White Bean and Vanilla Cupcakes with Coconut Whipped Cream

January 21, 2012

FLOURLESS WHITE BEAN & VANILLA BEAUTIES!

These babies are flourless, gluten, dairy and refined sugar free! These are get down good cupcakes for the heart.  They are made out of white beans, seriously! The best part about these cakes is that they are totally budget-friendly, they are easy to make and  you will feel great while you are eating them AND after!

Whatcha’ Need:

1 cup of left over white beans OR 1-15 ounce can of unseasoned EDEN white beans-in a BPA free can

(Eden is the only bean company to use BPA free cans and kombu sea veggies which add trace minerals and selenium – a major ingredient that fights cancer and boosts the immune system!)

5 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or one whole vanilla bean

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

4 tablespoons of earth balance butter (organic soy free ) or unrefined coconut oil ( or a mix of the two is what I do, that way you don’t get so much of a coconut taste )

1/2 cup brown rice syrup or honey

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or organic baking  cacao can be added to turn them “chocolate” or keep them “vanilla” by omitting this ingredient

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 325.  Drain and rinse beans in a strainer. Shake off excess water or pat dry with paper towels.  Place beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla, and salt into blender or food processor. Blend on high until beans are completely liquefied. No lumps! Whisk together cocoa powder (if making chocolate option), baking soda, and baking powder and set aside. Beat butter and/or oil with sweetener until light and fluffy with a hand-mixer and add remaining two eggs, beating for a minute after each addition.

Pour bean batter into egg mixture and mix with hand-mixer. Finally, stir in dry baking soda and powder mixture and beat the batter on high for one minute, until smooth. Pour into cupcake tins almost to the top and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Frost them with COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM! See recipe below. Also, for BEST flavor, let cupcakes sit over night before frosting. These cakes will not have a hint of beaniness after letting it sit for eight hours. Try them and let me know what you think!

Coconut milk makes just as thick and rich whipped cream as whipping cream, if not more! And the only different in preparation is to remember to put the coconut milk in the fridge long enough to chill.

An additional plus is that whipped coconut cream does not break down the way dairy does. This whipped cream can be covered and stored for up to a few days without separation taking place. That alone makes it a better option in my book!

Whatcha’ Need:

• 1 Can Coconut Milk (14 ounces)
• 2 Tbs Organic Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla

Whatcha’ Can Add:

• 1 tsp Matcha or
• 1 Tbs Cocoa Powder or
• 2 Tbs Pomegranate juice

Whatcha’ Do:

1. Set can of coconut milk and mixing bowl in the fridge overnight
2. Set beaters in freezer for a few minutes before you begin
3. Open can and remove all the solid coconut cream (leaving about 1/4 can of coconut water)
4. Mix cream in chilled bowl, with chilled beaters until fluffy (3 minutes or so)
5. Mix in powdered sugar and/or any other flavoring
6. Use right away or cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days

Tags: bean cake, bean cupcakes, bean desserts, black bean cake, black bean cupcakes, coconut oil, coconut whipped cream, earth balance butter, EDEN beans, Eden BPA free canned beans, healing our bodies with food, healthy kid desserts, kid friendly desserts, kombu sea vegetables, mee tracy, Mee Tracy McCormick, princess know it all, raising kids without processed foods, white bean cake, white bean cupcakes

Categories: Beans, Grains & Legumes, Desserts, Recipe Archives

Get your Black-Eye Peas on for New Years & Welcome LUCK!

December 31, 2011

At the first Noble Food Makeover the menu was black-eyed pea croquettes, a vegenaise dressing with turmeric & dill, fresh spinach salad and miso soup. My goal was to reintroduce foods that everyone’s ancestors had a relationship with – black eye peas are a southern staple, well were until recent.  Now they are found typically only on New Year’s Day and usually poured from a can.  In the American South, eating black-eyed peas and greens (such as collards) on New Year’s Day is considered good luck: the peas symbolize coins and the greens symbolize paper money.

Peep this scrumptious recipe ya’ll with the dipping sauces! Happy New Year! Enjoy!

