Savory Lentil Soup

Winter and soup make a wonderful combination!  There's nothing nicer than a hot cup of soup for lunch or supper when the weather is cold outside.  I've been in soup mode for awhile, and have enjoyed making a variety of soups for the family to enjoy.  Here's what cooking in my kitchen right now. . .

Savory Lentil Soup

1 cup lentils, dry

3 - 4 cups water

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. thyme

2 bay leaves

dash of salt

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp. oil 
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked

Simmer on medium heat until lentils and rice is tender.  Add more water if desired.  Adjust seasonings to your liking.  When done stir in 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.

Spoon into large mugs or bowls.  Garnish with a sprig of parsley.  Enjoy!

More recipes for any season at www.mycozykitchen.blogspot.com 

Raw Tamales

Usually I post recipes on my blog, but this time the tables are turned and I am requesting a recipe from you! Recently I ate the most delicious raw tamales at a vegan restaurant. The flavors in the fillings and sauces were beautifully developed. I would love to make some of my own, but find myself not knowing where to start. Do you have a favorite vegan tamale recipe? It doesn't have to be raw, although raw would be welcome. I just need a starting point to develop something close to this dish. Yum! It was so good!

Blueberry-Orange Rice Pudding

1 orange
2 cups rice milk
1/3 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups blueberries


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly prepare a 9" x 9" baking dish.


Squeeze orange juice from orange and grate rind. Combine with rice milk, arrowroot, agave syrup, and salt in blender. Pour mixture over rice. Mix and pour into baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes or until thickened. Remove from oven and add blueberries to the top. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. The pudding will thicken as it cools.

Minty Carob Chip Cookies

2 c. whole wheat pastry flour (or white)
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 T. mint extract
1 c. water
1/2 c. raw cashew pieces, rinsed
2 T. carob powder
1 T. vanilla
1/2 c. maple syrup
3/4 c. date pieces


Blend together flour, baking powder, and salt. Then add remaining ingredients (above). Stir until creamy. Then add:


1 c. walnut pieces
1 c. dairy free carob chips


Scoop onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.


*May double the amount of mint if it is a favorite flavor of yours!
**Chocolate chips may be substituted for carob chips if you'd like.

Sweet Crumble Topping for Fruit

1/2 cup oats, gluten free if necessary
1 cup coconut, shredded
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup agave sweetener
1/4 cup water

Place 1/2 the oats and 1/2 the coconut together in a blender until finely ground. Empty into a mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Blend together well. Crumble mixture over fruit filling (previously posted). Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until golden.

(Search for "Christmas Crisp" for fruit filling recipe)

Christmas Crisp

1 cup pears, peeled, cored, and diced
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
3 1/2 Tbsp. tapioca
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup apple juice concentrate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9" x 9" baking dish. In a bowl, stir all ingredients together. Pour mixture into baking dish. Add your favorite crumb or crisp topping over the fruit mixture. Bake for 50 minutes or until crisp is done. Serve with your favorite non-dairy whipped topping or frozen dessert.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Creamy Tomato Soup

2 tsp. oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup soy milk
1 - 10.5 oz. package firm lite silken tofu
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. fresh basil, chopped

Saute onion until transparent. Add tomato and garlic. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes more. Then add basil and salt. Stir in soy milk. Cook over medium heat for one minute more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Transfer to a food processor and add tofu. Puree until smooth. Serve hot or cold.

Macaroni and Cheese Vegan-Style with Green Peppers

Macaroni and Cheese Vegan-Style with Green Peppers

3/4 cup yeast flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 oz. pimento
3 Tbsp. corn starch
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. salt
1/3 cup flour of choice (gluten free or all-purpose)
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1 heaping tsp. paprika
1 onion
1 package macaroni (gluten-free if necessary)
2 cloves garlic
1 green pepper

Cook macaroni. Saute onion, garlic, and green pepper. Blend all other ingredients together. Pour the blended mixture over the cooked macaroni. Mix in the sauted onion, garlic, and green pepper. Bake in the over and 375 until hot and bubbly, and when the mixture turns orange in color.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a wonderful NEW YEAR!

Favorite Tortilla Soup

Do you need a one-dish meal that's quick and easy? Something you can put together in a few minutes and it tastes like it's simmered on the stove for hours? This is it! It's so easy and simply delicious! If you are really in a time crunch, this is a great crock pot recipe.

