Blog

Plant-based potato latkes

Plant-based potato latkes

Had to get creative this morning after realizing I didn't have all the ingredients for the fork over knives latkes recipe. Luckily for me, the experiment was a success!

Ingredients:

5 red potatoes, grated

1 large carrot, grated,

1 garlic clove, grated

1/2 cup of garbanzo flour

1 tsp of baking powder

pinch of salt and pepper

 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Once all the vegetables are grated and mix, roll the mixture in batches in a clean kitchen towel to squeeze out excess water. Return dry veggies to mixing bowl.

2. Add flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix by hand to make sure ingredients are evenly mixed.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out latkes and flatten on the sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Take out of the oven,  flip. Bake for another 12 minutes or until they reach desired crispness. Serve while hot.

Enjoy with your favorite condiment!

 

DSC_3351.JPG

2- Minute Breakfast: Kasha with White Bean & Beet Hummus

Buckwheat is a food that doesn't get enough attention. Let's right this wrong. It's packed with nutrients, gluten free and it's delicious. In Russia it's typically referred to as Kasha.

I'm currently going through a love affair it. It reminds me of my childhood, when it used to be a standard breakfast. Granted back then it was cooked with butter, salted, and I poured milk over it.

Here is my adult version that only takes 2 minutes of active kitchen time to assemble. The hummus is store bought- made with white beans and beets, giving it the beautiful purple color. The only thing I had to do was throw the kasha into the rice cooker and combine it with the hummus when it was done cooking.

My 3 year old kiddo loved playing with it. Sticking the individual buckwheat grains to the hummus and mixing all the colors together. He gobbled up his whole plate and asked for seconds. 

Prep:

1. In a rice cooker or in a pot combine 1 cup of buckwheat* and 2 cups of cold water. I used a rice cooker so I just turned it on and let it's do it's job. If you're using a pot, bring it to a boil, reduce to medium low heat and cook until it's tender.

You can cook a batch of kasha a day ahead if you are in a rush in the morning and don't have time to wait. This dish is great both hot and cold. 

* It's a good idea to sort through the buckwheat before cooking it to make sure there aren't any black bits or stones in it. 

What are some of your favorite foods from childhood, and how do you cook them now?

Eggplant Spread (Baba Ghanoush)

For some reason eggplant seems like one of those elusive vegetables. You either hate it or love it. How do you cook it anyways? 

Turning it into a spread is simple and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant

1 fresh garlic clove

2 tbsp of tahini

salt to taste

Instructions:

1) Place eggplant in an oven safe dish and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hr. Eggplant is done when the skin is wrinkled.

2) Let the eggplant cool until comfortable to handle. Cut in half, spoon out the flesh and place into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients. Pulse until you get the creamy consistency you like.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus is one of the most versatile spreads. Use it as dip, spread in a sandwich, or on a piece of toast. It's a staple in our refrigerator and this roasted red pepper version is a favorite. 

Ingredients:

1 red pepper

1 cup of cooked chickpeas (water reserved)

1 roasted garlic clove

1 tbsp of tahini

1/4 tsp of paprika

salt to taste

Instructions:

1) Heat oven to 500 degrees F and roast red peppers on a baking sheet until charred - about 25-30 minutes. Cover in foil for 10 minutes to steam, then remove (peel away) charred skin, seeds and stems. Chop half of the pepper and set aside. Place the other half in a blender. 

2) Add the rest of the ingredients into the blender. Add water from the cooked chickpeas 1 tbsp at a time until you get the creamy consistency that you like. 

3) Scrape the hummus out of the blender and put into a bowl. Fold in the reserved chopped pepper. 

Pumpkin Waffles

Hello Fall!!! I'm officially in love with anything pumpkin flavored. I'm embarrassed to admit that I've only recently started cooking with pumpkin...and I have been missing out. Luckily, that dry spell is over. This recipe is great for the waffle maker. Most vegan pancakes tend to be dense and the waffle maker gives it a bit more of a fluffy texture. I left out baking powder on purpose from the recipe because you can make them taste great without it. Add any fruit or maple syrup that you have on hand as a topping.

Ingredients:

2 flax eggs*

1 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour* 

3 tbsp of turbinado sugar*  

1/4 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1/4 tsp of nutmeg 

1/4 cup of pumpkin puree

1 1/2  cup + 2 tbsp of non-dairy milk

Instructions:

1) Combine flour, salt, sugar and spices in a bowl. Mix well.

2) Add flax eggs, pumpkin puree and non-dairy milk. Mix well.

3) Cook in small batches in waffle maker.

* Additional notes

- Mix 2 tbsp of flax seed with 6 tbsp of water and let it stand for 10 mins while preparing the rest of the mix

- Instead of whole wheat you can also use whole wheat pastry flour

- Instead of turbinado sugar you can use maple syrup or other organic cane sugar

- Add 1/4 tsp of baking powder for a little fluffier texture.

Pumpkin Banana Squares

Get your pumpkin craving satisfied with these delicious squares!

Eat them for breakfast, snack or dessert. Dress them up with coconut ice cream or a nutty dressing. This recipe is the perfect way to indulge your sweet tooth.

Ingredients:

1 banana

1/2 cup of raisons

2 cups of rolled oats

15 oz of pumpkin puree

3 tbsp of maple syrup

 

Instructions:

1) Pulse raisons and banana in a high power blender until creamy.

2) Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

3) Line a 9x9 oven safe container with parchment paper. Spread mixture into the container and bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins. Let cool on a wire rack.

Creamy Oatmeal With Buckwheat

Say good bye to boring oatmeal!!!

This combination is soooo good. It has everything you need to keep you full for hours. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of non-dairy milk/water

1/2 cup of rolled oats

1/4 cup of buckwheat

2 tbsp of ground flax seeds

1 ripe banana

1 tbsp of maple syrup

Instructions:

1) Bring milk/water to a boil. Add oats and buckwheat and reduce heat to medium. Stir occasionally to avoid oats sticking to the bottom, or milk overflowing. I like to use a little bit more milk than most recipes call for. It gives it a nice creamy texture. There should be a thin layer of thick foam on top of the oatmeal when it's done cooking.

2) When the oats are done cooking. Turn off heat, and add flax seeds and banana slices. Serve warm and top with maple syrup.