Dark Chocolate Brownies

Cakes don't get made very often in my kitchen. The reason behind this is that, well....we are brownie people. Who wants a slice of cake when you can have a moist, rich, fudgy brownie? Since all of the crazy food allergies popped up I haven't had a brownie in a long time, (we are talking months here people!)

So I began my search to find an allergy friendly gluten free brownie recipe. I ended up making my own since I would find one that was gluten free but it would have eggs, if it didn't have eggs it would have dairy, or it just wouldn't be gluten free! So here is what I came up with and lets just say the hubby was very pleased and told me I better hide them if I want some!

Next time I am going to try to sweeten them with just dates and see how it goes. I think dates would make them even more fudgy.

It's dark I know, but we are dark chocolate fanatics in this house! you can easily use regular cocoa instead of the dark cocoa. Here is an interesting article on Dutch vs Natural Cocoa. 

Wet mix 6 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup coconut oil melted 1/3 cup raw sugar 20 drops of liquid stevia  4 Tbs applesauce unsweetened 1 teaspoon Vanilla Dry mix 2/3 cup gf flour blend 2 Tbs flax seed meal 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum 1/2 cup Chopped Nuts (optional)

Preheat oven 350 and grease an 8x8 or 9x5 pan.   Melt the coconut oil and whisk in the cocoa powder. Mix in the sugar, stevia, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir until sugar is dissolved. In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, and flax meal together. Slowly stir the wet mix into the flour mixture. Add the nuts either in the mixture or just sprinkle 2 Tbs on top. Pour into greased pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool, remove, and cut into squares. *Trick* grease the pan and lay parchment paper inside so that 2 parallel edges fit perfectly in the pan and 2 parallel edges stick slightly out of the pan. Grease the parchment paper. After the brownies have cooled in the pan lift the paper out and the brownies can be cut evenly.

Black Bean Burgers

Time for black bean burgers, they have tons of flavor and are a healthy option when I am out of grass fed ground beef. I also love that this recipe makes 18 burgers and they freeze well, which makes for easy future dinners!

 Uncooked black bean burger, it's ready to get grilled!

After it's been grilled

Black bean burger, ready to eat!

Black Bean Burgers

• 4 cups cooked, rinsed and drained black beans 
• (1 1/2 cups of dry beans makes about 4 cups cooked, also cook them with garlic, onion, and celery to add flavor)

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
•  (1/2 cup dry will make 1 cup cooked)

• 2 Tbs flax seed
• 3Tbs water
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 Tbs ground cumin 
• 1 Tbs dried parsley
• 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
• 1 tsp. coarse salt 
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• Gluten Free Bread Crumbs or oat flour (to roll in)

1. Cook black beans (this needs to be done in advance) or buy a few cans of black beans. Cook the quinoa while mixing the other ingredients.
2. Chop the cilantro, dice the onion, and mince the garlic. (I used my food processor.) Place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Place 2 cups of the black beans in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until chunky.
4. Transfer to the large mixing bowl. Add flax meal and mix with water.  Add remaining whole black beans, tomato paste, cumin, parsley, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes and mix until well combined.  When the quinoa is done cooking mix that in as well.
5. Let chill in fridge for 15 minutes to set up.
6. Can cook in a lightly greased pan, I used a pancake griddle so I could cook 9 at a time. Turn griddle onto 375 and make the patties while warming up.
7. Pour some gluten free bread crumbs onto a plate. Scoop out 1/4 cup bean mix and lightly roll in the bread crumbs. This prevents the bean mixture from sticking to your hands.  Then form a patty about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. If you want bigger patties scoop  1/3 of a cup.
8. Spray the griddle/pan and cook for about five minutes on the first side or until well seared and with a flipping spatula, turn onto second side and allow to cook for an additional five minutes

This made 18 burgers so you could easily half the recipe. I like making a large batch like this and then freezing the leftovers between parchment paper. Then all I have to do is microwave a burger, grab ketchup n mustard, chop up my tomato, lettuce, pickles, onion, and toast a gluten free bun!

