Blog Monthly Archives: April 2015

Almond Milk Pulp Macaroons

April 23, 2015

Coconut Macaroons

Liz has been making almond milk more and more lately.  One of the by-products of making this awesome milk is a lot of almond pulp.  We are not wasteful around here, so we’ve been adding the almond pulp to various things we make in the kitchen.  It is a great ingredient, as it is full of protein and can be used as a base in recipes, like a flour (as long as you lessen amount of liquid you add to offset the water in the pulp).

One yummy use for the almond pulp is to make macaroons.  Here is a great recipe we came across that uses the pulp and the amazing natural sweetness of Medjool dates.  As we play around with almond pulp recipes more, additional recipes may be posted… maybe even another variation or two on this one!

Enjoy!

 

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup almond pulp
  • 1/3 cup pitted Medjool dates
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp almond or vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine dates, almond pulp, sea salt, and almond or vanilla in a food processor and pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add shredded coconut and coconut oil and pulse until thoroughly mixed.
  3. Scoop 1 tbsp portions of the batter, roll into balls between your palms and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  4. Bake until golden, 25-30 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

 Notes

  • makes about 12 macaroons.
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon can be added for a nice addition to the flavour
  • if you love chocolate (like we do) you can add a few tablespoons of cocoa into the mix before baking  or drizzle melted chocolate over the finished macaroons.

  Recipe modified from Yoga Journal post.

  Photo Credit: Roxanna Salceda – License

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , , ,

Oatmeal Cookies

April 4, 2015

“I am not sure where this recipe originates, but it has been in my Mom’s recipe box for as long as I can remember and I have been making it since I was a kid. These cookies have quickly become a favourite and the recipe has been requested so many times, that we just had to add it to the website. I hope you enjoy making and eating them as much as we do!”

 ~  Kurt

Makes about 36 cookies.

Basic Recipe:

¾ cup butter or margerine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg OR 1 tbsp.ground flaxseeds (heaping) and ¼ cup water
2 tbsp water (as needed)
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup whole wheat flour (or mixture of 1/3 c. whole wheat and 1/3 c. all purpose flours)
¾ tsp baking soda
3 cups oatmeal (large flakes are better, but ‘quck oats’ also work)

 

Option 1: Double Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Kurt’s favourite)

Make basic recipe and add:
¼ cup  cocoa
1½ cups chocolate chips
(Try substituting ½ c of the chocolate chips for dried cranberries or coconut for something different.)

Option 2 : Cran-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies (Liz’s favourite)

Make basic recipe and add:
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup raisins

 

Preheat oven to 350 F

Preparation:

1. Mix together butter and sugars until creamy in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the egg, water and vanilla mix in.
(alternately, instead of the egg, mix the 1 tbsp. ground flax seeds and ¼ c. water in a small glass or measuring cup and let stand for 5 min. until it is gooey and then add to the wet ingredients.)
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking soda and then mix into the large bowl.
4. Mix the oats into the batter and then any additional ingredients from the “optional” recipes.
5. Spoon compacted balls of the batter onto cookie sheets, flatten the balls out a bit with the spoon, and bake for 12 to 15 min.
6. When done in the oven, let the cookies sit to cool on the pan for several minutes for them to firm up.

Enjoy!

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , ,

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

April 4, 2015

This basic recipe is adapted from The Chopra Center Cookbook, by Deepak Chopra. It has quickly turned into the favourite muffin we serve here at Sugar Ridge and group after group raves about it. Try it yourself at home…. but we know you will be back for more!

Makes twelve muffins.

Dry Ingredients:

2 c. whole wheat flour (preferably “soft”)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

 

Wet Ingredients:

1 c. soy / rice milk
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 c. maple syrup
3/4 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. sliced almonds, sunflower seeds or your favourite nut/seed
1/2 c. raisins or dried cranberries (I use a bit of both!)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Preparation:

1. Grease muffin tin.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and the wet ingredients in a smaller one.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl and combine with the dry to make a smooth batter.
4. Mix in nuts/seeds and dried fruit.
5. Scoop the bater into the muffin tins and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.

Muffins should be golden brown, and check by an inserted toothpick coming out clean. If not, put them in for 5 more minutes.

Notes

If you don’t have maple syrup, brown sugar can be substituted, but you will have add a few extra tablespoons of milk to increase the moistness. Add a bit at a time… 

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , ,

The Best Rice Pudding in The World

April 4, 2015

This recipe has been my favourite rice pudding for over a decade now.  It is from the 1996 Milk Calendar, by James Barber (the Urban Peasant), and I now use it regularly to tempt the tastebuds of guests here on retreat!

2/3 cup arborio rice (the rice being arborio is key!)

Ingredients:

4 cups milk
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter
Grated rind of 2 lemons
Cinnamon, optional

Preheat oven to 250F (120C)

Preparation:

1. Mix the rice, milk, sugar, butter and lemon rind together in a bowl and pour the mixture into a greased 2 quart baking dish.
2. Bake for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve hot or cold.

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , ,

Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

April 4, 2015

Vegan with no added fat.

Ingredients:

1 1/8 cup flour
¾ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1 ½ cup sugar
⅓ cup cocoa
3 tbsp. ground flax seeds (heaping) added to ¾ cup water (egg substitute)
⅓ – ½ cup apple sauce OR mashed raspberries (oil substitute)
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cups chocolate chips
¾ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds or your choice of nut

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Preparation:

  1. Grease 9-inch, square baking pan.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl.
  3. Mix ground flaxseeds with water in a small cup and let stand for 5 min until it is slimy (raw egg consistency).
  4. Add apple sauce, vanilla and flaxseed/water mixture.
  5. Pour mixture into large bowl and mix until combined.
  6. Mix in chocolate chips and walnuts.
  7. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan.
  8. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes. 

