Soy-Glazed Soba with Crispy Tofu & Vegetables

Thank you for all of the lovely comments about experiences with morning sickness and my crazy theories. You all had some very interesting insights and different perspectives that are quite thought-provoking. I love a "good think." I also appreciate the kind way in which you welcomed my news. I was actually quite nervous to share because the world is getting to be less and less friendly to "large" families, or women who choose to have more than two children. Some of my friends who have 5-6 children get a lot of negative feedback from onlookers. On one occasion, a good friend of mine and I were out eating lunch together with all six of our kids combined, and we got asked if we ran a daycare. Ha! In a way, I guess we do!...So, thank you for your kindness.

Yesterday I felt like I got hit by a bus. My eyes were glued shut from some kind of bug I got, and I basically just slept all day. I was worried that after sleeping all day that I wouldn't be able to sleep last night. Wrong. I zonked out at about 9:00 p.m. and faintly remember Paul asking me if I was now going to sleep.

I am so glad that yesterday is over. I told Paul that it felt like I was in a nightmare from the Twilight Zone. Some sort of cold or bug, affecting my eyes and dropping my energy levels to below zero on top of morning sickness was just that. A nightmare.

Anywho. I am sure you didn't come here to hear a sob story about moi. That's not why I am writing today, either. Today I feel like a super-star...relatively...and I really wanted to share a good recipe with you. I don't have a ton of time, because any day that I feel like a super-star I think I should be cleaning my house and doing laundry. Not cooking...yet.

Actually, I did make this French Toast from my site.



Oh, wow. If you haven't tried it yet, with maple syrup...if you were ever a French Toast lover as a kid, I recommend this stuff. My family has to double the recipe! All other vegan french toast recipes I have tried are soggy and gross. To me and my little buddy Samuel, this french toast is perfection.

This is the recipe I really want to share today. Total winner with the whole family.

It reminded me of one of those big, giant "panda bowls" you can get at Asian restaurants.



A few weeks ago, I was short on time for dinner and I didn't want a labor-intensive recipe...I think that's how some of my best recipes usually start...It took less than 30 minutes to prepare, including the marinating time for the tofu. Which means it qualifies for our VEGAN FAST FOOD series. Yay!

Whenever I make a new dish I always wait for that one magical, approving line from Paul, "It's a keeper!" And this dish most lovingly received that stamp of approval from him. If I don't hear that line, the meal is kicked. Once and for all. He's a pretty good judge on food, so I never take his feedback lightly, and he always tells the truth to me -- straight.

While preparing dinner, I was nervous about adding asparagus. Essie was nervous about unusually "brown noodles." But as soon as Essie took a big bite, she started chowing down her entire bowl.

Soba noodles add a different and enjoyable texture that I have not experienced before in a noodle dish. They soak up flavors and help the whole dish, vegetables and tofu included, just kind of meld together.

There were no screamingly predominant flavors; just a nice, mellow, Asian noodle dish with rich undertones from the soy sauce that my whole family loved. Kids don't like predominant flavors, I have discovered, and so this meal was so perfectly meant for kids and adults.

As I mentioned before, everything melds together very well, and Essie even ate the asparagus.

There are 4 main components, that all come together quickly.

1) Soba noodles
2) Lightly steamed vegetables
3) Marinated and crisped tofu
4) A great Soy-based sauce thickened and seasoned well



I know it looks super vegetable-y...but you really don't need to be scared of that. This was actually my bowl, and Essie loved the pasta so much that I had taken some of my pasta out and given it to her.

Because...the entire pot of pasta had been completely consumed! So my bowl was predominantly vegetables. Feel free to reduce the amount of vegetables included the first time around if you are not sure your kids will eat it. Or you could increase the amount of soba noodles added (you may need to make more sauce if you do that). But you may be surprised. You may be very happily surprised that you have a dish in which your children will eat green things!

I found Soba noodles at Whole Foods Market, but I have also seen them at Sprouts.


SOY-GLAZED SOBA WITH CRISPY TOFU AND VEGETABLES
From Mary McDougall's Recipes in, "The Starch Solution."

Use whatever seasonal vegetables you enjoy with these flavorful buckwheat noodles paired with marinated tofu that has been sautéed until crispy and tossed with a flavorful Asian-style sauce. I replaced the snow peas with two small zucchini, cut in half, then coined and cooked in the same pot as the asparagus.

PREP: 30 MINUTES | COOK: 20 MINUTES • SERVES 3 TO 4

Ingredients:

¼ cup regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce, plus more for coating noodles
1½ tablespoons agave nectar
Dash of sesame oil
1 package (10 ounces) extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into ½″ cubes
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces
1½ cups snow peas, trimmed (or two small zucchini, or other favorite vegetable, cut in half and coined)
1 package (about 9.5 ounces) soba (buckwheat noodles)
Dash of soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (I just used additional rice wine vinegar...I don't cook with alcohols)
½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Dash of sesame oil or chili oil (optional)
Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional, I added 1-2 teaspoons of red chili paste instead, Sambal Oelek)
Sriracha hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, agave nectar, and sesame oil. Add the tofu and stir gently to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tofu cubes to the skillet and sauté, turning occasionally with a spatula, until the tofu browns on all sides. Reserve the marinade. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and snow peas (or zucchini) and cook for 4-6 minutes, depending on how soft you want your vegetables. Drain the vegetables in a colander, and transfer the vegetables to the pan of tofu. Bring a second pot of water to a boil and add the soba noodles. Cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and transfer the noodles to a large bowl and add the tofu and vegetables to the bowl.

