The Veggie Gal

Potato pancakes are soooo good!  Of course you can find tons of different ways to make the on the Internet but this is my families favorite way and of course egg free and that means cholesterol and fat free too!  I have tried them with fresh chopped onions but for some reason those little freeze dried onions give it such a good flavor.  I have also found that celery salt brings out an amazing flavor in just about all potato dishes so I use it them often.

Potato Pancakes
Makes; 6-8

1 cup shredded potatoes (can use frozen just let them defrost)
4 Tablespoons of oat flour (whole oats ground into flour in your Magic Bullet) can use gluten free oats if desired
4 Tablespoons dried chopped onions (can do 1/4 cup freshly chopped)
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the oat flour with enough water to make it like you would pancake batter.  Mix in the rest of the ingredients and toss well to blend flavors.

Grab a nice handful and smash it together in your hands to make a pancake.  Don’t worry if it does not stick together perfect once it cooks on one side it will stick together.  Place into a  good nonstick skillet (sprayed with a small amount of cooking spray if needed) and smash down.  Cook over medium heat until golden brown, flip, press down and cook again until golden brown.  That’s it!  ENJOY!

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Tags: Breakfast, Easy Vegan, Gluten Free, Potato pancakes, Potatoes, Quick and easy, Quick dinner, Quick vegan, Side dish, Vegan, vegan recipe, Vegetarian

This parfait is absolutely scrumptious!  I use my Lemon & Vanilla Pudding as the base because the lemon and strawberries taste so amazing together.  Of course you could use a vegan ice cream or yogurt as your base but this recipe just tastes so rich that you feel like you are eating a restaurant dessert.  The pudding cooks up in just 10 minutes and you then just have to chill it for a couple of hours.

Our family is addicted to sweets so I make only enough for us each to have one because if there was any left over there might be a battle to the death for the leftovers :j.  You can adjust the fat to your tolerance by using full fat, low fat or fat free soy milk but of course the lower fat is the less rich and creamy it is.

Strawberry Pudding Parfait
Serves: 6

2 cups soy Milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon (can omit if you don’t have a fresh lemon)
3 Tablespoons corn starch
pinch of salt
1 pint of Organic Strawberries, sliced

In a medium pan mix together the sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and 1 cup of soy milk.   Cook over a  medium heat  stirring constantly so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.  As it thickens slowly stir in the second cup of soy milk and add the vanilla.  Cook until it thickens and starts to bubble.  Remove from heat to let it cool for about 10 minutes.

Pour into a glass bowl and put into the refrigerator to cool for 2-3 hours.

Once the pudding is ready wash and slice the strawberries.  Put one layer of pudding in the bottom or your bowl or glass, top with desired amount of strawberries and repeat until full.  ENJOY!

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Tags: Breakfast, Dessert, Easy Vegan, Gluten Free, Quick and easy, strawberry parfait, Vegan, vegan recipe, Vegetarian

With the 4th of July around the corner we tend to spend more time outside  eating cooling foods and enjoy the beautiful summer weather.   Fruit salads are a perfect side to any outdoor menu item you may have and since fruit is at is peak right now it will taste amazing and look impressive, even if you have no cooking skills at all!

I try and buy organic if I can like the strawberries and grapes and  then I use what ever other frozen fruit looks/tastes good along with some freshly cut bananas.  This can make for some slightly deflated blueberries but as the frozen fruit melts it helps to keep the whole salad cold and gives off some nice juices that mix well with the whole salad. Of course there are many different ways to make a fruit salad you could mix in some kiwi for beautiful color or add some cantaloupe and honeydew melons for a new look and flavor mixture.  You just need to mix together the fruits you love best.

This is a salad you can always be proud of because you know it is going to be healthy for your whole family.  This is a nice side to Black Bean Veggie Burgers because it is just sweet enough to satisfy the sweet tooth you get after dinner.

Fruit Salad

Makes: approx 5 cups

1 Banana

1 pint Strawberries

1 cup Grapes, sliced in half

1/2 cup Peaches, sliced

1/2 cup raspberries,

1/2 cup Blueberries

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon sweetener (if desired-takes away any tartness of fruit)

1 Tablespoon water

Wash and chop all the fruit and put into a bowl.

Mix together the lemon juice, sweetener, and water and pour over the fruit salad and toss.  Chill or serve right away and ENJOY!  EASY right!!

