TC in a B (Throw Crap in a Bowl) - Mexican Style!

Most of you are familiar with our family favorite dinner called TC in a B (stands for Throw Crap in a Bowl!). Tonight, I put together some previously made and batched-cooked food with some cauliflower that *needed* to be cooked!

Last weekend, I batch cooked and froze packages of brown rice. For tonight's dinner, I simply defrosted the bag and added lime juice and chopped cilantro to it.

We also made our Salsa Fresca this past weekend, so we'll us that.

Then, I cracked open a can of salt-free black bean (rinsed and drained them) and chopped two tomatoes.

Getting all of that rounded up took me about 10 minutes.

Then, I chopped my cauliflower into bit-sized pieces, added it to my pressure cooker with 2 T of taco seasoning, 1 T of whole wheat flour, and 1/2 cup of water. I pressure cooked it for 0 minutes (that's right ZERO--don't set any time, just press the start button) with quick release.

When hubby got back from his run, we assembled our bowls and ate! I added a few sliced black olives and hubby added Cholula. BE CREATIVE! Come up with your own TC in a B!

Be Creative!

It's hard to find crackers in the store that are oil-free and not loaded with ingredients coming from a laboratory. If you don't have time to bake, you've got to get creative! This week, I found Clay-Baked Whole Wheat Lavash at Trader Joe's which is made with simple, whole ingredients and NO oil. I cut a piece in half, lightly brushed the tops with water and sprinkled on dried rosemary, a fairy-dusting of nutritional yeast flakes and salt. Then, I placed them in my toaster oven on 325 degrees for 5-8 minutes (until they crisped up but didn't burn), and WOW! These "crackers" were amazing!

BE CREATIVE. Make something out of something else!

Want to Have a Healthy Week?

My freezer is stocked!

If you want to eat healthy, you have to be prepared. I know that I am more inclined to grab something that isn't the best for me when I have it in the house or when I don't have fresh ingredients all ready to make a meal (or already cooked and ready to eat).

So, the first line of defense is to only have food in the house that is life-giving--whole plant foods like fresh and frozen fruit, fresh and frozen veggies, whole grains (pasta, rice, potatoes, oats, quinoa, barley, etc.), and freshly cooked or canned legumes. Keep almonds, walnuts, and raw cashews in containers to use sparingly in recipes, along with chia seeds and ground flaxseeds to add to recipes or smoothies. You have to grocery shop in order to have healthy food in your house, so make sure grocery shopping is part of your weekly plan.

The second line of defense is to have food ready to use in your cooking or to eat. Chop veggies and fruits for the week. Pressure cook rice and freeze in containers or baggies for future meals. Cook white or sweet potatoes and have them waiting in the fridge to create a meal or eat as a snack. Also, make some oil-free hummus or salsa to store in the fridge for snacks or to add to meals. Make homemade oil-free marinara sauce and/or pesto and freeze for an easy spaghetti night. Bake healthy, oil-free muffins and wrap them well before storing in the freezer.

The third line of defense is to resist eating out in restaurants if possible. The minute you leave your home, you are putting someone else in charge of your food. Even when you say, "No oil, please," you may see glistening on your veggies.

The fourth line of defense is to eat before you go! If you're invited to a party, don't miss it! GO! GO! GO! But, make sure to eat a healthy meal at home before you leave. Then, you can drink chilly water with lemon at the party and eat any fresh fruits or veggies they have there.

Just wanted to remind everyone that success in any endeavor takes planning. Eating well is no different. Have a super week!

Make Kale Part of Your Day!

Try to make kale part of every day. It's a super food, and it's full of nutrients and fiber. One cup of chopped kale has only 33 calories and zero fat. Plus, it has 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein. It ranks 92 on the amino acid completeness score, is super highly rated for weight loss, and ranks 85 on the nutrient balance completeness score. It's loaded with Vitamin A and is a great source of calcium your body can use.
Read more about kale here!


When you chop it finely and add a tangy, oil-free dressing like "3-2-1" dressing, along with various chopped veggies (we like carrots and tri-colored bell peppers) and dried cranberries, chopped apples, pears, or mango...it's delicious! KALE YEAHHHH!

Baked Autumn Penne Casserole

My sweet cousin posted a vegan pumpkin baked ziti recipe on my Facebook wall, suggesting I try it sometime. As I always do, I looked over the ingredients and instructions and realized I had to do some modifications. The result was delish! It does not taste like pumpkin at all. It's a creamy pasta dish with aromatic seasoning. My husband gobbled it up and asked for seconds!
 I am calling this "Baked Autumn Penne Casserole".

