Sure, you can have Thanksgiving without the bird, there's some very good Tofurkey's out there, but you can't have Thanksgiving without the pumpkin pie! I attempted a vegan pumpkin pie last year. I scoured the internet and found a few recipes. My husband and I ate it, but our palates missed out. In fact, he ate it, but with real cream on top to tone it down. This year I pulled out my favorite recipe and veganized it. Success again! With the exception that it had too much ginger in it (he thought the same thing when I made it normal a few years back) it was good. Even my neighbor thought so when she stopped by after I'd made it. I had to get that second opinion from the non-vegan's palate too!
So here's for all you last-minute pie makers that can't let the holiday go by without that familiar taste of Thanksgiving.
This was super fun to make with my toddler. The ingredients are put together so nicely that she was able to mix them without much spillage, and so proud to help mommy out. Involve them! They're more likely to eat it if they help.
Williams-Sonoma Classic Pumpkin Pie - veganized
1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Less than 1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (I always just do 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg)
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
2 cups pumpkin puree
Ener-G egg replacer for 3 eggs
1 cup heavy cashew cream
1/3 cup non-dairy milk
Pre-baked and cooled deep-dish piecrust - Marie Calendars ready made is vegan and tasty
(This recipe requires deep dish, if you choose to not use deep-dish, you can divide it into two pies. Pre-baked is a MUST - trust me)
Preheat oven to 375.
In bowl, whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Add pumpkin, egg replacer, cream, and milk. Whisk to combine.
Pour filling into prebaked piecrust; bake until center is set, 60-65 minutes, covering edges of crust with foil after 30 minutes if it browns too quickly. Transfer pie to wire rack; let cool completely, at least 2 hours. before serving. Serves 10.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Yummy, sugar-free and fat-free
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 15 oz can white, great northern, or butter beans, rinsed and blended
3 cups honey
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
6 Tbsp. water
1 30 oz can pumpkin
5 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup nuts (optional)
3 cups chocolate chips
Mix wet ingredients. Slowly stir in dry ingredients. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.
**Update note: If 80 cookies are made with this recipe the cookies are 100 calories each.
1 15 oz can white, great northern, or butter beans, rinsed and blended
3 cups honey
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
6 Tbsp. water
1 30 oz can pumpkin
5 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup nuts (optional)
3 cups chocolate chips
Mix wet ingredients. Slowly stir in dry ingredients. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.
**Update note: If 80 cookies are made with this recipe the cookies are 100 calories each.
Sugar - in all its glory
I received an email from a dietician right before Halloween. It made me think, I hope it makes you think too. I'll post a recipe I adjusted, but still kept yummy, after considering the information she sent.
--------------------------------------------------------
Back in March of 1948, the "Improvement Era" magazine published an article called: REFINED SUGAR: ITS USE AND MISUSE. Since the article is quite lengthy, I will only post some excerpts from it which are most important, and rather interesting being this was in print in 1948:
"The definition of a food is, 'That which sustains life and promotes growth.' Sugar refined to the state of being a pure chemical or drug, has been fed to rats and found to shorten life and stop growth. Therefore sugar can't be called a food. Like alcohol, sugar furnished only calories to the body.
"A drug is defined as 'any substance used as a chemical ingredient in the arts.' Pharmacists agree that sugar meets the requirements of this definition of a drug……
"Like alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, and chocolate, sugar is habit-forming. Sugar eaters crave candy or sweet drinks. Cola drinks are doubly habit-forming because they also contain caffeine, in addition to a large amount of sugar……
"…If mothers would improve their own sugar-saturated diets by eating proper nutritious foods instead, they could more easily nurse their babies and would have children less susceptible to disease, both of the infectious type, as well as of the degenerative type. It is doubtful practice to start a child on habit-forming sugar diets in its early days and weeks of life……
"The resulting malnutrition especially in children is one of the strongest arguments against refined sugar. Foods containing refined sugar taken either during or between meals, destroy the appetite for the nourishing foods, which are important to normal life and growth. Parents of malnourished children often use sweets as a reward for eating a small portion of vegetables or milk, and the scene is thus set for repetition at the next meal……
"Children are by no means the only sufferers from excessive sugar eating. The most common unkind blow to middle age is the development of chronic diseases, including arthritis and its allied rheumatic diseases. Sugar eating is a number one predisposing cause of arthritis, neuritis, and rheumatism, as well as many of the other chronic diseases& hellip;…
"From childhood to old age the chronic complaint of gas on the stomach and bowel has been widespread. One of the causes of this condition is the use of refined sugar……
"Sugar irritates the innings of the stomach and intestine…..This results in failure of the normal digestive process and delayed emptying time of the stomach. In the meantime the sugar ferments and forms gas which creates pain and other symptoms of indigestion……
"Lowering of the hydrochloric acid content of the stomach is another result of refined sugar eating…
"Sugar and fats in the diet are now not only probably higher than ever before in the history of the race of man (if they only new???), but fats, sugar, and white flour – a bad combination – are now also used widely in pastries, cake cookies, and many other modern recipes. This is thought to be a chief cause of low stomach acidity frequently confused with 'sour' stom ach and is often even by doctors themselves mistaken for too high acidity…
"Low stomach acidity, resulting at least in part from the use of refined sugar leads to a long list of other degenerative diseases that are seen especially among the middle-aged and elderly people in American where the people have been called the 'sugar gluttons of the world' (still are in 2010!!).
