HOMEMADE HAMBURGER HELPERS

My mum used to make this to us when I grew up, we didn't really have a name for it other than cheesy pasta. I then made it for my daughter who one day started calling them hamburger helpers because the recipe reminded her of the store bought version but tastier and better. The name remained since. It is very easy to make and is definitely a winner amongst kids.

HOMEMADE HAMBURGER HELPERS

Ingredients:

300g/ 10.5 oz Brown rice Fusilli pasta (regular works the same, just less healthy).
1+1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Small onion, or 1/2 a medium one, diced
2 Celery Stalk, diced
1 Package (340g/ 12oz) *veggie ground soy meat
2 Cans Campbell's tomato soup (284ml/ 10oz)
1 Cup **shredded cheddar style vegan cheese
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (spicy-optional)
Pepper to taste


Preparation:

In large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions, about 8 to 10 minutes with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Drain and rinse under cold running water until no longer starchy. Drain well; shake. Set aside to air-dry.

In a large wok, over medium heat, heat up the other tablespoon of oil and stir fry the onions for about 3 minutes.

Add the celery and stir fry another 2 min.

Add the veggie ground, stir fry for 3-4 min, then add all the other ingredients. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cheese is melted.

Pour the pasta into the sauce, mix well. Pepper to taste and serve.

This will make 4 servings

Bon appetit!


* For veggie ground meat I like Yves products. Other brands are also good. http://www.yvesveggie.com

**For Cheddar style cheese I use Daiya www.daiyafoods.com


Both products above can also be found in most health sections of grocery, Whole Foods and most natural stores.

FRENCH TOAST

French toast have always been a favorite for breakfast. It's savory, sweet and so easy to make... I cannot think of a better way to start the day during weekends.

I used almond milk in my recipe, of all the milk alternatives, almond milk contains the most nutrients, it also has no cholesterol, only 60 calories and 5 mg of sodium per 8 oz serving size. It also has 30% of our recommended daily value of calcium, 25% of Vitamin D, 50% of our recommended daily value of Vitamin E and is full of antioxidant. Though in minimal quantity, it also contains protein and iron. It is my personal favorite dairy alternative. I sometimes make homemade almond milk which tastes so good! I will be sharing that recipe shortly... Don't worry! :)

I also have replaced eggs by ENER-G egg replacer. It comes in the form of powder which is usually mixed with water to replace eggs in recipes. In this recipe, I mix it up with the almond milk and skip the water. I find that ENER-G egg replacer works very well in most baking recipes as long as it doesn't call for too many eggs. Give it a try, it is low calorie-wise, without fat and works wonders!

FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients

1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon *ENER-G egg replacer powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 sourdough baguette bread sliced diagonally about 3/4 inches thick (slicing diagonally will make longer slices)
1 tablespoon olive oil
few pinches of powder sugar for decoration
Maple syrup

Preparation

Beat the almond milk, flour, brown sugar, egg substitute, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl.

Melt the olive oil in a pan under medium-high temperature. When it starts bubbling, quickly dip a piece of bread into the milk mixture on both sides and let the excess run off, place the dipped bread in the pan, quickly do the same with a few more pieces, cook 2 minutes or until golden. Turn and cook the other side. You may need to do this in a few batches.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and pour maple syrup according to taste.

This will make 4 servings

Bon appetit!







*You can find ENER-G egg replacer in most regular supermarket and in natural stores.

ENER-G: http://www.ener-g.com/

MEXICAN TACOS ~RAW FOOD STYLE

I was a raw foodist for over a year. I felt so good! The cooking of food destroys nutrition, vitamins and enzymes, so eating raw is probably the healthiest way to eat. It is a diet rich in proteins, vitamins, amino acids and enzymes. A raw diet is also low in "bad" carbs and is un-processed. Although most foods are eaten raw in this diet, heating food is acceptable as long as the temperature remains below 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

I know what's coming to your mind; "I cannot live on carrots and salads alone"! Well, the good news is: Raw foodists do not only eat salads! We can enjoy delicious meals that optimize our health by alkalizing our body. Ours body are designed to be alkaline. Although I am no longer 100% rawfoodist, I still eat that way a lot as it is not only good for me but it is also very flavorful. The recipe below is a perfect example of a fun, flavorful way to turn an old favorite into a healthy raw meal.