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Tags: Breakfast, Dessert, Easy Vegan, fruit salad, Gluten Free, Healthy Meal, Lunch, Quick and easy, Vegan, vegan recipe, Vegetarian

These little balls of heaven taste so good you won’t want to share them with your friends or family but they will love you for it if you do!  There is no added sugar or anything fake in them and you can eat more than one without feeling too guilty.  Nuts of course have fat in them but if you share you won’t eat more than you should.  You can feel indulgent without buying some packaged candy that has colors, sugar and artificial this or that in it.  Mix and match your nuts to your taste preference and use what ever liquid sweetener you like best to slightly adjust the flavor.

Sesame Truffles

Makes 18-20 balls

12 pitted dates

1 cup various nuts of your choice (I like to mix pecans, almonds and cashews)

1 Tablespoon liquid sweetener (I use agave nectar or maple syrup in a pinch)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3-4 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Optional topping :

shredded, sweetened coconut

Put all the ingredients except the sesame seeds or coconut into a large food processor and blend until pretty smooth or until it won’t mix anymore.  You will have to stop periodically to push down the sides to get it all to mix together well.

Wet your hands and scoop out enough mix to make a bite size ball, roll it in your wet hands and place on a large plate.  Continue to roll all of the mix until it is gone, moistening your hands occasionally so they don’t get too sticky.

Toast your sesame seeds in a non stick pan until slightly browned and pour onto a small plate.

Roll your balls in the sesame seeds until well coated and place back onto your large plate.  If you prefer the coconut then roll the balls in that and place back on your plate.  These can be eaten right away or chilled in the fridge.  ENJOY!

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Tags: Breakfast, Dessert, Easy Vegan, Gluten Free, Quick and easy, truffles, Vegan, vegan recipe, Vegetarian

I had never really been fond of rice pudding and after learning about how the traditional kind is made I am glad I did not eat it or I would have packed on more pounds.  The traditional kind is full of fat and sugar and is super high in calories.  My recipe is low in calories, fat and sugar and much more healthy for you and of course tastes wonderful.

The blueberry sauce on top gives it that decadent touch and makes you feel like you are being much more naughty than you actually are.  If you are not a blueberry fan then of course you could use any other berry that you like in place of the blueberries.

There are so many types of rice to chose from and you can experiment with them all to find the right texture for you.  Brown rice is much more healthy than most white rices but is a little more tough than some of the white varieties.  I really like Basmati rice because of the creamy texture but it is a little sticky.  Italian Arborio rice seems to work really well but honestly I have not tried  all the types of rice with this recipe so if you have a favorite give that a try, it will probably be great.

Rice Pudding with Blueberry Sauce

2 cups of cooked Rice of your choice

2-3 cups non-dairy milk of your choice (I used almond-gives it a great flavor)

1/4-1/2 cup sweetener of your choice (I used rice syrup but maple works great or any other sweetener you like)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Zest of 1 lemon

Blueberry Sauce:

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup water

1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup

1 Tablespoon granulated tapioca or other thickener (cornstarch works well too-make sure to mix cornstarch with water first)

In  medium pot mix your cooked rice together with the milk, sweetener, cinnamon and lemon zest and cook until thickened to desired consistency.  You may need to add more milk to get the rice as soft as you want it so adjust accordingly.

While rice pudding is cooking mix together all ingredients for the blueberry sauce in a sauce pan and cook until it is well broken down and starts to thicken at a medium low heat.  It should be bubbling but not boiling while it cooks and make sure to stir often so it does not stick.  Set aside to thicken more as it cools.

When rice pudding and blueberry sauce are finished pour rice pudding into a bowl and top with desired amount of blueberry sauce and ENJOY!

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Tags: Breakfast, Easy Vegan, Gluten Free, Quick vegan, Rice Pudding with blueberry sauce, Vegan, vegan recipe, Vegetarian

This cake is healthy and soooo good!  My teenage son who would live on nothing but junk if I let him said it was the best vegan dessert I have ever made.  Of course we all love lemon, raspberries and coconut so I’m sure that helped a bit .  This cake is low fat with the coconut being the only fat added.  The coconut flour really gives the cake an amazing flavor but it is still very good if you just use all regular flour.  I always try and use whole wheat where I can and the whole wheat pastry flour works really well as half of the regular flour in this cake but again regular old white flour always makes for a good cake with a little less nutrients.  Experiment with what flours you like and you usually can’t go wrong.  I even made it with buckwheat flour and coconut flour once and it was very good and that way it was gluten free!

