Vegan Coconut Flan

Yes, it's really Vegan! 

And oh, goodness, it's soooo delicious!

Ingredient for the Caramel:

½ cup sugar

Ingredients for the Custard:

1 can of Coconut Crème

1 cup of Coconut Milk

2 Tbsp. Agar Flakes**

1 cup Silken Tofu
2 teaspoons of Coconut Extract

A pinch of Sea Salt

**For Vegetarians: you can use regular plain gelatin (unflavored Jello).

   Instead of two tablespoons, use two small packets.

Directions for the Caramel:

This is a bit tricky, but if you continuously stir the sugar as it heats you’ll be successful. Pour the sugar into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until it turns golden and runny like dark honey.

Quickly, using a metal spoon, pour enough melted sugar into the bottom of a ramekin or small glass dish to just cover the bottom of the dish. Allow it to cool and harden at room temperature while you prep the custard.

Directions for the Custard:

Bring the coconut crème and coconut milk to a gentle boil. Immediately pour into a blender, add the agar or gelatin, and blend well (about a minute.)

Now add the tofu, coconut extract, and salt. Blend for another minute. Pour about ½ cup of custard mix over the hardened sugar in the ramekins.

Refrigerate about 2 hours before serving. To remove the flan from the ramekins, dip the bottoms of them in hot water for about 20 seconds. You should be able to spin it with your finger. Turn them over on a serving plate and let the delicious, creamy caramel run down the sides and across the plate.

Enjoy!

Makes 3 large (4”inch) or 5 small (3”inch) ramekins of flan.

This recipe is:

- Vegan/Vegetarian

- Whole Food

- Gluten-Free

Sunday Brunch Broccoli Salad

This elegant broccoli salad is the ideal accompaniment to any Southern Sunday Brunch. The light poppy seed dressing adds a sweet and tangy flavor which brightens the crunchy texture.  

Ingredients:

1 head of Broccoli, chopped

1 cup of Fage Plain Greek Yogurt

2 tablespoons of local, organic Honey

1 tablespoon of Poppy Seeds

1/2 cup of Purple Onion, Diced

1/2 cup of Dried Cranberries

1/2 cup of Sunflower Seeds, salted

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, and poppy seeds until thoroughly mixed. Pour over the chopped broccoli florets and stir to completely coat. Add the diced onion, dried cranberries and sunflowers seeds, stirring again to evenly combine. Keep the salad refrigerated until you're ready to serve.

This salad makes great leftovers! Enjoy it over the weekend, and have it again for lunch on Monday. 

Makes four 1 cup servings. 

This recipe is:

- Vegan

- Gluten-Free

- Whole-Food

Snickerdoodles!....Vegan and Gluten Free!!

If these delicious cookies sound too good to be true...

....they almost are!

Baking is my first culinary love. I whipped these up for a friend, and I had loads of fun, working out the science of making a tasty Snickerdoodle. This is a remake on a classic American cookie...but I think you'll agree that for all this recipe is missing: gluten and animal products, it makes up for in taste. 

I dare you to eat just one!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of Gluten-Free Flour mix (with xatham gum added)

¾ cup natural Sugar

¼ cup Cornstarch

1 teaspoon of Baking Powder

½ teaspoon of Nutmeg

½ cup of Earth Balance margarine, softened

¼ cup vanilla Soymilk or Almond milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (GF)

Also needed:  ½ cup of natural sugar 

                       3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour thru nutmeg),

making sure they're stirred together well. Set them aside. 

Using a whisk or mixer, blend all the wet ingredients.

A nice smooth paste should form. Add about a third of the 

dry ingredients at a time and work into nice dough. 

In a small bowl, mix the additional sugar and cinnamon. 

Fold this into your dough, but don't completely stir it. 

You want the cinnamon & sugar to ribbon through your cookies. 

Place your dough in the refrigerator and preheat your oven 

to 325*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

When your oven is ready to go, your dough will be too. 

