A New Discovery

My friend Jean picked me up today (still not driving from my surgery) and we had the wonderful adventure of going to the Aspen Landing Pub & Pizzeria. It is located at 124 W. Wisconsin Avenue in Neenah
The true adventure was in finding out that many items on there menu are either vegan or vegetarian.
What fun picking out several items and sharing them with one another.
The restaurant has been open only one month.
Give it a try, I think you will really enjoy it. Jean and I are looking forward to return trip A.S.A.P.

We also found out that a new vegan/vegetarian restaurant will be coming to Menasha in December. How exciting is that!!!
It will be located next to the Menasha Grill. The name of the restaurant has not been decided at this time. How we need new restaurants that us chippers can go to.
Thank you Jean, for a very fun adventure.

Cucumber Dip

I made this over the weekend and had some unexpected company. It was totally devoured before I had a chance to take a picture of it. trust me this is really good as a dip or as a spread on a sandwich. Quick and easy to make also.

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber -diced in small pieces-peeled if large. You will need about 1 1/2 cup of cucumber.


• Scrape out the seeds before dicing.


• 1 bunch small green onions-chopped-include some of the greens.


• 8 oz. cream cheese of choice-


• 1-2 clove garlic-chopped fine


• 2 Tablespoons Vegan mayonnaise


• 2 heads fresh dill chopped fine

Mix well.

Tomato and Corn Saute

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh sweet corn


• 1/2 cups diced shallots


• 1/2 green pepper-diced


• 2 cups tomatoes-diced


• 1 Tablespoon fresh basil

Directions:

1. Cook corn, green pepper and shallots in a small amount of oil until lightly browned.


2. Cool -add tomatoes and fresh basil-I used parsley which was OK, but basil would be so much better.


3. Refrigerate.

Enjoy!!!

Applesauce Pancakes

These are really tasty. I made them 4 different times and every time changed something on the recipe. At this point I felt I could put them on my blog. Give them a try I think you will enjoy them.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons organic chia seeds


• 6 Tablespoons warm water.



• Mix well and set aside. Let sit about 5-10 minutes.


• This mixture is used in place of eggs.




• 1/4 organic unsweetened applesauce


• 3/4 cups almond milk


• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla


• 1 1/2 cups white unbleached flour


• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1/2 teaspoon salt-I did use


• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda-aluminum free


• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts


• organic extra virgin coconut oil

Directions:

1. Place chia seeds in bowl. Add warm water. Let set 5-10 minutes.


2. Mix in applesauce. almond milk and vanilla.


3. Mix flour, baking powder,salt, baking soda,cinnamon and pecans in a separate bowl. Mix well with fork. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Do not over mix.


4. Heat coconut oil in skillet. Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter into pan. Spread out slightly. Cook until brown 3-4 minutes, turn pancakes and cook on the other side until brown, 1-2 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Beet Burgers

A friend brought me some beets so I decided to make some burgers with them. These are really good. When I baked them in the oven I kept them small so that they would not be unbaked in the center.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grated beets


• 2 cups grated carrots


• 1 cup cooked brown rice


• 1 cup sunflower seeds-I used sesame seeds


• 1 cup grated cheese-I used none


• Egg-Re placer to equal 2 eggs


• 1/2 cup grated onion


• 3 cloves of garlic-mashed


• 1 cup breadcrumbs


• 3 Tablespoons flour


• 3 Tablespoons parsley-chopped


• 2 Tablespoons Worcheshire Sauce-low sodium


• Cayenne pepper- I used Sirarcha Sauce


• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix well.


2. Form in small patties.


3. Put on sprayed cookie sheet.


4. Bake in 350 degree oven, for 10-15 minutes on each side.

Applesauce Spice Cake

I have been bed bound for the week and it was driving me crazy. So today I decide to try a new recipe.

This cake is absolutely wonderful. It is oh so very good.

I gave a lot of it to my therapist and friend today, as I did not want it in the house. Just way too yummy!!! Plus Jenny has a husband and two hungry boys.

