Chili sin carne

Happy new year everyone and here is for a 2011 with good food! I'm cooking dinner for tonight and will post recipes in the next days but here is one more fast and easy dinner recipe.

I made this Chili stew without meat off course and it's one of our favorite "fast" foods to make and one of Bella's favorite things to eat. You can easily add more vegetables to this dish to make it more hearty. This time I added yellow corn and broccoli and we ate it with pasta.

1 cup yellow onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, grated

2 tbs canola oil

1/2 cup broccoli, cut into smaller pieces

1/2 cup yellow corn

1 can kidney or black beans

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 bag quorn grounds

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbs chili powder

Salt & pepper to taste

• Heat oil in large pan and fry onion and garlic for 1 minute without browning them on medium heat.
• Add zucchini and corn and fry another 30 seconds, stirring often
• Add beans, tomatoes, quorn, ketchup, chili powder and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add salt & pepper to taste

Acorn risotto

Last week of this pregnancy and I'm s tired. I'm counting the days until our little man will be here but until then I'm challenged in the cooking department so dinner tonight was a very simple risotto with acorn squash and I at the end also added broccoli to make it more filling. I love doing one pot wonders and risotto is fast and easy to make.

1 tbs olive oil

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup acorn squash, diced

1 tbs bouillon powder or 1/2 cube

2 1/2 cup water maybe more

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated cheese (optional)

Heat oil in a skillet and add acorn squash. Fry on medium heat for 1 minute without browning them. Add rice, bouillon and 1/2 of the water. Blend and simmer until water is low. Add more water and simmer until rice is soft. Add salt and pepper.

Oat meal crisps

This my husbands favorite cookies and they are great thin cookies with a carmel flavor. They are great with ice cream. The best part of these cookies is they a super fast to make.

2 1/2 ounces or 75g margarine (I used Earth Balance)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tbs milk (I used oat milk)

1 1/2 tbs light syrup

1/4 tsp baking powder

• Preheat oven to F400
• Melt margarine in a pot on medium heat.
• Remove from stove
• Add remaining ingredients and blend well.
• Place 1 tbs of dough on a parchment paper on a cookie sheet with some good space between since they will spread during baking.
• Bake for about 5 minutes or until golden.
• Let the cookies rest for a few minutes before using a spatula to carefully removing cookies.

African stew

This is a very kids friendly lentil stew with African flavors which will spread a nice aroma in your house when you cook. I put the peanuts on the side for everyone to add to their liking and instead of peanuts you can use roasted and salted cashews. I also added little curry and then added more after I served Bella for us who wanted a more spice.

1 tbs canola oil

1/2 tbs yellow curry powder

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/2 green lentils

1 cup tomato, diced

1/2 cup zucchini, diced

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tbs light soy sauce or bragg's liquid amino's

1/3 cup sour cream (I used tofutti)

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup salted and roasted peanuts or cashews

1 banana, sliced

• Heat oil in a dutch oven or a large pot.
• Add curry and onion and fry on medium heat for 30 seconds.
• Add lentils, tomatoes and water and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add zucchini, ketchup, soy sauce and simmer until lentil are soft, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add sour cream, salt and pepper.
• Right before serving add sliced banana.
• Enjoy with rice, millet or barley.

Mango guacamole

For Christmas hubby gave me Rick Bayless Mexican cook book so yesterday I cooked Mexican for dinner and one of the dishes was this delishes mango guacamole. I'm so excited to make more Mexican food as it's one area I feel I'm lacking in and my husband really loves Mexican food. So yes sweeties I get the hint:) Guacamole is a great snack specially for little ones since it's a very nutritional vegetable but then you might want to go easy on the peppers. Avocados provides almost 20 essential vitamins and minerals and contains very good amount of antioxidants to help protect the body against all those nasty germs and viruses going around right now.

3 large and ripe avocados

1/4 cup red onion, diced

2 tbs packed cilantro, chopped

1 tbs lime juice

1/2 Serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped

1 ripe mango, peeled and finely diced

salt to taste

Mash avocados with a large fork or a potato masher. Rinse the onion in cold water. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Christmas falafel

Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you all are having as nice Christmas holiday as we are. It's been all about family, friends and eating well. These falafels were part of our Christmas dinner and was a great hit with Bella. To begin with it was suppose to made with only chick peas but I added too much salt so I had to add more beans and I think using two kinds of beans it just made them better. Tonight we have friends coming over for dinner and this will be the menu:

• Falafels with Christmas flavors
• Parsnips in a sweet mustard sauce
• Quinoa salad with oranges and spinach
• Millet casserole
• Kale salad
• Home baked bread
• Saffron buns and ginger snaps

Falafel

1 can chick peas, rinsed

1 can pinto beans, rinsed

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup spelt flour

1 tbs baking powder

1 tbs cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp cardamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Salt to taste

Canola oil to fry in

Mix all ingredients except oil in food processor until a smooth dough. Shape dough into flat falafels in desired size. Heat oil in frying pan, you need a good amount of oil so they wont stick. Fry for a minute or more and flip once. Place them on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Sun dried tomato & balsamic seitan

Oh my what a major storm we've been having here in San Diego. There are flood warning and high wind warning all over. I have not been outside the door all day because Bella is sick again however I feel it was not a big loss. When it's cold and rainy like this I crave warm and heavy food. Our dinner tonight was seitan in sun dried tomato and balsamic sauce, roasted potatoes with parsley and asparagus. It was so yummy and satisfying, just what me and baby wanted.

4 small garlic cloves, grated

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked in water for 1 hour and then drained and chopped

1 tbs canola oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/8 cup bragg's liquid amino's or light soy sauce

1 tbs all-purpose flour mixed with 3 tbs water until smooth

1 packaged seitan stripes

2/3 cup cream (I used mimic)

1/2 cup sour cream (I used tofutti)

Black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a pot and fry garlic and tomatoes for 1 minutes on medium heat. Add balsamic vinegar and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add flour+water mix and blend. Add remaining ingredients and blend well.

Non-meatballs in a fun sauce

As I promised, here are pictures of before and after of our kitchen. Just follow the link to our family blog. This dish is meal perfect for the fast and the hungry which was my family tonight. The secret in the sauce is cola drink, sounds strange and actually added a fun sweet flavor to the sauce. The "meatballs" very ready made and frozen vegans. We ate pasta and broccoli with it. It was yum, yum!!!

