Olive Tappenade and Roasted Red Peppers in Garlic Oil

Posted: July 10, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An incredibly easy appetizer trio that will wow your guests.

Last week on vacation, Jared and I celebrated our anniversary at this adorable little wine bistro and had the most beautiful flavorful appetizer trio of hummus, marinated roasted red peppers, and olive tappenade. Though I love olives, I’ve somehow never eaten or made tappenade. I’ve been missing out. I immediately knew I wanted to recreate this rich briny dip when I got home. In fact, I wanted to recreate the whole trio, maybe even the whole evening.

Florida sunshine, live acoustic musicians, a handsome and charming date in flip flops, good wine (at happy hour prices), a flirty sun dress, and delicious simple food. This is my idea of a perfect evening out. I told Jared between sips of chardonnay, “I’m so glad we aren’t all dressed up in stiff uncomfortable clothes, surrounded by a bunch of “fancy,” wealthy people pretending to be something we are not.” His wallet, I mean he, agreed.

This trio of dips is the perfect entertaining appetizer. It presents beautifully and looks sophisticated, but it’s really all incredibly easy to make. You can make it up to a couple of days in advance, then set it out before your guests arrive and forget about it. I picked up a tub of hummus this time and just jazzed it up with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika. Of course, you can easily make your own hummus too.

Olive Tappenade

Olive Tappenade

Ingredients

1 cup of mixed kalamata and green olives, pitted* (I used a 5oz jar of unpitted olives and it equaled 1 cup pitted olives)
1/2 t. capers
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 T. roasted red peppers (use from the recipe below)
2 T. olive oil
juice of 1/4 lemon
1/4 t. black pepper
pinch of sugar

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor, scraping down the sides as needed. Blend until the olives are chopped very fine — a little chunky is fine. I used a magic bullet and it worked perfect for this size batch. A small food processor would probably result in a tappenade with a little more texture.

Serve with toasted bread or crackers. I used one ciabatta roll, one olive loaf roll, and Mediterranean matzo crackers. The bistro we went to served rosemary focaccia and pita bread with theirs.

*To quickly pit the olives, whack them with a meat mallet and pop the pit right out. I knew I hung onto my meat mallet for some reason!

Roasted Red Peppers in Garlic Oil

Roasted Red Peppers in Garlic Oil

Ingredients

2 red peppers
3 T. olive oil
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 t. salt

Directions

In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil and garlic on medium until the garlic is soft. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon or fork.

Place peppers directly on the flame of your gas stove top or under the broiler of your oven on a pan, turning until the skin is charred on all sides. Once charred on all sides, place immediately in a plastic freezer bag or in a bowl sealed tight with saran wrap. Leave for about 10 minutes (or longer). Discard the inner seeds and stem and gently remove the skins. A damp paper towel can help if they aren’t peeling off easily. Chop the peppers into large bite-size chunks.

Pour the garlic infused oil over the roasted peppers, toss with the salt. Refrigerate for later use or serve at room temperature with toasted bread.

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The Title: Olive Tapenade and Roasted Red Peppers in Garlic Oil
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Chocolate Avocado Pudding (It tastes just like “real” pudding!)

Posted: July 5, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Desserts, Snacks, Vegan | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Avocados for dessert? Yep. The proof is in the pudding.

I think much of my passion for good tasting healthy food comes from my Grannie. For most of my life, she’s been a real health nut. She and I can talk food and health all afternoon. We get excited sharing our latest nutritious food finds. When I was pregnant, she sent me a bar of dark chocolate, a baggie of walnuts, and a box of healthy cookies with instructions to eat a piece of chocolate, a walnut, and a cookie all in one bite for a not-too-bad for you treat that hits the spot. She knows my kind of perfect bite like no one else.

Rumor has it that she wasn’t always this way, though. There are tales from my mom and aunt of rich, sugar-filled, high calorie desserts after almost every meal. I suppose I could see this in Grannie.  She still gets giddy over a delicious dessert. She sent me this recipe (below) and I had to wonder if my Grannie and I are the only two women in our family who can get  this excited about pudding made from avocados, cocoa, and dates? She sold me on the recipe with this adorable email. This is why I love her so!

