Potato Leek Soup
ingredients:
3 large leeks (cleaned well)
6-8 Potatoes skinned and cubed
2 c kale
6 c. Vegetable or chicken stock/broth
1 1/2 c nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper to taste
instructions:
Add 1/2 stick butter in instant or dutch oven sauté leeks until soft, add potatoes, add stock, add nutritional yeast, and add 2 cups chopped kale. If using instant hit soup, or cook on stove top for 30 mins med-high heat until potatoes are soft. Enjoy!!
Sourdough Pizza Crust
ingredients:
1 ½ cups sourdough starter (see recipe below)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Step 1
Mix starter, flour, olive oil, and salt together in a bowl until mixture forms a ball. Let dough rest for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (260 degrees C).
Step 3
Roll out dough on parchment paper or a lightly floured work surface, rotating frequently, until it is the same size as the baking pan. Transfer to the pan.
Step 4
Bake in the preheated oven until pale golden, about 10-12 minutes.
****Before topping your pizza with any sauce, cheese, or toppings, brush the top of the crust all over with 1/4 cup olive oil.
Sourdough Starter
Ingredients:
1 cup (4 ounces) whole-wheat or rye flour
Warm water
Unbleached all-purpose or bread flour, for feeding
Supplies:
One 1-quart glass jar, very clean
Rubber spatula
Kitchen scale or dry and liquid measuring cups
Water: If you know your tap water to be high in chlorine, fill a vessel and let it sit uncovered overnight to release the chlorine before using to mix a starter. Alternately, you may use filtered water.
Flour: After the initial mix, you will feed your starter white flour — both all-purpose and bread flour work — just make sure it is unbleached and look for one that has a protein content between 11 to 12 percent for best results.
Jar: To ensure you don’t bring unwanted mold or bacteria into your starter, sterilize your jar by running it though a hot dishwasher wash cycle, or for canning jars, boil for 10 minutes.
Scale: A kitchen scale is optional but if you plan on keeping up your sourdough starter for a long period of time, it will make the feedings a bit easier, less messy and faster.
Day 1: Initial Mix
Add 1 cup (4 ounces) whole-wheat or rye flour into a very clean 1-quart jar along with 1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm water. Stir well until all the flour is moistened and the dough resembles a thick paste. Cover loosely with the lid or cloth. Set out at warm room temperature (75 to 80 degrees F) for 24 hours.
Day 2: First Feeding
You will not likely notice much of a difference in appearance in the starter after the first 24 hours other than some condensation and a wheat-like aroma. You will need to begin feeding it to encourage growth. Use a rubber spatula to measure out 2/3 cup (5.5 ounces) of the starter and add it to a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl; discard any remaining starter. Add 1 cup (4 ounces) all-purpose or bread flour along with 1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm tap or filtered water between 65 to 80 degrees F to a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Stir well to combine all ingredients, making sure all the flour has been incorporated and the starter is well mixed. Return the starter to the jar. Cover again loosely with the lid or cloth. Set out at warm room temperature (75 to 80 degrees F) for 24 hours.
Days 3 to 5: Two Feedings Per Day
On day 3 you should notice some activity in your starter. The mixture should look bubbly and it will probably have risen some. The aroma will be a bit tangy. Now you'll feed the starter twice a day. It’s best to arrange the times to conveniently work with your schedule. Keep them as evenly spaced apart as possible — every 12 hours is the goal, so morning and night would work perfectly. To feed the starter, give it a couple of good stirs to release any bubbles. Measure out a heaping 1/2 cup (4 ounces) starter and place it into a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl; discard any remaining starter. Add 1 cup (4 ounces) all-purpose or bread flour along with 1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm tap or filtered water between 65 to 80 degrees F to a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Stir well to combine all the ingredients, making sure all the dry flour has been incorporated and the starter is well mixed. Return the starter to the jar. Cover again loosely with the lid or plastic wrap. Set out at warm room temperature (75 to 80 degrees F). Repeat the process 12 hours later and every 12 hours for the next 2 days.
