So much USEFUL information here

I had to post the link!  Everything from Vitamins to various guides on treatment for health problems!  So cool!

Tons of VERY USEFUL information for my plant eating friends!!! Vegan Health Home Page http://su.pr/28VJtQ

Vegan Quinoa and Black Beans ***** YUMMY!!!

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 (15 ounce) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, diced (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. 1Rinse the quinoa in a strainer. Sometimes it can have a bitter taste on the outside so rinsing gets rid of this.
2. 2Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook for a couple of minutes or until onion is soft.
3. 3Add the quinoa and vegetable broth to the pan. Add the cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. 4Stir in lime juice and frozen corn into the pan and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn is heated through.
5. 5Finally, mix in the black beans and cilantro. Garnish with chopped avocado if desired.
6. 6Serve hot or cold. Store in refrigerator.

Amazing Breakfast Cookie

This is perfect for those of us in a rush out the door in the morning...prepare the night before and grab on your way out :)

Amazing Breakfast Cookie

Ingredients:

1/3 cup oats
1 tablespoon of nut butter (almond, peanut, whatever--pick your fave!)
A sprinkling of protein powder such as Designer Whey (note: this is optional)
1/8 cup of soy milk or milk (or almond milk or whatever you like)
1/2 cup of optional add ins (ideas: mashed bananas, canned pumpkin, apple sauce)
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
Optional: A sprinkling of something sweet, like a little sugar, agave or honey 

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients together, then put the "dough" on a plate and form into a flat, round shape. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. It will harden slightly from the nut butter and the oats will soften from the milk. In the morning, grab a spoon and enjoy!

Enjoy!

Arugula Pesto

2-3 c. fresh, baby Arugula
4 cloves of Garlic
1 c. fresh Basil leaves
1/4 c. Pine Nuts
1/4 c. Pecans
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

4-5 green onions, chopped including the tops. Save some of the green tops for garnish.

1 lb pasta
6-8 sun dried tomatoes, 1/4″ slices
Salt to taste

Put the first 9 ingredients in your food processor and process until smooth. If it’s too thick just add a little bit more olive oil. Mix in the onions. Taste before adding any salt.

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Put pasta in a large bowl and add the pesto and gently toss until each piece is lightly coated with pesto. Add sliced dried tomatoes and toss again. Serve warm. DE-LICIOUS!

Fruit Pizza - YUMMY!!!

Spring is in the Air

Finally, Spring is starting to arrive all over the country and that awful snow and cold will soon be gone. My favorite time of year is Spring. Although, I don't live up north anymore I love when the birds start chirping again and the windows are open and everyone seems to have such a happier attitude. I am looking forward to visiting Kansas in mid April so that I can enjoy some of that Spring time glow. I am passing along one of my favorite Spring/Summer recipes. It is super easy; it is great for dessert after a BBQ or just something fresh and sweet! It is a happy ending to any meal. Enjpy!!!

Fruit Pizza

Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup powder sugar

1 cup fresh peach slices

1 cup halved or quartered fresh strawberries

1 cup fresh blueberries

 

*Any other fruit you like (kiwi, apples, banana, raspberries)

 

DIRECTIONS

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-inch pizza pan or spray with cooking spray. In pan, break up cookie dough; press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust.
• Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Spread mixture over cooled crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese.

 Cut into wedges or squares. Store in refrigerator.

I have also drizzled melted chocolate over the pizza too for an extra touch!

Here are some photos of other ways you can arrange your fruit pizza:

Creamy Latin Pasta Salad

I stumbledupon this tonight and it looked AMAZING there are some things including HAM that would be omitted if I made this as well as those yucky green olives but this sounds so yummy and some green chili would be pretty nice touch too if you ask me!  One of my all time favorite things to do with recipes is to modify them to appeal more to me so please leave those comments and let us know how you change them up!

Ingredients

• 1 pound rotini pasta (3/4 of a 16-ounce box)
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or queso blanco
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime, juiced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded, ribbed, and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, ribbed, and chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup peeled and chopped jicama
• 1/2 cup pimento stuffed olives

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir with a wooden spoon, and cook until tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Drain, place in a large bowl and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, combine the evaporated milk, oil, feta, cilantro, lime juice and some salt and pepper in a blender. Puree until the dressing is smooth and creamy.

