Banana Bread (Vegan)

I *love* banana bread!

The other day I saw this unique banana bread recipe online and decided I should give it a try. As usual I took the original recipe as a 'suggestion' and was a little creative with it. The end result is not as sweet and moist as traditional banana bread. But pretty darn good for a vegan variation and the Maple Syrup makes it taste Canadian :)

Maple Syrup, Pecan, Chocolate Banana Bread

1 cup 100% Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Earth Balance butter spread
2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 6 tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup carob or chocolate chips

Directions
Add ingredients to food processor in order listed above
Mix ingredients until desired consistency and pecans and chocolate are shaved bits mixed in the dough
Bake at 360 degress for 50 - 60 minutes.

Homemade French Toast (Vegan)

o.k. I admit the ingredients in this one are a little funky - but trust me it is delish.

Ingredients
bread
1 cup firm tofu
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
1/2 cup almond milk (or soy)
two pinches of sea salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tsp vanilla

Oil of your choice ( olive, sunflower etc) for frying

Directions

In blender, blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy
If too thick add more milk
Dip bread in batter and fry in oil until brown on both sides


Recipe hi-jacked and modified from here (a.k.a. The Kind Life).

Gardien Beefless Stew

Ingredients:
1 package Gardein beefless tips
3 tbsps vegetable oil
10 ozs pearl onions, peeled
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, 1/2 inch diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 tbsps flour
3 cups vegan "beef" broth (try Better than Bouillon brand) or roasted vegetable stock
1 cup dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon
4 medium potatoes, 1/2 inch diced
1 Bunch of Broccoli
salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:

1. Chop beefless tips in quarters
   
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat, add beefless tips and brown on all sides. Remove from saucepan and set aside.
   
3. Add to saucepan pearl onions and celery to saucepan and cook for 3 minutes.
   
4. Add carrots, thyme and rosemary and continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes.
   
5. Sprinkle in flour, then slowly add broth and wine while stirring.
   
6. Add potatoes and broccoli and bring to a boil.
   
7. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. A
   
8. Add beefless tips back in and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
   
9. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
   

Original recipe by Chef Tal Ronnen here

Sunday Soup

Wild Rice, Butternut Squash and Bean Soup

1 medium onion
1 lb peeled and cubed butternut squash
2 zucchini, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
5 celery ribs, chopped
5 asparagus stalks, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp rosemary
1 32 oz box of low sodium vegetable broth
1 bunch of kale
1 can of small white or cannellini beans
2 cups wild rice
salt, pepper

1. Cook wild rice
   
2. Chop onion and celery. Over medium heat stir oil, celery, rosemary and thyme and cook until onion is soft
   
3. Add broth, squash, zucchini, carrots, asparagus and beans. Cook 10 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.
   
4. Add rice and kale. Simmer until the kale is limp (approx 10 minutes)
   

Recipe adapted from here

Sunday Soup

Spicy Tomato Soup with White Beans and Swiss Chard

2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (more or less depending on you 'spicy' tolerance)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 32 oz box of low sodium vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 cans small white or cannelli beans
1 bunch of Swiss Chard
1/2 tsp thye
1 cup torn fresh basil

1. Heat Oil in large sauce pan over high heat. Add red pepper flakes and stir in onion, carrots, celery, zucchini and theyme. Cook 10 minutes or until onion is soft.
   
2. Add broth, 1 can of tomatoes and 1 cand beans. Stir. Scoop 1 cup of mixture and put in blender. Puree and then return to pot. Add remaining tomatoes and beans. Salt and Pepper to taste. Simmer 10 minutes
   
3. Add Swiss Chard and thyme, simmer until chard is limp (5 minutes)
   
4. Remove from heat, stir in basil
   

Adapted from here

Tippie's Totally Awesome unChicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

  2 Tbsp olive oil
  1.5 cups diced onion
  1.5 cup celery
  5 carrots
  4 potatoes (small - med)
   Tbs organic wheat flour
  3 cups “unchicken” chicken stock or strong vegetable broth
  2 cups diced “Gardien” chicken scallopini or "Gardien" 7 grain crispy tenders
  1 package Pillsbury pie crust
  Melted vegan (or regular) butter as needed

---

Directions

• Cut heads of broccoli and cook in microwave in an inch of water for 3 minutes, let cool and then cut into bite sized pieces
  
• Puncture holes in potatoes and cook in microwave for 3 minutes let cool and dice
  
• Dice carrots and place in water and microwave for 4 minutes
  
  
• Using a small stock pot, heat oil and sauté onion and celery until translucent.
  