Splash noodles and vegetables with a dash of soy sauce and toss to mix. Transfer the remaining tofu marinade to a saucepan and stir in the mirin, vinegar, and garlic, and optional sambal oelek. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water until smooth, then add to the saucepan. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the oil and crushed red pepper (omit crushed red pepper if you used sambal oelek, otherwise it will get too spicy) , if you are using them. Pour the sauce over the noodles and stir gently to mix and coat everything evenly. Serve warm or at room temperature, with Sriracha hot sauce and Soy sauce on the side, if desired.

Pizza Foccacia and The Story of How My Fridge Died

My dear friends. I have wanted to write all week.

Rewind to Monday.

I peeked in the fridge, as we are all apt to do, and found that everything in my freezer was melting. Ice was turning into water, my frozen bananas were no longer white and pretty, but brown and mushy. Something was not right.

The temperature in the fridge was 50 degrees F (supposed to be 38 F) and the temp in the freezer was 38 degrees F (supposed to be 0 degrees F). Everything was much too hot, hot, hot.

Seeing the abnormal temperature, I called our repair-woman to have a look at it, thinking that simply the refrigerator needed to be reset. After an hour or so of working with, taking apart, hot-wiring, and looking at my fridge, the diagnosis was in.

My fridge was dead.

I was shocked. I did not expect a five year old fridge to die. My parents' fridges have all lasted what seemed like 20 years!

My beautiful, $1,800 dream fridge that Paul saved and saved to buy me as a gift five years ago when we first moved into this house. He had been saving that money for other important things...like our future, or our children's future... Instead, he plopped down a lot of money to get me new appliances.

He saw me struggle. No dishwasher. The worst stove on the planet that was 20 years old and had only two settings: simmer, and scorch. A broken trash compactor, and a 20 year old, tiny fridge.

It didn't really sink in at first. Until Paul and I went fridge shopping and saw that the same type of fridge now cost $2,400, plus tax and delivery. Ouch.

Major ouch.

We went home feeling sick. Woke up feeling even worse. How can we possibly feel good about spending that much money on a fridge? Paul pointed out that the amount is the same as the cost of a car! When we bought the fridge in the first place, we thought we would have it for a very long time and therefore had justified the purchase.

And it didn't help that we were now having to throw everything in the fridge away.

It felt like we were camping in our house. Only worse.

My kitchen became dysfunctional.

Fridge food all over the counters, fridge parts strewn everywhere.

It doesn't seem like something as simple as not having a fridge would bring life to a screeching halt. But when you are eating mostly plants? When you thrive on a lot of raw food, and cooked veg?

I boxed up all of our food.

Something I am really grateful for is the cold. Outside. Right now. I am so glad that it is winter time and that our great outdoors can act as a pseudo-fridge until we can figure out what to do.

Paul put it outside.

We went fridge shopping again yesterday and came home hungry and tired. It's been well over a week since I have done any grocery shopping, and so our options seamed meager under the circumstances.

I needed something easy.

At first, I was convinced I would make my easy Calzones that my kids love. Despite how easy the filling is to make (as fast as a green smoothie in the blender) I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not to mention I couldn't find all the ingredients in my messy kitchen.

And so I dreamed. Of something even easier.

Pizza Focaccia.

My bread machine did all the work. I broke all the rules. And used Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

This is the kind of recipe you make if your kitchen is all torn apart.

The kind of recipe you prepare when you can't think straight, and you really don't want to hear any complaints from your kids about food.

The kind of food you eat when you are low on produce and you just need some comfort.

The rosemary, basil, and olive oil took me to The Olive Garden.

Right where I needed to be.



Pizza Focaccia (with a Gluten Free option)
Inspired by, and Adapted from, Eat, Drink and Be Vegan

Makes 4-5 servings as a side bread for a meal.

Note from Dreena: Fresh rosemary really gives this pizza a wonderful taste and aroma. If fresh rosemary is not available, you can substitute with 3/4-1 tsp dried rosemary, coarsely chopped, or crushed between your fingers.

Note from Ashlee: Many fellow moms have mentioned to me that when going plant-based, pizza becomes difficult for kids. I really recommend this easy, tasty option.

You can make whole grain, homemade pizza dough, or purchase it pre-made from the store to make this meal even easier. I was able to serve this with marinara for dipping, (which I did not use with my bread because I savored the taste without it!) with a large salad, oil free dressing, and a lot of cut fruit and pomegranate juice for my kids. They loved the bread. Toppings can easily be tailored to whatever you or your children prefer to eat. Chopped bell peppers, fresh pineapple chunks, black beans, green chile, olives, red onion, spinach, basil, etc.

Just make sure you add the rosemary, basil, salt, pepper and olive oil because that is where the flavor really pops. Be careful not to overload the bread with too much veg, or it will become soggy and the rosemary will taste less pronounced. I recommend you keep it simple the first time around you make it, and really focus on the fresh herbs and seasonings.

TO MAKE THIS GF: Bob's Red Mill brand carries a gluten free pizza crust flour mix that is easy to make by following the directions. Also, I have seen pre-made Gluten Free pizza dough in the freezer section at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts.

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat pizza dough (I used the dough recipe from my Calzones, see below)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (or use 3/4 to 1 tsp. dried rosemary, coarsely chopped)
1/3-1/4 teaspoon sea salt, to taste (I used 1/3 tsp)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used fresh ground Rainbow Peppercorns)
1/2-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned, or chopped
Optional additional toppings we enjoyed:
Black olives, chopped, about 1/3 cup
Red onions, chopped, about 1/3 cup

Chopped green chile, or roasted red pepper flakes sprinkled on top could really add some heat if that's what you like! I have not yet tried the green chile, and it may compete with rosemary too much for flavor, or be soggy. But it is an idea. See my note above for other topping ideas.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, spread 1 tbsp oil over top of shell, then sprinkle on rosemary, salt, and pepper, and lightly sprinkle with any additional toppings of your choice. Bake for 9-13 minutes (mine baked in about 13 minutes), until edges are golden. (If using a frozen pizza shell, you will need to bake for another 3-5 minutes.) Remove from oven and drizzle 1/2-1 tbsp oil over the hot bread, then sprinkle on basil. Cut into slices or wedges.

