Veggie Muse

Berry Good Carrot Juice Recipe

2012-02-03T10:38:00.000-05:00

This juice is sweet and hearty...and only 3 ingredients!

It amazes us how the flavor of the strawberries really takefront stage in this recipe.

Yum!

Berry Good Carrot Juice Recipe

1 lb. of strawberries, tops removed

5 lbs. of carrots, tops removed

2 red apples

Wash all and feed through your juicer!

Crazy Cabbage Slaw Salad Recipe

2012-01-28T20:34:00.000-05:00

This yummy, cold salad is my attempt to recreate a great meal I had while visiting my parents recently.

I have to say, this comes very close to the sweet, tangy, crunchy salad I enjoyed.

It lasts, too. You can refrigerate it for a few days and the cabbage stays crisp and becomes almost like a slaw.

Crazy Cabbage Slaw Salad

½-1 head of cabbage – shredded

A few handfuls of any assorted salad greens, chopped

1 can of corn – drained

About 10 pitted and chopped dates

1-1/2 cup of slivered raw almonds

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl

Creamy Citrus Dressing

About 1 ½ cup Veganaise

About 2-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

A splash of fresh orange juice OR ½ of an orange (squeezed)

A sprinkle of orange zest

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl

Mix the dressing into the salad, cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Enjoy!

*Optional - 1 chopped avocado as garnish

* Optional – Croutons

Best Ever Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe

2012-01-26T20:28:00.001-05:00

I stumbled on this recipe and we decided to try it out…OMG!

SO good….cheesy and creamy…and super simple to make.

Best Ever Vegan Cheese Sauce

2 cups of water

¼ cup chopped fresh tomatoes

¼ cup raw almonds

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ tablespoon sea salt

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons corn starch

¼ cup nutritional yeast

Blend all ingredients in blender until very smooth.

Pour into a sauce pan and heat untilthick, whisking consistently.

This is amazing! As it cools it gets thick like cheddarsoup.

Recipe site: MeltyCheese

Recipe submitted by emily@pioneer-net.com

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7229.0

Easy 1-2-3 Vegan Egg(free) Salad

2012-01-17T21:30:00.000-05:00

We have missed the taste of egg salad and deviled eggs but not what they were made of.

I was SO happy to discover how to make a vegan version that satisfies that taste.

I have combined a few recipes and come up with something super simple that my family loves.

Play with the ingredients. Really anything goes.

What did you used to put in your more traditional egg salad?

Egg(free) Salad

1. A block of extra firm tofu, drained and dry

2. Crumble or mash it in bowl to desired egg-like consistency

3. Add the following “to taste” - as you would making traditional egg salad:

Veganaise

Sea salt

Pepper

Turmeric...for color

Onion powder

Yellow mustard

Optional: nutritional yeast

Mix gently, garnish with lettuce and tomato

and enjoy!

....mmmmm

Vegan Lace Cookie Crisps

2011-11-19T20:43:00.001-05:00

These were one of my favorite kinds of cookies...way back when.

But they were loaded with butter, other dairy, refined sugar...maybe even corn syrup and processed salt.

I was searching for a new cookie recipe to try out for a vegan cookie swap we have coming up and I thought... just maybe... I could recreate these.

OMG!! Success! You HAVE to try these. So easy and addicting.

I know it looks like a lot of directions but they are really simple.

I pieced this recipe together from several I found online.

Lace Florentine Cookies

Let me know what you think!

1 ¾ cup sliced almonds

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¾ cups non-refined sugar

2 tablespoon non-dairy milk (we used unsweetened coconut milk)

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup

5 tablespoons non-dairy “butter” (we used Earth Balance)

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

· Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

· Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

· Pulse almonds in a small food processor until finely chopped, but not in a paste

· In a bowl combine chopped almonds, flour, zest and salt

· In a small sauce pan put milk, sugar, “butter” and the brown rice syrup. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Sugar should dissolve completely. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute.

· Remove the mixture from heat and add vanilla

· Pour the sugar mixture over the almond mixture and stir until well combined.

· Set batter aside for 15-30 minutes to cool and thicken a bit

· Using a ½ teaspoon, spoon tiny, rounded balls of dough onto the cookie sheet.

· These spread! I suggest only cooking 6 balls of dough per large cookie sheet.

· Place the cookie sheet in the center of the oven

· I recommend cooking one sheet at a time

· Bake for 4 minutes and (for even cooking) rotate the cookie sheet and bake for another 4 minutes

· Remove from the oven when they are fully spread and a light golden brown

· Put the second cookie sheet in the oven while the first sheet of cookies cools for a few minutes.

· When you are able, transfer them to a wire cookie rack to cool completely.

· Load up the (now empty) cookie sheet with six more balls of dough

· I used the same parchment paper for the entire batch of dough

· About that time the second batch should be done in the oven and you can switch…

· Keep alternating until the batter is gone.

· Store in an airtight container

Tips:

1. Find the cooking time “sweet spot” for your oven…they are too sticky if not golden enough…and too brittle if too well done.

2. You can drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled cookies if you like, we preferred them plain

3. Try and eat just one!

Vegan Chocolate Chipper Cookies

2011-09-29T20:46:00.000-04:00

I LOVE chocolate chip cookies...I always have, but I don't eat pre-made, processed, conventional ones anymore because of some food allergies and personal ingredient choices.

After experimenting with many cookie recipes over the last 8-9 years, I feel that this is the best at-home, veganized one so far.

I think that these really tatse like warm, yummy chocolate chip cookies and not like a bad, sad reproduction!

Let me know what you think...

Vegan Chocolate Chipper Cookies

½ cup vegan butter substitute, like Earth Balance

¾ cup organic sugar of choice

2-3 teaspoons of vanilla extract

3 (or more) tablespoons of water

2 cups whole grain flour

½ cup finely ground walnuts

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ to ½ cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to ◦350

In a large bowl, blend the butter substitute, sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of water until well mixed.

Stir in the flour, ground walnuts, baking powder and salt. Keep stirring until it forms together like dough. If it is too dry and crumbly add more water one tablespoon at a time, just until a small piece of the dough will hold together when formed into a little ball.

Form small dough balls and press onto an ungreased cookie sheet. When pressed, cookies should be about ¼” thick.

Bake for about 15 minutes and check. They should hold together but be sure the bottoms are not burning. My batch took a bit longer and I checked them about every 2 minutes.

Let them cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Mexican Madness Vegan Layered Dip

2011-07-28T17:37:00.000-04:00

It was super simple to veganize this old favorite with justa few substitutions. This is ideal to bring to a party that has both veggiesand non-veggies, as no one will EVER know it is animal friendly!

