artisan bread

This is a simple bread that literally requires very little attention or time...unless you want to wait a week to make it more sour. Then, it would just be 'time passing' and hopefully you are doing something else during that week...I have made this in to rounds or long baguettes, both are excellent. I don't even use a mixer for this one. 

garlic & tomato angel hair

This is another amazing meal where meat is definitely not needed and/or missed... And to top it off, it's quite inexpensive to make, and it is a beautiful meal. Mmmmmm, I can just smell the garlic...If you do want a meat to go with it, Chicken or Salmon would be completely delicious....

quniona burgers

Lately, we've enjoyed many meals that don't have any meat in them... Not that we don't love meat, but we haven't been really 'missing' it because we've had some awesome meals lately! These quinoa burgers are YUM!

apfel klöβe

We had the priviledge to live in a perfectly quaint little village called Dudledorf, Germany for about 2 years.  The main street was as quintessential an old village as you can find.  On the main street (cobblestone, of course) there was a restaurant called Torschänke that was like none other.  The menu changed with the season, the chef/owner was a master but it was small enough that he would visit you at your table often and he knew his customers well. 

vegetarian soylent green

the world is a scary place. people will do anything to get what they need. and people need soylent green. but there is an obvious moral confliction. what are we left to do?

never fear. I have the solution - vegetarian soylent green.

coconut shrimp with garlic lime sauce

coconut shrimp with garlic lime sauce

this is a recipe to convert the non-believers. I know. I used to be a non-believer. as long as I can remember, I've despised seafood.

"Spring Break" & Birthday Cake

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Sarah. She was poor. Her birthday was coming up. Her birthday was in Spring Break. But she did'nt know what Birthday dinner she wanted. So her mom gave her clues. But...she didn't like those dinners. But her mom said she has to get used to things she didn't like. But she reminded her mom that it was her birthday and so she got to choose.

chocolate cake--classic

this has been a family favorite for several years... i've had so many compliments from this cake and my kids (and husband) totally devour it. i had been on the search to find a moist, non-fluffy, yet not too heavy chocolate cake and actually found the hershey's recipe to be much like what i was looking for... it is not only delicious the first day, but days 2, 3 & 4 it is still fantastic...but shhh, we don't really continue eating the cake each day after the initial event, right? :)

cheese crusted quesadillas

Yesterday, I was making quesadillas for lunch (which is a very common occurance in our house) and I was musing about how much I like the crispy cheese the falls out and fries on the hot griddle.  Then it hit me - this should be utilized, oh, could it possibly work if I crusted the whole quesadilla with it?!

banana turds

I got this recipe called "Banana Cookies" from my mom years ago.  We love them.  They are perfect for road trips, camping and good snacking but there was just one problem with them - the name... "Cookies".  Despite being sweet and nutty and very yummy they aren't what you expect when you think you are biting into a cookie.  They don't taste indulgently gratifying like a cookie should, they are more... well... wholesome, more like a muffin or something.  So, if you think you are getting a tantalizing "cookie" and then bite into it, it doesn't taste that great.  But, if you call them a "turd"... 

Nature's Natural Ingredients & Whole Wheat Bread w/ Potatoe Flakes

 I thoroughly enjoy preparing a meal from scratch. I could easily prepare food for 8 hours straight and not even realize how much time has gone by until I see the amazing spread of food that was just prepared. (and I feel the pain I've been ignoring in my back, which is by now..screaming at me)

hearty pumpkin cookies

I love cookies.  Especially a good hearty cookie - nicely complex but complimentary flavors and texture, not just sugar-sweet.  We all have a consistent drive to make food more healthful - higher in fiber and whole grains, lower in fat and sugar.  Unfortunately, doing so usually makes treats that are less appealing than their original yumminess.  Usually, but not always...

perfect "french toast saturday" bread

Saturday mornings = french toast mornings in our house.  Most of the time we just use regular store-bought bread but if b.r.g.d. is lucky then I will pull a loaf of this perfectly rich whole wheat bread out of my busy Friday afternoon. 

focaccia or panini? yes.

