This Year It's Pecan Cake!

It's my birthday again! Although friends are always quick to offer making cake for my birthday, at work we are responsible for bringing in our own treat to share with others (if we choose to do so). I like to bake, so I don't mind this at all. I started to think of flavors early on, and decided on a pecan cake with caramel frosting (and filling). I have made caramel sauce successfully many times, but some tweak I did this time made it so it didn't work out, so I quickly whipped up a basic vanilla frosting. Although I was sad for no caramel sauce and frosting, the results were still awesome! A week later I was still being told how much people enjoyed the cake.



Vegan Pecan Cake

1/2 cup Margarine, non dairy
1 1/2 cups Organic Raw Sugar
1/2 cup Silken Tofu, blended
1 1/2 cups Coconut Milk
2 tsp Vanilla
2 1/2 cups Unbleached White Flour
1 cup Pecans, ground
1 Tb Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt

Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Add the tofu and vanilla and blend. Slowly add the coconut milk as the beaters continue mixing. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and blend until just mixed. Put in the pecans and stir in with a spatula until incorporated, careful not to over mix. Fill two greased 9-inch cake pans with equal amounts of the batter. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. When cakes are done, the top should spring back when lightly touched.

Once cooled, assemble cake with frosting of choice between layers and all over the surface of the cake layers. Yum...

Birthday at Portland Blind Cafe

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend the Portland Blind Cafe, a dining experience in the dark, to bring awareness to the blind community. I decided it would be an interesting way to spend my birthday and challenge myself to a new perspective. Luckily I had many friends on board with the idea as well.

This was the most amazing dining experience I have ever had. That whole night came alive since you have to concentrate on senses that are usually secondary to sight. While being seated, you had to feel the chars and figure out where your friends were seating. Then you had to feel for your dishes and discover the appetizer waiting for you on your plate. Luckily before we were seated, we were told what to expect. There would be a cold tea drink in a cup with a lid and straw to our right. A water jug was in the middle of the table, along with the salads and casserole dish since this was family style dining. I knew the open chutney container for dipping the southern dolma appetizer was gonna be trouble, and as I grabbed the casserole dish to pass it around, the chutney spilled all over my lap. Luckily people were not staring at my mishap since no one saw, and I was able to coordinate with others to find extra napkins to clean myself up. No worries. I was actually impressed with myself for dealing with the situation so well in the dark!

Passing around the food took good communication and actually serving yourself and getting the food on your plate, was a bit of a challenge. But that is what the night was suppose to be about after all, and I was loving it! One of the salads contained fruit and nuts and tasted very light and fresh. The casserole dish had a polenta base with other vegetables and parts of it tasted similar to gravy. Everything tasted amazing and vegan chef Ivy Entrekin was quite impressive!

The cello is one of my favorite instruments and I was telling others that if I could magically play one instrument, that would be it. When the cello started a solo piece, I could feel the music much more intensely and I could imagine myself being the person actually playing it. Suddenly my wish of instantly playing the cello came true (even if for only one song). The music of Rosh and The One Eye Glass Broken Band were incredible and I was truly appreciative of the experience.

I was extra fortunate that evening since someone mentioned in was my birthday while checking in, so I was treated to the entire room singing me happy birthday in the dark. People kept saying I must have been red from embarrassment, but I wasn't at all. No one even knew who they were singing to, although I did sheepishly say thank you when the song was over.

After the decadent chocolate mousse dessert and the music ended, a candle was lit and we could see around the room for the first time. I think we all imagined something different and were sad to see it come to an end, but I left feeling very blessed by the events of the evening. I look forward to the next one!

Dinner with the Fam - Part 2

My family amazes me on how open they are to trying new foods. My dad actually told me that he misses my cooking on Thanksgiving! This is coming from a person who loves his turkey (and if I am cooking, everything on the table must be vegan).

My nephew loves my cooking and it is great! I am impressed by his ability to eat raw bell pepper to the green stem and he love jicama (as everyone should). When I decided to make a kale salad, I wasn't sure what he would think. After the salad was prepared, I suggested he try a piece of the kale, so he did. He loved it! Everyone loved it!


Kale Salad

2 bunches of Kale
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
1 bunch Green Onion, chopped
1 tsp Olive Oil (or sesame oil)
1 Tb Braggs
1 tsp Lemon Juice

Rinse the kale and tear the stems off. Chope the kale and place in a pan with water. Bring to a boil and cook until kale is slightly cooked. Drain water and place kale in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain off water and rinse off kale as needed.

Add the chopped peppers, green onion, oil, braggs and lemon juice in a medium bowl with the drained kale. Toss to mix all ingredients together and serve.

