Hot Split Pea Soup for a Cold Night

It's going to be another cold one tomorrow, -15% here with the wind chill. That's a bit crazy!  I'm ready for spring, but it's only January!  With weather like this, I love a hot and hearty soup. One of my favorites is split pea. Here's a vegan version I started making a few years ago.

2 1/4 cups dried split peas

2 quarts cold water 

2 onions, thinly sliced 

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt 

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 teaspoon dried marjoram 

3 stalks celery, chopped 

3 carrots, chopped 

1 peeled potato, diced

In a large stock pot, cover peas with 2 quarts cold water and soak overnight. If you need a faster method, simmer the peas gently for 2 minutes, and then soak for l hour.

Once peas are soaked, add onion, salt, pepper and marjoram. Cover, bring to boil and then simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook slowly, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Use an immersion blender to puree soup to your desired consistency.

Quick and Healthy Minestrone Soup

Soup is probably one of my favorite foods.  It's delicious, there are endless possibilities and it warms you up on a cold day.  I especially like this particular recipe.  It's a beautiful soup, filled will all sorts of vegetables.  I like to make it a day ahead, as it always tastes best the next day.

Quick and Healthy Minestrone

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chopped carrots

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, undrained

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups packed, sliced fresh spinach or 1 box frozen spinach

1 15-ounce can small navy beans, rinsed

2/3 cups cooked brown rice

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, and celery ; sauté 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender-crisp, adding in the garlic the last minute.

Stir in the tomatoes, broth, and herbs, and bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until carrots are tender. Add spinach, cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Stir in the beans and rice, simmer for one minute, or until hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6-8.

Maple Heaven - Maple-Pecan Pie!

As a native Vermonter, I love maple!  How could you not?!  I found a recipe for maple-walnut pie in an almanac one day, and I decided to try making it as a maple-pecan pie instead.  Lee loved it so much, that he requests I make it for his birthday every year.  It's definitely a favorite around the holidays the last few years.  Of course, this recipe is also modified to be gluten-free.

Maple-Pecan Pie

3 eggs
¾ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour
1 ¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (see below for recipe for gluten-free crust)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, brown sugar, flour, maple syrup and butter or margarine. Stir in the nuts and pour into the pie shell.

Bake 45-50 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean. Serve warm or completely cooled. Serves 6-8.

Gluten-Free Pie Crust 

1-1/2 cups Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine or butter (one stick)
4 tablespoon cold milk (I use almond milk)

Combine flour and salt, then cut in butter or margarine using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle milk, one tablespoon at a time, while blending, until all ingredients are moist.

Using wax paper, place dough onto one sheet, flatten with palm, place another sheet on top and roll out to desired size. Remove the top sheet and invert into pie pan.

Dreaming of Artichoke Pie

I started making this recipe about 10 years ago. It has become a hit, and I make it a few times a year for parties, especially around the holidays. About 7-8 years ago, one of our friends tried this pie for the first time. He loved it so much, he actually had dreams about eating this pie! I have a feeling you might like it a lot, too!

Artichoke Pie

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 6-ounce cans artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs (I make my own gluten-free bread crumbs from Udi’s bread, or you can also purchase gluten-free bread crumbs)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 9-inch unbaked pie crust (see below for recipe for gluten-free crust)
3 eggs, beaten
1 8-ounce package mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic until it starts to brown. Stir in the artichoke hearts and cook 10 minutes before adding the bread crumbs and half of the Parmesan cheese. When heated through, transfer half of artichoke mixture to piecrust. Pour eggs over artichoke mixture and sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan cheese. Spoon the rest of the artichoke mixture into the pie and top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until crust begins to brown. Serves 6-8.

Gluten-Free Pie Crust

1-1/2 cups Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine or butter (one stick)
4 tablespoon cold milk (I use almond milk)

Combine flour and salt, then cut in butter or margarine using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle milk, one tablespoon at a time, while blending, until all ingredients are moist.

Using wax paper, place dough onto one sheet, flatten with palm, place another sheet on top and roll out to desired size. Remove the top sheet and invert into pie pan.

Gluten-Free Party Mix

When it's holiday time, it's time for Party Mix.  It just wouldn't be right if I had a gathering and there was no Party Mix for guests (or myself!) to enjoy.  When I first found out I was gluten intolerant, I was really upset about not being able to have one of my favorite holiday treats.  Then I figured out a way to make it, with a few slight modifications.  Any of you who have been to any of my parties know I make a great Party Mix.  It's a fan favorite, and a frequently requested recipe, but I've never written it down before.  The recipe only existed in my head.  Here you go!

You'll need to preheat your oven to 250.  While it's preheating, get two 9x13 baking pans and put 3 tablespoons of butter (or butter substitute) into each pan and place them into the oven to melt the butter.

Once the butter is melted, remove the pans from the oven with an oven mitt and add the following to each pan:

• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder

Mix everything together well in the pan, so it's all combined and evenly spread out in the pan.

Next add the following to each pan:

• 3 cups of of rice Chex
• 2 cups of gluten-free pretzel sticks
• 1 cup of mixed nuts (sometimes I add an extra cup of nuts to each pan, if I have enough)

Again, mix everything together very well in each pan, making sure to coat all of the ingredients well with the seasoning.