Days 4 and 5: Checking In
You may notice the activity in your starter will vary between feedings over the next 2 days. It should consistently look bubbly and sometimes foamy before each feeding. By day 5 it will have nearly doubled in size before you feed it. The aroma should be pleasantly sour and slightly yeasty.
Day 5 or 6: Ready to Go!
By day 5 or 6 your sourdough starter should be strong enough to use in your first loaf of bread. Check the signs: The starter should be nearly doubling in volume between feedings and look very bubbly and slightly foamy at the surface. It should also have a strong, but pleasant acidic aroma. If you don’t feel your starter is ready, continue feeding it in 12-hour increments for another day or two.
No Drama Lara Bars
Ingredients
· 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
· ½ cup nut butter
Instructions
1. Combine dates and peanut butter in a food processor and puree until mixture starts to stick together. Add a little more water if necessary to help mixture come together.
2. Pick up date mixture and using your hands work to squeeze it together into one big clump. Either mash it down on a cutting board or sheet of wax paper to form into one even rectangle shape using the sides of your hands to make bars or roll into bite size balls.
3. For best results store in the fridge, although bars/balls can be kept at room temperature, if they last on your counter at all!
Energy Bites
Ingredients
· 1 cup rolled oats
· ½ cup nut butter
· ½ cup flax seed, chai seep hemp seed or combination of any /all
· ½ cup chocolate chips (we love enjoy LIFE)
· 1/3 cup honey
· Splash of vanilla (non-alcoholic based)
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients in bowl.
2. Either mash it down on a cutting board or sheet of wax paper to form into one even rectangle shape using the sides of your hands to make bars or roll into bite size balls.
3. Freeze for at least 1-2 hours.
4. For best results store in the fridge!
Apple Nacho Snack Bites
Ingredients
· 1 Fuji apple (or slicing apple of your choice), cut into 32 thin slices*
· 1/4 cup smooth nut butter, melted (almond butter is SO good with these)
· 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips , melted**
· 1 handful of chocolate chips (I used a combination of mini semi-sweet chips and regular sized dark chocolate chips), for sprinkling **
Instructions
1. Arrange apple slices on a plate.
2. Drizzle melted peanut butter over apple slices with a spoon, and do the same with the melted chocolate.
3. Sprinkle handful of chocolate chips over the plate as topping.
1. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
I used an 8-piece apple corer, cut each piece in half, and then each in half again.
*If you are vegan, double check the labels, as not all brands of dark and semi-sweet chocolate are vegan.
Garden Vegan Chili
Ingredients
· 1/2 cup quinoa rinsed
· 1 cup water
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 small onion chopped
· 3 cloves garlic minced
· 1 jalapeno pepper diced (leave aside for daddy)
· 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
· 2 celery stalks chopped
· 1 green bell pepper chopped
· 1 red bell pepper chopped
· 1 medium zucchini chopped
· 1 medium summer squash chopped
· 2 (15 ounce cans) black beans, drained and rinsed
· 1 (15 ounce can) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
· 3 (15 ounce cans) diced tomatoes
· 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
· 2-3 tablespoons chili powder depending on your taste
· 1 tablespoon ground cumin
· Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions stove top
1. In a medium sauce pan, combine the quinoa and water. Cook over medium heat until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño, carrot, celery, peppers, and zucchini. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir in the cooked quinoa. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Simmer chili on low for about 30 minutes. Serve warm.
4. Note-garnish the chili with green onions, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream/Greek yogurt, chips, crackers, if desired. This chili freezes well.
Instructions insta-pot
1. On saute mode in insta-pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño, carrot, celery, peppers, zucchini and summer squash. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. And omit any veggie of dislike, although they all will taste divine.
2. Combine the quinoa and water. Cook over medium heat until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
3. Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir in the cooked quinoa. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Simmer chili on low for about 30 minutes. Serve warm.
4. Note-garnish the chili with green onions, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream/Greek yogurt, chips, crackers, if desired. This chili freezes well.