ADDICTED to VEGGIES

Meyer Lemon Creme Filled Chewy Graham Cracker Straws or Sandwiches

2012-02-10T15:49:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I love lemons, and as I've said before - any kind of dessert that's stuffed with creme is pretty much guaranteed to be a winner.
Right?

Today I have a really simple recipe for a Meyer Lemon Creme (but you can use regular lemons too). This Creme gets to join forces with those tasty Chewy Graham Cracker Bites from last week. Perfect, because I had a bunch of them in the fridge!

Chewy Graham Cracker Energy Bites

First things first, you'll want to have a batch of the above Graham Cracker Bites on hand.

Then you'll want to make this spectacular Creme...

Meyer Lemon Creme

Place the following into your food processor:

3/4 c Cashews - soaked 6 hours and drained

(Your Cashews should expand to right around 1 cup - this is good)

1/2 c Date Paste //or// liquid sweetener or choice, to taste

1/4 c AtV Sour Cream

4 Tbsp Meyer Lemon Juice

2 Vanilla Bean scraped //or// 1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 tsp Meyer Lemon Zest

1 pinch of Salt

Puree for 3 to 4 minutes until you have a whipped/creamy texture.

Transfer this creme to an air tight container and let it chill in the fridge while you make your Graham Cracker Straws...

Using the end of a wooden spoon to shape...

I recommend a wooden spoon for this step because the chewy/sticky graham cracker dough won't stick to the wood. Your hands may gradually get sticky, which is easy to remedy by a quick rinse and dry.

The Graham Cracker dough is very pliable, and while it may take you a few tries to get "into the rhythm" of making the straws, don't be discouraged. At the very least you might have to stop and roll out your dough a to start over.

That's what I call a big pile of yum!

Now place those straws in the freezer - because you want them really firm before you fill them with creme.

No you're not seeing things...
I made a Strawberry creme too. But that will have to wait for another time.

If you don't feel like taking the time to make straws you do have another option...

You can make sandwiches! Just follow the assembling directions at Step 3 in this post.

One More Final Note:

After you've filled your graham cracker straws with creme place them back in the freezer. They will store wonderfully when frozen, and in my opinion they taste MUCH better this way. If you have kids in your life this would be a good way to bribe them to do their chores, or just reward them for being awesome and adorable!

Wishing you all a very wonderful weekend with lots of tasty food!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Raw Vegan Caesar Salad...or The Best Salad I've Ever Had

2012-02-08T14:52:00.000-08:00

When it comes to salad you can go basic or bulk. Both have the potential to be amazing, but basic is usually a side salad, and bulk will more often than not be the main course.
I used to eat a lot of Caesar Salad back in the day, so I definitely feel confidant in my skepticism. I also feel confidant in calling this one of the best salads I've ever had, in spite of it being fairly simple and basic. That's the wonderful thing about a really tasty Caesar Salad; it only needs dressing and lettuce.

At the moment I'm having a difficult time not eating this for breakfast, lunch and dinner -- and that's not normal food behavior for me! I get bored with recipes fairly quickly, so when a dish is made that I can't get enough of, precautions must be taken. Otherwise I could get burnt-out.

In other words; I'm out of romaine lettuce so I'm going to the grocery store as soon as I finish this post!

Important Note About This Recipe

Wait to add the dressing to the Salad until right before you serve it, otherwise you'll end up bringing a pile of not-so-pleasant greens to your family party or barbecue. Once the salad has been tossed with the dressing announce very loudly to everyone in the room (sort of kidding here) - and it'll be gone before you know it!

AtV Caesar Salad

yields roughly 5 to 6 side servings, or 2 to 3 generous servings

Step 1.

Making your Dressing

Into a small mixing bowl combine the following:

1/2 c AtV Sour Cream

1/4 c Water

4 Tbsp Grape seed Oil

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 heaping tsp Onion powder

1 heaping tsp Nutritional yeast

1 tsp Garlic Granules //or// 1/2 minced Garlic

1/2 tsp Kelp Powder //or// Kelp Granules

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Salt

Whisk everything together.

Store in an air tight container in your fridge for at least one hour - this is important as the flavors of the dressing will develop during this time.

Step 2.

Making your Salad

3 heads of Romaine Lettuce - chopped

Using a small toothed or what I like to call "baby grater", proceed to grate:

1/4 c Macadamia Nuts

You should end up with a fluffy nutty pile of yumminess (seen above).

Into your giant bowl of chopped Romaine Lettuce add the following:

All of your grated Macadamia Nut

2 tsp Nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Mix together Evenly!

Now it's time to add the dressing...

All of your Dressing into the bowl of Lettuce...

I like to pour about half of the dressing in, mix it well, and pour the rest it. This ensures an evenly dressed salad.

Before I go I wanted to give a very BIG hello and thank you to all of the wonderful new support that AtV has gained through Pinterest!

I hope you'll keep coming back, you've been making my kitchen adventures even more inspired than usual.

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Creamy BBQ Cauliflower Salad

2012-02-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

I hope you'll excuse my lack of a recipe post yesterday. I've been playing a bit of catch-up on other things, and trying to avoid getting a cold as well. No fun!

Here's some photos from my Superbowl Sunday feast, and a very simple recipe for a killer creamy barbecue salad...

French Onion Dip

Creamy Barbecue Cauliflower Salad

Yields enough for roughly 5 to 6 sides

Step 1.

Make the Smokey Sweet BBQ Cauliflower Bites from this Recipe

Important Note: Make your Cauliflower smaller in size that the Cauliflower noted in the above recipe, since you're not making "bites", but making a salad.

Step. 2

Finishing Your Salad

After you've made the Smokey Sweet BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Toss them in a bowl with:

1/2 c chopped Red Bell Pepper

1/2 c chopped Celery

1/4 c minced fresh Dill

4 to 5 Tbsp AtV Sour Cream

Mix everything together!

I'll see you back here tomorrow with a terrific recipe for raw vegan Caesar Salad!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Creamy Tapenade & Raw Vegan Superbowl plans

2012-02-03T14:38:00.000-08:00

The weekend is approaching, and it's gonna be a busy one! From plans this evening with Mister AtV, to a Saturday get-together at our house, and don't forget the Superbowl!
If you're looking for some recipe ideas for your weekend get-together then check out the search box at the top right-hand column of this page. Type in any keyword, like "snacks", "appetizers", "dips", "treats" and click go!
For Superbowl Sunday I plan on having the usual spread of veggies and dips, with a fancy fruit salad to counter all of the fried food that will be happening in the background.

In lieu of having a million things going on all around me, I hope you'll excuse me today and instead check out my latest article, including a recipe for a killer Raw Vegan Creamy Tapenade, over at The Chalkboard.

START HERE: RAW RECIPES IN ACTION

You’ve decided to venture into the world of raw food. Whether it’s adding more fresh produce to your plate or completely overhauling your entire meal plan, there’s no question that this choice is a good one. It’s also a tasty one!

...click to read the entire article

I'll see you back here on Monday with a tasty week chock full of main course recipes!
Stroganoff anyone?

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Chewy Graham Cracker inspired Energy Bites

2012-02-01T16:07:00.000-08:00

My original intention was to have a crispy graham cracker inspired cracker to share with you all today, so I guess this would fall under the category of a "kitchen fail" -- but sometimes even failures can taste really good! In this case it would be a shame not to share the recipe, even if it's not what I hoped it to be.

Don't worry, I'm not giving up on my raw vegan graham cracker experimentation, I just have to tweak a few things to get it perfect, as well as keeping it simple and relatively quick to execute.

Get your sweet tooth ready because these healthy protein packed bites are a condensed super-dessert. Since I'm currently out of Strawberry Yogurt I've decided to let these be my pre-workout snack, and/or daily decadent treat.

A little goes a long way (trust me), and as always you can do many different things with these bites;

Serve them on a platter with fresh sliced fruit for a brunch or tea date
Roll them (yes, they are very pliable!) up and stuff them with Vanilla Ginger Whipped Cream for a very decadent dessert
Keep them handy in your purse when you're traveling or running around town
An after-school (or homework) treat for those well behaved-kiddos in your life
They're a wonderful pick-me-up for moments when you just need something really sweet

Important Note About This Recipe

You can shape these in any dimension you like, but I recommend keeping them slighly less that 1/4'' thick. This will insure that you have a quicker drying time when making these. Otherwise the thicker they are the longer you'll have to wait to eat them.

Chewy Graham Cracker inspired Energy Bites

Yields a lot!

Step 1.

Binding Mixture

1/2 c Water

1/4 c plus 1 Tbsp Ground Golden Flaxseed meal

Whisk all of the above together in a small mixing bowl.

Let it sit for 5 minutes or more, until you have a thick consistency like this:

Set aside and move onto the next step.

Step 2.

Making your Batter

In your Food Processor grind to a fine meal:

3 c raw dry Almonds

Transfer ALL of your ground Almond meal to a large mixing bowl

Add the following:

1.5 c Coconut Crystals (also known as Coconut Palm Sugar)

2 tsp ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground Allspice

1 large Vanilla Bean scraped

1 tsp Salt

Mix together all of the above dry ingredients

While your mixer is on, pour in the Binding mixture from Step 1.

Mix evenly unto you have a big thick and sticky ball of dough...

Almost done...

Step 3.

Assembling and Drying

Sandwich in between two sheets of parchment paper

Flatten with a rolling pin

I like to fold up the sides of my parchment paper to get a nice square

(Look at that amazing scoring job! Such talent!)

Score the dough before moving on to drying.

Drying Method

If you don't have a dehydrator you can make these in your oven by doing the following:

Set your oven at it's lowest heat, and leave the oven door cracked open roughly 5 to 6 inches for the entire drying time.

Leave your flattened dough on the parchment paper and place in either your dehydrator or oven.

Proceed to dry for 5 hours.

At the end of the 5th hour remove your energy bites and let them cool on the counter for at least an hour.

After they've cooled flip them over and peel off the parchment paper.

Store them in an air tight container in your fridge and they will stay fresh for over a month.

Happy sweet snacking!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Raw Vegan Strawberry Yogurt

2012-01-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

To say that I'm obsessed with this yogurt is an understatement.

In the beginning of last December Mr. AtV and I turned over a new leaf and started building more structure to our days; working out together, dining out less than once a month, making more meals together, and ending every night with a run through our neighborhood followed by walking the dogs. This was by far one of the highlights of 2011 for me, and in the new year I had set even more goals for personal structure. One of those goals hit me directly where it hurt (figuratively, I'm not in any pain - I promise!):
cutting back on my fat intake. This meant eating less of something I love and have come to rely on perhaps a bit too much; nuts.

I don't want to give up eating nuts entirely, but I want to scale back on the heavy fats that I tend to eat a lot of, and incorporate more seeds and sprouts. Surprisingly it's been an easy transition with great side effects (i.e. a smaller waist-line), and this yogurt recipe has become my new "daily treat", allowing me some of the yummy fat that I love so much.
Moderation at it's tastiest! After all, I don't want to deprive myself!

Important Note About This Recipe

It's really amazing.

AND you can turn it into raw vegan Frozen Yogurt by following the freezing steps noted in this recipe:

Raw Vegan Blueberry Ice-Cream(click)

Oh, and one more thing...

Substitute another fruit instead of strawberries to make any flavor of yogurt you want!

Wee!

AtV Strawberry Yogurt

Yields 3 to 4 servings

Into your food processor (or high speed blender):

2.5 cups *Strawberries

1/2 c AtV Sour Cream

1/4 c Date Paste

Puree, stopping to scrape down the sides of your processor once or twice until the mixture begins to move freely. Puree roughly 1 minute - your finished product will be whipped and creamy!
*Use frozen strawberries if you're going to turn this into a frozen yogurt/ice-cream. This will speed up the freezing process.

Oh, and Elmer says "hello"...

Hope you're all doing well on this pretty Monday morning!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Nut-Free Raw Vegan Cottage Cheeze

2012-01-27T20:03:00.000-08:00

I have been racking my brain as to what fun new dip or spread I could pair with the Rosemary & dried Currant crackers from Monday's post. Then I remembered this recipe:

Caraway Cottage Cheeze (click)

I thought, "That's just too easy! Why not make a more affordable version, and nut-free too?"

Yay for tasty ideas!

Since the original version calls for the use of Macadamia nuts I was worried that substituting sunflower seeds for this luscious oily nut might take away from the creaminess and "cheesiness" of the recipe. Well, I'm not going to lie to you -- the flavor and texture is slightly different, but it's hardly noticeable and now you get the benefit of enjoying it with less fat (yes, I'm thinking about swimsuit weather already).

