Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Super Green: Just like Kermit

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This new juicer has really got me hooked!  Today's gorgeously GREEN selection is:

1 Cucumber
1 Celery stalk
4 Kale leaves
1 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 lemon, peeled
1/2" piece of ginger

No need to peel.  I only do if the cucumber has wax, or if it is not organic.  Then, juice away.  This stuff is fantastic, so bright and fresh from the lemon and ginger.

A little background here:

My better-half is not only NOT vegan, but a die-hard carnivore. (A very vegan friendly carnivore, but a meat-eater, nonetheless).  This fact makes for interesting meal-times, BUT my vegan cooking has managed to win her over.

However, there are some ingredients that she won't touch.  My aversion to cow's milk and a hunk of steak is the equivalent of her hatred of LEAFY GREENS.  Now, all hard-hitting vegans with any nutritional sense at all know that kale, swiss chard, spinach, and collard greens are regarded as nutritional goddesses in the plant-based world.  But, my dear L will not touch them.  Whole, raw, cooked, or OVER-cooked (not by me, mind you) she runs from greens like they were a steaming bowl of toxic waste.

This makes me sad, as I do love me a big plate of sautéed greens, but just as she does not bring meat and dairy in our home for me to cook, so do I choose NOT to base a whole meal around dark, leafy greens.  That's just not fair... (I wait 'til she's somewhere else for dinner, and then go crazy)!

So, a while back, we watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead on Netlfix.  We are truly documentary gluttons, and can crank through 4 or 5 in one sitting if the mood strikes.  This particular story struck a chord in L, and she toyed with the idea of possibly wanting to try a juice fast, or at least add raw juice into our diets.  But juicers are expensive, and noisy, and messy, and I needed another appliance like I needed a hole in the head.  Plus with L's intense hatred of leafy greens, I though the whole juice fast idea would go down in flames with her first sip of a freshly pressed curly kale leaf.

Fast forward to the week of July 4th, 2012.  Provincetown Vacation - one whole week of fun and sun!

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There is the most fantastic organic market in town:  141 Bradford Natural Market which is a vegan's dream come true.  It's a tad on the pricey side, but when you rent a beach house for the week, and bring in all your own food, it's nice to know there is a place where you can run in, and pick up hummus, freshly baked bread, soy coffee creamer, kombucha or even Daiya cheese, if you want!

They also have a RAW JUICE BAR.

We wandered in the there on day 2 of our vacation, just to check the place out.  L found herself in line at the juice bar, and ordered herself up a big, tall glass of GREEN juice: kale, cucumber, apple, lemon and ginger, to be exact.  With her hatred of all things green, I thought to myself "why on Earth..."?? So, I waited with baited breath at her reaction to her first sip...

Well, she thought it was FANTASTIC, and I, well let's just say, I was thrilled. And, it was there I knew, that juicing was in our future ^_^



Sunday, July 22, 2012

Apple Carrot & Ginger Juice

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My new juicer has arrived, and I could not be more thrilled!  This deliciously gorgeous golden orange concoction was the perfect maiden voyage for the Omega 8006 Multipurpose Juicer.

Here we have:

5 small carrots, organic, leaves removed
2 red delicious apples, cored
1/2" piece of ginger

Feed all items through the chute of the juicer, no need to peel.  Feel free to add more or less ginger, to taste.  It gives the juice a nice warm kick!  Drink and enjoy.

I am so excited about this new raw food juicing adventure.  And, I am especially pleased at how delicious the fresh carrot and apple juice tasted together.  I have a secret: I am not a huge fan of carrots, either raw or cooked.  If I add them to salads, I have to grate them quite fine, just to enjoy them.  They say carrots are good for the eyes, and my eye sight is terrible.  I can barely choke down a raw carrot, which I am sure did NOT help my eyesight in the least.  I remember, when I was little, watching Bugs Bunny crunch on carrots. I would eagerly try and imitate Bugs, gnawing through a chunky hunk of carrot, and hated every minute of it.

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Now, I hear that carrots are some of the most healing foods that provide top notch, quality nutrients, especially in their juice.  Carrots are excellent sources of pro-vitamin A, vitamins C, D, E, K, B1 and B6. They are also rich in biotin, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.

And, then there is beta-carotene, probably the first think one thinks of when considering carrots and their vibrant orange complexion.  Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that has healing virtues for many diseases.  A glass of this stuff a day will cure all that ails you!

So in juice form, I can not only tolerate the taste of 5 carrots at one time, I actually enjoy it.  I might almost go as far to say as I crave it!  The road to wellness is a long and winding path, but I think this juicing might be a step in the right direction.  ^_^

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Scallion & Cheddar Drop Biscuits


Scallion & Cheddar Drop Biscuits


Veganized from Gourmet Magazine. These were fan-FREEKIN-tastic! You might remember my Buttermilk Biscuit making post from a few months back.  I actually made these for St. Patrick's Day, 2012. They turned out fluffy, flaky and were very simple to make. I used Daiya Vegan Cheddar cheese shreds, and reduced the amount of cheese to 1 cup (instead of 1 1/2, which was in the original recipe).  If you want more vegan cheesy goodness, go for it and use the full amount.  For me, sometimes a little Daiya goes a long way... 


I also used my large cookie scoop from Pampered Chef to make the drop biscuits puffy and even.


SCALLION & CHEDDAR DROP BISCUITS


Scallion & Cheddar Drop Biscuits

Ingredients:
cup almond milk, unsweetened (or unsweetened soy milk)
teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon salt
tablespoons Earth Balance buttery sticks, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
cup vegan cheddar cheese, grated (I use Daiya brand)
scallions, finely chopped



Directions:


  • 1.  Preheat oven to 450°F.
  • 2.  Add 1 tsp apple cider vinegar to 1 cup almond milk and set aside to curdle while you measure the dry ingredients.
  • 3.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, then blend in the Earth Balance with your fingertips or a pasty cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
  • 4.  Stir in the Daiya Cheddar and scallions.
  • 5.  Add buttermilk and stir until just combined, do not over mix.
  • 6.  Drop dough in 12 equal mounds about 2 inches apart onto a greased large baking sheet.
  • 7.  Bake in middle of oven until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.


Scallion & Cheddar Drop Biscuits