1 tbs canola oil

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

2/3 cup cola drink

2/3 cup sour cream ( I used tofutti)

2 tbs soy sauce

Black pepper to taste

15 frozen vegan meat balls

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat and fry mushroom slices in a single layer until browned, flip once. Add cola, sour cream, soy, meatballs and black pepper. Simmer until meatballs are cooked, about 1-2 minutes.

Finished kitchen and potato & broccoli soup

As of yesterday my kitchen is done!! Off course at the end we had a lot of drama putting in the sink and dishwasher machine but hubby took care of that and got it all done. I really love my new kitchen and will have so much fun cooking in it. I will post some pictures of it soon.

I still have a lot of potatoes left and made a simple potato, leek and broccoli soup for lunch for today.

1 cup potatoes, diced

1/2 cup leeks, diced

1 tbs canola oil

1 cup broccoli chopped in smaller pieces

2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder or 1/2 bouillon cube

2 cup water

Heat oil in a large pot and fry leeks for 30 seconds. Add potatoes and broccoli and fry for another 30 seconds. Add bouillon and water and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Lentil hummus

I have been in full swing of nesting but I hit a speed bump when I was put on bed rest yesterday because of high blood pressure. I'm not too worried since I had the same thing happening with Bella just earlier. I'm getting so excited to meet and hold our little man which can happen any time now. Until then I want to make sure we're ready so I have made some small dishes to freeze and one of them is lentil humus. I made a lot and froze in smaller portions. Hummus is great on sandwich and personal favorite way to eat it is with roasted vegetables. This hummus is very mild so it's perfect for kids too.

2 cups cooked red lentils, drained

3 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs tahini

Herb salt to taste

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp coriander powder (optional)

2 tbs olive oil

Place everything in a food processor and mix until creamy. Taste and add salt as needed.

Basil cream

I now have counter tops in my kitchen and hopefully by Saturday we'll have a sink, water and dishwasher machine too. It' s so much fun cooking in my new kitchen however, I'm getting so pregnant and dealing with lost of contractions so I just don't have the energy to be as innovated as I usually am. In my last couple deliveries from Sea Breeze I've received a lot of potatoes and carrots which was about to go bad so dinner last night was roasted potatoes and carrots served with vegan nuggets, steamed broccoli and this amazing basil cream to dip everything in. Bella who has never been big on nuggets absolutely loved her dinner minus the potatoes off course. I have no idea how I ended up with a child who does not like potatoes in any shape of form. But since she pretty much eat all kinds of vegetables and fruits so I don't stress about it.

Basil cream dip

2/3 cup sour cream ( I used tofutti)

1/3 cup cream (I used mimic)

1/4 cup fresh basil leaf, diced

2 tsp herb salt

2 tsp honey

Blend everything together and serve.

Obama's nutrition bill

In an effort to make children's school lunches and dinners more nutritional President Obama sign into law the child nutrition legislation on Monday. You might have heard about it or even seen Michelle Obama speak about on TV as she is a huge supporter and joined her husband when this bill was signed. I think it's about time kids food in schools were more available and healthier for those who needs them.

You can read more about it here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/09/30/AR2010093003989.html

Fajita seitan pie

After a very long week it was nice to just have a very relaxing evening together with my family on Sunday. We watched Toy story 3 and ate this creamy seitan pie with fajita flavors. I accidentally made it a little to spicy but Bella handle it like a pro by drinking a little more water. I served the pie with a mixed green salad. I usually make my own pie crust but got lazy last night and used a pre-made spelt crust from Whole Foods.

1 whole wheat or spelt crust

1 packages chicken style seitan, drained

1 tbs canola oil

1/2 cup leeks, diced

1 cup green cabbage, diced

1/2 cup cream cheese (I used toffuti cream cheese)

1/2 cup cream (I used unsweetened mimic cream)

2 tbs Bragg's liquid amino's or light soy sauce

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

Fajita spice to taste

1 cup cheese, grated ( I used rice cheese)

Preheat oven to F425

• Pre-bake crust for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Heat oil in frying pan and fry leeks until glossy, about 30 seconds. Add cabbage and fry another minute. Add cream cheese, cream, soy sauce or Bragg's and all spices and blend well. Add seitan and mix.
• Place filling in pie crust and bake for 10-15 minutes.
• Sprinkle cheese in an even layer and return to oven and bake until cheese has melted.

Tofu & cashew casserole

I suddenly have all this energy at 36 weeks pregnant and have been cooking and baking up a storm which is freaking out hubby who thinks it's the calm before the storm and I will go into labor soon. I personally think it's just me loving how my new kitchen is coming along and the fact that I can cook in it again.

Because of our kitchen remodel we had to eat out a little more than usual and it's very hard to find healthy food suitable for a whole family. All the eating out gave me terrible heartburn so I did not enjoy my self at all. Luckily we have Whole Foods prepared food available to us and that was better than restaurants sometimes.

I've been craving tofu lately which I don't eat very often due to my thyroid problem. I made a tofu casserole which we ate with millet and green beans, mmmm the creamy sauce is soooooogood.

1 package extra firm tofu

1/2 cup cream ( I used unsweetened mimic cream

1/2 cup sour cream ( I used tofutti)

3 tbs soy sauce or Bragg's liquid amino's

Black pepper to taste

3 tbs mango chutney

2/3 cup salted & roasted cashew nuts

Preheat oven to F450

Drain and slice tofu and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place in a baking dish. Mix cream, sour cream, soy sauce, peppers and chutney together and pour over the tofu, covering thepieces completely. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce starts bubbling. Sprinkle cashews over before serving.

Ginger snaps in half a kitchen

Sorry for the lack of post lately but with no kitchen my cooking has been VERY simple. As of yesterday I now have half a kitchen meaning I have cabinets, fridge and stove but I'm missing counter tops, dish washer and a sink. For me I'm just happy to be able to cook and bake again so I celebrated by making ginger snaps. These are thin and crispy ginger snaps perfect to give away for Christmas.

