Sautéed Parmesan Kale

Stupidly good. And healthy to boot! This simple dish has become one of my go-to meals over the last few weeks. It's so easy to throw together, is quick, healthy, and can be eaten alone or with a grain mixed in (I've used brown rice and quinoa so far). It would also be delicious in a grilled cheese sandwich. I love it so much that I've eaten it for two meals in a row a few times. It is possible that not to long from now, I will have eaten my own weight in kale.

And I'm ok with that. See, kale has intimidated me for a long time. I just didn't know what to do with it. There it was, all....leafy. Leafy and expectant, as if I knew how to turn it into something delicious. Well, I didn't. So I avoided it. Even though I knew how healthy it is, and had heard all the promises about how kale is basically the answer to all life's problems. I still avoided it.

And then one day, at the grocery store, there it was again. This time, in the frozen aisle. And I picked up a bag and decided that I would make kale.

And I did! This recipe is so easy, and I especially love it for the fact that this Vegan Parmesan Cheese is the closest thing to real parmesan cheese I've tasted in a while. The best part is that it's foolproof! Everything can be adjusted to your own taste. This takes 6 - 9 minutes tops to make, and can be a side dish or a main dish - it just depends on how big a bucket of kale you're in the mood for.

Sautéed Parmesan Kale
Makes 1 serving

Cooking spray
1 cup frozen kale
2 - 3 tbsp. minced onion (to your own taste)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (to your own taste)
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. chipotle powder (or substitute another chili powder or red pepper flakes)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 - 4 tbsp. Vegan Parmesan Topping

Coat a skillet well with cooking spray. Combine the kale, onion, garlic powder, and chipotle powder, spray well with cooking spray, and sautee over medium heat until the minced onion is slightly browned. Continue cooking for another few minutes and then salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the vegan parmesan topping and serve immediately.

**Ideas for other ways to use this recipe:

• Combine the sauteed kale and parmesan with cooked quinoa for a lovely pilaf.
• Add a layer of this to a grilled cheese sandwich (using Daiya cheese wedges).
• Serve as a side dish with scrambled eggs and toast.

Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

These were so good that I had to give most of them away immediately or risk eating the entire pan myself within a stupidly short span of time. They are no-bake and the hardest part is waiting until they're cooled to start eating them. In fact, I did a terrible job of that and ate quite a lot of it while it was still warm and gooey. And as long as you don't care about it being in the shape of a granola bar, you should definitely do the same thing. Shapes are overrated. They taste awesome - that's what matters.

These are just delightful. And very hard to stop eating. And super easy to make. And that, friends, is a dangerous trifecta - but one that I can only recommend.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (Adapted from this recipe)
Makes one 8" x 8" pan of bars

1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. crunchy peanut butter (I used this kind)
1/2 cup crushed cashews
1 cup gluten-free oats
1 cup Honey Nut Chex crumbs (I started with about 1 1/2 cups whole Honey Nut Chex and ground them in a food processor)
3 tbsp. flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line an 8" x 8" pan with wax paper.

Combine the agave nectar, honey, and peanut butter in a small saucepan. Melt together over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or just until it starts to simmer.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the cashews, oats, Honey Nut Chex crumbs, flaxseed meal, and salt. Pour the hot liquid mixture in and mix well. Add in the chocolate chips and stir again.

Pour the entire mixture into the pan and press down firmly. Let cool completely, then slice into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Sweet Vegan Blueberry Corn Muffins

Sweet, crumbly, and moist - that's how these turned out. They are absolutely wonderful. So good that I scarfed down two whole ones within 7 minutes of their coming out of the oven. So yeah. That happened.

But I didn't feel too guilty because I eliminated most of the oil in these. So on top of their being vegan, they're also low-fat and use banana and applesauce to bind them together. So your internal narrative can center around all the wonderful potassium and doctor-sending-away-ness of the muffins instead of those piddly 2 tablespoons of oil. At least, that's what happens in my head when I eat them. Everyone I gave them to thought they were just as fabulous as I did - vegans and non-vegans, gluten-free and gluten-ful alike. The only thing I'll recommend is that you store them in the fridge, as they became a bit TOO moist sitting out on the counter at room temperature (even in my chilly basement apartment).

Sweet Vegan Blueberry Corn Muffins (Adapted from this recipe)
Makes 12 muffins

3/4 cup gluten-free cornmeal
1/2 sorghum flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 soft ripe banana, mashed
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. smooth applesauce
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp. So Delicious Almond Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 1/2 tbsp. gluten-free vanilla extract
1 - 1 1/2 cups wild Maine blueberries
Raw sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (everything up to and including the brown sugar) and mix well. In a separate mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the banana, olive oil, applesauce, soy milk, and vanilla extract). Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well. Add the blueberries and stir them in gently.

