Vegan Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

I have been trying to come up with a good butternut squash soup that would make me happy and the recipe below is the one.  It is simple to prepare and with very few ingredients.  It is also vegan and healthy for you. I love not only its delicious rich taste but also its creamy texture.  The green chilies gives it a robust taste with hardly imparting heat. It adds that flavor that lifts the soup to another level together with the cumin powder and coconut milk.  The role of the cumin is to give the soup a smoky flavor without being spicy while the coconut milk gives it its creamy texture.  The lime squeezed over the soup before relishing it is a must.  It gives it a sparkling refreshing taste. Perfect for any gathering when you want a soup for the appetizer.  So good and easy to prepare.

Vegan Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1-4 oz can green chilies
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk from a can
• 1-2 limes cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray a pan with cooking spray.  Place the butternut squash and add salt and black pepper. (Note 1). Spray with cooking spray if you wish. Bake for 20 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth in a Vitamix Blender or any blender and add to it the rest of the ingredients except the lime wedges.  Blend till smooth.  You can change the variable setting of the Vitamix blender to 10 and blend for 5 minutes till you see steam coming from the vent of the cover.  You can also transfer the blended mixture into a pot and heat on a stove.

Serve with slices of lime.   You can also use cilantro as an optional topping but the lime is a must.

Notes:

1.  You can also cut the whole unpeeled butternut squash lengthwise and put the cut side down in a pan and bake for 35 minutes or till skin is brown.  Cool and remove the seed and discard.  Scoop the flesh of one of the halves and use for the recipe.

Vegan Cranberry Orange Scones

I had a similar cream scone when we had our monthly Book Club Meeting at McGinnis Specialty Store in Monroeville PA.  I was pleasantly surprised when Karen Novak, the event organizer and baker of this delicious dessert, said she did not use any butter or eggs.  She just used cream. (See some photos of the book club meeting at the bottom of the blog post).

I looked for a source in the web and found this recipe using full fat coconut milk from a can. I decided to try the recipe and used dried cranberries as add ins and added orange marmalde to intensify the taste of orange in the scones.

The scone as promised by the author of the recipe was light and airy. It is so easy to prepare since you do not need to worry about butter to soften or eggs to add, not to mention mixing them into the batter. The scones got two thumbs up from my picky taster, my husband.

Vegan Cranberry Orange Scones

(Adapted from this recipe)

Scones

• 2 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 tbsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar. 
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk from a can, stirred
• 1 tbsp orange marmalade (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

Combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and dried cranberries in a medium bowl till the ingredients are well blended.

Make a well in the middle and add the coconut milk and orange marmalade in this well and mix the coconut milk and marmalade with a fork.  Then mix the two with the dry ingredients with a fork till just mix.  Do not over mix.

Transfer the dough into a floured surface and turn over about 4 to 5 times until it is uniform in texture.  Do not over mix.

Make an 8-inch square and cut this into eight triangles. with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. (To make 8 triangles, make two lines then two diagonals on the square)  Make sure each is about 1 inch thick.

Separate the eight wedges and transfer into a parchment (or wax paper) lined pan.  Have an inch or two space in between the wedges.

You can sprinkle some sugar on top of each wedge if you like.

Bake for 17 minutes.  Cool for 2 to 3 minutes and brush with the orange glace, recipe below.

Orange Glace

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp orange juice

Mix the two in a small bowl with a fork.

PS.

Here are some photos from the Book Club Meeting below.  We had author and illustrator, Melissa Haas, as our guest speaker.  She has written children's books featuring her cat Catula.

1. 
   

Caramel Coconut Cream Pull Apart Biscuits and Is Coconut Milk Good for You

It is a Saturday morning and I want to prepare some goodies for my husband to accompany his breakfast.  He loved the monkey bread I prepared several weeks ago using the Pillsbury biscuit recipe online.  I wanted something healthier without butter as much as possible.  I happened to eye this Caramel Pull Apart Biscuits recipe on the sidebar of the Monkey Bread recipe on the Pillsbury website and clicked on it.  Wow! Was I surprise.  Just what I wanted.  No butter is needed but instead heavy cream.  Still not my idea of a healthier alternative to butter.  I then thought of coconut milk which I had. Coconut milk has 17-24 % coconut fat.  It is reported in this publication that this fat is healthier having the so called middle length chain saturated fatty acid which undergoes a different metabolic pathway than the long chain counterparts found in animal fat and also plant oils.  It is directly converted to energy and not stored as fat. On this subject of whether coconut oil is good for you etc read this and this for other opinions on this controversial topic.  

