Vegan Minestrone

 This minestrone is delicious/ takes about 30 minutes/ I usually have these ingredients on hand.

   Found the recipe at https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-minestrone-soup/

Go to the link for substitutions and explanations.  Below are the indgredients:

Ingredients

• ▢2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• ▢4 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢2 stalks celery, sliced
• ▢2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• ▢1 medium zucchini, diced (me potatoes)
• ▢28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
• ▢4 cups vegetable broth
• ▢1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢1 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢15 ounce can small white beans, drained and rinsed (me used larger beans)
• ▢15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢1/2 cup frozen cut green beans (or fresh)
• ▢1/2 cup small shell pasta (me GF Rotini broken in half)
• ▢2 cups baby spinach ( I used some frozen--used the amount I wanted)
• ▢2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
• ▢Optional: Vegan Parmesan

Pot Roast nice for Christmas Crock-pot

Love this, nice and tender.

one 3 pound chuck roast

red potatoes (as much as you desire

carrots as much as you desire

1 large onion--chopped

cream of mushroom soup (I used a GF one)

1 cup water

1 bouillon pack optional

minced dried onion

cornstarch

Directions:

Slice the red potatoes in halves or quarters depending on the size of them. Slice carrots in lengthwise sticks. Cook on stove in water 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and place in the bottom of a crock-pot that has been sprayed with a bit of oil. Top with chopped onions. Place your roast on top of the vegetables. Mix your cream of mushroom with 1 cup of hot water in which a bouillon pack has been dissolved (or you can omit the bouillon). Pour over the ingredients in the crock-pot.Sprinkle the roast with minced dried onion.

Cook on low for 9-10 hours. (You can half the time if on high, but I prefer low).

When done remove veggies and meat onto a plate. Use 2 rounded tablespoons of cornstarch and mix with a bit of the liquid in a separate pot on the stove. Slowly add the rest of the liquid and heat stirring constantly until it thickens and comes to a boil. Simmer a few more minutes. This makes a lot of gravy!

Serve with red cabbage   Sauerkraut  if desired.

Chocolate Cheesecake -and gf version

This is excellent! This was a King Arthur flour

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/chocolate-cheesecake-recipe?pp=1

 

Ingredients

Crust

• 24 (269g) vanilla-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (e.g., Oreos) (me Gluten free ones--think mine had about 21 or so)
• 1/4 cup (28g) confectioners' sugar
• 4 tablespoons (57g) butter, melted

Filling

• 1/2 cup (113g) milk (me almond milk)
• 2 cups (340g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional; for enhanced flavor (me omit)
• three 8-oz packages (680g) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons (14g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (I used King Arthur Gluten free measure for measure flour

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan.

• To make the crust: Crush, grind, or otherwise pulverize the cookies together with the sugar; a food processor works well here. If desired, set aside about a tablespoon of the crumbs to garnish the finished cake.

• Add the melted butter, processing briefly or stirring until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Press the moist crumbs into the bottom and partway up the sides of the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet, to catch any potential drips of butter.

• Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and set it aside as you make the filling.

1. directions:

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan.

3. To make the crust: Crush, grind, or otherwise pulverize the cookies together with the sugar; a food processor works well here. If desired, set aside about a tablespoon of the crumbs to garnish the finished cake.

4. Add the melted butter, processing briefly or stirring until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Press the moist crumbs into the bottom and partway up the sides of the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet, to catch any potential drips of butter.

5. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and set it aside as you make the filling.(I did mine a bit less) see note*

6. 1. Reduce the oven heat to 350°F.

   2. To make the filling: Combine the milk and chocolate chips in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl or large cup. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chips melt and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat, stir in the espresso powder, and set the mixture aside.

   3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar at low speed, until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and beat briefly, just until smooth.

   4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine after each one.

   5. Stir in the vanilla, then the flour.

   6. Add the chocolate/milk mixture, beating slowly until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl; beat briefly, just until smooth.

   7. Pour the batter atop the crust in the pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet; this will make it easier to get the cake in and out of the oven safely.

