Millet Berry Vanilla Porridge

Millet Berry Vanilla Porridge Breakfast Recipe

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A hearty, healthy and yet delicious breakfast that will keep you going strong all morning.  Delicious mix of apple, berries, millet and vanilla gives this porridge a delicious flavor.  This millet berry breakfast is packed with nutrition and will satisfy even the pickiest eater.  Serve this on a cool rainy spring morning or as a nice beginning to a beautiful fall day.   This makes a great gluten free substitute for cream of wheat.

One of my fondest memories as a child was waking up in the morning at grandma's house and smelling the delicious cream of wheat cooking in the kitchen.  As a child I didn't know how she did it but grandma made the BEST cream of wheat ever!  It just wasn't the same when I was at home....  Waking up and smelling that delicious breakfast is something I will never forget.

At grandma's house you were never hungry, well, better put, you were always STUFFED! We would make delicious wonder bread toast slathered in butter and dip it in our cream of wheat, Mmmmmm that was a delicious breakfast.   As an adult I now know how grandma made her cream of wheat so special.  It was slathered in butter, sugar and 2% milk!   Well, just as those childhood memories are in the distant past so are my indulgences with butter, refined sugar and cows milk but that doesn't mean I don't like to take myself back to those wonderful mornings at grandmas eating cream of wheat and wonder bread toast!

Now as a gluten free adult it makes it even harder to create that delicious breakfast I loved as a child but this is my nutrient packed, whole foods, antioxidant rich version of cream of wheat.

My son really enjoyed this breakfast and he is usually ALWAYS hungry.  If he eats a bowl of cereal he is usually back in the kitchen an hour later looking for something else.  Some of that is obviously emotional eating and some of it is the fact that he is a big boy.  Who would have know that a 4' 11" mom and a 5' 7" dad could have a child in the 90th percentile of height and weight who is on track to be 6' 2"!!!

Okay, so feeding a pre-teen boy is expensive, but, this amazing porridge holds him until lunch which is a great feat in itself!  It is very filling and he actually really enjoys it!  If you are feeding boys that are breaking the bank this is a very cheap solution for breakfast.  Luckily  millet is a very inexpensive grain and it is also very healthy.

Nutrition Breakdown for 1 Cup Millet

Calories.............207

Protein..............6.1g

Omega 3's..........4%

Folate................8%

B1......................17%

B2......................13%

B3......................17%

B5.......................6%

B6......................14%

Iron....................4%

Zinc...................20%

It also has much more but that is just the basics!

Nutrient Breakdown for 1 serving of millet berry porridge

{I calculated 1 serving as HALF of the recipe}

Calories.................325

Protein..................8g

Omega 3's..............130%

Vit. A.....................10%

Folate....................14%

B1..........................17%

B2..........................26%

B3..........................14%

B5..........................9%

B6..........................21%

B12.........................34%

Vit. C......................9%

Vit. D.....................15%

Vit. E.....................5%

Vit. K....................17%

Calcium................12%

Iron......................10%

Magnesium...........27%

Manganese............51%

Phosphorus...........23%

Potassium.............9%

Selenium..............5%

Zinc......................20%

Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Raw Version and How to combat sugar cravings or night snacking

Gluten Free Raw Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes with Coconut Cream

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Raw or Cooked buckwheat pancakes smothered in caramel flavored cinnamon apple sauce topped with a coconut cream.  A delicious warm breakfast fit for a Saturday morning after your morning workout or as a special Sunday treat.  The apple cinnamon sauce is so delectable it can be eaten alone or would make an excellent topping to some banana ice cream.

As I have gone over my recipes I realize that I make a lot of desserts and main dishes but I have neglected breakfast.   Generally I have a nice bowl of fruit topped with a sprinkling of buckwheat or a green smoothie in the morning so my personal breakfasts are quite boring and not really worthy of blogging about.   However, I have discovered something about having a 'light' breakfast in the morning and I feel like it is important to share what I have noticed happening to me.

How to Combat Sugar Cravings and Night Snacking!