As with most whole food recipes, this is just a guideline toget you started. It is completely flexible and customizable to specific tastes,diets and available ingredients.

Mexican Madness Vegan Layered Dip

Dip Base:

1 Can of refried beans (I use refried black beans)

1 Can whole beans ( I like whole black beans)

1 tub of vegan sour cream

1 packet of taco seasoning

about 1 cup of your favorite salsa

Topping Options:

1 tomato, chopped

about 1 or 2 cups of vegan shredded cheese

Chopped black and green olives

Avocado or guacamole (drizzle lime juice on chopped avocadoto keep it from turning brown)

Chilies or jalapeno peppers

Onions

* In a small bowl mix the vegan sour cream with about halfthe packet of taco seasoning. It is best to start with less and add to it,based on personal taste. Set aside.

* Rinse the whole beans and then in a separate bowl mashthem with a fork

* Add the cup of salsa and the refried beans to the mashedbeans and mix together

* Spread the bean mixture evenly along the bottom of ashallow casserole dish or pretty bowl

* Pour the sour cream mixture over the bean mixture andcarefully spread to cover

* note - if you are adding guacamole, you can refrigeratethe dip base a little to firm it up and then spread the guac right over thesour cream layer

* Then just sprinkle your favorite optional toppings on topand you’re done

Cover and refrigerate until it’s time to enjoy!

You can serve this with chips, small tortillas, veggies,etc…

Yum!

bean mixture

spreading the sour cream mixture over the beans

your dip base...waiting for toppings!

Sunbutter Bombs

2011-07-27T15:51:00.001-04:00

These are SO good! Like healthy little brownie nuggets…nobaking, super easy and all natural ingredients!

This recipe is all approximate! I do it by “feel” but thisshould give you somewhere to start. If it seems too dry add more liquidy stufflike dates, vanilla or agave…if it is too sticky add more dry stuff like groundnuts.

Play with it a bit until the little bombs hold together with outbeing oily, crumbly or loose.

Sunbutter Bombs

2 cups ofnuts of your choice. I used pecans.

1 to 2 cupsof pitted soft dates

3 to 4teaspoons of vanilla

½ to 1 cupof sunflower seed butter

1 to 2tablespoons of agave syrup

2 to 4tablespoons cocoa (optional)

* grind thenuts finely in a small food processor or a high speed blender

* move theground nuts to a separate bowl

For the nextsteps, start with the smaller amount of each additional ingredient that islisted above…

* Put thedates into the food processor or high speed blender and blend until choppedvery small and sort of chewey

* Add theground nuts to the chopped dates (if you want you can reserve a small amount ofthe ground nuts to dip the bombs in after they are rolled)

* Also addthe vanilla and agave

* Add thecocoa if desired

* Blend alluntil it binds together…add dry or wet ingredients as needed

* Roll intosmall balls and dip in ground nuts if desired.

*Refrigerate until ready to enjoy!

…mmmm

Quickie Quinoa Summer Salad

2011-07-04T13:10:00.003-04:00

I just whipped up this super simple recipe for lunch. It was so light and cool on a hot, summer day. I combined what sounded good to me at the time, so be flexible and listen to what your body needs. Add or delete anything that seems right to you. I really loved the creaminess of the avocado with the snap of the quinoa.

Also, because I just threw this together, all measurements are approximate. It’s always a good idea to start with less and add to, it if needed

Quickie Quinoa Summer Salad

3/4 cup of cooked quinoa, at room temperature
1 teaspoon veganaise
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
A drizzle of good quality olive oil
½ of an avocado, chopped into small chunks
½ of a tomato, chopped into chunks
A BIG handful of fresh basil, washed and chopped
*Optional – a few black olives, chopped
Sea salt and pepper to taste if desired ( I didn’t use any and it was still really tasty)

Gently toss all ingredients together in a pretty bowl and enjoy!

Sensational Smores - Gluten Free and Vegan

2011-06-04T08:56:00.000-04:00

All I can say is yum!

While I can't really call these "healthy"...

they are certainly a much healthier version of traditional smores.

I promise you will never miss what's not in here.

These products can be found in most health/whole foods stores.

I melted the vegan chocolate chips on the crackers and then added a dollop of the Ricemellow.

Topped it with another cracker and instant Sssssmores!

Let me know what you think.

Cold Rescue - Green Smoothie Recipe

2011-05-07T12:24:00.003-04:00

This is a combination of a couple of recipes I found online and just using what I had at home.
I was all sniffly, sneezie and congested and I wanted a green smoothie to help my body fight off whatever was attacking.
This did the trick.

It was soothing and I knew that all of the goodness in these ingredients would be hard at work fighting evil!

Cold Rescue Green Smoothie

1 Ripe banana
2-3 handfuls of frozen green grapes
2 large kale leaves, with the stems
2 handfuls of butter lettuce (or any other leafy green you like)
Finely grated fresh ginger to taste (ginger is strong so start with a little and build up)
Just enough water to make your blender work

Blend it all until smooth and pour it in a pretty, colorful cup to lift your spirits!

Chi Chi Chickenless Salad

2011-04-24T18:51:00.002-04:00

I LOVE this recipe! It is super simple and surprisingly hearty. I saw the idea for this in a book put out by PETA. The book was geared towards college aged vegans with little time and few resources.
I tweaked it a bit to suit my tastes and added a special ingredient that I use to add to real chicken salad…way back when I ate that.

This recipe is VERY loose…no real measurements. I make it to ‘feel”.

Chi Chi Chickenless Salad

1 can of Garbanzo Beans (AKA: Chi Chi beans, Chick Peas, etc…) rinsed and drained
1 or 2 small handfuls of celery, finely chopped
1 – 2 small red apples, finely chopped
Lemon Juice
Veganaise to taste/texture preference
Sea salt and pepper to taste

With a fork, slightly mash the Garbanzo beans in a medium sized bowl. Add the Veganaise, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. Sprinkle some lemon juice and then toss in celery and apples. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

That’s it! So easy.

I like to just eat it with a fork but you could stuff a pita with it too…

Enjoy!

NEW Web Address!

2011-04-24T16:45:00.000-04:00

Hello all,

Just a note that I have changed the web address of this site.
The new address will be

http://www.veggiemuse.com/

Please share it!

Helen's Kitchen - Garden Steaks ...mmmm

2011-04-24T12:11:00.002-04:00

HANDS DOWN…our new favorite veggie burgers!