"Obesity is another unpleasant condition justly earned by 'sugar gluttons' (this isn't coming from me). Sugar and other refined carbohydrates lead to a waterlogging of the body tissues.…
"The growth of cancer is accelerated by refined sugar eating. Cancer in America is also on the increase right now when sugar consumption is greatly increasing……
"Colds, tonsillitis, sinus infections, and other catarrhal diseases are worse in eaters of refined sugar…
"Patients do not become allergic to refined sugar, but through sugar eating they have changes take p lace in their body biochemistry that puts them in a position in which their glands are unable to cope satisfactorily with their allergic state…
"Among the conditions included under this heading of allergy are asthma, hay fever, eczema, hives, migraine or nervous headache, and various food allergies, many of which cause stomach and bowl disorders…
"Heart disease – today's number one killer – is another condition made worse by vitamin deficiencies. Especially bad for the heart is deficiency of Vitamin B or thiamine which a person develops from excessive eating of refined sugar…
"Hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure result from the use of refined sugar in the diet. It also causes calcium deposits in the vessels……
"Sugar eating should be avoided by athletes and all those engaged in important physical activities, because of refined sugar's ability to lower physical efficiency…
"Conclusion: If one can avoid eating refined sugar, one can expect more vibrant health, and a longer life with greater freedom from some of the acute and chronic diseases and complaints which many modern doctors are unable to diagnose or to treat successfully."
Wow! They did know a thing or two over 60 years ago! Are we paying attention and doing anything about avoid refined sugar in our diets?
Think about how sugar really does and will affect you and your children, especially since the upcoming celebrations are slathered with sugared treats! You can avoid it!
--------------------------------------------------------
Back in March of 1948, the "Improvement Era" magazine published an article called: REFINED SUGAR: ITS USE AND MISUSE. Since the article is quite lengthy, I will only post some excerpts from it which are most important, and rather interesting being this was in print in 1948:
"The definition of a food is, 'That which sustains life and promotes growth.' Sugar refined to the state of being a pure chemical or drug, has been fed to rats and found to shorten life and stop growth. Therefore sugar can't be called a food. Like alcohol, sugar furnished only calories to the body.
"A drug is defined as 'any substance used as a chemical ingredient in the arts.' Pharmacists agree that sugar meets the requirements of this definition of a drug……
"Like alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, and chocolate, sugar is habit-forming. Sugar eaters crave candy or sweet drinks. Cola drinks are doubly habit-forming because they also contain caffeine, in addition to a large amount of sugar……
"…If mothers would improve their own sugar-saturated diets by eating proper nutritious foods instead, they could more easily nurse their babies and would have children less susceptible to disease, both of the infectious type, as well as of the degenerative type. It is doubtful practice to start a child on habit-forming sugar diets in its early days and weeks of life……
"The resulting malnutrition especially in children is one of the strongest arguments against refined sugar. Foods containing refined sugar taken either during or between meals, destroy the appetite for the nourishing foods, which are important to normal life and growth. Parents of malnourished children often use sweets as a reward for eating a small portion of vegetables or milk, and the scene is thus set for repetition at the next meal……
"Children are by no means the only sufferers from excessive sugar eating. The most common unkind blow to middle age is the development of chronic diseases, including arthritis and its allied rheumatic diseases. Sugar eating is a number one predisposing cause of arthritis, neuritis, and rheumatism, as well as many of the other chronic diseases& hellip;…
"From childhood to old age the chronic complaint of gas on the stomach and bowel has been widespread. One of the causes of this condition is the use of refined sugar……
"Sugar irritates the innings of the stomach and intestine…..This results in failure of the normal digestive process and delayed emptying time of the stomach. In the meantime the sugar ferments and forms gas which creates pain and other symptoms of indigestion……
"Lowering of the hydrochloric acid content of the stomach is another result of refined sugar eating…
"Sugar and fats in the diet are now not only probably higher than ever before in the history of the race of man (if they only new???), but fats, sugar, and white flour – a bad combination – are now also used widely in pastries, cake cookies, and many other modern recipes. This is thought to be a chief cause of low stomach acidity frequently confused with 'sour' stom ach and is often even by doctors themselves mistaken for too high acidity…
"Low stomach acidity, resulting at least in part from the use of refined sugar leads to a long list of other degenerative diseases that are seen especially among the middle-aged and elderly people in American where the people have been called the 'sugar gluttons of the world' (still are in 2010!!).
