Creamy Vegan Winter Veggie Soup

"As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people the permission to do the same." - Nelson Mandela

If you're feeling like you still need some warming up, this should do the trick!  This creamy veggie soup was made entirely with fresh winter veggies from my garden in the pic. above!!
I can't really try and act like i was trying to be all 'farm to table' and use what I had in my own back yard, although I did do this (pat on the back:)  Really, we were coming home from the Flea Market yesterday & I saw how many cars there were in the parking lot at the grocery store......and then I flashed back to last weekend when I thought it would be a good idea to go to take a drive to Whole Foods on Sunday (NOT a good idea in case you didn't already know this).

Leek and Bean Cassoulet with Biscuits

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." - Albert Camus

What a great way to warm up!! It's been a bit chilly here in sunny Cali, but I know it's even colder on the East side of things.... Check out this pic. my mom sent me of Susq. PA:

Aunt Gina's (/Aunt Karen's) Cabbage Salad

Here it is - the real deal - Aunt Karen's Cabbage Salad!!  I know I posted a version of this cabbage salad b/f without the noodles and now here's the real thing adapted so that its gluten and soy free.  If you liked the other salad, you're gonna love this (check it out Lisa!)

It has always been one of my favorites, and now it can be one of yours too.........
 This recipe makes a huge bowl - great for parties, potlucks and to share with friends!! If you want less just halve the recipe.

Crispy Kale

Yum! Fresh crispy kale from the garden.   You may be thinking 'green kale - yuck!', but trust me this is unbelievably good! It's also super fast and easy to make.  Kale is one of the most nutritious veggies you can eat because it packs the most nutrients per calorie.  These crisps were so good they tasted like popcorn crunchies - what a heathy and satisfying snack - try it out!

Rice and Beans

Just have to give a shout out today to my bffffffffffff Michelle!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY & many more.....!!
This one's for you - well, definitely inspired by you:)

Michelle is one of the best people you could ever meet & I'm so lucky to have her as my friend.  Even though we're 5,000 miles apart, she's always there for me.  Actually, she's one of the people who has gotten me through the crazy times of late.......I called her awhile ago & told her about all of the crazy dietary restrictions I have & all the crazy crap I'm doing, and she says "You can do that!", and gives me a pep talk.  THIS coming from the girl I used to share vodka and Newports with!!  What a great friend!
Thanks Michelle - I love you LOTS and I hope you have a spectacular day!!

Grapefruit Sorbet

"Be careful about reading health books.  
You may die of a misprint." - Mark Twain

Did you know that February is National Grapefruit Month?? Better eat up before February is gone!

If you need some ideas, you can make this delicious grapefruit sorbet - it's sooooooo yummy! - And, **BONUS**you do not need an ice cream maker to whip it up!!  You can make the sorbet with just about anything - a few weeks ago I made it with raspberries and it was also delish....

Candied Citrus Peels

Do you have lots of extra citrus peels lying around?? Instead of throwing them in the garbage, why not make some delicious candied citrus peels?  They're pretty darn easy to make, & the taste-testers agree - they are really great ........ I think they taste almost like healthy gummy bear treats.
Plus, you can feel really green & waste less by using your citrus peel that would otherwise go into the garbage or compost.

Fix some up today & you will not regret it!!

Arugula Salad w/ Pear and Candied Pecans

"May you live everyday of your life." - Jonathan Swift

ARUGULA......mmmmmmm! -   You may want to skip this one (especially if you're not into the greens:), but try it out!!  It's pretty tasty, especially with these ripe pears and sweet pecans.

Even though some people think I'm a little crazy (not the raw foodies!!), I have been eating at least one green salad a day.  May sound a bit cooky to some, but it's helping me feel more energized, more regular (hmhmm!), and more balanced.  Raw greens are sooo good for you.  And, don't worry my carnivorous friends, you can have your cake and eat it too.  Scarf that meat and potatoes and finish it off with some fresh greens to balance your belly & your body out!

Juice Time

Have a little juice - for whatever ails ya!!

Last night I ate some pre-made pizza dough w/ yeast & now I am an itchy beast! Good times with the food allergies:) No worries though, I made myself a delicious OrangeAppleBeet Juice to cleanse myself out & already I feel better.  No lie! Try some for whatever's ailing you - hangover, flu, cold, sleepiness, dreary insides - you'll be feeling better in no time.

Or, just have some b/c it make you feel good and healthy and revived.... Go ahead, try it out!

Coconutty Thai Veggie Stir Fry w/ Rice Noodles

Last Night's Dinner: Coconutty Thai Veggie Stir Fry w/ Rice Noodles and Chicken


This Thai style stir fry is one of my favorites!  I always use thin thai-style rice noodles, coconut/peanut sauce, and whatever veggies are around or fresh.  For this one, I added chicken - you can eliminate this if you're a veggie or even add some tofu or tempeh.  Usually I make it veggie-only style and it's delicious.

It's pretty quick and easy to whip up with whatever ingredients you may want to use.   Keep a can of coconut milk and some thai rice noodles in the cabinet and you can have this in a flash whenever you're looking for something really delicious and different.

