Vegan Ice Cream!!!

If you know me you know that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ice cream!!! It is heaven in a bowl.
The creamy, cold, sweet, flavor filled joy is one that I have a hard time to stay away from. The solution? Frozen mango or frozen banana nondairy milk and flavoring with a little bit of pixie dust. (Stevia)

Here is how you make this delectable dessert.

In a food processor add frozen Mango, or Frozen Bananas. With just a little bit of a vegan Milk.
Coconut Milk, Cashew Milk, Almond Milk. It really doesn't matter what kind. Process it until SMOOTH!!!!! After it is smooth add 1/4-1 tsp Cinnamon I like cinnamon so I add a lot to mine. and Vanilla,
If you want to you can get the liquid Flavored Stevia This one is Caramel Mmmmmm
I also LOVE adding cocoa powder to mine. Then if you want take half of it and add berries and swirl them. Very pretty.
I just topped mine with raw cashews and Chocolate Nibs. Mmmm
It melts just like ice cream and it is sweet and creamy and OH SO GOOD!!!!
  Hope you like this as much as I do.
Much Love, Emily

More posts!!!! and Enchilada Soup

    Now that school is back in session and this year I am not home schooling, I am going to try and post once a week. We will see how I do. :0) I have been taking a lot of pictures of my food and so I just need to play catch up. For now I will post what we are having tonight. This recipe comes from my dear sister who is following my lead and leaning the vegan way of life. We are going to call this Enchilada Soup it is really good and not spicy for those of you who have little kids who don't like spice. :0)

                                               This really is very good so get excited!!!

Enchilada Soup

Boil 2 Sweet Potatoes
Boil 1 Cup of Black Forbidden Rice.
    (This adds color and texture. If you cant get it just use brown rice.)
Chop and saute Onion and Bell Peppers.
    (Use other Peppers if you want it spicy)
Open 2- 15oz cans of  Black Beans and 1-15oz can of Pinto Drain and rinse
Open 1-28oz can Medium Green Chili Enchilada Sauce

I was cooking all of these on medium to medium high so that I could multi task without burning. ;0)
  When Potatoes are done place them in the blender with its water and blend till smooth
Place that in a LARGE cooking pot and add your Onions, Peppers, Beans, Enchilada Sauce. Mix in
Rinse your Forbidden rice well so that the soup doesn't turn an unpleasant color. Add that also to your soup.
  I added blended Avocado to add creaminess, and I also added chopped Cilantro Add these at the end of it all so that the flavors are fresh. :0)
 
 I hope that you make this it is really very good and healthy. :0)
Much Love, Emily

  

Ever Wonder When Fruit Is In The Season There Of?

As a member of the LDS church we have what we call the Word Of Wisdom. It was revelation from our Heavenly Father found in the Doctrine and Covenants section 89. In there we are told to eat fruit in the season there of. Well, I found this list and thought that I would share it. It is also helpful to have on hand to know when to start looking for good prices on these items. :0)
   I am going to post this list as a month to month list. So according to the month of the year when it is in season. Please note that this list includes pre and post season. Which means that IF you can find it and If it isn't to expensive. If you can't get it without paying an out landish price for it. Other wise wait a month and it will be in season. :0) Not all of the fruit is on this list but the most common that you can find in the store.
  Just a quick note that this list comes from the 80/10/10 book of which I highly recommend getting you a copy of.

  January
Bananas, Kiwi, Oranges, Papayas, Tangerines.

February
Bananas, Kiwi, Oranges, papayas, Tangerines

March
 Bananas, Kiwi, Strawberries, Tangerines, Oranges, Strawberries (pre-season)

April
  Avocado, Banana, Mangos, Oranges, Papayas, Strawberries, Tangerines,

May
Avocado, Banana, Blackberries, Cherries, Mangos, Mellon, Oranges, Papayas, Pineapple, Strawberries

June
Apricots, Avocado, Blackberries, Blueberries, Banana, Cherries, Figs, Grapes, Mangos, Mellon, Nectarines, Papayas, Peaches, Pineapple, Raspberries, Strawberries, Cucumber, Yellow Squash, Zucchini

July
Apricots, Avocado, Banana, Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Cherries, Figs, Grapes, Mangos, Melon, Nectarines, Papayas, Peaches, Pears, Pineapple, Plums, Cucumber, Tomato, Yellow Squash, Zucchini

August
Apples, Avocado, Banana, Blackberries, Blueberries, Dates, Figs, Grapes, Mangos, Mellon, Nectarines, Papayas, Peaches, Pears, Pineapple, Plums, Raspberries, Cucumber, Bell Peppers, Tomato, Yellow Squash, Zucchini

