Strawberry Banana Nut Bread

Here is what you need:

2 ripe bananas
3 tablespoons of canola oil
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. diced fresh strawberries
1/2 c. Lite No Sugar Added Applesauce



Place the bananas and oil in the mixer bowl and with the flat paddle attachment mix until banans are mashed. Add in the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, chopped walnuts and applesauce. Mix thoroughly. Stir in strawberries. Pour into an greased loaf pan. Bake 40 minutes

Avocado Potato Salad

This is so fantastic. I love avocados. This recipe is inspired by Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Creamy Avocado Potato Salad from her book Vegan Brunch. As soon as I saw avocado I knew I would be making this. I went to the local flea market to get avocados this morning. I am having lunch at a friend's house this afternoon and can't wait to take this to have them try it. I didn't have all of the ingredients so I improvised a little. Here is what I used:
2 lbs of potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
2 avocados
2 tbs lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
2 green onions, diced
1 small cucumber, diced
1 ear of cooked corn, cut off ear

Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and let cool. In a food processor add the avocado flesh, lime juice and salt. Purée, scraping down the sides as needed. Dice the pepper, green onion and cucumber. Mix all the ingredients together and chill. Enjoy.

Coconut shrimp

I made these a few weeks ago before starting "Eat to Live" they were so good. They may not be the healthiest thing to eat, but it sure was a nice treat.

Here is what you need:

Shrimp peeled, deveined and butterflied
Coconut milk
Oil for frying
Flour( I used unbleached flour)
Shredded coconut and breadcrumbs mixed together

Dip the shrimp in the flour to coat. Dredge through the coconut milk and roll in the shredded coconut bread crumb mixture. Fry about 4-6 minutes until pink. Enjoy.

Marinated Chickpeas

I started the "Eat to Live" diet on May 1. It has only been a few days but I am really liking it so far. I was away from the house all day yesterday, which went surprisingly well. I had two different social functions, but with a little bit of planning and a whole lot of willpower I ended up doing pretty good.

These are so amazing either as a side dish or on-top of salad.

Here is what you need:

2cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15oz can of chickpeas (I prefer organic)

Spicy brown mustard (to taste I use about 2 tsp)

Juice of one lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. In a container with a lid, places all the ingredients, snap on lid and shake. Let sit overnight in fridge. Serve chilled

Vegan Béchamel sauce

I spent the day Saturday with my best friend. It was her birthday. I made us some awesome banana, coconut chocolate chunk pancakes. I don't have a picture but if you want the recipe here is is: 2 c. bisquick, 1/2 c. dark chocolate chunks, 2 mashed bananna's, 1 c. coconut milk, stir it all together and pour onto a griddle or warmed skillet.

For dinner Deborah made steak, which wouldn't have been so bad, but she cooked it in an entire stick of butter. I honestly think this is the unhealthiest thing I have ever been privy to witness being made in person. She decided to have some pasta as a side with Garlic Alfredo. I had some veggies left over from the night before's calzone, so I sauted them and made a Vegan Béchamel sauce. It is really easy. At least the way that I make it, it is. I use 1/2 c. Daiya shreds and 1/4 c. dairy free milk. I place the shreds in a pot and add the milk, continue stirring over medium heat until smooth, or most of the shreds have melted. I know it isn't the greatest picture but here is a comparison photo. On the right is a jarred Alfredo sauce mixed with pasta, not vegan. On the left is my vegan béchamel sauce mixed with pasta.
It was really very good. I used coconut milk, since that is what I had on hand at the time, so it had a slight coconutty taste, but I liked it.

Banana Dark Chocolate Pepitas cookies

I know what you are thinking bananas again, cookies again, doesn't this girl eat anything else? Well yes I do, but just because I cut out most animal products from my diet, doesn't mean I can't have sweets. You caught that hunh, the most thing. Here is the thing. I have started eating seafood again, but only once a week, unless you count last week. When did this start you ask, about 2-3 weeks ago. We had a company luncheon and the boss lady bought shrimp. I caved and ate 5. I guess I should back up and explain, the plan was to evaluate after 6 months of eating totally vegan to see if I wanted to add in seafood. Beacause a lot of research says it is really good for you. It also makes eating out a little easier. Heaven forbid I actually get a date. Ok enough babbling, here is the recipe.

Ok so I talked to my sister today [aka: the blog nazi] and she said to me, "Amie you need to blog TODAY!" So I am at the Library cause I am lame and got tired of paying a ton of money for internet, so I cancelled it. In my purse are some cookies, so I am going to blog them to appease her, or at least hopefully appease her :) Ps they are wrapped up becuase I plan to take them to a sister I visit teach that I have not visited yet this month. I know it is the end of the month, she cancelled our appointment yesterday. Right cookies here is what you need:

2 ripe bananas
2 tbs coconut oil, I used organic unrefined (smells amazing)
2 cups of flour. (I did one cup whole wheat and the other cup unbleached flour)
1tsp vanilla - ok I didn't measure it I just poured some in
1/3 bag of dark chocolate chunks
1 cup pepitas
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup cane sugar (recipe called for 1 cup of each, but I always cut it down some)
3/4 cup brown sugar

Place banana and coconut oil in mixer and mix the banana and the coconut oil together for a few minutes on low. Add in the rest of the ingredients minus the chocolate chips and pepitas. Stir those in. Drop tablespoon fulls onto a parchment lined jelly roll pan and bake for 8-10 minutes. enjoy.

"The Happy Herbivore" Hippie Loaf

A few months ago I bought an awesome cookbook called the Happy Herbivore. It is an awesome book and I have tried some of the recipes with good results. So tonight I decided to try the hippie loaf. i enjoyed it and even my dad (meat eater) said it was good. It doesn't taste like meat, but that doesn't make it any less yummy. I decided to serve it with green beans and mashed potatoes. Here is what you need for the loaf:

1 can rinsed black beans

1/2 cup of diced onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

2 celery stalks, shredded

1 c. chopped mushrooms

1 c. cooked quinoa

1 tbs Italian Seasoning

3tbs whole wheat flour

2 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grase an 8 inch loaf pan

Mash black beans and combine the rest of the ingredients until evenly combined. Transfer to prepared pan and pat down firmly using a spatula. bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until firm and brown. Allow the loaf to cool 15-20 minutes before serving. I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow :)