Archive for Dips, Mixes and Sauces
Miso Walnut Sandwich Spread and Dip
Nov 05 2012 by | Comments
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Last week at the farmer’s market I came across the most beautiful collard greens. They were fresh, crisp and the most beautiful emerald green color. I love making veggie wraps with collard greens! They are a great alternative to flour or corn wraps and perfect for those that are gluten free. I wanted a flavorful dip/sauce to go with my wraps and quickly threw this recipe together. It pairs really well with fresh veggies and works great as a salad dressing too. Enjoy!
~Sarah
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp coconut nectar
- 2-3 tbsp miso
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari or Nama shoyu
- 1-2 tbsp water or as needed
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor or powerful blender and pulse until smooth and well blended. Add water as needed until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
Nutritional Info:
Makes about 1/2 cup.
Serving size 2 tbsp.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 105, Cal. from Fat: 55.5, Total Fat: 6g, Sat. Fat: .5g, Carbs: 7.5g, Fiber: .5g, Sugars: 3g, Protein: 3.5g, Sodium: 610mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
Leftover spread can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To make a collard wrap, use a sharp knife to cut along the hard rib in the middle. Lay the leaves flat and then add veggies of your choice. I used thinly sliced red pepper, cucumber, avocado and sprouts. Top with some Miso Walnut Sandwich Spread, roll up and enjoy!
Sun Dried Tomato Macadamia Nut Ricotta
Oct 22 2012 by | CommentsAdd to Recipe Box
This versatile ‘ricotta’ cheese can be used in many different recipes. I originally made it to go in a rice dish for my son in law Cliff. I had a little leftover so I spread it on a few crostini for lunch the next day. My favorite use for this zesty ricotta is in lasagna but really, the options are endless. Whip some up for yourself and find your favorite way to enjoy this dairy free version of creamy and delicious ricotta cheese.
Kristy
Ingredients:
- 2 cups raw macadamia nuts
- water to soak nuts
- 12 sun dried tomatoes. either in oil or rehydrated by soaking in hot water for 10 minutes
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tbsp Chicken-less Bouillon Seasoning
Preparation:
- Place the macadamia nuts in a bowl and cover with water. Soak 8-12 hours.
- Drain water, reserving liquid.
- Place the nuts in a high powered blender along with the remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid.
- Process using the tamper to push down the mixture until it is smooth and creamy. Add more of the soaking liquid as needed to get a creamy ricotta like consistency.
Nutritional Info:
Makes about 2 cups.
Serving size 2 tbsp.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 40, Cal. from Fat: 30, Total Fat: 4g, Sat. Fat: .5g, Carbs: 2g, Fiber: .5g, Sugars: .5g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 68mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 5- 7 days.
Savory Sweet Potato Dip
Oct 08 2012 by | CommentsAdd to Recipe Box
I’m a crackers and dip kinda girl. When I made my Rawesome Crackers last week for Vegan MoFo, I knew I would need a tasty dip to go with them. Normally I would whip up a batch of Homemade Hummus but I was out of chickpeas so I had to get creative. I literally threw this recipe together by mixing a few of my favorite things. I love sweet potatoes and the Asian flair added such a great flavor. While I used this as a dip for my crackers and veggies, it would be perfect as a healthy alternative to traditional mashed potatoes too.
~Sarah
Ingredients:
- 1 large sweet potato, cooked and mashed
- 1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp sweet white miso
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari (if you follow a gluten free diet make sure to use a gluten free sauce)
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced green onion
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Preparation:
- Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Serve as a dip (it’s great with cucumbers, celery or bok choy), a sandwich spread or as an alternative to mashed potatoes.
Nutritional Info:
Makes approximately 2 cups.
Serving size 1/4 cup.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 42, Cal. from Fat: 16, Total Fat: 1.5g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 6g, Fiber: .5g, Sugars: 4.5g, Protein: .5g, Sodium: 8mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
Leftover dip can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Red Lentil Sauce
Oct 01 2012 by | CommentsAdd to Recipe Box
All this month we will be participating in Vegan MoFo. What is Vegan MoFo you ask? Well, Vegan MoFo (Month of Food) is where bloggers from all over feature delicious and tasty vegan based recipes, insights or adventures for the month of October. Now, we already share our tasty plant based creations with you each week so not much will change but we wanted to join in the celebration with others and celebrate just how wonderful a plant based diet really is. So now, our first Vegan MoFo recipe! A perfect alternative to an ordinary meat sauce.
