Of Autumn and Caramel Pudding...

Since my plant-based journey has begun, I have wondered how to replace my mom's delightful caramel pudding recipe. I tried using almond milk but it just separated as I boiled it. Plus it is full of sugar and butter, so I knew that I needed to lay that recipe aside for now.

Well, until now. I am so stoked that I just had to share this with you. I now have a caramel pudding recipe that rivals my mom's dairy-filled one! It's smooth. It's creamy. It's delicious!

Originally, I browned a little butter to carmelize the sugar,

 but I don't think it's necessary and for true McDougall/Fuhrman followers, 

this step is out.

So here's the recipe:

Aunt Cia's Caramel Pudding

1 block any firmness Silken Tofu

1 or 2 T molasses

1/3 c raw sugar or maple syrup

1 pinch salt

1 T vanilla extract

2 cups plant milk
2 T browned butter, optional

Blend til smooth. It may be thinner than pudding consistency after mixing, but refrigerate for a few hours, and it becomes this spoonable, delectable dessert.

Use it to dip apples...

or mix in a few bananas and a crumbled graham cracker...

or top a black bean brownie with it...

The possibilities are many.

I hope you try it and it delights your tastebuds like it has mine.

Of Berries And Chia...

When I was a school girl and would have to be home for a sick day,

my mom would often make McNess Coconut Pudding.

It was such a delicious treat, but one of those things I have totally

abandoned in whole food eating, trying to clean up our diet.

But sometimes I miss coconut pudding.

Well, not anymore!

Hello Chia Coconut Vanilla Pudding!

I don't eat it warm like we ate coconut pudding at home,

but this pudding fills the bill...

I had it this morning for mid morning meal...

with fresh strawberries and raspberries.

What deliciousness.

And so good for me, too.

I don't like the large amount of fat

in coconut milk, so I combine it with

almond milk and water and keep

a jar of it in my fridge for things such

as this.

Here is what I made this morning:

Cia's Vanilla Coconut Pudding

Into a bowl place

2 1/2 cups coconut almond milk

1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut

scant 1/2 c chia seeds

(I used white chia)
1 t. vanilla extract

2 T maple syrup

Stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnite

or just a few hours.

Combine with fruit of choice.

Deliciousness in every bite!

PS.

I didn't forget that I was going to write 

a post about my journey through food addictions.

I still hope to get that done some time.

A happy, healthy summer to all.

Banana Split, the Healthy Way

 

 

I was totally thrilled

to find this

recipe today.

 

 

First of all,

it is so pretty,

and it

has none of the

junk that 'real'

banana splits have.

 

I think this looks like

one of those

fun summer things

to bless

the children

with.

 

Maybe at the family

gathering

we are hosting

in August.

 

I found the recipe 

here.

Kickstart Your Health 4



Breakfast

Green Smoothie

Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Muffin with Peanut or Almond Butter and Honey

 

Lunch

"Panera" Black Bean Soup

with Brown Rice

Veggies and Dip

of your choice

(ranch, hummus, etc; just keep it free of excess oil and dairy free)

Apple with almond butter

Dinner

Roasted Broccoli with Asian Sauce of Choice

Asian Cole Slaw

Strawberry "Shortcake"

 

 

This is what I use for shortcake. It has no added sugar except from the chocolate:

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

 

In a Vitamix or powerful blender place:

 

1 c pitted dates, roughly chopped

1 c plant-milk

1 c water

3 T Chia seed meal

(I grind ahead of time in my Vmix or Magic Bullet and freeze)

1 c mashed banana

1/2 c chocolate chips

 

Mix the following together in a mixing bowl:

 

2 c whole grain flour

(for GF use 1 c buckwheat flour, 1/2 c millet flour, 1/2 c tapioca starch)

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1/2 t ground nutmeg

1/2 ground cinnamon

 

 

Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and mix.

 

Bake in muffin tins for 25-30 min at 350*.

I  usually make a double recipe and bake in a 9x13 pan

for 40 minutes or until done.



Tip:
Make enough soup to freeze for convenience food.
You can also serve the soup with a dollop of Almond Cream and garnish with cilantro.

Kickstart Your Health 2

Here is another sample menu for a plant based meal:

Breakfast
Granola and/or green smoothie

Lunch
Black Bean Burger
Veggie Platter and Hummus or Home made Ranch
Small piece of fruit, if desired

Dinner
Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad (there are several ideas for this,, such as here, as well as just making the traditional mayo/sugar/mustard/vinegar/salt dressing and tossing with chopped cauliflower, broccoli, red onion and adding cranberries or raisins and sunflower seeds if you like)
Roasted Veggies
Chocolate 'Ice Cream'

 

Roasted Veggies

 

Into a baking dish place

4 medium sized potatoes

(peeled, if not organic)

4 cups green beans

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2" pieces

1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

 

Toss with 1 or 2 c veggie broth or water

1 T dried onion flakes

1 T Mrs. Dash seasoning

1/2 t lemon pepper

1/2 t poultry seasoning

(I use Penzey's; no MSG)

 

Cover and bake at 350* for 1 1/2 hr or in a slow cooker for 4 hours on high.

