Easy Semolina Gems

These little muffins or 'gems' are a recipe I came up with while cooking for some friends from another country where semolina dominates when it comes to breads and pastries. These muffins are for the most part savory, but have a tad of sweetness like cornbread and a bit of vanilla essence. I really love this bread, and I hope you do too!

Semolina Gems

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/2 cup of semolina

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup of vanilla soy milk

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup of vegan yogurt (Silk)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease muffin cups or tin. Mix yogurt and cornstarch together and set aside.

In a bowl, place the first four ingredients and mix well. Create a well in the center & add the soy milk, oil, & yogurt. Mix gently. Pour into muffin tin & bake for 18-20 min.

Enjoy!

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Winter Soup

This soup is a sort of winter soup, because everyone seems to want it on cold days. I also call it leftover rice soup, because it is a good way to not waste leftover rice. It is especially good for those days when you feel like your coming down with cold or flu. I suppose it is like a vegan chicken soup sans the chicken, of course. This is a comforting, healthy soup, and you can make it even healthier if you use a brown rice instead of white.

Here is the recipe:



Winter Soup

1/2 onion-finely minced
2-3 cloves garlic-chopped
2 carrots-peeled & chopped
1 stalk celery-sliced
1 small potato-cubed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional but good)
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of red pepper
5 1/2 to 6 cups of low sodium veg broth
1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice
1 can black beans or peas (drained & rinsed)
3/4 tablespoon olive oil
salt & black pepper to taste

In a soup pot, bring oil to medium heat. Saute the onion, carrot, celery, & potato for about five minutes stirring intermittently. Add the garlic & saute for 30 seconds. Add the thyme, bay leaf, garlic powder & salt and allow to saute for another 30 seconds. Add broth & bring to a high simmer. Once simmering, lower heat to a low simmer & put the top on the pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Now, add rice, beans, & turmeric and allow to heat for about 1-2 minutes. If you cook the rice too long or add too much rice, you will not have any broth due to absorption. Serve with salt, pepper, & a wedge of lemon or lime...

Enjoy!

*Serves 6. Each serving has 2 grams unsaturated fat, 219 calories, 0 cholesterol, 0 trans fat

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Yummy Avocado Spread

I really try to eat local & regional foods rather than foods that are hiked from across the country or the world for that matter! It can be a difficult and daunting task at times. I did myself a favor at Publix the other day though. I found myself in the produce section staring at a mound of Hass avocados from South America to my right and Florida grown avocados to my left. Since I have a dislike for Florida avocados, I forced myself to buy one. I figured they must be good for something. Well, let me tell you that they are! This spread is wonderful and can be used for chips, crackers, sandwiches, etc.....

Make sure that you let the avocado turn reddish/dark if it is bright green. This can take 2-3 days of sun and rest.

Florida Avocado Spread
1 large Florida Avocado
1-2 Cloves of garlic-minced
2 tablespoons red onion-minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2- 2 tablespoons vegenaise or mayo
pinch of red pepper
salt & pepper to taste

With a knife, slice open the Florida avocado, remove the pit, and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.

In a bowl, place the avocado, garlic, onion, cumin, vinegar, & red pepper. Mix & break down the avocado to your desired texture. Add the mayo, mix, and salt & black pepper to taste.

*Florida Avocados have 25-50% less fat than Hass avocados. The program I use for nutritional info does not understand the term 'Florida Avocado', so I am unable to provide exact nutritional information. If you use vegenaise, this will be free of cholesterol and trans fat. If you use mayo, this, of course, is vegetarian rather than vegan...

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Leftover Tofu Salad

This salad is exactly what the title says it is. Basically, left over sauteed tofu tossed with fresh vegetables, garlic, oil, & vinegar. The salad is very good, especially if you make good tofu!?! The salad is also extremely healthful, but, unfortunately, it is not very photogenic. Nonetheless, it is a great way to not let good food waste away in the fridge.

Leftover Tofu Salad
Leftover Tofu (I used about 1/3 of a block)
Handful of parsley-chopped
2 tomatoes-sliced
1 clove garlic-minced
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 tablespoon olive or other oil
salt & black pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix vegetables & garlic with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Once mixed, toss tofu gently.

Enjoy!

*Serves 2. Each serving contains about: 4.5 grams fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 trans fat, sodium varies.

