Posted by alisa on January 31, 2009 | 45 Comments
Ever have one of those times when a hamburger or veggie burger sounds so good (say, for example, right before watching a Super Bowl game), but you don’t happen to have any buns on hand? Problem solved. These hamburger buns are insanely fast to whip up, because they do not require any rising time (just a few minutes of rest) …
I followed the original recipe pretty closely, but now that I am comfortable with it, I have plans to experiment further, perhaps reducing the sugar, trialing it with other flours, going sans egg for a vegan option, etc. But, in the meantime, I wanted to share it with you as it is just so darn helpful!
Speedy Wheat Hamburger Buns
Adapted from Recipezaar
This recipe is dairy-free (no milk, lactose, or casein), peanut-free, tree nut-free, and soy-free. You can substitute 1 Ener-G egg for a good egg-free and vegan option too (thanks Carolsue!) or you can use a “flax egg” as Melissa did here at Vegan Cooks.
2 Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Warm Water (I used just 1 cup, and they still turned out nicely)
1/3 Cup Oil (I used grapeseed)
1/4 Cup Sugar (your choice)
1 Egg
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups All-Purpose or White Bread Flour
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the oil and sugar, and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.
Add the egg, salt, white flour, and 1 1/2 cups of the wheat flour, combining until it forms a soft dough. Add the additional 1/4 cup of wheat flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands (if you need a little more, that is okay too). Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes or so.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces, shape each into a thick disc, and place them on baking sheets about 3 inches apart.
Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Lightly cover the balls of dough and let them rest for about 10 minutes (or longer if you wish).
Pop them in the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Yields 8 buns
Posted by alisa on January 30, 2009 | 3 Comments
Dan and Stephanie! Congratulations, I will email you both so that you can receive your HappyBaby Free Product Coupons. For everyone else who wants to get their hands on some organic baby food, HappyBaby products (frozen meals, dry cereals, finger foods, etc.) are available at natural food stores (Whole Foods of course) and select varieties are also available on Amazon.
Now, I realize this giveaway was quite specific, but have no fear … there are some new giveaways on the horizon, which are adult-friendly too! Plus, Ricki over at Diet, Dessert, and Dogs has a chocolate and baked goodies giveaway going on now … but hurry, today is the last day for entry!
Ah yes, and I think there may just be a recipe looming on the horizon for … well, you will just have to check back to see!
Posted by alisa on January 26, 2009 | 51 Comments
This week’s giveaway is for all you “new” moms out there … HappyBaby is offering a package of eight free trial coupons too two lucky winners. Each winner will receive 2 coupons for each of the following product lines (8 free trial coupons in total): HappyBaby Frozen Organic Meals, HappyBellies Organic Dry Cereals, HappyBaby Organic Puffs, and HappyBites Finger Food. They will also send along an Infant and toddler Nutrition Guide written by Dr. Sears, an FAQ on Probiotics & DHA, and HappyFamily Recipes.
To Enter: Leave a comment below (on this post) and tell us your baby’s favorite flavor of baby food (or say, your sister’s baby if that’s who you’re entering for). This is important … inquiring minds want to know!
Typically, I sample products myself before we offer them for giveaway, but since my only “child” is a cat, and these products looked pretty awesome, I thought we would go for it. Of special note, all HappyBaby products are organic with 100% natural ingredients. And, for all those special diet babies out there (you know who you are), HappyBaby is listening:
- HAPPYBABY Frozen Meals … most are produced in a nut-free facility, most are gluten- and wheat-free, and all are made without dairy and without soy … but they are made with fresh frozen fruits, vegetables, grains and meats.
- HAPPYBELLIES Organic Dry Cereals … do not contain soy or dairy, but they do have probiotic protection and DHA.
- HAPPYBABY PUFFS … are brand new little finger snacks, that are made with organic whole grains, vegetables and fruits. These little gems are made without dairy, and I believe they may be free-from a few other major allergens, but this is a brand new product, so I will have to look into it.