Okay, confession time..... I have become a raging sugaraholic!  Most of my life I could eat one cookie and I would be completely satisfied, but lately I have been making simple desserts every single night and I can't get enough.  My biggest question.....Why?

I have been pretty good at tracking my calorie intake, diet journals and my weight because I teach nutrition classes and I like to give people examples of healthy ways to eat and lose weight, especially for those who are 'slow losers' like me!

Well, I noticed a trend in my eating habits and weight!  I started eating smaller and smaller breakfasts and lunches with less whole grains and legumes to 'save' calories.  I wasn't doing this on purpose it was kind of falling back into old habits I guess.

1. DO NOT skimp on calories at breakfast or lunch to 'Save' them for dinner!                                 This does not work, your body needs X amount of calories every single day in order to function and if you skimp on breakfast and lunch your body will crave those calories at dinner and after dinner and you will end up feeling like you would eat everything in the kitchen including the paint of the walls!!     You  need a filling breakfast, it is called Break-Fast for a reason.  Your body has been fasting for 12 hours or so since dinner last night and it needs to refuel in the morning.  Despite some misguided nutrition guru's claims Protein does NOT give you energy!  I don't know where this comes from, you need a good hearty meal like oatmeal, quinoa, ezekiel cereal or another whole grain for breakfast.  Anyone who understands blood sugar realizes that we NEED blood sugar, without it YOU DIE!  I don't know what all this craze about blood sugar is about, we need it!  It is fuel for the cells..period.  Yes, fats can be converted into fuel but I'm not interested in second class fuel that produces metabolic waste in the process of conversion, I'm interested in optimal fuel for the body!  EAT a good breakfast!

What Does a healthy breakfast look like?

• A green smoothie- These are great as long as you consume enough and you add enough fruit to provide adequate calories for your body type.  A 180 pound person obviously needs more than a 100 pound person...  It is also easy to overdo calories with smoothies because you can get a lot more pureed fruit to fit in your stomach than whole fruit so make sure you calculate this out the first few times so you know what you are getting.
• Oatmeal- The breakfast of champions in my book!  Old fashioned oatmeal should be topped with berries, banana or other powerful antioxidant fruits for a well balanced breakfast.
• Whole Grain Pancakes- I'm sure it is plainly obvious that refined flour is NOT a healthy option so whole grain pancakes whether gluten free or whole wheat is a great option paired with antioxidant rich fruits or berries. 
• Quinoa- Cooked, topped with berries or other fruit and almond milk.
• Cracked Wheat- topped with fruit and almond milk

My rule of thumb for breakfast is any whole grain paired with fruit and for the more athletic or those needing higher calories walnuts, pecans, flax, chia or other nuts or seeds are also a great choice.  

2.  Do NOT avoid Whole grains! I know this can be fairly common among a lot of people but whole grains are the body's best fuel source, they are converted into fuel for the body in a steady state and during the process of breaking down and utilizing complex carbohydrates the only waste produced is carbon dioxide and water, protein and fat are a completely different story here.

Whole grains actually contain protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber and all the nutrients the body needs They Are NOT just CARBS!!!

Why do I say they are not carbs?  Because they are not, they have protein AND fat as well as carbohydrates therefore they are not just a carb!  Sugar is a carbohydrate, whole grains are not!

Example:

1 cup Quinoa    

Protein..........8.1g

Fat................3.6g

Iron...............15%

Zinc...............25%

Quinoa is MORE than just 'carbs'

1 c. Oatmeal

Protein.......5.5g

Fat..............2.7g

Omega 3's....4%

1 c. Buckwheat

Protein........22.5g

Fat...............5.8g

Omega 3's....12%

1 c. Brown Rice

Protein..........4.5g

Fat.................1.6g

Omega 3's......2%

If you are looking for a high protein breakfast that contains a balance of macronutrients buckwheat is the BEST you can get!!!

3. Do NOT skip meals-  Aside from skimping on calories skipping meals is also a big no no.  If you skip a meal you will struggle with cravings every single time.  Skipping meals is NOT a  successful weight loss strategy either.

