Vegan

Chocolate-Drizzled Vegan Cannoli with Fresh Peaches! Guest Post from Kelli Roberts at Kelli’s Vegan Kitchen

So, right after I wrote my injury post, the sweet Kelli at Kelli’s Vegan Kitchen contacted me and offered to send me some yoga DVD’s from her practice to enable me to get some healing exercises into my regimen. Being the ratbag that I am, I kind of ignored the message then later tried to tell her I had plenty of other things I was trying to incorporate into my recovery (I have a hard time accepting help, even when I need it). Thankfully she eventually got through to me, mostly because she wouldn’t take no for an answer. At that time I was doing a restorative yoga class at my local gym and some pool running for cardio. I found that even though restorative yoga was good for my soul, it wasn’t really giving me a workout, plus the pool running became more and more difficult when I found I would be in pain for several days after each session. When I tried the yoga class that was the next level up from restorative at my gym, I couldn’t do most of the poses or keep up with the fast pace of the class because of my injury. I ended up leaving after 10 minutes, humiliated and down trodden.

Enter Kelli’s miraculous TriYoga DVD’s. I finally decided to give them a go since I figured I had nothing left to lose. Well ladies and gentlemen, they are absolutely perfect for my level of fitness at the moment. Gentle, but challenging. They actually make me feel like I’m getting a workout without hurting myself. And, I can preserve my novice yoga dignity and do them in the privacy of my own home. A couple of weeks ago, I had ladies in my family lined up on our family reunion vacation doing these yoga exercises with me. Yeah, my mom ended up ordering the DVD’s too.

Anyway, the moral of this story is that sometimes people come into your life for the right reason at the right time and that sometimes you find help, healing and inspiration where you think you’d be least likely to find it.

Be open to it.

Stay tuned at the end of this post to see some of the delicious offerings on Kelli’s site. Now, here’s Kelli with these amazing Cannoli!

Hey Vedged Out readers! I’m thrilled that Somer has invited me to join you all today and share a new recipe. I’ve long been an admirer of hers, and her creativity in the kitchen continually inspires me to new heights. I’m so honored to be in such talented company here.

One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that I don’t often actually plan out recipes. Sometimes they’re triggered by a memory, or a meal that I’ve loved, and sometimes they just appear in my mind fully formed. Amazing how that happens…. This particular one came from remembering long-ago desserts.

When I was young, my father was a news photographer for a local tv station. And like fathers do, he brought me souvenirs from the stories that he filmed – from huge Jimmy Carter presidential convention posters, to autographs from every famous person who came into town, to (my favorite) the video he filmed of an open-heart surgery that I brought in to show my sixth-grade class. (It was 1981, and things like that weren’t seen much). And every year around the holidays, he always managed to do a story at a local Italian bakery and brought home the most amazing desserts – what kid doesn’t love a pile of fried dough balls covered with sugar syrup and colored sprinkles? And the cannoli – the most incredible things I’ve ever had. I was recently thinking of those yummy desserts….

But sadly, I’d not had cannoli since becoming vegan, so I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to create the ideal late-summer version: sweet whole grain shells filled with tangy cashew cream and perfectly ripe peaches, all drizzled with chocolate. And it was so much easier than I’d ever expected!

Now before we get to the recipe, I have 2 variations, just so no one gets scared off 🙂

– If you want the delicious cannoli flavors without the bother challenge of rolling the shells, press the baked dough into mini-muffin tins, let cool and then fill, to make mini cannoli cups.

– These are best served right away so the shells stay crunchy, but if they do get soft, put them in the freezer for an AMAZING frozen dessert. They taste just like ice-cream cake rolls!

Chocolate-Drizzled Vegan Cannoli with Fresh Peaches

For the filling:

1 cup cashews (soaked for 2-4 hours if you don’t have a high speed blender)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3-4 tablespoons water
1-2 tablespoons agave
½ cup diced fresh peaches

For the shells:

3 teaspoons egg replacer, mixed with 4 tablespoons warm water
4 tablespoons Earth Balance (coconut oil may also work, but I haven’t tried it)
1/3 cup organic sugar/coconut sugar/sucanat
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
½ cup spelt flour

For the chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

Make the filling first by blending together all of the filling ingredients except the peaches. I made mine more tangy than sweet, so I used 4 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of agave. If you prefer your filling sweeter, you can add more agave and reduce the water accordingly. Stir in the diced peaches. Place in the fridge to chill while baking the shells. The filling can also be made a couple of days in advance.

For the shells, begin by creaming the Earth Balance and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg replacer and mix well. Blend in the vanilla, balsamic vinegar and flour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, make thin flat circles of batter 3-4 inches in diameter (I drew circles on the parchment to make sure I had the right size and shape). Do only about 3 at a time. Bake for approximately 8 minutes, until the edges are brown and the dough is cooked through. Let cool for a minute or so, and then while the dough is still pliable, roll it around something about 1” in diameter. I used cannoli forms for this, but you can also use a bottle neck or the handle from your mortar & pestle. Let it stay wrapped until it starts to cool and holds its shape. Place on a cooling rack until completely cool.

Melt the chocolate chips and non-dairy milk together in the microwave or on the stovetop. Whisk together to make a smooth, drippable chocolate.

Once the shells are completely cooled, pipe the cashew filling into them using a pastry bag or plastic bag with a hole cut in the corner (make sure it’s big enough for the peaches to go through!). Drizzle with chocolate and a dusting of powdered sugar if desired. Serve immediately.

This amount makes about 10 cannoli.

I’ve always thought of cannoli as a special occasion dessert, but why wait? It’s a delicious way to do something special for someone you love. Thanks again, Somer, for having me over today!

Kelli Roberts is a skilled Vegan Chef with a certificate in plant-based diet from Cornell University, and is a certified health & nutrition counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She has been vegetarian for nearly 20 years and vegan for 11, and has spent hundreds of hours learning about the benefits of a vegan diet and healthful cooking techniques. Kelli teaches vegan cooking classes and programs to transition to a plant-based diet (online and in person), and offers individualized nutrition and lifestyle counseling. She is also a Level 3-certified TriYoga teacher. With this training, she leads vegan yoga retreats that offer a complete package of wellness, including yoga classes, group meal preparation, health and nutrition information, and techniques to bring this knowledge actively into our daily lives.

To see some of Kelli’s most recent incredible creations on her site, click on any of the following links.

Clockwise: Carrot Cake Waffles, Mostly Raw Blackberry Lavender Ice Cream, Rosemary Olive Potpie Turnovers, Raw Chunky Monkey Ice Cream Sundaes, Vegan Pasta Carbonara, Raw Strawberry Ginger Pudding, The Best Avocado Toast Ever and Green Warrior-Goddess Soup.

Warm Bok Choy and Roasted Veggie Couscous Salad with Lemon Caper Dressing. Guest Post from Kristy Turner at Keepin’ It Kind

I’m so delighted Kristy from Keepin’ It Kind is sharing a recipe with you today with this guest post. We’ve been blogging buddies from the very beginning (as she mentions below). If you haven’t all ready met Kristy, you need to head over to her site. The food and the photography will dispel any myths that vegans can’t eat a first class gourmet diet. All while using healthy and simple ingredients. This recipe today is one that I know I’d love, since bok choy is one of my favorite vegetables! Keep reading and I’ll share some links to my favorites from Kristy’s site at the end of this post.

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Firstly, I want to thank Somer for inviting me here today. I have admired Somer since BVO (Before Vedged-Out). As I’m sure you all already know, Somer’s passion is inspiring, her enthusiasm is contagious, and her food is delicious. I know that Somer hasn’t been her normal self due to an unfortunate injury so it is my pleasure and an honor to help her out today.

I’d really like to say that in the summer, all of my meals are filled with an abundance of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables but that would be a lie. The truth is, in the summer, my laziness is at an all-time high.

This laziness creates a little bit of a back-up in my refrigerator’s vegetable drawer. I belong to a CSA and have a weekly box of organic, seasonal, and locally-grown produce delivered to my door. I love this delivery and look forward to it all week, but with my case of summer laziness, a lot of this produce just sits in my refrigerator until I can muster up enough ambition to do something with it.

Normally, I use produce from this delivery throughout the week, spreading it out over several meals. A couple weeks ago, however, I realized that I had barely used any of my produce and I had another delivery coming the next day. My dislike for wasting food trumps my laziness any day of the week so I pulled all of the unused produce out and created a super-easy meal packed with seasonal veggies. I roasted up some mushrooms, summer squash, broccoli and green beans. I briefly sautéed some baby bok choy with red cabbage and shallots. I tossed all of the veggies, along with a grain, with an incredibly simple, ridiculously delicious lemon caper dressing (seriously, it comes together in less than a minute). My husband and I could not get over how good this meal was. We even loved it as leftovers a couple days later. We loved it so much that I had to make it again.

Originally I made this dish with freekeh, a grain similar to barley, but for recipe-creation purposes, I chose to use something a little more common. This salad would be great with quinoa, millet, farro, barley, or freekeh (if you have some on hand) but for this version, I chose israeli (or pearl) couscous. I love this chewy little pasta/grain and it worked beautifully in this dish.

The star of this meal, though, is the lemon caper dressing. As I mentioned before, it’s stupid easy and this salty, tart dressing adds quite the little “zing” to every bite. If you wanted to add a little bit of protein to the meal, you could easily incorporate some chickpeas or another legume. You could also add/substitute other veggies if these don’t float your boat- roasted eggplant, zucchini, cauliflower or even asparagus would all work really well here.

This, my friends, is a perfect summer meal because a.) It’s packed with healthy veggies, b.) it’s delicious, and c.) it’s easy to make and comes together very quickly so ~~you~~ I have plenty of time to be lazy.

warm bok choy and roasted veggie couscous salad with lemon caper dressing

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

for the roasted veggies

1 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and chopped into 1/2 inch-thick half-moons
1 pound fresh green beans (or purple or yellow beans), ends trimmed and chopped in half
3 cups small broccoli florets (stems can be included if desired)
olive oil spray
2 teaspoons tarragon
2 teaspoons thyme
salt and pepper to taste

for the bok choy and cabbage

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4-5 bunches baby bok choy, bulb end trimmed
1/2 head of red/purple cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

for the couscous

2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup israeli couscous (or other grain)

for the lemon caper dressing

3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill

Instructions

roast the veggies

Preheat the oven to 400. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the veggies out over the two baking sheets. Lightly spray them with olive oil (or drizzle with olive oil) and sprinkle the herbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to fully coat.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside.

cook the couscous

Once the veggies are in the oven, you can prepare the couscous. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Once it is boiling, add the salt then the couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit for about 15 minutes before checking. At this point, the water should have cooked away and you can fluff the couscous with a fork. If there is still water, cover and let sit until water has cooked away (You may have to drain some of the water at the end). Let sit until ready to use.

prepare the dressing

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a cup wide enough to fit an immersion blender. Use an immersion blender to puree the capers and blend all of the ingredients together until it is mostly smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a blender, but you will likely have to scrape the sides several times until it is mostly smooth. Chill until ready to use.

cook the bok choy and cabbage

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the bok choy and cabbage and sauté until just beginning to wilt. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

assemble the salad

Combine the veggies, the couscous, and the bok choy/cabbage mixture in a large bowl. Give it a couple stirs to incorporate the ingredients a little more. Pour the dressing over the salad (You may need to re-stir the dressing if it has separated at all) and mix until it is all fully combined. Serve immediately. You can make this a day or two ahead of time but you may want to reheat slightly before serving. Enjoy.

