The Veggie-Full Kitchen

Last Saturday I had two treats.  The first... Dr. J got up with our kiddies so I could sleep in.  The second... I made and ate these.  I tend to forgo breakfast messes much of the time with a simple smoothie, but I am so glad I went the route of chick'n & waffles.  It was sooooo worth it!  You will love the balance of flavors... sweet... spicy... savory... it's crazy good!  Dr. J might make sure I sleep in every Saturday from now on if I make him these.  Sounds good to me... I'd say a win/win for sure! Mama E's Chick'n Ingredients 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 1/4 cup flour oil to coat the pan 1 package Gardein Chick'n Scallopini Directions 1.  Mix the flour and Cajun seasoning in a shallow bowl. 2.  Dip the chick'n in the flour mixture. 3.  Over medium high heat cook the chick'n in a preheated and lightly oiled pan until browned and cooked through. Mama E's Waffles Ingredients 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour 1 cup white flour 1 1/...

This is one of my very favorite things to eat for breakfast.  My whole family are big fans of it as well!  The best part is, it is sooooo easy!  Perfect for lazy Saturday mornings.  You can switch it up with fruits and nuts of your choice.  This is my favorite combination at the moment, but I am always finding ways to switch it up. Ingredients 1 cup plain soy milk 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup couscous 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans 1/2 cup fresh blueberries Directions 1.  Bring the soy milk and water to a slow boil. 2.  Add the remaining ingredients except the blueberries, stir, cover and remove from heat.  Allow it to sit, covered for 10 minutes. 3.  Add in blueberries and serve.     

My hubby loves granola.  While he was in dental school, he left our apartment every day before 5:00am and didn't return until late in the evening.  Because of his schedule, he found it hard to eat normal meals, and because we were living on such a tight budget, he rarely bought food at school.  This is where granola saved him.  He could easily take it with him and it gave him protein from the nuts and carbohydrates from the oats which helped to get him through the day.  Because he ate it so much, we had to mix it up.  Sometimes he even would make his own granola bars.  Usually he liked some form of chocolate in his granola, but I wanted to branch out a little with this recipe.  He does have a soft spot for dried pineapple, so I added that to satisfy his sweet tooth.  This is easy to make and the added bonus is it makes your house smell phenomenal for hours! Ingredients 3 cups rolled oats 1 cup raw almonds 1 cup raw cashews 1 cup shaved ...

One day when I was in a hurry, I managed to purchase a $12.00 jar of peanut butter.  I didn't realize it until I was checking out, and of course at that point my kids were losing it, so I just bought it anyway.  It was 'natural' and 'organic', which I know, can raise the price...but the taste wasn't anything to write home about.  Ever since this experience I have been meaning to try to make my own nut butter, in attempts to make it the best quality, best tasting and less expensive nut butter.  Mission accomplished!  My 5 year old picky eater practically licked out the remaining cashew butter in the food processor when I let her try it. I decided to use coconut oil in this recipe... mostly because I am in love with coconut oil at the moment.  Not only do I adore the taste of coconuts, but I've been researching all the amazing benefits of using coconut oil.  Read more about it here . Ingredients 2 1/2 cups raw, unsalted cashews 1 tablespoon blue agav...

I am very blessed to live in a place where citrus trees thrive.  I only have to walk out into my backyard to find lemons, oranges and grapefruit.  Our grapefruit tree is a bit of a phenomenon... it produces so much fruit we can't eat it fast enough.  We guessed that in a season, it produced well over a hundred grapefruits... and they are delicious.  I love eating them just as they are.  The other day, I did however want to mix it up a bit, and wanted to try them broiled.  They turned out really good, and it's super easy! Ingredients 1 grapefruit, halved pure maple syrup turbinado sugar Directions 1.  Set oven to broil. 2.  Brush the top of each grapefruit half with the maple syrup. 3.  Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. 4.  Place grapefruit halves on a cookie sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved.

I think it's safe to say I'm on a muffin kick.  These were a hit with Picky Eater #1(my 5 year old).  Of course I just told her they were chocolate chip muffins.  I feel so sneaky that I got her to eat her carrots without her even knowing it... and before lunch! Ingredients 1 cup fresh carrot juice 3/4 cup almond milk 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 cup walnut pieces 1 cup vegan chocolate chips 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon ground flax seed meal 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions 1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  2.  In a bowl, combine carrot juice, almond milk, applesauce, vanilla extract, sugar, and ground flax seed meal. 3.  In a separate bowl combine whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 4.  Slowly add dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until combined. 5.  Spray a muff...

Crepes are a staple in our home.  Be it for a meal or dessert, my husband seizes every opportunity to whip up a batch.  I think that crepe making takes a great amount of patience and a steady hand.  I do not posses these talents, but my husband does, so here is his recipe.  It's a vegan version of one of his favorite recipes from TV Chef, Alton Brown.  You can find Alton's recipe here . Vegan Crepes Ingredients 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup water 3 tablespoons vegan butter 3 tablespoons sugar 1 cup flour Directions 1.  Melt butter and put in a blender. 2.  Add all other ingredients except the flour and pulse in blender for 10 seconds. 3.  Add the flour and pulse for 10 seconds. 4.  Scrape the sides of the blender with a spatula and pulse for another 20 seconds. 5.  Put batter in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 6.  Heat a non-stick skillet over medium. 7.  Dip a paper towel in 2 tablespoons o...

Up in the beautiful Teton Valley, located in Idaho, my Great Uncle Del lived for most of his life. He was a retired Air Force pilot, who spent the last 30 years of his life farming the beautiful landscape which he and my Grandfather had grown up on. Every summer as a child, my family would go up to the valley to spend a month at our cabin which was next door to his farm. I would walk over with my dad and play with his kittens while he and my dad spent hours visiting. Flax seed was one of the things that he swore by. I remember him passionately telling my dad how amazing this plant food was. Now that I am grown, I share his enthusiasm. Filled with Omega 3's and fiber, it has a powerful punch! So, in honor of Uncle Del, here are some of my very favorite muffins with a little flax seed hidden within. Ingredients 2 cups flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup orange juice 1/2 cup almond milk 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mea...