Rustic Winter Stew Over Polenta!

This is healing. This is nourishing. This is comfort food.

Rustic Winter Stew Over Polenta:  The perfect supper for a chilly autumn evening.

Here's the recipe from Post Punk Kitchen.  Rustic Winter Stew Over Polenta

You're gonna love that website. I promise. The recipes and the photos are amazing.............

Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onions

I always feel sorry for Chard. This gorgeous, green, leafy vegetable is so often ignored.  I watch people walk right by it in the produce section of my local market. Others will pick up a bunch, inspect it for a moment or two, and toss right back into the pile.  This is such a shame because chard is one classy act.

Here are a few reasons why you should fall in love with chard and add it to your diet:

Chard is a nutritional power house. It is packed with vitamins C, E, and K, carotene, chlorophyll, and fiber.  It is also an excellent source of several minerals including potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese.  Chard also contains other nutrients including vitamin B6, protein, calcium, thiamine,selenium, zinc, niacin, and folic acid.

Chard is one of the best anti-cancer foods you can eat because of its combination of traditional nutrients; phytochemicals, chlorophyll, other plant pigments, and soluble fiber. The generous amount of vitamin K that is contained in chard, is especially beneficial in the maintenance of bone health.

If all that doesn't turn you on to chard; how about this? One cup has about 32 calories and it is naturally fat free. It's perfect for weight loss. Buy it. Cook it. Eat it!

I am always tempted to just toss bunches of chard into the carts of unsuspecting shoppers. Along with my business card, of course. Honestly, that might not be such a bad idea........

So now that you know all about chard, what the heck do you with it?

I have a recipe for you. This is easy, delicious, and healthy. I add raw brown sugar to this recipe instead of the regular white processed kind. A little pinch of sugar makes the pickled onions so much sweeter and helps to balance the strong taste of the chard.  If you are totally adverse to using sugar; go ahead and omit it. Or try a tiny dash of maple syrup instead.

Here's the recipe:
Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onions

Enjoy..........

The Potato Chip Junkie Cure- Spicy Roasted Chick Peas

image from skinnyscoop.com

I am not much of a sweet-eater. Cookies, cakes and candy do nothing for me. I could care less. Please don't hate me. Place a bag of potato chips in front of me, however, and all bets are off.  I find chips almost impossible to resist.

I never buy chips. I refuse to keep them in the house. They will call out to me in the middle of the night. There  were times, back when I was a lazy vegetarian, when I would eat Doritos and wine and call it dinner. My logic? I was too tired, stressed, over-worked, or lazy to cook and because Doritos didn't contain meat, they were perfectly okay for me to eat.  I've come a long way since then. Now, Doritos are the devil. They're nothing more than chemically-dusted death triangles.  I'd rather spray plain tortilla chips with Raid and eat those instead. That's what I tell myself when tempted to reach for a handful at a party or gathering. I avoid Doritos like the plague. Potato chips, however, still make me weak in the knees.

Okay, for the record, potato chips and their crunchy cousins (tortilla chips, corn chips, etc.) are vegan as long as they're not covered in cheese-flavored powder and don't contain any sort of milk products. So that leaves out the sour cream and onion or cheese flavored varieties. That's okay, I don't really like those anyway. I like the plain old chips made of fried potatoes and lots of salt. Forget those bags of baked chips. I don't like those at all and they are mostly artificial. Pretzels are crunchy and salty but I don't really care for them, either. Yes, I know there are healthier chip choices out there. There are plenty of brands in my local health food store. I don't buy them. They might be better but a whole bag of better is still not good because I am like a junkie when it comes to chips. I can't stop until I've eaten the whole bag and then I want more.

So what do I do when a crunchy, salty, snack craving strikes? It's Spicy Roasted Chick Peas to the rescue. They are wholesome, rich in protein, low in fat, and all natural. They're basically roasted beans tossed with salt, spices and bit of oil.  I can whip these up in about an hour. Yes, it's quicker and easier to rip open a bag of chips but these are worth the wait and the house smells amazing as they're roasting. This crunchy snack is also very filling, so it's impossible to eat large quantities. Perfect!

Here's the recipe:
Spicy Roasted Chick Peas

Raw Chocolate Easter Eggs

photo from veggiehead.com

Forget chocolate Easter Bunnies and jellybeans. And those marshmallow Peeps? YUCK! Pure crap. Pure sugar. Pure disaster.

Make these instead: Raw Chocolate Easter Eggs. Nothing artificial here. No worries. No guilt. No sugar coma!

Give them a try.