Photography by Chris Miller

Thank you for having me here, Somer, and thank all of you for stopping by and reading! Have a great day! 🙂

To view more of Kristy’s incredible creations (these are just some of my favorites), click on any of the following links.

Clockwise: Sweet and Salty Ice Cream Layer Cake, Strawberry Shortcake Waffles, Jackfruit Enchiladas, Sunflower Cheddar, Seitan Mushroom Roast, S’more Cookies, Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches, Buffalo Cauliflower Wing Pizza, Butternut Wild Mushroom Lasagna with Pecan Parmesan, Chickpea Caulipots with Miso Mushroom Gravy

Kitchen Divided by Ellen Jaffe Jones. Review, 100% Guilt Free Cake Recipe and Giveaway.

Garden Pizza, the recipe in the book calls for asparagus and fresh basil. Oops, I forgot to pick up both at the store. As you can see, it was still SO delicious.

Ellen Jaffe Jones, the plant-based athlete and famed author of Eat Vegan on $4 a Day is back with Kitchen Divided: a book full of vegan dishes and sound advice for semi-vegan households. Her ideas and methods in the book will be a life-line for many, her approach is love: teaching tolerance within partnerships despite difference in diet choices. The recipes are simple to prepare, delicious and straightforward. They will be enjoyed all family members.

Good-as-Gold Soup, I blended it to make it creamy and added a dollop of vegan sour cream.

While many of you know that I run a vegan household, you may not know that my husband is the type that “eats vegan at home” Meaning he’s gracious enough to support my diet choices and sees the benefit of a plant-based diet for health purposes, but he still occasionally eats animal products when we dine out. In the beginning, I thought I had “converted” him. So the first time he ordered steak at a restaurant when we were out on a date, I was baffled, angry and a little heartbroken.

I can’t get enough of these smoothies, they’ve become my go to breakfast for the last couple of weeks.

I could have taken that experience and allowed it to become a divide in our relationship. I could have fostered bitterness and carried a grudge. Instead, I respected his decision, just like he respects mine. I feel grateful that he allows me to run a kitchen were it’s 100% plant-based and that we don’t have to divide pantry or refrigerator shelves. Though I do recognize that a divided kitchen is a stark reality for many vegans. I’m one of the lucky ones.

Full of fiber, protein and nutrients. A beautiful way to start your day.

Ellen’s book was born out of circumstances similar to mine. Her husband eats steak and takes statin medications, yet, they share so many other profound connections that food isn’t something worth arguing over. She states “Some vegans choose to break off a relationship when their diet becomes incompatible with their partner’s. In many instances though, there are compelling emotional, personal and financial reasons to mend rather than end the relationship.”

Stealth Egg Salad, featured here as an open faced sandwich.

She took this idea to her readers and found that many lived in “Kitchen Divided” households. I would compare it to having a difference in religion, race or political backgrounds with your partner. There are definitely going to be disagreements over points of view, however, that doesn’t mean there can’t be harmony in the home.

Dates instead of sugar give this slaw it’s sweet taste.

Ellen offers this advice: “Developing acceptance is the task I’ve set before you. Instead of asking your partner to change, see how you can bridge your differences and make life in the kitchen easier, calmer, and more pleasant for the both of you. Incredible things can happen when joyfulness, tolerance and great food joins forces.”

I think Ellen Jaffe Jones would make an amazing Marriage and Family Counselor. 🙂 This book would benefit anyone with a divided kitchen or anyone with extended family that isn’t vegan (which means almost all of us).

Date and Nut Cake, this amazing “snack cake” has no added sugars or oil

Now for this homely cake. It doesn’t look like much, but after one taste, I think it may quickly become a family favorite in your home as it has in mine.

Date and Nut Cake

This cake is simplicity incarnate. One of the joys of vegan cooking is how unfussy recipes can be, as this scrumptious cake attests. (recipe used with permission)

1 1/4 C. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1 cup chopped soft dates, preferably medjool
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 t. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or mist it with cooking spray.

Put the flour and the baking soda in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the dates and walnuts and stir until evenly distributed.

Stir the vanilla extract into the water. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly in the lined pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Testers note: Since my medjool dates were too sticky to chop small, I processed my dates with the flour until they were in small bits then proceeded with the recipe. I also baked my cake in an 8 inch round instead of a square baking pan. GF peeps, I made a second cake with this gluten-free flour blend and a flax egg (1 T. ground flax + 3 T. water mixed and allowed to gel for a few minutes). It was every bit as delicious as the first cake and didn’t crumble like many GF cakes do.

Buy Kitchen Divided here.

Buy it on the Publisher’s Site, Book Pulishing Company, here, or the authors site, VegCoach, here.

For a chance to win a copy of this amazing cookbook, Click on the link below to enter the Giveaway! This contest is open to entrants in the USA and Canada only. You must also follow this blog by email or RSS feed to qualify. You have until Friday the 16th of August to enter! I will notify the winner by email on Monday the 19th of August. GO!!

