Posted by alisa on April 26, 2010 | 16 Comments
Last week I received numerous wonderful sunflower seed recipes, including some from people who don’t have blogs! So this post not only includes the round-up of recipe links and photos, but it also features three never-before online recipes! As you can see, many of us were thinking cookies (not a bad thing), but there many fun ideas. Read on for the recipes, winner, and the announcement of next week’s BSI host(ess)!
Curious about the Blogger Secret Ingredient Event? See this post on Biggest Diabetic Loser
First off, my two contributions to the event were:
Sweet Asian Sunflower Slaw (mayo-free!) at One Frugal Foodie
AND
Slightly Sweet Sunflower-Pecan Butter with Dice Apples at Dairy-Free & Fit
Now, from all of you wonderful bloggers and viewers I received …
Raw Vegan Vanilla Sun-Butter Balls from Love Veggies and Yoga
Collard Wraps with Raw Sunflower Pate from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
Fudge Sunny Bunnies from Affairs of Living
Peanut-Free Sunbutter Satay Sauce also from Affairs of Living
Honey Sunflower and Flax Seed Bread from Part of the Whole
Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies from Dinner at Christina’s
Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies from Making Food and Stuff
Since Katie at MF&S didn’t have the recipe posted, she sent it in for me to share with you here. Thanks Katie!
Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies
- 1 cups plus 2 T flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Mix)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 tablespoons sunflower seed butter
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon flax seed, mixed with 1 1/2 T warm water
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ tsp vanilla
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix flaxseed with 1 1/2 T warm water and let sit for 15 min, until thickened.
2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix Sunflower seed butter with sugar, vanilla and “flax egg”. Mix until just combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, half at a time, and stir until just combined.
5. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Press down with fork, making cross hatches. Bake for 10-12 min (less if you want soft cookies).
6. Cool on wire rack.
And here are a couple of fantastic non-blogged entries (and recipes) …
Sunflower Seed Fudge from Viewer Geri
- 1 1/2 cup Organic ground sunflower Seeds
- 1 Cup Organic Sunflower seed Butter
- 1 Cup Organic Coconut, dry shredded fine
- 1/4 Cup Agave syrup
- pinch Sea salt
Mix, should be like cookie doug. If to wet to form in a ball, add more ground seeds or coconut! If to dry, add a little more agave! play with it!
Mix, Pat into a pan about 1 inch deep, Chill Cut and eat!
May add dark Chocolate powder or Carob to taste.
Tropical Snack Mix from Viewer Amy
- 1 lb dried pineapple
- 1 cup golden raisin
- 1 cup almonds (whole or slivered)
- 1/2 cup ground flax seeds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seed
- 3/4 cup unpopped popcorn
- 1/2 cup dairy-free margarine
- 1 cup brown sugar (or less if you like)
- cinnamon, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
- Pop the popcorn on the stove or skillet. DO NOT air pop.
- Pour into a large bowl that you can seal and let the popcorn cool.
- Add pineapple, raisins, almonds, and sunflower seeds to popcorn. Stir thoroughly.
- While popcorn is cooling, melt butter and mix in brown sugar and cinnamon to taste.
- Boil for 1 minute only.
- Remove from heat and add flax seed and vanilla; mix well.
- Pour over the popcorn mixture and use a rubber spatula to mix from the bottom up, like folding in ingredients. The seeds tend to fall to the bottom.
- Let dry and enjoy. Makes a big bowl.
Wow, a serious thank you goes out to all of these fabulous entries. I plan to try every single one! Nonetheless, I had to select a winner.
Congratulations to …
Geri for the Sunflower Seed Fudge Recipe (above)
You have won the entire Sweet Vegan E-Book Collection! It will be emailed to you directly. That recipe is just too cool, and going to the top of my list to trial.
But, because all of the entries were so fabulous, I have negotiated honorable mention prizes for each of the remaining entrants! If you submitted a recipe, simply select any one of the Sweet Vegan eBooks and it will be sent to you!
Now, for those of you who are anxiously awaiting the announcement for Week #77 of Blogger Secret Ingredient, the hostess will be …
Kim at Affairs of Living
Head over and check out this week’s surprise ingredient!
Posted by alisa on April 25, 2010 | 6 Comments
Wow, did I have a heck of a time coming up with sunflower seed recipes that I was happy with! You can read about my many trials here, but I did finally settle on a couple of recipes for the BSI submission. Here is one of them …
My husband was cooking up a barbecue-style lunch, so I thought a little slaw might go nicely. But to mix things up, I forgoed the mayo for a sunflower seed base and used some Asian ingredients for a different flavor. The end result was pretty tasty, but you can adjust the seasonings to your own personal tastes since there are so few ingredients.
