Use this recipe for making different cakes or cookies

 ב"ה

It's been a while since I've added a recipe. I think we all have had a weird year. Mine started last year when my Mom died. Then my Dad died (it was less than 7 months apart). 

So I was living alone for over a year (starting last June, when my Mom was moved to a nursing home), something that I was not at all used to. So adding to my recipe blog somehow got lost in the shuffle. 

I still develop new recipes and perfect old recipes. 

This is one recipe I've been using for several desserts. It can be used for a cake (loaf pan or 8X8 pan) or cookies. It can be used for different flavored cakes and/or cookies.

I take 1/2 cup each of almond and coconut flours. I add 1/2 - 1 teaspoon powdered stevia (this is about the equivalent of 1-2 cups of sugar/syrup etc.), then I add 1/4 cup ground chia (this is an optional ingredient) and/or a tablespoon of powdered psyllium (not the husks) --  also optional. Add about 1 cup creamy peanut butter (I use 365 -- the whole foods store brand -- Organic Creamy Peanut Butter Spread -- unsweetened, of course) and about 1 cup of unsweetened Vanilla coconut "milk" (if you need more, add it slowly, like a tablespoon at a time, until it's the consistency of cookie dough or cake batter, depending on what you're making). I have a standing mixer and it mixes it better -- just be careful it doesn't splash -- but I can also mix it with a spoon. 

Add whatever flavoring you want -- one small to medium lemon (grated zest) for lemon, extract to taste for vanilla, 1/8-1/4 cup of cacao powder (or cocoa) for chocolate, 1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips (I use Luv stevia sweetened chips -- I'm only able to get them in cold weather on Amazon) for chocolate chips (with or without chocolate), also, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and/or pecans in the chocolate chip version (or by themselves for nut cake or cookies) -- add maple extract/flavoring if you like. 

If you are making a cake, like a loaf or 8X8 cake pan with parchment paper (so that your food isn't touching aluminum) and put the batter in the pan, spreading it to fit the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1/2 hour (the loaf cake might need more baking time if it's thicker). If you are making cookies, shape the dough into rounds (the size you like) and place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1/2 hour. (Check them after about 20 minutes to preventing burning -- then 5 minutes more each time it needs more baking). You can also make muffins (lining muffin tins with parchment muffin liners) using the cake batter. You can take the lemon base and put in blueberries or other small bits of fruit (or berries) and make blueberry or mango or apple or whatever muffins. 

For cakes of cupcakes (same as muffins but with an icing), the icing recipe:

1 cup organic raw cashews
coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk) to cover the cashews
1/2 teaspoon stevia
flavoring (see above) 

Put it all together in a strong blender and blend until it's all liquified --- add "milk" if it's too thick, add cashews if it's too thin and whirr around again.

My best keto vegan "bread" yet

ב"ה

I'm a life member of the Vegetarian Resource Group so I get the Vegetarian Journal. In the past issue, they had a recipe for rolled buns.

The recipe included a regular dough and a gluten-free dough recipe. The Gluten Free Dough still had ingredients I can't eat (not keto friendly, so to speak or trans fats -- like margarine). So I substituted. Here is the recipe I developed (I used it for the cake -- rolled up cakes -- and for "bread" without the sweet filling):

I took 2 1/2 cups plain coconut "milk" (not the canned stuff -- the kind that's in the vegan "milk" section in containers) and put in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. I also added a pinch of stevia powder. (If you are making cake with the dough, add another 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of powdered stevia. If you're making "bread" don't add more stevia -- it's sweet enough between the coconut flour and stevia in the yeast.) I heated the "milk" until it didn't feel cold or hot on my skin (if it was too hot, I let it cool until it was "there" -- better to be a bit too cold than a bit too hot -- the heat will kill the yeast) -- then I poured in one packet of yeast and gave it some time to bubble (making sure to get the yeast wet without stirring -- push the yeast down rather than stirring).

I then put together the dry ingredients -- 2 3/4 cups to 3 cups coconut flour and 1/2 cup almond flour, 2 tablespoon powdered psyllium husks, 1/4 cup ground chia seeds (I can't use flax seeds), 2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder, and a tablespoon of konjac starch.

I stir the dry ingredients and checked on the "milk" and yeast. If it looks like it's growing, then you're ready to put it into the dry ingredients and mix it all together into a dough.

If I'm making the cake, I made a sweet filling (cinnamon, coconut oil, stevia mixture simmered in a frying pan until blended -- spread this on rolled out dough then sprinkle chopped pecans and/or walnuts -- or a sweet cream cheese filling (one container of vegan cream cheese -- I use kite hill) with a bit of cinnamon, stevia, some grated citrus zest and chopped pecans and/or walnuts, etc.