Potato Pancakes - Yes, they're VEGAN!

"Let us give something to each person we meet: joy, courage, hope, assurance, or philosophy, wisdom, a vision for the future.  Let us always give something." -  Daisaku Ikeda

These potato pancakes were so delicious - especially when it's cold and rainy out (I'm finally really starting to feel for you East Coast!!).
If you happen to be feeling a little chilly, whip up a batch of these delicious potato pancakes tonight.  They'll definitely fulfill your carb cravings and make you feel warm & good!

Gluten-Free Vegan Pie Crust/Great Apple Pie

I thought pie crust was kind-of an ambitious thing.  For one, I have only made real pie crust like once and I remember it not turning out the best. But no longer being able to buy Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts, I still wanna have my pie!!....Then I think of my friend James, who always says that pie crust is so much easier for people to make than they think it is - you just have to have the right tools.  Well, he was right about the tools - the pro mixer really helped a lot!! (better than the spoon a used last time - I KNOW!)

So I decided it was time to make pie crust.:

Apple Berry Smoothie

"The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age." - Lucille Ball

Happy Tuesday!  Feeling a little over-indulged after Valentine's Day (not really sure how this is possible on my restricted diet, but I managed to scarf all the sweets I could), I thought it would be a good idea to start the day off with a healthy smoothie!

Vegan Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Frosting

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!"-- Lucy Van Pelt, Peanuts


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!
Hope it's a good one!  Just wanted to send out some LOVE to my favorite Valentine's!! Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me while I work out my wacky new diet - - Thanks for checking out the blog, encouraging me to experiment, giving me recipes, buying me cookbooks & appliances (MOM!), eating my trials & helping me cook, listening to me whiiiiiine, not laughing at me as a cried over food!! I LOVE you all! And I appreciate you MORE!!

Here's my Valentine to you:

Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Frosting we can all Enjoy!!

Butternut Squash, Spinach & Pumpkin Seed Lasagna

Last Night's Dinner: Butternut Squash, Spinach & Pumpkin Seed Lasagna w/ Green Salad


This was soooo good! Pretty quick to whip up & really delicious.  Make some up tonight for your favorite vegan valentine (don't discriminate it can be for yourself!).

Vegan Gluten-Free Oatmeal Pancakes

Yum! These were some delicious pancakes.  Especially considering it's been awhile since I've had anything close to delicious pancakes.  I have been trying to make gluten-free vegan pancakes for quite sometime - with rice flours, coconut flour, almond flour, and who knows what else.......always either water, chalky or mushy (and not in a good way)

WELL, not anymore!! These pancakes are delicious:)!!
....Not only are they delicious, they were really quick and easy to make and they can be enjoyed by just about anyone.   So, enjoy your Sunday and mix up a batch of the yummy pancakes any time of day!
I think you'll like them just as much as I did!

FOOD CHALLENGE!!

                                                                                                                                        
This is so exciting - our first food challenge of many to come!!!!!                                  
You may have already seen it here on the sidebar ------------------------>----------------------->

OK, so here' the contest:

(yes it's a contest!!!!)

Send me pictures of the meals, treats and wonderful food creations you have been making. They can be your own recipes, or new ones you've tried & Loooooove, or some from the blog:) 

You could also add the recipe if it's your own creation (and especially if it's something we can all eat;)

-Hey it can be anything, don't necessarily think extravagant, think good!

**** BEST Picture***** will win a basket of wonderful natural home-made body products made by yours truly!!
.....Oh, and just because you're all such good sports, anyone who participates will receive a home-made goodie in the mail as well - what have you got to loose?!

-Send pics via email: ellenmillaine@gmail.com

or post them through the blog.......RIGHT HERE!! - Let me know if you have any probs.

Contest ENDS 3/15/2011 - SO get cookin' & snappin'... and send me those pics!!

Don't Cry Over A Little Spilt ALMOND MILK

Did you know that today is National 'Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk Day'??  I know.....if you're like me, you're thinking "what is this holiday and why have I never heard of it?"  Well it's a day where we can all remember not to cry over a little split milk (or whatever is irking us at the moment).
Think positive! Be optimistic! Look on the bright side! LOVE life! & Don't forget to smile!

....Maybe you can even have a 'Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk' party later and invite all your friends........just remember, if you look for the best in other people, you'll probably find it!

Rainbow Fruit Salad

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us."  - Helen Keller

This one was inspired by my little sis - she is such a rainbow.  No, for real she is a great motivator for me in life - one minute she's doing an Ironman challenge, the next she's funneling beers like a champ!!  What a girl!  She is always trying to inspire others to eat healthy and exercise.  Last week I was feeling a little over the top & we were having a funny conversation about positivity & shooting rainbows out of our tooshies..............
I know you are thinking what the #$&! But seriously, next time you're feeling a little negative, just think of this and it might make you laugh.  Sunshine, lollipops & rainbows.....it made me feel better!  She also told me a really funny true life story about this.....give me a call & I can share that with you if you need a good laugh!!