100g margarine

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbs light syrup

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp cloves, grounded

1 tsp baking soda

250g all-purpose flour

Mix flour and baking soda and set a side. Place margarine, sugar, syrup and water in a pot and bring to boil while stirring. Remove from heat, add spices and let it cool of completely before start baking. When cooled place liquid in a large bowel and add flour little at a time. Work the dough really well and shiny before placing dough in a plastic bag or zip lock bag and make it air tight. Place in fridge over night.

Preheat oven to F450.

Before start baking, take out the dough from the fridge about 30 minutes before. Divide dough in half and use a rolling pin to roll out dough very thin on a surface sprinkled with flour. Use cookie cutters to make the cookies. Place each cookie on a cookie sheet and bake for about 5-7 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.

Hoisin seitan and a peek at out temporary kitchen

It's very hard to cook in someone else kitchen and our temporary kitchen is so small it's almost impossible to cook something more advance or bake for that matter. We and Bella had planned to bake ginger breads but will not happen until we get back home now. So now all I cook are very simple recipes and this seitan dish in a hoisin sauce is one of them.

marinade:

2 tsp dry sherry

1 tbs canola oil

2 tsp corn starch

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 package seitan, chicken style, drained

Place everything including the seitan in a ziplock bag and place in fridge for 1 hour. Heat a wok on medium heat and place seitan pieces in wok and cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

Sauce:

1 tsp canola oil

1 large garlic clove, grated

1 tbs dry sherry

4 tbs hoisin sauce

2 tbs cream (I used mimic)

Heat oil in wok and fry garlic for 10 seconds. Add sherry and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Add hoisin sauce and cream and mix well. Add seitan back and mix with sauce. Serve with white basmati rice and broccoli for a tasty meal.

The remodeling has begun and a $100 cookbook challenge

There are many things going on in our lives right now. Yesterday the remodeling of our kitchen started and today I was there to see how things are going. Wow, the only thing left right now is the stove and fridge and I have to say we're little freaked out to be doing this so close to the baby's due date. They have promised me they will be done no later than December 17 but that is still close considering big sister came 3 weeks early. You can see a before and what it looks like now on our family blog. So for now we're in a very small beach house and all I can say is 19 more nights to go before I'm home in my own bed again.

The second and really big and fun news is that I will have a cookbook soon. It's estimated to be done before Christmas and I'm so excited. Right before Thanksgiving we were shooting all the pictures for the book and this weekend we'll shoot the cover. One thing we're still working on is a name so we have a challenge and you all can enter with a name suggestion and have the chance we pick your name and you can win $100!!!! Just click on the this link and learn more about the book and start adding as many names as you want. Good luck!

High fiber bread

We're in full swing of packing up our kitchen for the remodel but I still made some time to bake bread for the week to come. I like adding a lot of "fun" things to my breads and I think maybe I went a little overboard this time but who cares when it all worked out so well. So this is a low sugar, glycemic index friendly and high fiber bread. It's the kind of bread that will keep you full and digestive system working. It's good as is with jam in the morning, or with butter together with soup. Today I actually used it as a hamburger bun for my veggie burger.

1 packages dry yeast

2 cup spelt flour

3 cups all-purpose flour, maybe more

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup wheat germs

1/4 cup flax seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup grated zucchini

2 ounces olive oil

2 1/2 cup warm water

• Mix yeast with flour, salt, wheat germs, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds together in a large bowl.
• Mix olive oil and water and add to flour mix and blend well.
• Add zucchini and carrots and blend well.
• Place a towel over bowel and place in warm place to rise for 1 hour or until it has double in size.
• Place dough on flour dusted baking area and knead the dough for about 1 minute.
• Divide dough and roll into rolls and place on a cookie sheet.
• Let the rolls rise for another 30 minutes
• Preheat oven to F450
• Bake middle of oven for about 15 minutes or until center is dry.

Holiday spiced nuts

Bella is finally but slowly recovering from her ordeal so Thanksgiving was a very mellow day fabulous feast cooked by James and my friend Jess. All I had to do was sit on the sofa with Bella and then come and make a chantarelle gravy which ended up being very nice too. We're moving out of Sunny yoga kitchen for three weeks because we're remodeling our kitchen. I'm so excited to have a brand new and more functional kitchen but I'm not looking forward to be moving out, especially so close to my due date. I will however be blogging from our "new" kitchen.

I've been itching to make Christmas goodies the whole week so today I made these gingerbread spiced nuts. They are perfect for a holiday party or just as a fun snack with tea.

200g or 7 ounces nuts, I used a mix of almonds and walnuts

2 tbs maple syrup

1 tbs pumpkin pie spice

1 tbs cinnamon

Preheat oven for F400

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, making sure all nuts get coated. You can also chop nut if so desire. Place on a parchment paper on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake until golden but not black (it happens very fast) about 10 minutes.

Non-dairy green bean casserole

I bet many of you are in full swing getting ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I went to Whole Foods yesterday and it was a mad scene already 9am.

Usually we spend Thanksgiving in Hawaii but this year because of our pregnancy we're staying home However, we wont be celebrating Thanks Giving this year because Bella is really sick. Last night she had a temperature of 105 and although she is feeling a little better today we will not be taking her any where right now. Tomorrow will be a simple dinner cooked by our friend Jess and the movie Charlotte's Web.

I still want to share a vegan green bean casserole recipe for you all who are cooking for tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Vegan green bean casserole

2 tbs canola oil

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 cup white mushrooms, sliced thin

2 tbs vegan chicken bouillon powder

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 cup unsweetened mimic cream

1/2 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp marjoram

Black pepper to taste

salt to taste

2 cups green beans, steamed

1 can vegan french fried onions

Preheat oven to F350

Heat oil in frying pan and fry garlic for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms a single layer at the time to get a nice browned mushrooms. Remove from frying pan and repeat until all mushrooms are fried. Return to pan and add bouillon powder, milk and cream. Simmer for 1-2 minutes on low heat. Add sage, marjoram, salt and pepper and mix well. Place green beans and half of onion in a baking dish. Add mushroom cream and top of with remaining onions. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until onions begin to brown.