We have a friend from Italy who says there are places in Italy where focaccia is what we know as a panini.  That is kind of cool, because if you ask me, focaccia is the best kind of bread for a panini.  And if you ask him this recipe produces authentic tasting focaccia.

"neiman marcus" cookies

I got this recipe about 15 years ago,  It was being spammed around the email world claiming that some lady had been tricked into paying $450 for the recipe so she was getting them back by emailing it to the world for free.  The claim was totally false but the cookies are totally good. 

I think the recipe has been propagated fairly widely but I still get asked for it on a regular basis.  Yes, it is the one with blended oatmeal.

freezing cookie dough

Nothing is worse than wanting to use that yummy cookie dough from the freezer and pulling out a brick of it that takes hours to defrost.

okara oatmeal cookie

Lovin' these oatmeal cookies.  They are healthy and delicious and if you want a little more health try adding some ground flax and wheat bran. Okara is soybean meal. It is a good source of protein and high in fiber.

quinoa salad with tempeh nuggets

tempeh bake

Another family favorite. Tempeh is a fantastic source of protein. It has a nutty flavor and a firm texture. This recipe is from The Tofu Cookbook, which I love.

sweet cinnamon quinoa

I found this recipe online and loved it. We really love quinoa at our house and this is a fantastic way to enjoy it for breakfast.

pumpkin pie filling

This is a great vegan pumpkin pie filling. Delicious and very easy. Try doing things a little differently with the spices or top with pecans and enjoy.

pie crust - vegan

This recipe is awesome for a great vegan pie crust but it also works well with adding vegan chocolate chips and forming into dough balls.  Cook them as cookies or just enjoy them raw.  

you have been chopped!

Welcome to Chopped! The rules are simple - you have 15 min to create your dessert masterpiece and you must use every ingredient in the basket. Today’s mystery ingredients are…

...cinnamon...canned pumpkin...nutella...and golden raisins. Time starts now.

red bean chocolate cake

Last week I was visiting a dear friend and she mentioned something about putting beans in her cakes. Seriously--white beans for lighter cakes, red/kidney beans for chocolate cakes. I was completely fascinated with this idea and knew I would try it. Can I just say....AMAZING?!!  I have had my sister's cakes that call for soy flour and tofu, so I was not very skeptical when this idea was shared. But this cake has NO FLOUR and it is GOOD! And my 7 year old daughter who will only eat a bean if she's forced, LOVED this cake. Oh wait, it's because she had no idea there were any beans in the cake...and when I told her, she wanted more and asked if I was teasing her. "The cake with the beans in it tasted wonderful"

gruel

This gruel will have your orphans saying "please sir, may I have some more?"

I found this recipe in a book published in 1714. I was captivated by this book. One of the more notable recipes I stumbled across called "Ricketty Drink" calls for 300 live wood lice, and boasts "Tis almost infallible for weak children".

carrot cake-whole wheat

i have been making this carrot cake for almost 9 years and my whole family loves it...it is very healthy, (except for the the cream cheese frosting, but hey....what's a little cream cheese?)  this also makes excellent muffins. so go on, try this one if you want something moist, more on the healthy side and that has a good spice to it...my paper recipe is so well used, there are stains all over it. about time to type it up!

flax seed bread

My dad introduced me to this recipe and I love it. It is a really good hearty and healthy bread.  It is made with whole wheat flour and it is full of flax seed which is very high in omega 3's and in dietary fiber. I love a slice of this lightly toasted with a little home made applesauce, avocado or almond butter. It goes with just about anything.

cheescake trifected - cake, sauce and crust!

