Health Bars or Cookies???

I get tired of paying between $2-3 for various 'bars' at the grocery store just so I can have a quick fix when I need it.  So I decided to make my own.  After reading too many labels to count I decided to keep it simple for a first try and I think these are pretty darn good.  Almonds, Medjool dates, coco powder, dried cherries and vanilla are it...super simple. You can use any dried fruit to make your own!

 

Almond Date Bars

15 Medjol dates, pitted

1 c. raw almonds

1/2 c. dried cherries

1/8 c. cocoa powder

2 t. vanilla extract

Place almonds in food processor and start by pulsing.  Run for a minute until finely chopped, not butter. Add the pitted dates, dried cherries, cocoa powder and vanilla extract.  Run the processor for approximately 3 minutes until chopped and blended well.

Line a 9' x 9' pan with parchment paper and pour the date mixture into the pan. Press down firmly. Cover with more parchment paper and place in refrigerator until cool. Pull entire square out of pan by edges of parchment paper and cut with a sharp knife into desired size bars.

I carry them around for a snack in those brown wax paper bags you can find at most stores.

 

Wheat Berries with Pomegranate and Mint

Pomegranates in season and plentiful at the grocery stores this week and someone gave me a bag of wheat berries.  I thought why not? Put the two together with some fresh mint and lets see what happens. I’ve never cooked wheat berries, but have often added them to my salad from the salad bar at Whole Foods.  Their slightly firm and chewy texture is satisfying and full of protein. Add some pomegranate seeds with some fresh mint and you have a taste sensation full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Wheat Berries with Pomegranate and Mint

1 c. wheat berries
3 c. water
Seeds from one pomegranate
¼ c. chopped fresh mint
3 scallions
½ lemon
2 tsp. olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper

Rinse the wheat berries and place in medium sauce pan with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Simmer on medium heat for about 50 minutes or until water has evaporated. The berries should be firm and slightly chewy when done. Allow to cool to room temperature when finished cooking.
 
Place the pomegranate seeds, scallions and chopped mint into a medium bowl. Add the cooked wheat berries.
 
Make vinaigrette with the juice from ½ lemon and olive oil, pinch of salt and dash of black pepper. You can whisk it together in a small bowl with a fork.
 
Add the vinaigrette to the wheat berry mixture and fold gently to keep the pomegranate seed intact.
 
Enjoy!

Note: Peeling a pomegranate is easy when done in a large bowl of water. Score the outside of the pomegranate with a paring knife, submerge in the water and start peeling away. The pith will float to the top and the seeds will sink, making it easy to get to the delicious juicy seeds without staining your clothing and kitchen counter. I used Bob's Red Mill Hard Spring Organic Wheat Berries.

Go Green

Everybody could use a little more green, right? A green smoothie is an excellent way to get a leg up on your recommend servings of fruits and vegetables and may just help you get your leg up when needed. Trust me, you can't taste the spinach. By that one cup of spinach  with 7 tiny calories you also receive  vitamin A, vitamin C, and a bonus of iron and calcium. It couldn't be easier to make and you can pour it into your 'to go' cup and take with you. If the green color puts you off - add a cup of blueberries and you can go purple.

Green Smoothie

2 Bananas

1 cup strawberries, frozen

1 cup peaches, frozen

1 cup baby spinach, fresh

3 - 4 cups filtered water

Place the banana, strawberries, and peaches in your blender and pour in filtered water.  Blend, starting on low and gradually working up to high, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Blend until a vortex is created (i.e. tornado looking thing in the center), add your baby spinach and blend for approximately 1 more minute. 

Store unused portions in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Shake well before serving any stored smoothie. Enjoy!

Note:  This works best with a high powered blender such as a Vitamix. If you are using a non-commercial blender, your smoothie may not be as smooth and you may have to blend longer. Use less or more water depending on desired thickness. Feel free to experiment with different fruits and greens and remember...you can always add more green!

 

Sweet Curried Chickpeas

I love the final touches on a dish. Maybe some chopped parsley, toasted pine nuts or a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Little touches can take a dish from a meal to an event – something to be remembered and wanted again and again. I think these chickpeas on their own are pretty impressive, I can’t wait to add them to a salad, top a root vegetable tajine, or a pizza!

 

 

 

 

Sweet Curried Chickpeas

 
1 can (29 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and dried well
1 T. olive oil
1 t. sweet curry powder
½ t. sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse and dry the chickpeas. Put chickpeas in a large bowl and add olive oil. Mix well so all the chickpeas are coated with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the sweet curry powder, sea salt and pepper. Mix until all chickpeas are evenly coated. Place on a baking sheet, evenly spaced and roast in oven for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy!

You Can't Eat Your Cake And Have It Too?

Oh yes you can with this simple recipe for vegan chocolate cake. This cake is inspired by my friend Jennifer.  She shared a piece with me one morning and it was love at first bite.  Her trick is the extra cocoa powder. It makes the cake super chocolaty.

This recipe couldn't be any easier for non-bakers like myself. You mix and bake in the same pan for an easy clean up.  Even a caveman could do it...

Vegan Chocolate Walnut Cake

1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
¾ c. raw sugar
½ c. cocoa powder
¾ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
5 T. vegetable oil
1 T. distilled white vinegar
1 T. vanilla extract
1 C. water
Handful walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.

Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together in the pan. Add the vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla extract and water. Mix together with a fork, it doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth. Stir in the walnuts.

Bake on center rack of oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out smooth. Let cool on a rack.

Enjoy!

Soup's On

There has been a shift and it happened in a single evening. The air has become cool, the clouds are darker and heavier only allowing the sky blue to poke through intermittently and the lake has changed from the turquoise blues and heavenly greens of summer to dark blue with a thin black line as the horizon. Today I can not look out my window and fool myself into thinking I am looking at the ocean. It is Lake Michigan and she is saying “fall is near”.

Split Pea Soup

2 c. split green peas, picked through and rinsed
3 c. chopped onion
4 c. filtered water
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. onion powder
1 cube vegan bouillon
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, sauté the onion in the olive oil until soft on medium heat, about 4 minutes. Add the peas and water and stir well. Add the garlic powder, onion powder and vegan bouillon and simmer for 30 minutes on medium heat or until peas are tender. If the soup starts to boil, turn down the heat and continue to simmer.

Once the peas are tender remove from heat and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Take half of the soup, including most of the liquid and puree in a blender. Add back the puree to the chunky soup. You can add more sea salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika.

Enjoy!

Notes: Rapunzel Bouillon is the best. You can purchase at Whole Foods or other health food stores. I prefer the herb without salt. It is completely vegan and delicious.

Remember to hold the lid of the blender in place with a hot pad or kitchen towel when blending a hot liquid. I learned the hard way!

If you want to add a little something extra to the soup, a couple drops of red wine vinegar per serving really adds to the flavor – just a couple of drops. You could also use a little lemon juice.

Yields approximately 4 cups of soup.

Kale Salad

Kale is a powerhouse of a food. High in fiber, vitamins A, C, K and iron, kale is a food that makes you feel good. This salad is super simple to prepare and high on the delicious scale. It holds up well for a picnic and can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge.

Kale Salad

1 bunch organic kale
10 oz. grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ tsp. sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Tear kale off of stem into bite size pieces (approximately 1 inch). Wash kale well and dry. Place in large salad bowl. Add in the tomatoes, cranberries and pine nuts. In a smaller bowl, juice ½ the lemon and remove any seeds. Whisk in the olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Pour lemon juice mixture over the kale and mix with hands until evenly coated. Enjoy!