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Vegan Madeleines with Citrus and Raspberries! Guest Post from Alexander Willow Harvey at In Vegetables We Trust.

Since I’ve spent most of my time this summer on vacation, hanging out with my kids and in Doctor’s offices for my injury, I haven’t been spending as much time as I’d like in the kitchen. So, I’ve asked some of my blogging friends to lend a hand and guest post here.

My first guest post is from my friend Alexander at In Vegetables We Trust.

At the tender age of 21, he’s more talented in the kitchen than most people ever will be. He’s a bread maker, cake baker and everything vegan extraordinaire. For just some of my favorite posts from Alexander view the photos and links below:

(Clockwise) Rainbow Salad, Apple and Parsnip One Pot, Cupcakes with Vegan Honeycomb, Whole grain Pflaumenkuchen – Yeasted Plum Cake, Pumpkin Seed Oatcakes, Coconut Courgette Cake, Olive and Caper Bread, Slow Cooker Chili, Chocolate Chestnut Pies, “Beefy” Lentil and Portabello Stew, Rocket Pesto Cookie Sheet Pizza, Nanaimo Bars.

Now for these beautiful Madeleines, they are a small French sponge cake baked in a pan that has shell like depressions. To purchase your very own Madeleine pan, click here. Alexander has been preparing recipes with lots of edible flowers as of late, lucky you!

Vegan Madeleines with Citrus and Raspberries

Ingredients:

For the Madeleines:

1/2 cup plain white flour
1/4 cup soy flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
4 tbsp soy milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup canola oil/ rapeseed oil
1/3 cup golden unrefined castor sugar
Zest of half a lemon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
10- 12 raspberries

For the glaze:

1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp soy milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup icing sugar
Edible petals for garnish/ decoration (optional)

Method: Preheat the oven to 180c/ 360f. Grease a 12 hole madeleine pan and dust with flour, turn upside down and tap out the excess flour. Sift together the four, soy flour and baking powder into a bowl. In a separate bowl beat together the flax-seed, soy milk and lemon juice with a hand mixer for a few minutes until you have worked in some air, add the oil, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla and beat again for a few minutes. Sift in half of the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined. Sift in the other half and fold together until fully incorporated. Scoop the mix into a piping bag, snip off the end and pipe into the madeleine pan (this is the quickest and easiest way) filling them up about 3/4’s of the way. And carefully press a raspberry into the top of each one. Bake for about 10 minutes, turning during baking if your oven is uneven. Once baked remove from the oven and carefully use a spoon to place the hot madeleines on a wire rack to cool, raspberry side up. Allow to cool completely before glazing. To make the glaze carefully combine the lemon juice, soy milk and vanilla with the sifted icing sugar in a bowl, mix nice and slow so as not to get icing sugar every where (I always seem to spill some). Dip the cooled madeleines in the glaze and place back on the wire rack, sprinkle with edible flower petals and allow to set. Serve with tea.

Raw Vegan Mango Frozen Yogurt

Mangoes are probably the favorite fruit of everyone in my household. So, hot summertime weather plus too many overripe mangoes turned into a very happy event for all of us.

Raw Vegan Mango Frozen Yogurt

1 cup raw cashews (covered and soaked with water for 4-6 hours if you don’t have a power blender)
1 cup filtered water
1 scoop of Sunwarrior’s Raw Vegan Warrior Blend Protien Powder (Natural or Vanilla) optional, makes for a thicker, richer cashew yogurt.
1 teaspoon mellow white miso
1/2 teaspoon vegan probiotic powder, or vegan yogurt culture.
3 big, ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup raw agave

Method: Blend the cashews, water, raw agave, Sunwarrior protein powder and miso until completely smooth and creamy. Pulse in the vegan probiotic powder/yogurt culture. Scrape all into a clean glass container, cover and then let culture in a warm place for 4-24 hours depending on how tart you want your frozen yogurt, a longer culture time equals a more tart yogurt. (Mixture may separate during culturing, just leave it alone). When the yogurt is cultured, you’re ready to make frozen yogurt! Add cashew yogurt and two of the diced mangoes to your blender. Blend til mangoes are completely smooth and incorporated. Stir or pulse in the third mango, so that the frozen yogurt will have some whole pieces of mango.

Pour into prepared ice cream maker and let churn for 25-30 minutes. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can try this method.

You can eat it now, like soft serve but it’s much better when you freeze it for 2 hours til it’s nice and solid.

This recipe is also featured on Sunwarrior News.

Food Over Medicine: The Conversation That Could Save Your Life. A Candid Interview with Dr. Pamela Popper, a Delicious Salad Recipe, Review and Giveaway

Food Over Medicine is a book made up entirely of a conversation between Dr. Pamela A. Popper, PhD, ND (Executive Director of The Wellness Forum) and Glen Merzer (Co-Author of Mad Cowboy, No More Bull, Unprocessed and Better Than Vegan) about how the food we eat may be the biggest way we can impact our health in a positive way. It reads easily and is thoroughly engaging from start to finish. The subtitle of the book “The Conversation That Could Save Your Life” is as serious as a heart attack. If you have health issues, I’m pleading with you to read this book. I was moved and touched deeply, it never fails to amaze me that people can completely change their health simply by changing what they put into their mouths. So many of Pam’s patients have had health recoveries similar or more profound than my own.

One of her biggest success stories, is that of Chef Del Sroufe, who was 475 pounds and a very unhealthy vegan when they first met. He’s now lost more than 225 pounds, is the author of “Forks Over Knives- The Cookbook” and “Better Than Vegan.” He is a partner in The Wellness Forum and is also the Executive Chef on staff at the facility. This book includes 25 of his delicious recipes. I’ve photographed some of them for you to view here.