If you eat balanced meals and snack if necessary you will find that the cravings will slowly decrease.  When I say 'Balanced' I mean eating to obtain all the macro and micro nutrients the body needs without over eating.

Lots of leafy green vegetables!!!

Whole grains

Legumes

1/2- 1 oz. nuts or seeds

Fruit

Lots of other starchy and non-starchy veggies

Avoid refined sugars, [yes, this includes honey, maple syrup, turbinado, agave etc...], avoid refined oils, flours or processed foods!

If you are craving sweets banana ice cream or a really yummy sweet green smoothie is a better option!

Okay...on to today's recipe....

Vegan Mascarpone Blueberry French Toast Recipe

Delicious Vegan Mascarpone filled Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Recipe

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Thick homemade gluten free bread sliced and filled with rich, creamy vegan mascarpone cheese toasted on each side and topped with a homemade fresh blueberry sauce and more sweetened mascarpone cheese.  A delicious breakfast for a special occasion.  Maybe breakfast in bed on Mother's day, or a delicious start to a fun-filled birthday celebration or wedding anniversary, or maybe you just want to treat yourself to an amazing breakfast!

I created this delicious recipe for my family to enjoy as an amazing Easter breakfast.  The vegan mascarpone cheese recipe can be modified and used in savory dishes as well, it is very versatile.  If you have more time and want to make a more traditional type mascarpone cheese you can ferment the vegan mascarpone cheese.

We had quite a busy Easter weekend.  We attended a vegan Easter egg hunt and potluck held in a beautiful park.   We enjoyed tasting all of the different delicious foods people brought to the potluck.  It was a lot of fun to enjoy a whole meal filled with delicious plant-based foods.  After the luncheon the kids got to go out on a vegan easter egg hunt through the park and they both recieved buttons from the local vegan bakery for dillos...or better known as twinkies. 

Sunday was an amazing day and we enjoyed a delicious BBQ featuring...black bean burgers, homemade fries, delicious berry salad with poppyseed dressing, grilled pineapple and of course my newest recipe creation......

Vegan Better than 'anything' cake!

Ooooo man was that rich and delicious!!! 

Rich chocolate cake

Topped with homemade caramel

Homemade  coconut whip cream

Shaved dark chocolate to finish it off......

You do NOT want to miss this amazing recipe!!  My mom raved over this recipe and she is an EXCELLENT cook with very discerning taste when it comes to desserts!  I just thought I would tease your taste buds before moving on to today's recipe.


Mascarpone Blueberry French Toast

Last Mary's Mini Menu Post

The Final Post on my Mary's Mini Journey

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I hope to see you there!

Breakfast Salad with Apple Cinnamon Dressing

I have recorded a 5 day journey of Mary's Mini weight loss diet menu and it has been quite a journey.  However, I don't want to bore my readers with the mundane menu's on this simple diet.  I hope you have been able to get a small glimpse into the simplicity of this 10 day program as well as some interesting menu ideas.  You can do the same thing no matter what starch you choose on the diet, you can roast potatoes in a BBQ sauce, or food process cauliflower into small 'rice' and make oil free fried rice with it, you can make delicious pasta with spaghetti squash or spiralize zucchini and put your favorite marinara on top, you can do so many things with this diet if you just use a little creativity. 

As my last post on this diet I wanted to let you know what my weight loss has been so far......

2.6 pounds weight loss in 5 days!!!

It really is a very easy, simple approach to weight loss, the key though to any weight loss program is to maintain that weight loss through continued diligence in maintaining a healthy lifestyle AND dealing with emotional triggers that inhibit weight loss.

I am not quitting on the program, I just want to move on to bigger and better things on the blog!!

With this last post I will be moving on to my next challenge........

Gluten free Goldfish crackers for my daughter

My neice came to stay with us overnight and she brought some goldfish crackers with her and it reminded my daughter of when she used to eat them....long before my journey into a plant-based diet and she begged me to make a vegan, gluten free version of them.  So that will be my next challenge, although I may end up posting a few recipes before hand if it takes me awhile to perfect.......