BLACK-EYED PEA CROQUETTES

I LOVE these and so did everyone at my first Noble Food Makeover and everyone else I have made them for, they are a HIT! Try them for your New Year’s menu this year!

Whatcha’ Need:

2 cups black-eyed peas, soaked overnight in spring water

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp shoyu soy sauce

1 tsp ground cumin

2 cups safflower oil for frying

Place soaked beans in food processor, add salt, shoyu, and cumin. Blend until you get fine shreds of bean, but don’t blend into a pulp. The mixture will be slightly wet but can hold together.

Form palm-sized croquettes with your hands then heat 1-inch of oil in a cast-iron skillet to about 350 degrees. To test the oil, drop in a tiny amount of the croquette mixture. If it bubbles furiously and rises to the top, the oil is ready.

Do not let the oil get so hot that it smokes. You may need to make little adjustments to the heat throughout the cooking process to avoid burning the croquettes. Place 4 croquettes in the oil and let fry for about 4 minutes on each side. Place on paper towel and drain extra oil.

DILL DRESSING – THIS IS OFF THE HOOK GOOD Y’ALL!

I use this on lots of things – salad, tofu schnitzel, fish tacos.      

Whatcha’ Need:

2 cups of Vegenaise – healthy, yummy mayonnaise alternative with super easy to digest fat

1tbsp of dried turmeric or fresh if using fresh about 2 inches – turmeric fights inflammation

Juice of 1 lemon & you can use some of the zest too!

1 tbsp of dried dill but I prefer fresh so I put about ¼ cup – you can swap dill for cilantro if you want to mix up your flavors!

1 clove of garlic

1tbsp of olive oil

1 tsp of salt & pepper to taste –with digestive dis-ease skip the pepper

Put all this in a food processor or use your hand held wand in a bowl and blend till everything is smooth.

Tags: black eye peas, black eyed pea croquettes, black eyed pea dishes, black eyed peas, croquettes, food for healing digestive diseases, foods to eat for luck, mee tracy, Mee Tracy McCormick, new year's dishes, southern food traditions for the noon year, traditional new years day foods.

Categories: Beans, Grains & Legumes, Side Dishes

EASY Almond Bread – yeast free, gluten free, dairy free, flour free!

December 24, 2011

I love bread, but I am careful how much YEAST I allow to enter my intestines not to mention how much sugar.  This recipe is easy and is yeast free! In fact it’s a lot like baking a cake as you mix it all together and pop it in the oven. For more info on yeast click here.

Tags: dair free bread, easy bread recipe, gluten free bread recipe, homemade cooking for kids with allergies, how to avoid yeast, yeast free bread recipe

Ease off Sugar with this SWEET VEGGIE DRINK

SWEET VEGGIE JUICE

This is what helped me get off sugar and it is yummy too! Perfect holiday treat replacement! Instead of that egg nog you have each year switch it up and get your drink on with this sweet veggie juice!

Whatcha’ Need:

1/4 cup carrot

1/4 cup cabbage

1/4 cup pumpkin or squash

1/4 cup large onion

Grate or chop vegetables. Add four cups water and bring to boil. Reduce fire and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and drink only the liquid. You can eat the veggies too, and store the broth in a covered container in the fridge so you have it for a couple days, be sure to drink a cup of broth at least once a day, but the more times the better!

Tags: a recipe to get off of sugar, carrot juice, healing drinks, healthy drinks, healthy holiday drinks, holiday drinks, how to cut sugar, juicing recipes, mee tracy, pumpkin and carrot juice, sugar detox, sugar detox drinks, sweet juice, sweet vegetable drink, sweet vegetable juice, sweet veggie juice

Categories: Drinks, Recipe Archives

ORGANIC BROWN RICE

December 9, 2011

ORGANIC BROWN RICE

Always soak your brown rice the night before with a small piece of kombu seaweed.

Why eat brown rice instead of white?

