Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter

Recipe from Taste of Home (just a minor change)

Ingredients

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/2 cups of flour

2 Tbs brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cup vanilla coconut milk

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Cinnamon Brown Butter

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup grade B maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, place pecans on baking sheet and toast in oven for 6-8 minutes

2. In a heavy-bottom saucepan, cook the butter on medium for 8-10 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally to prevent burning

3. In a bowl, mix maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg together; add to brown butter

4. Stir in pecans, simmer to keep warm until pancakes are done

5. Meanwhile, mix all the dry pancake ingredients together, then mix the wet ingredients together; combine

6. On a preheated lightly oiled griddle add 1/4 cup of pancake batter to form a circle, flip once bubbles start to form, keep cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven to keep warm while cooking the rest, serve with the sauce

My sister made these amazing pancakes for xmas and I was so impressed I wanted to try to make them myself. These were by far the best pancakes I have ever had! The flavors in the pancakes and in the sauce were amazing and they worked well together. These pancakes are so good that Eric and I ate some leftovers today cold out of the fridge for a snack and they were still delicious! I only made a few ingredient changes, so I can't take this credit for these. Eric was kind enough to cook the pancakes so I could work on the sauce:)

Red Pepper Cilantro Cream Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices sunflower wheat bread, toasted

1/4 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 tsp safflower oil

2 slices fakin bacon

1 Tbs pickled jalapenos

1 Tbs cilantro, chopped

1 Tbs cream cheese

Directions

1. Heat safflower oil in cast iron pan on medium heat, add red peppers & saute 3 minutes

2. Add bacon to the pan and cook 1-2 mins on each side until golden

3. Spread cream cheese on toasted bread and spread cilantro onto each slice

4. Layer in red peppers, bacon, and jalapenos

I made this sandwich up quick for lunch today. I needed to use up a leftover chunk of red pepper and I thought it would work great with cream cheese. The pickled jalapenos were a special homemade treat that Eric and I got from his parents. It's hard to limit the amount you eat because they are so good! But we are trying to savor them. We also got lucky because we got some of their amazing pickles as well! Of course I had to have a pickle with my sandwich:)

Breakfast Burrito

Serves 3

Ingredients

3 large tortillas

6 eggs

1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 can corn

1 can sliced black olives

2 Tbs pickled jalapenos, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup daiya cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Mexi-Cheddar Cheese Dip (We Can't Say It's Cheese)

Guacamole

1 avocado, mashed

juice of 1/4 lime

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbs cilantro, chopped

pinch of sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Scramble eggs in a non-stick pan

3. Mix in pinto beans, corn, olives, jalapenos, cumin, garlic powder, and cilantro; cook 1 minute

4. Divide the egg mixture between the 3 tortillas, top with cheese, roll up, spread mexi-cheddar cheese on top of each burrito, sprinkle with more cheese, and garnish with cilantro

5. Bake on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted

6. Meanwhile, mix the guacamole ingredients together; serve on the side

I whipped up these burritos the other day for Eric and his mom for breakfast. Breakfast burritos are always a hit and they are pretty easy to make. It's the perfect breakfast to fill you up when you have a busy day ahead of you.

This is also the first post using my new camera that Eric got me for xmas:) It will be a lot more fun taking pictures now for my blog and they should look much better! I just have to figure out how to use it now:)

Grandma's Banana Bread

Ingredients

3 ripe mashed bananas

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup sugar

2 eggs (vegan Ener-G egg replacer)

1/2 cup cold filtered water

2 cups spelt flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease loaf pan with butter (Earth Balance)

2. In one bowl mix wet ingredients together, then in a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together, and then mix the two together until smooth (don't over mix or use electric mixer)

3. Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

This is my Grandma's wonderful banana bread recipe that I slightly altered to make healthier. I added an extra banana, substituted crisco with coconut oil, the white flour with spelt flour, and the eggs with a vegan egg replacer. I was very pleased with how the bread turned out! I think it was the best banana bread I have ever made! I think the best switch was the coconut oil because it made the bread super moist. I will be making this more often. It's great for potlucks because it's easy to travel with and most people are fans of banana bread. I made it for my work's xmas party.