The recipe called for two 12 oz can of refrigerated biscuits.  I instead opted to use one can of biscuits and half the recipe of the rest of the ingredients. I substituted coconut milk instead of the heavy cream in the recipe.  I also used coconut palm brown sugar instead of plain brown sugar but that is an optional choice for you.  I used the usual length of time of thirty minutes to bake the Pull Apart Biscuits.  It was delicious and better for you in moderation of course.  I do not detect a strong coconut taste that some of your family members might not be a fan of.  

Caramel Coconut Cream Pull Apart Biscuits

(Inspired by this recipe)

• 1- 12-16 oz can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (the generic one I used was 16 oz)
• 1/2 packed brown sugar (I used coconut palm brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup coconut milk (preferably the cream on upper part of unshaken or refrigerated can)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray.

2.  Separate the biscuit dough into 8-10 biscuits it came in.  Cut each biscuit into fourths.  Layer them in the pan.

3.  Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the biscuits.

4.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Immediately turn pan upside down onto a glass or heatproof plate.  Serve warm.

Slow Cooker Cauliflower with Curry Almond Sauce

I would admit to being addicted to vegan dishes with thick spicy sauces.  I have posted recipes of this nature in the past (here, here, here, here and here) using vegetable combinations and sauces.

I decided to try adapting a red curry paste almond chicken dish from this recipe and came up with a plant based version without the use of red curry paste that was in this original recipe.  It called for three tbsp of this spice mix and is the major flavoring component aside from the curry powder.  After looking up the homemade recipe of this paste, I incorporated some of the ingredients that were closed to them.  I added the juice and zest of one lemon for example to approximate the lemon grass component plus the spices cumin, cinnamon, coriander powder and cardamon. At the end when the taste was not quite there, I decided not to increase the salt but instead used Sriracha to intensify the flavor of the coconut almond combination.  Wow it worked.

For me success means I would want the dish morning, noon and night and I did.  The almond gives only a very subtle taste of itself to the dish but it does thicken the sauce. I like eating the dish with quinoa or rice with the suggested sides of fresh vegetables like grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber and fresh spinach.  I used the slow cooker method for convenience but the stove top one pot method will also work.


Slow Cooker Cauliflower with Curry Almond Sauce

(Adapted from this recipe)

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 onion, sliced

• 2 tbsp ginger, minced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp coriander powder

• 1/4 tsp cardamon powder

• 2 tbsp curry powder

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 can full fat coconut milk

• 1/4 cup almond butter

• 2 cauliflower, cut into florets

• 1 green pepper, sliced

• 1 yellow or red pepper, sliced

• 1 cup baby carrots

• 1 tbsp sriracha or to taste

• 1 tsp salt or to taste

• grape tomatoes, cucumber and fresh spinach as sides

1. Heat the coconut oil at medium heat in a saute pan or in the slow cooker bowl itself if the slow cooker has a saute mode.  Add the onion, ginger and garlic till they are cooked.  
2. Add the cumin, cinnamon, coriander, cardamon, curry powder and red pepper flakes and heat them through.  
3. Add the sauteed mixture if using a saute pan and the rest of the ingredients except the sides to the slow cooker. 
4. Cook for 3 hours at high setting or 6 hours a low setting.  I used Aroma brand rice cooker/slow cooker and cooked the dish for 2 hours at slow cooker setting.
5. Serve over rice with sides of grape tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and fresh spinach.  