- HAPPYBITES finger foods … contain hidden veggies and dipping sauces, and some flavors do contain cheese.
HappyBaby products are sold in grocers throughout the U.S. and select items are also now available on Amazon. Oh yes, since these products are still in the U.S. only, this giveaway is limited to U.S. residents, but there will be more in the future for those of you in other countries!
Now go ahead and leave a comment below (don’t forget that favorite flavor); the winners will be announced on Friday, January 30th!
Posted by alisa on January 23, 2009 | 15 Comments
Never one to pass up a good deal, I snatched up an 8-ounce package of button mushrooms that was on for half price yesterday. It was expiring that day, but at $.86 how could I pass it up! Though the outsides of the mushrooms were beginning to show their age, the insides were surprisingly firm and white. Still, I thought it would be best to use them immediately while they still had a good amount of life, so I started thinking up mushroom-intensive side dishes to go with our main entrée that night.
The only thing I could think of off hand was a sautéed mushroom dish I like to make that has a good amount of spice and flavor … but, something new would be better. It was then that I remembered my desire to make mushroom veggie burgers. While I didn’t need whole burgers, what about some mini-mushroom patties? …
My husband really liked these with our evening entree, though I preferred them the next day (served with poached eggs), after the flavors had some time to sink in. When preparing, you will find that this makes more of a batter than a firm burger-like consistency, so they should definitely be made on the stove top, lest you risk dropping the entire batch through the slats of your grill!
Mini Mushroom-Parsley Patties
- 2 Tablespoons plus 1 Teaspoon Medium to High Heat Oil, divided (I used peanut, but another refined oil or avocado oil should work well)
- 1/3 Cup Minced Onion (¼ of a large one)
- 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 8 ounces Button or Cremini Mushrooms, Finely Diced
- ½ Cup Nuts or Seeds, Ground (I ground 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds and 1/4 up of almonds together in my spice grinder. I do think almonds or cashews will go best for the flavor combination, but seeds help to keep the cost down and the nutrition up! Oh yes, and grind only until they reach a coarse powder consistency, before it begins to clump (not a problem with seeds))
- Scant 1/2 Cup Flour of Choice (I ground just under 1/2 cup of oats in my spice grinder to acheive a flour, but any flour (including gluten-free) should work)
- 1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
- ¼ Cup Fresh Parsley, Minced
- ¾ -1 Teaspoon Salt
- Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
- 2 Medium Eggs, lightly beaten (since this was a very moist batter, I think 1 large or extra-large egg would work fine if that is the size you have on hand)
In a large fry pan, heat the 1 teaspoon of oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Place the onions and garlic in a medium-sized bowl, along with the remaining ingredients. Stir until everything is well combined.
Returning to your fry pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. You want it hot, but not too hot, so be careful. If you can handle the batter, feel free to shape it into nice round 2 to 3 inch patties. If not, simply drop large spoonfuls of the batter onto the fry pan, flattening them to create patties with the back of your spatula. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and cooked through.
Yields about a dozen small patties
Posted by alisa on January 16, 2009 | 13 Comments
You might recall a Divvies giveaway on this blog back in December, where I promised a popcorn post to come. Well, I am a little slow, and it isn’t quite popcorn, at least not the version I made, but the recipe easily converts for popcorn fanatics.
You see, as a frugal foodie, I waste as little as possible. And when the Lundberg Eco-Farmed Rice Cakes (I like those plain old unsalted ones) went on clearance for just $.50 a package, I bought two cases. That’s right, I wiped the store out of their leftover stock. But with my affection for rice cakes, comes the continuous trail of rice cake crumbs. It never fails that a few of those crispy wafers crumble, some just around the edges and some into oblivion. So rather than snacking on those plain old crumbs, I save them up for just such an occasion!
