Tart Cherry and Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing

Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: Makes about ½ cup
Vegan & gluten free

This is an easy to make and refreshingly different salad dressing.

INGREDIENTS

3 TBS 100% tart cherry juice, unsweetened
3 TBS balsamic vinegar and/or red wine vinegar
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp chopped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill or 1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt

 DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve. Refrigerate any remaining dressing.

Bean & Corn Salad

Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: about 6
Vegan & gluten free

INGREDIENTS

2 (15-ounce) cans beans, partially drained, or 2 cups home cooked beans, any variety
1 (15-ounce) can corn, partially drained, or 2 ears, stripped
1 cup minced celery
1 medium tomato, diced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 TBS olive oil
2 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried dill
2 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper  (optional)
Black pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate to marinate before serving.

Note: after serving, save any leftover liquids for a great salad dressing.

Tip: this is a quick and easy recipe that lends itself to infinite variations - try it with a variety of beans, vegetables, and herbs.

Cornbread

Prep time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6-10
Vegan

This recipe makes a moist cornbread while still using whole cornmeal. Soaking the cornmeal and flax-seed creates the moist texture.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup water, or unsweetened almond, coconut, or rice milk
1 cup whole cornmeal (not degermed)
2 TBS flax seed

1 cup whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder (non-aluminum)
1/2 tsp sea salt

2/3 cup water, or unsweetened almond, coconut, or rice milk
2 TBS unflavored olive oil
1 - 2 TBS date sugar, maple sugar, or agave nectar (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup liquid of choice, cornmeal, and flax seed. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight. This will help make the cornbread moist, less crunchy, and more digestible.

Preheat oven to 415 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

To the mixing bowl with the cornmeal mixture, add the remaining 2/3 cup liquid of choice, olive oil, and sweetener (optional).

Add dry ingredients to wet cornmeal mixture; hand mix gently. Do not over mix.

Pour mixture into a lightly oiled 8 inch baking pan or muffin pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 22 minutes for a baking pan or about 15 minutes for muffins.

Let cool, serve. Refrigerate unused cornbread to keep it moist longer.

Dark Chocolate Crunch

Prep time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12-15
Vegan & can be gluten free

With nuts, dark chocolate, dried cherries, and puffed whole wheat and/or rice, this dessert goes a long way in satisfying our love for chocolate. It's nutrient rich, easy to make, and has a great crunchy finish. It's gluten free if you use the puffed rice instead of the puffed wheat.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces 100% dark chocolate
1/3 cup date sugar* or Grade B maple syrup
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 TBS unflavored olive oil
2 - 4 cups 100% puffed whole wheat and/or puffed whole brown rice (usually available in the cereal aisle)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup almonds, hazelnuts, or cashews, chopped
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, pitted & chopped
cracked black pepper
sea salt

*Some date sugar is cut with oat flour as a anti-caking agent; in this case, use 1/2 cup.

DIRECTIONS

In a sauce pan, add oil and melt dark chocolate over low heat. Add a dash of black pepper and a pinch of sea salt (optional). Remove melted chocolate from heat and set aside.

Preheat broiler on high. Roast nuts for about 5-6 minutes until lightly roasted, watching them carefully so they don't burn.

In a medium bowl, mix date sugar & agave nectar; add melted chocolate, nuts, and dried cherries. Mix with a wooden spoon.

Add 2 cups of 100% puffed whole wheat and/or puffed brown rice, mix thoroughly. Add sweetener to taste. Continue to add puffed wheat or rice until mixture is very thick and all ingredients are coated in chocolate.

Press mixture into a cookie pan lined with wax paper or tin foil. Freeze or refrigerate until chilled. Cut into bars.

Serve frozen, refrigerated, or at room temperature.

For even more chocolate flavor, melt an additional 3 ounces chocolate, sweeten, and drizzle evenly over prepared bars.

Simple. Delicious. Affordable Recipes

Simple, affordable, delicious, and always made with real foods: all the recipes on our website are vegan and call only for unrefined or minimally refined foods.

Can we eat a great variety of deliciously prepared real foods, spending as little as $300 per month for a family of 4, and cook only three days a week? One of the goals of this blog is to help you accomplish this.

To save money and time preparing a hot breakfast, oatmeal is a great choice. Oatmeal comes in many forms. The most complete is whole oat groats. When whole oat groats are minimally processed into several small pieces, the result is steel cut oats. Oat groats and steel cut oats are generally cheaper and are less processed than other types of oat cereals. They take longer to cook so many people avoid them. We have solved the time issue for ourselves by cooking a big pot in the evening and storing individual portions in the refrigerator.

Oat groats and steel cut oats make more oatmeal, because they absorb more water then processed oats. For example, quick cooking oats call for 2 cups of water per 1 cup of quick oats. Whole oat, and steel cut oat directions generally call for 4 cups of water per 1 cup of groats, so you get twice as much cereal for the money. If you prefer a creamier texture, try adding up to 1 extra cup of cold water after your grout or steel cut oats come to a boil. Continue to cook as usually, stirring occasionally. You’ll get a creamier cereal and a greater volume of cooked oats.

We will be adding recipes and food ideas from readers to our blog and welcome your recipes and comments that follow the guidelines below:

•   Plant based ingredients (no animal products)

•   Whole grains and flours (still contain the vital edible bran and plant germ)

•   Minimally processed sugars (no cane sugar or corn syrup)

For desserts, we prefer recipes that minimize sweeteners and fats and maximize nutrient rich foods. Yes, that is challenging, but worth the results.

Our motto is Real Food, Always(R), which means no artificial sweeteners, colors, additives, or fats that are altered or processed using high temperatures.

"The wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings. Let food be your medicine." - Hippocrates