Serve with a large salad and fresh cut fruit. I also made additional toppings available for my son who loves olives.


Pizza Dough for Bread Makers
(makes 2 lb size)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 and 3/4 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
2 cups white whole wheat flour, or sprouted whole wheat flour (found mine at Whole Foods Market)
3 tsp. sugar
1 tablespoon gluten flour (optional, helps the dough to rise and be fluffier)
2 tsp. yeast

Combine all ingredients in your bread-maker, in the order listed. Set the bread-maker to the "Pizza Dough" setting (about 55 minutes) and push start.




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Robyn Openshaw of Green Smoothie Girl mentions in her healthy book that Foccacia served with a large salad is one of her and her children's favorite meals to have for dinner. Somehow this makes me feel a whole lot more confident in serving this meal.

Other foods we've been enjoying that are easy in this time of chaos:

Rice Pudding
Bok Choy Saute (yes, again!)
Light and Tender Waffles (none of the ingredients need refrigerated!)
Seasoned Quinoa, a modified version that I need to update

Bok Choy Saute with Scallions and Roasted Peanuts

Yeah, I've sorta' fallen in love with Bok Choy.

Paul has a coworker at his office who has actually named his computer, "Bok Choy." I'm jealous. I wish my computer was named Bok Choy. Th'stuff is so good. (I guess I'm too lazy to type the 'e' in the word, "the?")

I like this sauce much better than my stir fry sauce...it's safe to say it's totally been improved.

Like. Totally.

Paul loves it. I ate it for breakfast the first time I invented it. And felt awesome afterwards.

But, you don't have to eat it for breakfast if that totally wigs you out.

Totally.

We're always looking for stuff that's fast. Easy. Ready in less than 30 minutes. This fits the bill. Totally. I'll stop saying that.

If you make this recipe.

You won't regret it.

Over brown rice. To die for. Well, not really. It's not really death-worthy (does that exist, truly, in food world?). But. I like it. And I hope you do, too.

This saute is super-satiating; the combination of chewiness from the rice and mushrooms, and the crunch of peanuts and bok choy. The flavors come together with the sauce to create deep satisfaction.

People have sometimes asked me. What should they eat for lunch if they don't like eating leftovers from dinner, and they need something quick and healthy?

Ahem.

Make this.

Speaking of quick.

Some quick tips:

* I love buying mushrooms pre-sliced, and pre-washed. Saves me so much time and increases the possibility that I will actually use my mushrooms.

* Peanuts? Buy them already roasted, but with no salt.

* Bok choy?

Ah. Bok choy. A tip? Eat it every day. Yum.

* Flavors are enhanced when you use a cast iron skillet.

* Optionally, you could add some fresh mung bean sprouts. I just didn't have any at the time I made this.

* To make it more kid-friendly using pasta, simply follow the kid instructions (and pictures) found on my stir fry recipe page.

* Oh, and a tip on that, too. After cooking the noodles, rinse them with cold water until they are completely cold. You can even refrigerate them. The trick with sauteing noodles is to have them chilled/cold. It works much better to prevent them from getting gooey or slimy. Once the noodles start sticking to the pan, you know they are done.

Boy Choy Saute with Scallions and Roasted Peanuts
By Ashlee Crozier

Ingredients:

6 cups baby bok choy, sliced (including all the greens on the top!)
1.5 cups cremini mushrooms, washed, and sliced fairly thick
4 large cloves of garlic
1/2 cup scallions, or green onions, sliced, including white parts.
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, no salt
1/3 cup soy sauce, or tamari
1/3 cup brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 -2 teaspoons sambal oelek, or other garlic chili paste (less if serving to kids, more if you like heat)
1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (really enhances flavor, but 1 tsp will do the trick)
Optionally, you could add 1 cup of fresh mung bean sprouts (I buy mine from Whole Foods Market)


Instructions:

For optimal flavor, use a large cast iron skillet.

Preheat skillet (cast iron or nonstick) on high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and spread them evenly over the bottom of the pan. Let them saute for at least five minutes while you prepare/chop the other ingredients. Mushrooms contain quite a bit of water so you don't need to cook them in oil; once you see that they are starting to release their water (they will appear wet), stir the mushrooms occasionally, and let them cook an additional 5-10 minutes, but watch them carefully so they don't burn. If at any point the pan is starting to smoke, and the mushrooms are sticking to the pan, you can add water in small amounts (1/4 cup or less) so that the mushrooms continue to saute in water. You don't want the mushrooms to be soggy or water-logged, so take it real easy on adding the water.

When the mushrooms have released all their water and are starting to stick to the pan, add the soy sauce, wait about 30 seconds, and then stir. This will caramelize the mushrooms in the soy sauce to give them flavor, and the soy sauce acts as a nonstick agent. Add the rice vinegar, chopped garlic, agave nectar, red chili paste, and scallions, including white parts. Stir, let saute for about 1 minute, and then add roasted peanuts.

Reduce heat to medium, or medium low. Add chopped bok choy, including the green leafy tops. Saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, but you want the bok choy to remain slightly crisp, so don't overcook it. Remove pan from heat, and stir in the 1-2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil. Toss to incorporate, and serve over warm brown rice.

