Cajun String Fries and BBQ Faux Cream

Cajun String Fries and BBQ Faux Cream

I love string fries!  They’re crunchy, spicy and oh so easy to make!  I upped the game with this tasty BBQ Faux Cream.  

Try to use a large Cast Iron Pan, as this really distributes the heated oil and is also easier to work with.  I’ve also shared a very important secret in cooking string fries!

Ingredients:

1 large Idaho Potato

Cajun Spice

Salt

Pepper

¾ cup of Vegetable oil for frying

Large piece of cheesecloth

BBQ Cream

½ Cup of Vegan Mayo (easy to make your own-see previous recipe)

¼ cup of BBQ sauce

1 tsp of horse white horse radish

1 tsp of whole grain mustard (easy to make your own-see previous recipe)

Heat the oil in the cast iron pan.  Make sure it’s hot enough before adding the potato.  Do this by either using a temperature gauge or dropping a small piece of potato in it to see if it sizzles.

Clean the potato, removing dirt, eyes, etc., but leave the skin on.  In a grater or Food Processor, grate the potato.  “SECRET” Place the potato in the center of the cheese cloth.  Roll it up like a ball and squeeze out the water from the potato.  It will cook faster and not be soggy.

Place the string/grated potato in the hot oil. Watch carefully as you don’t want it to burn.  When it has browned around the edges, carefully cut it in fourths and flip over. Cook gently until browned.  Remove and let it sit on a paper towel to remove any oil.  Sprinkle Cajun Spice, Salt and Pepper over the top to taste.

 

BBQ Cream

Place all ingredients in a bowl, stir together with a whisk.

Serve with a meal or just eat by itself!  Yummy!

This is one of my favorite condiments with a veggie burger!

Secret Recipe...Vegan, Cherry Amaretto Cheesecake (shhh...don't share)

This is such a secret recipe...I wasn't going to post it...but thought it is so AMAZING, that I just had to share!

CHERRY CHEESE CAKE

INGREIDIENTS:

1 LB OF FIRM TOFU

1 JAR OF CHERRY PRESERVES

1 CUP OF MAPLE SUGAR

½ OF A BAG OF FROZEN CHERRIES

¼ CUP OF AMARETTO (OPTIONAL)

1 BOX OF GINGER SNAP COOKIES

DASH OF CINAMIN

¼ STICK OF VEGAN BUTTER OR REGULAR BUTTER

PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 375

IN A FOOD PROCESSOR BLEND THE COOKIES, CINAMIN AND BUTTER UNTIL CRUMBLED.  PRESS INTO A PIE PLATE.

IN A HIGH SPEED BLENDER, BLEND THE TOFU AND SUGAR UNTIL VERY SMOOTH.  POUR INTO COOKIE CRUST.  BAKE UNTIL GELS TOGETHER, ONLY SLIGHTLY BROWN AROUND THE EDGES.  REMOVE FROM OVEN, LET COOL.

IN A PAN, HEAT THE CHERRY PRESERVES, CHERRIES AMARETTEO MIX UNTIL BLENDED.  POUR ON TOP OF CHEESE CAKE. REFRIGERATE SEVERAL HOURS OR OVER NIGHT.

Vegan Egg Salad...Low, low fat and low calories, too!!

Several people have asked me about this recipe.  It is fantastic and actually...better than regular Egg Salad!

I like serving it in a wrap with lettuce & tomato or on top of a Salad.

Vegan Egg Salad

½ cup of chopped shallots or onion

3-4 Chopped Dates (remove seed)

½ Cup of chopped Cilantro

1 tsp of Curry Powder (preferably Vindaloo Curry)

1 tsp of Turmeric

Salt

Dijon Mustard

½ tsp Kala Namak (tastes like egg)

1 Package of Firm Tofu

½ cup of Vegan Mayonaise (easy to make your own-see blog for recipe(

Slice the tofu in ½ inch slices and gently place in boiling water.  When the tofu begins to float, remove and set on a paper towel to cool.  Set aside.

Mix all the other ingredients in a large bowl, adjusting seasonings to your taste.  Crumble and add the tofu and gently mix together.

Chill and Serve!

Banana Dream....YUM!

This is a great, refreshing dessert!  Great anytime, particularly after a spicy meal.

Whenever we buy bananas, often they end up getting rotted and we have to through them out.  Before they get "black" and are still in tack, peel two bananas and put them into baggies.  Make as many packages as you have bananas, but only put two in each bag. Place them in the freezer for these fantastic Banana Dreams!

Ingredients:

1 package of frozen bananas
1-2 Cups of Cashew (preferred), Coconut or Almond Milk (The combination of the new Coconut/Almond Milk is tasty) (depending on how thick you would like it-ice cream texture or milk shake texture)
1/4 cup of Granola
1 TBL spoon of Brown Sugar or Honey
1 tsp of Cinnamon

Place the Milk in the Vitamix, add the remaining ingredients and using the Vitamix Plunger to blend thoroughly.  Do not over blend.  Mixture will come out as thick, ice cream like mixture. Very important, start the Vitamix slowly, increasing the speed.

Serve it with a dash of cinnamon on top.

Enjoy! 

*** You can make this a Smoothie by simply adding more Almond or Coconut Milk ***

Vegan Rolled Oat Pancakes!

