Raw Vegan Spicy Biscuits

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Laurinda_Erasmus]Laurinda Erasmus
This is a fun and easy recipe that even toddlers can help their mothers make! The ingredients are flexible and are basic muesli ingredients that most of us have in the cupboard anyway. Different nuts and dried fruit can be used in the recipe to create different flavours, textures etc. Due to the sticky dates, the ingredients stay firmly together without crumbling.
To make the biscuits look more refined, the nuts can be ground or chopped into various textures in order to give the biscuits a smoother, less chunky look.  For instance: grind the brazil nuts to a coarse flour and finely chop the pumpkin seeds.  Keep the sunflower seeds whole, since they are small, but chop the almonds with a knife into fairly even pieces.  The dried apricots can also be added to the dates, water and oil when blending into the liquid part of the recipe - the apricots will simply aid the dates to hold the biscuits together.
Ingredients
� cup (130 g) chopped dates
� cup water
1 Tbsp walnut / hazelnut / rice bran oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup (100 g) finely chopped dried (moist) apricots
� cup (100 g) almonds, chopped
� cup (100 g) brazil nuts, chopped
� cup (90 g) pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
4 Tbsp (45 g) sunflower seeds
4 Tbsp buckwheat seeds, crushed
2 Tbsp goji berries
1 Tbsp finely ground flax seeds
1 Tbsp finely grated zest of mandarin / orange
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
Method
1. Place the dates, water, oil and lemon juice in a mixer and blend until smooth. This mixture will hold the ingredients together to make a batter.
2. Place the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix well.
3. Pour the date mixture into the mixing bowl and stir until mixed.
4. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up a little and to give the flax seeds and buckwheat seeds the chance to form a sticky substance with the moisture in the batter.
5. Tip the batter onto a sheet of unbleached wax baking paper. With the back of a large spoon, press the mixture firmly down to a thickness of about 2 cm.
6. Take a biscuit (cookie) cutter and press shapes from the batter. Press the mixture firmly into the biscuit cutter before transferring to another sheet of baking paper (or Paraflexx sheet for the dehydrator). Carefully push the shaped biscuit free from the cutter. Continue making shapes until all the batter is used up - simply spoon the last bit of batter into the cutter, press into shape and transfer to the sheet with the other biscuits.
7. Dry the biscuits out. If you use a dehydrator, dry out for about 4 hours until the biscuits are firm but still retain the moisture from the dried fruit. If you use an oven, set the baking temperature to 40� C (104� F), and dry out for about 2 hours until firm.
Makes about 23 biscuits.
Extra ideas:
You can change the dried fruit in the recipe to give the biscuits different flavours.  Try making berry biscuits by using dried cherries, blueberries, cranberries and goji berries.  A Caribbean flavour can be achieved by using dried pineapple, paw-paw, coconut and for the spices, add vanilla instead of the spices above.
Laurinda Erasmus is a vegan chef and author of a vegan recipe book, called Benessere well-being: vegan & sugar-free eating for a healthy life-style, by Quinoa Publishing. The book has over 520 recipes, each with a colour photograph, taken by the author herself. The book won a gold medal at the Living Now Book Awards in New York, USA. She is passionate about the vast possibilities of creating plant-based meals, the increased wellness and energy through plant nutrition and making a smaller impact on our precious ecosystem. Through her book and vegan classes, she shows healthy and fun ways of how to bring more plant-based meals into one's diet. She also travels extensively, always collecting new recipes and re-writing them as vegan dishes. She shares her tips for vegan travellers and vegan travel recipes on her blogsite http://veganwellbeing.wordpress.com and to view her book see [http://www.veganwellbeing.net]http://www.veganwellbeing.net.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Raw-Vegan-Spicy-Biscuits&id=6437633] Raw Vegan Spicy Biscuits

Vegan Nachos and Home-Made Savoury Crackers

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Laurinda_Erasmus]Laurinda Erasmus
This much healthier version of a traditional Mexican dish is really authentic in taste. Make it for a light lunch or triple the recipe and serve it at a party. Home-made nachos are very quick and easy to make. They are accompanied by soy yoghurt (soured with lemon juice), home-made guacamole dip, a lentil and bean tomato mix scattered with grated fried tofu. Enjoy!

Ingredients
home-made Nachos savoury crackers* (see recipe below)
1 cup cooked Puy / brown lentils
1 cup cooked red kidney beans
4 tomatoes, chopped
4 tbsp tomato paste, thinned with 4 tbsp water
1 - 2 tsp chopped fresh red chilli (to taste)
2 tsp peanut oil
� cup grated firm tofu
4 ml turmeric
3 ml paprika
2 tsp fine savoury yeast flakes
avocado guacamole dip (home-made)
� cup soy yoghurt / silken tofu mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice
Method
Place the lentils, kidney beans, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste mix and chilli in a saucepan and heat gently.
Heat the peanut oil in a small pan and fry the tofu on fairly high heat to remove most of the moisture.
Add the turmeric, paprika and savoury yeast to the tofu and stir for a minute. Remove from the heat.
To assemble the nachos dish: spoon the lentil-tomato mixture into the middle of a large serving platter. Push the savoury crackers into the mixture from the sides. Scatter the fried tofu on top.
Serve the avocado (guacamole) dip and soured soy yoghurt or silken tofu on the side, so everyone can help themselves.

Serves 4.
* Nachos savoury crackers
These crackers taste wonderfully authentic, yet are baked in the oven rather than fried. You can add all sorts of interesting herbs to the dough if you wish. Cooked couscous adds an interesting texture, although you can substitute cooked quinoa to make gluten-free crackers. Nut butters effectively bind all the ingredients together to make crispy, black pepper studded nachos.
Ingredients
4 tbsp dry couscous / quinoa for gluten-free
1 cup yellow corn meal
� tsp herbal salt
2 tbsp cashew nut butter / smooth peanut butter
2 tsp cracked black pepper
� cup brewed lukewarm camomile tea / lukewarm water
2 tsp savoury yeast powder
olive oil cooking spray
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 220�C (430�F). Place a baking (pizza) stone or heavy duty baking tray in the oven to heat up at the same time.
Pour boiling water over the couscous and leave for 5 minutes (or cook the quinoa). Drain and fluff with a fork. Make the camomile tea.
Place the corn meal and salt in a mixing bowl and combine. Rub in the nut butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir the black pepper and cooked couscous or quinoa into the flour mixture.
Pour the tea (or water) over the flour mixture and stir until combined. Add the savoury yeast and stir to mix in.
Dust a sheet of non-stick baking parchment with corn meal. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for half a minute. It will be a stiff dough.
Roll the dough into a thick pipe, then transfer it to the parchment. Roll the dough with a rolling pin into a thin rectangular shape, flour the dough well so as not to stick. Take a knife and deeply score the dough into squares, then into triangles. Spray them with olive oil.
Working quickly, remove the baking stone or tray from the oven and slide the parchment onto it together with the scored dough. Bake on the middle shelf for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven's temperature to 190�C (370�). Turn the crackers over and bake for a further 3 minutes. Make sure the crackers are dry and crispy.
Remove from the oven, break the crackers free from each other and cool thoroughly on wire racks. When the nachos are cold, store them in an airtight container (for up to a week).

Makes enough for 4 people.
Laurinda Erasmus is a vegan chef and author of a vegan recipe book, called Benessere well-being: vegan & sugar-free eating for a healthy life-style, by Quinoa Publishing. The book has over 520 recipes, each with a colour photograph, taken by the author herself. The book won a gold medal at the Living Now Book Awards in New York, USA. She is passionate about the vast possibilities of creating plant-based meals, the increased wellness and energy through plant nutrition and making a smaller impact on our precious ecosystem. Through her book and vegan classes, she shows healthy and fun ways of how to bring more plant-based meals into one's diet. She also travels extensively, always collecting new recipes and re-writing them as vegan dishes. She shares her tips for vegan travellers accompanied by vegan travel recipes on her blogsite http://veganwellbeing.wordpress.com and to view her vegan recipe book, see [http://www.veganwellbeing.net]http://www.veganwellbeing.net.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegan-Nachos-and-Home-Made-Savoury-Crackers&id=6442245] Vegan Nachos and Home-Made Savoury Crackers

Healthy Gluten-Free Baking: Gluten-Free and Flour-Free Banana Muffins

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kim_J_Wilson]Kim J Wilson
For too long, gluten-free baking has been lacking in flavor, fiber and nutrition as most recipes are dependent upon gums, starches and refined flours. This method of baking, in contrast, uses presoaked whole grains and is a wonderful alternative as it produced baked goods that have great texture, flavor and nutritional quality. It is also much less costly to prepare than gluten-free mixes and traditional gluten-free recipes. This has the added bonus of making wholesome gluten-free recipes affordable and appealing to the whole family. (No more making the gluten-intolerant family member eat differently from the rest!).
I usually refer to these recipes as "blender recipes" because the whole grains are soaked for a period of time to allow for the breakdown of enzyme inhibitors and to increase nutritional value, and then are processed in a blender for use in a pancake, muffin, cake or cookie recipe. The texture of baked goods made from blended soaked grains is superior to those made with gluten-free flours and is much more similar to that of the white flour products we're accustomed to. They are more nutritious and economical too! Gluten-free "blender" recipes are some of my favorites and definitely worth the extra effort expended to set some grains to soak in advance of baking time.
So here's a basic blender recipe for-
Gluten-free Flour-free Banana Muffins
1 1/3 cups brown rice
1/2 cup whole millet
1/3 cup raw buckwheat
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
_________________
1 1/4 cups water
2-3 ripe bananas
2 Tbsp. oil/butter
3+ Tbsp. honey*
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup ground flax
1 tsp. cinnamon
� tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. sea salt
___________________
2 tsp. baking powder
� tsp. baking soda
Soak grains overnight (or for at least 8 hours) in plenty of water plus the 1 Tbsp. vinegar. Drain and then add to blender with the ingredients in the right column. When batter is quite smooth, gently blend in baking powder and soda (sift through a sieve and whisk in to avoid lumps). Pour into oiled muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen muffins.
* or agave or maple syrup
Option: add 1 cup of raisins to muffin batter before baking.
Be sure to oil your muffin cups well so they release easily. I prefer using a baking stone (muffin top style) as the clean-up is simplified.
These muffins keep well and freeze great!
From Everyday Gluten-Free by Kim Wilson
Kim Wilson has spent over 12 years working exclusively with whole foods to develop recipes that satisfy a variety of needs (for those just beginning to eat healthy to serious raw-fooders to those with extensive food allergies and health conditions like candida)- all in a tasty, enjoyable and affordable way. Her recipes are free of animal products, wheat, gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, yeast, sugar and other problematic foods. "What's left," you might ask? Only the good stuff! For more information and recipes visit her website at http://www.simplynaturalhealth.com or her WHOLEmade recipe blog at [http://www.simplynaturalhealth.com/recipeblog/]http://www.simplynaturalhealth.com/recipeblog/.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Healthy-Gluten-Free-Baking:-Gluten-Free-and-Flour-Free-Banana-Muffins&id=6432347] Healthy Gluten-Free Baking: Gluten-Free and Flour-Free Banana Muffins

