Thought for the day ……

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 20th day of July, 2015.

It is a glorious morning with the sun coming up around some dark clouds and there is a refreshing breeze.

Another Monday ….. I wonder what it shall have in store for me, for us??

Well I think it is going to be a great day filled with fantastic news.

Sunday for a great day for me.

My daughter and grand-pups came for a visit.

Alvin well there was a bit of time where he was not so happy with his Momma and Sister.

She helped me give him a hair cut.

It was only about three weeks ago that I cut his hair but he is such a “guy” …. I wasn’t able to trim his paws much.

Well it took us some time but he looks like he had a hair cut.

YAY …….

I made us “chocolate pancakes” …… I revised my regular recipe and they turned out so great.

I will definitely make them again.

Perhaps I should share the recipe?

We even checked out a garage sale.

I got groceries.

Time for coffee with my girl and relaxing later.

It was a perfect day.

Well here it is almost time to leave for the bus to go to work.

I wish you a fantastic Monday filled with joy, laughter and great news.

Special Hello to: my sister …… less than two weeks now till our visit.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Peanut Butter Treats and More…..

What you need:

(1) box brown rice crisps cereal (Koala Crisps, organic)

1 and 3/4 cups brown rice syrup

Fine sea salt

3/4 cup peanut butter (Adams Natural 100% Crunchy, unsalted)

1/2 cup carob chips or chocolate chips

Pour the rice cereal in a large bowl.  Heat the syrup with a pinch of salt in a saucepan over low heat.  When the rice syrup liquefies, add the peanut butter and stir until well combined.  Pour over the rice cereal.  Mix well with a wooden spoon.

Once thoroughly mixed and cooled to room temperature, stir in the chocolate chips.  Make sure the mixture has cooled or the chips may melt.

Turn the mixture into an 8″ x 8″ or 9″ x 13″ baking dish.  Wet your wooden spoon lightly and press the mixture evenly into the pan.  Let cool for about one hour before cutting.

Note:  I got this recipe from “THE KIND DIET” by Alicia Silverstone.  I have since modified it as I do with most recipes.  Find new versions.  I found that the mixture was wet enough that I could add some cranberry orange flavoured raisins, or just plain dried cranberries or raisins or sunflower seeds.  Just make sure that the mixture stays a bit wet so that you can press it into the pan and also so that it is not dry when eating.  The sky is the limit.  I play with the recipe.  Adding a bit more syrup and peanut butter so that the mixture is wet enough to accommodate the additional ingredients.  This is such a yummy treat and is good for you.  It does not last in my house.  If my dog, Alvin could eat it …… he would…

Also note: the Koala Crisps cereal and the Adams Natural peanut butter are just two items that I found in the local grocery store, that I love and use.

ENJOY ……. thanks Alicia …… this is so yummy.

Let me know what you think.  Comments welcomed.

Next time will remember to take a photo of this one…….

 

MY HUMMUS

List of Ingredients:

(1) 19 fl oz or 540 ml can of chickpeas or Romano beans

Reserve 1/4 cup of the liquid from the peas or the beans whichever you use.

1/4 cup lemon juice

6-7 cloves garlic (chopped) (Note: I love garlic so only put in what you like)

10 shakes or twists of the grinder of sea salt (about 1/2 tsp of sea salt)

(3) tbsp tahini

(2) tbsp olive oil

I put all of these ingredients in my kitchen aid food processor and it comes out in the perfect texture.  Thick soup like.

Note:  you could use a pastry blender to mash up the chick peas or the Romano beans.

I also add at the end:  a couple of tsp of freeze dried parsley, couple shakes of cayenne pepper and black/red pepper.

It keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days.  Although mine never lasts that long.

I also bake my own “tortilla chips” – simply cut into wedges either whole wheat or whole grain tortillas …. I bake mine on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.

At 375 degree oven.  They only take about 3-4 minutes.  It is a good idea to watch them closely.  I usually flip them once so that they are baked evenly.

They are the perfect combination “hummus” and “baked tortillas”….. I also have them with my homemade guacamole.  So good.

I like to try new variations on existing recipes.  This is so good.  Perfect appetizer or with raw veggies or a salad is good for a light meal.

It is healthy and so tasty.

I hope that you enjoy.  I will be adding photos to my recipes along the way.

Always, Carol

Just to let you know !!

I am going to be posting some yummy new recipes on my blog over the next few days.

Recipes for:

Guacamole

Vegetarian Chili

Hummus a couple of ways

Vegetarian “Meat” Sauce for Spaghetti

 

I have been busy for the past several months playing around with ingredients and recipes to make some yummy dishes.  My family has tried them and are in love.  So I figured why not let you all give them a taste.

