Homemade Peanut Butter

We eat a ton of peanut butter at our house. The problem we have is my daughter prefers the smooth creamy texture of brand name peanut butter and we would prefer she eats a healthier version without the added sugar. How do you make both sides happy? I decided to try my hand at making my own peanut butter, it turned out delicious and couldn't be easier! I put a pound of lightly sea salted dry roasted peanuts in my Ninja, turned it on and hoped for the best. At first the peanuts turned into peanut dust, then a chunky and dry paste. I was a little concerned that my experiment would fail. I soon discovered the key to creamy peanut butter is patience, after several minutes my peanuts had been transformed into creamy peanut butter! It is delicious and contains only peanuts so everyone is happy.

Why go veg?

Choosing to eat vegetarian is not just an ethical decision it is an environmental one. Factory farms use extreme amounts of water and grains and produce tons of CO2 emissions. How much of a difference can a vegetarian diet make?

If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would save 100 billion gallons of water, 70 million gallons of gas and 3 million acres of land. We would also eliminate greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 1.2 million tons of CO2, as much as what all of France produces!

Not ready to go completely vegetarian - make a difference for your family's and the planet's health by choosing to serve at least once vegetarian meal a week. Will this make a difference - you bet! According to Environmental Defense, if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads.

Celebrate Earth Day this week with a vegetarian meal. Looking for some great vegetarian recipes? Check out www.vegweb.com

Vegan Wheat Bread

Yesterday I made a delicious batch of homemade bread. It disappears pretty quick around here, but can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. Enjoy.


Vegan Wheat Bread

2 1/2 cups warm water
4 cups organic whole wheat flour
2-3 cups organic unbleached white flour
2 tablespoon of yeast or two packages
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon salt

Mix water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the molasses together in a large bowl. Pour in 3 cups of wheat flour and mix well. Cover the bowl with a towel and let sit for a 30 minutes.

Pour in the rest of the molasses, oil, soy milk and salt. Mix together. Begin adding flour, a 1 cup at a time. I mix the dough in my Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook until it is smooth and elastic, but you can also knead by hand.

Split the dough into two, equal parts. Shape them into loaves and place them into two greased bread pans. Cover pans with a towel in a warm place and let the dough rise until it doubles in size, about an hour to an hour and a half.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Vegan "Buttermilk" Pancakes

Are you vegan and missing the taste of homemade buttermilk pancakes? Then try this tasty vegan version.

Vegan "Buttermilk" Pancakes

1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice
1 1/2 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 Tbsp. warm water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup soy milk
1 Tbsp. white vinegar

To make the "buttermilk" combine the soy milk with the vinegar and let stand 2 minutes for it to curdle. Meanwhile in a bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and evaporated cane juice. In another bowl, combine egg replacer mix, canola oil, and buttermilk; stir into dry ingredients. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350 and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Fall Spice Pancakes

Despite the high temperatures outside, I was in a fall mood this morning and whipped up some pancakes reminiscent of a crisp fall day.

Fall Spice Pancakes

1 cup organic whole wheat flour
1 cup organic unbleached flour
3 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cups soy milk
3 Tbsp. canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt, spices, and brown sugar. In another bowl, combine soy milk, canola oil, and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350 and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Citrus Pancakes

Cinnamon Citrus Pancakes

1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice
1 1/2 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 Tbsp. warm water (or 1 egg)
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

In a bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and evaporated cane juice. In another bowl, combine egg replacer mix, orange juice, water, canola oil, and lemon juice; stir into dry ingredients. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350 and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pancakes

After several weekends away, we are home on a Sunday to enjoy homemade pancakes.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 4 Tbsp. warm water (or 2 eggs)
1 1/2 cups soy milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla

In a bowl, combine flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and brown sugar. In another bowl, combine egg replacer mix, soy milk, and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350 and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Citrus Blueberry Pancakes

Today for Father's Day we used fresh blueberries - my husband's favorite in our pancakes and added a fresh twist with citrus juice.

Citrus Blueberry Pancakes

1/2 cup organic unbleached flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 Tbsp. warm water
3/4 cup soy milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1/2 cup fresh blueberries


Combine flours, salt, sugar, and baking powder in bowl. Whisk egg replacer powder and warm water together; add milk, oil,lemon juice and orange juice. Slowly stir liquid mixture into dry ingredients and mix completely. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350, sprinkle with blueberries and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Graham Cracker Maple Pancakes

Well today I shopped my pantry for inspiration for a pancake recipe and found a box of graham cracker crumbs from a cake we decorated and came up with this recipe.

Graham Cracker Maple Pancakes

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 Tbsp. warm water (or 1 egg)
1 1/4 cups soy milk
2 Tbsp. maple syrup

In a bowl, combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar. In another bowl, combine egg replacer mix, soy milk, and maple syrup; stir into dry ingredients. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350 and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

Today's recipe is a nod to my mom's favorite sandwich - peanut butter with banana slices. We are going to see her this afternoon and are bringing her a sample of our new pancakes to get her input.

