21 days : Vegan, Gluten free, Refined sugar free

Ok, so we are going vegan, Gluten Free, and Refined sugar free for 21 days!!

Yikes, I love me some bread so this is not gonna be a cake walk..ahahhahahahhahaha..I am such a nerd...pretty sure I am the only one laughing at that one. Ok, so my sister in law is actually the one responsible for this idea..I just blindly jumped on the train because I like a challenge...everything is more appealing if it seems like a game, am I right? Also being that we have moved a million miles from home, and I am currently friendless and bored in a the big city.....its seemed like something to fill my time.

It should not be too hard. We actually just finished a 3 day juice fast so anything is a step up from that. I am just happy to be chewing anything honestly..just don't make juice for three days ever again! ( after saying this out loud as I type it, I instantly am positive I will one day do it again..blraggggg!) It had its perks. Felt great after..stomach felt good, did not miss coffee, did not really miss sugar...just missed eating. So going vegan, sugar free and gluten free seems doable.

The plan here is simple: find recipes, tweak them, make up recipes, take pictures, post pictures and recipes and share.

So if you are feeling crazy, THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM ON THIS TRAIN!

We are starting monday so expect pics and updates starting monday morning! whoop!!!

Quinoa/ Veggie burgers

So I wanted a veggie burger...an excellent one...delicious...healthy and home made...not a gross frozen one. So like any ambitious cook would do, I started digging through the fridge in search of on hand veggies...pulling out the bag of quinoa and devising my plan.....but like in any story there is a beginning and mine started in Asheville Nc.

We went to Asheville for our 10th anniversary and of course visited the Biltmore Estate. After the long, hunger inducing tour was over, we ended up eating lunch at the Carriage House. I order a veggie burger and was surely skeptical. If you have never been to Asheville let me tell you its the bees knees for all foodies...I wanted to eat somewhere way more exciting but I was too hungry to wait.. The nice waiter assured me the veggie burger was his favorite thing on the menu. Well, he didn't lie. It actually turned out being one of the best veggie burgers I had ever had. Odd, because Dave's food was gross and the menu as a whole did not appeal to me. When the nice waiter brought us our check he also brought out a card with the recipe on it! GREAT..HOORAY....but of course me being me..I lost it..SUCK......this was some time ago. Long enough that I forgot all about it until staring into my pantry at a bag of quinoa that I needed to use up. Then I remembered the burger and decided I had to make up a recipe for a delicious quinoa/veggie burger..BETTER THAN THE CARRIAGE HOUSE..( this cold air is getting to me, giving me high hopes and lofty ambitions ) so here it is. I was impressed with even myself. If you hate it, well I am sorry. If you love it..YAY. Its healthy and yummy and pretty easy.

*1 cup cooked quinoa

*1 cup herb bread crumbs (i used day old french bread and tossed in some rosemary and thyme)

*1 red bell pepper

*1/2 red onion

* 1 cup carrots

*1 and 1/2 cup broccoli

*1 can drained and rinsed black beans

*1 8oz can tomato sauce

*1 egg

*1/4 cup whole wheat flour

* a few good shakes of turmeric ( cause that's how I cook)

*a shake of cumin

*salt and pepper

* and if you don't use herbs in your bread crumbs, maybe and little rosemary and thyme

-

-chop all veggies pretty small and sauté in pan with preferred oil until tender...dump beans in too

-mix quinoa, bread crumbs and tomato sauce in bowl

-dump veggie mix in a food processor or blender and pulse..just to break down and mix em up a bit.

-combined veggies with quinoa and bread crumbs

-add spices and egg and mix until combined

-add flour a little at a time, just until it has thickened up a bit

-form burgers and cook in skillet or grill pan

It will make you around 10 burgers..I tossed the leftovers in my freezer and fully plan on reheating them for lunch later this week!

#9 Kale and white bean soup with roasted red pepper

-1 buch kale, leaves removed from tough stalks, chopped

-1 cup cut button or crimini mushrooms

-1 can white beans drained

-1 roasted red pepper chopped

-4 cups vegetable stock

-2 cups water

-1/2 white onion

-1 tablespoon minced garlic

-1 teaspoon thyme

-salt and pepper to taste

-dash of lemon juice

-table spoon olive oil

*heat oil in heavy stock pot, add garlic and onions until tender

*add broth, water, mushrooms, and beans

*add roasted red pepper

*once liquid is to a boil add the kale and let wilt into soup

*add thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes

*serve as is or sprinkled with shredded cheddar cheese

***** i just realized how much it looks like Christmas in a bowl...random side note

#7 Flourless chocolate cake with Garbanzo beans

Ok, I know you might be thinking there is no way you can make a cake with beans and it be good. Well I hate to tell you but you are dead wrong!!! And then I manage to take it a few step farther and take out the sugar and butter......OH, NOW SHE HAS LOST HER DANG MIND....nope! my brain is still in my head (although some people might still want to argue that fact) Now I do not really want to dispute the joy of a cake baked with flour and sugar and butter, dripping with delicious butter cream frosting...I love cake, and I double love cupcakes...but I have husband who can't eat a lot of things and over the last few years our diet has done a lot of changing mostly out of need. I have sworn I would never cut out gluten claiming it was not hurting anyone in this house but now it seems that might not be true. So instead of being heart broken I figure it is just better adapt and move on. This cake is dense and almost brownie like. It is perfect topped with whip cream or ice cream...rich and but light at the same time! I am not 100% awesome with measurement. I know it should be more accurate with this if I am gonna go making up recipes but if you just do what I say, around about, it will turn out and it will not disappoint... I hope......

