Some weeks I know exactly what new recipe I want to share with you.

Other weeks, I stand in my kitchen the day before a new post is due and wonder what in the world I should make for dinner… not to mention what I should share with all of you!

This past week was the latter. I gazed into my fridge and saw an odd mixture of items and my need to go grocery shopping.

I began to pull out the ingredients that needed to be used up, said a prayer (literally) and got to creating.

Sometimes this process works wonders…

Other times it fails miserably.

This dish was deemed “blog worthy”  by my husband (our way of rating food these days) and thoroughly enjoyed with dinner.

A few details about this cauliflower concoction:

• This dish tastes a lot like mashed potatoes
• You can omit the cilantro and lime and add any other herbs or spices
• Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber and folate (one of the B vitamins that helps prevent birth defects)

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

What great meals have you come up with the last few items in your fridge? Sometimes those are the best ones!

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Cilantro + Lime Whipped Cauliflower

Ingredients 2 heads of cauliflower Juice from 1 lime 2 T nutritional yeast 2 T coconut oil 1 tsp garlic powder ¼ t salt pepper a few dashes of cayenne pepper (optional) ¼ C chopped cilantro

Directions Chop cauliflower into pieces and place in a large pot. Fill about half way with water and add a few pinches of salt. Bring water to a boil and boil for about 10 min or until all the cauliflower is very soft.

While the cauliflower is boiling, add coconut oil, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and limejuice to a food processor or blender.

Strain cauliflower and give it a good shake to get rid of any excess liquid.

Add cauliflower to the blender and blend until smooth. Give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Then add cilantro and blend for just a few seconds until combined.

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Cilantro + Lime Whipped Cauliflower

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 heads of cauliflower
• Juice from 1 lime
• 2 T nutritional yeast
• 2 T coconut oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ t salt
• pepper
• a few dashes of cayenne pepper (optional)
• ¼ C chopped cilantro

TO MAKE:

Chop cauliflower into pieces and place in a large pot. Fill about half way with water and add a few pinches of salt. Bring water to a boil and boil for about 10 min or until all the cauliflower is very soft.

While the cauliflower is boiling, add coconut oil, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and limejuice to a food processor or blender.

 

Strain cauliflower and give it a good shake to get rid of any excess liquid.

 

Add cauliflower to the blender and blend until smooth. Give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Then add cilantro and blend for just a few seconds until combined.

TO SERVE:

 

It can be served right after blending.

Or it can be placed in a casserole pan and baked at 375 for about 20 min or until the top gets golden brown.

It can easily be made ahead of time and baked when you are ready to serve it.

ENJOY!

It’s funny how traditions form.

It seems the ones we try to start on purpose never stick and the ones that stick we don’t start on purpose.

Well “day off” pancakes have stuck at our house.

As I’ve mentioned before, we are oatmeal fans around here and we usually keep breakfast simple with a bowl of oatmeal and a green drink.

But when Brook’s day off comes around every Friday we are always in the mood for something fun. Sometimes we go out to breakfast but most weeks we make these pancakes.

They are quickly devoured by Duke (as he attempts to convince me that his two month old sister “needs” some too) and slowly savored by Brook and I.

We all know that feeling when we go out to breakfast and feel like we need a nap after grease filled eggs and hash browns and heavy “carb cakes” (aka pancakes) but I promise these won’t give you that sleepy sensation.

However…. I can’t promise that you won’t eat way to many in one sitting.

Not that I would know from experience or anything.

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

DAY OFF PANCAKES

makes: 8 medium pancakes

vegan, wheat free, dairy free

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 C oat flour (or 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour)
• 3 T cane sugar
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt

• 1 1/2 C almond milk (I use unsweetened vanilla)
• 2 T ground flax seed - mixed with 6 T warm water
• 3 T coconut oil (melted a bit to make mixing easier)
• 1 T vanilla

TO MAKE:

Combine ground flax seed and water and let it sit for a few minutes. It will turn into a thick paste.

Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

Combine almond milk, coconut oil, vanilla and flax seed mixture. Add dry ingredients mixture and stir until combined.

Grease a non-stick pan or electric skillet (I use olive oil spray) and cook on medium heat. When they start to get bubbles on top, flip them over.

Note: due to the lack of gluten in them they can be tricky to flip… but no matter how they look, they will taste delicious!

TO SERVE:

The possibilities are endless!

Here are some ways we enjoy them:

• Earth Balance Butter
• Real Maple Syrup
• Natural Peanut Butter
• Bananas
• Shredded coconut
• Fresh Fruit

After a whole pregnancy of craving nothing but Mexican food, two weeks of quick and easy meals, and wonderful friends and family cooking for us… I have made my way back into the kitchen to work on some new, non-Mexican, recipes!

As I am learning to juggle my two little ones, keeping up with laundry and brushing my teeth before my husband gets home from work…. My goal with most meals has been to have enough for leftovers for lunch the following day.

Leftovers are a mama’s best friend.

With Spring finally making it’s way to us, I am getting so excited to grill up every type of colorful vegetable I can get my hands on! Yet for this recipe, my stove had to suffice… as well as the veggies I happened to have in my fridge.

Feel free to get creative with this meal and use whatever type of veggies you and your family like. Really anything goes with this one!

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

CILANTRO LIME PEANUT SAUCE + VEGGIES + RICE 

(apple cider vinegar not used)

PEANUT SAUCE:

• ½ C natural peanut butter
• 1 T Braggs amino acids (or soy sauce)
• 2 T limejuice
• 1 T coconut oil
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 t minced ginger
• 1 T brown sugar
• ¼ C cilantro
• ¼ C water
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional – just adds a bit of a kick but not too much)

(kale and zucchini not pictured) 

VEGGIES + RICE:

• 2 C cooked brown rice (I cooked mine in vegetable broth for added flavor)
• 1 can water chestnuts – chopped
• 1 bell pepper – chopped
• 2 C steamed kale – chopped
• 3 carrots – pealed and chopped
• ½ C green onions – chopped
• 1 zucchini – chopped
• ¼ C chopped cilantro
• Coconut oil

TOPPINGS:

• Chopped peanuts
• Green onions
• Sriacha Hot Sauce

TO MAKE:

SAUCE:

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add more water to reach desired consistency if necessary.

VEGGIES:

Heat a bit of coconut oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add carrots and peppers and cook for a few minutes until they soften. Then add water chestnuts, steamed kale, green onions, zucchini, cilantro, salt and pepper and cook all together for a few more minutes. I tend to like my veggies on the crispier side so turn up the heat to medium high and let them brown up without getting soggy.

*Steaming the kale prior to sautéing it will soften it and makes it much better! You can use a steamer or just put a bit of water in a pan with the kale and cover. Cook for about 5 min on a high heat. You just want it to soften a bit and wilt.

TO COMBINE:

In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked brown rice, sautéed veggies, and peanut sauce. Stir until combined. Give it a taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.

TO SERVE:

Add toppings and enjoy!