Good Food!

Trader Joe’s Pancake and Waffle mix is wheat, peanuts, nut, milk and diary, soy and corn free! Since this list contains many of the allergy culprits this mix bodes well for any person avoiding these foods or allergic to them.  Also sugar free!

Most importantly the waffles are delicious and lose nothing from the lack of wheat.  The main flour is rice flour with some tapioca and arrowroot flour as well.

Light with a spongy textures inside, crisp, crunchy outside. We made ours with dairy free Sweet Cream and warmed up dark Morello Cherries – also from TJoe’s for a satisfying and delicous Sunday brunch.

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 From The Ultimate Vegetarian Cookbook by Roz Denny with some modifications. Use the butterless and milkless options for Vegan Corn Chowder. This is one of my all time favorite soups.  I must have made it over a hundred times.  It tastes even better the next day reheated but is good from the get go.

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 medium size potato, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced (optional)
1 small green or anaheim pepper, seeded and sliced
2 T. olive or sunflower oil
2 T. butter or more oil
4 c. stock or water (use part milk if you want)
salt and ground black pepper
1 – 7oz. can lima beans or 1 c. dried (cooked)
1 1/4 c. corn, fresh, frozen or canned
pinch dried sage (optional)

Optional:  If using dried lima beans, cook.  I use a pressure cooker with 1c. dried beans, 2. c. water for 4 minutes with a ten minute break before releasing pressure.

1. Put the oinion, (garlic), potato, (celery) and pepper into a large saucepan with the oil and butter.
2. Heat the ingredients until sizzling, then turn the hear down to low.  Cover and sweat the vegetables gently for 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
3. Pour in the stock or water, season to taste, and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
4. Add (milk), beans and corn – and the sage.  If your using canned corn and the broth tastes good, you can add that too.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Check for seasoning and serve hot.

This recipe is largely inspired by Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  I reduced the sugar, swapped out the white flour for spelt, swapped out the soy milk for almond milk and cut the topping recipe in half in order to up the "good for you" factor.  I have to say I was amazed at how delicious these cupcakes were.  They beat any dairy / egg cupcakes I’ve ever had by a long shot and were rich, sweet and satisfying.

Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup almond milk (or oat milk)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, chocolate extract, or more vanilla extract
1 cup spelt flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners – or spray with canola oil.
2.Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a largebowl,and set aside for a few minutes to curdle.Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and beat till foamy.In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder,and salt.  Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat till no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay).
3. Pour into liners, filling three quartersof the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely

Topping

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons rice milk
1 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
Scant pinch of salt
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
1. Whisk rice milk, arrowroot, and salt in a small bowl or measuring cup. In a large stainless-steel saucepan over medium heat, stir together coconut milk and brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, till mixture starts to boil. Turn heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Whisk rice milk mixture once more and slowlypour into the coconut milk mixture, stirring constantly to incorporate.
2.Stir mixture continuously till it darkens again, gets very thick and smooth, and arrowroot is cooked, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and beat in vanilla, chopped pecans, and coconut. Stir till everything is coated and completely combined.  Cool to room temperature before frosting cupcakes.

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This soup is so easy to make and really is delicious despite the simplicity of the ingredients.

This recipe is from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison with slight modifications

2 T. Olive oil or butter
2 Onions, finely diced
3 small bay leaves
2 pounds potatoes, peeld,
Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, add the onions and bay leaves and cook slowly. Meanwhile, slice up potatoes to the size and shape you like.

Add the potatoes, raise the heat and saute, stirring frequently until a glaze starts to build up on the bottom of the pot, about 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspons salt and 1 c. water. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the solids. Add 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered until the poatatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves, taste for salt, season with pepper.

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This is my favorite soup. It has an excellent combination of flavors and a lovely texture.

1 2 lb. butternut squash ( comes out well with pumpkin or acorn squash too)
4 T. butter
1 large onion, chopped in big pieces
2 leeks (white part only), sliced
4 c. water
Sea salt and pepper

Peel and remove seeds from squash, slice squash, onions and leeks. Saute onions and leeks in 2 T. butter for 2 -3 minutes. Add the squash and water, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until squash is tender. Blend and eat. This soup freezes well – although it’s most delicious completely fresh.

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When I feel a little deprived about not getting any decadent treats – I have this hot chocolate substitute.  I always feel requited afterwards – and to tell the truth I also feel much better than I would if I’d had hot cocoa with sugar.

1 c. unsweetened almond milk  
Stir in Xylitol to preferred sweetness

Heat up on medium heat and drink

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