Slow Cooker Vegan Tikka Masala

This is adapted from the recipe of one of the dishes that Chef Wyatt Lash of the Commoner demonstrated when he stopped by Pittsburgh Today Live.  It has a surprising delightful ingredient, lime, which gives the dish a citrusy refreshing taste that I like. I decreased the amount of coconut milk and skipped the usually used ingredient in this dish, garam masala. Relax guys I added some of the components of this spice blend to this adapted recipe namely, cinnamon, turmeric, and coriander which were not in the original recipe.

This got two thumbs up from my vegan yoga teacher, Sally.  I love this so much I had this for breakfast with quinoa. So good.

Slow Cooker Vegan Tikka Masala

Adapted from this recipe

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

• 1/2 Tsp ground cumin

• 1/4 Tsp ground cardamon

• 1/4 tsp ground coriander

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1/8 tsp turmeric 

• 1 tbsp curry powder

• 2 dry red chili peppers, crushed or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tbsp coconut palm brown sugar

• 1 Zest Lime, Plus Juice

• 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cube

• 2 cups baby carrots

• 1 -14.5 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 1/4 cup coconut milk or non dairy milk

• 1 tbsp cornstarch in 1/4 cup water

• 1-12 oz can diced tomatoes

• 1 tbsp Sriracha

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

• 2 cups spinach, (optional)

• 2 tbsp green onions for garnish  

1. In a skillet or in the slow cooker with saute mode, add  the coconut oil and heat at medium heat.  Add and sweat all onions, garlic, and ginger with dry spices. 
2. Add the rest of ingredients to the sauted mixture except spinach if using and green onions in the slow cooker bowl. 
3. Cook on high for 3 hours or at low for 6 hours.  I cooked mine in an Aroma Brand rice cooker/slow cooker for 2 hours at slow cooker setting.  
4.  Add the spinach if using at the last half hour of slow cooking. Garnish with green onions. 

Tofu Vegetable Curry

The recipe is very similar to the Spinach in Coconut Milk with Indian Spices in this blogpost.  I added tofu and used a different mix of vegetables consisting of zucchini, carrots and spinach.  It is just as delicious as the inspiration but felt more substantial because of the tofu present and the crunchy presence of the carrots and zucchini.  My daughter gave this the thumbs up.  Just like the original recipe this does not last long since the curry sauce makes it utterly addictive. One of my favorites in my plant based approach to eating.  It has protein in the tofu and the texture of the vegetables and the creamy sauce make it very satisfying.

.

Tofu Vegetable Curry

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup water (Note 1)
• 2 red dry chilies, crumbled
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup coconut milk (Note 2)
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1 bag spinach
• salt to taste
• 4 stalks cilantro, chopped

In a saute pan heated to medium high heat, add the garlic, ginger, onion and some of the water. Continue heating and adding the water till the three ingredients are cooked.  Then heat till only a little bit of the water is left then add the chilies, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and coconut milk.  Continue to heat at medium heat till the taste of the spices are blended.  Add the carrots and cook till tender.  Then add the spinach zucchini and continue to heat till the spinach is wilted. You want the zucchini to retain its crunch.  Garnish with cilantro.  Serve over rice or quinoa or with Naan bread. Enjoy.

Notes:

1.  I am observing the plant based approach so I skip oil in sauteing but you can use some oil in sauteing the garlic, ginger and onion.  If you are doing this, skip the water.  

2.  You can use coconut cream for a thicker sauce.  If you do not have it, you can place the coconut milk in the fridge overnight and decant the liquid leaving the cream which you can use in place of coconut cream.  

Healthy Green Ice Cream

It is good and delicious being green  

 



 



I heard from my daughter, Wendy, and her husband, Matt, that their child, Maddie, loves eating fruit but not green vegetables.  So I decided to take the challenge of incorporating vegetables into a healthy but appetizing ice cream which even grown ups like me will eat. I do not want to end up with baby food in other words.  I also wanted to make a grown up food that she can eat unlike the last time I made healthy ice cream with honey in it.  Babies cannot eat honey since being unprocessed it has spores that can cause botulism in babies.