Hey Babe,

I’ve found a recipe for pudding that calls for no dairy, no milk, and no eggs! And it tastes really good! So, in case you’re hungry for pudding here’s the recipe….

A sprinkle of toasted almonds is nice, and half a maraschino cherry on the top makes it elegant — and how much damage can 1/2 a teeny, sugary cherry do?

I tried a small recipe first. It was yummy, so like Goldilocks visiting the Three Bear’s house, I tried a MUCH BIGGER bowl.

Much love,
Grannie

Isn’t she adorable? And don’t you want a bowl of chocolatey avocados now, too?

Sprinkled with shredded coconut and toasted almonds, it tasted like Almond Joys.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 avocados
1 c.  dates, soaked in water for an hour, then pitted and chopped
2 t. vanilla
3 T. cocoa (up to 5 T. if you like it more chocolatey)
1/2 c. – 1 c. non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
2 t. agave (optional)

Topping options: almonds & shredded coconut for Almond Joy Pudding. Crumbled Oreo cookies & gummy worms for kids Worms in Dirt dessert. Coconut whipped cream and maraschino cherries. Shortbread cookies and raspberries.

Directions

Soak dates for one hour.

In a small food processor bowl (or high power blender), combine avocados, pitted and chopped dates, vanilla and about 1/2 a cup of milk. Blend, adding more milk and scraping down the sides as needed. I did have to stop and scrape several times, but with some patience it eventually got very smooth. Add cocoa a tablespoon at a time until it’s as chocolatey as you like. Taste for sweetness and add agave (or your preferred sweetener) if desired.

Top with your choice of toppings. Serve immediately.

Note: I haven’t tried refrigerating this to store it since there have been no leftovers when I’ve made this yet! My mom has a great method for storing guacamole by putting leftovers in a plastic Ziplock style sandwich bag and pushing as much air out as possible. Since the recipe uses avocados, I think this might be the best way to store it.  Let me know if you make it and have enough leftover to store it!

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The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Chocolate Avocado Pudding
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Sippable Sweet Pea Soup (Hot or Chilled)

Posted: July 3, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

This sippable soup is such an easy lunch to serve up on a hot day. It’s great for parties, no spoon needed and it can be enjoyed while walking around mingling with guests.

Last week, the island where Jared and I were planning to vacation this week was covered in water. There was no power, and our relatives (who arrived a week before us)  had to be rescued off of the island during the middle of a tropical storm. I delayed our visit by a day and set my expectations low for sun and sand.

When we arrived on Thursday afternoon, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. To my pleasant surprise, it was sunshine, all sunshine! We spent one night on the mainland while repairs were being made on the island. By Friday, we hopped on the ferry and made our way to our tropical paradise, just as beautiful as I always remembered.

Jared and I married on this very island, exactly five years ago this Sunday. On our wedding day, there was a torrential downpour all afternoon and into the early evening. I had to go to the mainland to get my hair done up at the JCPenney hair salon in the local mall, the only salon opened on a Sunday in this small town. Before I realized what she was doing, the stylist, a tiny little woman with a thick  German accent, had teased my hair into an “old lady” beehive updo. Apparently, they don’t get many young brides in Retirement-Ville. Instructing my strong-willed German stylist on what I wanted was no easy task, but we finally tamed my wildly teased and over-sprayed hair into something presentable. As it turned out, it really didn’t matter. On the ferry back to the island, it was so rainy and windy, I was drenched by the time we docked. (Though my mom and I made a valiant attempt to salvage my do on the ferry boat back to the island, all captured on film by the wedding photographer.  That’s mom’s hand there in the picture on the left, holding the bag.  Lovely.)  Thankfully, once in our condo,  mom was able to fix my sagging upsweep just in time for the wedding.

             

No one thought we were going to be able to have the wedding outside,  but like my iron-willed stylist, I had a plan and we were going with it! The beach wedding will happen, I insisted. Everyone get dressed, there will be a wedding on the beach at 7:00pm. Be there!

