Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

Who doesn't love this soup? Plus you can even make it vegetarian if you would like. This is the recipe that I decided to make, I found this recipe looking for recipes to make with cloud ear fungus. I actually have never had this soup but I really don't see how you can go wrong with this list of ingredients. Chris says this looks exactly like the soup that he gets and he thinks that I will really like it, even though I am I little dubious because it has what I call "uncooked tofu".....I normally don't tofu that isn't lightly fried. I liked this soup, I found if you make it vegetarian you should add some vegan chick'n broth powder. But it was not "hot". I looked at another recipe and it uses ginger and chili garlic sauce and I added some of that and now it tastes on point.

Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes (whole grain)

When I found this recipe from Pinch My Salt, I knew I had to try it. Yummy pancakes with buttermilk, blueberries and whole grains.....mmmm! I didn't have the oat bran so I am replacing it with oat flour, to make this place oats in a blender or a coffee grinder and pulverize into a fine powder. Store what you don't use for another recipe. I am replacing the brown sugar with honey and I am adding a bit of cinnamon to the recipe. Here is the recipe as I make it. If you have buttermilk, you can use that instead of the milk and sour cream (1 cup buttermilk). Today when I went to the Dollar Tree alas, they did not have blueberries :*( so I am making them plain, but with strawberry sauce.....(from Good Life Eats).

This is not my photo.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes


3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup oat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon (leave out for plain)
1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt
1 egg or 1/4 cup egg beaters
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. melted butter, cooled
1/2 cup blueberries (leave out for plain)

Heat up your griddle. Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl, stirring to mix. Toss the blueberries, if frozen with a bit of your flour. Then add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Fold in blueberries carefully. Drop the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto your griddle. The pancakes are ready to turn when the bubbles break. Turn and cook about 1-2 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve with real maple syrup or as desired.

Tempeh, Napa Cabbage and Mushroom Potstickers

Wow, I sure do love Potstickers! Chris and I have made them a lot lately, but we have been using the same recipe so I thought it was high time to change it up. This recipe stood out from the other recipes that I had been looking at, mainly because it used tempeh. Tempeh is one of Chris's favorite soy products, plus it uses napa cabbage which I currently have an overabundance of. I line my steamer basket with the napa cabbage which keeps the Potstickers from sticking to the bamboo steamer plus you can eat it and it is infused with the smoky aroma of bamboo.  I have some recipes that I found that use napa cabbage (soon to come) and I also like it in my stir fries so I hope that I get to use all of it. Feel free to suggest recipes to me.

That is a 2 liter of pop. I believe the tag says it is a seven and some change pound cabbage....

I steam my tempeh after it is cut for 15 minutes each before cooking.

Chris and I really enjoyed these, very "meaty" tasting from the mushrooms and the tempeh. This is the recipe I used with the potstickers, very gingery and flavorful. More pictures to come soon.......

Chai Pancakes & a better Iced Chai Tea recipe

I made these a long time ago with a recipe that I threw together and they were OK, but not spicy like I imagined. Chris mentioned making Chai Pancakes and I found this recipe, which looks and sounds delicious. I both <3 Chai Tea and pancakes so it is a good combination. It has added spices and I didn't think to do this to my recipe. I brewed my Chai Tea the night before with the milk (I cut the recipe in half as it is just Chris and I eating these). I will be serving these with Real Maple Syrup.

BTW, I figured out the best way to make Iced Chai, and that is with 4 tea bags per 4 cups milk and 2 tbsp. Splenda or sugar, bring to boil and turn heat down to low. Simmer for about 5 minutes, cool. Add about 1-1&1/2 tsp. vanilla, optional. Stir. Serve over ice. I now use only the Chai Masala that I got from Laxmi Palace.

So how were they? The verdict is they are the best pancakes I have ever tasted. EVER. Chris agrees, especially since he loves spicy things.

Banana Pancakes

I always end up with really ripe bananas and even though I know that I can freeze them for later use, I hate doing that. Why? Because I forget about them and they get freezer-burnt, even though I have good intentions of making smoothies, ice cream pops or banana bread with them, so they still end up getting tossed. I was looking through Isabelle's Blog and I came across this recipe for banana pancakes and I had a "Eureka!" moment. These look fluffy and delicious.....Chris loves banana pancakes and I am sure getting tired of the egg sandwich we have almost every morning.