The rice cake crumbs have the same texture as popcorn, so I find that this simple and frugal recipe is dual purpose for whichever medium you have on hand. Of course, if you opt to upgrade the corn syrup to maple syrup (isn’t it rivaling the price of gold right now?) then the recipe won’t be quite so frugal, but the choice is up to you.
Either way, this stuff is perfectly sweet and made for snackin …
Peanut Butter Cinnamon Popcorn (or Rice Cake Crumbles)
Yields 8 Servings
- 1/2 Cup Light Corn Syrup (best for frugality) or Maple Syrup (haven’t tried honey or agave, those may be good too)
- 1/3 Cup Sugar (white or brown, your choice)
- 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky, your choice)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 – 1/4 Teaspoon Salt (omit if using salted popcorn or salted peanut butter)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 8 Cups Popcorn or Plain Rice Cake Crumbles
Preheat your oven to 250ºF.
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the syrup and sugar, stirring and cooking until the sugar is pretty well dissolved. This should just take a few minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, salt (if using), and cinnamon. If the peanut butter isn’t melting, place the pan back on the heat just long enough to coerce that peanut butter in. Stir in the popcorn or rice cake crumbles until well coated with the pb mixture. Spread the popcorn or crumbles out on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish, and pop them in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once, about mid-way through.
You can eat this snack without baking it, but crisping it up a bit gives the snack longevity for storage, melds the flavors a bit, and provides a nice crunch!
Posted by alisa on January 15, 2009 | 15 Comments
“You would be the OLDEST patient I have ever done this surgery on.” Let me tell you, I felt pretty silly when I heard these words just yesterday (and why did he have to put such emphasis on the word oldest?). I digress from food today for a quick little story that perhaps a few of you will find as amusing as I did (but, a cheap snack recipe is on the horizon for tomorrow!).
About a year ago, I went to a standard doctor appointment that started out like this:
Doctor: “Stick out your tongue.”
Doctor: “No, I said stick out your tongue.”
Me: (with depresser stick on my tongue) “I amb.”
Doctor: “What? Wait a minute, lift up your tongue.”
Me: (struggling to lift up tongue)
Doctor: “My goodness, you’re tongue-tied. Why didn’t they fix that when you were an infant?”
Me: “You mean it can be fixed?” (yeah, I sounded that dumb)
Fast forward a year, after another doctor noticed my tongue-tied status, and gave me a referral to an ear, nose and throat doctor to get it “fixed.”
ENT Doctor: “Why are you here again?”
Me: “I was told that I am tongue-tied and that it can be fixed.”
ENT Doctor: (laughs – always a confidence booster) “Well, let’s take a look, but if it were really severe, you would have a speech impediment, which you certainly don’t have. (snickers again with disbelief) You would be the OLDEST patient I have ever done this surgery on.”
ENT Doctor: (looks in my mouth) “I’m impressed. Why don’t you have a speech impediment?”
Me: “I had one when I was a kid…”
ENT Doctor: “… but you learned to compensate.”
Me: “Yeah, I guess so” (not mentioning the part about Cindy Brady as my mentor)
Long story, medium-lengthed, nestled at the bottom of my mouth, sits my tongue, with irritation spots all around the perimeter (that don’t feel good btw and always irritate when I eat citrus) from where it rubs against my teeth. Apparently, since my tongue is also full developed, that little attachment has grown quite thick, and it is a bit more of a “procedure” (vs the quick snip on infants and toddlers), but the doctor has assured me (to his own surprise) that this is definitely worth doing.
So all of you moms out there, do a little spot check for me; make sure your little one can roll their r’s before they too get a B- in Spanish class simply for their poor pronunciation.
In the mean time, I am helping this local ear, nose and throat doc go down in the record books for performing that minor tongue-tied procedure on a totally embarrassed, thirty-something patient!
Posted by alisa on January 14, 2009 | 6 Comments
There are certain dietary things that my husband easily goes along with and there are other things … well, not so much.