Here's the recipe:

Raw Chocolate Easter Eggs

What Can A Vegetarian Eat on St. Paddy's Day?

photo from www.squidoo.com

Years ago, when I was married, my husband's birthday was two days before St. Patrick's Day.  I invited the whole family over for dinner each year to celebrate. Thinking I could kill two birds with one stone, I always served the traditional St. Paddy's Day meal: corned beef, cabbage and potatoes.

It's a pretty simple meal to make. You basically put everything in one big pot on the stove and forget it.  Well, that's not all that's involved but you get the idea.  I wasn't about to eat the corned beef but I really didn't mind preparing it.  It was an act of love for my husband and also for my brother-in-law, a full-blooded Irishman.  He loved my corned beef and cabbage and I always sent him home with plenty of left-overs.

Year after year, I faithfully served corned beef, cabbage and potatoes for my husband's birthday dinner . One time in particular, we were gathered at the table, everyone oohing and aahing over the meal (I was enjoying a simple dish of boiled potatoes and cabbage I had cooked up separately). The corned beef was tender, the potatoes and cabbage were perfect. My attempt at homemade soda bread was a complete success and my brother-in-law said no one would ever guess I was not Irish. I glanced over at my husband for a nod of approval. He just glared at me and cleared his throat.

"You know, I really hate this meal," he said.

We all stared at him in horror.

"I hate it, " he continued. "I never liked corned beef and cabbage and I don't know why we have to have it every year on my birthday. Why can't you make a lasagna or something else Italian instead?"

No one said a word. I felt awful. I had never thought to ask my husband if he had any special requests in honor of his birthday.  I just assumed, because he'd never said a word otherwise (until now), that he loved my corned beef and cabbage as much as everyone else.

In the years that followed, we celebrated his birthday Italian Style.  I invited everyone over on a different day for my famous Irish meal.

Lesson learned: Never assume. Always ask.

All that leads me to this:

What can a vegetarian/vegan eat on St. Paddy's Day?

Hearty Kale, Cabbage and Potato Soup. It's hearty, satisfying, easy to prepare and as it simmers on the stove, the whole house smells amazing. Serve it up with Irish Soda Bread.

Here's the recipe: Hearty Kale, Cabbage and Potato Soup

Enjoy.

Crock Pot White Bean Pumpkin Soup

You have a crock pot, don't you?

If not, go out and buy one!

A crock pot is essential for folks like us. We want to serve good, wholesome, home cooked food but don't have alot of time. A crock pot makes everything super easy and convenient.  Just toss in your ingredients, turn it on, and forget it.

Hours later, VIOLA! Dinner.

Everyone knows crock pots are perfect for pot roast but if you don't eat meat.......

What can you make in a crock pot?

Homemade tomato sauce

Chili

Beans

Macaroni and Cheese

Stews

Rice Dishes

Casseroles

Homemade vegetable stock

and.............

you can make this soup!

Crock Pot White Bean Pumpkin Soup

Here are more crock pot recipes and ideas:

Vegetarian Crock Pot Recipes



Skillet Mushrooms with Chard and Barley

"Mushrooms, Barley and Chard! Oh my!"

Call me crazy, but I just can't get enough of these amazing, healing, delicious foods!

Combine them all together in one gorgeous dish and I am in heaven! So, you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon a recipe including all three that I just have to share with you!

I'll get to the recipe in a minute. I want you to be as enthusiastic as I am about it so I need to rant and rave a bit about mushrooms, barley, and chard.

Mushrooms:

A Vegetarian's dream come true. Why? Because sometimes tofu, veggies and brown rice just doesn't cut it. We need to sink our teeth into something meaty, thick and juicy. Enter the mushroom. They're pretty good raw but even better when marinated and grilled. Toss them into salads, rice dishes, soups, and stews. Mix them into home made macaroni and cheese or add a layer of grilled mushrooms to lasagna. YUMMY!

Portabella mushrooms are my personal favoritet! I take whole portabella mushrooms, cut off the stems, brush the mushroom caps with a bit of olive oil and grill until tender. Then I place them on whole grain buns with all the fixin's. They're thick, tender, juicy--better than hamburgers! Honestly.

Did you know mushrooms are the only natural source of Vitamin D? Except for the sun, that is. I know so many people diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiencies.  So they start taking supplements.  Why not do it naturally, instead? Get 10 - 15 minutes of good, old-fashioned sunshine every day and eat your mushrooms!   

Barley:

A grain and good one. Often neglected,  barley is a nutritional powerhouse and perfect for those with diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, barley is on the list of low GI foods. In other words, it doesn't increase your blood sugar levels as quickly as white bread, potatoes, or other carbohydrates. 

