Zesty Orange Salsa

Embrace the Flavors of Summer: Refreshing Orange Salsa Recipe

Summer in Southern California means enjoying fresh produce like oranges and early-season tomatoes from the farmer’s markets. This refreshing orange salsa is perfect for July 4th barbecues or any time you want a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy dish.

If you like mango salsa, you'll love this citrusy alternative. Bursting with bright colors and a delightful balance of flavors, this homemade orange salsa is sure to tantalize your taste buds. Plus, the ingredients offer numerous health benefits, making it a delicious and nutritious choice.

Let's dive into this tasty and healthy creation!4 cups chopped tomoatoes

• 1 red onion, chopped

• 2 jalapenos, chopped

• 1/2 bunch of cilantro

• 2 oranges, peeled and cut into small pieces

• the juice of 1 lime

• Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

In a pan, with no oil I “sweat” the chopped onion and jalapeños for 3-4 minutes, it’s just enough to take the bite out of them but not really cook them. Set aside and let them cool. In a large sized glass bowl, combine the peeled and segmented oranges, chopped tomatoes, the cooled finely chopped red onion, minced jalapeno pepper, and fresh cilantro.

1. Drizzle the lime juice over the mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Gently toss all the ingredients together until well combined.

3. Allow the flavors to meld together by refrigerating the salsa for at least 30 minutes before serving.

   Pair it with crispy tortilla chips for a delightful appetizer.

   Use it as a vibrant accompaniment to tacos or quesadillas.

   Add a spoonful of this salsa to your favorite salads for a burst of flavor.

Benefits of the Ingredients:

Oranges: Oranges are renowned for their high vitamin C content, which strengthens the immune system, promotes collagen production, and aids in iron absorption. Additionally, they are rich in dietary fiber, supporting healthy digestion and maintaining a feeling of fullness. Oranges also offer a generous supply of antioxidants that help combat free radicals and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are a nutritional powerhouse. They are a great source of vitamins C and K, potassium, and folate. Tomatoes are also rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant associated with various health benefits, including reducing the risk of certain cancers and promoting heart health.

Red Onion: Red onions not only add a delightful crunch and flavor to the salsa but also pack a punch of health benefits. They are a great source of antioxidants, particularly quercetin, which possesses anti-inflammatory properties. Red onions also contain sulfur compounds that may support cardiovascular health and help regulate blood sugar levels.

Jalapeno Pepper: Jalapeno peppers, known for their spicy kick, are a fantastic source of capsaicin. Capsaicin has been linked to various health benefits, including pain relief, increased metabolism, and reduced inflammation. Jalapenos also contain vitamins A and C, along with essential minerals like potassium.

Cilantro: A type of herb.Beyond its aromatic qualities, cilantro (also known as coriander) is a herb loaded with antioxidants, vitamins A and K, and minerals such as potassium and calcium. It may have detoxifying properties, aid in digestion, and potentially reduce inflammation in the body.

Incorporating fresh, seasonal ingredients into your culinary adventures not only elevates your dining experience but also promotes a healthier lifestyle. It can also cut down on food waste, often farmers will sell “the uglier” fruit and vegetables for much less because most people don’t buy them, and they don’t need to be perfect if you’re making salsa. Studies have consistently shown that adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart diseases, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. Moreover, it's an environmentally conscious choice that contributes to a healthier planet. So, as you enjoy each spoonful of this delightful orange salsa, knowing that you're making a wholesome choice for yourself and a sustainable one for the Earth.

Carrot Cake

I don’t know why springtime and Easter scream “carrot cake” to me. Maybe it’s the association between bunnies and carrots? Nevertheless, carrot cake ranks in my top 5 favorite desserts. Banana cake is my all time fav, but that’s a different recipe for another day. I don’t usually tell people this is a plant based or vegan cake because when they hear that, they assume it’s going to be dry and have no flavor and this cake is anything but that! You can easily make this gluten free with all oat flour or a mixture of flours, I’ve done it and it comes out well but I like the texture of this one a little better. You can add 1/2-1 cup of raisins if you’d like. I don’t. For me, raisins belong in oatmeal cookies and that’s about it. I hope you love it and/or it brings back happy memories….carrot cake was all rage in the ‘70’s & ‘80’s!

