Green Bean Casserole

As I mentioned on an earlier post, I am having friends in next week for a birthday party. I am just starting to get a few green beans out of my garden

and would like to serve them for the party. (if I have enough)

I could not sleep last night so at 3 o'clock in the morning went on Vegan Dad's site to find a good bean recipe. If you have not been on Vegan Dad's site you need to give it a try. He has some really great recipes. Probably one of my favorite places to go to find great recipes.

I found this recipe at 3 or so this morning and could not wait to give it a try. It is absolutely scrumptious. Because my printer was not working I just jotted down the ingredients and went from there.

Ingredients:

Green beans-cook beans about 6 minutes in boiling water. Strain and drop the beans in cold water bath to stop cooking. I did not have enough beans to make this recipe so put in some broccoli that I had in my frig. It was very good with the broccoli in.

Sauce:

10 oz. of white button mushrooms-chopped

3 clove garlic-minced

I chopped mushrooms and garlic in my food processor and then sauteed them in a sprayed pan.

Add a pinch of Cayenne pepper-I used Siracha Sauce to your taste

Mix 2 Tablespoons of flour in 3/4 cup vegetable broth add to the saute vegetables and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens.

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons no sodium chicken bullion- this was my addition.

Add 1 Tablespoon dry Sherry

Add 3/4 cup plain soy creamer, continue cooking until mixture thickens-5-10 minutes.

Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Mix sauce with beans and put in a sprayed casserole container

Topping:

I doubled the topping-this is the doubled topping.

In a food processor put 3 slices high fiber dry bread-broken in small pieces

2 Tablespoon Earth Balance

Process the bread in the food processor until fine crumbs and then add the Earth Balance.

Put in a medium size container and add a large container of French Fried Onion Rings.

(I believe it was 13 oz.) Mix well and pat on top of the beans. bake at 425 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Watch the topping so that it does not burn.

OMG this is so very excellent.

I can't wait to have more tomorrow.

Give it a try, I am sure it will become one of your favorite recipes.

Mushroom Taco's with Mango Salsa

I always chop everything in the food processor. Just so much quicker. I found this recipe on Chef Chloe's web site, but made a few changes.

Ingredients for taco's:

• 1 onion-chopped


• 1 bell pepper-chopped fine-any color


• 2 large portables mushrooms-chopped to look like hamburger


• 4 clove garlic-minced


• 2 teaspoons chili powder


• 1 teaspoon ground cumin


• 1 teaspoon dried oregano


• 1-15 oz. low sodium black beans- rinsed


• 1-2 Tablespoons tomato paste


• 2-3 Tablespoons water


• Freshly ground black pepper to taste


• Fat Flush Tortilla shells

Directions:

1. Saute onions and bell pepper in sprayed pan, 2-3 minutes.


2. Add garlic and mushrooms, continue sauteing.


3. Add the rest of the ingredients, continue cooking on low 10-15 minutes.

Serve with Mango Salsa

I used my Mango Salsa Recipe as I preferred it to the one in the recipe. This is my Mango salsa Recipe.

Mango Salsa:

• 4 Mango's-cut into small pieces


• 1 sweet red bell pepper-chopped fine


• 1/2 small red onion-chopped fine


• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro


• 3 jalapeno peppers


• Agave Nectar to taste


• Juice of 2 limes


• Mix all together-refrigerate for a few hours if time permits.

Chloe suggested to serve with her Pineapple Guacamole. I felt it was really good but not needed in this recipe.

Pineapple Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe avocados-mashed


• 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice


• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin


• 1/4 cup salsa fresca-I used my Frog Ranch Salsa


• 1/2 cup diced pineapple

Mix all together. Serve with above.

Forward Seasonings from Penzey's

I just picked up this seasoning from Penzey's. (If you have not been to Penzey's it is a fun place to visit. They are over by JoAnn Fabrics near the mall.)

Forward is a new salt-free seasoning that just came in. I really like it as it has a lot of my favorite seasonings in such as black pepper, onion, garlic, paprika, turmeric, plus rosemary, celery and basil.

If you have not been to Penzey's give them a try. If you sign up with Penzey's you will get a monthly catalog, usually with several CHIP approved recipes in the catalog. Plus often there is a coupon on the cover for a free seasoning. How can you go wrong!!!

Have a super wonderfu day!!!!

Green Beans with Rosated Tomatoes.

I am so glad that I put that 6 foot fence around my garden to keep all the 4 legged creatures out.

I am starting to reap the benefits of all my work this spring.

I had fresh green beans for supper last evening and more this evening. I could eat beans three times a day and nothing else, especially when they are right out of the garden.

I found this recipe in the latest Pensy's catalog.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved


• 1 cup yellow plum tomatoes, chopped-I did not have so did not use


• 1/4 cup onions chopped


• 8 cloves garlic, minced. I love garlic but I felt this was a bit too much and cut back to 5


• 1 Tablespoons olive oil


• 2 teaspoons sugar-I used 1 teaspoon Agave Nectar


• 1-2 teaspoons salt- I used none


• 1/4 cup butter-I used Earth Balance


• 1/4-1 teaspoon Forward-a spice from Pensy's without salt


• 2 lbs green beans, trimmed and cooked 1 minute in boiling water. Rinse and cool


• 2 Tablespoons fresh chives or fresh green onions


• Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Roast the tomatoes at 425 degrees.


2. In a zip-lock plastic bag combine tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and stevia. and onions. Shake to mix.


3. Pour on parchment lined pan and bake for 30 minutes.


4. Meanwhile, melt the Earth Balance in a pan. Add beans, Forward seasoning and pepper.


5. Heat through, stirring often.


6. Add tomato mixture and pepper.


7. Season to taste.


8. Serve with chopped chives on top-optional

Enjoy!!!

Eat your beans-they are so good for you.

Sweet Potato Chips

I made these Chips with my Spiralizer which I have had for a few years. My friend Jean just got one which encouraged me to dig mine out of the cupboards. It is so fun to get new "toys" use them for a season, and then put them in the cupboard and forget about them. (thanks Jean for the reminder.)

The Spiralizer comes with 3 blades. One is in the spiralizer which made these chips. They are very thin. The other two blades I show in the pictures as well as the spiralizer.

The bottom picture is using a small zucchini from my garden showing what you can do with it.

The very thin zucchini makes great spaghetti for your marinara sauces. The purpose of the spiralizer is to eat more raw foods.

I did take the sweet potato and after running it through the spiralizer, tossed with some garlic and onion powder. I then sprayed it with a little spray, put the chips on parchment paper, and baked at 375 degrees for 1/2 hour. Watch closely so that they don't burn.

I ate them with some vegan mayonnaise with a little ketchup ( no fructose sugar ketchup)

It was a special treat.

I typed in Spiralizer Recipes on Google
I got recipes and info on how to order a spiralizer if interested. They are about $30.00 or in that ball park.

Or else go on Amazon.com the name of mine is World Cuisine Tri-Blade Plastic Vegetable Slicer.

Give it a try, I am sure you will have fun with it.