Here is the recipe of the Healthy Green Ice Cream I made for Maddie.  First thing my daughter asked me when she learned of the name of the ice cream was what made it green.  I texted her that it was actually good old spinach.  Knowing that, she did not believe Maddie would eat it but I was not discouraged since I know I can make a believer out of her. The other vegetable I incorporated was peeled and seeded cucumbers.  I also added orange juice, fresh pear and bananas.  For improving the texture and taste,  I added coconut milk and peanut butter.  I added maple syrup as a sweetener since the mixture despite the presence of the fruit was not sweet enough for me especially after being frozen. 

I based the recipe on two online recipes,  3-Ingredient Healthy Ice Cream and Peanut Butter Coconut Ice Cream.  The challenge for me is how to make the preparation low maintenance in terms of making its texture like ice cream.  The second online source, Peanut Butter Coconut Ice Cream, suggested re-blending the frozen mixture if using an ordinary blender, but I still came up with a hard brick of an ice cream when I did this.  I did not want to buy a powerful blender or an ice cream maker as yet so I had to find way around doing this. 

The one that best worked for me was to just microwave the whole container of ice cream once it was frozen for around 20 seconds or so at high then scoop what was needed.  In fact at one party recently, the ice cream stayed in a soft enough stage for everybody to scoop their share.  By the way, I thought at first only one person in this party would be brave enough to eat the ice cream but I was shocked to see practically everyone having a scoop.  I know it is for curiousity sake but it was encouraging. 

In fact at this party, everybody who was wary about this ice cream because of the name (Matt announced it to everyone as Spinach Ice Cream) and the ingredient was pleasantly surprized by its yummy taste.  While Carl, Matt's dad, was feeding this to Maddie, I heard him say to his wife, Carol,  "It is not as bad as its name make it sounds".  Carl did not have a hard time at all feeding this ice cream with spinach in disguise to Maddie cuz she loved it. 

I am so happy we now found a way for Maddie to eat her green veggies finally.  Maddie's family especially her picky eater of a dad Matt loved the coconut flavor and my once sceptical Wendy became a believer that green and healthy can be good and tasty and you will too.

Healthy Green Ice Cream

(based on 3-Ingredient Healthy Ice Cream and Peanut Butter Coconut Ice Cream)

1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp peanut butter
4-6 oz fresh spinach (or frozen spinach)
1 whole cucumber peeled, seeded and sliced (or zucchini)
1 pear (or 1/2 cup applesauce)
2 bananas

You can mix all the ingredients  together if you have a powderful blender.  If not add the orange juice, coconut milk, maple syrup and peanut butter first and blend using an ordinary blender.  Then add the fresh spinach (or frozen ones) till it turns mushy, and then add the cucumber, pears and bananas till the whole mixture is thoroughly blended.

Place the mixture in a microwave proof container and freeze it.  The mixture will turn hard like brick.  Just microwave it for 20

seconds or so and scoop out what you need.  You can also place the mixture in ice cube trays and freeze it and take out what you need or place the cubes in an ice cream maker.  It can also be placed in popsicle molds if you have one.  I unfortunately got rid of mine or misplaced them. 

Makes around 1 pint.

Notes: 

At one year old, Maddie can eat maple syrup, peanut butter and coconut milk but still no honey for her.

There is another way to make the mixture like ice cream in texture.  It is commonly used in science classes to demonstrate the use of salt to lower temperature.  You place the ice cream mixture in a ziploc bag and you place a mixture of ice and rock salt (or just table salt) into another ziploc bag.  You then place the ziploc bag with the ice cream mixture into the bag with the ice and rock salt.  Mash the bags until the ice cream mixture turns to the desired consistency.  You can make this fun by passing the whole set up from one person to another in your family or party and make a game out of it to see which of the two or so groups will come up with the ice cream of the best consistency the quickest.  Another method is placing both bags of ice cream mixture and that of salt and ice in a large coffee can and you roll it back and forth using your foot and another person's like that of your boyfriend or husband who will think you are crazy.  Never mind what they think they will love the ice cream. 

Another way, which however is inappropriate for babies like Maddie, is to place booze in the ice cream mixture before freezing it.  It lowers the freezing point of the liquids so it will not harden as much when frozen.  This will be reminiscent of jello shots you had in college parties.