September
Apples, Avocado, Banana, Blackberries, Blueberries, Dates, Figs, Grapes, Papayas, Peaches, Plum, Pears, Persimmons, Pineapple, Pomegranates, Strawberries, Cucumber, Bell Peppers, Tomato, Yellow Squash, Zucchini,

October
Apples, Avocado, Banana, Blackberries, Blueberries, Dates, Figs, Grapes, Papayas, Pears, Peaches, Persimmons, Plums, Pomegranates, Strawberries, Tangerines, Bell Peppers, Tomato

November
Apples, Avocados, Banana,  Dates, Kiwi, Oranges,  Papayas, Persimmons, Pomegranates, Tangerines, Bell Peppers, Tomato

December
Avocado, Banana, Kiwi, Oranges, Papayas, Persimmons, Pomegranates,

Well, my friends that is all for tonight. Time to work on my relationship with my Savior.
 Hugs, Emily

Oatmeal Cake

 


   I made oatmeal and thought I'd use the leftovers to make a sweet treat. I also had heard that avocado is natures butter. I wanted to try and use the avocado instead of Crisco or butter. The outcome was great! My picky eaters even had seconds. I would like to think it was because it was something other then the sugar. LOL.
  I know that some people like to say a lot about their recipes. I however just want to share my recipes to help others like me who are starting on this path and need some ideas on this path.  So without further ado  here is the recipe!!!

Oatmeal Cake
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit
3 Cups leftover oatmeal
It can have spices in it already.
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1 ripe Avocado
Blend till smooth
1 tsp each Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Salt
1 Cup Natural Sugar
1 Cup Coconut Sugar
Mix together until it is all incorporated
1/3 Cup Tapioca Flour
1 1/3 cup Wheat Flour
Mix well
Spray and flour a 9x13 pan  and poor the batter into your pan and place it in the oven for 40-45 minutes.
It is done when you poke it with a kitchen knife or toothpick and it comes out clean.

Frosting.
In a pan on the stove place
1 Cup water
1/2 Cup Nut or Coconut Milk
1 tsp Arrowroot Powder or corn starch
2/3 Cup Coconut Sugar
2 Tinctures of Caramel flavored Liquid Stevia
1/2 Cup of your Favorite Nuts chopped well.
(Optional)

Raw Apple Pie for Breakfast!!!

I made raw apple pie with dried figs for breakfast. It was SOOOOO GOOD!!!!! So I wanted to share with you what I did.

In a blender add some soaked dates with water about 1 Cup of Dates and about 1 Cup Water
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Nutmeg and Mace (Both are ground)
Blend till smooth
Take about 7-10 apples and chop them into slices
10 Dried figs or use raisins I just didn't have any so I used figs.
mix your date in with your apples and figs

Topping
 2 Cups Raw old fashion oats
 In your blender add 1/8 Cup Coconut Sugar
about 3 TBSP water or coconut water
5 Dates
Add Cinnamon to your liking or leave it out. You choose.
Mix the Coconut sugar and oats and mix with your hands it should be like a crumble crust type of a mixture.

Plate up your apples and top with your crumble. If you are staying away from oats and other grains it is still really good without the crumble. :0)

This is a good recipe for the children to help in the kitchen. It is good for them to learn to use a knife and it will give them skills for harder things. My Beeps knows how to use a knife and she is 6 years old. I started teaching her when she was about 4. With supervision and learning that it is not a toy but a sharp and dangerous item and to be used with caution they can learn really fast to be ok using a knife. And if they get thick apples it wont ruin the pie. :0)

Also, if you are having an attack of I NEED SOMETHING sweet good and cooked try this it will feel like you sinned. LOL But then you don't have to tell yourself that you will start over tomorrow. You might feel like you need to say that but NO WAY you are GOOD TO GO!!!! Try it and let me know what you think. :0)
Spice said that it tasted like it should be really unhealthy. LOL It was really very good!!!


Hugs, Emily

Pasta With Low Fat Pesto

  My family LOVES pesto!!! I don't make it that often but when I do it almost always gets devoured. I like it because it has veggies and lots of them. :0)

Here it is!!!

 

Start with your favorite noodles. My kids like bow tie noodles for this one.

 Make sure that you pick Vegan ones. Also, if you want this to be gluten free get some gluten free noodles. Or better yet if you have never tried Zucchini Noodles you should give those a go. They are really good especially when it is hot and you don't feel like cooking.