Awesome texture - no more mushy, crumbly mess

Great flavor – delish on its own "as-is" or can be transformed by any other ingredients

Versatile – leave it whole on a bun, cut into strips for a stir fry or chop into cubes for a shish-kabob

Ideal any time of day – it can taste like a breakfast sandwich, afternoon grilled burger or hearty dinner entrée

You can find these winners in the frozen foods isle.

Click Here to go to the Helen's Kitchen Website

Enjoy!

Versatile Vegan Creamy Herb Topping

2011-04-24T12:00:00.003-04:00

So, we were having veggie burgers the other night and I felt like having something creamy and herb-like on top of mine. After doing a quick recipe search online, I created this super simple spread. It hit the spot…and worked as a yummy dip for our fries too!
I put the remainder (covered) in the fridge and it became even more flavorful the next day

Versatile Vegan Creamy Herb Topping

½ Cup Softened Vegan Cream Cheese
½ Cup Vegan Sour Cream
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
½ Teaspoon Onion Powder
¼ - ½ Teaspoon dried Dill
Sea Salt to taste

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl and then add sea salt to taste.

You could really add any herbs that you like…it is a nice blank canvas.

Zippy Dip and Dressing

2011-04-03T17:22:00.004-04:00

Zippy Dip and Dressing

I really, really love artichokes and I was looking for a new option for dipping the perfectly steamed petals into. I sometimes like an Italian type dressing or melted (vegan) "butter" but this time I was craving something creamy.

I was visiting my parents in California and had purchased a yummy new Miso Ginger salad dressing. I decided to mix a bit of that into a small bowl of Vegenaise... Voila! A smooth, creamy, tangy dip that didn't overpower, but actually complemented the buttery flavor of the steamed artichoke. I didn't really measure...just did it to taste.

Since creating this concoction, I have gone on to use it as a topping for veggie burgers, a spread on sandwiches or wraps and as a creamy salad dressing...mmmmmm.

I preferred this exact combination of these brands and specific flavors but you could switch it up...try other favorite brands or ingredients ...let me know what YOU discover!

Enjoy!

Super Simple Creamy Vegan Pesto

2011-02-27T13:34:00.003-05:00

I was craving something creamy and fresh last night and I whipped up this vegan version of a creamy pesto sauce. It was yummy and super simple! Let me know what you think...

Super Simple Creamy Vegan Pesto

A large bunch of fresh basil, washed
2 cloves of garlic
About 6 tablespoons of walnuts
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of vegan sour cream
2 tablespoons of vegan parmesan “cheese”

Process the first 5 ingredients in a food processor until creamy. Add the last 3 ingredients and continue processing until blended. Serve as a sauce over warm pasta, as a dip for veggies (especially tomatoes!) or as a spread for sandwiches or crackers.

Heavenly Vegan Eggs-Free Benedict

2011-01-27T11:42:00.003-05:00

Since finding an awesome Veg-friendly restaurant in Providence, RI called “Julian’s”, where I have had the most amazing Vegan Eggs Benedict, I have been on a hunt to make a great vegan hollandaise sauce at home. I have used a recipe in the past that called for vegan sour cream as a base, but it didn’t taste authentic…more like a creamy cheese sauce. Not bad but not like the beautiful sauce at Julian’s.

After playing around and combining several recipes that I found on the web, THIS IS IT! In fact, I loved it so much, that the first time I made it, I didn’t even wait to photograph it! I had to make it again for my husband so I could take pictures.

It might seem like a lot of work at first, but like most of the recipes I post, once you make them they are pretty simple to recreate.

This sauce would be great over asparagus too!

Let me know what you think.
Enjoy!
Pam

Heavenly Vegan Eggs-Free Benedict

Step 1: Vegan Hollandaise Sauce

2 tablespoons vegan margarine. I use Earth Balance
3/4 cup + 1/4 cup unflavored nondairy milk, divided, I used Soy Milk
1/8 cup or less lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

teaspoon sea salt and pepper to taste
dash cayenne pepper
dash dry mustard
2 dashes turmeric

1 tablespoon cornstarch

In a small sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons margarine. Stir in 3/4 cup nondairy milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, sea salt, pepper, cayenne, dry mustard, and turmeric. Simmer. Mix the tablespoon of cornstarch with the soy milk you had set aside until all lumps are gone. Add this mixture to the sauce, and bring to boil. Keep stirring consistently as sauce will thicken quickly. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Step 2: Tofu Poached “egg”

So easy and versatile!

Any firm Tofu (I use Sprouted Tofu)
Nutritional Yeast
Sea Salt and Pepper to Taste
Shoyu (Wheat Free Soy Sauce)

Drain and pat the tofu dry. Cut a small chunk off, the size is personal preference. Mine is usually about ¾” thick by the width of your tofu block.

Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast on a plate or shallow bowl. Add Sea Salt and Pepper to taste and mix. Gently press all sides of the cut tofu blocks into the powdery mix.

Heat your oil of choice in a small frying pan. Carefully place coated tofu blocks in the heated oil and brown on both sides. They tend to splatter. When they are almost don, drizzle a few drops of Shoyu on the tops. Drain on a paper towel, if need be.

Step 3: Some Add-on Ideas

Sauted spinach
Vegan “meat” – Canadian bacon, sausage
Tomato

Step 4: Assemble

Toast your choice of bread or English muffin

Layer your add-ons, tofu egg and drizzle (or if you are like me, pour) Hollandaise on top

Devour!

The biggest inspiration for my version of Vegan Hollandaise: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=32284.0 submitted by oliviabeans

Apple Pie (Green) Smoothie - Recipe

2010-10-15T19:25:00.007-04:00

So, it's fall in New England and I have been craving apples!

Tonight I wanted something simple...something that had greens but wasn't a salad. I was also thinking about apples. I went online to look up apple smoothie recipes for inspiration and ended up creating this one.

It was yummy. So yummy that I drank almost all of it before I could take a picture!

I liked it just the way it was...room temperature and creamy but my husband and son said they would prefer it cold. So they put theirs in the fridge.

Let me know what you think.

Apple Pie "Green" Smoothie

2 apples, rough chopped (I used red apples)
4 pitted, soft dates

1 cup rice milk, vanilla or plain

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

a pinch of sea salt

2-3 tablespoons agave syrup

1 tablespoon Lecithin (optional)

3 generous sprinkles of "apple pie spice"

1/2 of a peeled cucumber, rough chopped

1 extra large hand full of romaine

Blend it all in a high speed blender (I use a K-tec) and enjoy!

* it made two large glass fulls!