Fill each muffin liner 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, or just until they are slightly browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean. About halfway through the baking, when they have started to set, sprinkle each one with a little raw sugar (quickly, and without moving them too much!).

Serve warm from the oven, or store in the fridge and eat cold. They are delicious no matter how you eat them!

Sauteed Hakurei Turnips with Green Garlic

Have you ever heard of - or seen - a Hakurei Turnip before?

I had not. So when I opened my first box of farm share goodies from Siena Farms, I wasn't totally sure what they were, much less what to do with them. They don't look like the turnips I'm used to - these are tasty and crispy raw, with a subtle sweetness that is drawn out even more if you sprinkle a little salt over them. After tasting them raw, I was curious to see how they hold up under heat.

Deliciously, it turns out. They're sort of starchy, but with fewer calories than potatoes and a nice, light texture. And with the simple additions of green garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, you won't go wrong!

Farm Share Experiment #1 = success.

Sauteed Hakurei Turnips with Green Garlic

1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 piece green garlic, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
4 - 6 Hakurei turnips, sliced finely
1/2 tsp. fresh oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil and add the green garlic, garlic, oregano, and sliced turnips together. Sautee over medium heat for 4 - 7 minutes, or until the turnips are nicely browned and soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Roasted Eggplant and Garlic Pesto

I know. It may seem kind of weird. But, really - roasted garlic? Roasted eggplant? You can't go wrong.

Simplicity is something I need in my life right now, at least with food. Everything else feels so crazy and rushed and looming and overwhelming between my job and finishing up with graduate school, that the idea of a simple meal that still tastes good (and is healthy, no less) is irresistible. And that's what this recipe is - simplicity at its best. Minimal work upfront, and then it turns into a magnificent meal while you do other stuff.

So give it a try! Eggplants are one of those oft-overlooked vegetables that may surprise you. So why not let it?

Roasted Eggplant Pesto
Makes enough for two servings of pasta

1 medium eggplant
20 ripe cherry tomatoes
1/2 red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
To taste (roughly 1/2 tsp of each): dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Line a large roasting pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Peel the eggplant and cut into 4 pieces (lengthwise). Sprinkle liberally with salt (you'll wipe most of it off again in a few minutes) and let sit for about 15 minutes. This will cause the eggplants to "sweat" and will get rid of some of the moisture. After 15 minutes, use paper towels to wipe the beads of moisture and salt off of the eggplant. Cut it into large chunks and place back into the foil-lined roasting pan.

Meanwhile, chop the onion and garlic into small pieces, and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Add them to the eggplant once you've done the step above.  In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pour it over the entire mixture. Sprinkle the spices over the whole thing and stir it up to mix (but don't worry about mixing it too well).

Place in the oven and roast for about an hour, stirring every 10 - 15 minutes. Roast until the eggplant is very tender - it may take longer than an hour. Once it's done, put it all into a food processor and blend until it's as smooth as you'd like it. You can add a bit more olive oil or a little water if you want it to be thinner.

Serve over gluten-free pasta as a pesto, or as a tapenade on bread or crackers.

Low-fat Lemon Poppyseed Cupcake Muffins

I'm not sure precisely why I had a sudden craving for lemon poppyseed muffins today. Given the amount of candy I ate last night at the movies, there was no good reason to be craving anything sweet.  But suddenly it hit me, and I really, really wanted some.

Now, knowing my propensity to eat my way through more than my fair share of a regular batch of muffins, particularly mid-semester, I decided to use my handy ratio for cupcakes to make a neat little pack of 4.  And they turned out to be lovely!  I reduced the fat in these by even more than I originally had, substituting in some applesauce, and they ended up being moist and slightly denser than cupcakes. These are based on the original ratio for cupcakes, but turned out having the slightly more dense and healthy-feeling texture of muffins (and no icing!).  My compromise?  I'm calling them cupcake muffins. (Honestly, throwing the word "muffins" in there just makes me feel slightly better about eating four of them.)  Give these a try - you won't be disappointed!

Low-fat Lemon Poppyseed Cupcake Muffins
Makes 4 muffins


15 grams Earth Balance Buttery Spread
35 grams applesauce
50 grams white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh lemon rind (rind from ~1.5 small lemons)
20 grams potato starch
10 grams tapioca starch
30 grams sorghum flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Melt the butter and mix with the applesauce, egg, vanilla, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon rind.  In a separate bowl, combine the potato starch, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds.  Stir into the wet ingredients and mix well.