In a food processor add

2-3 Zucchini cut them 4-5 times into large chunks

3-4 Cloves Garlic

1/2 Cup of Pine Nuts

1.5-2 Cups Fresh Basil

2 Green Onions Green parts only

Process together till mostly smooth.

 

 

 If going raw for this meal forgo any cooking and just add the tomatoes uncooked of course.

In a pot with about 1/8 Cup of Veggie Broth add

 1/8 tsp Onion Powder

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Extra Large handfuls of Spinach or Spring

Wilt but don't over cook. Strain before adding into your pasta

Take a fork and separate your wilted greens and mix in.

 

Cut up some Tomato and put them in a pan (only use a spray oil if you don't have a nonstick pan)

season them with Smoked Paprika and lightly scorch them. Just until the flavors come out in the tomatoes. This only takes a minute or two on high heat. After the pan is hot.

 

Mix into the pasta and salt and pepper to taste.

Add Pune Nuts to garnish.

I hope that you try this and let me know if you like it!!!

Simplisity

     I was at the grocery store today, thinking about what I wanted to feed my family tonight for dinner. Standing in the produce section I was drawing a blank. Then it hit me, I didn't need to make something complicated.  I went back to the basics!!!
  So, if you ever get stuck in ideas you are not alone and its ok to go back to the basics. Things don't have to be fancy or complicated.

 This is what we are having tonight
Baked Potatoes
All but my husband who likes sweet potatoes
Steamed fresh Green Beans
Corn on the Cob
    We are having yellow but if you wanted a prettier plate the purple corn is a beautiful addition
Carrot Chips
Red Peppers cut into squares
  It is yummy and beautiful yet simple. :0)

Much love, Emily Bryar

Blueberry Muffins!!! Fat free, vegan, gluten free

   I was gone yesterday and when I came home "Spice" had made vegan blueberry muffins. They were so good and so I am in the kitchen this morning baking away reinventing the recipe and making it my own. I hope that you enjoy this recipe!!!

Preheat your oven to 375 Fahrenheit
1 can 15oz White or Pinto Beans drained and rinsed
1 Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
Blend this in the blender till smooth

In your bowl add the beans mixture and
1 Cup Raw Vegan Sugar and 1 Cup powdered Stevia
4 TBSP Chia Seeds (Optional)
1/8 tsp Xanthan Gum (Only if you are making these gluten free)
1 TBSP Vanilla
1 tsp Almond Extract
4 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
Mix well!!!

and add
4 cups of Flour  (Spooned into your measuring cup or sifted)
      I like the combination of Corn Starch, Tapioca, and Brown Rice Flour. This makes it gluten free however, if you don't care just add White Flour.
1 Cup Water or your favorite nut milk
  Alternate the flour and liquid
2 1/2 Cups  Fresh or Unsweetened  Frozen Blueberries
 Fold in to your batter using a spoon or rubber spatula

Spray your nonstick muffin tins with a little spray oil and if you have cupcake liners  place them into the tin then place the batter into your prepared tin. Then sprinkle the top of each muffin with Raw Sugar.

Bake for 30 Minutes then check to see if they are done. I use a butter knife others may use a tooth pick, if it comes out clean then they are done.
This batter makes about 24 Regular sized muffins.

Care Bear thinks that they are good

So does Beeps

The real test!!! Does the neighbor? She wanted to smile in this picture. However, I asked and sure enough it was all gone!!! "She loved it!"

Home made Granola!!! Gluten Free, Fat Free, Vegan

Here is a picture of my granola. It is in its container so its not the best picture but none the less here it is.

     

Dry Ingredients

       10 cups oldfasioned rolled oats
        4 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
        4-5 Cups of a mixture of your Favorite seeds, nuts, grains.
 Some that I like are sunflower, pumpkin seeds, cashews, chopped almonds, Pecans, quinoa, millit seeds, flax seeds, and oat or wheat flax and/or germ.
                                     Place all of this in a HUGE bowl and mix well.


Sugar mixture

                   2 cups of honey, or real maple syrup
                   1 cup of coconut sugar or you can use brown sugar.
           Coconut sugar has health properties where there is almost none in brown sugar
                   1/2cup water.

Boil this in microwave for 5 minutes you will need to put it in a bigger bowl so it doesn't boil all over your microwave and you don't need to stop it to mix just let it cook for the full 5 min. or on stove ( we don't have a microwave) mixing so it doesn't burn for about 3-5 minutes just enough where it starts to thicken slightly.
 