   8. Bake the cake (remember, the oven temperature should be 350°F) for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake 1" from the outside edge comes out clean. A digital thermometer, inserted at the same point, should read 175°F. The center may not look set; that's OK.

   9. Turn off the oven, crack the door open several inches, and allow the cake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven, and set it on a rack to finish cooling. When it's completely cool, cover the cake, and refrigerate it until ready to serve.

   10. Garnish the cake with the reserved crumbs. Serve it in small slices, with whipped cream and berries.

   11. 
       

   12. Tip: When you're baking the crust, as soon as you can smell a strong chocolate aroma, remove it from the oven; it's done. The crust may or may not have baked for 15 minutes, but the "aroma test" is a better indicator of doneness than the amount of time elapsed.

Pasta Fagioli

 Pictured above is the sauce--you add your pasta to this. Since I have to be GF we add the pasta separately.  Note--I should have cut my carrots smaller.  I found this at Clara's kitchen---a book that describes eating in the Great Depression.

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons of olive oil (I don't use this much for my iron skillet)

1 clove garlic (me--minced)

1 yellow onion (me-chopped)

2 cups of tomato sauce (I like marinara)

3 and 1/2 cups of water 

1 carrot chopped

1 celery stalk with leaves chopped

2 cups canned white beans (me-Cannelloni beans)

2 chicken bouillon cubes (or envelopes)

1 large basil leave (I just used some dried basil if I don't have it)

1 pound small dry pasta (like the tiny shells) I sometimes use GF Rotini)

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley--I used dried and not as much

Pecarino Romano cheese

She adds 2 dried red peperoncini, crouched---I omit since I can't have them ;-)

Directions:

saute onion and garlic until carmalized about 5-7 minutes. (I actually add the garlic after the onion is about done.

Add tomato sauce, water, carrots, celery , cannelloni beans and bullion cubes, basil, and peperoncini if using. Cover with a slight venting and cook over medium heat for at least 35 minutes or until your carrot and celery is tender. 

Add the beans.

Meanwhile cook your pasta.Then add it to the sauce when done and let it sit a few minutes.Top with the cheese and parsley.

Cranberry almond coffee cake Gluten Free

This is nice--sort of a Christmas coffee cake. I found the recipe here https://www.cottercrunch.com/cranberry-sour-cream-almond-cake/#tasty-recipes-43171
 

I did cook mine 30 minutes , but even though the center was toothpick clean it would be better to cook longer as my center turned out a bit too moist. I like the slightly tart taste of the cranberries. I am going to list the ingredients, but you can go to the link to get full explanations.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 eggs (room temp if possible)
• 1/2 cup organic sour cream (light sour cream or greek yogurt is substitutable)
• 1 ripe banana ( 6 or 7 inches is best)
• 2 cups fine almond flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup coconut sugar (may substitute some with brown sugar or maple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 cup cranberries plus extra for topping. See notes for substitutes
• Powdered sugar or Swerve Sugar substitute for Sprinkling

She also has a topping for it and you can see it on the link.  Mine takes longer to cook since I use frozen cranberries and I like more of them. So for me about 35 minutes not covered at 350 F

Gingerbread cookies--sister's

  The odd thing about these is there is no ginger in the recipe! But my guys love them and they are easy to make.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup solid shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of allspice (or you could sub cloves)

1 & 1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup molasses (I prefer Grandma's unsulphured molasses---makes a difference)

3 cups of plain flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Form the dough and chill 2 hours.Preheat oven 375 degrees F.  Roll dough out 1/4 inch thick. Cut shapes out. Bake 5-6 minutes or 8-10 minutes---watch carefully as it depends on how thick you have rolled it. My guys prefer them not over cooked.