Mary's Mini 10 Day Weight Loss Plan Day 2

Mary's Mini Day 2

 Breakfast

Mashed butternut squash

sliced banana

blackberries

cinnamon

a little splash of soymilk

DELICIOUS! 

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I hope to see you there!

Day two was a little more difficult than the first day.  Breakfast was perfect, lunch a little less satisfying.  I am now rethinking the squash choice because it is so low in calories I seem to be hungry all the time.  I think brown rice or potatoes would be better choices as far as satiation is concerned.  

 I have stuck with the diet today, minus a couple of Tb. of nuts because I wanted something with a little more substance.  I think having a heavier starch would be a better choice but nuts were the only thing available at my mom's house other than candy or non-vegan foods so nuts were all I had to eat along with a little fruit.

Weigh in Day Two.........Drum Roll Please......

I lost 1.2 pounds so far!  

Okay so I certainly cannot complain about the weight loss that is for sure.  I would HIGHLY recommend Mary's Mini to anyone who wants to lose a good amount of weight and get rid of sugar cravings.

Day Two, NO Sugar and very little craving for sugar!

I would also say that Mary's mini is a tremendous help in minimizing sugar cravings, all those veggies taste so delicious and really help curb the cravings.  

Day Two Lunch

    Okay I admit this is nothing fancy but I was in a hurry to get out the door and this is what I whipped up.  

Day Two Dinner

Sorry no pic for this one.  It was simple zucchini noodles with marinara sauce and a lot of steamed veggies.  Unfortunately I realized that the zucchini and veggies were so low in calories I decided to add a tad of rice to the mix for satiety.

I must say this program is not for the faint of heart but it is a powerful tool to knock out cravings and for weight loss!!!  

I hate to say this as it is a no no on the program but I may switch starches because the squash is just not enough calories for me and I'm running into fatigue.  I think I may switch to rice or potatoes but we'll see what tommorrow brings.  Hopefully this blog will help others who want to go on this journey. 

Soy Free, Egg Free Vegan Scramble

Soy Free, Egg Free Vegan Scramble

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I hope to see you there!

This simple, hearty and fiber filled breakfast begins with mashed garbanzo beans, cashew milk and a few seasonings to create a delicious, soy free, vegan scramble for a hearty breakfast on a cold winter morning!  I decided to try a non-conventional approach to vegan scramble, most scrambles are based around tofu and while I enjoy tofu in a variety of recipes I thought a high fiber, high nutrient legume based scramble would be a nice change of pace. 

I certainly do not subscribe to the fear mongering of soy that the majority of people have fallen into and no I do not believe soy is going to change my gender or turn me into a zombie or anything like that, but I do believe it is important to enjoy a variety of foods to obtain the best nutritional benefit from your diet.  My kids LOVED this scramble!!  I wasn't sure if they would eat it as they are very partial to buckwheat waffles and cereal but they really enjoyed it.  I hope you enjoy it as well!

I am about to begin posting my holiday recipes, including my famous vegan chocolate candies, peanut butter cups, peppermint truffles and all kinds of yummy goodies but I thought before we get into all the sugary holiday fare I would post this delicious, hearty breakfast.

I have been busy lately doing some prenatals as a midwife apprentice again, it has been a long time since I have been able to do that and I am enjoying the opportunity to be able to do so again.   I am also working on many fun and exciting new things that I hope you all will enjoy and participate in.   I have been going through a bit of 'chef block'  if that is a word :-D   I have felt a little uninspired these past couple of weeks about creating recipes and I REALLY could use some help from my readers.  


I LOVE to  hear from you!  I love getting recipe suggestions from readers as it helps get my creative flow going.  I just received a request to create a vegan pad thai and that is certainly on my to do list this week!  Please keep the suggestions coming.


