How to Make Health and Happiness Part of Your Morning Routine and Red Kidney Bean Sandwich Spread Recipe

Aloha!

This post is mainly about sharing my thoughts on how I make health and happiness part of my morning routine. I was inspired by Aloha to join in on this conversation. There are a few simple things that help me start my day like I woke up on the right side of the bed, even if that is not the case. After checking my email, followed by a shower, I eat breakfast. Eating breakfast is new for me - especially on weekdays, because I wake at 5am most week days and I do not feel hungry at that time. However, I have made breakfast a priority now because it makes me feel more energized and less tempted to binge on food when I come back home from work.

I keep breakfast simple. It is usually two toasts of Ezekiel bread with homemade plant-based sandwich spread, hummus or mashed avocado with sea salt, topped with a slice of tomato, cucumber and a big mound of spinach leaves. Check out my red kidney bean sandwich spread recipe below for easy and cheap toast topper. Instead of bread, you can also use collards or other greens as your sandwich "bread." This recipe found on Aloha's Web Site for collard wrap has inspired me to think outside my bread. I am looking forward to trying it soon.

Red kidney bean sandwich spread on two toasts of Ezekiel bread. After I took this picture, I topped both sandwiches with a  mound of spinach leaves. 

My other step to coloring my day with health and happiness via my morning routine is waking my body up. Sounds strange, huh? Well, after you have been sleeping for a number of hours and waking up your brain with a nice breakfast, waking up your body is the next natural step. First, I do Wonder Woman pose to boost my overall confidence for the day ahead.

It is clinically proven that your body language shapes who you are. By practicing Wonder Woman pose each morning or prior to a big presentation at work, try Wonder Woman pose for an extra confidence booster. 

Second, walking to my work instead of taking the train aides in my ability to face the day. By walking, I am getting my daily exercise and I get to relax and reflect during my walk while listening to my favorite music. For me, 80's new wave does the trick. After my 45 minute walking commute, I have released some of my nervous energy. Keep in mind having thoughts about the million things you have to do that day counts as this nervous energy. Spending physical energy by using your body to do it helps get rid of that energy and the less anxious I am, the happier I become.

Now onto the recipe.

Aloha! 

Red Kidney Bean Sandwich Spread

Ingredients
1 (15-ounce can) red kidney beans, washed, drained and mashed
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons or less of olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon
1 teaspoon or less sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sweet red paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely diced

Directions
Preheat frying pan on a medium-low heat. Sauté onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add minced garlic and continue sautéing for another two minutes. While the onion and garlic are sautéing, prepare your beans. Drain and rinse the beans, followed by mashing them thoroughly with a fork in a medium bowl. Add the sautéed onion and garlic to the mashed beans along with all the spices. Do not add all the salt at once as you may want add more or less depending on preference. Add chopped parsley and additional tablespoon or less of olive oil to the spread, mix well and taste for additional seasonings. You can eat it right away, and store what is left over in a closed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Easy Homemade Crackers

Happy Sunday! I have finally decided to post my homemade crackers recipe I have been putting off for a while. This is mostly due to my laziness - I admit it. Aside from posting this recipe, I have an exciting day planned which includes organizing my closet. You are right, I am not all that excited about this task. It has to be done. I have been consistent with keeping my closet organized for a while, and then it became a mess. I know nothing becomes a mess on its own. Someone told me once disorganized spaces in our homes may reflect what goes on in our minds. Perhaps this is true on some level for me. However, I will not let that deter me from organizing my closet and my mind for that matter, today. Rock on!

Easy Homemade Crackers

Crackers Ingredients
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons flavored or regular olive oil (I used garlic flavored olive oil)
3/4 cup or less unsweetened almond or soy milk, add gradually
1/4 cup sesame, poppy or flax seeds to sprinkle on top of crackers, optional

Let's do this! 

Directions 
Preheat oven to 425F. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, onion powder, paprika, turmeric, and nutritional yeast flakes. Use a whisk to incorporate all of the dry ingredients. Now add oil and 1/2 cup of milk. You may not need the entire 3/4 cups of milk for this recipe. Begin to knead the dough and slowly add the rest of the milk until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be moist, but not sticky. This is what the dough should look like.

You can do this! 

Dive the dough into two "equal" parts and roll out each part into a thin pancake. Like this:

Dough divided into two "equal" parts. In case you are wondering, you will not need extra flour for dusting your work surface. The dough comes off easily and does not need extra flour.

We are ready to shape the crackers. You can use any small or even large cookie cutters to make fun shapes like these:

I purchased these cookie cutters on sale at H&M's Home Department for a $1.00. 

