Coconut Oatmeal Layer Cake

Layer 1
2 EnerG eggs with water
3/4 cup shortening (smart balance light)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup coconut
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp molasses

Layer 2
1 3/4 cup coconut
2 EnerG eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Cream sugars and shortening for 1st layer. Add in remaining ingredients and pour into a greased casserole. Cream sugars and shortening for 2nd layer. Add in remaining ingredients and spoon on top of 1st layer.

Glaze
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. coconut extract
3 Tbsp. dairy free milk

Blend together then pour over top of cake.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

I had made these oatmeal brown sugar bars once that were awesome. Rich, moist, amazing. But I wrote the recipe down on a piece of paper, placed it on the desk and it promptly got lost. So I did the best I could to remember the recipe, which was layer 1. It just didn't fill out the pan right though!!! So I decided to make layer 2 to place on top. Neither layer turned out as I actually wanted, but both were good. I think for the original bars I was trying to make, there were 2 cups of brown sugar and more shortening. I'll have to try again for those sometime soon :-)

Potato Salad (Mayonnaise Free)

I haven't had potato salad in 8 1/2 months since I haven't been able to eat eggs! I have always really enjoyed potato salad, especially since I discovered adding carrots for some extra goodness. I stumbled across a recipe online for a dijon mustard based sauce that actually turned out quite well.

3 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, cooked in salted water then cubed
3 large stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, ground in food processor
1 cup pickles, ground in food processor
1/2 cup pickle juice
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 Tbps. yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

Combine the last 6 ingredients in the blender and process til creamy and emulsified. Add to the warm potatoes so the vinagrette will soak in. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Adjust seasonings as needed. I've been gobbled this up, it turned out pretty tasty. Not as good as mayonnaise, as I am a MAYO girl! But will work until I can eat eggs again. :-)

Pasta Salad

Another dish I made to bring to my friends house for our get-together. I wanted another protein source, so added a can of chickpeas. You could also add diced chicken or turkey to get the same effect.

1 box geminili pasta or pasta of choice, cooked al dente
1/2 bottle TED safe vinagrette dressing. I used Drew's All Natural Roasted Garlic. Also delicious is Brianna's Rich Santa Fe blend
1 package thawed peas
1/2 red pepper, finely diced
1 can black olives, sliced into rounds
1 can chickpeas
1/2 tbsp. onion powder
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together, preferably adding the sauce when the pasta is still hot so it will absorb. Chill before serving.

Adventures In Coconut Milk

I have been experimenting with coconut milk trying to make some yummy, dairy free desserts. I was buying several different brands of milk, and therefore was getting drastically different results each time. I'm just guessing which "recipe" is for each of the following pictures, but some of the results were good so I figured I would share.

This first turned out like a coconut curd/pudding type mixture. It was really tasty, thick and creamy. I believe it was 1/2 a can of coconut milk with a cup or so of granulated sugar. It just reached this point where it got thick and creamy instead of syrupy.


The next was a coconut caramel that I then beat with an electric mixer and some powdered sugar. This was a full can of coconut milk and several cups of sugar. It turned out sooooo sweet it wasn't very good.



Lastly my husband made me a coconut cake. Just a recipe we found online that we made MSPI/TED safe. I used the coconut curd in the middle and glazed with the caramel sauce. It was good but way too super sweet! It did lead me to make the coconut candy, so it wasn't a complete failure!

Coconut Candy

I went to the MSPI group at MilkWorks Sunday for the 1st time. This is a group of Moms that meet every 2 weeks that are all avoiding milk and soy in order to nurse their protein sensitive babies. Many Moms are also on the Total Elimination Diet (TED) as well. I wanted to take a treat, so decided to make this coconut candy which would hopefully be safe for most Moms. Unfortunately, I forgot it at home in the rush to get out the door! I'll have to bring next time.

1 can of coconut milk (preferably Thai Kitchen, less preservatives)
3 cups granulated sugar.