Successes and failures......I have created a lot of delicious versions of seitan but since my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease seitan is unfortunately not something I make anymore.  My daughter LOVED seitan and I have been feverishly trying to come up with a gluten free version of seitan!  Unfortunately I have met with quite a challenge, they all have a great flavor but I have not been able to get the right texture, I am getting close, my last one was pretty good.  As soon as I am able to get the right recipe I will post it as I know many vegetarians and vegans are gluten free and looking for delicious substitutions for seitan......rest assured I am working on it.


If you have any recipe suggestions I'd love to know what you would like to see featured on the blog.

This scramble has a very distinct flavor, it is slightly cheesy, creamy and it has a lot more depth of flavor that a traditional egg based scramble.  This hearty breakfast provides better balanced nutrition than a traditional scramble:

Scrambled Eggs                                                 Egg free Vegan Scramble

Calories	268		Calories	270
Protein	18g		Protein	17.8g
Fat	20g		Fat	8.3g
Folate	16%		Folate	44%
B1	7%		B1	69%
B6	19%		B6	44%
Iron	13%		Iron	23%
Zinc	23%		Zinc	35%

 Scrambled eggs contain NO fiber and NO carbohydrate necessary to fuel the brain, kidneys, nerve cells and other processes in the body!  This delicious egg free scramble provides far superior nutrition!

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Enjoy this delicious heart breakfast recipe that enhances your breakfast oatmeal with delicious pumpkin and spices.  My daughter usually turns up her nose at oatmeal for breakfast, however add some pumpkin and cinnamon and low and behold she licks the bowl clean.

If you are looking for an amazing hearty breakfast on a cold fall morning this is definitely one that will keep you warm and satisfied all morning long.

Fall is one of my favorite times of year, I love the cooler weather after the hot summer, I love the beautiful fall leaves the decorate the mountains and of course I LOVE traditional fall flavors.    Pumpkin pie, fresh apple pie, carmel apples, warm hearty breakfasts and soup and breadsticks.

My kids generally enjoy basic foods like veggie burgers and fries, chocolate chip cookies and pasta but I am hoping I will be able to branch out a bit and create some fall desserts that they will enjoy without chocolate chips.  Last night I improvised and added chopped pear to their usual chocolate chip cookies and they turned out delicious!  Hopefully the successes will keep on coming.

My dad has commissioned me, or rather asked me, to create a dessert for him tommorrow.  I will be making a cheesecake with fresh peach and blueberries baked in with a traditional pie crust.  Stay tuned, I think this recipe will blow you away!

Well, enough rambling and on to the delicious pumpkin pie spiced oatmeal.......Enjoy!

.

Low sugar, low fat Tropical Berry Granola Bar Recipe

Oil-Free Tropical Berry Granola Bar Recipe or

Granola Cereal Recipe

This Tropical Berry granola recipe features a delicious combination of pineapple and dried blueberries with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla.  They come out of the oven warm and chewy and make an excellent afternoon snack.

This recipe can be made into delicious bars, or you can crumble them and make it into a delicious morning granola cereal.  This granola recipe is low in fat and does not contain any added oil.  These were very popular in my house, in fact when I came into the kitchen I caught my son with an entire plate full of these granola bars.  I had to make him put about 6 of them back and only eat one.  Yes, they are that good!

My kids are always complaining that we do not have snacks around the house and it is true, I do not buy any boxed or packaged junk food snacks and so they are usually snacking on apples, pears, peaches, bananas, grapes and whole grain toast.  Their friends think we are crazy because there are no goldfish crackers or doritos in our house.  So I decided to create a delicious, easy to prepare snack that the kids would love and this granola recipe more than delivered!  Unfortunately they don't last long around here so I end up in the kitchen making snacks more often.

We do not buy packaged granola bars or granola cereal because they are made with refined oils and a HIGH amount of sugar!  Granola is often thought of as a healthy snack when in reality it is extremely high in fat and sugar.  When creating this recipe I really wanted a healthy snack low in sugar and fat.  The applesauce, pineapple and liquid stevia really make this a delicious sweet treat.

This granola recipe does not contain any refined sugar!

