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Black Bean Humus

Posted May 4, 2013 By Sandy

We are big black bean fans (I suppose that is partly because we are allergic to some of the other beans).  I use black beans in lots of my recipes, but none of my recipes are as famous as my husband’s black bean humus.

When Malcolm makes this recipe for potlucks, it is usually a huge success.  We have learned to print off copies of the recipe before we head out the door — because we get so many requests.

Malcolm’s Famous Black Bean Humus Recipe!

Black Beans

In Vitamix, add:
2/3 cup sesame seeds
½ cup first cold pressed olive oil
2/3 cup lemon (or lime) juice

Start SLOW to prevent splashing, build VERY slowly, up to full speed. (Makes a tahini-like mush, or may substitute ½ cup tahini instead of seeds)

Add Spices:
1 slightly rounded tsp Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 T Oregon Spice salsa seasoning (available from OregonSpice.com or use any taco or salsa seasoning available)

Add:
2 cups cooked black beans or 1 can, undrained or may drain and rinse to reduce sodium
2 cups cooked garbanzos (chickpeas) or 1 can, DRAIN and RINSE

3-6 cloves garlic (peeled)
1 large handful (1/3 cup) pitted black olives
½ large or 1 medium onion, peeled (may also use or substitute 6 green onions and/or 4″ of large leek)

Add up to 1 cup water, just enough to turn the Vitamix (only need ½ cup water, if used un-drained black beans)

Recommended:
1 or 2 jalapenos, or ¼ cup canned jalapeno slices, or cayenne to taste

Optional variations, add to taste:
Cilantro, Basil, Green Olives, etc.

Blend well in Vitamix, transfer to container(s), refrigerate – keeps up to 2 weeks.

Great as appetizer! Serve with chips, pita bread, tortillas, bread or crackers!!

Black beans are really good for you!  They are our ‘go to’ bean for most Mexican dishes as well as this humus recipe.

For more black bean humus recipes, check out my mini website:

Easy Nutritious Vegan Black Bean Humus Recipes

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Potato Soup

Posted January 18, 2013 By Sandy

When I was little, my mother use to make a version of Potato Soup that I greatly disliked.  Don’t know why (although, I did not like much of my mom’s cooking as found a whole new world of food when I got out on my own!!) — I just didn’t like it.

Soup Tureen 2Fast forward about 30 years, and potato soup is a regular around our house.  It is simple to make and can easily be varied depending on the veggies you have on hand.

Here is my basic recipe:

Potato Soup

Recipe Type: Soup
Author: Sandy Dell
Ingredients
  • One onion, diced
  • Couple stalks of celery, diced
  • Couple carrots, diced
  • 4-5 potatoes, chopped
  • Vegetable broth or water
  • seasonings
Instructions
  1. Saute onions, celery and carrots in a large pot.
  2. Add chopped potatoes
  3. Cover with water or a mix of water and broth.
  4. Bring to a boil and simmer until the veggies are soft.
  5. Pour about half the mixture into the blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into the pot and add seasoning.
  6. Re-heat if necessary and serve.

You could easily add any leftover veggies you have on hand or substitute zucchini for the carrots.  Mushrooms also add some wonderful flavor.

I received a post from Jule’s with another potato soup recipe that is a bit different than mine, but sounded just as good.

Here are here ingredients:

  • Vegetable stock or water
  • 8-10 medium-large potatoes (Russet or other white potatoes)
  • ½ large head of cauliflower
  • 3-4 carrots
  • 4 thick stalks of celery
  • 1 onion
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Cayenne pepper, cumin or red pepper flakes, to taste, if you prefer spicier soup (optional)

Click here to check out the directions for Jules Vegan Potato Soup (she also has a link to a cornbread recipe that sounds equally as good!)

What are you having for supper tonight?

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Christmas Cookies: Candy Cane Balls

Posted December 1, 2012 By Sandy

Guess what?  It is December 1 — which means Christmas cookies recipe time!!

Between now and the end of the month, I will post as many Gluten Free Vegan Christmas Cookie recipes that I can find!  And you are welcome to join in and submit your own, and I will post them (email me at GFDFSandy (at) gmail (dot) com).

Today’s first Christmas Cookie Recipe:  Candy Cane Balls is from Michelle at Find Your Balance.

Christmas Cookies: Candy Cane Balls

Recipe Type: Christmas Cookies
Author: Michelle from Find Your Balance
Special Note from the author: I’ve had many people make this recipe with success, and a few who had their balls come out like puddles instead. To eliminate extra liquid, make sure to use refrigerated peanut butter instead of the natural stuff that’s super runny when it’s new out of the jar.
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup mashed overripe banana (about 2 small bananas)
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbl. pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 4 drops peppermint essential oil
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut
  • 1/2 cup raw cacao nibs
  • Except for cacao, mix everything together in a bowl. Roll into walnut-sized balls, then roll each ball in cacao.
  • Refrigerate overnight to set. Makes about 1 dozen balls.
Instructions
  1. Except for cacao, mix everything together in a bowl. Roll into walnut-sized balls, then roll each ball in cacao.
  2. Refrigerate overnight to set. Makes about 1 dozen balls.