Vegan (Sugar-Free) Cantucci Dipped in Apple Nectar

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Laurinda_Erasmus]Laurinda Erasmus
In Italy, when visitors drop in at one's house in the afternoon they are welcomed with a glass of Vin Santo and sweet biscuits that resemble biscotti but which are smaller. This makes it easier to dip them into the wine glass. However for people who do not drink alcohol, this is a recipe of delicious sugar-free Cantucci served with pure apple juice simmered with raisins. It still tastes wickedly sweet, but is more wholesome and a lovely treat to have with guests.
Ingredients
apple nectar:
3 cups good quality, clear apple juice (preferably home-juiced)
� cup raisins
2 tbsp apple syrup
'Cantucci:'
2 tbsp wholemeal spelt flour
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp ground linseeds (flaxseeds)
1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
4 tbsp apple syrup
2 tbsp soy milk
2 tsp vanilla-infused grape-seed oil / walnut oil
2 tsp almond butter
1 tsp almond essence
2 tbsp natural almonds
Method:
1. For the apple nectar: Simmer 1� cups of the apple juice with the raisins and apple syrup for 5 minutes. Cool completely. Strain off the raisins and add the reduced apple juice to the remaining 1� cups of apple juice. Refrigerate.
2. Make the starter dough: stir the 2 tbsp of spelt flour and 2 tbsp of water together. Leave for a day on the kitchen counter covered with a damp piece of absorbent kitchen towel. Stir a few times.
3. When ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 190�C (370�F). Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment.
4. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
5. Mix the liquid ingredients together in a cup. Add the starter, mix and pour into the dry ingredients. Fold the ingredients together to incorporate as much air as possible.
6. Pat the dough into a log. Make a shallow cut in the centre down the length of the log. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Lower the oven's temperature to 150�C (300�F).
8. Cut the log into 1.5 cm thick slices. Dry the 'Cantucci' in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
9. To serve, place the 'Cantucci' on a serving plate. Pour a glass of apple nectar for each person in which to dip the 'Cantucci'.
Serves 4.
Cook's tip:
Resting the cooled log in the refrigerator overnight makes it easier to cut into slices.
Laurinda Erasmus is a vegan chef and author of a vegan recipe book, called Benessere well-being: vegan & sugar-free eating for a healthy life-style, by Quinoa Publishing. The book has over 520 recipes, each with a colour photograph, taken by the author herself. The book won a gold medal at the Living Now Book Awards in New York, USA. She is passionate about the vast possibilities of creating plant-based meals, the increased wellness and energy through plant nutrition and making a smaller impact on our precious ecosystem. Through her book and vegan classes, she shows healthy and fun ways of how to bring more plant-based meals into one's diet. She also travels extensively, always collecting new recipes and re-writing them as vegan dishes. She shares her tips for vegan travellers with accompanied vegan travel recipes on her blogsite http://veganwellbeing.wordpress.com and to view her vegan recipe book see [http://www.veganwellbeing.net]http://www.veganwellbeing.net.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegan-(Sugar-Free)-Cantucci-Dipped-in-Apple-Nectar&id=6440607] Vegan (Sugar-Free) Cantucci Dipped in Apple Nectar

Vegan Greek Almond-Orange Biscuits

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Laurinda_Erasmus]Laurinda Erasmus
After making another batch of creamy almond milk, I had about a cup of left-over almond pulp. I usually dry this out (in the sun; an oven set at its lowest temperature; or the dehydrator) to make my own almond flour, but I decided to use the almond pulp in something straight away. (The almond pulp will last in a container in the refrigerator for 3 days. The pulp and also the milk made with the nuts, will last even 4 or 5 days if one slips the peels off the nuts. This should be easy to do once the nuts were soaked overnight. If the peels still do not slip off, strain the nuts, and pour boiling water over, wait 1 minute and drain. The nuts haven't spoiled and are still considered raw.) By intuitively mixing and adding a few of my favourite ingredients together, I came up with these crunchy, almond biscuits. Anyone who hasn't tasted raw biscuits yet, will not believe these weren't baked in the oven!
The biscuits below are raw, sugar-free and gluten-free. If you prefer the biscuits sweeter, you can always add some more syrup. Since the dough will be wetter in such a case, you just need to dehydrate the biscuits for a little longer. Any biscuits that also loose their crunchiness can be made nice and brittle again by popping them back into the dehydrator or low oven.
Ingredients
10 Tbsp wet almond pulp *
8 Tbsp yellow flaxseeds
12 ml sun-dried or dehydrated orange zest
4 Tbsp buckwheat seeds, untoasted
1 small red apple, unpeeled
3 Tbsp liquid sweetener: maple or apple syrup or raw honey
4 Tbsp almond milk
1 tsp vanilla powder or ground cinnamon
1 tsp almond essence
Method
Place the almond pulp in a mixing bowl.
Grind the flaxseeds and orange zest to a powder. Add to the mixing bowl.
Crush the buckwheat seeds until coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle. Add to the mixing bowl.
Place the rest of the ingredients in a liquidizer and blend until smooth. Pour into the mixing bowl and stir well.
Transfer the dough to a dehydrator tray lined with a Paraflexx sheet. Using an off-set spatula that you dip in water now and then, spread the mixture to cover the sheet in a thin layer. Make wavy patterns on the dough with a large pronged fork.
Place the tray in the dehydrator and dry for 2 hours at 115 F (46 C). Set the temperature down to 105 F (41 C) and dehydrate for 8 hours until the biscuits are dry.
Store in a tightly sealed cookie jar (preferable a see-through one that everyone in the household can see your effort!)
Extra ideas: use additionally to the above recipe a tablespoon of ground pistachios (which still ties in with the Greek theme); or use orange zest, and for a spice try ground ginger, ground star aniseed or even a pinch of curry for an altogether different flavour. You can also use the pulp of other nuts - cashew or even brazil nut will be equally delicious.
Laurinda Erasmus is a vegan chef and author of a vegan recipe book, called Benessere well-being: vegan & sugar-free eating for a healthy life-style, by Quinoa Publishing. The book has over 520 recipes, each with a colour photograph, taken by the author herself. The book won a gold medal at the Living Now Book Awards in New York, USA. She is passionate about the vast possibilities of creating plant-based meals, the increased wellness and energy through plant nutrition and making a smaller impact on our precious ecosystem. Through her book and vegan classes, she shows healthy and fun ways of how to bring more plant-based meals into one's diet. She also travels extensively, always collecting new recipes and re-writing them as vegan dishes. She shares her tips for vegan travellers accompanied by vegan travel recipes on her blogsite http://veganwellbeing.wordpress.com and to view her vegan recipe book see [http://www.veganwellbeing.net]http://www.veganwellbeing.net.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegan-Greek-Almond-Orange-Biscuits&id=6440561] Vegan Greek Almond-Orange Biscuits

Vegan Cheesecake - Baked New York Style

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Laurinda_Erasmus]Laurinda Erasmus
Baking without eggs, butter (or margarine) and sugar can sometimes be a real challenge. However, tofu makes a great substitute for heavy, set cream and tapioca flour binds the ingredients together the way eggs would. Sugar can be replaced with a fruit syrup, or sometimes just fruit pulp which in most cases would be sweet enough.
Before I became vegan, I made my usual baked cheesecake recipe fairly often and got used (of course) to that taste. However, when I re-wrote the recipe with healthier vegan alternatives, my family and I could not believe how exactly similar in taste and texture it was. The tofu creates the same slightly dry, crumbly baked result as the traditional version, but still with the same creamy mouth-feel, sweetness and lemon flavour. I now sometimes make use of the same basic recipe, but change it into a chocolate or even strawberry version. Have fun experimenting!
Pastry base:
5 tbsp finely ground toasted, unsalted cashew nuts
1 tbsp whole meal spelt flour / oat flour / buckwheat flour
2 tsp vanilla-infused grape-seed oil / walnut oil
1 tsp light agave syrup
Filling:
1 cup soy milk
2 tsp lemon juice / orange juice / apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, juice
2 cups firm tofu, drained and patted (very) dry, chopped
1 tbsp vanilla-infused grape-seed oil / walnut oil
6 tbsp light agave syrup
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp tapioca flour
20 ml corn starch

Pre-heat the oven to 180�C (360�F).
Make the pastry by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. It will be a firm, heavy mixture. Line the bottom of a 1 L round pie dish with the pastry and then oil the sides (or use a silicone baking dish). Press the pastry down firmly. Leave to rest in the refrigerator.
Thicken the soy milk by stirring in the juice (or vinegar). It will thicken immediately. Set aside.
If you have a food processor, fit the juicing part and squeeze out the lemon juice; or use a fork. Change to the plastic S-blade. Add the tofu, oil, syrup, zest and vanilla essence. Process until floppy. Sprinkle over the flours and pour over the thickened soy milk. Process until completely smooth. Pour the tofu mixture into the baking dish onto the pastry.
Place on a shelf just below the middle in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, uncovered. Reduce the temperature to 160�C (320�F)and bake a further 15 minutes. Lightly drape a sheet of tin foil over the top if the cheesecake browns too much.
Remove from the oven and cool completely. The filling will become firmer.
Decorate with lemon and lime zest. Cut into slices, or lift the cake from the mould before cutting.
Serves 8.
Cook's tip:
A cheesecake forms large cracks when the outside of the batter has firmed into a thin skin and the inner filling continues to expand with the heat. One can decrease this effect by placing a bowl of water on a lower shelf to create steam in the oven. The cracks can always be concealed by serving the cheesecake with slices of fruit on top. Or, simply don't worry about it - it still tastes delicious!
Laurinda Erasmus is a vegan chef and author of a vegan recipe book, called Benessere well-being: vegan & sugar-free eating for a healthy life-style, by Quinoa Publishing. The book has over 520 recipes, each with a colour photograph, taken by the author herself. The book won a gold medal at the Living Now Book Awards in New York, USA. She is passionate about the vast possibilities of creating plant-based meals, the increased wellness and energy through plant nutrition and making a smaller impact on our precious ecosystem. Through her book and vegan classes, she shows healthy and fun ways of how to bring more plant-based meals into one's diet. She also travels extensively, always collecting new recipes and re-writing them as vegan dishes. See her tips for vegan travellers and vegan travel recipes on her blogsite [http://veganwellbeing.wordpress.com]http://veganwellbeing.wordpress.com. http://www.veganwellbeing.net
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegan-Cheesecake---Baked-New-York-Style&id=6437236] Vegan Cheesecake - Baked New York Style