Combine in a large pan and allow to cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes a dark caramel color. Stir often, especially towards the end as it will burn quickly. Pour onto a sheet pan, allow to cool and then break into pieces.

It reminds me of maple sugar candy, if you have ever had that. Crispy, yet melts in your mouth.

Cheezy Pasta

Well, I'm honestly not really sure what to call this one. Ever since I learned that nutritional yeast has 8 grams of protein for 2 Tbsp, I have been trying to add it in every day. I don't have many good protein sources, so I really need to work at getting adequate amounts in.

1/2 box pasta of choice (about 8 oz.) cooked in salted water
4 Tbsp. smart balance light
5 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt to taste
3 Tbsp. dairy free milk

Combine all together with hot pasta and stir well to combine. Very tasty with a slight "cheesy" taste. My 4 year old loved the 1st time I made but balked the 2nd. Who can keep up with their tastes!

Pesto Pizza

Yummy!!! Hubby made this for lunch on a day that I worked from home. He sat up the meal outside for my 4 year old and I to enjoy lunch. It was fantastic food, company and surroundings! He made the pizza dough from scratch, and then made a pesto out of spinach, pine nuts, olive oil and nutritional yeast. Delicious!

I don't have an actual recipe, so this is a guess. Or follow another pesto recipe.

2 cups fresh spinach
1 garlic clove
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 cup pine nuts
salt to taste

Combine all in a food processor, adjusting seasonings as needed. Spread on the pizza dough, add toppings and bake until dough is puffed and done.

My hubby topped our pizza with sauteed mushrooms and onions. Delicious!

Strawberry Lemon Kick Cake

Wow! I can't find where my husband stuck this recipe, but I wanted to upload the picture while I was updating my blog. So good! I LOVE strong, tangy lemon flavors. This one was amazing. The lemon bit me back which is just how I love it! A mild lemon flavored cake smothered with tangy lemon curd and topped with fresh strawberries. I'll admit, a dollop of whipped cream would have really hit the spot! Maybe I'll work on a vegan/soy free coconut whipped cream. Surely it's possible! Enjoy the picture until I can find the recipe. Sooooooo yummy.

Vegetarian Fajitas

Hmmmm, this was yummy until the third time I had them and then I was ready for a break! But that first meal of fajitas...WOW! I don't eat meat, and had no soy meat to use as a protein in these. I figured I could slice up some sunshine burgers and fry them in plenty of oil so they wouldn't fall apart. It worked! Plus they got crispy on the outside which was quite yummy.

I fried up some onion slices, zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms for my fajitas. We found a MSPI/TED safe fajitas mix at Hyvee that worked great. In addition to the fajita mix I also used some maggi's, which is like a wheat based "soy" sauce at the Asian market. My family would have also enjoyed red or green bell peppers but we didn't have any. Then I also had the fried sunshine burger slices, avocado and salsa. Delicious!

Creamy Mushroom Zucchini Manicotti

I so crave lasagna and manicotti on this diet, probably because I have NEVER figured out a way to make it work without dairy and soy! I got a little creative and the results were good, not fantastic, but good. I figured a vegetable stuffed manicotti shell should be quite tasty smothered in a creamy sauce. I made this over a month ago and just haven't gotten around to blogging it yet. So I don't remember my exact measurements! I'll do my best, but If nothing else, hopefully it can give you an idea to try something different.

Filling:
2 lbs of mushrooms, half button and half crimini (baby bella) roughly chopped
1 large zucchini, grated
1 onion, finely chopped or whizzed in the food processor
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Saute onion in olive oil, then add mushrooms and salt to release their water. Add in the zucchini when the mushrooms are cooked about halfway through.

White Sauce:
2 1/4 cups rice milk
2 heaping Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
seasonings (garlic and onion powder, salt)

Add the liquid to the blender and turn on low, add the flour and blend until smooth. Add seasonings then transfer to a pot and wisk over medium heat until thickened.