Fudge

 I like this fudge recipe and it only took one minute in my microwave. I did add the vanilla after melting the chocolate in the condensed milk--about 1/4 teaspoon.  

https://youtu.be/eVYDOJAQEjY

1      12 oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1      14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix first 2 ingredients in a microwavable bowl. Nuke 1 minute. Stir until chips have dissolved. Add vanilla if desired. Pour into 8 inch square pan that has parchment in it--covering bottom and sides of the pan.. Refrigerate at least an hour.  Store in frig.  Love these! 

Note: In the video she says to use the semi-sweet and not the milk chocolate as the semi-sweet is  firmer.

Another recipe which uses 2 ingredients is one for peanut butter fudge found here: https://youtu.be/RaArsvKUAnw     16 ounces (1 pound) of peanut butter & 16 ounces of frosting.

Easy Peanut Butter Roll – Recipe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHoY6...

Gingerbread cookies Gluten Free

Easy and fast---mix all , roll between parchment paper, place in frig in the parchment for 30 minutes then , cut with cookie cutters or whatever, place on parchment lined sheet and cook at 350 F for 10-12 minutes.  Go here for all the details: https://www.mynaturalfamily.com/paleo-gingerbread-cookies/

 

Goulash

Easy meal--you can double or play with additions

 

Ingredients

1 pound of meat crumbles ( or sausage or whatever)

1 medium onion

2 garlic cloves minced

1 can mushrooms drained (or fresh)

1 can of diced Tomatoes (15 oz)

1 tsp of Italian seasonings (or however much you like)

frozen spinach or fresh ( in the amounts you like)

extra marinara sauce

8 ounces of rotini or shell or whatever pasta 

cottage cheese or mozzarella

Directions

Heat water for pasta a then cook it. Meanwhile -Saute the meat crumbles (or sausage etc), onions, mushrooms for 5 minutes or so until done, adding the garlic near the end. Add the Tomatoes and seasonings and simmer for 5 minutes--adding spinach near the end.  Mix with the pasta, adding some cottage cheese or mozzarella.  Top and mix in some marinara sauce if  desired.  At this point you can just eat it; or you can heat it more in an oven for 15 minutes or more to blend the flavors.

Another recipe for goulash can be found at the following link and you can make substitutions for the meat using the soy stuff etc https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/north-dakota-casserole/

creamy chickpeas (curry like)

 

We loved this--it was hardy and filling and creamy!

Ingredients

Cooked rice for serving

1 onion chopped

15 oz can chickpeas, drained

15 oz diced tomatoes including the juice

15 oz can lite coconut milk

1/4 cup of natural creamy peanut butter

3 Tbsp tomato paste

1/8-teaspoon all the way up to a Tablespoon or more curry powder (according to your taste!)

1 up to 1 and 1/2 tsp garlic powder --as you desire

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 Tbs tamari --optional (soy sauce) I omitted

Spinach--I just threw in some frozen chopped spinach during the last 5 minutes---fresh would be nice as well

Cashews or cilantro for topping

Optional: vegetable broth for sauteing the veggies

Directions

Cook rice while preparing the creamy chickpeas

1. Place chopped onion in large saucepan (my ceramic). Add a bit of oil or just use water or vegetable broth.  Cook 5-7 minutes until onion is tender.

2. When tender add the seasonings of choice. Heat for about a minute adding more broth or water if sticking.

3. Add drained chickpeas and diced tomatoes with the juice of tomatoes. Cook 2-3 minutes. 

4. Add the coconut milk and peanut butter and tomato paste (I mix these three a bit first before adding).

5. Reduce heat and let simmer about 8 minutes more; during the last 5 minutes or so add some frozen spinach or fresh spinach.

Serve over the rice, adding cashews and or cilantro if desired.

This sauce filled my large saute pan--makes 4 large bowls or 5-6 small ones. It is filling because of the peanut butter and coconut milk and beans.

Pumpkin scones Gluten Free

Easy and I love them--nice for the fall.   Before cooking, after I cut mine I placed them in the frig for 15 minutes instead of the freezer as the recipe described--worked fine.  Note: I used coconut milk for brushing on the top. I found this on King Arthur's bake page https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/gluten-free-pumpkin-scones-recipe

Go to the link for all the info---I updated my colors and now you can't read what is below very well --sorry!