I have been working on perfecting the art of cheesecake for... oh... about 3 years.  Finally, I think I can say, as far as we are concerned - it has been achieved.  (Of course, it probably won't stop me from tweaking.)

fresh salsa

This is a wonderful quick fresh salsa recipe. The ingredients are simple enough to grow in your own garden. You can vary all of these ingredients to your own taste. Enjoy it on a home made burrito or with a bowl of corn chips. It is awesome.

greengo sauce

so, dressings & sauces of any variety are often not healthy, making you feel like you can only take a small amount. this is an awesome sauce/dressing that is healthy, yummy and has nice 'kick'. I love to have this on salad or in a burrito.

flour tortillas

I had been on the search to find a good tortilla recipe that wasn't too high in fat, is versatile enough that I can use straight whole wheat flour, white flour, spices, flax, or whatever I think sounds good for my meal... I came across a 'Texas' tortilla recipe and have been playing with it for over a week. it's been a fun week, with many tortillas consumed by my entire family, with the exception of you cali people. :)

ginger tofu

This is an excellent recipe to go with stir fried veggies on a bed of brown rice. We love stir fries, especially because you can modify and experiment with different sauces and ingredients and change up the veggies with whatever your in the mood for or whatever is in season.

strawberry caprese! (and a word... or two... on balsamic)

We have all had traditional caprese insalata (and if you haven't you should) - tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic - it's awesome!  We love it!  But we saw strawberry caprese under the salad options on the menu at a nice restaurant recently and we were intrigued.  Unfortunately, we were there during one of the biggest snowstorms of the winter so they didn't have any strawberries on hand.  So, I subsequently did a little searching on the internet and got a few ideas and yeah.... oh yeah...

sloppy fauxs

Another favorite at our house, TVP is very versatile. It is healthy and a great source of protein.  This recipe can be done in a variety of ways from sandwiches to casseroles.

tex mex quinoa

Quinoa is an excellent source of protein and fiber. It is actually a seed.  There is a ton of fabulous way to make it up. This recipe is a favorite in my house.

spice it up

I am one of those who really likes to know what is in my food.  The best way to do that is to make it from scratch.  Not to mention that it gives me much more control over the flavors in the end product.  If the spice pack from the grocery store is too salty for my taste (which it generally is - I want flavor not just salt) then there isn't a whole lot I can do about it.  But if I make it myself then it is perfectly salted and flavorful.  Here are 3 of my favorite ways to spice up my fajitas, my red meats and my white meats.

pasta "sauce" easy peasy - part 2 - sauceless ravioli

Ravioi is not simple, so it makes sense that the sauce should be as simple as possible, right?  It's the yin and yang of it - perfect.  We saw this done on a cooking show one night and I had to try it.  The sauce - a simple runny egg yolk cooked inside the ravioli (plus a little drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste).

pasta "sauce" easy peasy - part 1 - alio e olio

There are the complicated pasta sauces, finicky alfredos, the simmer-for-hours-red sauces, etc.  And then there are the easy ones...  I don't know if the easy ones are better because they are easy or because they are just good but they are definitely good.  One of our favorites was passed on to me by a college friend - Alio e Olio.

classic hummus

My first exposure to hummus was at a Greek restaurant in Monterey, CA, called Epsilon.  Other stuff at this restaurant was great too but the hummus... *sigh*... we would get hummus and flatbread take-out on a regular basis there.  It was awesome!  Since then I have had and made many, many versions of hummus but none of them are as good as Epsilon. 

whole grain waffles

This is my families favorite waffle recipe. It comes from one of my favorite vegan cookbooks. They are delicious and healthy. The slight sweetness makes these fantastic with fresh berries, sugarless homemade applesauce or maybe some plain soy yogurt.

orange ginger baked tofu

This is an awesome recipe with rice or noodles or maybe just a salad.  The whole family gives this one a thumbs up. We love it.

rich chocolate brownie cake

I found this recipe on the internet when I was looking for ways to use the okara after making soy milk.  This is a great recipe. Rich, moist and healthy.  I do it pretty much just the way this recipe says.