Stuff the uncooked manicotti shells with the cooled filling and place in an oiled casserole dish with several Tbsp. of sauce on the bottom. Pour remaining sauce over the top and bake covered with foil for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook until the manicotti can be pierced with a knife. You can sprinkle nutritional yeast on the top towards the end of cooking to serve as the "cheese."

Flax "Eggs"

I was trolling the internet for interesting recipes and came acoss a site specializing in vegan ice cream. Yummy! It's nice to have someone else do the experimenting and just leave me to the eating! It's also great because the majority of the recipes I looked at were dairy and soy free, or could easily be made so. Coconut milk is a great item to cook with, and now So Delicious actually has coconut milk for drinking, cooking, baking, etc. and I hear it tastes fabulous! Ok, so here is the link to the amazing ice cream site:

http://veganicecream.blogspot.com

And here is a link to making flax "eggs" to use in baking. I've tried before to use flax but wasn't doing it like this and never had success. I think this way will work great and look forward to using in my next baking adventure.

Flax "Eggs"

Note: While there are many ways to replace eggs in baking, my favorite method is to make “flax eggs.” I recommend making these in bulk; it’s easier that way. Combine 1/3 cup flax seeds with 2/3 cup hot water in a blender. Let sit for 15 minutes, then blend until the mixture is gelatinous in texture and whole flax seeds are no longer visible. One tablespoon of flax eggs equals one egg. However, if you use this egg replacer and you notice that your batter isn’t quite as liquid-y as it seems it should be, add 2 to 3 tablespoons water, soy milk, or other liquid. (This is why I have soy milk in this recipe.) Whatever flax eggs you don’t use will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge, so you’ll have some on hand for the future. (One tip for using flax eggs is to beat the flax eggs into the oil/liquid before adding dry ingredients, as I have done in this recipe. It helps distribute the magic flax all throughout your batter.)

Chickpea Sandwich Spread (C.L.T.)

Early TED

I call this my C.L.T. Chickpeas, Lettuce & Tomato sandwich spread! I used to make a sandwich spread with tofu back in the day when I could eat tofu that was super fabulous. I could eat sandwiches everyday I love them so much, but on this restrictive diet, I just don’t have enough protein options to eat many sandwiches. So I decided to get creative…. How many of my greatest finds have begun in just such a manner! This spread is fantastic; I am really thrilled with it. Hope you enjoy :-) Someday when it won’t make me sad I’ll post the tofu version as well.

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large stalk celery, washed and cut into chunks
1 cup pickles
¼ cup pickle juice or vinegar
2 Tbsp. tahini or sunbutter (If you can have mayonnaise, use 3-4 Tbsp. Instead of the seed butter and olive oil.)
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. Onion powder
1 Tbsp. mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Using a food processor, coarsely chop ½ the can of chickpeas. Transfer to a large bowl. Continue with the carrot, celery and pickle, chopping each individually and then transferring to your bowl. Put the remaining ½ can of chickpeas into the processor, as well as the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and creamy. Add additional pickle juice, seed butter, oil or water (or mayonnaise!) to make a smooth mixture that will adequately coat the other ingredients for a creamy spread. Adjust seasonings as needed.

I enjoy this with toasted bread/buns and plenty of lettuce and tomato and extra mustard. Yummy!!! Packed with protein, tasty and healthy. My kind of sandwich :-)

Thai Coconut Pancakes

I stumbled upon this recipe online today and thought it looked really interesting and yummy. And best of all, it's gluten free! Always a plus to find a fantastic looking recipe that is gluten free and could really satisfy someone's craving on a GF diet. I well remember those FOUR long months I couldn't eat gluten. Jer and I resolved to try and eat less gluten on a daily basis and just aim for a wider variety of flours and grains in our diet. So....we'll be trying these! Also a good way to us up some of my speciality flours left over from the strictly GF days.

http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaidesserts/r/coconutpancakes.htm

