Macaroni and Cheese

This is a recipe that I stumbled upon out on the internet and thought, "What the heck, I'll give this a try." Other internet roamers had made this dish and had left positive ratings of this dish. Yes, I've been mislead by readers comments before, but I decided part of this food journey of mine is about taking chances. How could it be possible to make macaroni and cheese without one single ounce of cheese? And have it taste like there is cheese? Well, to my amazement it can be done. I'm not kidding. Macaroni and cheese- without the cheese. Yes, you read this correctly, no cheese. Not one tiny bit. Yes, you can have all the comforts of macaroni and cheese without the artery clogging, quadruple bypass causing cheese :) ENJOY!

Macaroni and Cheese (without the cheese)

Ingredients:

4 cups. whole wheat macaroni
4 slices bread, torn into large pieces
2/3 cup + 2 Tbsp. Earth Balance buttery spread (or butter)

4 Tbsp. peeled and chopped shallots
2 cup peeled and chopped red or yellow potatoes
1/2 cup peeled and chopped carrots
2/3 cup peeled and chopped onions

4 Tsp sea salt
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Black pepper and Cayenne pepper, to taste

Paprika, to taste

Directions:

· Preheat the oven to 350°F.

· In a large pot, bring water and 1 tablespoonful of sea salt to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

· In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoonfuls of butter until the mixture has a fine texture. Set aside.

· In a saucepan, add the shallots, potatoes, carrots, onions, and 2 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.

· In a blender, process the cashews, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, cayenne, 2/3 cup butter, and 4 teaspoonfuls of sea salt. Add the softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender and process until smooth.

· In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta in the blended sauce until completely coated. Spread the mixture into a 9-inch-by-9-inch casserole dish, sprinkle with the prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.

Falafel

Falafel - kind of a funny sounding word, isn't it? When I first told my guys I was making falafel for supper, they were like, "What in the world is a falafel?" Well, in a nutshell, a falafel is a chickpea pattie. I know that doesn't sound like it would be all that great, but it really is quite a treat.

Falafel is a Middle-Eastern dish, thought to have first been eaten by the Egypians. Basically, it is mashed chickpeas made into a ball or pattie and fried in oil. What makes them so good is the seasoning added to the chickpeas, and of course the fact that they are fried in oil. OK, I know what you are thinking, "Fried in oil? This can't be good for me." Well, my response to that is, when you are eating a healthy vegetarian diet, which is low in saturated fats (because you've given up meat) you can have some fried foods as part of a healthy diet. I have to say that every time I mention making Falafel, my 14 year old responds with an emphatic "Yeah." So go for it!

Below are two variations for you to try. You decide which you prefer. Falafel is often served in a pita with some veggies and a yogurt sauce, which you will find below as well.

Falafel recipe #1 - Vegan friendly:

1 19 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed.

1 small onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp ground tumeric

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup fine dry bread crumbs - I like Panko bread crumbs

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black peppercorns

1/2 cup, plus 3 tablespoons water

Directions:

Mash the garbanzo beans in a bowl. I like to use my food processor and then place them in a bowl. Add the onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, tumeric, baking powder, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix this together with your hands. Slowly add the water until the mixture sticks together. You may have to add more or less water to get the right consistency.

Next you want to form the mixture into little balls, or patties (about 3 inches in diameter). If they are not staying together for you - add a little more water to your mixture.

Heat your oil in a large skillet (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch oil) on very high heat. You want to oil to be very hot because you want to create a crisp, crunchy coating. Once your patties are form, fry them in the hot oil, about 4-5 minutes per side. Don't be tempted to move them around and check on them alot. You want them to sit in the oil and get a nice crust on them, which won't happen if you start moving them around. After 4-5 minutes, turn and fry the other side for another 4-5 minutes.

Falafel Recipe #2 (from Guy Fieri):

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 (14 0z) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp ground cumin

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/2 tablespoon ground black peppercorns

5 tablespoons flour

2 cups fresh parsley, chopped

3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add 2 tbsp oil. Sweat the onion and red pepper 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook until translucent - about 5 minutes.

In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas, red chili flakes, cumin, the egg, and salt and pepper until it forms a coarse consistency. Then add the flour, parsley and cilantro and pulse until the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the food processor.

Place the mixture in a bowl and add the onion mixture. Mix together with your hands. Form into balls or patties.

Fry as stated in the above recipe, keeping an eye on them so they don't burn.

When taking them out of the oil, place them on a paper towel to drain and absorb the extra oil. Guy Fieri likes to sprinkle them with a little salt as well, which I think is a great touch.

Yogurt Dipping Sauce:

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 tablespoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and chill until ready to serve.

Now you might be wondering what to serve with your falafel. Traditionally, falafel is served in a pita with veggies and a yogurt sauce.

At our house, I like to serve it with a spinach salad, and quite often a side of potatoes.

For all you campers out there, falafel would be a great dish to serve around the campsite. Just make up the falafel mixture in advance and chill until ready to serve. Serve it the traditional pita style and you have a quick, easy and healthy meal. Yummy!

The Soup of the Rolling Plains (of Colorado)

It's been awhile since I have posted any new recipes. Somehow, Fall became a very busy time for me, and thus the lack of new posts.