For kid friendly, see my post on Asian vegetable pasta methods, using the same sauce as above and a fourth of the remaining vegetables.

Oh, and a tip on that, too. After cooking the noodles for your kids, rinse them with cold water until they are completely cold. You can even refrigerate them. The trick with sauteing noodles is to have them chilled/cold. It works much better to prevent them from getting gooey or slimy and sticking to the pan. Once the noodles start sticking to the pan, you know they are done. Remove from heat and serve.

The Perfect Pear; The Perfect Cleanse

I'm pretty sure I've had this green smoothie every day possible over the last two months.

Perhaps you have heard of Natalia Rose?

She is very famous for her raw, juiced green drink, called "Green Lemonade." A few of Paul's and my extended family members are currently doing a 100% raw juicing diet with green lemonade to successfully lose unwanted weight in a short period of time.

While I have also just discovered a new love for juicing lately; grapefruit orange juice, apple juice, carrot celery juice, etc. I have also discovered that kale does not juice very well, and most of it seems wasted.

As kale plays a major role in green lemonade, it seems tragic to see such small yeild of juice from such a power-packed nutrient, and almost heart-breaking to see so much kale thrown away into the trash after it has been juiced. (Even using the very popular and high quality Breville juicer; my personal fave).

I prefer to blend my greens, whole, to enjoy the whole plant, and this green smoothie is the closest "mime" to green lemonade that I have come across (thanks to my sister!).

Over Christmas break, it seemed that Paul, the kids and I were able to dodge a lot of "illness bullets." We had a wonderful time visiting family and friends, but it seemed like everyone was getting hit really hard with some kind of bug. Through it all, we somehow avoided getting the stomach flu, Norovirus, the cold, and other such ailments.

We thought we were out of the woods.

Until I got a sinus infection, which I have been prone to getting since I was little.

Did you suffer illness during the holidays? Or perhaps, you interacted with one too many sweets, and are ready for a cleanse. Maybe your Resolutions for 2013 include weight loss.

This Perfect Pear really is the perfect cleanse.

Because:

*It packs in a lot of greens
*It packs in a lot of cruciferous vegetables...
*...and cruciferous vegetables are known for their high nutrient density

According to Joel Fuhrman, and his book, "Super Immunity," if you want to avoid illness, or do everything you can to speed your recovery, you will consume a lot of cruciferous vegetables.

Examples of Commonly Found Cruciferous Vegetables:

* Kale
* Bok Choy
* Broccoli
* Cauliflower
* Collards
* Cabbage

Joel Fuhrman also says that in order to get the maximum benefit from cruciferous vegetables, it is best to have them lightly steamed, or raw, but pureed or finely chopped so that your body has easy access to the nutrients.

The Perfect Pear Smoothie has both kale, and bok choy, in their raw form! All blended up for a quick infusion of power-packed nutrients.

It's not super-sweet, but packed with greens. Cleansing is the idea, or good for weight loss or for just wanting to feel great. So don't expect it to taste like candy...However, despite the fact that it's not overpoweringly sweet, it is just about the juiciest green smoothie I have ever tasted. Pleasant, energizing, and very satisfying.

You can adjust the sweetness levels easily to your taste by adding more pear, or banana, or both.

The Perfect Pear
Adapted from Diana Stobo

Note from Ashlee: I found the most beautiful and delicious red Bartlett pears at Costco, that I have ever had. They were very large, and very sweet. I can't find them at Costco anymore, and seeing as how pear is the main sweetener/taste in this smoothie, I recommend you use either very ripe Bartlett or very ripe D'anjou pears. If they are small use two pears.

Ingredients

1½ cups water
1 large Bartlett pear, cored and stemmed (or 2 smaller pears, D'anjou pears work well!)
1 baby bok choy
3 celery stalks
3 large romaine lettuce leaves
3 large kale leaves (I add more like 6-8 leaves because I love greens)
1 banana
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup of ice (optional, but I think smoothies taste much better when cold, and ice helps blenders like Blendtec blend more efficiently.)

Directions

Add to your blender in the order shown, starting with water and ending with ice. Blend in high-speed blender for 60 seconds. Serve immediately.


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What I do to get a good picture sometimes!

While I was carrying the cutting board back into the house (through the snow) after this smoothie's photo shoot, the lemon started rolling off the board. I used my elbow to catch the lemon, and down went the green smoothie.

Luckily, I was able to use my torso as a lid for the top of the green smoothie and able to salvage most of it, but not without suffering some loss.

I was trying to get ready for our trip to Utah, so I just quickly wiped down my shirt and pants, and wore them during packing. Seeing a green, round stain, Essie and Paul both asked, "What did you get on your shirt?!"

Family Friendly Calzones...Or Pizza Pockets?

Cheesy. Creamy. Popping with flavor and pizza zang (my new word). Stuffed with healthy ingredients. The flavors meld together with warm pizza crust and marinara sauce.

It's been over three months, I am sure, since you asked me to make perfect these.

I've been thinking of your request, on and off, the whole time.

At first, it didn't seem like a difficult task. I had a basic recipe on hand that I had used for Calzones before.

But then.

I got to work on it.

And I realized I needed to rethink the recipe. The one I had on hand was good, but I felt that it was really not good enough. I wanted my kids to love it. Your kids to love it.

I basically, really, just wanna' see it gobbled up.

You've waited a long time. Never complained. Many times your comments, compliments, and encouragement have kept me going. You are a wonderful friend.

I know the challenges you face with trying to get your kids and hubby to really love eating plant based. Ah. Don't we all face some level of this challenge? Trying to get our families to enjoy eating healthier foods?