Ingredients:

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups (330g) Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
• 1/3 cup (74g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 8 tablespoons (113g) butter, cold
• ME_OMIT :1 cup to 2 cups (184g to 369g) minced crystallized ginger, cinnamon chips, or cinnamon sweet bits, optional
• 2/3 cup (152g) pumpkin purée
• 2 large eggs
• coarse white sugar, for topping
• ME: brushed top with coconut milk

Directions:

Instructions

1. 1.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.

2. 2.Work in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it's OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated.

3. 3. If using--Stir in the ginger and/or chips/bits, if you're using them.

4. 4. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and eggs until smooth.

 

1. 5.Add the pumpkin/eggs to the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined.

2. 6.Line a baking sheet with parchment; if you don't have parchment, just use it without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop the parchment or pan.

3. 7.Scrape the dough onto the floured parchment or pan, and divide it in half. Shape each half into a 5" round (if you haven't incorporated any add-ins); or a 6" round (if you've added up to 2 cups of chips/bits). The rounds should be about 3/4" thick.

4. 8.Brush each dough round with milk, and sprinkle with coarse white sugar or cinnamon sugar, if desired.

5. 9.Using a knife or bench knife that you've run under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges.

6. 10.Carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2" space between them at their outer edges.

7. For best texture and highest rise, place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.

8. Bake the scones--ME 20 minutes was a bit too much for mine perhaps because I didn't have the optional ingredients --but also because I didn’t place mine in the freezer for 30 minutes.—the recipe says for 22 to 25 minutes, until they're golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, with no wet crumbs. If you pull one of the scones away from the others, the edges should look baked through, not wet or doughy."

9. Remove the scones from the oven and serve warm. Wrap any leftovers airtight, and store at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage. Reheat very briefly in the microwave, if desired.

   When I refrigerated the cut dough for 30 minutes it took about 20 minutes— you want the edges to look done not doughy.

Pumpkin pie cups

 Easy, tasty, and just screw on the lids for a picnic or storage in the frig!

The original recipe can be found here https://www.jodiefitz.com/easy-pumpkin-pie-recipe-for-thanksgiving-dessert/

I did change a bit instead of using the evaporated milk I used 12 oz of a canned lite coconut milk and a tab of arrowroot starch.

INGREDIENTS

1 – 15 oz. can pumpkin, 100% pure

12 oz. can of evaporated milk -I used 12oz from a can of lite coconut milk

2 eggs, large

½ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon allspice

(1 tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot if substituting coconut milk for the evaporated milk)

Directions:

preheat 350. Mix everything with a mixer and pour into 6,  8 ounce each ball jars so they are about 2/3 full. Place jars on a cookie sheet uncovered.  Bake 40-50 minutes until knife inserted comes out pretty clean. Cool and serve topped with whatever you like.

Autumn Sweet Potato wild rice casserole

This is a tasty fall dish---

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked cubed sweet potatoes

2-3 cups cooked wild rice mixed with Jasmine rice

6-8 ounces Beyond meat beef free crumbles (or could sub cooked white beans or beef)

1 apple , chopped, skin removed

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2-1 teaspoon dried rosemary to taste

1 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

salt to taste

1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

vegetable broth 

Parsnips and carrots or butternut all could be used or added to this dish as long as they are cooked.

Cook wild rice and your white rice according to directions on package (I cooked my wild rice in some vegetable broth). Cube and cook sweet potatoes covered in water (takes about 10-13 minutes to cook when cubed). In a skillet saute the chopped onion, apple, and the meatless crumbles--cook for 8-10 minutes until the onion is done and the crumbles are browned. Add the cooked sweet potatoes and the seasonings . Mixing gently so as not to mash the potatoes. Add your cooked rice carefully stirring. Taste. Add any more seasoning you desire.  

Preheat oven to 350--place the cooked mixture in a casserole dish and heat till warmed through fifteen minutes or so--it depends on how hot all your ingredients are to start with. I added a bit of vegetable broth to this for warming.