Thank you to Maureen for letting me know you are still reading my posts and interested in more recipes.

The following is another lovely soup recipe created by my husband, Stephe. Thanks Honey!

Ingredients:

4 scallions, chopped

1 cup kale, chopped

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4" cubes

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

8 oz. chopped okra

1/2 cup brown rice

16 cups water

4 Tbsp tomato paste

3 Tbsp Better than Bouillion vegetable soup base

2 Tbsp (heaping) dried basil

1 Tbsp lemon pepper

3 Tbsp flour

To prepare:

In a large stock pot, combine all of the above ingredients, except the flour. Bring to a boil. Then gradually whisk in the flour.

Lower to temperature and continue to cook at a very low boil, until the rice is soft. Approximately 30-40 minutes.

That's it. The beauty of making soup is that it just sort of cooks itself. Not much fussing involved.

Enjoy!

Fall has arrived and with it has come a bounty of apples. I find myself enchanted with the thought of going to the apple orchard and picking some apples just like my family did when I was a kid. I can remember bushel baskets of apples in the garage for weeks and weeks. I also remember my mother making apple pies and apple crisp. If you want to meet a good cook, that would be my mother! I can remember her making the pie crust from scratch and me and my siblings would hover around waiting for her to roll in out and then cut off the excess pie dough from the edge of the pie pan. As quickly as she would cut it off, we would have our fingers in there to snatch it up and eat it. How is it that something so simple (flour, salt, lard, water) taste so good? I know many people like to take it scraps, sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar, and bake it. Not me, I'd rather eat it raw any day.

I think an Apple Pie is in my near future. I can't hardly wait!

Happy Baking....

Veggie Potato Pie

The inspiration for this recipe came from two sources. This first was a veggie pot pie recipe that I had been thinking about making, and the second part of the inspiration came from watching Rachel Ray create a burgandy beef shepard's pie. Since burgandy, nor beef are items that would be found in my kitchen, I decided to combine the two inspirations into what I now call Veggie Potato Pie. For the veggies, feel free to use whatever combination you would like based on your likes and what's in your kitchen. My guys loved this meal (rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars) and I hope you do as well.

Veggie Potato Pie:

Ingredients:

2-2 1/2 pound potatoes. You can use what you like. I used a combination of russets and sweet potatoes

Boil the potatoes until tender.

While the potatoes cook, you can work on the veggie filling for the Pie.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

8 oz mushrooms

1 clove garlic, minced

3 large carrots, diced

2 potatoes, peeled and diced (I used sweet potatoes)

2 stalks celery, diced

1 cup green beans or peas, which ever you prefer

3 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp corn starch

2 Tbsp soy sauce

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions, mushrooms and garlic and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add all of the other vegetables and the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook until the vegetable are just tender - about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, stir together the corn starch, soy sauce and 1/4 cup water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Then stir this into the vegetables and cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, once your potatoes are tender, mash them with a splash of milk and some butter, and a handful of chives.

Scoop the vegetables into a 11 x 7 baking dish, or individual ramekins. Top the veggies with the mashed potatoes and place it in a 425 degree over for 5-10 minutes. If you'd like to brown up the potatoes, you can mix 1 egg into your potatoes, and then place the finished dish under the broiler until in browns up.

That's it. This would be nice dish served with a small green salad of your choosing.

Spinach Fettucine with Stephe's Red Sauce

This recipe is a family favorite. The red sauce is the creation of my husband Stephe's. This is a very quick and easy meal to put together, and you can make variations on the red sauce by adding different vegetables. Our favorite is simply with onions and mushrooms.

The sauce can be paired with your favorite pasta. Today we opted for the spinach fettucine. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 28 oz. can tomato sauce

2 6 oz cans tomato paste

2 Tbsp. dried basil

2 Tbsp. dried oregano

3/4 Tbsp garlic salt

4 + Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 8 oz. package of mushrooms, sliced (button or baby bellas - I prefer the baby bellas)

Prepare your choice of pasta per package directions.

In a large skillet, heat 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil. Saute the onions and mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Then add all of the other ingredients to the pan and simmer until heated through.

This is a thick, hearty sauce. If you wanted to thin it out a bit, you could add a little more tomato sauce. In our house, we like it thick and hearty!

If your family is like mine, and you have both meat eaters and non meat eater to feed, you could simply fry up some ground beef in a separate pan, and the meat eater can simply add it to their sauce when it is served. It keeps everyone happy!

This worked really well for us when we we're at my mother's house. She couldn't imagine spaghetti without meat in it. Funny thing is, even when I was a meat eater, I hated meat in my spaghetti sauce :) Life is funny.....

Chocolate Cake w/ Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

This recipe was adapted from a cake recipe that my mother always made when I was growing up. The original recipe just happened to already be vegan friendly and now I tweaked it and made it gluten-free as well. The frosting is also vegan and gluten free. Unfortunately, it is still full of sugar. But remember, deserts should not be the mainstay of our diets. Just a nice treat every now and again :) I hope you enjoy!

