High Altitude Whole Wheat Vegan Brownies (7000 ft)

My little sister went vegan so I have been experimenting. These were actually much better than I expected.

Vegetarian Stuffing

I am trying out some recipes for Thanksgiving. Here is the stuffing we made tonight.

Yoghurt Bomb

Yoghurt Bomb

High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (7000 ft)

I made these for a cook out we are hosting this evening. The first batch was a miserable failure because I didn't wait 'til the butter was soft enough. Make sure it is nice and mushy before you whip up the batter.

High Altitude Zucchini Coconut Bread (7000 ft)

I didn't feel like eating anything in my kitchen. This is about all I had ingredients for.

Slow Cooker Indian(ish) Curry

I know baby corn and bamboo shoots aren't really Indian ingredients but I love them and put them in everything.

Indian Dinner

Easy to make and tastes wonderful!

Vegetarian Buffalo "Chicken" Quiche

Good and spicy!

High Altitude Corn Bread Recipe (7000 ft)

Here is a quick and easy recipe that comes out moist and doesn't fall apart like many cornbread recipes.

High Altitude Blueberry Corn Cake (7000 ft)

Tasty and not much guilt. It is all whole grain (if you get corn meal that is not de-germinated) and doesn't have to much added sugar.

Asparagus Stuffed Manicotti and Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Delicious and a bit lighter than most manicotti recipes I have come across.

Roasted Turnips

At this point I feel like it is my goal in life to roast every vegetable known to woman. I just can't get enough roasted veggies!

Colcannon 2 and Leftover Colcannon Rösti

The other night I made some colcannon for dinner. It was wonderful. Just a heads up, this is not a healthy recipe. The next morning I wanted to make something different for breakfast so I tried to make some colcannon cakes and it actually worked!

Broccoli Quiche

Quick and tasty and everything is already in the fridge. Throw it together and enjoy!

Vegetarian French Onion Soup

I had a bunch of onions sliced in the fridge that needed to get used. Since I was feeling particularly lazy, I decided to made something that required almost no prep work.

Herb Roasted Potatoes and Sautéed Broccoli with Walnuts and Parmesan

I currently have a ton of veggies in the crisper that need to get used. I guess that is what happens when I go to the grocery store hungry. Dinner consisted of a bunch of side dishes because I was to lazy to cook a main dish and we already had the green beans and the rice cooked in the fridge.

Cabbage Soup With Caramelized Onion Toast

I have been having really bad allergies lately. Since it makes me feel like I constantly have a cold, I have been making a lot of soup. Here is another.

Slow Cooker Veggies and Dumplings

Needs work... Don't try...

Tonight I want good home cooking for dinner. Lots of veggies, like usual.

Roasted Veggie Thai Curry

Delicious and quick to throw together if you already have roasted vegetables in the fridge! If you don't have veggies already roasted you can still make this quickly by simmering the cauliflower and zucchini for about 10 minutes in the sauce at the end of step 2.

Slow Cooker Minestrone

Tonight calls for something easy and also light and healthy. When I feel like I need a vegetable fix, I always go for Minestrone.

Michael & Craig's Birthday Dinner Menu

We missed some birthdays while we were in Hawaii so we are going to try to make it up to our friends now that we are back. First on the list are Michael and Craig. They are coming over tomorrow night.

Tofu Tikka Masala

I LOVE Chicken Tikka Masala. It is the only meat dish that ever tempts me. Sometimes when we go to the Indian buffet, I scoop a tiny bit of the delicious, creamy sauce over some rice and hope that I didn't accidentally eat a bit of chicken. Then, I had the genius idea: Tofu Tikka Masala. Here is my first attempt. I have actually been dreaming about this so much, I typed up the recipe and I am going to make it as soon as I get back to Santa Fe. I am going to make my shopping list and have it all ready for when I get home.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Our friends here in Hawaii are hosting a going away party for us tonight. I can't show up empty handed so I am going to bring along a dessert. For some strange reason I have been in the mood for pumpkin lately so I am making some Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread to take along. It is perfectly sweet, so if you use sweetened shredded coconut, make sure to reduce the brown sugar.