Favorite Tortilla Soup

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. olive oil

Saute' onion and garlic in oil until soft.

Add:

1 can tomatoes, diced
1 can olives, sliced
1 can green chilies, chopped
1 can pinto beans
1 can corn
1 cup salsa
4 cups chicken-style broth
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. taco seasoning
salt to taste
fresh cilantro and grape tomatoes to garnish
vegan sour cream to garnish
corn tortillas, slice thinly and saute'ed

Blend all ingredients in kettle except those used for garnish. Adjust seasonings as desired. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish as desired. Serve with crunched up tortilla chips (can be stirred into the soup). Delish!

Naturally Sweet Apple Pie

Naturally Sweet Apple Pie

6 cups peeled apples (tart apples may need more sweetening)
1 6-oz. can frozen unsweetened apple juice, undiluted
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. margarine
Pinch salt and apple pie spice to taste, if desired (or cinnamon)

2 pie crusts (top and bottom)

Simmer together until thickened and cooked. Pour into unbaked pie shell, dot with vegan margarine and cover with top crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until done.

Rice & Almond Flour Pie Crust

Rice and Almond Flour Pie Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grind 1/3 cup whole almonds to a fine powder in a blender.

3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey (or alternative such as maple syrup or brown rice syrup)

In a 9-inch pie plate, combine the ground almond flour, brown rice flour, cinnamon or nutmeg and cloves. Mix well with a fork. In a microwave dish, combine the water, oil and honey and heat on low setting until honey liquefies. Drizzle the honey liquid over the flour mixture in the pie plate, and stir with a fork until well blended. Let stand until the dry ingredients absorb the liquid. Shape the crust by pressing mixture firmly into place with your fingers, covering bottom and sides of plate evenly. Pat top edge of crust into straight edge. Bake before or after adding filling. Bake empty crust for 5 minutes at 350 degrees F. Makes one crust.

Pecan Pie

This is an amazing recipe for a custard pie --- without the eggs. Creamy, smooth, and delicious, no one will know the difference. This is one of my favorite holiday pies to make for a crowd. Try it, I think you'll like it.

Pecan Pie

2 1/2 cups pecans, toasted, chopped
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup brown rice syrup or agave syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla, pure extract
1 tablespoon ginger, fresh minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flax seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup soy milk
prebaked pie crust

Place the pecans in a bowl. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown rice syrup, vanilla, ginger, and salt. Simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool.

In a spice grinder, grind the flaxseeds. Combine the cornstarch, soymilk, and flaxseed meal. Add to the maple syrup mixture. Pour into a blender and whiz until smooth. Then pour this mixture over the pecans. Stir until coated and pour into a prebaked pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and serve with your favorite topping and garnish.

Tofu-Rice Salad

Tofu-Rice Salad

1 cup diced tofu
4 cups cooked brown and wild rice combination
1/2 cup pine nuts or chopped pecans
3/4 cup golden raisins, plumped in hot water and then drained
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce, Tamari sauce, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
lettuce leaves
paprika
parsley or cilantro

Toss the ingredients together except last three on list and chill to marinate flavors. When ready to serve, arrange on a bed of lettuce leaves and sprinkle with paprika. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.

For variation: add a small amount of ginger powder. You may also use 2 - 3 tsp. sesame oil and then add olive oil to equal 1/3 cup. If you prefer, you may omit the lemon juice and olive oil and add Veganaise instead.

Serves: 4 (generous servings)

Enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Fudgy Carob Balls

Fudgy Carob Balls

1/8 cup carob powder (or cocoa)
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/8 cup rice bran

Mix all ingredients together. Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper. Spray hands with vegetable cooking spray. Roll into bit-size balls. If desired roll into chopped cuts or coconut.

*Pictured are Clarice's yummy chocolate truffles.

Coconut Cream Pie

This recipe is a favorite! Easy to make, it has a rich flavor and appeals to anyone who loves coconut or custard!  It's dairy free and eggless and can be poured into a regular pie crust or into a nut or graham cracker crust as well.

Coconut Cream Pie

3 1/2 cups vanilla flavored rice milk
1/2 cup agave syrup or honey
6 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups unsweetened coconut, fine
2 tablespoons coconut extract

Save out 1/2 cup rice milk to blend with cornstarch for thickening. Bring the remaining ingredients to a slow boil, then add the 1/2 cup rice milk with cornstarch. Cook until thick. Cool completely. Pour into baked pie crust. Chill and serve.