No fast food? Well he is getting better …
The vegan diet? It was a valiant 4-month adventure for him, but in the end, he is more carnivore than herbivore.
No GMO’s? Well now we have a winner. This is one area where he not only supports me, but he leads the way in enforcement during our grocery shopping trips (okay, so the once a week fast food may sabotage this just a bit, but I try to cut the guy some slack, we are making progress here!).
Anyway, I was stuck on cornstarch. Arrowroot powder is expensive in my area (at least $5 a bag on a good day), and for some reason, it just doesn’t always perform as nicely as cornstarch. But, I only found one brand of cornstarch, labeled as organic, that I could be sure was non-GMO … for over $5 a box! Oh no. This would just not do for a kitchen staple. Desperate, I checked Whole Foods and spotted a big bag of the stuff from Bob’s Red Mill for just under $2.50. Yet, the label said nothing about non-GMO or organic, so I contacted them. To my positive discovery, they sent the following response … “All of our products, including our Corn Starch, are non-GMO.” Yes!
Since their product line includes a boatload of baking aids and grains (both wheat-based and gluten-free) this was awesome to know as a back-up. Just wanted to share in case any of you have faced a similar dilemma.
Posted by alisa on January 12, 2009 | 4 Comments
On my Top Ten Trader Joe’s post (If you don’t have a TJ’s near you, skip ahead in the post, there is more for you too!), Janelle left the following comment, “… sometimes my staples disappear as TJs continues to evolve what is on its shelf (which I actually respect and appreciate).” Well, in that small window of time between that original post (just a day after I went shopping there), and my next trip to Trader Joe’s (yesterday), they discontinued two items on my list! I can’t say I am as accepting as Janelle, and I didn’t hesitate to harrass the man sitting at the Captain’s Quarters that day … it seems the Pasta w/ Flax was discontinued due to slow sales (apparently I didn’t get the word out about awesome this product was fast enough!) and I am guessing because of the cost of the commodities, the Tahitian Vanilla Extract is gone and being replaced with a Tahitian “blend.” I took that to mean, not as good. Has anyone tried their Bourbon Vanilla? I wasn’t sure if it was worth the extra cost. $4.99 seemed a bit steep.
Regardless, we need some items to fill in the hole left by those two losses. Luckily, I have another item or two to recommend, and several of you did as well!
- Roasted Eggplant and Garlic Dip ~ This is my latest addiction. I don’t just dip with it, it goes atop poached eggs, gets spooned and stirred into brown rice (with a tablespoon of ground flax) … really, anyway I can think to enjoy it! It is $1.99 per jar, which only lasts me about 3 to 4 servings, but it is worth it.
- Bagged Spinach ~ I know, I know, buy in season, but it seems like I always need spinach. Their baby spinach leaves are organic (one of those top pesticide foods) and I seem to get more out of the bag with less waste than purchasing spinach in the regular produce department at other grocers. Oh yes, and it is $1.99 for 5 ounces.
- From VeggieGirl: “I really love their unsweetened/unsulphured dried mango slices; and you can’t go wrong with the Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s around the holidays!!”
- From Tracey: “Frozen Vegetables…specifically the French Style Green beans (!.99) as well as the frozen asparagus (also 1.99); frozen Edame (!.99); broccoli and spinach (1.19). The organic prices are slightly more when available, but all are at least a quarter less than supermarket brands. – Frozen Lemonade is 1.19 a can…always. It used to be 69cents then 79cents…then it made the huge jump to 1.19, still a bargain and tastes very much like the homemade lemonade I used to make from the lemons on our lemon tree at our old house.”
- From Maggie: “My favorites are the sesame-coated almonds and the dried lychees.”
- From Ellen: “I like their refrigerated soymilk, their organic ricemilk (in a cardboard asceptic package), their extra-firm tofu (it’s excellent for stir-frying), and their mint tea, for starters.”