Sweet Potato Hummus Sandwich

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices sourdough bread, toasted

4 slices savoy cabbage

2 portobello mushrooms

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

Sweet Potato Hummus (Adapted from "My New Roots")

1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1 large sweet potato, poke with fork

zest & juice of half lemon

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

3 Tbs olive oil

2 garlic cloves, pressed

Directions

1. Roast the sweet potato on a baking sheet for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, allow to cool

2. In the food processor add the insides of the sweet potato and the remaining hummus ingredients, process until smooth

3. Meanwhile, coat the mushrooms in olive oil, garlic powder, and cumin; place on baking sheet under broiler for 1-2 minutes on each side until cooked through; slice

4. Spread the hummus on each slice of bread, layer in the remaining ingredients

When I saw the recipe for the sweet potato hummus I thought it would be amazing in a portobello mushroom sandwich. The original recipe called for 3 sweet potatoes, but I only had one on hand. I am going to make it again and try it with more sweet potatoes because I think it would be even better. Even though this hummus was still full of flavor. The leftovers are great as a dip. I think I will make it for my family for xmas and serve it with warm pita bread. This is a super healthy sandwich! You get tons of nutrients from the sweet potatoes and lots of protein from the chickpeas and mushrooms.

Leek Pesto Pasta

Adapted from "My New Roots"

Ingredients

1/2 pkg whole wheat fettucini noodles

1 can extra large black olives

2 cups grape tomatoes

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Leek Pesto

2 leeks, sliced

1/2 cup raw cashews

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tbs honey

3 Tbs olive oil

Zest & juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Roast cashews on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for 8 minutes

2. Transfer cashews to the bowl of a food processor

4. On the same baking sheet coat the tomatoes in olive oil, salt, & pepper; roast for 10 minutes at 450 degrees

5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta, cook for 9 minutes, and drain

6. Add all the pesto ingredients food processor and blend until smooth

7. Add pesto to the warm pasta and mix in the tomatoes and olives

I saw a version of this recipe on "My New Roots" blog and I thought it looked amazing! Her recipe would be even better because she used wild leeks, but since I couldn't find wild leeks this time of year I just used the regular ones. I do have to warn that since they are raw they have a strong onion burn when you add them to the warm pasta. Eric and I were crying from the onion-burn during our first few bites, but then it subsided. So I would recommend blanching the leeks to take the bite out of them. However, it is more nutritious to leave them raw. I was very happy with the pesto! I think my favorite ingredient was the roasted cashews because of the amazing flavor it adds. I also loved the saltiness of the black olives. Eric was more of a fan of the roasted tomatoes. The leftovers made a delicious lunch at work today too!

Sourdough Egg, Avocado, Bacon Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices garlic sourdough bread, toasted

2 slices fakin bacon

2 slice savoy cabbage

1 hard boiled egg, sliced

Avocado Mayo

1 avocado, mashed

1/4 lime juice

1 garlic clove

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

2 Tbs tomatoes, diced

1 Tbs cilantro, chopped

2 Tbs veganaise

Directions

1. Brown bacon slices in a non-stick pan

2. Mix all the avocado mayo ingredients together

3. Spread 2 Tbs of avocado mayo on the bread slices

4. Layer remaining ingredients on the bread slices

When I decide to hard boil eggs I love to make extras so I can make quick yummy lunches like this. I found a great garlic sourdough bread at the co-op, so it made the sandwich even better! I like to add a mild cabbage like savoy to my sandwiches rather than salad greens because it adds a nice crunch and a powerful nutrient punch. The extra avocado mayo can be saved in the fridge. Just add some lime juice to the top and secure tightly with plastic wrap to prevent oxidizing.

