5 Minute 3 Ingredient Vegan "Parmesan"

That's right -- you are 5 minutes and 3 ingredients away from vegan "Parmesan"! This isn't like the soy-based vegan parm that you can buy (like Galaxy Foods) which melts a bit and tastes almost exactly like the dairy version. It is totally different but totally delicious! I just call it parm because I use it in the same way: sprinkled on pasta or veggies; it even works really well as a breading in some recipes (sorry, not posted yet!). This vegan parmesan happens to be not only dairy free but also soy free and gluten free, plus it is made with walnuts (which have omegas) and nutritional yeast (which has b12 and other vitamins).




2 cups shelled walnuts, halves or pieces
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients in your food processor and pulse until the walnuts are in small bits; you should be able to sprinkle the parm like crumbs. Check frequently to avoid turning it into a sort of nut butter. Yields about 2 1/8 to 2 1/4 cups. Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator.



*** NOTES ***

If you happen to buy the Nutritional Yeast that comes in a shake-top container (like Red Star), saving the containers to use with this works really well!

It is best to sprinkle this parm on top of food when you are ready to serve/eat it rather than putting it on before cooking or reheating food; it won't melt but the nutritional yeast will get kind of mushy if it sits on something moist.

* Loosely adapted from a recipe in The Starch Solution by John and Mary McDougall

Mom's Oatmeal Goes Tropical

I was at a diner/cafe not long ago with my family & ordered oatmeal. I was not expecting the "oatmeal" I was served; it was nothing like what I think of as oatmeal! Apparently some people think oatmeal should be gluey, slimy, goop. I disagree! My mom has always made oatmeal that is flavorful & a little bit chewy, and after the diner I found myself looking forward to a bowl of oatmeal like my mom makes. This recipe is a variation on the way she cooks oatmeal with a bit of a tropical twist.




1 cup water
1/2 cup rolled oats (old fashioned, not quick cooking)
1/4 to 1/3 cup fresh pineapple, diced or cut into small chunks
1/4 cup walnut halves, broken into pieces
1/8 cup raisins *
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup vanilla coconut milk (like Silk or So Delicious brand)
1/8 cup maple syrup, preferably grade B **

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the oats, walnuts, raisins, pineapple, and cinnamon. Reduce heat to medium and allow to cook until the oatmeal is softened but still a bit chewy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the coconut milk and maple syrup. Allow the oatmeal to sit for a few minutes before serving but don't allow it to get cold.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups cooked. Obviously, use more or less cinnamon and maple syrup as you prefer!

* 1/8 cup is 2 TBSP so just use your TBSP if you don't have a 1/8 cup measure
** Grade B maple syrup is darker and has a stronger maple flavor. If you can't find any you can use Grade A, but I promise Grade B is worth looking for!

Maple Vinaigrette

Maple Vinaigrette is as simple as a salad dressing can get: it has only two ingredients! I find that it works best with two types of salad, spring mix and baby spinach, but it might work with other dark green leafy salads as well. My favorite way to serve Maple Vinaigrette is with some chopped (or just broken) walnut pieces atop spring mix salad, sometimes with shredded carrots. Even my 6 year old will eat a big bowl of that and come back for more, and spring mix is not among his favorite salads. The best part is that it takes only about a minute to prepare so you can throw it together right when you want it or store some in a jar in your refrigerator for another day. This recipe makes 3/4 cup of dressing.

Maple Vinaigrette

½ cup maple syrup, preferably grade B *
¼ cup vinegar (cider or distilled)

Combine the ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk together until well combined. Enjoy! Store any leftover dressing in a lidded container, such as a jar, in your refrigerator.


* Why grade B? Grade B maple syrup is darker and has a stronger maple flavor than other grades. I prefer it because of that stronger flavor. If you can't find it at grocery stores you may be able to get it at a natural food store, farmers market, or directly from a maple producer (if you live near one). Grade A will work here, it just isn't as strong.

Banana Nut Muffins

I already have a Banana Bread recipe posted here but this recipe for banana nut muffins is a bit different. It is lighter, fluffier, and is soy-free (the other recipe uses tofu). I don't actually like eating raw bananas but I love them in bread/muffin form, especially with walnuts and chocolate chips! My favorite way to eat these muffins is warm, cut in half and spread with some soy-free vegan margarine or coconut spread.

2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
6 TBSP safflower oil (or other vegetable oil)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup So Delicious coconut milk yogurt (I use plain but vanilla would work also)
1 TBSP vinegar
2 ripe bananas, mashed (equal to 1 cup or slightly under)
1 cup walnuts (optional)
2/3 cup vegan chocolate chips (optional), try Enjoy Life to keep this recipe soy-free

Combine sugar, vanilla, yogurt, oil, and vinegar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on a low speed until well combined. In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour and baking soda and then add this to the wet ingredients. Mix starting at low and increasing to medium speed, periodically scraping the sides and bottom with a spoon until the batter is free of lumps. Add the mashed bananas and mix, then the walnuts and chocolate chips. The batter will be thick but stir-able. Scoop into lined muffin tins and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Makes 18 to 20 muffins if both walnuts and chocolate chips are included.

Apple Salad *

When making fruit salad, I prefer to use only fruit that is in season and in fall that means apples. If you have fresh, ripe, local apples which taste delicious on their own it may seem silly to add a dressing. The dressing for this salad is important, however, because it keeps the apples from turning brown after being cut up.

1 very large or 2 medium red delicious apples
1 very large or 2 medium golden delicious apples (or other mild, sweet, gold colored apple)
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 English walnut meats, broken into pieces
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (roughly one lemon worth)
1/4 cup agave
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Wash, core, and cut the apples into 1/2" pieces. Place the apples, raisins, and walnuts into a bowl. Combine the lemon juice and agave in a separate container and whisk or stir until well blended. Pour the lemon/agave dressing over the salad and stir to be sure all the apple chunks are well coated. Sprinkle on the cinnamon and stir again to distribute it through the salad. Anything that will not be eaten the same day should be refrigerated in a sealed container.



This recipe is a part of the September 2010 SOS Kitchen Challenge hosted by Diet, Dessert, and Dogs and Affairs of Living

Banana Bread

When I was little I always looked forward to bananas getting past their prime because that meant my mother would make banana bread. I still love the way it smells when it bakes and the way it tastes when still warm from the oven; this is a comfort food! Although I couldn't find her recipe to adapt, I did manage to create one of my own and the resulting banana bread is possibly the best I've ever had.

1 cup Earth Balance or other dairy-free margarine
2 cups sugar (can be partly brown sugar)
1 package firm Japanese style silken tofu (Mori Nu)
4 cups flour (1 can be whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
5 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 10-oz package of dairy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life work well)
2 cups chopped walnuts
cooking spray

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar. Mash the tofu then mix thoroughly into the creamed mixture. In another bowl of a measuring cup, stir together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; add this to the large bowl and mix until lumps are gone. Stir in the bananas (you may have to use a hand to do this) and then the chocolate chips followed by the walnuts. Distribute this batter into 2 glass loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray or greased with margarine. If you prefer, bake as muffins in lined muffin pans. Bake at 325 degrees until the top is golden brown and the center is cooked, about 1 hour to 75 minutes.