Category Archives: seed

Enjoy the Winter Season With Chewy Vegan, Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

Posted on January 16, 2020 by Chef Leah

Most of the gingerbread we ate during the holidays tended to be kind of dry and stale. This is a shame, because gingerbread cookies, cooked properly, are simply awesome.

We recently discovered a recipe for a chewy variety. They’re crisp on the outside, but melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside. We added vegan chocolate chips for an additional flavor sensation. You can bake these cookies without chocolate chips if you desire. They taste great either way.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon flax seeds, soaked in 3 tablespoons water
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup gluten-free pastry flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (not the iodized variety)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup softened coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup turbinado sugar (for rolling)
3/4 cup unsweetened dark chocolate chips (optional — check label and make sure there is no dairy)

INSTRUCTIONS

Stir flax seeds and water together in a small bowl and let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes until the seeds swell and most of the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, mix the two flours, spices, baking soda and salt together in a medium-sized bowl.

In a separate, larger bowl, stir together the molasses, coconut sugar, flax mixture, vanilla extract, grated ginger, and chocolate chips. Ladle the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients, a little bit at a time. Your batter should be moist but not runny.

Place the bowl into the refrigerator and chill for about half an hour. Remove from refrigerator. One at a time, using a large spoon, scoop out dough pieces from the bowl’s interior. They should be about 1 1/2 teaspoons in diameter. Form each one into a loose ball. Sprinkle a layer of turbinado sugar on cutting board. Roll the dough balls around in the sugar until each one is thoroughly coated. Position them a couple of inches apart on a cookie sheet, greased with coconut oil or vegan butter (such as Earth Balance).

Place cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. The chilled dough will create a nice, crackly texture across the top of your cookies after you pop them into the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Your cookies won’t get much bigger, so they won’t take long. Be careful not to burn them!

Makes about two dozen. Try to eat dinner before you dig into these cookies, so you won’t eat so many. They keep well, securely covered, for 4-5 days, but will be gone way before then. Enjoy!

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Pepper, Peanut, and Potato Sabzi: A Simple But Elegant Meal With an Indian Flair

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Chef Leah

You’re faced with a dilemma: you want to eat an elegant international meal, but you don’t have much time and/or cash on hand. What’s a hungry gourmet to do? The answer is simple — whip up a platter of our vegan, gluten-free Pepper, Peanut, and Potato Sabzi! Though it looks deceptively like a simple, stir-fried dish of potatoes and peppers, once you experienced your first bite, you’ll know there is something special going on. The exotic flavor comes from the addition of cumin and fennel seeds, spices that are popular staples in Indian cuisine. The peanuts add protein, and the potatoes are hearty and filling. Just perfect for these chilly autumn nights!

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large russet potato, chopped
2 medium-sized bell peppers, chopped (red is best, but you can also use yellow, orange, or a combination)
1 teaspoon sea salt (NOT iodized!)
1/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about half a lime)

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

chopped cilantro
hot sauce
extra lime juice
tortillas
cooked basmati rice

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat setting (cast iron is best). Add the cumin seeds and cook for a minute or so until they start to turn brown. Stir in the fennel seeds and onion and continue cooking for about 4-6 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently!

Stir in potato and distribute evenly across the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan and cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes begin to soften. It’s okay if they’re a bit browned in spots. Stir in the sea salt and bell pepper. Cover the pot again and cook until peppers are cooked through (about 5-7 minutes). Ideally, the peppers should be lightly charred on the bottom, but not burned. You can peek occasionally to make sure.

Stir in the peanuts and lime juice and cook, uncovered, for another couple of minutes. Remove the pan from the burner, and ladle the contents onto several plates. That’s all there is to it! You can garnish with hot sauce, cilantro, extra lime juice, or whatever your heart desires. Also, this mixture can be served over basmati rice or corn tortillas if you want to get really fancy. But it’s perfect all on its own!

Serves 3-4 guests. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and taste great reheated. We guarantee that you’ll love this inexpensive but exotic and delicious meal.

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Start Your Day With These Delectable Vegan, Gluten-Free Morning Glory Muffins

Posted on June 15, 2019 by Chef Leah

Morning glory muffins have been a favorite of ours for many years. However, when we started pursuing a vegan, gluten-free diet, we discovered that many of our favorite coffee shops had left us out in the cold when it came to these delectable muffins. Almost all of the recipes use butter, eggs and/or milk. This makes them decidedly off-limits. If you love morning glory muffins as much as we do, you may have experienced this depressing scenario, yourself. Have no fear! We’ve discovered a recipe that utilizes your favorite ingredients — raisins, walnuts, apples, etc. However, it substitutes flax seeds for eggs, and coconut oil for butter. The result is a melt-in-your-mouth concoction that will leave you wanting more!