2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 cup drained crushed pineapple (save the juice)

1 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans)

1 cup unbleached flour 

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup oat flour 

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda 

2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 cup organic sugar or coconut sugar 

1 cup organic brown sugar

3 flax ‘eggs’ 

1/2 cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tsp orange zest (optional)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 cups shredded carrots 

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

For the frosting:

1 cup (8 ounces) vegan cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup vegan butter, room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar, (approximately, you may need a bit less or a bit more depending on humidity, altitude & temperature)

1 tsp vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

a pinch of orange rind (optional)

Drained pineapple juice

Garnish with chopped nuts and carrot ribbons or shredded carrots, if desired

Directions for the frosting:

Beat the butter (room temperature) until creamy. Add the plant based cream cheese (Toffuti, Miyoko’s, Kitehill or Trader Joe’s brands are all good), add the vanilla extract and orange zest (optional). Beat until creamed with the butter. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until you have the desired consistency, it it’s too thick add some the drained pineapple juice 1 tsp at a time, if it’s too thin add a bit more powdered sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Directions for the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9 inch cake pans (I use coconut oil spray) or 24 muffin tins 

For the flax ‘eggs’ use 1 Tbsp flax meal and 3 Tbsp of water for each ‘egg’ (you can grind the seeds in a food processor). You can also use an egg replacer or chia ‘eggs’. Mix the flax and water and set aside until it’s a gelatinous texture.

In large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mix well. In separate bowl, combine sugar and flax ‘eggs’ beat until well blended. Add oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in carrots. Add flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Pour evenly into cake pans or muffin tins, with muffin liners. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. For muffins bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes.

Remove cake from pans; cool completely on wire rack, frost, sprinkle with nuts and ribbons of carrots if desired and, Enjoy!

Corn Chowder

Every time I went to Mimi's Cafe, I’d order the corn chowder. It’s warm, sweet, savoy, basically the perfect comfort food. I've had their recipe for several years and love to make it at home but like everything else I've modified it to make it plant based.

Ingredients
1/4 cup vegan butter
1/2 cup onion chopped
1 cup celery, large dice
3 cups hot water
2 1/2 cups raw potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
16 oz bag frozen corn (white or yellow)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tea salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
5 Tbsp flour/gluten free flour
5 cups of plant milk (I use hemp milk)
Fresh ground pepper

Directions:
In a large pot or dutch over, melt vegan butter. Add onion, celery, simmer until softened but not browned. Add water potatoes, corn and seasonings. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Whisk flour into 1 cup of plant based milk and stir into soup. Add remaining plant milk, adjust seasoning if needed. Simmer 15 minutes, until soup thickens. Add salt and pepper. To thin add a little more milk, to thicken simmer 5-10 more minutes. Serve with fresh ground pepper. Enjoy!

Gazpacho

Summer is winding down but here in Southern California it’s still in the upper 90’s & 100’s. Tomatoes and cucumbers are full of water and electrolytes and gazpacho is perfect on hot days. I started making this several years ago, sometimes the ingredients vary a little but this is pretty much always my base. My husband called it martian salsa on Facebook once, haha! Eating spicy things when it’s hot seems counter intuitive but if you look at cultures near the equator they often eat lots of spicy food. I used yellow heirloom tomatoes for this version. If your cucumbers have a thick skin you can remove some or part of it. If you prefer something mild, remove the seeds and membrane of the jalapeño. The longer this sits the spicier it gets. Eat by itself or with avocado (everything is better with avocado) and tortilla chips.

Gazpacho

2-4 cucumbers depending on size
1 jalapeño
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 onion
6 tomatoes
2 limes
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper


Cut half of the ingredients into chuck then blend/purée in the blender pour into a large bowl. Chop the and vegetables and pour into blended mixture. Add the juice of the limes, the rest of the cilantro leaves. Salt and pepper to tasted (I used about 1 tsp of salt 1/2 tsp of fresh ground pepper). Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat. Enjoy!

