Super Woman Green Juice and More

This is what makes me Wonder Woman to those who know me. The most important part of my life is starting my day with this concoction. With several variations, I don't know how I would function without it. The micronutrient punch this baby packs is the greatest part of my plant-based diet. The recipe is below as well as some of my other favorite combinations. Enjoy!

Wonder Woman Juice

2 Large Kale Leaves (or swiss chard) I prefer the organic flat-leaf kale at my local produce market
2 Cups Packed Baby Spinach
5-6 Fresh Strawberries
2 Organic Granny Smith Apples

Simple. Juice it. Drink it.


Wonder Woman Juice II

2 Large Kale Leaves (or swiss chard) I prefer the organic flat-leaf kale at my local produce market
2 Cups Packed Baby Spinach
1/2 Pint Blueberries
1 Kiwi (peel it first)
1 Organic Granny Smith Apple

Annoying Orange Juice

4 Whole Carrots
1 Golden Beet (found at my awesome local produce market!)
2 Oranges

Green Detox Queen

2 Large Kale Leaves (or swiss chard) I prefer the organic flat-leaf kale at my local produce market
2 Cups Packed Baby Spinach
2 Stalks Celery
1/2 Lemon
2 Organic Granny Smith Apples

Fruity Juicy

1/4 Whole Pineapple
5-6 Strawberries
2 Oranges
For added greatness, I pour all of this into the blender, add in a banana, and turn it into a smoothie!

All-We-Need-Now-Is-Vodka V8

2 Large Beefsteak Tomatoes (or About 5-6 Roma Tomatoes)
2 Carrots
2 Stalks Celery
1/2 Medium-Sized Cucumber
1 Wide Strip of Bell Pepper (I like red)
1 Tsp Season Salt (optional)

Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Pancakes

I have been experimenting for months with this recipe, and it is finally where I want it. Rich yet fluffy, these pancakes pack a great dose of healthy while sharing a great dose of fun. Hunter is the pickiest eater I have ever seen, yet he shovels these babies down. Just a little syrup and they're good to go!

Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Pancakes

2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Flax Meal mixed with 3 Tbsp Water (let it soak for five minutes first)
1/2 cup Melted Earth Balance Margarine
1/3 cup Honey (or agave nectar)
2 Medium Bananas, Mashed
1 cup Vanilla Almond, Coconut or Soy Milk

Place all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir together well. Add all wet ingredients and mix with spoon until just blended. Cook just like you would regular pancakes. Lower temp is best for these.

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free, Vegan Iced Sugar Cookies!

This was a BIG win for me! I have never even had a sugar cookie that was gluten-free or vegan that I really liked, but after quite a few fails and near-misses, I think I finally nailed this one. They were a huge hit at the office with vegan and non-vegan eaters alike. Hope you enjoy!

Gluten-Free, Vegan Sugar Cookies

1/2 c Earth Balance Margarine
1/4 c Vegan Cream Cheese
1/2 c agave nectar
1/2 c organic sugar
2 T flax meal (soaked for 10 min in 6T water)
2 t vanilla
1 c coconut flour
2 c Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Blend all wet ingredients in mixer. Add dry and blend well. Roll into cylinder shape, wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate at least one hour or even over-night. Preheat oven to 400. Slice dough into 1/4 inch slices and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for ten minutes. Cool on wire racks. Ice!

Icing

1/2c Earth Balance Margarine
2T Karo light syrup
1 t vanilla
1 t butter flavoring
1/4 c vanilla almond (rice, coconut or soy) milk
1 lb powdered sugar (1 box)

Place wet ingredients into blender and pulse until creamy. Add powdered sugar by thirds. Spread on cooled cookies.

Gluten-Free, Vegan Carrot Muffins

 

 Another win with the new baking style. After a lifetime of butter, sugar, flour and eggs, gluten-free and vegan baking are a whole new experiment in baking chemistry. There have been a LOT of fails, but more wins have been occurring lately. Looks like I'm getting my new baking wings!

Gluten-Free, Vegan Carrot Muffins

1 1/2 c spelt flour

1/2 c coconut flour

2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1 t nutmeg

1/2 c honey

1/2 c brown sugar

2 T flax meal soaked in 6 T water for 10 min

1/2 cup melted Earth Balance Spread

1 c vanilla almond, coconut, or soy milk

1 c finely grated carrots

1/2 c raisins

1/4 c chia seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flax meal with water in small cup and set aside to soak. Line 12 muffin tins with paper muffin cups. Place dry ingredients in medium-sized mixing bowl and stir together. Add wet ingredients and stir until combined. Finally, gently fold in carrots and raisins. Full muffin cups about 2/3 full with batter and bake for about 22-24 minutes. Cool for 5 min in tins before removing to cool on wire racks.

Been Dormant Too Long!

So much has happened since I began this blog. I have gone back to work, moved across the country, had a child diagnosed with autism, and changed my diet dramatically.
With such a hectic schedule of work, school, therapy, and motherhood, I hardly have a minute for myself, but I have found so much relief and benefit from reading posts from other moms like me that I felt compelled to throw in my two-cents here and there. Hopefully my recipes and anecdotes will make a difference to others out there.
I have been smart enough to at least write down MOST of my successful recipes. Moving from trying to eat healthy to a full plant-based diet hasn't been easy, but I often attribute my healthy diet as the difference in what keeps me going. I will be continually trying to post updates as I learn y way through this new food world and try to sneak some of these great nutrients into my picky son's diet as well.
Stay tuned......

Globe Cake

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 T lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 large eggs plus three large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 small can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 18 oz jar raspberry preserves or jam
Fluffy Boiled Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with paper or foil cups (makes 24).
Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl and blend until fluffy. Add lemon zest, juice, and eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients slowly, blending well. Slowly pour in buttermilk until completely combined. Spoon into muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 of the way.
Place in oven and bake 20-25 minutes until light golden. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

When cool, shake can of thawed frozen lemonade mix and pour half into small bowl. Using a pastry bruch, glaze each cupcake with the mixture, going over twice to absorb. Let sit about an hour.

Using a wooden spoon with a thick, round handle, poke holes into the center of each cupcake. Stir raspberry preserves to loosen and scoop into pastry bag fitted with coupler only. Place tip of bag into each hole and squeeze slightly until cupcake very slightly expands. Wipe off any excess filling.


Fluffy Boiled Icing

This recipe is also on the Wilton website. It is a perfect touch for cakes that just need that extra sweet something to really set them off without tampering with the flavor too much. Also, it has no shortening or butters, keeping the fat content a little lower than with traditional icings.

3 Tablespoons meringue powder
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water

Combine meringue powder and cold water in a mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form, about four minutes. In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water under medium high heat. Cook and stir until it comes to a boil and set aside to cool for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour into meringue mixture while beating. Continue to whip until glossy and stiff, about four minutes. Tint using mixer if desired.
Easiest to place in pastry bag with no tip and pipe onto cupcakes. Very light and fluffy!