8 oz. whole wheat penne pasta, cook until al dente
2 large shallots, minced
8 oz. baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
2 ½ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy, almond or cashew works best)
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup vegan parmesan cheese
¼ t. rubbed (ground) sage
pinch of nutmeg
salt/pepper to taste
¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs

NOTE: If you do not have a very large skillet, make the sauce and pour it over the noodles in the casserole dish rather than adding the pasta to the skillet first. Either way works fine!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Boil the pasta according to package directions, but only until al dente. When it reaches al dente, drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, steamfry the shallots in veggie broth (in a VERY large skillet) until tender (about 5 minutes) and golden brown.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until tender and moisture has evaporated.
Sprinkle in the flour over the shallots and cook for 1 minute. A
Add the non-dairy milk slowly into the skillet and stir well or whisk until incorporated.
Add the pumpkin puree and continue stirring  until incorporated.
Add rubbed sage, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
Cook over medium heat stars to thicken, stirring often.
Stir in the vegan parmesan cheese.
When the sauce has thickened (to the texture of alfredo sauce), add the cooked pasta and stir well to coat all pieces.
Place the sauce-coated pasta into a casserole dish (slightly smaller than a 13x9 if possible).
Top the casserole with whole wheat bread crumbs.
Bake covered (with foil) for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.

Batch Cook and Freeze Potatoes

The other night, I was talking to my son and he was concerned that the frozen potatoes he bought at Trader Joe's had oil in them. I suggested he cook and freeze his own potatoes. So, here is a quick tutorial of how to do it! I always use organic potatoes. If yours are not organic, make sure to peel them first.
IMPORTANT NOTE: After freezing the potatoes, they still need to be cooked/baked/roasted. You blanch them before freezing to kill any bacteria, but they are NOT cooked yet!
I use the potatoes to cook in a skillet and add to my tofu scramble or season with herbs and roast (with a bit of veggie broth) as a side dish with dinner.

Rinse potatoes well	Chop into 1-inch chunks
Boil for 5 minutes	Strain, pour into ice-water bath, strain again.

Place into freeze bags and freeze!

Roasted Herb Zucchini

3 zucchini, cut into bite-sized chunks
10-12 grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried oregano
1/4-1/2 t. salt
black pepper to taste

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, making sure all pieces are coated with spices.
Pour mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet covered with Reynolds non-stick foil.
Roast for 15-20 minutes until tender but not mushy.

Smoky Sweet Potato Bean Spinach Burgers

When I make veggie burgers, I don't expect them to LOOK like a hamburger. I am perfectly fine with them appearing like a bunch of veggies and beans mashed together into a pattie. This time, I came up with a mix of ingredients that actually turned out looking like a hamburger (without the cruelty behind it). These were made in the food processor, but if you don't have one, you can mash the beans well by hand and chop the baby spinach before mixing everything together. It's a sticky batter, but the patties dry out nicely in the oven.

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups baked sweet potato
1 1/2 cups oats
3-4 dashes of liquid smoke
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. onion powder
2 large handfuls of baby spinach

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a food processor, add the beans and sweet potatoes. Process until the beans are no longer noticeable. Add the oats, liquid smoke, salt, onion powder, and baby spinach and PULSE until the spinach chopped well. Scrape down the sides a couple of times in between pulsing.
Shape into patties and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Flip the patties and bake for 5 more minutes. Serve!

NOTE: If you are freezing the patties for a future meal, let them cool, then wrap each individually in plastic wrap and store all of them together in a gallon-size freezer bag or container.

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Book Review and Giveaway: Plant-Powered Families by Dreena Burton

This Friday, I will give away a SIGNED copy of PLANT-POWERED FAMILIES by Dreena Burton! Check out my FB page for details!

Book Review:
It all started with my desperate need to find a plant-based Caesar salad dressing that did not contain oil. Everything I tried tasted terrible. Then, my book arrived—Plant-Powered Families—written by the well-known mom and chef, Dreena Burton.  I wanted to quickly thumb through the book, but it was hard to when every page—every recipe and photo—drew me in! Finally, I made it to page 106. YES! An oil-free Caesar dressing with ingredients I could find at my local Trader Joe’s. With company invited for dinner that coming weekend (and oven-roasted eggplant “parmesan” subs on the menu), I knew this would be the perfect complement. Let’s just say EVERYONE licked their salad bowl clean.

