Vegan Pesto

This recipe is based on How to Make Pesto like an Italian Grandmother from 101 Cookbooks. It's been approved by my Dad, who makes a mean non-vegan pesto.

Italian grandmothers might be horrified that I use a food processor, but it works for us and tastes delicious.

• 1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, washed and dried

• roughly 3/4 cup cashews or pumpkin seeds (ground) 

• 2 medium cloves of garlic

• one small handful of raw pine nuts (for garnish)

• a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• Squeeze of ½ lemon

• *optional 1 -6 green onions

• *optional 1/2 teaspoon dulse (red seaweed)

• *optional 2 tablespoons hemp seeds

Grind your cashews or pumpkin seeds into a powder in the food processor. Add remaining ingredients except for the pine nuts and pulse until blended. Remove from food processor and drizzle with olive oil. Add pine nuts. Excellent with chips, crackers or over pasta. Enjoy!

Best Banana Bread Ever!

This bread is based on the Zucchini Bread recipe in “The Plantpower Way” by Rich Roll & Julie Piatt. They use a mix of 6 tablespoons ground flax seeds and 1/2 cup water in place of the eggs for a vegan version.

• 2 eggs

• 1 small apple

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup coconut oil

• 5 dates

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 3 - 4 frozen bananas

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 tablespoon baking powder

  Flour mix: * 2-1/2 cups of premixed gluten-free flour can also be used

• 1 cup cassava flour

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup arrowroot

• 1/4 coconut flour

• 1/4 cup coconut milk powder *optional

• 1 teaspoon Pamela’s gum-free baking binder *optional

  Spices

• 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1-1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Place eggs in food processor

3. Slice apple and blend with eggs and 1/4 cup water

4. Add dates, sugar, vanilla and bananas and blend

5. In a separate bowl, sift or mix together baking soda, baking powder, flours, spices and Pamela’s baking binder (if using)

6. Fold into the wet mixture (or just blend it in with the food processor)

7. Bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes in a baking pan (shorter time for muffins - start at 20 minutes and test for doneness)

8. Enjoy your homemade banana bread!

Chickpea Patties

Chickpea Patties

from Self Magazine

Serves 4 (12 Patties)

These patties are more like crab cakes then they are burgers, but they are a good way to eat sweet potatoes which are packed with antioxidants and reduce internal and external inflammation (great for those who suffer from arthritis). They also help to stabilize blood sugar. The carotenoids in sweet potatoes help the body respond to insulin, plus help resist diabetic heart disease with an abundance of Vitamin B6. They are high in soluble fiber (aids in lowering both blood sugar and cholesterol), and their abundance of chlorogenic acid may help decrease insulin resistance.

• 1 C dried chickpeas or black beans (soaked and cooked) *If you use canned beans, add 1-2 TBSP chickpea flour

• 1 small sweet potato (peeled and grated)

• 3 TBSP oil (real olive, avocado, coconut, sunflower)

• 3 TBSP tahini (sesame paste)

• 1/2 TBSP cumin

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (helps with absorption of turmeric)

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp sea or Kosher salt or to taste

• Cayenne pepper to taste

• 1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Heat oven to 375°F. Grate sweet potato (be sure not to load the potato in the food processor with the rest of the ingredients – this will give you a delicious cornbread-like batter rather than patties). In the food processor, process prepared beans, tahini, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, baking powder, yeast, pepper and salt, scraping down sides as necessary, until mixture holds together when pinched (pulsing about 2 minutes). Add a little oil if it seems too dry. Transfer to a bowl and stir in sweet potato.

Form chickpea/black bean and sweet potato mixture into burgers and place on an oiled baking sheet. Brush tops of patties with oil. Bake for 40 minutes and then flip and bake for 20 minutes more. Let rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle with avocado or tahini sauce.

Avocado Sauce

from Cooks.com

• 1 avocado

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• Pinch of dried oregano

• 1 tsp minced garlic (optional)

Peel and pit avocado. Add lime, spices and garlic (optional). Place in blender and process until smooth. Pour over chickpea patties and enjoy!

Tahini Sauce 

• 1/2 - 1 C water

• 1 C tahini (sesame paste)

• 1/4 C lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in the blender or food processor. Add water until desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper and serve drizzled over the chickpea patties.