If I'm making "bread" I make the dough into whatever shape I want -- bagels, small loaves, I even did a small braided Halla (bread for Shabbat -- the Sabbath), though that was less successful in staying together.

PS -- I forgot to mention that once you make the dough, let it rise (it won't rise much, but it does help the texture. Last week, I let it rise (covered with a towel sitting on top of the freezer) overnight.) I also forgot to mention that you bake it about 30 or so minutes in a 350 or so degree (Fahrenheit) (I think that's about 175 Celsius) oven. When you make the cake, roll out the dough (between two pieces of parchment paper), spread the filling (your choice) leaving about 1/2 inch on each edge, then roll it up (using the paper if you need it -- it should be loosely rolled, not tightly, like a fruit roll-up), pinch the edges, spray with a bit of coconut or olive oil, pre-cut into 6-12 slices (it's not hard to cut) -- the ones I had were pretty much wide and flat -- reminded me of my late Mom's roll cake back in the days when she still baked for the holidays.

For the bread -- make into loaves, rolls, bagels, even Halla (though it's hard to braid because the "ropes" are thick). I haven't tried boiling bagels yet -- I'll let you know how they come out if I try it tonight. Lay them on parchment paper lined cookie sheets and spray with olive or coconut oil (or brush with liquid coconut oil) and bake about 30 or so minutes  in a 350 or so degree (Fahrenheit) oven.

Oh, Fudge!

ב"ה

I made a very quick fudge -- I used a can of coconut milk (the high fat variety, not the "stuff" in a carton), about 1/2 cup liquid coconut oil (I avoid the solid kind to some degree because the liquid doesn't have a strong coconut taste and that taste makes my stomach queasy), 2 Tablespoons cacao powder, 1/2 to 3/4 of a teaspoon stevia powder, and other flavors (I used 1/2 teaspoon maple extract, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 Tablespoons each of chopped walnuts and chopped pecans). I put it all together in a pot and cooked it all together until blended and thickened a bit. I put it all in a parchment lined aluminum load pan and into the freezer. (It's still in the freezer right now.)

I did taste what was left in the pot and it was delicious.

Thanks Food Channel for the inspritation

ב"ה

Somebody asked me why I watch the food network -- why do I watch iron chef and holiday cookie challenge -- But this is why. They talk about things that they cook or bake in these challenges and it gives me ideas. Last night, there was a Hanukkah challenge (the lady who won was a convert -- which I loved, but I digress) and one of the challenges was to make Latkes (לביבות, potato pancakes) with no potatoes. One person used zucchini, another used Brussels sprouts (which is one of my absolute favorite Vegetables (My food pyramid has on it nuts, berries, extras -- like spices and stevia and cacao powder, etc. and the bottom part is vegetables) so today, when I came back from Whole Foods (which won't be open the third day of Hanukkah) I started making zucchini/ Brussels Sprouts/ red cabbage latkes. 1 large shredded/grated zucchini (squeeze out whatever liquid you can) about 6 or so medium to large Brussles sprouts, trimmed, cup in 1/2 and sliced, and a couple of handfuls of sliced red cabbage (Whole Foods has organic in containers) -- I sauteed up the cabbage and Brussels sprouts until it was soft. Then I added it to the grated, squeezed out zucchini -- I added 2 Tablespoons of ground chia seeds and took 1/2 cup of coconut milk and blended it with 1 Tablespoon Agar (these two things are instead of eggs) and added all the ingredient together in a bowl. I mixed everything together -- then I spooned it out on a parchment lined cookie sheet and sprayed them with organic olive oil (I get it at Trader Joe's) and baked them at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until crispy (at least around the edge) -- I made a topping of non-dairy plain unsweetened yogurt (I use Kite Hill) mixed with a bit of my blueberry/raspberry "preserves" (I make this by using a bag or two of frozen berries, 1 teaspoon starch and 1/4 teaspoon of stevia powder and simmer it until it has the consistency of preserves or jam) -- it was delicious!

Update: On the 4th day of Hanuka, I came up with a quickie latke -- in a small frying pan, I sauteed (in olive oil -- organic of course) a handful (a big handful) of bagged cabbage (cole slaw mix) and a big handful of chopped red cabbage (Whole Foods sells them -- organic) in olive oil with spices and a pinch of Himalayan pink salt. After it got cooked through, I took about 1/2 cup of coconut milk and 1/2 teaspoon psyllium powder and 1/8 of a cup (2 Tablespoons) ground chia seed and whirred it together to make a fake egg. I poured the mixture over the cabbage and covered (again) the frying pan. I cooked it all until the fake egg was cooked through. I then served it with a dollop of almond based yogurt.