**NOTE:  If you do not have or do not want to purchase the sweetleaf stevia, which I HIGHLY recommed you do but if  you do not want to you can substitute a couple teaspoons of powdered stevia or a few Tb. of coconut sugar.

Sweetleaf stevia is about $11 per bottle but it will last probably 3-5 years because you only use a few drops per recipe.  You can just purchase the vanilla or the cinnamon and use only one flavor instead of both if you would like.

Enjoy!

Tropical Berry Granola Recipe

**To make granola cereal, crumble on a non-stick baking sheet and reduce the length of baking by 2-3 minutes.

Vegan Dairy Free Homemade Yogurt Recipe

Purchasing dairy free yogurt in the grocery store can be quite expensive and it does not provide the same digestive benefits as  homemade dairy free yogurt.  Homemade yogurt provides an excellent source of probiotics and improves digestion. I have seen dramatic health improvements in many people I have worked with simply by adding fermented foods into their diet.  Relief from constipation, headaches, fatigue, IBS, inflammation, nutritional deficiencies and more.... Commercially prepared yogurts contain only one strain of bacteria, tons of sugar and are NOT health foods.

What's Wrong with Dairy?

Yogurt made from dairy products contains:  insulin growth factor known to contribute to juvenile diabetes, promote the growth of cancer cells among a host of other health problems.

"Studies have suggested that bovine serum albumin is the milk protein responsible for the onset of diabetes... Patients with insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus produce antibodies to cow milk proteins that participate in the development of islet dysfunction... Taken as a whole, our findings suggest that an active response in patients with IDDM (to the bovine protein) is a feature of the autoimmune response."
New England Journal of Medicine, July 30, 1992

Insulin growth factor or IGF-1 stimulates the growth of normal cells and is a key factor in growth and development of nursing infants or animals, however, after weaning IGF-1 is a potent stimulator of both normal and cancerous cells.   

 Rosenfeld, R.G., et al. Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins in neoplasia (meeting abstract). Hormones and Growth Factors in Development and Neoplasia, Fogarty International Conference, June 26-28, 1995, Bethesda, MD, 1995, p. 24

Several studies found that IGF-1 found in cows milk accelerates the growth of breast cancer cells.   

Lippman, Marc E. The development of biological therapies for breast cancer. Science, Vol. 259, January 29, 1993, pp. 631-32

Papa, Vincenzo, et al. Insulin-like growth factor-I receptors are overexpressed and predict a low risk inhuman breast cancer. Cancer Research, Vol. 53, 1993, pp. 3736-40

 In 1995 researchers at the National Institutes of Health reported that IGF-1 plays a central role in the progression of  a number of childhood cancers as well as  breast cancer, small cell lung cancer, melanoma, and cancers of the pancreas and prostate. 

LeRoith, Derek, et al. The role of the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor in cancer. Annals New York Academy of Sciences, Vol. 766, September 7, 1995, pp. 402-08

Making your own dairy free yogurt is very simple.  I have tested recipes using soymilk as well as cashew and almond to give you a variety of choices when making your homemade yogurt.

Homemade Dairy Free Yogurt Recipe

My kids LOVED this yogurt, they ate it at breakfast and lunch everyday for over a week....it's time to make more!

** This yogurt can be made with fresh almond, cashew, brazil nut milk etc... however, these ferment more quickly and only need about 8-12 hours fermentation so be aware of that.

**Do NOT use store bought almond milk, it will not thicken.  You MUST use fresh homemade almond or cashew milk.  If you use milk other than soymilk add about 1 or 2 Tb. of turbinado sugar to feed the culture.

1 qt. soymilk, almond milk, cashew milk, brazil nut milk......
1 pkt. dairy free kefir starter  [1/2 c. water kefir from water kefir grains]

Warm soymilk to finger temp about 92 degrees, pour in packet and stir until dissolved.  Pour into a clean quart jar and put the lid on. Ferment on counter for 48 hours, up to 72 hours.  It should smell slightly sour.