Once combined, put into the oven for 15 minutes.  Stir each pan and repeat three more times for 15 minute increments of baking and then stirring, for a total time in the oven of 1 hour.  When done, lay out paper towels on the counter and spread the hot mixture on the towels to cool.  When done, store in an airtight container.  I find it always tastes best if I make the Party Mix at least a day or two before eating, so the flavors really have time to develop.

Enjoy and happy holidays!

The Best Gluten-Free Brownies Ever

There are certain recipes everyone loves.  And there are certain types of food everyone loves.  In this case, brownies are always a winner.  But, when it comes to gluten-free brownies, it can be challenging to make them come out just right.  I've tried so many recipes, and most of them don't have the correct consistency, the shiny top with the flaky crust, or just that great-brownie fudgy-chewiness.  My quest for the right brownie recipe ended with King Arthur.  The geniuses in their test kitchen nailed it!  I found a brownie recipe that breaks all boundaries, and is a hit with everyone.  No one would ever know these are gluten-free.  I haven't ventured as far as making them vegan (I'm not sure an egg replacer would work out too well), but these are perfect in every other way.

Here are a few tips for all of you brownie lovers to make cutting and serving them easier:

• Wait until they are cooled, or they will fall apart!
• Use a plastic knife to cut them.  The brownie won't stick to the knife, so you don't end up tearing them apart, with half of the brownie stuck to the sides of your cutting utensil!  I actually get plastic knives from the cafeteria and work and use them to cut brownies.  I don't know why this works so well, but it does.
• Use a small, square-ended spatula to serve them out.  I can't find where on earth mine went in the last few weeks, but I used one like this: (http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=16763)
• Gluten-free baked goods tend to dry out faster.  Make sure they are in a well-sealed container once cooled.  
• I also found that this brownie recipe freezes very well, so you can make them ahead.  I stuck a whole pan (sealed with a lid, of course!) in the freezer for about two weeks, and then just took them out about 5 hours before serving.  No one was the wiser!

And here is the recipe, for all of you who have asked for it!

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
3/4 cup (2 1/2 ounces) cocoa
3 large eggs
3/4 cup gluten-free flour (I've used both Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8" square pan or 9" round pan; either should be at least 2" deep.

2) Place the sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring with a heatproof spatula until the butter melts and the mixture lightens in color. This step helps melt the sugar, which will give the brownies a shiny crust.

3) Remove the saucepan from the heat and blend in the vanilla and cocoa, then add the eggs and mix until shiny.

4) Blend in the flour and the baking powder. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5) Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it to the edges.

6) Bake the brownies for 33 to 38 minutes, until the top is set; and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or nearly so, with perhaps a few wet crumbs, or a tiny touch of chocolate at the tip of the tester.

7) Remove from the oven and cool for about 15 minutes before cutting. Once the brownies are cool, cover tightly with plastic.

Yield: 16 brownies.

How Do You Get Your Protein? From Plants, Of Course!

A commonly-asked question for most vegans and vegetarians is, "How do you get your protein?" This inquiry is fueled by a misconception that animal products are the main (or only!) source of protein in the diet, thanks to the governing agencies that control the messaging of nutritional information.  For a veteran vegan or vegetarian, this can be beyond frustrating.

For a person new to a vegan or vegetarian diet, knowing where to get protein from plant sources can be confusing and overwhelming, especially if people continue to question what you're eating. If you're not sure about where to get plant-based protein, you may end up eating the same thing over and over, which can get tiring after a while.

I've been asked a few times about good sources of plant-based protein, so here's a list that might be helpful to those of you on a vegetarian or vegan diet, or those of you considering trying it out for yourself. Quite honestly, the possibilities are endless and very tasty!  This list below is also gluten and soy-free, for those of you with those dietary allergies.  I will never advocate anyone eat anything with soy in it, as it's really not healthy to consume, unless it's fermented (miso, soy sauce), so you won't find any soy milk, tofu, edamame or other soy-substitutes in my list!

Lentils – 18 g per cup
Refried beans - 15.5 g per cup
Chickpeas (or hummus) - 14.5 g per cup
Pinto, kidney or black beans - 13-15 g per cup
Peas – 9 g per cup

Quinoa - 9 g per cup
Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter – 8 g per 2 tablespoons
Almond milk - 7 g per cup
Peanuts - 6.5 g per 1 oz
Sesame seeds - 6.5 g per 1 oz (or 8 g in 2 tablespoons of tahini)
Sunflower seeds – 6 g per 1/4 cup
Oatmeal - 6 g per cup
Pistachios - 5.8 g per 1 oz
Sunflower seed butter – 5.5 g per 2 tablespoons
Brown rice – 5 g per cup
Cooked broccoli – 5 g per cup
Sweet potato - 5 g per cup
Cooked kale - 5 g per 2 cups
Cashews – 5 g per 1/4 cup
Chia seeds - 5 g per 2 tablespoons
Walnuts - 5 g per 1/4 cup
Cooked spinach – 5 g per cup
Almonds - 4 g per 2 tablespoons
Avocado – 4 g per cup (or 10 g for a whole avocado)
White rice – 4 g per cup
Flax seeds – 4 g per 2 tablespoons
Baked red potato – 3 g per cup

I hope this list is helpful.  If you have any other plant-based protein sources you include in your diet, let me know and I can add it to this list.  

Enjoy!