My Keto-vegan Gumbo

ב"ה

I have always loved okra. Mind you, I haven't eaten it too many times. But when they got okra in at Whole Foods (and it wasn't organic) it spurred within me a desire to find some organic okra (which I then ordered from Amazon).

In the meantime, I've been hearing all this "stuff" about the impossible burger so I wanted to make my version of that too.

I love mushrooms (particularly shiitake) and I find that when they are cooked (and spiced) just right they taste like meat. So I rehydrated one package of dehydrated shiitake mushrooms and one package of porcini mushrooms. I then put them rehydrated mushrooms into a food processor with my spice mixture (make one of your own with spices you like) and some pink (Himalayan) salt, and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. I processed it all and shaped the mixture into slider sized "burgers" -- and I sprayed them with olive oil (organic EVOO) and baked them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 15-25 minutes. I let them cool and then took two of the burgers (I had made 6) and cut them into chunks and tossed them into the cooking veggies (for the "gumbo").

As that was going on, I took my deep flying pan, put in a teaspoon of my spice mix and covered the bottom with olive oil (also EVOO an also organic). I put in a 6 oz container of organic chopped red cabbage, added a couple of handfuls of thickly sliced okra, a medium zucchini cut into chunks, and a couple of handfuls of quartered (cut into quarters) fresh shiitake mushrooms. I let this cook on a small flame for a while -- this is what I tossed the "'shroom' burger" into. After the veggies got soft, I added two bags (10 oz each) of riced cauliflower. I cooked it through with the other veggies. I tried it and it was yummy.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

ב"ה

On one of my lists, some gave a recipe for stuffed Zucchini with cheese and some said it sounds good but she wanted it Pareve (I guess so she could eat it with meat meals).

So, being vegan, I decided to create my own version that is, well, vegan (which is automatically pareve).

It came out great -- I sauteed up two large shiitake mushrooms (diced into small pieces) and the part of the zucchini (I only used one) that I scooped out and olive oil and my spice mixture and a bit of salt. After this sauteed for about 5 minutes on simmer, I stirred it up and added 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast. I sauteed some more (another 5 or so minutes) and then I stuffed it into the zucchini halves -- I then put it in the oven at 425 F for about 10 minutes. I ate it up so fast......

Riced Cauliflower "Pilaf"

ב"ה

I have been using a LOT of riced cauliflower (I get the frozen kind -- it stays well in the freezer) -- I can't eat rice (or any other grain). So the cauliflower, besides being very healthy, is great for sauces and soups, tastes great roasted, and just so happens to make a great substitute for rice (and other grain dishes). I fine that it's better sauteed in olive oil (or coconut oil or a combination of the two). I have to admit, I never tried it boiled or steamed.

So I start by taking my large ceramic lined frying pan -- I put in a layer of olive oil and a teaspoon of my spice mix (and a pinch of Himalayan pink salt) -- I put in about 1/3 - 1/2 bag frozen peas (or baby peas), and a couple of handfuls of shiitake mushrooms (I cut them into small pieces) into the pan. I also like to put in other veggies (zucchini, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc.) and then I put it all into the pan and sauteed it all for a while at the lowest flame. 

After the veggies cook for a while, I add a bag (or two?) of the riced cauliflower and saute through until the cauliflower tastes like farfel or pilaf. That's it -- it's just like having a rice dish.

Mushroom Cauliflower Soup

ב"ה

I don't know why I haven't written about this really easy to make soup. It's delicious, and nutritious and hardy and I love it.

What makes it easy to make is that it is made with dehydrated mushrooms and frozen cauliflower. If you have anything of the "dark green leafy" family, you can add it.

I usually fill a medium sized pot with filtered water. I add a teaspoon of my spice mix (you might want to develop your own -- spices are very personal and even the smallest quantity of something you don't like can ruin a dish), 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (or to taste) and up to three tea bags (pick whatever teas you like that would work with a savory soup -- something citrus or I have one that's ginger and turmeric and another that is shiitake mushroom and turmeric) to give the water some flavor. Then I add one bag of "Fungus Amongus" dehydrated shiitake mushrooms and 1/2 bag porcini. I let that boil up for a while, at least until the mushrooms are fully rehydrated.

While this is cooking, I take two bags of frozen cauliflower (If I have, I sometimes take a bag of Trader Joe's frozen organic multi-colored cauliflower -- it adds, if nothing else, anti-oxidants) and lay them on a cookie sheet, drizzle olive oil on the cauliflower, I also sprinkle more of my spice mix and then spray with a bit of organic olive oil spray to make sure there is oil over the entire surface (as much as is possible). I roast them at 400-425 degrees F (I think that's about 200-220 degrees C) for about 20 minutes (or until there are some black edges).

