Teaser: Upside-down Black Berry Cheesecake

In spite of my very best intentions I didn't have the time to post this recipe today! Yarg = frustrations!

 I'm only able to post a teaser right now as I'm forcing myself to get a good nights sleep (in just a few minutes) in order to be WAY more productive tomorrow...

I should also mention that the recipe is really simple, really good, AND...can be converted into two other things if you're looking for some diversity in your desserts. 

Lookie here:

or...

Stay tuned for more details and a full recipe!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

AtV Favorite: Brown 'Rice' Sushi

I've already eaten five rolls of this sushi so far over the course of this week, and that's not counting the rolls that are in my fridge (I'm taking them camping with me tomorrow). To be perfectly honest, one of the foods I've had a big problem with converting to an "uncooked" recipe has been sushi. I've done the cauliflower rice, the sprouts, the chopped zucchini, you name it and I've probably given it a try. In my opinion sushi is something that just doesn't taste right without rice...Nori isn't the same to me when paired with anything else. In fact I don't even really like the taste of Nori without real rice. The problem? I can't eat rice without suffering incredible stomach pains and...well...lets just say other "unlady-like" symptoms. This is why I love Oat groats, and why I now can enjoy sushi (and Nori!) once again, in a whole new "uncooked" way!

Ready? Let's go!

Brown 'Rice' Sushi

This recipe is very similar to my Brown 'Rice' - with a slight tweaking 

(soaked Oat groats)

Step 1. 

Brown 'Rice' Prep

3 c Oat groats - soaked 16 - 24 hours

After your Oat groats have finished soaking proceed to drain, rinse, and dry them - removing as much of the soaking liquid as possible. I like to do this by wrapping my Oat Groats in cheese cloth and squeezing it a few times.

Transfer your Oat Groats into your Food Processor and pulse roughly 10 times, or until your Oat Groats have been evenly broken/chopped. ***You do not want to make Oat Groat meal, so be careful not to over process.

You can also opt to chop your Oat Groats by hand. This may take some time, but the end result is well worth it. 

(chopped Oat groats)

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Step 2. 

Brown "Rice" Flavoring

Combine the following into a Nut Grinder (my nut grinder is just a fancy coffee grinder in disguise):

1/4 c Pumpkin Seeds

2 Tbsp Brown Flaxseed meal

1 Tbsp Dillweed - dried

1 Tbsp Nutritional yeast 

Sea Salt to taste

---Grind until the above ingredients become a fine powder---

(Ground Brown Rice Flavoring)

---

Step 3. 

Making your Sushi 'Rice'

In a mixing bowl combine the following:

3 c Oat Groats - previously chopped

Entire batch of Brown "Rice" Flavoring (from Step 2)

- Mix evenly -

2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tbsp Date Paste

Optional: 2 Tbsp Coconut Aminos //or// 1 Tbsp Nama Shoyu

- Mix Evenly - (at this point the mixture will begin to get sticky - this is a good thing!)

Your 'Rice' will look like this:

Store your Sushi 'Rice' in an air tight container - it will keep in your refrigerator for about 2 weeks, and up to 3 months in your freezer. If I'm worried that I won't be able to consume all of the rice before it spoils in the fridge then the freezer is a wonderful option.

Now lets assemble some Sushi!

The same technique as making normal Sushi rolls applies here. Using a metal spoon, smooth out your 'Rice' onto your dampened Nori sheet...

Add your favorite Sushi fillings --- the above roll had Broccoli stems, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion, and my Favorite - Sweet Garlic Aioli with a few dashes of Cayenne for a kick.

Another favorite combination of mine is: Avocado, Carrot, Green Onion, and Spicy Almond Butter (basically Almond Butter and Cayenne).

And one more from todays dinner: Avocado, Green Onion Sprouts, and Sweet Garlic Aioli.

Reasons why AtV loves Oat Groats:

1/2 cup of Oat groats (you can make 1 to 2 Sushi rolls from that!) contains the following...

28% of your daily Protein 

8 grams of your daily dietary Fiber

10% of your daily Iron

Annnnd...Oat Groats found in the bulk foods section of your local grocery store are half the cost of Brown Rice!

Now go make some Sushi!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

P.S. Don't forget to read AtV's first interview at Hungry Vegan Traveler. Click!.