Walnut and Paprika Vegan Sausages

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Laurinda_Erasmus]Laurinda Erasmus
These delightfully easy meat-free sausages that I often make for our family will quickly become a favourite in your household! I sometimes make a large batch and either freeze them, or take them with on holiday so that I always have something in the refrigerator for family meals when the others want to BBQ. Although the chopped nuts give the sausages a nice crunch and texture, the grated carrot will do the same if you want to use any left-over nut pulp after making your own home-made nut milk.  The nut sausages will simply have a more refined texture, but for a chunkier feel you can always add a tablespoon or so of extra texture in the form of sunflower seeds. 
Thyme, paprika and turmeric combine with tart tamarind and finely grated vegetables to impart a wonderful aroma to these nutty sausages. The dried prunes and tahini paste help to bind the ingredients together, while the walnuts and quinoa provide a good measure of protein. The sausages have a nice crispy coating of psyllium husks and oat bran.
� cup walnuts
� cup finely grated carrot
� cup finely grated baby marrow (zucchini)
2 fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
5 dried prunes, cut into tiny pieces
1 tsp paprika powder
� tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp quinoa flour
2 tsp tamarind pulp
1 tbsp tahini paste
2 tsp soy sauce
coating:
2 tbsp each psyllium husks and fine oat bran
4 tbsp rice bran oil, for frying
Method
   Lightly toast the walnuts in the oven until fragrant. Crush the nuts to medium fine with a pestle and mortar.
   Place the nuts with the grated carrot and baby marrow in a mixing bowl. Stir in the garlic, thyme and prunes and mix well.
   Stir in the spices and flour, again mixing well.
   Add the tamarind pulp, tahini paste and soy sauce. Stir this well into the walnut mixture.
   Mix the psyllium husks and oat bran on a plate and spread out.
   With wet hands, shape the walnut mixture into long patties, squeezing slightly as you shape. It is a wet mixture.
   Then roll the sausages in the psyllium husk and oat bran mixture to coat. Rest the sausages in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  Heat the oil in a pan and fry the sausages, turning them to brown on all sides. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
Makes 5 sausages.
Cook's tip:
If quinoa flour is not available, use the same amount of cooked quinoa grains. Alternatively, use chickpea flour (both of which are high protein sources). You can also use oat bran instead of the psyllium husks to roll the sausages in, which will give them a more rough look but will impart a wonderfully nutty taste.
You can also give these sausages a more of a Thai flavour by using the same nuts, but for spices and herbs, use finely grated fresh ginger and turmeric, chopped garlic, coarsely ground coriander seeds and finely snipped Kaffir lime leaves and fresh coriander leaves. Make a brown jasmine rice dish to accompany the sausages, perhaps flavoured with star anise.
To give the sausages a French flavour, use the same nuts, but add lots more herbs, such as tarragon and sage with finely grated green apple and add chopped pitted green olives.
Laurinda Erasmus is a vegan chef and author of a vegan recipe book, called Benessere well-being: vegan & sugar-free eating for a healthy life-style, by Quinoa Publishing. The book has over 520 recipes, each with a colour photograph, taken by the author herself. The book won a gold medal at the Living Now Book Awards in New York, USA. She is passionate about the vast possibilities of creating plant-based meals, the increased wellness and energy through plant nutrition and making a smaller impact on our precious ecosystem. Through her book and vegan classes, she shows healthy and fun ways of how to bring more plant-based meals into one's diet. She also travels extensively, always collecting new recipes and re-writing them as vegan dishes. She shares her tips for vegan travellers accompanied by vegan travel recipes on her blogsite http://veganwellbeing.wordpress.com and to view her vegan recipe book, see [http://www.veganwellbeing.net]http://www.veganwellbeing.net.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Walnut-and-Paprika-Vegan-Sausages&id=6442218] Walnut and Paprika Vegan Sausages

Chestnut Vegan Cake With Cherry Salsa

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Laurinda_Erasmus]Laurinda Erasmus
This is a slight variation on the traditional Italian chestnut cake which is made with olive oil and rosemary.  Using chestnut flour and adding carob to the ingredients, make this cake tastes like an incredibly rich chocolate cake.  Keep in mind that when mixing chestnut flour, the batter might seem very runny.  The chestnut flour will very quickly absorb the liquids ingredients.  Chestnuts are traditionally dried out in Italy above the hot kitchen on thin slats for 8 months which make the nuts incredibly dry.  They are then ground into a fine powdery flour. 
The dried cherries in the recipe go very well with the earthy flavours of the chestnut, carob, walnuts and vanilla, while the fresh cherries in the salsa give the cake a fresh fruity finish.  The fruit part of the recipe can be changed to pineapple (dried and fresh); apricots and even prunes with fresh plums for the salsa.
20 dried cherries, halved / � cup dried cranberries
4 tbsp good quality dark red grape juice
1� cups (240 g) chestnut flour
1 tbsp corn starch
3 tbsp vegan carob chips
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
� cup walnuts, chopped, toasted in the oven, then ground finely
1 tbsp hazelnut / macadamia nut butter
2 tsp + 5 tsp walnut oil
2 - 3 tbsp maple syrup, warmed
1� cups apple juice
12 walnut halves
1� cups chopped fresh black cherries
   Pre-heat the oven to a hot 220�C (430�F). Brush a heatproof ceramic pie dish (square or round) with walnut oil, or use a silicone baking dish.
   Soak the dried cherries or cranberries in the grape juice for an hour, or preferably overnight.
   Place the chestnut flour, corn starch, carob chips, baking soda and salt in a bowl and stir to mix. Add the fine walnuts.
   Add the nut butter and 2 tsp of walnut oil and the apple juice to the flour and stir until combined. This is a runny, cream-like dough.
   Drain the dried fruit and discard the soaking liquid (or drink it). Stir the dried fruit into the batter. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Place the walnut halves on the cake and pour the remaining 5 tsp of walnut oil over the batter.
   Bake in the oven on the middle shelf for 25 - 27 minutes until firm. It is normal for the cake to crack all over the surface. Place a sheet of tin foil over the cake for the last 10 minutes if it is becoming too dark.
   Remove the cake from the oven. Pour the warm maple syrup over the cake so that it can be absorbed.
   For the salsa: Blend � cup of the cherries in a liquidizer to a pur�e. Stir in the rest of the cherries.
   Serve the cake warm, or at room temperature. Cut the cake into slices or squares and serve with the cherry salsa on the side.
Makes enough for 8 generous portions.
Hint:  By changing the dried fruit and fruit juice in the recipe, one achieves a completely different taste to this versatile cake recipe. Try for instance chopped fresh pineapple with cinnamon and coconut milk; or white grape juice with halved black grapes and vanilla powder.
Laurinda Erasmus is a vegan chef and author of a vegan recipe book, called Benessere well-being: vegan & sugar-free eating for a healthy life-style, by Quinoa Publishing. The book has over 520 recipes, each with a colour photograph, taken by the author herself. The book won a gold medal at the Living Now Book Awards in New York, USA. She is passionate about the vast possibilities of creating plant-based meals, the increased wellness and energy through plant nutrition and making a smaller impact on our precious ecosystem. Through her book and vegan classes, she shows healthy and fun ways of how to bring more plant-based meals into one's diet. She also travels extensively, always collecting new recipes and re-writing them as vegan dishes. She shares her tips for vegan travellers accompanied by vegan travel recipes on her blogsite http://veganwellbeing.wordpress.com and to view her vegan recipe book see [http://www.veganwellbeing.net]http://www.veganwellbeing.net.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Chestnut-Vegan-Cake-With-Cherry-Salsa&id=6442204] Chestnut Vegan Cake With Cherry Salsa

Vegan Nut Cheese

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Laurinda_Erasmus]Laurinda Erasmus
These nut cheese recipes are extremely easy to do, with the advantage of having the same health benefits as dairy cheese with the added probiotics. They can be made to stay a soft, spreading-type or shaped into hard blocks which can be sliced. The most effective way of doing this is to use a dehydrator, but one can also leave the shapes uncovered in the refrigerator and after a day or so a rind will development on the outside.
Various types of nuts can be used (and interchanged), but for the most convincing results use nuts that will mimic the taste of dairy cheese.  Use for instance peeled almonds for making feta-style; sweeter cashew nuts or earthy tasting walnuts for making swiss-style; a mix of pine-nuts and brazils for making parmesan or pecorino style nut cheese and macadamia nuts with its higher oil content for making hard cheddar types (add a pinch of curry and turmeric powders to your nut pulp).  Seeds, such as sunflower with sesame, or pumpkin seeds on their own also make delicious nut cheeses.  Dehydrate the shaped nut blocks or domes until just a rind forms (and the mixture is still semi-soft inside), or dry out further until almost crumbly, depending on the type you're making.
Start by soaking nuts in water. To make things interesting, use two different types of nuts to give a layer effect. Use � cup of raw walnuts and a � cup raw macadamia nuts and soak them separately overnight in two bowls in enough water to cover them.
The next day, drain the water off and rinse the nuts. Keeping them separate, place the nuts in a strong blender or food processor fitted with the steel S-blade. Add � cup filtered water and � tsp probiotic powder (this would be for each batch of nuts). Blend until smooth and thick.
Pour the two thick mixtures into 2 muslin cloths or nut milk bags that sit in sieves over bowls to catch the water (whey). Twist the muslin cloths or nut milk bags to remove excess water.
Place a heavy object, like a clean river stone on each of the squeezed nut mixtures. Cover the two bowls with a tea cloth and place somewhere warm (but not in the sun) for 48 hours. In this time, good bacteria will ferment the nut cheese and at the end of 2 days the mixtures will have a faint sour smell.
Transfer the two nut mixtures to two mixing bowls. Add 1 - 2 tbsp of savoury yeast flakes and � tsp of salt to each bowl. Stir in any other flavourings of your choice, such as: chopped olives, fresh herbs, spices or even finely grated fresh vegetables, onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes or dried onion and garlic granules or chili flakes. Stir well.
Press the mixture into a container to make a nice shape and then tip it out. This is now ready to eat (a soft nut cheese) and can be sliced. You can also dehydrate the nut cheese for a few hours in order for the nut cheese to form a rind; alternatively if you don't have a dehydrator you can simply unmould the nut cheese onto a plate and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator. After two days the nut cheese would have formed a rind as well.
Keep for 10 days in the refrigerator.
Laurinda Erasmus is a vegan chef and author of a vegan recipe book, called Benessere well-being: vegan & sugar-free eating for a healthy life-style, by Quinoa Publishing. The book has over 520 recipes, each with a colour photograph, taken by the author herself. The book won a gold medal at the Living Now Book Awards in New York, USA. She is passionate about the vast possibilities of creating plant-based meals, the increased wellness and energy through plant nutrition and making a smaller impact on our precious ecosystem. Through her book and vegan classes, she shows healthy and fun ways of how to bring more plant-based meals into one's diet. She also travels extensively, always collecting new recipes and re-writing them as vegan dishes. She shares her tips for vegan travellers and with vegan travel recipes on her blogsite http://veganwellbeing.wordpress.com and her book can be viewed at http://www.veganwellbeing.net
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegan-Nut-Cheese&id=6437785] Vegan Nut Cheese