Barley is rich in fiber, naturally cholesterol-free and low in fat. A 1/2-cup serving of cooked pearl barley, a typical grain serving, contains less than 1/2 gram of fat and only 100 calories. Barley also contains several vitamins and minerals including niacin (Vitamin B3), thiamine ( Vitamin B1), selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and copper.

Chard:

Commonly know as Swiss Chard and sadly, another often ignored powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. Chard is an excellent source of Vitamins C, E and K, carotenes, chlorophyll, and fiber. It also contains several minerals including potassium. magnesium, iron and maganese.  And let's not forget Vitamin B6, protein, calcium, thiamine, selenium. zinc, niacin, and folic acid. Simply stated, chard is one of the most powerful anti-cancer foods you can eat. So buy it, cook it, and eat it- OFTEN!

Combine all three ingredients in one dish and you have the most glorious, powerful, healing, life-giving meal.

And now....... the recipe:

Skillet Mushrooms with Chard and Barley

Enjoy and let me know how it turns out!  I would love to hear from you!

GO BACK TO CYNFULLY GOOD LIVING

Flax Tempeh Fries with Curry Vegan Mayo

I know you're wondering.......

What the heck are tempeh fries?

Well.....they're not french fries, at least not the kind of we all know and love. No potatoes here. But these little beauties are similar, just packed with protein and calcium. And a whole lot healthier.  And if you are trying to limit carbs, you might want to try these to satisfy your french fry cravings.

Sounds good so far, no?

So what exactly is tempeh?

A little Tempeh 101:

Tempeh is a product made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans and formed into a block or a patty, like a very firm veggie burger. Many commercially prepared brands add other grains, such as barley, and also add spices and extra flavors. Tempeh is made from soy, but it has a unique, mild, nutty flavor.  Tempeh is also very high in protein and calcium, as well as beneficial isoflavones, but looks and tastes nothing like tofu.  If you're not a fan of tofu, you might want to give tempeh a try.

Because it is a low-fat, high protein food, many vegetarians and vegans include tempeh in their diets on a regular basis. Try adding some to a stir fry instead of tofu, or crumble into soups or chili.  It has a very firm texture, so you need to slice tempeh into small dices or cubes, not more than 3/4 inch thick.

Tempeh can be found in the refrigerated section of most health food stores and in the natural foods aisle of well-stocked grocery stores.

My personal favorite way to eat tempeh:

I slice it into thin slices (but not too thin- I don't want it to crumble) and fry it quickly in a little coconut oil. Then I add barbeque sauce ( a tablespoon or two to coat the tempeh) to the pan and let it cook for a minute or two, turning once or twice so it doesn't stick to the pan. Then I place the tempeh in a whole wheat wrap, add lettuce, tomato, a bit of vegan mayo and I have the most delicious BBQ tempeh wrap. YUMMY.

Okay. Now, let's get back to those Tempeh Fries:

Here's the recipe from Lightlife.com :

2  8-oz pkgs of Organic Flax Tempeh

4 tablespoons vegan mayonaise ( I use Nayonaise- available at most health-food stores)

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/2 cup cornmeal

4 tablespoons of oil (your choice. I like coconut oil. Olive oil will work, too.)

To make dipping sauce, whisk together mayonnaise and curry powder. Slice tempeh lengthwise into 1/4-inch fries. In a large skillet, bring 1 inch water to a boil. Working in batches, simmer tempeh, covered, for 10 minutes; drain. Combine cornmeal and salt. While tempeh is still moist, roll it in cornmeal mixture. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté tempeh for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm, with dipping sauce on the side.

Enjoy :)

Skillet Collards and Winter Squash with Barley



Photo: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

My father was born and bred in the South so I am well acquainted with collard greens. Collards are a staple vegetable in every Southern kitchen.  My family still prepares them exactly the way my grandmother did and her grandmother before her-- simmered on the stove for hours and seasoned with fat-back, lots of onions, salt and pepper. Sometimes they toss in a few potatoes and some crushed red pepper. They come out soft and soggy and a light, translucent green. Serve with hot home-made biscuits to sop up the juices and you're in heaven. Pure heaven.

I used to eat them that way all the time.  Since becoming a vegan,  I must now say no to the big bowl of collards passed around the table at every family gathering. I just can't bring myself to eat anything cooked with fat-back, even if it's just a scant amount. And I really prefer my vegetables a bit greener and not quite so well-done.  But I still love collard greens. I've just had to have find healthier ways to cook them.