The next recipe I tried was the Balsamic-Glazed Seasoned Yam Fries (p. 155). We were having homemade veggie burgers and these took the show away.  My sons (who are not huge sweet potato fans) scarfed them down in seconds flat.

From the Ultimate Teriyaki Stir-Fry (p. 166) to the deliciously nut-meggy Best Banana Bread (p. 48), everyone in my family has thoroughly enjoyed each and every recipe I have made so far.  Even though my children are practically grown, this book has been a hit in my home.  Having the boys home this summer, I was cooking for four again. I am so glad I had this book of gems to make me seem like a star mom in the kitchen.        

I especially appreciate that I haven’t had to skip over recipes because Dreena used all WHOLE food ingredients in every recipe. With my “no-oil” restriction, I always feel like I have to modify recipes. Thankfully, this has not been the case!

Finally, please don’t miss out on Part Four of Plant-Powered Families. This is a section NO ONE should skip. It has a plethora of important information, including do-it-yourself staples recipes and helpful cooking guides. The sample meal plans make it really simple to find ideas for feeding your family, while the FAQ section offers answers to nutrition questions you might be wondering about.

All around, the book gets 5 out of 5 stars. It will soon be another one of my "beat up" cookbooks because I will be using it ALL the time!

This Friday, I will give away a SIGNED copy of PLANT-POWERED FAMILIES by Dreena Burton!
Check out my FB page for details!

Overnight Oats

Photo shows steel-cut oats, but you can also use
old-fashioned oats

If you want a change of pace for breakfast, but you don't want to stray from oats (which are so incredibly heart-healthy), try these delightful overnight oats. You can add or delete anything you like! I eat mine cold, but some people like to slightly warm them beforehand. It's all up to your personal preference!

1/2 cup old-fashioned or steel-cut oats

1 t chia seeds

1 t ground flaxseeds
1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground nutmeg

2 T chopped walnuts

1 chopped medjool date OR 2 t maple syrup
1/2 t ground vanilla extract

1/2 cup non-dairy milk of choice 

1/2 banana sliced
1 T. of raisins or dried cranberries

Throw all the ingredients except for the banana and raisins/dried cranberries (unless you don't mind them bloated) in a jar and mix well.  Store overnight in the fridge. When you are ready to eat, slice the banana and mix it in.  I thought putting the banana in the night before would make it too mushy.

TIP: Make 5 baggies of the dry ingredients while all of your ingredients are out. Then, each night, you can add the wet and dry ingredients into your jar and chill it. This saves a bit of time!

Sriracha Oven "Fried" Sweet Potato Tempura Sushi

We made this delicious plant-based Sriracha Oven "Fried" Sweet Potato Tempura Sushi tonight with a few modifications. We used whole wheat flour in the batter and whole wheat Panko bread crumbs for the sweet potato tempura.They came out awesome! Delish alone or in the sushi!
 We also topped ours with Sky Valley Peanut Sauce and sriracha sauce.

Check out the recipe from High Carb Hannah's YouTube site!

Oil-Free Carrot Muffins with Orange-Maple Glaze

Last night, I had a dream about making carrot muffins using the blender. I know, weird. But, I woke up convinced that I had to try making some! So, here is the recipe I came up with.

2 T ground flaxseeds + 6 T warm water
½ cup unsweetened organic applesauce
1 ½ cups chopped carrots, (if organic, leave peels on)
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 T unsulphured molasses

1 cup whole wheat flour or spelt flour
1 cup oat flour
½ T baking powder
½ t. baking soda
¼ t salt
1 ½ t cinnamon

Glaze:
2 T freshly squeeze orange juice
1 T maple syrup

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed with the water, stir and set aside.
In a high-speed blender, blend the carrots, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and molasses until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking soda and powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Add the wet blended mixture to the dry mixture and mix to combine well.
Spoon mixture into silicone baking cups to the top (so they puff up over the top in the oven).
Bake for 20 minutes.
While the muffins are baking, mix up your glaze.
After removing muffins from the oven, turn it off.
While the muffins are warm, carefully drizzle the glaze over them.Return the muffin tray to the oven for 5 minutes (make sure the oven is turned off!) to let the glaze thicken on the muffins.