So I didn't take your request lightly. These Calzones needed to meet some high standards. I poured over books, brainstormed, consulted with other cooks.

Then I made a list of standards that these little Pizza Pockets had to live up to.

* Made with everyday, recognizable ingredients
* Kid-approved (and LOVED!)
* Nutrient dense (chock-full of healthy stuff)
* And still taste good
* No tofu (really? Tofu in my pizza? No thanks)
* Suitable for guests
* Easy (not an all day experience...or so-called, "labor of love")
* Only 2 or 3 main steps
* Variation-friendly (I provide a list of sauteed veg that would taste great as an add-in, or variation for toppings for the filling)

The standard of "No tofu" turned out to be a big deal. Most of my favorite cookbooks had recipes for Calzones, but inevitably, all of them used tofu as the main ingredient; throwing in a bit of spinach here and there for variety.

I just can't imagine handing an omnivore a tofu stuffed calzone, or even putting one in front of myself, and expecting myself or my lovely omnivore guest to want to eat said calzone. I like variations on tofu...but in my pizza???

And so. I have not forgotten you.

In fact, as soon as the right idea finally came to me yesterday, I was so excited I had all kinds of butterflies in my stomach. I was finally going to deliver what I had promised. I cannot tell you how badly I have wanted this moment to come.

Easy, home-made, pizza pocket goodness.

Have I told you lately? How much I care?

Because you and your friendship are SO. SO. WORTH IT!

The crust can be homemade, made in a bread maker, or store-bought. The marinara, or pizza sauce, likewise can also be homemade or store-bought. I use store-bought for ease and simplicity.

The filling takes as little time as it takes to put together a green smoothie.

With similar steps, and a short baking time. It contains 2 cups of artichoke hearts, and 2 cups of spinach. 3/4 cup of cashews, blended with lemon juice and seasonings make up the cheesy part of the recipe.

I will first show pictures, with detailed instructions and tips, and then show the posted recipe with the same detailed instructions below, for ease of keeping the information all together so that it can be copied, pasted, and printed. (I wish I had printable recipes option!)

The three main steps?

1.) Make pizza dough
2.) Make Creamy Artichoke Spinach Filling/Dip
3.) Put it all together and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, at 500 degrees.

Let's get started!

Assembling your Plant Infused Calzone:

When pizza dough is complete/ready, divide in half evenly. Rolling out only half of it at a time. Make sure to flour the surface so the dough doesn't stick.

After rolling/spreading it out into a smooth circle, I cut mine with a knife, on a smooth surface (my cutting board), into four equal parts.

Spread with marinara (or pizza sauce). I use Prego brand; use your favorite, or home-made.

Keep the sauce toward the center of the crust. You want dry edges so that they will fold and pinch together to seal the pockets/calzones.

Then, put about 3-4 tablespoons of pre-baked spinach artichoke filling on each calzone, again keeping it toward the center so that you have dry edges.

At this point, I would recommend adding in extra vegetables on top of the filling for the veg loving people in your life!

Some VEG Toppings that I think would work well:

* Sauteed, sliced mushrooms
* Sauteed, thinly sliced red onions
* Sauteed, thinly sliced red bell peppers
* Samuel loves black Olives, chopped or sliced
* Essie loves black beans in her pizza
* Roasted Green Chile...maybe? Sprinkled on top?
* Additional steamed, or sauteed, chopped spinach

Fold each calzone in half, bringing the two, straight matching edges together.

Then fold the matched edges; the bottom edge over the top edge, pinching the edges together at the same time, so it looks like this.

Just a tip: pinch really hard. That way it stays together. It's actually okay if it splits open a bit during cooking.

After the pocket is sealed, press gently down on the filling so that it fills up all spaces inside the pocket; evenly distributing the filling for savory, cheesy goodness in every bite.

With a spatula, and your hands, carefully transfer the folded, sealed calzones to a lightly oiled or nonstick baking sheet. You could probably also use parchment paper as a nonstick surface.

Repeat with the other half of the pizza dough.

Bake in a 500 degree pre-heated oven, for 12-15 minutes, until golden in color. Remove from oven, and optionally brush the tops with nondairy butter. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

SERVE, WITH A SIDE OF extra MARINARA SAUCE FOR DIPPING/DUNKING!

Spinach Artichoke Calzones
Modifications by Ashlee Crozier

Don't be frightened by the detailed instructions!

These are really, really easy, and quick to make. Especially if you have pre-made pizza dough, which, I do not frown upon.

Hey, make life easier.

Nor do I frown upon the use of store-bought marinara sauce. (I don't provide a recipe for marinara sauce, but you will need some for this recipe).


Pizza Dough for Bread Makers
(makes 2 lb size)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp. salt
2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
2 cups, scantly measured, white whole wheat flour
3 tsp. sugar
1 tablespoon gluten flour (optional, helps the dough to rise and be fluffier)
2 tsp. yeast

Combine all ingredients in your bread-maker, in the order listed. Set the bread-maker to the "Pizza Dough" setting (about 55 minutes) and push start.


Creamy Artichoke Spinach Dip
By Dreena Burton

A delicious, dairy-free artichoke and spinach dip made without any cream or cheese substitutes, and also without any oil.

Note from Ashlee: My kids love this as their filling for calzones, or as a dip. Either way, they gobble it up.