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons flax seeds plus 6 tablespoons water
1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour blend (lighter is better)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cloves
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup plain, unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (almond is great!)
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 apple, peeled and cut into small chunks
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup raisins (use golden variety for a special treat)
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the flax seeds with water and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg or cloves. Melt coconut oil on stove and combine in a second, larger bowl with flax mixture, coconut oil, vanilla, applesauce, coconut sugar, and non-dairy milk. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until thoroughly combined. Your batter should be moist but not runny. Add carrots, walnuts, raisins, apple chunks, and coconut and make sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Grease a 12-muffin pan with additional coconut oil, or use paper liners. Pour the batter into each receptacle. Bake in a pre-heated, 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Your kitchen will smell good enough to eat! The muffins are done when you stick a fork or toothpick in the middle, and it comes out clean.

If you play your cards right, you’ll have twelve muffins that are more or less the same size. They’re great for breakfast, lunch, or as a mid-afternoon snack. Though small, they’re surprisingly hearty and really pack a wallop! You can eat them as is (scrumptious!) or with a dab of vegan butter. If you invite folks over to your house for muffins, they’ll be your friends for life. Enjoy!

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Our Yummy, Vegan and Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Will Fill You With Summer Nostalgia

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Chef Leah

Many of us have fond summer memories of sitting outside in the warm sun, digging into generous helpings of pineapple upside-down cake. Of course, the traditional recipe utilizes eggs and milk, but these ingredients aren’t necessary for our delicious version. Our recipe uses fresh pineapple instead of canned. Colorful pomegranate seeds replace the usual Maraschino cherries. We recently baked this dessert for a Memorial Day barbeque, and were delighted by the stellar results. Try it for yourself, and we think you’ll agree.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped into small chunks
1/4 cup coconut oil
scant cup plant-based milk (coconut or almond works best)
juice of 1/2 lemon
8 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
1 1/4 cups almond meal
1 1/4 cups all purpose, gluten-free flour
2 heaping teaspoons baking powder (make sure it’s aluminum-free)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pomegranate seeds for topping (optional)
Vegan whipping cream (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Grease a square baking pan with vegan butter, coconut oil, or other oil of your choosing. Line the bottom of the pan with the pineapple chunks, making sure they are evenly distributed and not too lumpy. Melt the coconut oil, keeping a watchful eye so it won’t burn. Pour oil in a large bowl and add the milk, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and almond meal. Stir thoroughly, then add flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix well until the mixture is moist but not runny. Add additional flour if mixture is too moist, or milk if it’s too stiff. It should have a slightly fluffy texture.

Ladle the batter into the baking pan, making sure it is evenly spread across the pineapple chunks. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. You can employ the toothpick or fork-in-the-middle method to see whether it’s done. Remove your cake from the oven and set on your counter to cool. Once it’s cooled, you can flip the cake over onto a large plate. If you like, decorate your creation with a pomegranate seed garnish (or fresh, de-pitted cherries, if you prefer). Serve as is, or get fancy with some vegan whipped cream.

Serves 4-6 happy people with ease. This cake keeps well in your refrigerator, securely covered, for several days. We sincerely doubt that it will be around that long. It works well as a dessert, but certain individuals have been known to enjoy it as a breakfast food. We won’t reveal their names. Enjoy your cake, and welcome to summer. At last!

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Celebrate Warm Spring Nights With Grilled Millet/Buffalo Sauce/Ranch Sandwiches!

Posted on May 25, 2019 by Chef Leah

Usually, when we think of millet, we envision birdseed. However, this crunchy, high-protein grain is delicious as a sandwich spread when it’s combined with spicy buffalo sauce and creamy vegan ranch dressing. The consistency is slightly cheese-like, and the flavor is out of this world! You can make the buffalo sauce as mild or spicy as your heart desires. It takes only about 20 minutes to whip up this dish. A perfect choice if you’re in a hurry! The ingredients are inexpensive, if you’re on a budget, your meal won’t break the bank.