Get-Dinner-on-the-Table Pasta

On weeknights, I feel like it is essential to be able to make a healthy meal in 30 minutes or less. This delicious pasta dish (FULL of fresh veggies) is flavorful and satiating. It's made in the pressure cooker (though could easily also be made in a large pot or skillet on the stove) in minutes.

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 small eggplant, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
3 organic zucchini, chopped into 1-inch chunks
2 cups of bell peppers (red, orange, yellow), chopped into 1-inch chunks
1 28-oz can of organic crushed tomatoes (with or without basil added)
1 15-oz. can of organic tomato sauce
1/4 cup red wine
2 t. dried basil
2 t. dried oregano
2 t. dried rosemary, crush finely
1/4-1/2 t. black pepper
3/4 t. salt
1 T coconut sugar
3 cups of fresh baby spinach
1 pound whole grain pasta of choice
Vegan parmesan cheese, optional

Chop all of your veggies and have them ready to go!
Add the onion to your pressure cooker and cook on brown/saute until tender and lightly browned. Add a little water if the onions get too dry.
Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Dump all the rest of the ingredient (EXCEPT for the SPINACH) in the pressure cooker.
Cook for 6 minutes on pressure with NATURAL release.
When the top will open, add in the spinach, stir well, then close the lid and leave everything in there on WARM for another 10 minutes.
During this time, cook your pasta according to package directions.
When finished, serve the sauce over your pasta. Top with vegan parmesan cheese if you desire.

Crispy Kale "Crackers"

Crispy Kale "Crackers"

As the temperatures lower, we start using our dehydrator more. One of our favorite snacks are Crispy Kale "Crackers", which are made from all whole foods. They can be made in the oven or in a dehydrator. However, you do need a food processor to chop the kale up very finely.

1 bunch organic curly kale, washed well (don't worry about drying it)
½ cup walnuts
1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 T. chia seeds (black or white)
¼ t. garlic powder
¾ t. Himalayan or sea salt
1 t. dry mustard
1 t. organic apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes (this gives a cheesy flavor, but is optional)
Black or cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
Dehydrator with silicone sheet OR
Parchment paper/Cookie sheet

Put washed kale and place in food processor bowl (1/2 of the leaves at a time) and process until it is ground into tiny pieces. Process the other half with the walnuts until ground into tiny pieces. Put all processed kale and walnuts into a bowl and add all of the rest of the ingredients. Mix together well.

Spread mixture onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper about 1/4-inch thick. Try to spread it smoothly.
Bake on LOWEST SETTING in oven until fully dehydrated and crispy. Time will vary.
When the mixture is dry but not fully crispy yet, you can break the mixture into crack-sized pieces and flip them over once to make sure they are drying out well on both sides.

If making in a dehydrator, set to 115 degrees. Mine take about 10-14 hours to dehydrate, and they are considered "raw" because of the low temperature being used. Dehydrating at that setting keeps most all the nutrients intact. Make sure to flip the mixture over once (around the last 2 to 3 hours of dehydrating), breaking it into cracker-sized pieces as you flip them.

Autumn Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Chard

I wasn't sure what to name this beauty, but oh my, it was magnificent! To ring in the fall, I decided to roast a butternut squash and make a sauce with it. It's tangy and smoky and just fabulous!

NOTE: If you would prefer to use roasted garlic in the recipe, you can roast the 3 cloves (wrapped in foil) on the same tray as the butternut squash. Remove after 45 minutes. Add to the sauce (in the blender) rather than to the pan with the onions.

1 butternut squash
1/2 pound of whole wheat penne pasta (or other whole wheat pasta)

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups of the roasted butternut squash
1/4 cup cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours
1 1/2 cups veggie broth
2 T. white or yellow miso paste

1 large onion, diced small
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 splashes of liquid smoke
1/2 t. ground sage
1 bunch of chard (I used rainbow), washed well, dried and chopped finely
1/4-1/2 t. salt (optional)
black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (400 degrees convection).
Cut the butternut squash into large chunks and remove the seeds. Place face down onto a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast for around 1 hour or until tender when fork is inserted into the pieces. Set aside to cool.

Remove  1 1/2 cups of the roasted butternut squash (saving the rest to place on top of your pasta) and put it in a blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

While you are cooking the pasta, steamfry the onions in a LARGE skillet until lightly brown. Add the wine and garlic in when the onions get dry. Add the liquid smoke and sage. Add the chard and cook for about 3 minutes. Add in the sauce from your blender. Stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add drained pasta into the skillet and make sure it is coated thoroughly.
Serve warm with small chunks of the remaining roasted butternut squash on top of the pasta.

