Quinoa Patties

2 cups Quinoa prepared in 4 cups water (boiled)
1 1/2 cup carrot grated
1 1/2 cup summer squash/zucchini grated
1 cup prepared lentils (optional)
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup rice milk/soy milk/etc
2 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp dill weed
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup flour (any that you prefer)

Combine ingredients up to the almond butter.  Mix other ingredients in a 2 cup measuring cup and add to the solid mixture.  If it seems too dry you can add a little liquid 1 TBS at a time. 

I used an ice cream scoop to make the same size patties and shaped into rounds on the griddle.  You could use some oil to kind of fry them, but I just had them on low heat on the griddle (Like 220?) and waited for them to be cooked on one side and then of course flipped them over. 

Use these like you would any sandwich middle.  These freeze great, be sure to put wax paper between them.  This is a large batch, because we like to freeze the leftovers.

Lovely Lentil Taco Filling!

I love this recipe for taco filling, a layer in 7 layer dip and all kinds of other taco-ish foods :) 

3/4 cups dry lentils
3/4 cups brown rice (I have used white as well--but use less water)
4 cups water
4 tsp-TBS (to taste) veggie bouillon (I use either my own or Better Than Bouillon)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Bring the water to a boil.  Add the lentils and let cook 10 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients.  Wait until it is all at a boil and reduce heat to low.  Place lid on and simmer for 45-50 minutes more. 

You can also do this in a crockpot on low for 6-8 hours.  I can't wait to try this in my Saratoga Jack's thermal cooker!

Garlic Oil

This is something we use for ear aches, viruses, coughs and all kinds of other ailments in our family.  We try to always have some on hand!  You can add mullein for an extra punch as well. 

 ½ cup crushed garlic

 ½ cup olive oil

Mix thoroughly.

Add another ¼ cup olive oil

Let stand 10 days on sunny windowsill.

Strain on day 10.

You can use the garlic that as in the oil as a condiment if you like. 

You can decanter after that to get the last little bits out.   2 tsp garlic oil equals about 1 fresh clove.

Vegan Chocolate Shake

I love chocolate shakes but I don’t love sugar and dairy. This reminds me of the shakes you get at a fast food restaurant but guilt free.

1 cup cashews

3 cups ice

3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa

2 dates, pits removed and chopped finely or try you luck in the blender

¼ cup water

¼ cup agave or pure maple syrup

¼ tsp sea salt

Add ingredients to a strong blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. Freezes great for a snack tomorrow.

Savory Vegetable Quinoa Soup

When I made this I really didn't think my kids would like it. Surprisingly all ages 2-16 loved it and had seconds. This is very versatile. I add green beans, parsnips, zucchini and whatever vegetable I think would taste good. I have left out other vegetable because I didn't have them on hand.

Serves 6

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 yellow onion (diced into small pieces)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 very large red potatoes (about 14 oz.) (diced into small squares)

2/3 cup quinoa (uncooked)

3 vine ripened tomatoes (diced)

2 carrots (diced into small squares)

1 yellow squash (diced into small pieces)

9 cups unsalted vegetable broth (I used Rapunzel, Vegan)

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. coriander

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. stevia powder

1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

4 fresh basil leaves (sliced)

1. Add olive oil to a large stock pot and add minced garlic & onion. Season by

sprinkling some salt and pepper while cooking.

2. Add quinoa, diced potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, dry seasonings, stevia, salt & pepper.

Continue to cook, stirring frequently, Cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Add vegetable broth and yellow squash. Bring to a boil and then turn to low and

simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Add nutritional yeast and stir well. Turn burner off and add in chopped parsley

and basil leaves.

5. Serve with crusty bread and a green leafy salad. ENJOY!!

Gogi Berry Balls (superfood cookies)

This is truly one of favorite recipes. It will give you energy and it high in nutrients. I made a batch of these when I ran Ragnar and it kept me going. I also eat these when I am pregnant because they taste so good and keep me going throughout the day.

2/3 cup agave nectar

1/4 soaked goji berried

1/2 cup cacao nibs (I use chocolate chips)

1/4 cup walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup raisins

10 pitted dates

5 dried black mission figs

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup cocoa or carob powder

1 cup unsweetened coconut

Add all ingredients, except coconut, in a food processor and process until it is as creamy as you can get it. You can add a little water if necessary but don't add too much or it won't roll into balls. Next roll in coconut and chill in fridge or freezer for 30 min before serving.

Yerra Moolee (Yellow Coconut Rice)

My family loves Indian food which was introduced to us by a friend from India. Here is a family favorite.

2 cups finely chopped onions

2-3 Tbs oil (enough to saute your onions in)

2 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 Tbs ground or crushed fresh ginger root

2 green chilies (anaheim or jalepeno, if you're brave)

1/4 tsp turmeric

2 Tbs ground coriander

3 cups coconut milk (2 cans will do)

1 1/2 tsp Salt

2 Tbs minced fresh coriander leaves or 1 Tbs dry(optional but wow what a flavor!)

2 cups potatoes

1 cup cauliflower

1/2 cup peas

Serve over:

4 cups cooked rice (Basmati is the best)

This can be a fast recipe if you do the following:

Cut up cauliflower & potatoes and have them steaming or boiling?(not my favorite method) while you are working on the sauce.

Also, start cooking the rice.

Now, heat oil and saute the onions until soft, reduce heat and add garlic, ginger & the chilies for another 2 minutes. Add turmeric and coriander, stir rapidly for another 15 seconds and add coconut milk and salt. Turn off the heat and let the ingredients sit to allow time for flavors to blend. Do not cook the coconut milk or it will turn sticky and slimy (not good). Add the steamed veggies and the peas (you can add them frozen and they will turn that pretty green and be the perfect texture).

Your rice should now be done. You are ready to serve!