Ingredients

(serves 5-6)

3/4 cup raw cashews (unsoaked)
3/4 cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk (I like almond or soy, but your choice)
2 1/2 - 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 medium-large cloves garlic (use less/more to taste)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dry (ground) mustard
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups frozen artichoke hearts, partially thawed (helps for pulsing in blender)
2 cups (loosely packed) spinach leaves (I used frozen, heaping 2 cups, to get in more spinach)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425. In a blender, first add cashews, milk, lemon juice (I like the full 3 tbsp for tanginess), garlic, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. Blend until very smooth. (If using Blendtec (purrrrr) or other high-powered blender, this will only take a minute or so. If using a standard blender, keep blending until very smooth. Add artichokes and spinach and just PULSE through. Do not fully blend, keep some chunky texture! Transfer to an oven-proof baking dish, and bake for 17-20 minutes.

Remove and say ‘ahhhh’.

Assembling your Calzones:

Make Pizza Dough. While the dough is rising, prepare and bake Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Filling/Dip.

When dough is complete, divide in half evenly. Rolling out only half of it at a time, be sure to flour the surface so the dough doesn't stick.

I cut mine with a knife, on a smooth surface (my cutting board), into four equal parts. Spread with marinara (or pizza sauce); about 2-3 tablespoons of sauce for each calzone. I use Prego brand; use your favorite, or home-made. Keep the sauce toward the center of the crust. You want dry edges so that they will fold and pinch together to seal the pockets/calzones.

Then, put about 3-4 tablespoons (you can experiment with different amounts, to find what works for you) of pre-baked spinach artichoke filling on each calzone, again keeping it toward the center so that you have dry edges.

At this point, I would recommend adding in extra vegetables on top of the filling for the veg loving people in your life!

Some VEG Toppings that I think would work well:

* Sauteed, sliced mushrooms
* Sauteed, thinly sliced red onions
* Sauteed, thinly sliced red bell peppers
* Samuel loves black Olives, chopped or sliced
* Essie loves black beans in her pizza
* Roasted Green Chile...maybe? Sprinkled on top?
* Additional steamed, or sauteed, chopped spinach

Fold each Calzone in half, bringing the two, straight matching edges together. Then fold the matched edges; the bottom edge over the top edge, pinching the edges together at the same time, kind of how you would seal a double pie crust.

Just a tip: pinch really hard. That way it stays together. It's actually okay if it splits open a bit during cooking.

After the pocket is sealed, press gently down on the filling so that it fills up all spaces inside the pocket; evenly distributing the filling for savory, cheesy goodness in every bite.

With a spatula, and your hands, carefully transfer the folded, sealed calzones to a lightly oiled or nonstick baking sheet. You could probably also use parchment paper as a nonstick surface.

Repeat with the other half of the pizza dough.

Bake in a 500 degree pre-heated oven, for 12-15 minutes, or until golden in color. Remove from oven, and optionally brush the tops with nondairy butter. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

SERVE, WITH A SIDE OF extra MARINARA SAUCE FOR DIPPING/DUNKING!

Thanksgiving Breakfast and Power Snacks; 3 recipes to Fuel Your Day

Thanksgiving or Christmas fab, quick, and filling breakfast and snack ideas.

All of which are Gluten Free. Easy. And low in fat.

First, cake for breakfast.

Yes.

Carrot cake.

In oatmeal form. You will think you are eating cake. Literally.

Guilty confession: I was eating the oatmeal as I was snapping pictures. I couldn't help myself.

The first words out of my mouth after trying my first bite: "Oh, Heavens."

Paul's first words: "Wow, this tastes exactly like carrot cake."

You can have confidence in following the recipe exactly, and ending up with the best. breakfast. ever.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal
From Angela Liddon over at www.OhSheGlows.com (she has gorgeous photos, hop on over and take a look!)

Note From Angela: This one is for all of the carrot cake fans out there! Creamy, crunchy, chewy, and sweet, this recipe packs in a full cup of carrots and a handful of healthy ingredients that will keep you feeling full for hours and hours. This oatmeal is also wonderful as part of a holiday breakfast with loved ones. If you are adapting this recipe for several people, I suggest pouring the oats into a large casserole dish when they are ready, adding your toppings, and using a large spoon to scoop portions onto plates or bowls.

Note from Ashlee: I have only tried the low-fat version. Which excludes the nuts, shredded coconut, and coconut cream (I use almond milk instead). I suggest following this version if you are avoiding higher fat foods. I loved it this way and was full for hours. The only change I made besides reducing the fat was to double the recipe.


Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups finely grated carrot (about 2 large)
2 cups almond milk
2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk cream (or use more almond milk)
2 tsp ground cinnamon, to taste
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4th tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 cup regular oats
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice (optional, I didn't add this)
2 tbsp chopped walnuts, divided
2 tbsp raisins, divided
4 tbsp pure maple syrup
4 stevia packets (optional, for added sweetness)
1 tbsp sweetened shredded coconut, for garnish
1 tbsp coconut milk cream + 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup, to garnish (optional)


Directions: Finely grate 1 heaping cup of grated carrots. You want to use the fine grate and not the large one so the carrot shreds are very small. This helps the carrot blend in more.

In a medium sized pot over medium heat, whisk together the almond milk, optional coconut milk cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of salt.

Stir in the grated carrots and oats. Adjust heat if necessary or bring heat to low if it starts to boil. Cook for about 8-9 minutes, stirring frequently. When the mixture has thickened up, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, 1 tbsp walnuts, 1 tbsp raisins, and 4 tbsp of maple syrup. Remove from heat and portion into bowls.

Top the oatmeal with the remaining walnuts, raisins, and shredded coconut. If you are using coconut cream, you can mix a bit of the cream with maple syrup and drizzle on top of the oatmeal, as shown in the photo. Sprinkle with cinnamon for garnish.

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Megan loved this stuff so much that she stole Paul's oatmeal, and then scooted a little chair up to the stove to devour the pot!

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Something green. Nutrient-packed. Creamy.

Delicious.