Chocolate Cake:

2 tsp baking soda

3 cups gluten free flour (I used quinoa flour. Brown rice flour would probably work too)

1/3 cups cocoa

2 cups white sugar

2 Tbsp white vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup canola oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together into a 9" x 13"cake pan the dry ingredients and make three holes. Add the liquid to each of the three holes. Then pour 2 cups of water over it all and stir. I use a whisk.

That's it. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting:

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup nondairy milk (I used almond milk because I had it on hand)

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream together the peanut butter and cocoa. Add the milk and beat until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla, then add a little more milk if needed to get a good spreading consistency.

Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Waffles

Sometimes you just need to treat yourself to a little chocolaty goodness. What a great way to start off the weekend, than with Double Chocolate Waffles!

We did have these for breakfast in our house, and decided they would make a great desert. A scoop of vanilla ice cream, some berries and a couple of guest to share in the enjoyment is all that's needed!

Enjoy!

Parmesan Summer Squash Spaghetti

This is just a simple pasta dish I decided to throw together. It is inspired by my friends daughter, Lindsey who likes to make up some pasta and simply add some parmesan cheese to it (maybe butter too, I can't remember). Thanks for the inspiration Lindsey.

I added my own twist and decided some summer squash would be a nice addition.

Parmesan Summer Squash Spaghetti:

Ingredients:

Whole wheat pasta

Summer squash, cut into half moon pieces (I use about 1 small squash per serving)

Canola Oil

Butter or butter spread of your choosing. (I used Earth Balance buttery spread as I have a vegan in my home)

Garlic cloves, (1-2) minced

Salt and pepper

Fresh parmesan cheese

To Prepare:

Prepare pasta per package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the summer squash. In a skillet, put 1 Tbsp canola oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add the garlic and simmer for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add the summer squash and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it cook over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes, just long enough to cook through, but still be tender crisp. Do not let it overcook and get mushy. (Don't prepare the squash until the pasta is on its last five minutes of cooking and this will help you to not overcook the squash.)

When the pasta is cooked, drain. Once drained, put in back in the pot, and add another tablespoon of butter spread to the pasta. Then add the summer squash and gently combine. To complete the dish, add a small handful or two of fresh parmesan cheese and combine.

When you plate the pasta, season with additional and black pepper and parmesan if you desire.

This is such as easy dish to prepare, and is another great way to use up all the summer squash that is so abundant at the farmers market!

I hope you enjoy!

Vegetable Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce

I was getting tired of the same old stir fry and decided it was time to venture out a bit. In the past, I've come across stir fry recipes with hoisin sauce in them, but was reluctant to try it because it sounded "too different." That was until I asked a friend who said he had used it and found it to be to his liking (thanks Mark). So tonight I decided to try it out on my family. The result.....they liked it! Stephe gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars and Kyle gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Kyle's suggestion for next time was to put it over noodles instead of rice. So next time, noodles it is. With all the fresh vegetables available this time of year, simply choose your favorites and go for it. The possibilities are endless.

Vegetable Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce:

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce (found in the asian food section of grocery store - even Walmart has it)

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

2 Tbsp. agave nectar (or honey)

3/4 c. vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

1 Tbsp. corn starch

1 onion, or 4-5 green onions, chopped

4 cups of vegetables of your choice (zucchini, peppers, summer squash, mushrooms, broccoli, etc)

To prepare:

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine all of the ingredients, except the vegetables. Let the mixture simmer about 5-7 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Then remove it from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, you should have your rice or noodles cooking.

When your rice/pasta is about 5 minutes from being done it is time to cook the veggies.

In a large skillet (or wok if you have one), over high heat add 1 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp sesame oil and add your vegetables. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the hoisin sauce mixture over the vegetables and stir to coat. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes until veggies are cooked, but not overcooked. (Nothing worse than mushy stir fry veggies).

If you are going to make this with noodles, I would suggest adding your al dente noodles into the veggies and sauce, stir to coat the noodles, and serve. Yummy! I can't wait to make this again :)

Happy cooking!

Old Settlers Beans

This is an old recipe of my mother's that needed a "redo." The original recipe was loaded with way too much sugar, along with ground beef and bacon.

I always liked this recipe as a kid growing up, but decided that it was time to make it vegetarian and cut down on the sugar.

I eliminated the bacon, added some "vegetarian crumbled meat (found by the Boca Burgers at your grocer) and substituted agave nectar for the brown and white sugar. Both my guys gave it 2 thumbs up, which means I can pass it along to you. :)

Old Settler Beans:

1 can kidney beans

1 can butter beans

1 can vegetarian baked beans

1 medium onion

1 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 tsp mustard

2 tbs. molasses

1 bag of "vegetarian meat substitute" You could also use Boca Burgers and break them into pieces. You could also make this without a meat substitute and it would be good too.

Drain the 3 cans of beans. Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Stir to mix all the ingredients. Cook on low 3-4 hours, or until cooked through.

At our house, we make a meal out of this dish. A slice of whole grain bread is all you need.

Enjoy!

Garlicky Grilled Patty Pans and Veggie Kabobs

Tonight we grilled some more veggies. I picked up some Patty Pan squash at the farmers market a couple of days ago (mostly because they are so cute looking), and decided to marinade and grill them. Their flavor resembles that of summer squash.