Pour into the muffin tin liners and bake for 13 - 16 minutes, or just until they are slightly browned at the edges and spring back when you touch the tops lightly.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Slow-roasted Cranberry-Apple Pulled Pork Tenderloin

This is a dish chock full of the fall flavors of cranberries and apples, and also full of the simplicity needed around this time of year, when everything seems to be happening 100 times faster than you think it should.  It's a recipe for a slow day - at least, a slow day for your crockpot.  While it's wonderful to be in the house to smell it turning into its wonderful self, this is one that will take you a mere 10 minutes (possibly less!) to throw together.  Then you can go out for the day, and when you come back, a dinner you'd swear had been slaved over is waiting for you.  The broth simmers with a depth of flavor that can only come with the kind of time your crockpot will be putting in for you with this one.  I didn't actually know this would turn into pulled pork until I opened the crockpot when I got home last night and found it to be so tender that it fell apart when I took a knife to it.  But what a lovely surprise!  I served this with mashed sweet potatoes with a little thyme and agave nectar stirred in and sauteed brussel sprouts with garlic, but you could also serve it in sandwiches if you'd like.  I cooked mine for so long (9 1/2 hours) that the broth had reduced and thickened enough for me on its own, but if you can only cook it for 6 - 8 hours, you can thicken the broth by simmering it with a cornstarch slurry (see recipe below).  I can't imagine this going over badly with anyone, unless they happen not to be fans of pork, of course.  And honestly - if they don't it?  That just means more for you.

Slow-roasted Cranapple Pulled Pork Tenderloin
Makes 3 - 5 servings

1 1-lb pork tenderloin
2 tsp. salt
1 jar Trader Joe's cranberry sauce (or a can of your favorite gluten-free cranberry sauce)
1/2 cup cranberry juice or cranberry cider
1/2 cup white sugar
2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 large onion, cut into slivers
2 stalks celery, diced into large pieces

Salt the tenderloin and place it in the slow cooker.  Add the diced apples, onion, and celery.  In a small bowl, combine the cranberry sauce, cranberry juice, and sugar and pour over the ingredients in the crockpot.  Cook on "low" for 6 - 10 hours.  (I cooked mine for 9.5 hours and it was extremely tender.)  Lovely served with sweet potatoes, or you could make pulled pork sandwiches out of it as well.

To thicken the broth, combine 2 tsp. cornstarch with 2 tbsp. water and mix together until there are no lumps.  Place the broth in a small saucepan and add the cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly until it is thickened.  Remove from heat and serve over the pork tenderloin.

Swirled Blackberry Sage Banana Muffins

Swirled blackberry sage banana muffins.  Aren't they pretty?  The name even sounds pretty....blackberry sage.  These were inspired by a favorite tea of mine, the (you guessed it) Blackberry Sage flavor of Republic of Tea.  I used to go on afternoon tea runs with a friend of mine when we used to work together, and the people at the place we visited would make any tea iced.  We tried them all - but the blackberry sage remained my favorite.

A few weekends ago, a spree at Haymarket landed me three containers of blackberries.  I was pondering what to do with them on the ride home.  I continued to ponder as I washed them and put them in the fridge.  And then, it hit me.  Of course.  It had to be something with sage.  So I pulled out one of my favorite recipes for banana bread and reshaped it into delicious sweet-savory muffins. 

These rocked.  If you're a sage fan, give these a try - it really brings the flavor of the berries to the forefront without crowding them.  I had a hard time refraining from eating all of them in one sitting, but I kept it together and ate a respectable number (only two, I swear) and saved the rest to share with friends. 

Swirled Blackberry Sage Banana Muffins
Makes about 16 - 18 muffins

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 - 2 tbsp. ground dried sage, depending on your own taste (I used 2 tbsp.)
1 cup blackberries, either chopped into small chunks and stirred in, or pureed and swirled on top of each muffin

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line two muffin trays with 18 paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Combine the wet ingredients together and stir well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sage and sift together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix well.

Now you have two choices - you can either add chunks of blackberries to your muffins, or you can puree the blackberries and swirl them in.  I swirled, but I can't say it would be a bad idea at all to swirl AND add whole chunks.  But do what you feel is right for your muffins.  If you're adding chunks, chop up the berries and add them to the batter, stir lightly, and then spoon even amounts into the paper liners.

If you're swirling, puree the blackberries in a food processor.  If desired, push the mixture through a sieve to get the seeds out (but it's not really necessary).  Add about 1 tbsp. of blackberry puree to each muffin and swirl around in the batter using a knife or fork.  If desired, sprinkle the top of each muffin with a little more dried sage.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or just until they are slightly browned and spring back when you push down on them.  Remove from the oven and let sit in the hot pan for another 2 - 3 minutes until they firm up, then remove them carefully and place on a wire rack to cool.  Serve warm or cold - they are delicious either way!  Store leftovers in the fridge until ready to serve.