Sweet apples, combined with creamy bananas and creamy sweet dates, some almond milk. Jam-packed with baby kale or spinach.

Apple pie in a jar.

Your taste buds and energy levels will be very happy.

Apple Pie Green Smoothie
By Ashlee Crozier

Ingredients:

2 cups baby kale or spinach, tightly packed and heaping (don't be shy! really pack it!)
1 and 3/4 cup almond milk
2 ORGANIC (NO CHEMICAL SHAKES, HERE!) large Gala apples, or other sweet apples
1 1/2 to 2 frozen bananas
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
6 Deglet Noor Dates (or 3 medjool dates, but I have not tried using medjool yet)
4 stevia packets
1 cup ice

Directions:

Put almond milk and greens (spinach or baby kale both taste great) in blender and blend until all greens are pulverized.

Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

I like to blend the greens first, with the milk, so that I have enough room to add more greens (on my ambitiously green days) and room for the remaining ingredients without killing my blender.

I was introduced to deglet noor dates by my sister, Aimee. They are only 26 calories per date! They are so delicious. I bought mine at Costco -- huge tub! Perfect in this shake, and they don't give me a tummy ache like blended medjool dates sometimes do.

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Lastly, pumpkin pie smoothie, revisited.

Lower in fat. Quite delicious. Ready in minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, Revisited (Low Fat, Easy prep)
By Ashlee Crozier (inspired by this smoothie)

Note From Ashlee: Removing the chia seeds and oatmeal also removes the issue of the shake being too thick. It also means you can have your insta-shake; no more overnight preparation. That's more like it! I feel very hydrated after having this snack, and it meets all of my energy needs for hours. Yummy little treat.

Ingredients:

2 cups almond milk
1 and 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 frozen ripe banana
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup ice cubes (creates better texture, and makes it cold which enhances flavor)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
3-4 packets of Stevia (don't skip! This makes the smoothie sweet without adding sugar!)

Instructions

1. Throw everything in your blender all at once.

3. Blend until smooth. One full cycle in my Blendtec does the trick. Drink, and enjoy!





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I hope to be able to post two fabulous main dishes to grace your Thanksgiving table. They are loved by meat-eaters and vegetarians alike.

I am also re-working Cauliflower Bechamel to taste similar to Chicken Alfredo. Loved by my kids, and taste testers (thanks, Rachel!).

We leave this Saturday morning for California.

Are you traveling for Thanksgiving?

How do you survive the Holidays and stay healthy?

Paul says he will have Turkey on Thanksgiving day, just to shake off the title, "vegan." He says he's a whole foodist, not a vegan.

Wherever you're headed, I hope you stay safe!

Double Chocolate Chippers // Cleaning Up 26

Underneath piles of wood, leaves, and old broken down planters, lay pretty little red brick stepping stones. I had to dig them up. Brush off the dirt. Re-position them.

It took three cartfuls to carry away all the junk. It still needs a lot of work.

And I thought. Why would anyone live with all of this trash, when they could have enjoyed the red brick stepping stones lying underneath it all?

Remember these little tummy aches? It took me three days to officially throw them out.

Why would I live for so long with cookies that made me feel sick, when I could have been enjoying these happy little festive things?

Boo!

Samuel and I got along very well with these cookies. I honestly have not seen him love a cookie this much.

They very quickly met their demise.

Chocolate, oil free with amazing texture, oats, coconut, craisins and the occasional chocolate chip.

Dunked in milk? Heaven.

I am off to go make some more.

Right after I tell you the recipe.

Double Chocolate Chippers
Adapted from Dreena Burton's, "Let Them Eat Vegan!"

Note From Ashlee: I've discovered that it's the chocolate chips that cause my tummy aches, not cocoa powder. Therefore, I used only 2 Tbsp. of chocolate chips, but you can feel free to increase that amount. These cookies have some serious satiation power with the oats and other components. They make me feel great when I eat them. If you would rather have oil in your cookie, replace the soy yogurt and the almond butter with 1/4 cup neutral-flavored oil. But the oil free texture is amazing. I recommend it.

Ingredients:

1 cup sifted spelt flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup finely shredded coconut
1/2 cup craisins
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup unrefined sugar (I cheated and used white sugar!)
2 TBSP to 1/3 cup nondairy chocolate chips (use combination of white and dark if you want)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder (High Altitude: 1/2 teaspoon baking powder)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (High Altitude: 1/8 teaspoon baking soda)
1/3 cup, slightly over-flowing, maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons, heaping, almond butter
1 tablespoon soy yogurt, applesauce, or chia seed gel (I used soy yogurt)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients (including the chips or your substitute of choice). Sift in the baking powder and baking soda, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup with the vanilla, then stir in the almond butter and soy yogurt (or replace with 1/4 cup of neutral-flavored oil)until well mixed. Add the wet mixture to the dry, and stir until just incorporated. If they are oil free, you will get quite the arm workout stirring these.

Place spoonfuls of the batter (about 1 tablespoon) on the prepared baking sheet and flatten a little. (If they are oil free, you may need to smash them down quite a bit). Bake for 11 to 12 minutes (mine were perfect at 11 minutes, 11 minutes if your cookies are smaller, 12 if they are larger).

Remove from the oven, let cool on the pan for a minute (not too much longer, to prevent drying, and if they are oil free I would remove the cookies from the pan immediately). Then transfer to a cooling rack.

If This Apron Could Talk: If cookie batter is dry when mixing, add another teaspoon of maple syrup plus 1 teaspoon of oil (or soy yogurt) and incorporate. The batter should be thick and somewhat moist, but not too moist, so go easy with incorporating more wet ingredients.