When the mushroom mixture is cooked well enough and the cauliflower is roasted through, I add the cauliflower to the pot and boil them all together. Now is the time to add any other veggies you might want to put in (spinach, kale, collards, red cabbage, etc.) and simmer until everything is cooked though.

Let it all cool for a bit and then puree it all using an immersion blender (if you use an upright blender, be very careful -- putting a hot liquid in a canister blender almost always makes a mess since the steam, particularly when it's agitating, will blow the cover off the container). I like it best when it's well pureed but still have some small pieces (very small pieces) of mushroom un-pureed.

This is the kind of soup you pull out when you want something relatively quick -- it tastes good cold too, though I prefer it hot. Keep it in the refrigerator -- it stays well.

4 Crucifers, a Gourd and a Fungus

ב"ה

I don't know if I've mentioned it before, (I venture to say so) but I love Cruciforous Veggies. I don't have a lot of trouble coming up with ways to use them, particularly with cauliflower. So, when I started getting a craving for mac and cheese, being a vegan, I thought of nutritional yeast.

So yesterday I went looking in my cabinet for Miracle Noodles Ziti "flavor" and couldn't find any, I made two bags of frozen cauliflower (that is, spiced and drizzled with olive oil and roasted in the over at 425F -- about 225C -- for 25-30 minutes) -- I took half the cauliflower, but it in my bullet type blender with unsweetened plain coconut milk (not the kind in cans, the kind in containers) -- to this I added 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast, whirred it all up and put it on the rest of the cauliflower (and what was left of my Shabbat lunch, which was layers of nuts, cauliflower, zucchini and mushrooms). It wasn't bad, but I decided to get out and go to Shop-Rite to see if I could get some more of the "ziti" (their natural food aisles are the only place I can find the "ziti") but they only had 4 packages.

While I was roaming around Shop-Rite, I discovered some frozen zucchini "noodles", so I bought 4 packages (unlike the "Miracle Noodles", I only need one package of the zucchini "noodle" whereas I need two packages of the "ziti") and they didn't have whole organic frozen cauliflower, but they did have a riced version, so I picked up a package of that and I also got some broccoli florets. (I also got a container of baby kale).

When I got home, I opened a bag broccoli and zucchini and the riced cauliflower. I put them all on a tray and into the oven as described above for 15 minutes (at which time I took the riced cauliflower, put it into my above-mentioned blender with as much coconut milk as I could fit and 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast. When it was all blended, I put it in a bowl and added some "green stuff" -- green stuff recipe: I took all the baby kale, put it in the food processor until all was processed into tiny pieces of kale, then I added some red cabbage -- I cut off a small piece from the cabbage and chopped that into smaller pieces -- and processed until the cabbage too was in tiny pieces. I took my small frying pan and added some olive oil (to keep it moist) and spices (and a pinch of pink Himalayan salt), cut up some shiitake mushrooms (about 6 but you can use however many you'd like) into chunks. I put the mushrooms into the frying pan and added the kale and cabbage and sauteed it on a low flame for about 20-30 minutes. It comes out the consistency of pesto (I've also done it with mixed greens -- some packaged that way, some that I took a bit of this and a bit of that). I then put the zucchini "noodles" and the broccoli back in the oven for another 10 minutes.

So, to put it all together -- 1/2 the zucchini "noodles" and half the broccoli per serving and then put the cauliflower "cheesy" sauce on top (I like a lot, but I know some people don't like so much sauce). Healthy and delicious.....

Kugel

ב"ה

On one of my lists we were talking about food -- and the subject of kugel came up and I decided to try one. Keeping with the same rules (ketogenic vegan) I came up with a pretty good tasting kugel.

I took three packages of "Miracle Noodles" Ziti flavor, put them in a strainer and rinsed with filtered water. In a bowl, I blended together 1/4 cup of unsweetened non-dairy yogurt and one container of non-dairy cream cheese (I use Kite Hill for both), 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 to 3/8 teaspoon stevia. Once these things were blended together, I added 2 Tablespoons of ground chia and blended that and added the strained ziti. Then I added 1/2 cup of walnuts (I didn't chop them) and 1/2 bag frozen organic blueberries.

