Category: Food

Vegan Recipe: Black Lentil Vinaigrette Dressing

January 23, 2022
INGREDIENTS
  • 1/2 Cup Uncooked Black Lentils, Rinsed
  • 3 Cups Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Garlic, Minced
  • 2 Tablespoons Shallot, Peeled and Chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Stone Ground Mustard
  • 4 Fluid Ounces Sherry Vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 12 Fluid Ounces Olive Oil
INSTRUCTIONS
  • In a heavy bottom pot add lentils, garlic and water. Bring to a boil and quickly lowe to simmer.
  • Cook approximately 50 minutes, until lentils become tender.
  • Remove from heat and allow mixture to completely cool. Set aside.
  • While lentil mixture is cooling, prepare the dressing.
  • In a food processor., add shallots, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper.
  • Puree dressing mixture for 30 seconds.
  • With motor running, add oil in a quick, steady stream. Add parsely.
  • Remove dressing from processor, and combine with lentils. Mix well.

Vegan Recipe: Coconut Granola

January 23, 2022
INGREDIENTS
  • 3 Cups Rolled Oats
  • 1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • 3/4 Cup Coconut Flakes
  • 3/4 Cup Sliced or Chopped Toasted Almonds
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 1/2 Cup Safflower or Sunflower Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  • Mix Oats, Flour, Coconut, Cinnamon, and Almonds, in a medium size bowl.
  • Mix Maple Syrup, Oil and Vanilla in a separate bowl.
  • Combine Syrup Mixture with Oat Mixture. Stir until evenly coated.
  • Pour mixture onto oiled baking sheet. Spread oil to cover evenly.
  • Bake for 30 minutes. Stir, and bake another 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
  • Remove from oven. Allow to cool before storing.
  • Placed granola in a storage container. Refrigerate.
  • Makes about 8 servings.

Vegan Recipe: Baked Coconut Lentils

January 23, 2022
INGREDIENTS
  • 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
  • 1 Yellow Onion, Chopped
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon Tumeric
  • 1 Pound Dried Organic Black Lentils, Rinsed
  • 1 Cup Pitted Dates, Chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Tamari Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
  • In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown (about 8 minutes). Stir in ginger and tumeric and cook 1 minute.
  • Add 6 cups water, drained lentils and dates, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven into 350 degrees F. Stir in tamari sauce and transfer lentils to a greased 2-quart baking dish or casserole. Cover and bake 30 minutes, then uncover, top with coconut, and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer ,or until lentils are tender and coconut is golden. Garnish with cilantro before serving.
  • Serves 8
  • Nutrition: Black Lentils are high in fiber and protein. Also known as Beluga lentils, they are fast cooking and do not require presoaking.

How To Make Toast In A Skillet

January 5, 2022
Cast Iron Skillet Toast
Skillet Wall Rack

Use a cast iron skillet for pan toasting bread, since cast iron heats up faster, and stays hot longer than other metals.

Cast iron skillets come in handy during an electric power failure. Camping enthusiasts can also enjoy their morning toast in a heavy skillet. For anyone living in a small apartment, with little counter, or closet space, skillets can be stored on wall racks.

Skillet Toast VS Electric Toaster
Electric Toaster

The difference between skillet toast and an electric toaster, is that you have to watch the toasting progress in order to prevent burning.  In an electric toaster, you set the timer, and the toast is done automatically. Larger skillets accomodate bagels, English muffins, thick bread, and long slices, cut from a loaf of round artisan bread. You can also reheat pancakes. Standard electric toasters limit the size and thickness of bread to square bread slices.

Instructions
  • Spread a generous amount of cooking oil over the bottom of the skillet If you skip this step, the toast will burn.
  • Heat up the skillet over a low to medium flame.
  • Place bread in skillet. Turn bread over when one side is toasted.
  • Remove bread from skillet.  Place in dish.  Add favorite toppings.
How To Add Seed Toppings During Skillet Toasting

If you like seeded bread, but don’t have any on hand, transform an ordinary slice of bread by adding seeds during toasting.

Cast Iron Skillet French Toast
  • Place bread in warm, well-oiled skillet.
  • Add cooking oil to bread.  Sprinkle caraway, or sesame seeds over the oiled bread, and place in skillet.
  • After one side is toasted, flip the bread over, and repeat on the other side.

NOTE: Some of the seeds will fall off into the pan, but many will stick to the oiled bread. For this process you might want to use a low flame. This gives the seeds a chance to soften during toasting.  If they don’t soften, you will have a mouthful of uncooked seeds.  Unless you enjoy chewing on raw caraway seeds, be patient and allow the seeds to soften before removing the bread from the skillet

Garlic Oil Topping

Line the skillet with garlic oil instead of ordinary cooking oil. Melt a slice of cheese over the bread during toasting.

Where To Buy Cast Iron Cookware

You can buy cast iron skillets from Lodge Cast Iron. Their skillets are an American product, made in Tennessee.  If you’re planning to toast single slices of bread, get the 6.5″ skillet.  Lodge sells bigger skillets that will hold more.  Cast iron is heavy.  The bigger skillets weigh more.  If you’re planning to store them on a wall rack, be sure you have one that can handle the weight.