With tomatoes and peppers being abundant at the market or in your own garden at this time of year, now is the perfect time for Red Lentil Sauce. Red lentils, red onion, red pepper, red tomatoes and red wine all blend together to make a hearty, nutritious, delicious and economical sauce for pasta, rice or sautéed greens.
Kristy
Ingredients:
- 3-4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 red bell peppers, halved with stems and seeds removed
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the tomatoes and peppers in 1 tbsp olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven 30-40- minutes until the vegetables are soft.
- Place in a food processor and process 45 seconds or so. Process longer if you want a smoother consistency.
- Heat the remaining oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute a few minutes. Add the salt and pepper and continue to cook until the onions are tender.
- Carefully add the red wine and simmer 1-2 minutes.
- Add the lentils, water, tomato mixture and bay leaves. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook 25 minutes or until the lentils are soft and tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and serve over pasta, rice, barley or sautéed greens. Top evenly with the chopped parsley.
Nutritional Info:
Makes approximately 4-5 cups of sauce.
Serving size 1 cup.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 234, Cal. from Fat: 58, Total Fat: 6g, Sat. Fat: 1g, Carbs: 32g, Fiber: 7g, Sugars: 5g, Protein: 11g, Sodium: 386mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Homemade Doritos Seasoning
Sep 21 2012 by | CommentsAdd to Recipe Box
Kale chips. That’s how this recipe came about. I wanted to come up with a tasty fun new seasoning for a batch of kale chips that I was working on. I used to love Doritos and thought it would be great if I could recreate that flavor. I ended up using this on not only kale chips but I added it to pasta, sprinkled it on my salad, over roasted veggies and even put some on my popcorn. Then I made Dorito breadcrumbs, added it to my favorite tacos and finally made a to die for Doritos flavored hummus. Aren’t versatile recipes the greatest?! Now, it’s been many, many years since I’ve had an actual Dorito so if the recipe below doesn’t taste exactly like you remember a Dorito tasting like please feel free to add a pinch of this or that until it’s to your liking. If you were a Cool Ranch lover, don’t worry, I got ya covered too! Enjoy!
~Sarah
Ingredients:
- 6 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 – 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 heaping tsp paprika (for a bit of a bacon-y flavor substitute with smoked paprika – so yummy!)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp yellow mustard powder
Preparation:
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse 2 or 3 times.
- You can mix this seasoning by hand but it’s best to use a blender to create the right consistency.
Nutritional Info:
Makes just over 1/3 cup.
Serving size 1 tbsp.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 30.5, Cal. from Fat: 3.5, Total Fat: 0g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 5.5g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 0g, Protein: 3g, Sodium: 80mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
Leftover seasoning can be stored at room temperature for several months.
Are you feeling like a little “Cool Ranch”? Simply omit the cayenne and paprika from the recipe above and add in 1/2 tsp parsley, 1 tsp chives and an additional 1/4 tsp garlic.
Farmers Market Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Sep 17 2012 by | CommentsAdd to Recipe Box
It might be the end of summer but it’s the peak of many fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmers market. Cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, onions, apples, peaches, pears and so much more. This salad is comprised of many of the seasons peak ingredients tossed with the most creamy, mouthwatering and to die for vinaigrette that you will ever taste.
Kristy
Ingredients:
For the salad
- 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (or equivalent amount of any other variety of tomato, diced)
- 1/2 cup diced jicama
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 pear, diced
- 4 cups greens of choice (arugula, kale, romaine, bok choy)
For the dressing
- 1/2 cup shelled hemp seeds
- 3 shallots, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
Preparation:
- Combine all of the salad ingredients except the greens in a bowl.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the hemp seeds and stirring frequently toast until just starting to show a little color. Remove to the bowl of a food processor. Process until ground to a powder like consistency being careful not to over process into hemp butter. Remove to a small bowl.
- Add the shallots to the food processor and process until finely minced. Add to the bowl with the hemp seeds.
- Mix both vinegars to the bowl with the hemp seeds and onions and add salt to taste.
- Whisk in the oil until smooth and creamy.
- Pour half the dressing into the bowl with the salad ingredients. Add more dressing as needed to get the consistency you prefer.
- Place 1 cup greens on each serving plate and top each with a forth of the salad mixture.
- Serve leftover vinaigrette on the side for those who prefer more dressing.
Nutritional Info:
Makes approximately 2 cups salad ingredients (not including the greens) and 1 cup of vinaigrette.