Once you cut out the cracker shapes using cookie cutters, combine the remnants of the first part of the dough, roll it out, and continue forming crackers using cookie cutters until all the dough is gone. Now move on to the second half of the original dough you set aside. Repeat the process.

Note: The more you work with the same dough the less pliable it will become. To prevent this, be sure not to combine the remnants of the first half of the original dough with the other half of dough you set aside.

Fun activity for both adults and the little ones. 

If you are not up to speed with using cookie cutters to shape your crackers or you simply do not have any cookie cutters on hand, no worries. Use a knife to cut your crackers into squares on an angle or however you prefer. Like this:

You can do this directly on an oiled cookie sheet pan or a working surface, followed by placing the cut out cracker shapes on an oiled cookie sheet pan. 

Before the crackers go into the oven, be sure to oil the cookie sheet pan with a non-stick cooking spray. I do not own a cookie sheet pan at this juncture of my life. I used aluminum foil coated with non-stick cooking spray instead to bake the crackers. Beware of slippage when taking out baked crackers from the oven when using aluminum foil instead of a cookie sheet pan. I have lost a few cracker friends this way. I recommend using a cookie sheet pan to bake these crackers instead of aluminum foil if available.

Now sprinkle sesame seeds on the crackers and gently press them into the dough. Do not use non-stick cooking spray at this point. If you do, the sesame seeds will fly away. Literally. 

Bake the crackers for 9-10 until the crackers are golden brown, but not burnt.

Ready to party!

These crackers are best eaten when fresh. These also taste great the next day, but are not as crunchy. Serve with salsa, hummus or drop a few to your soup for good measure. Store in a closed container lined with a paper towel to absorb moisture for up to 3 days.

Cheers! 

Easy Gluten-Free Banana Bread

I was not planning on making a banana bread anytime soon and yet I was compelled to do so when I looked at my counter filled with overly ripe bananas. I have been on a banana eating frenzy for quite some time. I am unable to explain it. I always liked bananas, but never to this extent.

I like bananas to be a particular way before I eat them. They have to be somewhat green, and not soft. I will not eat ripe bananas. This is why I made this banana bread. I also had some leftover gluten-free flour mix I wanted to finish up, hence a gluten-free creation. Use regular flour if if you prefer, just be sure to add it gradually. You may need less of regular flour than the two cups of gluten-free flour indicated to make this recipe.

Cheers!

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

Ingredients
4 medium overly ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses, maple or agave syrup
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or canola oil
2 cups gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Biscuit and Baking Mix)

*Non-stick cooking spray for coating the baking dish.

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl mash the bananas with a fork. Leave some chunks of banana for texture. Add cinnamon, chia seeds, and baking powder. Mix well to incorporate the baking powder. Add the gluten-free flour, molasses, and coconut oil. Mix well using a spatula.

Coat a 9 x 5" loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and add the banana bread batter. Wet your fingers with warm water to spread the batter in the loaf pan "evenly." The batter will be sticky and difficult to spread using a spatula. I find this method most effective for this task.

Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until a clean toothpick or a metal skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center of the banana bread.

Allow 10 minutes to cool off before removing from the baking dish and slicing.

Store in a tightly closed container, in room temperature, for up to 3 days. Be sure to place a paper towel on the bottom and top of the container to absorb excess moisture.

Eat!

Simple and Quick Lemon Poppy Seed Scones with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Sundays are usually designated for cleaning and catching up on things I purposely avoided doing all week. In effort to make this day more exciting, I have decided to try my hand at making scones for breakfast today. I have never made scones. I am definitely not a baker. I also know there is science behind baking. Using appropriate levening agents to flour ratio often stands in the way of making good baked goods versus bad baked goods.

I am happy with the flavor, texture and ease of these scones. I am very excited about the endless possibilities for other scone variations. Instead of poppy seeds, add raisins or dried cranberries and skip the lemon juice and lemon zest. Orange zest and juice from one small orange would be a great replacement for the lemon juice and lemon zest.

Be sure to let me know how your scones turned out.

Cheers!

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting 

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones (Makes 16 Scones) 

Scone Ingredients
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour and skip 1 cup whole wheat flour)
1 cup whole wheat flour (skip if using 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour)
1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened organic soy milk or unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses, agave or maple syrup
2/3 cup poppy seeds
Zest and juice of 1 medium organic lemon (when using lemon zest in recipes, organic lemons are more desirable)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

*Non-stick cooking spray for coating the baking pan.

Frosting Ingredients (Double this recipe if you like abundance of frosting)
3 tablespoons plain vegan cream cheese
1/4 cup organic powdered sugar
Zest and juice of 1 medium organic lemon
1 to 2 teaspoons unsweetened organic soy milk or unsweetened almond milk

I drizzled about 1 teaspoon of frosting on each scone. If you like more frosting, double the frosting recipe, then pour away! 