Eating Raw Foods To Lose Weight and Live Better

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Calvin_H_Johnson]Calvin H Johnson
More and more people are hearing about the many health benefits of eating raw foods. Raw foods are foods that have not been cooked and are natural, some examples are fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, and other delicious foods. While this may seem like it is limiting your eating options, there are several great foods that taste great and are great for you. If you are interested in losing weight and living much better, than eating all natural foods should be considered.
The first benefit to eating whole grown foods is the natural energy you get throughout the day. Before eating only raw foods, I would need to drink a couple of coffee in the morning or I could not function at all and would drink several cups throughout the day. However, by eating many fruits, vegetables, and meats the natural sugar and energy keeps me satisfied and more alert and awake then I ever had. Also, you will never feel bloated after eating raw foods and everything you consume will be converted into energy and be used to power your body. You should treat your body like a engine and you must use the right fuel.
Another benefit to enjoying natural foods is the most popular and that is losing weight. You body was not meant to consume so many preservatives that are in popular food and eating only foods that are natural is the way are body were supposed to be used. I have tried many different exercise and weight loss routines and healthy foods and exercising once a day works wonders. Another great benefit is that you will start seeing weight loss immediately as long as you stick to only eating raw foods. This can not be stressed enough, the raw foods weight loss system will only work if you only eat all healthy foods! So many people try to cheat by eating fast food and this can be detrimental to the process.
The third benefit to eating all natural foods is how easy your digestion system works once consuming natural foods. If you have had stomach and digestion issues in the past, eating healthy foods will clear this up and make it much easier to go to the bathroom.
While many people may be skeptical, I challenge you to partake on the eating healthy foods diet for 30 days and see how it works. You will not only have more energy, but lose a ton of weight and also have a much healthier digestion system.
For more information on the [http://rawfoodsdietweightloss.com]raw foods diet weight loss program please visit our website at [http://rawfoodsdietweightloss.com]http://rawfoodsdietweightloss.com.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Eating-Raw-Foods-To-Lose-Weight-and-Live-Better&id=6425456] Eating Raw Foods To Lose Weight and Live Better

Hidden Animal Products Vegetarians Need To Be Aware Of

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jools_Marsh]Jools Marsh
If you are a vegetarian or a vegan the chances are that you automatically know when something presented to you as vegetarian is no such thing. For example if someone gave you a chicken stew claiming it was made with Tofu you would be able to tell from the smell and texture that it was meat rather than Tofu you were being asked to eat. However, if you were presented with a Tofu stew that had been flavoured with chicken stock the chances are you would not realise this and would inadvertently end up eating hidden meat. Luckily, this kind of deceit is something you will rarely if ever come across these days.
If you are eating out, especially in countries where Vegetarianism is not common, it pays to check that the vegetarian dish you are ordering really does not contain meat products. Inadvertently ordering meat has happened to me in Spain on several occasions. On each occasion it was down to a lack of thought or understanding on the part of the waiter serving me rather than a deliberate attempt to mislead me. Once when I ordered vegetarian paella I thought twice and asked the waiter how the paella was flavoured only to find out it was flavoured with fresh chicken stock. When I explained the problem to the waiter he was nonplussed, and it was not because of my bad Spanish, he genuinely could not understand why I would consider chicken stock a meat product. From that story you can see why when eating out in restaurants it is always wise to ask a bit more about vegetarian dishes.
Flavourings and additives are another place you can find hidden animal products. Practically every vegetarian knows that Gelatine is made from animal bones, but there are other flavourings and additives that are less obviously not for vegetarians. For example did you know that Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies?, which is fine if you are a fish eating vegetarian, but not if you are vegan. Lutein that is used as a food colouring does not sound like egg, but that is what it is. Albumin which is used to thicken foods is also an animal product that either comes from egg whites or animal blood. However, there are also plant sources for albumin, so if you see albumin on a list of ingredients it does not always mean it is not suitable for vegetarians.
Vitamins, minerals and supplements present another challenge for vegetarians because they are another source of hidden animal products. Again most vegetarians know to avoid capsule tablets and supplements because the capsule is likely to contain gelatine made from bones. However how many know that some forms of Vitamin D such as vitamin D3 are made from liver or fish oils?. If you are buying vitamins and minerals or other supplements it is worth looking for those that are suitable for Vegans. If you are not sure write to the manufacturer and ask them how vegetarian friendly their products are.
Being vegetarian has got a lot easier over the years because labelling has improved, but as you can see there are still some hidden animal products in food and other products. To be completely safe stick to products which are labelled as suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Visit Yorkshire Pantry for <a target="_new" href="http://www.yorkshirepantry.co.uk">vegetarian recipes</A>. If you love cupcakes you will find plenty of <a target="_new" href="http://www.yorkshirepantry.co.uk/cupcake-designs/">cupcake designs</A> and recipes that are suitable for vegetarians at Yorkshire Pantry too.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Hidden-Animal-Products-Vegetarians-Need-To-Be-Aware-Of&id=6445726] Hidden Animal Products Vegetarians Need To Be Aware Of

High Protein Vegetarian Food Items in Indian Cuisine

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ram_Gupta]Ram Gupta
Most people who are into fitness and weight loss know that neither of the two can be achieved effectively without a high protein diet. Protein is the diet-component that builds and maintains muscle mass, and muscle mass is vital for weight loss and a great physique. Fortunately, there are a lot of protein sources in Indian vegetarian food,in cuisines from all over the country. Here are some of the most significant ones.
Paneer - Cottage Cheese
It will be hard for you to travel to North and Central India and miss paneer. Better known as cottage cheese in the West, paneer is the finest vegetarian delicacy in several states of India. Naturally, since it is a dairy product, it is protein intensive, and depending on what kind of milk it is prepared from, it may also have high fat content. The protein that paneer contains is qualitatively excellent, with the right proportion of all the essential amino acids. A 12-oz serving of paneer contains nearly 14 grams of protein.
Paneer's soft consistency and cheesy taste make it amenable to virtually every cooking style in India, and there are countless dishes in the country made from it. It may be cooked dry, in gravy form, or it may be added as a stuffing in local Indian breads, such as naan and paranthas. People commonly make a sandwich filling out of paneer as well.
Lentils
Lentils, locally known as daal, are a great vegetarian source of protein, and they are commonly cooked in every region of the country. There are many varieties of daal available in India and over a 100 different recipes to cook them. Typically served in curry form, sometimes with the consistency of soup, daal is a common daily dish for almost every class of people in the country.
Apart from their significant protein content, daals are rich in fiber and they are great sources of several vital micronutrients, including magnesium, iron and potassium. They are also cholesterol free. Daal is a perfect food item for someone who wants to lose weight.
Chickpeas and Kidney Beans
Like lentils, these too are from the legume family and have similar nutritional benefits. Red kidney beans are commonly known as rajma and chickpeas as channa, and both feature prominently in the cuisines of North and West India. Amongst most Indian households familiar with both these legumes, channa is considered healthier. However, rajma is the more sought after delicacy, and is a common feature during special occasions.
Bear in mind that rajma and channa are not the easiest dishes to prepare for beginners, since they require some experience with Indian cooking, seasoning and spices.
Nuts
It is widely known that nuts are a great source of proteins in a vegetarian diet. However the way they are generally used in Indian cooking, they would hardly appeal to someone really health conscious. Since almonds, cashews, pistachios and walnuts are very expensive, they are generally used as ingredients in exquisite desserts and rich festive dishes, both of which are loaded with calories!
Gram Flour
Better known as besan in India, gram flour has much higher protein content than whole wheat or refined flour, and it is also lighter in terms of calories. It is a vital ingredient in several Indian main dishes, cereal staples, sweets and snacks, and features significantly in North and West Indian cuisines.
At the end of the day, whichever Indian cuisine it is that interests you, you are bound to find high protein vegetarian dishes that are easy to cook, healthy and great in terms of taste!
You have permission to publish this article without any change what so ever electronically, in print, in your e-book, or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author by-lines are included.
To learn more about Indian Vegetarian cuisine, visit   Meera's Kitchen or go to http://www.indiancookingmadeeasy.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?High-Protein-Vegetarian-Food-Items-in-Indian-Cuisine&id=6473325] High Protein Vegetarian Food Items in Indian Cuisine