Well for starters, brown rice has 3 ½ grams of fiber while white rice has less than one! Brown rice also contains nutrients like magnesium, manganese and zinc. White rice has reduced levels of these nutrients, but is often fortified with iron and some B vitamins.  Bringing B’s into our bodies’ aids our nervous system and can help relieve mental depression; filling our plates with food in its natural state is a sure way to regain our healthy selves! I love brown rice and now that I’ve gotten hooked on the full flavor plain old white rice tastes void of substance.  I make brown rice at least once a week. I always make enough of it to last a few days and use it to thicken sauces. This staple makes mealtime cake- I always have a strong base to build with!

POT-BOILED BROWN RICE

Whatcha’ Need:

1 cup brown rice (short or
long grain or brown basmati)

2 cups boiling water

1 pinch of sea salt

For larger batches, use less water: 3 cups rice with 5 ½ cups water

Wash the rice by swirling it in a bowl of cool water. Drain in a large, fine-mesh strainer. Pat with a paper towel to remove excess water. Then place the rice in a pot with a snug-fitting lid. Add water & salt, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer – without stirring or lifting the lid – for 50-60 minutes. Relax… dinner is cooking itself.

PRESSURE-COOKED BROWN RICE

Whatcha’ Need:

2 cups short grain brown
rice

3 – 3 ½ cups water

1/8 tsp sea salt

Wash the rice and drain in a strainer (as in recipe above). Place in pressure cooker with water and salt, and start on  medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Then, turn the heat up to high briefly until pressure valve jiggles. Put a flame spreader under the pot to keep from burning rice on the bottom. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes (1 hour total).

RICE-COOKER BROWN RICE

Whatcha’ Need:

Pour oil in cooker

1 cup brown rice (short or long grain or brown basmati)

2 cups boiling water

1 pinch of sea salt- last 10 minutes of cooking

This rice cooker has saved my life! When I don’t have enough time to stand over the stove, I sho’ do love this little machine.  When making brown rice, be sure to add enough water. If you didn’t and the rice isn’t soft enough, just add  more water and re – run the cycle.  I also add sesame or olive oil and a pinch of salt before starting the rice  cooker.  Since brown rice requires the most water, place a kitchen towel on top of the lid when making a full pot, so that the steam doesn’t spray everywhere.

*If you are in the midst of digestive distress be sure to cook your rice to almost porridge – the softer it  is, the easier it is to digest.  The first 3 months of my digestive distress, I ate my almost all of my grains this  way.

Tags: brown rice, brown rice vs white rice, heart smart foods, how to heal crohns and colitis disease with food, kid friendly recipes, mee tracy, organice brown rice, rice cooker, rice dishes, whole foods, whole grains

Categories: Beans, Grains & Legumes, Recipe Archives, Recipe Basics, Side Dishes, Whole Grains

KID FRIENDLY-LEMON MISO WHITE FISH RECIPE- GLUTEN & DAIRY FREE

December 8, 2011

Lemon Miso White Fish

This is one of my favorite quicky fish recipes, ’cause it’s not fishy tasting and kids LOVE it.  Frozen fish works great too!

WHATCHA’ NEED:

2-3 pieces Any white fish

2 TB of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1 TB of Sweet White Miso

2-3 cloves of minced garlic (amount optional)

1 bunch of fresh dill chopped

1 TS of Tamari

1 TS Mirin Rice Wine (optional sweetner)

WHATCHA’ DO:

Heat a large cast iron skillit and add oil and garlic and cook for 3 minutes

Add layer of chopped dill and lay fish on top of dill

Keeping heat on medium dilute your miso with a 1/2 cup of water or more depending how thick you want your sauce, add Tamari & Mirin to your diluted miso, adding the lemon juice too!

Pour diluted miso mixture sauce over fish

Cover fish with lid and cook for 12 minutes

SERVING IDEAS:

With brown rice & side of broccoli or asparagus and top with green onions – for an added dose of vitamin C.

Tags: dairy free, fish that is not fishy tasting, gluten free, healthy recipes, kid friendly recipes, Mee Tracy McCormick, miso fish, organ cooking wild caught talapia, white fish

Categories: Fish

Butternut Squash Soup, Millet Mash, Kuzu Gravy, Millet Pilaf, Millet Croquettes & Collard Greens

November 12, 2011

Hello and welcome to the NFM Malibu Menu!