I put it into two loaf pans (one I totally finished tonight) and I baked it at 350 degrees for about 1/2 hour (but I suggest you check it after 20 minutes). I put the other loaf pan in the refrigerator for Shabbat (which is tomorrow night). It was delicious (to me :-) )

Update Friday: I also decided to make a cauliflower kugel (instead of a potato kugel). I took two bags of organic pre-washed pre-cut organic Whole Foods (365) cauliflower and drizzled liquid coconut oil (high in medium chain triglycerides) and sprayed a bit of olive oil (organic on both) on the cauliflower (while it's sitting on a parchment lined cookie sheet) and sprinkle it with my spice mix (use one you like) and a bit of pink salt and roasted at 425 degrees about 25 minutes (longer than usual because I wanted the roasted taste to be strong). In the meantime, I rehydrated a bag of dehydrated shiitake mushrooms (I broke them into smaller pieces before I added the boiling water) then I sauteed (with coconut and olive oil) a small piece of bok choy, diced; 1/2 a bag of organic Brussels sprouts (cut in half, then in half again, and sliced); a zucchini cut into pieces; and the mushrooms. When the cauliflower was roasted and cooled a bit, I ran it through the food processor -- it's amazing how little it looked in the mixing bowl. I did the same with the veggies once they were cooked through and soft, mixed the results with the cauliflower and added 2 Tablespoons ground chia seeds. I took the mixture and put  it into a couple of loaf pans and baked at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. I didn't bake it totally since I would need to warm it up for Shabbat.

BTW, this came out delicious too.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

ב"ה

I've been trying to come up with sauces to add some flavor to my vegetables. I often get ideas by seeing something on TV -- a commercial or Dr. Oz or the like.

So I decided to try to create a sweet and sour sauce so I'd feel like I was eating Chinese take-out food. I don't eat rice, so instead of rice I sauteed riced cauliflower in a bit of olive oil with a bit of my spice mix (which pretty much includes all the spices I like like turmeric, coriander, chili powder, cinnamon, ginger, chipotile pepper... so many more) and just sauteed it on a low flame.

Today's veggies (which aren't the same every day, though there are a few "stars" like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and mushrooms) were re-hydrated dehydrated mushrooms, a bit of roasted shallot and scallion (two shallots and one cut up scallion) roasted about 10-15 minutes in a 415 degree oven. (I sprayed a bit of olive oil on them), 1 1/2 10 ounce bags of fresh organic cauliflower (easier than working on the cauliflower head myself), some chopped red cabbage, a couple of handfuls of Brussels sprouts (cut in half lengthwise). What can I say? I like cruciferous vegetables.

In any case, you can use whatever vegetables you like. The important part is the sauce.

In order to make this sauce, I need to tell you what I drink. I don't like water, at least in large quantities, so I make herbal tea -- I use Celestial Seasonings in several flavors. The tea I make that I use for the Sweet and Sour Sauce is a combination of "Sangria Zinger" and "Watermelon Lime" -- I use two bags of each in a container that holds about a gallon of water and I add filtered water and 1/2 teaspoon of powdered stevia. (I drink this anyway, so I don't make it especially for the sauce).

Anyway, I take about 1 1/2 cups of this (once it's steeped long enough -- I use cold filtered water) and put it in my blender, add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar another 1/4 teaspoon stevia, 1/4 teaspoon of my spice mix (you can use whatever spices you want) and 1 teaspoon of konjac (or a starch of your choosing, like potato starch or corn starch). I whir it around in my blender and then add it to the mostly sauteed through vegetables (I saute them in olive oil with my spice mixture and a pinch of "pink" salt) and heat until the sauce begins to thicken. Let cool a bit and serve (on top of riced cauliflower) and eat.

Cauliflower "Tots"

ב"ה

I was roaming around the internet the other day (as I often do) and I came across a recipe for Broccoli Tater Tots. Unfortunately, after printing it off, I lost the link and can't find it right now, so I can't link over to the original.

The recipe called for 4 cups of broccoli florets but it's so hard to get broccoli cooked just right. So I decided to try this with Trader Joe's  Organic Rainbow Cauliflower (Frozen). I took one package of the cauliflower (I let it sit for a while to soften up) and processed it through my food processor (it took two "rounds" -- it ended up the consistency of cauliflower-rice) and put it in a bowl. I added a teaspoon of my spice mix (you can add your own spices) and 1/8 of a teaspoon pink salt (the recipe called for 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder and 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper) then I added 1/4 cup of ground chia and added a cup of filtered water -- this, of course, if my egg replacement (the recipe calls for 2 large eggs lightly beaten). I added 2/3 cup of nutritional yeast (instead of the 2/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese called for in the recipe) and 1/4 cup of food processor chopped walnuts to replace the 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs and I mixed everything together well. I pre-heated the oven to 400 degrees and let the mixture sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Then I shaped 32 little "tot" sized "yummies" and placed them onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. I sprayed them all with a propellant free organic olive oil spray and popped them into the over for 15 minutes -- I then flipped them all (they were a bit brown on the bottom), resprayed them and baked them for 10 minutes longer.