Simple Chickpea Recipe

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Shaw_Rabadi]Shaw Rabadi
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are held in very high regard throughout the Mediterranean basin. They are a main source of protein for the people in the Mediterranean region and are one of the earliest cultivated vegetables. Garbanzos have been eaten raw as a snack, added into main dishes or salads, and have even been included in some dessert dishes. Although a staple throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean, chickpea production (with the exception of Turkey, Iran, and Iraq) is surprisingly low in these countries. India is by far the largest chick pea producing country in the world, with Pakistan at a very distant second.
Chickpeas are a good source of zinc, folate and protein and contain high levels of dietary fiber which make them a very healthy source of carbohydrates. They are very low in fat, and the fat that they do contain is polyunsaturated. According to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, chickpeas contain on average: 23% protein, 64% carbohydrates, 5% fat, and 6% fiber.
There are many dishes that include chickpeas as a main ingredient, including Hummus which is a very healthy, blended dip made of primarily chickpeas, tahini (made from sesame seeds), olive oil, and garlic with many other varying ingredients. However to keep it simple at first, I am sharing with you a staple dish in its own right at my restaurant; a delicious, healthy, light, and easy to prepare dish with the simple name of "Chickpea Salad." Share with your loved ones and enjoy!
Chickpea Salad
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ready in: 20 Minutes
Serves: 10
Ingredients:
− 4 cups cooked, drained and rinsed chickpeas
− � cup diced red pepper
− � cup diced green pepper
− � cup sliced black olives (drained and rinsed)
− � cup diced red onion
− � cup chopped parsley
− � cup shredded carrots
− 3 tbsp each extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice
− 3 pinches kosher salt
− 4 pinches pepper
− 4 pinches of dry mint
Directions:
Combine all vegetables and parsley in a large bowl and toss. Add olive oil and lemon juice mix. Add salt, pepper, and mint. Toss all ingredients and until mixed thoroughly. You may serve as a side dish or as the first course.
Note: You may try adding feta cheese or freshly grated cheese as a garnish or to your own taste. I have added fried fruit (like raisins) to this salad for a wonderful twist on a familiar Mediterranean salad.
Shaw H. Rabadi, restaurant owner/chef/author, invites you to Eat, Drink, and Be Mediterranean with him for a happier, healthier life!
Visit http://www.TheMediterraneanDigest.com for information on his newly released story-cookbook, "Savor the Spices of Life" and more info on eating, cooking, and living a heart healthier life.
Eat Better, Fresher, Smarter!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Simple-Chickpea-Recipe&id=6470952] Simple Chickpea Recipe

Best of Vegan Recipes

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Mike_Newscome]Mike Newscome
When shifting to a vegan diet for the first time, the transformation can take some time. Not only that, you would also need to change your entire perspective related to taste and cooking. So, while you get yourself used to the ways of vegan cooking and eating, here are some of the best Vegan Recipes for you to try out and enjoy the joys of vegan cooking and eating.
One of the all time favorites among the Vegan Recipes is the Vegan Paella. This is actually a dish of Spanish origin. In the traditional recipe, seafood is used. However, for vegan cooking, the cashews used in the recipe replace the protein element of seafood.
Another of the best recipes that remains a favorite of vegans is the Avocado Grapefruit Salad. It has a creamy kind of texture and made with all vegan food items. The salad is really filling and delicious.
For those looking for something rich in flavor, you can always go for the Vegan Recipe for Coconut Vegetable curry. This dish has a very memorable flavor and you are very likely to try it again. The key to the rich flavor is to hold the amount of coconut milk you add to the recipe.
If you like your food to be strong in flavor, you can always make a Vegan Recipe with a good amount of spice. These best spices are the fresh ones. These have a unique aroma and flavor that you're not likely to forget anytime soon.
If you like dessert, you can check out many of the Vegan Recipes in dessert. You can make some of the best tasting cakes, pies and muffins. The coconut cake, carrot cake, fig spice pie and apple crisp and apple pie are the top rated of all vegan recipes.

In terms of substitutes, you can find many of them in the market for example cheese, butter, milk and other items. You can find your favorite brand of vegan substitute food items and use these items to add the touch of your personal taste to the recipes.
Whether you are looking for some delicious and filling breakfast, lunch, dinner or a simple snack, it is all there in vegan cooking in the form of various soups, dips, snacks, and salads along with full meals. You can always try for new food items and recipes and experiment with vegan food recipes.
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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Best-of-Vegan-Recipes&id=6475393] Best of Vegan Recipes

Tapioca Shoots (Leaves) - A Good Source of Fibre for Weight Loss?

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Peter_CH_Lim]Peter CH Lim
Tapioca is cultivated in many regions around the world. It is rather easy to cultivate this plant which has many uses especially as a food source. The tree can grow from mature woody stems and one just need to plant these on the ground. New leaves would start to grow on these mature stems after a few days. Once the tapioca plant is old enough and the tubers are ready for harvest, they are normally pulled out from the ground. The whole bunch of tubers would stick together when they are pulled out.
For some society, tapioca is a stable food and can be prepared in many different ways. Dry powdered tapioca tubers are often used as thickening agent. These inexpensive powdered tapioca tubers are easily available in most hypermarkets and convenient shops. The starch from the root extract of the plant is very suitable for making many types of cakes (kuih). It is also gluten free. Therefore, by products from this plant are often used in Vegan or Vegetarian food preparation. Tapioca can be deep fried, made into soups, stew, dumplings and cooked with meat. Crispy chips made from the tapioca roots are tasty. Apart from that tapioca can also be made into alcoholic beverages like Sakura or nijimanche (sweet beer).
However, tapioca tubers and leaves contain cynogenic glycosides which can cause acute cyanide poisoning if not prepared properly. Raw tapioca should not be eaten. The toxin found in red branched variety is less harmful than the green branched ones. The toxin levels are high during drought. If there is too much rain during harvesting, the tubers could have a tinge of stagnant pond water smell.
China is exploring the potential of cassava as biofuel. The largest cassava ethanol fuel plant started operation in Beihai, China in 2007. Cassava biofuel can in future replace our usual petroleum fuel. If this happens, then we would have a much environmental friendly alternative to the traditional petroleum fuel.
In Indonesia, dishes made from tapioca young shoots are quite popular. Since the leaves contain toxin, they should be boiled in water first before consumption. Tapioca leaves taste delicious with spicy fresh chillies. The leaves contain very little protein but have high fibre composition. The toxin effect of eating the leaves has not been thoroughly investigated by scientist. The leaves might hold the key prevent world food shortage crisis or might be effective for weight loss.
Examples of tapioca recipes are found in these links [http://veganformation.blogspot.com/2011/07/vegetarian-spicy-tapioca-shoots-recipe.html#links]Vegetarian Spicy Tapioca Shoots Recipe and [http://peteformation.blogspot.com/2010/10/simple-steamed-tapioca-with-brown-sugar.html]Steamed Tapioca with Brown Sugar.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Tapioca-Shoots-(Leaves)---A-Good-Source-of-Fibre-for-Weight-Loss?&id=6467947] Tapioca Shoots (Leaves) - A Good Source of Fibre for Weight Loss?

Portobello Mushroom Recipe and More

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Shaw_Rabadi]Shaw Rabadi
Portobello mushrooms contain potassium, sodium, phosphorus, and antioxidants important to the body. A Portobello mushroom is actually just a brown crimini mushroom that has grown to 4"-6" and diameter. This is the point that a crimini mushroom is named a Portobello. Always select firm, plump, solid mushrooms when shopping and avoid the dried looking ones because that is usually a sign of decomposition. The mushrooms should keep fresh about 5-6 days and if cooked, can be stored and frozen for several months. You can grill, oven roast, or saut� the mushrooms and can be prepared as a dish in themselves or cut up and added to sauces, salads, or used in place of meat dishes due to its heavy, earthy nature (similar to eggplant in that way).
There are some wonderful health benefits to adding mushrooms to your diet. A study has even showed that women who consumed fresh mushrooms daily were 64% less likely to develop breast cancer, and those that combined a mushroom diet with regular green tea consumption actually reduced their risk of breast cancer by nearly 90%... Talk about some serious health benefits!
One of the most popular appetizers at my restaurant is a baked Portobello mushroom with roasted peppers, chopped tomato, and goat cheese. I am glad to share this simple yet deliciously wonderful mushroom recipe with you!
Portobello Mushroom Dish
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ready in: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- Portobello Mushroom
-Olive Oil to drizzle
-1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
-1 medium sized ripened tomato, chopped
-Goat or Feta cheese to sprinkle
-3 Cloves garlic, chopped
-2 tbsp basil pesto
Directions:
Drizzle the mushroom caps with olive oil. Spoon the roasted peppers, tomato, goat/feta cheese, and garlic into the center of the mushroom. Drizzle with pesto. Bake in preheated oven at 300 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Serve hot as an appetizer or on top of mixed greens as an entr�e.
Note: Artichoke hearts may be added for a heartier appetizer or meal. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar adds a tasty and flavorful dimension to the dish. Grill jumbo shrimp and place on top of the mushroom with lemon wedges and in the center of the plate for an impressive look.
Nutritional Information:
Serving size: 1/6 recipe, Calories 96, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 8mg, Sodium 90mg, Total Carbohydrates 6g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein 4g
Shaw H. Rabadi, restaurant owner/chef/author, invites you to Eat, Drink, and Be Mediterranean with him for a happier, healthier life!
Visit http://www.TheMediterraneanDigest.com for information on his newly released story-cookbook, "Savor the Spices of Life" and more info on eating, cooking, and living a heart healthier life.
Eat Better, Fresher, Smarter!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Portobello-Mushroom-Recipe-and-More&id=6470895] Portobello Mushroom Recipe and More

Eggplant Parmigiana + Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Sauce

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Azer_Mimouna]Azer Mimouna
Eggplant parmigiana (parmigiana di melanzane):
2 large (1kg) eggplants coarse cooking salt
1/2 cu (125ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra
1 medium (150g) onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 * 425g cans tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil
400gmozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/3 cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
1. Cut eggplants into 1 cm slices, place on wire racks over oven trays, sprinkle with salt; stand 30 minutes. Rinse under cold water, drain on absorbent paper.
2. Place eggplant slices in single layer on lightly greased oven trays. Brush with oil. grill on both sides until lightly browned; drain on absorbent paper.
3. Heat extra oil in pan, add onion and garlic, cook, stirning, until onion is soft. Add undrained crushed tomatoes. paste and sugar, simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until mixture is thickened slightly Stir in basil.
4. Grease shallow ovenproof dish (2 litre / 8 cup capacity). Pour half the tomato mixture into dish, top with half the eggplant slices, then half the mozzarella slices; sprinkle with parmesan. Repeat with remaining tomato mixture, eggplant slices, mozzarella slices and parmesan. Bake, uncovered, in moderately hot oven about 40 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serves 6.
* Recipe can be made a day ahead.
* Storage: Covered, in refrigerator.
* Freeze: Suitable.
* Microwave: Not suitable.
POTATO GNOCCHI WITH TOMATO SAUCE (Gnocchi di Patata alla Salsa di Pomodororo)
5 medium (1kg) old potatoes, peeled, chopped
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup (25g) grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
TOMATO SAUCE
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
12 medium (900g) egg tomatoes, pleed, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1. Boil, steam or microwave potatoes until just tender, drain well, cool 10 minutes; mash. Combine mashed potatoes, egg yolk and cheese. Gradually add flour, mix well.
2. Divide dough into 4 portions. Roll each portion on lightly floured surface to from a sausage 2cm in diameter. Cut diagonally into 2. 5cm slices.
3. Just before serving, add gnocchi to large pan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, about 2 minutes or until gnocchi float to the surface; drain well. Serve gnocchi with tomato sauce.
Tomato Sauce: Heat oil in pan, add garlic, cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes, simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in herbs.
Serves 4.
+ Gnocchi can be prepared several hours ahead. Tomato sauce can be made a day ahead.
+ Storage: Gnocchi in a single layer on tray covered with baking paper, dusted with plain flour. Tomato sauce, covered, in refrigerator.
+ Freeze: Sauce suitable. http://recipes-meals.blogspot.com/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Eggplant-Parmigiana-+-Potato-Gnocchi-With-Tomato-Sauce&id=6473150] Eggplant Parmigiana + Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Sauce