Nut-Free AtV Cottage Cheeze

Makes roughly 1.5 cups

Step 1.

Beforehand Prep:

Soak 3/4 c Sunflower Seeds for 4 to 6 hours

Drain and dry your seeds before using them in the following recipe

Remeasure your seeds to make sure that you have the exact amount that the recipe calls for (seeds will expand while being soaked, so you may end up with a little bit more than you need)

Step 2.

Making Your Nut-Free Cottage Cheeze

1 c (packed) peeled and shredded Zucchini

1 c Sunflower Seeds (soaked 3 hours, then drained/dried)

1 Tbsp ground Caraway Seed

1 Tbsp Onion powder

1 tsp Nutritional yeast

1 tsp ground Mustard Seed

1 tsp Dillweed dried

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Date Paste

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/3 c Water

Pulse/puree the above ingredients together, stopping to scrape down the sides of your food processor two or three times, making sure to keep the 'Cheeze' slightly grainy in texture.

For an extra creamy kick:

Stir in 2 to 3 Tbsp of AtV Sour Cream

Some of my favorite ways to eat this cottage cheeze are:

- Mixed into a pile of sprouts with fresh chopped apple and green onion

- With a big tray of veggies and pickles

- Stuffed into a tomato

Happy Friday!

It's time for a little late night snack and some X-Games with the hubby...

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Exciting News!

2012-01-25T19:25:00.000-08:00

I'm interrupting this regularly scheduled recipe program to finally share with you all some exciting news in my Addicted to Veggies world.

I've been asked to join the wonderful new lifestyle web magazine, The Chalkboard as a regular bi-weekly contributor. This invitation couldn't have come at a more perfect time, and I enthusiastically jumped at the opportunity!

What does this mean for you, dear readers?

For starters, expect no changes here at AtV's home base. I'm still very much committed to creating and sharing fun new recipes three days a week; Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The Chalkboard is offering a new outlet and platform specifically for AtV Staple Recipes. It's there that I'll be sharing these valuable recipes, as well as expanding on new ways to use them.

My first article went up today with a recipe slideshow featuring a revamped favorite that you you might recognize:

Addicted to Veggies Sour Cream

Click here to read the article and view the recipe slideshow

In the wake of this exciting news I've finally updated the "Start Here: Raw Staples" page (located right beneath the AtV banner photo). So you can conveniently track my articles and recipes at The Chalkboard.

I hope you'll forgive me for not having a recipe to share today, but I have a really yummy one in store for Friday, with Monday's Rosemary & dried Currant Crackers in mind:

See you soon!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Plain Flax-Sunflower-Sesame Crackers or Rosemary & Dried Currant Flax Crackers

2012-01-23T11:31:00.000-08:00

I really don't know why it's taken me so long to jump on the flax-cracker recipe bandwagon, but I'm so glad I finally have!

These tasty crackers are my current favorite in between meal snack, and topped with a teaspoon of almond butter they also make a great pre-workout power up. Since I've been trying to balance out my seed and nut intake these have been a welcome addition to breaking up the copious amounts of salads and smoothies on my current weekly meal plan. After this cracker recipe I'll be sharing a few simple pate and tapenade recipes to go along with it. Because what good are crackers if you don't have something yummy to put on top of them?

Important Note About This Recipe

My goal with this recipe was to keep it as simple as possible, at the same time leaving room for the crackers to be tweaked if you want to add more flavor. These crackers only take about 3 to 4 hours to dry, which is less than half the time of other recipes I've found on the web. Oh, and you can make them in your oven or dehydrator!

There's also a special note for those of you who don't own a food processor - you get to make these too!

Bonus Recipe: Just to show you the versatility of these crackers, I've added a little bonus recipe note, showing you how to turn half of the plain cracker mixture into a very fancy and very yummy: Rosemary & Dried Currant Flax Cracker.

AtV Plain Flax-Sunflower-Sesame Crackers

Rosemary & dried Currant Flax Cracker

Yields a lot of crackers - but they'll keep for at least a month in your pantry and even longer in your fridge.

Step 1.

Beforehand Prep

In a bowl combine together:

1 c Flax seed

1 c Water

Set your timer for for 1 Hour

Let your Flax seed soak in the water

After 1 hour you should have a gelatinous slimy gooey bowl of flax seed (mmm, sounds good doesn't it?):

Set aside and move on to the next step...

Step 2.

Sunflower Seeds

In your food processor proceed to pulse/grind:

4 cups Sunflower Seeds

The goal is to roughly chop them up, but not grind them into a powder:

Don't own a food processor?

You can also do the above by hand, using the fun "bashing method".

Place your Sunflower Seeds into a plastic baggy

Remove as much of the air from the bag as you can

Proceed to use a flat heavy object (like a cast iron pan or the blunt side of a meat tenderizer) and bash your sunflower seeds until they've been crushed/broken down

It's that simple!

Step 3.

Mixing Everything Together:

Into a large mixing bowl combine:

4 cups chopped Sunflower seeds

1/4 c Sesame Seeds

1 tsp Salt

Mix the above together evenly

Creating a well in your ingredients, proceed to add the Flax/Water mixture from Step 1:

Mix everything together:

At this point you will have a crumbly wet Cracker mixture, this is great!

From here you get to decide if you want to season it or just make some yummy plain crackers...

Step 4.

Bonus Recipe:

Rosemary & dried Currant Flax Crackers

At this point you've made your cracker mixture, and now you get to flavor things up.

Divide your wet cracker mixture in half

Add to half of your plain wet cracker mixture:

1/4 c dried Currants

1 Tbsp dried Rosemary (crushed/rubbed together with your hands)

1 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp Garlic Granules

cracked Black Pepper to taste

Mix it all together!

Final Step

Assembling and Drying

This is the tricky part

Take note that because this wet cracker mixture is crumbly it takes a bit of finesse in assembling. Rest assured, after your crackers have dried they stay together very well.

Ont to a sheet of parchment paper:

Use a spatula to gently press, shape and flatten out your cracker mixture to roughly 1/4'' thickness

Score your crackers into desired dimensions before you move on to drying them

Drying Method

Oven: Set your oven at its very lowest heat and leave your oven door cracked open

Place your crackers with parchment paper onto a baking sheet and place into the oven

Leave the crackers to dry for roughly 3 hours

Flip crackers over and dry for another 30 minutes to 1 hour

Dehydrator: Follow the same directions noted above, same time applies.

Yummy Crackers!

Random fact about me: I have black currants tattooed on my right leg, along with an "in progress" Beatrix Potter themed garden scene.

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Tender Brussels Sprout Barbecue Portabella Salad

2012-01-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

I have a crush on Brussels Sprouts, and it's beginning to take on a life of it's own.

Last month I shared the following recipe, including a simple marinading and warming technique for making tender Brussels Sprouts:

Warm & Tender Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Cream Sauce(click)

I'm excited to share a brand new way of tenderizing these lovely little green gems, in less than half the time! It may seem a little silly, but the results are quite amazing. You can now enjoy raw tender Brussels Sprouts quicker than it takes to roast them, with the added bonus of being even more nutrient rich!

New Raw Tender Brussels Sprouts

Makes roughly enough for 2 generous portions or 4 sides

2lbs fresh Brussels Sprouts

Slice off the ends of the sprouts, slice them in half or in quarters, and remove the first two or three leafy layers (this specifically applies to Organic Sprouts because of the buggers that like to make their homes in between the leaves)

After you've cleaned and prepped your BSprouts you should have roughly 4 cups:

Toss your 4 cups of Brussels Sprouts with:

3 Tbsp Lemon Juice

3 Tbsp Grape seed Oil (or other oil of choice)

1/2 tsp Salt

Pepper to Taste

Place your BSprouts into a zip-lock baggy and remove as much of the air from the baggy as you can.

Flatten your bag of BSprouts out onto your counter or large cutting board:

Now here's the fun part...

Cover your flattened bag of BSrouts with a kitchen towel (this helps protect any tears from happening in the baggy)

Using the flat/blunt side of a tenderizer (seen in the above photo), or any other flat heavy surface, proceed to hammer/bash your flat bag of BSprouts:

You may want to warn any house-guests or next door neighbors of this activity before it happens -- it can get a little noisy! I made up a song and dance routine to go along with the bashing sounds, this makes for a much more enjoyable experience in my opinion.

Bash and hammer those little buggers evenly for roughly 2 minutes, flipping the bag over and repeating:

Finished!

Now from here you can eat them right away or let them sit and tenderize even more in the fridge (marinading in the oil and acid ).

Optional Oven Warming Method

This will tenderize your BSprouts even more, and it's perfect for a cold and rainy day

You can also do this in a dehydrator if you prefer

- Set your Oven at it's lowest heat

- Place your Brussels Sprouts on a parchment lined baking sheet

- Transfer the baking sheet into the oven, and leave the oven door cracked open (roughly 5 to 6 inches)

- Let the Brussels Sprouts stay in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes

Making an incredble warm salad out of these tender Brussels Sprouts was a no-brainer...

Brussels Sprouts & Barbecue Portabella Salad

I'm not including measurements here because it's so simple, and really up to you

Contents of Salad:

Barbecue Rubbed Portabella from this recipe, tossed into 2 cups of BSprouts

fresh local Pea Shoots (to line the bottom of the bowl)

sliced Heirloom Tomato

fresh Avocado would also be a wonderful addition to this salad

The finishing touch is a very quick and simple Salad Dressing...

Creamy Lemon-Dill Dressing with Shallot and Chive

yields roughly 1/3 cup

Into a mixing bowl combine:

2 heaping Tbsp minced Dill

1 heaping Tbsp minced Shallot

1 heaping Tbsp minced Chive

1 tsp Onion powder

1/4 c AtV Sour Cream

3 Tbsp Lemon juice

1 tsp Date Paste (optional, but really good)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk everything together:

The only thing left to do from here is eat, drink, and be merry...

Mr. AtV and I will be hunkered down in our home this weekend, while the Pacific Northwest continues to get hammered with storm fronts. I imagine there will be lots of board games and movies happening -- and soup too!

Wishing you all a wonderful and tasty weekend!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Warm or cold Lentil Salad with Creamy-Curry-Sweet Chili Dressing

2012-01-18T17:53:00.000-08:00

This spectacular bowl of food came together like a beautiful sappy melody. At first bite I was head over heels, and thankfully I have leftovers for dinner tonight! Best of all this is a ridiculously simple dish, and it's very filling too.

But first you'll want to have a couple of AtV Staple recipes on hand:

AtV Sweet Chili Sauce (click to go to recipe)

AtV Mayo (click to go to recipe)

OR...

AtV Sour Cream (click to go to recipe)

Just because this is a salad doesn't mean you have to eat it cold. Depending on what season you're currently in, this can be eaten as a warm dish just as easily as it can be eaten chilled.

Spread your salad evenly out onto a dehydrator sheet or parchment lined pan. Proceed to warm in your dehydrator, or oven set at the lowest heat (leaving the oven door cracked open) for roughly 15 to 20 minutes.
Before we go on to the recipe I have a fun little clip that I recorded (with my phone) ages ago, and I had completely forgotten about it until now. Since this recipe features the wonderful and very nutrient rich Lentils it seems appropriate to finally share it with you...
Julia Child, on Lentils:

The best part is that shes's talking about cooked lentils, not sprouted -- which contain even more nutrients! Just ignore that last part about adding meat to your lentils (snicker).

Salad first...

Step .

Lentil Salad Components

Make this as large or as small as you'd like depending on how many people you'll be serving.

In the end the measurements are completely up to you, but here's what should go into the bowl:

Sprouted Lentils (I used the French Green variety) - or if you're not a raw foodie you can also do cooked lentils

Cucumber thinly sliced/chopped

Cherry Bomb Peppers (be careful, those seeds are HOT!) //or// Red Bell Pepper

Sweet Cherry Tomatoes sliced in half

Avocado

Green Onion

Fresh Cilantro

Everything into a bowl and toss with a dash of Salt and Pepper!

Don't forget to make the dressing - it's the secret star of this dish!

Have you ever tried a Curry Salad Dressing with fresh orange juice?

Step 2.

Creamy Curry Sweet Chili Dressing

Makes enough for roughly 2 servings

In a small mixing bowl combine the following:

5 Tbsp of either AtV Mayo //or// AtV Sour Cream

3 Tbsp AtV Sweet Chili Sauce

1 tsp Date Paste (optional - for more sweetness)

4 Tbsp fresh Orange Juice

1/4 tsp Curry Powder

Salt to Taste

Whisk everything together evenly.