Who ate the banana? It wasn't me, and it certainly couldn't be Christopher as he knows I was saving them for pancakes......As I sat down and asked him about the banana he was eating he said it was the ripe ones and he thought that I would make fun of him for eating one of the unripened bananas and even said he hoped it didn't have "brown" inside. I smiled in disbelief and told him that he knew I was saving those for pancakes...."Ooops", said Christopher. XD.........

Anyways, these banana pancakes were delicious and half the recipe made just enough for us. 

Veggie Fajitas and Chocolate Banana Bread

Hi kids, today's recipe is Veggie Fajitas....I know, I know....I don't even need a recipe for this recipe, LOL. This does however give me the chance to break out the cast iron skillet and saute` up some veggies, like tomatoes, onions and peppers. I was going to use some squash/zucchini, but they are out of season and too d*mn expensive and I don't live in Richmond anymore so I can't go to Tan-A and get it GRRR. I can't wait for summer! But I digress.......I may go out to the store and get some cactus, I am undecided. Chris says that he likes cactus so I might go out. A lot of these recipes that I did look at call for Monterey Jack cheese, but I like them without the cheese. You can serve the fajitas with some sour cream and salsa...fresh or bought. I ended up getting zucchini since the store I went to had them on sale and they also had artichokes on sale so I may go back and get some of those for another meal later in the week ;O) Feel free to use whatever veggies you have on hand, for 2 people I used 1&1/2 quartered smallish tomatoes, 1 medium onion (sliced), 1/2 medium sized zucchini (sliced), and 1/2 green bell pepper (sliced). Cook all veggies (except tomatoes) with a bit of oil over medium-medium high heat until veggies soften and during the last bit of cooking add your tomatoes. These were delicious and I will make them again.

I also decided to make some chocolate banana bread since I have two very ripe bananas sitting on the table that neither Chris or I will eat. Our bunnies would love them though, they love really ripe bananas. That is my male Netherland Dwarf, Stitch, above. Isn't he a cutie? This recipe is from Good Food, Good Wine and A Bad Girl's Isabelle Boucher. You should check out her blog, nicely written and lots of beautiful photos and delicious recipes. This recipe is pretty much foolproof, want to make it with less fat or maybe you only have 1/2 stick butter? Use applesauce in place of the remaining butter that you are missing. Making this but you are a vegan? Use margarine instead of the butter and for the eggs use applesauce (1/2 cup). She calls for high quality cocoa, but if you only have regular cocoa it still tastes awesome. I actually use the store brand. Here is the recipe, but don't miss out on her Chai Banana Bread, which is also very delicious. I would be making that but I am saving the rest of the Chai tea bags I have for Dee's (my MIL) birthday cake. I will post that recipe again next month.

                            Banana Bread Batter.....

                         Cooked Banana Bread.........

Whole Wheat Panckes with Blueberry Sauce

I can't believe that I haven't posted these recipes yet since Chris and I have these almost every weekend. The pancakes are delicious and fluffy and not dense like most whole wheat pancakes that I have tried. I usually add some pecans or walnuts to the 'cakes, and sometimes sliced bananas. The recipes are so simple to prepare, I have subbed out the eggs for applesauce (1/2 cup) or 2 Ener-G egg replacers, prepared and it always comes out delicious and fluffy, as as always use whatever milk that you prefer. I usually replace the honey with King Syrup. Today I made the blueberry sauce with a mixed berry blend. I want to mention that I usually use 1/4 cup or more of sugar to my sauce because I prefer it to be sweeter, and the OJ in the blueberry sauce can be subbed for Triple Sec or Grand Mariner or just plain water.

Chocolate Banana Bread

I love this banana bread, it is the best banana bread ever and it is so forgiving. The first time I made it, I forgot the vanilla and the eggs. This time I made it, I purposely left out the eggs, and used soy milk instead of the sour cream, as I didn't have any on hand. I even used 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup butter the first time I made this, and this time I used 1/2 cup Smart Balance Light. I used regular cocoa (store brand even) as that is what I had but as she says I know it would be even better with dutch cocoa. There is a slight banana flavor and Chris says that this tastes more like chocolate cake than anything.

