One Frugal Foodie

At last, the temperatures have risen just enough for me to enjoy a cool and creamy smoothie for my healthy mid-morning treat.  One of my favorite indulgences, yet oh so nutritious, most of my smoothies are made with not an ounce of added sugars.  Rather, ripe fruit takes center stage for a naturally sweet treat.

Unfortunately, my fruit stocks were a bit low, with berry and stone fruit season not yet in full swing (and frozen blueberries at astronomical prices) … but buried deep in my freezer I discovered a baggie filled with melon balls.  A month or two ago I had a rapidly aging cantaloupe on my hands.  Instead of tossing it to the fruit flies, I scooped out the flesh and froze it in the hopes that one day it might serve some purpose.  Well, today was that day. 

Basic Bananaloupe Smoothie

• 1/2 to 1 cup unsweetened almond or rice milk
• 1 ripe banana, small to medium in size
• 1 cup ripe cantaloupe chunks, frozen
• 1/2 cup ice (optional)

Combine 1/2 cup of milk alternative, the banana, and cantaloup chunks into your blender and blend until smooth.  If too thick, add milk alternative to your desired consistency.  Blend in the ice if you desire a frostier consistency.

Makes 1 big serving or 2 modest ones

Optional add-ins:

• If you don’t mind the color, toss in 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves.  Spinach doesn’t touch the wonderful smoothie flavor, yet adds a good dose of nutrition.
• Ground flaxseeds, a tablespoon or two, for some of those great Omega-3’s and a little protein.
• Ground coconut, a tablespoon or two, for flavor and if you are a coconut for health fanatic like myself. (Adds a bit of fat too if you are concerned about the little ones not getting enough)

This recipe is vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free (if using rice milk instead of almond milk), gluten-free (keep an eye on your milk alternative brand), soy-free (watch for soy lecithin in your milk alternative).

Honestly, I am not a chocolate cookie fan, so I have no idea how I became obsessed with trying to create this cookie.  I think perhaps it was the initial draw of a chocolate covered cherry cookie.  I do love chocolate covered cherries … yet, as it turns out, this flavor combination in a cookie just didn’t work for my taste buds.  So, then the recipe twisted itself around heading toward an impersonation of my favorite coconut brownies … but vegan.

 Well, these Cocoa-Nut Cookies as I like to call them still aren’t hitting the mark.  They came out a bit too crunchy.  I tried lowering the temp, but then they are too flat.  If you would like to take whirl at these, I welcome your enthusiasm and suggestions!

Chewy Cocoa-nut Cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
¼ cup neutral oil (coconut in liquid form, grapeseed, extra-light olive, vegetable, etc.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup regular (full fat) coconut milk
(I added 1 T of ground flaxseed to the coconut milk, but I don’t think this was necessary)
¼ cup unsweetened coconut, ground in a spice grinder
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a separate mixing bowl, blend together the sugar, oil, vanilla, and coconut milk.  Beat in roughly 2/3 of the flour mixture.  Fold in the coconut and chocolate chips, and add the remaining flour mixture.  The dough will become relatively firm.

Roll into small balls, approximately 1” in diameter.  Place the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets, allowing some room to spread.  Bake for 10 minutes. Allow them to cool completely on wire racks.

Yield 30 cookies

I looove veggie burgers.  Not really the faux meat ones made with soy, but rather the ones that taste like what they are, veggies and grains.  Well, at long last, thanks to the inspirational Chicago Diner recipe from The Non-Dairy Queen, I made my first attempt at homemade veggie burgers.  Though totally grain and veg, they did turn out a bit meaty, and overall excellent in flavor.  I would definitely add a bit more salt and possibly a little crushed red pepper for a kick on the next round though.  We did have some problem with the oat and mushroom base, as it was a bit soft on the inside, I just couldn’t get it to totally set up.  But, really, don’t they look good?

We had no buns, so I improvised with Roti, hence the odd presentation.  I am definitely motivated to continue on the homemade veggie burger path, so you can expect to see more … thanks to the Queen.