"Obesity is another unpleasant condition justly earned by 'sugar gluttons' (this isn't coming from me). Sugar and other refined carbohydrates lead to a waterlogging of the body tissues.…
"The growth of cancer is accelerated by refined sugar eating. Cancer in America is also on the increase right now when sugar consumption is greatly increasing……
"Colds, tonsillitis, sinus infections, and other catarrhal diseases are worse in eaters of refined sugar…
"Patients do not become allergic to refined sugar, but through sugar eating they have changes take p lace in their body biochemistry that puts them in a position in which their glands are unable to cope satisfactorily with their allergic state…
"Among the conditions included under this heading of allergy are asthma, hay fever, eczema, hives, migraine or nervous headache, and various food allergies, many of which cause stomach and bowl disorders…
"Heart disease – today's number one killer – is another condition made worse by vitamin deficiencies. Especially bad for the heart is deficiency of Vitamin B or thiamine which a person develops from excessive eating of refined sugar…
"Hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure result from the use of refined sugar in the diet. It also causes calcium deposits in the vessels……
"Sugar eating should be avoided by athletes and all those engaged in important physical activities, because of refined sugar's ability to lower physical efficiency…
"Conclusion: If one can avoid eating refined sugar, one can expect more vibrant health, and a longer life with greater freedom from some of the acute and chronic diseases and complaints which many modern doctors are unable to diagnose or to treat successfully."
Wow! They did know a thing or two over 60 years ago! Are we paying attention and doing anything about avoid refined sugar in our diets?
Think about how sugar really does and will affect you and your children, especially since the upcoming celebrations are slathered with sugared treats! You can avoid it!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sugar Cookie - Veganized
I veganized my favorite sugar cookie recipe! Not only veganized, but improved and, if I do say so myself, awesome. So, in holiday celebration, shaping and sharing treats and the awesome "no animals harmed in my cooking" spirit, share it!
Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance or Smart Balance Lite (it's vegan too!)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla (or a little more!)
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 egg substitute - Ener-G egg replacer or flax seed (1 T. ground flax seed, 3 T. water) if you don't mind seeing the flecs of flax in your cookie
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tarter
Cream sugar, Earth Balance, and oil. Add each ingredient and mix well. Refridgerate one hour. Roll out, cut shapes, or use a cookie press. Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes.
Enjoy this soft tasty cookie!
Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance or Smart Balance Lite (it's vegan too!)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla (or a little more!)
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 egg substitute - Ener-G egg replacer or flax seed (1 T. ground flax seed, 3 T. water) if you don't mind seeing the flecs of flax in your cookie
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tarter
Cream sugar, Earth Balance, and oil. Add each ingredient and mix well. Refridgerate one hour. Roll out, cut shapes, or use a cookie press. Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes.
Enjoy this soft tasty cookie!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
A Whole Head
Have you ever eaten a whole head of lettuce in one sitting? Do you have multiple heads of lettuce in your fridge from Bountiful Baskets that just keep stacking up? Find the right recipe and you will! I loved this recipe so much that I ate it for breakfast one morning, and found myself eating a whole head of lettuce! Beautiful ruffage!
See if you love it too!