They came out delicious. These would actually be good for people who want to get a lot of veggies in their diet, who are eating low fat (most of the fat is in the 1/4 cup of walnuts) and for people on a ketogenic diet. And, of course, for us die-hard vegans 😃

Quiche Me Once and Quiche Me Twice Then Quiche Me Once Again.....

ב"ה

When one is on a very limited diet, as I am, one has a tendency to get into food making ruts. So after several weeks of sauteed mushrooms and cauliflower I decided it's time to come up with something new.

I never tasted a "real" quiche -- that is a quiche make with milk, eggs and cheese. My sister used to make them, but I was already vegan, so no milk, eggs or cheese for me. But I do have an idea of how it tastes. I got an idea the other day that I'd like to try to make one for myself -- I had just gotten some more nutritional yeast from Whole Foods. I also picked up some fresh pre-washed organic spinach (5 oz bag) and some frozen organic cauliflower (1 pound bag). I already had frozen organic riced cauliflower at home (also 1 pound bags). I also picked up a bag of "Fungus Among Us" dehydrated organic porcini mushrooms.

I steamed 1 1/2 bags of the riced cauliflower (over filtered spiced salted water -- I suggest you pick spices you like -- I make my own spice mix that I use all the time -- it has coriander, turmeric, chili powder, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and a bunch more mixed together in a spice jar). When the riced cauliflower is fully steamed (to a soft mushy state) I save the water as a base for soup.

While the cauliflower was steaming, I took the spinach and a small saute pan -- covered the pan bottom with olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of my spice mix and a pinch of "pink" salt (Himalayan) and added 1/2 the bag of spinach (this filled the entire pan) and sauteed on a low flame until I could fit the rest of the bag and then sauteed until it's all wilted. I also took the dehydrated mushrooms and put them in a bowl (I broke the larger pieces into smaller pieces) and re-hydrated them with boiling water (just enough to cover the mushrooms).

When the riced cauliflower was soft and mushy (and cooled a bit) I put 1/2 of the cauliflower in my food processor with 1/2 cup almond or coconut "milk" -- whirred it all together and put it in a mixing bowl then did the same with the other half and another 1/2 cup "milk" -- I then added 1/4 cup ground chia, 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, the spinach and the (now sufficiently re-hydrated mushrooms).

I stirred in one bag of (partially or totally defrosted) non-riced cauliflower (just plain cauliflower pieces) and mixed everything together with a spoon. I then put the mixture into a glass casserole dish and baked (uncovered) at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then check -- if it's not done, check again every 10 minutes until it's done. Let it cool and serve.

It turned out really good -- I hope you all like it as much as I do.

Ketogenic Brownies

ב"ה

I was reading yet another "Top X Superfoods" article and, of course, they mentioned sugar-free chocolate. So I decided I was in the mood for brownies.

I took 1/2 cup coconut flour and 1/2 cup almond flour and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (and put them into a bowl) and put in 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon stevia powder (or sweeten with your sweetener of choice). I added 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) cacao powder and a 5.6 ounce can of unsweetened coconut cream and 1 cup unsweetened coconut "milk". I blended everything together and split the batter between two (unbleached) parchment paper lined loaf pans (I put another piece of parchment paper to even the batter out as well as I could) and put it in the oven at 350 degrees (Fahrenheit -- around 190-200 degrees C). Take from the over and cool. While the cake part is cooling, make a glaze using 2 Tablespoons MCT oil, 1/4 teaspoon stevia and 1 Tablespoon of cacao powder -- put it into the freezer for 10 minutes to give it some substance. Drizzle/spread the glaze over the cake.

When it cools a bit, cut into squares. Hope you like it :-)

Vegan Crackers and Blueberry Scones Based on Wholesome Yum

ב"ה

So I'm experimenting the ketogenic recipes and I got a free download of 10 Low Carb recipes from Wholesome Yum (thanks to Maya for permission to use them).

So I like crackers. But, because I've been off grain for quite a few years, I have had to make my own. I had tried a recipe someone put up on one of the ketogenic lists I joined on Facebook (I put my own version on this blog) and I like them, but this recipe was easier and had fewer ingredients, so I tried this:

I used 2 cups of almond flour (just like the original recipe) but the original recipe called for a large egg (not vegan) and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. I changed the former to 1 Tablespoon of chia powder and 1/4 cup water (extra if needed -- I think I needed another teaspoon or two) and I only used 1/8 teaspoon of pink (Himalayan) salt. I blended the ingredients together and rolled them out (between two pieces of parchment paper) and cut them into rectangles (and, as the recipe mentioned, I put toothpick holes -- 4 rows of 4 -- per cracker). I baked them at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes and they came out great.