Grilled Eggplant Pesto Melt

You know how sometimes you turn around and the person who's been there all along is the one you end up wanting?

That's how I'm feeling about eggplant right now.

Who knew it was so full of flavor, and that it would develop such an irresistible, almost buttery texture when grilled?  That it would melt on the tongue like that?  Clearly I didn't know what I was missing.

I made pesto the other night (something I've been meaning to do forever, since buying dairy-free pesto is usually not possible, and when it is, it is not cheap).  So far, I've made pesto chicken wraps, and I've had some on pasta.  And tonight, I threw some on the grilled eggplant I had just made.  And just for good measure, threw some Daiya Vegan Cheese on top.  And oh, my God.  Heaven.  This is a super easy dish to make, and if you eat enough of it, it could totally be your dinner!  But it would also be an excellent appetizer, and just fancy enough in its simplicity to be party food.  It takes less than 15 minutes to put together - but I swear it won't taste like it.

For grilled eggplant:
1/2 eggplant, cut into thin slices
Cooking spray or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For topping:
1-2 tsp. basil pesto per eggplant slice
Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

Heat a nonstick pan with cooking spray.  Place the sliced eggplant over medium heat and fry for about 4 minutes on each side, or until it's browned on the outside and soft on the inside.

You can do this next step either while it's still in the pan, or you can use the oven or microwave.  Spread some pesto on each slice of grilled eggplant and sprinkle with Daiya Cheese.  Heat until it melts.  You can either make them into little eggplant sandwiches or leave them open-faced.  Serve immediately.

Whole Grain Cherry Almond Zucchini Muffins (Low-fat!)

"There's something very summer about cherries," someone at work said to me this week.  I couldn't agree more, and what perfect timing he had, because there just so happened to be a sale on cherries this week.  Organic cherries, at that.  And conditioned by years of watching my mother stockpile groceries, I followed my instincts.  I came home with 5 pounds of dark red cherries, glistening with matte condensation.

Ambitious as I may be, I can't eat 5 pounds of cherries before they go bad.  I needed to find some way to use them, or at least to preserve them.  So I started pitting them (my fingers are still slightly purple), and one episode of Gilmore Girls later, I had a mountain of halved, pitted cherries sitting in front of me.  Begging to be used, and pleading with me to infuse something baked with their tart sweetness.

The flavor combination was easy, because cherries go beautifully with almonds.  Theirs is sort of a famous little affair.  So it was really just a matter of finding the medium I was in the mood for.  In the end, I settled on muffins.  Whole grain muffins, specifically, and ones that would use less fat.  Muffins I could eat a few more of without feeling guilty.  Which turned out to be a very wise choice in this case, as these muffins turned out to be heavenly - a little too heavenly for comfort, actually.

Mine turned out to be pretty moist, which is partly due to the substitution of applesauce for some of the oil, and partly due to the shredded zucchini and squash (I used half zucchini and half yellow squash simply because that's what I had in my kitchen, but you should feel free to use all of either, if you only have one or the other).  The fresh chopped cherries add a tart sweetness, the perfect complement to the almond flour and extract.

The bottom line is that they're fabulous, and would be wonderful to eat any time of day (I, um, may have turned them into my dinner tonight).  So next time you find yourself wondering how to use those cherries you just bought, try this recipe out.  And I dare you to stop at just one.

Whole Grain Cherry Almond Zucchini Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup combination of teff flour, brown rice flour, and sorghum flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup smooth applesauce
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup shredded/pureed zucchini and/or yellow squash
1 egg
1 tsp. flaxseed meal + 1 tbsp. warm water
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)
3/4 cup chopped (pitted) cherries

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a muffin tray or spray with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and mix well.  In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, shredded zucchini/squash, sugar, egg, flaxseed meal and water, and vanilla and almond extracts.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to mix.  Add the chopped cherries (with as little of the water as possible) and stir to mix.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin tins.  Bake at 350 F for 25 - 35 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.  These end up being very moist even after baking for a long time, so definitely take them out after 35 minutes.

No Bake Chex Mix Granola Bars

I've had a couple of attempts at granola bars recently, mainly because they can get so expensive to buy at the store.  So far, mine have mostly turned into granola because they just won't flippin' stay together long enough to be called bars. 

I won't claim that these are the sturdiest of bars.  But as you can see, they stayed in the shape of bars long enough to be photographed.  So that's something.  They actually stayed bars all day, especially if they were in the fridge.  I don't think they'd necessarily survive a long hike in a backpack (at least, not without some serious tupperware protection), but they have definite potential for someone who is looking for bars for light use. I know I'll be making them again.

