Garlic Hummus Recipe & Recipe Card

Here is the Hummus Recipe I promised yesterday - using the Blender image From the Digi Set mentioned in my last post. You can also find this and other great Digi Stamps over at MyGraficO.com. Hummus is one of my favorite things to make because it's yummy, easy, cheap, and there are literally thousands of different variations/recipes to try. For vegetarians it's wonderful because of all the fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and flavor! So...here's a recipe and another example of how I used my Digi Stamp from the set this week!

If you want to win this Digi Stamp Set - swing on over to the MyGraficO Challenge Blog - Good Luck and Have Fun!

My First Celeriac

This past Saturday I bought my first Cereliac at a local Farmers Market.
What is Celeriac? Wikipedia is a GREAT Thing.

It really DOES smell and taste JUST LIKE Celery!
Last night I made Quinoa-Hummus Casserole and added a little bit of it for flavor.
I still have the majority of it left and think I might make some soup because the cooler weather is starting to hit.

It's what's for lunch...

...and it's YUMMY!

Amy's Kitchen Organic Tuscan Bean & Rice Soup

Organic Tuscan Bean & Rice Soup
INGREDIENTS : NO TRANS FAT • NO ADDED MSG • NO PRESERVATIVES (VEGAN) FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC BROWN RICE, ORGANIC ONIONS, ORGANIC BORLOTTI BEANS, ORGANIC CELERY, ORGANIC SPINACH, ORGANIC CARROTS, ORGANIC TOMATO PUREE, ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, ORGANIC GARLIC, ORGANIC SPICES*, SEA SALT, ORGANIC HIGH OLEIC SAFFLOWER AND/OR SUNFLOWER OIL, ORGANIC BLACK PEPPER. *100% PURE HERBS & SPICES (NO HIDDEN INGREDIENTS)

This is lunch today and it's wonderful!
:P

Mayan Harvest Bake

This was Dinner for me last night. It was the first time I have tried the Mayan Harvest Bake from Kashi but boy was it good!

(Vegan)
Ingredients: AMARANTH POLENTA (WATER, AMARANTH, MILLED CORN, SALT, ANCHO CHILI, ONION PUREE, CANE JUICE CRYSTALS, SPICES, CILANTRO, GARLIC, SESAME SEEDS, PAPRIKA), PLANTAINS (PLANTAINS, SOYBEAN OIL), WATER, BLACK BEANS (BLACK BEANS, WATER), ROASTED SWEET POTATO, KASHI SEVEN WHOLE GRAINS AND SESAME® PILAF (WATER, PILAF [WHOLE: OATS, LONG GRAIN BROWN RICE, RYE, HARD RED WINTER WHEAT, TRITICALE, BUCKWHEAT, BARLEY, SESAME SEEDS]), TOMATOES (GROUND TOMATOES, TOMATO PUREE, SALT), KALE, ANCHO CHILI PEPPER PASTE (WATER, ANCHO CHILI, ONION PUREE, CANE JUICE CRYSTALS, SPICES, CILANTRO, GARLIC, SESAME SEED, SEA SALT, PAPRIKA), ROASTED AND SALTED PEPITAS (PUMPKIN SEED KERNELS, SUNFLOWER OIL, SALT), EVAPORATED CANE JUICE CRYSTALS, EXPELLER PRESSED CANOLA OIL, RICE STARCH, GARLIC, EVAPORATED SALT, SOY FLOUR.

Dahl (Red Lentil Curry)

Ingredients

• 1/2 brown onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1 pinch roasted curry powder
• salt
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 cup red lentil
• 165 ml light coconut milk

Directions

1. 1

   Saute onions with garlic, curry powder, and black mustard seeds.

2. 2

   After cooked, add lentils and half fill pot with water.

3. 3

   Add tumeric and salt to taste, stir.

4. 4

   Cook until water nearly evaporated.