Important Note:

Let your Dressing sit/chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes -- this is very important for the flavors to develop properly!

The only thing left to do from here is eat your salad!

Apologies for the less than sub-par photos. It's currently raining cats and dogs, and I didn't feel like crossing our flooded back yard (with an armful of Lentil salad) to take photos in my lighting box that's conveniently located in the garage. I'm not complaining though, I love this stormy time of year!

Hope you're all doing well, and come back on Friday for a salad recipe you don't want to miss.

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Barbecue Portabella Salad with Creamy Sweet Mustard Dressing

2012-01-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a simple week of food is exactly what I need, and that's where smoothies and salads fit in perfectly. The trick (or challenge) is how to make a salad exciting? I can have a plate of veggies any day, but when I'm having a salad as a meal I want to be dreaming about that salad all day, until I finally get to sink my teeth into it for lunch or dinner.

Today's post isn't really a "recipe", but more of a concept in making a really tasty salad with an amazing star ingredient.
So lets have a salad!

Barbecue Portabella Salad on a bed of Sprouts

Makes 1 large salad or 2 generous sides

Step 1.

Beforehand Prep

This Salad calls for two special ingredients:

BBQ Spice Mix (click to find the recipe in this post)

AtV Sour Cream (click to read more)

Step 2.

Making the Barbecue rubbed Portabella

After you've Made your BBQ Spice Mix proceed to make the Barbecue rubbed Portabella Mushroom found at Step 2 of this recipe post

Step 3.

Creamy Sweet Mustard Dressing

In a small mixing bowl combine:

2 heaping Tbsp AtV Sour Cream

2 heaping Tbsp Mustard (your choice)

1 heaping Tbsp Date Paste

1/3 C Water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk/Mix together evenly

Final Step

Making Your Salad

On a bed of Sprouts (my salad contained 2 packed cups) plate your Salad:

From Front to back:

1 Barbecue rubbed Portabella

1/2 c Red Bell Pepper

1/2 cup packed Arugula

Avocado

1/2 c Crookneck Squash

1/2 c shredded Carrot

Now that's what I call a salad!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Raw Vegan Mayo

2012-01-13T15:03:00.000-08:00

It's that time again...

Time for another AtV Staple recipe, and this one certainly brings home the calories!

If you've been searching for a soy-free, egg-free, easy to make mayo, that's full of healthy fats and very versatile then you've come to the right place. I've tried a few store bought vegan mayos in the past and my favorite one was Vegenaise with Grape seed oil. I knew immediately upon getting this recipe request that I wanted to match Vegenaise in the flavor and texture department.

I'm pretty proud to say that the finished product hit the nail right on the head.
This is the real deal!
If you're looking to add a little healthy fat into your meal this Mayo can go in so many different directions. If you're not raw/vegan but want to take back control of your kitchen and weed out those store bought over-processed condiments, this recipe is so simple to execute and the reward for making your own fresh condiment from scratch is truly something else.

Important Note About This Recipe

About the Oil: For this recipe I've used Grape seed oil, other oils that you can use in it's place are: Safflower Oil, Flaxseed Oil, or Walnut Oil. I avoid using Olive Oil in this recipe specifically because of its tenancy to congeal when chilled, which would greatly change the texture and consistency of the Mayo.

Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks (maybe a bit longer) in an air tight container.

Technique is really important in this recipe. Pay special attention to the steps and don't skip any! Just a little bit of patience is all you really need to make a spectacular mayo!

AtV Mayo

Yields roughly 1.5 cups

Step 1.

Beforehand Prep

Soak Overnight (6 to 8 hours):
3/4 c Cashews

After your Cashews have finished soaking they will have expanded to roughly 1 cup (maybe a bit more)

Drain Cashews from the soaking liquid

Set your Cashews aside and move on to the next step

Step 2.

Making AtV Mayo

In your food processor combine:

1 c soaked Cashews

1/4 tsp Salt

Puree the above together for 2 minutes, until you have a thick Cashew Paste like this:

Scrape up the Cashew paste as it will begin to collect at the bottom/sides of your Processor.

Add to your Cashew Paste:

1/4 c Grape seed Oil

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Date Paste //or// 1/4 tsp Agave

Puree together for an additional 3 minutes

At this point you should have a very thick, oily whipped mixture.

Scrape the sides and bottom of your food processor once again.

Final Step

Adding the water is a very important part of this recipe, follow the directions below and you can't go wrong:

While your Food Processor is in the "ON" function (whipping the above noted ingredients)

Slowly Stream In:

1/4 c Water

-Puree for 3 minutes-

You're almost finished....

But WAIT!

The magic of this recipe isn't quite done yet...

At this point you might be a bit concerned because your Mayo is runny in texture.

This is totally to be expected. From here the most important part of this recipe is letting it sit and chill.

After it has chilled in the fridge for 1 hour you will end up with a creamy, lightly whipped consistency.

Perfect for making, oh I dunno, a Sweet Chili Aioli?

Bonus Recipe!

Sweet Chili Aioli

In a small bowl combine:

2 heaping tsp AtV Mayo

1 tsp Sweet Chili Sauce

Mix together!

Enjoy this yummy sauce with a big Sprouted Salad or a bowl of AtV Brown 'Rice'

Thanks again to my gal pal Louisa for this recipe request, it's definitely a new fav.

I also want to send a special Hello to my Argentinian friend, Carolina. Sending you lots of love from the AtV kitchen!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and I'll see you back here on Monday with some exciting news about Addicted to Veggies!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Quick and Easy Raw Vegan Sweet Chili Sauce

2012-01-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

Who'd a thunk that someone like me - terrified of spicy food, would end up making a Sweet Chili Sauce and loving it so much? Thanks to Nachos of Appetite Affliction for the inspiration - and for being a wonderful bestie! If you haven't checked out her Awesome Aussie food blog then you should, and tell her I said hi!

I have to apologize to my lovely (and very patient) friend, Louisa who is waiting for a raw vegan Mayo recipe. When I asked AtV's facebook friends for help in deciding which recipe to post first, today's Sweet Chili sauce won by a hair. So hang in there Louisa, Friday is all for you!

Important Note About This Recipe

About the Heat: Not all of you might want this sauce to be super spicy, and that's perfectly okay! Control the heat level by how much Red Pepper Flakes you add. Start with a little bit (like 1/4 teaspoon) and add from there until you've reach your desired heat level.

About the Sweetener: I've used my own Date Paste as the sweetener in this recipe, however in doing so the date paste gives the sauce a thicker consistency. If you prefer to use Agave you will get a thinner sauce consistency. See my *marked recipe notes for the proper amount of Agave to use.

About the Food Processor/Blender Like in most sauce recipes I used my food processor, but if you have a regular ol' blender that will work! Follow the directions below adding everything into your blender and graduate to the highest puree setting, letting it blend on high for about two minutes or longer. It's that simple!

Ready to spice up your plate?

AtV's Sweet Chili Sauce

Yields about 1.5 cups of Sauce

Into your Food Processor or Blender combine the following:

1/2 c chopped/seeded Red Bell Pepper //or// Cherry Bomb Peppers

*1/3 c Date Paste //or// 4 Tbsp Agave

2 heaping Tbsp minced Sun-dried Tomato (soak your SD tomato in warm water until it softens and proceed to mince it)

2 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp minced Garlic

1 tsp Ginger Powder //or// fresh pressed Ginger

Chili Flakes to taste --- 2 tsp will be very hot

4 Tbsp Lime Juice //or// Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp Salt

1/3 c Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 c Water

Ready...Set...Puree!

After 3 to 4 minutes of pureeing...

All done!

Put it in a jar, and keep it in your fridge. It should stay fresh for up to 3 weeks.

The only thing left to do from here is to eat it!

I recommend having this sauce over a big bowl of AtV Brown 'Rice' (or regular brown rice) with chopped Avocado, Yellow Squash, Red Bell Pepper and fresh Cilantro!

See you all back here on Friday with a recipe for Raw Vegan Mayo, and this Sweet Chili sauce might be hanging out with it.

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Raw Vegan Bean Dip - Version 1.0

2012-01-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

While this dip is super tasty, I'm calling it Version 1.0 because I believe there's room for it to be even more tasty. Dare I say, amazingly tasty?

The NFL playoffs have kicked off, which means Superbowl Sunday is right around the corner. I'm not claiming to be a huge fan of football, but I grew up in a family of sport loving boys (now all men) so the Superbowl has a bit of a Holiday feeling to me. If I have a team to root for, and a reason to make a big yummy spread of food then game on!

I'm always drooling over the bean dips that seem to show up at various sports and non-sports related gatherings, but since I have a difficult time digesting cooked beans I don't make a habit of eating them very often.

This is where the lovely Green Bean comes into play.
Can a Green Bean Dip be just as tasty as a regular ol' Bean dip? Oh yes it can!

AtV Bean Dip (version 1.0)

Makes roughly 2 cups

Step 1.

Beforehand Prep

Soak 1 cup Cashews in Water for 4 to 6 Hours

Remove the Cashews from the soaking liquid

Your Cashews will expand after they've been soaked - you will only need 1 cup of soaked Cashews for this recipe so measure your cashews after you've soaked them to make sure you have the right amount (you'll probably have a little bit more than you need)

Step 2.

Making your Bean Dip

Puree 1 cup soaked Cashews into a paste:

Leave your cashew paste in your Food Processor and add the following:

2 c chopped Green Beans

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

3 Tbsp Oil (your choice - I used Grape seed)

2 Tbsp Onion Powder

1/2 to 1 tsp minced Garlic

1/4 tsp ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Salt to Taste

Puree everything together for 3 minutes

After 3 minutes have passed ---

Slowly Stream in:

1/4 cup of Water

Puree for another 3 minutes:

All done!

Let your Bean Dip chill in the fridge for an hour and it will set/thicken up a bit.

Serve it warm or cold, with Chips, Crackers, Veggies, or like I did in the photos...

On a thick slice of Yellow Crook neck Squash with Sprouts and Green Onion

Stay tuned for more adventures with Green Beans!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Barbecue Rubbed Portabella with Peppers & Onions

2012-01-06T12:31:00.000-08:00

This recipe is so simple, you'll be rushing to the store to get a Portabella mushroom so you can have it for dinner tonight. However, let me preface with the fact that I'm actually not a huge lover of the Portabella Mushroom. I remember years ago, my first time trying one (it was grilled) -- I was so convinced and terrified that it was meat, until my lunch date tried it and convinced me otherwise. They're seriously meaty mushrooms, and have so much potential for winning non-veg people over. So be brave, and join the fan club!

Not only is this recipe omnivore friendly, it's appetizer friendly, finger food friendly -- it's just one friendly dish.

If you've been looking for a way to get some veggies(that the boys will eat) into your Superbowl party this is probably gonna do the trick! Raw Vegan food can sneak it's way into just about any setting, especially when it's this good!

Important Note About This Recipe

There's some really important techniques noted in each step, specifically regarding the preparation of the mushrooms. Don't skip any steps unless you want a soggy unappealing result. No messing around here!

This is a No Dehydrator and No Food Processor Needed Recipe!

Although, if you have a dehydrator and would prefer to use it instead of the oven warming/drying method then please feel free to do so.

Lets make some meaty barbecue mushrooms...

Barbecue Rubbed Portabella with Peppers & Onions

Makes enough for 1 serving or 2 side servings

Step 1.

Beforehand Prep

You will need to make 1 batch of

AtV Barbecue Spice Mix (found in this post)

And that's about all of the "beforehand" prep you'll need to do! The rest is just chopping and such.

Step 2.

Barbecue Rubbed Portabella

1 large (roughly 1/4lb) Portabella Mushroom

Thinly sliced like so:

Place your Mushroom slices in a large/wide container with a lid

Add to your Portabella Mushroom:

2 Tbsp AtV Barbecue Spice Mix

Placing the lip on your container - gently "Spice Toss" your Mushrooms in the spices

(you'll be doing this twice):

1st Spice Toss

After the 1st Spice Toss

Add 2 more Tbsp of AtV Barbecue Spice Mix

Proceed to "Spice Toss" Again:

2nd Spice Toss

After the 2nd and final Spice Toss

When you've coated your Portabella in the spices follow the next step:

Warming/Drying Method for Meaty Barbecue Mushroom

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Transfer your spice rubbed Portabella to the baking sheet, spreading it out evenly so the mushroom slices don't overlap each other

Set your oven at it's lowest heat

Place your baking sheet/mushrooms into the oven

Leave the oven door cracked open roughly 5 to 6 inches

Let your Mushroom slices warm/dry for 1 hour

Finished Mushrooms will look like this:

When your Mushrooms are done, set them aside but don't put them in the fridge, you'll need them to finish the next step!