Inspired by Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Roasted Butternut Alfredo recipe

Banana Oat Pancakes with "Chocolate" Syrup

Some people think that breakfast options are limited when you're a plant-based eater. NOT TRUE! You can eat simply (bowl of cereal or oatmeal), or you can create something special!

On the weekends, we like to make something that is a little more gourmet (but doesn't take a lot of time). These are my staple Oil-Free Banana Oat Pancakes with a simple "chocolate" syrup over them -- make from dark carob powder (or you can use cocoa powder), date syrup (I used dates and blended the mixture, but I recommend date syrup or maple syrup instead), and low-fat soy milk, topped with chopped walnuts. This looks like something from a magazine, but it came from a home kitchen with minimal ingredients.

Pesto and Tofu Ricotta Veggie Calzone

Calzone BEFORE baking

A week or so ago, I made some Oil-Free Basil-Walnut Pesto with basil from my garden and froze it in small containers. Also, I batch cooked some homemade marinara sauce in the pressure cooker and froze portions of that as well. TA-DA! I was able to put together these AH-MAY-ZING plant-based calzones in minutes because I had batch cooked on a different day!

Tonight, I made a filling with mushrooms, zucchini, and red bell pepper (all diced small), which I steam-fried in a skillet. I added the pesto to the mixture and stirred it in well. Then, I quickly made up a small amount of spinach-basil tofu ricotta. It is SUPER easy to make! I just used 1/2 a block of extra firm tofu, which I pressed (you can also just drain it well) and crumbled into tiny pieces in a small bowl. I added 1 cup of spinach and 5 basil leaves which I finely chopped. Then, I added 1 T. nutritional yeast flakes, a few grinds of black pepper, and a pinch of salt.

We simply rolled out and stuffed Trader Joe's (refrigerated) whole wheat pizza dough (which I bought a while back, froze, and defrosted for tonight's dinner) with the veggie/pesto and tofu ricotta mixtures. Then, I pressed the edges well and brushed the tops with some aquafaba (just because I had some leftover in the fridge!) and baked them at 350 degrees (on a parchment-lined baking sheet) until lightly browned (about 20 minutes). Then, we served them with the warmed marinara and sprinkled the tops with Homemade Vegan Parmesan. DELISH!

Pesto and Tofu Ricotta Veggie Calzone

Batch Cooking Comes Alive!

This past weekend, I batch cooked a few items that saved my dinner tonight!

I had previously cooked up the rest of my purple sweet potatoes from Hawaii in the pressure cooker and stored them in packages in the freezer, plus I made a batch of blended black beans (also in the pressure cooker), which I had stored in a container in the refrigerator. Thinking quickly, I chopped up three zucchini, tossed them with a mixture of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder and roasted them on non-stick foil in the toaster oven for about 15 minutes on 400 degrees. NO OIL! While those were cooking, I pulled whole wheat tortillas out of the freezer and quickly steamed enough for dinner, placing them in my handy-dandy tortilla keeper until needed. Then, I warmed the purple sweet potatoes and blended black beans in small bowls -- enough for each of us to make two burritos each. Finally, I chopped grape tomatoes in half and chopped up some fresh cilantro (I had purchased to make more salsa but never did). VOILA! These gorgeous burritos came together in 20 minutes because I had batch cooked in advance! A complete dinner, loaded with nutrients and fiber!

Mung (Moong) Bean Sprout Salad

I sprouted my own mung beans in a fine-mesh strainer a few days ago, so I decided to try and duplicate a salad I had at an Indian restaurant recently because it was SO good. This is what I came up with. SO yummy!

2-3 cups sprouted mung beans
1 small jalapeno, diced finely
1/4 red onion, diced finely (not shown in photo)
1/2 organic tomato, seeded and diced small
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 t. maple syrup
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. cumin powder

Mix all ingredients together gently. Chill and serve after 2-3 hours.

Roasted Strawberry Farro Salad

It's been a while since I made a dish with the beautiful ancient grain, farro. I prefer farro in a cold salad (preferably al dente), but there are many ways to make warm dishes with it as well.

If you're looking for an amazing luncheon salad or something to bring to a potluck, this tasty, high-nutrient salad fits the bill! You can add or subtract ingredients and it will taste delicious as long as you include the farro, roasted strawberries, and the dressing.


