Vegan Bean Dip

Tis the season of cookouts and picnics.  When the temps soar I am constantly on the look out for easy meals.  I try to find meals that require the least amount of time in the kitchen possible so I can maximize my time outside, and meals that combine fresh local food with some good protein and/or fat.  This dip includes it all!  This dip works geats as a party appetizer or even a light summer meal.  This is one of my favorite dishes to take to a party or cook-out.  Honestly this dip is always a party favorite, and not just with vegan friends.  Everyone seems to love it!


Vegan Bean Dip

• 2 cans vegetarian refried black beans
• 1 16 ounce jar of salsa (or 2 cups homemade salsa)
• 2 avocados
• 1/2 cup non-dairy plain yogurt (obviously if dairy isn't an issue for you, you can use regular)
• 1 tsp lime or lemon juice (helps prevent avocado from browning)
• Lettuce (finely chopped)
• Cilantro
• Tomatoes (chopped)
• Scallions

Mix beans and salsa together. Spread on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Mash avocados and mix in yogurt and lime or lemon juice.  Spread on top of bean and salsa layer.  Top the layers with lettuce, cilantro, tomatoes, and scallions.  (I don't measure these out.  I just use what I have and load it up with as much fresh veggies as possible).  Adding a vegan cheese like Daiya is an option or shredded goat cheese or dairy cheese depending on your cheese preferences.  I think it tastes amazing without the addition of cheese.  Finally, serve with your favorite tortilla chips. 

Crunchy Buckwheat Cereal

I recently tried this recipe from one of my absolute favorite cookbooks.  The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook. I stumbled across this cookbook when I was expecting my first daughter and have consistently utilitzed it ever since. For whatever reason, this particular recipe never caught my eye before.  I recently made the Crunchy Buckwheat Cereal recipe and we all loved it.  Thumbs up from all four family members equates to blog worthy.  So here is a super easy, wholesome, homemade breakfast cereal recipe, straight from The Vegetarian Mothers Cookbook. 

Crunchy Buckwheat Cereal

2 cups raw whole Buckwheat Groats (found at local health food stores or online)
2 TBS sweetener (Raw Honey, Maple Syrup, Brown Rice Syrup,...)
1/4 cup nut or seed butter (almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, tahini,..)

Preheat oven to 300F. Spread buckwheat on large baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Stir buckwheat around a bit and roast for another 15-20 minutes until more golden.  Immediately mix hot buckwheat with sweetener and nut or seed butter until buckwheat is coated.  Cool.  Store in covered jar in refrigerator.  To serve, place 1/2 cup of cereal in bowl cover with milk of choice.  Add fresh or dried fruit. 

Makes approximately 4 servings.  I have been doubling the recipe to stretch it out a little longer and give us several days of easy breakfasts.  I personally like to use homemade coconut milk with this cereal. Oh so good!!

**Buckwheat is gluten-free despite wheat being part of the name.  If you want to learn more about buckwheat this link will be helpful for you.

Fresh Take On Snacking

As the heat settles in our mode of eating around here has shifted.  I find myself wanting to spend less and less time in the kitchen.  No A.C. will do that to a girl.  Not to mention it's too hot to want to eat anything hot, or at least in my book.  I want lots of raw, fresh, cooling food.  I have also found it is nearly impossible to get much into the tummies of my little girls the last few days. It's so hot and they've lost a bit of their appetite.  As a mom, I feel like I NEED to feed them but then I step back and realize I, myself am not wanting to eat much either.  I want fruit, ice tea, and some raw veggies.  Oh and some ice cream!
My girls fall into the same category.  I understand. I totally relate.  But I also recognize our need for at least some protein and fat. Despite my best intentions, woman can not live on ice cream alone.  Oh but if I could! 
The other day I made an attempt to spice up snack time a bit.  It was a hit with my two little girls, so I wanted to share it with you. 

I used a small muffin tin and filled each section with a different healthy snack. 

I used raw kolrhabi (a fan favorite around here and can be found at a local farmers market near you), garbanzo beans, strawberries, raw almonds, sugar snap peas, and red peppers. 

The girls loved having a variety to choose from and simply something different.  All was going well until I saw this.......

My 3 year old making claims on the strawberries!

That was quickly remedied and off they went exploring their variety of snacks. I was actually very surprised how well this went over with them. They were able to play and graze and by the time it was said and done they had eaten the whole try of goodies. I plan on surprising them more often with this idea and mixing up the snack offerings.  Options are endless!   

Strawberry Rhubarb Jello

Remember those bright red, green, and blue jello jigglers that decorated your plate as a child? Jello happened to be one of my favorite foods as a child.  I loved jello.  That is until as an adult I learned a truth of the jello making process that has forever changed my love affair with my dear jello.  Those yummy jello jigglers are held together by no other than gelatin.  No big deal, right? Well if you love jello and you don't want to be tainted forever please stop reading here. Close this post and walk away.  I had to add a warning for the jello lovers out there. 

This seemingly harmless gelatin is actually  derived from the bones and skin (hide) of pigs and cows.  The production of gelatin begins with boiling the bones, skins, and hides which releases collagen.  This collagen is then processed and dried and used in shampoos, cosmetics, coating on vitamins, on photographic film, and to thicken jello and puddings.   Take this gelatin and add some artificial sweeteners and food dyes and you have yourself some brightly colored jello.  Not exactly the mix I want my girls to be ingesting on a regular basis. 

I was excited last summer when I started discovering other alternatives to making jello.  Turns out there is this amazing little substance called Agar Agar that does the trick and no animal bones or hides are involved.  Agar Agar is a vegetarian gelatin substitute produced from a variety of seaweed vegetation.  Agar agar is actually a combination of various sea veggies and just like any other gelatin, it can be used to firm up jellies, pies and puddings. It simply dissolves in hot liquid and thickens at room temperature.  It is sold in health food stores, and comes in both flake and powder varieties.  It's not an inexpensive purchase so if at all available try purchasing it online or from a co-op.  This makes it much more cost effective.

This particular version of jello was based on one of my favorite spring time combos, strawberries and rhubarb.  It creates a bright, pretty color with no food dyes added.  A pan of this doensn't last long around our house.

I hope you enjoy a fun twist on the traditional jiggly jello!

Strawberry  Rhubarb Jello (veganized)

• 3 Rhubarb Stalks
• 2 cups Strawberry Puree***
• 1/2 cup water
• Honey or Pure Maple Syrup for sweetness
• 1 1/2  tsp Agar Agar powder

1.  First make a simple Rhubarb sauce.  Finely chop Rhubarb and add to a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water.  When fibrous stalks become stringy and mushy, it is done and you have yourself a tasty little rhubarb sauce.

2. Add the strawberry puree to the rhubarb sauce and heat up. 

3. Add the Agar powder and sweetner of choice.  Bring to boil.

4.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the Agar is dissolved. 

5. Poor into 8x8 pan and cool for several hours. 

6.  Cut and enjoy!

***I made strawberry puree by blending strawberries with a little bit of water.  The more water the thinner the puree and less dense the jello.  Use any leftover puree for smoothies.

 ***Another option is to use jam. I have done this as well and it makes a thicker jello which is quite tasty as well.

***Juice can be substituted to make other flavors.  I would recommend omitting the rhubarb in that case because it is just an extra in this recipe.  This leaves the door wide open for all sorts of interesting flavor combos.