Step 3.

Peppers and Onions

To save time do this step while your Mushrooms are warming/drying

3/4 c thinly sliced Red Pepper

3/4 c thinly sliced Red/or/Yellow Onion

Toss your sliced Peppers and Onions with:

1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbsp Grape seed Oil (or other Oil that's mild in flavor)

pinch of Salt

Transfer your Peppers and Onions to a ziplock baggy and remove as much of the air that you can from the bag - this speeds up the tenderizing process (someday I'll invest in a vacuum sealer):

Leave your Peppers and Onions to tenderize in the fridge for 1 hour(or while your Mushroom warms/drys).

Final Step!

When your Peppers and Onions are done and tender (and they will be!) proceed with the following:

Toss them in a bowl with your Mushrooms from Step 2

Place them back onto that parchment lined baking sheet from Step 2

Place your baking sheet back into the oven

Leave the oven door cracked open roughly 5 to 6 inches

Let your Mushroom/Peppers/Onions warm/dry for 15 to 30 minutes

Finished and ready to eat product will look like this:

And now for the fun part...

How do you want to eat it?

Recipe makes roughly 4 medium sized Lettuce wraps

As an Appetizer?

Thinly slice lengthwise Zucchini or Cucumber, wrap a Tbsp full of your Mushroom and Peppers, fasten with a toothpick, and serve on a plate for a lunch party or better yet - football party!

Go Niners!

Recipe Makes roughly 10 - 12 mini Cucumber Rolls

In a Lettuce Wrap?

Drizzle with AtV Sour Cream and garnish with relish or fresh pickles

You could also make and serve these as fancy-pants wraps using endive - making them smaller and more party-food friendly.

If you're eating this as a meal I recommend pairing it with a drizzle of either No Honey Mustard or AtV Sour Cream...

Happy Friday and Happy Eating!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

'Honey' Raisin Sweetener & Raw Vegan pre-Workout Snacks

2012-01-04T14:54:00.000-08:00

Mister AtV and I did a lot of talking last month about structure, and getting into a daily routine together. It's not always easy after a long day, to want to do much more other than eat a meal and relax. I knew if I had a little bit of room I could get him motivated, so I asked for a "two day a week" running commitment. I could hardly believe it when he said yes, but hid my excitement so as not to scare him off.

After the first week he wanted to run more often, again - this news had me just about bursting at the seams, but I stayed calm. So we ran...

Our December was full of evening neighborhood 5k runs, followed by walking the dogs, and enjoying the Christmas lights that decorated the local homes. Without a doubt, those holiday runs were my favorite part of the end of 2011, and I'm happy to report that my sweet Mister AtV is becoming more and more enthusiastic about running with me every day. Even though we don't do much chit-chat on our runs, being together, and knowing that we're doing something good for our health makes me look forward to the end of every day and spending it with him.

In lieu of our increasing daily exercise, and since my work allows me to stay at home, I've been trying to be more diligent about having snacks ready for us before every workout. Since we're so active in between lunch and dinner (not just running, but weight lifting and core exercises too) it's important to me that a pre-workout snack is balanced, giving us enough energy to get our heart rates up and not crash at the end. The best thing to eat (in my opinion) before a workout is sugar and a little bit of protein.

Enter Stage Left...

Apples and Almond Butter!

But we're not talking any old Almond Butter, no siree. This Almond Butter is cut with some additional sweetener and fiber. And it's so good!

You can find a few different varieties of Raisins at your grocery store, but my favorite ones are sun-dried Green Raisins with no additives, found in the bulk section of my local Natural Foods Store. These little gems are very similar to Golden Raisins, so if you don't have access to Green then use Golden. Just make sure that they are sun dried and not treated with sulfur or any additives. I personally love Green Raisins for their fruity and tart flavor, mimicking a honey-like taste when combined with Dates, hence the name 'Honey' Raisin Sweetener. Next to "Date Paste" This has to be my other favorite homemade sweetener!

So lets make some -- and then I'll show you how to I like to have it as a quick and easy pre-workout snack.

'Honey' Raisin Sweetener

In a bowl combine:

1 c Green or Golden Raisins

10 Medjool Dates

Cover your dates completely with Water and let them soak for about a 30 minutes to an hour.

Drain them from the soaking liquid and remove the pits from your Dates.

Your Raisins should be very plump from soaking - this is good. Do not squeeze the water from them.

Into your Food Processor Combine:

All of your Raisins and Dates

1 tsp Lemon Juice

Puree everything together, stopping to scrape down the sides of your processor as you go.

I did this about 5 times.

Continue to process until you have a thick and smooth paste.

Processing time is roughly 3 minutes.

When you're finished you will have a yummy sweet-tangy-fruity paste that will fit into just about any sweet or savory dish you can imagine...

Now how about a pre-workout snack using this tasty sweetener?

Combine in a small mixing bowl:

3 Tbsp Almond Butter

2 heaping Tbsp 'Honey' Raisin Sweetener

A dash of salt

Mix together evenly...

(Makes enough for 2 people)

Making a plate for me and Mister AtV to share...

Happy mid-week to you all!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

AtV's 2011 Tastiest Raw Vegan Moments

2012-01-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

If you blinked your eyes you might have missed it! 2011 is gone and I've barely any time to collect myself. I have a feeling this years motto (for me at least) is going to be something to the effect of "keep moving or get out of the way".

I desperately needed a little vaycay from post Christmas activities, so if you've wondered where I've been I can't declare anything too exciting. Basically I've been doing lots of couch-surfing, puppy snuggling, and getting back into a daily running routine with Mister AtV. Oh, and eating lots of soup too, but I'll write more about that later.

I couldn't be more pleased with the recipes and feedback that happened over the course of last year, so with that, I'd like to recap
At'V's 2011 Tasiest Moments...

January

Easy Raw Vegan Bread (nut free)

January brought this little recipe, something that's become a kitchen staple for me and also one of my most "searched" breads to date.

---

February

Broccoli & Bell Pepper Gratin

February ushered in the rainy chilly weather that always makes my tummy crave comfort food. This recipe has become a favorite of many close friends, both near and far.

---

March

AtV Pizza Marinara & Upside Down Pizza Sammy

March was full of tastiness, but my personal favorite was this recipe that I enjoyed quite often for lunches or in between meal snacks.

---

April

AtV Deviled Eggless Eggs

Southwestern Burgers with Lime Sour Cream and Pico De Gallo

April gets a little tricky for me, because it's full of so much tasty food. It all came down to the above recipes, and I just couldn't choose! Both of these dishes have gotten rave reviews from everyone who's tried them. If you're looking for the perfect Spring-time meal then I'd encourage you to give these two spectacular dishes a try.

---

May

Lemon-Herb Asparagus Ribbons

with Pear & Parm Cheeze

I love this recipe for many reasons! Showcasing Asparagus ribbons is such a wonderful way to enjoy one of my favorite veggies, and the recipe for Cheese that you'll find as a bonus in this post rivals just about any other cheeze recipe on AtV.

---

June

The Ultimate Taco Salad, Featuring:

Mexi-Coleslaw

Raw Vegan Taco TVP (nut free)

I don't really need to say/write more than --- this is just amazing. Make it! Pack it up for a picnic or a day at the river.

---

July

Watermelon Ice-cream (no Ice-cream maker needed)

There was no question for me when July rolled around, this Ice-cream had to be the most popular dish of the Summer. Oh the ice-cream memories...it also makes a wonderful addition to a smoothie, just add pineapple and banana!

---

August

Oyster Mushroom Hash with Herb Butter

The perfect way to start or end a day. In this recipe I found inspiration to teach my first cooking class. The reviews have been encouraging all around, it's so simple to make - so you don't have any excuses!

---

September

Cheezy Garlic 'Pasta' Salad

This dish comes with such an important step - how to tenderize/sweat Zucchini. If you're like me, and love a good creamy pasta salad at a Summer barbecue then you must make this dish. You don't know what you're missing!

---

October

Pumpkin Spice Cheezecake

October's theme was truly Autumn inspired - so much Apple and Pumpkin! The star of the month was definitely this recipe, and rightfully so. It's still making friends as I type!

---

November

Lemon-Thyme Cauli-Risotto

Comforting food at it's very best - my love of Cauliflower deepened with this dish, as I geared up for Holiday meal planning.

---

December

Pumpkin Banana Bread with Banana Cream Spread

Raw-Vegan 'Pastrami' & Mini Reuben Sandwich Bites

White Chocolate Cheezecake with Blackberry Marble

It's only fitting that December closed in as one of the tastiest months of the year. So many recipes, so little time, and all of them just as tasty as the next. Naturally I couldn't just pick one!

---

So now, here I am again, with a new year ahead of me and lots of hopeful plans!

I'd like to know what's on your food-loving mind in the New Year?

Is there anything that you'd like to see more of on Addicted to Veggies?

Specific recipes?

Daily food check-ins?

More about me?

I feel like this year has so much more potential than years past, and I'm always hoping to hear from you. So let me know what's on your mind!

Lots of love and good health in the new year,

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Processing and Planning

2011-12-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

Another Christmas has come and gone and it seems as though I'm still collecting myself.

I have a lot of things in the works for Addicted to Veggies, so I'll be taking the rest of the week getting myself organized and motivated for what looks like a very busy and exciting New Year.

I can hardly believe we're looking at 2012!

I hope you've all had a wonderful and restful Holiday season...

See you in the new year!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Smokey Sweet Barbecue Cauliflower Bites

2011-12-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

This recipe is dedicated to those of you who come into contact every year with a big crock-pot full of Little Smokies.

It's a strange American tradition to incorporate those weird tiny sausages into just about every Holiday festivity. Lets be honest here, sweet tangy barbecue flavored food doesn't need a special day, it's good all of the time! Today's recipe pays homage to those of you who aren't in the "Little Smokies Club" but really want to indulge in something just as tasty, and even better - guilt free!

I may not be a BBQ pro, but I come from a family of passionate outdoor cookers, and I'd like to think that I have a pretty keen taste for what a good barbecue spice mix should be. With notes of brown sugar, spicy heat, smokiness, salt, and of course the tang. It's gotta be unctuous and comforting, leaving you salivating for more at the same time feeling so satisfied.

In todays recipe I'll be sharing with you a dry Barbecue spice mix and combining it with florets of tenderized Cauliflower. There's a few important steps in this recipe that I urge you to stick with, the result will be something you can take to just about any party, for any event -- Winter Spring Summer or Fall. There's always room for barbecue!

Important Note About This Recipe

About the Sweetener: Most successful Barbecue mixes call for the use of Brown Sugar. In AtV's dry spice mix I use Coconut Crystals (also known as Coconut Palm Sugar). If you're not concerned about this recipe being Raw/Vegan then you can use Brown Sugar, otherwise you won't have any option but to use Coconut Crystals. It's very necessary!

Another thing about Coconut Crystals - depending on the specific brand you may notice that your Coconut Crystals aren't fine granules. This is okay, however if you have access to a spice grinder I recommend grinding your Crystals into a fine grain or powder, or at least sifting them (or stirring through a mesh strainer) to break up the granules evenly.

About the Heat: I've made a mildly spicy barbecue mix, but if you want yours with more heat then by all means, go for it!

Raw Vegan Little Smokies anyone?

AtV Barbecue Spice Mix

6 Tbsp Coconut Crystals

4 Tbsp Smoked Paprika

2 Tbsp Onion powder

2 tsp Garlic Granules

1 tsp Lemon Pepper

1/4 tsp Chipotle Powder //or// Cayenne

1 tsp Cacao powder

1/2 tsp dried/crushed Thyme

1/4 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp ground Celery Seed

1 tsp Salt

Optional: 1/2 tsp Alder Smoked Sea Salt (so good if you can find it!)

Mix everything together...

Store this Dry Spice Mix in an air tight container, and get ready to put it in just about anything and everything.

Smokey Sweet BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Makes enough for 4 to 5 large sides

Step 1.