1 bag of Trader Joe's 10-minute farro*, boiled for 8 minutes, drained, and chilled
8 oz. fresh organic strawberries, cut into halves (if small) or quarters (if large)
1 T. maple syrup
1 T. balsamic vinegar (I like Napa Valley Naturals 4% acidity)
1 cup jicama, peeled and diced
2 cups tightly-packed spinach, chopped
1 handful of fresh basil, chiffonaded (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiffonade)
2 T. walnuts, toasted and chopped finely
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Strawberry Balsamic Dressing:
6 fresh or frozen organic strawberries
2 T water
1 t. Dijon or stone-ground mustard
1 T. balsamic vinegar (I like Napa Valley Naturals 4% acidity)
1 T. maple syrup
1 t. chia seeds


* You can cook your own farro from scratch, too. You will need to yield about 3-4 cups of cook farro for this recipe.

Boil the Trader Joe's 10-Minute Farro in boiling water for 8 minutes. You want the farro to be slightly chewy. Drain and chill in a bowl until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
After washing strawberries well, remove the hulls and cut into halves (if small) and quarters (if larger). Place in a small bowl.
Mix together 1 T. of maple syrup and 1 T. balsamic vinegar. Pour over strawberries and coat well.
Place the strawberries on a parchment or non-stick foil-lined baking sheet.
Roast for 20 minutes. Move strawberries and residual liquid to a bowl and chill in the fridge until ready to use.

Peel and dice a chunk of jicama (about 1 cup). Chop spinach and chiffonade the basil leaves.
Fridge until ready to use.

To make the dressing, simply blend all ingredients in the blender until smooth and creamy. Chill before putting the salad together.

Mrs. Plant's Crispy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bites

When I go visit my son, I like to take him some healthier snacks. He's a peanut butter lover, so I think he's gonna like this one!

3 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups crispy brown rice cereal (I used Whole Foods 365 brand)
1 T chia seeds
3 T. shelled hemp seeds
1/8 t. salt
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 cup date syrup*
2 T. maple syrup
2 T. natural peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the oats on a rimmed tray and bake for 10 minutes, stirring around after 5 minutes.  Leave oven on.

Move baked oats into a large bowl. Add crispy brown rice cereal, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and salt. Stir together.

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the date syrup, maple syrup, and peanut butter for 5-10 minutes.

Pour sweetener/peanut butter mixture over the grains and seeds and mix until all is coated well. Fold in chocolate chips.

Press the mixture into a 13x9" glass baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven. Let cool well. Break into bite-sized pieces. Store in sealed container.

* This date syrup can be purchased from Vitacost.com for a bit cheaper.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana (Non-Dairy) Ice Cream

3 frozen ripe (but not overly ripe) bananas, cut into chunks
2 T. peanut butter powder
2 T. cocoa powder
1 T. maple syrup (optional)
2-4 T. soy or cashew milk

In a food processor, process the banana chunks until they look like "Dippin' Dots." Add peanut powder, cocoa, maple syrup, and 2 T. of non-dairy milk. Process until smooth and creamy, adding more non-dairy milk if needed.

Store extra ice cream in a air-tight container in the freeze for a future treat!

Shout Out to Me!

Unrelated photo of my dinner, but I had to add a photo
to get your attention! ;-)

I have been reviewing the stats from my food blog and LOVE LOVE LOVE that there are people from all over the world checking out Mrs. Plant. I want to hear from you, so post a message to me here (below this post), or send me an e-mail letting me know which recipes you've tried, whether or not you liked them, and any special requests you have. I want to connect with you!

[pictured: pressure-cooked Yukon Gold potatoes covered in "Oat" Cheese, sprinkled with vegan bacon bits, along with luscious steamed broccoli]

Power Balls (a version of Damn Good Cookies)

I just got finished taking part in Jill Ann McKeever's HangWith (from www.simpledailyrecipes.com), and she had us all make our own version of Damn Good Cookies from My Beef with Meat along with her LIVE. It was fun!
Here's how I did mine...

8 pitted Mejool dates
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown rice crispy cereal
3 T. mini dark chocolate chips (vegan)
1 T. vanilla
1 T. maple syrup

In a high-speed blender or food processor, grind the nuts until chopped finely. Add the dates and process until chopped finely. Move mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined. Press mixture into balls and place on waxed paper or a silpat on a baking sheet. Chill. Serve!