Raspberry Lemon Cake with Coconut
Serves:  8 slices

1 1/2 cups of flour (I used 1/4 cup coconut flour and then split the white and whole wheat pastry to equal the 1 1/4 cups remaining-use what flours you like the best or just plain white flour for all of it)
1 cup sugar
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 small container of fresh raspberries (or 1/2 cup frozen raspberries-half for inside the cake and half for on top)
1 Tablespoon baking soda
6 Tablespoons applesauce
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
handful shredded and sweetened coconut to sprinkle on top
Frosting:
1/2 cup powdered sugar (may need a little more depending on how much juice your lemon gives)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Wash your lemon, zest the lemon and then squeeze the juice all into a small bowl and set aside.

Mix your flour(s) together along with the sugar and baking soda.  Add the lemon juice and zest to the flour then add the applesauce, vanilla, 1/2 the container of raspberries and vinegar and mix enough to moisten but do not over mix.  The fresh raspberries should crumble into smaller chunks with the mixing and blend evenly.

Pour into an 8 inch cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before putting on frosting.

While cake is cooking mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice to get a fairly runny consistency and set aside until cake is cooled.

Once cake is cooled, poke the top with a fork to make many holes for the frosting to sink into.  With a spoon pour the frosting over the holes and spread out on the cake top.  Sprinkle with a handful of sweetened coconut and top with fresh raspberries.  Slice into 8 pieces and ENJOY!

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Tags: Breakfast, Dessert, Easy Vegan, Gluten Free, Raspberry Lemon Cake with Coconut, Vegan, vegan recipe, Vegetarian

Fresh fruit desserts are always the best option for satisfying your sweet tooth and this is such an addictive treat that you might want to make two of them!  This is the time of year where pineapples go on sale and you can get the big ones at 2-$4.00 or the smaller ones sometimes as low as .89¢ which is just too good of a deal to pass up.

But what do you do when they have been sitting on your counter a bit too long and the little fruit fly’s start buzzing?  Slice them open, chop them up, sprinkle with some brown sugar or agave nectar, top with coconut and broil until the flavors mix and you have a wonderful sweet and sour treat that is a  real tropical delight!  Served right on the rind makes for a beautiful dish or center piece.  This one is kid and husband approved and is gluten and soy free.

Roasted Pineapple

1 pineapple

brown sugar or agave nectar

sweetened coconut

Preheat the oven on broil.

Wash your pineapple, slice off the top and the bottom.  Cut into 4 equal pieces length wise.  Cut the pineapple close to the rind and then lift off to remove any of the little eyes left over.  Remove the hard center core by slicing down each side slightly in a v cut and pull away from the pineapple.  Place the fruit back onto the rind and slice into bite size pieces (as pictured).

Sprinkle desired amount of brown sugar or agave nectar over the pineapple.  If using brown sugar you may need to press it down a bit.  Also the more brown sugar you use the more it will crystallize and makes a crunchy topping.

Put the oven rack on the second from the top spot and broil until the pineapple is slightly browned.  Add desired amount of coconut and broil for another minute or two, watching it closely so it does not burn. Remove from the oven, cool and ENJOY!

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Tags: Breakfast, Dessert, Easy Vegan, Fruit, Gluten Free, Healthy Breakfast, Healthy Meal, Quick and easy, roasted pineapple, Vegan, vegan recipe, Vegetarian

You can find raw strawberry pie recipes just like this one all over the Internet but because they are so amazing I wanted to post it here for those of you who may not know about them.  This pie is incredibility good, extremely easy and super nutritious and it can be eaten for breakfast or dessert.  Who would not want pie for breakfast!!

Now that strawberries are in season the organic kind (which are the only kind you should buy because of the horrible pesticides on regular kind) are more reasonably priced and won’t break the bank to buy.  With the heat of summer upon us this pie does not require any cooking and is eaten cold.

This pie is soy and gluten free for those who need to avoid those things.  It should last in the refrigerator for about 3 days but try and make it last that long!  I have put this in the low fat category because unlike regular strawberry pies that are made with butter, oils and nuts this one only have the natural fats of nuts and if not over consumed is much lower in fat than traditional pies.

Did You Know!?

