit bowl mix or serve with non-daiy milk.
• Enjoy!

I hope that you like these two different recipes!

Sweet Potato Waffles

A very lovely person went to the store and bought a cheap waffle iron just for me! I've been wanting home-made waffles for years and lately I've been using it for at least five times a week, when I can. My favorite type of waffle is set just before you - sweet potato with cinnamon and nutmeg. Originally I had just made them to get rid of the extra sweet potato pie filling from Thanksgiving. But for now - I'm hooked.

(Sweet Potato Waffle Ingredients)

• 1 Large Diced Sweet Potato (Boiled)
• 1/2 cup of White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 cup of All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup of Sugar
• Enough Non-Dairy Milk to Thin it out
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg to taste
• A pinch of Salt
• 2 tbl of Oil (optional

(Directions)

• It is best to use an electric mixer to blend ingredients while you heat up your waffle iron.
• Follow waffle iron instructions as best as you can and keep the already made waffles in an oven at 200 degrees to stay warm until you're ready to eat.
• Cover with your favorite fruits, some coconut cream and enjoy!

Island Scones

These taste like a pacific-banana bread that I positively adore, respite the lack of a dark color. But you do what you have to when you have a small stove that goes out quickly - and especially when you're craving sweets.

(Island Scones Ingredients)

• 1 Mashed Banana
• 1/2 of One Lime (juice and some peel)
• 1/4-1/2 cup of Sugar
• 5 tbl of (Dry or Fresh) Pineapple
• 1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup of Light Coconut Milk
• 1 Cup of Pulverised Oatmeal
• 1 Cup of Whole White Wheat
• 1/2 cup of Pulverised Coconut
• 1/2 tbl of Baking Powder
• A Pinch of Sea Salt

(Directions)

• Preheat at 350 degrees
• Mix your dry and wet ingredients separately.
• Add in the wet to the dry and shape into triangular shapes.
• You can cover the tops in sugar, and then bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until fully browned.
• Coat with a mixture of pineapple juice and powdered sugar.Serve warm.
• Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy your taste of island bliss!

Nacho Cheese Pretzels

I had planned on making some seitan bacon but I couldn't find a certain ingredient, meaning that the garbanzo flour I was going to make would be rendered useless. Instead, I made it into a creamy and nacho-cheesy filling for my delicious pretzels.

(Pretzel Dough Ingredients)

• 4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
• About 1 and 3/4 cup Water
• 2 and 1/4 tsp Rapid-Rise Yeast
• 2 tsp Sea Salt + Coarse Salt for topping
• 1 tbl Vegan Sugar

(Cooking Water Ingredients)

• 10 Cups Cold Water
• 2/3 Cup Baking Soda

(Cheesy Filling Ingredients)

• 2 tbl Minced Red Pepper
• 1/2-1 tsp Chili Seasoning
• 1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast
• 1/4 Cup Cooked Garbanzo Beans
• Salt to taste (if necessary)

(Directions)

• Pretzel Dough: Mix the water, sugar and yeast together and let them sit for about five minutes while you mix the flour and salt together in a separate bowl.
• Build a well in the salt mixture, pour in the water and mix it well.
• Knead the mixture for about 10 minutes or until it turns into a smooth elastic ball and place into a greased bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit for about an hour in a warm place.


• Cheesy Filling: Puree the ingredients together and set them aside.


• Split your dough into equal pieces and then roll them out thinly with your hands, then take a rolling pin to roll the dough thinly.
• Spoon some of the cheesy mixture onto the middle of the dough (being careful to stay in the middle) and pinch the sides to reform it.
• Roll it out into a thin rope and make it into a pretzel (or whatever you want) shape. Set aside and put onto a rolled baking sheet. Let each rest for about 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven at 450 degrees.
• Bring your cooking water to a boil.
• Boil each pretzel for about 30 seconds and place back onto the baking sheet.
• Spread the coarse salt liberally to the pretzels and bake at 450 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• Enjoy!

Princess Mononoke Bento

I wanted to make this bento very simple as my bentos are (mostly) already natural. I used some leftover black bean chili that I had for last night's dinner and a bit of white rice with some vegetables (I also had a seperate veggie platter). The "H" is made out of a nori and it stands for both Hime (princess) and Hayao Miyazaki. The recipe is a bit different than what I did because I just mixed corn meal (sub rice flour) with chili.

Black Bean Burger Recipe:
1/4 cup of Cooked Black Beans + Juice
1 Jumbo Garlic Clove (minced and cooked)
1/4 Small Onion (minced and cooked)
1/2 Green Bell Pepper (minced)
Cumin, pepper, salt and chili powder to taste
Cornstarch or other thickener mixed + water (depending on your allergies)
Corn Meal or Rice flour (enough to make a paste)

Mix the ingredients together until they create a paste and then lightly oil or spray your cooking pan. Place the mixture in the pan and then cover it with a top until the bottom has cooked, flip it and then repeat until it has cooked to your liking. Add it on top of rice colored with chlorophyll and brocolli then create your kodama onigiri.

Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3