Triple Ginger Gingersnaps

As many times as I've made these scrumptious cookies I can't believe I haven't posted them before! The recipe is from VegNews Sept./Oct. 2010 issue by Beverly Lynn Bennett at veganchef.com. She doesn't have this recipe on her website so I can't link it to share. :( I found the digitalized version of the recipe from VegNews! It's on page 70. I get requests to make these around the winter holidays; I have even given plates of them for birthday gifts. I'm going to a brunch tomorrow and wanted to bring something sweet and spicy. I used the convection setting on my oven so my kitchen wouldn't heat up too much and I can put both trays of cookies in the oven at the same time; and 10 minutes later ~

These babies have dried ginger, grated fresh ginger, chopped crystallized ginger (Triple Ginger!), black pepper, cinnamon, allspice and molasses in them. After you eat one they leave a nice spicy bite at the back of your throat. (if you're into that kind of thing-he he!)

Slow-Cooker Lentil Sloppy Joes

I must be training my hubby right because he found this recipe in the newspaper the other day. He said, "hey, lentil sloppy joes, here's a recipe for you!" Hee, hee! It was in the health section of the Arizona Republic. The author also has a website here and the recipe is listed there. Great meal to make on a HOT 115 degree day. No heating up the kitchen!

The lentils after cooking for about five hours.

Lentil Sloppy Joes with sweet potato fries and broccoli.

The lentil mixture would be just as tasty over rice or quinoa.

I went shopping at my local Sprouts market and came home with these:

I haven't tried hemp seeds yet; they're kind of nutty tasting. 

I think I'll sprinkle some on my spinach salad.

A juicy organic non-GMO pineapple! 

I like making Pineapple Ginger Mint Smoothies.

Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding

I've had a bag of chia seeds in my fridge for awhile now. I've been trying to find new ways to eat them.

Found this great recipe from Dreena Burton for pudding!  It's sweetened with dates and then you stir in unsweetened coconut and mini chocolate chips. The chia seeds and dates thickens it up almost instantly and could be served right away but it tastes even better chilled.

Yum!

Avocado Toast

It has been a rather 'green' morning so far ~ Green tea, green juice, and green toast! I had several avocados in the fridge and wanted to try something different for breakfast. I remembered Chloe's Kitchen had a 'recipe' for this and I decided to try this simple treat. Avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper; what could be simpler.

This is supposed to serve 2 but what can I say; I ate both of them myself with a glass of soymilk! I used Food for Life Sprouted Grain & Seed Bread for my toast. I might have to continue on with the trend of eating 'green' today and have a big spinach salad for lunch.

Breakfast Casserole

I know this is called 'Breakfast Casserole' but I made it for supper last night. Plenty of leftovers for breakfast though! This is a recipe using The Vegg.

This has a biscuit base layered with vegan sausage crumbles, tofu scramble made with The Vegg and Daiya cheddar shreds. Takes me right back to those sausage and cheese laden (greasy) breakfast bakes I used to make! I made the mistake of baking it a little too long and my biscuit base got a little brown and dry but it still tastes delicious. I also used extra tofu and not enough Vegg so the egg flavor wasn't as strong as it could be. I topped mine with some ketchup and tabasco sauce! I'm going to try and make this again and halve the recipe so we don't have so much leftovers for the two of us. You can find the recipe here: Vegan Breakfast Biscuit Casserole

Breakfast Casserole for supper with sauteed greens and peppers

Tostadas with Chili-Spiced Greens & Potatoes

Wow~can't believe it's been so long since I've posted anything. Busy, busy month. I threw a big bash for my 50th birthday which was actually last month but we celebrated this month. I had everyone bring their favorite finger food to share. I made my favorite vegan ranch salad dressing with veggies and dried veggie chips and Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus with pita bread. I also served Grilled Tofu Veggie Kabobs. I marinated the tofu and my mom grilled them up for me on a grill pan. They were delicious! Now if only I had taken pictures of everything. :(  

I've had this cookbook for awhile now and decided to try a few recipes out of it. The first one I tried, "Quinoa with Chard & Chickpeas" wasn't a success so I'm not including it in my blog because I won't make it again. Tonight I tried the tostada recipe; the combination of ingredients sounded a little strange but it turned out great.

 

The potato and greens (I used baby spinach) mixture. The recipe called for a mashed avocado to be added into the mix but I didn't have one and I really didn't miss it.

Love the flavors of lime, cumin and cilantro! I topped my tostada with a little Daiya cheddar shreds.