Banana Muffinettes

Inspired by 20 Something Allergies' Silky Banana Bread Bites 

These little muffins were an inspiration after fasting from bread for several years. Paleo and GAPS friendly (if you omit the baking soda), you can feel good about enjoying these treats. I use soy-free eggs from Grass-fed Traditions and always keep some bananas in the freezer just to make these muffins!

24 treats

• 1/2 C coconut flour

• 2 frozen or overripe bananas {at room temperature}

• 1 egg

• 3-6 dates {optional}

• 1/3 C coconut oil

• 1 T vanilla extract or 1/2 T vanilla powder

• 1/2 t sea salt

• 1/2 t cinnamon {optional}

• Dash of ground cloves {optional}

• 1/2 t baking soda {optional}

• 1/4 C shredded coconut or chocolate/carob chips {optional}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Load the food processor with bananas and egg and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients except the baking soda and shreds/chips {if using} and blend. You can't over-mix this batter because it contains no gluten. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb the liquids. While batter rests, grease a mini muffin tin with coconut oil. Add baking soda and pulse to mix {baking soda is activated by moisture}. Fold in your coconut shreds/chips or wait and sprinkle them on top.

Fill mini-muffin cups and bake 15-20 minutes or until tops are lightly brown. Let cool on a cooling rack if they pop out of the muffin tin. If not, let them rest. They will be fully set in 1 hour and will then pop out easily {we've never waited this long for the first bite}.

Chocolate or Carob Muffinettes

These should almost be called cupcakes, but with no added sugar, you can eat them for breakfast guilt-free. Both (real) dark chocolate and carob have antioxidant properties and are considered anti-inflammatory. Both contain theobromine (chocolate more than carob) which releases endorphins in the body and acts as a stimulant; but unlike sugar and caffeine, doesn't have a crashing effect after it's been digested by the body.

Follow recipe above and add 1/3 cup cocoa or carob powder in place of some or all of the chips and blend with the other ingredients before adding the baking soda. Enjoy!

Grainfree Biscuits

Inspired by Traditional Food Adventure’s Grainfree Teething Biscuit

We keep a bunch of these in the freezer and toast them up for hummus tea sandwiches, sliders and breakfast. They are soft enough for new chewers and tasty enough for the whole family.

• 1 C coconut flour

• 1 C grainfree or glutenfree flour mix

• 1/2 C arrowroot powder

• 1 1/2 t sea salt

• 1/2 C almond meal, almond flour or chia meal

• 2 good eggs {get organic, humane, free range, grass-fed, and soy-free eggs here}

• 2+ C plain yogurt {1 1/4 C homemade coconut yogurt mixed with 3/4 C coconut water or almond milk}

• 1/3 C extra virgin coconut oil in liquid state

• 1/4 t baking soda *optional*

Mix flours, meals and salt in a bowl or mixer with a paddle to aerate. Add eggs and yogurt along with oil. Mix thoroughly. Dough should be stiff and moist {similar to Playdough}. Can add extra yogurt as needed to reach desired consistency and mix in baking soda {if using}. Let stand for 10 minutes or so to allow the coconut flour to expand.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll into biscuits, wetting your hands if the dough gets sticky. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes {until firm and golden brown on the bottom.

Store in the refrigerator or freezer and warm before serving.

Sprouted Chickpea Hummus

Inspired by Mediterranean Snacks Classic Hummus Dip

Great for picnics and get-togethers, this hummus is easy and delicious. Soaking and sprouting the beans reduces things like phytic acid, making your chick peas easy to digest and more nutritious.

• 1 C dried dried garbanzo beans (chick peas) - canned chick peas will work as well, no soaking needed.

• 1/3 C tahini (sesame seed paste)

• Juice of 1 - 2 lemons (to taste)

• 1 t sea salt

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 T olive oil

• extra water or oil for texture

• embellishments like sundried tomatoes, herbs, green onions, olives, etc. (to taste)

• olive oil, paprika (smoked if you like) and toasted pine nuts for garnish

Soak your garbanzo beans for 12+ hours starting with hot water. This begins the sprouting process. The next day remove from water and rinse. Leave on counter or in fridge while sprouting. Rinse each day. Over the next 2-3 days you'll see tails sprout on the beans. How long you sprout is up to you. If you're using pre-sprouted beans, then just soak overnight.

Blend all ingredients in the food processor or blender. Add oil or water until your perfect consistency is reached. Add your embellishments and top with a drizzle of olive oil, a dusting of paprika {smoked is quite good}, and some toasted pine nuts. Enjoy with veggies, crackers, or baked lentil chips!