Now for the best bit: Pamela Popper agreed to an interview for this post. Listen up, it’s good stuff.

Somer McCowan: So, I’ve had my Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Ulcerative Colitis) in remission since I adopted a plant based diet over 18 months ago. However, I feel like it’s dormant, like a bear in hibernation and that if I were to re-introduce animal foods into my diet, that the disease would reappear in full force. Why do animal foods trigger auto-immune diseases like mine?

Dr. Pamela Popper: You are correct – your condition is in remission and it will remain so as long as you are compliant on the right diet. However, it is not necessary to adhere to a vegan diet in order to keep it in remission. In fact, our protocol for stopping the progression of IBD and reversing it allows people to consume organic animal foods or wild-caught fish 2-3 times per week*, and it works for those who are compliant. The important issues are absolutely no dairy, no high gluten foods (barley, rye, oats, wheat), very low fat, low sugar, and to be mindful of foods that seem to trigger gassiness and diarrhea, which vary from person to person and sometimes are more related to portion size rather than food type. For example, an IBD patient may find that more than ½ cup of beans in one serving causes issues; those of us without IBD don’t have to worry about this.

Animal foods are only part of the cause of autoimmune diseases, including IBD. People who develop autoimmune diseases are genetically predisposed, diet contributes, and there is usually a “precipitating event”, which can include vaccinations, infections, viruses, allergies, asthma, hormonal changes, including pregnancy, or long periods of sustained stress. Women are much more likely to develop most autoimmune diseases than men.

(Important Note: Both Dr. Pamela Popper and Glen Merzer follow a strictly plant based diet themselves, meaning, neither of them consume animal products of any kind.)

Somer McCowan: What other health conditions/diseases can be reversed or “put into remission” through plant based eating?

Dr. Pamela Popper: Any condition that is chronic or degenerative can be stopped or reversed for most people with a well-structured plant-based diet. The exception is sometimes cancer, in which the results vary a lot based on the type of cancer, stage, age of the person, co-morbidity, and other factors.

Even conditions that are not chronic and degenerative can be made better with better diet. For example, an injured person (car or skiing accident, for example) will heal faster while eating a plant-based diet than someone who consumes a diet rich in fat, animal protein and junk foods.

Somer McCowan: Do your clients ever say to you: “It’s too hard to be on a low-fat, whole foods/plant-based diet” i.e.: that they would prefer to live their previous lifestyle while staying sick and continuing to take prescription medications?

Dr. Pamela Popper: Our clients who think that this is hard are not following our directions; we make conversion to this diet very easy, helping people to avoid trial and error and preventing them from making mistakes like the ones I made when I made the conversion on my own many years ago.

However, there are two types of people we cannot help. We can’t do much for people who just won’t listen – they trust Western medicine and do not believe that diet is part of their problem. And we cannot help people who do not want to get well and there are some. There are many reasons, including the fact that some people are so used to being sick that they don’t know how not to be sick, or illness is the way they get attention. The right type of therapy can help these people to want to get better, and to get over the fear of getting better.

Somer McCowan: Why do you think traditional Doctors tell their patients that diet has nothing to do with disease?

Dr. Pamela Popper: It is so unfortunate, but doctors are not given much education about nutrition in medical school – most of the time only a few classroom hours. They are not told that diet is a major contributing factor to developing degenerative diseases, or that diet can cure them. Furthermore, they are not taught to cure anyone using other means either. Medical training consists of teaching docs how to mitigate symptoms with drugs and procedures, and how to use diagnostic tests, most of which are useless and harmful, to detect disease at earlier stages.

Somer McCowan: How quickly can people expect to see improved health once they commit and fully make the switch to a low-fat, whole foods plant-based diet?

Dr. Pamela Popper: Improvement begins almost immediately. Overweight people who are compliant will lose 2-3 pounds per week until they reach their ideal weight; and the changes in health status take place so quickly for type 2 diabetics and hypertensive patients that they have to be monitored carefully since their medication needs drop really quickly. It can take some time to completely resolve some issues, and some people have developed health issues as a result of taking medications for their diseases that have to be addressed, but the progress is quick enough that they are encouraged to stick with the diet.

Somer McCowan: What would you say to those who are hesitant to change their diet plan, but are living with some form of disease or illness?

Dr. Pamela Popper: Try it! If you decide after a few weeks or months that you miss being a diabetic you can always eat your way back into your prior condition!

Somer McCowan: Can you explain the difference between a vegan diet and a low fat, whole foods plant based diet?

Dr. Pamela Popper: A vegan diet means absolutely no animal foods, and the interpretation of this diet for some even excludes honey. It’s important to note that simply adopting a vegan diet does not mean that one is eating a health-promoting diet. There are lots of people who don’t eat animal foods but eat a lot of vegan junk food, highly processed foods, and fat. Most of these people are not much better off from a health perspective than the meat eaters.

A whole foods plant-based diet may or may not be vegan, but focuses on eating whole foods and some minimally processed foods. It is low in fat, high in fiber, and the primary food groups are fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

Somer McCowan: What do you eat in the course of a normal day?

Dr. Pamela Popper: One of the things I love about this diet is that I can eat whatever I want and not worry about portion control or calorie counting. I’m really active, so I eat a lot of food. So I’ll tell you what I had today:

Breakfast – 2 pieces of Ezekial bread toast with fat free hummus and my breakfast smoothie** (plant milk, Wellness Forum smoothie mix, brewer’s yeast, ground flax, food-grade green tea, a banana and frozen berries)

Lunch – mixed greens with Southwest pasta salad (whole wheat pasta with black beans, red peppers, cilantro, corn, tomatoes, and creamy tofu dressing)

Mid-afternoon – blackberries and apples

Dinner – BIG salad with lots of veggies and rice and steamed veggies (all given to me by friends with gardens – YUM!!)