Potato Corn Chowder

Ingredients

1 leek, sliced

3 garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tbs butter

1 poblano pepper, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

4 slices fakin bacon, diced

3 vegetable bouillon cubes

6 cups water

4 cups skim milk

1 cup chives, minced

6 red potatoes, cubed

1 bag frozen corn

2 cups savoy cabbage, sliced

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Saute leek, poblano pepper, and garlic in 1 Tbs butter for 3 minutes in a large pot

2. Add water, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes; bring to a boil then add vegetable bouillon cubes, boil 10 minutes

3. Meanwhile, in a separate pan brown the bacon

4. Turn the soup pot on simmer, add remaining ingredients (including bacon), and simmer for 10 minutes

I was in the mood for a potato-based soup, so this is what I invented. This makes a large amount of soup, so it's great to have for a x-mas party (like I did) or to have for leftovers for lunch at work. The longer the soup simmers the better it tastes. I made this soup the night before I had my girlfriends over. I took it out of the refrigerator when I got home from work and then I just let the soup simmer slowly until we served it.

Pickled Beet Salad

Ingredients

2 cups red bibb lettuce

1/2 cup pickled beets

1 hard boiled egg, sliced

1/4 cup walnuts

2 Tbs blue cheese, crumbled

1 Tbs Braggs Healthy Vinaigrette

Directions

1. Place lettuce on large dinner plate and layer on remaining ingredients

This was a quick light dinner. The pickled beets are from this summer when I made them with my mom. They were the star in the salad! The blue cheese paired well with the beets.

Spicy Noodles

Ingredients

1 pkg whole wheat fettuccine noodles

1/2 cup green beans

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 cups kale, chopped

1/2 pkg firm tofu, diced

Spicy Sauce

6 Tbs soy sauce

3 Tbs sriracha sauce

4 Tbs rice vinegar

2 Tbs maple syrup

4 tsp sesame oil

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook pasta according to directions, add green beans & carrots for the last 2 minutes, and drain

2. Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan, cook the tofu on medium heat until golden.

3. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour half onto the golden tofu and simmer until reduce by half

4. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms for 3 minutes on medium low, add kale and saute until wilted, add remaining sauce, toss in the pasta and tofu, and mix until combined

I love this spicy sauce recipe, so I have been adding it to everything. If you are not a big spice fan you can cut the amount of sriracha by half. I thought it would be fun to use fettuccine noodles instead of the typical udon or soba noodles.

Mexican Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni

1 Tbs Earth Balance butter

1/2 onion, sliced

1 poblano pepper, sliced

1 cup kale, minced

2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

1 can black olives, drained & rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 cup jalapeno queso cheese dip

1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup mexican blend cheese, shredded

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta, cook for 8 mins, add carrots for the last minute, drain, and mix in jalapeno queso dip.

2. Meanwhile, saute onion for 2 minutes, add poblano pepper and mushrooms and saute another 4 minutes on medium low.

3. Add garlic, kale, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; saute 2 minutes

4. Stir in pinto beans and black olives; then mix with the cooked pasta

5. Mix in cilantro

6. In a 9X13 pan layer in pasta, sprinkling both cheeses in between the layers, and finish with a layer of cheese

7. Cover with tin foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted

I was in the mood to make a baked mac & cheese and I wanted to make it healthier by adding veggies, so this is what I came up with. It's the perfect comfort food for this cold season. It's also great cold as leftovers.

Herbed Baked Eggs

Ingredients

2 eggs

2 tsp Earth Balance butter

1 green onion, white part finely minced, greens sliced at an angle

2 smaller garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tbs cilantro, chopped

2 tsp mild cheddar cheese, shredded

pinch of sea salt

freshly cracked pepper

Directions

1. Preheat broiler

2. Place 2 oven safe dishes on a baking sheet and place the butter and white parts of the green onion in the bottom of each dish

3. Place under broiler for 1 minute (watch carefully!)

4. Put each egg in a cup and scramble with a fork

5. Mix in a garlic clove in each glass

6. Take baking sheet out of oven after the one min is up, pour an egg into each dish, top with cilantro, green onions, cheese, salt, and pepper

7. Place under broiler for 1-2 minutes, until eggs are set

These eggs are super quick and they look like a sophisticated breakfast. You can experiment with different herbs and cheeses. My broiler is very hot and I wasn't paying as close of attention, so they got a little more golden than I would prefer, but they were still delicious. That's why I state twice to watch carefully.