Knifes designed for little helpers

Bella always want to help out cutting things but I don't feel comfortable letting her use a "real" knife until now when I found a knife specially designed for kids at the Great News Discount cooking store. It's has a comfortable plastic handle for easy grip for small hands and designed so kids can cut with it except not their hands. Bella used it for the first time making fruit salad with white chocolate shavings and toasted nuts, mmm.

Fruit salad

1 orange, peeled and diced

1 banana, peeled and coined

1 apple, peeled and diced

1 cup grapes, cut in half

1/2 cup roasted hassle nuts, chopped (optional)

1/2 cup white, milk or dark chocolate, grated

Mix the fruit in a bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving to really mix the flavors. To serve, place fruit salad on a plate or bowel, sprinkle nuts and chocolate on top.

Antioxidant packed juice

Good morning everyone!

There are so many colds going around Bella's school and I really don't want or have the time to get sick again. Antioxidants helps the body fight bacterias and viruses so with my breakfast I made this antioxidant juice which tasted so good.

3 oranges, juiced

1 pomegranate, juiced

1 large carrot, juiced

1 cup spinach, juiced

Mix them all and drink right away.

Pasta pomodoro

Sometimes when I get lazy or like yesterday when me and Bella got stuck in traffic and came home late I make it very easy on my self and cook a fast dinner with just pasta and vegetables. When we came home Bella was starved and I knew I had about 10 minutes to make dinner so pasta pomodoro is a perfect dish to have up your sleeve. It's both practical and nutritional. Pasta pomodoro can be made many ways but Usually do contain garlic, basil and fresh tomatoes, I added arugula for more vegetables which Bella liked just o.k so I also steamed some green beans for her too.

Quinoa spaghetti or whole wheat pasta for 4 persons, cooked

1 tbs olive oil

2 garlic cloves, grated

2 cups tomatoes, diced

4 large basil leafs

2 cup arugula leafs, diced

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil and fry garlic until glossy, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and fry another 30 seconds. Toss with cooked pasta, arugula, basil, salt and pepper.

Earthlings, an important documentary

Here is a trailer of the award winning documentary Earthlings about human abuse on animals narrated by well known animal activist Joaquin Phoenix. It's a very disturbing movie but something that has to be seen to understand it's it's not ok to abuse animals as much as it's not ok to abuse humans.

You also have a option to download the whole movie on this site. Please spread the word about this important documentary. I know it's easier not to know how the animals ends up on our plates but please take the time to understand and see for your self.

mushroom stuffed pasta shells

How is your weekend going so far? We had a great Saturday with starting the day with pancakes, a long nice walk along the bay, some play time at the play ground and then Sea world. It was a long and warm day so when we got home we all were starved.

There were some mushrooms in the bag of goodies from Sea Breeze this week and I always think mushroom and pasta go so well together. I also had pasta shells in the pantry and a little leftover tomato sauce and voila we ended up with this creamy pasta dish. Mushrooms can be a tricky food to get kids to eat sometimes but I guess "hidden" under in pasta, under a layer of creamy tomato sauce Bella did not notice it and ate with with good appetite.

10 Pasta shells

3 cups mushrooms

1 cup arugula, chopped

2 tbs oil

salt to taste

a couple of pinches nutmeg

1 can roasted tomatoes, diced

2 tbs ketchup

1 tbs sugar

2 tsp chili pepper

1 cup cream (I used mimic)

Salt & pepper to taste

• Boil the shells in a large pot of water according to package and then drain.
• Heat oil in frying pan and fry mushrooms in a single layer until browned. Add arugula and mix in and let them wilt. Add salt and nutmeg. Use a tea spoon to add filling to pasta shells. Place in a serving dish or baking dish.
• Mix tomatoes, ketchup, chili pepper, sugar, salt and pepper and simmer for 1 minute. Add cream and simmer another 30 seconds. Pour all over shells.

Granola bars

Being out and about and pregnant I need something healthy and easy to grab for eating when hunger sets in and granola bars are perfect. It used to be granola bars were god for you but then they started adding a lot of strange ingredients such as chocolate chips. I want just healthy stuff so making my own seems like the best thing to do. Here is a breakdown of each ingredients and its nutritional value:

• Oats--great dietary fibers and iron
• Flax seeds--high in Omega 3 fatty acids and dietary fibers which helps lower cholesterols
• Chia seeds--high in calcium, fiber and antioxidants
• Sesame seeds--a good source of calcium, magnesium, fibers and zinc
• Pumpkin seeds--zinc and omega 3 rich food
• Millet--protein, iron, vitamin B and folic acid
• Coconut flakes--contains anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and fibers
• Dates--contains vitamin A, antioxidants, iron, potassium and copper
• Almond butter--calcium and iron
• Coconut oil--same as coconut flakes
• Maple syrup--manganese and zinc

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup flax seeds

1/4 cup chia seeds

2 tbs sesame seeds

2 tbs pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup puffed millet

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

10 dates, pitted and soaked in water for 1 hour

1/3 cup creamy almond butter

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/8 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to F400

Place everything in a food processor and blend until mixed. Spread on a parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until slightly browned and dry. Cut into bars and let them cool before wrapping them individually in paper, plastic or foil.

Cream sauce for pasta or seitan

I love sauces and according to hubby, I'm the master at making dairy free ones:) This is creamy Marsala wine sauce I made for our grilled seitan, roasted potatoes and green beans dinner we ate on Sunday night.

1 1/2 cup cream ( I used unsweetened mimic cream)

2 tbs Bragg's liquid amino's or soy sauce

2 tbs Marsala wine

2 tbs ketchup

1 tbs Dijon mustard

1 tbs dried thyme

Salt & black pepper to taste

Place everything in a sauce pot and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often.

Raspberry mousse

Mimic cream has now a new whipping cream and Sunny yoga kitchen has tried it and loved it. I've tried other non-dairy whipping creams and always been disappointed by the texture, taste or failure to stay firm. Mimic is acting like "real" whipping cream and taste wonderful as well as has more nutrition than dairy, soy or rice creams. The trick is to make sure cream is very chilled so I put it the freezer before whipping it but be careful not to freeze it solid. I also place the bowl and whisk in freezer prior to whipping it. I used this cream to make a raspberry mousse and it tasted wonderful. I can't wait to experiment with this cream for more fun creations.