Vegan, Creamy Mac Un-Cheese - Recipe

2010-09-11T19:33:00.008-04:00

I used to LOVE mac & cheese...all the creaminess, cheesiness, oozing...it was warm and comforting...ahhhh.

Then I found out about my dairy and wheat allergies...bye, bye mac and cheese. Which wasn't a total loss because we all know that the conventional kind isn't really good for you anyway.

I tried some of the prepackaged, dairy and gluten free mixes, frozen brands, etc...but didn't care for them.

Recently, however, I went on an Internet hunt for a new recipe to try.

Success!

I included a link to the original recipe I found online...but we changed it so much due to personal preferences I decided to rewrite it completely and include our version here. It is super simple!

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Vegan Mac Un-Cheese

¾ cup unflavored Rice or Hemp Milk
3 Tablespoons Tamari
¾ cup nutritional yeast
½ Tablespoon paprika
1 Teaspoon garlic powder
½ block of tofu, firm or soft, drained
¼ canola oil
4 generous Tablespoons of Earth Balance
½ Teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
2 generous Tablespoons of Veganiaise
½ Teaspoon sea salt
1 Lb. pasta of choice (we use Quinoa pasta)

Preheat oven to 350◦

Prepare pasta as directed on package. Be sure not to overcook or it will get mushy…yuck!

While the pasta is cooking, add all other ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth.

When the pasta is cooked, put the drained pasta into a baking dish sprayed lightly with canola oil and pour the sauce over the top. Mix it all together, being sure to coat all of the pasta.

Bake uncovered in the oven until hot…about 20-25 minutes.

Options and additions to play around with:
You could add some cooked, chopped broccoli or mushrooms.
You could also use smokey paprika for a different flavor.

After it was done cooking, we sprinkled it with crushed tortilla chips (in place of bread crumbs) and then put it back into the oven, uncovered, to get a crispy topping…mmmmm

Click here to see the original web recipe we altered.

Vegan Spinach Dip - Recipe

2010-07-24T15:42:00.001-04:00

At Last!

I have always loved creamy, gooey, rich spinach dip.

We used to make it for parties and it was always such a treat.

After giving up most dairy, I just sort of forgot about it but today I decided to create a vegan version of our beloved dip. I was inspired by some vegan recipe books I have been reading to expand our food repertoire. They all have some type of creamy spinach dip...sometimes with stuff added like artichoke hearts.

Some are cold...some are hot.

Below is what we did...just try it and see if you can tell that there is no dairy or eggs!

Simple and Safe Vegan Spinach Dip

1 box or bag of frozen spinach, thawed, with the water squeezed out

1 container of vegan sour cream (12 oz.)

1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (you can add a little more if you want it creamier)

1 can drained and chopped water chestnuts

1 package of dried vegetable mix

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl making sure to break up the clumps of squeezed spinach.

Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or so (if you can wait to dive in) to bring out the flavors.

We have used this as a dip with veggies and chips or you can use it to stuff tomatoes or olives.

Serve it in a pretty bowl, a martini glass or a scooped out loaf of bread.

You Are What You Eat - Book

2010-07-24T15:20:00.000-04:00

I picked this book up at an airport waiting for my flight.

I liked the cover and have a personal belief that we are indeed, what we eat.

I read almost the entire thing on the plane and found the information really practical and easy to comprehend.

Her style of writing was clear and made sense to me. It was broken into small sections, which I really like.

I like to be able to find the information that applies to me directly.

I would recommend this book to someone that is interested in learning how to decipher physical symptoms and learn more about how their body works and how what we put in our mouth effects it.

She has another book out too that I got after finishing this one.

Non-Dairy Premade Chocolate Syrup - AH!LASKA

2010-07-24T15:13:00.000-04:00

So creamy and good!

This non-dairy chocolate syrup tastes great over our raw, vegan (non) ice cream as a special treat.

We found it at our local health food store.

Dairy Free

Gluten Free

Kosher

Natural or Organic Ingredients

Vegan

Wheat Free

Click here to visit the website for Ah Laska

Vegan The New Ethics of Eating - Book

2010-07-23T23:28:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I posted about getting this book close to when I began writing this blog but at the time I had just started reading it.

Click here to see that post

Recently, on our vacation, I finished it. I basically couldn't put it down.

Wow.

I was really effected by it. It was a quick read and very simple to navigate.

The subject matter, however, was disturbing and eye-opening.

I have made personal changes in my diet as a result.

A cool thing is that I shared it with my mom (who we were visiting) and positive changes at our family dinner table happened as a result.

I highly recommend this book if you are interested in learning more about where our food comes from.

Let me know what you think.

Wheat and Gluten Free Bread and Bagel Mix - Pamela's

2010-07-23T23:13:00.000-04:00

My son was a bagel freak!

So you can imagine his distress when he found out about his allergies to wheat and eggs.

We gave them up for a while but then found this mix...note the word "bagels" on the front!!

Yea!

They didn't come out pretty but they actually tasted really good...just like real bagels.

(Especially when they were crispy and toasted.)

Eggless Premade Mayonaise - Spectrum

2010-07-23T22:53:00.000-04:00

I used to need my sandwiches smothered in mayo...then I gave up dairy and I lost the taste for it.

It actually began to gross me out.

Now there are some recipes that call for it and I am happy to have found this brand of egg-less mayonnaise.

I occasionally use the soy based varieties too but I think this is a great option for people with an additional sensitivity to soy.

Let me know what you think...

Wheat and Gluten Free Pancake Mix - Pamela's

2010-07-23T22:47:00.000-04:00

This is our favorite pancake mix...mmmmm

So simple to make and totally yummy!

We use an egg replacer and rice milk so they work within our allergy guidelines.

Click here to see my post for the Egg Replacer we use

Sometimes we use the pig griddle just for fun!

Coloful, Binder Clips Storage Solution - Tip

2010-07-23T22:37:00.000-04:00

I love office supplies...weird, I know.

It is so hard for me to walk by all of those colorful, patterned clips and bands without wanting a handful.

No too long ago I succumbed to the pretty things and filled a small bin...

not knowing what I would do with them.

They sat on my desk for a while but I don't really have a huge call for binder clips.

I found a new use!

I use my colorful clips to close our food products...flours, nuts, chips, etc...

Now I get to use them all the time and they make me happy.

Egg Replacer Substitute - ENER G

2010-07-23T22:30:00.001-04:00

I find that of all our food allergies, the egg allergy is the toughest one to navigate.

There are tons of gluten free foods on the market now but most have eggs!

ughhh...

This product has really helped.

We use it in recipes and have had good luck.