Chili Burrito

Ingredients

2 large tortillas

2 cups chili (preferably home-made)

1/2 cup tomatoes, diced

1 can black olives, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup daiya cheddar cheese

1/2 cup cilantro

1/4 cup Mexi Cheddar dip from "We Can't Say it's Cheese"

Guacamole

1 avocado, mashed

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 tsp cumin

juice of 1/4 lime

2 Tbs salsa

1 Tbs cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Layer chili in each tortilla, top with tomatoes, black olives, cheese, roll up, spread cheddar dip on top of each burrito, and sprinkle with cheese and olives

3. Place on baking sheet in oven; bake 15-20 mins until cheese is melted

4. Meanwhile, make guacamole by mixing all the ingredients together, serve on the side

Eric had made a large batch of chili and I wanted to find a new way to reinvent it. These burritos turned out amazing! Eric found the "We Can't Say it's Cheese" dip at a little co-op by his work and we are in love with it! They make several different flavors, which we have all tried, and they are all equally great. The crazy thing is that they are made out of oatmeal! I have no clue how they made oatmeal turn into an amazing cheesy dip.

Hot Coconut Chocolate

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups vanilla coconut milk

1 Tbs cocoa powder

pinch sea salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp raw honey

candy cane (optional)

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, warm the coconut milk on medium low heat

2. Stir in remaining ingredients, simmer for 2 minutes until desired temp is reached and cocoa powder is well mixed in

3. Garnish with candy cane

I set up my xmas decorations a few nights ago, so I was inspired to make a cozy winter drink. I found some great candy canes that were made with brown rice syrup (lower glycemic index) and real peppermint, rather than high fructose corn syrup. Even though they are still not healthy for you, at least you can indulge and feel a little bit better:) I also liked how the peppermint melted into my hot chocolate giving it a nice minty touch. The vanilla coconut milk also goes perfectly with the cocoa. I have already made this a few times. It's so easy and I have all the ingredients on hand. There is no need to buy the hot chocolate packets.

Yummy Salad with Horseradish Dressing

Ingredients

2 cups red bibb lettuce

1 cup green beans

1/2 tsp olive oil

pinch sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup corn

1 egg

1 Tbs pumpkin seeds

1 Tbs sesame seeds

Dressing

1 Tbs veganaise

1/2 Tbs horseradish

Directions

1. Place egg in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, place lid on pot, let simmer for 10 minutes, drain, cool off in cold water, peel, and slice. (I like to make extras for later)

2. Meanwhile, steam green beans for 2 minutes, coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper

3. Mix dressing ingredients together

4. On a large plate, layer the salad with all the ingredients and top with the dressing

This was a delicious lunch I made a few days ago. I love hard boiled eggs in a salad! The green beans were very tasty with the olive oil salt and pepper mix. It all paired nicely with the horseradish dressing. I am not getting tired of horseradish yet. I love how it adds a kick to the typical boring salad. The red bibb lettuce is amazing! It is so buttery and smooth. They don't always have it at the grocery store so it's always a wonderful treat. I never really thought that much about different lettuces because they didn't seem too exciting, but now that I found one I love I pay more attention.

Miso Soup

Ingredients

1 head napa cabbage, chopped

10 cups filtered water

5 vegetable bouillon cubes (no salt added)

4 stalks wakame, dried

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

4 Tbs miso

1 block firm tofu, diced

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot

2. Add cabbage and vegetable bouillon cubes, cook 5 minutes

3. Meanwhile, soak the dried wakame in cold water for 5 minutes

4. Cut the stem out the the wakame and chop into small pieces, add to boiling water

5. Reduce the heat to simmer, scoop out some broth into a cup, add the miso to the broth and stir until mixed, then add to the pot (this is important because you want to slowly get the miso used to the heat)

