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.  

Microwave Sweet Potato Cranberry Cookies (gluten free)

I wanted cookies to serve my gluten free guests during my parties without resorting to using expensive gluten free flour.  Since I would be busy preparing food for my other guests who do not have to adhere to that diet, I wanted something that can also be prepared in less than fifteen minutes.  I came up with this recipe for that purpose.  I use the microwave to bake it for further speed in preparation.  There are only three ingredients and they are plant based.  No oil or butter, eggs, dairy, added sugar and flour were used. Yet these cookies are delicious. See the three magic ingredients below.

Microwave Sweet Potato Cranberry Cookies

Yields 5 cookies

• 1 banana
• 1 cup cooked sweet potato 
• 2 tbsp dry cranberries
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg or cardamon or pumpkin spice (your choice), optional

Mix the banana and sweet potato in a small bowl with a fork. Add the cranberries.

Divide the mixture into 5 portions. Place in round shapes into a microwaveable plate with spaces between them and the middle of the plate empty.

Microwave for 5-6 minutes.  Flip after 4 minutes for even cooking.  Microwave till no longer mushy but not burnt either.  The cookies are pliable but they can be picked up.  I used a 1100 watt microwave oven.

Microwave Skinny Cookies

I recently visited my niece, Gia, and her family, in Canada and she brought us to Kelly's Bake Shoppe. Their most popular cookies are the so called Skinny Cookies.  Our gracious and resourceful hostess Gia had to research the recipe since their cookbook did not feature this.  She came upon this recipe from the web. She was preparing a batch before we left and I was convincing her they can be baked in the microwave. Thus I was challenged to prove it to her and came up with my own adapted recipe.

Austin, Dion, Gia and Rayshawn at the Botanical Garden, Ontario, Canada

I did tweak the recipe with several substitutions among which is swapping flour and coconut flakes for the oatmeal since I am allergic to the latter if I ingest a large amount. (and who can resist cookies with chocolate chips!).  The cookies are called Skinny Cookies since no sugar or butter or eggs or dairy are added to the batter.  To make it gluten free, stay with the use of oatmeal or use gluten free flour.  BTW my picky taster, my husband, gave the cookies two thumbs up.  It was that good, he ate one of four while I could not resist finishing the rest. Tsk, tsk.

Microwave Skinny Cookies

4 large cookies

• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup flour (or 1/2 cup oatmeal or gluten free flour)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup coconut
• 2 tbsp non dairy milk
• 1 tbsp chocolate chips 
• 1 tbsp raisins 
• 1 tbsp nuts

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.  Place them in four round shapes into a microwave safe plate with space between them and the center of the plate empty.  Microwave for four minutes. (I used a 1100 W oven).

Here are the nutrition facts to prove that it is skinny and healthy.  Just use moderation and not eat all in one seating like I did.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 49 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 97 Calories from Fat 32

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3.6g 6%

Saturated Fat 1.9g 10%

Cholesterol 1mg 0%

Sodium 19mg 1%

Potassium 264mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 15.4g 5%

Dietary Fiber 2.1g 8%

Sugars 5.7g

Protein 2.2g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 4% Calcium 6% • Iron 7%

Nutrition Grade A-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Very low in cholesterol
• Low in sodium
• High in manganese
• High in phosphorus
• High in vitamin B6

Bad points

• High in sugar

Microwave Korean Sweet Potato Pancakes (Gluten Free)

This was inspired by the recipe for Korean Savory Pancakes found in the wonderful food blog Spicy Perspective.  These savory pancakes are vegetable laden Korean delicacy. The list of ingredients in this particular online source called for flour and eggs.  I try to adhere to a plant based approach to eating in which eggs are not used.  I also wanted to lower my consumption of non complex carbohydrates so I wanted the flour out.  I also wanted a microwave version and adding flour sometimes make the cookie or any dish tough if over cooked.  I wanted a more forgiving low maintenance microwaveable recipe that is reliable.