Strain off yogurt water as best you can.  Add:

2 packets of stevia in the raw
3 Tb. turbinado sugar
1 Tb. vanilla

Stir well.  Pour into a container and store in the fridge up to one week. You can add your favorite fruit to this yogurt for a delicious snack. 

What do you do with the left over liquid ferment?

I noticed that when I made the cashew and almond yogurts the yield was much lower and it produced a lot more liquid that needed to be strained.  This liquid can be used so DO NOT just toss it.    Use 1/2 c. of the liquid ferment to make another batch of yogurt without having to use another packet of starter. 

I actually added some of my liquid ferment to creamy salad dressings, you can also add it to fresh pressed juices for some probiotics and it can be added to green smoothies as well. 

Homemade Dairy Free Raw Almond Yogurt with Fruit Recipe

I wanted to show another example of homemade yogurt, this one will really appeal to raw foodists as this is a homemade raw almond yogurt recipe.  The almond milk only has to be heated to about 95 degrees before adding the kefir starter.  This homemade yogurt makes a delicious addition to breakfast or a snack.

In this photo I used mango, raspberries, blueberries and banana topped with raw buckwheat, oats and topped with my fresh raw almond yogurt recipe.

I would LOVE to hear your yogurt making stories! 

Post your yogurt making story below and you can WIN a dairy free, soy free Cheese and Cream Recipe Collection:

"Grate-able Vegan Cheddar Cheese, Mozarella cheese, Cashew Dill Cheeseball, Ricotta Cheese and more...."

Stoll, B.A. Breast cancer: further metabolic-endocrine risk markers? British Journal of Cancer, Vol. 76, No. 12, 1997, pp. 1652-54

  

Vegan Whole Wheat Fathers Day Waffles

I realize that I create a lot of gluten free recipes, but not all of my family eats gluten free....my hubby does not.  These are special vegan whole wheat waffles I made for him on his special day!  I didn't want to use my expensive flours to make him waffles when I could just use my inexpensive whole wheat flour. 

I really wanted to make belgian waffles, however, they take a long time to make so this is my super fast, super delicious whole wheat waffle recipe.  I got up early Sunday morning and we ended up being a tad late for church because I spent my morning making waffles instead of doing my  makeup and hair for church.  All in all everything was fine, we made it in our seats in time for the kiddos to practice their song for fathers day and my husband had a wonderful day, of course it was only wonderful because of my delicious waffles ;-D

Maybe not, but these waffles are delicious!  Top them with strawberries, raspberries or get a little crazy and pour chocolate syrup on them.  Enjoy.

If you want another take on vegan waffles check out this blog's waffle recipe: Vegan waffles with Blueberry Syrup

Do you have a chocoholic Dad?  So do we! if you want to indulge dad's chocolate addiction for his Fathers Day breakfast check out the 2009 Fathers Day Vegan Chocolate Waffle Recipe! 

Whole Wheat Vegan Waffle Recipe

***Recipe tip, do not use anything other than soymilk, the milk needs to curdle and soy is the only one that will do this right.

We always serve breakfast in bed, what special tradition do you have for fathers day?

Homestyle Breakfast Potatoes

To the left side of my famous Tofu Scramble are these yummy Homestyle Breakfast Potatoes.  These potatoes were seasoned with complimentary flavors so they feature chili powder and cumin for a litle southwestern flair.  If you prefer more traditional potatoes you can leave out the chili and cumin and use parsley or rosemary would make a delicious flavor as well.

These homestyle potatoes are a little tricky to make mainly because you have to watch them, stir them frequently and make sure they have enough vegetable broth to prevent burning until they soften but when the potatoes are done all liquid should be absorbed so if the homestyle potato recipe doesn't work out for you the first time don't give up on it.

Tofu Scramble



Tofu scramble is extremely versatile, you can add chili powder or cayenne for some added heat, you can leave out the salsa and add in some sunburger crumbles, add some spinach or cheese sauce, whatever sounds good to you.