And they are really, really tasty.  A friend of mine had sent me a link for Grain-free Granola Bars, and I thought, why not?  It fits in with my general pursuit of bars at the moment.  But I'm not grain-free, nor did I want to rely solely on nuts for my bars.  So I adapted it and added some finely ground-up honey nut chex, and more honey than what was originally called for.  I also studded mine with some crushed chocolate chips because.....well, I don't have a reason, actually.  Because chocolate is never a bad thing to add. 

If you want a stickier bar, feel free to add more honey, or maybe some agave nectar or maple syrup.  Experiment with your own favorite combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.  Go with Cinnamon Chex instead of Honey Nut.  Make these your own!

No Bake Chex Mix Granola Bars (Adapted from "Grain-free Granola Bars" on the Joyful Abode blog)
Makes one 8 x 8 pan of granola bars (about 15 small bars)
*You can double this recipe for thicker bars, or for a 9 x 13 pan.

1 cup Honey Nut Chex, ground finely
1/4 cup almond meal
3/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds, ground finely (but not into a paste/butter!)
2 - 3 tbsp. of combination of flax seeds, chia seeds, and sesame seeds, ground up finely
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I used Let's Go Organic 40% Reduced Fat)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or your favorite dried fruit)
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp. coconut oil (substitute another oil or butter if you don't have it)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Don't preheat the oven.  They're no-bake - yay!

Line an 8 x 8 pan with a sheet of wax paper (believe me, you'll want to have that paper there or you'll never get these out of the pan whole).

In a large bowl, combine the ground chex, almond meal, ground sunflower seeds, salt, ground flax, chia, and sesame seeds, dried cranberries, and the shredded coconut.

In a small saucepan, heat combine the honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Heat over low-medium heat until melted and it starts to bubble.  Pour over the dry mixture and stir well to coat.

Pour it into the pan and if desired, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the mixture (they might melt a little if it's still warm from the honey/coconut oil).  Using another piece of wax paper, press it really hard into the pan.  Like, really hard.  Remember, you want these to become bars!

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.  When ready to eat, remove the wax paper from the pan and cut into bars.  Store in the fridge so they stay in bar form.

Cheesy Meatball Wrap

Here's a super simple meal idea for dinner, and a way to use some leftovers.  Make a batch of Savory Dinner Crepes and melt some Daiya Vegan Cheese onto it while it's heating in the pan.  Heat up pretty much any random leftovers that sound good to you (I had some delicious Sweet and Tangy Cherry Apple Meatballs from the previous day) and use them to fill each crepe once the cheese is melted. You could load the crepes with roasted vegetables, or with any meat of your choice; with cheese and fruit; with taco meat; with beans; with whatever your heart desires/whatever your fridge contains! 

Once they're filled, fold over; eat.  So fast, so simple, and totally delicious.  So simple I won't even put it into recipe form.  This is a purely prose recipe.  And these wraps are so convincing that they won't even crumble if you refrigerate them for a few days; they still bend. 

Enjoy the dinner mix and match!

Blueberry Cobbler Granola

I'll confess that granola is not actually what I set out to make yesterday.  I was trying to make snack bars.  You know, the kind that, uh, don't fall apart when you try to eat them.  But this turned out to be an ambitious goal.  No matter how much honey I added, they stubbornly refused to stay together in bar form.

But that's ok.  I was putting too much pressure on them to be something they're not.  This was a granola recipe from the beginning.  I see that now.

And once I just let it be granola, it all fell into place. At first I was going to call this Blueberry Muffin Granola, but when I shared it with two of my friends, they immediately said it tasted more like cobbler.  Which makes sense, since it probably shares more ingredients with cobbler than muffins.  But, the point is really that it will taste like a delicious baked blueberry dessert of some kind, and you'll probably have a hard time not eating all of it from the pan.

I had originally added only 1/4 cup of honey, but after baking them for about 20 minutes, it was clear that the mixture was too dry to stay together in bar form.  So I added another 1/4 cup in the hopes that this would help - but it didn't.  And then I ended up with really sticky, soft granola.  Which, again, was delicious, but feel free to adjust the amount of honey according to your own tastes, since it's not going to stay together anyway.

I'm sure this would be wonderful with other add-ins - maybe some flax or chia seeds, or nuts, or a different combination of dried fruit.  Go crazy if you feel like it.  But if you're a blueberry fan, stick with what you know.  You won't be disappointed.

Blueberry Cobbler Granola

1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 - 1 cup dried blueberries
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a 8 x 8 pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, toss the oats, coconut, blueberries, salt, and cinnamon together.  Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and mix together lightly, then toss with the oats.