This first class was all about THE MILLET – a grain that y’all will want to get down with ’cause it’s fantastic tasting and off the chart yummy in yo’ tummy.

GINGER BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

The flavors are perfectly complimentary: sweet and mild heat mixed with yum!

Whatcha’ Need:

1 butternut squash peeled and cut into medium sized pieces

3 medium carrots – cut into medium pieces the smaller the faster they cook

1 medium apple peeled and cored

1 small onion cut into medium half moon slices

1 small piece of ginger – chopped or more- depending how much heat you like!

1 tsp of grated turmeric – I use fresh but you can use powdered if all available to you

3 cloves of garlic chopped large

1 tbsp tamari/shoyu

1 large tbsp of sweet white miso

5 cups water

1 cup left over brown rice

Put everything except the miso into the pot. Cover with lid. Cook on medium low for about 20 minutes, long enough for everything to cook down.  If it looks dry, add more water. I usually pull out some of the liquid broth to dilute my miso. Make sure to turn the heat down before adding the diluted miso. After everything is blended, whip out your electric wand and blend this baby – if you don’t have a wand use your blender.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MILLET & MEE BABY!

Here is Mee making basic millet: Peep it shawty!

A third of the world has been living on millet for 2500 years! When I first introduced it to my family, my husband said, “We can’t eat that- it’s for cows!” He couldn’t be more wrong. Millet is full of mightiness. It is alkalizing: it balances overly acidic situations. Millet also sweetens the breath ‘cause it retards bacterial growth in the mouth, helps prevent miscarriages, and is an anti-fungal agent (it is said to be one of the best grains for those suffering from Candida albicans overgrowth) Millet is not a carbohydrate it is a protein, as it is a seed. If you’ve got the “pooh’s”, vomiting, indigestion or diabetes, eat it! If you are pregnant and suffering morning sickness – make a soup with it or prepare the millet creamy/ porridge style. I choose to teach this first as it is a true FOUNDATION FOOD – you can do tons with it and if you have it already made it becomes the foundation for your weeks menu.

Whatcha’ Need:
1 c. organic millet
¼ chopped organic yellow onion
1 tsp. chopped organic garlic
2 carrots cleaned and chopped half moons
1 cup of frozen organic peas
1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms – maitake, shitake or any type u like.
1 tsp. organic olive oil
4 – 6 inches of Kombu
A pinch of rocking Sea Salt (from Natural Imports)

Watcha’Do:
Soak your millet in a glass bowl over night with the kombu in it or for 15 minutes – this helps the grain open up and become more digestible.
In the morning, remove kombu and chop it into tiny bite sized pieces, strain millet and rinse.
Heat your olive oil in the skillet, then add chopped onions, Kombu and garlic, cook the onions until they are clear, then add your strained millet.
Totally toast this millet, covering it with the flavors in the skillet. Once it seems toasty, I add 3 cups of water, carrots, peas & mushrooms. I bring it to a boil, I lower the heat after it boils for a few minutes and then toss in my pinch of salt, cover and let simmer on low for 35 minutes (just like rice).

Millet Croquettes (it’s all about the leftovers)
Whatcha’ Need
1 cup or however much leftover pilaf you have.
1 egg – could use half if you only have a little bit of millet.
1.5 cups of gluten free, dairy free, yeast free bread crumbs or corn meal.
1/4 cup of grapeseed oil.

Whatcha’ DO:
In a bowl whip up your egg with a fork, toss in your left over pilaf and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. Work together with your hands and let it sit for a few minutes allowing the gluten free breadcrumbs to absorb the egg and for everything to settle together.
On a separate plate spread the rest of your gluten free breadcrumbs, make small patties out of your pilaf mixture and then roll them in the breadcrumbs. Heat your pan, add in oil bring it to a medium high heat and cook your croquettes until brown on both sides!
These are great leftovers for school lunches – my kids call them crunchy cakes.