1 package Mimic whipping cream

2/3 cup raspberry puree, seeds strained

1/2 cup powdered sugar, shifted

1 cup fresh raspberries for decorations

Whisk chilled cream in chilled bowl until fluffy. It took me a few minutes using a kitchen aid. Mix raspberry puree with sugar really well. Fold in the puree and sugar mix into the cream. Spoon into serving bowls or glasses and decorate with raspberries or chocolate shavings. Keep in fridge until serving. Yum!

Mexican casserole

I always say if you have tomatoes and cooked beans at home you can make a meal. Today was one of those days when we had been out and about all day so when we came home in the evening we were starved and I had to come up with something fast. So this is my fast mexican bean casserole. I did use more than just beans and tomatoes but I did add vegetables that was available to me. I made it to a casserole with cheese on top but if you are in a real hurry just skip the baking part and make it a stew instead. Serve this dish with rice, pasta, bread or other grains for a complete meal.Bella asked me at the dinner after she said I made dinner, dessert and unpacked grocery bags, how I can so fast. That's me speedy mommy:)

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 tbs olive oil

1 small zucchini, diced

1 cup corn, frozen

1 can roasted diced tomatoes

2 tbs ketchup

1 tbs taco seasoning

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chili powder

Salt to taste

1 can kidney beans, rinsed

1/4 cup sour cream (dairy or non dairy)

1/2 cup grated cheese

Turn oven to high broil.

Heat oil in a pot and fry onion, garlic and zucchini for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, corn, ketchup, spices and simmer until vegetables are cooked, about 5 minutes. Add beans, sour cream and mix well. Place in a baking dish and sprinkle cheese on top. Broil until cheese is melted, just a few minutes.

Lentil and coconut stew

On Wednesdays I take a prenatal class and is not home during dinner so I prepare dinner for James and Bella to eat without me. When I came home yesterday they both were raving about the stew I've made and was a little embarrassed to say I didn't even taste it before I left so I had no idea if it was good or bad. I guess it all worked out anyway. I've made a similar stew before but added whatever vegetables I could find which in this case was one large yam, onion, garlic and zucchini. I love it when it all comes together to a winning dish. Serve this dish with rice, millet, barley or quinoa for a complete meal.

1 tbs canola oil

1 yellow onion, diced

I large garlic clove, grated

I large yam, peeled and diced

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 can light coconut milk

1 cup zucchini. diced

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp coriander powder

Salt to taste

Heat oil in pot and satay onion and garlic for 1 minute. Add yam and lentils and satay for another minute. Add tomatoes, coconut milk, cinnamon and coriander and simmer until yam, lentils and zucchini are cooked (about 10 minutes). Add salt to taste.

Dessert to help with strep throat

On Saturday we found out Bella has strep throat and today we found out I have it too. We are equally miserable and our only hope is that our nurse (see dad) wont get sick too. I made this dessert which is a Swedish classic; rose hip soup. Rose hip flour is loaded with beta carotene, vitamin C and flavonides which all boost the immune system. To add a little kick to it, I served it with a spoonful of coconut vanilla ice cream and some graham cookie crumbles on top. The soup can be enjoyed either cold or hot.

2 1/2 cup hot water

1/3 cup rose hip flour

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tbs corn starch.

Whisk rose hip flour little at the time into the water until there are no lumps. Mix in the maple syrup. Mix a little of the soup with corn starch and stir into the soup and stir until soup has thicken.

Red wine sauce & fried potatoes

Bella has been home sick all day. She woke up with a 101,6 temperature, stuffy nose and sore throat. She has not had an appetite all day but after a nap she was hungry so dinner and a movie was in order. I made fried potatoes, seitan, grilled tomato and a red wine and fig sauce. It was a date night worthy dinner even with sick little girl next to us.

Fried potatoes

2 cup russet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin

2 tbs olive oil, maybe more

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil on medium heat in frying pan and fry potatoes in single layer until browned and cooked. Sprinkle salt and pepper and mix well.

Red wine and fig sauce

1 tbs canola oil

2 tbs green onions, diced

3 dried figs, diced

1 1/2 tbs sugar

1 cup red wine

1 cup water

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2 bouillon cubed, crumbled

1/2 tbs corn starch

1 tbs margarine

Heat oil on medium heat in a sauce pan, fry onion and figs until glossy, not brown. Add sugar and let it melt for a few seconds. Add wine, water, vinegar and bouillon and bring to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced to 2/3. Remove from heat. Strain. Mix corn starch with a little of wine reduction until there are not lumps. Mix with remaining wine reduction and simmer while stirring for 20 seconds. Remove from heat and add margarine. Blend well.

Kidney bean burrito

Bella wanted burrito for dinner last night and lucky us we had some tortillas left from her birthday party. I made kidney bean and cheese burritos with added arugula and avocado for greens. The beans I marinated in left over dressing from the warm sweet potato salad I made the other day.

1 large tortilla

1/4 cup cheese, grated

1/2 avocado, diced

1/2 cup arugula

Marinated beans:

1/3 cup kidney

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs water

1/2 tbs white balsamic vinegar

1/2 tbs dijon mustard

salt & pepper to taste

Mix the dressing and marinate the beans for 10 minutes.

Spread the cheese on the tortilla and place either in oven or in a frying pan to just melt the cheese. Remove from heat and add filling and roll up. Done!!!!

Rice pudding

Today I made rice pudding for Bella to take to school. I got inspired by Vegan Lunch box which had a recipe for it but I made mine a little different. Rice pudding might sound like you are sending dessert but when you look at all the ingredients and their nutritional value you realize their is a lot of nutrition in this pudding. I ate some of this pudding warm, sprinkled with pumpkin seeds for breakfast and it's very filling.