multi-grain scones

Awesome!!! We’ve never met anyone who didn’t love this recipe. It’s a frequently requested favorite. This is a Dr. Andrew Weil recipe. To make these a little healthier and to use ingredients that I have in the house I make a few changes; whole wheat flour, flax seed and soy milk… fun things like that. I haven’t done this without the eggs yet for a vegan version, but I am sure that I will.

pesto sauce

This is an awesome recipe. We love this and use it for everything from whole wheat pasta to a sandwich spread to pizza. I use raw almonds because they are a lot less expensive than pine nuts and I always have a lot on hand. I add soy milk to thin it out; less when I want it thick and more for pizza or things like that.

chocolate tofu pudding

I’ve tried a several different variations of tofu puddings over the years and I have to admit that Mark Bittman’s Mexican Chocolate Tofu Pudding is by far the best. I think the extra spices and good melted chocolate are huge help to hide that hint of soy taste.  I don’t mind the soy taste, but I think most people do. So, this is a really good one to try.  Most chocolate soy puddings recipes call for cocoa powder and a variety of different sweeteners  - sugar, granulated cane juice, agave nectar etc. So long as you can get it smooth…   My family loves this recipe.

pasta sauce - anything and everything

One of the greatest things about pasta sauce is that you can so mess with it. You can do whatever you want. It can be as simple as olive oil and grated cheese or a complicated ragu that has a list of 20 ingredients and has to simmer for hours on end. It's all good. It's all great, in fact.  Take veggies for instance...

roasted red peppers - easy!

I wish I could claim this idea. It is brilliant. I don't know how many different instructions I have followed to make roasted red peppers and all of them were a little tricky and none of them worked all that great.

whole wheat bread-molasses & flax

test #2 completed. my goal is to make a bread that has a good sandwich stretch, excellent taste, is highly nutritious and simple to make. So, what's the difference from a million other bread recipes?

the kings crown

For our anniversary this year we went to a fancy schmancy steakhouse and had something amazing called "The Kings Crown." A filet mignion steak, on the rare side of medium-rare, with a bearnaise crab topping. It was Awesome! So, of course, it begged to be re-created for a price-tag we could swallow too (granted it is still not cheap but far cheaper than the fancy schmancy steakhouse).

ginger pie

One of my favorite movies of all time is the 1971 Harold and Maude. It is about a young man, who is obsessed with death, and his interactions with an old woman, who is obsessed with life. It is the type of movie that makes one think about things that they have spent their whole lives not thinking about on all sorts of different levels.

whole wheat bread-ground white wheat

100% whole wheat bread that is great for sandwiches and toast...

basic pasta

This is a simple recipe for home made pasta.

sunday supper scones (thanks claudia!)

my husband says these are like krispy kreme donuts...only to be devoured when it's a special occasion and... well, when you won't cry yourself to sleep from delicious guilt. yum. (shh bob, not everyone hates donuts.) seriously...a little of my peach jam (more like syrup) drizzled on the top with some plain yogurt and powdered sugar is just pure de-lish...

carmel popcorn (crunchy)

totally delicious, totally addictive carmel popcorn. we make it every christmas & sometimes for that movie where you just need a sweet treat...totally.

granola bars

good oaty snack...great for 'on the go' or for a trip...

malt breadsticks

delicious & fun, much like those light, fluffy & moist breadsticks you'll find at restaurants...Great with whole wheat or white!

basic pizza crust, flat bread & breadsticks

This is a basic recipe that I used all growing up. I especially remember it on a rainy day...

six-layer coconut cake

This is for you, bec. Anyone have a picture of this? (This cake is adapted from Food & Wine, Cynthia Wong)

kitchen toys in my kitchen

I love to go kitchen shopping.

italian bread rounds

A delicious bread, perfect for dipping in oil/vinegar or soup.

granola cereal

Perfect boost for breakfast or on ice cream!

dirty bones and pumpkin puke

That looks disgusting!