 

I am sure that most of you have some great Gluten Free Vegan Christmas Cookie recipes.

Want to share them?  I will post any recipe that I receive as long as it is Gluten Free and Vegan.  Just email them to me here!

Hope you join in the fun!!

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Apple Cinnamon Kale Chips

Posted November 28, 2012 By Sandy

If you are like me, you are looking for ways to include more nutritious greens, like Kale, in your diet.  Kale is an excellent source of beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and rich in calcium.  I use it in smoothies, but I have been told that it makes really good tasting ‘chips’.

So imagine my delight to find this recipe for Apple Cinnamon Kale Chips.  Originally posted by Chef Amber Shea from her cookbook, Practically Raw, where she devoted an entire chapter to Kale Chips!!

Apple Cinnamon Kale Chips

Recipe Type: Veggie Snack
Author: Chef Amber Shea
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dried apples (preferably unsulfured), soaked for 2 hours and drained
  • 1 cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours and drained
  • 1 cup water or nondairy milk
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 large bunch curly kale, stems removed, torn or chopped (about 8 cups chopped)
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients except kale in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed to blend.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the kale and the apple-cinnamon sauce. Use your hands to massage the sauce all over the kale, making sure it’s coated completely.
  3. Raw: Arrange the kale in a single layer on a Teflex-lined dehydrator tray. Dehydrate for 8 to 10 hours or overnight, until crisp.
  4. Baked: Preheat the oven to 300°F and grease a baking sheet with coconut oil. Arrange the kale in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and use a fork or spatula to carefully flip the kale chips over (it’s ok if you miss a few). Bake for about 10 more minutes, watching carefully to make sure the kale doesn’t burn, then remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Make sure to check out Chef Amber Shea’s original post to check out all the different tips and substitutions she offers on this recipe!

If you like this post or this blog, please share with your friends by clicking one of the links below.

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Pumpkin Crispy Rice Treats

Posted October 11, 2012 By Sandy

With Halloween just around the corner, I am finding more and more recipes for cute and healthy goodies!  I thought this Pumpkin Crispy Rice Treat was really cute — especially since Crispy Rice Treats are one of my favorite desserts (naturally gluten free and vegan!).

The original recipe is from Jules Gluten Free.  If you are not familiar with Jules Shephard, I highly recommend subscribing to her newsletters.  Not only will you get occasional special offers on her products, but you will receive some great Gluten Free (and often vegan) recipes!

Photo courtesy of Jules Gluten Free

Pumpkin Crispy Rice Treats

Recipe Type: Holiday treat and desserts
Author: Jules from Jules Gluten Free
Ingredients
  • 3 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
  • 12 oz large or 6 cups miniature marshmallows — fresh
  • 4 cups+ Gluten-Free Crispy Rice Cereal
  • Gluten-Free Spearmint Leaves Candy
Instructions
  1. Place butter in a large, deep pot over low heat on the stovetop. Stir until melted with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Add the fresh marshmallows (they should be very soft and squishy) and stir constantly, until melted. Remove from heat and slowly stir in the cereal. You may add more cereal to the mixture if it is too marshmallow-y, but add slowly because these treats should be more malleable than regular bar treats.
  2. The mixture will begin to harden as it cools, so work quickly and if possible, have a partner or kid ready to help! Scoop out balls of equal size (expect anywhere from 9 – 12, depending on size), then roll the balls in orange sanding sugar and while pressing and smoothing them into pumpkin shapes.
  3. Using a sharp knife, cut the spearmint leaves into stems and slice thinly for leaves. Wet the ends lightly and press onto formed pumpkins. Decorate the faces, if you like, using frosting or other gluten-free candies. Seal in airtight containers if they’re not all eaten right away!

 

One note on Jules site that I found very interested (and was not sure of until I read it) is that Kellogg’s Rice Krispy is NOT gluten free.  Here is her note:

Because of barley malt (gluten) flavoring, regular Rice Krispies® Cereal is NOT gluten-free. Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal (has always been gluten-free & is certified GF by GFCO) is a great alternative and makes awesome treats! It’s also only made from 3 recognizable, natural ingredients: Organic Brown Rice; Organic Brown Rice Syrup; and Sea Salt. Recently Kellogg’s introduced a new gluten-free version of their Rice Krispies Cereals, but since my kids already loved the Erewhon cereal and it is certified organic and gluten-free, I’m sticking with it!