RAW MEXICAN TACOS

Ingredients:



For the taco "meat":

1 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup sunflowers
2 tablespoons *Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 tsp oregano
1 pinch cayenne pepper

For the tomato/corn salsa:

2 large heirloom tomatoes, diced small (about 1 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup raw corn kernels, **removed from the cob
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped thin
1/2 to 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped very thin (optional~spicy)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped thin
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
Sea salt to taste


For the tacos:

2 avocados, diced
1 taco meat recipe
1 tomato/corn salsa recipe
8 romaine lettuce leaves (pick the ones that are curved like a taco-shell)

In a food processor, grind the nuts. Add spices and liquid aminos until well mixed. It should have a ground meat texture. Reserve.

Combine all the ingredients from the tomato/corn salsa together in a bowl. Mix well. Reserve.

To assemble:

In the center of the lettuce leave spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of the nut mixture. Add 2 tablespoons of salsa and 2 tablespoons of the diced avocado. Repeat with remaining lettuces.

Press the leaves together and eat like a taco.

2 tacos = 1 serving. This will make 4 servings

Bon appetit!

*Bragg liquid aminos can be found at wholefoods and most natural store, Nama Soyu, Tamari or Soy sauce could work as a replacement if not found

** To remove the corn from the cob, remove husk, but leave stem intact. Clean the corn, cut off the tip of the cob to create a flat end. With a chef’s knife, slice the corn as you rotate the cob.

CHICK'N AND CORN SOUP

Most people I know love a good corn chowder! In fact, it used to be my daughter's favorite when she grew up. The version I came up with is nice and filling, but you'll probably want a second serving because it tastes so good!





CHICK'N AND CORN SOUP

Ingredients:

1+1 tablespoon olive oil
2 *Gardein Chick'n scallopini diced small (140g/5oz)
1/2 onion, diced small
1 stalk celery, diced small
1/2 orange pepper, seeded and diced small
1/2 to 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced very small (spicy~optional)
1 cup medium sized red potatoes, cleaned and diced small with potato skin
4 cups veggie broth
1 teaspoon tamari sauce
2 can organic creamed corn (418g/14.75oz each)
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
Pepper to taste



Preparation:

Melt 1 tbsp of the olive oil and saute the chick'n scallopini under medium heat for 3-5 minutes until golden-brown. Set aside.

In a soup pot, cook the onion with the other 1 tablespoon olive oil under medium heat for 2-3 min until translucent. Add the celery, pepper and jalapeño and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the red potatoes, the veggie broth and the soy sauce and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, cover and cook 25 min or until the potatoes are tender but firm (the time will depend on the size of your potatoes).

Add the creamed corn, mix well. Remove 2 cups of the soup and place it in a blender to create a creamy texture, and pour into the soup with the reserved chick'n, mix well.

Add the cilantro, pepper to taste and serve.

This will make 4 servings.


Bon Appetit!



Store locator for the vegan products:

* Gardein chick'n scallopini http://www.gardein.com/where_to_buy.php

IRISH STYLE BEER STEW

This recipe has quite a few steps to it but the gravy tastes so good that it makes it all worth the extra time! Make sure you have a lot of bread to dip in.
I used Yves "beef veggie tenders" the last time for a change but I personally like Gardein "beef-less tips" better. Either works, it's a question of personal taste.

IRISH STYLE BEER STEW

Ingredients

2 packages *Gardein beef-less tips (255g/9oz each) or Yves "beef veggie tenders"
1+1+1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup flour (I like whole wheat)
1 large red onion cut in half and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves minced
2 large carrots sliced
1 pack of mushrooms (227g-7 1/2oz) sliced thick
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cups red lager beer
2 cups **vegan beef bouillon
1 tablespoon Tomato paste
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon cornstarch mix with 1 tablespoon of water
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon parsley
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup ***vegan sour cream
Pepper



Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 c)
Put flour in a bowl, coat "beef" chunks with flour and cook in a pan over med high heat with 1 Tablespoon of oil until golden, set aside.

In the same pan, with another tablespoon of oil, sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until translucent. Set aside.

In a large heavy bottom pot, cook brown sugar and vinegar under high heat for 1 min.
Add the beer, broth, tomato paste, mustard and carrots. Bring to boil. Turn off the heat, add the Cornstarch mix with water, the reserved beef and onion mixture and place in the oven, covered. Cook for 45 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.

Meanwhile in a pan, sauté the sliced mushrooms with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over med-high heat until golden. Add to the stew 10 minutes before end of cooking time.