Lentil Loaf

After seeing a picture of this loaf that Danaskully64 of Veggieboards made, I knew I had to try it out. I made mine from  this recipe (this is the same one she posted) and I decided to make some mushroom gravy to go with it from this recipe and I added some one onion, chopped and sauteed in oil (along with the 'shrooms) to my gravy. I also made Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

The loaf is relatively easy to get out of the pan. I forgot to add basil to mine, and as recommended by Tofu and Sprouts, I cooked my lentils in vegetable broth. I think it is a good, inexpensive recipe that is very easy to make, even during the week. Christopher loved this loaf. I want to make it again with BBQ sauce instead of the tomato sauce, as recommended by Danaskully64 and a lot of the reviewers. I did saute my onion and added a shredded carrot, sauteed to the mix. Definitely try out the mushroom gravy, I think it went well with the Lentil Loaf, and it would be good also on mashed potatoes.


Here is a close up of the Lentil Loaf and Mushroom-Onion Gravy

Here is the plated food

 

Here is the loaf

Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Brownies? Brownies with beans in them? Are you serious? Why yes, yes I am. I have been meaning to make these for a long time and what made me think of them was Chris telling me about Jessica Seinfeld's book with all low-fat recipes, including sweets. While looking around on the internet, I found  this recipe which had a lot of positive feedback. I noticed that it had some flour added to it, which ultimately made me choose this one, since most of the others did not have flour and a lot of feedback was of "pudding" brownies. However, it does seem to be half of the people either hating or loving the recipe (and some of them say they can taste the beans). Kind of like durian, I suppose...I tried that once and I couldn't get past the smell.....If you have tried it you will understand why there is a $500.00 fine for having one in a hotel in Asia. Here is an interesting read about durian on  Wiki ....look at all the different things said about it's taste.....LOL. Like I said, either you love or hate it.

Andrew Zimmern hates it, and Anthony Bourdain loves it. So is this the "durian" of brownies, maybe. And will you be an Zimmern or a Bourdain...Who knows? Just like your mother always said "You never know until you try".Can be vegan-ized with some applesauce or other egg replacer. I am thinking about making a pan and sending it to my MIL, but making it as the original recipe was written, without the flour in it since she is diabetic and with Splenda instead of sugar. But I digress....Here is the recipe.

Black Bean Brownies

1 15 ounce can black beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry
3 large eggs
3 tbsp. oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I used 2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. baking powder ( I used 1 tsp.)
1/2 cup AP flour
pinch salt
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract (optional, but I think it tastes best with the peppermint extract)
1/2 cup chocolate chips, divided (I just sprinkled some on top of the cake/brownies)
I added 1 tbsp. instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp. hot water



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8"x8" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place the black beans into a food processor, and process until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, baking powder, flour, salt and peppermint (if using). Add 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips, pulse to chop up and distribute evenly. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle top with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before slicing. Slice into 16 brownies.

Each brownie contains 120 calories, 5g fat (1.5g saturated, 0.3g omega-3), 95mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 3g protein.

Made the way I made this, it turned out more like a cake. A good cake. A cake that I would make again. Chris and I both enjoyed it, and we ate it slightly warm. However, I will try it again without the flour, and again with 1/2 tsp. baking powder and flour as written. Chris had another piece this morning, and the verdict is it tastes a bit better warm but still delicious cold.

 

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Chocolate Mint Crackle Cookies

I originally made these cookies around Christmas, and I made some tonight. I like that it makes a small batch of cookies. I love how soft they are, almost cake-like and how easy they are to make.Your whole kitchen will smell like chocolate-minty goodness. I didn't chill my dough either time I made these cookies, although I should have, the dough is very sticky and I bake mine at 350 degrees F.  I made mine with regular cocoa and they are still heavenly. And by the way, check out the rest of Isabelle's posts. Wonderful recipes, beautiful photographs.

Chocolate-Mint Crinkle Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, pref Dutch-process
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 cup icing sugar

In a large metal mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Using fingers, rub in the butter until evenly distributed throughout. Add eggs and peppermint extract, and stir until a thick dough comes together. Chill dough in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a spoon or a melon baller, scoop out teaspoon-sized balls of dough. Pour the icing sugar into a small mixing bowl and add the dough balls, 2-3 at a time, rolling around to coat evenly with sugar.
Arrange the icing-sugar coated balls 2" apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are just set and have evenly crackled tops.