Tenderizing your Cauliflower

In a large mixing bowl combine:

8 cups Cauliflower Florets (roughly 2 medium sized heads)

Add to your bowl of florets:

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

4 Tbsp Grape seed Oil //or// Safflower Oil

1 tsp Salt

Mix together until your florets have been evenly coated

Transfer your Cauliflower florets into a ziplock baggy and proceed to remove as much of the air from the bag as you can.

Let your florets marinate in the air tight baggy (in your fridge) for at least 4 hours - overnight is even better. After the marination process you will notice a distinct change in the texture of your florets, as if they've been blanched.

We're almost done!

Step 2.

Making Tender BBQ Cauliflower Florets

In a large mixing bowl combine:

ALL of your marinated Cauliflower

2 additional Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Then add ALL of your AtV Barbecue Spice Mixture:

In this photo I was making a half batch

Mix everything together evenly and transfer your Cauliflower to a parchment lined baking sheet:

Oven Warming Method
You can also do this in a dehydrator if you prefer
- Set your Oven at it's lowest heat
- Place your Cauliflower into the oven, and leave the oven door cracked open (roughly 5 to 6 inches)
- Let the Cauliflower warm in the oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour, you may want to taste test one or two checking on the texture. It's really up to you when you get to take them out of the oven.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately!
Serving Options:
Plate your BBQ florets on a platter next to some toothpicks
Or you can skewer them before-hand, making them more fingerfood friendly
Serve with a side dish of AtV Sour Cream for dipping

This dish will most certainly make an appearance in future family gatherings of mine, and the barbecue spice mix will be showing up in AtV recipes to come.

Wishing you all a very very Happy Holidays!

I couldn't be more thankful to have Addicted to Veggies in my life as a way to reach out and connect with all of you. It's truly the highlight of my week, and one of my favorite parts of this Holiday season.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting Addicted to Veggies.

I'll see you all next week!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Warm & Tender Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Cream Sauce

2011-12-22T16:19:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad to be feeling better, and the timing couldn't be perfect. I have so much to do!

I'm also excited to be able to share a couple of special recipes with you all before the Holiday weekend kicks off.
My Christmas menu doesn't have any strict guidelines or specific "look", it simply consists of food that I love laced with a bit of decadence. Brussels Sprouts are (in my opinion) the quintessential Holiday food and truly one of my favorite vegetables. However, there's a slight problem --- I've only ever had them cooked. Until last night...

There's a simple technique to "tenderizing" these lovely little Cabbage Buds, with no actual cooking involved you'll be so surprised at how their texture changes as if they've been lightly steamed.

I could hardly believe it when I took the first bite, before I knew it I was licking my bowl clean and making another batch. Without a doubt these little buggers will be on my Christmas Dinner menu this Monday.

Want to learn how to make Raw Brussels Sprouts taste like Steamed Brussels Sprouts?

You've come to the right place! Follow the directions below and you won't be disappointed...

Warm & Tender Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Cream Sauce

This recipe yields enough for two small sides or one generous serving

Step 1.

Cleaning & Prep

You'll need 3 cups Whole Brussels Sprouts - which should break down to about 2 cups total

- Slice the stem off of the end of each Sprouts

- Slice each Sprout in half

- Remove the first 1 to 2 leafy layers (I do this only if the our leaves are dirty or bruised)

Once you've finished cleaning your Sprouts, place them into a mixing bowl and add the following:

3 Tbsp Lemon Juice

3 Tbsp Oil (I used Grape seed oil, but Olive or Safflower will also work)

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Mix together evenly, so that your Sprouts are coated well

Place your Sprouts into a ziplock baggy, and remove as much of the air from the baggy as you can.

Store your Sprouts in the fridge to Marinate/Tenderize. The longer they can stay in the fridge the better. I let mine sit over night.

Step 2.

Warming your Brussels Sprouts and making the Sauce

Remove your Sprouts from the ziplock baggy and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet, following the directions noted below:

Oven Warming Method

You can also do this in a dehydrator if you prefer

- Set your Oven at it's lowest heat

- Place your Brussels Sprouts into the oven, and leave the oven door cracked open (roughly 5 to 6 inches)

- Let the Brussels Sprouts stay in the oven for 30 minutes

- After the first 30 minute mark toss your Brussels Sprouts with additional:

1 tsp Lemon Juice & 1 tsp Oil (they need this to continue to tenderize)

-Let your Sprouts continue to warm for another 20 to 30 minutes

- Remove from the oven and serve immediately with Mustard Cream Sauce, garnish with Salt and Pepper to taste

Mustard Cream Sauce

Makes enough for 2 to 3 servings

In a small bowl combine the following:

1/4 c AtV Sour Cream

4 Tbsp Mustard (your choice, but I recommend creamy verses stone ground)

2 Tbsp Water

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Date Paste

1 tsp Onion powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Granules

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix everything together evenly....

and put it on your Amazingly Tasty Brussels Sprouts!

I've been bouncing around the house all day in excitement over this recipe, and I really hope you love it as much as I do!

Stay tuned for another special and slightly strange Holiday recipe, coming up tomorrow...

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

P.S. What are you looking forward to eating this Holiday Season?

After these messages I'll be right back...

2011-12-20T16:25:00.000-08:00

As much as I hate to admit it, I've accepted the fact (just now) that I'm a bit under the weather. Nothing horrible, but enough to kick my butt and make me want to stay in bed for most of the day.

This afternoon I managed to get up long enough to have a giant green smoothie and a slice of cheezecake - called it lunch - and went back to beddy-bye.

I hate to take most of the week of, since it's my favorite time of the year to eat and share my love of food with you all. My goal is to rest up as much as I can possibly stand it, and be back for a final Holiday recipe.

I hope you are all having a wonderful week and in good health.

See you on Friday at the very latest, but hopefully sooner.

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

White Chocolate Cheezecake with Blackberry Marble

2011-12-16T18:46:00.000-08:00

If they asked me, I could write a book...about how awesome this Cheezecake is.

I'd most likely sing about it too.

Originally this was a part of my Thanksgiving dessert menu. I made it on a whim without any recipe, and at the first taste I knew I was on to something amazing. Let me preface this with the fact that I rarely eat chocolate, but when I do it's usually white -- which is hard to find as a vegan product, so naturally I don't each chocolate very often these days. But I do have a very discriminating palate, and I wasn't going to settle for an "average" cheezecake. Just to prove this, the following is quote from my awesome taste-tester (and friend), Rachel of One Pretty Thing:

"Holy crap, you nailed the white chocolate! This is awesome!!"

Making this recipe was a true labor of love, and I'm so happy to be able to finally share it as a Holiday gift from me to all of you.

Important Notes About this Recipe

About the Agave:

Something I don't use very often in my kitchen is Agave, but where this specific Cheezecake is concerned you absolutely positively need to use it. I recommend Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Blue Agave. I've actually taken the time to contact Wholesome Sweeteners, inquiring to whether or not their product is truly raw. They were gracious enough to respond to my email, confirming that they do not heat their Organic Raw Blue Agave above 118 degrees.

About the Cashews:

You're going to need to soak 2 cups of Cashews - which will amount to 2.5 cups total soaked Cashews. Some of the Cashews will be going into your blackberry mixture, and the rest will go into your Cheezecake. Other than soaking Cashews you don't have a whole lot of beforehand prep to worry about.

Raw Vegan White Chocolate Cheezecake with Blackberry Marble

I've noted the entire process of making this Cheezecake in the following steps, I recommend making it in the same order as I've noted for a streamlined process, of course if you would rather use blueberries or even strawberries then go for it!

This makes enough for one large, 8'' or 9'' Cheezecake.

In the following steps you'll see that I've sized it down to five 4.5'' cheezecakes, the perfect size for a 2 person edible gift.

Step 1.

The Crust

In your Processor grind up the following:

1 c Pecans

1 c Almonds

Add to your ground nuts:

2 heaping Tbsp Date Paste //or// 3 Dates soaked in warm water until very soft, and pits removed

1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon

2 pinches Salt

Pulse/Grind together until the date paste is evenly distributed and you have a lumped up ball of crust.

Assemble your Crust(s):

Into a springform pan transfer your crust and press down with your fingers until the crust evenly covers the bottom and sides of the pan.

If you're making mini-cheezecakes (like I was when I made this recipe) then proceed to line 5 to 6 small ramekins with either parchment paper or plastic wrap. Evenly distribute your crust into each ramekin, and press down until the crust lines the bottom and sides of your ramekin:

Now that your crust is ready you can move on..

---

Step 2.

Blackberry Sauce - for Marbling

In a food Processor combine the following ingredients:

1 c Blackberries (or other sweet berry of choice)

1/2 c soaked Cashews (see About Recipe Portion for info on Cashews)

4 Tbsp Agave

Puree for ONE minute, until thick and creamy!

Transfer your Blackberry puree into a small bowl and set aside.

Don't place it in the fridge as it will thicken and won't marble as well - move in to the next step to finish your amazing cheezecake!

You may have more Blackberry sauce than you need or want to use in the Cheezecake. Stick it in your freezer for another time, or mix it into a smoothie!

---

Step 3.

Making your White Chocolate Cheezecake batter and Assembling Everything

Into your food processor combine the following:

1 c Macadamia Nuts

Grind your Mac nuts to a paste...

Add to your ground Macadamia nuts, into your food processor:

2 c soaked Cashews

1.5 c peeled/shredded Zucchini

1/2 c Agave

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tsp Vanilla

1/2 tsp Salt

Puree everything together for 3 minutes...

Now for the MOST important part.

Leave everything in your food processor... and proceed to melt some Cacao Butter:

This recipe calls for:

1/4 c plus 3 Tbsp MELTED Cacao Butter

I can't tell you exactly how much that is in ounces, but a big chunk of Cacao Butter should do just fine. If you over-shoot just let your melted Cacao butter sit until it's cooled and become solid again. Place it in an air tight container and use it another time.

Melt it on a very verrrrry low heat...

Measure out:

1/4 c plus 3 Tbsp of melted cacao butter

Add it to your Food Processor

Puree for 2 more Minutes:

All Done!

Nothing left to do from here aside from assembling...

Remember those crusts from Step 1?

Fill them up with White chocolate Cheezecake batter:

Dollop in a couple spoonfuls of the Blackberry/Cashew Puree from Step 2.

Use a butter-knife to swirl it around (I'm really not the best at marbling)

Cover it up and place it in the freezer to speed up the "setting" process. Let it sit in the freezer for a couple of hours.

If you'd rather let it "set" in your fridge then I recommend leaving it for at least 4 hours if not longer.

If you're making mini-cheezecakes using ramekins like I did, then this is what it'll look like after it's finished "setting":

Texture? Check.

Flavor? Check.

Seconds? Double check.

Happy Holidays, and Happy weekend too!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Raw Vegan Holiday

2011-12-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

With the end of the year closing in, and Christmas just around the corner I'm running a bit behind in recipes this week. I hope you'll excuse me today, as I'm working on a very special recipe to share with you all:

Blackberry Marbled White Chocolate Cheezecake

Be sure to follow Addicted to Veggies on facebook for regular updates and sneak peeks into what's going on in my kitchen.

Also, don't forget that there's a neat little search box on the upper right-hand column of this post.

It will help you in finding exactly what you're looking for in Addicted to Veggies quickly expanding recipe bank. Just type any keyword (example: Appetizer, Zucchini, Main Course, Sweets, Cheeze) and a list of links will populate right in front of your hungry eyes!

In the mean time I hope you're all doing well and eating lots wonderful food.

See you on Friday!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Raw Vegan Egg(less) Nog

2011-12-12T16:48:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you guys, but I've never actually been brave enough to try "real" Egg Nog.

Something about the name and the smell never appealed to me. I've never even tried Soy Nog, which seems to be more and more available at grocery stores these days - and you'd think it wouldn't freak me out as much, right? Not true!

I'm so happy that I was brave enough to research and then try my hand at making a less intimidating version of this unfamiliar Holiday drink. I didn't think in a million years that Raw Vegan Nog would be so seducing, but holy cow, it is!

I also have a secret ingredient/weapon in making this recipe even more special and tasty. So I hope you'll read on, and I hope even more that you'll make it!

Important Note About This Recipe

About the Nuts:

I've chosen to use soaked Cashews for the creamy base of this drink, but you can also use soaked Almonds if you don't mind the additional time it takes to remove the skins:

Soak 1.5 cups of Almonds overnight (up to 8 hours)

Your Almonds should expand to 2 cups after being soaked

Remove the soaking liquid and rinse your Almonds

Proceed to take the skins off of your Almonds by placing each Almond in between your Thumb and Index Finger - the skin will easily slide off!