Collards are green, leafy winter vegetables. They're rich in Vitamin C and fiber and contain multiple nutrients with anticancer properties such as diindolylmethane and sulforaphane.  A quarter of a pound has about 46 calories so they're the perfect food for weight loss. Toss them into soups, steam them lightly and season with lemon or vinegar and crushed red pepper, stir fry them with garlic and oil, or boil them up with potatoes and a dash or two of Liquid Smoke for a long-simmered, smokey flavor. 

I stumbled across the perfect recipe in The New York Times: Skillet Collards with Winter Squash and Barley. This dish is gorgeous and bursting with life: gorgeous green collards, bright orange butternut squash and pretty little pearls of barley. It's a meal in itself or a good side dish to serve to the carnivores in your family with grilled fish or chicken.

Here's the recipe:
Skillet Collards with Winter Squash and Barley

If you've never cooked collard greens before,  I encourage you to try this recipe.  And let me know how it turns out. I would love to hear from you.

Enjoy.

Tuscan Polenta with Rosemary, Kale and Cannellini Beans

photo from ivillage.com

I've been told I have the strangest taste in food but just looking at this dish makes me hungry. This is delicious, simple, healing food at its best. The perfect dish for a chilly evening.

Kale.  Rich, vibrant, green, sturdy. Literally packed with vitamins and minerals.  A  hearty winter vegetable. I eat kale several times a week from September through March. I love to steam it lightly, or stir fry it with fresh garlic and onions. YUMMY.

Cannellini Beans. Pretty little cream-colored gems that are loaded with protein. Italians use these beans in so many dishes. Make sure you keep plenty of these beans in your pantry; dried or canned is fine. They are delicious. Toss them in everything: soups, casseroles, salads. Put them in a blender with fresh garlic, a bit of lemon juice and a dash or two of olive oil to make a quick delicious sandwich spread or a dip for fresh vegetables.

Polenta is coarse, Italian cornmeal. So rustic. Satisfying peasant food.

Rosemary.  A gorgeous green herb that I recently discovered grows wild all over Los Angeles. Rosemary is fragrant and earthy. Buy it fresh; never dried. Add it to soups, especially lentil soup. Mix it into your mashed potatoes and even potato salad. Sweet potatoes are divine when roasted with a few sprigs of rosemary.

This particular recipe calls for milk but you can make it VEGAN by using plain soy or almond milk instead.

Here's the recipe:
Tuscan Polenta with Rosemary, Kale and Cannellini Beans

The BEST Veggie "Meatballs" Ever!

Who doesn't love spaghetti and meatballs? I remember my mom making her sauce every Sunday and making her famous meatballs. I loved to help her. She would dump raw chop meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, herbs and spices into a big bowl and I would mix it all up with my bare hands. Then came the fun part: rolling the mixture into little balls for frying. I shudder now at the thought of  handling raw meat and actually loving it, but that was then. Now I make my own delicious meatballs - without the raw meat!

You can just buy frozen veggie meatballs and plop them into your sauce but where's the fun in that? I think shaping the meatballs is the best part. It's very therapeutic and a good project for the kids. Let them stick their little hands right into the meatball mixture and roll away. No worries about  e coli or any other diseases from handling (or tasting) raw meat. 

Note: I very rarely measure anything when I cook. I use the palm of my hand as a guide and just toss things in until it looks right.  These measurements are as close as I can get them so feel free to add more or less if you prefer.

Here's my recipe:

1 package Gimme Lean Vegetarian ground "beef" 

1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

2 -3 Tablespoons vegan "Parmesan" cheese

2- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/4 cup finely minced onion

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon dried Italian Seasoning

1 -2 Tablespoons of chopped pine nuts (optional)

small handful of golden raisins (optional)

olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together with your hands until blended well.  It will take a little while for you to adjust to cooking without meat. Usually meatball mixture made with real meat is moist because of the added eggs. THIS MIXTURE should be dry. If it appears too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.  OR, while mixing, add a drop or two of olive oil.

Take 2 tablespoons ( or more) of the mixture (depended on how large you want your meatballs) and roll them with your hands into round ball shapes. Just don't make them too big. You want be sure they cook all the way through.

Heat about 1/4 cup olive oil in large skillet.

Brown the meatballs evenly on each side.

Drop the cooked meatballs into your sauce for about 15 minutes to cook thoroughly.

Serve hot with your choice of pasta and extra marinara sauce.

You won't believe how good these are! Serve them to your carnivorous, full-blooded Italian family and friends. I promise, they'll love 'em!