I have been successful with using banana in microwaved cookies and I thought of using it as the binder to take the place of eggs and flour in this recipe. Combined with mashed sweet potatoes, I envisioned the resulting product to have body. The presence of the salt and pepper and other vegetables would help make the patties or pancake savory plus dipping them in them in the spicy soy dipping sauce would also make you forget it has banana in the ingredients.   With the banana in the recipe, I skipped adding sugar called for in the original recipe.

The Korean pancakes are usually shallow deep fried but I decided to stick to microwaving to lower the fat content and just pan fry the microwaved patties using cooking spray to give more color to the surface of the pancake.  They are still soft not crisp but you would not mind that when you dip them in the Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce.  They are close to the fried version and healthier.

Microwave Korean Sweet Potato Pancakes  (Gluten Free)

Makes 5 small patties

Pancakes 

• 1 banana
• 2 medium sweet potatoes cooked (about 2 cups)
• 2 tbsp zucchini, julienned
• 2 tbsp red pepper, julienned
• 2 tbsp green onions, chopped coarsely
• salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• pinch of red pepper flakes

Pancakes

• Mix in a bowl the banana and sweet potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the vegetables. 
• Microwave the mixture in the bowl for two minutes.  Shape into 5 large patties.  Arrange in a circle on a plate.  
• Microwave for 5 more minutes.  You can pan fry using cooking spray to crisp the cooked patties if you like.  Serve with the spicy soy dipping sauce.

Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce

• Mix all the ingredients in a small container.  

Key Lime Chia Parfait

Fast and easy dessert.  It is reminiscent of a slice of key lime pie. It is pretty too.  Parfaits are always good looking.  You can do a better job than I did layering.  Give it a try.

Key Lime Chia Parfait

• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 fresh lime, juice and zest
• 1 banana
• 2 pieces mint cookies, crushed  (I used Girls Scout Mint Cookies)
• kiwi and strawberry slices

Combine all the ingredients except the cookies, kiwi and strawberry slices in a blender or in a bowl and mix with a fork. Place half of the mixture in a glass, top with strawberry slices, then with crushed mint cookies, then add the rest of the pudding mixture. Top with kiwi slices. Enjoy.

Chocolate Peppermint Avocado Chia Pudding

This dessert tastes like peppermint stuffed Oreos.  That cookie with the green frosting in between the oreos. I had a craving for these cookies which I had but I wanted the flavors of the chocolate with the peppermint in pudding form. Chia seeds came to the rescue and gave it that rich velvety texture.  I made it richer with avocado and a dash of coffee. Heavenly! 

Chocolate Peppermint Chia Pudding

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 avocado 
• 1/2 tbsp cocoa
• 1/4 tsp instant coffee powder
• 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or place in a glass jar and mix with fork.  Store in the fridge. Serve with fruit of your choice.  I used blackberries.

Microwave Chia Lemon Bread Pudding

I like single serve microwable dessert.  I always wanted to make a single serve microwave bread pudding.  I also wanted one without using eggs.  I thought of using chia seeds and that was what I did in this recipe.  This is very similar to the Chia Lemon Pudding recipe in this blog but of a different texture and density due to the bread present.  I topped the bread pudding with kiwi and it went well with the lemony taste of the pudding.

Microwave Chia Lemon Bread Pudding

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 pieces whole wheat bread, cubed
• kiwi fruit slice

Combine the milk, chia seeds, lemon juice, lemon zest and maple syrup in a ramekin.  Stir.  Place the bread pieces in the mixture and allow to soak for 30 seconds.  Microwave for 3 minutes.  Let it set for 1 minute. Garnish with kiwi slices.

Chia Lemon Pudding

I know when I made something really good.  I could not wait to eat it.  I was eating this pudding way before it was allowed to set.  The lemon juice with the maple syrup makes it taste like lemonade you drink in the amusement park except this time you eat it with a spoon.  The backdrop of the pillowy pudding thickened with the nutritious chia seeds dissolved in almond milk gives it that satisfying texture.

Chia Lemon Pudding

• 1/2 cup almond milk    
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp lemon zest
• 2 - 3 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1 banana, mashed
• Kiwi and strawberry slices

Blend all the ingredients except for the kiwi and strawberry slices. Refrigerate for a couple of hours if you can wait. Garnish with kiwi and strawberry slices.

