Because everyone Loves pancakes....

These were made after a long session in the water. They hit the spot, and after came a nap!  I played with some flour blends to keep it gluten free and we kept it vegan by using a flax egg and dairy free milk that I usually have fresh made.  Play and sub with this recipe and see how you like.  What really matters are the toppings! 

Ingredients for Pancake Batter:

·      1/3 cup Buckwheat Flout

·      1/3 cup Brown Rice Flour

·      1 tsp baking soda

·      ½ tsp salt

·      2 tsp coconut oil (melted then cooled)

·      2 tsp Honey ( you can omit to keep sugar low)

·      ¾ cup Fresh Almond milk or water

·      1 egg (flax egg to keep vegan)

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and then slowly mix in wet ingredients until well combined.  Heat up pan with coconut oil and place 2-3 pancakes on with good spacing.  Flip when bubbles form and edges become crispy.   Makes 4-5 5” pancakes.

Toppings:

·      Almond Butter Drizzle (heat up 2-3 tbs almond butter and 1 tbs of coconut oil and mix until smooth)

·      Blueberries

·      Bananas

·      Hemp Seeds

·      Walnuts

·      Toasted Coconut 

Spring Time Couscous Salad

This salad is the perfect recipe for spring.  I found this one from the Little Spice Jar website and can't get enough of it.  I threw in some Persian cucumbers to add some crunch and omitted the cheese to keep in non-dairy.  The hubby loved this one with a side of roasted chicken breast and it was great as left overs the next few days.  Happy Eating ! 

COUSCOUS SALAD:

            ½ cup uncooked couscous (not pearl   couscous)

            ½ cup water or chicken broth

            16 ounces (about 3 cups) frozen peas

                 4 persian cucumbers chopped  and diced

            ½ cup chopped parsley

            ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

            ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

 BASIL VINAIGRETTE:

            1 cup packed basil leaves

            ½ cup olive oil

            1 shallot, cut in half

            2 teaspoons minced garlic

            1 tablespoon honey

            3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

            1 pinch red pepper flakes

            salt and pepper

Start by making the couscous.   In a medium saucepan, bring the cooking liquid to a boil.  Once the liquid comes to a boil turn off the heat and add in the ½ cup couscous and let sit for 10 minutes.  In another medium saucepan bring a few cups of water to a boil and add the frozen peas.  Let the peas cook for about 3 minutes then drain and rinse with cold water and set aside. 

For the Basil Vinaigrette add all ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  In a large bowl add couscous, chopped walnuts, chopped cucumbers, peas, parsley and dressing.  Mix well until fully combined.  Add a protein of choice and enjoy!  Stores well in the refrigerator for 5 days in glass Tupperware. 

Dairy Free. Gluten Free. Vegan Pizza

This one is a favorite in the house.  There are a couple of steps for the crust, toppings, and sauce but totally worth it.  Having a Pizza Stone makes this crust super crispy, but you can also try a regular baking tray.  Give this one a try, even if your not vegan or dairy free!

For the Gluten Free Cassava Crust:

·      1 C Otto’s Cassava Flour

·      ½ C Tapioca Flour

·      2 tbs olive oil

·      1 tsp baking soda

·      ½ tsp salt

·      1 cup filtered water

Mix all ingredients in mixing stand and let form into a big dough ball.  Evenly spread dough into a round circle.  You want to spread this dough pretty thin.   I usually place the dough on parchment paper and then place another piece on top and roll the dough out.  Once the dough is evenly spread, lightly pour some olive oil on the dough and place in oven at 425 Degrees F for around 25 minutes.

For the Basil Spinach Pesto

·      1.5 cups packed Basil

·      1.5 cups packed Spinach

·      1 cup organic olive oil

·      ¼ cup walnuts

·      2 tbs pine nuts

·      2 cloves garlic

·      2 tsp lemon juice

·      1 tsp lemon zest

·      1 tsp salt

·      pinch of red pepper flakes

Place in a high speed blender or food processor.  Taste test and add salt, pepper or lemon to accommodate for taste. 

For the Cashew Cheese Sauce

·      1 C Raw Cashews soaked for at least 2 hours

·      ½ cup mixed Sunflower Seeds + Pumpkin Seeds

·      1 small jalapeno

·      ½ Lemon juice

·      1 garlic clove

·      ¾ cup warm water

·      2 tsp chipotle seasoning

·      Salt and Pepper to taste

Again, place all ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor and mix it all up!  Taste test and add salt , pepper and chipotle seasoning as needed.  

Once the Pizza crust is done, take out of the oven and start adding your toppings.  I usually start with the pesto then add some sautéed veggies (pictured above are bell peppers, onions, tempeh, and asparagus) then load on the cashew cream.  Put back in the oven for about 10 minutes to heat up.  Slice after 10 minutes of cooling.  Enjoy!