Fruit Nut Lettuce Salad with Poppy dressing
Romaine lettuce, torn bite-sized (1st layer)
2-3 nectarines sliced (or pears or peaches)
roasted pecans (recipe below)
poppy seed dressing (recipe below)
Poppy Seed Dressing
Combine in shaker or blender:
1 c. canola oil
½ c. red wine vinegar
½ c. white sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. onion powder
1 t. poppy seeds
½ t. dry mustard
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Spread pecans on cookie sheet and bake in oven for 10 mins. Let cool about 30 mins. Break apart. Store in airtight container.
See if you love it too!
Fruit Nut Lettuce Salad with Poppy dressing
Romaine lettuce, torn bite-sized (1st layer)
2-3 nectarines sliced (or pears or peaches)
roasted pecans (recipe below)
poppy seed dressing (recipe below)
Poppy Seed Dressing
Combine in shaker or blender:
1 c. canola oil
½ c. red wine vinegar
½ c. white sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. onion powder
1 t. poppy seeds
½ t. dry mustard
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Spread pecans on cookie sheet and bake in oven for 10 mins. Let cool about 30 mins. Break apart. Store in airtight container.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Vegan Baby update
So how different are vegan babies? Really? Well, I think they are brought back to the "normal" weight that existed years ago. Years ago, perhaps the thirty or more, before the dairy counsel pushed money through the government and increased the public consumption 3 fold to what it used to be. Before there was an epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes. Here's the stats:
My non-vegan babies: 90th percentile in weight and height
My vegan babies: 40th percentile on weight, 90th percentile on height
THAT's a difference!
My non-vegan babies: 90th percentile in weight and height
My vegan babies: 40th percentile on weight, 90th percentile on height
THAT's a difference!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Vegan Babies
I created this blog to answer the questions I couldn't find. How was it to be vegan and pregnant? Raising kids? Breastfeeding infants?
I read that vegan kids and non-vegan kids are essentially the same in weight and development while adult vegans are 20% lighter. Well here's my story. My baby is running in the "normal weight range", but lighter than my other kids. She was 9 oz. lighter at birth (the others weighed in at the exact same weight!) and not moving into bigger sized clothes as quickly as the others did. I love it. More mileage with clothes, more "staying little."
I read that vegan kids and non-vegan kids are essentially the same in weight and development while adult vegans are 20% lighter. Well here's my story. My baby is running in the "normal weight range", but lighter than my other kids. She was 9 oz. lighter at birth (the others weighed in at the exact same weight!) and not moving into bigger sized clothes as quickly as the others did. I love it. More mileage with clothes, more "staying little."
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Doing Disney in California as a vegan
Everytime I visit Disney Parks it's a different experience. The last time I was there I was a newly married young adult. This time, a seasoned married mom with infant in arms. Oh, and I got to see what it's like to do it vegan.
Not bad! I tried to research it online and got some advice from blogs. The advice I got at Disneyland's town hall was check with the cast members at the dining location (any of them, table or quick-service) and the chef will talk with you. Sure enough! We splurged at did the Blue Bayou. The portabello mushroom dish on the menu was vegan, but they offered to make me a pasta dish if I didn't want mushrooms. No thanks, I love getting stuff I don't normally make at home! And it was yummy with the couscous.
I thought I was a bit crazy to stop at Pizza Port in Tomorrowland to ask about dining, but that's were everyone else in the party was eating, so I gave it a shot. Done in true Disney fashion, they were gracious and helpful. Salad and pasta were the winners there.
At California Adventure the Trattoria was recommended and we were lucky to dine there without a reservation. Again, vegan was easily accomodated and I didn't feel like I was missing out on any taste.
Next time with the whole fam in will be in tow. Stay tuned for doing it vegan and with 4 kids!
Not bad! I tried to research it online and got some advice from blogs. The advice I got at Disneyland's town hall was check with the cast members at the dining location (any of them, table or quick-service) and the chef will talk with you. Sure enough! We splurged at did the Blue Bayou. The portabello mushroom dish on the menu was vegan, but they offered to make me a pasta dish if I didn't want mushrooms. No thanks, I love getting stuff I don't normally make at home! And it was yummy with the couscous.
I thought I was a bit crazy to stop at Pizza Port in Tomorrowland to ask about dining, but that's were everyone else in the party was eating, so I gave it a shot. Done in true Disney fashion, they were gracious and helpful. Salad and pasta were the winners there.
At California Adventure the Trattoria was recommended and we were lucky to dine there without a reservation. Again, vegan was easily accomodated and I didn't feel like I was missing out on any taste.
Next time with the whole fam in will be in tow. Stay tuned for doing it vegan and with 4 kids!
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