Another dish from which I got the idea is found here: https://veganyackattack.com/2020/10/03/autumn-squash-wild-rice-bake/

Vegetable soup/ easy stove or crockpot

This is one of my favorite soups and it takes minutes to assemble. I found it here:  https://crockpotlad ies.com/recipe/crock-pot-vegetable-beef-soup/

I do it on the stove top but they give crock pot directions. Makes about 6- 8 servings depending on what you add.    I use 

Beyond Meat, Beef Free Crumbles Beefy, 10 Ounce instead of the hamburger meat---you could make it with just the veggies. I also use regular red potatoes with some skin on which I cube and cook while frying the onions and crumbles.  Here are the ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 Pound Extra Lean Ground Beef (me Beyond meat)
• 46 Ounces Canned Vegetable Juice Such As V8 Brand (I use 64 ounces)
• 14.5 Ounces Canned Corn Drained
• 16 Ounces Frozen Mixed Vegetables
• 14.5 Ounces Canned Diced Potatoes (I use my own fresh)
• Onion-  I add about 1/2 a large onion.
• celery--I slice thin and add to the pot with the veggies
• sometimes I add a bit of vegetable broth and GF pasta

I just saute the onion and beyond meat and cube and cook some red potatoes---this all takes about 10 minutes. Then I add everything to a big pot and cook for 20-30 minutes until the veggies are done. Go to link for crockpot directions.

 

Sweet Potato cookies 3 ingredients GF

I did not do the swirls ;-) and I used orange sweet potatoes instead of the Japanese--still tasty!

Below is the Youtube recipe if you go to the youtube video there is more added under it.  Mine didn't take as long. 

Makes 22-24 cookies INGREDIENTS: 375g (1.5 cups) Japanese sweet potato*, cooked, chilled, peeled and mashed (me standard orange ones) 1.5 tsp vanilla extract 42g (6 tbsp) coconut flour, sifted INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 390F. Line a 9.5x13.5x2 inch baking dish with parchment paper. 2. Blitz the sweet potatoes and vanilla extract in a high-speed blender until it just liquefies into a smooth and silky puree. Use a tamper to help work the mixture, it will take a bit of work until it gives. 3. Transfer the puree to a medium sized bowl. Sift the coconut flour and add it to the mixture. Mix well until all the coconut flour is fully incorporated into a thick paste. 4. Fit a piping bag** with a star tip and fill it up with the paste. Create cookies in 2 inch swirls by applying pressure to push the dough out and wrapping the swirl around the center. (This piping technique is actually surprisingly easy. There are great youtube tutorials that can get you up to speed in no time). The cookies will shrink a bit as they dehydrate in the oven, so pipe them closely on the baking dish to fit 22-24 cookies. 5. Now place the cookies in the preheated oven and fully COVER them with a baking pan (resting the pan directly on top of the baking dish, as you would a lid), or cover with aluminum foil, folding it over the entire baking dish. 6. Bake covered 390F for 20 minutes. Then uncover the baking dish, reduce the temperature to 350F and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes, until the cookies turn more golden. (I did this for this amount for the first part at 390 covered. At the 350 degree uncovered I only did about 5 minutes more. When I added more than this they were a bit over cooked) 7. Remove from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. 8. Serve once the cookies completely cool down to room temperature. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will become softer and more buttery after they are refrigerated. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
 

Note: I have also tried these using Sweet potatoes, almond extract, and almond meal. The only difference in cooking was I left the temperature at the higher level instead of turning it down when cooking the uncovered part —and I needed to cook it about 25 minutes for the uncovered part. Also the consistency is different in this change.

Sweet Potato pancakes/ 2 ingredients

Easy sweet potato pancakes with 2 ingredients--yum.

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (Purple ones are great too--just look strange)

2 eggs

Mix and pour batter into heated oiled pan 1/4 cup per pancake.  Cook as you would cook pancakes. Makes 6.  You can add seasonings to the batter if desired--ie cinnamon etc.