Transitioning to dessert, I receive requests quite often for a good dairy-free white cake.  Well, I went for the gusto and attempted to create fluffy white cupcakes that are both dairy-free and egg-free.  The good news is, I succeeded!  Perfect fluffy texture.  But alas, they were still in need of some sweetness.  You may be thinking, just use more sugar.  However, more sugar may weigh down my perfect little cakes … so more experimenation is necessary.  But don’t these look good too?

I am happy to report that both recipes were insanely inexpensive also, using pantry items and fridge items that I readily had on hand (ie mushrooms).  Plus, the cupcakes were so easy to make (this snail paced chef had them in the oven in 15 minutes flat, no joke) that I see no reason to ever pick up a boxed mix!

Ah, how do I love Trader Joe’s, let me count the ways … a side note from food, but it seems that their mini floral department is donning some spectactular rose specials, to help avoid buying the $10 marked up to $50 dozen red roses. 

They have a “14 Stem Rose Spectacular” ~ for $9.99, these are Orange roses for “passion, desire.”

But wait, before you red rose lovers click away with disappointment, they are also offering that traditional one dozen red roses for $16.99.  Really, quite the deal for this time of year.

Of course, if you are as frugal as my family (or perhaps you live no where near a wonderful TJ’s), you do not expect the rose spectacular from your husband, but rather bake up a dessert!  This insanely frugal Strawberry Love Muffin recipe from My Sweet Vegan is too good (and easy) to pass up!  I am either going for this one, or the Chocolate Cherry Truffles in MSV.  Both are just so simple and tasty sounding.  Now, I just need to get my hands on some heart-shaped muffin tins!

We are Asian food fanatics in our household.  Whether authentic or Americanized … Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, or Japanese … we love it all.  I think my favories are sushi and thai food (lemongrass, flavorful curry, pad thai, peanut sauce, oh I could go on), but I must confess that having a basic Chinese-style stir fry recipe on hand can be a lifesaver for using up whatever you have on hand and quickly putting food on the table at an affordable price.

Years ago I found a very basic recipe that used three of the basic stir fry components, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and mirin (rice wine).  All of these ingredients can easily be found in the Asian section of most any major grocer … though they will be cheaper if you can locate an Asian market.  Now this recipe isn’t what I would call the best stir fry I have ever made, but it is solid, and really, when I use it, I am not in a tinkering around kind of mood.

But, you can feel free to alter it to your own taste buds.  For example, I never add sugar, but I think just a touch of brown sugar might mellow some of the sharper notes.  Also, meat is not required in this dish, feel free to sub in tofu, or go all veggie.  Try it out and let me know what you think!

Your Basic Go-To Stir-Fry

• 1/4 cup soy sauce (I use wheat-free tamari, which is also gluten-free)
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons mirin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons peanut or other oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 - 1 1/2 lbs sliced chicken or pork, or cut into bite sized pieces
• 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 8 ounces broccoli crowns / florets
• 4-8 ounces other veggies of choice ~ cabbage, bok choy, carrots, bell peppers, snow peas, etc.
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• brown or white rice

Set that rice to cook while you prepare the stir fry!

Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, ginger, and arrowroot/cornstarch in a bowl until the ginger and starch have dissolved.  Set aside.

In a large skillet (with high sides), heat the peanut oil.  Add the garlic and saute for just a minute.  Add the chicken/pork and saute until cooked through, 5-10 minutes.  I like to add a little bit of the sauce to the chicken to infuse more flavor.  I cover the pan for a few minutes of the cook time to ensure that it is cooked through but remains tender.  Remove the meat to a bowl, and drain the juices from the pan.

Add your veggies to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, until the veggies are crisp-tender.  Return the chicken to the pan, add the sauce, and stir to coat and heat the sauce for just a minute.  Turn off the heat, stir in the sesame oil, and allow the sauce to thicken slightly.  Serve atop the cooked rice.

Yields about 4 servings

My husband and I spent the holidays in British Columbia with his family.  Every day of the visit we would make our pilgrimage to the Whole Foods (a whopping ¼ mile from his parents house) for a jumbo muffin with tea.  Now, the muffins in Vancouver are quite unlike those we see at Whole Foods stateside.  These are dense, ginormous, mountains of hearty goodness that are surely 1000 calories each.  But we had to have them everyday, it was the holidays and vacation after all!My husband now states he would love to return to those mornings when I had homemade bread or muffins awaiting his peanut butter and jam.  Really, I still love to bake, but had merely fallen out of the habit.