Sweet Asian Sunflower Slaw
This recipe is Vegan / Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, optionally Gluten-Free, and optionally Soy-Free.
- 1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds plus extra for sprinkling
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 2 Teaspoons Soy Sauce or Wheat-Free Tamari (for gluten-free) (use coconut aminos or chickpea tamari for soy-free)
- 1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Ginger (optional)
- 1 Bag Coleslaw Mix
- 1 Large Carrot, thinly sliced or grated
Grind the sunflower seeds in a spice grinder until they turn into a powder. Place the ground seeds in a medium-size bowl, and whisk in the vinegar, maple, soy, sesame oil, and ginger until smooth. If you leave it to sit, the mixture will thicken more as the seeds absorb the moisture. Taste test, and adjust seasonings as you wish (soy for salty, maple for sweet, vinegar for tangy, and oil for richness).
Add as much of the coleslaw mix as you like (I used about 2/3 of the bag) and garnish with the carrot. If you aren’t into garnishing, just mix that grated carrot right in.
Yields 3 to 4 sides of slaw
For more of my recipes see Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook and my new blog, Dairy-Free & Fit.
Tags: carrots, dairy-free, egg-free, food allergy-friendly, gluten-free, milk-free, nut-free, quick & easy, recipe, salad, seeds, side dish, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free
Filed Under: Alisa's Recipes
Posted by alisa on April 22, 2010 | 14 Comments
Don’t forget!
Enter to win the Sweet Vegan e-Book Collection with a recipe using Sunflower Seeds!
AND
Enter the Amazing Giveaway at my other Blog, Dairy-Free & Fit!
Okay, back to your regularly scheduled recipe …
As my friend Ricki pointed out, half the fun in using recipes from 500 Vegan Recipes is trying to guess which author wrote which recipe. Both ladies have been blogging their recipes for quite some time, offering hints of their style. But still, I was stumped on some. This recipe though, definitely Joni. I think.
Well, whoever created it, it is delicious! And talk about filling. I tend to be one of those people who eats half my body weight at each meal. But a modest bowl of this soup at dinner was plenty. For that reason, it makes a perfect vegetarian night meal (Meatless Mondays anyone?), and who doesn’t love leftover soup for lunch?
There are many potato leek soup recipes out there, but this one has its own special touches that I just loved. Unpeeled potatoes for a “rustic” look and taste (mmm, love those potato skins!); lemongrass for a unique essence that melded perfectly, and the use of vegetable broth instead of chicken broth gave the soup a beautiful and unexpected orange hue. I liked this, as it left my husband guessing on what type of soup it really was, and of course looks better in pictures …
I adapted the recipe just slightly, adding a wee bit of white pepper, specifying the salt amount I used, and substituting dried lemongrass (luckily I had some on hand since the fresh lemongrass in store looked far less than stellar). I discovered dried lemongrass at Cost Plus World Market. A generously filled jar for just $2.99, so I had to give it a whirl. I also adjusted the directions quite a bit to fit how I made the soup. But, the basis of this soup is all Joni, err … or Celine.
Rustic Vegan Potato Leek Soup
Recipe adapted from 500 Vegan Recipes by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman
This recipe is Vegan (oh yes, I mentioned that), Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Wheat-Free, and Sugar-Free.
- 2 Tablespoons Dairy-Free Margarine (I used Earth Balance Soy-Free; I think you could substitute olive oil here if need be)
- 2 Medium Leeks, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds and halved (about 3 cups)
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Lemongrass or 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemongrass
- 4 Cups Vegetable Broth (I used Pacific Foods Organic Vegetable Broth)
- 1-1/2 lbs Russet Potatoes, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (skin on)
- 3/4 to 1 Teaspoon Salt, or to taste (I used 1 teaspoon total)
- 1/8 Teaspoon White Pepper (optional)
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste (optional)
Heat the margarine in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and lemongrass and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the leeks soften quite a bit and just begin to brown. Add the broth, deglazing the pan if needed, and bring the soup to a boil. Add the potatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
The original recipe called for using an immersion blender, leaving some chunky, but I don’t have one. So I placed half of the soup in my blender, and carefully (make sure that lid is covered, you don’t want hot soup flying out!) whizzed it until creamy and relatively smooth. I then added this back to the pan along with the white pepper and gave it all a stir to combine.