At 6:30 pm, the rain stopped, the clouds parted and the sun shined on our little island. In a frenzy, every guest in our group, including the groom, ran down to the beach, raked the sand, set up the music and our ceremony site, then tied ribbons on the boardwalk. I learned later that Jared hopped in the shower at 6:50pm.

At 7:00, I walked down the boardwalk, arm in arm with my dad, to a perfectly beautiful ceremony with all of my favorite people, including my most favorite person in the whole world, Jared Randolph, my soon-to-be husband. Two dolphins swam back and forth right in front of us the entire time that the preacher shared God’s words about marriage to us and we spoke our vows to one another. It was more beautiful than I could have dreamed.

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful wedding night.

Our marriage has been full of these “almosts”…not only did our wedding almost get rained out, but a month before our wedding Jared could have almost died from a fall on a construction site.  (Thankfully he was okay, just a bad concussion, after a couple of scary days in the hospital.) Jared  almost didn’t have a job when we returned from our honeymoon, we almost didn’t have a house to move into when he took his latest job… But in every “almost” instance, God orchestrated something so perfect, so beyond what we could have hoped for, that in every blessing of ours, we know to point to Him and give him the praise.

This sweet pea soup is one of those great meals to have on hand when you just don’t know what life is going to throw at you. If it’s cool and rainy or you’re in need of comfort, serve it in a big mug with a warm of hunk of bread. If it’s hot outside and the sun is shining down on you, serve it chilled in a tall glass with a garnish of fresh tomatoes. If you’re on the road, on the run, at the pool, put it in a cup or to-go mug and sip it as you go about your day.

And whatever storm you may be in, may you feel God’s presence in the storm and know the sun will soon shine again. It always does.

Sweet Pea Soup served chilled with Kickin’ Melon Cucumber Salad (https://welaughwecrywecook.com/2012/06/28/kickin-melon-cucumber-salad/)

Rachel’s
Sippable Spring Pea Soup (Hot or Chilled)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, dark green section removed, chopped into thin half moons & rinsed well
1 onion, diced
1 t. salt
4 cups veggie broth
4 cups of peas (frozen or fresh)
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper

Garnish options: Sprig of mint, chopped green onions, diced tomatoes, swirl of heavy cream (not for vegans)

Directions

In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add leeks, onions, and 1 t. salt. Saute for ~ 8 minutes until onions are translucent. Add veggie broth, bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to med-low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add peas and simmer for 4 more minutes. Remove from heat. Either transfer to a blender (in halves) or use an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Serve warm in a mug or refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled and serve in tall shooter glasses. Garnish as desired.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Sippable Sweet Pea Soup (Hot or Chilled)
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Kickin’ Melon Cucumber Salad

Posted: June 28, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Fruit Dishes, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Melon, agave, and a tiny hint of cayenne take this ordinary tomato and cucumber salad to extraordinary with a burst of flavor. It’s sweet, spicy, and refreshing. Surprise your friends with this unique summer salad at the next barbeque.

Whatever it is that makes pregnant women crave weird things, I’m pretty sure I have it all the time. As I’m trying to eat everything in my refrigerator before vacation (this is counteracting my plan to get in shape for the beach, by the way), I keep finding myself pairing the oddest things.

Oreo cookies, cream filling removed and replaced with peanut butter and banana.

A baked sweet potato doused in hot sauce for breakfast.

Crackers dipped in tomato paste and hummus.

Sometimes I question my authority to co-write a food blog. I mean seriously, how can you trust the palate of someone who removes the filling from their Oreos?

However, sometimes my weird cravings create something truly delicious. When I took a bite of this salad with crisp cucumbers, bright tomatoes, sweet cantaloupe, red onion, and an agave and cayenne vinaigrette, I was in love. It’s an odd combination of fruits and veggies, of spicy and sweet, but it works I tell ya, it really works.

It would brighten up and bring a perfect balance of acidity and flavor to grilled tofu or chicken for a healthy summer dinner. It would also be a great side dish for Fourth of July parties, no refrigeration needed for at least a few hours.