I have a sweet tooth that flares at night and it’s about that time now so after I sign off I’m going to have some fresh peaches which I bought from a farmer last weekend. LOVE this way of eating!

Chef Del’s Big Green Salad with Sweet and Spicy Mustard Dressing

Recipe used with permission. -Serves 4

For the Salad:

8 ounces mixed greens
1 cup garbanzo beans
1 cup red cabbage, grated
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
1 carrot, grated
Sweet and Spicy Mustard Dressing, recipe follows

Divide the mixed greens between four dinner plates. Arrange the remaining ingredients on top of the greens and serve with Sweet and Spicy Mustard Dressing on the side.

For the Dressing:

1 package silken tofu
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.

My husband and I can’t get enough of this tasty salad or the incredible dressing, I want to put it on everything!

Buy Food Over Medicine here. Get the Kindle Edition for just $3.99 here.

Buy it on the Publisher’s Site, BenBella Books here

For a chance to win a copy of this amazing cookbook, Click on the link below to enter the Giveaway! This contest is open to entrants in the USA and Canada only. You must also follow this blog by email or RSS feed to qualify. You have until Friday the 9th of August to enter! I will notify the winner by email on Monday the 12th of August. GO!!

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* excerpt from Food Over Medicine “we will help more people convert to a healthy diet if we espouse a more moderate message, if we don’t scare away people by insisting they abstain from animal foods entirely.”

**Dr. Pamela Popper agreed to share her breakfast smoothie recipe with me, you can find it here. For those wishing to order ingredients from The Wellness Forum to make this smoothie, please call 614 841-7700.

The China Study Cookbook: Review and Giveaway plus No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe!

I had all ready watched and was blown away by Forks Over Knives before I read The China Study. When I read the book, the evidence and data presented there by T. Colin Campbell, PHD and his son Thomas M. Campbell, was simply irrefutable. I felt my convictions about plant-based eating deepen even more. Certainly, the book confirmed all that I wanted to know and learn about eating for health (indeed nearly every single health issue you can imagine can be improved through a whole foods plant-based diet).

So, I gave the book to my sister-in-law, she read it cover to cover on a flight home to Switzerland. She and my brother and their family went plant-based almost immediately. The book then got passed around amongst her friends and family. Some of those people went plant-based. I’m sure those people shared the book with their loved ones. That’s what we do when we find something phenomenal that can change lives. We share it with those that are precious to us so that they can understand the real data behind the whole foods movement and experience the joy of good health.

Dr. Campbell mentions in the intro to this cookbook that people always ask him what he eats, and that undoubtedly he would give people a limited answer that would disappoint those wanting to make real lifestyle changes. Now you can discover for yourself the real “China Study Diet” His daughter, Leanne Campbell is the author of the cookbook. I love that they’ve truly kept it in the family to show how the Campbell family does healthy vegan.

On quick review of the cookbook I was delighted to see that the recipes used simple ingredients, that the meals would be easy and quick to prepare AND that they would indeed be flavorful, despite the fact that none of the recipes contain oil, very little of them use sweeteners (and when they do, they use natural sweeteners) and all of the recipes are low in sodium. Also, Nearly every recipe has a lovely photo (a huge plus in my book, I like to see what the food I’m preparing is supposed to look like).

I especially enjoyed Leanne’s explanation about feeding a whole foods plant-based diet to children. Not only do they thrive, but indeed their diets are likely nutritionally superior to all of their peers. (My own children do very well on a plant-based diet).

Now, lets talk about the food. My husband, who’s not much of a treat guy, thoroughly enjoyed both salads I tested out of the book and asked for seconds of each. My daughter loved the Coconut Curry Rice so much that she begged for the last of it on the second day. As for the desserts, well I was happily surprised that the Vegan Chocolate Cake was moist and tender, even without the addition of oil, oh and the frosting tastes like a delicious chocolate pudding. My pickiest and youngest eater ate 6 slices of the Favorite French Toast in one day. He wanted it for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (by then I had to make another batch). I couldn’t blame him, it was truly delicious.

As for the No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars, well, we’ll just let the photos and the recipe do the talking. Enjoy.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

These bars are rich, creamy, sweet and satisfying–everything a dessert should be! (recipe used with permission, of course).

1 cup low-fat graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
1/2 cup reduced-fat, unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips
5 tablespoons rice or almond milk

1- Crush graham crackers in food processor. In a separate bowl, add walnuts, coconut and peanut butter. Stir in the crushed graham crackers.

2- Slowly add milk and mix. If mixture does not hold together, continue adding additional milk until all the ingredients stick together. However, don’t make it too soft, and, if necessary, use your hands.

3- Spread mixture evenly into a 9×9 non-stick baking dish.

4- In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips together with rice or almond milk over medium heat. Stir until smooth.

5- Spread chocolate mixture on top of peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until hardened. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Tip: These make a great holiday treat and should be used sparingly.

Buy The China Study Cookbook here. Get the Kindle Edition here.

Buy it on the Publisher’s Site, BenBella Books here

For a chance to win a copy of this amazing cookbook, Click on the link below to enter the Giveaway! This contest is open to entrants in the USA and Canada only. You must also follow this blog by email or RSS feed to qualify. You have until Friday the 26th of July to enter! I will notify the winner by email on Monday the 29th of July. GO!!