Taste test and season to taste with more salt (I used another 1/2 t). If using black pepper, this is the time to add it, or you could let each person grind in their own.
Yields 4 hearty servings
Tags: dairy-free, egg-free, food allergy-friendly, gluten-free, milk-free, nut-free, organic, recipe, soup, soy-free, sugar-free, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, wheat-free
Filed Under: Alisa's Recipes
Posted by alisa on April 19, 2010 | 19 Comments
I am hosting Week 76 of the Blogger Secret Ingredient! Seriously honored and excited here – I love, love, love surprises, so this foodie blog event ranks as one of my favorites.
This week’s ingredient is …
Sunflower Seeds!
The rules say to pick a food that is “readily available and not too expensive.” This forgotten seed, overshadowed by hype for flax, hemp, and other “superfoods,” is certainly cheap and easy to find. Plus, it offers a host of healthy vitamins and minerals including plenty of Vitamin E, magnesium, thaimin, selenium, and more.
Show me your recipes!
To participate please submit a recipe featuring sunflower seeds or sunflower seed butter before midnight Sunday, April 25th by emailing alisa at godairyfree dot org. I will accept recipes with these seeds whole, shelled, ground, toasted, chopped, or in “butter” form. The winner and next host will be announced Monday, April 26th.
Win this!
One winner will be chosen from the submitted recipes to receive the Sweet Vegan ebook collection. Trust me, you don’t need to be vegan to enjoy these scrumptious recipes. It includes À La Mode (unbelievable ice cream recipes), Lunch Box Bites (portable snack and treat recipes), Mission Impossible Pies (quick crust-less delights), Wicked Treats (homemade candy recipes). Plus, every recipe has an accompanying full color photo.
More details
In case you’re new to BSI (or need to brush up on the rules) each week there is a new host and that host must:
- Pick an ingredient, preferably one that is in season and readily available and not too expensive;
- link back to all the other previous weekly hosts;
- review the recipe submissions by Sunday night of each week;
- pick a recipe that is your favorite; and
- post the winner Monday morning and send the winner a token prize of your choosing.
To participate:
- you do not have to have a food blog to particpate
- you do not have to submit a photograph
- if you don’t have a blog, you can submit your recipe to that weeks host, and they will post your recipe for you
The previous hosts and ingredients are:
Posted by alisa on April 17, 2010 | 11 Comments
Don’t you hate it when you lose your notes on a recipe?! And such is the case for this little flavorful gem. I had slightly altered Ricki’s “Pepperoni” Beet recipe to make a side dish for dinner one night. But having lost my notes, I can only vaguely remember some of the alterations. Since I know her recipe is awesome as is, I will include it as she created it (with her permissions of course), only adapting it where I am positive.
This is a very flavorful little rice dish that uses up not only the beets, but their leaves (get it – instead of rice and beans – rice and greens – I know I am so clever). I nibbled on the beet greens raw, and bleh. But, when briefly sauteed and added to this mix, they blend in just like baby spinach. Ah, nutrition at its finest …
“Pepperoni” Beet Rice and Greens
Recipe adapted from Diet, Dessert and Dogs. You will be amazed at how much the beets smell like pepperoni as you are preparing them! This recipe comes together quickly as you can cook the brown rice while the beets are in the oven and quickly saute the greens before they emerge. This recipe is Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Low Sugar, and optionally Gluten-Free.
-
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Olive Oil (I think you could get away with just 1/2 T)
-
2 Tablespooons Soy Sauce or Wheat-Free Tamari (for gluten-free)
-
1/2 Cup (120 ml) Vegetable Broth
-
1 Teaspoon (5 ml) Apple Cider Vinegar
-
1/4 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
-
1/4 Teaspoon (1 ml) Sugar
-
1/4 Teaspoon (1 ml) Garlic Powder
-
1/4 Teaspoon (1 ml) Onion Powder
-
1/4 Teaspoon (1 ml) Dry Mustard Powder
-
1/4 Teaspoon (1 ml) Ground Fennel
-
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) Sage (I omitted since I didn’t have any on hand)
-
1/4 Teaspoon (1 ml) Smoked or Regular Paprika
-
3-4 Small Fresh Beets, peeled, halved and thinly sliced (reserve the greens)
-
Olive Oil
-
Cooked Brown Rice (I used 1-1/2 cups)
Preheat your oven to 325ºF (170 C).