(Look for dryness of top of brownies and if slightly pulling away from sides of dish after 30 min.  If not, leave for a few minutes more.)
 
Notes:

  • Amount of sugar can be adjusted to taste.
  • More applesauce can be added as needed to add moisture to recipe .  Batter should be thick and wet, but not runny. 
  • Try adding dried cranberries for a different flavour.
  • Recipe can easily be doubled… usually the preferred size once you taste them!
  • Try recipe in spring form pan and sprinkle top with icing sugar before serving.

From the hands and heart of Kurt Frost in the kitchen at Sugar Ridge Retreat Centre.

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , , ,

Orange Poppy Seed Pancakes

April 4, 2015

Makes eight medium-sized pancakes.

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp nonaluminum baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
¼ cup poppy seed

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup milk
2/3 cup water (or equal mixture of orange or lemon juice)
1 tsp finely grated orange or lemon zest
1 cup fresh blueberries (or fruit of your choice)

Preparation:

1. Add dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
2. Wisk together milk, water (or juice) and zest in a small bowl until combined.
3. Add wet ingredients and blueberries to the large bowl of dry ingredients and stir to combine, using as few strokes as possible. (Batter will be quite liquidy.)
4. Let batter sit for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken.
5. Ladle onto frying pan or griddle set to medium heat.
6. Flip when bubbly on top and edges are slightly dry.

(Lovingly modified from the recipe in John Robbins’ May All Be Fed: Diet for a New World.)

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , ,

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

April 4, 2015

Makes twelve 4-inch pancakes.

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 tsp nonaluminum baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp fine sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preparation

1. Mix together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Wisk together milk and water in a small bowl until combined.
3. Add wet ingredients and blueberries to the large bowl of dry ingredients and stir to combine, using as few strokes as possible. (Batter will be quite liquidy.)
4. Let batter sit for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken.
5. Ladle onto frying pan or griddle set to medium heat.  Flip when bubbly on top and edges are slightly dry.

(Lovingly modified from the recipe in John Robbins’ May All Be Fed: Diet for a New World.)

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , ,

Apple Oatmeal Pancakes

April 4, 2015

(makes ~12 pancakes)

1 ½ cups    quick rolled oats
2 cups        milk

1 cup         flour
1 tbsp        baking powder
1 tsp          salt
½  tsp         cinnamon

2 tbsp.       ground flax seeds (heaping) added to ½ cup water     [egg substitute]

¼ cup         shredded apple     [butter/margarine substitute; can add more apple]

 

  1. Mix together milk and rolled oats in a large bowl and leave for 5 min to soak  (this is for “quick oats”; soak longer if using “rolled oats” or “large flake oats”).
  2. Blend together dry ingredients and add to milk-oatmeal mixture.
  3. Mix ground flax and water and let stand until it is goopy (~5 min).
  4. Add flax-water mixture and shredded apple into the batter.
  5. Cook on lightly greased griddle until bubbly on top, then flip and cook until browned.

 

Healthier Modifications:

  • Gluten free flour can be substituted for wheat flour. Unless specified that it can be added one-to-one as a substitution (like with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour), add 1.5x the amount of gluten free flour.  Also, add Xanthum Gum when using gluten free flour to hold it together better.
  • Butter/margarine is substituted with shredded apple. Other options are applesauce or mashed banana (or both!)  Extra fruit makes the batter heavier/wetter, so you may wish to reduce the amount of liquid added.
Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , , ,

Carrot Ginger Soup

April 4, 2015

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

7 cups of vegetable stock
2 lbs fresh carrots, peeled
4 stalks celery, grated
1 tsp black pepper
3 leeks, cleaned & sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 pint heavy cream (optional) 
4 tbsp butter
1 yam, peeled
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground nutmeg
3″ piece of ginger, grated (I just chop it finely)

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, bring stock to a boil.
2. Chop all vegetables into small pieces (1/2″ cubes)
3. In a sauté pan, over med-high heat, melt half of the butter. Sauté vegetables with ginger and nutmeg forapprox. 15 minutes, or until vegetables are browned. Add remaining butter as needed.
4. Add sautéed vegetables to stock, reduce heat, cover with lid, and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Let cool to room temperature and then puree in a blender. Soup should be thick and smooth.
Add salt and pepper.
6. To serve, add approx. 1 tbsp. of cream per serving and re-heat. Do not boil.

Serve in warm bowls.

Thanks to Kurt’s Aunt Barbara for this wonderful recipe!

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , ,

Mango Salad

April 4, 2015

Ingredients:

3 semi-ripe green-to-yellow mangoes
Basil leaves
Half of red bell pepper
Half of green bell pepper
Chili bean paste

Preparation:

1. Cut the mangoes, red & green bell peppers into thin elongated stripes (about 1 ½ inch in length)
2. Chop 5-6 leaves of basil
3. Mix together mangoes, red & green bell peppers
4. Add a pinch of salt (1/8 tsp) & optional sugar (1/4 tsp)
5. Add 1/4 tsp of chili bean paste
6. Toss & enjoy!

Serve it with extra hot sauce available for those who like it extra spicy!

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , ,