Pumpkin Gnocchi with Italian Veggie Sauce

Wanted to try a recipe out of one of the China Study Cook Books of course me being who I am, just took the recipe and made my own. This was really very good even my husband who frankly told me that he doesn't like pumpkin unless it is pie loved this and said that this was a keeper. :) I hope you do try this. For those of you who want something "heavy" this is it, its very filling!!!
 Lets get COOKING!!!
 
    Prepare your large pot with water and salt. Turn it on so that it will be ready when your noodles are done.
Pumpkin Gnacchi
 In a standard mixer place
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
2 3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tbsp Tapioca flour
 Mix this into a soft dough Don't over work the dough. You don't want to develop the gluten. 
Take a chunk of this dough and roll it into long strips like a snake. Kids can do this part it is fun for them ;) The rope should be about an inch thick. Cut into this rope about every inch.
 Continue to do this until all of your dough is gone.
Place them into your salt water and when they start to float they are done. Take them out and set them aside. I put mine back into my mixing bowl until the veggies were done. Dump the water and in the same pot (Why dirty another dish right.) add

Veggies and sauce.
1 Onion, Chopped
1/4 Cup Veggie Broth or Water
2 Large Zucchini, Sliced
1 Cup Sweet Potato, Yam, or Acorn Squash. Fresh or Frozen
1 Cup Fresh Mushrooms, Diced or Sliced
4-6 Cups Chopped Kale
1 28oz Can Tomato, Chopped or Smashed
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 packet of Italian Dressing Mix (Powdered)
Salt to taste

In the pot add your onions, and broth cook for 5 minutes on high to Medium High
Add in your acorn squash, yam, or sweet potato cover and cook for 3 minutes
then toss in everything but the kale and cook until its all warm. Add in the Kale and let it wilt but not get soggy. About 2 minutes.(Soggy greens are yucky) toss in your Gnacchi and serve. Garnish with Olives and or Green onions. Kind of taste like Pizza Sauce. :)

Hope you all love this recipe as much as I do!!!
 Much Love, Emily Bryar

Food To Eat In A Day. Plus Book list :)

 I am reading yet another book!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE books!!! My poor husband, every time we move he is reminded just how much I do love them. LOL. Anyways, this is a great book so far. I recommend getting yourself a copy.

  In here he gives a list of food to eat every day and how much. There is an app I believe that you can download to get the list also. In the book he goes into what each of the benefits are to eating each of the foods. I will not go into all of that. However, here is the list to eat every day. Plus my added one. :)

 Green Juice 1 (This is my added one) You can make your own or you can purchase a powder. I like Organifi. Just click on the high lighted Organifi to purchase. My husband likes the one at Walmart in their vitamin isle.

Beans 3

Berries 1

Other Fruit 3

Cruciferous Veggies 1 (things like Kale, Broccoli)

Greens 2

Other Veggies 2

Flaxseed 1 (I also think that chia would work also for your Omegas)

Nut 1

Spices 1

Whole Grains 3

Beverages 5 (Water, Tea, Etc.)

Exercise 1 (45 minutes for hard exercise 90 for slow)

 

 With this info here is what my day will look like and I get them in.

Wake up drink 32oz of water. As well as my Organifi. (The Organifi has the Spices he talks about in his book)

One can exercise at this time if you are a morning person. 20 oz of water after you exercise if you are exercising at this time. If not get dressed and drink Water or Herbal Tea before Breakfast.

Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats, Blueberries, Ground Flaxseed, slivered Almonds, (Just a few on top for the crunch because there is also some at dinner so just a few)

Snack: Celery and or Cucumber and Apple chopped and put together like a salad.

Lunch: Black Beans, Rice, Corn, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, on some Kale and Spinach, For the "Dressing" I use Salsa, Lime and two Tbsp smashed Avocado. This is usually saucy enough for me but you can also use some green enchilada sauce. YUMMY

Snack: Vegan Protein Powder and a Banana or other fruit

20-32 oz Water 10-15 Minutes before Dinner

Dinner: Vegan Lasagna with Veggies, Tomato Sauce, and a Cashew Crumble for the topping,  with Simple Salad,

Desert: Baked Fruit something (Tonight I might do a pineapple, cherry, cake out of my China Study Cook Book)

If you are a night person Exercise sometime before bed drinking 20oz of water 10-15 minutes before exercising, and then again during and or after exercising.

I know that this sounds like a lot but I am comforted in knowing that my body knows how to use all of the food and that there is nothing crazy or artificial in any of the food. :)

A note about water and food. You will notice that I have not included liquid with any of the meals, that is because when you drink water, or other liquids, with your food it waters down your stomach acid. It is important for the proper digestion of your food that you do not consume liquid with your food. I know that there are times when you are eating say potatoes that the food gets stuck. Ouch!!! This is really the only time that you should drink and only enough to help it down. This shouldn't really happen if you are eating slow enough and chewing enough but time times it still happens. Silly me.

I hope that this post will help others as the info has helped me.

Books that I recommend others read are the following if you are interested in some of the books that keep me on this way of eating.