“>MILLET MASHED POTATOES

Whatcha’ Need:

2 cups millet

1 small cauliflower (approx. 2 cups flowerets)
1 stalk of celery *optional but adds great flavor(add when you add in the cauliflower.
¼ tsp sea salt
7 cups water
Extra water for mashing
Ghee for taste
 
 
Lightly roast millet in skillet. Bring water to a boil and add millet, cauliflower and salt. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. I like to use my “wand” to mash, adding Ghee – clarified butter, the process of cooking the butter down removes the lactose from it. Ghee is also known to aid in the healing of digestive ulcerations.  Adding the Ghee brings the buttery mashed potato flavor to the millet mash!

KUZU GRAVY IS THE BOMB BABY!

Gravy with cornstarch, flour, arrowroot or kuzu is a tough recipe to be exact about so trust your instinct & never turn your back on – stick close so it doesn’t stick to the pan.

Whatcha’ Need:
2 tbsp of KUZU – diluted with about 2 to 3 tbsp of water
2 tbsp sesame oil (olive oil works great too!)
1 tbsp sweet white miso or barley miso (diluted)
2 tbsp shoyu or tamari
1 tbsp mirin (rice wine)
½ onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 cup shitake mushrooms(or any mushroom you like)
2 cup water

Heat pan and add sesame oil, onions, garlic and mushrooms.  Season with shoyu or tamari and mirin and add 2 cups of water. Cover & cook..  Remove a ladle of hot broth and dilute  miso in a separate bowl. Add diluted miso to the pot and let cook for a few minutes. Don’t bring it to a full boil in order to maintain the live culture.  Lastly, add the diluted kuzu. To dilute the kuzu, add cold water to kuzu in a separate bowl.  Once it becomes a white liquid, add it to the pot. Stir constantly to avoid clumps. This gravy is perfect for mashed potatoes, grains or pastas. Sometimes I add frozen green peas, too!

Tags: butternut squash soup, collards, community food projects nashville and Los Angeles, cooking classes los angeles, cooking classes nashville, dairy free cooking, dairy free soups, gluten free cooking, kuzu gravy, mashed millet, Mee Tracy McCormick, millet, millet croquettes

Oatmeal W/Anise, Cinnamon & Apples – gluten free, dairy free

October 18, 2011

dried figs

I LOVE oatmeal but like everyone else I grow bored with the same old preparation – so here is a twist to put some pep in my oatmeal step!  The figs & apples sweeten it naturally but I sometimes add a tbsp of brown rice syrup for the girls!

WATCHA’ NEED:

1 cup of rolled oats – real oats not instant

2 inches of dried kombu

4 cups of water

1 apple – any type

3 dried figs – you can use dates or raisins instead.

1/4 tsp of cinnamon – more if you like.

1 star anise pod

1 tsp. of ground flax seeds

Star Anise Pod

WATCHA’ DO:

Use a medium sized pot, put it on your stove adding in your oats, kombu & water.  Let it sit over night as this makes the oats faster too cook, easier to digest and allows the benifiets of the kombu to soak into the oats and water.  In the morning I get up before the kids turn on the stove to medium low,remove my kombu and chop it into tiny little pieces so the kids don’t notice it and eat it – remember KOMBU is a major immune system booster. Chop my apple into bite size pieces I keep the skin if the apple is organic – FIBER.  Chop up my figs to small pieces- removing the stems.  Add the chopped figs and cinnamon it’s a natural antibiotic and anise aids in digestion helps with gas, has a licorice like flavor used in my favorite Italian cookies- you can also add the anise the night before along with the figs.  Bring everything to a boil then lower the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes – this is when I dress the girls once they are ready so is the oatmeal, I top it with a tbsp. of ground flax which give it a crunchy texture.

I like to reheat it the next day in coconut oil and top it with my homemade almond milk – super YUM!

*be sure to remove the anise pod so no one breaks a tooth!

Tags: dairy free, figs, gluten free, healing colitis crohnes with food, healing digestive diseases with food, oatmeal, recipes for celiacs, star anise recipes, vegan

BAKED KALE CHIPS – EASY- GLUTEN FREE SNACK!

October 6, 2011

KALE CHIPS

Hey Y’all!