Here is how it breaks down:

Brown basmati rice--Contains all eight essential amino acids, good protein, manganese

Quinoa--Contains essential aminos making pretty much complete protein, contains iron

Almond milk --Contains vitamin D which helps the body absorbed high levels of calcium

Carrots--High in dietary fiber, vitamin A, K, B6 and folate

Raisins--Contains fiber, calcium, iron and potassium

Maple syrup--potassium, calcium and magnesium

Bella's lunch; carrot rice pudding, cucumbers and red peppers

Creamy rice pudding, loaded with nutrition and flavor

1 1/2 cup brown basmati rice, cooked

1/4 cup quinoa grains, rinsed

Dash of cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (unless you use vanilla flavored almond milk then none)

2 cup almond milk (maybe more)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup carrots, grated

Maple syrup to taste

Place rice, quinoa, cinnamon, vanilla and almond milk in a pan and bring to a boil on medium heat. Lower to low heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked and you have a creamy constancy. You might have to add more milk. Don't forget to stir sometimes so the pudding wont burn in the bottom. Remove from heat and add salt, raisins and carrots and blend well. taste before adding maple syrup not to make too sweet.

Warm sweet potato salad

I had sweet potatoes left from Bella's party so I made a warm potato salad which we enjoyed with marinated beans.

3 medium sweet potatoes, cooked

2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled (Soy or dairy)

1 1/2 cup arugula

1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup sweet corn, cooked

Place the warm sweet potato slices on top of a bed of arugula. Place tomatoes, corn, tomatoes and cheese over. Drizzle dressing over and eat right a way.

Dressing:

4 tbs olive oil

1 tbs white balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tbs dijon mustard

2 tbs water

2 tsp dried parsley

Salt & pepper to taste

Mix together.

Bella's 4th birthday party!!!

Yesterday our baby girl turned 4 years old and we celebrated with a big party and the science museum which is her favorite place. We were 35 people having a blast. The museum offered to arrange the but we knew that would not work withour idea what good for is about so instead we make it all our self. I purposely kept it simple but off course yummy. Below the picture is the menu:

Birthday menu:

• Sweet potato and lentil quesadilla
• Almond butter & jelly sandwiches
• fruit kabobs with yogurt dipping sauce
• Hummus and pitas
• Spinach & strawberry salad
• Carrot cake

Brownie

Since it was James birthday last week we celebrated during the weekend with his favorite food and a brownie sunday. I served the sunday with coconut vanilla ice cream and a passion fruit sauce. The sweet, sour and creamy was a great combination. The passion fruit sauce was simply passion fruit juice mixed with powdered sugar until desired consistency.

2 1/4 cup spelt flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup milk ( I used oat milk)

3/4 cup canola oil

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out and used

Preheat oven to to F350

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ones together and then add it to the dry mix and blend quickly. You don't want to over work the batter. Pour into a greased baking pan. bake middle of oven for 25-30 minutes or until center is pretty dry.

Bean and mushroom stew

Boy did we have a massive storm hit San Diego today. I was so happy to be inside working but then during the heaviest rain I had to go to a meeting, off course. Today was about cuddling inside,fire in the fireplace, about putting socks on and eating warming stew such as this hearty bean and mushroom stew.

1/2 cup leeks, chopped

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tbs canola oil

1 cup carrots, sliced into thin coins

1 large portabella mushroom, stem removed and chopped

1 bouillon cube, crumbles

2/3 cup water

2 bay leafs

1 tbs thyme

1 cup kidney beans, cooked or canned

1 tbs all-purpose flour mixed with 1/3 cup water until there are no lumps

Black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pan and satay onion and garlic for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add carrots and mushrooms and fry for about 3 minutes. Add bouillon , water, bay leaf and thyme and simmer until carrots are soft about 5-10 minutes. Add beans and flour/water mix and simmer while stirring carefully for 1 minute. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve with potatoes, rice or simply with some bread.

No moo milk shake

This is a healthy version of a milk shake which is a perfect treat or afternoon snack. Almond butter is a great alternative to peanut butter and is an excellent source of calcium, magnesium and potassium. as well as rich in antioxidants. So this one shake you can treat your kids without the guilt and will it will give them a boost of calcium even if made with water. I made a chocolate flavored shake but can easily be made into a fruit shake by adding any fruit of your choice.

2 tbs almond butter

2 tbs cocoa powder

1/4 cup agave nectar or honey

2 cups water or milk ( I used almond milk)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract or use vanilla bean

Blend everything in a blender until smooth.

Maple bread buns

I'm already planning Thanks Giving dinner and it's special this year since it's the first time in a long time we're home in San Diego because usually we spend the holiday in Hawaii. Due to the pregnancy we can't fly and as sad as we are about that we're excited to be home hosting a dinner instead. I like baking my own bread for dinner parties so today when I baked bread for the week I decided to try making these maple bread buns to see if they will work out for Thanks Giving dinner. I give them thumbs up and they will be perfect for Bella's lunch as well this week.

4 cups spelt flour

2 cups all-purpose flour (maybe more)

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1 packed active yeast

2 1/2 cup milk ( I used 1 1/2 cup almond and 1 cup oat milk

3 tbs maple syrup

1/3 cup margarine, room temperature

Mix all the dry ingredients well in a large bowl. Heat milk to finger warm temperature. Add syrup and blend and add to flour mix and mix well. Add margarine and mix well again and work the dough really well for about 5 minutes. Place a towel over bowl and let the dough rise to double size (about 45 min-1 hour. Place dough on a even surface sprinkled with flour. Kneel the dough for a few minutes. Divide the dough into about 14-16 pieces. Roll each piece between hands to make a round roll. Place on a cookie sheet. Let the rolls rise for another 40 minutes. Preheat oven to F435 about 5 minutes before. Bake for about 10 minutes or until they are golden and center is dry. Place on a wire rack to cool down.

White wine & tofu gratain

We're having very cool weather here which is unusual for San Diego. Being seven month pregnant, I personal love it and relish in making stews and gratins. This is a festive tofu gratin with a creamy white wine sauce. It was a perfect dish to celebrate hubby's birthday. The dish taste great with mashed potatoes, rice or pasta. Have a great weekend everyone!!!

1 package extra firm tofu

1/2 lemon

1 tbs margarine

1/2 cup leeks, diced

1/2 cup fennel bulb, diced

1 tbs all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 bouillon cube, crumbled

2/3 cup milk ( I used almond)

1 tbs fresh dill, chopped

1/2 cup cheese, grated

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to F415

Slice tofu and place in single layer in a baking dish. Squeeze a little lemon juice over tofu.