I would recommend that you check out Jules original post as she offers lots of suggestions for ingredients for the Pumpkin Crispy Rice Treats.

Enjoy!!

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Spicy Potato Fritters

Posted October 4, 2012 By Sandy

I don’t promote many recipes that call for deep frying.  Not sure why as I recommend coconut oil and I don’t think you can get too much coconut oil!  This recipe for Spicy Potato Fritters looked too good to pass up!

The original post is by Sangeetha Manikandan, from southern part of India, and posted on her Spicy Treats blog.  So not only do we have a great recipe, but we also have an international one!!

Photo courtesy of Spicy Treats

Spicy Potato Fritters

Recipe Type: Snack, veggie dish
Author: Sangeetha Manikandan from Spicy Treats
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cup (4 or 5 medium potatoes boiled and mashed)
  • 1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 small Carrot (shredded)
  • 5-6 sprigs Cilantro (finely chopped)
  • 2 tsp. Ginger (finely chopped)
  • 1 cup Besan Flour/Gram Flour/Kadalai Maavu
  • 2 TBSP Rice Flour
  • 1/2 tsp or to taste Chili Powder
  • Pinch of Hing
  • 1/2 tsp. Fennel seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 TBSP Water
Instructions
  1. Boil potatoes, then peel the skin and mash it well using potato masher or spoon n keep aside.
  2. In a bowl, add mashed potato, finely chopped onions, cilantro, ginger, n shredded carrots and mix everything well.
  3. And in another bowl add all dry ingredients, gram flour, rice flour,salt,chili powder and hing mix well then add the dry ingredients to the potato mixture and combine well.
  4. Sprinkle water and mix well to a tight dough(will be bit sticky, thats ok but not too much of moisture).
  5. Now heat oil in a wok/kadai, when its get really hot, pinch a small amount of dough slightly flatten it using finger tips and drop it hot oil.
  6. Fry in medium high heat, after 1 or 2 minutes turn other side and fry till it turns light golden brown and crisp.
  7. Once done remove from the oil using slotted ladle and drain the excess oil in paper towel.
  8. Do repeat the same for all remaining dough.

 

To avoid confusion, here is the American equivalent of some of the ingredients:

  • Besan Flour/Gram Flour/Kadalai Maavu is commonly known as ChickPea or Garbanzo Bean flour.
  • Hingis also referred to as devil’s dung, stinking gum, asant, food of the gods, giant fennel, Jowani badian, hing and ting (I think I would use fennel).

Sangeetha also has some wonderful tips, dips and pictures on her original post, so make sure to check it out as well.

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Kale and Garlic Hummus

Posted September 19, 2012 By Sandy

My husband makes a great humus!  His recipe is the best, as far as I am concerned ….. then I found this recipe for Kale and Garlic Hummus!  WOW!!  You not only get the benefits of some good tasting Hummus, but you also the added bonus (and nutrition) of Kale!

The following Roasted Garlic & Kale Hummus recipe is featured on the Free People (Building 25) Blog and was posted by Beth or “tastyyummies”!

Picture courtesy of Free People, Building 25, blog

Kale and Garlic Hummus

Recipe Type: Appetiser
Author: “Beth (tastyyummies) from Free People (Building 25) blog
Serves: Makes 2-3 cups
Source: Roasted Garlic & Kale Hummus – Gluten-Free + Vegan | Free People Blog http://blog.freepeople.com/2012/09/roasted-garlic-kale-hummus-glutenfree-vegan/#ixzz26wJDcdxG
Ingredients
  • 1 bulb of fresh garlic
  • 1 large can (25 ounces) organic garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup tahini, well stirred
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse or kosher salt
  • 1 small bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped, about 2 to 3 tightly packed cups
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Red pepper flakes or black pepper
Instructions
  1. Roast Your Garlic (see original recipe for instructions: http://blog.freepeople.com/2012/09/roasted-garlic-kale-hummus-glutenfree-vegan/#ixzz26wIvM29f)
  2. Make your hummus: Reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid, rinse and drain chickpeas. Place chickpeas and reserved liquid in a food processor. Add in the kale, freshly squeezed lemon juice, tahini, roasted garlic, salt and a little freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes. Process until smooth. Drizzle in just a bit of olive oil while its processing, it makes it even smoother and gives it a nice, subtle taste.
  3. Sprinkle a bit of red pepper flakes or smoked paprika and drizzle a bit of olive oil on top when serving.
  4. Serve with your favorite gluten-free goodies like rice crackers, tortilla chips, raw veggies, or serve it on a sandwich, in a wrap and more. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

 

If you are familiar with my husband’s Humus Recipe, you will note that we make our own tahini.  This is how he makes it:

In Vitamix, add:
2/3 cup sesame seeds
½ cup first cold pressed olive oil
2/3 cup lemon (or lime) juice

Start SLOW to prevent splashing, build VERY slowly, up to full speed. (Makes a tahini-like mush, or may substitute ½ cup tahini instead of seeds)

Of course, if you use his recipe for tahini, you may need to adjust the liquid in the Kale & Garlic Hummus recipe above.