6. Add corn, tofu, and green onions; simmer 1-2 minutes

I have been making miso soup for a few years now and I make it different every time. This is the second time that I have used the wakame (dried seaweed). I have read about the health benefits and wanted to try them, but I never knew what recipe to add them to. I feel that the miso soup is perfect for them. Wakame is a good source of calcium, iodine, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, C, E, & K, folate, and riboflavin. It's also been found to suppress the growth of cancer tumors and the list goes on. It's hard to not want to try them after you find out how good they are for you. If you can't find them in your grocery store you can always get them online since they are easy to ship since they are dried. This was my first time adding the cabbage to the miso soup, which I really liked and it also added more nutrients. The corn was a random addition because I just wanted to get rid of some leftover corn in the fridge, but it did add a nice sweetness to the soup. It's important to add the green onions the last minute because you want them to still have a nice crunch.

Peanut Soba Noodles

Ingredients

1 pkg soba noodles

1 bottle peanut sauce (365-whole foods)

1/2 pkg tofu, small dice

1 tsp safflower oil

1 cup green beans

1 carrot

1/2 cup cashews, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 lime

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil

2. Meanwhile, saute tofu in a non-stick pan on medium in the safflower oil for 8-10 minutes until golden, add 2 Tbs of peanut sauce and mix well

3. Boil soba noodles for 5 minutes, adding the green beans for 3 minutes, and the carrots for 1 minute, drain, and coat with remaining peanut sauce

4. Stir in cashews, cilantro, and tofu (garnish with lime wedges)

This was my quick supper that I threw together tonight. When you have the peanut sauce already prepared the meal comes together super quick, although a peanut sauce is pretty easy to make. I love that the soba noodles only take 4-6 minutes. Not only are they delicious and hearty, they are perfect for the quick dinner. I cubed the tofu into smaller pieces because I wanted them to cook faster.

Egg Sandwich with Green Bean Appetizer

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices whole wheat sour dough bread, lightly toasted

2 eggs

1 tsp safflower oil

1/2 avocado, thinly sliced

3 slice fakin bacon

2 Tbs veganaise

1 Tbs garlic aioli mustard

Appetizer

1 1/2 cups fresh green beans

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

3 Tbs veganaise

1 1/2 Tbs fresh horseradish

Directions

1. Fry eggs in the safflower oil on medium low heat, breaking the yolks, and cooking until solid on each side; about 3 minutes

2. In the same pan as the eggs, cook the bacon until golden, about 2 mins each side

3. Meanwhile, steam green beans for 3 minutes, coat with the olive oil, salt, and pepper

4. Mix veganaise and garlic aioli mustard together, spread on toast, layer in egg, bacon, and avocado

5. Mix veganaise and horseradish for a dipping sauce for the green beans

Every once and awhile I will get on an egg sandwich kick, so I am always trying to find new creative ways to enjoy them. I love egg sandwiches for a quick supper. The green beans were looking great at the grocery store so I had picked up a bunch. I wanted to try to find a new way to enjoy them, so I thought I would serve them as an appetizer to my sandwich or basically a side dish. It gave you the sensation of dipping fries into a yummy sauce, but without all the bad stuff. I have been continuing my horseradish crazes. It gave a nice kick to the green beans, which can be a little boring at times.

Portobello Pizza

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 portobello mushrooms

3/4 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup daiya vegan cheddar cheese

1 Tbs vegan parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Wipe mushrooms clean with paper towel, remove stems, dice finely, and sprinkle in the inside of the mushrooms

3. Place mushrooms on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes

4. Take mushrooms out of the oven and layer in the marinara, cheeses, and top with chives; bake for another 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted

This was a super quick supper! Eric said his only complaint was that there were not more:) By using the portobello as the pizza crust you make this dish super healthy! Feel free to throw on any other preferred pizza toppings. I just made theses simple. I loaded in the marinara sauce, partly because I was trying to use up an open bottle, but mostly because it was delicious. It's important to have a great tasting marinara sauce. I decided to sprinkle the mushrooms stems in the inside of the mushroom because I didn't want to waste them and you couldn't even tell they were in there in the end. My mom would be proud of me for not wasting:)

