Mmm, biscuits & gravy...

This is one of my favorite breakfasts - biscuits and gravy! Yum! I had a half-gallon of soy milk in the fridge I need to use up so I made a batch today. =) I tried the cornmeal version of the baking powder biscuit recipe I normally use. So good! I didn't make two separate recipes of the gravy - one veg and one not - so these didn't pass my mother's high standards (keep in mind she usually eats premade crap nuked in the microwave or chips or cookies for every meal). Not saying she didn't eat a nice, big plate of it (really, it was that bad?), but apparently it's not as good as my sister's. I'd guess the big difference is that my sister uses pork sausage and I... don't. I told her to go to my sister's and have her make it then. Any wonder why I normally cook while she's at work? haha

Still making progress on my sweater and I've decided what's making the trip to AZ with me (I've got a week to change my mind).It's been pouring down icy rain all day and they're calling for SNOW tomorrow. Hard to believe I'll actually be HOT in a week! More than ready to head back out. This has been an expensive month at home! The car got new tags, new brakes, a new battery and Friday, a new starter. *sigh* Still needs a new windshield this week before I leave. And I need to go get my new IN license as well. Get me out of here before I go broke!! =)

Healthy Brownies!

Made a batch of these last night! Yum! I got this recipe from Kashi.com years ago and since then, they've taken it off the website. These are great for breakfast on the go or as a healthy snack and can easily be changed up to suit what's in the fridge/cabinet - I've made them with all zucchini or all carrot if I don't have the other. These freeze well too! The veggies aren't quite so obvious if you shred them finer so you might want to if you're passing these off to picky kids. =) You could use a different cereal if you don't have access to the one called for. I've used Kashi Good Friends mainly, but most any healthy cereal should work just as well.
It's really easy to veganize too. Just sub brown rice syrup (or other sweetener) for the honey and use a vegan cereal. =)

Kashi Veggie Brownies
Makes 12 servings
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon honey (I used agave nectar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup GoLEAN Original Cereal pieces*
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup cocoa or carob powder (unsweetened)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts if desired (optional)
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions: Combine zucchini, carrots, banana, applesauce, honey and vanilla in a large bowl. In another large bowl mix until uniform, the flour, Kashi, turbinado sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the vegetable mixture and mix until well combined. (Add nuts if desired and mix well.) The batter will be very stiff. Spray a 9 X 12-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Evenly press the batter into the pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

*Kashi GoLEAN pieces are made by putting Kashi GoLEAN in a blender or food processor until mixture is the consistency of finely chopped nuts. A coffee grinder works well if you don't have a blender or food processor.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size 1 brownie
Serving Per Container 12
Calories 160
Calories From Fat 35

*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Amount/Serving %DV* Amount/Serving %DV* --------------------------------------------------
Total Fat 4g 6%
Total Carb 30g 10%
Saturated Fat 0.5g 3%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sugars 16g
Sodium 270mg 11%
Protein 4g
--------------------------------------------------
Vitamin A 50%
Vitamin C 4%
Calcium 2%
Iron 8%

Starting off right - Healthy Minestrone Soup!

Seriously, this couldn't be quicker or easier to make and it's so healthy and so very yummy! The best part is, it's a perfect recipe for hotel cooking (well, if you have a stovetop, that is). =)


Fast Minestrone

3 cups vegetable broth
1 14.5-oz can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup uncooked small pasta
1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 16-oz pkg frozen Italian-style mixed vegetables
2 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp marjoram
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
(recipe from The McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook)

Of Self-Portraits... and Baking!

So, our last assignment for photo 101 is a self-portrait. Can I just say... not my favorite subject matter. I am seriously sick of my face after a week of taking way too many photos of myself! I ordered a remote for my digital but it won't be here until next week sometime... too late to be of help for this task. I'm not a big fan of the self-timer, but it got the job done in instances where there was no other way (my arms are only so long). =) Getting tired of my mug, I started looking around for shiny objects in which to reflect myself... ah, the ice cream scoop! But there had to be a reason for it...

Enter the Fruity Carrot-Bran Muffins! YUM! (the pic below will take you to the recipe) Mission accomplished. And a quite tasty result as well. =)

Sunset Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits

Found a new recipe I thought I'd like to make for Thanksgiving so I wanted to try it out in advance. =)

First off, I used red yams (@ half a large one) in place of sweet potato since it's what I had on hand. I also left out the oil with no issues and cut back on the salt a bit (maybe half). I also left out the added water in the end and upped the flour a bit (I used whole wheat pastry) to form a firmer dough and rolled/cut instead of making drop biscuits. YUM! =D

I may use half whole wheat pastry and half unbleached white flour for a little more loft next time.

Sunset Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits

1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes (2 small baked sweet potatoes)

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray or parchment paper.

Combine sweet potatoes, oil, syrup, vinegar and salt in large bowl. Sift in flour, baking powder and nutmeg.

Cut dry ingredients into sweet potato mixture with fork until mixture comes together. Stir in 2 to 3 Tbsp water, or enough to get the dough to hold together.

Drop golf ball-size rounds of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned and firm to the touch. Serve warm.

Following the recipe, you should get 12 drop biscuits. I rolled mine and got 9 so I'll definitely be upping the recipe for Thursday. =)

*recipe from October 2007 Vegetarian Times magazine

Better Naan

Sometimes, you have to chuck the recipes and go out on your own. =) This is my most recent attempt at homemade naan, sans tandoor oven of course. I used my George Foreman grill and it came out nice and chewy. So far this is my favorite.

Naan

1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt1 tsp sugar
about 4 cups flour (enough to get a good, soft dough)
3 Tbsp soy or rice milk, plain
1 cup vegan yogurt
1/2 tsp instant yeast
3 Tbsp melted margarine
2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer + 1/4 cup water, beaten

Combine dry ingredients (less @ 1/2 cup flour) in large bowl, set aside.

Combine soy/rice milk, yogurt and butter. Heat in microwave until warm (@ 45-60 sec). Add yeast and Egg Replacer, mix.

Add to dry ingredients. Mix. Add additional flour if needed to form soft dough. Knead 15 minutes until dough is elastic. If dough is sticky, add more flour.

Place in greased bowl and cover with damp tea towel or lid, allow to double in size (depending on temp, could be 1-3 hrs).

Preheat George Foreman grill.

Divide dough into 8 sections and roll into balls. Flatten either by hand (for a more rustic look) or with a rolling pin. Cook on grill until lightly browned.

Can be brushed lightly with melted margarine, but these are great plain!
Enjoy!