Peach Cobbler

Peaches are one of summer's treasures. We used to have a peach tree and nothing is better than fresh, organic peaches right off the tree. Peach smoothies, salsa and cobbler are all close seconds. It's an easy recipe but takes a little time. Frozen peaches are perfect for this because they’re already peeled and sliced (you can also used canned but the texture will be a little more mushy). If you can get peaches off someones tree, great! If not, buy organic, peaches are one on the “dirty dozen” list. If you like more cobbler on the top, it's easy to double the topping.

Peach Cobbler

1 cup whole wheat or unbleached flour (oat flour if you want it gluten free)

2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tea baking powder

1/2 tea cinnamon

1/4 vegan butter

5-6 cups sliced peaches

1/3-2/3 cups sugar

1 Tbsp corn starch

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup plant milk

2 tsp vanilla divided

Preheat oven to 400. For the topping, in a medium bowl stir the flour, 2 Tbsp sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the plant milk until you have a slightly sticky biscuit type dough. Set aside.

For the filling, in a large pot combine the peaches, the sugar, cornstarch, water (you don’t need to use water if they’re frozen) and 1 tsp vanilla. Let stand for a few minutes. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Pour into a 9x13 pan if your doubling the recipe a lasagna pan will work. Add the topping and bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve with vegan whipped cream or ice cream and enjoy!

Blood orange lemonade

Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to do with all the fruit you have when you have fruit trees, especially lemons or limes. Back in March when all of the lemons were ripe at once, I stripped the tree and juiced all of them. I poured the juice into ice cube trays and froze them. Once they were solid I put them in a freezer safe container. Since it’s been warmer I’ve been making lemonade. Blood orange lemonade and strawberry lemonade are our two favorites. Blood oranges are coming to the end of their season but you could definitely use regular oranges or a combo or oranges and strawberries or raspberries and still get the same beautiful color and similar flavor. Here in the Riverside, Corona area, there is no citrus shortage. The citrus industry pretty much put this area on the map in the 1800’s. Anyway, enough of the history lesson….here’s the recipe. If you’ve never made your own lemonade, you’re in for a treat.

Blood orange lemonade

1 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup fresh blood orange juice (or strawberry purée)

1-1/2 cups organic sugar

4 cups of water

In a medium pan make a simple syrup by boiling 1 cup of water and adding the sugar. Make sure all of the sugar is fully dissolved and set aside. Pour your lemon juice and orange juice (or strawberry purée) through a strainer. You will still end up with some pulp so you can do this a couple of times or you can strain it through cheese cloth if you don’t want any pulp. Once you have them strained just pour everything into a large pitcher and chill until ready to serve. You’ll end up with about 6 cups. It’s delicious, refreshing and a great way to use up your lemon juice! Enjoy! (I’m sure it would also make a great mixer for your favorite cocktail.)

Beet burgers

This recipe is inspired by Eureka Burger in Berkeley and a recipe I saw in a magazine from The Change cookbook. I like simple recipes that use things that are mostly in my pantry. Also, it’s a pet peeve of mine to say something like “1/2 medium beet grated or 1 portobello mushroom chopped” Tell me how many cups dang it! Your idea of a medium sized beet and mine might be very different. And have you seen some portobellos, they’re literally the size of my head….okay enough bitching, lets get on to cooking these bad boys. Also, these freeze well, I sent some patties with my daughter to school and they were still really tasty.

Beet burgers

1 cup raw walnuts (1/2 walnuts and 1/2 almonds works great too)

1 cup uncooked oats

1 medium white onion finely chopped (any onion will do, even 4-5 green ones)

1 cup finely chopped portobello mushroom

3/4 cup beet, grated

15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1/2 cup cooked rice (brown or white, quinoa works well too)

3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp chopped chives

3 Tbsp bbq sauce (smoky, spicy, whatever you like)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 flax egg (1Tbsp flax meal & 3 Tbsp water)

1/2 tsp pink salt

1/2 pepper

In a dry skillet toast the oats for about 3 minutes and put into a food processor. Do the same thing with your nuts. Pulse them together until you have a fine meal that resembles sand. Pour in your olive oil and sauté onion stirring frequently until translucent. Add the garlic, mushrooms and chives, cook until the mushrooms are soft and remove from the heat. Stir in the grated beets, they’ll release a beautiful pinkish red color.