For the kabobs, Stephe and Kyle created a wonderful marinade that is a hit time, after time, after time. Simple, easy and fast.

Below are the two marinades that we used. I hope you enjoy them.

Garlicky Grilled Patty Pan:

6 Patty Pan, cut in half horizontally

2 Tbsp Olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour over the Patty Pan. I would suggest allowing the Patty Pan at least 30 minutes to sit in the marinade before grilling. If you are planning ahead, let them marinade longer and the flavors will be even better.

Place the Patty Pan on a hot grill. Grill on each side about 4-5 minutes. Don't grill too long, or the Patty Pan will get too soft.

Veggie Kabob Marinade:

2 Tbsp honey or agave nectar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp rosemary

1/4 tsp pepper

2 gloves garlic, minced

Mix the above ingredients together and pour over the vegetables of your choosing. We used pepper (red, orange, yellow), onion, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, and patty pan. When grilling veggie kabobs you'll want to make sure that you are using vegetables that have about the same grilling time, or you can make each kabob a different vegetable and just put them on the grill according to the time they need to cook. The vegetables that we used, all take about 8-10 minutes to grill.

To complete the meal, a simple side of rice, couscous, quinoa, etc would be great. Or perhaps your favorite veggie burger :)

Happy Grilling!

Grilled Marinated Zucchini and Summer Squash

With the abundance of zucchini and summer squash, I thought I would share a tasty way to prepare them. Grilling zucchini and summer squash is so easy. If you have a favorite marinade, go ahead and use it with your veggies as well. Below is a marinade recipe that we used in our home.

And as always, as far as I'm concerned, homemade is always best way to go. You control the ingredients and it takes just a few minutes to throw together. Most marinades can be prepared in advance and kept in the refrigerator for several days.

According to my step son, Kyle these tasty "veggie planks" taste like something prepared at the Rain Forest Cafe or the Hard Rock Cafe. I'll take that to be a compliment :) I'll let you judge for yourself.

Basic Herb Marinade:

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

2 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped or 2 tsp dried

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, basil, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly pour in the EVOO and whisk constantly until the oil in emulsified.

To prepare the zucchini and summer squash:

For this recipe you want to use small to medium size veggies. Slice the zucchini/summer squash lengthwise into "planks" about 3/8 inch thick.

Place the veggies in a plastic bag or glass dish and pour the marinade over it, coating the veggies well.

If you have the time, I would recommend letting the veggies marinade for a couple of hours so the flavors really have a chance to soak into the veggies.

When you are ready to grill, simply lay the planks out on the hot grill. Grilling time is only 8-10 minutes. About half way through the cooking time, turn them over. Don't let them cook too long, as they will get overcooked and mushy. I prefer to veggies to have a little crunch left to them.

For a variation on this, you could also cut your veggies up in chunks, marinade and put them on skewers.

Either way, you will have found another way to prepare the bounty of zucchini and summer squash that we are blessed with this time of year!

Happy Grilling.

Minty Orzo Lentil and Feta Salad

This is a great summer salad. Our friends made this for us a few weeks ago. You can serve it as a side dish, or do as we did and eat it in a pita. For the vegan in your life, simply leave out the feta or replace it with a vegan cheese.

Minty Orzo Lentil and Feta Salad:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups orzo pasta

6 Tbsp olive oil, divided

3/4 cups dried lentils, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese

1 small red onion, diced

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes; drain. Transfer pasta into a large bowl, and mix in 1 Tbsp olive oil; cover, and refrigerate until cool.

Place lentils into a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer over low heat until lentil are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

Combine the remaining olive oil, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl.

To the pasta add the lentils, oil mixture, olives, feta cheese, red onion, mint and dill; stir until thoroughly blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Sweet Pepper Pasta with Kale

This is a new pasta dish in our house. My stepson and his friend made this dish the other night (with a little coaching from me) and it was a hit.

It is a pretty fast and easy dish to put together, and pretty too.

To increase the protein, be sure to look at the nutritional labels on the pasta box and choose one that has a higher protein content. Barilla Plus is one option.

Sweet Pepper Pasta with Kale:

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz. package uncooked farfalle (bow tie) pasta (or other pasta)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper

1 medium yellow bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

1 bunch roughly chopped kale (stem removed)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pinch dried basil

1 pinch cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook 8-10 minutes (al dente) and drain.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in peppers, kale, and garlic. Season with basil, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender.

In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta with vegetables. Serve. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Mushroom Gravy and "Stewed Tomatoes"

So one of my favorite comfort foods used to be hamburger gravy over rice or potatoes. And one of my favorite ways to make it was with cream of mushroom soup. I've been looking for a mushroom gravy recipe I could make from scratch to fill the vegetarian comfort food gap. Well here it is!!! I made this recipe tonight for my family and a guest (a meat eater) and they loved it!

As a side I made "stewed tomatoes" which I learned about from friends. Thank you to Kristy and Sheryl!

Mushroom Gravy:

2 cups white or button mushrooms, sliced (or a combination of portabellas, shitake, button)

1 small yellow or white onion, minced

1/4 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 Tbsp soy sauce - low sodium

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp poultry seasoning (or 1/2 tsp each of sage, thyme, marjoram)

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a large skillet, heat EVOO, and add onion and mushrooms. Sautee for just a minute or two over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium and add broth and soy sauce. Slowly add flour, stirring well to combine and prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a simmer or a low boil, then reduce heat.