Be careful though, sometimes the Almond will go flying after you've squeezed the skin off. Wee!

Tools you'll need:

A Blender

A Big Bowl

A Fine Mesh Strainer

Enjoy in a variety of different ways:

- If you're a coffee or tea drinker use this Nog in place of cream

- Instead of dessert, warm up this drink and enjoy it with your guests following a big Holiday meal

- Enjoy this Nog over Ice (my personal favorite way) with a splash of Orange Juice

- Bring a Fancy Homemade drink with you to a party instead of a platter of food, serve in small glasses so your guests are encouraged to saver each tasty sip!

Lets have a glass of cheer...

Raw Vegan Eggless Nog

Makes roughly 5 cups of Nog

Step 1.

Beforehand Prep

Soak 1.5 c Cashews for 4 hours

***Your Cashews will expand to 2 cups after they've soaked

(if you want to use Almonds see the "About" portion noted before the recipe)

Brew 1 bag of Earl Grey Tea in 1/2 c Water

(Yes, Earl Grey Tea! It's the secret weapon in this recipe)

---

Step 2.

Making Raw Vegan Eggless Nog

Pay special attention to the *water portion of this step

Into your Blender add:

2 cups ***soaked Cashews

3/4 c Coconut Crystals

1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 tsp ground Allspice

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 c Earl Grey Tea Water

1 c *Water

Puree all of the above together graduating up to "high" on your Blenders settings

After about 20 to 30 seconds begin slowly streaming in:

*3 c Water

Let your Nog puree for another 30 seconds

Straining:

Over a large deep bowl position your Fine Mesh Strainer

In small batches slowly pour your Nog through the Strainer, stirring the nog as it passes through the strainer (this helps to move along the process)

Depending on how well you've blended your Nog you may need to stop in between straining each batch to rinse out your Strainer -- and continue!

It's as simple as that!

Cheers to you and yours!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Raw Vegan 'Pastrami' and Mini Reuben Cracker Bites

2011-12-09T15:30:00.001-08:00

Before you go "What the hoot?" at the title of today's post, I have to tell you something!

Coming from a faux meat hater (that's me), I didn't expect in a million years that something like this would happen in my kitchen -- and end up being one of the most amazing things I've eaten in a very long time. I really hope you'll read on...

All this week I've been in extreme Holiday food mode, focusing primarily on Apple Recipes with an emphasis on entertaining and feeding loved ones. I wanted to end this week on a savory note, still including Apple of course. My mind sort of got stuck on Apple and Sauerkraut, but I didn't want to give you a salad or a highly acidic dish, I wanted it to be different. That's when I started to think about one of my favorite aspects of Holiday food:

The buffet.

A typical Christmas day for my Family usually involves a big spread of food, ranging from deli trays, cheeses, mixed nuts, olives, dips, fruits and veggies. You name it, and it's probably there. Today's recipe is what I'd like to call "Christmas in a Bite". It symbolizes all of my favorite flavors and textures coming together, resulting in the most harmoniously tasty bite.

The Pastrami Squash slices are the true star of this dish!

I honestly had no idea it was going to be such a success until that first "taste-test"...holy cow you guys, I wish I had more adjectives to describe how amazing it is. It's almost overwhelming.

The best part about this entire post?

Depending on what Cheeze you decide to make, you don't need a Food Processor OR a Dehydrator!

Important Note About This Recipe

Okay, so there is one catch about the possible ease of making the Pastrami Squash. It calls for an ingredient that you may not have in your pantry, but if you don't I promise it's worth it to either hunt down, or purchase online.

Lapsang Souchong Tea

Read more about this amazing Smokey Flavored Tea and where you might find it locally, by clicking here.

After you've got your Tea Leaves the rest of the process is so simple you won't believe it.

I'll be breaking this down in steps, starting with the Pastrami Squash, followed by the Components of the Ruben.

Now let's make the perfect Holiday bite...

Pastrami Squash & Mini Ruben Cracker Bites

Step 1.

Pastrami Squash

This yields roughly 1.5 cups of Pastrami Squash, enough for entertaining a modest group of people

Start by Brewing:

3 Tbsp of Lapsang Souchong Tea Leaves

with

3/4 c Water

You can brew this cold, warm or hot - it's up to you. Your Tea Water will be ready when it's a lovely Amber color.

Add to your Tea Water:

3 tsp Date Paste //or// 2 tsp Coconut Crystals

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper

1/2 tsp ground Caraway

Mix the above ingredients into Tea Water and set aside.

Slice up 2 to 3 Yellow Squash (you can also use *peeled green Zucchini instead):

For aesthetics and texture I recommend thinly slicing your Squash into rounds

Place your Squash Rounds into a ziplock baggy and add the Tea Water

Remove as much of the air from the baggy as you can, and place the bag (with Squash) into your fridge. Let it sit/marinate for up to 3 hours (you can let it go overnight it you want to).

...

After you've finished letting your Squash rounds marinate, remove them from the fridge and separate them from the marinating liquid:

Then choose from one of the following steps:

Drying your Pastrami Squash

You only need to dry them for a very short period of time using one of the following methods. Your goal here is remove some of the soaking liquid so they're not sopping wet.

Oven Method: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread your Pastrami Squash out onto the baking sheet. Transfer into your oven set at it's lowest heat - leaving the oven door cracked open about 5 to 6 inches. Let your Pastrami Squash warm/dry for about 15 minutes, or until it's no longer dripping wet - a little moist is just fine!

Dehydrator Method: Follow the same idea as noted in the Oven method, checking to make sure you aren't removing all of the moisture, just most of the wet liquid from the marinating process.

Step 2.

Apples-Onions-Sauerkraut

This is a very important component to the perfect bite, however if you want to sub the Sauerkraut for Pickle or Tomato that would be fine. Not everyone is cuckoo for Kraut like I am.

Make as much as you like, depending on how many people you will be serving.

In a mixing bowl combine the following in Equal Parts:

julienned Apple

thinly sliced Yellow Onion

Sauerkraut

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Mix everything together!

Let it sit for 15 minutes or longer so the flavors can bounce around together. It's amazing how the acid and sweetness from the Kraut and Apple tone down the bite of the raw Onion.

Step 3.

Making your Cheeze

Make one of The following Cheezes:

Food Processor Required:

Parm Cheeze (click)

No Food Processor Required:

Handmade Raw-Vegan Cheeze (click)

Encrust your Cheeze with a mix of Sesame Seeds, Lemon Pepper and dried or fresh minced Parsley...

---

Final Step.

Making The Perfect Bite

Let me note that I'd love to include a recipe for the amazing Almond-Sesame-Flax Cracker seen in today's photos, however I'm still working on perfecting it. If you don't already have a favorite cracker recipe then get your little tukas to the grocery store and buy some. Who really has time to make everything from scratch all of the time?

Even if you don't make these in the form of mini Ruben Bites, I hope you'll give the Pastrami Squash a try. I'm sure I'll be marveling over it for a while, and you can expect to see it in upcoming AtV recipe posts.

A very happy and very tasty weekend to all of you!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Spiced Apple 'Sugar' Cookies

2011-12-07T14:52:00.001-08:00

With every day that passes I'm falling more in love with cold weather comfort food, and gifting myself (and those around) with simple tasty treats.

I don't plan on doing a lot of gift purchasing this year, since my favorite way to show love is through food, what better gift could I possibly come up with than a present you can eat?

I wish I could share with you all the presents I'll be giving to friends and family this year, but since most of the recipients of said gifts might be reading this post I'll have to keep it a secret until after the 25th. Hope you don't mind!

Important Note About This Recipe

These cookies are so simple!

About Beforehand Prep

If you've already made the the Spiced Apple Cider from yesterdays post, and have a little bit of AtV Sour Cream in your fridge then the only thing you really have to do is mix your ingredients together, shape your cookies, dry/warm them and you're done! If you haven't made the Spiced Apple Cider recipe then don't worry, you can still make these cookies! Just follow the directions noted in Step 1. and you'll be just fine.

About Warming/Drying Method

You can use a Dehydrator or Oven to Warm/Dry these cookies, it's up to you.

Depending on the thickness of your cookies the warming/drying time may vary. My cookies were a little less than a half inch in thickness - so the drying time for them has been noted below. If you're not sure whether your cookies are finished remove one from the oven/dehydrator, let it cool and try it! It's as simple as that.

Oven Method: Set your Oven to it's lowest heat, leaving the door cracked open about 5 to 6 inches. Place your cookies on a Parchment lined baking sheet, place cookies into the oven and let them warm/dry for up to 2.5 hours. You'll know your cookies are finished when they're dry on the outside (all over) but still soft on the inside.

Dehydrator Method: Place your cookies in the Dehydrator and let them warm/dry for up to 3 hours. You'll know your cookies are finished when they're dry on the outside (all over) but still soft on the inside.

Remember - the thinner the cookie the less drying/warming time you'll need.

About Refrigeration

This is an important bit of information that actually applies to all of the cookie recipes on AtV.

These cookies will keep wonderfully in the fridge for up to 3 weeks (if they last that long!), however they may loose some of their "dryness" on the outside of the cookie after being in the fridge for a while. This is normal as the Almond Flour naturally moistens with the rest of the ingredients in the cookie. If you like them a little moist then ignore this note, if you want them dry on the outside continue reading...

Before serving your cookies remove them from the fridge and warm them in your Dehydrator or Oven (set at low with the oven door cracked open) for 10 to 15 minutes. Your cookies will be perfect and ready to woo anyone who comes into contact with them!

Let's make some Cookies, shall we?

Spiced Apple 'Sugar' Cookies

Makes roughly Twenty-five Cookies if you make them in the same dimensions as I did, otherwise make them smaller for a bite-sized Holiday Party treat!

Step 1.

Beforehand Prep - Cream & Apples

This recipe calls for a 1/2 cup of AtV Sour Cream

If you don't have it on hand then you'll definitely want to make it.

The Other Thing you'll need is the Leftover Pulp (approximately 1 cup) from This Recipe:

Raw Vegan Spiced Apple Cider

If you don't have the Pulp on hand then don't worry - I'd got a fairly easy substitute for you:

Apple Pulp Substitute

1 c sliced/chopped Apples

1 tsp ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground Allspice

1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg

2 heaping Tbsp Coconut Crystals

Puree everything together until you get a chunky Apple Sauce consistency.

Now that you've got the above two items taken care of -- it's time to make some cookies!

Step 2.

Making Cookies

Into a Large Mixing Bowl combine the following

4 c Almond Flour (you can either make this or purchase it, although most store bought Almond Flour is not Raw - it's completely up to you)

1/2 tsp Salt

-Mix together your Flour and Salt-

Add:

1/2 c AtV Sour Cream

1 c Pulp from Spiced Apple Cider //or//The Apple Pulp Substitute noted in Step 1.

1/2 c chopped Dried Apple Slices

1 c Coconut Crystals

1 tsp Vanilla

Mix everything together!

Shape your Cookies -- Mine were about 2.5'' in diameter and 1/2'' thick:

Optional: Sprinkle Ground Cinnamon and Coconut Crystals before warming cookies.

Follow one of the Warming Methods noted before the Recipe and put on a little Holiday music while you wait for your cookies to finish...

If these don't put you in the mood for a holiday snuggle then I don't know what will!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Raw Vegan Spiced Apple Cider (Hot or Cold)

2011-12-06T15:55:00.001-08:00

I might be going a little overboard this year with Holiday decor and yule tide cheer, but I just can't help it! It's in my nature to turn into a giddy little kid at Christmas time, wearing a lot of red and green, not to mention a permanent grin.

To me the Holiday season isn't about how many gifts have my name on them (although I do love presents!), it's about being with loved ones, eating really good food, turning up the volume on being good to yourself, and slowing down to enjoy the end of an incredibly rewarding year.

Instead of our usual Holiday party mister AtV and I have decided to keep things more intimate, which I truly can't complain about. We'll most likely have a few friends over this weekend to enjoy the annual Christmas Truckers parade that conveniently passes in front of our house, followed by a simple snack buffet and a couple festive beverages.

That's where today's recipe comes in to play.

This drink is very similar to the one featured here, with slight changes, making it (in my opinion) easier to execute and more party friendly -- especially if you have silly vintage Holiday koozies.

Important Note About This Recipe

There's a little bit of "beforehand prep" that you'll need to do in order to have this wonderful drink ready, which I'll note in the first 2 Steps. Other than that it's really not that labor intensive at all!

