Yummy Monday: Chocolate Lover's Brownies (vegan)

Here's a really special treat: Delicious chocolate brownies with walnuts and chocolate chips. These are really yummy, and not too long to whip up. And yes! They are vegan too, but you wouldn't be able to tell unless someone told you! :) You must try them! From Party Vegan.



Chocolate Lover's Brownies



1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup plain soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/4 cup neutral veggie oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 vegan semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, maple syrup, soy milk, oil, and vanilla.

Whisk to combine.





In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.



Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a rubber spatula. Don't overmix. fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using (why wouldn't you be?!).



Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. It will be really thick; don't worry.



Bake for 35 minutes. While it's baking, take a minute to lick the spatula and bowl - not optional. And there's no egg, so no worry about that raw egg stuff. Oh, and I tried to take a picture of me licking the spatula, but there is no way to take a good picture of yourself licking a spatula. Trust me. So this is what you get instead:



Cool for 30 minutes in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. If not serving right away, cover tightly and store at room temperature. These brownies taste best if eaten within a day or two (umm... I think I can handle that!).



Enjoy!

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Interested in sharing a vegetarian/vegan recipe? Shoot me an email - I'd love to feature you!

Yummy Monday: Spinach and Chickpeas (+ baby food!)

This is a quick and delicious mash up of two super-healthy foods: spinach and chickpeas. (I know I've already done a chickpea recipe, but I did warn you that I love, love, love them!) I found the recipe in a vegan cookbook (totally don't remember the name) and made it a while ago and loved it. Then last week I wanted to make it again, but didn't have the recipe on me. I did what I could from memory, and it turned out a little differently but was still very tasty. Give it a try!

Oh, and at the end, I'll tell you what I did to let Adelaide have a little taste of the family meal too!

Spinach and Chickpeas

9ish ounces of spinach (I used regular spinach here, but baby spinach is better)
1-2 cans of chickpeas, depending on how much you like them!
1/2 cup of veggie broth
3-4 cloves (or more) garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil



Heat the olive oil and saute the crushed garlic for about a minute.



Add your chickpeas.



Add broth.



Let simmer for a couple of minutes. Use a potato masher or the back of a spoon to mash about half of the chickpeas.



Add spinach and wilt.



Look at the simple, healthy, messy goodness!



Plate it up! I cooked some brown rice topped with sauteed baby bella mushrooms to serve with it, plus a couple of yeast rolls. Not including waiting for the rice to cook all on its own in the rice cooker, I spent maybe 15 minutes from start to finish on this meal. Super quick and very delicious!




Baby Food Version

I saw this idea while blog hopping and loved it! Use a mason jar screwed in to the top of your blender instead of the big ole honkin' glass blender part for smaller servings of things! I am anticipating using this trick A LOT when I go back to work as morning smoothies are a definite breakfast option I turn to when I don't have time to sit down and eat (which I very well see as a part of my working mommy future)! Whip up a smoothie in a jar and boom! Take it to go! No dirtying up more dishes than you have to!



Anyhow, I just spooned a little bit of the Spinach and Chickpea mixture into the mason jar (just to try the idea out), pulsed the heck out of it, and this is what it turned into:



Then I actually did dirty up another dish because getting that little baby spoon down in the mason jar would've been a little difficult. But here it is, Adelaide-ready form:



Looks tasty, huh? I did try a bit and of course it tasted just like the grown up version. Adelaide wasn't a huge fan. I could see it in her face: Wha? Mama? What's this weird stuff? So I just spooned it into yet another, smaller, washed and reused baby food jar and stuck it in the freezer. I'll try again another day. And another and another if I have to!

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Interested in sharing a recipe? Shoot me an email - I'd love to feature you!

Yummy Monday: "Cheesy" Roasted Chickpeas

These are some seriously tasty chickpeas. I love love love chickpeas, and use them whenever I can. This recipe is vegan, and it is super easy and tasty! Give it a try and let me know what you think! It's from The Vegan Lunchbox by Jennifer McCann.

"Cheesy" Roasted Chickpeas

serves a few, unless you love chickpeas like I do... then you can munch on them all day!

1 can chickpeas, drained
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp nutritional yeast (I used 2 heaping tsp)
1 TBSP canola oil (I used 2 tbsp)



Drain your chickpeas, and rinse.



Pour all ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir.



Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the chickpeas in a single layer.



Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. (You could use a toaster oven for less energy usage.)



Enjoy!

{If you are interested in contributing a recipe to Yummy Mondays, please contact me. The only requirements are that the recipe be vegetarian and yummy. You must also include step by step instructions and lots of pictures!}

Yummy Monday: Brown Rice with Green Onions and Pineapple

We love brown rice around here. It's pretty versatile and we eat it every week with multiple sides. I love a simple bowl of brown rice with butter and sauteed mushrooms. SO. GOOD.

But sometimes I like to dress it up a little bit. This recipe came from Party Vegan, a book I checked out from the library and am insanely gaga over. So many of the recipes look really delicious, and I'm trying them out little by little over the few weeks I've got the book for (and am probably going to renew it).

The rice is moist, and there's a kick of spice from the crushed red pepper, yet sweetness from the pineapple. Super easy and quick and even, and more importantly maybe?, husband-approved.

Brown Rice with Green Onions and Pineapple

makes 4 to 6 servings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large bunch green onions
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (I didn't use this because I'm not a fan of ginger)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (makes it spicy!)
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups finely chopped fresh or canned crushed pinapple
salt and pepper to taste


Cook your rice. Make sure you'll get 4 cooked cups when it's done.



Mince your onions.



In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the green onions and ginger (if using) and cook until softened, about 1 minute.



Add the crushed red pepper, brown sugar, soy sauce, and rice, stirring to mix evenly. Stir in the pineapple and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, to heat through, about 7 minutes.



Serve hot or warm. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate until needed, then reheat.



Enjoy!

{If you are interested in contributing a recipe to Yummy Mondays, please contact me. The only requirements are that the recipe be vegetarian and yummy. You must also include step by step instructions and lots of pictures!}

Yummy Monday : Blueberry-Topped Oatmeal

This is a delicious breakfast that is easy, filling, and super healthy! It's a great way to start your day. The sweetness of the honey, the crunch of the walnuts, and the pop of the blueberries are a perfect combination! Of course, you could add or take away any toppings you like.

Blueberry-Topped Oatmeal
{Makes 1 Serving}



Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1 cup oatmeal (any type will do)
pinch salt (optional)
1 teaspoon honey
unsweetened coconut flakes
handful fresh blueberries
chopped walnuts

Bring water to a boil (with salt added if you desire, for taste).

When boiling, stir in oatmeal. Lower to a simmer. Cook for approximately 12 minutes, give or take, or until oatmeal is the consistency that you like.

Pour into a bowl.

Stir in honey for sweetness.

Top with coconut, walnuts, and blueberries.

Enjoy!

{If you are interested in contributing a recipe to Yummy Mondays, please contact me. The only requirements are that the recipe be vegetarian and yummy. You must also include step by step instructions and lots of pictures!}