Add poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, stirring consistently. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until gravy thickens.

Serve over brown rice. Makes 3-4 small servings.

Stewed Tomatoes:

This is an incredibly easy way to prepare tomotoes. I first heard mention of "stewed tomatoes" from my friend Kristy and then just a few days later my friend Sheryl prepared these on the grill. Absolutely to die for! I would recommend making these on the grill as it adds a great deal of flavor.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - cut in half horizontally

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Mince garlic

Ground peppercorn

Fresh basil, thyme or rosemary

Fresh grated parmesan cheese

To Prepare:

Slice the tomatoes in half horizontally and place on a tray, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, and herb of your choosing. Then sprinkle with parmesan cheese (optional). Place on the grill . They will start to soften and wrinkle a bit, and the cheese will be melted. You'll know when they are ready. Carefully remove from the grill and serve. I have also made these under the broiler, but the grill is the way to go when available.

Enjoy!

Okra Baby Bella Soup

Stephe did it again. Tonight was his night to make supper, so off to the store he goes for inspiration. Home he comes with okra, baby bellas, zucchini, and so on, not knowing exactly what the finished product would be. What he created was another incredible soup - a masterpiece in my opinion. This is now my new favorite soup.

Of course my favorite side to a bowl of soup is whole grain bread with butter, and a cold glass of milk! Divine.

Thanks again honey!

Okra Baby Bella Soup:

16 oz bag frozen okra, chopped

2 cups spinach, torn

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced into large pieces

2 zucchini, cut into bite sized chunks

5 scallions, chopped- greens included

2/3 cup brown rice

2 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon vegetable base

2 Tbsp lemon pepper

1 Tbsp oregano

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp ground peppercorns

5 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 bay leaves

10 cups water

Parmesan cheese (fresh)

In a large cooking pot, combine all of the ingredients - Except the Cheese. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and continue to simmer until the rice is cooked (approximately 20 to 30 minutes).

Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with fresh parmesan cheese.

* What makes this soup extra special is that the spinach and the cilantro came from my own garden. Before long the zucchini will be blooming like crazy, too. What a joy it is to walk out into my own backyard and harvest the food I'll be eating for that meal. It doesn't get any fresher than that!

Happy gardening to all my fellow gardeners. And to all of you who think you don't have room for a garden, you'd be surprised what you can grow in pots. I live in town with no room for a traditional garden, so I have a fun "pot" garden. What a delight to watch it all grow. I think of it as a reciprocal process. I nurture and tend to the plants, and in return the plants produce food that provide nourishment for my body. Now that's a beautiful experience!

Quinoa with Basil and Pine Nuts

So you're probably wondering what in the world quinoa (KEEN wah) is? Here's the scoop - Quinoa is a little grain that is high in protein (about 8 gram per cup - about the same as an egg). It is considered a complete protein, which means that it has all the essential amino acids that your body can't produce for itself. Quinoa is found in the health food section of your local grocery store.

I made this dish for my husband and our friends, with a side dish of some very tasty grilled vegetables. Both were a hit.

This is a really nice, light dish on a hot summer day. It is also incredibly easy to make! Enjoy.

Quinoa with Basil and Pine Nuts:

1 cup quinoa

pinch of fine sea salt

1/2 cup pine nuts or cashews

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 generous handful fresh basil leaves, chopped

Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse well. Combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water (or vegetable broth) and the salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the quinoa cooks, heat the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until the nuts are just starting to turn golden, about 6 or 7 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Transfer to a bowl to cool. (You can also do this same thing to the quinoa before you boil it. It will give it a nuttier flavor.

When the quinoa is done, place it in a serving bowl and add the pine nuts - fluff with a fork. Add the olive oil and basil, stir to combine, and serve.

Serves 4.

Check out the links below for more information on quinoa and proteins.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa

http://www.nwhealth.edu/healthyU/eatWell/protein3.html

Black Bean Tostadas

This is one of my favorite quick lunches. It's also a great meal on those hot summer days! The beauty of this meal, is that each person can add what ever toppings they happen to like.

The basics to the tostadas is as follows.

Tostada shells (found by the taco shells - they are like hard taco shells, but flat and round).

Refried black beans (read the label to watch for animals fats - or make your own)

Sour cream (optional)

Salsa (red or green)

Toppings of your choosing, such as: onions, tomatoes, avocado, peppers, black olives, lettuce, jalapenos, etc.

To put it together simply put a thin layer of sour cream on the tostada, then a layer of refried black beans, and then add whatever veggie toppings you like. Top it off with your favorite salsa and you're done.

Quick, easy, and packed full of fiber and protein!

If you're worried about fat, you can forego the sour cream. Some of you may choose to use reduced fat sour cream and that is up to you. I'm personally not a fan of doing this. I have a general rule that if there are ingredients on the label that aren't natural, it wasn't meant to go in my body. Also keep in mind that often when fat is taken out, it is replaced with sugar - which in the end turns into fat (usually on my thighs).