When done put in 1-2 tsp vanilla and 1/8 tsp (pinch) of salt mix and poor over your oat mixture.
Work it in until all of your oat mixture is covered. If you need a little more just add a little more honey or syrup and mix in well. It will have a few crumbly peaces but most of the oats will not stick together but you can see that they are covered slightly with the sugars.
    Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes stir and switch pans. So the pan that was on the bottom rack will now be on the top and vice versa. Bake for 10 minutes and mix again switch and bake for 5-7 minutes. Do this until you get desired color. It will burn if you don't watch it after the first two times.

When done add in your berries. We like raisins, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried apricots, dates, etc. Granola is done!!! Enjoy with whatever kind of milk you like.


 

Simple and Fast Vegan, Gluten Free, Noodle Soup

  Lets face it. We have days that we just need a "pizza night." I know that there are days that I have just been to busy, or too tired to even think about cooking. There are also days that I am rushing out the door and it was time for me to leave 10 minutes ago and I still have to brush my teeth and put on a little lip stick and out the door I go just to remember that I didn't have any dinner for the family!!!! Oh boy I don't want them to eat junk for dinner.  If they have to then I want to know what kind of "junk" goes into their bodies.  :0) So I have a few simple dinners that I will blog about. I put under that label for easy finding. Tonight I want to share what I did tonight for dinner.

 

Simple and delicious soup.

 

If you have just been to busy or are just tired or are having "one of those days" here is your dinner!!!

This makes a big pot to feed my crew of 7 so cut it in half or invite neighbors or friends etc over.

 

2- 32oz boxes of Organic Vegetable Broth Low Sodium

1- 12oz package Gluten Free Spaghetti Noodles

                                   ( I really love the texture of Heartland Noodles)

2-4 Cups of Frozen Veggies

1 tsp Dry Crushed Oregano

1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (Optional but yummy)

Salt and Pepper to taste.

 

Heat broth with the frozen veggies in a pot. Once it is softly boiling or about to boil add your noodles and cook until the noodles are soft about 11 minutes or whatever the package says. Test noodles to make sure that they are Al dente. And there you go!!! Ready to eat and so yummy.

If you have a little more time it would be great with some onions that have been sautéed in broth first. Then add your broth, and veggies etc.

 

If you are in a SUPER big rush then just through it all in a big pot and tell whoever is in charge to check it in 15 minutes.  :0)

 

*This would be a great soup to test flavors on. Add Chili powder, dried Cilantro, Salsa, and a small can peppers and beans. Garnish with Guacamole. Yummy!!!

 

 I hope that you will try this soup my kids really loved it.

Best of my love, Emily Bryar

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies. Vegan, Gluten Free.

  Today as we were coming home from the park and my three younger children wanted to stop and get a treat. I told them that when we got home that we would try our hand at making some chocolate chip cookies.
  I had not tried to make them before but had wanted to my hand at making some. They turned out really good!!! They are not gooey in the middle which is my all time favorite. I had perfected my non-vegan chocolate chip cookies to be crunchy on the outside and gooey in the middle. However, these cookies were really good!!! They have the same texture as pumpkin cookies.
  Without further adieu here you go!!!

Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
In a mixing bowl combine
  1 1/2 Cup Vegan or Unprocessed Raw Sugar
  1/2 Cup Powdered Stevia
  1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  1- 15oz Can of Beans (Pinto or light Kidney work well, Drained, Rinsed and blended well!!!)
  3/4 Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
  1/2 Cup Coconut oil (Solid or Melted)
  1 full tincture liquid Stevia Carmel flavor (Optional) but delicious
  1 TBSP Vanilla
 Blend to combine
  Then add
  4 tsp Baking Powder
  1 tsp Salt
  1/8 tsp Xanthan Gum
   You can pick this up at your health food store and a lot of your regular grocery stores now carry this and a LITTLE goes a LONG ways!!! Learned that the hard way :0)
  1 bag of Chocolate Chips. If you like a lot of chocolate chips in your cookies then add 1 1/2- 2 bags. Make sure they are vegan.
   Add nuts if you like about 1 cup should do it or you can eyeball it.
Mix again
  4 Cups of Flour
         Any kind will do I used a mixture of Tapioca Flour, Brown Rice Flour, and Corn Starch. To make them Gluten free. About 1 cup tapioca, and corn starch, then 2 cups rice. I did have to add about half a cup extra of the rice flour because Tapioca flour is not very thickening. If you use White flour or Wheat flour start with the four cups and add if needed.
   Mix well and scoop onto a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Bake for 13 minutes pull out and let cool on a cooling rack or eat the whole bowl raw. :0) Nothing better then raw dough and you cant get sick because there are no raw eggs.
 