It is a powder that you mix with a little water and is readily available at most natural food markets.

Gluten, Dairy and Egg Free Premade Cookies - Lucy's

2010-07-23T22:24:00.000-04:00

A yummy find...

My son and I have many food allergies but were thrilled to find cookies that actually taste good and that fit within our dietary guidelines.

This company has other flavors but these are our favorites.

Wonderful dunked in rice milk...

Give them a try!

Food Art - Dessert Flower

2010-07-23T22:20:00.000-04:00

A dear friend of mine was lucky enough to have this thoughtful dessert display created especially for her...while she was on holiday in Greece, no less!

Just shows you how simple ingredients can be arranged in a supremely unique way.

Honor yourself with pretty things.

Handmade Raw Vegan Organic Chocolate Bar - Gnosis

2010-07-23T22:12:00.001-04:00

Wow!

This special chocolate was brought to our attention by a thoughtful shop owner in New Canaan, Connecticut. What a treat.

The box packaging was so wonderful...like opening a little gift!

There were other flavors but we only tried this one.

The company mission and literature were so positive and full of love...

Click here to visit the Gnosis Chocolate website

Why Call it "Gnosis?"

(no'sis) n. [Greek for knowledge] Knowledge of the Heart, Experiential Knowledge of Truth

Raw Chef Certification Class with Alissa Cohen

2010-07-23T22:01:00.000-04:00

My husband, Steve, attended this Raw Chef certification class as a kind of re-entry into civilian society after his year in Afghanistan.

We all went up to Maine together and enjoyed wandering around after his classes.

What a beautifull area.

He enjoyed the classes and meeting many wonderful people.

We benefited with yummy, decadent, raw treats!

Click here to get more information about Alissa's classes

Vegan Caesar Dressing - Recipe

2010-07-23T21:50:00.000-04:00

We visit a veg cafe (Native Foods in Palm Desert, CA) while visiting my parents and one time they had this recipe in their newsletter menu.

We tried it and LOVED it!!

Thought I would pass it along.

Click here to visit the Native Foods website

Let me know what you think...

Enjoy!

Storing Recipes - Tip

2010-07-23T21:46:00.000-04:00

With our collection of recipes growing rapidly, I needed a simple way to keep them organized and accessible.

I have tried traditional recipe cards and boxes in the past and found them too small and limiting.

What I decided to do is have two notebooks...one with "recipes to try" and one with recipes we have tried and liked. I just hole punch sheets I print off the computer and insert them into the binder. As we try the recipes I either move them to the other binder or to the trash...depending on how they went over!

It is simple...easy to customize and large enough for me to make notes.

I also added some blank paper and plastic sleeves to the back for additional items.

Creative Vegetable Party Display - Tip

2010-07-23T21:42:00.000-04:00

This is a variation on a simple way to serve veggies and dip for your next party.

I use a large oval, glass baking dish as my base container. This time I lined the bottom of the baking dish with a coordinating, colorful napkin. You could also leave the dish exposed and fill it with streamers, holiday ornaments, glitter, tissue paper...the options are endless.

Then I find glasses in a variety of heights and widths. I have bought a few individual glasses at the dollar store to supplement what I already have.

I like to cut the veggies long and ragged and have them be sort of organic in shape as opposed to symmetrical.

You can fill tall glasses with long carrots, celery and even bread sticks. Medium glasses are great for bell peppers sliced lengthwise and strips of jicama. Short glasses work well for shorter cut veggies and olives. Specialty glasses like Martini and Margarita are perfect for dips, sliced cucumbers and marinated items.

I think it makes a pretty presentation and I like how little of the landscape the whole collection takes up. When entertaining, sometimes space can be tight.

Creative Cupcake Frosting - Tip

2010-07-23T21:37:00.000-04:00

I learned this tip...no pun intended...a long time ago and it has been very useful.

If you don't have fancy frosting tools and tips or if you simply don't want to get them all out and have to clean them you can try this simple trick.

Take a sandwich size ziptop baggie and snip a tiny triangle off of one of the bottom corners. Be sure the bottom is flat and that it doesn't have a gusset. I have made that mistake before and ended up with two streams of frosting! aghh!

This part takes a little finesse...while loosely holding the cut bag end in one hand, with a spoon, neatly scoop a bunch of frosting into the baggie through the open end. Then seal the top and carefully twist the top section of the baggie to force the frosting down towards the cut tip.

That's it. Instant frosting tool.

Not fancy and a little more homemade looking but still tasty!

I think the frosting is the BEST part of the cupcake anyway.

Cheezy Hemp Nacho Sauce - Recipe

2010-07-23T21:26:00.002-04:00

I have NEVER liked bell peppers!

I don't like the way they taste or smell.

In fact, it is sort of a standard statement from me when ordering in a restaurant ..."no onions or peppers, please"...just automatically.

So you can imagine my utter surprise when I fell completely in love with a recipe that has peppers as one of it's main ingredients!

Shocking.

I actually like it so much I took a break halfway through writing this blog post to go whip up a batch...
can you say compulsive? It was worth it.

I stumbled upon the recipe online and it intrigued me because I haven't been able to eat dairy products for a while due to food allergies.

It is called "Cheezy Hemp Nacho Sauce" and you would NEVER, EVER know that it has no dairy and is actually a raw-vegan recipe.

We dipped chips in it, poured it over rice and my son had it with chicken...at different meals. He actually packed it in his lunch himself!

Click the link below to see a short video on how easy it is to make this and to get the recipe...

Click Here for Kristen's Raw Chezzy Hemp Nacho Dip Recipe

The wonderful creator of this recipe is Kristen Suzanne, a Raw vegan chef, author and teacher. You can visit her website for more information. http://kristensraw.blogspot.com/

Check out her books too...amazing, live, healthy, positive ideas!

Enjoy!

And please let me know what you think about this...

Investment Kitchen Tools -Tip

2010-07-23T21:19:00.000-04:00

Slowly but surely I have been upgrading some of our kitchen appliances to keep up with our growing love of creating raw and vegan entrees and desserts.

We have been stretching out our purchases as our education and needs changed and because most are quite expensive!

The new specialized products have been well worth the wait but I also feel a bigger responsibility to care for them than say my old $30 blender.

There is one thing I have done to keep the manuals for these appliances clean and handy. I included some plastic sleeves in the back of my recipe notebook and slipped each manual in a sleeve.

That way the are protected, within reach and easy to find.

Palm Greens Cafe - Restaurant

2010-07-23T21:15:00.001-04:00

A great find on one of our trips to visit my parents.