Just be prepared to answer the questions, “How did you come up with this combination? Are you pregnant?”

Rachel’s Kickin’ Melon Cucumber Salad

Serves 6-8 side portions

Ingredients

2 c. cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 c. cucumber, chopped
1 . red onion, diced
2 c. canteloupe or other melon (watermelon and honeydew would both work), chopped

Vinaigrette
3 T. rice vinegar
3 T. agave
3 t. salt
3 t. crushed black pepper
1 t. cayenne

Directions

Mix vinaigrette ingredients and toss with chopped fruit and veggies. Serve.

It’s that easy!

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Kickin’ Melon Cucumber Salad
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-rI
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Stewed Summer Veggies

Posted: June 26, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Stewed garden vegetables with white beans. Great for curling up with a good book and a blanket on a rainy day.

I’m packing up my suitcase (or three) for a tropical island vacation south of Tampa, but it looks like the most tropical thing about the trip may be Tropical Storm Debby. Our family that’s already there spent last night without water or power and hasn’t seen the sun in days. Much of the island is covered in water. Getting three suitcases, a diaper bag, groceries, and a one-year old onto the ferry (no cars on this island) and down the 1/4 mile rocky path to the condos without Jared, who will be joining us two days later, is going to be harder than I expected if this doesn’t clear up soon.

I had a menu in mind for the week, including lots of fresh, crisp fruits and veggies to cool us down as we came in from the hot sandy beach. But, this summer stew might be a better fit if it turns out to be a rainy vacation. Actually, curling up on the lanai (that’s a fancy word Floridians use for a screened in porch) with a good book and a bowl of these warm summer veggies, while the rain falls around me and and waves crash against the shell-lined beach, sounds like paradise to me.

Fresh potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and squash from our uncle’s garden were the base of this savory satisfying stew, finished off with white beans for a mild-flavored protein, and kale of course. No dish is complete without it! Smoked paprika, one of my favorite spices to add depth of flavor to beans and vegetables, makes it taste almost like it was cooked with a hunk of ham.

Rain or shine, cool salads or warm stews, I’ll be enjoying our little tropical paradise very soon. And I’ll finally be reuniting with my husband when he gets done with his week long out of state baseball tournament…just in time to celebrate our anniversary on the same island where we said “I Do” five years ago!

Rachel’s Stewed Summer Veggies

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

~1 T. extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
1 large onion, diced
4 small potatoes, chopped into bite size chunks
1 yellow squash (or zucchini)
3 cups of tomatoes (I used a combo of whole cherry tomatoes & chopped larger tomatoes)
1 T. white wine vinegar
3 stalks of kale, torn off the rib and into pieces
1 cup of water or veggie broth
1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt & pepper
seasoning salt
smoked paprika

Directions

Pour evoo into a large tall-sided skillet or sauce pan and heat on medium heat. Add onions & a dash of salt and saute for about five minutes. Add potatoes, squash, tomatoes, water or broth, and vinegar. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in kale and gently mash the tomatoes so they release their juices. If it needs more liquid, you can add another cup of water or broth. Gently stir in the beans and season to taste with seasoning salt (like Lawry’s or Tony’s), smoked paprika (use just a pinch for a nice smokey flavor) and a little salt and pepper if it needs it.

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The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Stewed Summer Veggies
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Roasted Okra & Green Beans

Posted: June 21, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roasted okra and green beans. A healthy alternative to fried okra or french fries, and so much easier to make.

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

In our huge haul of garden veggies from Uncle, we had a small batch of fresh okra. I’ve been planning to fry them up, as any good southerner would do, but I’m not really the frying kind of gal. It’s just so messy.

There you have it. The secret to eating  healthy is to be too lazy to clean up greasy pots and pans.

While waiting on me to get over my anal retentiveness, some of my okra and a handful of green beans started to wither away. Still not ready to conquer the mess of slicing, coating, and deep frying the okra, I decided to try out a cooking method I know and love for green beans, roasting, on the okra, too.