Useful Tips for Vegan Cooking Substitutes

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Boyd_Doustdar]Boyd Doustdar
Everyone wishes to eat perfect and have a nutritious diet that is healthy for the mind as well as for the body. When one shifts to a vegan diet, it means ceasing the eating of meat or any other animal-derived products. This also includes eggs as well as cheese. While the eating habits require some time to adjust, cooking vegan is a tricky part, and one needs to learn relatively new ways of cooking using ingredients that are not in any way derived from animals.
One of the important things after adopting a vegan diet is transforming your favorite recipes into vegan ones so you can enjoy them even after becoming a vegan. There are some tips that can be helpful for the people who are new at cooking vegan food.
If you are Cooking Vegan and making something that requires milk, you can use one of the many milk alternatives available in the market. You can try out different vegan milk brands and then settle for the one you think tastes best.
If your new Vegan Cooking involves the use of butter in a recipe, there is also a substitute for that. You can make use of extra virgin olive oil or alternatively use vegetable oil to fill in for the butter. In case your recipe involves baking and use of butter, you should try coconut oil.
Vegan Cooking also means substituting eggs in recipes. In egg recipes, wherever you want it to be eggless, you can use tofu.
In your vegan food recipes, incorporate as much of the vegan food elements as you can so that you can get used to the fabulous taste of those foods. These majorly include nuts, vegetables, whole grain foods and fruits.
You should avoid the use of processed foods in your recipes while cooking vegan. This will give you the true taste of vegan diet.
You should make soy milk and water the main ingredients of your vegan diet when cooking. These elements boost the effectiveness of the vegan diet.
Make yourself used to using fresh ingredients in your vegan cooking. This involves fresh fruits and vegetables and also fresh spices.

For the first few days, it might be difficult to adjust with the taste of vegan recipes and cooking Vegan food can be a little hard. However, as the time progress, you will definitely get used to it and also begin to enjoy your new vegan diet.
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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Useful-Tips-for-Vegan-Cooking-Substitutes&id=6475907] Useful Tips for Vegan Cooking Substitutes

Why Vegetarian Food Recipes Are The Only Real Dietary Choice For Some

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lissette_V]Lissette V
Meat is everywhere these days. There's an almost limitless variety of it in the supermarkets, it's served in almost every fast food restaurant around today, and it's even served in the most basic of school cafeterias. You almost can't escape it if you're living in the west, and many ask the vegetarians "why would you want to?" With meat being such a staple in most of our diets and it tasting so delicious, why do some choose to avoid meat and cook and serve vegetarian food recipes, exclusively?
It turns out their reasons are many, but some of the common reasons I hear vegetarians giving for "going vegetarian" include the growing belief that the meat many of us are eating today is becoming less and less healthy; the research that is showing our "mass production" approach to farming is taking a serious toll on the environment; and the increasing awareness we have of animals, of the emotions and experience they're living, and the connection we share with them.
In terms of how meat is becoming less healthy to eat, the growing concerns mostly have to do with the growth hormones that are used to fatten the animals up and have them produce more. With all the chemicals we pump into farm animals today, those make their way into our system too when we eat the animals after they've been slaughtered and packaged and placed in the grocery store freezer. Also, keeping the animals cooped up on smaller patches of land with little or no room to roam means they end up getting less exercise, which results in animals with more body fat, which we consume and is not as healthy. Some also believe that the severely negative emotions of fear the animals experience in their final moments that are flowing flood through their blood and into the tissue of the meat as they take their last breaths, results in chemical toxins from this process that are harmful to eat. This alone is reason enough for many vegetarians to dine exclusively on plants and use vegetarian recipes to make their meals.
The negative environmental impact of mass producing farm animals is another reason many are turning to vegetarian food recipes. When we use the chemicals that we do on so many "farm" animals, those animals pass the chemicals back into the earth and the planet's water when they expel. Also related is the negative impact all their manure is having on the local water supply in these areas as the huge quantities of it get absorbed into the earth. And then there's all of the toxic fluids these animals release when they meet their end at our hands: all of that chemically-laced, fear-filled toxic blood is also absorbed into the ground, into the water, and is also polluting our planet.
And then, many are refusing to eat today because they're developing an increased awareness of animals and the fact that animals experience emotions and have a perceptual experience similar to our own in many ways. When thinking of eating a hamburger, as an example, a lot of vegetarians have pictures come up for them of the mistreated animals that were sacrificed in order to make that burger, and it turns them off of the meat and onto alternative options for getting protein and nutrients, like using vegetarian dinner recipes to make healthy meals.
Of course, there are some good arguments that can be made in favor of eating meat, too. The point of this little article was to simply raise awareness for vegetarianism, of the reasons people have for turning to it, and why many today are using vegetarian food recipes to lead their lives in a consciously different way. Some people love to eat meat, and they have their reasons for it; and some people love to live the vegetarian life, and they have their reasons for.
Lissette V. is a self-proclaimed super chef who is passionate about [http://vegetarianfoodrecipes.org/]vegetarian food recipes. Check out here blog with quick and easy [http://vegetarianfoodrecipes.org/vegetarian-dinner-recipes/vegetarian-dinner-recipes-mexican-tuna-salad-with-corn-tostadas]vegetarian dinner recipes that you can often cook in less that 30 minutes.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Vegetarian-Food-Recipes-Are-The-Only-Real-Dietary-Choice-For-Some&id=6489625] Why Vegetarian Food Recipes Are The Only Real Dietary Choice For Some

Vegetarian Chilly Chili

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Shaw_Rabadi]Shaw Rabadi
I love chilli... Period. It is the type of food that, as a chef/cook, you can really dive into and experiment with many different ingredients. I enter my restaurant into at least one or two chili competitions a year for this reason. For 8 years straight I have won 'best vegetarian chili', as well as numerous 'most creative' and 'most original' chili prizes. One of my favorite chilli's that ever came out of these contests was what I called "Porky Peanut Butter and Popcorn," which was a peanut butter based, pork chili in which you would put popcorn on top of to add a bit of salt and something quite unique. Sounds weird, but it was a huge hit.
My vegetarian chilli's have varied over the years, and my most recent recipe is less than what one might expect from a typical "chilli." The reason for this... well, it's served cold. I can't tell you how many non-believers showed up at my booth the first year I entered my 'Chilly Chilli,' but I can tell you how many of them left my booth as believers... Ok I can't really, but it was a lot.
Prepare and serve this delicious chilli on a hot summer day for meat eaters and vegetarians alike and make everyone happy, chilly, and satisfied. NEVER be afraid to experiment or add/take away things you like/don't like and make it your own. Your friends and family will be sure to ask for your new recipe to serve at their own parties
Chilly Chilli (Vegetarian Chilli)
Ingredients:
− 8 oz artichoke hearts (in juice)
− 16 oz chickpeas (in juice)
− 16 oz kidney beans (in juice)
− 16 oz black beans (in juice)
− 3 oz tortilla chips
− 2 oz "Picante" sauce
− 4 oz crushed tomatoes
− 4 oz tomatoes, Pur�e
− 1 tsp chopped garlic
− � cup finely chopped onions
− � cup finely chopped red peppers
− � cup finely chopped green peppers
− � cup finely chopped scallions
− � tsp coriander
− 1 cup chopped parsley
− 3 tbsp chili powder
− � tsp white pepper
− 1 tsp black pepper
− � tsp paprika
− � cup red-hot sauce
Method:
− Puree chickpeas, kidney beans and black beans (reserve a few of each of the beans and the bean liquid for a garnish ).
− Puree tortilla chips extra fine.
− Mix all the remaining ingredients and add beans and liquid.
− Serve chilled with garnish of kernel corn, chopped tortilla chips and chopped chives, scallion or cilantro.
Note: After a day of enjoying this chili cold, you may put in a pot and cook for 20-25 minutes on a good simmer and serve hot on a chilly night.
Get more awesome recipes, cooking tips, and stories at the site below!
Shaw H. Rabadi, restaurant owner/chef/author, invites you to Eat, Drink, and Be Mediterranean with him for a happier, healthier life!
Visit http://www.TheMediterraneanDigest.com for information on his newly released story-cookbook, "Savor the Spices of Life" and more info on eating, cooking, and living a heart healthier life.
Eat Better, Fresher, Smarter!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegetarian-Chilly-Chili&id=6495813] Vegetarian Chilly Chili