When we travel, I always google the area for new healthy restaurants and cafes...places we can eat with our personal food choices and multiple food allergies.

I have spent many, many years in Palm Desert and Palm Springs but this was a new find for me.

Lunch at The Palm Greens Cafe was such a treat that we went back two days later for dinner!

There were many organic/vegan/vegetarian/gluten and dairy free options...from stir-frys to wraps to blueberry pancakes. I was even able to have have pizza! The best part was an amazing vegan ranch dressing that would fool anyone.

If you are ever in the area...I highly recommend it. It is a small unassuming place and the food was really good.

Palm Greens Cafe

A Natural Alternative

611 South Palm Canyon Drive, #6

Palm Springs, California

760-864-9900

www.palmgreenscafe.com

Righteously Raw Chololate Bars

2010-07-23T21:07:00.000-04:00

I choose not to partake in conventional dessert...loaded with fat, dairy, refined sugars, bad oils, etc...but I do enjoy raw, live treats, made with real food.

A raw foods chef and teacher (Kristen Suzanne) turned me on to these beautiful raw chocolate bars and I wanted to pass along the gift.

I tried the Righteously Raw Caramel...which I LOVED

and the Righteously Raw Maca...which I really liked

I found them at Whole Foods and a local natural foods market while visiting my parents in Palm Desert, CA.

I visited their website and was really inspired by their mission and story. Check it out...

Enjoy!

http://www.earthsourceorganics.com/index.php

Pasta Sauce Fix Up - Tip

2010-07-23T20:59:00.000-04:00

I recently made some pasta for my family and did a little alteration to the store bought red sauce.

My son doesn’t like chunks of tomato in his sauce so I decided to blend it to make it smooth.

While I was at it, I thought it was a good opportunity to add some nutrition.

I peeled and rough cut a couple of raw zucchinis and threw them in the blender too. I added some fresh garlic and some more fresh herbs. Once blended it was smooth and creamy and pretty pinkish-red color.

It almost looked like a Vodka Sauce.

Because he is really open to eating healthy foods (if they taste good) I told him about my additions. He thought it was so cool because he didn’t taste the zucchini but still got all of the nutritional benefits.

He isn’t a fan of zucchini on it’s own, so this was a great way to get him to eat…

and most importantly, enjoy it!

Carrot (Pulp) Cake - Recipe

2010-07-23T20:51:00.000-04:00

We love to juice!

Anyone that has juiced carrots knows that you end up with a humongous amount of pulp/fiber.

We didn't want to through away it's goodness so I hunted for some easy recipes to utilize it.
I found one for a raw carrot cake type thing...it was amazing!

A bit more like pumpkin pie and completely decadent.

Throw all ingredients in a food processor and press in a pan.

See the link below for the forum that had the recipe we use.

After a bit in the fridge...

this is what you end up with!

Yes, that is raw carrot pulp!

http://goneraw.com/forum/carrot-pulp

(Forum post #1 by sunshineandstars )

We added a vegan (un) cream cheese frosting...recipe also found online.

Enjoy!

Dairy-Free Cheddar Cheeze Dip - Recipe

2010-07-13T01:05:00.003-04:00

So I will start by saying that I am truly sorry that I can't give credit where credit is due. I found this recipe somewhere and for the life of me can't remember where. I searched online and didn't come up with anything. If this is yours, please let me know.

With that said, this is one of my favorite raw recipes!!!!

It is so thick, creamy and cheesy

super easy to make

non-dairy, raw, vegan...

Amazing!

We use it as a dip, a spread, a topping...whatever.

When I bring it to parties I am ALWAYS asked for the recipe and the funny thing is, I don't even like red bell peppers! I think it is a texture thing for me. When they are all mashed up in something like this, I don't mind the taste.

I have tried substituting other nuts but it wasn't the same.

Let me know what you think.

Cheddar Cheeze Dip

1/2 large red bell pepper

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup hemp seeds

1 tablespoon tahini

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy.

Dip and enjoy!

....mmmmmm

Juice Recipe - Valentine's Fruit Punch

2010-07-13T00:13:00.003-04:00

A happy accident...

Last Valentine's Day Steve whipped up this random juice.

We simply used what felt good and what we had in the fridge.

The result tasted like sweet fruit punch and was very pretty.

The perfect color for Valentine's Day.

This recipe makes a lot...

about 4 large glasses to share!

Valentine's Fruit Punch

1-2 heads of romaine lettuce

1 lemon

3 red beets

5 or 6 apples

1 pear

1 inch of ginger

half a cabbage (we used napa)

half a cantaloupe

wash well and then run all through a juicer...

Pour and enjoy!

Let me know what you think.

Sun Butter Cups - Recipe

2010-07-12T20:47:00.006-04:00

OMG!

These were so good!

I waited to post this recipe until I had made it a few times...

thinking it was a fluke that they tasted so good.

No way could these be "safe" for us.

They were actually better each time!

This is our altered recipe, due to our food allergies.

Try it...see what you think.

They are super easy and can be ready for a party or special event in a short amount of time.

We have plans to try different fillings...

Raw caramel? Mint? Berries?

Sun Butter Cups

This recipe looks long but it is so easy!

Once you do it once you might not even need to look at this again.

1 to 1 1/2 cups of sunflower seed butter

1/3 cup organic powdered sugar

2 to 2 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

10-14 paper or tin muffin cups

Melt about 1 1/4 cups of the vegan chocolate chips...90 seconds - 2 minutes on half power in the microwave or use a pot on the stove top. Stir. Be sure not to burn the chocolate.

Using the back of a spoon, press a thin layer of chocolate into the muffin cups... along the bottom and into the groves of the sides, stopping about half way up. If you want taller cups bring the chocolate higher up the sides. We preferred a thinner layer of chocolate to a thick one.

Don't expect them to be "perfect"...have fun, get messy.

They will taste good and some of the rouge chocolate will break away later, when you remove the muffin cups.

I placed my muffin cups on a cookie sheet or platter for easy transport in and out of the freezer or fridge.

Place the chocolate muffin cups into the freezer or fridge to harden.

In a bowl mix the sunflower seed butter and salt.

Fold in the the powdered sugar, breaking up the clumps as you go.

Make sure the chocolate cups have hardened. If they have, move on to the next step...

Warm the sun butter filling in a pot on the stove or in the microwave for about a minute. Let the filling sit for a minute.

Spoon the sun butter filling into the hardened chocolate cups, leaving room for the top layer of chocolate.

Place the filled cups back into the freezer or fridge while you prepare the rest of the melted chocolate.