Directions 
Preheat the oven to 450F. Coat one large or two small baking pan(s) with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, poppy seeds, and sugar. I used a whisk for this task. Now add all the remaining ingredients and knead until dough is formed. It should take less than a minute. This dough comes together very quickly.

Divide the dough into two "equal" pieces. Roll the two "equal" pieces, using your hands, into a thick wide snake  - that's the best description I was able to come up with. Cut each snake into eight "equal" parts. Each snake yields eight scones, making 16 scones total.

Place the scones flat side down on the oiled baking pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the scones are golden. Be careful not burn them.

While the scones are baking, make the frosting. In a food processor or a high-speed blender combine all the frosting ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Start with 1 teaspoon of plant milk first, and add another teaspoon if having difficulties making the frosting move along the walls of the blender. Be patient.

Alternatively, whisk the frosting by hand, and be sure to use room temperature vegan cream cheese.

Once the scones are ready, place them on a cooling rack, and drizzle the frosting using a teaspoon (about 1 teaspoon of frosting per scone).

Once cooled, store in a dry, cool place, in a closed container, for up to three days. Be sure to place paper towel on the bottom and top of the container, to absorb excess moisture.

Later!

Eat!

Quinoa and Green Lentil Summer Salad with Sunflower Seed Parsley Dressing

Apparently today is the first day of summer - woo hoo! I concluded my soup-making plan, during spring, to keep summer away, would eventually stop working for me. Well, if you can't beat them, join them.

In spite of what the population at large may think of vegans, we do not eat salads everyday. In fact, I hardly ever eat salads. I find myself eating salads when I go out to eat. The reason for that is due to bleak selections offered.

Even so, I made a salad now given it is summer. Eating cold foods helps me to remember my long lost friend: Winter.

This salad has a good source of plant protein and complex carbohydrates coupled with good fats (sunflower seeds) to keep you satiated longer.

Cheers!

Quinoa and Green Lentil Summer Salad with Sunflower Seed Parsley Dressing

Quinoa and Green Lentil Summer Salad

Salad Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, cooked in vegetable broth and according to package directions, cooled (I used organic tricolor quinoa)
1 cup green or brown lentils, cooked in vegetable broth and according to package directions, cooled (I used small green lentils)
4 small or medium carrots, peeled and shredded (I used organic rainbow carrots)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced (roughly the same size as the tomatoes)
2 green onions, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon)
Salt to taste (1/2 to 1 teaspoon)

Dressing Ingredients
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
Juice and zest of 1 medium lemon (I used organic lemon due to utilizing its zest and because lemons were on sale)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, firmly packed
2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten-free option)
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1/4 cup water or vegetable broth

Great the next day in a wrap or pita. 

Directions 
First cook quinoa and green lentils in separate pots. You can do this the night prior. That way, when you are ready to make this salad, your main ingredients - Miss Quinoa and Mr. Green Lentil - will be ready.

I cook one cup of quinoa and 1 cup of green lentils, separately, using the same ratio of vegetable broth (2 cups) to seed (quinoa is a seed not a grain) and legume (green lentils are legumes).

Thus, if you are a rebel and choose to follow my directions instead of the package's, add 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of vegetable broth to a pot, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes. Follow the same steps with green lentils. However, note the cooking time for green lentils will be longer (about 25 to 30 minutes). Allow both quinoa and green lentils cool completely before beginning this recipe. Be sure to fluff the quinoa with a fork once cooled for a fancy pants effect.

Prep the vegetables and make the dressing while the quinoa and lentils are cooking.

*Tip: To ensure vegetable broth or water evaporates quicker when cooking grains, seeds or legumes, uncover the pot half way between the designated cooking time. For example, uncover the quinoa about 7- 8 minutes into its total cooking time. This technique helps with preventing from the mushy effect to occur.  

Salad time, finally!

Place the cooked and cooled quinoa and green lentils in a large bowl. Add all the vegetables and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper. Taste as you go!

To make the dressing, place all the dressing ingredients in a food processor or a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad and taste for additional seasonings.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, in a tightly covered container.

Peace out!

Eat! 

Tofu and Green Onion Sandwich Spread

Hello there!

There is not that much happening on the VKP front today. Yesterday, I came up with a new recipe, which is also featured today. I am also happy to report, the left-overs are no more. I ate what was left for dinner tonight. 

If you are wondering why this makes me happy, then I will tell you. I have a thing about eating left-overs. Even if I like a dish, I would prefer to not to continue eating it for an extensive period of time.