In a small dish, combine the olive oil through the paprika. Place the beets in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, pour the spice mixture over top and toss to evenly coat. Spread the beets out in the dish as best you can.
Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip the beet slices. Continue to bake and stir them up every 10-15 minutes until they have absorbed most of the marinade, are very soft, and begin to curl and crisp at the edges. Mine were quite done after just 15 minutes (35 minutes total)
While the beets are cooking, chop up the beet greens and saute them over medium-low heat in just a bit of olive oil until they are nice and wilted. When the beets are done, add the greens and brown rice to the beet dish and stir to combine. The flavorings and any leftover marinade from the beets should nicely disperse onto the rice too.
Yields 2 servings (more if you opt to increase the rice)
Blog Events: I am submitting this post to the Blogger Secret Ingredient Event (this week is beets!) and to Ricki’s new Sweet or Savory Kitchen Challenge – right back at you with this recipe Ricki!
Giveaways: A copy of my book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook, is being given away at Nourishing Meals along with a great recipe from it!
Posted by alisa on April 13, 2010 | 11 Comments
This is just a quick update – Please pop over (from Google Reader or other browser) to check out! First, I have a new blog/website:
Head over and have a look-see! I am very excited. Go Dairy Free (my main site) and One Frugal Foodie (recipe blog) will still be active, but Dairy-Free & Fit (or Dairy-Free Fitness) is my new more personal addition to the dairy-free family. It will be a food, health, and fitness blog intended for anyone who wants to feel good and feed themselves and their family well.
Though Dairy-Free & Fit will also have recipes, it will address other areas of food and life that are important to me (and I am sure many of you) in living well. I intend to address more of the questions I get from Ask Alisa, and discuss nutrition topics, special diets (dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, and beyond), food and recipe ideas, fitness and exercise, general health issues, daily musings, and other stuff.
It is blog style, so please come on over and join in on the conversation! The first post is up now, but there is much more to come. Let me know what you think – I am very curious.
Also, I have an email subscription service now available for each of my blogs:
One Frugal Foodie – http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=OneFrugalFoodie
Dairy-Free & Fit – http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=DairyFreeAndFit
You can sign up in the “email subscription” section in the right hand menu bar on those pages, or just click on the links that I have provided above. It sends you an email (no more than one per day) when a new post goes up. Easy huh? I have really been getting into using the email subscriptions myself, very handy.
What is your preferred method for viewing blogs? Do you like Google Reader, Emails, or some other venue?
Posted by alisa on April 7, 2010 | 29 Comments
Okay, we all have a different definition of famous – but the wonderful folks at Enjoy Life Foods have featured this recipe on their blog. You can view the full post here on the ELF blog.
I know, I know, it isn’t exactly Martha Stewart, but this company is fairly big, and one of my favorites. They use a dedicated allergen-free and gluten-free facility, which is hard to find these days. And, some of their products are surprisingly awesome. I love, love, love their mini chocolate chips (yes, they are even soy-lecithin-free), and their soft cookies. They are gluten-free, which I am not, but still awesome all around. I enjoy their granola too, but I am mostly a bake-at-home granola eater.
Anyway, I really wanted to have the recipe here for you all to access on my blog too, so here you go …
No Bake Chocolate Chip Flax ‘n Oat Bars
Recipe adapted from my No Bake Granola Bar recipe in Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living.
Since I often make mini-batches of no bake snacks, but I don’t have an assortment of mini-pans, I typically make “rounds” instead of bars using silicon muffin pans. No cutting or greasing required, and anytime we need a snack, we just pop one out! This recipe is dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and optionally gluten-free, nut-free, and/or vegan.
This recipe is Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Wheat-Free, optionally Gluten-Free, optionally Nut-Free, and optionally Vegan.
- 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup, Honey, Corn Syrup, or Agave Nectar (your choice)
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar or Evaporated Cane Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut or Palm Oil (not shortening)
- 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter, SunButter, or Your Favorite Nut or Seed Butter
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Generous Pinch or Two of Salt (omit if using salted nut or seed butter)
- 2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed
- 1 Cup Quick or Rolled Oats (use certified gluten-free oats or give quinoa flakes a go for gluten-free)
- 1 Cup Perky’s Crunchy Flax Cereal (can sub their rice cereal or crispy rice cereal)
- 1/2 Cup Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips
In a medium-sized saucepan or skillet, combine the two sweeteners and the oil, and gently warm over low heat while stirring until the sugar crystals have dissolved. This should just take a couple of minutes.