                     Here is the consistency and yes I did eat it off of my spoon. Mmmmm Yummy.
I hope that you enjoy these as much as we do.

 Much Love, Emily Bryar

 
 

Introduction

   Hello Friends!!!! I wanted to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about my journey to becoming vegan.

Me and my family. Starting at the bottom left and working to the right. My oldest girl we will call her "Sugar" my son "Buddy" Me "Emily" our baby "Beeps" the love of my life and best friend "Steve" my second to the youngest "Care Bear" and my second to the oldest "Spice"

  My name if Emily Bryar and I am a wife of 16 years and a mother of 5 beautiful Children. My oldest child is 15 and my youngest is 6. Four beautiful girls, and one sweet boy stuck right smack in the middle of the girls.  That is the basics of who I am at this point. But I want to back up a bit. You see I am a foodie!!!! I have always LOVED food. To the point that I ballooned up to 205lbs at the tender age of 10. Some people have "picky eaters" that was NOT me. I loved food so much that seconds were not enough most of the time. The only thing that I did not care for and still don't to this day is any kind of sea food (Unless breaded and deep fried with LOTS of sauce) When I was growing up I couldn't wait to be a mother. I pictured myself as the kind of mom who always had cookies, bread, brownies or some type of treat in the oven and my children coming in from a hard day of play with their friends just in time to grab a hot fresh home made cookie. I learned how to cook at a young age. My mother made sure that we all knew how to cook before we left the house. I remember her running out of bread and giving me the chore to go and make bread for the family. I HATED making it because we didn't have bread machines when I was growing up and so it was all done by hand and it was a messy gooey chore. Later in life I was grateful to her for teaching me how to make bread. I have perfected my recipe and will have it up and ready to share soon I promise.
  Now that I am a mother and I have learned about health and how to take care of my body that dream is still here. I love when my children get into the kitchen and cook with me.

                                                   Beeps making Banana Bread with me.

I also realize how important it is that they learn to eat healthy. I did not want my children to grow up with the weight issue that I had. So, I needed to figure out how to make it so that I could have my cake (Literally) and eat it too without killing my health or the health of my family.
My journey started a few years ago when I found out the benefits of going raw. I tried to do that and all I did was make nut treats. I gained a bunch of weight and knew that I needed to do something different so I went back to clean eating. I felt good doing that but was led once again to eating raw again and went fruit CRAZY. Still not very balanced and didn't feel very strong and gained weight again. I was also eating some fats which is not advisable if you are going to become a fruitarian. I may blog about that later. If you want to find out more about that diet go check out the book called  The 80-10-10 diet.  It is very good but I found that for me it was to much for my family. I still have a family who is not used to eating raw and they all felt like they were starving!!! I ended up back eating clean once again and then I found The China Study. When I read this book it all made sense to me and so here I am cooking vegan and LOVING it!!! I feel great. I have more energy then I used to have, and I am not hungry, or feel like I can't have a treat. There are times when I feel like I am running out of ideas for dinner that is when I hit the net and google vegan dinners. There are so many recipes and resources to help me figure it all out. Best of all my family is a happy family. My husband doesn't miss the meat because I cook with beans and the kids well, some of them are "picky eaters" but they do eat as much if not a little more than they did before. :0)
    I also started telling them that I cook for me and they are invited to eat my dinner.  If they choose to fast from dinner then they are still required to sit with the rest of the family so that we can be together and talk about our day. They also usually grab some food because we are all eating. We usually go around the table and have to answer one of two questions "What was the best part of your day?" or "What was the nicest thing that you did for someone today?" Some of my children like to talk more then others so this gives everyone a chance to be heard.  I got side tracked but it is a good idea and maybe you can implement it in your home.
  So here I am at the age of 37 still working my way out of a life time of struggling with my weight. Heaven knows I have tried ALL of the diets out there. And I feel like this is the one that I can live with. I feel great and I am starting to loose my extra weight. My heaviest was at a whole 216lbs now I am currently 163lbs. I am not quite where I want to be but I am working my way there. I also started  running with my husband. I may tell you that long story in a future post about the importance of exercise.  For now, This is me. I love to get into the kitchen and figure out fun healthy at least healthier treats, meals, and snack ideas. I hope that you like what you find here and that we can become good friends as we learn and share together this journey called health. :0)
 Much love from my kitchen to yours, Emily Bryar