I may not be a traditional Southern gal in many ways, but this plate of roasted green beans and okra is my kind of southern treat. In less than 30 minutes, these are prepped, cooked and on your plate. You could serve them as a healthy afternoon snack for kids (almost 11-month old Jackson loved them), a party appetizer, or a side dish to any southern cuisine.

Rachel’s Roasted Okra & Green Beans

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 c. fresh okra (not frozen)
1 cup fresh green beans
3 t. olive oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. of cayenne

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. Put okra and green beans on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, salt, and cayenne. Pour the oil over the veggies and rub into them to make sure they are all evenly coated.

Bake for 20 minutes, flipping the veggies after 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a tad more salt as they come out of the oven.

I dipped them in Muir Glen’s organic ketchup (my fave), because I’m a ketchup-aholic, but they really didn’t need anything. Feel free to play with different spices, too.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
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The Title: Roasted Okra & Green Beans
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Stuffed Garden Zucchini with Spinach & Walnut Pesto

Posted: June 19, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

I have this dramatic little plant on my kitchen table. When she get’s a little parched (it’s most definitely a she), she goes from her perky upright position to draping her long thin limbs all the way over the side of the pot as if she’s fainted. I give her a little sip of water and within minutes the color returns to her cheeks, she brushes the dirt off her skirt, and gets back to work brightening up my kitchen.

As much as I would love to have a green thumb and to have the time, desire, and talent to have a garden, I’m just not there yet. My plants have to literally bend over backwards to get me to notice them. Every attempt at an herb garden has been a miserable failure. One day, when I grow up, I hope I find my inner plant whisperer. Until then, I’ll stick to dramatic plants that practically scream for my attention.

On the bright side, Jared’s Uncle Philip, we just call him Uncle, has an organic garden. Once or twice a year, when his harvest overfloweth, he spreads around the veggie love. This week, he sent us squash, zucchini, cucumbers, a big bag full of beautiful cherry tomatoes, okra, and green beans. Fresh, local, organic, free veggies make my heart go pitter patter!

Some of the zucchini and squash had grown a little too much. When it comes to produce, bigger is usually not better. I hate to waste any vegetable, so I decided to use the zucchini as a pretty vessel for a cherry tomato stuffing.

The zucchini was still a little bit bitter and took longer to bake than a smaller variety, but the stuffing of sweet cherry tomatoes and garlicky croutons was insanely delicious. Smaller zucchini would be perfect and tender enough that you could eat the whole thing, skin and all. If you’re looking for a way to make use of any summer squash that got a little too much time on the vine, though, this is a clever way to use them up.

I have more veggies from Uncle’s garden coming tomorrow and I’ve hardly made a dent in the first round. What’s your favorite way to use up garden veggies?

Rachel’s Stuffed Garden Zucchini with Spinach & Walnut Pesto

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large zucchini or 4 normal sized zucchini, cut in half lengthwise & seeds scooped out
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
course ground pepper

2 slices of whole grain bread, cut into small cubes
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. garlic powder

1/2 small onion, diced
1 leek, dark green section removed, chopped into thin half moons & rinsed well
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 cups baby spinach

Pesto
1/2 c. spinach
1 T. walnuts
1 clove of garlic
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
3-4 t. water
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Look at all those pretty cherry tomatoes. That’s only about half of what we got from Uncle’s garden!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Place zucchini cut side up in a baking dish, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and course ground black pepper. Bake until fork tender. 20-35 minutes depending on the size of the zucchini.

Toss bread cubes with olive oil and garlic powder.  Pour onto a baking sheet and bake in the same oven as zucchini until crispy, about 10 minutes.

In a skillet, heat a little olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and leeks and saute until transclucent, add garlic and tomatoes, continue sauteing for about five more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in spinach.

When the zucchini are fork tender, remove from the oven, stuff generously with the filling and put back in the oven for 15 more minutes.

Blend all of the pesto ingredients together, starting with 3 t. of water and adding more until the pesto is thin enough to drizzle easily.

Serve the stuffed squash on a big family platter, drizzled with pesto on top. Can be served as a main meatless dish or as a side.