Serving size 1/2 cup salad and 1/4 cup vinaigrette.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 371, Cal. from Fat: 269, Total Fat: 26g, Sat. Fat: 4g, Carbs: 22g, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 10g, Protein: 9g, Sodium: 246mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
It’s best to make only the amount of salad to be eaten right away however the dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir well before using.
Chicken-less Bouillon and Seasoning
Sep 12 2012 by | CommentsAdd to Recipe Box
This ‘tastes like chicken’ mixture was created one day when I was working on re-creating a recipe that originally included chicken. I needed that chicken-y flavor to get the taste just right. By mixing some of the classic chicken seasonings with a few other ingredients Chicken-less Bouillon was born, or should I say hatched? I add this bouillon mixture to many different recipes to add depth of flavor and richness. It’s great in soups, sauces, grains, beans and so much more. In the ‘Notes’ section you will find one of my favorite (and simple) uses for this bouillon.
Kristy
Ingredients:
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp onion powder (not onion salt)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp ground sage leaf (sometimes called rubbed sage)
- 1/2 tsp rosemary (I crush this in a mortar and pestle before adding)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/8 tsp celery seed
Preparation:
- Combine all of the ingredients in an airtight container. Shake or stir to mix.
- To use as a broth add 1-2 tbsp to 1 cup hot water and stir to combine.
Nutritional Info:
Makes approximately 1 cup.
Serving size 1 tbsp.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 34, Cal. from Fat: 4, Total Fat: >.5g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 6g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: .5g, Protein: 3g, Sodium: 120mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place.
To make a quick and tasty rice side dish bring 2 cups water to a boil, then add 1 cup brown rice, 2 tbsp of the bouillon mix and a pinch of saffron. Cook according to the rice package directions.
Purple Pepper Black Bean Salad
Aug 27 2012 by | CommentsAdd to Recipe Box
Purple pepper, purple pepper, purple pepper! I like saying it as much as I like eating them. This last week my local grocery store was bursting with peppers- red, green, orange, yellow and of course, purple. I might have gone a little pepper crazy but I put them to good use! I had some limes that I needed to use up so I threw together this delicious pepper inspired salad. I put some on top of salad greens for lunch one day, later my husband and I enjoyed it as a dip with tortilla chips and the other night I used the last of the salad in quesadillas. I love a versatile dish . Oh, and don’t worry if you can’t find purple peppers, you can simply substitute with a red or green pepper. It just won’t be as fun to walk around your kitchen saying “purple pepper, purple pepper, purple pepper”.
~Sarah
Ingredients:
- 1 can (15 ounces) Eden Foods no salt added black beans, drained or 1 3/4 cup cooked black beans
- 1/2 a yellow pepper, seeded and diced
- 1/2 an orange pepper, seeded and diced
- 1/2 a purple pepper, seeded and diced (red or green work well too)
- handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (for those that dislike cilantro you can use parsley but you’ll lose some of the mexican flavor)
- 1/2 cup sweet corn, if frozen, thaw first
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt to taste
Preparation:
- In a small bowl mix together the lime juice, zest, garlic and oil. Stir well and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the beans, peppers, cilantro, corn, green onions and jalapeño. Add in the dressing and stir well. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend.
Nutritional Info:
Makes approximately 3 cups.
Serving size 1/2 cup.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 112, Cal. from Fat: 28, Total Fat: 3g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 17g, Fiber: 4.5g, Sugars: .5g, Protein: 5g, Sodium: 10.5mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Creamy Vanilla Frosting
Aug 20 2012 by | CommentsAdd to Recipe Box
The last 3 weeks were filled with some seriously awful cupcake and frosting failures. I had lumpy frosting, watery frosting, chalky frosting and just plain horrible tasting frosting. Of course the 20 or so batches of cupcakes I made that all failed made my frosting adventure seem great. It was seriously mission impossible. It got so bad that at one point everyone in my family refused to try anymore of my ‘attempts’. I spent hours and hours searching for tips to make a frosting that contained no artificial junk or added chemical agents. I spent about $150 on coconut oil before I finally had a winner. I made a second and third batch just to make sure the first time wasn’t just some fluke – and it wasn’t. I finally had a creamy, thick mixture that looked, tasted and felt like real frosting. Now I just needed to make the perfect cupcake…
~Sarah
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 3/4 cup dry soy milk powder *see notes
- 1 tbsp coconut flour
- 1/4 cup coconut nectar
- 1 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups melted coconut oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
- In a food processor, combine the soy milk, soy powder, coconut flour, coconut nectar and vanilla. Process for 1-2 minutes.