Beet Burgers with Horseradish Mayo

Ingredients

2 cups cooked beets, diced

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 cup kale, stems removed & chopped finely

1 portobello mushroom, diced finely

1/2 cup sunflower seeds, unsalted

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tbs white truffle oil

2 Tbs fresh chives, chopped

1 Tbs fresh thyme, chopped

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Horseradish Mayo

3 Tbs veganaise

1 Tbs real horseradish

4 slices whole wheat sour dough bread

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Saute mushroom & kale in truffle oil until wilted, about 3-4 minutes on medium low heat, adding the garlic the last minute.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mash the beets and black beans together with a potato masher (this is what makes your burgers stick together)

4. Mix mushroom mixture, sunflower seeds, chives, thyme, and salt& pepper into the beet mixture

5. Form into patties and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway.

6. Mix horseradish and veganaise together, spread on bread slices and top with burger.

I roasted a bunch of beets at the end of the summer when I had extras from the farmer's market and then I froze them to use for another time. I had roasted them with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and thyme. I knew that I wanted to make the beet burgers so I just put the bag of frozen beets in the refrigerator the day before so they would thaw out. Since I had the beets already cooked this was a super easy recipe. I was very happy with how they turned out and they made great lunches throughout the week. I also found a new love for horseradish! My dad has always been a huge horseradish fan, so I would try it every once in awhile growing up, but I never really thought much about it. But now that I love the mayo mixed with the horseradish I will be experimenting with it a lot more! Above I stated that you want fresh horseradish and what I mean by that is that you want to get the product that is in the refrigerated section of the grocery store and the ingredients listed with simply be horseradish and no other funky additives. It will also be stronger because it is pure horseradish, rather than being watered-down with other additives.

Baked Tofu Sticks

Adapted from "So Good and Tasty"

Ingredients

1 block firm tofu, cut into slices

3 Tbs shoyu (soy) sauce

1 Tbs rice vinegar

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 slice whole wheat sunflower bread, toasted

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbs fresh chives, chopped

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

3 Tbs spelt flour

6 Tbs water

1/2 cup marinara sauce

Directions

1. Pressed tofu for 30 minutes, by placing in a towel, put in a large bowl, and put 2 cans (I use beans) on top.

2. Once the tofu is pressed, mix up the marinade of shoyu, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic; coat tofu in marinade and allow to sit for 30 minutes

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

4. Pulse the toast in a food processor to make fine bread crumbs or you can just slice the bread super fine to make the bread crumbs ( I was too lazy to get out my food processor, but I think it was more work for my wrist in the end)

5. Mix the toast bread crumbs with the panko bread crumbs, paprika, chives, salt & pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large shallow dish.

6. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and water together until combined

7. Dip the tofu sticks into the flour mixture and then into the bread crumb mixture, place on parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway.

8. Meanwhile, warm the marinara sauce in a saucepan

I was so excited to make these when I saw them on the So Good & Tasty blog. I knew that they would be good! I made my own spin on them and I thought they would be best served with marinara because they remind me of mozzarella sticks. They do take a little extra time with the pressing of the tofu and marinading, but if you plan ahead they are quick easy. These are also great the next day as leftovers. Just pop them back in the oven for a few minutes and they are even crisper the next day.

Garlic Chive Beer Bread

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup oats

1 Tbs maple syrup

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs baking powder

12 oz Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss beer

3 Tbs fresh chives, chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Mix dry ingredients together, make a well in the center of the bowl, and pour in wet ingredients; mix lightly

3. Place in buttered loaf pan, place on center rack in oven, and bake for 45 minutes.

This was a super easy and tasty bread. I love having something baking in the oven during this cold season because it makes the house cozy and warm. I think I will try making this recipe with spelt flour next time and play around with some other herbs. I like substituting some of the flour with oats because it adds extra fiber.