These coconut pancakes are like those sold at the night markets in Thailand. They can be served for dessert warm and topped with a few scoops of ice cream, OR they make a great breakfast or brunch dish on the weekends. Colorful and flavored with coconut, these pancakes are actually closer to crepes in thinness, and they're gluten free. Have fun with them and make several different colors (pandan essence provides the bright green color). A great brunch dish to make for Easter, or anytime you're feeling young and happy!
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
SERVES 2-4
2 cups good-quality coconut milk
2 eggs (use flax egg replacer from post or EnerG egg replacer)
1+1/2 cups rice flour
3 Tbsp. glutinous rice flour (available at Asian food stores)
3-4 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
oil for frying
optional: a few drops of pandan essence (available in tiny bottles at Asian/Chinese stores)
optional: food coloring
optional: 1/4 cup dry shredded (baking type) coconut for garnish
Preparation:
Measure the two flours into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and baking powder, and stir to mix.
In another bowl, combine the eggs with the coconut milk and sugar. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and break up the yolks.
Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter (using a whisk will help get rid of any lumps).
If you'd like different colors of pancakes, divide the batter into a few separate bowls.
Add several drops pandan essence to make one bowl green (or make all of them green!). Make the others with colors of your choice. Leave one bowl plain.
Heat a small frying pan or crepe pan over medium-high heat for at least 1 minute (without oil), or until pan is very hot - this will help to keep the pancakes/crepes from sticking.
Now add a little oil (about 1/2 tsp.) and swirl it around the pan. Use a spatula to ensure the oil covers all surfaces.
Add about 1/4 - 1/3 cup batter (depending on how large or thick you want your pancakes/crepes), tilting the pan this way and that to distribute the batter.
Pancakes/crepes are ready to be flipped when small holes break out over the surface and edges are crisp.
Flip the pancake and cook the other side briefly - 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add a little oil to the pan before making each new pancake.
If desired, sprinkle with toasted shredded coconut. These pancakes are delicious served with maple syrup. ENJOY!

These coconut pancakes are like those sold at the night markets in Thailand. They can be served for dessert warm and topped with a few scoops of ice cream, OR they make a great breakfast or brunch dish on the weekends. Colorful and flavored with coconut, these pancakes are actually closer to crepes in thinness, and they're gluten free. Have fun with them and make several different colors (pandan essence provides the bright green color). A great brunch dish to make for Easter, or anytime you're feeling young and happy!
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
SERVES 2-4
2 cups good-quality coconut milk
2 eggs
1+1/2 cups rice flour
3 Tbsp. glutinous rice flour (available at Asian food stores)
3-4 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
oil for frying
optional: a few drops of pandan essence (available in tiny bottles at Asian/Chinese stores)
optional: food coloring
optional: 1/4 cup dry shredded (baking type) coconut for garnish
Preparation:
Measure the two flours into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and baking powder, and stir to mix.
In another bowl, combine the eggs with the coconut milk and sugar. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and break up the yolks.
Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter (using a whisk will help get rid of any lumps).
If you'd like different colors of pancakes, divide the batter into a few separate bowls.
Add several drops pandan essence to make one bowl green (or make all of them green!). Make the others with colors of your choice. Leave one bowl plain.
Heat a small frying pan or crepe pan over medium-high heat for at least 1 minute (without oil), or until pan is very hot - this will help to keep the pancakes/crepes from sticking.
Now add a little oil (about 1/2 tsp.) and swirl it around the pan. Use a spatula to ensure the oil covers all surfaces.
Add about 1/4 - 1/3 cup batter (depending on how large or thick you want your pancakes/crepes), tilting the pan this way and that to distribute the batter.
Pancakes/crepes are ready to be flipped when small holes break out over the surface and edges are crisp.
Flip the pancake and cook the other side briefly - 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add a little oil to the pan before making each new pancake.
If desired, sprinkle with toasted shredded coconut. These pancakes are delicious served with maple syrup. ENJOY!