The kids and I have actually been having a lot of fun cleaning up our cottage, which we have now lovingly nicknamed, "26."

It's helped keep me occupied and productive, while Paul is away. We are trying to get it ready so we can have an open house tomorrow. Paul says we lose $26 a day on #26, when we don't have it rented out. Ha. Numbers man.

Do you have costumes yet? Are you going to dress up, or just your kids? I have no idea what I will do! Essie wants to be a cheerleader, Samuel, a fireman, and Megan is going to be a flower. YAY! I love Halloween!

I thought it might be fun to have a recipe round-up the day before Halloween, of recipes that would complete your healthful holiday. What do you think?

And yes, we are one of those families who is actually going to give out Halloween candy, not pencils and toothbrushes. Probably skip the milk chocolate stuff. How about you? What are you planning to give to trick-or-treaters?

I hope you have a great weekend, and enjoy the anticipation of Halloween!

Cheesy Potato Bar & Easy Pumpkin Molasses Beans

I'm not much of a chips person. Never have been. I am more of a potato person. My family loves chips, so sometimes I serve nachos. But I would much rather have my refried beans on top of chopped romaine lettuce. Not because I know it's healthier, but because I really am not a big chips eater.

I love a good potato. Never get tired of them. Baked, steamed, boiled, sauteed, there are so many ways to eat a potato.

I got caught up in making a fancier version of apple crisp yesterday, and realizing I didn't have a lot of energy left to make dinner, I decided to throw some potatoes in the oven.

They could bake, while I finished the apple crisp.

I am so glad I don't have to rely on dairy cheese to please family and friends. Thank you, basic cheese sauce.

That everyone seems to just love.

I was gonna' make a fancy pumpkin molasses baked beans recipe. There was too much going on. So I opened a can of organic baked beans, instead. Threw in some pumpkin to make it festive. Adjusted the seasonings to taste.

My pictures aren't fancy today.

You know those days where everything around dinner seems to be chaos? Where everyone's needs are suddenly voiced, and there are a million things that need to be taken care of, all at once?

Well, last night was one of those nights. It was busy, but I loved it. My sister loved it. We grew up in a family of seven kids, so a little bitty chaos kinda' feels like home.

Needless to say I was lucky to get a picture. At all. Mom world.

I served up some potatoes for my kids, and poured cheese sauce on top. After fixing up my own plate I looked up. I couldn't believe it.

Their potatoes with cheese had been completely devoured. I had to smile, albeit an inward smile so they couldn't see that I was happy. Children are always suspicious if Mom is happy that they ate something.

It must be healthy.


For the Baked Potato Bar, you will need:

2-3 baked potatoes for each person (I baked about 12 potatoes, but I wish I had baked more. We are pretty good at eating them for leftovers.)
1 Recipe Basic Cheese Sauce

Steamed vegetable, some good options are (pick your favorite(s)):
Broccoli
Zucchini
Peas
Corn
Green beans

Optional Toppings:
Green chili
Tofu Sour Cream
Salsa
Green onions, chopped
Red pepper flakes, if you like it hot

For the Easy Pumpkin Molasses Baked Beans:

1 15 oz can of organic baked beans (check to make sure it is vegan)
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup pumpkin puree

Heat on the stove and mix together well. Serve hot.

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A trick I learned with baking potatoes.

I used to buy those little pre-cut foil pieces, until I ran out. I didn't use them enough, so I didn't want to buy them again.

I do not like tearing foil. I do not like wasting excess foil. Maybe that's just me.

If you take a large piece of foil, and fold it into fourths, it creates a crease.

Tear along that crease and it will tear evenly. Ta-da! No wasted foil, and perfectly shaped little foil squares.

Wrap your potatoes in the foil squares, and place directly on the middle oven rack. Bake for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees. I used gold potatoes. If they are a larger kind of potatoes, like russet, they may need to bake for longer.

I thought I would go ahead and add the Basic Cheese Sauce recipe here, so you wouldn't have to go to other pages to get it.

A potato bar is another great way to use it.


Simple Cheddar Cheese Sauce
From Neva Brackett's, "Seven Secrets Cookbook."

Note From Ashlee: I've had quite a few taste testers try this cheese sauce. Family and friends have all stated that it tastes exactly like the dairy nacho cheese sauce. Or better. It's ALWAYS been gobbled up. Sometimes I have to go back and make a second batch. Amber has incorporated it into her home, and met with great success. Her kids STILL don't know it's dairy free.

If you follow the directions EXACTLY, you will find yourself with a really good cheese sauce. Best for Mexican types of dishes, but also good on kids' pizza.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashew nuts
2 cups water
1/2 large or 1 small red bell pepper, or 1/4 cup canned pimentos or roasted red peppers (I ALWAYS use the jarred, roasted red bell peppers, also called pimentos.)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 tablespoons food yeast flakes (nutritional yeast)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Blend smooth (about 2 minutes) and then bring to a boil, stirring until thick. Use for pizza, lasagna, burritos, etc.

Lite Cheese Option: Use only 1/2 cup cashew nuts plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

*Makes 3 Cups*


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Total side-note.

Remember how we kept trying to get a decent appraisal on our house so we could buy the old cottage with 7 acres across the street? We switched banks, and got a great appraisal. We close with the bank on Friday.

Paul came home from work yesterday and showed me a typed note that had been fixed to the cottage gate.

It was from an "area scout." She wrote that they are filming a movie with Ed Harris and Eva Longoria, and that our cottage was the perfect location. Left her number, and asked that the owner of the cottage would please call her.

So Paul called her. $1,000 dollars a day, they want to give us. To use the property for five days.

I am not even kidding. No joke.