AtV Update --- Interview with Addicted to Veggies

My lovely friend Amanda over at Hungry Vegan Traveler recently invited me to do an interview for her blog...to which I excitedly said "Yes, Yes, Yes!" 

There's really a lot of wonderful things going on over at Hungry Vegan Taveler, so I hope that in addition to checking out the interview, you will also make a note to visit Amanda's blog frequently! Simply put, she's lovely, and so is her ambition. 

Go say hello for me...

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Introduce yourself! Where are you from, what is your family like, pets, hobbies, interests, etc.
Hiya Constant Cravings readers!
I’m Sarahfaé, the writer/creator of Addicted to Veggies – a blog that solely revolves around plant-based recipes, and posting them as often as I can come up with new ones!
I live in a foggy little town on the coast of Northern California (Eureka to be exact), in a cozy vintage Craftsman style home with my two pups (Elmer & Lucy), two kitties (Lola & Flower), and most importantly my very supportive hubby; Mister AtV.
Most days you’ll find me in my kitchen, making some sort of food related mess, or scouring through my cookbooks looking for recipe inspiration. My happiest state is almost always after I’ve made a recipe that I deem successful – which is usually followed by ridiculous levels of excitement (on my part) and then going down a list of “taste testers” to call up. Have you ever done a “Drive-by-fooding”? If not then I highly recommend it! A “Drive-by-fooding” involves leaving a pretty package of really yummy food on an unsuspecting friend’s doorstep, and promptly driving away so as not to be caught. So much fun!

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW...

AtV Staple Recipe: Sweet Garlic "Aioli"

Fact: I've never actually tried real Aioli. 

Last night, after finishing up a very exciting new recipe (see the end of this post for a photo teaser), for some reason I thought to myself: "You know what this recipe needs? A good Aioli sauce!" 

Upon realizing that I didn't have any idea what real Aiolo consisted of (aside from maybe mayonnaise - ick!) I went straight to Epicurious and found the recipe help I was in need of. So here is my version of a classic and simple sauce, with an AtV twist of course. I beg you to make this! Eat it with whatever you please! Just make it! Something so good and so simple should not go untasted. Get thee to thine blender, and take this recipe with you...

Sweet Garlic Aioli

makes roughly 1 cup

-

3/4 c Yellow Squash //or// Zucchini - peeled and chopped

1/2 c Canola or Safflower Oil (do not use Extra Virgin Olive oil)

2 Tbsp Lemon juice

2 tsp Garlic - minced

1 tsp Mustard

2 Medjool dates - soaked in warm water for 10 minutes

1/2 tsp Paprika

*optional - Cayenne pepper to taste (adds a great kick)

Puree the above ingredients until smooth and creamy. Store in air tight container in fridge...and get ready to use it in one (or both) of the following upcoming recipes...

Broccoli Cakes 

(a very dangerously tasty play on the familiar Crab Cake)

Brown 'Rice' Sushi with Spicy Aioli or Spicy Almond butter

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Now the question is...which recipe do you want to see first?

Comment to let me know!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Breakfast Granny Crunch

For my very first attempt at making "Granola" I'm happy to say that this next recipe was a success! I had been needing to revamp my breakfasts for a while because the smoothie thing can get a little boring, and honestly sometimes I just want to chew my food. I'm happy that I've got something new to crunch on, and also something that will sustain me until lunchtime comes around. You don't have to eat this for just breakfast though - no siree - you can mix it with fresh fruit and enjoy it as a lunch meal, keep it in your pocket for a mid-meal snack, or even use it as a crunchy component to a dessert Parfait! Oh the possibilities!

---

Granny Crunch

Step 1. Making your Granny

1 c Sunflower Seeds

2 c Oat Groats - soaked over night and chopped in food processor (not ground!)

2 c Walnuts chopped //or// 2 c Oat Groats prepped as above

2 c Dried Fruit - I used Blueberries and sun-dried Raisins --- you can also opt to not use any dried fruit and sub it for additional nuts/oat groats

Set your dry Granny mix aside in a large mixing bowl.

-

Step 2. Granny Sweetener/binder

9 Medjool Dates - soaked in warm water for 10 minutes

1/2 c Coconut Crystals //or// 9 more Medjool Dates soaked

2 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Vinegar

1 tsp Lemon juice

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

3/4 c Water

Puree the above ingredients until very smooth. Transfer your sweetener/binder to the mixing bowl containing the contents of your Dry Granny mix (see Step 1). Mix the Sweetener evenly throughout your Granny mix. 