Mexican Quiche

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup cooked corn kernels, thawed if frozen
• 1/4 cup cooked black beans
• 1/2 cup roasted green chile
• 1 prepared pie shell
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup grated queso fresco (you can find it by the cream cheese in the grocery store)
• 4 tsps all purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400º. 
2. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. In medium bowl, toss 4 teaspoons flour with the cheese. Sprinkle cheese mixture into the pie shell. Add the corn, beans, green chile and onions. Be careful not to get any of the liquid from the pan into the quiche, it will make the crust soggy.
4. In medium bowl, combine eggs, milk and salt. Whisk until smooth and pour over cheese and veggies.
5. Place foil around edge of crust to protect it. Bake for 45 minutes, or until filling is set and crust is golden brown.

Baked Polenta Cakes with Tomato Sauce and Roasted Vegetables

Tonight we are having company for dinner. I want to make something easy and delicious. Baked polenta cakes with tomato sauce are filling and quick and easy to make. They can even be made ahead and served at room temperature with the rest of dinner. I am going to serve them with Roasted Cauliflower and Roasted Zucchini and Roasted Onions (recipe below).

Veggie Burger Quiche

I needed something for breakfast today that was hearty, filling made with the very limited ingredients I already had in the kitchen. One must be full of delicious food when heading out to an adventure at a volcano, you know. Here is what I came up with.

Tofeat Loaf & Sweet Peas with Onions and Garlic

I have a bunch of mashed potatoes and British Onion Gravy left over from last nights dinner so I decided to make some hearty home cooking to go with it. Nothing more home-cookingy than meatloaf! Add a few tasty peas and you have a delicious meal.

Vegetarian Onion Soup Mix Recipe

Here is a vegetarian version of onion soup mix. Mix up a bunch and use as you would commercial mix. You can also add some vegetable bouillon if you would like!

Veggie Enchiladas with Mexican Rice

Here are some recipes for tasty vegetarian enchiladas and delicious Mexican rice. This is another delicious addition to Mexican week!

Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Here is the recipe for tonight's dinner. I used the leftover refried beans and corn from Burrito night.

No Sugar Added Zucchini Bread

I made Sugar Free Zucchini Bread the other day and it was not quite sweet enough. I think I will try it again with some more ripe bananas some time. In the meantime, here is my second attempt to make a quick bread with no added sugar.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

This soup is incredibly delicious and super easy to make. It has very little added fat and still tastes full bodied. Win!

Burritos with Refried Beans and Zucchini

For some reason this is Mexican week at our house. Here is the recipe for night #1.

Sugar Free Zucchini Bread

I had great success with my zucchini bread recipe I made the other day. It was a bit to sweet though.  I am going to try and make a loaf with no added sugar and with reduced fat.

Roasted Zucchini

Tonight we are finishing up the leftover pasta and sauce from last night. This evening's vegetable of choice is roasted zucchini.

Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse

I found a bunch of different recipes for apple cider vinegar rinses online. After reading through, I found that the recipes with a higher ratio of vinegar are better for long, dry hair. I am adding rose petals and rose hips so it complements my Rose Butter Bath & Shampoo bar I am using. Hopefully this will help with the coarse, dry feeling my hair has since I started using natural products.

Zucchini Carrot Bread

Zucchini is one of the cheapest vegetables we can get at the farmers market here in Hilo. As a result, we have eaten a TON of it this summer. At least we will have a bunch of new recipes to deal with the traditional summer zucchini glut next year.

Rotini in Pink Sauce with Broccoli & Cauliflower

I made this up for our dinner tonight.

Polenta Cakes With Ginger Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Garlic Green Beans

I wanted something easy and filling for dinner tonight. I found a few inspirational recipe videos on Youtube, a couple minutes on Allrecipes.com, and Voilà! A delicious dinner! Here are the original recipes for the Ginger Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans. The polenta is my own recipe.

Minty Toothpaste

I didn't really enjoy the first batch of homemade toothpaste I made. It was overwhelmingly coconuty and greasy. After it sat on the counter a while, the mixture started to separate. I poured off some of the accumulated coconut oil. Then I added more essential oil and stevia. Now it is much more palatable.

Kitchen Sink Tea Blend

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp rose petals
• 1 tsp spearmint
• 1 tsp hyssop
• 1 tsp lemongrass
• 4 green cardamom pods

Macocona Bread

For MAcadamia-COCOnut-banaNA bread. It is totally a word. I am making this for the pot luck they are having this evening at the Gemimi Observatory.

Tropical Bread Pudding

Since we have been in Hawaii, I have become obsessed with coconut. I made this for breakfast this morning. My bread pudding is based loosely on this recipe.