Energy Bar (Yummy Snack)!

A friend of mine, who is also my visiting teaching partner, shared this recipe with me. She competes in bike rides and use this bar instead of Goo or power bars from the store. We like it for a snack and after a good run. My husband said it was addicting because of the rice puff crunch!

Energy Bar

Slightly warm these ingredients in a pan until they become mixed and more liquid:

1 cup of peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter

3/4 cup of honey or agave

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)

Mix in blender or food processor and add to above:

1 1/2 cups sunflower seeds, almonds, or walnuts

1 cup dried fruit (apples, apricots, dates, raisins, craisins, or strawberries for example)

4 cups brown puffed rice

Mix all ingredients together and press into a 13 x 9 inch pan. I put plastic wrap over it and use a a cup to make it really smooth and compact. Refrigerate until firm.

You can cut into squares and wrap it individually if you want energy bars on the go. My family eats it out of the pan but I plan on taking it to snack on during the Ragnar.

Pizza or pasta sauce

This is a super simple and flexible sauce. We LOVE it on our pizza and we stole it from Alicia. :)

2 roasted garlic cloves--you can also crush them and cook in 1/4 cup oil and add (though I always use fresh, I am too lazy)

2 14 oz cans of diced/whole etc tomatoes. I even use fresh ones and it turns out great!

2 tsp Italian mix (or any Italian herbs you have on hand--basil, marjoram, oregano, sage)

1/4 tsp pepper

Blend in your blender and put on your pizza. I have read that you can let it "marinade" for awhile and it makes a great raw (assuming you use fresh tomatoes and garlic) tomato sauce for pastas.

I have also been known to blend other veggies into it...like summer squash, cauliflower, spinach etc ENJOY!

Hair-Raising Cider :)

Hi there everyone!

I really like this recipe because it's easy to get the ingredients and it can be used immediately. This recipe is from the book "Family Herbal" by Rosemary Gladstar.

1 quart RAW apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh grated horseradish
1 chopped onion
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
2 TBS turmeric
1-2 pinches of cayenne pepper.

Cover and let sit in a warm place 3-4 weeks. Strain this and then add 1 cup honey, rebottle and regrigerate. You can take 1-2 TBS daily as a tonic or if you are sick then you can take it from the first sign of symptoms and every 2-4 hours until your symtpoms are gone.

Some people like the flavor okay, some don't care for it. However, it works great and has very familiar ingredients, all of which you can purchase at your local grocery store!

Yummy Tomato Bisque

This is so yummy that as I was flipping through some of my recipes I wanted to make it right now! But, since I just ate dinner an hour ago that would be silly.

2 TBS butter or oil
2 onions chopped
2 minced cloves of garlic
1 15 oz can of tomatoes (either whole or diced)
2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock can be tasty)
1/4 cup uncooked rice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2-1 TBS dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme

2 cups half and half (1 cup milk with 1 cup heavy cream OR 1 can evaporated milk OR 2 cups cashew/almond/soy milk)
Tobasco or other hot sauce to taste

Melt butter/oil in a large saucepan and stirn in onions and garlic. Saute until soft and golden with a medium to low heat. Pour in the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT milk/cream and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender and return to pan. Then stir in the half and half/milk in and add teh hot sauce to taste. If needed warm and then serve! This is really tasty with a dollup of sour cream on it! It's also wonderful with a sandwich. ENJOY!

Onion Soup for the Sick

Okay, so this doesn't have to be for someone who is sick, but we love it. The onions are like noodles and it is perfect for people who have colds, flus or just want to get warm on a rainy day. This is inspired by a recipe found at www.herballegacy.com/recipes.html

2-3 TBS olive oil or oil of preference
4-6 large onions thinly sliced (I like to use my mandolin slicer for them)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp thyme
5 cups water
2-3 vegetable bullion cubes
3 TBS Tamari/Shoyu or Soy sauce
Fresh garlic cloves for pressing at the end...

Saute the onions in the oil and salt until translucent. Add the mustard and thyme, stirring until mixed and then cover. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 35 minutes. Add the water, sauce and bullion cubes. Simmer around 10 minutes and then season to taste. We like to add a little of Italian seasoning to this too! Even clove has been known to be really tasty and healing. For people who eat meat you can put bite size pieces of chicken in at the same time you saute the onions.

Right before serving press the garlic into the soup and serve up!

Rice Porridge

This is for about 1 serving, I always double/triple it.

¼ cup rice flour
½ cup water
1 cup milk (or soy milk)
A dash of salt

Boil water and milk slowly adding the rice flour until it thickens. Top with honey or maple syrup after putting in serving bowls. If you don’t wash your pan right away, this becomes GLUE, so don’t leave it too long!

BBQ Tofu :)

Hey everyone!

Don't be turned off by the name, this stuff is DELISH! Even meat eaters have enjoyed it!

1. First purchase extra firm tofu. My friend swears by “soy boy” brand, but I didn’t see it and have great results regardless.

2.Freeze overnight (at least) and then thaw completely. This step changes the texture of the tofu. This means you have to think ahead or buy some and keep it in your freezer.

3. You then steam the tofu (this step could be omitted, but I have heard rumors that if you don’t cook it completely it can give you a tummy ache) and then squeeze the extra liquids out.

4. Cut it up. I slice the tofu through the middle and then cut into triangles.

5. Pour your favorite BBQ sauce and ketchup onto them and let them marinade. 12 hours is best, but I have done it with only 2 hours for us. My friend doesn’t always have time to marinade it and when she doesn’t then she adds extra salt.

5. Then put in a pan with the sauce (I have to add extra) and warm clear through.

It is really great in pita pockets or wraps with avocados. We like it with homemade guacamole. It’s also nice with fresh tomatoes….use your imagination!