I also believe that if your diet is primarily made up of healthy whole foods (not processed foods) and healthy fats (olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil) a little bit of sour cream on occasion isn't a bad thing.

See the link below for more information on fats.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fat/nu00262

As always - be kind to yourself and treat your body with the respect it deserves! Each day is a new day and a new opportunity for you to start a new, healthier relationship with your body.

Eat well......

Barbecue Boca Pita Sandwich

The following is a camping creation that I made this past weekend to feed my guys after a long and enjoyable day of kayaking. It is incredibly simple and so delicious! You don't have to wait for camping to make it though.

Why is it that everything taste better over a campfire in the great out of doors? Mother nature must have her hand in it somehow!

Barbecue Boca Pita Sandwich:

1 large onion, chopped in large pieces (use more or less to your liking)

Canola oil

Boca Burgers (a couple of burgers per person, depending on how big their appetites are)

Barbecue sauce (any brand)

Pita pockets

Heat a couple of tablespoons of canola oil in skillet and add the onion. Saute the onion until it starts to soften. I like my onion to have some crunch left in it, so I don't saute it very long.

Next, break the Boca burgers into chunky pieces and put into the skillet with the onions. Cook on medium heat until browned (5-10 minutes). Add extra oil if needed.

Then pour in the barbecue sauce and stir into burger/onion mixture. Use as much or little barbecue sauce as you like. Let this simmer for 5-10 minutes. Then scoop the barbecue into pita pockets and serve.

To go along with this I cut up some cucumbers, tomato and avocado (all the veggies left from our sandwiches earlier in the day) and topped it with a Basil Vinegrette and some black pepper.

Yummy!

Almost -Classic Quiche with Spinach

This recipe is a healthier alternative to traditional quiche. It's lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than traditional quiche, but is still loaded with flavor. I would really encourage use to make the crust recipe, rather than used a store bought crust - you won't regret it. My husband has made this recipe for company, who are not vegetarians, and it was a hit.

The original recipe is made with broccoli, but we prefer it with spinach. If you're a broccoli lover, give it a go.

I hope you find it to your liking!

Almost-Classic Quiche with Spinach:

Crust:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup unbleached white flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking powder

1/4 to 1/3 cup canola oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp agave nectar (or honey)

2 to 3 Tbsp cold water

1 to 2 tsp sesame seeds

Filling:

1 tsp water

1 cup diced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

3 cups fresh or frozen spinach (or broccoli). If frozen, thaw and drain.

1 to 2 Tbsp water

1 egg

2 egg whites

One 10-ounce package soft tofu

1 Tbsp prepared mustard

1 tsp dried basil or rosemary

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper (black pepper works too)

1 to 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (my husband likes to increase this quite a bit) :)

Red pepper strips or slice black olives, for garnish (optional)

Crust:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grind the oats to a course flour in a blender or food processor. Place the ground oats in a large bowl. Stir in the flours, salt and baking powder. Drizzle 1/4 cup canola oil over the flour mixture and mix lightly; add more oil if necessary, until the mixture looks like wet sand. Drizzle the lemon juice, honey and 2 Tbsp. water over the dough. Mix lightly with a fork until the dough forms a ball. (Add more water if necessary.)

Roll out the dough between sheets of waxed paper. Sprinkle the sesame seeds evenly over bottom of a quiche or pie pan, then place the dough in the pan. (If using a pie pan, fold excess dough over to form an edge about 1/4 inch thick.) Prick the sides and bottom of the crust with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 350 degrees.

Filling:

Heat 1 tsp water or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add the spinach (or broccoli) and 1 to 2 Tbsp. water. Cover. Steam about 2 minutes. Drain the vegetables if necessary; then spread them evenly over the bottom of the pre-baked pie crust.

In a blender or food processor, whip the egg and egg whites until frothy. Add the tofu, mustard, basil or rosemary, nutmeg, salt, pepper and Parmesan. Blend until very smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the egg-tofu mixture over the vegetables in the pie crust. Place the red pepper or black olives on top. Bake until slightly puffy, about 40 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

* To reheat: Heat oven to 375 degees for 15 to 20 minutes.

** To vary this dish, you could use 3 cups of another vegetable, such as lightly steamed asparagus, sauteed mushrooms and leeks, or red pepper and zucchini. Why not roam your local farmer's market and let the vegetables in season lead the way! Fresh will always taste better.

*** If you'd like to make this a Vegan dish, you can substitute the eggs with an additional 8 ounces of tofu (for a total of 16 ounces). For the cheese, simply use a vegan cheese.

Nutritional Information: (per serving)

Calories: 267

Protein: 11 grams

Fat: 13 grams

Carbohydrates: 25 grams

Cholesterol: 28 mg

Sodium: 408 mg

Fiber: 4 grams

Tortilla Soup with Corn and Chillies

I've been trying out some new recipes this week, and I'm not having much luck finding one that I would recommend. First I tried a spinach- bean patty with a side of daikon "French fries" and that didn't go over so great. My husband ate some of the patty and rated them about a "3" (out of 5 stars) - but the daikon "French fries" were horrible! I tasted one and that was more than enough for me :(

In case you are wondering what in the world daikon is - it's a root vegetable that taste a bit like a radish, but milder. I thought it tasted great raw and would highly recommend it. The only place I've found it is at our local Festival Foods.