NOTE: I cooked my own black beans and I didn't drain them well enough (I just scooped them out of the pot and tried to avoid the liquid) so I had to blend up gluten free oatmeal to thicken the "batter."  So drain the black beans well or you may have to add a thickener of some sort. I have made them in the past with well drained beans and I haven't had to add anything.  Lesson learned: trying to take the easy way out just makes for more work!

sautéed greens tossed with toasted walnuts

 Toasting walnuts with garlic and a little EVOO on medium heat
 

 Toss in the chopped greens (I used arugula and spinach)
 

 Let them cook for a few minutes while stirring
 

Add a pinch of salt and they are ready to eat!

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Not the best picture but it was soo good I just wanted to eat it right away!!

Hummus is one of my favorite foods. It's healthy, taste great, and is very versatile. My top 3 are Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Jalapeño with Cilantro, and the one I am about to give you-Roasted Garlic Hummus!

Hummus calls for Tahini. You can buy a jar for 8-11 bucks at the store or blend up your own and save a ton of money. I usually buy 1 lb of sesame seeds out of the self serve bins for $3.50. You only need 1/2 cup of sesame seeds and you'll be able to make this hummus recipe a couple times.

Tahini
1/2 cup hulled sesame seeds
1 Tbs olive oil

Dump the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat on the stove. Stir the seeds until the start popping and turn golden brown. Usually takes about 7 minutes or so, remove and let cool on a plate. Pour the seeds into a food processor, add 1 Tbs of olive oil, and blend until it turns into nut butter. Seal in an air tight container and it will store in the fridge for several weeks.

Roasted Garlic
1 bulb garlic
1 Tbs olive oil

Cut the garlic bulb in half and place them on 2 sheets of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap up the bulbs in the foil. Set oven to 375 and roast in oven for 40 minutes. The garlic with be very soft, golden brown and easy to squeeze out of the bulb.

 As you can see the sesame seeds aren't completely pureed. I used sesame seeds that were NOT hulled. The store was all out of hulled so instead of buying a jar I decided to try unhulled. I put the garlic in and after a few minutes I eventually had nut butter. So for quick tahini use HULLED! 

Roasted Garlic Hummus

1 bulb roasted garlic

2 Tbs olive oil

15 oz chickpeas cooked and drained (garbanzo beans)

2 Tbs tahini

Juice 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt or 1/2 tsp veggie base 

Chopped parsley and Greek olives for garnish (optional)

Add all the ingredients except the garnish into the food processer. You'll have to squeeze out the garlic. Blend until very smooth. Scrape into a bowl and top with the garnish. Serve with carrots, cucumbers, celery, radishes, crackers, pita bread, and any other food you like to dip with.

I made whole wheat crackers to dip in my hummus that turned out wonderful! I'll be posting them soon!  

Vegan "Chicken" Seasoning

Here is an easy and cheap way to make your own "Chicken" seasoning! There are two options one can be made up and kept in the pantry and another one can be made and kept in the freezer. The picture above is of the freezer option.

Chicken Seasoning (keep in Pantry)

1.5 cups nutritional yeast 

1 Tbs onion powder

1/2 Tbs garlic powder

2.5 tsp ground celery seed

1 tsp chili pepper

2 Tbs sea salt

2.5 Tbs Italian seasoning mix

Blend all ingredients in blender until fine. Store in airtight container. Does not need to be kept in fridge. Add to soup and items that call for chicken bouillon. 1 Tbs equals 1 cube. 

Chicken Seasoning (keep in freezer)

Small Batch

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 Tbs onion

2 cloves garlic

3 Tbs celery

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp chili pepper

This one is kept in the fridge because I am using raw onion, garlic, and celery instead of the dried options. I put everything in my food processor and blend until it looks like the pictures above. 

Blackberry pie with my Grandmother's pie crust

This blackberry pie was so delicious (and simple) I am going to make it again this Sunday. My friend Emily and I went and picked blackberries for the sole purpose of making this pie and it was time well spent. After we baked it I asked Emily if she would take a picture for me because she is an excellent photographer and my snap and shoot pictures don't always turn out that great. Here is a link to see more of her wonderful work!