Organic Rolled Oat Pancakes!

I was in the mood for some pancakes, and I know I needed an egg substitute and didn’t want to use the “usual” bleached flower or Wheat Flower.

I used Organic Rolled Oats and made it into flower!  They came out “SENSATIONAL!”

Here’s the recipe…You can buy Organic Rolled Oat Flower at the store or make your own (fast too!)

3 Cups of Organic Rolled Oats or 1 cup of pre-made Oat flower

1/3 brick of firm Tofu

Pinch of Salt

½ tsp of Cinnamon

½ tsp of Baking Soda

1-2 TB of honey

Water

1 TB of Vegetable oil

If you want to make the flower, you will need your Vitamix Dry Container.  Place the Oats in the container and run at low speed – gradually increasing the speed until the Oats have the consistency of Flower.  Done.

Place the Tofu in the regular Vitamix container with 1 cup of water, mix.  You want this to have the consistency of milk.  Do not make it thick.

Put the Oat Flower in a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients.  Add water so the batter has the consistency of Pancake batter.  Taste it, add more honey if it needs it.

Let sit for about 5 minutes.

I like using a Cast Iron Pan.  It gets hotter and cooks the pancakes more evenly.

Coat the Heated pan with oil, if you use too much oil, pour it into another container and use for the next batch of pancakes.

Pour the batter into the hot pan – make your pancakes the size you like.  I like a medium size pancake, some like the Silver dollar, while some like the large size.

Flip the pancakes when the edges start to brown and it bubbles in the center.

Serve with Pure Maple Syrup.

Easy to make Dog Food! They'll love it!!

In the previous blog I talked about how my girls love their homemade food.  Here is the easy - easy recipe.  Adjust as you want.

I buy either chicken or ground turkey at either Sam's Club or Cosco.  I buy it in bulk, and freeze the remainder for more meals.

6 lbs of ground turkey
1 Package of small carrots
1 Package of Cut String Beans
1-2 cups of regular or brown rice (don't use instant or quick rice)
2-4 cups of water
1 Cup of BBQ Sauce

In a very large pot cook the turkey until done.  Add the carrots and string beans and water and BBQ sauce, cook until simmering.  Stir well.  Add the rice, mix thoroughly.  Add a little more water if needed.  Cover, turn off the heat, set aside.  Stir and add water if needed.  Make sure it's not too watery, other wise the rice won't cook well.

I put it in vacuum sealed bags in batches.  Freeze in batches in containers, if you don't have a vacuum sealer (a great addition to your kitchen).

The dogs will love it!

(I bought my pot from the Restaurant Store...http://www.therestaurantstore.com/)

Do you Love your Doggies? How about this...

When I first got my Casey, I stopped by the local Pet Store and bought a few cans of a National Brand food.

When I served it to her, she looked at it, looked at me - as if saying..."I am not eating that crap!"

I looked at it too.  I agreed with her!

I found another canned food, that she loved.  It had all natural ingredients; chicken, rice, string beans, carrots - with no preservatives.  Case loved it!

But it was expensive.  So...I decided to make her food.  Using the same ingredients, I bought the ingredients at a Wholesale grocery -Sam's Club.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/homepage.jsp

I made her food for a month and froze in vacuum sealer bags.  

 http://www.foodsaver.com/vacuum-sealers

I supplemented it with small amount of dry dog food from Pet Smart.  It's all natural and comes in different varieties.

http://www.petsmart.com/featured-shops/dog-food/cat-36-catid-800160

Now I have two Girls!  I have to make twice as much food - but it's worth it!  They, somehow know when I am making "THEIR FOOD!"  They watch me while I am cooking...they just know!!  Aren't dogs amazing!  Isn't it cool when you have such astonishing connection to your dogs?  Their soooo special!

Watch the next blog for a very easy recipe for dogs.  They will love it, be better for them and they will love you even more for making it for them!

Lentil and Kale Um Um Soup...Yum!

Lentil and Kale Um Um Soup

This is a fantastic soup, anytime, but especially when it’s cold outside.  Easy to make, too!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of Green Lentils

3 Containers of Vegetable Stock (or 48 oz. of your own)

1 Chopped Onion

2 Stalks of Chopped Celery

2 Stalks of Chopped Carrots

1 Can of Italian Tomatoes

3 Full Handfuls of washed and chopped Kale

2 Cloves of Garlic

Pepper, Rosemary, Chopped Parsley

1 TB of Toasted Sesame Oil

1 TB of Apple Cider Vinegar or Lime Juice

Rinse the Lentils and place them in a pot with the Vegetable Stock.  Simmer until the lentils are soft.  While they are cooking, sauté the onion, celery and carrots and garlic in a pan with a little olive oil – until tender, set aside.

When the lentils are finished, add the sautéd mixture, and the rest of the ingredients.  Add the Kale last in small batches, stirring each time – as the kale will shrink.  Stir and adjust seasonings.

Cooking time will vary, but the lentils should cook down in about 30-45 minutes.  Cook with the kale until the kale is soft, another 30 minutes or so.

If you like your soup chunky, serve as it is.  If you like it more creamy, use a submersible blender to mix and smooth the soup to the consistency you prefer.

Enjoy!