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Homemade Vegan Biscuits

One of my favorite things to wake up to are fresh buscuits. I would suspect that I'm not alone when it come to this little liking of mine. The recipe below is both vegan and delicious. In case you are unfamiliar with other biscuit recipes, this recipe uses less than half the fat of most traditional biscuit recipes. The result is quite nice even with the cut in fat, and they are especially good with guava jelly or your favorite jelly!

Vegan Biscuits
2 cups of all purpose flour (Arrowhead Mills is great)
1 tablesoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder (fresh)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons of earth balance
3/4+ cup of organic, plain soy milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice

First, measure out just a little over 3/4 cup of soy milk and add the vinegar/lemon juice. Let sit. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a bowl or food processor, mix the flour, sugar, salt, & baking powder. Then, cut it the earth balance till only pea sized pieces remain. Add the vegan buttermilk (soy milk+acid) and mix gently to form a uniform mass adding flour if too sticky. Do not knead. Gently flatten the dough evenly & use a cookie cutter to form shapes. Bake for about 10-12 minutes.

Yum!
*Vegetable oil can be used instead of earth balance, but the buiscuit is different-still good, but texturally different.
*Serves 6. Serving Size 86 g (2 large biscuits)-6.7 grams fat (3.8g saturated), 230 calories, 0 cholesterol, 0 trans fats, 350mg sodium.

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Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

The main thing I want to convey about these cupcakes is that they are supreme. I don't think there is a better banana bread or cake recipe out there, as I have tried so many others, both vegan and not. This is my recipe though, so I may be biased. I do know for sure that it is delicious, and for you banana bread lovers this is just a wonderful recipe to have around the house. I am going to list the exact ingredients and brands, b/c the cupcake pictured turned out so perfect that I want to make sure you get a proper run down!

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes/Bread
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (King Arthur)
3/4 cup of light brown sugar (Florida Crystal's Organic)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup applesauce (or 4 tablespoons)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup organic, vanilla soy milk
1 small, organic banana

Preheat oven to 340 degrees. Set up muffin tin with aluminium cupcake wrappers sprayed with cooking spray.

In a bowl, mix the first six ingredients well. Create a well & add the next 5 ingredients. Be sure to squeeze the banana through your hands to create a pudding like texture. Mix gently. Pour into muffin tins & bake for 18-20 min. Allow to cool before putting on chocolate ganache.

*This recipe made 7 cupcakes for me. I really filled each cup to the top! If you make 7 cupcakes from the above portions each cupcake, without ganache, will have: 8.7 grams of fat (only .7 saturated), 265 Calories, 0 cholesterol, 0 trans fats, 376 mg sodium... If this is high for your goals, just make smaller cupcakes. Mine were really large!

Chocolate Ganache
2 tablespoons of earth balance spread
1/3 cup of soy milk
6 oz. vegan chocolate chips or other real chocolate

In the top part of a double boiler, place the soy milk and margarine. Heat & stir together until smooth. Add the vegan chocolate chips whisking constantly until the vegan chocolate has melted & the mixture is smooth. Quickly remove from heat to avoid burning the chocolate. Store excess in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be reheated as needed.
*Ganache is not low fat, but this one is free of cholesterol and trans fat!

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Cucumber Salad

I call this salad an Algerian cucumber salad, because I first ate something quite similar with a group of friends from North Africa. Since then, I have modified the recipe a bit to include American style cukes, garlic, and dried dill. You can also add things in like avocado, olives, and red peppers if you like. This salad is so good that people come to my house and say things like "Can you make that crunchy salad with the good dressing?" My sister also called the other day asking about the dressing as if it was some difficult recipe-not a chance. I hope you like it!

Cucumber Salad

1 medium cucumber-partially peeled and sliced

2 roma tomatoes-sliced

1 medium clove garlic-minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3/4 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon dried dill (Badia brand is fine)

Salt & black pepper to taste

Put first six ingredients into a bowl. Mix well. Salt and pepper to taste...

*Where I live, cucumbers are available almost year round. If this is not the case for you, just substitute avocado or something locally available.

*Serves 3. Each serving contains: 3.6 grams fat (only .5g saturated), 62 calories, 0 cholesterol, 0 trans fat, sodium varies, high in vitamin C & A.

