"Apple Pie" Wraps

I've really been in the mood for some "baked" apples, which I used to make in the microwave using cut up apples and cinnamon. That's it! They were so good, easy, and fast. Unfortunately, I am still without a microwave, so I've been racking my brain to come up with another quick solution, as I have no patience to wait for them to be baked in the oven.

So, I thought, how about making them in a wrap? Kind of like the McDonald's Apple pies that I ate when I was young. Warm with a crunchy crust, but of course, much much healthier!

I assembled my ingredients- Ezekiel tortilla wraps, apples, cinnamon, and took out my panini press.

Here is what you'll need-

• Apple(s)- any kind you like!
• Cinnamon, and any other spices you would use in "apple pie"
• tortilla
• Panini press, or stove top grill

 Cut up your apples

 Lay your tortilla on the panini press

 place apples in the center

 add your spices

 Fold like an envelope

Close press. I initially put it on the highest setting, but then changed it to medium. This gives the apples a bit longer to "bake" without burning the tortilla.

I cooked it about 5 minutes. The time will depend on your press and what setting you have it at.

 All done! Hot and delicious!

 Much better than McDonalds!

Let me know what you think!

Vegan Union Jack Hand Painted Tote

My new totes are now available on OpenSky! 

Vegan Union Jack Hand Painted Tote

Panini Press Potatoes!

So, if you've read my previous post on making potato chips in the microwave, you know how much I love potatoes and potato chips and especially healthy potato chips. 

Since I wrote that post, I've moved to a different apartment, and I no longer have a microwave. (Well not yet anyway)!

So I've been trying to figure out how to still make healthy potato chips without using any oil...

Then I thought, what about the panini press? Well, they came out even better than I imagined! And, they were so easy!

It goes much faster if you have a big panini press, as you can only fit so many on a smaller one, (like mine).

Panini Press Potatoes

-Washed and unpeeled potatoes, (I used regular white potatoes, but plan to try sweet potatoes soon!)

-Your preferred seasoning, (I just use black pepper)

Slice your potatoes on the thicker side than you would for regular potato chips.

I used a mandolin and sliced them approx btwn 1/8" & 1/16". 

Lay them on the panini press,

season to taste, and close to cook until brown and crispy!

Mine took about 3 to 4 minutes, but that'll depend on your press. 

Now eat and enjoy! 

Yum!!!

Fruit "Ice Cream"...

Awhile ago, I was in the mood for some vegan ice cream, soft serve fruit, etc, and I didn't have any such item in my apt. Besides, it was 11pm, and I was in my jammies!

I remembered all the posts and recipes that I read about putting frozen bananas in the food processor and ending up with "ice cream". I had bananas, but none of them were frozen. Then I realized I had some portioned frozen fruit bags in the freezer, (that I use for my post workout morning smoothies). So I took one bag out of the freezer, (it was probably about a cup of mixed frozen fruit), put it in the food processor, along with a cut up a fresh banana. After a few minutes of mixing, it came out just like "ice cream"! Only tastier and completely healthy! Just fruit! No added anything...After trying different fruit combos, my favorite is simply mixing frozen pineapple with a fresh banana. So, without further adieu, here is my quick and easy recipe for fruit "ice-cream"!

Here's what you'll need

• about 1/2 to 1 cup of frozen fruit of your choice, (I use frozen pineapple from Trader Joes)
• 1 fresh banana
• food processor

Put the frozen fruit in the food processor.

Add cut up banana.

Process until smooth.

Now it's ready to eat!

It's so smooth and creamy, you'll be surprised how easy it is!

Sometimes I add semi sweet vegan chips. You can add any topping of choice!

Eat and enjoy!

New Facebook Fan Page

I've started a new facebook page for my "vegan eats". I'll be featuring my vegan recipes, (and other vegan recipes & info), health/wellness and fitness tips too...So have a look, and "like" it!

Lois' Vegan Eats

Sunday Night Nachos!

I love Sundays...I love relaxing and reading all the Sunday papers, and I love making a special treat to enjoy the calmness of Sunday night, before the craziness of the next week begins.....Sunday eve usually finds me relaxing on the couch with the NY Times crossword puzzle and a big plate of black bean nachos...They're quick, easy and total prep time is about 10 minutes!

What you'll need

• I can of black beans*, drained and rinsed. (*you can use kidney beans if you like)
• sliced black olives
• Daiya cheddar shreds
• Pomi strained tomatoes
• chili powder
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• iceberg lettuce
• chips of choice, (I use Trader Joe's Flax Seed Veggie Chips)
• *optional items- vegan sour cream, guacamole, or anything else you like on nachos

Drain and rinse the black beans and pour into a microwave safe bowl, (that has a lid). Add approx 1/2 cup of pomi strained tomatoes, 1/2 to 1 cup of Daiya shreds, and seasonings.

Mix together good!

Cover and microwave for approx 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, depending on your microwave.

While that's cooking, chop up your lettuce, and line the bottom of big dish, (I use a pyrex pie plate).

When the mixture is done,

pour over the lettuce, top with the sliced olives, (and your preferred toppings). I add the chips along the rim of the dish and keep the rest in a separate bowl for scooping. (This prevents chips on the bottom from getting too soggy to scoop), and I find that I eat less chips this way too.

Serve with vegan sour cream, guacamole, hot sauce, or whatever you prefer, and enjoy!

Oil free Potato Chips!!!