Using a spoon, scoop 1 inch piles of dough onto the 

sheet in neat rows. 

NOTE: these cookies expand while baking so leave sufficient room between 

them or they'll bake together. On a regular 14" baking tray you should only be 

able to get 3 across the tray. 

*If you aren't going to serve these cookies right away, place them in a 

resealable Tupperware and put them in your fridge. They'll stay as moist

and delicious as if they just came out of the oven. 

Enjoy!

Makes 12-14 cookies.

This recipe is:

-Vegan

-Gluten-Free 

Huevos Racheros

Breakfast South of the Border Style!

Summertime is busy and active. Start your day with this protein and energy powerhouse. Naturally, gluten-free and low-fat, this is delicious fuel for your for busy day ahead. 

On the go? No worries! Wrap it up in the tortilla and take it with you!

  

Ingredients:

1 can of reduced sodium Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1 small White Onion, finely chopped

1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper, finely chopped

4 Eggs

1/2 cup of Monterrey Jack Cheese

White Corn Tortillas (Naturally, gluten free!)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium frying pan over medium heat, saute your onions and bell pepper pieces. Both plants have enough of their own natural oils that you don't have to add any for them to saute nicely. Make this meal low-fat and all natural by skipping the added oil. Cook until the pieces are just tender. The onions should still look slightly opaque. 

Add in your drained black beans and drop the heat to low. Cover and let them warm together while you prepare your eggs. Over cooking black beans is the easiest thing to do. They need barely any heat to warm up. So let the temperature from the pan and sauteed veggies do the warming. 

Scramble your eggs in a frying pan. Everyone has their own way of scrambling eggs, so I won't tell you to do it my way. I will give you two hints to fluffy scrambled eggs:

One, make sure you beat the eggs well with a fork before putting them in the pan. Most folks stop whisking the eggs once the yolks break and turn all the whites to yellow. Keep going until a soft foam appears. The air you're beating in will make the eggs fluffier later.

Two, turn your eggs with a soft plastic spatula instead of a hard spoon or metal fork. This will keep you from over turning them as they cook. All they need is a gentle fold as they warm in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired.

Your ready to serve! Please one white corn tortilla (I prefer white tortillas because the yellow ones you find in stores are often made to look more yellow with additives and oils...ick!) in the middle of the plate. Scoop a 3 inch pinch of eggs in the middle, cover with black beans, sprinkle with cheese, and then garnish with some crushed cilantro (roll the cilantro leaves between your fingers to break the skin and release their delightful oils.)

You can also serve it with a hearty helping of the fresh mango salsa you made yesterday! 

Anyone who says eating vegetables and fruits is hard, 

clearly doesn't hang out here under the Eden Tree.

This awesome, delicious breakfast idea has 6 veggies and fruits, 

plus a healthy helping of protein. 

Smart. Simple. Delicious!

Makes 4 servings. 

This recipe is:

- Gluten-Free

- Vegetarian

- Low-Fat

- Low-Sodium

Fresh Mango Salsa

Summer is here!

My Texas roots always shine when the weather turns warm. You're gonna love this sweet and spicy salsa!! The perfect condiment, use it to liven up your breakfast burrito, serve it with chips for a great appetizer, or turn dinner into a Southwest delight by grilling it over tofu and fish.

Ingredients:

2 Mangoes (slightly ripe - not too mushy), chopped

1/2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1 bunch of Green Onions, chopped

1 fresh Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh Cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons of Lemon Juice

1 tablespoon of Lime Juice

1 tablespoon of Honey

Hint - 1 lemon/lime squeezed will produce 1 tablespoon of juice.

Directions:

Chop all ingredients and place them in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Using a small shaker, shake the honey and fruit juices until they combine. Pour the juice over the mixture and toss with a spoon. All the salsa to sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. 

Enjoy!

Makes 8 servings.

This recipe is:

- Gluten-Free

- Vegan

- Whole-Food