Get your kidney beans into a large mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher so you have some mashed and some remain whole, add the rice, oatmeal/nut mixture, mushrooms, flax egg, bbq sauce and spices until you have a moldable dough. This recipe makes about 8 burgers.

You can grill these outside or on a grill pan but this time of year I’ve been cooking them in a cast iron skillet or in the toaster oven (mine has an air-fry setting and that makes them crispy on the outside and moist on the inside). They only need to cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Serve on a bun with more bbq sauce if you’d like. I like mine with vegan mayonnaise, tomato, sprouts, avocado, lettuce and some vegan cheese. French fries or sweet potato fries with spicy ketchup make the perfect addition. Enjoy!

Vegan Persimmon Pudding

This is one of my favorite desserts, it just tastes like Christmas to me. It’s one of the first desserts beyond sugar cookies I learned to make back in high school. You have to have super ripe and squishy persimmons for this. I get mine from the farmers market, they save them for me every year. I used walnuts but you could also use pecans. If you like raisins you could add those as well. For the pulp I strained the persimmons through a colander into a large bowl. (Remember to compost the skins and stems).

Persimmon pudding

2 cups of persimmon pulp

3 egg replacement (I used Follow Your Heart’s)

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 nutmeg (or pumpkin pie spice)

1/2 cup melted vegan butter

2 1/2 cups almond or cashew milk

1 1/2 cup whole wheat or unbleached flour

1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl add the egg replacement to the persimmon pulp, whisk in the sugar.  Add baking powder, soda, salt and spices.  Pour in melted vegan butter, stir & pour in the almond milk.  The mixture will be sort of soupy, whisk in flour, fold in chopped nuts.  Pour into a greased 9 X 13 pan.  Bake for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean.  Serve warm or room temperature with vegan whipped cream.

Lemon and Basil Brussels Sprouts

Looking for a new side for Thanksgiving? Here you go! These are delicious and fairly simple to make and if you have a food processor they’ll take hardly any time at all.

For some reason this was by far the most popular post on my old blog, Maybe because I was able to nearly recreate it within a month or so of it debuting on PF Chang's menu. It’s been my most viewed and most re-pinned recipe on Pinterest. 

I love Brussels sprouts and will order them on almost anyone’s menu as long as they don’t have meat. I hated Brussels sprouts as a kid, they were over boiled and reminded me of mushy baby cabbages, and why anyone would put red wine vinegar on them was beyond me. Anyway, these are not my mother’s Brussels sprouts. 

I grow basil in my garden so if you can’t find Thai basil you can substitute that, there’s not the much of a difference. Thai basil has purplish stems and the leaves are a little more textured. I found it at the local Asian market. (And am trying to get it to sprout so I can plant it.)

Lemon & Basil Brussels Sprouts

2 lbs Brussels sprouts

1 lemon (for zest and juice)

1 one inch piece of ginger peeled & grated

3 green onions

2 Tbsp Thai basil

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Slice the Brussels sprouts and onion fairly thin, it’s easier using the slicing blade on the food processor. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and add the zest of the lemon, ginger, and salt.  Toss with the juice from the lemon.  

In a large skillet heat about 1 Tbsp of olive oil, add garlic cook for about 1 minute then add vegetable mixture.  Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes (half way through add the basil), add fresh ground pepper and more salt if needed.  Enjoy!

Cashew mozzarella

Caprese salad is one of my favorite summer dishes. So when I went plant based it was definitely something that I missed. Tomatoes perfectly ripe, mozzarella, basil, good quality olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or glaze with a little salt and pepper. That right there is near perfection.

I experimented with quite a few cashew cheese recipes, it took a bit of tweaking to find the right combo. The garlic powder in this is totally optional, I’ve made it with and without and both are great. I didn’t let my cheese set up very long before slicing, more like tearing the cheese when I made this. You can soak the cashews anywhere from 2 hours to overnight, I’ve done both and it’s come out fine either way. The longer it sets the easier it is to cut. I love this cheese on pizza and of course there’s always good ole grilled cheese (with tomato soup please). Anyway, use this anywhere you would normal mozzarella.

