Happy Herbivore

Yep, this pizza is whole wheat, fat free and loaded with veggies. YUM! and super healthy!

I have my lovely friend Gena to thank for this idea. She emailed me to say the pesto sauce worked great as a spread too, so I made a veggie pizza with it. Btw, the pesto is great for dippin’ raw veggies too!!

Pesto Veggie Pizza - serves 2 to 4

You’ll need:
creamy pesto sauce
vegetable toppings (onions, baby broccoli, peppers, mushrooms)
1 whole wheat pizza dough (recipe follows)

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough - makes four 8″ pizzas or 1 “large” pizza
1 pkg active yeast (2 tsp)
1 cup warm water
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1 tbsp raw sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil - (not necessary)
corn meal

Directions:
Preheat 450F
1. stir yeast in water and let sit (will be a beige color)
2. combine flours, gluten, salt and sugar
3. make a well in center
4. pour yeast mixture in
5. stir until it forms a ball
6. turn onto a clean surface, lightly floured, and knead 5 minutes
7. the pizza should be a smooth, elastic ball
8. place in a lightly grease glass bowl and cover
9. put it in a warm place (such as an off oven)
10. wait for it to double in size (takes about an hour)
11. punch the dough, reshape into a ball and let it rise again
12. freeze or refridgerate if not using immediately (don’t refridgerate for more than 24 hrs)
13. divide into 1, 2 or 4 equal portions
14. roll into a pizza (thick or thick - your choice) on a surface “floured” with corn meal
15. place on pizza stone, pizza pan or greased cookie sheet
16. bake 5-10 minutes at 450F

Here is a picture of the pizza before it was cooked:

Tags: Arugula, Basil, Mushroom, Olives, Parsley, Peppers

I’ve been getting a lot of comments and emails inquiring about the cookbook and the sneak peek mini cookbook… (thanks for the gentle reminders!)

I still don’t have a firm “the cookbook will be on the shelves” date HOWEVER, there will be a sneak peak of 15 recipes (hand picked by my testers) for sale online starting Labor Day weekend.

After speaking with several printing presses, I’ve decided to just sell it via PDFs and e-zine style, courteously of my printer. It’s quite costly to professionally print something so small — if I was publishing the entire cookbook, that would be one thing, but 15 recipes doesn’t lead to too many pages so the cost of production is just overwhelming.

I just couldn’t justify charging so much money for only 15 recipes… thus, I’ll print it myseld or sell it as a PDF so you can print it at home. I’ll be accepting orders via snail mail and online, through a secure service such as paypal… more information on that soon!

THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!

My favorite part about lasagna is the layers. I purchased these ingredients planning to make traditional veggie enchiladas, but at the last minute, I decided to try something new and have fun with layers!

A special thanks to Jennifer of Veg*n Cooking because without her help I would have been stuck using a enchilada sauce from a can. Her recipe saved the day! 

Enchilada Lasagna - serves 4

1 pkg sprouted corn shells (tortillas) or tostada shells
15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup yellow corn
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 yellow summer squash, diced
enchilada sauce - recipe follows 
guacamole - optional topping

Directions:
1. (optional) toast tortillas
2. (optional) steam or blanche vegetables
3. layer tortillas:

layer 1: tortilla, sauce, beans (photo)
layer 2: tortilla, sauce, veggies (photo)
layer 3: tortilla, sauce, veggies and beans
4. top off with guacamole if desired 

Enchilada Sauce - makes approx 1 1/2 cups
15oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp onion flakes (granules)
1 tsp ground cumin
pinch of marjoram or oregano  
1/4 tsp garlic powder
cayenne as desired

Directions:
1. combine all ingredients
2. heat on low until warmed thoroughly 

Tags: Black Beans, Corn, Fast Meals, Mexican, Pepper, Sauce, Squash, Tomato, Zucchini

Even though broccoli and my stomach don’t get along, I couldn’t resist buying these cute mini broccoli’s for Scott or this medley of baby potatoes for myself. When I asked Scott what he wanted to go with his broccoli, he said something creamy. Naturally, I used this as an excuse to make my beloved vegan alfredo sauce. It’s rich and creamy but virtually fat free… so I always go back for seconds without a care in the world. I originally created it to go over pasta (duh!) but I love dipping toasted sprouted bread into too! (& that’s exactly what I did tonight!)