Dehydrate: On non-stick teleflex sheets or parchment paper for 6 to 8 hours (or over night).

Conventional oven: Set at it's lowest heat, leaving the oven door cracked open. If you opt to use your oven keep a close eye on your mixture, checking every two hours or so.

And one more thing... 

If you haven't already, you should check out my Canadian sister from another mister:

Caitlin at The Hardcore Herbivore

 This chick has a special place in my heart, she's sharp, witty, gorgeous as all get-out, has some serious photography skills, and makes a mean vegan Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake. 

Go tell Caitlin "hi" for me!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

AtV Favorite: Two Herb Squash

This recipe is just so simple and so wonderful. I've actually got a batch in the dehydrator at this very moment --- for tomorrow's meal plan. And I'll probably eat it again on Sunday too! Even though the recipe calls for a dehydrator you can opt to use a trustworthy conventional oven set at it's lowest heat and leaving the oven door cracked open (keeping a very very close eye on your food of course). 

Here's how it goes...

Yellow Crook-neck Squash (or large Zucchini)

Chop the ends of the Squash and peel off the bumpy part of the flesh.

Slice your Squash into 1/4 Inch thick strips, and here's the recipe part:

Two Herb Squash 

Version 1 - Lemon Caraway

On a Cutting Board lay out your strips of Squash

Sprinkle the following lightly & evenly onto both sides of your Squash:

Ground Caraway

Lemon Pepper

Sea Salt to Taste

Proceed to rub the seasoning into both sides of your Squash 

Transfer to Dehydrator and dehydrate for 2 hours (1 hour per side)

---

Version 2 - Garlic Rosemary (my personal fav)

On a Cutting Board lay out your strips of Squash

Sprinkle the following lightly & evenly onto both sides of your Squash:

Ground Rosemary

Garlic Granules //or// minced fresh Garlic

Sea Salt to Taste

Proceed to rub the seasoning into both sides of your Squash 

Transfer to Dehydrator (or Oven set at it's lowest heat leaving the oven door cracked open) and dry/warm for up to 2 hours (roughly 1 hour per side)

---

When your Squash is finished it should look like this, and taste amazing! 

My favorite way to have this squash so far has been in place of bread. as a sort of Open Faced Sandwich...seen here with Deviled Egg-less Salad:

Bon Apatit! 

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

AtV Favorite: Deviled Egg-less Salad

 Even though a majority of my diet is due to choice I still find myself missing certain flavors and textures that can be so difficult to "fake" without cooking. That is why I've decided to start a new type of post called AtV Favorite(s). AtV Favorite(s) will be dedicated to those recipes that hit the spot when I'm craving good old fashioned comfort food. It just doesn't get any better than that.

I'm seriously in love with the following recipe on SO many different levels, I can barely contain myself! When I was a kid I used to look forward to Thanksgiving for one main reason: my Mom's Deviled Eggs. They were magical. Even though it's been years since I've had a real Deviled Egg I still think of them and heave a sigh. Until yesterday I resolved that I'd most likely never find a substitute equal to that favorite childhood food... 

Until yesterday...

Deviled Eggless Salad

Makes 3 to 4 servings, depending on how much you want to share

-

Step 1. Deviled Eggless Salad 

1 c Macadamia nuts

1/2 c packed Zucchini - peeled and chopped

2 Tbsp Mustard - Yellow or creamy Dijon

1 tsp Ape Date Paste //or// 1 Medjool Date - soaked in warm water for 10 minutes

2 tsp Onion powder

2 tsp Nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp Garlic Granules

1/4 tsp Kelp Granules

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Sea Salt to taste

1/2 c Water

Puree all of the above ingredients together until completely smooth --- Transfer to mixing bowl

-

Step 2. Salad components

1 c packed Zucchini - peeled and chopped well (this acts as your hard boiled "Egg White")

1/2 c Celery - chopped well

1/2 c Onion - chopped well

2 Tbsp Relish - optional

Add your Deviled Eggless Salad Mixture to your Salad components and mix together well. 

Enjoy on it's own, as a dip, a sandwich...get creative! 

Deviled Eggless Salad on top Yellow Squash and Sprouts

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Ice-cream Sandwiches!

How could ANYone turn away an Ice-cream sandwich? This recipe is simple, guilt-free, it keeps ridiculously well in the freezer, and you can enjoy it at any time of your day. Make a whole bunch and share them at your backyard barbecue...or you can be like me and keep them a secret so you don't have to share! (Oops...did I just admit to that?) 