Special note: I use Gimme Lean because I cook for a carnivore. I could make these out of beans (my preference) but he won't eat them. These, he loves and asks for seconds. And they are great the next day to make"meatball" heros. I am happy because he's not eating meat and he's happy because, well, these are really, really good.

If you can't find Gimme Lean at your local grocery or health food store, or if you are a purist, you can substitute about 2 cups of cooked, cooled, very well drained lentils. Just mash up the cooked lentils with a fork. You might want to add more breadcrumbs to the mixture to get the consistency you want. Then just drop them right into the pot with the sauce but take extra care when doing so and when stirring your sauce as they cook. They might not be quite as sturdy as the Gimme Lean "meatballs"  so they could fall apart if you are not gentle with them.

Quick and Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce



It's Sunday! Most people become Italian on Sunday and eat pasta.  I do.

I remember my mom starting her sauce (some call it gravy) early on Sunday mornings. Into her big sauce pot she would toss lots and lots of minced garlic,  onions, oregano, parsley, basil, a few cans of whole tomatoes, tomato puree and some lamb shanks for flavor. She would fry up homemade balls (made from a mixture of beef, pork, eggs and breadcrumbs) and add those to sauce about halfway through cooking. Her sauce was an all day affair. The house smelled amazing.

Honestly, who has time for all that now? I know, I don't. My mom doesn't even do it that way anymore. Most of the time, she opens a few jars of sauce and just pours it over ziti.  My Italian grandmother is certainly rolling over in her grave over it.  When mom does make a homemade sauce, it's usually marinara sauce. Without meat. On special occasions, she might make meatballs to go along with it. And she always sets aside a cup or two of plain sauce before she tosses the meatballs into the pot. For me. The only vegetarian in the family.

If you come to my house for Sunday dinner, don't expect meat in my sauce. Or real meatballs. Sometimes, I will toss in veggie meatballs. Once they're covered in sauce, you can't really tell they are not made from meat. What you will get is a hearty marinara sauce laced with lots of garlic (cut with a razor blade) and plenty of fresh herbs and spices. Never, ever sauce from a jar. 

It's more ecomonical to make your own sauce. For the cost of one or two jars, you can make a huge pot of homemade tomato sauce. Freeze the rest to use through the week. Or for the following Sunday pasta dinner. You never have to worry about running out to the store to buy sauce. Just reach into the freezer. Gotta love that.

My usual homemade tomato sauce takes awhile to cook. I let it simmer on the stove for hours. I realize most people just don't have time for that. So I would like to share with you a very quick, very easy, homemade tomato sauce. It's delicious.

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic- mashed, minced or sliced very thin.
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 14-oz cans of Muir Glenn Fire Roasted tomatoes
 sea salt to taste (about a teaspoon)
freshly ground pepper
a small handful of raisins- optional. I usually toss a few raisins in my sauce for natural sweetness and to balance the acidity of the tomatoes- especially if I am using tomatoes from a can.

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan. In it, stir-fry the garlic and oregano until the garlic is turning golden. Stir constantly so it doesn't stick.

2.  Pour the tomatoes into the saucepan and mash them up with a wooden spoon to mix them with the garlic and oil, and to break them up a bit. Don't mash them too much, since lumps of tomatoes are good in this sauce.

3.  Grind in lots of fresh black pepper and mix in the salt. You can add the raisins, if desired.

4.  Heat the sauce, stirring constantly until it's hot.  This will only take about 5 minutes.  If it's too juicy, cook a bit longer to evaporate some of the sauce.  Never put a lid on this sauce.

Pour over pasta and enjoy! Freeze the rest for another day!

:)

A Cynfully Good 2012!

In just a few short days we will say good bye to 2011 and usher in a brand new year!  2012 brings the promise of change, hope, and opportunity. We can forget the old year and all the failures and mistakes of the past. A new year means a new beginning. We are getting closer to accomplishing our dreams and goals.  We can restructure our lives, get rid of the old baggage and completely start over again.

I have big goals and dreams for my life in 2012.  I also have high hopes for my consulting practice in the new year. I expect to grow in leaps and bounds and reach more people than ever before. This means, I can't keep doing the same old thing I did last year.

If you want change, you have to mix things up a little!

I receive emails and messages from folks all over the globe. Their major concerns are: the high cost of healthy eating, the threat and fear of cancer, permanent weight loss, reversing heart disease and diabetes, and pros and cons of a plant-based diet. 