Portobello Mushroom Sandwich with Guac Potato Skins

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices whole wheat sour dough bread

1 portobello mushroom, thinly sliced

2 tsp garlic thyme infused olive oil

1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced

Guacamole

1 avocado

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 baked red potato, cut in half

1/2 marinara sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Place sliced portobello mushroom and red peppers on baking sheet and coat with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes

3. Spoon out half the potato insides and bake for 8-10 minutes on the same baking sheet as the mushrooms and peppers.

4. Meanwhile, make guacamole by mashing the avocado and stirring in the remaining seasonings.

5. Make sandwiches by layering guacamole on each slice of bread and topping with the mushrooms and peppers.

6. Make the potatoes by spooning in guacamole into each half and topping with marinara sauce.

I was very pleased with how this quick supper came out. I had leftover potato skins from baked potatoes I made the other night that I was too full to finish, so I thought I would save them and turn them into an appetizer or side dish in this case. I sliced the mushrooms as thin as possible, which I really liked the texture of. I read an article about a portobello mushroom that was cooked at a restaurant that resembled steak and they said that the mushroom was sliced very thin, so I thought I would experiment with it. I just infused the olive oil a few days ago, so this was my first recipe trying it out. This was also my first time trying the whole wheat sour dough bread, which was amazing! The tartness of the bread added a great flavor to the sandwich.

Cheddar Sage Biscuits

Adapted from Martha Stewart: online

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbs baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp Himalayan salt

2 1/4 cups aged cheddar cheese, grated

3 Tbs chopped fresh sage

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add cheddar and sage and pulse to combine.

4. Add butter and pulse until mixture is the texture of coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces butter remaining. Add buttermilk and pulse just until combined, 2 to 3 times.

5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead just until it comes together.

6. With your hands, press the dough out to a 3/4-inch thickness.

7. Cut out 12 biscuits using a glass or a biscuit cutter (reroll and cut scraps).

8. Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 1 1/2 inches apart, and bake until puffed and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I made this recipe a few weeks ago to bring along to a dinner party. I was very pleased with how they turned out! I only made a few minor adjustments to the original recipe. I did run into some difficulty with my food processor not being large enough for all the ingredients, so I just worked in smaller batches. They are best when they are warm right out of the oven!

Wild Rice Burger

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked wild rice, with 1 tsp white truffle oil

1 can great northern beans, drained & rinsed

1 can black olives, drained & rinsed

1/2 cup corn

1 cup frozen spinach

1 tsp safflower oil

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Garlic Mustard Mayo

4 Tbs veganaise

2 tsp garlic aioli mustard

Multi-grain bread, lightly toasted

Romaine lettuce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Saute spinach and garlic in oil, for 2 minutes on medium low heat

3. Mash beans with a potato masher

4. Mix in all remaining ingredients and form into patties

5. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway

6. Mix mustard and mayo together, spread on bread, and layer in the pattie and lettuce.

This is how I used up my extra wild rice from the acorn squash recipe. I have found that cooking burgers in the oven rather than a frying pan is much easier and healthier because you don't need all the added oil to keep the pattie from sticking. I didn't have to add an egg or bread crumbs to make the burgers stick together because when you mash the beans they get sticky and act as a glue. These burgers were also great reheated for lunch the following day.

Pierogies

Ingredients

2 cups frozen pierogies

2 cups kale, chopped & stems removed

1/2 cup corn

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a soft boil, add pierogies, and cook 5-8 minutes, until they start to float to the top of the water, & drain.

2. Meanwhile, saute kale, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the olive oil on medium low heat for 3 minutes, until kale starts to wilt.

3. Add corn, cooked pierogies, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes.

This is a super easy lazy supper! Eric and I were feeling a little lazy last night, so we thought we would just cook some pierogies, but then I felt we needed to add some vegetables, so this is what came about. It was actually delicious! I absolutely love pierogies! Who wouldn't love pasta stuffed with cheesy mashed potatoes!

Spiced Indian Cauliflower Soup

Adapted from Christine Ingram: Vegetarian & Vegetable Cooking

Ingredients

2 red potatoes, diced

1 small head of cauliflower, diced

1/2 onion, sliced

1 tsp safflower oil

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tbs fresh ginger, minced

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds

4 cups water

2 vegetable bouillon cubes, no salt added

2 6oz containers of plain yogurt

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. Put potatoes, onions, cauliflower, oil, and 1/2 cup water in a large pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, put coriander seeds and mustard seeds in a mortar and grind to a fine powder with the pestle.