The China Study (This is my #1 Book!!!)  by T. Colin Campbell

How Not To Die by Michael Greger

Starch Solution by John A. McDougall

Discovering the Word of Wisdom by Jane Birch

W.O.W diet by Michelle Snow

Forks over Knives by Alona Pulde

These are just a few of the books that I recommend. If you can only choose one book it should be The China Study. I can not say enough about this book!!! He gives all of the science behind the reasons that we should eat a plant based diet. He is the scientist he did the studying as well as the experimenting. This man knows what he is talking about!!!

 I am always telling my husband that the Scriptures are my first must reads, right after that is this book simply that because without your health you don't really have anything. Our bodies are a gift and all of the books listed under this book have gotten some of their info from The China Study.

I hope that you all have a wonderful day!!!

  Much Love, Emily Bryar

Quick tip for starch based dishes!!!

Just because I had this picture already up on a post waiting for me to blog about it I will blog my quick tip for fast lunches or dinners.

I love cooking a bunch of brown rice all at once then freezing it into portion sizes. When you need or want something really fast it is so easy just take it out of your freezer empty the rice into a strainer and run hot water over it. It will thaw it as well as heat it up for you. YAY half of your work is done in like a minute. Add some Soy Sauce to your rice and add veggies. Done!!!
 Sometimes I add just Mushrooms with Smoked Paprika and Nutritional Yeast, and Salt, with just a little bit of Cumin. Today for lunch with my husband I made Mushrooms with the above seasonings and veggie broth and when the Mushrooms were done I added a bunch of Kale and let them wilt. Still a little stiff as I do not like soggy veggies. added a little bit of salt and pepper  and in the Rice I added a little bit of chili sauce as I like things just a little spicy sometimes. It was quick and easy and not to bad is I do say so myself. :)

Cheers, here is to our health!!!  Much love, Emily Bryar

Peanut Butter Cookies!!!

Cookies!!! YUMMY!!!

I don't make fattening sweet treats very often but every now and again will not hurt anyone. Before going plant based eating I used to LOVE making cookies and I have some REALLY great recipes. This recipe I was able to convert and they are just as good as the original recipe.  These are so easy and great to make with the kids!!! Every kid loves cookies and helping to make cookies is a memory that they will keep, so get your kids in the kitchen!!! :) And the best part? We all know it is the cookie dough!!! Bonus: No raw egg to worry about. YAY!!!

Enough talking more baking. Here is the recipe for these fantastic cookies.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
I must say here that I always double up my batches of cookies this recipe is a single batch. If you want to double it up again great Math for the kids!!!

Preheat your oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit
Line your baking sheets if you want to with parchment paper.

In your standard mixer or in a bowl combine
1 Cup Crisco Butter Flavored
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter. I used Adams crunchy with half of the oil poured out and mixed well.
1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar
1/2 Cup Raw Unprocessed Sugar (Sucanat)
1 Tbsp Vanilla
3 Tbsp Almond Milk
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
Mix well!!!
I am a lazy baker usually people sift their salt, soda, flour together. I am a dump kind of a cook and so mixing the soda and salt in at this point mixes it well. :) After you are to this point if you want Chocolate chips or Carab Chips now is the time to add them. mix before your flour.
1 3/4 Cup Wheat Flour
2 Tbsp Tapioca Flour
1 tsp Corn Starch
Mix Well and form into round balls with your hands. Place on your baking sheet and press down with a fork twice criss corssing like an x. Don't press down to hard your are just placing a pattern and pressing them down about half way.
Place in preheated oven (375) for 10-12 minutes. Don't over bake unless you want hard cookies. I love mine soft so I like to take them out at the 10 minute mark and let them cool (maybe) just a little to stiffen. A fork works if you just cant wait. :) Here are my cookies when they have cooled slightly. Don't forget your last batch!!! I always have a tendancy to burn my last batch. I didn't burn any of these ones. I think it helped that I now have a double oven AND I was taking them to my friend who said that they were soooo good. Even her little 2 year old loved them. :) Makes me so happy when I can share vegan treats that taste good. :)

Much love, Emily Bryar

Banana Bread!!! Mmmmmm

Banana Bread!!!

Tonight I thought I would post my banana bread. It is really very good. Ever time I make it we intend to share, but it never lasts long enough to hand out. LOL This is a great recipe to make into muffins also. Can you say breakfast?

Banana Bread
    Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, And grease your pans or muffin liners.
4-5 Over Ripe Bananas Smash with a potato masher
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Salt
Mix well
1 Cup Apple Sauce (Unsweetened)
1 Cup Coconut Sugar, Stevia powder, or Honey (Don't use Honey if you are making this Vegan)
2 tsp Vanilla
3 Tbsp Corn Starch
4 Tbsp Tapioca Flour
or 3Tbsp Ground Flax in 5-6 Tbsp water let this sit on the side to thicken. Add before flour but let it sit for 5ish Minutes
Mix well
Add in your Flax if you went that direction
add in your optional add ins:
    Here are a few other flavors that I have added to this recipe. All are yummy and worth playing with. :)
*Fresh Cranberries (about 1 Cup) with Grated Orange Zest (off of 2 oranges)
*Chocolate Chips (Vegan,1 Cup) with Doterra Orange oil (4-5 Drops or you can Zest again)
*Chocolate Chips (Vegan) with Nuts About 1 Cup each
*Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Nuts (1tsp Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, 1 Cup Walnuts, or Slivered Almonds, etc. Cashews don't really work however, they seem to be to soft for baking in this recipe.)
Mix