 It makes sense to me that those are the areas on which I should focus in 2012, So in the coming year, you can look forward to:

A Return to Basics:

The cost of food is steadily rising!  I don't know how folks can afford to feed their families.  Eating healthy is so difficult for those on tight budgets. And these days, who isn't on a tight budget?  I will focusing on ways to stretch your dollar by getting back to the basics of eating REAL food made from scratch at home! I will also be sharing tips and techniques that grandma used back in the day: canning, freezing, stocking the pantry, meal planning, tranforming leftovers into magnificent dishes, shopping locally, seasonally, and more. This year it's all about a "waste-not-want-not" attitude!

Cancer Prevention: This has always been a concern of mine but now that cancer has touched my family personally, it's no longer a concern--it's my mission to help stamp it out before it happens!  I don't ever want to see anyone suffer from this disease or from the awful side-effects of chemotherapy. Prevention is key and what we taste, smell, see, hear, and touch has everything to do with it!

Veganism as a way of life: I firmly believe a plant-based diet is best, but this year I will be driving it home and promoting it as a way of life for everyone and not just those who wish to dabble in it!  It's time to get serious! A vegan diet can prevent and reverse obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  If you are serious about disease prevention, losing or maintaining your weight, or achieving true health and wellness, it's time to change the way you eat!

Of course, I will still be posting delicious recipes--all vegan, all natural, and all guilt-free! I will also continue to share and write about gadgets, food, books, beauty products, and anything else I stumble upon that promotes a healthy, balanced, cruelty-free life.

As always, I am available for individual consultations. I see clients in person and also work with them over the phone or via the Internet. I want 2012 to be your best year ever!

May peace, love, and good health be yours in the coming New Year.

Cynthia

Hearty Cauliflower Chowder

photo from http://www.yumuniverse.com/

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing the praises of SOUP!

Soup is warming, healing, and so easy to prepare. Serve soup as a meal (with warm, crusty french bread or rolls) or as a prelude to a magnificent dinner.  Enjoy it between meals to help curb your appetite.  Bring homemade soup to a sick friend or give it away as a gift from the heart.

No matter how you serve it, soup is perfection. A simmering pot of homemade soup on the stove fills your home with the delicious aromas of comfort and love.

You just can't get that from soup in a can!

Here's a lovely soup I stumbled upon in my travels: Hearty Cauliflower Chowder. If you happen to have cauliflower in the house, you can make this soup today. I saw the recipe this morning and already made it- it's that quick and easy!  It's completely VEGAN, deliciously thick, and glorious. I kept some aside for later and the rest I placed in the freezer.  I had to do that to keep from sampling this soup all day long!

My digital camera is on the "fritz" so I borrowed the soup photo from the original site.

Here's the recipe: Hearty Cauliflower Chowder. 

While you're there checking out the recipe, take a few minutes to snoop around the YumUniverse website. You will really enjoy it. :)

Vegan Soul Kitchen- Down Home Recipes with a Twist

I know I've been MIA lately.  My schedule has been crazy between doctors' appointments with dad, work, the holidays, and preparing to go back to school this January. In my spare time--this is what I've been up to:

Reading this awesome cook book cover to cover and cooking!

In my house, we all seem to be craving comfort food and my dad, who is currently battling cancer, has pretty much lost his appetite from chemotherapy. On those occasional days when he is actually hungry, he asks for some of the good, old-fashioned Southern dishes he remembers from his childhood.

This cook book has it all but with a twist- it's good down-home cooking done healthy and vegan!

Vegan Soul Kitchen

Stay tuned. I will be posting recipes in the coming New Year!

Peace and Love,
Cynthia

The Best, Healthiest Mashed Potatoes EVER!

I love potatoes. They're so versatile, healthy, filling and cheap! Potatoes are rich in fiber, Vitamin-C, B-complex and minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.  Despite popular belief, potatoes are good for you and a necessary part of a healthy diet.

What really matters is how you prepare potatoes and what you mix in them or what you choose to pile on top of them!

Skip the deep-fryer. Bake your own homemade fries instead.  And forget all that butter, sour cream, bacon and melted cheese on top of baked potatoes. Yes, I know it's delicious but you're just eating fat on top of fat!  End result: all that fat makes you fat! No doubt about it.

My favorite way to eat a potato is baked or boiled. I slice the potato in half and pile it high with tossed green salad mixed with balsamic vinaigrette.  YUMMY!  Sometimes, I will top a baked potato with steamed, chopped broccoli and occasionally some melted vegan cheese. That's a whole dinner for me.

So what about everyone's favorite - mashed potatoes? They're usually prepared with loads of butter and cream. So delicious, but you can pretty much forget all those great health benefits. Reserve mashed potatoes for special occasions!