Special Tools You'll Need:

2 Large (24 oz. each) Mason Jars

Blender

Medium sized Fine Mesh strainer

Big Bowl

Whisk

Raw Vegan Spiced Apple Cider (Hot or Cold)

Makes roughly seven liquid cups

Step 1.

Making Your Apples

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine:

4.5 c sliced/chopped Apples with the skin still on (I recommend a red/yellow Apple like Braeburn)

5 Tbsp Coconut Crystals

2 tsp ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground Allspice

1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg

Mix everything together, transfer to an air tight container and place it in your fridge.

You want the Apples to marinate in the spices/sweetener for at least 2 hours - overnight is even better. You'll notice that the apples/spices will reduce in size to about 4 cups, in addition to creating an amazingly tasty spiced apple juice that naturally occurs during the marination process.

Step 2.

Making the Spiced Tea

This is the part of the recipe where you'll need to break out your Large Mason Jars

Heat up 6 cups of water - its up to you how warm/hot you want your tea water to be.

Set up your 2 Mason Jars
Adding the same amount of the following in to BOTH jars:

3 cups of water

2 bags Darjeeling Tea

1 Bag Chai Tea

1/4 c dried Apple slices

Let your Tea Water and all of the above sit/steep until the water is a golden Amber color. Remove the tea bags and dried apple when finished.

You can also do a cold brew with everything noted above leaving it to brew overnight in your fridge.

Step 3.

Putting it all together & Making your Spiced Apple Cider

Into your Blender combine:

All of the Apples from Step 1.

All of the Tea Water from Step 2

1/4 c Lemon Juice

1 c Coconut Crystals

In your Blender puree in high for 30 seconds...

From here the only thing left to do is run your super fancy Holiday drink through a strainer...

Using your whisk, gently stir around the Cider as it strains, this will allow you to get as much of the juice from the pulp as you can...leaving you with this:

BUT WAIT!

Don't throw out that Spicy Apple Pulp!

Stick it in a container and save it for tomorrows recipe! I promise you won't be disappointed!

Okay, now that you've strained everything (it really doesn't take very long), the next step is up to you.

Do you want this beverage served warm/hot, or on the rocks?

If you decide to serve this as a warm/hot beverage you can either keep it in a crock pot set at low, or pour it into a tea pot and warm it at your guests request.

See you back here tomorrow with a recipe involving the yummy leftover pulp from today's post...

Spiced Apple Sugar Cookies anyone?

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Pumpkin Banana Bread & Banana Cream Spread

2011-12-02T15:58:00.001-08:00

I had a perfectly wonderful Birthday on Wednesday with a picnic in the park, a Muppet Movie date, and keeping with tradition Mister AtV and I picked up our Christmas Tree that night.

The following day, after decking every single room with bows of holly (fa la la la la!) I knew it was time to start chipping away at the leftover Pumpkins still decorating my dining room.

I cooked up and pureed a few for the dogs (they get veggies twice a day with their regular food), saved the seeds and guts for making a huge batch of Orange Pumpkin Spice Latte, and with the remaining pumpkin flesh I crossed my fingers, held my breath and tried something new.

I don't think I could have dreamt up a better end result for this recipe. If you've been looking for a gluten free, raw-vegan recipe substitute for Banana Bread then look no further! Heck, even if you're not looking for a substitute you should try this. When paired with a dreamy Banana Cream Spread you won't be able to control the happy eating noises...just be forewarned, this recipe yields a lot and you might be tempted to eat it all.

Important Notes About This Recipe

This really isn't too labor intensive outside of chopping and shredding Pumpkin flesh. The most time consuming aspect to this recipe is the technique that goes along with assembling and warming.

I do recommend making this bread on a day that you will be home so you can properly execute the warming/drying methods. It's truly worth it!

About Oat Groats and Oat Groat Prep:

This recipe calls for 2 cups of soaked Oat Groats. Because Oat Groats expand when you soak them you will only need to soak about 1.5 cups of dry Oat Groats. The Oat Groats should expand to 2 cups after they've soaked for 6 to 8 hours. Drain the water and let them air dry before you proceed in making this recipe.

About Warming/Drying and Assembling Technique

How you assemble your Pumpkin Banana Bread is completely up to you, but please remember the thicker the bread the longer the drying/finishing time. In this post you will see photos of thick loafs that I formed and dried for 5 hours. Then I sliced the loaf, and continued to dry the individual slices for another 3 hours flipping them half way.

To get a Shorter/Quicker drying time:
Flatten your bread out to no thicker than a half inch, score it into the size of bread slices you want (the more petite the better). Flip your slices after they've warmed through and dried up on the outside. Your drying/warming time may vary depending on whether you use an Oven or Dehydrator. I estimate no more than 2 hours on both sides = 4 to 5 hours total. You may need a bit more, or a bit less time. But don't worry because it's pretty hard to mess this up!

Pumpkin Banana Bread & Banana Cream Spread

This yields a decent amount of bread. Make it the day before a Holiday Party, serve it on a platter in bite sized slices, topped with Banana Cream Spread. It won't last long and your guests will be asking for the recipe!

Step 1.

Making Banana Bread

Into your food processor add:

2 c soaked Oat Groats

Puree/Chop your Oat Groats down to this consistency:

Transfer your ground Oat Groats to a large mixing bowl and add:

2 c Almond Flour (homemade or store bought - it's up to you. Just note that store bought is not always raw)

3/4 tsp Salt

Mix together: Ground Oat Groats, Almond Flour and Salt.

Set your mixing bowl aside and move back to your Food Processor.

Into your Empty Food Processor place all of the following:

2 c packed Shredded Pumpkin Flesh

3/4 c Coconut Crystals

1/4 c Mashed Ripe Banana

2 tsp ground Cinnamon

1 tsp ground Allspice

1 tsp Vanilla

Puree for 3 minutes!

Now...

Take the pureed contents of your food processor and add them to your large mixing bowl from earlier:

Mix everybody together!

Assemble your bread using the information provided before the recipe: About Warming/Drying and Assembling Technique.

After 4.5 hours in the dehydrator

Sliced up and back into the dehydrator for another 2 to 3 hours until dry on both sides but still moist and light in the center.

You might have to taste a few slices to make sure you have the warming time right. That sounds torturous, doesn't it?

Puppy interlude...

...oh yeah, what was I doing?

Banana Cream Spread

It truly doesn't get easier and more heavenly than this. If you want to amp up the Banana flavor in your Pumpkin Banana bread this is the perfect way to do it!

Into a small mixing bowl combine the following:

3 heaping Tbsp Mashed Ripe Banana

3 Heaping Tbsp AtV Sour Cream

1 generous pinch of Salt

Date Paste to Taste (I didn't use any because my banana was sweet enough, but that's my personal preference)

Whisk together and you're all done!

So simple but so freakishly good!

Now all that's left to do is get those two together for the perfect bite...

You won't believe how great the texture and taste of this recipe is. Slightly chewy, wonderfully dense, the right amount of crumbly, and perfectly semi-sweet.

It takes me back to my childhood when my Mom used to make fresh Banana Bread -- and best of all, Mister AtV (my biggest recipe skeptic) tried it and gave his very picky-eater seal of approval.

I've seriously been waiting for something like this to happen in my kitchen!

I think I know what I'm having for breakfast (in addition to my morning smoothie) over this weekend.

One More Important Note

Store your your Pumpkin Banana Bread in the refrigerator, and before you eat it warm it up for about 5 to 10 minutes in your dehydrator or oven. It's the best that way!

After chopping up almost all of my Pumpkins I had a change of heart and decided to keep one of them around...

I've dubbed it "The Christmas Pumpkin"

I think Lucy and Elmer Approve.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

And now if you'll please excuse me, I'm going to bring a dear friend a tasty belated Birthday present in the form of today's recipe.

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Leftover Week Continues: Creamy Smokey Carrot Bisque

2011-11-29T19:22:00.001-08:00

I had no idea this recipe was going to be so delicious! As the ingredients filled my food processor I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best...

I should've known the combination of smokey, sweet, creaminess and a touch of acid would do the perfect dance together, resulting in a surprisingly perfect soup just in time for the increasingly chilly weather. Of course if you're south of the equator then you can have this as a cold dish, or even toss it into a pasta salad for a Summertime BBQ.

I love this recipe so much that I plan on making it again without the use of leftovers (seen in today's post). So if you don't have all of the leftover ingredients to make it today, stick around and I'll show you how to make it from scratch. Soon -- I promise!

Get your leftovers ready...

Smokey Sweet Carrot Mash

Lapsang Souchong Tea Water(click to read about it here)

AtV Sour Cream

Creamy Smokey Carrot Bisque

Makes roughly two cups of soup give or take a little

3/4 c Smokey Sweet Carrot Mash

1/2 c chopped/seeded Red Bell Pepper

1/2 c chopped/seeded Tomato

1/4 c AtV Sour Cream

2 tsp Mustard (your choice)

1 tsp Fresh Dill

1 tsp Fresh Parsley

Place all of the above into your food processor...

Proceed to Puree everything together for FIVE minutes (set your timer)

After 5 minutes of pureeing is up, slowly stream into your food processor (while it's running):

1/2 c Lapsang Souchong Tea Water(click to read about it here)

Continue to Puree for another 3 minutes...

Your finished Soup will be thick and hearty, and positively wonderful.

You can opt to stream in a little bit more tea water (for a thinner soup) while you're processing OR you can whisk it in as you gently heat/warm your soup on the stove top.

Yum, yum, and more yum!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

P.S. If you're wondering why I've posted early (rather than my usual Wednesday afternoon-ish schedule), it's my Birthday tomorrow! So instead of my usual recipe duties I'll be playing hookie with Mister AtV and my pups. I'd like to thank my Mom and Dad for bringing me into this crazy world, and putting up with a very strong-willed daughter.

Raw Vegan Thanksgiving Leftovers: Cranberry Sunshine Smoothie

2011-11-28T13:08:00.001-08:00

It's a cloudy chilly afternoon in my hometown. I'm currently sipping on a hot cup of Black/Peppermint tea, listening to Vince Guaraldi (famed Charlie Brown pianist for those of you who don't know), snuggled up with a pup on the sofa in my Train room, and I'm quite content. Compared to last Thursday at least...

Thanksgiving was a bit different in the AtV household this year; a small intimate dinner with only four of us in attendance seemed perfect. You'd think it would have been less stressful for someone like myself, but noooo siree. Being the over-achiever and compulsive planner that I am, I managed to do way more than needed to be done, as a result I burnt myself out.

Phooey!

I'm thankful for the experience though, and thankful to have gained some perspective on the matter (and hopefully how to avoid it in the future). Moving forward, I wish I had more photos to show of the day (one of the side effects of overwhelming myself), but what I do have is pretty special;

lots of really tasty and versatile leftovers!

This means, lots of easy and creative new dishes all week long.

Whew!

Today's recipe is quite simple, really. It's just a tasty dessert-type smoothie using a couple of my Thanksgiving menu items. The result is almost too good to be true. It tastes like there's so much more in this drink...

Please disregard those cute little figgies. They snuck into the photo when I wasn't looking.)

Cranberry Sunshine Smoothie with Fresh Mint

Makes roughly four cups worth of smoothie

Into your Blender add the Following:

1.5 cups Sunshine Salad (click for recipe)

1 heaping Tbsp minced Mint leaves

3 heaping Tbsp Cranberry Sauce (click for Recipe)

1.5 cups Frozen cubed Banana

1/2 c Water

Puree everything together until smooth.

Serve immediately!

Yummers!

Happy belated Holiday from me (and Elmer) to you!

I'll see you back here on Wednesday with something else involving leftovers from my Thanksgiving Day menu (click here to see the menu).

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Raw Vegan Holiday Recipe Round-up

2011-11-22T19:08:00.001-08:00

The Holiday season is finally here!

For me it began a while ago, as I've secretly been listening to Christmas music earlier than most "normal" people. I'm okay with admitting this, because it makes the Holidays last much longer. In turn making me ridiculously happy!

Tomorrow kicks off the Pre-Thanksgiving food prep where I'll be in my kitchen making a long list of yummy food, listening to jazzy tunes, and taste-testing to my hearts content. I do hope you'll excuse me as Addicted to Veggies will be gone until Friday. I promise to return with photos of my Thanksgiving spread and lots of details!

I'd like to share with you some pictures of the last Farmers Market (in my town) of 2011, and then I'll give you the low-down on my own personal Thanksgiving Menu!