I’m deep in my kitchen cooking my way through the fall season, what I’m LOVIN’ are kale chips.  I try to use everything in my refrigerator before I make a second trip to the market in a week – this keeps my budget down and me from throwing away valuable produce.  Kale Chips are all about using up the Kale before it goes bad – Plus kale is dense in nutrients, vitamin A, C, K, fiber and CALCIUM – YEP – you can actually absorb more calcium from leafy greens than dairy products.  Plus Kale boosts the immune system and brings oxygen to our blood.

These are great to serve before a dinner gathering or as a healthy snack for an afternoon football party.

Whatcha’ Need:

1 bunch of washed kale

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 tsp of salt

Watcha’ do:

Heat your oven to 350 degree, arrange a bunch of torn Kale leaves ( I like to remove my stems by just cutting the leaf away from it) on two rimmed baking sheets.  I sprinkle or drizzle the kale with olive oil and then toss together.  Lastly season with salt.  Place your trays in the oven and bake rotating the trays once until the kale is crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes.

* for a spicy kick add red chili flakes!

Tags: baked kale chips gluten free, dairy free, healthy nashville lifestyle, malibu living, nashville, noble food makeover, vegan, veggies and kids

FOUNDATION FOODS: Quinoa kale tomato carrot stir fry – use leftovers for quinoa croquettes

September 23, 2011

I’m all about FOUNDATION FOODS – meaning grains, beans and veggies – these are the foundation that I have built my NEW and improved healthy body with.  The perk is that when ever I have made one or more of them I’ve got something to stand on for the next couple days, i.e. I can build a quick meal using them as left overs.

The other night I knew I needed some serious MEE food, I went through the cupboards and fridge determined to create with what I had – I like to use my groceries and therefore keep a minimal amount in the house, only shopping once we hit the need point – this keeps my market  bill down and me creative!

So here is what I made:

Quinoa, Carrot, Kale, Kombu, Mushroom Pilaf

Whatcha’ Need:

1 cup of Quinoa soaked for 15 minutes with 3 inch piece of kombu seaweed

4 cups of chopped kale

1/2 cup of any type mushrooms

1/2 cup of thin matchstick chopped carrots

1/4 large sweet onion

4 cloves of garlic minced

2 tomatoes chopped into small pieces – not tiny.

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 tsp of salt – optional

1 tbsp Braggs Organic Sprinkle seasoning – yum!

I use my WOK, as it is my most favorite pan to cook with.

Watcha’ Do:

Heat your wok, add 2 tbsp of your olive oil, garlic, onions, mushrooms and quinoa.  Move everything around in the pan toasting the quinoa and mixing the flavors for about 3 minutes.  Add in chopped and washed bite size kale, tomatoes, carrots, chop kombu small & add in, then and bragg seasoning.  Add the rest of your olive oil, blending it all nicely, then add 2 cups of water bring to a boil then lower the heat to low and cover.  Adding your salt 8 minutes before everything is cooked.  It takes about 30 minutes or less for the quinoa to cook.

I served it with Tofu Schitzel.

LEFTOVERS!!!

Gluten Free Dairy Free

Quinoa Croquettes!

My kids call ‘em crunchy patties and LOVE ‘em!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These are great with soup and salad!

Whatcha’ Need:

It depends how much quinoa pilaf you have left over- I used 2 cups worth

1 egg

1/2 cup of rice yeast free, gluten free, dairy free bread crumbs. You can use regular bread crumbs if you are not gluten free.

1/4 cup of olive oil

Watcha’ Do

Whip your egg, mix in your quinoa pilaf and add 1/4 of your rice bread crumbs.  Make patties much like you do hamburgers.  On a small plate sprinkle a layer of bread crumbs as you will be dredging/dusting your patties on both side then placing them in the hot olive oiled skillet. About medium heat brown both sides and place on a napkin.  If the skillet drys out add more oil.

Tags: dairy free quinoa croquettes with kale, gluten free, healing cancer with food, healing colitis with food, healing crhons with food, how to use leftover quinoa and kale, kale, mushrooms

Categories: Beans, Grains & Legumes, Side Dishes