So, with the healthy New Year’s wishes upon us, I set out to make some virtuous morning muffins with a fruit I had never tried before, persimmons.  You can replace the persimmons with another fruit or vegetable-fruit puree if you wish.  Next time I make these, I may add a touch more oil, “milk,” or puree for more moisture, as they became a bit too dense after day 2 with all of the heartiness.  I also prefer less sugar in the morning, so we stuck with just ¼ cup of sugar, but if you like yours on the sweet side, then feel free to shake in a bit more.

Whole Wheat Persimmon Muffins

1 ¼ Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 – 1 ½ Teaspoons Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
Pinch Cloves
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Tablespoons Oil (may want to increase this by a tablespoon or two)
¾ Cup Persimmon Puree (I used Hachiyas, make sure they are extremely ripe) or other fruit puree
¼ Cup Sugar of Choice (I used evaporated cane juice)
¼ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
¼ Cup Rice Milk, or other Milk Alternative
½ Cup Chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350º and grease 8 muffin tins.

Combine the flour through baking soda in a small bowl, and set aside.  In a large bowl, blend the oil through rice milk.  Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet mixture, being careful not to overmix.  Stir in the walnuts and equally divide the batter between your prepared muffin tins.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

I think my favorite dessert of all time is apple crisp.  I have never liked pie very much in its traditional form, that pesky crust getting in the way.  Just the fruity filling topped with those sugary sweet crispy crumbles makes my tastebuds swoon.

Of course once in a while you have to mix things up… well just a bit anyways.  I found a great recipe suggesting a fruit crisp using apples, pears, and cranberries.  Some added spices, a few quick alterations to make it dairy-free, and what the heck, just another little tweak to make it vegan, and we had a winner! 

Alas, my favorite dessert happens to be one of the most unphotogenic, so please forgive me for the lack of an image showing the luscious contents.  Somehow the jumble of crumbs and fruit compote is best left to professional photographers rather than my rookie attempts.  Nonetheless, here is a quick view and recipe!  Enjoy….

Fabulous Fruit Crisp

(Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free)

• 5 pears and/or apples (I used 3 pears, 2 apples, and I like to leave the skin on for flavor and fiber), cored and cubed 
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour (really, any flour will do)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or orange juice
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
• 7-8 tablespoons margarine or a scant 1/2 cup (I like Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8 inch baking dish.

Mix the apples, pears, cranberries, 1 tablespoon flour, maple syrup, and juice in the prepared dish.

In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, oats, walnuts, spices, and margarine to the consistency of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle loosely over the fruit mixture.

Bake 30-40 minutes, or until brown and crisp on top.

In my house, this makes about 6 servings, but we like our crisp!

After finding out that my “perfect” tea (Good Earth White & Green Tea Blend) is infused with lemongrass, and discovering that the secret ingredient at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant is lemongrass, I have been eager to cook with lemongrass at home.

I finally had the opportunity to do this with the Thai Coconut Corn Stew from Eat, Drink & be Vegan.  And boy was it good!  I made it with regular coconut milk for the full richness effect, and it was one awesomely thick soup.  Rich with corn, yet fairly easy to make (once you have cut up all the veggies), I was delighted when I took my first sip/bite (it was a hearty soup) to unleash a wonderful array of flavors on my tongue. 

Needless to say, I will be cooking with lemongrass again, and I will be trialing many more recipes from this great (and did I mention nutritious?) cookbook.

Since this recipe isn’t posted online, I don’t feel that I can divulge it.  But, next on my list is the Mellow Lentil “Sniffle” Soup, which is posted up on Dreena’s site.  I hate to post and not give you any recipes!

Many people claim that they have found THE diet that keeps them free from colds for years.  Well, we haven’t found that diet as of yet, as my husband seems to have caught a cold.  But, our change in diet has yielded something interesting.  He is the type who gets a cold hard.  Whining ensues for a good 3 to 5 days while the cold is in full swing.  He is pretty much a waste case for a week.  Then he has lingering symptoms (causing more, though less severe, whining) for a good one to two weeks more.  Inevitably, we both end up wondering if he will every really get over the cold.