Sunshine Burgers II

I seem to make these differently every time they are made! I just improvise and use what I have. I am bringing them to a friends tonight for supper, so wanted to actually record and accurately measure every ingredient. Here is version #2:

3 cups raw sunflower seeds, ground in food processor
2 cup cooked brown rice, ground in food processor
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups water + 2 cups
2/3 cups whole oats, cooked with 2 cups water
2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal, one free of corn syrup
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp Maggi's sauce (soy-free soy sauce at Asian market) or soy sauce
3 medium carrots, cooked half way and then ground in food processor

Grind to medium consistency in food processor the sunflower seeds. Empty into large bowl. One cup at a time, grind 2 cups of rice in processor. On the second cup, I add all my seasonings and 1/2 a cup or so of water to make sure everything gets evenly mixed in and there are no clumps of garlic or onion powder! Transfer to large bowl. Meanwhile, add oats and 2 cups water to saucepan and cook on medium 5 minutes. Should be thick and very sticky. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and dive in with your hands to combine. Taste a clump of mixture, or cook a small patty to taste for seasonings.

I form my patties 1/2 an inch thick and about 3-4 inches across. Fry in 1/4 inch of oil in a large hot, non-stick skillet. Cook til dark golden brown on both sides.

Makes 12 large patties and 5 little kid patties (2-3 inches across and a bit flatter.)

Mushroom Stroganoff

I have never in my life opened a bottle of wine, and I honestly I've only tasted a sip once or twice in the past. I'm not a drinker of alcohol, although I did have my experimentation years and tried plenty then! My husband had purchased a cheap corkscrew, so it was quite the adventure getting that bottle opened!

Anyways, I kept running across recipes calling for white wine in the sauce, and figured I would give it a try. I was a bit put off at first as the alcohol smell was just so intense, but it really cooked down to a fantastic sauce with a hint of sweetness and depth. I'll definitely use again!

1 lb pasta of your choice
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms, I used half button, half baby bella (crimini)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp Maggis sauce (similar to soy sauce, but uses wheat instead, at Asian market)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy-free worshteshire sauce (I found a Caribbean-ish one with no anchovies or soy sauce at HyVee)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. savory (I would have used thyme but had none...)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
4 Tbsp flour
4 cups rice milk
salt and pepper to taste

Chop the onion and garlic and add to a large sauce pan along with the white wine. Cook on low to medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until the liquid is almost gone and the onions and garlic are softened. Meanwhile, clean and chop the mushrooms into large pieces. Add to the softened onions along with 3/4 cup of water. In the blender, combine all the liquid ingredients and start on low. Add the dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Once the mushrooms have begun to soften and release their liquid, add the sauce to the pan. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Adjust the seasonings as desired. Have pasta cooking in salted water during the above process and add to the sauce pan after being drained.

For those in your home that can eat sour cream, add a dollop onto their serving. It was delicious!

Applesauce Spice Cake

Yummy!!! The first dessert I've made TED/MSPI safe that was delicious! I took this to a friends house for lunch and it was very well received. If they hadn't known I was on a restrictive diet, no one ever would have known the cake was missing eggs, milk, etc. Yeah!

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice (I didn't have allspice so used some ginger and nutmeg)
1/2 cup Smart Balance light or other whey free margarine
1/2 cup rice milk + 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice (buttermilk substitute)
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2 EnerG egg substitutes

Frosting
1/4 cup Smart Balance light or other whey free margarine
3 cups confectioners sugar
1-2 Tbsp. rice milk
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. sugar free caramel flavored syrup

Combine flour, sugar soda, salt, baking powder and spices in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whip up the egg replacer, add to flour mixture. Cream the margarine and "buttermilk" and applesauce, add to flour mixture. Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Whip frosting ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Frost cake when cooled.

Apologies on the bad picture....I started to eat a piece then realized I hadn't yet taken a picture!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Primavera

I am always on the search for different pasta sauces. Pasta is probably one of my favorite meals, but I get tired of marinara. This creation was soooooooooo good and my daughter and hubby loved it as well. I made a huge batch which has actually been great as we've eaten it three times now!