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 bananas, pureed
1 1/2 cups soy milk
1/2 cup organic peanut butter

Mix together the flour, evaporated cane juice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix bananas, soy milk, and peanut butter. Pour dry ingredients into wet and mix together. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350 and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Okay not the healthiest pancakes, but the whole wheat does offset the chocolate a little right?

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2 cups organic whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice
4 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 4 Tbsp. warm water (or 2 eggs)
1 1/2 cup soy milk
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Tropical Source chocolate chips

Combine flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in bowl. Whisk egg replacer powder and warm water together; add milk and oil. Slowly stir liquid mixture into dry ingredients and mix completely. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350 and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Today's pancakes were an experiment with with ingredients we had on hand.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. lemon juice

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add water, oil, maple syrup, and lemon juice; mix to combine. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350 and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Fire Roasted Tomatoes

I picked up some fantastic local & hydroponically grown tomatoes today at the Farmer's Market and decided to roast them on my grill. I highly recommend shopping your local Farmer's Market for the freshest produce you can buy while supporting local farmers from your community.

Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Cut tomatoes in quarters and salt with sea salt. Preheat grill. Toss tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil. Place tomatoes on grill skin side down. Grill tomatoes until their skins blister and blacken in places and they start bubbling.

Fire roasted tomatoes can be used in sauces or soups, or on pizzas and bruschetta.

Lemon Raspberry Pancakes

Well it's Sunday again, which means it's Pancake Day.

Lemon Raspberry Pancakes

1/2 cup organic unbleached flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 Tbsp. warm water
3/4 cup soy milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh raspberries or thawed frozen raspberries


Combine flours, salt, sugar, and baking powder in bowl. Whisk egg replacer powder and warm water together; add milk, oil and lemon juice. Slowly stir liquid mixture into dry ingredients and mix completely. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350, sprinkle with raspberries and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Tortillas

In an effort to eat healthier and reduce my family's exposure to chemicals, we have been doing more cooking from scratch. My daughter and I have been making our own tortillas and they taste great and are fun to make!


Tortillas

1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup water

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. On a clean countertop, form the dry ingredients into a small mountain and make a well in the center. Pour oil & enough water into the well to make a soft, but not sticky dough. Knead dough until well combined and smooth. Break dough into 8 small balls and dust with flour. Roll each into a circle 1/8 inch in thickness. Heat a lightly greased cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook each tortilla for 15 seconds on each side.

Cinnamon Maple Pancakes

Since it's Sunday - it's Pancake Day!

Cinnamon Maple Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice
3 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 4 Tbsp. warm water (or 2 eggs)
2 cups soy milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. vanilla

In a bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and evaporated cane juice. In another bowl, combine egg replacer mix, soy milk, oil, syrup, and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350 and cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

St. Patty's Day Pancakes

Today we had green shamrock pancakes in honor of tomorrow's holiday. I used our basic pancake recipe and added green food coloring to the liquid mixture before adding it to the dry ingredients. I shaped the shamrocks by pouring three touching circles of batter and a line of batter for a stem. Have a green St. Patty's ! :)

Mixed Berry Syrup

It's Sunday and despite the fact that my daughter and I camped out in a tent last night with temperatures in the 40s - my daughter informed me it's still Pancake Day. So we went with our basic pancakes, but I was feeling creative and inspired by the delicious Florida strawberries that are in season so I whipped up a delicious mixed berry syrup to go with them.

Mixed Berry Syrup

2 cups fresh organic strawberries, sliced in half
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice
1/4 cup cranberry and blueberry juice combo
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine the evaporated cane juice, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Mix to remove any lumps. Add the strawberries and berry juice. Cook sauce at a low boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

*** I used Ocean Spray 100% Juice No Sugar Added Cranberry & Blueberry

Cinnamon Oat Pancakes

It's Pancake Day again. These delicious pancakes were created this morning with a creative use of what was in the pantry & refigerator. They are reminiscent of french toast in taste and texture.

Cinnamon Oat Pancakes

1 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3 Tbsp. ground flaxseeds
1 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup soy milk
1 container So Delicious Cinnamon Bun soy yogurt
1 Tbsp. canola oil

Mix the flour, oats, flaxseeds, evaporated cane juice, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a seperate bowl combine yogurt, milk, and oil. Stir yogurt mixture into dry ingredients and mix completely. Pour 2 Tbsp. of batter onto griddle preheated to 350, cook until batter bubbles and pancakes begin to brown around edges. Flip and cook 2 minutes more.

Blueberry Syrup

It's Pancake Day again! Today we had our basic pancakes, but I whipped up a delicious blueberry syrup to go with them since my hubby loves blueberries.

Blueberry Syrup

2 1/2 cups fresh or individually frozen organic blueberries
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. lemon juice

Combine blueberries, sugar and 1/4 cup orange juice in a saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Blend cornstarch into remaining orange juice, making sure to dissolve any lumps. Bring sauce to a boil and add cornstarch mixture. Cook sauce at a low boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Cool for 10 minutes.