Or.....you can make mashed potatoes MY WAY!

I serve mashed potatoes very often to my son because they're filling. He loves them!  The best part--my mashed potatoes are VEGAN.  Not an animal product in sight. :)

Here's what you need: (this recipe will serve about 5 -6 people)

4 large organic potatoes, scrubbed well (peeled or unpeeled- your choice. I NEVER peel potatoes), and cut into quarters. They will cook faster and will be easier to mash if you cut them up.
salt
3 or 4 cloves of quick roasted garlic (instructions to follow)
Several sprigs of fresh rosemary
a dash of olive oil
organic vegetable broth
freshly ground pepper

1.Sprinkle the potatoes very lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Break off the individual pieces of rosemary and toss those over the potatoes and mix very gently.  Take a large pot with a lid, add about a cup and a half of water. Place your potatoes in a steamer basket and add to the pot of water. Cover, bring the water to boil, reduce heat and allow the potatoes to steam for about 20 - 30 minutes. You want the potatoes nice and soft so they're easy to mash- but you don't want them to fall apart and you don't want the water in the pot to evaporate. Check them often as they steam and add more water as needed.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, quick roast your garlic by spreading individual, un-peeled cloves evenly on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil, and bake about 30 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally, until soft. Roast a bunch of garlic cloves. If you store them in a sealed container in the fridge, they will keep for 3 days.  Roasted garlic is delicious spread on toast, freshly baked bread, mixed with vegan mayo for sandwich spreads, or added to salad dressings.

3. Remove steamed potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl.

4. Take 3 or 4 of the roasted garlic cloves. You can add more if want your potatoes really garlicky. Gently squeeze the garlic out of their skins right into the pot of cooked potatoes. Discard the skins.

5. Start mashing. I like  rustic-looking mashed potatoes, so I just use a fork to do this.  A potato masher works well, too.

6. Add a bit of the vegetable broth to the potatoes for extra moisture while mashing them. Just add a little at a time. You don't want watery potatoes.

7. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Another great variation is to simply toss your raw, quartered potatoes gently with a bit of olive oil, season with salt, pepper and the rosemary and roast them in the oven until soft, but not browned. Then, you can mash them. Roasted mashed potatoes are also SO good!

If you really want your mashed potatoes creamier, substitute the vegetable broth with a bit of vegan creamer, or even vegan cream of mushroom or potato soup. I love using the vegetable broth, however, because other than the small amount of olive oil, my mashed potatoes are virtually fat free!

Make Snacking Healthier with Kale Chips!

photo from Seventh Generation

If I had to choose only vegetable to eat for the rest of my life, it would definitely be KALE! It can be prepared so many different ways. You can even turn those gorgeous green leaves into delicious, nutritious Kale Chips!  Here's the recipe from Seventh Generation-- the recycled paper product people!

We Love Kale Chips

Try these instead of the usual greasy, unhealthy potato chips.  This is Cynfully Good snacking at it's best!

Healthy, Delicious Pumpkin Bread!

photo from vegnews.com

I am totally loving all things pumpkin this season!  I carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns for Halloween and decorate my house with them until it's time to break out the Christmas Tree.  And of course, what's Thanksgiving without home made pumpkin pie?

There's so much more you can do with pumpkins.  I add it to stews, bean dishes, bread, muffins.  Mashed pumpkin with salt, pepper and a pat of vegan margarine is delicious instead of mashed potatoes. To satisfy a sweet craving, mash up cooked pumpkin and add cinnamon, nutmeg and very light drizzle of organic maple syrup.  I roast peeled, cubed pumpkin in the oven, too. Just toss them with a bit of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and put them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. I even throw cubes of cooked pumpkin in my tossed green salads.

If you're not cooking with pumpkin, you should be!  IT'S LOW IN CALORIES, HAS VIRTUALLY NO FAT, AND IS LOADED WITH VITAMINS AND MINERALS.  Here's a little info on the health benefits of pumpkin: Eat Pumpkin For Health and Weightloss.

Pumpkin: buy it, cook it, and eat it.

Those are just a few ideas on what to do with pumpkin for every day eating. Now, let's get into the "sweeter side" of pumpkin!