I prefer to add veggies in my tofu scramble, this recipe features broccoli but you can add spinach, kale, cabbage or any other veggie that may sound good.   Tofu scramble in our house is an easy dinner but you can certainly serve it as a heavy breakfast on a cold winter morning.  This tofu scramble is a crowd pleaser so if you want to impress your family with a delicious, hearty breakfast this is your go to recipe!



Vegan Nacho Cheese Chip recipe, Nacho Bake Recipe, Enchilada Sauce,

Vegan Nacho Cheese Chip Recipe

Delicious nacho cheese 'Dorito' style homemade chips!!  

These chips may not be exactly like the store bought kind, they do not contain MSG and other unhealthy ingredients, but my kids LOVED them!  They have a delicious chili cheesy flavor and they are very easy to make! I haven't seen any homemade dorito chip recipes anywhere, this homemade chip recipe is sure to make kids AND mom's happy.

These dorito style chips are an excellent substitute for traditional chips at your superbowl party, healthy snacks for kids, and they are delicious in mexican style recipes!

I thought this would be an excellent time to post the nacho cheese chip recipe just in time for the superbowl.  I have always loved chips, however, most bagged chips contain 150-200 calories for 7-15 chips!!  200 calories for a 4 foot 10 inch tall woman is about an entire meal!!  I can't eat that, not to mention all the refined oils in traditional bagged chips.  I decided to create a delicious, cheese flavored chip that I could ENJOY without all the junk and excess calories in chips from the grocery store.  You really have to try this homemade dorito chip recipe to appreciate how simple and delicious it really is. 

Enchilada Sauce Recipe

 

This enchilada sauce is delicious, the carrot juice adds a lot of extra nutrition, cuts down on the need for sugar or refined sweeteners and creates a delicious sauce.   There are very few enchilada sauces in the grocery store that do not contain MSG or High Fructose Corn syrup so if you choose to use canned enchilada sauce in a recipe please read he label and make sure you are not getting unwanted ingredients.

 

This enchilada sauce recipe is very simple and delicious and can be used in any recipe that calls for canned enchilada sauce.  I used this enchilada sauce recipe in the nacho pasta bake recipe below and it was fabulous!

Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe

Here in this photo you see the vegan nacho cheese sauce on top of the nacho bake...YUM!!

This delicious vegan nacho cheese recipe can be made as a superbowl dip recipe for chips or veggies, it can be used to make nacho cheese quesadillas or to top your favorite mexican dishes.

Nacho Pasta Bake Recipe

This is a delicious kid friendly recipe!!  My kids loved this meal, it has all their favorites, nacho cheese dorito style chips, pasta, cheese sauce and a few veggies to make mom's happy too!  This recipe takes a little extra time to make the nacho chips but it is so worth it!

Blueberry Banana Ice Cream Recipe

 

This AMAZING blueberry banana ice cream recipe is SOOOO simple!  You won't believe how creamy and delicious this healthy, sugar free blueberry ice cream is.  This is an amazing sugar free dessert and is made with only fruit!  This recipe is vegan, dairy free, sugar free and absolutely delicious!

 

There are two ways to make this dessert, I realize that most people do not have a champion or green star juicer with a blank plate so I will give you two ways to make it.

 

***If you do not have this type of juicer you can put the frozen bananas and blueberries in a high powered blender or if you do not have a high powered blender put them in a food processor.  Blend with about 1/2 c. of Silk almond or coconut milk until thick and creamy.  Add the almond milk slowly and only enough to get it mixed well or your ice cream will be runny.

 

Gluten Free Chia Seed Pancake Recipe

 

This is a delicious, very simple gluten free pancake recipe, it does not require expensive xanthan gum and makes perfect, delicious little gluten free pancakes.  My children beg for these pancakes every morning, in fact, my 11 year old makes this gluten free pancake recipe by herself, it is so simple and contains a lot of nutrients and is packed with omega 3 fatty acids!

 

My daughter loves these gluten free pancakes with pure maple syrup, they can also be made as gluten free crepes if you thin the batter enough.

 

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