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Easy Twist Bread

This bread is so easy, and I must say it is quite good too. It is a simple, crusty bread that is great to use as your utensil to eat your salad (I love it with cucumber salad)! Earth balance, jam, and hot tea might be essential too, but that depends on your taste. I hope you will try this bread, because it is a reminder of how we tend to think things like homemade bread are too much trouble when they really aren't. Oh, and if you are wondering why I include semolina for kneading instead of just more all purpose, it is because it creates a beautiful, crunchy crust on the outside!

The Easiest, Most Delicious Bread
2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 packet of yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup of very warm water (not hot)
Semolina for kneading

In a bowl, mix flour, yeast, sugar, & salt. Then add the water and stir vigorously with a fork until it begins to look like dough that needs to be kneaded. Knead for about 7 minutes If the dough is too sticky, add semolina as needed to make kneading easy (not sticky). Put the dough in a bowl and cover with a towel. Allow to sit for 25-30 min.

Then, divide the dough in half and create 2 long strands. Put the end of one tightly over the end of the other and then twist them around each other. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with seeds, kosher salt, pepper if desired. Put the twist on a baking sheet with parchment paper, and allow to sit for another 20 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. *You can also just make two small baguettes if you don't want to mess with twisting.

*This bread serves 6. Each serving has .5 grams fat, 198 calories, 0 cholesterol, 0 trans fat, 389 mg sodium, provides 14% of suggested daily iron.

Enjoy!

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Butternut Squash Soup

Okay, I don't want to sound haughty, but I make the best butternut squash soup! I attribute it to my ability to spice things up right. If you feel you are lacking in the area of knowing how to use and combine spices well, then this is the perfect soup for you. It is an example of how things (spices) that may sound odd together end up being something that is so right! And, by being hands on, you will learn about this particular combination of spices, which will in turn be with you later while learning others. Before you know it, you will be a spice queen or king!

In addition to being delicious, this soup is so healthy. Along with being fat-free, butternut squash is an excellent source of Vitamin C, E, & A along with other B vitamins and nutrients, which makes this soup a skin tonic of sorts. So, get ready for the holiday season with delicious soup and glowy skin. Sound good?















Butternut Squash Soup
1 medium butternut squash-peeled & diced
1 vidalia or similar onion-minced
1 carrot-peeled & diced
1 small russet potato-peeled & cubed
2-3 cloves garlic-minced
3 1/2 cups of low sodium vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger or 1/2 tbsp. fresh
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of red pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt
black pepper to taste

Cut off the ends of the squash and use a potato peeler to thoroughly peel.

In a soup pot, bring 3/4 tbsp. of olive oil to medium heat. Add the onion & saute for 3 minutes till golden. Stir in the potato & carrot-saute for another three to five minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, salt & saute another 45 seconds. Add the butternut squash & saute for 3 more minutes. Stir in the broth & bring to a high simmer. Cover with the lid at an angle to allow steam to exit, lower the heat, & cook for about 15 minutes stirring intermittently. Once ingredients look well cooked, take the soup off the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree. Salt and pepper (red & black) to taste...

*Serves 6. Each serving contains: 1.9 grams unsaturated fat, 61 calories, 0 cholesterol, 0 trans fat, 335 mg sodium, very high in Vitamin C & A, high in vitamin E and B vitamins!

*If you are a vegetarian or healthful carnivore, this is soup is wonderful with a half a cup of organic milk added at the end and a dollop of cinnamon whip cream. It does not really need anything though.

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Coconut Cookies with Guava Jelly

These little vegan thumbprints are absolutely delicious. I seem to make them quite often due to regular requests from my fiance's coworkers. Not a single one of them is vegan, but they have taken a serious liking to these little gems of semolina, coconut and guava. I think they have tea time in the afternoon-green tea and cookies! Oh, and if you are chocolate lover, just stuff them with a dark, vegan chocolate instead of guava.

1 1/2 cups semolina flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup of sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flours, baking powder, salt in a bowl & mix well. In a separate bowl, place oil, sugar, water, extracts & mix well. Slowly sift dry mixture into the wet mixture. Do not over mix. Now gently the mix the coconut into the dough. Roll quarter size balls out of mixture & place on parchment paper/baking pan. Once lined up properly, use your thumb to push a space into the ball. Place a bit of guava jelly into the space. Bake for 10 minutes at 350. Allow to rest 5 min. before eating. Enjoy!

*Serving Size: 1 Cookie-4.5 grams fat (Only .5 gram saturated), 123 Calories, 0 Cholesterol, 0 Trans Fat

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