• Nutritionists suggest that almonds or other nuts can curb the appetite between regular meals.
• Strawberries are high in folate which can aid in the delay of the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Click here to read more food facts

Raw Strawberry Pie
serves: 8

2 cups nuts of your liking (I like to use almonds or cashews or half of both)
3/4 cup pitted dates
Pinch of salt
2 containers of Strawberries, sliced (approx 4-5 cups)
6 dates soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes
1 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar

Put 6 dates in a bowl with enough warm water to cover and set aside.

Put the nuts, pinch of salt and pitted dates in a blender and blend until well broken down and sticky enough to press together.  Press into a 9 inch pie tin along the bottom and sides.  Put in the refrigerator to cool while preparing the filling.

Wash and slice your strawberries, set aside.  Drain the soaking dates, drop into a blender along with 1 cup of the sliced strawberries, lemon juice and agave nectar and blend until smooth and set aside.

Layer the remaining strawberries in the pie crust and then top those with the blended strawberry mixture.  Refrigerate for an hour or more and then slice and ENJOY!

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Tags: Breakfast, Easy Vegan, Gluten Free, Healthy Meal, Quick and easy, raw food, Raw Strawberry pie, Vegan, vegan pie, vegan recipe, Vegetarian

Most people post smoothies filled with additional fruit juice, yogurts, and sometimes even sweeteners.  I try and keep the smoothies I serve to my family as pure as possible without added sweeteners from juice, yogurt or sugars which all add to the calories the drink has (however tasty those additions may be).  I do however like to add rice or soy milk for the B12 and other goodies these drinks are enriched with all while keeping the calories lower than the other add-ins.  When possible I like to add other power foods to our smoothies to pack an extra nutritional punch, especially for the kids or husbands (or myself) who might not get everything they need in a day.

Did You Know!?

• Bananas contain tryptophan which can help to decrease depression.
• Eat pineapple for a cleaner mouth, it helps to discourage plaque growth.
• Click here to read more food facts

Pineapple Banana Smoothie
Serves; 1 large glass or 2 small

1/2 cup Pineapple
1 ripe Banana, peeled
3/4-1 cup Rice or soy milk depending on your thickness tastes.   (you could use any other alternative milk or even water to keep it lower in calories)

Blend these all up in your Magic Bullet or Blender and serve right away.  ENJOY!

Other add-in ideas:

Flax
Mango
Whole oats (more fiber!)
Presoaked cashews
Green tea

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Tags: Breakfast, Gluten Free, Healthy Breakfast, pineapple banana smoothie, smoothie, Vegan, vegan recipe, Vegetarian

I’ve been on a breakfast kick lately but who does not love breakfast even for dinner, I know my family and I do!  This recipe is really the Oatmeal Waffles recipe that  came from the book From Food for Life by Neal Barnard, M.D.  I just made pancakes with the batter instead of making the waffles.  I have experimented with a few ways of making them and after reading this you may spark some of your own ideas, please share if you do.  I love trying new things!  These pancakes are not light and fluffy like regular pancakes or my Coconut Pancakes are but are more hearty, dense, very filling and satisfying.  If I know I have a busy day ahead of me these or the Oatmeal Waffles will keep me full and energized for hours unlike cereal or regular pancakes would.

I made these 3 ways, the original recipe, a vanilla lemon, and blueberry.  I will put the original recipe below and then what I added to the batter for the other two below that.  The vanilla lemon is my favorite, it is just so fresh and elegant tasting.  The above picture is of the regular batter, the one with the lemon next to it is the vanilla lemon and the blueberry is obvious.

Oatmeal Pancakes
Serves: appox 10 medium pancakes

2 cup rolled oats
2 cup water
1 medium banana
1 tbsp raw sugar, or other sweetener (I use agave)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Let stand a few minutes; if batter becomes too thick, add enough additional water to make batter easily pourable. Pour onto a medium heated skillet and cook until bubbly and brown on the bottom, flip and cook until golden brown.  These will be more dense than regular pancakes as I explained above and may require a longer cooking time than regular pancakes do.  I pour my pure maple syrup on the side and dip the pancake into it so they don’t get soggy.

Vanilla Lemon:

add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the vanilla already in the recipe
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest or dried zest
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Blueberry:

1/4 cup blueberries

That’s it, like I said experiment with what you like and let me know.  I think bananas and pecans, thinly sliced apple chunks, or sliced strawberries would mix in and cook well too.  ENJOY!

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Tags: 21 day vegan kickstart, Breakfast, Easy Vegan, Healthy Breakfast, Neal Barnard, Vegan, vegan pancakes, vegan recipe, Vegetarian