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Tastes of Summer: Smoky Fiesta Black Bean Tamales

I’m guest posting over at my friend Jody’s at The Vegan’s Husband today (he’s male, sometimes he has hair that looks like Scott Jurek’s and he’s taken ladies). Did I mention he’s also an amazing cook? Jody was one of my first followers, when he asked me to do a guest post for him while he was away on a service trip for youth in his community, I couldn’t turn him down. I love anything to do with service and I’ve got heaps of admiration for people who take time out of their busy lives to serve others. Plus, Jody’s Catholic, I’m Mormon and sometimes he schools me about higher matters. That’s what friends are for, it’s awesome.

Oh, and making tamales is simpler than you might think (really). Head on over to Jody’s to get the luscious recipe here.

The recipe is also featured on Sunwarrior News and The Linky Virtual Vegan Potluck!

Whole Grain Vegan Baking! Review, Giveaway and a Super Soft Whole Grain Burger Bun Recipe

One of the most well loved and well thumbed books on my kitchen bookshelf is The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, co-authored by Celine Steen. It’s a book every vegan ought to have as a no-fail resource. So, of course I was thrilled at the chance to review Whole Grain Vegan Baking, written by both Celine Steen and Tamasin Noyes. It’s any bread fiend’s dream. These women are miracle workers. Even though I consider myself an ardent bread-maker, I’d yet to master bread that’s soft and fluffy AND completely whole grain. I’ll be sharing that recipe with you below, (with permission of course), but first feast your eyes on some of the recipes I’ve tested since receiving my copy of Whole Grain Vegan Baking.

Two ingredients I haven’t worked with before in my kitchen have become near and dear to my heart after making some of these creations. Whole Grain Spelt Flour and Sucanat.

The spelt flour adds lightness and eliminates the need to cut whole wheat or other whole grain blends with all purpose white flour to make them less hefty. It’s an ancient form of wheat that is high in protein. It lends a subtle nutty flavor to foods.

Sucanat is a contraction of “Sugar Cane Natural”, It is a whole cane sugar. It’s made by crushing freshly cut sugar cane, extracting the juice and heating it in a large vat. It’s less refined than raw sugar and tastes much like brown sugar because of it’s high molasses content. It adds a lovely caramel flavor to the foods you bake it with. It is an excellent source of iron, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium and chromium, which helps balance blood sugar.

Savory Spinach Loaf made with Roasted Spanish Onions. I hadn’t made a savory quick bread before this one and now I wonder why! It made my socks go up and down. I swear it was much prettier than I could capture with the photos.

Did you used to be a “Cheese” Cracker fan too? These should help with the withdrawals…

This focaccia was every bit as tasty as one made from white flour. I’ll be making it again and again.

A less sweet treat than you might expect. This would go perfectly paired with a green smoothie for your breakfast (perhaps minus the icing in that case) 😉

Now the moment you’ve been waiting for… Super soft and tasty, I didn’t believe this kind of tenderness was possible with all whole grains.

Whole Grain Burger Buns (and Sandwich Bread!)

Hats off to our friend Kelly Cavalier for thinking of using whole spelt flour instead of all-purpose flour in Celine’s recipe making this bread 100% whole grain, super soft, and even better than the original version.

1 cup (235 ml) lukewarm water
21⁄4 teaspoons active dry yeast
22 to 44 g (1 to 2 tablespoons) molasses or barley malt syrup, to taste
210 g (11⁄2 cups) whole spelt flour
180 g (11⁄2 cups) whole wheat flour, more if needed
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral-flavored oil

Combine the water, yeast, and molasses in a medium-size bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes for the yeast to activate. Place the flours and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the oil and yeast mixture on top.

Mix until a smooth and pliable dough forms, about 6 minutes. Add extra whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon (8 g) at a time, if needed.

Alternatively, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, adding extra whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon (8 g) at a time if needed, until the dough is smooth and pliable. Shape the dough into a ball, place back in the bowl, cover tightly with plastic, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 11⁄2 hours. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Gently deflate the dough. Divide it into 6 equal portions; shape into round burger buns. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes, until puffed.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). Carefully remove the plastic wrap from the buns.

Bake for 14 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown on top and sound hollow when the bottoms are lightly tapped. Let cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 6 burger buns

Serving Suggestions & Variations

Make a sandwich bread out of the dough by dividing it into 3 equal portions after the first rise, placing them in an 8 x 4-inch (20 x 10 cm) loaf pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5). Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Buy ”Whole Grain Vegan Baking” in paperback book on Amazon here or the Kindle version here

Visit Celine Steen at her site Have Cake Will Travel here

Visit Tamasin Noyes at her site Vegan Appetite here

For a chance to win a copy of this amazing cookbook, Click on the link below to enter the Giveaway! This contest is open to entrants in the USA and Canada only. You must also follow this blog by email or RSS feed to qualify. You have until Thursday the 18th of July to enter! I will notify the winner by email on Monday the 22nd. GO!!

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Thin Crust Sriracha BBQ Tofu and Moxarella Pizza

Bringing this baby out of the archives in honor of Vegan Pizza Day Tomorrow. Enjoy Peeps!

Thin Crust Sriracha BBQ Tofu and Moxarella Pizza

Recipes follow:

1/2 recipe of the Solid Moxarella Cashew Cheese, grated

1 recipe No Rise Whole Wheat Thin Crispy Crust

1 recipe Sriracha BBQ Sauce

1 recipe Sriracha BBQ Tofu

1 recipe Caramelized Onions

2 T. Chopped Cilantro

First do these things the day before: 1- Make the cheese 2- Drain and press a block of extra firm tofu, stick it in a ziploc bag and chuck it in the freezer. Freeze tofu overnight, then defrost on the counter-top the next morning.