3. Add garlic, ginger, and remaining spices to the pot; cook 2 minutes.

4. Add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, then add bouillon cubes, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Take pot off the stove, puree with immersion blender, and stir in yogurt.

This was the first recipe that I made out of the new cookbook Eric got me for my birthday. It made the house smell so good with all the Indian spices cooking. The smells reminded me of one of my favorite restaurants in St. Paul, Everest On Grand. Now I want to explore more Indian recipes.

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients

1/2 onion, sliced

1 tsp safflower oil

2 poblano peppers, sliced

1 pkg vegetarian ground beef (Whole Foods)

1 cup frozen diced sweet potatoes

1 cup RW Knudsen tomato veggie juice

3 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

1 tsp agave nectar

1 cup vegan cream cheese (Follow Your Heart)

1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1 can corn, drained & rinsed

1 can black olives, drained & rinsed

1/2 cup cilantro, save 2 Tbs for garnish on top

1 pkg small corn tortillas

1 cup Daiya mozzarella vegan cheese

1/2 cup salsa

Guacamole

1 avocado

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven 425 degrees

Directions

1. Saute onion in oil for 3 minutes on medium low.
2. Add peppers, sweet potatoes, veggie beef, tomato juice; saute for 3 more minutes.
3. Add garlic, all the spices, cream cheese, and agave nectar; cook 2 minutes.
4. Add beans, corn, olives, and cilantro; cook 1 minute.
5. In a 9x13 pan, spread 1/4 cup salsa on bottom of pan, then layer: corn tortillas, veggie mixture, cheese, corn tortillas, veggie mixture, cheese, corn tortillas, 1/4 cup salsa, cheese, and garnish with cilantro
6. Bake 20 minutes, until cheese is melted
7. Meanwhile, mash avocado and add remaining seasonings.
8. Serve lasagna slice with a dollop of guacamole on top.

I was really pleased with how this recipe turned out. I had a bunch of corn tortillas in my freezer that I had been wanting to use up, so I thought the best way to use up a package would be a big dish like lasagna. I like trying to reinvent traditional dishes using another culture's cuisine. This was also a great way to clean out the refrigerator. The dish was even better because I used Eric's Dad's homemade salsa=yum! I think this would be a great dish for a dinner party because you could make everything ahead of time and then just throw the pan in the oven once the guests arrive.

Autumn in an Acorn Squash

Ingredients

1 medium sized acorn squash

1 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbs white truffle oil

1 tsp olive oil

2 cup wild rice mix (brown rice), rinsed

5 cups water

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 Tbs Earth Balance butter

1 leek, sliced, soaked in water, and drained

4 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced in half

1 apple, diced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 Tbs fresh sage, minced

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, place on baking sheet flesh side up, rub with olive and 1 tsp white truffle oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, and bake for 50-60 minutes until tender
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan bring wild rice mix and water to a boil, add vegetable bouillon cube, reduce heat to low, and cook for 45-50 minutes until tender.
4. While the rice and squash are cooking, on low heat saute leeks, apples, sage, garlic, and mushrooms in butter and 2 Tbs white truffle oil until tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Add cranberries, pine nuts, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, and saute for 5-10 minutes on low.
6. Once the rice is cooked add remaining truffle oil, mix, and set aside 1 1/2 cups to use for another recipe (I like to make extra since it takes so long to cook).
7. Mix the rice into the mushroom mixture evenly.
8. When the squash is cooked take a fork and scrape the flesh out of the squash and mix into the rice mixture, the spoon the mixture back into the shell for serving.

This was a recipe that I created after being inspired by my dear bearded friend:) and his wife after they stuffed a pumpkin with wild rice, which was amazing! I added all my favorite autumn ingredients, which made the house smell amazing! This was a perfect Sunday supper:)