- While the machine is still running, SLOWLY drizzle in the melted oil in half cup increments. After each half cup add in 2 tsp of the lemon juice. This step should take about 10 minutes or so. The oil should be added in only in a small thread-like stream. Adding in too much will result in a watery frosting.
- Once all the oil and lemon juice has been added pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate for 6 hours or for up to 1 month.
Nutritional Info:
Makes approximately 3 cups.
Serving size 2 tbsp.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 142, Cal. from Fat: 128, Total Fat: 14g, Sat. Fat: 12g, Carbs: 1g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 0g, Protein: 2g, Sodium: 0mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
This frosting is kinda like an airy version of cream cheese. Because of the use of coconut oil it has a slightly coconut taste but overall tastes like a rich vanilla frosting. While it’s perfect for cupcakes I also used it for Cheesecake Stuffed Raspberries and as a topping for my Crispy Waffles. Since the frosting will keep for about a month in the fridge you can find tons of uses for it!
I was not able to find organic soy milk powder (without other ingredients) at my local grocery stores so I ended up ordering it online. I found a great place that not only had organic powder but it contained nothing but organic soybeans!!! #WIN Shipping was very reasonable and I received the product very quickly. You can find the soy powder here.
A note about substitutions. Try at your own risk! I made about 4 different variations of this frosting and none of them worked. Also, I was not able to make this properly in anything but a food processor. My Vitamix didn’t work. In theory I think this will work well by using rice milk and rice milk powder. The only reason I didn’t try it was that I was unable to find a plain organic rice milk powder. If you have more luck and give it a try please let me know how it turns out. You can not however substitute the coconut oil – this is a must and any other oil will NOT work.
I can’t state enough how important it is to add the oil in SLOWLY. This will make or break your frosting. You need a steady thread- like stream. If you add in too much too soon you will end up with a more liquid type frosting. Take your time, pour slowly and you’ll be rewarded with thick creamy frosting.
You can store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month. When using it as a frosting for cupcakes, make sure to refrigerate the cupcakes after about an hour at room temperature. The frosting will start to turn yellow if it’s left sitting out for too long. The taste will still be fine but they don’t look as appetizing.
Soba Noodles with Peppery Peanut Sauce
Aug 09 2012 by | CommentsAdd to Recipe Box
It’s been hot the last couple of days here so salad has been my meal of choice. While I never get tired of salads I’ve been craving something with a little more, I don’t know, something. I’ve had this thing lately with peppers and spiciness so I played around with a recipe and came up with a really good sauce that had just what I was looking for. Perfect to mix with soba noodles. Top with some crunchy veggies to mix in and it’s really something special. Maybe I should have named it Really Something Sauce?
Kristy
Ingredients:
- 8 ounce package soba noodles, cooked and chilled
- 2 cups thinly sliced kale ribbons
- 1/2 cup grated carrots
- 4 red peppers roasted, skins and seeds removed
- 1 red jalapeño or 2 tbsp red jalapeño pepper sauce *see notes
- 1/3 cup Homemade Almond Milk
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar (omit if using jalapeño pepper sauce)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 shallot
- juice of 1/2 a lime
- 1 cup no salt added unsweetened peanut butter *see notes
Preparation:
- Place the roasted red peppers, jalapeño or jalapeño sauce, almond milk, garlic, shallot and lime juice in a food processor and process until smooth.
- Add the peanut butter and process again until well mixed. Add more milk if too thick.
- In a large bowl combine the noodles and 1 cup of sauce. Add more sauce if needed. The noodles should be well coated. Chill for 5-10 minutes.
- Divide the kale and carrots evenly over the top of the noodles.
- Serve with additional sauce if desired.
Nutritional Info:
Makes 8 servings.
Serving size 1 cup of noodles and 1/8th of the veggies.
Nutritional information will vary depending on the ingredients and amount of sauce used.
Notes:
*I have trouble finding red jalapeños so I often use the sauce shown below. If you are using another pepper sauce like tabasco or sriracha, start will less and add more until you reach your preferred heat level.
Organic Harvest Gluten Free Jalapeno Pepper Sauce
*The texture of this sauce will vary depending on the peanut butter you use. I use a peanut butter that is ground fresh in the store and it’s quite thick. I end up with a thicker, chunkier sauce and thin it with additional milk as needed.
I find that I usually have some sauce leftover. Leftover sauce can be used as a salad dressing, on roasted or sautéed vegetables or as a dip.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