Melt margarine in a sauce pan on medium heat. Satay onion and fennel for 2 minutes until glossy. remove from heat and sprinkle flour over and mix well. Add wine and mix until there are no lumps left. Add milk and bouillon and mix well. Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add dill, cheese, salt & pepper. pour over tofu. Bake for about 15 minutes.

Fast baking bread

It's amazing how tired I can be. I think of sleep 90% of time these day and think it's funny when people say I should just sleep. But between my bathroom visits and the baby abusing me from the inside it just does not happen. I also am a busy mom of a very defiant child right now there is not enough hours in the day anymore.

Sometimes I don't have time to wait for a bread to rise so make this bread which take almost no time to prep and only 50 minutes to bake however still taste amazing. I made it for Bella's sandwich for school and she loved it. It contains baking soda instead of yeast and that's how you can skip the rising part.There is also no need to kneel the dough. My new this is that I love adding jam or cranberry sauce to my bread which make the fluffy and adds a nice flavour to it.

1/4 cup wheat berries

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 cups spelt flour

2 1/2 cup all-purpose non bleached white flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups So delicious coconut cultured milk

1/4 cup cranberry sauce

1/3 cup light syrup

Preheat oven to F400

Mix all dry ingredients and then mix all wet. Combine them together to a sticky dough. Pour into a loaf pan. Bake for about 45-60 minutes or until center is dry. Let it cool completely before slicing.

Risotto

Today Bella had a play date with two beautiful girls from her class. I made lunch for everyone which was risotto and banana ice cream for dessert. Risotto is such easy dish to make but require you to stay by the stow until it's done. It's an Italian dish, high starch rice cooked with a broth to a creamy consistency. It's perfect for kids because creamy rice, what's not to like?

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup green onions, diced

1 1/2 cup arborio rice

1 /2 vegetable bouillon cube, crumbles

3 cups water

1/2 cup cheese (I used Daiya mozzarella cheese)

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat and satay onion until glossy, about 2 minutes. Add rice, bouillon cube and 1 cup of water. Blend well and simmer. Stir often and when it seems dry, add more water and repeat until rice is cooked. You might need more or less water. When rice is soft, add cheese, salt and pepper and blend. Serve immediately!

Peach melba

With our weekly delivery from Sea Breeze we received peaches but they were all bruised and I know from passed deliveries they have a very short shell life. On Friday they were starting to go bad so I peeled them and saved whatever could be saved on each peach and made Peach Melba. Usually in this dessert you use canned peaches but why not use fresh ones? It was a huge hit and a lovely ending to our family Friday night dinner.

3 peaches, peeled and cubed or sliced

1 cup raspberries

1/4 cup powdered sugar

vanilla ice cream

Puree raspberries in blender or food processor. Strain to remove seeds. Mix powdered sugar and the seedless puree until smooth. To assemble, place peaches in the bottom of dessert bowel, place a generous scoop of ice cream on top. Pour the raspberry sauce over. Enjoy!

Sunflower seed buns

These are super easy buns to make for dinner etc. I used mix of spelt flour and all-purpose flour because I ran out of spelt flour :( They are still very healthy and good. I added cranberry jam to the bread and it might sound strange it adds a nice slight sweetness to the bread. It's a perfect dinner roll or breakfast bread. We love eating them in the morning with a lot of rice cheese and jam.

1/2 package dry active yeast

3 cup spelt flour

1/3 cup psyllium powder

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 cup warm water

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup cranberry jam (or use whatever jam you have at home)

3 cup all-purpose flour (maybe more)

Blend yeast, spelt flour, psyllium powder sunflower seeds and salt in a large bowl. mix water, oil and jam and add to flour mix. Work the dough really well adding all-purpose flour little at the time until you reach the right consistency when the dough is not too sticky. Let the rise under a kitchen towel in a draft free place for 1 hour. The dough should double in size.

Knead the dough on a flour sprinkled area. Divide dough into 12 pieces and roll each pieces in our hands to make a roll. Place on a parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Place a towel over and let it rise for another 30 minutes. mean while, preheat oven to F425. Brush each roll with water and bake for about 10-13 minutes.

Homemade ketchup

I've been drowning in tomatoes here so I decided to make my own ketchup. It's very easy to make and taste to much better than store bought plus you know what in it and what you feed your kids. I made two kinds of ketchup; one regular one and one curry flavored for my curry loving hubby. He now wants me to make home fries so he can test them :) I think homemade ketchup can be a really fun gift idea.

5 large and ripe tomatoes

1 small yellow onion copped

1 garlic clove, grated

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup tomato puree

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tbs vegetarian Worcester sauce (I used Amy's)

1 1/2 tsp salt

A couple of pinches black pepper

3 tbs yellow curry powder (optional)

Skin the tomatoes by cutting a cross at the top with a knife. Submerge the tomatoes one by one into boiling hot water. When u see the skin curling or flaking, remove from water and place under cold water. It should be very easy to to "slide" of the skin now. Chop tomatoes and place in a pot with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes on low heat. The liquid will become slight syrupy. Puree the tomato mix in either a blender, food processor or with a hand held blender until completely smooth. Let it cool down before pouring into clean glass jars or bottles.

Sunday dinner--BBQ neat loaf

Sunday dinner I always try to do something extra so tonight we had neat loaf with BBQ sauce, mashed potatoes and green beans. I guess it's our version of Sunday roast which I grew up eating. The neat loaf contains nuts and mushrooms and can be changed many ways. My husband loves anything with BBQ sauce so I added that this time and it was a wonderful addition. It can also be served without the BBQ sauce but served with a simple gravy instead.

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tbs canola oil

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1 tbs flour

1 bullion cube

1/2 cup water

1 cup nuts, grated to a coarse meal in food processor ( I used walnuts and almonds this time)

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2/3 cup bread crumbs

2 tbs BBQ sauce (maybe more)

In a frying pan, heat oil on medium heat. Satay onion and garlic until glossy, not brown. Add mushrooms and satay for a couple of minutes. Add bullion cube, crumbled, sprinkle flour and mix well. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Make a log and place in a greased bread pan. Bake in a preheated oven to F400 for 20-30 minutes. It should be slight brown and slight dry. Let it rest before slicing.

