The Vegan Sloppy Joe and Tri-Color Cole Slaw

Recently, I came home from a family reunion vacation with a rotten cold. As a result, I didn’t go grocery shopping for about a week after coming home. I had some minced frozen seitan I’d made, some iceberg lettuce (shudder) and white bread (vegan) buns that someone in the family left in the shared vacation fridge, and some cabbage that had been in my fridge at home for ages, but refused to die (don’t you love how cabbabe is like that?). I came up with these Vegan Sloppy Joes as a desperate last minute dinner. I posted the photo on facebook as a bit of a joke, where it got a rousing lot of love and recipe requests, so I’m sharing this desperate dinner love with you, cause who doesn’t like sloppy joes? Just be responsible and use whole grain buns and romaine, K?

Vegan Sloppy Joe

1 package seitan, finely chopped or minced in the food processor (I used homemade), you could also use grated tempeh or vegan veggie “meat” crumbles
1 minced onion
1 diced bell pepper (red or green)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 six oz. can tomato paste
1 cup water
2 tablespoons raw sugar
1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vegan worcestershire sauce OR steak sauce (it’s vegan yo).
1 tablespoon bragg’s liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sriracha or other hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Method: Saute the onion and bell pepper in a non stick pan sprayed with a bit of pan spray for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve on buns with lettuce (and maybe a bit of vegan mayo if that’s how you roll).

Tri-Color Cole Slaw

2 cups each of chopped red and green cabbage
1/2-1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 to 1/2 cup cashew cream (from 1 cup raw cashews blended with 1 cup water, soak cashews for a few hours before blending if you don’t have a power blender, save excess cashew cream for another use.)
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. raw agave
salt and pepper to taste

Method: Toss all ingredients in a large bowl, serve immediately.

Well me & the vegan sloppy joe got married. We got six kids and we’re doing just fine.

Dal Makhani – Beans in Creamy Buttery Gravy. Guest Post from Richa Hingle at Vegan Richa

I’m welcoming my incredible friend Richa from Vegan Richa today. Every time Richa posts something, I’m literally salivating and wishing the girl was my neighbor so I could run and grab a bite of whatever it is she’s cooked up. I’m always in awe of her creativity and her crazy good photography.

If you love Indian Food, you’ll find every possible variety made vegan on her site. It’s like an Indian Vegan Mecca. But Indian food is just the beginning, the girl is a crazy amazing bread maker (with loads of gluten free options). Last year, for Vegan MOFO, She amazed us all with her incredible pizza theme! That’s right, 20 fantastic pizza posts complete with homemade vegan cheeses, sauces and an infinite variety of crusts.

What I love about Richa’s blog is that it’s not just about the food all the time. Richa is a passionate animal activist and within her posts you’ll find statistics, facts and infographics for all the reasons in the world to remove animal products from your diet.

Richa is also a cancer survivor. A surgery to remove a tumor in her brain left her with nerve damage to one of her eyes and a prolonged battle with dizziness, balance and vertigo. Still she creates all this beautiful food, maintains her amazing blog and fosters rescue dogs. She lives in Seattle with her husband and their adorable fluff ball of a dog, Chewie.

I’m incredibly grateful she agreed to guest post here today. For even more fabulous-ness check the end of this post for some of my favorite recipes from her site. Now, check out this amazing Dal!

Hi you all. Yippie, I get to bring some Dal to Vedged Out readers today! I discovered Somer via Kristy and have been hooked to Vedged Out since. All the positive energy, amazing food, her personality, keep me coming back for more and more. Wish you a consistent and good recovery Somer. Thank you for opening up your space to us.

Beans and lentils, are what we eat pretty much everyday as a part of Indian meals. They end up on the plate usually in a Dal preparation. Some other days in Burgers, pizzas, and more too. Dals are my comfort food, as well as something I would serve as a part of an Indian meal at an event. Amp up the earthy lentils with some specific spices, non dairy milk/butter, different methods of Tadka/Tempering and there you have a delicious hearty bowl of goodness.

Today, I am bringing you my Mom’s Dal Makhani. The lentils used are Whole black gram and Kidney beans. Makhani means creamy and buttery. The non vegan version of this Dal contains a good load of cream, ghee(clarified butter) and butter. Mom is now quite adept at vegan-izing things. So when I asked her what she was going to do about the Makhani part, she said just wait and watch and added some almond milk and cashew milk for a similar taste and it worked perfectly. I served the Dal with a teaspoon of Earth balance on top per bowl. And you should have seen the bliss on my Dad’s face:) My omni brother also guzzled down bowls and bowls full of the Dal.

If you cant find the lentils used for this Dal, use any similar sized lentil or bean as a substitute from your local store. Substitute brown lentils for black gram, and pinto, black eyed pea, black beans for kidney beans.