Flourless Chocolate cake with garbanzo beans

-4 eggs

-1 can garbanzo beans drained

-10 oz chocolate chips..i use bitter or semi sweet(so not a whole bag maybe like a cup plus an hand full ;)

-1/3 cup coconut oil

-one big heaping table spoon almond butter

-three good squirts of agave nectar

1/2 baking soda

*in a blender of food processor, process beans until smooth

*in a a small pot or double bowler, mix chocolate chips, almond butter and coconut oil over low heat until melted

*add chocolate, eggs, baking soda, and agave to beans in food processor and blend until smooth.

*prepare and 9 to 10 inch round cake pan, add batter and bake on 350 for 30-40 minutes or util center is set and a tooth pick comes out clean when put in center of cake.

*cool and top with whip cream or at our house we top it off with coconut milk vanilla bean ice cream!!! WOOT

*****i failed to take a picture BEFORE we almost destroyed the cake....one slice left and it has my name on it!

#6 Healthy Granola cookies

So I want to eat and I want to eat junk most of the time....but that is not going to get any of us any where....so i decided I needed a cookie that did not make me feel bad. Thus the healthy granola cookie was born. It has only a little brown sugar, whole wheat flour and is perfect with a cup coffee after dinner!

-1 cup whole wheat flour

-1/3 cup coconut oil

-1/3 cup brown sugar

-1 egg

-tspn vanilla

-pinch of salt

-1/3 to 1/2 cup granola of your choosing

-1/4 cup raisins or dark chocolate chips

-squirt of agave nectar or honey

*mix coconut oil brown sugar and vanilla then add egg and mix

*next add the flour, pinch of salt and granola

*squirt in a little agave or honey for a little more sweetness and mix

*fold in raisins or chocolate chips

*i use a small melon sized scoop to form them. bake at 350 until done (10-13 mintues) they stay sort of "mounded" up but are super yummy.

# 5 Leek and Walnut Souffles

So I took an few weeks off from updating the ol blog due to various visitors coming into town but I am back and ready to cook! This said, I have not gotten a delivery since last Tuesday so I did not make something this week from the goods....instead I decided to make this tasty little souffle that is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters (ok, that might be a flat out lie but 3 out of 4 in our house gladly eat it and the littlest one eats it with only a little bit of urging and desert bribery). My husband claims it reminds him of thanksgiving but i think that is because I use rosemary and thyme to season....but I guess if you were in the mood for some holiday goodness and it is just June you could give this a whirl and see if it hits the spot!

LEEK AND WALNUT SOUFFLES

(adapted and tweaked from the Vegetarian Bible cook book)

makes 4 souffles

2 leeks

-olive oil

-1/2 cup vegetable stock

-1/2 cup walnuts ( almonds would work if thats all you have on hand)

-2 eggs, separated

-2 tablespoons of mixed herbs (i use thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper)

-2 tbsp plain greek yogurt

* chop leeks (i don't use the tough dark green ends) and drop them in a bowl of cold water and swirl them around with hands...this cleans all the dirt and sand off, it just falls to the bottom and the leeks float to the top!

*heat pan with few table spoons of olive oil (I like to use coconut oil but i always have it on hand)

saute leeks for a few minutes then add veg. stock and simmer a few more minutes, until tender.

*in a food processor, process nuts until fine then add leek mixture and process until you form a puree.

*mix egg yokes, herbs, and yogurt until combined. pour egg mixture into leek puree. season with salt and pepper to taste.

*in a separate bowl whisk egg whites until firm peaks form ( i do this in my stand up mixer)

*gently fold egg whites into the leek mixture. spoon mixture into 4 prepared souffle dishes or into one 1 quart dish.

*place on preheated baking sheet and cook on 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until well set, risen and golden brown!

I served these tonight with dill carrots, roasted kobocha squashed , and a salad with stone ground mustard and honey vinaigrette

Recipe #4 Sweet Potato Quesadillas

4 sweet potatoes

1 medium yellow onion

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup salsa (or more if you like)

1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt( can be omitted and replaces with one mashed avocado for a vegan version)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 package tortillas

(if the mixture is too lumpy or just not to your liking then add more salsa or sour cream..depends on the size of you potatoes... measuring is not my thing so these are rough estimates )

*thinly slice onions, chop garlic and saute until translucent(set aside)

*cube sweet potatoes and boil until tender, drain and mash

*add onions, sour cream (or avocado) salsa and spice to the mashed potatoes and stir

*put scoop of mixture in tortilla, fold in half and heat in frying pan until golden.

you can add cheese but i am not missing it when i eat these so i figure why add the calories if they taste fine without...i would add it to the mix and let it melt in before putting it in the tort.

nommy nommy ENJOY!