Garbanzo-Cannellini Dip

What you need:
-1 can garbanzo beans, drained
-1 can white cannellini beans, drained
-2Tblsp tahini
-The juice of 1 lemon
-1Tblsp Olive Oil
-2Tblsp chopped parsley
-1 rounded tsp dill
-1/2 rounded tsp tarragon
-1/2tsp spanish paprika
-1/2tsp cayenne pepper
-1Tblsp capers
-Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until desired consistency.

*taste after process and adjust seasoning to your liking. 

Ethiopian Eggplant Salad

I love eggplant and I love African Food, so when I found this recipe I was over joyed.


What you need:
-1 large eggplant, peeled and diced
-3/4cup coleslaw mix
-The juice of 2 lemons
-1/4cup olive oil
-3-4 garlic cloves, minced or smashed
-2cups cooked black-eyed peas
-1 spoonful sugar
-Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)
-Salt and Pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Let mixture marinate for at least 6 hours and enjoy

*The dish gets better with time, it should be good for about a week.

Southwest Burgers

I love a good burger and I love a little kick in my food, so these burgers were a perfect fit. Original Recipe*


What you need:
-1 package Go Lean "ground beef"
-1/4cup peas
-1/4cup corn
-1/4cup black beans
-1/8cup sliced black olives
-1 jalapeño chopped (I include the seeds because I like spice, however if you like less spice do not include seeds)
-2Tblsp bread crumbs
-1tsp red chili flakes
-1tsp garlic powder
-1tsp Penzeys BBQ seasoning
-Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until completely combined.
2. Form into roughly seven patties.
3. Heat an oiled large non-stick skillet on medium heat.
4. Cook patties until dark brown on each side. (Roughly 3-5mins each side)
5. Top with your favorite burger condiments, Enjoy!

Southwest Burger on a bed of Arugula topped with red onion and spicy peanut sauce

Marinated Mushrooms

Lately I have been obsessed with mushrooms and when I saw this recipe, I knew it was fate.


What you need:
-Olive Oil
-6-10 garlic cloves or 2 spoonfuls crushed garlic.
-1lb mushrooms (I used button mushrooms and cremini mushrooms)
-The juice of two lemons
-6Tblsp chopped parsley
-2Tblsp chopped tarragon
-2tsp kosher salt
-2tsp pepper

1. Heat enough oil to cover a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and heat until fragrant. Remove the pan from heat, add mushrooms, stir to coat, and let cool to room temperature.
2. Once cool, add remaining ingredients and stir to coat. Transfer mushrooms to an airtight container and let marinate for at least 24hours and store up to 1 week.

A Variety of Banana Bread

In the last couple of weeks I have been slacking on my consumption of bananas, thus many have turned too brown to eat. What is a better way to make use of them then by baking banana bread! Here is a base recipe and a couple of variations, experiment!


What you need:
-Loaf Pan

-1/2cup sugar
-1/2cup brown sugar
-1/2cup margarine (I use earth balance)
-3 very ripe bananas
-3/4cup whole wheat flour
-1 1/4cup all-purpose flour
-1/4cup vanilla soy milk, mixed with 1tsp apple cider vinegar
-1tsp vanilla
-1 rounded tsp cinnamon
-1/4 rounded tsp allspice
-1/2tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray.
2. Cream margarine and sugar together, and bananas and mash until combnded.
3. Add soy milk, cider vinegar, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and salt, mix well.
4. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
5. Pour batter into pan and bake for 60-70 mins until a knife inserted comes out clean. 

Variations:

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Banana Bread

-Add 1/4cup creamy peanut butter to wet ingrediants

-Add 1/2cup chocolate chips to final batter

-Reduce sugar to 1/4cup each

Oatmeal-Blueberry Banana Bread

-Change Flour measurements to:

     -1cup all-purpose flour

     -1/2cup whole wheat flour

     -1/2cup old fashion oats

-Add 1cup frozen blueberries tossed lightly in flour.

-Add 1/2cup chopped, toasted pecans.

-Sprinkle loaf with oats, pecans, and brown sugar.

Vegan White Chocolate-Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

Alright my first official post, and let me tell you it's delicious.


What you need:

-2cups All-Purpose Flour
-2/3cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1tsp baking soda
-1/2tsp salt
-2/3cup vegetable oil
-1 1/2cups sugar
-4tsp ground flax seed
-1/2cup light soy milk
-2tsp vanilla extract
-1/2tsp almond extract
-3/4cup vegan white chocolate chips
-3/4cup chopped dried cherries

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a large bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a seperate large bowl, whisk together sugar and oil. Add flax seed, soy milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix well.
4. Fold dry ingrediants into wet ingrediants in small batches. Once the batter begins to thicken switch to the rubber spatual and mix until fully incorporates.
5. Mix in White Chocolate Chips and Cherries.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchmant paper and roll dough into 1in balls and flatten on sheet. 
7. Bake for 10-11 mins until the tops of the cookies look cracked. Let sit on baking sheet for five minutes, then move to cooling racks.
8. Enjoy!