The next recipe I tried was a broccoli bean soup. The overall taste of the soup was good - although my mother thought some butter would richen it up - but the consistency was a bit paste-like, so I'm going to continue to work with that recipe, make some changes, and then I'll share it with you :)

In the meantime, I was at my favorite restaurant today - Tacos Juanita - and was reminded of this great soup that Gregorio makes that I really miss since becoming a vegetarian. It's called Sopa Azteca, and it is to die for (as is everything else that Gregorio makes). Fortunately, I have found a recipe that is very similar that my husband and I are very fond of. So I thought I would share that with you today. Cheers to you Gregorio for the inspiration!!!

Tortilla Soup with Corn and Chillies:

1 dried New Mexico chili pepper

2 cups boiling water

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp dried oregano leaves

1 tsp grated lime zest

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns

1 can (14-19 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed - or1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked, cooked and drained

1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, including juice

6 cups vegetable stock

1 can (4.5 oz) mild green chilies, drained

2 cups corn kernels, thawed if frozen

3 tortillas, preferably corn, cut into 1-inch strips

vegetable oil

1 to 2 avocados, cut into 1/2" cubes

Ceso Fresco cheese (mozzarella will work too)

Finely chopped red onion

Finely chopped cilantro

In a heatproof bowl, soak chili pepper in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain and discard stem and soaking water. Set aside.

In a dry skillet, over medium heat, toast cumin seeds until they release their aroma and just begin to turn brown. Transfer to a mortar or spice grinder and grind coarsely. Set aside.

In the same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened. Add garlic, reserved cumin, oregano, lime zest, salt and peppercorns and reserved New Mexico chili and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a food processor along with beans and 1 cup tomatoes and liquid and process until smooth.

Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Add vegetable stock. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours, until mixture is bubbling and flavors are combined. Stir in mild green chilies and corn. Cover and cook on High for 15 to 20 minutes, until corn is tender.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush tortilla strips with oil, place on baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes per side, until crisp and golden.

When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowls, lay tortilla strips across the surface and top with ceso freso (the more the better in my opinion), avocado, red onion, and cilantro.

The tortillas and the cheese will find their way to the bottom of your bowl, creating a wonderful gooey treat. The coolness of the avocados in the hot broth is another wonderful treat. I can't wait for you all to give this recipe a try.

And to my favorite chef Gregorio, cheers once again to you!

Tortilla Soup with Corn and Chilies

I've been trying out some new recipes this week, and I'm not having much luck finding one that I would recommend. First I tried a spinach bean pattie with a side of daikon "french fries" and that didn't go over so great. My husband ate some of the patties and rated them about a "3" (out of 5 stars) - but the daikon "french fries" were horrible! I tasted one and that was more than enough for me :(

In case you are wondering what in the world daikon is - it's a root vegetable that taste a bit like a radish, but milder. I thought it tasted great raw and would highly recommend it. The only place I've found it is at our local Festival Foods.

The next recipe I trialed was a broccoli bean soup. The overall taste of the soup was good - although my mother thought some butter would richen it up - but the consistency was a bit paste-like, so I'm going to continue to work with that recipe, make some changes, and then I'll share it with you :)

In the meantime, I was at my favorite restaurant today - Tacos Juanita - and was reminded of this great soup that Gregorio makes that I really miss since becoming a vegetarian. It's called Sopa Azteca, and it is to die for (as is everything else that Gregorio makes). Fortunately, I have found a recipe that is very similar that my husband and I are very fond of. So I thought I would share that with you today. Cheers to you Gregorio for the inspiration!!!

Tortilla Soup with Corn and Chillies:

1 dried New Mexico chili pepper

2 cups boiling water

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp dried oregano leaves

1 tsp grated lime zest

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns

1 can (14-19 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed - or1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked, cooked and drained

1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, including juice

6 cups vegetable stock

1 can (4.5 oz) mild green chilies, drained

2 cups corn kernals, thawed if frozen

3 tortillas, preferably corn, cut into 1-inch strips

vegetable oil

1 to 2 avacados, cut into 1/2" cubes

Finely chopped red onion

Finely chopped cilantro

In a heatproof bowl, soak chili pepper in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain and discard stem and soaking water. Set aside.

In a dry skillet, over medium heat, toast cumin seeks until they release their aroma and just begin to turn brown. Transfer to a mortar or spice grinder and grind coarsely. Set aside.

In the same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened. Add garlic, reserved cumin, oregano, lime zest, salt and peppercorns and reserved New Mexico chili and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a food processor along with beans and 1 cup tomatos and liquid and process until smooth.

Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Add vegetable stock. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours, until mixture is bubbling and flavors are combined. Stir in mild green chilies and corn. Cover and cook on High for 15 to 20 minutes, until corn is tender.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush tortilla strips with oil, place on baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes per side, until crisp and golden.

When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowls, lay tortilla strips across the surface and top with avocado, red onion, and cilantro.