Spread over the pan evenly and place in the oven for at least 30 minutes (for a softer granola) and for up to 50 minutes (for a crunchier granola).  Stir around every 10 minutes or so, and remove when you're happy with how browned it is.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.  If there's any left.

Savory Dinner Crepes

These were delightful.  I was feeling like pancakes tonight, but the thought of the heaviness stopped me (even though breakfast at dinner is one of my favorite things).  So, despite being sorely tempted to use the blueberries I got on sale last week to make fluffy syrup-laden flapjacks, I opted for a lighter option.  One I could fill with something healthy.  I had some roasted vegetables leftover from last night.  I had eggs.  I had Daiya cheese.  It was a done deal.

This recipe was adapted from one I found in Living Without.  I adjusted the amounts for being a single girl living alone who does not need to eat 15 crepes for dinner.  I also made it entirely whole grain - no starches in these!

And they turned out to be fabulous.  Soft and fluffy.  Bendable.  And the ingredients are so simple and minimalist, with no sugar or salt added.  They hold together so well that I suspect (although I have not yet tried it) that these could function as wraps to be eaten on the go.  You could get creative and add herbs or spices to them.  These were my first try and I loved them plain, but hey, you should go nuts.  They're going to be your dinner, not mine - so add whatever you think will taste good.  These are a delicious way to dress up your favorite ingredients for a healthy dinner or lunch!

Savory Dinner Crepes
Makes 4 medium crepes

2 tsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted and cooled
1 egg
1/6 cup sorghum flour
1/6 cup brown rice flour
1/8 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used Sunsational Sunflower Milk - have you tried it?  It's pretty tasty!)

Beat together the melted Earth Balance and the egg.  In a separate small bowl, mix the sorghum flour, rice flour, and xanthan gum and add to the egg mixture and beat to combine.  Add the non-dairy milk little by little, mixing to incorporate each bit before adding more.  It will be thicker than regular crepe batter, but thinner than pancake batter. 

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  When the pan is hot, add about 1/4 cup of batter and spread evenly around the pan, either by tilting the pan or by using a spatula.  Cook for 2 - 4 minutes or until the first side is browned, and then flip it over and cook until the other side is browned (for about another 1 - 3 minutes).  Remove to a plate to keep warm.

Fill with anything you like!  I filled one with roasted yellow squash, red peppers, onions, and mushrooms.  Then for the other, I beat one egg with 1 tsp. water and cooked it over medium-high heat spread thinly over the pan like a crepe.  I sprinkled some Daiya Vegan Cheese over it and added some salt and pepper.  Then when it was done, I folded it up into the real crepe.  They were both fantastic.

Fudgy (but secretly healthy) Brownie Batter Dip

I've become ever-so-slightly obsessed with finding healthy ways to pig out on foods we all love to indulge in.  Like cookie dough, for instance.  Mmmm, cookie dough - why is it that it tastes so much better than the cookies themselves?  I've pondered the same question for brownies.  Maybe more than is normal.  There's something illicit about eating brownie batter, and at the same time, nostalgic. And, you know....sometimes unsafe.

But fear no more, because there is nothing unsafe about these.  No raw eggs.  Just raw awesomeness.  It takes mere minutes (minutes!) to throw together, and the only problem is that it might take an equally short amount of time before it's gone.

I know that this is pictured on a cracker here.  But I'll be honest with you - even though I'm calling this a dip, I know you won't judge me if I tell you that I ate most of it straight out of the bowl with a spoon.  After all, that's how brownie batter was meant to be enjoyed: unmitigated in its delicious fudginess.

Fudgy (but secretly healthy) Brownie Batter Dip

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
3 - 4 tbsp. cocoa powder (to your own taste)
2 tbsp. Marshmallow Fluff or Ricemellow Vegan Marshmallow Cream
2 tbsp. agave nectar
1/4 cup brown sugar (more or less to your own taste)
2 tbsp. nut butter (I used a combination of peanut butter and sunbutter)
2 tbsp. smooth applesauce
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. flaxseed meal (optional)
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine everything but the chocolate chips in a food processor and blend until very smooth.  Adjust everything to your own taste.  Remove to a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  For best results, eat with a spoon, or serve as a dip with gluten-free graham crackers.

Tangy Vegan Chili

And just when I thought I couldn't be surprised by chili!  This is a recipe I have actually been meaning to post since a few months ago, when I first had it at a party hosted by my friends Matt and Mimi (click on their names to check out their fabulous blogs). It was an April Fool's party, and there was talk of chili, so I came with a batch of my banana cornbread muffins in tow, still warm from the oven.  Before I'd even climbed all of the stairs, I could smell the chili wafting down to me.  And if it smelled good, it tasted even better.