Vegan Alfredo Sauce - makes approx. 2 cups

Tags: Broccoli, Fast Meals, Pasta, Sauce

It’s summer and there are two things I certainly get enough of in the summertime.. fresh salads and fruit! 

This is just some of the fruit I have:
 

What can I say? I love it all. 

With salads already being a staple in my regular diet and sometimes showing up at TWO meals in the summer, I’ve had fun experimenting with dressings! I’ve also tried to make them naturally fatty with nature’s good fats. This one, while not photogenic (hence no picture), is unbelievably rich and delicious!

Avocado Dressing - makes 1 cup
1 ripe avocado
1/2 tomato
1 tsp raw agave
1 tsp dijon mustard (omit for a raw dressing)
juice of 1/2 small lime
1-2 tbsp walnuts - optional
pinch of salt - optional
 
Directions:
combine in a food processor until smooth — add a splash of water or non-dairy milk for a thinner consistency; add agave and dijon to your liking

Lastly, to make up for the non-food photo, here is a cute Lily Bean sending out a message:
 

“Save sea turtles! don’t use plastic bags!” 
(and yes she really loves being carried around in that whole foods bag) 

Tags: Avocado, Dressing, Raw, Tomato

Scott & I (along with our fur-children, Quaid & Lily Bean) moved to a new place this weekend… with all the joys of packing, unpacking, moving and cleaning I haven’t had much time to make anything other than pasta, PB&Js and salads.

However, the electricity man is supposed to finally (!) come today and turn on my lights — so I can cook without being a danger to myself!

So, I’m sorry for the hiatus but I’ll be up and running this week.

Update: (8/9/08)

Electricity? check.
Gas? check.
Light bulb in kitchen light fixture? check.
Tools and other appliances unpacked? check.
Groceries? uh oh.

I’m finally settled in (it took much longer than I could have ever thought) and now it’s time to restock my kitchen with wonderful, healthy food. I’ll be cooking tonight (and all week) so check back for recipes! THANKS FOR THE PATIENCE!

After I posted the zucchini sticks recipe, some readers thanked me, saying their gardens have yielded a plenty and they were looking for ways to use it all up… so here is another recipe for all that wonderful summer harvest!

Zucchini Bread - yields 1 loaf

1 1/2 cups sifted whole wheat flour or spelt (or other flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 flax egg (or other substitute)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
5 heaping tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
up to 4 tbsp water
2 small zucchinis shreaded (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup unsweetened dried fruit - optional (such as raisins, wild blueberries, cranberries)
1/2 cup chopped nuts - optional
rolled oats - optional topping

Directions:

1. Preheat 350 F
2. sift flour, baking powder, spices and salt together
3. make “egg”
4. add sugar, applesauce, lemon juice, vanilla and 2 tbsp water; whisk until combined
5. pour wet into dry but do not mix
6. add zucchini and optional dried fruit and/or nuts
7. stir until just combined
8. (if it’s still dry, add another 2 tbsp of water)
9. transfer mixture to a greased bread pan
10. sprinkle oats on top if desired (a little extra sugar too if desired)
11. bake 40-50 minutes, until a tooth pick comes out clean

Note: you can also do 3/4 cup shredded carrots and 3/4 shredded zucchini

You can also make muffins using this recipe, but the bake time will be much less, approx. 12-17 minutes

Tags: Bread, Zucchini

This dish makes use of summer’s wonderful bounty and the cilantro gives a little kick to the shrooms, too!

