Organic Granny

So, summer is almost over.  I have hardly used my solar oven because of gardening, writing, what-have-you.   I love the idea of the Sun Oven: not heating up the house, not having an electric bill that includes cooking (or other things like dehydrating or baking), and just being outside in my backyard a little more often than I have been.   So, today, another warm day with a blue sky and direct sunlight, seemed like the time to do some sun oven baking of this intriguing garlic cookie recipe.  I have browsed the internet and considered various garlic cookie recipes, but none of them really appealed to me.  Then I thought of the super healthy Maple Walnut cookies that Dr. Neil Nedley recommended in the cookbook that went with his Depression-- The Way Out program that my husband and I helped to facilitate in our community a few years ago. WALNUTS-- THE BRAIN NUT   The walnuts and flaxseed in the vegan cookies are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fats and fibre.    In 

The other day a fellow commented that "a day without garlic is not much of a day at all!" I happen to agree with this statement and rejoiced when my husband brought home some mushrooms, because then we could have GARLIC Mushrooms!  Pity, my husband went for a long bikeride and missed the small batch that I cooked up today (I'm not all that mean-- there are still some fresh ones in the fridge for him to cook up for himself if he so chooses.)  You can find a photo of some browner mushrooms below-- yours are more apt to turn out like these. I think the mushrooms he brought home were Baby Bellas, a smaller take on Portobellas.  Did you know that Crimini are an even smaller version of Portobellas? In any case, they slice up rather raggedy and don't have that cute picture appeal when cooked that little white mushrooms do. But they taste very delicious... tender and with that umami taste-- "umami" is gourmet for "je ne sais quoi". 

I checked to see what I had in the fridge.  Lots of greens (chard, etc.), a couple of zucchinis and 2 large carrots that seem to be coming to the end of their days (a little spongy shall we say?) I am all for NO FOOD WASTE-- use it or compost it, and we were hungry. So, I googled CARROT BURGERS and actually came across a delicious recipe that also uses 1/4 C. of walnuts (meaning you don't have to go and buy a large bag-- you can buy yourself a small quantity from the health store bulk bin) and 1/2 C. Panko-- something I have never bought, but I did have some finely grated soda crackers sitting in a container in the fridge that I used in lieu of panko in some other recipe-- they work well for us.  I didn't have fresh cilantro, but I did have some basil-- yes, I know they are not too similar-- not at all-- but it was a taste of herb we were after, right?  And I had everything else right here available. I stuck it all into the food processor, and presto, it was easy t

I am cooking up and submitting this recipe because I have a library book that has this recipe in it and I want to remember it.  The book is One-Dish Vegan Revised and Expanded Edition: 175 Soul-Satisfying Recipes for Easy and Delicious One-Pan and One-Plate Dinners and I highly recommend it. I do a number of subs for things I don't have in the house/fridge (example, I don't have baby spinach, I would never buy pine nuts, and I don't really like red pepper all that much). I do find, however, that many recipe-makers tend to have a very tasty outcome and that is what I go for! INGREDIENTS: 8 - 12 oz of Penne pasta, uncooked (I am using brown rice penne- gluten-free) 1/4 C. water 5 Garlic cloves, minced 12 oz Baby Kale (or other greens on-hand, such as chard or spinach), chopped coarsely 1/4 tsp Chipotle Pepper powder ( or 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes) 1/2 C. Vegetable Broth (such as Golden Bouillon) 1 15-oz can of Chickpeas or 1 1/2 C. cooked Chickpeas 1/2 C.

Are you looking for a way to use up all those zucchinis and/or basil in some kind of delicious one-dish meal?  Well, look no further... here is a delightful vegan pasta dish that will satisfy your hunger and your taste buds. The following vegan (no animal products) dish is also oil free, so it is pretty low fat but you will think it is full of cheese.  You will see why!  This recipe feeds 4-6 adults. INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 C. cooked or canned Cannellini Beans  or other White Beans 1/2 C. Vegetable Broth  3 T. Fresh-squeezed Lemon Juice 3 T. Nutritional Yeast 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder Salt  1/4 C. Fresh Basil (minced) 16 oz uncooked  Linguine 2 medium size Zucchini cut into long   thin  strips METHOD: Blend up (or use a food processor) the beans, broth, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt.  It should be smooth and creamy, the texture of regular cheese sauce (or as close as you can get. Stir the minced basil into the sauce and set aside. C

The harvest fruit is just pouring in these days, and the blueberries, sad to say, have pretty much reached the end of their season (thanks also to the little flocks of birds who make daily forays to the bush before and after I arrive). This yummy vegan dessert is a fruit swap for a recipe using strawberries (link below BLUEBERRY-LEMON BAR recipe).  I don't have any strawberries on hand, but I did have all the other ingredients + blueberries, so.... There is a magic ingredient that allows this vegan recipe to look and taste like a lemon bar made with eggs.  Well, maybe 2 magic (that is, unusual) ingredients depending on how hip you are in your vegan subbing and general gourmet exploration of the vegan life. RECIPE FOR VEGAN BLUEBERRY- LEMON BARS TOOLS and MATERIALS  * 8" x 8" square pan -- the original recipe author insists on this!  9"x9" is too big.  Won't work! *Parchment Paper to line the pan  * Lemon Squeezer.   I use an electri