Sesame Cabbage Salad

"Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be engaged in lightly."- M.F.K. Fisher

I was inspired to make this cabbage salad by my Aunt Karen.  She makes this really delicious Asian cabbage salad with ramen noodles and it is soooooo good!  I made a version here without the noodles and the soy, and it's yummy.   I have made this salad for the past two nights, and even the two carnivores I dined with last night devoured it - & raved about how good it was!  We also had some grilled jerk chicken - recipe posted b/f: http://recipeswecanalleat.blogspot.com/2011/01/last-nights-dinner.html

Peanut Butter Cookies (oh yeah, they're Vegan and Gluten-Free;))

After watching Hugo devour his cookies, I decided to make some cookies of my own!  Here are some we can really all enjoy.  If you're allergic to peanuts, you could substitute another nut butter as well.  Last night these cookies were really a hit - there's some crumbs left on the plate and that's about it!

Dog Cookies

Now, it's really food we can all eat!  I know this one is for the dogs....., but it's fast and easy and you should definitely try it out.  Our dog always watches me cook, and I kept thinking that one of these times it would be nice if I was actually making something for him.  Then it just so happened that I was looking through the Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook 'Celebrates", and I found this great recipe for dog treats.  I adapted it a little, but I can tell you they are definitely good - Hugo scarfed them down.  PLUS! you can use some of your flours and other ingredients that you can't eat and feed them to someone who will love them instead.
Just make sure you label them as dog treats:), they smell so good when they're cooking some people around may want to munch a few themselves! (OK, true story:  I guess my bf is wheat deprived because he came home after I was making them and had to try one himself, and then another!!.........)

Delicious Layer Dip

This dip is delicious, and it disappears fast!  My Aunt K used to make this 7 layer dip all of the time, for parties, and I LOVE it.  So, I decided that before the Superbowl I was going to try and make a version that I could eat.  I wanted to add fake cheese and sour cream, but it didn't really work out.   The cheese that I tried to make was less than cheezy, and the sour cream was something that looked more like mashed potatoes or a preschool project:

Black and Yellow Vegan Gluten-Free Cake!!

blackandyellowblackandyellowblackandyellowblackandyellow...........

.....and yes it's delicious!!  You may even wanna try some out tomorrow for the Superbowl - if you like!

This is some gooey vegan chocolate brownie cake - moist and delicious!....covered in yellow vanilla frosting.  Most people probably won't even realize it's allergy friendly;) - it's so good!
I adapted the recipes from "1,000 Vegan Recipes" to make them even friendlier and gluten-free.

Guacamole & Fresh Corn Chips

"Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are."  - - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

.....I guess these days I'm a lot of avocado....

Guac & fresh corn chips......what could be better?? Making some for this weekend's Superbowl!!  Try out a batch of this guacamole - you're friends will be raving.... And, if you're gonna skip the game all together, just make up a single batch to gobble up yourself - I do it all the time!!

The fresh corn chips are delicious too - if you have some old tortillas lying around, you should try this out.  It's easy & really yummy.  OR, if you wanna skip this part just grab a bag of corn chips to go with your guacamole (definitely easier if you're feeding a crowd).

!Nutty Vegan Cannolis!

WOW! These are so good - I am in love:) Seriously these are some delicious vegan cannolis....They do take a minute (hahahaha) to make, but when you have some time I recommend trying this recipe out.  Make up a batch with some friends and you'll be done in a flash.  You will not regret trying this one out - trust me!!!

Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of broccoli soup has always been one of my favorites.  It's delicious and warm on a cold day, so comforting.  My grandma used to make it for us, and we would always stop at Friendly's for some (I don't know why, but I loooved their cream of broccoli soup!)
So, here's a vegan version of cream of broccoli we can all enjoy - and I have to say it tastes pretty darn close to the real thing...... brings me right back! Try it out!

p.s. the celery in the pic. above is from the garden, and of cooooourse I used in the soup!

Veggie Penne Pasta, Apple Walnut Salad & Sesame-Crusted Oyster Mushroom Calamari: Last Night's Dinner

Mmmm, this was delicious!! And it made me feel full of good energy afterwards - try it out tonight!  It's pretty fast and easy, especially if you can get everyone else to help cook!

Last night I had dinner with someone who stopped eating meat, & it made me much more conscious about what I was eating......And it made me think that I could eat vegeterian a few nights a week.  It would be better for my health & I notice that whenever I eat all veggie, I feel less heavy full and more energy full.
SO, if you want, give it a try.  You could also add some meat to your pasta if you can't live without it!!
Here's last night dinner:

Blueberry Pancake Oatmeal

I knoooooow! More Oatmeal! Am I obsessed or what? I guess I'm just having a hard time letting January go.  And oatmeal is so good and warm and delicious - and I keep hearing about all of these major snow storms all over the country(I'm sure you could all use some warming up, huh?!)
So, I came up with yet another great variety - Blueberry Pancake Oatmeal.
Who knows, maybe I'll come up with 100 different varieties of oatmeal before the blog is said and
done!..... Try some out this week for a delicious warm up (....and it's quicker and easier than making blueberry pancakes for real!). Yum!