Cost saver vegetable broth

So many recipes call for vegetable broth, but the thought of going out and spending a dollar and a quarter on just broth irks me for several reasons.  Of-course the cost is always a factor but then the high sodium content along with preservatives, and the not so raving reviews they got from cooks illustrated when they went through the taste test doesn't help their cause.  Vegetable broth can be made very easily and with flavors that you like and have on hand.  You can also be as simple or creative as you like.  My vegetable broth I made yesterday was as simple as it comes: 3 large carrots, 3 medium-sized onions, 4 stalks of celery and about half a head of raw broccoli(left overs) all chopped up in about 5-6 cups of water ( I didn't think to measure it out to see how much i used) and a dash of salt(doesn't need much).  I cooked the veggies for about an hour on a medium heat with a lid.  Then after it cooled I scooped the veggies out, strained the juice and put it into ice cube trays and froze them for later use.  I know I have a very basic recipe if you even want to call it a recipe.  But the beauty is being able to experiment and put whatever vegetables you have in to create your broth.  If you are someone who needs to have a exact recipe or needs more ideas check out this link. photo credit: theilr

Mock Egg Salad Sandwiches

1 pound tofu, firm
1/2 small onion, chopped (optional)
4 tablespoons mayonnaise or vegennaise
2 tablespoons pickle relish (optional)
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
12 slices bread

Drain and crumble tofu. In a large bowl combine tofu and onion if using. Mix well. Add mayonnaise, pickle relish if using, mustard, curry powder, turmeric and cumin. Mix well. Season with salt and paprika. Top the bread of your choice with the Mock Egg Salad.
photo credit: 1Happysnapper

Berry Healthy Smoothie

Berry Healthy Smoothie

1 1/2 C Frozen Strawberries

1 1/2 C Frozen Blueberries

2 Ripe Bananas

1 C frozen Spinach (a handful or two of fresh will work too)

2 C Almond Milk (this you may want to adjust so you can control the thickness)

I absolutely love this combination.  The fruit flavors cover up the greens and the ripe bananas sweeten it up just enough.  I tend to blend mine so it is pretty thick and eat it almost like ice cream.   This recipe makes a good bit so I would encourage you to share with a friend.  photo credit: Azure Begonia

Cheese Sauce Recipe that wont raise your cholesterol!

Cheese sauce, great for Mac "n "Cheese



1/2 onion chopped

1 small potato peeled and chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1/2 red, yellow or orange sweet pepper chopped

1 large garlic cloves or garlic powder

1/2 cup raw cashews (these you may need to get from a health food store, because most places roast them)

1/2 tspn Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp Earth Balance (butter substitute)

1/2 tspn salt



Add 8oz whole grain macaroni for mac n" cheese



Directions

1.) Place chopped veggies, except garlic, in a sauce pan and add water to cover. Cover the pan and boil until the veggies are tender

2.) Place garlic, cashews, lemon juice, mustard, earth balance, salt and 1/2 cup of veggie broth(from the cooked veggies) in a food processor or high power blender. Blend until creamy, add more broth if necessary.

3.) Add softened veggies, with out any more broth, to the food processor or blender, and process until smooth.

4.) Serve.

Curry Recipe with Chef Ramsey

One of my favorite foods of all time is a vegetable curry.  There are so many different ways you can make curries to keep them interesting and enjoyable.

Watercress Soup

watercress rich in minerals and vitamins C and A prized since Roman times for biting, rich flavor, raw or cooked and in vegetable in soups.

Hummus and Its Multiple Uses

Hummus is one of those flexible mediums that you can do just about anything with.  However when you buy it from a store not only can it be a bit expensive(considering whats in it...) but they pack it with oils making it very high in fat!  Hummus is very easy to make and then can be adjusted to whatever you want it to be.

Basic Recipe:

1 can chickpeas or garbanzo beans drained and rinsed

1 clove garlic

1tbs tahini (sesame paste, you can find it in most grocery stores in the middle eastern section)

1 tbs lemon juice

Place it in food processor and process till a smooth consistency.  You can make it in bigger batches and use dried beans to cut down on the price even more.  I will sometimes make a big batch and freeze half till its needed.

A few ways I use it:

Great as a vegetable dip, you can add in a Cajun style season or hot peppers to make a spicy dip.

I like it on an open face sandwich with whole wheat bread with tomato, spinach, and avocado (and sprouts if I have them)

Great in a pita with steamed veggies

How do you like your Hummus?

photo credit: ilovemypit

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Bread Recipe

If you are concerned about preservatives or just love the smell of fresh bread baking here is a recipe for you. I use a bread machine and it makes a medium/small loaf.  Depending on your bread machine you may be able to double the recipe, but I would suggest making it the way it is first to make sure your machine is going to be large enough.

2/3cup applesauce

1 cup almond milk (I use almond breeze the original, and I have used soy milk and its turned out great. I suspect it would be fine with regular milk too)

2.5 cups whole wheat flour

1tsp cinnamon

2tbsp brown sugar

1tsp salt

1tbs Earth Balance (smart balance or what ever healthy butter substitute you use will suffice)

1.5 tsp dry yeast

Optional- Apple chunks.  I will take half an apple or one apple depending on the apple's size and dice and put in bread machine with all the other ingredients.

machine note-Dump all the ingredients in, I never worry about what goes in first and start the machine on its regular mode.  I would NOT suggest using this one on a delayed timer or rapid cycle.


photo credit: nessguide

Power Smoothie, Boost your Immune System

Do you have a good blender?  Have you been putting it to good use?

One of the simplest and most enjoyable beverages can also be very good for you (if you are putting in the right things) and a very enjoyable summer treat.  The benefit of blending is that you get the whole food; all the fiber and nutrients in a broken down form.  Because of being broken down it makes it easy for the body to finish breaking it down and for the body to absorb all the nutrients.

There are many different ways you can make a smoothie, but ill share with you what I put in mine.  This simple smoothie is low in calories and high in nutrients, great for boosting the immune system and help eliminating some extra calories if replacing a meal.

2 cups mixed frozen fruit (I usually buy a mixed bag, warning- Black Berries & Raspberries have seeds and will make it gritty)

1 Ripe Banana (the more brown spots the better, this makes it sweeter)

2 Handfuls of spinach fresh or frozen

Water to blend or sometimes Almond milk (water keeps it even lower in calories)

The reason for the spinach is to increase the amount of nutrients I am consuming and I find it keeps me from being hungry longer.  Because of the nice ripe banana you can't taste the spinach although it does make it a funky color.  If color bothers you put a lid on it and you wont even notice =) If your blender is not amazing place the spinach and water in first to blend then add the fruit.  Fruit chunks are fine, but who wants green chunks!  If you are going to be making a lot of smoothies you may want to invest in a high powered blender such as a Vita-mix, BlendTec, or some other industrial blender.  I've found it to be totally worth the investment!


photo credit: tiffanywashko