The skin on the larger squash is too tough to eat, but the flesh did get tender while baking.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
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The Title: Stuffed Garden Zucchini with Spinach & Walnut Pesto
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Thai Lettuce Wraps with a Sweet Ginger Sauce

Posted: June 14, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Asian Dishes, Main Dishes, Sauces and Dressings, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tofu Thai Lettuce Wraps with a sweet garlic and ginger sauce.

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

I love P.F. Changs. It’s my go-to special occasion restaurant when I get to do the picking (I’m still working on Jared and Asian food–baby steps). In fact, that’s where I asked to go for Mother’s Day. We took Jackson along and sat outside on the patio on a beautiful Spring day. As usual, the service and food were both great. Their chefs understand and respect vegan diets, which makes eating there so easy. However, the view was of a busy mall parking lot and there was an out of control gnat problem. I longed for my own patio with our country pasture view and my own personal fly swatter.

I’ve started to notice more often than not, I regret dining out. Whether for comfort, ease with Jackson, or control over what goes into our food, I just really prefer eating at home these days. So this week, I made my own version of P.F. Chang’s famous lettuce wraps. Fine dinin’ in my t-shirt and yoga pants on my own back porch. Aahhh.

Just like theirs, these can be made with tofu or chicken. The sweet ginger sauce is good enough to drink. And since you made it at home, their really will be no one around to judge you if you choose to do so. Just make sure you save some for the lettuce wraps.

Arrange the lettuce cups in a pretty flower-like arrangement and serve the cashews, cilantro, and green onions right on the cutting board for a fun and easy presentation.

Thai Lettuce Wraps with a Sweet Ginger Sauce

Serves 4 entree sizes or 8 appetizer portions

Ingredients

Stir Fry
1 block of firm tofu, crumbled or chopped into small cubes (could also use shredded or chopped chicken)
canola oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chili pepper, sliced thinly
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 14.5 oz can baby corn, drained and chopped
1/2 c. diced canned pineapple (reserve juice for sauce)
1 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and roughly chopped
1 8 oz can bamboo shoots, drained
2 green onions, chopped
several lettuce leaves (iceberg or romaine work nicely)

(Other veggies like shredded carrots and cabbage would work well in this too)

Marinade & Dipping Sauce
1 T. canola oil
2 T. fresh ginger, minced or finely diced
1 T. garlic, minced
1/2 c. Braggs Amino Acids (or Soy Sauce)
3 T. sweet chili sauce (in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores)
2 T. brown sugar
1 c. pineapple juice (buy a 15 oz can of diced pineapples and use juice here and pineapples in stir-fry)
1/2 c. veggie broth or water

Toppings
1/2 cup toasted cashews, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
1 green onion, chopped

Directions

Marinade & Dipping Sauce
In a sauce pan, heat canola oil on medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Set aside 1 cup. When you get the stir-fry going, bring remaining sauce to a boil, then simmer on med-low to reduce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir-Fry
Use half of the reserved sauce to marinate the tofu or protein for 30 minutes or longer. (This can be done the night before to save time the next day.)

In a large skillet or wok, heat about a tablespoon or so of canola oil on medium high. I like to chop as I cook, so chop the onions while the oil is heating, then chop the garlic and add it, then the chili, then the mushrooms, baby corn, pineapple, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots.

In a separate nonstick skillet, heat about two tablespoons of canola oil and the tofu on medium high heat. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining reserved sauce and cook for a few more minutes. Then, combine the tofu with the veggies. Add the green onions at the last minute. (Follow similar steps for chicken, but adjust cooking time as needed.)

Serve in lettuce cups, with chopped cashews, cilantro, and more green onions for toppings on the side and individual sides of the dipping sauce.

Notes: I changed the recipe slightly from what is pictured. I cooked the tofu with the veggies and it tasted good, but didn’t pick up as much color as it gets when cooked on it’s own, so I adjusted it so yours should have more color than mine did. Also, the lettuce I used was Living Lettuce. It looked really pretty, but got mushy too fast. It needs something sturdier like romaine or ice berg.