So, let me know how it turns out for you!

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‘Putting Up’ Summer Fruit

Posted September 13, 2012 By Sandy

Late summer is a busy time of the year for us.  We get loads of fruit from our yard, our friends and the local Farmer’s Market.  We don’t grow a garden — there are too many deer and rabbits around here that would eat it all before we could harvest it!!

Over the last couple weeks, I have frozen a bunch of cherries from our yard, and some peaches from the orchard down the road.  Last week a good friend of ours gave us all the apples and plums we could get off her trees.  She told us the apple were marginal, but hoped we could do something with them.  So ….. we made Plumpple sauce, and it turned out great.

If you are adventurous and would like to try this sauce, here is the simple recipe:

  • Take your largest pot and put about a cup of water in the bottom of it.
  • Cut up the apples into smaller piece making sure to remove the bruises and bad spots.
  • Fill the pot about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
  • Next, cut the stones out of the plums (the hardest part) and add to the pot of apples.
  • Simmer for around 8 to 12 hours.
  • Run the whole pot of fruit through a Food Strainer and Sauce Maker (mine is a 30 year old Presto brand).
  • Return the strained fruit to the pot and simmer until it is the consistency of apple sauce — being careful to remember that it thickens as it cools down.
  • Spoon into pints or quarts, and process in water bath for about 25 minutes.

I ended up with six pints, one quart (for my friend who gave us the fruit) and another pint or so that I put in the refrigerator (it was gone within a day!).  And it was one of the best tasting sauces I have made yet!

Next, I will be drying Italian Plums (prunes).  Will be out in the yard picking very soon!

 

 

 

 

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Gluten Free FRUIT Pizza

Posted August 28, 2012 By Sandy

I eat lots of fruit, so I enjoy recipes that use fruit in unique ways.  Fruit salads are wonderful, but when I am real adventurous, I will try something like our featured recipe:  Gluten Free Fruit Pizza.

The Gluten Free Fruit Pizza is original post by One Love Meg — and sounded so wonderful that I wanted to share it with all of you!

Vegan and Gluten Free Dessert Fruit Pizza

Ingredients:

 Crust:

  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 2/3 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
  • 2 teaspoon coconut oil (heat to melt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 to 1-1/3 cups brown rice flour

Sauce:

  • Avocado
  • 1 cup Coconut Milk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ cup Brown Sugar

Fruit of your choice for toppings: Kiwi, Peach, Strawberries, Bananas, Blueberries etc. (try and be as colorful as possible)

READ FULL RECIPE — to find out how to put this all together and see the wonderful pictures she included!

When I make this, I think I would try adding some lemon juice to the sauce.  I would not want the avocado to turn brown and lemon juice should help.

So what fruit would you use  on this pizza?  I think I would use bananas, kiwi and peaches like she suggested — but will also add huckleberries and maybe cherries!

Share your thoughts with us!

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Pizza Flavored Kale Chips

Posted August 16, 2012 By Sandy

I have always wondered how to make Kale Chips — and then I stumbled across this Pizza Flavored Kale Chips recipe.  Sounded really interesting and the author, Chef Amber Shea, includes LOTS of photos in her post!

Look at all those nutritious ingredients!  I’ll have to try this recipe for sure!!

Pizza Kale Chips

dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free, nut-free, sugar-free, raw

1/4 cup sunflower seeds, soaked for 2 to 4 hours and drained
1/4 cup hempseeds
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons filtered water
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed, roughly chopped (6 to 8 cups)

Combine all ingredients except kale in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed to blend.

In a large bowl, combine the kale and the pizza sauce. Use your hands to massage the sauce all over the kale, making sure it’s coated completely.

Make it Raw: Arrange the kale in a single layer on a Teflex-lined dehydrator tray. Dehydrate for 8 hours or overnight, until crisp.

Make it Baked: Preheat the oven to 300°F and grease a baking sheet with coconut oil. Arrange the kale in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and use a fork or spatula to carefully flip the kale chips over (it’s ok if you miss a few). Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes, watching carefully to make sure the kale doesn’t burn, then remove from the oven and let cool completely.

READ FULL POST — plus check out her pictures

If you like this recipe, you might want to purchase Chef Amber Shea’s cookbooks below:

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