There is some good news which stems from this behavior. I often share what I make with other peeps, mostly non-vegans, and hopefully make a small difference that way. Sometimes I even get a reaction like this: "I am making more conscious choices because of the exposure to your vegan food." How cool is that? 

Have a fantastic week peeps and cheers! 

Tofu and Green Onion Sandwich Spread

Tofu and Green Onion Sandwich Spread 

Ingredients
1 (16-oz) organic firm tofu, pressed overnight, in the refrigerator
Juice of half a lemon
Freshly ground black pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2  to 1 teaspoon salt (depending on preference)
1/4 cup organic unsweetened soy milk
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 cup green onions, finely diced (add at the end)

Perfect for breakfast or lunch.

Directions
On the night prior to making this sandwich spread, drain the tofu and wrap it in cheese cloth or paper towel. Place in a sieve over a bowl and keep it in the refrigerator overnight. Place something heavy on top of the tofu to squeeze excess liquid.

There is a bowl underneath to catch excess liquid. 

Time to make the spread. In a food processor or a high speed blender combine all the ingredients except for the green onions. Process until smooth and creamy, but be sure not to overdo it. Few chunks are perfection! Add the green onions and mix. Taste for additional seasonings such as salt and pepper.

Store in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container for up to one week.

Eat!

Easy Sunflower Seed and Chive Sandwich Spread

There is a little European grocery store I visit once a month. I go there to purchase European goodies I am unable to get anywhere else. They have the best pickles in brine and other accidentally vegan foods I ate when growing up in Poland.

One day I stumbled upon a vegan pate made out of semolina flour which was excellent. However when I went back to purchase it again, it was no longer available. I wanted to eat it again obviously, so I decided to try making it myself. Instead of semolina flour, I used a more accessible and a very affordable ingredient such as the sunflower seeds.

This sandwich spread is surprisingly easy to make. I think the most difficult part about it is toasting the seeds. They will burn and play when you walk away from the pan. See what I did there? You can use other spices and herbs or finely diced vegetables. The possibilities are infinite.

Cheers!

Sunflower Seed and Chive Sandwich Spread

Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cups raw sunflower seeds
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 cup water, room temperature
1/3 cup chives, finely chopped

You can have a vegan breakfast anywhere in the world using this easy sandwich spread recipe. 

Directions 
Preheat a large non-stick cooking pan over a medium heat and add all of the sunflower seeds. Given that the sunflower seeds already contain natural oils, there is no need for adding additional fat such as oil or non-stick cooking spray. Spread them evenly on the pan and toast for about 4-5 minutes until light golden color. Stir once in a while.

Be careful not to burn them as you will have to start over. It happened to me, and I was not pleased. Once the seeds are toasted, place them on a plate and allow to completely cool off before making the spread.

Place the cooled sunflower seeds in a high speed blender or a food processor and pulse until they become a powder. To make sure there are no whole seeds bumbling about, do this in batches if necessary. Now place the sunflower seed powder in a bowl, and add all the spices. I used a whisk to incorporate the spices with the sunflower seed powder.

Add water and mix well. It will take a minute for the spread to fully thicken. Mix in chives and taste for additional seasonings. You may want to add more salt or pepper or both.

Serve on bread or crackers. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container for 3 to 4 days.

*Note: This spread has a potential for many variations. Use favorite spices and herbs instead of what is suggested. 

Eat!

Baked Tofu Pate and Feeling Under Pressure

Heads up VKP readers, there is a long blog entry ahead unlike my usual brief style. Today's featured recipe is Baked Tofu Pate which I came up with on a night I did not feel like putting too much effort into my dinner menu, but I also wanted something flavorful in spite of my laziness. You will EVENTUALLY get to the recipe....

I am certain you can relate to feeling [rarely or often] like the carpet is being pulled from under your feet. To add to this distress, you have front row seat to this Carpet Pulling Event and it is all happening to you in a slow motion. Additionally, your mind is flooded with automatic negative thoughts, and you have nightmares and/or day-terrors about these thoughts during slumber and when awake.

An example of an automatic negative thought includes, but is not limited to:

"I can't interpret Independent Groups T-tests. I never do things right." 

Sound familiar? Not the part about the T-test, but the overall concept of automatic negative thoughts that we all have and struggle with on a daily basis. Although I am generalizing, [if you don't fall into this category, consider yourself lucky] there is something to be said about learning how to be kind to yourself.

Mark Twain's quote below illustrates how our minds work.

"My life has been filled with terrible misfortunes, most of which have never happened." 

We scare ourselves into thinking we are not capable of pushing ourselves due to fear of failure, and often continue living our lives without working on changing our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. During such times, we tend to use avoidance to help us cope with our feelings.