Dinner with the Fam - Part 1

I had to post this recipe right away since my mom kept asking me about it after making it for my family. Although I spent Thankgiving day with friends, I brought an extra gluten roast up to my parents for a visit. I also make a kale salad and this coconut veggie soup. Funny thing is, my mom had just bought some coconut milk for the first time since she has seen it in so many recipes, and then suddenly could not find one to use it. Now, here is a recipe!

This soup was eaten quickly at dinner with no left overs, not even enough to save some for my sister who was not there since she was sick. I made a different version for lunch the next day with broccoli, red onion, yellow squash and orange bell pepper. Again, there was no leftovers to share with my sister. Good sign! Hope you enjoy the recipe as much as my family!


Coconut Veggie Soup

1 head of Cauliflower, chopped
3 Carrots, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Leek, chopped
1 tsp Olive Oil
3 cups Vegetable Broth
1 can Coconut Milk
1 tsp Garlic Granules
1 tsp Onion Granules
1 Tb Parsley Flakes
Juice of 1 Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste

Saute the cauliflower, carrot, leek and garlic in the olive oil until the vegetables start to soften. Add the broth, coconut milk and seasoning and cook about 15-20 minutes. Squeen the lime juice into the soup along with salt and pepper. Cook an additional 5 minutes, or until vegetables are to desired texture. Makes 6 servings.

Coconut Red Curry Vegetables and Tofu

Eating my restricted diet has been a little challenging, but that is how you learn new dishes and get creative. I've eaten a lot of beans, tofu scrambles, avocados, salsa, whole grains and salads (with hummus instead of salad dressing- a new favorite). I now have a new appreciation for raw almonds which have a wonderful sweet flavor to them and great for a snack.

When I realized that I could make a Thai red curry dish on my limited diet, I got really excited. I love coconut milk, the flavor of red curry, how the grains soak up the mixture and the tanginess of the lime juice. You can use your own veggies, but pretty much any taste great in this dish. I served this over brown rice, but buckwheat, quinoa or another grain would also be great.


Coconut Red Curry Vegetables and Tofu

½ lb Tofu, diced
1 tsp Olive Oil
½ cup Red Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Zucchini, chopped
1/2 bunch Kale, chopped
1 – 14 oz. can Lite Coconut Milk
1-2 tsp Red Curry Paste
2 Tb Braggs (or to taste)
Juice of one Lime

Sauté the tofu in the oil until it starts to brown. Add the onion and garlic and heat a few minutes. Add the zucchini, bell pepper and kale and cook until soft. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, braggs and lime juice. Cook for about 5 minutes to let the flavors blend. Serve over brown rice or grain of choice.

A Change and a Challenge

Can I live without sugar and white flour and nutritional yeast? When I was told by my naturopath to forgo these food items, strictly, for a month, I almost had a panic attack. This is the time to bake! I had grand plans of sweet potato and cherry chocolate chip crescent rolls and pumpkin bundt cake and, well. I’m freaking myself out again so I better stop. It is not as much that I need to eat all the foods, but I want to bake with them and create these recipes, but I’d also have to be able to taste them. Otherwise, that is just torture!

So I am switching to a new way of thinking. I am gearing myself up for a challenge. I like to think of myself as a bit of a recipe master, so I should be up to the challenge of limiting my diet even more and still creating tasty food. So for the next month my focus will be on vegetables. I am thinking eggplant lasagna, barley risotto, soups galore, stuffed peppers, kale salad….see those all sound delicious! It will not be the end. Send me support and I will start working on some great recipes.

In case you missed this recipe I previously posted, click on the link below. You’ll be surprised by how good such a healthy soup can taste!

Black Eyed Peas and Greens Soup

Pizza Burritos

I know this may not be a ground breaking recipe, but I was really excited about it! One of my favorite foods is simply chili and vegan cheese wrapped up in tortillas and baked. A friend was going to come over for dinner to make pizza and since I was in the process of packing for a move, pizza dough seemed like too much work. And then it hit me- what if I wrap pizza toppings in tortillas and bake them? That is how my pizza burrito was created. I am sure others have made this before, but this was the first time I thought of it and it was great!

Vegan Pizza Burritos

1 pkg vegan pepperoni, sliced in half
½ cup Olives of choice, sliced
½ Green Bell Pepper, sliced
4 Mushrooms, sliced
½ - 1 cup Pizza Sauce
Vegan Daiya Cheese
6 Wheat Tortillas

Mix together the pepperoni, olives, bell pepper and mushrooms. Add the pizza sauce until ingredients are just covered. Place about 1/3 cup of the topping mixture in the middle of a tortilla and place cheese evenly on top. Fold short sides of the burrito in and fold long side over the middle of the burrito. Fold the last side over securing the insides. Place, folds down, on top of a cookie sheet. See my post about Chili Cheese Burritos for pictures on this folding if needed. Bake the burritos for 15-20 minutes at 350 ºF.