Repeat what you did in step 1...melting the remaining chocolate.

Spoon the melted chocolate over the filled cups, gently working the melted chocolate into all edges.

Place the completed cups back in the freezer or fridge and wait (if you can) for them to set and harden.

Once set, peel the muffin cups off and enjoy!

After, I stored mine in the refrigerator and they kept for several days.

We couldn't tell for exactly how long because everyone ate them!

Dairy Free, Homemade, Raw Ice Cream Tip

2010-07-03T18:48:00.001-04:00

After giving up conventional desserts about 8 years ago

and then discovering an allergy to dairy products,

I just figured my ice cream days were over.

Then I discovered raw ice cream! Yea!

By adding a few extra natural ingredients,

you can turn almost any smoothie

into creamy, delicious, decadent raw ice cream.

The best thing would be to google “raw ice cream recipes” for specifics

but most of them simply add coconut oil, young coconut meat and sometimes nuts

to a fruit smoothie type thing.

Throw it all in the blender and blend till smooth.

Then you chill it in a bowl in the fridge.

Later you can add things like vegan chocolate chips, fruit or chopped nuts.

An ice cream maker isn’t imperative

but it does help with the consistency when freezing.

I picked up an “out of the box” Cuisinart model for about $30

at a national bed and bath store.

I just load the chilled mix into the frozen bowl,

turn on and wait about 30 minutes.

Just think, in the time it takes to clean up the kitchen after dinner,

you could have a custom blended, healthy raw treat

that you feel good about putting in yourself and your family!

I store the bowl from the ice cream maker in the freezer
so that it is always ready to go!
If you put it in a plastic bag
it won't get frostbite.

Spreading the Word!

2010-07-03T18:35:00.001-04:00

New calling cards are on the way...Yea!

I am so excited to be able to share what we have learned.

Posting on a blog will be much easier than responding to individual recipe requests via email!

Having everything in one place where people can visit, at their convenience, is a wonderful thing.

My wish is that this blog helps others to not feel so helpless when it comes to food issues.

I also hope that we enable people to feel empowered and grateful for the abundance they have.

Juice Recipe - Tropical Sunrise

2010-07-03T09:44:00.000-04:00

.....mmmmm

Steve whipped this refreshing juice up one morning

just pulling from what we had in the house

The color was amazing...it almost glowed!

One sip and I was transported to a sandy beach on a lush island...

all that was missing was a fancy glass and an umbrella.

It was sweet and tropical...

it sort of had a Pina Colada flavor.

I have an allergy to pineapple, so discovering a tropical flavor like this (without pineapple) was a treat for me.

Tropical Sunrise Juice

6 Carrots

2 Apples

1 Pear

1/2 Cantaloupe

1/8 Watermelon

1 inch of fresh ginger

Run all the goodies through a juicer.

Pour and enjoy!

Let me know what you think!

Vegan (Un) Cheese Quesadilla

2010-07-02T21:20:00.001-04:00

To a "normal" eater, posting a picture of melted cheese would probably seem odd.

But for someone like me, with dairy allergies,

being able to have smooth, melted, stretchy cheese is a huge treat.

(Especially when it actually tastes like cheese!)

This shows the supreme melting power of a brand of vegan, dairy-free cheese that we found recently.

I prefer the mozzarella style but they are both good.

Below are two posts with detailed company information.

I purchased them at my Whole Foods Market.

Let me know what you think...

Enjoy!

Click here for the Mozzarella Style

Click here for the Cheddar Style

Egg Free, Wheat Free and Soy Free French Toast Recipe

2010-07-02T11:19:00.005-04:00

There isn't only one way to do things...

that is a statement that is so easy for me to forget.

My son and I have known about our various food allergies for over a year now and this entire time, I just assumed that french toast was off of our "safe" food list.

After all, how on earth do you make french toast without eggs? That is one of the main ingredients.

I briefly entertained the idea of using our egg replacer but it didn't feel right...not natural.

Last night I decided to try and find some recipes for my family that would give us more options as we move towards healthier choices.

Anyway, I found a recipe for vegan french toast but it had flour and soy...we cant eat wheat and I have a sensitivity to soy. Since discovering these allergies I have become much more adventurous with cooking and preparing food, so this morning I made an altered version of the french toast.

OMG!

It was amazing! It even looked like conventional french toast...

don't you think?

Being a visual person, that is very important to me.

Try my altered recipe below and let me know what you think.

I would love to hear your additions and substitutions as well.

Enjoy!

Freedom French Toast

1/2 - 1 cup of plain rice milk

5 Tablespoons non-wheat flour

3 Teaspoons of organic sugar or agave syrup

1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract

1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Wheat and egg free bread slices (We use Ener-G Foods brand)

Mix 1/2 cup of rice milk, flour, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl.

Add more rice milk as needed to create a loose batter.

Dip your bread slices in the mixture coating both sides.

I use Earth Balance to grease the grill.

Fry until crispy and golden brown.

(As these cook, the aroma is heavenly)

We ate them with pure maple syrup but you could get creative...

drizzle agave syrup or top with fresh berries

Semi Raw Vegan Homemade Brownies

2010-06-24T08:59:00.003-04:00

Treats we make to share with friends...

no wheat, no eggs, no dairy, no peanuts.

They always get a big "thumbs up"!

I think this is a great recipe to start out with...

tastes amazing and begins introducing you to the wonderful world of "raw foods".

I can't remember which books

some of this came out of..

so I apologize that I can't give an accurate reference.

Vegan Black and White Brownies:

* 2 cups pecans (or any nuts you like)

* 2 cups dates pitted and soaked in water for 5-10 min.

* 2/3 cup raw cacao powder (available at Whole Foods or health foods stores)

* 2 tsp vanilla extract

* pinch of sea salt

Blend dates in a food processor or high speed blender till a paste.

Separately grind nuts in a blender or chopper. Mix all ingredients in a bowl with your hands and press in a glass pan. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to set up.

When set, cut into squares, remove from pan and place on a platter, top with the frosting below and drizzle with the chocolate syrup below.

The chocolate syrup turns into a shell when refrigerated! yum

Frosting:

“Pamela’s Products” Vanilla Frosting Mix (available at natural food stores or Whole Foods)

I use Earth Balance in place of the butter to eliminate the dairy.

Just follow the package directions.

Chocolate Sauce:

½ cup Raw Cacao Powder (available at Whole Foods or health foods stores)

¼ cup Coconut Oil

¼ cup Agave syrup

mix by hand in a small bowl till smooth

* great on any dessert!