Lots more Dals, Bean/Lentil Stews here

Black gram/ Whole Urad

Red Kidney Beans

Whole Urad lentils, Vigna mungo, black gram or black lentil are these pretty lentils which look like black Mung beans. The beans are available as whole or split or split+skinned like most whole lentils in India.
Ground into flour or soaked and fermented, urad is also extensively used in South Indian culinary preparations, such as dosa crepes, idli – steamed lentil cakes, vada – savory doughnuts, and Papad/Papadum.
Black gram is rich in good protein, vitamin A, B1 and B3 and has small amount of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin C in it.

Red Kidney Beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans’ high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, kidney beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein.

Steps:

Tempering Ingredients.

Heat oil. Add cumin seeds and cook until fragrant.
Add garlic, ginger, chili and cook until golden.

Add onions and cook until translucent.

Add tomatoes, asafoetida, garam masala and cook until tomatoes are tender.

Add tempering to cooked beans. Add milks, mix well.
Cook until the beans are mushy.

Serve hot topped with a dollop of vegan butter or olive oil.

Dal Makhani – Beans in creamy buttery gravy
Allergy Information: Free of dairy, egg, corn, soy, gluten, grain, yeast

Serves 4-5
Ingredients:
For the Lentils:
1 cup whole black gram (whole Urad)
1/2 cup kidney beans (Rajma)
3.5 – 4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

For the Tempering:
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne or to taste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2-3 green chilis finely chopped (I use Serrano chili pepper)
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
5-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida(hing)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala (regular or punjabi)
1 Tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves(Kasoori methi, or Use a 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek/methi seeds)-Optional
2 medium size tomatoes, chopped
2 Tablespoons Almond milk
1/4 cup Cashew milk (I used So delicious Cashew milk. Or Soak cashews and blend to make milky cashew cream.)
Vegan butter as needed

Method:
Pressure cook black gram and Kidney beans in 3.5 cups of water with salt and chili powder for 3-4 whistles.
Or use a slow cooker to cook both the beans and keep ready.
In a large pan, add oil and heat on medium-high heat.
Add cumin seeds and cook till they start to change color.
Add ginger, garlic and green chili and saute until golden.
Add onion and cook until translucent.
Add the tomato and cook until tomatoes are mushy. (13-15 minutes till this step).
Add the cooked black gram, kidney beans and the water they were cooked in.
Add garam masala and the milks. Mix, taste and adjust salt.
Add more water if the mixture is too thick.
Simmer on low heat till the dals/beans are totally soft and well blended. 30 minutes.
Or pressure cook for 1 whistle and then cook on low for another 10 minutes.
Top with a small dollop of vegan butter or olive oil and cilantro.
Serve with Roti/Naan flatbread or Rice Pilaf or other cooked grains like Quinoa, millet.

Clockwise: Roasted Butternut Squash Slider, Avocado Naan, Pasta Sauce Mixes in Jars, Cinnamon Rolls, Lasagna Bolognese, Triple Salted Caramel Brownies, Grilled Nacho Cashew Sandwich, Spiced Apple Cake with Salted Caramel, Home Made Doritos Spice Mix (featured on Oprah!), Whole Roasted Cauliflower in Creamy Makhani Gravy.

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.

•••••••••••••••

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

Tuscan White Bean and Basil Pizza, Guest Post from Shira at In Pursuit of More

I’ve got the lovely Shira from In Pursuit of More guest posting here today. I’ll be honest, I probably cook more off Shira’s blog then I do out of any of the cookbooks in my house. That may have something to do with the fact that we’re a mere 5 days apart in age, us Virgos must have some very similar taste. Today she’s brought you this incredible Tuscan White Bean and Basil Pizza. Meet me again at the end of this post for more of my favorites from her site.

Howdy Vedged out readers! I’m super thrilled to be sharing a post with Somer’s amazing readers today and hope you guys enjoy this yummy recipe! When a friend reaches out and asks for a hand, there is really only one thing you can do: offer both of yours up and see if there is anyone else out there with a few to spare. I’ve been re-inspired of late by the amazing opportunities we have everyday to make other people feel special, and to literally make their day, or their week, or their year.

Of all the good deeds I’ve seen in the past few days, there is one that struck me as particularly potent, especially if we are looking to make a difference in the life of a stranger, and perhaps someone a whole lot less fortunate than we are (on the surface anyway). The other night, me and a girlfriend were ending an evening of wonderful food and drink at a friend’s new restaurant, when, as we walked to my car, we passed a woman about our age pushing a grocery cart.

It was raining, the first rain since the start of July, and she was well bundled in fleece, with a hat, and didn’t look like she had anywhere to go. She saw us walking past as there was no one else on the street, and her eyes caught mine. Used to walking past people asking for money (I regularly hand out 5 dollar bills – it just makes me feel good), I naturally assumed she might need/want some cash. But somehow her look that night was different.