5. 5

   Simmer with milk/ coconut milk. (I use coconut milk)

I made some Dahl today. I have been really hungry for it. I'll sample a little bit tonight but save the rest for lunches! Perfect for the cold weather we have in the snowbelt!

Red Quinoa

I recently bought a new kind of Red Quinoa. Many of you may not know what Quinoa is - so CLICK HERE for the Wiki Page. It's great stuff! In short...it's a grain that the Inca's used. It's a complete protein and it's gluten free.



I like both regular Quinoa as well as Red Quinoa. I think the Red is a tad more flavorful. I often put it in a Hummus Quinoa Casserole that is featured in the Vive Le Vegan Cookbook by Dreena Burton.

I'm looking forward to trying some new recipes, too! If I have success with any of them - I will let you know!

"Chreesy" Rice & Veggies Casserole

The other night I made "Chreesy" Rice and Veggies Casserole. Chreese is made by Road End Organics and is a vegan alternative to cheese. I love the Chreese Mixes found in these lil envelopes...

They also have a gluten free version - just look for the gluten free symbol on the front. So...what's in this dish you ask? Well, there is White Rice, Chreese, Peas, Carrots, Potatoes, Dried Minced Onion, and Bread Crumbs. You can use French Fried Onions, too. And if you are looking for gluten free omit them or use a gluten free bread/alternative. I must say I was pleasantly surprised with this...it was very good and I will be making it often!

Here is another look at the dish!

Papaya Pear Squash

This is Papaya Pear Squash.

The first time I saw it was over the weekend and just HAD to try it. After Googling it I learned that it's a lot like Patty Pan Squash and can be substituted for Yellow Squash in recipes. I also learned that it's a bit sweeter than the other yellow squashes.

I nibbled on a small piece while throwing together an improv vegan dish.


Here is what I threw in:

2 Papaya Pear Squash
1/4 C Diced Onion
1 T (Vegan) Margarine
1 t Olive Oil
1 T Balsamic Vinegar
To taste: Basil, Sage, Oregano, Thyme, Sea Salt, Peppercorn Medley, Cayenne Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1 Can of Black Beans
1/2 Can of Corn


I sautéed until soft. It was very tasty! I think I will try this one again! Sorry I don't have a picture of the finished product...I tried...it didn't do it much justice.

Grilled Eggplant with Balsamic Honey (Agave Nectar) Syrup

Grilling Season is finally HERE in the snow belt! Many people ask me what I eat on a normal basis but when it comes to grilling they are REALLY interested! So, here's my first Vegetarian Grilling Post...Hubby and I are going to try and do more grilling this year so I will post my veg*n grilling adventures here as well. Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture, but the meal was wonderful! Tonight I had Grilled Eggplant with Balsamic Agave Nectar Syrup. I got the idea from Veggie Venture.

Why Agave Nectar? Or are you asking what IS Agave Nectar? Well, here are your answers! Agave Nectar is a vegan alternative to honey. You can learn more about Agave Nectar HERE.

Agave Nectar is approved by the Diabetic Association as well. The Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load is lower than other sweeteners.

But you could use Honey if you aren't vegan, diabetic, or as concerned about those sort of things.

Anyhow, the flavor consisted of Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Balsamic Vinegar, and Agave Nectar. It was grill for about 15 minutes and it was the BEST Eggplant I have ever had!!! YUM!

Welcome Friends and Family!

I've been thinking about a place like this for a long time. I've finally made the move and decided to do it but with a purpose. My Blissful Place will be a spot for me to keep in touch with my friends and family while posting about the things I love. Everything from Scrapbooking, Crafting, Photography...to things that are happening in and around my garden, kitchen, and home. You'll see some of the vegetarian and vegan dishes I try. PLUS you are sure to see pictures of my wonderful pets and favorite sports events and travels, I am sure! I'm going to try and keep this place as positive as possible so as hard as it may be for me NOT to vent about current events or politics - I will be keeping this zone drama-free. Grab a cup of tea and relax...comments welcome!