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Ice Cream

 

Into a Vitamix or powerful blender place:

1 c milk

1 scoop Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder (optional)

1 scoop cocoa powder

1 t vanilla

1 rounded T peanut or almond butter

1 T chocolate chips (optional; we like the extra crunch)

Blend together.

Add 5 or  6 frozen banana pieces

(or more if you need them to make a soft serve consistency)

Blend til soft serve consistency.

 

Delicious over fresh sliced strawberries or bananas (or both)!

 

 



Of Summer and Ice Cream...



Humidity...it happens even here in the Fingerlakes in the summer, even though most days are pleasantly cool and breezy. Summer just seems to spell 'ice cream' and although we have not bought the traditional dairy, sugar filled ice cream for several years now, we certainly know pleasant replacements for it. I thought I would share some recipes with you that we enjoy in the summer time instead of ice cream as we used to know it.

Strawberry Coconut 'Frosty'

 

Into a 4 cup measure place

1 can coconut milk (like Thai Kitchen unsweetened)

2 c. almond or other plant based milk

1 t vanilla

Whisk together.

Into a Vitamix or powerful blender place

 

4 or 5 c frozen strawberries.

Pour the milk mixture over the berries.

Add 1/4 c sugar or maple syrup, if desired.

Blend til smooth.

 

Mango Peach Frosty

 

4 c coconut milk/almond milk/vanilla mixture poured over

2 cups frozen mango chunks

(I found awesome small chunks in 2 lb bags at Aldi in the seasonal freezer)

2-3 c frozen peaches

Blend until smooth.

 

 

 

 

We enjoy these so much we don't even miss ice cream

(not that ice cream is a must-have food by any means).

I certainly do not miss the sugar headaches and hangovers I used

to have when eating ice cream.

 

What about you.

 Do you

have a

favorite ice cream replacement

 to share?

 

 

Leave a comment and tell me about it.

Honey Roasted Chickpeas



I have been wanting to try this treat for awhile already and finally this afternoon, I gave it a whirl. Out of the many versions of roasted chickpeas there are to try, I went straight for the sweet one first. :-) It turned out to be a big success and I can't wait to use the leftovers on my salad.

Honey Roasted Chickpeas

 

Into a bowl place 1/2 c honey and the juice of 1 lime.

Add 2 T olive oil, a few shakes of chipotle pepper and salt.

 

Toss together and add 1 quart chickpeas

(rinsed and patted dry)

 

Toss the chickpeas to coat and spread evenly (in single layer)

onto a greased 9x13 baking sheet.

 

Bake in a 425* oven, shaking pan every 20 minutes or so

until chickpeas are brown and crispy on the outside

(about 45 minutes).

 

Cool and store leftovers in the fridge.

I am told that the 'crunchy' leaves in 48 hours.

 



Homemade Laraballs

A number of months ago, I was introduced to Lara Bars. They are a convenient, healthy snack food for a purse or when one is out and about buying groceries, and hungry enough to buy foods that will not build good health...

There are many flavors and they are all with  no added sugars or other non-whole foods.

Usually date and nut based, they are delicious!

 

My one pick with them is the price.

It is kind of an expensive pick me up when for 20 minutes of

little work, my daughter can whip up a batch of these babies

for a fraction of the cost

(considering that I buy many of my foods in bulk).

 

So here are three of our favorite flavors.

We call them Laraballs because we roll them into balls

instead of having them be flat bars as sold in stores.

 

Enjoy them!

 

Cherry Pie

(my all time favorite)

1 c almonds

1 c pitted medjool dates

1 c dried cherries

1 t vanilla

 

 

Chocolate Chip Brownie

 

1 cup mixed almonds and walnuts

1 c pitted medjool dates

1 cup dark chocolate chips

(I used dairy free chips from nuts.com)

1/4 c cacao powder

 

Chocolate Coconut

 

1 c mixed almonds and walnuts

1 c pitted medjool dates

1 c unsweetened shredded coconut

4 T cacao powder

 

 

For all recipes:

 

1. Grind the nuts in a food processor until they medium-coarse size.

2. Add other ingredients and pulse grind until combined. Sometimes we need to add a bit of water if it is too dry but only a T at a time.

 

3. Shape into small balls.

 

PS...

The cherry ones are totally delectable on their own, but made even more delectable

when dipped in dark, lightly sweetened chocolate. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and freeze.

Apricot Jam

This sauce is an easy alternative to premade jams or frostings. It is thickened with agar, a sea vegetable thickener that has a slightly sweet flavor and contains no sugar or fat.

Ingredients

 

1 cup apple juice concentrate
1 1/2 teaspoons agar powder
1 cup water
1 cup chopped apricots, fresh, frozen, or canned
1 8-ounce can juice-packed crushed pineapple
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

Combine apple juice concentrate, agar, and water in a saucepan. Let stand 5 minutes. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook 3 minutes.

Add apricots, pineapple with its juice, and ginger. Stir to mix. Remove from heat and chill thoroughly, 3 to 4 hours.

 

Per serving (1 tablespoon): 14 calories; 0 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 2.5% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.1 g protein; 3.5 g carbohydrates; 3 g sugar; 0.1 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 2 mg calcium; 0.1 mg iron; 0.9 mg vitamin C; 41 mcg beta carotene; 0 mg vitamin E
Source: Healthy Eating for Life and to Prevent and Treat Cancer by Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.