Instead of avoidance, I have started working on facing thoughts and feelings in effort not to fall back on the vicious cycle of negativity towards myself. This cycle is rooted in automatic negative thoughts.

Now I practice reframing these thoughts of mine to positive ones. To do this, I ask myself: "what can I learn from this experience?"

It takes practice, EFFORT, patience, and time. The more you do it, the easier it will become.

An example of reframing an automatic negative thought listed above is the following:

"While I don't have experience with interpreting statistical tests, I am going to tutoring each week. I have noticed I gain a better understanding of the logic behind these tests with each session, which means that I am doing something right" 

Cheers to Independent Groups T-tests as well as all the other ones I love to love! - see what I did there.

Baked Tofu Pate

Baked Tofu Pate 

Ingredients
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
2 slices bread of choice (I used sprouted whole wheat bread)
1 (15-oz package) extra firm organic tofu, drained and padded dry
2 cups fresh spinach
2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup, plus additional to coat the top of pate
1 and 1/2 cups rolled oats, not instant oats (Add at the end and do not blend!)
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil (Add 1/4 cup for a richer flavor instead of using 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons miso paste of choice
Salt to taste (About 1/2 teaspoon)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (About 1/4 teaspoon)

*Non-stick cooking spray to coat and oil the loaf pan.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a food processor or high speed blender, process the onion and garlic first. Then add the two slices of bread, tofu, spinach, soy sauce, ketchup, corn starch, poultry seasoning, olive oil, miso paste, salt and pepper, and blend.

This may take a while, depending on the kitchen tool you use. You may have to stop a few times, scrape the sides, and pulse again. If you find yourself not being able to process all the ingredients with ease, add 2 tablespoons of water, vegetable broth or olive oil. I found myself having to add water, and found it helpful to move the tofu along.

Once the mixture is smooth or almost smooth, place it in a bowl, and add the oats. Mix well, and transfer the mixture to an oiled mini/small loaf pan. Spread the mixture with a spatula evenly. Now add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of ketchup on top of the pate and spread it evenly.

Bake for 50 minutes to one hour depending on the desired consistency. Allow 15 minutes cooling time before serving. Remove from loaf pan and slice. Spread it on toasted bread or serve it over greens.

Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

I sliced and pan fried it and served the pate over organic pea shoots. I used leftovers as a sandwich spread. Tastes great hot or cold! 

Chickpea Pizza Crust For One. Eat The Entire Pie! I Did!!!

I love pizza! Although I appreciate the standard dough recipes for pizza crust, I like to try something new once in a while. I have used chickpea flour before to make flat breads, crepes, omelets, and french toast with good results, so why not try pizza crust?

I am not re-inventing the wheel; recipes for pizza crust made from chickpea flour have been around for a while. If you haven't tried cooking with chickpea flour yet, I highly recommend it. Aside from the dishes I mentioned above, you can also use chickpea flour as a thickener in sauces instead of using corn starch or all-purpose flour. Look for chickpea flour in local Indian grocery stores. Most likely the cost will be less in comparison to other markets.

Cheers! 

Chickpea pizza crust. Easy and quick! 

Chickpea Pizza Crust (Makes One Serving)
*Double the recipe when cooking for two. 

Ingredients
1/2 cup chickpea/besan flour
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon olive oil
Dash of sea salt (about 1/4 teaspoon or less)
1 teaspoon dried basil or spices of choice (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 450F.

Make the dough batter. Whisk all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside for about 15 minutes, to allow dough to thicken. While the dough is resting, prepare pizza toppings of choice. I used sautéed mushrooms, and also added as toppings: kalamata olives, tempeh, tomato sauce, and vegan cheese from Trader Joe's. Be sure not overload the pizza. This dough may not survive and break when a mountain of toppings is placed on it.

Once the toppings are ready, set them aside. Now fry the pizza dough batter to make a pancake type crust. I used non-stick pan, coated with non-stick cooking spray. Pour dough batter into pre-heated medium size pan, over a medium heat and spread it 'evenly' with a spatula. Fry on each side for about 4-5 minutes.

Once the dough is ready, place it on aluminum foil. Add tomato sauce (about 1 teaspoon), if using, and toppings of choice. Place pizza in the oven for about 5-6 minutes until the crust is crunchy on the edges and the vegan cheese has melted.

Serve immediately. Eat it with a fork and a knife (Fancy Pants!) or cut it into slices. I also like to top my pizza with arugula.

Eat! 

Apple Sauce Millet Breakfast Cake - It Has Four Ingredients!