I box of farfalle (bowtie) pasta, such as Barilla
1 large red pepper
1/2 package frozen peas
3 large carrots, peeled
2 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled
2 1/2 cups rice milk
4 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. horseradish (optional)
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Core the red pepper and cut into chunks. Lightly grease a baking sheet and add red pepper and garlic cloves. Toss to coat in the olive oil and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, start pasta boiling in well salted water. Julienne the carrots into large sticks, and cook in a microwave safe bowl for 1 1/2 minutes, or steam on the stove. Reserve the peas for the final 3 minutes of the pasta being done, then add in to the boiling water and pasta to cook.

In a blender combine the remaining ingredients. Remove the red peppers and add to the blender, then peel the garlic and add as well. Blend on high until smooth. Transfer to a large pot and whisk over medium heat until smooth and thickened. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Drain pasta and peas when done, then combine with the sauce.

Note: You can also buy a frozen pea and carrot mix that would work great here. Consider adding in additional vegetables; mushrooms, corn, snow peas, you name it!

I was taking a picture of the food when my daughter wanted me to take one of her as well. She loved this dish!

Tomato Basil Lentil Soup

This is a delicious, filling amazing soup that is full of flavor and great for you too! My daughter and hubby each had a serving, and then I ate the remainder over the next several days. I actually can't wait to make more!

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
1/2 c red lentils (if using brown, just cook longer til soft)
2-3 crushed and diced garlic cloves
3 shallots or 1/2 a large onion
1 can tomatoes
2 Tbsp. fresh or 1 1/2 tbs. dried basil
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Saute onion in olive oil over med. heat 5 min., then add in garlic. Cook til onions are softened, then add in remaining ingredients. Cook until lentils are done (20 for red, 35-40 for brown). Transfer to a blender and puree til smooth. Garnish with fresh chiffonade or dried sprinkles of basil and a dallop of cream cheese or sour cream if desired. Serve with toasted garlic bread. SOOOOOOO good! I enjoyed my soup with some olive oil roasted cauliflower and broccoli. The broccoli got a bit too done, but the cauliflower was delicious!

Creamy Asparagus Mushroom Linguine

Early TED

This was a pre-TED/MSPI favorite that I was really craving. It handled the transition to "safe" very well!

1 lb. wheat or rice linguine noodles
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and blanched til al dente
1 package white mushrooms, halved and cut into thirds
1/2 a large onion, finely diced
2 cups rice milk
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Start the pasta cooking in well salted water. In a large skillet, cook the onions in the oil until almost softened. Add in the mushrooms and cook until both are done. Steam the asparagus until crisp tender on the stove or in the microwave. Transfer all to a bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients in the blender and process until smooth. Pour into a pot and whisk on medium heat until thickened. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. Add the cooked vegetables and pasta to the pan and combine. Yummy!

Lentil Sunflower Seed Burgers

I'm always interested in a new burger recipe. I love a good vegetarian burger! I haven't tried this, but it looks pretty tasty. This is from the Moosewood Cookbook. I borrowed this book from a friend and wanted to post the recipes I was interested in before returning it... It was a good enough book that I should try to find one online for myself!

¾ cup dry lentils
1 ½ cups water
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely minced onion
4 –5 large cloves of garlic, minced
10 large mushrooms, minced
½ cup very finely ground raw sunflower seeds
1 ½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Dry mustard
½ cup roughly ground crisp rice cereal or breadcrumbs

Place lentils and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft and the liquid is gone. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl, add vinegar and mash well.

Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add onions and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients exempt crisp rice or breadcrumbs, and sauté 5-10 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the sauté and crumb mixture to the lentils and mix well. Chill for 1 hour before forming into patties.

Form 4-inch diameter burgers. Fry in a small amount of oil over medium high heat on both sides until heated through and crispy on the outside. Place in oven heated to 350 degrees for 8 minutes to help set the middle.