And of course, I had to share a photo of me with Butters, the sweetest (and only) domesticated Turkey I've ever met. I think it's safe to say that I have a crush on this guy...

And Now, How about my Thanksgiving menu?

Appetizers...

Fig and Cheeze Plate
(using the two cheezes in this post and Mini fresh figs)

French Onion Dip (click)
with various crackers and veggies

Deviled Eggless Eggs(click)

Main Course...

Greens! Lots of em!

Nutty Quinoa Salad(click) with Wilted Swiss Chard

Lemon Thyme Cauli-'Risotto' with Asparagus(click)

Crimini Mushroom Steaks(click)
stuffed with Autumn Veggies
and Apricot Chutney(click)

Smokey Sweet Carrot (click)
with Garlic Buttered Wilted Kale

Raw Vegan Cranberry Sauce with Apples and Orange juice (click)

And for Dessert...

Blackberry Cheezecake(click)
I'll be tweaking this one slightly, adding a Cacao butter and turning it into a Blackberry Marbled Cheezecake Fudge instead

Sunshine Salad(click)

Orange Pumpkin Spice Latte(click)

Wishing you all a Happy Holiday, a wonderful Week, and lots of Tasty Eating!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Lemon Thyme Cauli-'Risotto' with Asparagus

2011-11-18T16:34:00.001-08:00

I love this recipe so much, for so many different reasons. To start, it's fairly simple -- or at least less intimidating than real Risotto (in my humble opinion). It's infused with so much flavor from the herbs, spices, and a slightly adjusted Creamy Miso Garlic sauce. Ultimately this dish comes together by the magic of simple preparation and warming techniques. If you're looking for a new dish to add to your Holiday meal plan then give this one a try. It's certainly making my Thanksgiving menu this year.

Important Note About this Recipe

Beforehand prep is minimal, but important if you want to do this in a timely manner and have it as fresh as possible. Keep all of your ingredients chopped and ready, in separate containers so you can throw it all together the day of your Holiday or special Dinner.

Cauliflower Prep:

1 to 2 Heads of Cauliflower will make this recipe, depending on the actual size of the Cauliflower head. Break your Cauliflower head into florets and pulse/chop the florets evenly. You will only be needing 3 cups of chopped Cauliflower for this recipe.

If you don't use Asparagus in this recipe you can add more chopped Cauliflower in its place (and the same amount).

*Creamy Miso Garlic Dressing Prep:

This recipe calls for 1 cup of Creamy Miso Garlic sauce (click for the recipe). You will need to make a double batch of the recipe, but will not be using all of it (make note that you will have a little extra leftover).

*Warming Methods:

In Step 1 and Step 2 you will find warming methods. Both are important as they help achieve the proper flavor and texture. Pay special attention and don't skip these steps!

Let's make dinner!

Lemon Thyme Cauli-'Risotto'

Makes roughly four to five servings

Step 1.

Cauli-'Risotto' & Asparagus

Measure into a mixing bowl:

3 cups finely chopped Cauliflower

2 c Asparagus cut on the bias

1/4 c finely chopped Chive

1 Tbsp minced Fresh Thyme

1 Tbsp Lemon Zest

Toss together evenly:

Dry Spice Mix:

1 Tbsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Granules

1/4 tsp ground Celery Seed

1/4 tsp Kelp granules

Mix together all of your dried spices and proceed to add them to you Cauliflower mixture:

*Warming Method 1.

On a parchment lined baking sheet spread your dry Cauli-'Risotto' mixture out evenly:

Place your dry 'Risotto' mixture into the oven set at it's lowest heat, leaving your oven door cracked open. Proceed to let your Cauli mixture warm in the oven for 1 hour, stirring it after the first 30 minutes to ensure even drying.warming.

*This step is very important as it infuses the Cauli 'Risotto' mixture with the fresh and dry spices.

Step 2.

Creamy Garlic Miso + Lemon Thyme Sauce

Into a medium sized mixing bowl add the following:

1 c *Creamy Garlic Miso Dressing (click for recipe)

3 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp minced Garlic

1/2 tsp minced Fresh Thyme

4 Tbsp Water

Mix/Whisk together:

When your Cauli 'Risotto' mixture has finished it's first *Warming time, transfer it to a bowl and add your Creamy Garlic Miso+Lemon Thyme Sauce:

Mix together the creamy sauce and your 'Risotto' and proceed to warm your Risotto mixture one more time.

*Warming Method 2:

On parchment lined baking sheet proceed to warm your 'Risotto' mixture for 15 to 20 minutes in your oven set at its lowest heat with the oven door cracked open.

Out of the oven and ready to be served:

This could also be easily transformed into a finger-food style appetizer in the form of stuffed Mushrooms.

Happy Friday!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Savory Apricot Chutney with Garlic & Shallot

2011-11-16T16:37:00.001-08:00

Technically this isn't really a "sauce", but like a great sauce this chutney will transform your plate, adding a touch of gourmet and a kick of comfort to a variety of different dishes.

Originally this chutney made an appearance in last years Thanksgiving round-up, and somehow amid the chaos I forgot to post the recipe for it! What a perfect excuse to make it again, just in time for this years Holiday menu.

At the end of the recipe I'll recommend a dish that would pair well with this Chutney. In the end it's totally up to you, I just hope you make it and love it as much as I do

Savory Apricot Chutney

This recipe yields roughly 2 cups of Chutney

Step 1. Prep

First you'll want to soak 24 dried Apricots in warm water for about 10 to 15 minutes:

While you're waiting for your Apricots to finish soaking

Proceed to Brew:

2 bags //or// 2 Tbsp loose leaf Chamomile Tea in 3/4 c of Warm Water
At this point you may be thinking "Chamomile Tea?" It plays so well with the sweetness of dried Apricots, lending and almost honey-like flavor to this wonderful recipe.

Step 2.

Making your Chutney

Into your food processor add all of the following:

24 soaked/drained Apricots (from Step 1)

2 c cubed Tomato

1/2 c Green Onion //or// Chive

2 Tbsp Mustard (your choice/preference)

2 tsp minced Shallot

1 tsp minced Garlic

1 Tbsp dried Basil //or// fresh Basil

1 Tbsp dried Parlsey //or// fresh Basil

2 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 to 3/4 c of Chamomile Tea Water**

Salt to taste

Puree until evenly chopped and broken down.

**Stream in your Tea water as you puree. You may not want to use all of it, I recommend stopping after each 1/4 cup and tasting to see if you like the flavor intensity and thickness. It's completely up to you.

Don't over process - you don't want a paste!

In this post I've paired the Apricot Chutney with my Crimini Mushroom 'Meat'balls...only I've changed the appearance of the 'meat'balls, calling them Crimini Mushroom Steaks. Instead of adding Tomato Relish to the 'meat'ball mixture I added Apricot Chutney.

Flatten your Mushroom 'Meat'ball mixture out. Proceed to dry it using one of the warming methods noted at the end of this post. When you can peel the parchment paper from your Crimini Mushroom steak flip it, and let it warm for another 30 minutes to an hour.

This chutney would also pair really well with a cheeze plate...

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Gold Ginger Miso Sauce & Warm Broccoli Quinoa Bowl

2011-11-15T15:29:00.001-08:00

Fresh Ginger is a marvel in the world of immune boosting foods and a powerhouse of acidic, sweet and spicy flavor notes.

I never considered myself a big fan of fresh Ginger until this sauce came along -- it practically knocked my socks off and converted me to a true lover of this amazing root.

Important Note About This Recipe

For those of you new to raw Ginger, be forewarned that it's a tricky little bugger to prepare. In the first step I'll run down how to properly peel and grate Ginger. It's really not that difficult but does require a little bit of time and attention.

Afraid to eat Raw Ginger? That's okay! In fact some of you might even be a little sensitive to Ginger in it's raw form (it's spicy acidity can sometimes cause heartburn).

Substitutes for Fresh Ginger: Ginger Powder //or// minced Ginger (found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store - it's not raw though). Both of these options will be less intense than fresh grated Ginger. Add them to your sauce in small amounts, tasting as you go until you've reached desired Ginger flavor.

Broccoli Quinoa Bowl: Some of you might be thinking; "Raw Broccoli? That's not comforting or pleasant to eat." I'd like to prove you wrong...

In this post I'm including an important step for tenderizing your raw Broccoli, giving it the most wonderful blanched/wilted texture. A wonderful fake-out for convincing any skeptic that raw broccoli can actually be wonderful. Trust me, I've tried it on a quite a few people and the results have been unanimous!

Lets make some Sauce, shall we?

Gold Ginger Miso Sauce

Makes roughly one and a half cups of Sauce - give or take a little bit

Step 1.

Preparing your Ginger

This recipe calls for 2 heaping Tbsp of Raw minced Ginger

One large Ginger root will be more than enough.

If you grate more Ginger than you need simply freeze it for later.

Since Ginger has what I like to call "fingers" -- proceed to break/slice apart the fingers of Ginger.

This will allow easier peeling.

Use a pairing knife to peel the skin off of your Ginger. You'll be surprised how easily it will come off.

I recommend a paring knife instead of a veggie peeler because it has more control and allows you to get into the grooves of the Ginger root fingers.

All done with peeling? Now you get to grate it. This is the tricky part...

Use a small toothed Grater not a micro-plane (unless you want Ginger juice instead of minced Ginger) like this one:

Ginger is a very fibrous root, so as you grate it you will begin to accumulate what will look like this:

Small pieces of fiber may grate off into your Ginger, which is perfectly okay so don't worry.

You only want to grate the Ginger until the fibrous part doesn't let you grate anymore - basically until it looks like the above photo.

You can save the fibrous scraps for a yummy addition to tea, soup broth, or juice.

In the above photo is 1/4 cup (packed) Ginger - which came from a 1/2 lb of whole Ginger root.

Your Ginger is ready to go into a yummy Sauce now!

Step 2.

Making your Sauce!

In a medium Mixing Bowl combine the following:

2 round Tbsp fresh mined/finely shredded Ginger

3 Tbsp Mellow White Miso Paste

3 Tbsp Date Paste

4 Tbsp AtV Sour Cream

1/2 c plus 3 Tbsp Water

Mix everything Together! It's as simple and tasty as that!

How about making something warm and cozy to go with this Sauce?

Warm Broccoli Quinoa Bowl

Makes enough for two small-ish servings

Step 1.

Tenderizing/Wilting your Broccoli

In a medium mixing bowl combine:

3 c (packed) Broccoli Florets

In a small separate mixing bowl whisk together:

3 Tbsp Lemon Juice

4 Tbsp Grape seed Oil

1/4 tsp Salt

After you've whisked together your wet ingredients add them to your Broccoli Florets and toss together until evenly coated:

Place your Broccoli in a ziplock baggy (a container will work too, although you may want to extend the marinating time):

Proceed to remove as much of the air in your ziplock bag as you can:

Place your bag 'o marinated Broccoli into the fridge and let it stay there for at least an hour - the longer the better. I let mine marinate for 4 hours.

After you've finished waiting on your Broccoli put it in a big mixing bowl and add the following:

1 heaping cup of Sprouted Quinoa

1/3 c minced Red/Yellow Bell Pepper

1/4 c Green Onion/Chive

Toss everybody together and warm it up!

Warming Method

Oven: Evenly spread your Broccoli and Quinoa mixture out onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Set your oven at it's lowest heat, leaving the oven door cracked open. Proceed to warm your veggies for 10 to 15 minutes (or longer if you prefer).

Dehydrator: Evenly spread your veggies out on to your Dehydrator sheet and proceed to warm for 10 to 15 minutes (or longer if you prefer).

This dish goes best with copious amounts of Gold Miso Ginger Sauce, ripe avocado and good company.

See you tomorrow with another Sauce recipe!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV

Today's recipe post is dedicated to my late Grandpa, who gifted to me (through my Mother) his good looks, witty charm, and wonderful sense of humor.
Goodnight Grandpa Fran, wherever you are.

Sauce Week!

2011-11-14T16:08:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone!

I'm spending Monday with family, so please excuse today's lack of a real post.

I'll be back tomorrow with a tasty recipe involving both of these ingredients...

and this week also has a theme:

Sauces!

If I could I'd host a sauce/dip themed party every month.

If you have a good sauce recipe the possibilities can be endless where a main dish is concerned. I'm excited to share a few wonderful and versatile sauce recipes with you all in the week ahead - and in preparation of the Holidays.

I'll be back tomorrow!

xoxo,

Sarahfae - AtV