Matt made the chili, but says the recipe comes from his mom, Fonda Lowe.  It's a forgiving recipe, and most of the spices can be added to your own taste.  What you see below is an adaptation of what Matt did, which was based largely on the availability of ingredients in my kitchen when I made it.  It is quick and easy to throw together.  You can use any beans you want - black, white, pinto, chili.  Go to town!  The taste offers a slight departure, but one you'll be glad you took - trust me.  It's a chili that might not taste exactly like the chili you're used to.  That's because of a few less traditional - but brilliant - additional ingredients.  This chili is smoky and sweet, with a little kick and tang.

The other wonderful thing about this chili for me was that it introduced me to an ingredient I had never tried before: textured vegetable protein (Bob's Red Mill makes a gluten-free one!  I haven't checked any other brands.).  And therein lies the secret to the "meatiness" of this vegan chili.  TVP is super easy to use and expands into hearty little chunks that add an air of dense protein to the chili. 

It's seriously, seriously good.  Just try making it and not practically licking the pot clean.

Tangy Vegan Chili

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 large or 2 small green peppers, diced
2 tbsp. tomato paste + 1 1/2 cups water OR 1 can diced tomatoes (with the juice) + water to cover all ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 - 2 tsp. chili powder (to taste)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 bottle Trader Joe's Barbecue Sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
2 - 4 tsp. liquid smoke (optional, but highly recommended) (Colgin is gluten-free!)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the olive oil and onion in a pot and cook over medium heat for about 4 - 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to cook until the onion is translucent.  Add the green pepper, tomato paste, water, textured vegetable protein, spices, barbecue sauce, black beans, and liquid smoke and stir well.  Bring to a low boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 - 30 minutes, or longer.  Basically, you should simmer it until you are happy with the way it tastes.  Add more water as needed if you're going to simmer it for a longer period of time.  It's delicious on its own or served with corn bread.

Cheesy Eggy Toasted Quinoa

Toasted quinoa. Where have you been all my life?

This is one of those meals that is so simple, and so quick, that you couldn't imagine it would be quite as delicious as it is. But I did not want this one to end. This was an absolutely heavenly new way to experience one of my favorite grains (I got the idea from this blog).  The slightly nutty flavor of quinoa becoming crunchy and toasted on the stovetop, with melted Daiya cheese and dried thyme, and then topped off with a runny fried egg - perfection. Simple flavors that combine into a lovely meal that is at once both light and hearty.  I would eat this for any meal, to be honest with you, but have had it mostly for dinner so far. One of my friends did make it for breakfast and loved it in the morning. So there you go - solid proof that it's delicious any time of the day.

Cheesy Eggy Toasted Quinoa
Serves one

Cooking spray
1/2 - 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup Daiya Vegan Cheese
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and spread the quinoa out in a single layer (or as close as possible).  Sprinkle the thyme in and toast it over medium heat, stirring only occasionally, until it starts to brown. 

Make a good-sized well in the middle of the quinoa and crack the egg into it.  Make sure it has enough room to spread out and cook evenly or the quinoa will burn before it's done!  Sprinkle the Daiya cheese over the whole thing and continue to to toast, reducing the heat slightly.  When the egg is as done as you'd like it to be and the "cheese" is melted, transfer the whole thing to a plate.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

Top Hat Cookie Dough Balls

I'm borderline obsessed with these cookie dough balls (as you may have noticed given how many times I've posted about them).  So a few weeks ago, a friend was over at my house, and I decided to make them with a slight twist.  I decided to give them hats.  Chocolate hats.

Now, these cookie dough balls do not need the chocolate hats in order to be delicious.  (And by the way, they're inspired by the "Fudge Baby" recipes on Chocolate-Covered Katie's blog.) They are addictive and wonderful (and relatively healthy!) totally on their own.  But....they were pretty fabulous with the chocolate ganache as a topping.  Dangerously so, in fact.  Mine weren't very nicely shaped (as you can see), but if your experience is anything like mine, they won't be around long enough for anyone to notice.

Top Hat Cookie Dough Balls

7 dates, pitted
1/3 cup cashews, lightly salted
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup coconut flakes
2 tsp. (or more!) vanilla
Dash of salt
1 tbsp. flaxseed meal (if desired)
1 - 2 tbsp. marshmallow cream or Ricemellow vegan cream
1 - 3 tbsp. So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer (Original flavor)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For ganache topping:
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 - 4 tbsp. So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  You want to be able to shape these with your hands into little balls, so if it's too runny, add some more oats, coconut, or cashews to make it thicker.

Roll the dough into balls and arrange on a plate.

In a small pan, melt the chocolate chips and So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer together just until it forms a thick melted chocolate paste.  Spread the chocolate ganache onto the top of each ball of dough.  You can eat them right away, or chill them in the refrigerator or freezer until you're ready to serve them.  They are delicious at any temperature!