Carrot-Basil Gumbo Soup

This is a recipe that my husband put together today. He's quite the soup maker. He just starts putting stuff together in a pot, and before I know it, he's created another tasty soup. Thanks Honey!

I hope you find it to be as tasty as we did. Our friends stopped by, so they were our official taste testers -- thumbs up from them too!

Stephe's Carrot-Basil Gumbo Soup:

8 oz. okra, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped thin

3 carrots - 2 thinly chopped and 1 grated

1 small onion, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 c. fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup brown rice

1 Tbsp. lemon pepper

1/4 tsp. curry powder

2 Tbsp. dried oregano

2 Tbsp. dried basil

1 bay leaf

1 pinch of dried rosemary

8 cups water

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon vegetable base

Put everything together in a pot and cook 20-30 minutes (until the rice is cooked). It's as easy as that.

My favorite accompaniment to soup of any kind....... a slice of hearty whole grain bread with butter. And of course, a large glass of milk!

The next day........I heated up a bowl of Stephe's soup, which always seems thicker the next day, and put it over top a bed of brown rice. Delicious! And of course, I also had a large glass of milk :)

Give it a try - your body will be thanking you for the nourishment!

Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Soup with White Beans & Swiss Chard

Here's another tasty soup recipe. I generally don't like tomato based soups, but this one has won me over. This soup has a little bit of a kick to it, so if spicy isn't your thing, just cut back on the red pepper flakes. This soup is thick. If you like a brothier soup, I would simply increase the vegetable broth.

I can't wait for the farmers market (and my garden) to get going so I can make this soup with vegetables fresh from the garden! Can't you just taste the freshness? Better get tending to my garden...........Enjoy!

Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Soup with White Beans & Swiss Chard:

2 Tbsp EVOO

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 medium onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

2 medium carrots, sliced

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 small zucchini, sliced (1 cup)

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes

1 15-oz. can small white beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped, plus 2 tbsp oil from jar

1/2 bunch (6oz.) Swiss chard, chopped (kale will work too)

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 cup torn fresh basil

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Stir in onions, carrots, celery, zucchini and rosemary, and cook 10-15 minutes, or until the onions are soft.

Add veg. broth and one can of the diced tomatoes, and beans. Scoop 1 cup mixture into food processor or blender, along with the remaining can of tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and the oil. Puree until smooth, then stir the mixture into the soup, and season with salt and pepper - if desired. Simmer 10 minutes.

Add Swiss chard and thyme, simmer 5 minutes more, or until chard is wilted. Remove from the heat, and stir in basil.

Serves 6-8 (depending on how hungry your guys are :)

See the link below for information on Swiss chard.

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/swiss-chard.html

Cauliflower Chowder

As you may recall from a previous blog of mine, I have never been a big fan of cauliflower. So again to my surprise, I have a cauliflower recipe for you that taste great and is healthy too. My husband came across this recipe - he was getting tired of me making the caramelized cauliflower all the time!

Here it is....

Cauliflower Chowder:

5 Tbsp. EVOO

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

6-8 scallions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped thinly

2 medium cauliflower, cored and broken- you could use broccoli in place of part of the cauliflower

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

4 cups skim milk

4 cups water

2 Tbsp Vegetable Broth Base

1/8 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg

Lightly saute onion and garlic in bottom of pot with 2 tbsp olive oil. Then add all the other ingredients and bring to a very light boil. Let simmer until the cauliflower is soft (about 20-30 min). Stir frequently. Serves 4.

Can you believe how simple this is? Fast, easy, taste great, and it's not loaded down with a lot of fat!

Happy eating to you and your family!

If you'd like to learn more about the health benefits of eating cauliflower and broccoli, check out the links below.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/FOOD/news/04/13/broccoli.benefits.wmd/

Pecan-Crusted French Toast

It's important to me to make a special breakfast for my guys on the weekends. They are important to me and this is one way that I try to show that to them. The catch is that in my household, we have a omnivore, a vegetarian (me) and a vegan, so breakfast can get a little tricky.

Recently I came across this vegan French Toast recipe and thought I'd give it a try. It was a hit! The vegan of the house gave it a 4.1 rating and the carnivore of the house rated it at a 4.8 and said it was "The best French toast I've ever eaten." (scale is 1-5, with 1 being the most disgusting food you've ever eaten and 5 being that you'd like to eat it as often as possible).

The only change I would make to the recipe would be that I would add vanilla extract - something I always add to pancakes or French toast. :)

Here it is......

Pecan-Crusted French Toast:

1-1/2 cups soy or rice milk
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons chickpea flour or brown rice flour (found in the natural foods section - good source of protein)
1 cup finely chopped pecans
6 to 8 slices vegan whole wheat or whole wheat raisin bread
Maple syrup for topping

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy or rice milk, corn starch and cinnamon. Whisk in the chickpea or brown rice flour. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Place the pecans in another shallow bowl.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbsp canola oil to pan. One slice at a time, dip the bread in the milk mixture, turning to soak both sides. Dip one side in the pecans, pressing to coat. Arrange the bread in the skillet (you might have to do more than one batch), pecan side down. Cook 2-3 minutes, until the pecans are well-browned. Carefully turn the bread, and continue cooking until the second side is browned, 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine did!