They are seriously so good! 

-

AtV Ice-cream Sandwiches

Step 1. The Brownie Sandwich

Make precisely one HALF batch of my Triple Chocolate Fudgy Brownie

Set in fridge to chill for at least 1 hour while you move onto Step 2.

-

Step 2. The Vanilla Ice-cream Filling

1 c Macadamia nuts

1 c Cashews - soaked for 2 to 4 hours 

2 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar //or//White Balsamic Vinegar

8 Medjool Dates - soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, pits removed

1/2 c Coconut Oil

1 tsp Lemon juice

1/2 c Water

Puree until very smooth --- move on to assembling.

-

Step 3. Assembling your Sammy (rough instructions)

Taking 2 pieces of parchment paper, place 1/4 of the Brownie batter in between the two pieces of paper. 

Use a rolling pin to roll and flatten the brownie into desired thickness and size.

Once your Brownie has been flattened, divide into two halves and lather one side up with your Vanilla Ice-Cream filling...

Place the un-lathered half of your Brownie on top of the Vanilla Ice-Cream half and immediately transfer to your freezer. Store for at least one hour until thoroughly chilled/froze. You can also make multiple batches of Sandwiches and store them in your freezer for an unlimited amount of time, remove them 10 minutes before eating and enjoy! 

Don't be afraid to get creative like I did with your Ice-cream Sandwich's look! For mini round sammies I used the top of a salt shaker...but you could use practically anything. Just remember to use parchment paper when rolling out your brownie, this will ensure that it doesn't fall apart or stick to your counter/cutting board. 

Next time I think I'll try using different shaped cookie cutters.

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

AtV meets a Food Network star...

Mini Ice-cream Sandwiches for a special someone

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I hope you've all been having a wonderful weekend!

I'm really excited about this coming week because it's pretty much a blank canvass...I have no idea what's going to happen in my kitchen, and I'm really excited about it. After this post I'll be taking a quick inventory of what's in my refrigerator and from there I'll map out a game plan...all of which will be geared towards making yummy foods to share with you!

But first, how about a quick story...

The County Fair is here! What does this mean to the little Northern California town that AtV calls home? Horse races, rickety rides, frighteningly fried food, lots of people watching, fun local exhibits...

and a Food Network star?

Oh yes! Mister Guy Fieri is actually from the same area as yours truly, and for some reason (unbeknownst to me) the bleach blond fried food fanatic decided to pay a little visit to the County Fair with his entire crew. Naturally upon learning this (or rather, seeing it on the front page of the local paper) I decided that I had to make him a treat, and attempt to causally meet the star. My silly idea of "casually meet" quickly turned into standing in line with a whole pack of other people. Oh well, no turning back...

I'm happy to report that I was successful in giving Guy a box of my Mini Ice-cream sandwiches (my purse doubles as a cooler!) and he was very very kind. Also, I have to give him props for his awesome crew, a super friendly and fun group of people. I only wish I had more photos to show!

But enough of that silly stuff...

Tomorrow I'll be posting the recipe for my Ice-Cream Sandwich...the real star of the County Fair that day!

And if for some reason you weren't around last week, here's what you missed:

Triple Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

Retro to Raw: Marinaded Tomatoes & Cucumbers

Staple Recipe: Mac n' Mustard Cheeze

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Staple Recipe: Mac n' Mustard Cheeze

Okay, okay... there's just so many things I want to write about this recipe - starting with how much I love it!

I came up with the idea for this cheeze/spread when my usual craving for "something savory" hit me hard, and I had a limited stock ingredients. If you're a fan of Caraway Cottage Cheeze, and want to try another variation of creaminess then I highly recommend whipping up a batch of this! 

On a totally unrelated note: I've decided to get more use out of my apron collection. If you've been wondering about the change in my photo backgrounds - that's what you're seeing! I'm always looking to expand my collection --- so if you've got an apron that you want to see featured in an AtV recipe photo I'd be more than happy (and excited!) to provide a shipping address...and even a tribute recipe in return!
This recipe goes out to my dear friend Lora of Jabot's Boutique - the lovely apron you're seeing in the background of this photo was a recent gift from her and I couldn't love it (and her) more!! Thanks Chicky!