Irish Colcannon

Tonight I made Mushroom Meatloaf with Onion Gravy, Roasted Cauliflower and Irish Colcannon. Lots of cruciferous vegetables and totally delicious. I am happy I will have tons of leftovers and not have to cook lunch tomorrow.

Cardamom Tea

Ingredients

• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 tsp chopped lemongrass
• 1 tsp crushed rose hips

Instructions

1. Place all tea ingredients in tea ball. 
2. Cover with boiling water
3. Steep for 10 minutes.
4. Remove tea ball.
5. Add sweetener and creamer as desired.
6. Enjoy!

Cruciferous Quiche

I had some roasted cauliflower, cabbage and 1/2 zucchini in the fridge that had to get used and I didn't feel like doing to much work for dinner. The result: Cruciferous Quiche! I love quiche because I get a good serving of protein and I stay nice and full after eating them.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
• 1 medium onion, sliced very thin
• 1/2 cup finely chopped zucchini
• 1 prepared pie crust
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 4 tsps all purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 cup finely chopped, roasted cauliflower

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400º. 
2. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add cabbage, onion and zucchini and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. In medium bowl, toss 4 teaspoons flour with the cheese. Sprinkle cheese mixture into the pie shell. Add the zucchini and onions. Be careful not to get any of the liquid from the pan into the quiche, it will make the crust soggy.
4. In medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt and mustard. Whisk until smooth and pour over cheese and veggies. Sprinkle roasted cauliflower over the top.
5. Place foil around edge of crust to protect it.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, or until filling is set and crust is golden brown. Garnish with parsley.

Night Time Tea Blend

I have had a lot of trouble falling asleep the last few nights. Tonight I am going to try to make a relaxing and calming tea blend to help. This tastes just like Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Tea.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Chamomile
• 1 tsp Spearmint
• 1 tsp Lemongrass
• Honey
• 1/2 & 1/2

Instructions

1. Place all tea ingredients in tea ball. 
2. Cover with boiling water
3. Steep for 10 minutes.
4. Remove tea ball.
5. Add creamer as desired.
6. Enjoy!

Notes For Next Time:

1. I used Fresh Stevia to sweeten this cup. Next time, skip the Stevia. Go with honey

Fancy Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

I wanted something that I could do most of the preparation early and just do a little bit at dinner time. I threw the soup together while Billy was napping. All I had to do at dinner time was make the cheese sandwiches, reheat the soup and put a splash of milk in each bowl. Easy Peasy.

Grilled Cheese and Apple Sandwiches

Based on this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp butter, softened
• 4 slices whole wheat bread
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced thin
• 2/3 cup shredded cheese or 4 slices

Instructions

1. Place a pan over medium/low heat. Spray with cooking spray.
2. Butter one side of each piece of bread. Place butter side down in pan. Add 1 slice cheese, half the apple slices and then another slice cheese. Place second piece of bread on top. After a few minutes, flip carefully. Continue cooking and flipping until cheese is melted and the bread is browned. If the bread is browning faster than the cheese is melting, turn down the heat.
3. Repeat for the second sandwich.

Notes for next time:

1. The sandwich was great dunked in the soup. However, on its own it was not balanced. Maybe use cheddar instead of swiss for a sandwich on its own.

Easy Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onions, sliced thin
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk or half and half

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic and cook for about 1 more minute, until garlic is fragrant.
2. Add tomatoes. Turn heat down to a simmer and cook for another 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add brown sugar, stirring well. Remove from heat. 
3. If you are going to eat the soup right away, add milk or half and half. Stir well. Blend if desired.
4. If you are going to wait to eat the soup, refrigerate after step 2. At mealtime, reheat soup, add the dairy and continue heating until just warmed through.

Rose Hip & Hyssop Tea Blend

I bought a few different types of loose leaf tea in the bulk section at Abundant Life Natural Foods grocery store yesterday. This is my first experiment.

Rose Hip & Hyssop Tea Blend 

Ingredients

• 1 tsp rose hips
• 1 tsp hyssop
• 1 tsp chamomile
• 1 tsp lemongrass

Instructions

1. Place all tea ingredients in tea ball. 
2. Cover with boiling water
3. Steep for 10 minutes.
4. Remove tea ball.
5. Add sweetener and creamer as desired.
6. Enjoy!

This is a great tea!