Do you know Millet? If not, I would like to introduce you to this powerful grain. My history with Millet goes back to childhood. I grew up eating Millet in soups mostly, as a kid, growing up in Poland.

Millet has been around for quite some time, and has not changed in terms of providing powerful dietary superheroes such as manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus. Millet is also gluten-free and although only a small percent of people is actually gluten intolerant (this is my way of saying: I am tired of gluten-free hype), it is a great option for all.

I can't take credit for this recipe - darn! - as my mom is the source, however, I have made a few improvements, and that must count for something. Right?

Cheers!

Apple Sauce Millet Breakfast Cake

Apple Sauce Millet Breakfast Cake 

Ingredients 
1 (24-oz) jar unsweetened apple sauce (about 3 full cups)
2 cups millet, uncooked
1 cup dried apricots, chopped or raisins, whole (I used unsulfured dried apricots)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Add 1/3 cup of maple syrup or even a mashed banana or both, to make this cake sweeter. I like mine less sweet, and did not use maple syrup or mashed banana. 

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, combine apple sauce, and cinnamon. If using mashed banana and maple syrup, add it now. Add millet and dried apricots or raisins and mix.

Coat a baking pan of choice with non stick-cooking spray, place the cake batter and spread it evenly with a spatula. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, until the cake is golden brown, and appears dry.

Allow to cool off completely, before removing from the baking pan, and cutting. I used a round baking pan with removable sides, and did not have difficulties with removing this cake.

Store in a closed container, with paper towel on top to absorb the moisture. It will keep for 3-4 days.

Unsulfured apricots are darker, and therefore do not feature the artificial orange color we are accustomed to seeing. 

Things to consider:

• Make this cake into breakfast bars and bake them in a square pan instead. Use any dried fruit and spices of choice. Add coconut flakes or nuts and seeds for additional variety. 
• Do not use a glass baking pan for this recipe. The cake will not brown, and will steam instead.
• Make it sweeter by adding mashed banana, maple or even agave syrups (about 1/3 cup) in addition to the ingredients stated. 
• Remember that the more liquid you add, the more millet you will need. For example, if planning on adding 1/2 cup of maple syrup in addition to the stated ingredients, I would add about 1/3 cup additional millet, so that the cake will be solid, and not runny. 

Eat! 

4-Ingredient Mushroom Potato Pancakes - Rock on!

I was talking to my mom the other day, and she told me a very fascinating story (I mean it!) about her new potato pancake creation. It went something like this:

Mom: While I was about to make kopytka tonight, your brother flew into the kitchen, and mentioned that he was not feeling it. While I was appalled, and half-way through preparing the kopyka, I had an idea of frying the dough, and adding other ingredients to it instead of boiling them plain (the usual way to do it). I added ......[ingredient has been left out due to vegan censorship by VKP], but you can add whatever you want. Mushrooms would be great.

VKP: Mom, that sounds fantastic! I can't wait to try it out and share your brilliance with some peeps.

Mom: Are you going to put it on your blog?

VKP: I will mom.

The conversation continued on, and I also got another cool recipe involving some cool stuff, but I have to try it our first before sharing. To be continued...

Love,

VKP

4-Ingredient Mushroom Potato Pancakes. Cheers! 

4-Ingredient Mushroom Potato Pancakes 

Ingredients
3 pounds of gold potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
1 large onion, finely diced
1 (10-oz package) cremini or white mushrooms, chopped
Up to 1 and 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

*Don't be alarmed, but there are more ingredients. These live in your kitchen already, so don't worry. So I mislead you? What are your thoughts about that? 

Additional Ingredients

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Great topped with vegan parmesan or mushroom gravy.  I also like dipping these in soy sauce. 

Directions
Place peeled and quartered potatoes in a medium/large pot, cover completely with water, add about 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low, leave uncovered slightly for the steam to escape, and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until fork tender. Drain well. Place in a large bowl, and mash well with a potato masher. Do not use a food processor for this or you will have a rubbery mess.

While the potatoes are cooking, sauté the onion and mushrooms in about 1 tablespoon of oil (or use non-stick cooking spray to save some calories), in a large non-stick cooking pan, over a medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the onion slightly caramelizes and the mushrooms no longer look raw.

Now, you have two choices: 1) wait a bit until the potatoes and onion/mushroom mixture have completely cooled off  or 2) add the onion/mushroom mixture to the potatoes right away. I chose the latter although it is best if you go with choice number one. Why? Your hand will thank you, AND...and you will not need to add as much flour. What will it be?

Moving on. Prior to adding the flour to the potato, onion, and mushroom mixture, be sure to mix the dough well with a spatula, and taste for additional seasoning. You may need to add more salt and pepper. Now, gradually add the flour starting with about 3/4 cup at first. Mix well and add additional flour, if necessary. The dough will be sticky, which is what you want, but not overly sticky. The more flour is added, the tougher the dough will be. This is not what we want.

