Spinach Artichoke Dip (Vegan and Nut Free)

 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup warm white beans (I use Great Northern)
• ½ cup water (more or less)
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• ½ cup artichoke hearts (jarred, without oil, or frozen)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup raw spinach

Do

1. Puree beans, water and spices in a food processor or high-powered blender.
2. Add artichoke hearts and lemon juice and pulse slightly until it reaches desired texture.
3. Pour dip into heat safe container (I use an oven safe casserole dish). Rip spinach into smaller pieces and mix into dip.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until warm.

Serve

This dip is great with crackers or chips but also really good on bread or in a wrap. This is oil-free and diary-free but tastes sinfully good.

Recipe from:  http://myplantbasedfamily.com/2014/09/24/spinach-artichoke-dip/

Ashli's Potato Leek Soup

While visiting Austin, my SIL Ashli made this delicious soup for us. 

Ingredients
5 medium-sized golden potatoes (with or without peel, or half and half)
6 cups vegetable broth (organic low salt) 
3 large leeks
2-3 tablespoons olive oil (I leave this out to make it SOS free)

Instructions

• Wash and cut potatoes.
• Cook leeks in olive oil in pot until soft.
• Add potatoes and broth (broth should cover potatoes).
• Cook until soft.
• Blend until smooth.
• Add water or milk if too thick.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Almond Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients
1½ cups non-dairy milk
8 ounces dates, pitted and quartered (about 12+ Medjool)
1½ teaspoons almond extract
1¼ cups rolled oats, ground into flour
¾ cup dry/uncooked millet, ground in flour
2½ tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
Instructions

 1. Preheat oven to 325. Line a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper (or use a silicone baking pan). In a small bowl, place the chopped dates, non-dairy milk, and almond extract, and set aside (so dates can soften).

2. Grind the oats and millet together into flour in your blender, and place into a mixing bowl. Add to this the baking powder and poppy seeds, and mix with a fork.

3. Blend the dates, non-dairy milk, and almond extract until smooth. Pour into the bowl of dry ingredients, along with the lemon zest, and mix just until all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated.

4. Pour batter into pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes uncovered. It will be done when it is an even medium brown and has some cracks on the top. Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, it’s likely done. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan to cool further on a cutting board. (It will rise during baking then fall a bit during cooling.) Cool for another 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. Serve as is or with Lemon Frosting (see original link for frosting directions).

Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 55 to 60 minutes
Makes: 1 standard loaf (about 10 slices)

Recipe from Straight Up Food:  http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2014/11/18/almond-poppy-seed-cake/

The Best Blueberry Muffins Ever!

I didn't know how to list these.  Breakfast, dessert, snack?  Yes to all of them.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
12 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped (about 1-1/2 cups or 8 ounces)
1 cup non-dairy milk
1-½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup millet
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon lemon zest, packed
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, do not thaw first)
½ cup roughly chopped walnuts

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, cover the chopped dates with the non-dairy milk and set aside (so the dates may soften).

2. Grind oats and millet into a flour in your blender (a high-speed blender will do a finer job) and place into a mixing bowl. Add the baking powder and cardamom to this and stir with a fork.

3. Place the dates and non-dairy milk into a blender and blend until smooth. Add this date mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients along with the applesauce and lemon zest, and mix with a spoon until all the dry ingredients have disappeared.

4. Gently fold in the blueberries and chopped walnuts. Spoon the batter into a silicone muffin pan or parchment muffin papers in a metal pan, filling each muffin cup about 3/4 full. (Since the batter has no oil, I have found that regular cupcake papers tend to stick to the muffins).

5. Bake for 30 minutes. The muffins will be done when the tops have begun to brown and cracks appear, and when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for at least 15 to 20 minutes before removing.

Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Makes: 1 dozen muffins

Recipe from:  http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2013/10/04/blueberry-muffins/

Cauliflower Buffalo wings

Ingredients

• ¾ cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, as desired
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
• ¾ cup cayenne hot sauce (such as Franks)
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil (optional...we left it out, why add the calories?)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine brown rice flour, water, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk to get all the lumps out. Add more water if need to thin out batter. Batter should just thinly coat cauliflowers.
3. Dip cauliflower into batter and allow excess batter to drip off. Place cauliflower on parchment lined cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping once, or until batter is hardened and cauliflower is cooked through.
5. Whisk together cayenne hot sauce and coconut oil until combine. Toss cooked cauliflower in sauce. Serve with Cashew Ranch Dressing or Baba Ganoush.

Link to recipe:  http://myvega.com/vega-life/recipe-center/cauliflower-buffalo-wings/