Mac n' Mustard Cheeze

1 c Zucchini - peeled and chopped

2 c Macadamia nuts

3 tsp Yellow Mustard //or// White Dijon

1 tsp Ape Date Sweetener //or // 1 Medjool Date - soaked in warm water for 10 minutes

1/2 tsp Garlic Granules

2 tsp Nutritional Yeast

2 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Puree ingredients until smooth - you will have to scrape down the sides of your food processor once or twice as the mixture will tend to ball up. 

-

Enjoy with Apples, Pears, Breads or Crackers, on salads or even in your soups!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Don't forget to follow Addicted to Veggies on Facebook and Twitter --- There's lots of photo teasers and food previews happening over there that you don't get to see anywhere else!

Retro to Raw: Marinaded Tomatoes & Cucumbers

This may seem like a really really simple recipe (some might even say brainless!) but truthfully I bookmarked it for that fact, in addition to its quick and easy appeal. You can make it on a small scale for a lunch, or a large scale for dinner (or even a buffet). Pair it with cheeze (or cheese), pile it on top of greens and you've got a salad with instant dressing, chop it up and stuff it into a wrap with fresh apple and sprouts! Versatility is one of my favorite things about food! Yay! 

Thank you to Good Housekeeping - Company Meals and Buffets. This won't be the last time you'll be seeing a Retro to Raw post inspired by this fancy little pamphlet. In spite of the slightly scary cover art, it's chock full of fun ideas that I just can't wait to share with you all. So without further ado...

Retro to Raw: Marinaded Tomatoes & Cucumber

Step 1. Marinade/Dressing

For the Marinade I decided to revisit a former "Retro to Raw" post featuring French Dresing and tweak it every-so-slightly...

1/2 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 c Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Tarragon - dried

1 tsp Basil - dried

1/2 tsp dry Mustard powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

2 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp minced Garlic

3 Tbsp Ape Date Sweetener //or// 2-3 Medjool Dates soaked in warm water for 10 minutes

Salt & Pepper to taste

Blend together the above ingredients until smooth!

---

Step 2. Putting it together!

Slice in rounds:

3 to 4 Tomatoes - I used Roma but any garden variety will work

1 large Cucumber

Cover your veggies with Marinade and store in the fridge for at least 1 hour. I like to leave them in overnight so all of the flavors can tango around together. Let those veggies dance with the dressing! 

Hope you enjoy!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

P.S. Addicted to Veggies has a Facebook page now! For lots of updates, including previews of what recipes are coming up go check it out!

Triple Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

It's strange how much I've been craving chocolate lately, and I don't even consider myself a "sweets person"! I think my favorite thing about this recipe is how many different ways you can change it's appearance, making it a crowd pleaser for just about any setting - even if that crowd is just you and a Johnny Depp movie. 

So whether you're in the mood for a quick sweet bite on your way out the door or you want to entertain a group of friends with a fancy dessert, this chocolate recipe is my new go-to. I'm also in favor of having my chocolate for breakfast now...so there's really no limitations here!

---

Triple Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

The following recipe makes roughly 2 dozen 1x1 inch Fudge Brownie Squares - seen in the above photo

-

Step 1. Dry Ingredient Prep:

1 & 1/2 c Almonds - ground down to fine meal/flour

1 & 1/2 c Sunflower Seeds //or// equal amount of Almonds- ground down to a fine meal/flour

1/4 c Carob powder

Mix together the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl - set aside

-

Step. 2 Wet Ingredient Prep:

1 c Cashews - soaked 4 hours, then drained and dried

1 c Macadamia nuts 

1 c (15-16) Medjool Dates - soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, pits removed

1/2 c Coconut Oil - melted/softened

4 Tbsp Cocoa butter - melted //or// 4 Tbsp Coconut Butter - melted

2 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Lemon juice

3 Tbsp Cacao powder

3 Tbsp Carob powder

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 c Water

Puree the above ingredients until very very smooth. You may need to pause once or twice to break up any "not-moving-clumps" in your food processor and continue to puree --- don't be discouraged though - this is completely normal! Your desired consistency will be something close to a thick creamy nut butter.

Then transfer to mixing bowl with the Dry Ingredients from Step 1. Mix everything together evenly (for this you might want to use an electric/hand mixer).

Flatten out onto a nonstick surface (I used parchment paper) and store in the fridge to cool for about 1 to 2 hours. 

Enjoy!!

xoxo

Sarahfae - AtV