It doesn't get sweeter than this: Pumpkin Bread from Veg News. This is a bit of a splurge but it's a healthy splurge. Thanksgiving is right around the corner and so begins The Season of Eating. It's time to gather with family and friends and indulge a bit. I don't believe in starvation or deprivation when it comes to weight loss and good health. But I do believe if we're gonna indulge, we need to make it count! This bread is perfect! Sweet, satisfying and loaded with good stuff: sunflower and pumpkin seeds (good fat), cranberries, a little fresh orange juice, and course, pumpkin. Slice it up and serve it warm to guests instead of cake or pie. It's really good for breakfast, too. Just be sure to skip the butter or cream cheese. If you want, toast the bread lightly and top it with a bit of applesauce.

Makes one loaf

What You Need:

• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
• 1-1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2/3 cup Sucanat
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup fresh or canned pumpkin purée
• Juice and zest of 1/2 orange
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for oiling pan
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a loaf pan and toast for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer seeds to a small bowl. When pan is cool, lightly oil with olive oil.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, Sucanat, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add pumpkin purée, orange juice and zest, water, and oil, and stir gently to combine all ingredients.
3. Stir in cranberries, ginger, and 2/3 of the toasted seeds. Pour batter into prepared pan, sprinkle with remaining seeds and press into top of loaf. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

If you are interested in more pumpkin dishes, check out these other Cynfully Good recipes:

Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters
Pumpkin Curry

Delicious and Healthy Sweet Potato Fries!

photo from Eatingwell.com

Who doesn't love french fries?  I know I do but I avoid them like the plague because they're usually soaked and fried in oil and grease. That means fat and calories I don't want or need. Some people order sweet potato fries thinking they are healthier. Yes, sweet potatoes are packed with beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin C; fiber, thiamine, niacin, potassium and copper. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of protein, calcium, and vitamin E.  Once you dip them in a vat of hot oil, however, most of those health benefits fly right out the window.

I make sweet potato fries all the time.  They are so simple to make and they're baked, not fried.  Baked sweet potato fries are good for you, delicious, and satisfying. Serve them for lunch or dinner. . You can even snack on them instead of the usual chips, popcorn or cookies.  Snacking is okay, if you make it count! And these little vitamin packed sweet potato fries pack a healthy punch!

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into wedges
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss sweet potato wedges with oil, salt and pepper. Spread the wedges out on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until browned and tender, turning once, about 20 minutes total.

You can get creative with your sweet potato fries. Add a pinch of cajun seasoning instead of the cayenne pepper. I happen to love mine with Old Bay Seasoning. To satisfy a sweet craving, I add a pinch of cinnamon, let them bake for about 15 minutes, drizzle them very lightly with organic maple syrup and pop them back into the oven for another five minutes. DELICIOUS!

Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters with Sage Cream Sauce!

What can you do with a can of chick peas, pumpkin and some sage? Make these delicious fritters with a sage "cream" sauce, of course!  YUMMY!

Here's a wonderful recipe I found on Happy Healthy Life. Perfect to serve as appetizers OR as a meal.

Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters
vegan, makes 6-7 small round fritters

1 can chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup organic pumpkin puree (canned)
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1 tsp garlic granules
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
a few dashes of pepper, cayenne and salt to taste

optional: 1-2 tsp flour to assist in binding if needed
1 cup panko bread crumbs for coating
1/4 - 1/2 cup safflower oil for frying

*baking note: you could also bake these little cakes instead of fry them if you'd prefer! Bake on parchment paper or a lightly greased baking sheet at about 350 degrees for about 20 minutes - or until toasty. BUT the panko bread crumbs are really made for a light fry. So if you can't fry - perhaps use a finer, moister bread crumb.

To Make:

1. Add the chickpeas and pumpkin to a large mixing bowl. With a large fork or potato masher, mash the beans until at least 75% of them have been mashed together with the pumpkin.
2. Add in the spices, apple cider, hemp seeds and optional flour. Fold together until a moist mixture forms.
3. Preheat a few tablespoons of safflower oil in a large skillet.
4. When the oil is hot, for the mixture into golf ball sized balls and roll in your panko crumbs
until well covered - pat down into flatter cakes and place int he hot oil - carefully.
5. Continue until the pan is full - leave about an inch space between each cake for easier flipping. Cook on each side only about 1-2 minutes - or until toasty brown. Try not to burn, although a bit of crisping is nice.
6. Transfer cooked fritters to a paper towel to cool. Serve in about 5 minutes after cooling a bit.
Store in the fridge and reheat in the oven if desired. You can freeze as well. However, these fritters are best hot off the skillet!

Sage Cream Sauce of the side (super easy)

I blend up 4 fresh sage leaves with 1 cup silken tofu, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 heaping spoonful of vegan mayo and a pinch of  fresh parsley. For a spicy sage sauce I add in either cayenne or a Tbsp of chopped jalapeno.