* Note: I did non create these individual recipes

but I did combine them to make these yummy treats.

Vegan, Dairy Free Mozzarella Style Shreds - Daiya

2010-06-22T18:34:00.002-04:00

So I already posted about the cheddar flavor shreds from this company,

a nice option...

click here to see that post

But yesterday, I tried these...the mozzarella style

I think I'm in love.

I made a little toaster pizza type thing

using my "safe" sliced bread

some tomato sauce

and these shreds...

yum!!

and that coming from a recovering cheese addict.

They look a little weird, sort of ruffled

but when I took a bite, the texture was like dairy mozzarella.

Creamy, stretchy, smooth.

Today I took two "safe" pumpernickel type bread rounds, toasted them with the mozzarella type shreds and then topped it with some cool, fresh, smashed avocado...with a little nutritional yeast mixed in...

it was delicious.

But the BEST part was that it was allergen free for me.

That is a true gift.

Let me know if you try them...

Dairy, lactose and casein free,

Gluten and soy free,

Cholesterol free.

Click here to visit the Daiya website

Pre-made, Allergen-Free, Vegan Cupcakes - Izzi B

2010-06-21T22:26:00.003-04:00

These were a real find!

Totally decadent and pretty to look at.

We found them at a small natural foods store in New Canaan, Connecticut but I think they can be ordered online or by phone.

We shared them with non-allergic friends and they didn't know they were so allergen free!

Izzi B's promotional material states:

No wheat

No soy

No eggs

No gluten

No dairy

No nuts

No casein

No refined sugars

No honey

No seeds

No apples

No trans-fats

No preservatives

Celiac-friendly

Vegan

All Natural...

-whew!

One would assume that that would translate into

No taste...but no!

They were super yummy.

Let me know what you think...

Click here to visit Izzi B's Website

Food Safe Allergy Testing - Finding Hidden Food Allergies

2010-06-19T05:30:00.001-04:00

So this is what I received last year,

telling me that I was mildly allergic to most of the foods I ate on a regular basis.

Good news, because my symptoms finally had an explanation.

Bad news, because I was going to have to completely change the way I eat, think, plan, cook, etc...

It has been interesting, to say the least...

and a bit of a blessing too.

You can have this test done through your doctor

or by contacting the company directly.

They send you a kit and you send back a blood sample. Very simple.

If you think you might be sensitive to certain foods,

or if you have unexplained symptoms,

you might want to see if it's what you are eating.

From what I have learned, there are over 200 possible symptoms that stem from this kind of delayed food allergy. Way too many to piece together on your own without doing an elimination diet.

This was a gift...not to think I was going crazy, or imagining my symptoms.

Knowing that it wasn't something that was going to be solved with more prescription meds and creams.

I had to be proactive...I had to keep asking questions, search for a doctor that understood a more natural approach, read, etc...

It was totally worth it!

Let me know what you find.

Book - Vegan The New Ethics of Eating

2010-06-18T05:30:00.012-04:00

A new book I bought using my Mother's Day gift card.

I was actually looking for a vegan cook book and then I stumbled on this and it spoke to me.

I have just begun to read it but I am horrified and hopeful at the same time.

I will let you know how I feel when I finish.

let me know if you have read or decide to read it.

A little scary.

Allergen Free English Muffins - Joan's Great Bakes

2010-06-17T05:30:00.028-04:00

OMG!

We were visiting family friends in Connecticut last week and stumbled onto a wonderful small, local

natural foods store in New Canaan.

I asked the owners if they had any local bread options for people with dairy, wheat and egg allergies.

I am always trying to find tasty bread...no small feat!

They recommended these English muffins...found in the freezer section.

Because of past experience, I have avoided trying allergen free bread from the freezer section.

Not great texture and taste but...

These were amazing!!

Like REAL English muffins!

I haven't tried any of their other products yet but unfortunately from a quick scan of their website,

I don't think many of them are free of all of these allergens.

I am just grateful they created these!

Now I have to figure out how to get them...

order online?

Ask my local health food store to carry them?

You can be sure, I will find a way!

Click here to visit Joan's GF Great Bakes website!

Cheddar Style Cheese Shreds - Daiya

2010-06-16T21:20:00.001-04:00

So, if you know me,

you know that it makes sense

that I would write about a faux cheese product first!

I have a slight

(maybe not so slight)

addiction to cheese

and was devastated but not shocked last year

when I found out that I have a

mild, delayed reaction allergy to dairy products.

I have avoided them in hopes

that I would be able to reintroduce them at some point...

alas, no.

I am still having a reaction...yuck.

So over this last year, I have been on a hunt for yummy dairy free cheese-like options.

Most are not very tasty or have a bad texture.

There are some made out of almonds (which I can't eat)

There are some made from soy (which I can't eat)

and some made from rice...which I CAN eat.

Two days ago I stumbled on this brand at Whole Foods.

I hadn't seen it before and haven't really done any research into the company and their other products yet but I wanted to pass on the info.

It is pretty good!

Eaten on it's own it actually tastes like cheddar.

It melted fairly well and was stretchy like real cheese.

They had a mozzarella version too but I didn't try that yet.

Looks a bit weird and curly...but worth a try.

Dairy, lactose and casein free,

Gluten and soy free,

Cholesterol free.

If you try it, let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Click here to visit Daiya Foods website

Daiya is made with only the best planet based ingredients

Building a Blog

2010-06-13T19:04:00.002-04:00

I am very busy organizing information, taking pictures and compiling tips and products to share. I have learned a lot over the past 8 years or so and it really brings me joy to pass that information on.

There are so many options for healthier versions of favorite foods and small daily choices add up to significant change.

Be back soon,
Pam

Welcome

2010-06-08T19:49:00.001-04:00

As a labor of love, I created this blog to help others move easily along the path of food choices, based on dietary restrictions...due to medical needs or personal choice.

A little over a year ago, my then 9 year old son and I were both diagnosed with multiple delayed reaction food allergies, and while not life threatening at this moment, they have caused us to alter our lifestyle and food choices dramatically.

Everything is different.

Traveling, parties, events, celebrations, picnics, school lunches, snacks...everything.

In our case, it has been, for the most part, a blessing in disguise. It has caused us to look at our eating patterns and change our bad habits. It has also filtered into the rest of our family and beyond.

I hope to share our discoveries and knowledge in an effort to help others in our situation.

It's not the end of the world...and we are not alone!

Till next time...
Pam

Coming Soon!

2010-06-07T20:32:00.001-04:00

Resources and information to help you navigate through the confusing and sometimes frustrating world of food!

Stay tuned...