“Hi”, I said, as I interrupted our chirpy girlfriend chatter, “Is there something you need?”. I rifled through my bag, searching for what I didn’t know. Did I have a bar? A snack? A bill I could spare? She didn’t answer but looked down as if embarrassed and waved both of her hands like she was sorry to interrupt us. We stood there for a split second in the dark night before my gorgeous girlfriend (inside and out) broke the silence with, “Do you need a hug?”.

With that, my girlfriend approached her, without giving her the option to decline, and gave her a giant hug. A long hug, the kind you settle into, and the kind that passes energy between two people the way nothing else really can. They both wrapped their arms around each other and shared. It wasn’t a fast hug, or a false hug, or the kind that passes between acquaintances and family as part of obligation, along with all the awkwardness that often goes had in had with those exchanges too. Afterwards, it was my turn, and I nestled into this woman’s fleecy softness and was filled with gratitude for such a sweet, simple exchange of love & kindness. It felt good. Pure. So simple. And so real.

A reminder that we are all human, born not of our choosing, and given the freedom to choose our actions every moment of every day no matter what our lot in life.

Afterwards, I was on such a high for the gift my friend had given not only the woman we saw on the street, who carried on into the darkness with her cart and hopefully a full heart, but to me too.

To realize that human need is so much more than just material, and that those all around us need love & kindness, and the kind you can’t buy with all the spare change in the world. Feeding the heart and soul is every bit as important as keeping our tummies full, and I was reminded of the power we all hold with just a simple extending of our arms.

I hope you’ll enjoy this beautiful pizza as it wraps its hearty arms around you, as this rustic Tuscan recipe conjures up images of old grandmothers & sunny countrysides. Simple, easy & good. Like a hug from a stranger, well maybe not that good, but you know what I mean 🙂

Tuscan White Bean & Basil Pizza:

(1.5) cups white kidney beans, drained & rinsed
(2) cloves garlic, minced
(1) tbsp olive oil
(1) cup vegetable stock (divided)
(1/2) tsp salt
black pepper to taste
(1/4) cup fresh basil, cut in ribbons or minced
(3) roma tomatoes, cut in rounds
olive oil for baking the crust
(1) recipe pizza dough (my recipe here Basic IPOM Pizza Dough, Somer’s recipe here Vedged Out Pizza Dough)

First, prepare the pizza dough in advance according to directions, or use your favorite pre-made dough (I have a fave Italian deli I buy from and keep ’emergency’ dough in my freezer).

To create this simple rustic pizza, complete the following steps. This is a wonderfully simple yet totally fresh take on pizza that I find simple yet still sophisticated.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium low until warm and add the minced garlic. Cook the garlic, stirring often to keep the garlic from burning. Cook the garlic for 2 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Add the drained beans, about (1/3) cup veggie stock to start and the salt & pepper. Cook this mixture for a few minutes until the stock has evaporated, adding more to achieve a creamy consistency. Do this for 10-15 minutes until all the stock has been used and the beans are hot and creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in half the basil.

While the beans are simmering, prepare the pizza crust (enough for one pizza). Oil a round or rectangular baking sheet and stretch the dough over the pan. Lightly brush the crust with olive oil and prick here and there with a fork. Cook in the pre-heated oven for 4 minutes. Remove, prick the crust again all over with a fork, and cook for another 4 minutes.

Remove the pre-baked crust, and when the beans are ready, spread them evenly over the entire pizza. Place the tomato slices over the top and drizzle with a little more olive oil and black pepper.

Cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the crust is brown on the edges. Top with the remaining fresh basil and the Parmesan cheese or vegan cheese topping of your choice.

This pizza makes a wonderful first course to a dinner party and offers folks a chance to try something new and delicious over a glass of wine and good conversation. It is beautiful to look at and showcases a good crust and the beautiful flavors of fresh garlic & summer basil.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge and make the perfect on the go lunch. Particularly if you like cold or room temperature pizza as much as I do 🙂

Love and hugs to all, particularly to my dear blogging friend Somer, who asked me so kindly to be here today (insert gratitude here). We all need hugs, whether virtual or otherwise, so do reach out and hug someone today. You never know what’s around the corner, so don’t wait, not ever. The time is now, so reach out and grab it, squeeze it hard, and don’t ever let go.

Yours in Less,

Somer’s Note: Feeling so much love from this post. Do you have an extra hand to lend to others in need? Visit Shira at her charity site, Not So Fast. Oh, and don’t forget to check out some of my very favorite recipes from Shira. I’ve made each of them more than a handful of times, and each one feels (almost) as good as I imagine a hug from the woman herself would:

Clockwise: Cashew Rice Loaf with Red Pepper Sauce, Spiced Lentils & Indian Chapatis, Almond Chocolate Rice Crispie Squares, Fiesty Fried Cumin Hummus, 3 Ingredient Soy Balsamic Dressing, Chuffed and Roasted Potatoes, Incredible Cranberry Orange Dressing, Sunny Day Orange Date Shake

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!!

Vegan Sloppy Joe

Tri-Color Cole Slaw

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

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Tuscan White Bean & Basil Pizza:

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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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