Preheat a large non-stick cooking pan with 1-2 tablespoon oil. Shape the pancakes with your hands by tearing a piece of dough (about 3 tablespoons), and shape into a flat, but not too thin or too thick pancake. When placing in oil, flatten each with your fingers to make the appropriate shape. Wet your fingers with cold water to prevent the dough sticking to your hands.

Fry 4-5 pancakes at a time, for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and crispy. Continue doing so until all the dough is gone, and be sure to add more oil with each new batch. This is not diet food, and you deserve to have it, at least once in a while ;) Do not use non-stick cooking spray to fry these as the result will be disappointing. Been there, done that!

Serve with a GIANT salad first of all, and sprinkle with vegan parmesan  cheese. I like them with mushroom gravy, but I was too lazy to make it tonight, so I went for the next best thing: soy sauce and vegan parmesan.

ROCK ON!!!

Eat! 

Indian Red Lentil and Quinoa Loaf or Veggie Cakes?

I was organizing my pantry and spice cabinet yesterday. I was alarmed by putting "quinoa in the corner" - Dirty Dancing reference, sort of - and taking too long to get to it. I have also observed a pattern related to my spice cabinet usage, which goes something like this: buy spices, put spices away, any spices living behind the first row go sadly unnoticed. I have lots of Indian spices that I haven't cooked with in a while, and that is how this recipe came to be. 

I realize you may not have all the spices listed, but that's ok. If you skip a few, the flavor should be just fine. Additionally, if you are not feeling the Indian theme, use your own blend of spices. For example, Italian spices would be great in this recipe. Just add oregano, basil, thyme, crushed red peppers or even paprika while sautéing the vegetables. The possibilities are endless. 

Leftovers are great cubed and pan-fried and served over vegetables. Easy and nutritious lunch. 

Speaking of endless, if you are too hungry to wait for the Quinoa Loaf to bake, use the batter to make veggie cakes instead.  You can also make both: use some of the batter to make vegetable cakes and the remaining part to make the loaf. 

If you decide to use the batter for vegetable cakes, shape them up as you see fit, make the cakes as thin or thick as you like. Fry each cake in oil on each side for about 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness. Also, add more chickpea flour for a firmer consistency if that is what you fancy. I like mine more delicate. 

Have fun and cheers! 

Indian Red Lentil and Quinoa Loaf

Indian Red Lentil and Quinoa Loaf

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 bay leaves
4 cups strong vegetable broth

Vegetable and Spice Base Ingredients
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil (vegetable oil may be substituted)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon crushed fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups shredded carrots
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large tomato, diced
3/4 to 1 cup chickpea/besan flour

*Note: Don't worry if you don't have all the spices listed above. You can omit a few, and still have great Indian flavor. 

Hello! 

Directions
Place quinoa, red lentils, vegetable broth, 2 bay leaves, and turmeric in a medium sized pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the vegetable broth has been absorbed, and the lentils and quinoa are creamy. Remove bay leaves when ready.

Preheat oven to 375F. While the quinoa and red lentils are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Preheat a a large non-stick cooking pan over a medium heat. Add coconut oil, and all the spices listed. Fry for about 1-2 minutes stirring continuously. Be sure not to burn the spices or you will have to start over. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and tomato and continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes. Add a splash of water if necessary to prevent from sticking.

When ready, use an immersion blender or a food processor to blend the vegetables. Leave some chunks for texture. Skip this step if you are not feeling up to it, just be sure to chop the onion and tomato finely.

Combine cooked quinoa and red lentil mixture with sautéed vegetables, and add chickpea/besan flour. Add the flour gradually to make sure you have the desired batter consistency. Mix well.

Coat well a medium/small baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and fill it with the batter. Smooth over the top with your hands or a spoon. Coat with more non-stick cooking spray, and bake in the oven at 375F, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove from the oven. Allow 10-15 minutes rest time before removing from the baking pan. When cooled, flip over the pan on a cutting board, and cut to desired slices. Serve with favorite gravy, chutney or plain. I know it sounds weird, but I like mine with hummus in a wrap.

Store in the refrigerator for up to one week in a closed container.

Eat! 

Easy Savory French Toast. That's All For Today!

Today is Superbowl! However, the excitement and all that it carries along with it, is indeed omitted on me. In spite of that, I support all the peeps that support the Superbowl and all its glory.

I have a paper due this week, and I am trying desperately not to leave it for the last minute. Will I succeed? I shudder considering prior evidence…

Anyhow, I leave you with this recipe, and hope this Sunday exceeds your expectations. Think small!