I used to LOVE LOVE LOVE potato chips...I could easily polish off an entire bag in one sitting. Oh youth and my once fast metabolism....Since I became vegan, I try to eat a healthy, plant based diet. And, although potato chips are vegan, they are far from healthy. So, imagine my delight, when I stumbled up the "Fat Free Vegan Kitchen's" blog post on healthy snacks, including potato chips!- 

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/08/healthy-crunchy-three-guilt-free-snacks.html

 Well, I just had to try and make them myself!

What you'll need-

• A potato
• Your preferred seasonings, (sea salt, pink Himalayan mineral salt, pepper, chili powder, etc...)
• A good knife and a steady hand! (Or, a mandolin slicer, which is what I used)
• Parchment or wax paper. (I used both. I prefer parchment.)
• A microwave oven, preferably with a glass turntable.

Potato scrubbed clean and my $9 mandolin slicer!

Sliced and ready to go.

Place the parchment paper directly onto the microwave's glass turntable.

Add the potatoes and your preferred seasonings. I used black pepper and himalayan pink salt.

Cook for approx 4-6 minutes until they begin to brown, and look like this-

You can let them go a little longer if you want them a bit darker, but you MUST watch them closely or they will get very brown and have a burnt taste. And look like this-

Now, here they are. They did not disappoint! They are yummy, crunchy and delish!

*Note- For super yummy Salt & Vinegar Chips, soak them in apple cider vinegar for a few minutes after you slice them. Place on parchment paper and season. They come out really great!

My Vegan Cookies...

I've been making chocolate chip cookies since I was 8 years old, (and have since "veganized" them). They always get rave reviews from my friends and family, so I decided to try my hand at selling them this past Saturday at the "Real Designers Market" at 268 Mulberry Street in Nolita!

It was a success! The other vendors bought, and came back for more, and the shoppers soon followed suit. So, it looks like I'll be back to sell again soon, so, stay tuned! (but, I will hopefully have purchased a mix master by then, as my arms got very tired hand mixing the batches all week long!)

 

Easiest and fastest Vegan Mac & "Cheese"...

I love love love mac & cheese.....after I went vegan, I thought I would never experience the yummy creamy texture of my homemade cheese sauce. I tried to duplicate it with Daiya Cheddar Shreds, non-dairy milk, flour, and (my) seasonings, but as much as I love Daiya shreds for so many other dishes, it just wasn't working for me in my "cheese" sauce. 

And then...(drum roll please)...Daiya announced they had a new vegan cheese product, "wedges". Of course, I couldn't wait to try them, and finally my local Whole Foods had them in stock! Yippee....

So, one day, I was craving mac & cheese, but had no non-dairy milk. Hmm, what to do? I decided to try a short cut, (who doesn't love a short cut!??). I had some of the new Daiya Cheddar Wedges, so after I cooked my pasta, I cut them up into little squares, threw them into the bowl with the hot pasta, stuck the bowl in the microwave, and...(another drum roll)...super creamy, perfectly melted mac & cheese...

So, just to be technical, here's the "recipe"...

Ingredients

 1 cup cooked pasta of your choice
Daiya dairy free wedge in either cheddar or jack style*
*(I started with cheddar, but now I use jack style-just a personal preference)
Cooked vegetable of your choice, (optional, but I usually throw in cooked mushrooms)
Whatever seasonings you prefer- (I just use black pepper)
 

Instructions

Cut up your Daiya cheese wedge of choice, (I'm using jack style)

Add to cooked pasta (in a microwave safe bowl)

Add your seasonings...

and your veggie(s)- mushrooms for me...

microwave for 30 secs to 1 minute, (depending on your microwave), until daiya is melted.

Take out, stir & enjoy!

Mmmmmmm....

Let me know what you think!

L

Spinach & Mushroom Quesadillas

Ah, my first post! I'm a little nervous and kind of scared, so please, bear with me while we take on this journey together...

Spinach Mushroom & (vegan) Cheese Quesadillas!

I have to say, one of the best investments I've made since becoming vegan is a quesadilla maker. 

 It was fairly inexpensive and well worth it! (Plus it's red, my favorite color!)

You really can put anything in a quesadilla, but here are my ingredients-

Ezekiel tortillas

baby spinach, (Trader Joe's brand)

kalamata olives, (also TJ's)

sauteed baby bella mushrooms*

Daiya dairy free jack style (cheese) wedges. 

You can add any other veggies you like, (tomatoes, artichokes, broccoli, kale, cabbage, etc...)

*To be honest, it would take a while to saute the mushrooms, but after I return home from a Trader Joe's shopping trip, (where I get a package or two of the sliced "baby bellas"), I cook them right away and keep in the fridge. I dump them in a large frying pan, cover with water til boiling, then simmer until most of the water is gone. Then I add a few splashes of balsamic vinegar, some spices, (garlic powder & onion powder), finish cooking til all the liquid is gone. Then I have cooked mushrooms ready for the week and any recipe that I want to add them too! You can also used canned sliced mushrooms.

Onto the recipe....

Put your tortilla on the quesadilla maker, layer with spinach, then mushrooms, olives, a few slices of Daiya, any seasonings you like, another layer of spinach, then top with a tortilla, close the machine, plug it in, and cook til ready!

After it's done, I use a pizza cutter to slice it.

Then eat & enjoy!

If you have all the ingredients ready to go, you will be eating this within 10-15 minutes!

My quesadillas vary on what I've bought at the store and what I have on hand, this one and a mushroom, cabbage and Daiya cheddar shreds are my two faves.....

Please, tell me what you think of my first post! And let me know what ingredients you'd use.

Thanks!

L