Tortilla Soup

This soup is delicious! I was looking for something new to try and browsing through my copy of Appetite for Reduction. My daughter agreed that it looked good so we tried it last night. It was DELICIOUS!! I didn't want to retype the recipe so I found it was already online at https://thesouthernvegetarian.wordpress.com/2013/02/08/the-best-tortilla-soup-ever/

This recipe comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s Appetite for Reduction. I only used 1 jalapeño and skipped the red pepper flakes because I was worried it might be too spicy for the kids. It was perfectly delicious but I think I will add at least the pepper flakes back in next time to make it a little more spicy. I also added some avocado as a garnish and just used a teaspoon of dried cilantro because I didn't want to buy it fresh and have it go to waste. Oh, I also forgot to add the lime! lol

We all agreed it was great except for my son but that's only because he wouldn't try it. 

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced thinly
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped (if you can’t find poblano, use a green bell pepper)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 (24 oz) can whole tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
4 oz baked tortilla chips (about 4 handfulls or so – you don’t have to be precise)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice from 1 lime

Directions:

Preheat a 4 quart pot over medium-high heat and saute the onions, jalapeños, and poblano in the oil for about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt.  Saute for another minute.

Break up the tomatoes with your fingers, tearing them into small chunks, and add them to the pot, along with the juice, broth, and cumin.  Crush 2 oz (a couple handfuls) of chips into small crumbs (you want them pretty crumb-like, very small pieces) and add to the soup.

Cover and increase the heat to high to bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add the beans, corn, and cilantro.   Turn the heat down to low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

Squeeze in the lime juice and serve garnished with the extra chips and a sprinkle more of cilantro, if desired. I personally like to add a dollop vegan sour cream and a few slices of avocado.

Organic Creamy Herbed Cauliflower Soup

This is from the Healthy Happy Life website! I made it once and it was really good! Now I need to try it again now that I think both of my kids would like it!

Organic Creamy Herbed Cauliflower Soup
vegan, makes about 10 cups
1 teaspoon EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar)
2 cups chopped white potato (about 1 large potato, skin on)
1 1/2 cups veggie broth OR water+veggie bouillon cube
2 1/2 cups plain soy milk
1 large head organic cauliflower
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp maple syrup, Grade B pref'd
1 1/2 cups loose parsley
2 Tbsp dried herbs/spices (any combo)
*I used (garlic powder, oregano, thyme, rosemary and chives)
2 Tbsp cashews or sunflower seeds (optional)

Saffron Roux
1 cup plain soy milk
1 cup veggie broth or water + veggie bouillon cube
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp saffron strands

Topping:
crumbled cauliflower florets, fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Place large soup pot on stove over med-high heat. Add EVOO.

2. Add chopped onion and saute for a minute.

3. Add in chopped potato.

4. Turn up heat and add in ACV, veggie broth, soy milk and chopped cauliflower. Add cauliflower in broken crumbled pieces. Cover with lid or foil and allow soup to 'steam cook' cauliflower for about 4 minutes.

5. When cauliflower and potatoes are tender, add in your dried herbs, pepper, mustard and maple syrup. Fold these items into the soup - let cook for another minute.

6. Turn off heat and remove pot from stove. Transfer soup to a large mixing bowl to cool for a few minutes.

7. While soup mixture is cooling, turn stove back on. Place your soup pot back on medium heat. Add your roux liquids and whisk in the liquid bit by bit. Try not to create clumps. When all the flour has dissolved into liquid to form a thick liquid, add in the saffron strands. Turn off heat, and set aside.

8. Carefully transfer soup mixture to a high speed blender - blend in batches - not all at once. I blended the soup in three separate batches. NOTE: You will add the parsley and optional nuts/seeds directly to the blender to blend with the soup.

9. In the last batch of soup you blend, add the roux. Then combine all the blended soup and fold gently. Eat at once, store in the fridge or pour soup back into soup pot to simmer until ready to serve.

Garnish with fresh raw cauliflower crumbles

Note: When re-heating, you may want to add a bit more soy milk or veggie broth to thin out the soup.