You might also like

Easy Chia Pineapple Delight

Chia Banana Coffee Smoothie

 Chocolate Coffee Chia Pudding

Slow Cooker Roasted Potato Cheddar Soup

This robust soup will brighten your day and lighten your mood.  It is so comforting you will be singing Alleluia before Easter Sunday.  Roasting the potatoes does make a difference in the texture and taste of the soup.  I decided to microwave rather than use the conventional oven. The texture of the potato was what I desired. It has that bite to it which plain boiling could not achieve.

I was aiming for a creamy texture and I obtained that by using cashew milk which is the creamiest of all non dairy milk, cornstarch and the addition of non dairy Daiya cheddar cheese.  I did use the Tofurky pepperoni but I placed it as an optional ingredient since for me the cheddar cheese smokiness was enough to make the soup ultra rich and comparable to a regular non plant based version you get from Panera Bread for example. I love this soup and so did my carnivore husband, my picky taster.

Slow Cooker Roasted Potato Cheddar Soup

• 6 medium sized potatoes, roasted in the oven or microwaved and sliced into large cubes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 2 cups cashew milk or other non dairy milk
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp cornstarch in 4 tbsp water
• 8 slices Tofurky pepperoni, cut into bite sized pieces (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
• 1 cup Daiya cheddar cheese

Saute the garlic, onions, celery and carrots in a pan using no oil at medium heat or directly in the crockpot set at saute setting.  (It works). Transfer this sauteed vegetables in the crockpot if using a pan.  Add the roasted potatoes, cashew milk, water, pepperoni pieces if using and cornstarch in water into the crockpot with the vegetables. Slow cook for 3 hours at high setting or 6 hours at low.  I cooked mine for 2 hours using an Aroma brand rice cooker/slow cooker at slow cooker setting.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. At the end of cooking, add the green onions and Daiya cheddar cheese and mix.  Serve with crusty bread.

Chocolate Coffee Chia Pudding

This pudding can provide you with the necessary nutrients to start your day for breakfast.  It has minerals, vitamins and antioxidants derived from its various components including the power food chia seeds.  It also has coffee and cocoa which will definitely wake you up early in the morning with their caffeine content.  It can also be served as an elegant dessert for your next dinner topped with fruit or nuts.  If you use decaffeinated coffee, this is also wonderful and healthy after school snack for your kids.  It is simple to prepare and comes together quickly with ingredients right from your fridge or pantry.  No cooking is required.

Chocolate Coffee Chia Pudding

4 servings

• 1 cup non dairy milk (I used cashew milk)
• 1 tsp instant coffee granules
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 ripe bananas
• 4 dried apricots, sliced

Place all the ingredients except the apricots in a blender (I used a Vitamix) until they are thoroughly mixed. Transfer the pudding into four containers. Garnish with apricot slices.  Enjoy.

Chia Banana Coffee Smoothie

I wanted dessert after my lunch today.  I gave up chocolate for lent and I wanted something close to it.  I played around with the recipe of Chia Coffee Cardamon Bliss I posted in the past.  I decided to add cinnamon and frozen banana and made the brewed coffee as much as the nondairy milk.  The coffee is now taking a main role thus it is darker than the original recipe.  For me this is good.  My eye is tricking me I am having chocolate.  But really you will not miss the chocolate at all.  The result was so amazing I had to share it with you.  Go make this.  It will make your day especially if you are chocolate deprived.  

Chia Banana Coffee Smoothie

2 servings

• 1 cup brewed coffee (Note 1)
• 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp cardamon
• 1 frozen ripe banana (Note 2)

Place all the ingredients in the blender and pulse till the frozen banana is cut into pieces and then switch to the blend mode till the mixture turns thick in consistency.  You can eat this immediately or you can refrigerate for later.  Believe would be just slurp this right away.  Enjoy!

Notes:
1.  I used a cup of single serve coffee decaffeinated.

2.  If your banana is not that sweet you can add maple syrup to sweeten the smoothie.  

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.