Cheers!

Savory French Toast

Savory French Toast 

Ingredients
4-6 slices bread of choice (I used Ezekiel bread)
*Can be made gluten-free if using gluten-free bread. 
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1 cup unsweetened plant milk of choice (I used almond milk)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon, or less, Himalayan pink salt (any kind of salt will do)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)

Non-stick cooking spray for frying.

*You can also add 1-2 tablespoons herbs of choice (dried or fresh) to the batter.

Directions
Preheat a large non-stick cooking pan over a medium heat, and generously coat it with non-stick cooking spray. Use oil or vegan butter for a richer flavor.

Prepare the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together all the batter ingredients.

This is what the batter looks like. 

By now the pan should be warm. Place each slice of bread in the batter, coat on both sides. I like to soak the bread slices on each side for a few seconds to ensure good absorption and ultimate flavor.

Fry each toast, two at a time, on each side for about 4-5 minutes until crispy. The batter should not be raw when turning the toast. You will know what raw looks like when you encounter it.

If you decide on using less bread, and have extra batter remaining, pour some more over the frying bread. Serve right away.

Great with vegan butter! 

And…..

Tastes great with fruit preserves. Eat! 

Baked Red Lentil and Chickpea Falafels and Creativity

I admire those who create; Feydor Dostoyevsky created classics that are still relevant in their subject matter; activists come up with strategies that make the message clear, yet not off-putting; awesome students recruit smart people to get to write one's school papers - kidding! This would NEVER happen!

I could go on, but I won't. 

What YA doing here Fyodor? 

While riding on the T (metro/subway) after my class today, I was craving a falafel to the point of desperation. I did not want to bother with getting the fried ones (which are great!), since I am already planning on eating other fatty foods this weekend.

Here we are: being creative and coming up with red lentil and chickpea falafels. The idea behind using cooked red lentils was to add moisture to this dish. It worked very well. 

Post Scriptum - I just realized I am turning into a true Bostonian. I used the letter T (Bostonian way) instead of the word subway (New Yorker way) to describe the metro. I have been using the word subway ever since I moved to Boston in 2012. I got a lot of stares, and now I can put it all behind me. 

Cheers New York! Hello Boston! 

Baked Red Lentil and Chickpea Falafels

Baked Red Lentil and Chickpea Falafels (Makes 12 Falafels)

Ingredients
1 cup cooked red lentils (I cooked them in vegetable broth)
1 (15-oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3-4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (regular paprika may be substituted)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper to taste - about 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt or less, depending on preference
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2-3 tablespoons chickpea flour (regular flour may be substituted, but it won't be gluten free)
1/2 cup sesame seeds

Topped with tahini and chopped tomatoes. Perfect snack! 

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Make the lentils first by cooking them in vegetable broth until creamy. I added about 1.5 cups of vegetable broth to 1 cup of dry red lentils, brought it to a boil, lowered the heat to low, and cooked them for about 15 minutes.

Now, let's process some chickpeas and such. In a food processor or a high speed blender, add the roughly chopped onion and garlic cloves, and pulse until relatively broken down, but not mushy. Add the chickpeas, and continue pulsing until smooth, and almost hummus like consistency, but not quite. If your pulsing is not going so well, add a splash of water (about 1/2 tablespoon or less), to move things along.

Done? Ok, moving along. In a large bowl, add the processed chickpea mixture, add the cooked red lentils along with parsley, turmeric, paprika, cumin, pepper, salt, baking powder, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix well and taste for seasonings, if you are into that kind of thing. Add the chickpea flour, gradually, and continue mixing until the falafel consistency is that of a "meatball." Not too dry, and not too wet.

Before mixing...

Place the sesame seeds on a plate, and start shaping the dough into small falafels. Once shaped, roll in sesame seeds - no need to cover the entire surface unless you want to. Place on an oiled baking pan, flatten with your fingers, but not all the way, and bake on each side for about 20 minutes.

A few things:

• Whilst turning the falafel over, if it breaks on you, it may not be ready to face the other side. See what I did there? 
• Do take the time to bake these puppies, 15 minutes on each side is not enough time in my opinion. 
• Do not use a glass baking dish for these. Although glass baking dishes are great, they cause the food to steam rather than crisp up - this is my experience. 
• Do not crowd the baking dish, give the falafel some space. We all need space! The falafels will steam if crowded. 

Too many Don'ts? Nah, you can handle it. Do enjoy these suckers and let me know how they turned out.

I like hearing from you.

Peace out!

VKP

Serve with pita, tahini, and sliced pickles or anything you fancy. Eat!