Other Optional Ingredients:*2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
*1 Tbsp Vegenaise
*1 cup tempeh cubes
*2 cups leafy greens, chopped
*fresh ginger

Vegan Chocolate Cake

I don't remember where I got this recipe at this point but I get more compliments on it than anything else I've ever made. It's so delicious!

Description:
Yummy, moist chocolate cake made without using milk or eggs. The recipe below makes one 9-inch cake or 8 cupcakes (bake only about 15 minutes for cupcakes). I doubled the recipe (for both the cake and the frosting) to make a two layer cake. 

Ingredients:
Cake 
* 1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
* 3/4 cup sugar or other sweetener
* 1/2 tsp. Salt
* 1 tsp. Baking soda
* 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon vinegar
* 1 cup cold water 

Frosting
* 2 tablespoon softened margarine (Earth Balance)
* 1-1/3 cups powdered sugar
* 1/3 cup cocoa
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 2-4 tablespoons water 

Directions:
Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a bowl and stir with a fork until mixed. Make a well in the center and add the vanilla, oil, vinegar, and water. Stir with a fork until well mixed. Pour into a 9x9-inch baking dish (or cupcake pan), and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely, then frost with Chocolate Cream Frosting 

Frosting
Cream the margarine in a small bowl then add the sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and enough water to make a thick but spreadable frosting.

The BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adrian and I were home on a snow day last year googling chocolate chip cookies recipes that were vegan and that also we had the necessary ingredients. These were amazing. The originator was veganhousewives.com

Author: veganhousewives.com

Recipe type: Dessert/Vegan

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 12-15 cookies

 

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour (please note alternate flours WILL change the outcome of the recipe!)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips (Trader Joe's chocolate chips are accidentally vegan!)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream (aka thoroughly mix) together the coconut oil & brown sugar, then add the almond milk & vanilla. The mixture may be really "liquidy" this is OK.
3. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. Combine the wet & dry ingredients (it WILL BE crumbly - this is OK), then fold in the chocolate morsels & any other mix-ins of your choosing.
5. Roll into Tbsp sized balls & place them on an ungreased cookie sheet (or on a sheet of parchment paper on the baking sheet), then flatten them out a bit with your palm. The dough may be a little crumbly, but just smoosh it together and it will work fine!
6. Bake for 7-10 minutes. (I did 8 which was perfect)

(Panera Bread) Black Bean Soup

Lyla found this recipe on Food.com and made it for me while I was sick. It was really good. I liked it a lot. Lyla would have preferred it thicker so next time she is going to blend more of the beans to make it a thicker creamier base, rather than a thin base with chunks in it. 

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1⁄4large  red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 small  chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 -1 1⁄2cup  boiling water
• 2(15 ounce) cans black beans, undrained
• 1⁄2teaspoon  salt
• 1⁄2teaspoon  cumin
• 1⁄2lemon, juice of
• 1 1⁄2tablespoons  cornstarch

In a pot, combine the first six ingredients; simmer for 10 minutes.

Add half a can of beans, salt and cumin; cook for 5 minutes.

Puree soup (I use an immersion blender which makes it easy to do it right in the pot).

Add the rest of the beans to the soup.

Combine the cornstarch with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water.

Add the lemon and the cornstarch to the soup; cook until thickened.

Thanksgiving 2016

I always like to track what we had for Thanksgiving dinner. I will try to go back and post a picture. In the meantime, the menu was:


Green Bean Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Pumpkin Pie
Rolls
Vegan Turkey Roast
Cabbage Salad

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Vegan Overnight Oats

This is a delicious recipe from the ohsheglows website. I make it for special occasion breakfasts and it always hits the spot.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Vegan Overnight Oats

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup oats 
• 1.5 tbsp chia seeds 
• 1/2-1 tbsp chopped walnuts 
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon 
• 1.25 cup Almond milk 
• 1-1.5 tbsp raisins 
• 1/2 sliced banana (optional) 
• Pure maple syrup, to drizzle on top
• Raisins, to garnish (optional)

Directions: In a bowl, add the oats, chia seeds, walnuts, cinnamon, and raisins. Whisk for 5 seconds or so until mixed. Add Almond Milk and whisk until the clumps are gone. Add chopped or mashed banana if desired. Place in fridge overnight or for 1-2 hours. In the morning, remove from fridge and drizzle with a bit of pure maple syrup.