Here is my latest "cooking gadget"-- An American Sun Oven -- solar oven.  It is some swanky item and it has been on my mind for a long time. So I ordered it. And then my husband and I were ill with a virus for about a month during which there were many beautiful sunny days, but we didn't have the energy. Hahah... energy.  The one thing that the solar oven brings to mind is energy-- from the sun!  Solar energy. Yesterday I opened the box and took it and all its accouterments out and laid them on the kitchen table.  I re-read the manual and watched the video online. We took it into the backyard and learned how to adjust the leg so that I could follow the sun at the right angle.  I learned how to "focus" the incoming sun as well as position the oven properly.  I learned how to shut the various 'clasps' so that the heat would not further escape. I made up a delicious baked bean dish so we could use the beans this weekend for burritos or perhaps

YES Botanical Chocolate Bars Okay, as a big promoter of eating organic foods , I admit that I generally share recipes for whole food plant-based dishes that contain organic fruits and vegetables-- if you have been here before, you know the recipes: vegan soups, stews, 'cheeses', sauces, casseroles, breakfast foods, etc. But what could I do when I received an email asking if I would consider reviewing some CHOCOLATE BARS?? (or more accurately, 99% organic, vegan, wild-sourced, organic, botanic cacao bars with No GMOs, and studded with healthy botanicals (herbs, spices, tea, mushrooms, essential oils??)). They are also NOT ROASTED which means... tah dah.... RAW VEGAN!!  Oh, and handmade (I guess that means that they DO NOT have the chockies going down the conveyor belts like this classic clip we remember from an  I Love Lucy episode: OF COURSE I SAID 'YES' TO REVIEWING 'YES CACAO' BOTANICAL CHOCOLATE BARS! And then because I live in Canada, it took

Braised Red Cabbage over Sweet Potato  I recently purchased Anthony William's Medical Medium Life-Changing Foods: Save Yourself and the Ones You Love with the Hidden Healing Powers of Fruits & Vegetables  and although I am a skeptic around the "medical medium" tag, I was excited by the book's layout.  He introduces what he calls the Holy Four: Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs & Spices, and Wild Foods (Raw Honey being the only departure from the vegan whole foods listed as life-changing). Each "life-changing" item, example: Cranberries, contains an Introduction explaining why the food is included, Conditions (such as allergies, staph infections, etc.) that eating the food can help with, a section on Symptoms (that could point to conditions that can be healed), Emotional Support and a Spiritual Lesson (for those who follow Louise Hay and other New Age gurus). There is also a section on Tips and a RECIPE that uses the various life-changing foods,

I am always on the look-out for great videos** that can illustrate a concept or recipe that I am including on my blog.  "Making Basic Whole Wheat Bread" is a current interest of mine.  I have the books.  I have bookmarked the links.  I went out and bought a Kitchen Aid stand mixer after having drooled and dreamed about one for a very long time.  I thought that I would start turning out perfect bread loaves (something I have never in my life done) but it was not to be. This looks like a high maintenance bread recipe, eh?  Stand mixer and dehydrator for raising the dough?  I can see my grandmother chuckle.  She was always able to make more loaves from scratch than I could from with whatever "no fail" recipe I had at hand.  But somehow I know there are others out there who have the fancy equipment and are dreamers like I am.  This bread is for you! Please watch the video (above) to get all the fine points you will find transcribed below in the recipe.  A v

Blueberry Nice Cream on Raspberry Chia Pudding If you follow the recipes on Organic Granny (you can do that on this site itself, or by joining the group on Facebook called Organic Granny Veggie Recipes ) you will know that I have a longstanding relationship with chia seeds .  These high protein, high omega3 tiny seeds just happen to be the base for many of my dessert recipes-- either as a primary content or as a binder-- and some other recipes as well.  I sometimes make up something called Chia Gel-- basically, chia seeds gelled in water-- and keep it on hand in a mason jar in the fridge.  I often use the gel as a base for the puddings.  You can find out more about the chia gel and how to use it HERE .  Find more recipes at the base of this recipe post. RASPBERRY CHIA PUDDING INGREDIENTS: 2 Cups Organic Chia Gel (make ahead of time, up to 24 hours) 1/4 Cup Organic Raspberry Jam or Jelly (vegan is preferred - or blend and sweeten ripe fresh or frozen berries) 1 Cup Non-d

A dear long-time friend has passed along this recipe for Chickpea Tofu for anyone who is sensitive or allergic to Tofu (soy). INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup "Raw" Chickpea Flour 1 1/2 cup Water Pinch of Turmeric METHOD: Dissolve 1/2 cup of Chickpea flour in 1/2 cup of the water.  Add a pinch of Turmeric powder for colour. Heat remaining cup of water over medium heat. Add in the Chickpea paste and whisk/stir, scraping sides down. When the mixture is boiling and thickened, pour into a pan and let it cool.   Cut into desired shapes after completely cool.  Ally also states that she often eats it with a Burmese Salad:   Fried Onions and Garlic along with Green Spring Onions, Tamarind Juice, chopped Cilantro and optional Chili pepper and Fish Sauce. You can even easily avoid a trip and expense of buying chickpea flour! Make your own in a Vitamix or food processor. A pound of dry garbanzo beans from your bulk food supplier will make 3 cups of flour in the Vitamix in a fe