Cilantro Mushroom Sauce - makes approx. 1 cup

8 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups veg broth
8 green onions, minced (or 1/4 cup other onion) - white and light green parts only
3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
salt/pepper to taste (I made it peppery)
2 tsp cornstarch mixed into 1 tbsp water

Directions:
1. add mushrooms and broth and bring to a boil
2. reduce to medium and add all other ingredients except corn starch mixture
3. after 5-7 minutes (mushrooms should be brown and softened) add cornstarch mixture
4. allow to thicken
5. remove from heat and pour over green beans.

(plus 1 lb steamed asparagus & 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets and steamed - serves 4).

* This mushroom sauce can also be tossed with cooked pasta or served with mashed potatoes and corn.

Tags: Broccoli, Cilantro, Fast Meals, Green beans, Mushrooms, Potatos, Sauce

Kids everywhere will eat their zucchini! In my pre-vegan, pre-health fanatic days, I loved ordering fried mozzarella sticks as an appetizer… now these baked zucchini sticks hit the spot! I’ve included a dipping sauce recipe but feel free to use your favorite marinara.

Breaded Zucchini Sticks - makes approx. 24 sticks

2 medium zucchinis, sliced into thick sticks (about 1/2″ thick)
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
3 tbsp vegan parm or nutritional yeast
2 pinches of salt
few dashes of black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder - optional
1/3 cup fat free soy milk

Directions:
Preheat 400F
1. grind bread crumbs using morter and pestle or electric grinder
* grind crumbs to a fine consistency; a few larger pieces are okay
2. mix crumbs with parm, salt, pepper and optional garlic powder
3. place crumb mixture into a shallow bowl
4. pour soy milk into a shallow bowl
5. line cookie sheet with parchment paper (or grease cookie sheet)
6. dip zucchini sticks into soy milk then press all sides into crumb mixture
7. optional - spray with oil before baking
8. bake 15 to 20 minutes, until crumbs are golden brown and zucchini is tender

Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce - makes 1 cup
1 13oz jar roasted red bell peppers (in water), drained
6 large fresh basil leaves
1 tsp italian seasoning
2 pinches sea salt
few dashes black pepper
1 tbsp ketchup - optional

Directions:
1. combine all ingredients in blender, whiz until smooth
2. optional - heat in microwave 30 seconds

Tags: Basil, Peppers, Sauce, Zucchini

Pho is a popular Vietnamese dish traditionally consisting of noodles and meat. Most vegetarian versions of Pho simply substitute the meat with seitan or tofu, but I decided to replace the “meat” with vegetables. I used the broth in this recipe as my base. It’s plenty delicious on its own so you can just add noodles to it and call it a meal… but if you have the time, add the vegetables! (My veggies are mere suggestions!)

Vegetarian Pho - makes approximately 8-10 cups

1 package rice noodles (13-16 oz)
3 baby bok choy, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds
2 cups broccoli florets
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh basil
3 tbsp raw peanuts, chopped (optional)

Broth - makes 8 cups
8 cups vegetable broth
6 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp braggs liquid aminos or apple cider vinegar
8 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 celery stalk
1 small white onion, diced
1 ” ginger root, minced
2 bay leaves
2 anise seed pods
2 cinnamon sticks
red pepper flakes as desired

Directions
1. cook rice noodles per directions on package, drain and set aside
2. in a large pot, combine broth ingredients
3. bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer 20 minutes, slightly covered
4. remove celery stalk, anise pods, bay leaves and cinn sticks
5. add vegetables (bok choy, carrots, scallions, broccoli), basil and cilantro
6. bring to a boil, cover and reduce to low
7. simmer until veggies are tender to your liking
8. meanwhile, place noodles in serving bowls
9. pour broth with veggies over noodles
10. top with peanuts and serve with a lime slice (optional garnish)

Tags: Asian, Basil, Cilantro, Ginger, Noodles, Peanuts, Soup, Spicy