Cashew Mozzarella

2 cup raw cashews, soaked & drained

1 1/2 cups water

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 cup tapioca starch (this is what makes it stretchy)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)

bowl of ice water

Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender (a regular blender will work too, it just takes a little longer) until smooth.

Transfer to a medium saucepan and cook over medium to medium-high heat, whisking continuously. (Don’t walk away this happens really fast!) As the mixture heats, it will form clumps. Keep whisking until the mixture is smooth, thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat.

Using a small scoop, make balls and drop them into the ice water bath. You can shape them into small or large balls. It will stay fresh a few days in the fridge, if you don’t use it all immediately, like I usually do. Enjoy!

Roasted Eggplant Soup

Almost all of the ingredients for this soup came out of my garden, everything except the onion and the tomatoes. I’ve had the worst luck with tomatoes this year and last and it’s so frustrating because I love tomatoes! Anyway, I used the last of the eggplant and zucchini from the garden for this, so it was also a “clean out the garden” soup. Haha.

If you like eggplant Parmesan, you will love this soup. serve with some bread and a salad and you've got a great lunch or dinner.  

Roasted Eggplant Soup

2 small eggplants chopped into about 1 inch pieces

3 small or 2 medium zucchini chopped slightly smaller than the eggplant

1 onion sliced

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1-2 cloves of garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 tsp sugar

fresh ground pepper

2 Tbsb fresh chives diced (or 1 tsp dried)

1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil (or 1 tsp dried)

4 cups vegetable broth

Put the chopped vegetables in a 9X13 pan.  Add olive oil, red pepper, black pepper, and garlic.  Roast in a 375 degree oven for about 35 minutes, or until eggplant is tender.

Transfer roasted vegetables to a soup pot, add tomatoes, broth, sugar, basil, and add a little more salt, pepper, and red pepper if you want to.  Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for about 20 minutes.  You can stop right here if you want your soup really chunky.  I put mine in the blender on chop in batches until it was in very small chunks.  That's it, serve with some more basil and Parmesan cheese if you like.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Zucchini is one of the most versatile vegetables. I’ve had so much from my garden this summer that I’ve been putting it in everything! From zoodles, savory zucchini pancakes, soups, shredded in salads, muffins and bread. I revamped my chocolate zucchini bread so it’s now completely plant based. You can use one kind of flour or a combination like I did. I’ve made it gluten free many times by substituting the unbleached and whole wheat flour for all oat flour or 1/2 oat and 1/2 buckwheat or rice flour. (Buckwheat is a seed, not a grain. Quinoa is another seed that’s often mistaken for a grain). My favorite way to eat this is with a little vegan cream cheese or butter.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

1 cup unbleached flour 

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup oat flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

3/4 cup white or raw sugar 

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 flax ‘eggs’ 

1/2 cup avocado oil 

1/2 cup applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini 

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans or 24 muffin tins 

For the flax ‘eggs’ use 1 Tbsp flax meal and 3 Tbsp of water for each ‘egg’ (you can grind the seeds in a food processor). You can also use an egg replacer or chia ‘eggs’. Mix the flax meal with water and set aside until it’s a gelatinous texture.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Once flax ‘eggs’ have reached a gelatinous texture, start adding the wet ingredients. Make a ‘well’ in the middle of the dry ingredients. Add flax egg, oil, apple sauce, vanilla and shredded zucchini. Mix until combined. Add the nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon evenly into loaf pans or muffin tins.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, for muffins bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pans; cool completely on wire rack. Enjoy!

Why Organic?

Some people think that buying organic produce and products is hype, I am not one of them.  I buy organic whenever possible, not only does it taste better, it’s better for the environment and most of the time it is affordable. The difference is usually only $.20 -.50/ lb or bunch, that is not expensive. 