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The Title: Thai Lettuce Wraps with a Sweet Ginger Sauce
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Grilled Stuffed Avocados

Posted: June 12, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Mexican Dishes, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Grilled Stuffed Avocados

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

I hit the motherload. Yes, I have a load of amazing mothers in my life.

There is my mother-in-law, Rhonda, who, as we speak, is at the pool with Jackson. Jared is very busy this summer, and she has generously offered to give me writing breaks any time I need them. She walked in this afternoon cheerfully greeting us with her usual “Helloooo, Helloooo.” Her red curly hair tied in a lose ponytail and dressed in a bright colored sundress and flip-flops, she came bearing bubbles and summer toys for Jackson and my favorite french fries. Despite me telling her I wasn’t hungry, I ate them all. She knows me well enough to know I’ll eat the fries if she brings the fries. I love that. Jackson didn’t waste any time crawling over to his Mimi, standing up at the hem of her dress and pointing outside. He knows Mimi takes him outside to play. Mimi is fun and lets him get dirty and play in the mud.

And then there is my step-mom, Pat. She’s a lot like me when it comes to organization and order. I rely on her for any and all communication regarding family events or activities. The Freeman men are not known for their communication skills, but she has somehow learned to speak their language and relay their plans to me. Jackson loves going to Grandma’s house. She and Grandpa take him to the barn to see their horses every other Thursday while we are at home group. Another thing I love about Pat is she loves shopping at Costco. I always leave their house with a bag full of avocados, medjool dates, or berries, because with their busy work schedules they really can’t eat 30 pounds of fresh produce before it spoils. I love that.

Obviously, the mother who carried me for nine months, put up with me through my bratty preteen years and still let me live to share this blog with her, is a pretty good woman. Last time I was at her house, I left her with Jackson for a couple of hours and returned to the kitchen to find a gourmet vegan meal waiting for me and Jackson happily playing with various kitchen utensils in his high chair. She’s like a professional nurturer, able to nurture and love and adore multiple kids of all ages at once. She knows me so well that she called me in Texas all the way from her home in Colorado to tell me she thought I was pregnant, even before I knew. She can tell by the sound of my voice within the first few words exactly how I’m feeling. I don’t have to explain much to her, she just gets me. I love that. We often chat while we are cooking and one of us will say, “I’m making ‘such and such,” and the other will exclaim, “I’m making ‘such and such’ too!” The other day, she sent me her list of upcoming recipes for the blog, including her Confetti Rice Pilaf Stuffed Avocados. I had just returned from the store with ingredients for stuffed avocados myself. So, I give you ANOTHER stuffed avocado recipe. I can’t promise this will be the last time mama and daughter are cooking up the same thing, unbeknownst to each other.

A delicious meatless meal on the grill.

Rachel’s Grilled Stuffed Avocados

Serves 2 entrees (4 appetizers)

Ingredients

Stuffed Avocados
2 avocados, cut lengthwise in half and pitted
2 corn on the cob, soaked & silks removed*
1 poblano pepper
1/2 red onion, sliced into thick rings
2 T. Canola Oil
1 t. kosher salt
juice of 1/2 a lime (~1 T.)

Cilantro Lime Sour Cream Sauce
1/4 c. vegan sour cream (or regular if you eat dairy)
1/4 c. cilantro
1/2 T. lime juice
1/4 t. salt
1/8 c. fresh jalapeno, chopped & seeded
1 clove garlic

Serve with: rice and beans for a complete meal or as a healthy side dish for any Mexican meal

Directions

Prep:

Soak corn in water for 30 minutes and then peel back husks and remove silks. Light coals for charcoal grill. You want the coals to be all white, and no longer flaming. Mix canola oil, salt, and lime in a small bowl.

In a blender or food processor, Blend all ingredients for the cilantro lime sour cream sauce. Set aside.

Brush corn kernels with oil mixture and pull husks back up around kernels. Brush onions with canola oil mixture. Put corn, onions, and poblano pepper (left whole) on the grill. Apply canola mixture as they cook and turn veggies so they cook evenly on all sides. When poblano is charred on all sides, remove it and put it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for a few minutes to loosen the skin. Remove the skins with a wet paper towel. Grill onions and corn for 15-20 minutes until they are cooked through and lightly charred.

