Rice and Beans ala Jack

Ingredients:
your favorite cooked rice
1 can black beans
4 or 5 small sliced tomatoes
sliced sweet onion
1 T olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lime
corn
oregano
cinnamon
cilantro
cayenne

Roast corn with cayenne and cilantro.

Drain black beans. Heat in pot with a dash of oregano and two dashes of cinnamon.

In a separate bowl combine tomatoes, onion, olive oil, and lime juice (you can substitute this for apple cider vinegar).

chop cilantro for topping.

layer rice, black beens, onions, corn, and top with cilantro. enjoy.

recipe from: Jack Kling

Buckwheat Breakfast

Here is a warm breakfast for those days that you need something hearty to start the day.

serves 1

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Buckwheat (yes it is gluten free)
1/2 cup water
almond or rice milk
2 T flaxmeal
1 T flax oil
spoonful of nut butter
maple syrup to taste

Cook buckwheat with water for 20 minutes (the same way you cook rice or quinoa). When buckwheat is done add almond milk until you reach desired consistency. Then add flaxmeal, flax oil, nut butter, and maple syrup to taste.

recipe from: Jamie Tilley

Ice Cream, and Yogurt, Oh My!

Check out your local natural foods store to get some tasty ice cream and yogurt, who knew you could be a soy free vegan and live so well?!

1.Coconut milk ice cream

I have tried the So Delicious brand in Chocolate and Vanilla (both are quite excellent and taste like the real thing to me!). Also, it is made with agave nectar so as to keep you sugar levels from spiking;) I have also heard of another brand, coconut bliss, that is supposed to taste very good.


2. Coconut milk yogurt

It's been so long since I could enjoy yogurt, mmmm. This yogurt comes in a whole host of flavors. I do not like the vanilla, raspberry, or passion mango (although I do know some people who do). But I am in love with the blueberry flavor. I am also using the plain in all sorts of recipes, starting with mango lassis:D

check these out: http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/Coconut_Milk_Yogurt_Reviews.html

Swiss Chard Pizza

mmmm this pizza is so good:) I didn't have olives or capers so I'm going to list them, but it tastes amazing without them too;)

Ingredients:
1 onion, sliced
olive oil
1 T sugar
salt
1 bunch rainbow chard finely chopped
chopped olives
capers
balsamic vinegar
squeeze of lemon
minced garlic (optional)

Prepare pizza dough

carmalize the onions by sautéing them in oil with salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Cook until brown, about 20min. In a bowl toss chard, carmalized onions, olives + capers (if used). Sprinkle salt, balsamic vinegar, and a squeeze of lemon.

Sprinkle over pizza dough. Sprinkle garlic (if used) over dough as well. Cook in oven until done (about 30min).

recipe from: Food For Thought Podcast (Compassionate Cooks)

Body Oil

Sometimes I get sick of reading ingredients and looking for some good vegan skincare products that don't have other strange chemicals. That's when I just whip up some of my own body oil and rest at ease knowing what I'm putting on my skin.

I've added recipes for a number of different skin types. Just pick your skin type and use those essential oils with the base of jojoba and wheat germ oil.

Ingredients:
3 2/3 ounces jojoba or almond oil
1/3 ounce wheat germ oil with vitamin E
40 drops of essential oil

For Normal Skin
10 rose
20 lavender
10 bergamot

For Irritated Skin
jojoba oil
15 Roman chamomile
10 rose
15 geranium

For Mature Skin
15 frankincense
15 lavender
15 patchouli

For Oily Skin
15 cypress
15 cedarwood
15 frankincense

For Dry Skin
15 geranium
15 lavender
15 rosewood

combine in amber colored bottle and shake well. store in dark cool place.

recipe from: Aromatherapy Handbook for Beauty, Hair, and Skin Care

Breakfast Shake

I now drink this every morning. It is a great get up and go drink, complete with protein, fiber, amino acids, and omega 3's! You can substitute sunbutter for the hempseed powder to give a stronger nutty/creamy flavor. Sunbutter is made from sunflower seeds:)

I've started adding 1/4 cup local blackberries when I find them and it is most excellent;)

serves 1

Ingredients:
1 banana
1/4 cup strawberries cut in half
1/4 cup blueberries
1 T maple syrup
1 T flax oil
2 T hemp seed powder or sunbutter
1 cup almond or rice milk - I prefer it with almond, but watch out for soy hiding in commercial almond milks;)

combine in blender. drink.

recipe from: Jamie Tilley

Granola

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups puffed rice
1/2 cup pitted and chopped dates
1/2 tablespoon ground flax meal
1 tablespoon sorghum flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup agave nectar

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly spray a jelly-roll pan with vegetable oil nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the nuts, seeds, puffed rice, dates, flax meal, flour, and spices. Pour in the oil and agave nectar and stir to really blend everything together and distribute the nuts, seeds, and fruit evenly.

Pour the granola into the prepared baking pan and spread it out so it covers the entire pan. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, or until the mixture is a light golden brown. You must stir this during the baking process, to ensure the granola bakes evenly.

It will not be crunchy when you first remove it from the oven, but be careful to not overcook. When it cools it will get crunchy.

As soon as it starts to cool, transfer the granola from the pan into an airtight container, and let it finish cooling there, as it is a bit sticky and may stick to the pan if it remains there. Store in the airtight container.

recipe from: The Gluten-Free Vegan