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce


• 3/4 cups unrefined sugar. (The recipe called for 1 cup. Next time I will cut it back even more, to 1/2 cup.)


• 2 Tablespoons frozen Apple Juice Concentrate-don't dilute.


• 1/4 cup mild olive oil. ( I did use but next time I am going to use applesauce in place of the oil. Did not want to make to many changes all at once.)


• 2 teaspoons flax meal-I used ground flax seed.


• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all of these ingredients in a large bowl, and set aside.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


2. Lightly spray a glass 13 by 9 inch pan.

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (make sure it is pastry flour as that is a lighter flour)


• 1 & 1/2 cup white unbleached flour


• 1 teaspoon cinnamon-I used 1 & 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.


• 2 teaspoons baking soda -non-aluminum


• 3/4 teaspoon salt-I used 1/2 teaspoon salt.


• 1/4 teaspoon cloves-I used a whisker more


• 1/4 teaspoon ginger-again I used a whisker more.


• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts-I used more like a cup.


• 1/2 cup raisins-I used 3/4 cup.


• 
  

Directions:

1. Combine dry ingredients.


2. Gradually combine dry ingredients to wet ingredients.


3. Do not over mix. Pour batter in greased glass pan.


4. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Frosting:

This was a little more interesting.

• I used 3/4 cup Dari Free Powder-I found this at Woodmans.


• 1/4 cup Earth Balance Margarine-I use the red container.


• 1/4 cup maple syrup


• 1 teaspoon vanilla.

I put this in a a bowl and it got hard as a rock. So I ended up putting it in a food processor and blended it well. I did add a little more powder. It never got thick but tasted really good so I put it on the cake like a glaze. Actually I pooked holes in the cake with a fork first and then put on the glaze. I did not use it all.

Sprinkle with nuts.

Enjoy!!!

Prune Pudding

No this is not chocolate pudding!!!!

When I came home after my surgery I had a friend pick up some prunes for me. Instead of cooking them in water I used orange juice concentrate.

Last evening I realized those prunes where still in my refrigerator.

Knowing I better use them up before they spoil this is what I did.

1. Drained the prunes.


2. I put the prunes in the food processor. I had about 1 1/2-2 cups prunes.


3. I drained some soft Nori-Nu Silken Tofu (1 container) and put in the food processor with the prunes.


4. Process for several minutes until very smooth scraping down the sides periodically.


5. While this was happening I heated the orange/prune juice ( I had a little over a cup) that I had drained off the prunes.


6. When almost hot I added a Knox Unflavored Gelatine. Mix well until dissolved.


7. If to thick add some water to the consistency you want, and mix well.


8. Refrigerate several hours.

This is really good, especially if you like prunes.

UMM!! Wouldn't some whipping cream be good on this!!! Vegan of course!!!!

Enjoy!!!

I than added this to the mixture in the food processor and continue to blend until very smooth.

Crunchy and Gooy Peanut Butter Treats

I wanted to make a few items for grandchildren leaving for college in a few weeks. I choose to make these. Also in the process of drying lots of pineapples, kiwi and other fruits to send along with them.

These are really good and so very easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup Brown Rice Syrup
  3/4 cup low fat low, sodium peanut butter



• 1 10 oz box Perky's Crunchy Cereal- I found this at Festival in the Natural Food Aisle-bottom shelf



• I had lots of partial bags in my cupboard that I put in these bars.



• 6 oz vegan chocolate chips



• Dried cranberries



• Sesame Seeds



• Dried Apricots.



• Flax Seed.



• Put in what ever you have in the house to make it crunchy.

Directions:

1. Heat rice syrup in a saucepan over low heat. When rice syrup liquefies and peanut butter and stir well until mixed well and heated through.



2. In a large bowl mix cereal and other dry items that you are putting in the bars



3. Pour hot mixture over cereal mixture.



4. Press down in a lightly sprayed glass pan.



5. Sprinkle with remaining chips. Press down..



6. Refrigerate 1 hour before cutting and sering.



7. These freeze well.

Enjoy!!!