7 Easy Ways to Use Up That Zucchini!

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kim_J_Wilson]Kim J Wilson
Do you find your refrigerator overrun with zucchini each summer? I just can't bring myself to throw any away (I have serious feelings of guilt and remorse if any fresh veggies don't get used in a timely fashion)- so over the years my son John and I have come up with quite a range of zucchini recipes.
Zucchini is a great veggie. It's fairly neutral in flavor and can be crisp, tender or soft in preparation. It is low in calories (about 35 calories per cup) and is entirely fat-free. One cup contains 340 mg. of potassium, 530 IUs of vitamin A and 70 mg. of phosphorus. It's also a good source of fiber if consumed with the skin intact (4 grams per cup).
So how do we use up our overabundance of zucchini?
Here are some really simple recipes:
Broiled Zucchini Cut off ends and slice, end to end, in half. Lay halves on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil or dot with organic butter/coconut butter and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and oregano. Broil on the top rack until the tops are lightly browned. A great easy side dish.
Veggie Dippers Slice zucchini into sticks or rounds for serving with hummus or other veggie dips.
Fresh Veggie Dip Who said veggies can't be a main ingredient in the dip as well as serve as a "dipper"?! Puree the following ingredients together in a food processor: 2 zucchini, 1/8 cup red/sweet onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup fresh parsley, juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup), 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste), 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. sea salt, opt: 1 tsp. dill weed. Dip away!
Zucchini Fritters Combine 3/4 cup water with 1 cup bean flour (gram or besan flour, made from channa dal and available from Indian groceries, is an excellent choice), 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. sea salt and a pinch of cayenne. Mix in 1 grated zucchini and cook for a couple of minutes on each side on a hot oiled skillet.
Sauteed Zucchini Saute 1 sliced onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until tender. Thinly slice 2-3 zucchinis and add to saute pan with 1/4 tsp. sea salt and 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning. Another great side.
Zucchini on the Grill Slice large zucchini into long 1/2" diagonal slices. Toss in a ziploc bag with an oil-and-vinegar-based dressing plus a pinch of sea salt. Grill on each side for a couple of minutes. Tender and tasty!
Zucchini Pasta Many people are surprised by how easy and tasty this recipe is. The trickiest part is finding a spiral slicer (Joyce Chen has a Saladacdo Spiral Slicer that is excellent and inexpensive). It's really worth buying this tool. You could alternatively use a vegetable peeler and make fettucini-style noodles instead of spaghetti-style noodles. In any case, slice raw zucchini into pasta noodles and then top with raw or cooked pasta sauce. The "noodles" are nice and light and a little "al dente". My husband was really surprised by how good this is! You don't feel "weighed down" by it like with traditional pasta.
... oh, and of course there's zucchini bread, zucchini muffins, zucchini cookies and on and on. But this is a good simple sampling. I hope you enjoy trying a couple!
My son and I collaborated on a zucchini recipe booklet, John's Zucchini Book, a number of summers ago. You'll find about 30 other great zucchini recipes in its pages (28 of which happen to be gluten-free). Visit my website to learn more about it. You can also find more zucchini recipes at my blog (information below).
Kim Wilson has spent over 12 years working exclusively with whole foods to develop recipes that satisfy a variety of needs (for those just beginning to eat healthy to serious raw-fooders to those with extensive food allergies and health conditions like candida)- all in a tasty, enjoyable and affordable way. Her recipes are free of animal products, wheat, gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, yeast, sugar and other problematic foods. What's left, you might ask? Only the good stuff! For more information and recipes visit her website at http://www.simplynaturalhealth.com or her WHOLEmade recipe blog at [http://www.simplynaturalhealth.com/recipeblog/]http://www.simplynaturalhealth.com/recipeblog/.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?7-Easy-Ways-to-Use-Up-That-Zucchini!&id=6491424] 7 Easy Ways to Use Up That Zucchini!

The Raw Foods Diet Plan

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Calvin_H_Johnson]Calvin H Johnson
Many people cringe at the though of trying a fad diet or always hearing about the "diet" word. However, eating only raw foods is much more than a fad and is a very healthy way thousands of people are losing weight and being much more healthy generally.
There are only three basic rules to the raw foods diet. The first rule is to simply eat only naturally made foods. The most popular list of all natural foods are fruits. Cut up fruits can be a perfect breakfast or mid day snack, including pineapple, mangoes, and apples. Vegetables are a great side for lunch and diner, and many people who enjoy eating raw foods prepare red bell peppers as a side, as they are a great source of vitamins. Another great snack are almonds or other natural nuts as they are absolutely loaded with protein and can provide natural energy. For a great lunch idea, eating beef jerky and a side salad is a small but filling lunch. For dinner, some of the main staples are chicken and beef. It is important to eat plenty of fish and chicken as they dishes are loaded with protein and will keep you full and energized throughout the day. Do not feel limited or stuck on what your options are for making your lunch and dinner, as the internet is loaded with resources that can help you find plenty of delicious options.
The second rule of the raw foods diet is extremely important. The rule is that you can not eat any foods that are not raw. This includes fast food, no exceptions. Even if it your birthday, if you want to lose weight fast you can not enjoy that piece of birthday cake or that side of ice cream.
Finally, the last rule of eating only raw foods is to be creative! There are a lot of variations you can use to make recipes that may not have even been discovered yet.
If you have tried different diets in the past and have not had success, try eating only natural raw foods for a month and see where you are. If you are strict and follow through on your diet, you will start shedding pounds very quickly. You will feel fully energized throughout the day and not only will you be able to enjoy delicious food, but you will feel filled up after your meal.
For more information on   Raw Foods, please visit our website at http://rawfoodsdietweightloss.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Raw-Foods-Diet-Plan&id=6499111] The Raw Foods Diet Plan

Become a Vegetarian

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nida_Hansi]Nida Hansi
Parents often tell children to finish their vegetables because it is good for them. The truth is that vegetables are good for everyone. In fact, some people live on them alone. Becoming a vegetarian can help you become healthier, help with weight loss, keep animals and the environment safe and so much more. Although it may take some effort, becoming a vegetarian is not really very difficult.
The first step to becoming a vegetarian is finding a good reason to do so. This is something that shouldn't be taken too lightly. Changing your eating habits can really have a big effect, so you need to consider why you are doing it. Wanting to become healthier, caring for animals and others are often good reasons. Those with good reasons are often able to stick to this change better than those without solid intentions.
The next thing to do is read up and do some research. There are different levels of being a vegetarian and it takes different amounts of effort. Find out what it is all about and what you need to know about it. By learning these things you can brace yourself for what you are about to take on. It will also help you clear any questions that you might have and offer a good amount of guidance for you as well. During this time it will be good to look for forums or support groups which you can turn to during the process of becoming a vegetarian.
Once you've been able to find reasons and gather the information you need, goal setting is up next. While some people go cold turkey and just switch to vegetables suddenly it may be better to go for a gradual change. Set your goals for each week and cut back on your meat consumption slowly. You can start by eliminating one type of meat a week. This will help you get a feel of things without jumping into it too quickly. At the same time, meeting each goal will give you a drive to go further and do more.
Lastly, don't forget to try out new vegetarian recipes. This will help you expand your menu and let you discover new dishes. By finding new things to eat you do not feel deprived and will not be tempted to switch back to old eating habits. This can also be incorporated with your goals.
If you [http://www.solidgoals.net]set your goals publicly it can help to keep your goals on track. Our [http://www.solidgoals.net]goal setting website, Solid Goals, is ideal for this.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Become-a-Vegetarian&id=6494479] Become a Vegetarian

The Easy Way to Impress Your Guests - Basil Pesto and Tomato Tart

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Adam_D_Levy]Adam D Levy
Make sure you use the best quality tomatoes possible for this recipe. The UK tomato season is from around June to October so even though tomatoes are widely available all year round, I think they are a little bit firmer and a little bit tastier during the summer. You can also get a much wider variety of tomatoes during the summer, I used sugardrop tomatoes for this recipe, which are sweeter than your regular tomatoes and when roasted for the 15 minutes that this recipe needs taste amazing. Some recipes tell you to remove the seeds to stop it getting all soggy, but using small cherry tomatoes means that they don't give off too much liquid.
You can use a jar of pesto but I think a good homemade one is a hundred times better (that's right, 100 times!). If the pesto was for a pasta sauce I would make it a bit chunkier and chop everything by hand or use a pestle and mortar, but for this tart a smooth pesto works better so using a food processor is fine (and much easier!)
Serve the tart with a simple side salad, topped with a few shavings of parmesan and serve as soon as you take it out the oven to keep the pastry nice and crispy. I haven't given exact amounts of each ingredient as it doesn't make too much of a difference whether you have 10 extra basil leaves or an extra pine nut or two, just make sure it has the taste and consistency that you are looking for.
For the Pesto:
1 Clove of Garlic
3 Large Handfuls of Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Large Handful of Pine Nuts
1 Large Handful of Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Half a Small Lemon
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
For the Tart:
Homemade Pesto
Ready Rolled Puff Pastry
A Handful of Best Quality Cherry Tomatoes
For the Side Salad:
Mixed Salad Leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Best Quality Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt
1. For the pesto, place all of the ingredients in a food processor (like i said before, if this is for a pasta sauce take the time and chop everything by hand) and pulse until everything has combined but before it turns into a puree. If it is all still looking a bit dry add another splash of olive oil.
2. Cut out the puff pastry into a rough circle (I prefer the slightly rough-round-the-edges look to a perfect circle) and prick with a fork leaving a 1cm edge all the way round.
3. Put a generous dollop (I think that's the technical term for a measurement of pesto) on the pastry and spread it round, leaving the 1cm border free. Then, cut the tomatoes into 3-4mm slices and layer them on top of the pesto. Sprinkle a little bit of salt on top of the tart and place it on a baking tray in the middle of an oven at 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
4. Whilst the tart is cooking, dress your salad leaves with the oil, lemon juice, balsamic, salt and pepper.
5. When the edge of the pastry is a beautiful golden colour and the tomatoes have that slightly dried out look, take the tart out of the oven and serve straight away along with the side salad.
This recipe is from my blog dedicated to all things food. If you would like to see this recipe and ones like it, including the vibrant photos that look as good as the food tastes please visit: http://lemonandlime.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!
Adam
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Easy-Way-to-Impress-Your-Guests---Basil-Pesto-and-Tomato-Tart&id=6531633] The Easy Way to Impress Your Guests - Basil Pesto and Tomato Tart