• Add flour and stir until well incorporated.
  
• Pour in stock and stir, simmering until filling has thickened.
  
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Add remaining cut vegetables and "chicken".
  
• Stir until mixture is well coated
  
  
• Roll out pie crust and cut it about 1/2 an inch larger than the ramekin/baking dish you are using.
  
• Place filling in ramekin and top with pie crust.
  
• Dab top side of crust with a little melted butter.
  
  
• Bake in pre-heated 420° oven for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown.
  

Inspired by this recipe.

Spinach Smoothie - Yum!

O.K. doubter friends.

I *can't* believe you don't trust my culinary experiments?!

Here you go. Video proof that it is not only drinkable - but absolutely delish!

Smooth Spinach Drink

O.K. so you thought the carrot smoothie was off in left field?!

Fasten your seatbelts - and join me on the Spinach smoothie ride.

Tippie's Smooth Spinach Drink

10 oz spinach (float in a bowl of ice water)
1 1/2 cups of apple juice
1 Golden Delicious Apple, cored and sliced
1 cup low fat yogurt
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsely leaves
a pinch of salt

drain and chop raw spinach
dump everything in the blender
puree until smooth

Server over ice. 1/2 cup per serving

Adapted from Splendid Spinach Spree

Surprisingly Good Carrot Smoothie

Tippies Terrific Carrot Smoothie

3 large carrots chopped
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups orange juice ( or substitute 1 cup with white tea)
2 inch hunk of ginger finely chopped
2 tbs lime juice
a handful of ice

dump everything but ice in the blender
start on low and rev up to high, blend for 2 minutes
dump ice in and pulse/blend until smoothie consistency

*Note this requires a high powered blender like a vitamix. If your blender is a light weight - then cook the carrots first

This recipe is adapted from Beta-Carotene Barrage seen in Vegetarian Times

Salad Experiment

Today's salad experiment was a success!

Tippie's Spring Rice Salad

1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups fresh parsley, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 radishes (or equivalent Jicama), slicted into matc sticks
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 green onions, chopped fine
2 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Tbs Lemon Juice
handful of walnuts chopped
handful of crumbled feta

1) Cook Rice. Let cool
2) Combine Rice, Parsley, Celery, Radish/Jicama, Onion, dried cranberries in a med bowl
3) Combine oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste
4) Add dressing to salad mixture
5) Top with Walnuts and Feta
6) Enjoy!

* recipe was inspired by Spring Salad pg 12 May/June issues of Vegetarian Times

Cucumber Yogurt Dressing/Dip

I whipped some of this up today and used it with my grilled veggies instead of sour cream!

1 cup chinks of peeled and seeded cucumber
1/2 cup coarsely chopped scallions
1 tablespoon tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
2 tablespoons lime jiuice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt

Put all the ingredients minus the yogurt into the blender. Blend until smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in Yogurt.

Keeps up to 10 days

Mexican Chocolate Tofu Pudding

With the cool and wet weather I have been hankering for some comfort food. One of my all time favourites is chocolate pudding. Today I tried my hand at an 'intriguing' variation on the old standby!

"and it has tofu -- go figure" .

Sounds weird. But, trust me. You won't regret it!

Mexican Chocolate Tofu Pudding

By MARK BITTMAN
Published: May 15, 2009
Time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ chilling

3/4 cup sugar
1 pound silken tofu
8 ounces high-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
Chocolate shavings (optional).


1. In a small pot, combine sugar with 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

2. Put all ingredients except for chocolate shavings in a blender and purée until completely smooth, stopping machine to scrape down its sides if necessary. Divide among 4 to 6 ramekins and chill for at least 30 minutes. If you like, garnish with chocolate shavings before serving.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Click here to watch Mark Bittman make this amazing pudding!

What To Do With A Sweet Potato

Good bye sweet potato with marshmallows ... hello sweet potato stir fry!