Every year the Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes an updated list of the 12 most contaminated foods, here’s this years list:

The 2019 Dirty Dozen:

Strawberries

Spinach

Kale

Nectarines

Apples

Grapes

Peaches

Cherries

Pears

Tomatoes

Celery

Potatoes

(Strawberries rank number one for the fourth year in a row, and the rest of the list looks similar to years past with one exception: Kale made the top 12 for the first time in a decade.)

If you're concerned about pesticides, the EWG also publishes a list of the "Clean 15," a.k.a. the produce from conventional growers that generally had less residue in the group's tests. 

The 2019 Clean 15:

Avocados

Sweet corn

Pineapples

Frozen sweet peas

Onions

Papayas

Eggplants

Asparagus

Kiwis

Cabbages

Cauliflower

Cantaloupes

Broccoli

Mushrooms

Honeydew melons

If you’re juicing I think it’s extremely important to use organic produce because you do not want a concentration of pesticides and chemicals in your juice, I’d say that pretty much defeats the purpose.  I’m a big believer in farmers markets, I try to go at least once a week. When my kids were tiny we loved going to the Redland’s farmers market then hit Trader Joe’s on the way home (because it was the closest one, thank God we have closer ones now)!  Check out your local farmers markets, it’s super easy…..there are free app locators, just search the App Store.

Sources: www.ewg.org, www.organic.org

Quick pickled cucumbers

Just like my zucchini this year, my cucumbers have gone crazy, which is nice since last year we literally had 2 before ash from a fire wiped them out. I’ve had so many all at once that I’m now making pickles! Sandwich pickles, dill pickles, spicy pickles, sweet pickles, you get the picture, lots of pickles.

I use a mandolin slicer to get the cucumbers all the same thickness, just be very very careful….I’ve cut myself too many times to count. White vinegar is what’s traditional for pickling, you can use apple cider or rice wine vinegar they are also good. Want to add a little spice? Try 1/2 a jalapeno and some sliced garlic. Want sweet pickles? Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and reduce the salt. You can just put these in the frig and they’ll be ready in a few hours. But what I’ve been doing it putting them outside for a few hours to start the fermenting process and then putting them in the refrigerator, so you get some of the benefits of fermentation. So 1/2 fermented 1/2 pickled….fickled? Haha.

You really can’t mess these up, they’re so easy, just adjust to your taste and enjoy. You can also reuse the brine just add more cucumbers, dill, garlic etc. You can use this to make Giardiniera, I made some and it came out great. The sky’s the limit with pickling!

Quick pickled cucumbers

1 1/2 cups water

1/3-1/2 cup vinegar

1 tsp sugar (optional)

1 Tbsp pink salt

1 tsp pepper corns

pinch of turmeric (optional)

4-5 sprig of fresh dill

sliced garden cucumbers

Fill a large mason jar with cucumbers and whatever other vegetables, peppercorns or herbs you’re using. Add salt, sugar and turmeric to vinegar, sit and let it slightly dissolve, add water, pour over cucumbers, put the lid on and patiently wait. Easier said than done! Enjoy.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

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This year my garden has gone a little crazy. I’ve got more zucchini than I know what to do with. This particular one was too big for my spiralizer so I grated it, I still have tons of it! If anyone has some great zucchini recipes send them my way.  You can use any egg replacement you want, chia or flax seeds….whatever I just happened to have aquafaba (the liquid you get when you drain chickpeas) that needed to be used. You can also use whatever kind of sugar you’d like, I used raw sugar, and I used olive oil. Hope you enjoy!

Lemon Zucchini Bread

1 cup oat flour
1 cup barley flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
grated peel of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
the juice of 1 lemon
6 Tbsp aquafaba
1/2 cup almond milk
1/3 cup oil
1 1/4 cup (packed) shredded zucchini

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Grease and flour (or line with papers) a 12-well muffin pan.

Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon peel in a large bowl. Stir in the walnuts. In a
smaller bowl (or a two cup liquid measure), combine the aquafaba almond milk, lemon juice and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir just until barely combined and then
fold in the zucchini. Spoon the batter into the pan.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins spring back when you press them with your fingertips.