Vegetable Juice Recipes

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Richard_Dean_Basa]Richard Dean Basa
People want to be healthy but because of their busy lifestyles it becomes hard to prepare meals that the body can benefit from. Humans need at least 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day but this is not often met resulting to vitamin deficiencies, illnesses and weakening of the immune system. Vegetable juice recipes make it possible to take in all the necessary vitamins and minerals in just one drink. They are proven to be safer and more effective than taking expensive dietary supplements.
Taking in the vegetables in the form of juice makes you sure that you are taking the right ingredients. Many herbal supplements nowadays contain more chemicals than actual nutritive values in every pill.
What are the benefits of learning vegetable juice recipes?
1. They help you save money in the long run. Cancer and other illnesses can cost you thousands of dollars and even your life, by simply choosing to learn more vegetable fruit juice recipes you spice up your options and you add years to your life and your loved ones.
2. Vegetable juice recipes can actually help you lose weight, choose drinking and serving it to your family instead of soda and other sweet drinks.
3. They help you practice your creativity and knowledge on the effects of vegetables in the body. It helps you understand how you can prevent and cure certain illnesses and might even inspire you to live a healthier life. Drinking vegetable juice can empower and motivation a person to do more for their health and well-being.
Easy to do vegetable fruit juice recipes:
Recipe #1
Carrot, cucumber, celery and apple juice
Prepare:
3 carrots
1 apple
1 celery stick
� a cucumber
� a lemon
Be sure to wash the ingredients in order to remove pesticides and fertilizers that have been used to produce the vegetables. Cut the ends of the carrots as well as the celery and the core of the apple. Cut them into tiny pieces, mix they well, place them on a blender.
Recipe #2
Carrots, tomatoes and apple juice
Prepare:
6 carrots
2 apples
2 plum tomatoes
A pinch of ginger
Wash the carrots and apples and remove the parts that you don't need, use a juicer, mix the carrots and the apples and then afterwards add a pinch of ginger, this juice is best served chilled.
Recipe #3
Broccoli, carrot, apples and beetroot juice
Prepare:
(225 g) of broccoli
(170 g) of carrots
(55 g) of beetroot
(55 g) apples
You can add honey for sweet taste
Be sure to wash the broccoli and carrots as well as the beetroot and the apples. It would be best to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before preparation in order to remove pesticides. After that, remove the hard ends from the carrots and make separate the broccoli into florets. Slice the beetroots, use the juicer and mix all of the ingredients.
The cool green juice mix
9oz of green apples
4� oz of broccoli
3 oz of celery
1 oz) of parsley
6 oz of cucumber
Wash all the ingredients properly to avoid ingesting pesticides. Cut them into small pieces and remove the hard parts. Use a juicer and use a tall glass. Serve chilled.
Wash, core the apples and cut into small pieces. Separate the broccoli into florets. Cut the ends from the celery. Juice all of the ingredients and serve with ice.
For more info on   vegetable fruit juice, visit http://www.bestjuicingsecrets.com/vegetable-juice-recipes/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegetable-Juice-Recipes&id=6545761] Vegetable Juice Recipes

The Best Vegetable Juice Recipes

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jan_Gilbert]Jan Gilbert
If you're wondering how on earth you're ever going to eat your "Minimum Daily Requirement" of fruits and vegetables each day, here's a quick and easy solution. Juicing!
The "MDR" varies according to your age, but to simplify it's about 2-3 cups each of fruits and vegetables for adult men and a half cup less of each for women. But remember that the "M" in MDR stands for the minimum amount needed to maintain a healthy body as determined by the US Department of Agriculture nutritional research, not the optimum amount that makes you feel your best!
Whether your goal is minimum or optimum, juicing is the fastest way to ingest and absorb all the nutrients in fruits and vegetables. One pound of produce makes just one cup of fresh juice, so a glass or two a day will do it! And because juicing separates the juice from the fiber, your body absorbs more nutrients faster than if you had eaten the fruit or vegetable whole. And keep in mind that store-bought juice must be pasteurized. This process destroys many good nutrients such as enzymes. And commercially made juice is not fresh or chemical-free.
Juicing is also the best way to ingest green vegetables. These are considered "superfoods" because they are packed with minerals, protein, and alkalizing nutrients, but they are not very tasty. You can simply eliminate their bitter taste by juicing them with other more flavorful foods such as carrots, apples, berries, and bananas.
You can use your creative juices and experiment with fruit and vegetable combinations that suit your taste. If you're worried about wasting time and expensive produce on combos that might taste terrible, just pick up a juicing recipe book to guide you. It will also provide combinations that prevent and even fight a wide variety of illnesses.
Here are my absolute favorite vegetable juice recipes - one for the sweet tooth and one that's spicy:
Sweet Veggie Juice
6 carrots - only peel half the surface!
2 stalks celery - with the greens!
2 sprigs mint or 1"ginger
Spicy Veggie Juice
2 tomatoes - skin and all!
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
� beet
1 leaf spinach
� handful fresh parsley
4 sprigs watercress
sea salt and pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Horseradish to taste
Remember to wash your produce to reduce pesticides. Better yet use your own garden grown or farmers' market organic produce to eliminate chemicals altogether. Even large grocery stores now have organic lines of fruits and vegetables - they cost a bit more, but your health is well worth it!
Most juicing appliances are made to be durable so you can juice stems and seeds without harming the appliance. Pits and large seeds should be removed as well as hard husks and skins. Most juicers will clog if you throw in a banana or avocado, so place these in a blender and then combine it with your juiced produce. If you don't want to buy a juicer, you can use a blender but you have to strain the juice or it tastes sandy!
Some people juice entire citrus fruits, rind and all, such as lemons, limes, oranges, and even grapefruit! I'm not one of them. I discard the peel, but I do juice that white pith which is packed with nutrients. Melons also can be juiced in their entire, just beware that the skin adds bitterness to the flavor.
And one more quick tip, don't bother to store your juice by refrigerating or freezing - most of the nutrients value is lost after 24 hours. Some foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, and melon, start losing their nutrients right after you juice them. So it's best to drink your fresh juice right away. If you must store something, freeze the produce, not the juice.
Absolutely nothing is more thirst quenching and good for you - and your children! - than a quick glass of home-made juice. And with juicing, there's no cooking and no pans to clean. So start juicing today!
Jan Gilbert is dedicated to promoting the amazing benefits of freshly juiced, organic fruits and vegetables. [http://www.Juicing-Secrets.com/vegetable-juice-recipes/]Click here for more juicing tips, recipes, and recipe books.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Best-Vegetable-Juice-Recipes&id=6548565] The Best Vegetable Juice Recipes

What Is Greek Yogurt - How to Make Greek Yogurt At Home

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Samu_Adam]Samu Adam
We know that there are several types of yogurts which come in different tastes and flavors. But what is Greek Yogurt and how does it differ from regular yogurt? Well, Greek Yogurt is made by straining plain yogurt in a muslin cloth or paper filter to remove the whey from the yogurt. This type of yogurt therefore has a thicker consistency between that of regular yogurt and cheese, although it retains the distinct sour taste of plain yogurt.
The milk from which the yogurt is prepared is normally boiled thoroughly to extract some of the water. The milk is also made thicker by adding thickening agents if required. This yogurt normally has a higher content of live and active culture present in it than regular yogurt.
How to Make Greek Yogurt At Home
You can prepare Greek Yogurt at home with the normal ingredients you already have in your kitchen.
1. Take two cups of low-fat, plain yogurt.
2. Strain the yogurt using cheese cloth or paper towels for about two to three hours.
3. After straining, add vanilla and sweetener to the mix. Use maple syrup or honey as sweetener.
4. Store in a refrigerator. It stays fresh for several days.
5. Serve the yogurt as topping for fresh fruit. Add cocoa or cinnamon for flavor.
Starting with two cups of yogurt, you can have about 8 servings. This is a much healthier alternative as a tasty topping when compared to whipped cream. If you want a swirly topping, add chocolate or strawberry sauce and mix it a little.
If you wish to have a good energy breakfast, granola and Greek Yogurt are a great combination. If you want a tasty dipping sauce for citrus fruits, strawberries or your chocolate cookies, you can again use homemade yogurt. Another great morning or evening meal is yogurt mixed with three pairs of walnut halves and one tablespoon of natural honey.
For people on a weight loss regimen, Greek Yogurt is a great choice. It comes packed with proteins and keeps you feeling full, helping you cut down on the quantity of food intake. It also has a lower fat content, which again helps greatly in cutting down weight.
Making Greek Yogurt a regular part of your diet can make you stay healthy and lose excess weight. It also provides you with a long list of tasty dishes to add to your repertoire.
  What is Greek Yogurt? Visit http://www.whatisgreekyogurt.com/ to find out more.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Is-Greek-Yogurt---How-to-Make-Greek-Yogurt-At-Home&id=6553796] What Is Greek Yogurt - How to Make Greek Yogurt At Home

Dairy-Free and Vegan Potato Salad Recipe With A Kick of An Unexpected Spice

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ebony_Johnson]Ebony Johnson
This meat-free & dairy-free potato salad will have you getting rid of the usual & predictable conventional potato salad for sure. In the event your family holiday gatherings are anything like mine, people are asking "where is the potato salad" as soon as they hit the door. This dairy-free, Curried Potato dish is a far cry from the everyday "yellow" or "southern style" potato salad that you've been served year-end and year out. Add a little spice and a unique flavor to your holiday menu. Your guests will welcome the change!
Dairy-Free Curried Potato Salad Recipe:
Potato Salad Dressing:
Ingredients:
�Vegetable or Olive Oil for sautee
�Small chopped red onion
�1 chopped red bell pepper
�1/2 small finely chopped jalape�o pepper
�1 teaspoon celery salt
�1 teaspoon ground cumin
�1 teaspoon ground coriander
�1 teaspoon turmeric
�2 tablespoons of curry powder
�1 cup of raisins (make sure you soak them first in hot water)
�Fresh juice of 1 lime or lemon
�1 cup of Veganise
�2 teaspoons of chopped cilantro
Dressing Directions:
1. In a small skillet, drizzle oil, over medium heat, and allow to get warm. Add the onions, bell peppers, and jalape�o peppers. Cook vegetables until they are soft. Next, add the celery salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and curry powder. Cook for about 5 minutes. To de-glaze the pan and get the spices from the bottom of the pan, drizzle some lemon juice in the pan.
2. In a food processor or blender, add the vegetable mixture and raisins. Pulse until chopped and smooth. Add half of the lime or lemon juice and the veganaise and cilantro and continue to pulse. Next add the dressing to a bowl and add the remainder of the lime or lemon juice. Stir well and refrigerate.
Salad Ingredients:
�1 pound of cooked and cubed red skinned potatoes
�1/2 pkg of drained extra firm tofu
�1/2 cup of raisins (make sure these have been soaked in hot water)
�Chopped cilantro (optional)
Salad Directions:
1. In a large bowl, crumble the extra firm tofu (with your hands). Next, add the cubed potatoes, raisins and cilantro and toss well.
2. Next, add the dressing to the salad and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Which dishes do you "traditionally" serve during the holidays? Is potato salad among them? What are a few of your favorite potato based meals?
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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Dairy-Free-and-Vegan-Potato-Salad-Recipe-With-A-Kick-of-An-Unexpected-Spice&id=6400155] Dairy-Free and Vegan Potato Salad Recipe With A Kick of An Unexpected Spice