I believe in good food and easy recipes with available ingredients.

Take care, Always Carol

Crispy Peanut Butter Treats with “Cran/raisins” or CHOCOLATE !!!

NOTE:  A few days ago I made this very special treat.  I found the recipe in “The Kind Diet” by Alicia Silverstone.  As I do with most recipes, I made some minor changes to make it my own, and also due to the fact that I did not have one of the ingredients that was listed.  LOL.  It was the non-dairy chocolate chips.  I made a 9 x 13 pan, and it is all gone (I think that I ate most of it, so yummy).  Thank goodness that it is actually pretty good for you.  This will be one of my new favourite sweet treats.  Being vegetarian/vegan I am trying to get away from the refined sugar and do pretty good but I must tell you – that giving up chicken, turkey, eggs, cheese and the odd steak is much easier to do than giving up sweets.  So as I am trying to be “kind” to my body, I am replacing that “old white sugar” with healthy alternatives.  I highly recommend this book to everyone.  Even if you eat meat and have dairy, there are such wonderful recipes that can be modified to suit your needs.  Enjoy this yummy treat.

Ingredients:

1 box brown rice crisps cereal (I used organic Koala Crisps)

1 and 3/4 cups brown rice syrup

Fine sea salt (I just used about three twists of the sea salt grinder)

3/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted) (note: I used  a organic crunchy peanut butter)

1/2 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips (this is the ingredient that I was out of, so I substituted a mixture of dried orange/cranberries and raisins and used about 1 cup).

 

Pour the rice cereal into a large bowl.  Heat the syrup with a pinch of salt in a saucepan over low heat.  When the rice syrup liquefies, add the peanut butter and stir until well combined.  Pour over the rice cereal.  Mix well with a wooden spoon.

 

Once thoroughly mixed and cooled to room temperature, stir in the chocolate chips.  Make sure the mixture is cool, or you will end up with melted chocolate instead of chocolate chips in your treats.  Now this is where I changed the recipe due to necessity, I added the “cranberries/raisins” and I didn’t wait until the mixture was at room temperature.  You could certainly add almost anything like some almonds, other dried fruit (you might want to chop it up, if you used apricots or mango, as an example).  Just watch as you are adding raisins etc – that it can be mixed thoroughly as you want each rice crisp to be coated with the yummy peanut butter and syrup.

Put the mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish (does not require baking).  By the way, that is the other wonderful thing about this recipe it literally takes minutes to make and is so good…..  You might wish to wet your wooden spoon lightly and press the treats evenly into the pan.  Let cool for about one hour before eating (if you can wait, but wait, it is well worth the time).

 

Thank you for Alicia for this yummy treat.

Please let me know what you think of this one.

 

Always, Carol

Recipe for Life

Take one part laughter, give it a stir.

Then add two parts love and compassion.

Stir it some more.

Then maybe add some chocolate chips, mm would have to be carob or else dark chocolate.

Stir it some more.

Remember that you really are a compassionate soul.

It is okay to have some chocolate – as you know that you really love it.

Six months from now when you notice that you gained a couple of pounds, remember to laugh.

Laugh and maybe get out and go for a walk.  (I will be with you, believe me)..

That’s my recipe for life and I am grateful for it.

P.S.   cannot live with chocolate……  🙂

Always, Carol

Note regarding Recipes

I will be posting some yummy vegetarian dishes in the near future.

Usually once a week I try something new …… so I want to share them with you.

Have a great day.

The Best Ever Fruit Cocktail Cake

Ingredients for cake:

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 – 14 oz can fruit cocktail with juice

2 cups flour

Instructions for cake:

Combine sugar, baking soda, salt, eggs and fruit cocktail in a bowl.  Then add the flour and combine.  Couldn’t be any easier.  Bake in greased 9 x 13 (glass dish works better) pan for 45 minutes at 350 F.

Check @ 35-40 minutes with toothpick and if comes out clean it is done.  Should be golden brown in color.

Ingredients for Icing:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine ( I use margarine)

1/3 cup milk or cream ( I use 1%)

2 tsp vanilla (always better with the extract)

Note: I put all of the icing ingredients in a saucepan so that it is ready to make once the cake has finished baking.

Instructions for Icing:

Once the cake is baked, and you have taken it out of the oven.  Take the saucepan with the icing ingredients and bring to a boil.  Best to do this on a medium high heat.  Once the icing is boiling go ahead and add the vanilla.  Only bring to a boil.  Now take a tablespoon and pour over the entire cake.

You can eat this plain or with ice cream or whipped cream while warm or cool.

It keeps in the fridge for several days.  It is one of the most easiest cakes to make.  Also one that you are likely to have all of the ingredients in your pantry.

Enjoy.