BUFFALO MILLET INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup uncooked millet
1 cup water
1 tablespoon hot sauce (we used Aardvark Sauce, our favorite)
2 teaspoons Sriracha
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vegan butter (we used Earth Balance) or olive oil
pinch or two of sea salt and garlic powder

BUFFALO SAUCE
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1-2 teaspoons melted vegan butter or olive oil

RANCH SAUCE
1 1/2 cups vegan mayonnaise
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (we used almond, but coconut is great as well)
1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

ADDITIONAL SANDWICH INGREDIENTS
Red pepper strips
chopped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine millet ingredients in medium-sized saucepan and cook for 15-20 minutes until all water is absorbed. Meanwhile, prepare your sauces in separate bowls. Mix together buffalo sauce ingredients, adjusting spice levels to your taste. Prepare ranch dressing by mixing together all ingredients, adding extra milk if mixture is too thick. You’ll most likely have some left over after you’ve made your sandwiches, so it will double as an excellent salad dressing.

Take a piece of gluten-free bread and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Pack cooked millet mixture on top, and then sprinkle with a liberal helping of buffalo sauce. Layer on red pepper slices, and cover with a generous amount of ranch dressing. Press another piece of bread on top to make a sandwich.

Fry sandwich in olive oil on stovetop on medium heat setting until golden brown on both sides. Remove from burner and serve hot. Cut sandwich in half if it’s too messy to grasp. You’ll love the creamy texture and surprising heartiness of this delicious meal.

Serves 2-3 hungry people. This dish pairs well with a small salad (use some more of that ranch dressing!) and, of course, gluten-free, vegan beer or wine. You’ll be surprised and delighted to discover how much you like eating millet. Bon appetit!

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The Best, Fast, Easy and Only Raw Flaxseed Cracker Recipe You Will Ever Need

Posted on June 17, 2014 by HGFV Anne

This recipe is so fast and easy that it is truly the best and only raw flax seed cracker recipe you will ever need. Actually we should call it a “3 seed flax cracker” or even a “4 seed flaxseed cracker” recipe, and even with that it will be the easiest, most versatile flaxseed cracker recipe you’ve ever made.

That is because in addition to the flaxseeds, you can throw in nearly any other seeds you like (and it will still be just as easy!), which is why we say that we should call it a recipe for “3 Seed Flax Crackers” or even “4 Seed Flax Crackers”. We like adding sesame seeds and hemp seeds, but you could also throw in sunflowers seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds…you get the idea.

This recipe can be made savory by adding any sort of seasoning that you like, but we prefer it just as it is, because as it is you can top it with anything you like, be it savory (hummus, guacamole, etc.) or sweet (peanut butter, almond butter, etc.).

So here it is.

The Easiest, Fastest, Best and Only Raw Flaxseed Cracker Recipe You Will Ever Need

1 cup flaxseed (we use half golden and half brown)
1 cup flax meal
3 tablespoons assorted other seeds – we use:
1 T. hemp seed
1 T. sesame seed
1 T. black sesame seed
1 tablespoon coconut or date sugar
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
2 cups water

Mix the flaxseed, flax meal, other seeds, sugar, and salt in a bowl with a whisk until well mixed.

best easy flaxseed crackers - mix

Stir in the water, and mix well. You will think that the mixture is too soupy, but wait.

Let set for five minutes.

Ladle mixture onto dehydrator trays covered with Teflex sheets. If you don’t have Teflex sheets you can use parchment paper – but do not use waxed paper! You have been warned!

ladle flax cracker on teflex

Quickly spread the mixture as thin as you want it – generally the thinner the better, to a point. This recipe made exactly two full dehydrator trays for an Excalibur dehydrator.

spread flax cracker mixture on teflex sheets

Let stand 5 more minutes.

Score the crackers before putting in the dehydrator; this will make it much easier to break the crackers apart after they are done. By letting the mixture stand for that second 5 minutes, once it is spread on the trays, it thickens up just enough more to allow you to effectively score it.

score flaxseed crackers-2

Put in dehydrator at 115 degrees, and dehydrate until the crackers are completely dry. You really can’t over-dehydrate them, and we dehydrate them for at least 24 hours.

When they are done, break the crackers apart, and store in moisture-proof container.

These are honestly the best flaxseed crackers we’ve ever had. They aren’t at all tough, but they also aren’t so delicate that they break apart. And the flavour and texture are wonderful – not at all too flaxy.

Let us know what additions you have made to this recipe!

best easy only flaxseed raw crackers

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