Just before taking the veggies off the grill.

Brush avocados with canola mixture and grill flesh side down for 3-4 minutes. Ideally, you’ll get nice grill marks across the avocado (I think our grill wasn’t quite hot enough by the time we got them on so this was not our result, but we decided it didn’t matter because they tasted amazing anyway.)

Cut corn off the cob, dice onions and poblanos to a similar size as the corn kernals. Toss together in a bowl.

Stuff the grilled avocados with the grilled corn, onion, and poblano mixture. Serve two halves nestled on a bed of rice and drizzle with sour cream sauce. Serve beans on the side for a complete meal. Or, just serve one half as an appetizer or side.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Grilled Stuffed Avocados
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-oG
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Mint Chocolate Pistachio Blizzard (Dairy-Free & Soy-Free)

Posted: June 7, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Desserts | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

This tasty healthy summer treat is dairy-free, soy-free, only five ingredients, and done in five minutes.

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

This summer my husband is coaching a select summer baseball team with a rigorous schedule. Since he’ll be so busy, I thought it might be fun for me and Jackson to come along with him for a few of his tournaments. We could check out a new town and spend some family time together between games.

As it turns out, the cities he plays in are a little hard up for entertainment. In my internet search of one town, the highlighted “Family Activity” was a trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream. Sorry honey, we’ll just see you in July when you’re schedule let’s up.

I’m not knocking DQ. If you were raised in a small town in Texas, like I was, you probably do have lots of memories at the local Dairy Queen. I can recall several trips as a child, stopping on our way home from ball games. I remember our high school cross country coach always treated us to Blizzards when the season was over. After months of getting up at 5:00 am to run around a cold dark track and spending our Saturdays running through muddy trails, we’d go celebrate. We lined up and one-at-a-time placed our order, then waited eagerly to be handed an upside down cup filled with thick ice cream blended with our favorite mix-ins.

Now that I don’t eat dairy, being treated to a DQ blizzard is a thing of the past, but with Banana Soft Serve “Ice Cream,” my days of enjoying delicious cool treats with tasty mix-ins are far from over. In just minutes, frozen bananas blended up in the food processor turn into a thick creamy cold treat, just like soft serve ice cream. I combined two of my favorite ice cream flavors, Mint Chocolate Chip and Pistachio, for this sweet, salty, cool combination.

I wouldn’t recommend flipping your cup upside down, but I would totally recommend sticking a spoon in and chowing down. With banana as the main ingredient and healthy mix ins like pistachios and dark chocolate (antioxidants, hellooo!), it’s practically health food.

This soft serve “ice cream” is simply frozen bananas and pistachios blended together, garnished with a mint chocolate swirl and a cherry on top.

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 bananas ~1 cup (chopped and frozen)*
1/4 cup pistachios, roasted and salted
1 t. sugar
3 squares of a mint dark chocolate bar (I used the Endangered Species brand–it’s vegan & delicious)
2 t. coconut cream (~1 t. non-dairy milk would work too)

Optional Garnishes: chopped pistachios, cherries dipped in the chocolate sauce & cooled, fresh banana slices, sprig of mint

Directions

In a food processor, blend bananas until they whip together like soft serve ice cream, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. Add in pistachios and sugar and blend again until pistachios are chopped up.

In a small bowl, combine chocolate and coconut cream. Microwave for 8 second intervals, stirring between, being careful not to let the chocolate burn.

Pour half of the pistachio soft serve into a pretty glass, top with half of the chocolate, then repeat, gently swirling the chocolate at the top. Garnish with chopped pistachios and a cherry on top (optional). Fresh banana slices between the layers of soft serve are good too.

Serve immediately.

Note: This doesn’t re-freeze well.

*Freeze bananas that are ripe, but not overly ripe for this recipe. The ones that are really soft and ripened are great for baking and smoothies, but not for this recipe.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Mint Chocolate Pistachio Blizzard (Dairy-Free & Soy-Free)
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-o5
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

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