Remove from oven and turn out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or with a little vegan butter. Store, in an air tight container, for 3 days at room temp.

Banana Nut Bread

If you have super ripe bananas and don’t want to freeze them, making banana bread is the way to go! Banana cake with cream cheese frosting is my absolute favorite dessert, so I’ve tried lots of banana cake and banana bread recipes and this one is my favorite, I’ve been making it for years and it comes out perfectly every time!

Making this completely plant based was pretty easy. Instead of eggs I use “flax or chia eggs” or Eggs from plants egg substitute.

This is a great recipe for doubling, that’s what I usually do because this goes fast around here! For the flour I use 1 cup of whole wheat and 1/2 cup of unbleached, but you can use all unbleached or all whole wheat. I never use all purpose in anything. You can make it gluten free by using barley flour or another flour you prefer. When I make it gluten free I add another “egg” flax, chia or egg substitute, otherwise it’s more crumbly that I like.

I only use non-aluminum baking powder. We like walnuts but you can try pecans. You can add chocolate chunks or chips. If you do it’s kinda like Chunky Monkey ice-cream in bread form.

Banana Bread

1 cup ripe mashed bananas (about 3 medium)

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp pink salt

1/4 cup oil (I use olive oil)

1 flax egg (1Tbsp flax seeds & 3Tbsp water)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center and add bananas, oil and flax egg. Mix until combined, add nuts. Spray loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and fold in batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!I

Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup

I love tortilla soup and have for years. I think the first time I had it I was in high school and I've been trying to perfect the recipe ever since.  While experimenting I came up with a vegan version that’s just as good if not better than one with chicken. For the broth, I like to use veggie bouillon cubes & hot wader. Usually, I add 2 or 3 types of beans and frozen corn. I like Trader Joe's taco seasoning or a combination of chili powder, garlic, cumin & coriander. I add carrots and zucchini, once I was out of carrots and used small chucks of butternut squash and my daughter said it was the best version I’d ever made. Basically use what you have. I add the zucchini towards end so they don’t get mushy. You can use fire roasted tomatoes if you want it a little more spicy.

Tortilla Soup

32 oz vegetable broth
1 onion diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3-4 carrots chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
2-3 small zucchini chopped (optional)
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 bag of frozen corn
1/2 package taco seasoning
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4-1/2 bunch cilantro

Toppings:
cheese
lime
avocado
salsa
tortilla chips

In a large soup pot, saute with onion, carrots, and garlic until almost done. Add broth, tomatoes, beans, taco seasoning, salt, sugar, pepper, and corn. Bring to a boil and turn down to very low, after about 10 minutes and add zucchini and cilantro. Simmer for about 20 minutes, serve with your choice of toppings. Enjoy! It’s best when shared.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies!

When my kids were little, I kept dough in the freezer so I could make a few (or a dozen) for them after school. I have some serious chocoholics in my family, especially my husband!

I haven't made these amazing cookies since our family started eating more plant-based recipes.

A couple of months ago at Urth cafe in Laguna Beach Erskien tried a gluten-free, vegan chocolate chip cookie that he said was the best he’d ever had including my chocolate chip cookies.

Well, that’s completely unacceptable!

Mine are the best, but they're not completely plant-based so I set out to revamp our favorite recipe. This time, I opted for gluten-free flours and toasted nuts to improve upon the original flavors.  Here’s the new update, better than ever. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup vegan butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 egg replacer *I used Follow Your Heart’s
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups oat flour
12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips *I used Trader Joe’s semi sweet, they’re vegan
1 cup nuts toasted (optional) *Urth Cafe’s had pecans, walnuts work as well 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. LIghtly toast the nuts and set aside. Cream butter, add both of the sugars, once it’s creamy add the egg replacer and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the mixture a little at a time to make sure it’s all incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and nuts. Once everything is mixed together and refrigerate for 30 minutes. You can make the cookies as big or as small as you want, Urth cafe’s were big, I prefer normal sized cookies. Place cookie dough on a baking sheet bake for 10-12 minutes at 375. If you make giant ones you’ll need to increase the baking time to 15-18 minutes.