The other recipe I tried was blueberry scones. As the recipe called for, I used 1 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. The recipe called for 8 Tablespoons of Erythritol (Erythritol makes me nauseated at times, so I avoid it) -- I used 1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia. I didn't use the salt the recipe called for. I used 1/2 coconut "milk" (the recipe called for 1/4 cup almond "milk") because the I needed some for the 2 Tablespoons of chia powder to replace the egg called for in the recipe. Instead of the teaspoon of vanilla extract in the recipe, I used 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (stronger flavor and no alcohol) and I used 3/4 cup of blueberries instead of 1/2 cup. I did not add the coconut oil in the recipe and didn't make the glaze (I have some issues with coconut oil that eating shredded coconut and using coconut "milk" don't seem to cause -- the glaze's main ingredient was coconut oil).

I mixed the ingredients (except the blueberries) together an then added the blueberries. I put the mixture on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in a circle. I pressed it down with another piece of parchment paper on top. I cut it into 12 wedges and moved them apart. Then I baked it at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. It came out delicious (though, I have to say, it was better warm).

Thanks, Maya, for the recipes and the permission to publish my revamped version.

"Chili" Keto Sin Carne

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I'm only calling this "Chili" because the idea was based on Chili. This has no tomato, no beans, no meat. So it's hard to call it Chili. It has almonds, walnuts, cauliflower, coconut "milk", mushrooms (I love Shiitake), spices..... (and, though it doesn't taste a thing like chili, I really think it came out good)

I started with a 10 ounce bag of organic almonds. I put it in a pot of spiced (and salted) water (I have my spice mix, but you might want to choose spices to your own liking). I boiled the water and added the almonds. I cooked it on simmer with the pot covered for about an hour and a quarter. While the almonds were boiling, I steamed a bag of frozen cauliflower and a bag of frozen riced cauliflower. I also sauteed up a lot of shiitake mushrooms (I used frozen and rehydrated dehydrated) in olive oil with a bit of spice mix and salt.

When the cauliflower was really soft, I put it in the blender with one cup of unsweetened coconut "milk" and 1 1/2 cups of the spiced almond water. I added some more spice mix, and a teaspoon each of lion's mane mushroom powder, reishi mushroom powder and kale powder. It needed to be blended a few times (because of the thickness) but when you blend it all together, it's the sauce.

When the almonds are done, drain them, add the sauce (some may be left over), 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and the mushrooms (as much as possible -- I can't imagine there'd be a way there would be too many mushrooms). Mix, eat and enjoy (just don't expect it to taste like chili). The mushrooms add a meaty taste.

Ketogenic Crackers, Vegan Edition

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So, as you may recall, I started on a ketogenic diet. This is a high fat, low carb, sort of medium protein diet. I've been experimenting -- being vegan on this diet is a challenge, but, then again, life as a vegan is a challenge. 

I joined a FB list of other people doing the Ketogenic Mamba, trying to balance what they need to do with making sure they are in ketosis (I check my urine every morning like I did many years ago when I was on Atkins to see if I'm in Ketosis).

So someone asked about something crunchy and someone put up a recipe for keto crackers. It included eggs and cheese, so I decided to try a vegan version. This is what I came up with:

1 cup almond flour
1/8 cup chopped walnuts (almost as fine as the flour)
1/4 teaspoon my spice mix (choose your favorite)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon lion's mane mushroom powder
1/8 teaspoon pink (Himalayan) salt
1/8 smoked paprika
1/8 cup ground chia seeds (instead of eggs)
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast (cheesy)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut (or other non-dairy) "milk"

I mixed together all the dry ingredients and then blended in the coconut milk. It made a nice dough and I rolled it out with a rolling pin between two pieces of parchment paper and cut it into rectangle and put up to bake for 15 minutes.

They came out delicious.....

My Version of a Vegan Ketogenic Breakfast

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Back when I was in my teens and 20s, I was quite fat. I tried just about every diet on the market and one of the diets I tried was the Atkins diet. But, then again, this was before I became a vegetarian. It wasn't that difficult to keep on the Atkins diet as an omnivore. I lost a lot of weight in the first couple of weeks, but when the pounds stopped coming off, I lost interest in marinaded steaks and crispy chicken skin. And, quickly, the weight came back.