Place the drained pasta in a large bowl. Add bell peppers, peas, onions, jicama and olives. Pour the dressing over the pasta and gently mix it into the salad. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours before serving.

Garlic and Broccoli Spaghetti

For those of you who don’t like garlic (or those who are of the Vampire persuasion, I don’t judge), this is not a recipe for you. This is a classic Italian dish that was taught to my family by my long time Vegetarian and Italian Aunt Lori. Though some modifications have been made over the years, it’s still as delicious as ever! What could be more tasty then broccoli, spaghetti, olive oil and copious amounts of garlic? If you answered nothing, then try this out! You won’t be disappointed.

What you will need:

• 1 lb Spaghetti (you could use Angel Hair or Capellini.)
• 1 lb Broccoli crowns, cut into bite sized pieces (stems too!)
• 1 1/4 Cup Olive Oil (use really good stuff for this!)
• 2 Small Bulbs of Garlic (minced)
• Salt to taste.

Directions:

1. My first step in pasta dishmaking is always putting on a pot of salted water. While that is on, start prepping your broccoli and your garlic. I know it seems like quite a lot, but it is the main flavor of this dish. Hey I warned you.
2. When the water comes to a boil, here is where it gets slightly complicated. If you are using regular spaghetti, put the broccoli in first and after about 3 minutes, add the pasta. If you are using thin, angel hair or capellini, put the broccoli in about 7 minutes before the pasta. Also, it depends are how done you like your broccoli and your spaghetti. You may have to make this dish a few times before you get your combo just right.
3. While all that is boiling away on the stove, you need to get out your favorite sauce pan (or just a deep frying pan will work fine). Put the olive oil and garlic and a little pinch of salt in and begin to sauté it at a very low heat. If you burn the garlic it will be bitter, by slowly cooking it, it will be sweet. Don’t ever let the garlic turn brown! That’s a death sentence. Trust me, I’ve done it before.
4. After the pasta is to your liking, drain the whole kit and kaboodle. Put it back in the pot still slightly watery. Then pour on your olive oil/garlic mix. Toss, season with some salt and what you have there is a fantastic main course and a great alternative to the humdrum spaghetti night.

Had to share this!

One of my friends from twitter blogged this today and it sounds amazing!  I also recommend following his blog!  Lots of useful information here!!!!!

http://littleelfs.blogspot.com/2011/03/italian-style-rice-with-sun-dried.html?showComment=1300326675616#c1977874913608696747

13 Bean Soup

Ok so I didn't exactly know what I was doing with this one but it turned out freakin amazing!!!!

What you will need:
-One package of 13 bean soup mix, I got mine in the soup aisle at Sprouts it is just a package of beans so you can also buy the kind they have in the bulk section.
-One can of Roasted Garlic Diced Tomatoes, I got these at Whole Foods and they are fantastic!!
-One small can of tomato Paste
-Two cartons of Veggie Stock I used both of them and added a little bit of water
-Sweet Basil, Two Bay Leafs, Dash of Sage and diced Garlic ( I used all these to taste but I think the roasted Garlic tomatoes really packed the punch with this so I didn't use a lot of spices)
-Wild Rice

so if you follow the instructions on the package is says soak your beans overnight but I am the most impatient person on the planet and that isn't gonna work for me.  I soaked them for maybe 20 minutes and dumped the beans and everything except the rice into the crockpot and turned it on HIGH for about 6 hours.  The house smelled AMAZING.  After the beans started to get soft I cooked the rice separate so it didn't soak up all the liquid in my pot.  If you use wild rice like I did it takes about 30-45 minutes for this to cook in case you are one of those people who uses minute rice and another odd thing is that wild rice POPS so don't freak out!

This filled my ENTIRE crockpot so you will have LOTS of soup.  I wouldn't suggest this if you are cooking for one lol!  Bon Appetite!