Raspberry Chipotle Taco Meat

Here is an absolutely delectable spin on taco meat for the next time you're the mood to try something new.  The flavor in this is amazing - it is sweet and spicy, and the smokiness of the ground chipotle peppers adds a startling depth.  It is fabulous.  

I made it with some of my black raspberry mango jam, but really, any dark berry jam would work (especially some variation of raspberry, cranberry, blueberry or blackberry).  I didn't have any taco shells or corn tortillas, so I whipped up some garlic potato fritters and ate mine over one of those (as pictured), but I think this would be wonderful as a filling for a cheesy quesadilla or over rice.

I can't wait to eat the leftovers.  Seriously - if it sounds good to you, chances are you'll love this. 

Raspberry Chipotle Taco Meat

1 tsp. oil
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno, diced (optional)
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 lb. ground turkey
3 tbsp. gluten-free reduced sodium soy sauce
4 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. minced onion
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. ground chipotle pepper (or add 2 - 3 dried chipotle peppers, sliced open)
2 tbsp. dark berry jam
1/2 - 3/4 cup water


Combine all of the spices and brown sugar in a bowl and mix well.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and jalapeno peppers (if you are using them).  Cook for 4 minutes or so, then add the minced garlic and continue to cook until the onions are tender.  Add the ground turkey and cook until it is done, stirring well and breaking it up into small pieces.  If desired, drain the excess fat and return to the heat.

Add the spice mixture, soy soy sauce, jam, and water and bring to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until it is thick (it may be a bit sticky because of the jam).  Serve immediately in tacos or quesadillas.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Mexican Chipotle Pulled Chicken

I say Mexican, you say....tacos?  Burritos?  Guacamole?  Salsa and chips?  While I love all of the above, there are times when I feel a pull towards a different kind of Mexican.  One that I don't taste very often, and which is full of simple -- but powerful -- flavors.  One that normally, I would have to go to a Mexican restaurant to find.  But that can be such a pain - finding a restaurant that can prepare something gluten-free, where there's no danger of cross-contamination?  I'm sure they're out there, but honestly, it's usually easier to make your own meal from scratch.

So that's what I did.  I recently became a fan of Pati's Mexican Table, a wonderful blog featuring recipes that will seriously make you drool as you click from page to page.  I started with her recipe for Chicken Tinga and modified it a bit, but I think what I ended up with is essentially what she did.  The sauce becomes smoky and flavorful with the chipotle peppers, and I let mine simmer for so long that the flavors had time to blend together in a truly fantastic way.  Pati suggests making it one layer in a stack of ingredients that make up tostados, but I ate it for at least five dinners in a row as you see it pictured here, in a crispy garlic pepper quesadilla with some melted Daiya cheese.  But it was also good over brown rice, with tortilla chips, or even on its own.  I can't imagine guacomole would be a bad idea.  I passed the recipe on to my cousin and got a text several days later telling me how fantastic it was.  I think you'll feel the same way.




Mexican Chipotle Pulled Chicken (Adapted from Chicken Tinga from Pati's Mexican Kitchen)
Serves 4 - 5


3 chicken tenderloins or 2 small chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 white onion, cut into thin slivers
4 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 32 oz. can diced or whole tomatoes in juice (or 6 - 8 roma tomatoes, chopped)
2 small tomatillos, chopped
1/2 can mild green chilies
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 - 1 tsp. dried thyme
1 - 2 tsp. sea salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper (if desired)
3 - 4 dried chipotle peppers, chopped into halves or thirds

Boil the chicken in salted water and then pull apart to shred.  Set aside.

In a food processor, blend the tomatoes and tomatillos until very smooth.  Set aside.

In a large pan, heat the oil.  Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to saute for another 3 - 4 minutes (but be careful not to burn the garlic!).  Pour the tomato mixture in and stir in the spices and chipotle peppers.  Bring to a low boil and then reduce to simmer, covered, for about 30 - 40 minutes, or until you are happy with the flavor.

Add the shredded chicken and continue to cook over medium-low heat until it is very thick (or at least, no longer liquidy).  Remove to serve.

For pulled chicken quesadillas:

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and sprinkle garlic powder and ground pepper across the bottom.  Place a corn tortilla on the skillet and press into the spices so they stick to it.  Sprinkle some Daiya cheese (or your favorite cheese alternative) over the tortilla and cook over medium-high heat until the tortilla is nice and crisp and the cheese is melted.  Spread 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the hot pulled chicken onto one half of the tortilla and fold over.  Serve immediately with guacamole, sour cream alternative, and/or salsa, if desired.  Also delicious on its own!