When the stew is ready, remove from the oven, add the vegan sour cream, mix well, pepper to taste and serve over mashed potatoes (optional).

This will make 6 servings


Bon appetit!


*For the beef chunks I like to use "Gardein beef-less tips" (my favorite)www.gardein.com
or "Yves beef veggie tenders" www.yvesveggie.com
**For the vegan beef bouillon, I like "Better than bouillon" by superior touch www.superiortouch.com or "Not beef bouillon" by Edward and son www.edwardandsons.com
***For the vegan sour cream I like "Better than sour cream" (my favorite) by Tofutti www.tofutti.com
or "Follow your heart sour cream alternative" www.followyourheart.com



All of the above can also be found at most natural stores, including whole foods.

CAESAR SALAD

My daughter is a vegan, the funny thing is, she doesn't really like salads. She does like Caesar salad though, as it is creamier and crunchier. After playing with this recipe, I came up with something she really liked. The great thing is, my whole family enjoyed it!


CAESAR SALAD


Caesar Dressing:

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
5 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (I use *Vegenaise)
3 cloves garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh pepper to taste



Heat the oil and garlic over medium heat in a small pan until the garlic begins to turn pale gold. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients, carefully add the oil and garlic mixture, keep mixing until you get a nice texture. Add fresh pepper to taste.

Caesar Salad:

1 head of romaine chopped small
2 tomatoes diced small
1 avocado diced small
1/2 cup vegan mozzarella (I use **Daiya brand)
2 tablespoon vegan parmesan (I use ***Galaxy Parmesan topping)
1 recipe Caesar salad dressing

Toss in all the salad ingredients to mix, add the dressing over the salad. Mix and serve.

This will make 4 servings

Bon appetit!





* Vegenaise from Follow your Heart can be found at Whole Foods, most organic section of super markets or at http://www.followyourheart.com.

** Daiya products can also be found at Whole Foods and at http://www.daiyafoods.com.

*** Galaxy products can also be found at Whole Foods and at http://www.galaxyfoods.com.

SPICY CHINESE STYLE NOODLES

I have been asked by a lot of friends to show them how to cook vegan. Lots of people seem to be showing interest in eating that way whether on a full time or part time basis. There are lots of reasons why there is a growing interest in this diet: Mainly animal rights, environment & health reasons. Vegan cooking is known to be lower in fat and calories than regular meat base diet. The only thing is nobody wants to eat grains and veggies only! Most people don't mind once in a while, but they’d rather eat food that reminds them of their old favorite. Foods they can relate to do not make them feel like they are missing out on anything.

I have been working on writing up a few recipes lately. Some have been my house staples, some I have created and some are recipes I liked from cookbooks that I have found a way to make a vegan version. I am going try and post a weekly recipe, with a picture of the final product and links of where to buy the vegan alternatives I am using in each of them. They recipes are very easy to make, they are "carnivore" approved, which means I have made it for a non vegan friend or family member and they have loved it. The recipes are also healthier than the original meat version.

For my first recipe I have decided to make an updated version of a childhood staple from Quebec. We call it Chinese noodles "nouilles chinoises". The original version usually use pork or chicken, my version is made with veggies and is a spicier, lower fat version.


I hope you all enjoy!




SPICY CHINESE STYLE NOODLES



Ingredients:

300g/ 10.5 oz brown rice macaroni style noodles
1+1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, or 1/2 of a big one, diced
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 celery stick, chopped small
1 carrot grated
3 baby bok choy, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek (optional, do not use if you do not like spicy, I like very spicy so I use the full 1/2 tsp)
1 tablespoon + 1/2 cup low sodium tamari sauce
pepper to taste

Preparation:

In large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions, about 6 to 10 minutes with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Drain and rinse under cold running water until no longer starchy. Drain well; shake. Set aside to air-dry.

In a wok, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil and stir fry the onions for 3-4 minutes on medium heat until translucent.

Add the ginger, celery and garlic and stir fry another 2 minutes.

Add the grated carrots, baby bok choy and sambal oelek and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, stir fry another 3 minutes.

Add the cooked noodles to the wok with 1/2 cup of soy sauce, stir fry on high heat for 3-4 minutes until the excess soy sauce has evaporated. Add soy sauce to taste if needed.

Pepper to taste.

This will make 4 servings


Bon appetit!