Salisbury.Fake food, snacks

Nut and Seed Bars/Trail Mix

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So, the fun thing about these is I can never get my granola bars to stay in bar form.  I have tried sticky sweeteners with baking and not baking, and I’ve tried egg whites and flax eggs.  I left out the oats this time, and I used a flax egg to bind everything.  I used brown rice syrup as well, since I discovered it was the stickiest sweetener.  To me, anyway.

I wanted to make this since I’m going on a camping trip this week, and I wanted to have some snacks to take on the trail with me while I go hiking.  I’m excited for the upcoming trip, and I plan on making a bigger post for it when I come back.  It might take time for me to post it, so I’m hoping this one will be okay enough till I can get my thoughts together.

Nut & Seed Trail Mix Maybe Bars

1/4 cup sunflower seeds, roasted
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, raw
2 tbsp hemp seeds, shelled
2 flax eggs (mix 2 tbsp ground flax with 6 tbsp water and mix. Let sit till gelled, about five minutes)
1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
1/4 tsp kosher salt (a pinch, really)
2 cups cashews, roasted
1 1/2 cups almonds, roasted
1/2 cup brown rice syrup (or other sticky sweetener, I just find this one holds better)
2 tbsp vegetarian/vegan friendly butter

Melt together sweetener and butter, then add in flax eggs.  Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and add syrup mixture.  Mix everything well together and spread evenly into a half sheet pan.  Place in fridge to set, then bake at 350* F for ten minutes.  Cool and either cut into bars or break into pieces for trail mix.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

Salisbury.Fake dinner, food, Uncategorized

Black Bean and Walnut Burgers

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Life being what it is, and my lack of motivation for blog posting, here’s a simple recipe for some burgers.  They’re easy.  All you need is a food processor, a mixing bowl, spatula, baking sheet, and that’s pretty much it.  Measuring spoons, too, if you’re in the mood for precise measurements.

Black Bean and Walnut Burgers 

1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted (you don’t want them completely raw, but not completely toasted either)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs (the can I have isn’t vegan, which makes me wonder why milk is sneaked into everything like it knows the deal)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 heaping tsp smoked paprika (optional, but it adds in that nice kind of charred taste you get from a grill without having a grill)
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxmeal, 3 tbsp water, mix and set aside for two minutes)

In your food processor, mix together all of the ingredients aside from the bread crumbs and quinoa.  You want it to resemble a wet dough almost.  Scrape sides if you’ve got some errant spices (my paprika likes to cling to the sides). Some chunks are okay.  Texture and whatnot.

After this, add the mixture to a mixing bowl and add in the quinoa and bread crumbs.  Mix together pretty well.  You don’t want to have bread crumbs hanging out.

Scoop out 1/3 cup of the mixture and press into a patty shape.  You get about six patties out of this mixture.  You can bake them at 375* F for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway, or you can pan fry them for 2-3 minutes a side.  I didn’t have time to babysit a pan today, so I made mine in the oven.  They freeze spectacularly well, and work well as ground “beef” crumbles in spaghetti sauce.

Fair warning, they do dry out a little in the oven, so pan frying is recommended, but if you’re okay with dousing things in barbecue sauce like I am, then you’ll be fine with oven baked.

Salisbury.Fake dinner, food

Basil Pesto Fettucine and White Beans

 

 

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Basil Pesto Fettucine with White Beans

For the beans:

1 12 oz can white beans (great northern, I think they’re called), drained and rinsed
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil

Heat the oil in a skillet.  Add the beans and cook for 2-3 minutes.  You’re looking to dry the beans out a bit.  They’ll start to brown and get crispy, which is completely fine.  Add the garlic and continue cooking on low heat till the beans are tender crisp, and then remove from heat.

For the pesto:

About a cup and a half of loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 small cloves of garlic
1/2 cup walnuts
salt, pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

Blend in a food processor the basil, garlic, walnuts, and salt and pepper.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until a ball forms.  You don’t want it to be too loose.

Cook about a pound of fettucine to al dente.  Drain and set aside.

Add the beans to the pasta, then stir in the pesto.  Add about 1 1/2 cups of cashew milk, or other non dairy milk of your choice.  Or if you drink dairy milk, feel free to add that instead.  You’re going to stir everything together and then let it come to a simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.  This is why you want your pasta almost cooked.  You’ll finish cooking it in the sauce.

Serve with salad, or just on its own.  This recipe makes four servings.

Salisbury.Fake dinner, food

Mango Barbecue Sauce (with shredded chicken)

1 mango, peeled and cubed (leave the core out, just in case you weren’t sure)
water to cover mango pieces (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 white onion, medium diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper

In a small saucepan, bring the mango and water to a boil, then simmer until the mango is tender and the water has reduced slightly.  While this happens, heat a medium skillet with the vegetable oil and cook the onion and garlic till the onion is translucent.  When the mango and water reduce, add in the molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, coriander, red pepper, and cumin.  Let this simmer for about ten more minutes and then add in the onion/garlic mixture.  Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes, 2-3, and then use a blender or food processor till your desired consistency is reached.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

I served this over shredded chicken and it was heaven.  It would also work really well over pork.

Salisbury.Fake dinner

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Sorry there’s no photo with this one.  Melted cheese is hard to photograph before it turns kind of gloppy, and people wanted to eat right away.  Next time, though!

25 ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed
15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pint of mushrooms, sliced thin
1 mango, small dice
1/2 cup onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup vegetable stock
8 ounces shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
vegetable oil, as needed
5-8 poblano peppers

Heat the oven to 375 F, and line a sheet pan with either foil or parchment paper.  Rub the peppers with oil until coated, then place on the sheet pan.  Roast for about half an hour, or until the skins start to blister.  Remove the peppers from the oven and place in a large bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat, and then combine the hominy, black beans, mushrooms, mango, onion, garlic, and the spices.  Cook for about three minutes, and then add in the vegetable stock.  Cover and let cook for three more minutes, and then remove the cover.  Continue cooking until there is very little liquid left in the pan, and the onions and mango are soft.

Remove the peppers from the bowl and peel the skins off.  Cut a slit along one side and open carefully.  Remove the seeds and the core.  Once the peppers are all deseeded and peeled, spoon some of the filling onto the inside of the pepper, and top with some cheese, about a tablespoon.  Fold over the sides so the filling is tucked in, and top with more cheese.  Do this for all of the peppers.  (You may have leftover filling, but that’s okay, this makes a great burrito or taco filling as well.)

Bake the peppers at 375 for about ten minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.

Salisbury.Fake dinner, food, snacks

Turkey Meatballs

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Mix all of the ingredients really well in a bowl.  Roll into walnut sized balls, and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  If you want to freeze them, bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes to reheat.

Salisbury.Fake dinner, food

Pizza Dough

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2 teaspoons yeast (one packet of yeast, if you don’t have a jar of it)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 – 3 cups of flour

Proof the yeast with the sugar in the water.  You want it to be warm enough that when you stick your finger in it, it’s like very warm bath water.  It’ll take about ten minutes for the yeast to fully bloom.  Add the olive oil and salt, then start adding flour.  Start with one cup at first, and then add in half cup increments.  Stir until the dough forms a ball around your spoon, and the flour is incorporated.  Let the dough rise for about an hour until it’s doubled in volume.  Gently deflate and knead for a few minutes until the dough is somewhat elastic.  You don’t want to knead too much, like you would for regular bread.  Just a few minutes.  Shape dough into a ball and cut in half.  Makes two pizza crusts.  Bake (with toppings) at 375 F for 18-20 minutes.