Kids lunch--zucchini & carrot pancakes

I have to get really creative when it comes to making Bella's school lunch which is eaten cold. This zucchini & carrot pancake is her favorite so far. I guess what kid does not like pancakes hum?. However, these are different with almost nu sweetener, spelt flour and two vegetables in them. I use spelt flour for almost everything I bake or cook because it's more nutritional than all-purpose or even whole wheat flour. It contains good amount of fibers, protein as well as minerals and vitamins. I serve these pancakes with side of fresh cut green or orange peppers for vitamin C, dried sweet peas for more protein and iron. This way I know she gets a lot of vegetables in her lunch. You can use different vegetables than zucchini or carrot. Feel free to email me or post your variation.

1 cup milk ( I used vanilla flavored oat milk since Bella is lactose intolerant)

3/4 cup spelt flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of cinnamon powder

1 tsp canola oil + more for cooking the pancakes in

1 tsp maple syrup or agave nectar if you use regular milk

1/2 cup peeled and grated zucchini

1/4 cup peeled and grated carrot

Mix milk and spelt flour until no lumps. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Let it rest for a few minutes before frying them just like regular pancakes on medium heat.

Passion fruit muffin with crumble

Our wonderful and beautiful Maria keeps bringing me passion fruits from her garden saying "no one likes them in her family". Wow I love them and love using them in desserts. Today I made these passion fruit muffins with a crumbles on top. Of they are soooooooo good. I added grated zucchini to make them moist.

3 1/2 ounce butter, melted and then cooled

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup zucchini, grated very fine

1/2 cup passion fruit juice (I strained the passion fruit meat and seeds)

1/4 cup milk (I used vanilla flavored oat milk)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to F450

Blend everything together to a smooth and creamy batter. Fill baking cups 3/4 cup full. Place crumble on top and bake for about 15 minutes. Them them cool completely before serving.

Crumble:

1 ounce butter

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Blend together until lumpy.

Acorn squash soup

Now is the season for squash and there are so many to choose from. At home we eat a lot of squash all year round but I love it when acorn and butternut squash is at their best like now. These two squashes are perfect to feed children because not only are they loaded with great nutrition such as fiber, vitamin A and C as well as B6 but they are also slight sweet tasting. I made this very simple soup but very taste and appreciated by Bella. I top each soup with some acorn squash chips making it just a little more fun. We ate it with my pizza rolls but some garlic bread would also be great.

1 tbs canola oil

3 large sage leafs, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 cup acorn squash, cubed

1 cup water

2/3 cup almond milk

salt to taste

Heat oil in a soup pot and satay sage and onions until glossy but not brown. Add squash and satay for 2 minutes. Add water and simmer until squash is soft. Add milk and puree soup in blender or food processor. Heat soup and add salt to taste. Serve with a few chips on top.

Acorn chips

1 cup thin shaved acorn squash ( I used a cheese slices)

3 tbs olive oil

2 tsp sea weed salt

1 tsp black pepper

Turn oven to high broil.

Blend oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix in squash and coat them well. Grill until lightly browned and crispy.

San Francisco weekend

We decided to take one last trip before I can't fly anymore. We wanted to go somewhere pretty close which also featured great culinary experince so we ended up in San Francisco again. The weather was amazing with highs in the 80th.

One night we went to Fleur de Lys which is a french restaurant owned by Top Chef master and judge Huber Keller. Me and James both really admire him. We already been to his Burger Bar in Las Vegas and they feature the best lentil burger ever. It even got top marks from our friends who are hard core meat eaters. At Fleur de Lys I was happy to see great options for vegetarians such as; vegetable ragout, roasted fennel barigoule and roasted chestnut fondant. We had Bella with us and she was the only child in there but she was treated like royalty and got so much attention. When we were ready to leave, the hostess told us the chef really wanted to meet Bella and us. Boy were we surprised when Hubert Keller himself showed up. Sure I was honored the chef wanted to meet us but that it was THE chef we had no idea. He was as amazingly kind and warm hearted as he seems on Top Chef and even walked us to our car and waved bye bye to Bella as we drove away, She absolutely loved him and now walking around saying "I meet Hubert and he is the best chef in the world!!!!".

The day after we had lunch at one of our favorite vegetarian restaurant Greens. It's has an amazing view of the bay and Golden Gate bridge as well a huge variety of foods. It was a great weekend and we ate so well but now I'm happy to be home and cooking again.

The madness of 270 cups cakes

Yesterday I made 270 cups cakes for our friend Annie's wedding. She is allergic to gluten and wheat so I made them not only vegan but also free from wheat and gluten. Annie wanted passion fruit and key lime and the third I decided to make chocolate with a white chocolate frosting for all those chocolate lovers out there. I was surprised to hear that passion fruit was the favorite at the wedding. The task of making these were a interesting one and I had many misshapes in the process. I realized it's a lot of pressure baking for someones wedding and I never would have volunteered unless it was Annie who is cool as a cucumber. Never the less I wanted them to be prefect for a very special day when she finally married her soul mate Tony and united 4 children and one more one the way. Congratulations Annie and Tony!!!!

The beautiful bride Annie

The cup cakes before everyone jumped in and started eating them. I love the eatable flowers on top

It took two days to bake and frost these bad boys and I still can't stand the smell of the frosting :)

Quinoa soup

The Syren family home is a sick one with both Bella and James suffering from a cold. James even stayed home yesterday working since didn't want to share the cold with his co-workers. I was home baking cupcakes for our friend Annie's wedding so we had lunch together. I made a very healing and warming quinoa soup and served it with an avocado sandwich. The soup was loaded with ginger and vegetables to help James get over his cold soon. Don't get discouraged from the long list of spices, it all adds up to an amazing soup for big or small tummies.

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup carrots coins

1/2 cup rutabaga, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup quinoa grains, rinsed

1 cup water

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp fennel seeds

2 tsp tsp grated ginger

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp turmeric

Black pepper to taste

Herb salt to taste

1/2 cup zucchini, cubed

1 cup arugula

1/2 cup So delicious plain yogurt

Heat oil on medium heat in a soup pot, fry onions for 1 minute. Add all spices as well as rutabaga and carrot. Fry for another minutes. Add quinoa and water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until quinoa and vegetables are almost done. Add zucchini and simmer until done. Add arugula and yogurt. Remove from heat and do not boil yogurt.