Fast forward X years. I've been a vegetarian now for 40 years, 28 of them as a vegan. And, while I did lose quite a bit of weight since then (about 80 or so) I still have about 30 or 40 or so pounds I'd like to drop (and I'd like my waist measurement to get below 35") so I still try to figure out how to improve my diet, how to lose weight.

Right now, I'm on a diet similar to Atkins in that it is low in carbohydrates. But the Ketogenic Diet is high in fat.

So, I was watching the Dr. Oz Show and they were discussing the Ketogenic diet and one of the women told of her breakfast. Since I started eating my version of this "Granola", I've, Thank G-d, started doing better.

I am currently eating Walnuts, Almonds and Macadamia nuts. So I buy containers and bags of Organic nuts in these three varieties, take each container and process them in the food processor to get chopped nuts. I take 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup each of chopped almonds and macadamia, 2 Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, 1 Tablespoon chia seeds, 1/4 teaspoon powdered stevia, and sometimes I add one or more of these: 1/4-1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, grated zest of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 teaspoon powdered vanilla. I mix this all together and add enough of either coconut "milk" or a vegan (the one I have now is almond based) liquid yogurt. I mix it all together and let it sit a bit before eating.

I also discovered that Bengal Spice (Celestial Seasonings) with a bit of stevia (1/8 teaspoon) and a Tablespoon or so of vegan "half and half" makes a great breakfast drink (and wind down at the end of the day drink).

BTW, I went to the Stop and Shop tonight after my last tutoring student. I bought out the last two containers of organic walnuts. I got to talking to the woman who was in front of me on line and I told her why I bought the walnuts (I needed them for breakfast). I also wrote down the name of my blog so she could "Google" it -- so I hope she finds this blog....

Added 1 7 2018: I started making a hot version of this -- put all the ingredients into a small-medium pot with a good cover -- cover the pot and put it on the lowest flame possible for about 10 or so minutes then let it sit another 10 or so minutes. Add the chia AFTER you cook the rest.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

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I was at one of our local health food stores today where I met a young woman named Monet (sorry if I spelled that wrong). Somehow, we got to talking about us both being vegans and I mentioned that my diet was even more limited. She asked me what I ate for breakfast and I told her that lately I've been eating a Blueberry Breakfast Cake.

I started making the Cake after I began by using this recipe for Blueberry Breakfast Scones, but I started getting too lazy to make the batter into scones, so I use a loaf pan (lined with unbleached parchment paper).

I start with 1/2 an 8 ounce jar of organic unsweetened peanut butter (I like crunchy), 1/2 cup of pea protein (unsweetened, unflavored), 1 teaspoon powdered stevia, and flavoring, like vanilla (1/2 teaspoon powder) or grated organic lemon rind (from about one lemon), for example, 1/2 cup of (unsweetened) coconut milk (or almond, soy, cashew milk) and 1/2 cup almond "flour". I mix it all together. Then I add 1 cup of frozen, unsweetened organic blueberries. (Sometimes, I add 1/4 cup chopped walnuts.) Adjust the consistency with more coconut milk (if it's too stiff) or almond flour (if it's too loose). Pour it into a loaf pan (lines with parchment paper) and bake at about 300 to 350 degrees from 20-30 minutes. Check after about 20 minutes to see if it's "done" and bake more if needed.

I put it in the refrigerator and cut off a "slab" every morning -- sometimes I warm it in the oven (for a few minutes at about 250 degrees) or eat it cold. Hope you like it.

Half-Cup Blueberry-Maple-Walnut Pancakes

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I had a craving for pancakes the other day. I don't know why, I just did. And, recently, when my alternative care medical practitioner put me on a very restrictive diet (not much more than the diet I was already one, but some things I hadn't been eating were allowed) he did permit me peanut butter (which I love) and berries. Since I'm allergic to strawberries, that, in my mind, meant blueberries and blackberries.

So I decided to try my hand at pancakes. I started with my 1/2 cup (hence the "Half-Cup" in the name) and took 1/2 cup of pea protein and 1/2 cup of almond "flour" (meal). To this I added 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup blueberries (plus a few blackberries -- both were frozen), 1/4 teaspoon each vanilla powder, stevia powder and maple extract. I then added 1/2 cup (chunky) peanut butter and 1 cup (or two 1/2 cups) almond "milk". I blended it all together.

I took a parchment lined cookie sheet and spooned out the batter into rounds (the first day I had 4, the second day I had 7 and today I have 9). I put them in the oven -- this took some figuring out -- the first day, I put the temperature on 400F and left it in for 17 minutes (it got at big scorched), yesterday I put it in at 400F for 15 minutes (a bit less scorched). Today, I started at 350F and left it 13 minutes, then another 5 and then another 5. And that seems to work....