- From Lori: “TJ’s Cherry Chocolate Chip Soy Ice Cream can’t be beat!”
- From Nupur: “their selection of nuts and dried fruits (I use them to make my own granola, and as healthy snacks), whole wheat tortillas, chocolate almond milk, jarred roasted peppers, salsas.”
- From Jean: “You must try Trader Joes’s roasted corn in frozen foods.”
Thank you all for sharing. Please feel free to share more, and of course, if you have some value-able foods to recommend from other grocers / companies, I am all ears!
Also, before I forget to mention, check out Mambo Sprouts for printable coupons. If you live in their designated shipping cities, you can have their coupon book shipped to you (I don’t, rats!). If you don’t live in one of those areas, the coupon books are often available at Whole Foods Market (I have been known to stop in at Whole Foods just to pick up the coupon book and quickly scurry out … that store isn’t exactly frugal for regular shopping!).
Posted by alisa on January 10, 2009 | 16 Comments
The Breakfast-Worthy Banana Bread recipe is now viewable in a new post for you to trial!
With a couple of over-ripe bananas beckoning from the counter, I knew it was time to take some baking action. Luckily, blogging buddy Ricki reminded me of the ”Breakfast-Worthy Banana Bread” in Go Dairy Free. Though I was a banana shy of a full loaf, the recipe could easily be halved to make 2 mini loaves! (The original recipe will make 4 mini loaves or 1 9×5-inch loaf)
About a year ago, I found myself a bit lost when faced with yet another mound of darkening bananas. With piles of cookies and sugary treats lingering in our house, a sweet banana loaf was the last thing we needed. But then, I began to wonder what a quick bread would turn out like with no sugar at all. After all, aren’t overripe bananas sweet enough on their own? As it turns out, the bananas add just a hint of sweetness to the bread making it perfect to enjoy with jam in the morning, or any time of day really … and best of all, it is virtually guilt-free … no added sugars AND made with whole grain flour (the one pictured below is 100% spelt)!
Of course, you can add a pinch of stevia or some sugar if you please, but I recommend just a tablespoon or two, and certainly no more than 1/4 cup for the whole recipe. It isn’t intended to be a dessert, but rather a nutricious quick bread that you can enjoy anytime of day, topped with jam, honey, or your favorite spread.
So, for those of you who have my book, the mini loaves seem to take 22-24 minutes at 350º to bake to perfection. I was out of vanilla extract (I know, and I call myself a baker!), so I subbed in almond extract (about 3/4 teaspoon), topped each little loaf with a generous tablespoon of sliced almonds, and slathered my first slice with … I am a bit predictable aren’t I? … almond butter!
Whether you use my recipe, or prefer to tinker with your own banana bread recipe, try cutting way back on the sugar for banana bread that isn’t made for gifting, but rather for a quick, tasty, and healthy breakfast or snack!
Tags: baking, dairy-free, egg-free, food allergy-friendly, milk-free, quick bread, recipe, soy-free, sugar-free, vegan, vegetarian, whole grain
Filed Under: Alisa's Recipes, Cookbook Trials
Posted by alisa on January 6, 2009 | 4 Comments
It really doesn’t get much better than free … okay, it does … add in a little instantaneous gratification and you have something magical! I have been “subscribing” to the Vegan Culinary Experience since it first began, and I am impressed with how professional and nice it is for such an affordable ($0.00) price tag.
Each month, Chef Jason Wyrick sends out an email announcing the release of that month’s magazine download (you can sign up for his email list to get the announcement, or just check back here or on www.godairyfree.org, I will update). Every month he follows a new theme, and fills it with loads of original recipes, while tossing in some product / restaurant reviews and interviews for a well-rounded publication. Whether or not you are vegan, we are talking free recipes by a top chef here.
Visit the Vegan Culinary Experience Website for more info, or click this big image of this January’s cover for a little of that instantaneous gratification …
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