4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour Spoon in the flour into the measuring cup and add one cup at a time. It should be the consistency that is not quite as thick as cookie dough. Eye ball it add a little more flour if needed or don't add all of it if it seems to thick. Sorry for not having the exact measurement on this part. I always eyeball it. Tomorrow for breakfast I will make a batch and show the dough and make them into muffins instead of loafs so you can see the yumminess!!! :)

Place in your oven
For muffins 35-40 Minutes
For Loaf 60-75 Minutes
Stick a butter knife in if it comes out clean you are good to go!!!
  *Note: The top will crack on your loafs. At that point check them also they may seam a little to dark but it is ok they will still taste good. My family knows that they are just a little dark but NOT burnt. Check out the picture. See Dark Tops= Cooked inside.

Enjoy much love, Emily Bryar

As promised Easy Chili

  Sorry I don't have another picture of my chili however, you can view it on the Cheese post.
Growing up we LOVED my moms chili. It was SIMPLE, FAST, EASY, and YUMMY! Over time I have taken her recipe and made my own. Here is what I have come up with. I hope that you give it a shot

A quick side note that if you want to start cooking, and basically just know how to open a can, this is your recipe!!! Also great for kids who want or need to learn how to start cooking.

 Easy Chili
Here is what you will need.

1-4 Tbsp of Chili Powder (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast (if you want it cheesy. If not omit this this however, it makes it a little bit creamy)
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika  (if you want it a little bacon flavor in it,  taste it when all is incorporated it may need a little more.)
Salt to taste.
Also if you like it really hot add in some Chipotle powder to your liking.

2- 15.25oz Cans Black Beans
2- 15.25oz Cans Pinto Beans
2- 15.25oz Can Red Kidney Bean
(I try and use no salt added beans) I open and rinse my beans but you do not have to do this. Draining works just fine also.
1 28oz can diced Tomatoes
1 15ish oz can of Caned Tomato Sauce
Open Tomatoes and set aside.

1 Large Onion
1 Pepper Green is pretty but any color will do.
Chop the onion and pepper. It doesn't have to be small unless you don't like big chunks then dice them for all I care. It is all good!!!
 Throw this into a large pot and add in some water or veggie broth. Cook until onions are translucent.
Add in your Beans, Tomatoes, and seasonings. Mix well and heat it up. I like to cook on high if you do this just make sure that you stir the bottom and just heat it until it is warm to your liking.

*Note: If I need a pizza type dinner I omit the veggie part add and open the beans, tomatoes and spices throw them all into a big pot heat, and serve. This type of ultra fast chili is best with rice, or potatoes.

Vegan Cheese!!!!

  I know that it has been a while sense I have posted but I really wanted to share this. There are two versions actually one uses nuts and the other oatmeal, both are pretty darn amazing!!!

                                             Here is the nut cheese sauce over chili fries!!!

Does that not look like cheese sauce!?! It is so good my picky, picky, picky, children even eat this cheese!!!  I will also post the chili recipe as it is pretty darn good as well.

 Nut cheese sauce:

  In a pot of water boil

3-4 Large Potatoes (Boil more if you want to make a chunky cheesy potato soup)

2-3 Large Carrots

1 Large Onion

Keep your water

   Boil these until the potatoes are soft and break apart with a fork

In your high speed blender add

1 1/2 Cup of Cashews (I use raw so not sure how the cooked would taste.)

1/2 Cup of Nutritional Yeast ( My kids do not like the way that this tastes so we only use a little)

1Tbsp Smoked Paprika (Optional but SOOOOO yummy!!!)

1tsp Season All

and 1-2 Cups of the potato water add more if it is too thick. Start out with the one cup and add as needed. It should be thick like cheese sauce.

If you want to make it nacho sauce add salsa or add pepper tomatoes or add some jalapeños.

 Oatmeal Cheese Sauce:

Same as above. Boil water with potatoes, carrots, onions,

In blender add

1 Cup of Oats

3/4Cup of Nutritional Yeast

1 TBSP Smoked Paprika (Mmmmm)

1/8 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Season All
 If it is not salty enough add a little bit of Sea Salt. Taste to season. 

(if it is not salty enough add sea salt until desired saltiness

4 Bottles Sweet Tomato Peppers

You can also use bottled smoked peppers about the equivalent of 1/4 a pepper. I would omit the paprika if you do this.

Blend with about 1 Cup of the Potato water and if it needs thickening just cook it over medium heat until thick. The starch from the potatoes and the oats will thicken it up. We added this mixture to out noodles tonight and it didn't need to be thickened but we did reheat over the noodles and served it hot. It is really very good. I think both ways are amazing and should be tested and tasted.
 I will post the chili recipe soon!!!
 Much love,
Emily