It’s Business Time

Solid Moxarella Cashew Cheese

(grate-able, plus it melts and browns baby)

This cheese comes together quickly, but you need to work SUPER fast while making it as it starts to set almost instantly. So try to work without interruptions while putting it together if possible.

1/2 Package Pomona’s Pectin, about 4.5 teaspoons (you can find it at Whole Foods and other Health Food Stores or purchase it online here)
1 C. Ground Raw Cashews (soak for 4-6 hours if you don’t have a power blender or food processor)
1 C. Water, plus an additional 1/2 cup for the calcium packet in the Pomona’s Pectin
1 T. Lemon Juice
2 T. Nutritional Yeast
2 T. Melted Coconut Oil
1 t. sea salt
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

Method: Lightly oil small glass dish (square or round glass tupperware). Next, in a small lidded jar, mix 1/2 C. of water with the small calcium packet from the pectin package, set aside. Add cashews, nutritional yeast, sea salt, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to your power blender or food processor. Pulse until the cashews are finely ground, but don’t make nut butter! Add lemon juice and the melted coconut oil, pulse again til just combined. Heat the cup of water til boiling in a small saucepan on the stove-top or in a heat safe container in your microwave. Immediately Pour water into power blender. Add half of the large pectin packet (about 4.5 teaspoons). Blend or process until smooth (power blenders give the smoothest, creamiest results). QUICKLY add 1/4 cup (HALF) of the calcium water and pulse til incorporated. Immediately pour cheese into the prepared dish and put in the refrigerator. Let set uncovered for a minimum of an hour. Remove cheese from the mold and place upside down on a plate. Return to fridge uncovered for a minimum of 4 more hours until firm enough to grate.

Next, make Sriracha BBQ Sauce

Sriracha BBQ Sauce

1/2 C. organic ketchup
2 T. agave nectar
2 T. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1 t. molasses
1 clove minced garlic
1 t. liquid smoke
2 t. Sriracha Hot Sauce (or to taste)
few grinds of black pepper

Method: combine all ingredients in a small bowl or glass measuring cup

Next make Sriracha BBQ Tofu

Sriracha BBQ Tofu

Half of this recipe never made it to the pizza. It is so good!

Method: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Press any additional water from defrosted block of tofu as possible with a clean kitchen towel. Slice into pieces and then press again with the clean kitchen towel. Put tofu in a bowl and drizzle with 1/4 C. above sauce. Put some parchment paper on a baking sheet and arrange tofu on it. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until it starts to get lovely little crispy bits.

Next make Caramelized Onions

Caramelized Onions

1 jumbo sweet or red onion thinly sliced (or 2-3 regular sized onions)
2 t. molasses
1 t. salt and a few grinds of pepper

Method: Heat a skillet over high heat,add a cup of water and all of the above ingredients, occasionally stir and replenish water if skillet gets dry before the onions are completely translucent. Total cooking time can take 15-20 minutes. This recipe makes about 2.5 to 3 C. caramelized onions.

Next make the No Rise Whole Wheat Thin Crispy Crust while the onions are caramelizing.

No Rise Whole Wheat Thin Crispy Crust

1.5 C. white whole wheat flour
3/4 C. warm water
1 t. active dry yeast
1 T. vital wheat gluten
1 t. sea salt

Method: in your favorite kneading apparatus (perhaps a bowl, and then your hands) combine all the above ingredients. Knead until elastic. Let rest 10 minutes. Roll with a rolling pin into the shape of a baking sheet, crust should be VERY thin. You can Press the whole crust recipe onto one large lightly oiled baking sheet, or make multiple thin crust pizzas. Set aside.

Assemble: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush remaining sriracha BBQ sauce over the thin crispy crust, layer caramelized onions over the sauce, next arrange pieces of the BBQ tofu over the onions, sprinkle the moxerella cashew cheese over the whole pizza, sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Bake on middle rack for 15 minutes or until cheese starts to brown.

Still following me? Phew, I thought I was getting a little long winded.

Oh, you’re still here and you want that salad dressing recipe too?

Chia Miso Cashew Ranch Dressing

1/2 C. Raw Cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours if you don’t have a power blender)
1 1/4 C. unsweetened soy milk
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1 heaped T. white or yellow miso
1 T. chia seeds
1/2 t. sea salt
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 t. onion powder
1 T. dried chives or 2 T. fresh
1 T. dried parsley or 2 T. fresh
1/2 t. ground black pepper
dash cayenne

Method: Blend all ingredients except chives and parsley until completely smooth. Add chives and parsley and pulse until just mixed in.

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warm bok choy and roasted veggie couscous salad with lemon caper dressing

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Date and Nut Cake

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Vegan Madeleines with Citrus and Raspberries

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Raw Vegan Mango Frozen Yogurt

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Chef Del’s Big Green Salad with Sweet and Spicy Mustard Dressing

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No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

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Bringing this baby out of the archives in honor of Vegan Pizza Day Tomorrow. Enjoy Peeps!

Thin Crust Sriracha BBQ Tofu and Moxarella Pizza

Solid Moxarella Cashew Cheese

Sriracha BBQ Sauce

Sriracha BBQ Tofu

Caramelized Onions

No Rise Whole Wheat Thin Crispy Crust

Chia Miso Cashew Ranch Dressing

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