Stir in the nut or seed butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool for a couple of minutes.
Stir in the flaxseed, followed by the oats and cereal.
Now you have two choices here. If you want the chocolate chips to stay intact, let the mixture cool for few more minutes, and then stir in the chocolate chips. Or, if you are antsy like me, stir in the chocolate chips right away. They may melt a little against the warm pan, but I like them that way.
The mixture will be crumbly, but that is okay. Press it firmly into an 8 x 8 pan (use saran wrap or wax paper over your hand if it threatens to stick while pressing) or into 10 to 12 muffin tins. Make sure it is packed in there nicely, then place the bars into the freezer to chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
Cut into bars or pop them out and eat. I store them in the refrigerator, this keeps them fresh and from getting too soft.
Yields 10 to 12 snack bars
Tags: breakfast, dairy-free, egg-free, food allergy-friendly, gluten-free, milk-free, quick & easy, recipe, snack, soy-free, vegan, wheat-free, whole grain
Filed Under: Alisa's Recipes
Posted by alisa on April 3, 2010 | 13 Comments
I think the hardest thing about running a blog (at least for me) is making the time so I don’t feel like I am “missing out” on the fun stuff. There are so many fabulous blog events, and try as I might, I just can’t seem to get posts and recipes done in time to join in on most.
But, a few weeks ago I posted a recipe for Simply Cinnamon Spelt Bread, and atop that bread was a delicious, dairy-free honey-buttery spread that I whipped up for a treat.
I had mentioned posting the recipe for that easy spread, but of course, lost my notes on the ingredients! Nonetheless, when Five Star Foodie announced that the March Five Star Makeover theme was Compound Butter, I knew I had to get back to the drawing board to share this little combination.
I did change the ratios a bit, I am sure of that, I also added some more spice, and I didn’t use dairy butter or margarine to make this spread. Rather, I used a combination of nutritive oils that firm up nicely for slicing, spreading, whipping, and melting.
As many of you know, presentation isn’t my strong suit. With that in mind, you can mold this butter into something more attractive than my roughly done “pats.”
Spiced Honey “Butter”
This makes a rather firm “butter.” If you want a softer butter straight from the fridge, feel free to change the oil blend 50/50. That is, use 2 tablespoons coconut oil and 2 tablespoons of the other oil. The more nutritive oils will impart their own flavors. For the most neutral taste, I use Extra-Light Olive Oil, for a richer taste, I used Hemp Seed Oil (the Green Gold Hemp Oil from Foods Alive – not as strong as some other brands in flavor).
This recipe is Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free (if coconut is a concern, see the sub note), optionally Vegan, and Free of Refined Sugars.
- 3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil, melted (Palm Oil can be substituted)
- 1 Tablespoon Good Quality Oil (Hemp, Flax, Olive, Walnut, etc. – I used Foods Alive Hemp Oil for one batch and Extra-Light Olive Oil for another)
- 1 Tablespoon Honey (use Agave Nectar to make it vegan)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Chinese 5-spice Powder (sold in most spice sections)
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- Pinch Salt
Quick Cheater’s Method: In a small dish, whisk all ingredients together. Place in the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and vigorously whisk with a fork to smooth it out. Return to the freezer for a bit more. Whisk again to make it smooth. It should be quite firm at this point. Shape or pipe as desired and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Assuming your house isn’t too warm, the “butter” will stay solid at room temperature, just softening a bit, but will melt readily atop warm toast or steamed veggies (try carrots, sweet potatoes, golden beets, or other honey-loving veggies).
Yields about 1/4 cup of flavorful “butter”
Carrot Love (Spiced Honey Roasted Carrots)
In the pictures I simply steamed some carrots and let the sweet “butter” melt overtop. But, if you would like to prepare some sweet roasted carrots for the holidays – simply place 3/4 to 1 lb of cut carrots (or baby carrots) in a pyrex dish in a single layer, and mix with 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the Spiced Honey Butter. Roast at 450ºF for 25 to 30 minutes, giving the carrots a stir after the first 15 minutes. If you like them really caramelized, you can always roast longer.
Additional Notes:
Blog Giveaway – Megan’s Munchies offers up a Wanchai Ferry “Perfect Night”. Giveaway includes Asian entrees, some Asian table goodies, and a $25 Target gift card!
Events – This post was also submitted to Fight Back Fridays at Food Renegade.
Best Wishes to You All for Easter and Passover,