For the first time since I have known him, he is actually overcoming his cold, and in record time!  He felt something coming on Saturday, but wasn’t under the weather, just a slight sore throat.  Sunday he was sick, definitely a cold.  Today, he is actually working!  No whining at all, and his cold seems to be already in its tail end.  One bad day.  This is almost unprecedented! 

Can I say it is the vegan diet?  Who knows for sure, but he has been very strict to the diet, professing how much better he feels.  Perhaps the extra load of fruits and veggies we have been intaking is actually working.  Or perhaps it was the wonderful homemade soup I made for him yesterday, with love of course …

Healing Mushroom Soup (for two)

• 1-2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
• 3-4 Ounces Extra Firm Tofu (about 1/4 of a package), Diced
• 4-6 Mushrooms, Thinly Sliced
• 3 Cups Mushroom Broth (Pacific Foods Organic Mushroom Broth goes on sale often)
• 1 Cup Packed Spinach Leaves
• 1 Cup Bean Sprouts
• 1 Green Onion, Sliced
• Additional Soy Sauce or Wheat-Free Tamari (for gluten-free) to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic, tofu, and mushrooms and briefly saute, for just a minute.  Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer/light boil.  After a few minutes (when the mushrooms are just starting to look cooked), add in the spinach and continue with the light boil for another minute or two, until the spinach has wilted.

Clean the bean sprouts well, and divide them between two soup bowls.  Pour the hot/boiling soup over top of the bean sprouts.  Allow the soup to cool for 5 minute, the bean sprouts will also lightly cook during this time.  Top each bowl with a sprinkling of the green onions, and serve with tamari/soy sauce in case someone wants an extra hit of flavor/sodium in their soup.

With no sign of letting up, and already a week past our designated vegan week, we are joyfully continuing with this delicious vegan-at-home diet.  My husband is loving the food (and quite frankly that I am actually cooking rather than asking to eat out all the time), and I am finally enjoying the kitchen.  Who knew it was meat all this time that was intimidating me?

While I am just barely dipping my toes in creativity, it is still fun to be able to throw something together that turns out quite tasty.  With some lemony dill seasoning just waiting for a new setting, I thought what better medium than a light cream sauce? Paired with whole wheat pasta, white beans and spinach, it was healthy and filling. 

Since the spinach does shrink down, I would probably add another cup or two the next time I make it (I love spinach), but 2 cups does make a fair bit. You can easily replace the seasoning mix I used with any flavors of your choice, or use some fresh lemon zest and herbs (dill, basil, etc.).  Also, I like my sauce a bit thick, hence the addition of arrowroot at the end, but after a simmer with the flour, you may find it thick enough …

Creamy, Lemony Spinach Pasta

Makes Dinner for Two

• 4-5 Ounces Whole Wheat Pasta (we like angel hair - use brown rice pasta for gluten-free)
• 1 Tablespoon Dairy-Free Margarine
• 1 Tablespoon Flour (your choice, I used whole wheat)
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 cup Unsweetened Milk Alternative (I used almond milk)
• 2 cups Packed Fresh Spinach Leaves
• 1 can White Beans (Great Northern / Cannelini), drained
• 1 Tablespoons Lemony Dill Seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch

Prepare the pasta according to the package directions.  While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.  Melt the margarine in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir in the flour and garlic, and slowly add the milk alternative, wisking until the liquid is smooth.  Stir in the spinach.  Allow it to simmer at this low heat, stirring occasionally.  Be careful to ensure that the sauce does not boil.

After say 5-10 minutes or so, the sauce should begin to thicken and the spinach will look cooked.  Stir in the beans and the seasoning.  Wisk in the arrowroot until smooth.  Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to thicken for a minute or two before serving.  Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired. Pour the sauce atop your pasta.  Some chopped olives go nicely as a garnish.

The Lemony Dill Seasoning has gotten some serious mileage, but I still have a ton left.  The package is seriously stuffed.  I tried it the other day as a seasoning for some roasted red potatoes.  While good, it just didn’t shine.  Beyond the pasta above, my favorite backdrop for this seasoning is definitely the Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise.  Turned into a dip or salad dressing, this seasoning really shines.  Of course, it isn’t half bad just sprinkled atop a salad for a dressing free mix either.