My Grandmother's oil pie crust turned out wonderful and we ate the pie with vanilla ice cream (for the non vegans) and I tried my slice out with vanilla coconut bliss  and can't wait to have some more of that wonderful stuff!

 

*Update* This pie is not gf. I made it and posted it before I knew of my allergies. I have made gf versions and will post that recipe sometime.

Grandma's Pie Crust 

Mix dry together

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbs ground flax seed (my own addition)

Mix wet together

1/2 c melted coconut oil (scant)

5 Tbs dairy free milk

Mix dry and wet together

Knead dough together well and form a ball. Press into pie pan and chill for 15-20 min before baking

Blackberry Pie

• 1 cup raw can sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp  ground cinnamon
• 6 cups blackberries
• 1 Tbs coconut oil chopped up  

Heat oven 425
Mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Stir in blackberries and pour into pastry lined pie plate.
Drop the Tbs of chopped up coconut oil on top of the pie.

Can cook pie 3 ways:

1. Open faced without any crust on top
2. Roll out more pie crust put slits in it and seal the pie shut. If this is the chosen option cover the edge with a 3 inch strip of foil so the crust doesn't get too brown, and remove foil during the last 15 minutes of cooking
3. Top with a pastry lattice

Bake for 40-45 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Cool for 2 hours so that the pie will set up.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with vanilla coconut ice cream.

Tamale Time!

I have always liked the idea of tamales, yet I have always been disappointed when I take a bite and they are dry with out any flavor. However I think they are so cute all wrapped up in corn husks so I went on a recipe search. At the mayo clinic I found this recipe that would work and of course went on to make my own changes.  I made these for some friends and they were delighted, especially about the Avocado salsa that goes on top!

It was such a nice day that we pulled the table outside to eat! I think tamales look so pretty all wrapped up!

3 Tablespoons of the masa dough placed in a damp corn husk. It's just waiting for the filling. 

This is after the filling has been put in and I rolled it in the corn husk, then unrolled so you can see how it gets packed together.

I've rolled the tamale up in the corn husk and now am folding the sides down. (please ignore the cilantro on my thumb)

Then I take a small corn husk strip to tie it all together. This tamale is ready to get steamed!

Tamale dough

• 18 dried corn husks, plus extra husks to make ties
• 3 cups organic corn kernels (I used a bag of frozen thawed out to room temp)
• 2 cups masa harina
• 1/2 cup lukewarm veggie broth
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Place the corn husks in a bowl of water to soften for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well. Pat dry and set aside.

In a food processor, process 2 1/2 cups of the corn kernels until coarsely pureed.

In a large bowl, combine the pureed corn, masa harina, lukewarm broth, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and oil. Mix/knead with hands until a ball of dough is formed

Filling

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper 

1/4 cup diced green bell pepper 

2 tablespoons diced yellow onion

1 Tbs garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

8 oz Tempeh chopped in small cubes

1/2 cup cooked black beans rinsed and drained

1/2 cup corn kernels 

1 Tbs cumin

salt to taste

Place a dry nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, tempeh, black beans, and remaining 1/2 cup corn kernels, sauté for 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes and remove from the heat.

To assemble a tamale, place 3 tablespoons of masa mixture in the center of a soaked corn husk. Flatten with your hand and form a small well in the center. Add 1 tablespoon of the filling to the well. Fold the long side of the corn husk over the filling to cover, then fold over the ends, overlapping them. Tie with a thin strip torn from an extra soaked husk. Repeat to make 18 tamales in all.

In a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Layer the wrapped tamales in the steamer basket. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and steam until the filling becomes firm and the tamales are heated through, 50 to 60 minutes. Add more water as needed.

Avocado salsa

1/4 cup chopped avocado

1 small can of blended tomatillos 

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or fresh coriander

1/2 teaspoon seeded, minced jalapeno

1 chopped tomato

1 Tbs onion diced

1 tsp garlic minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

While the tamales are steaming, make the salsa. In a small bowl, combine the avocado, tomatillos, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss gently. The salsa is sooo good you may want to double the recipe. We ran out and wanted more!