Fat Free, Dairy Free Vegan Pumpkin Bread

Do you tinker with recipes as much as I do?  There's always something that needs adjusting, no?
This very moist, cake-y pumpkin bread recipe was no different.  The original had buckets of sugar and not enough spices, so I fixed it and here you go:-)

FAT FREE DAIRY FREE VEGAN PUMPKIN BREAD

350* Oven   -     60-75minutes    -    Makes 2 loaves

Lightly oil your bread pans and set aside.

Mix together:

2 C. canned pumpkin (from 15 oz can)

1 C. unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana 

2 C. brown or cane sugar (you can use less if you wish to cut down further)

1 C. Water

Ener-G Egg Replacer for 4 eggs (or 4 flax seed meal 'eggs', i.e. 1/3C flax meal w/ 1/2C water)

Mix together:

3 1/3 C. flour

1 t baking powder

2 t baking soda

1 t nutmeg 

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t ginger

1/2 t cloves

1 t salt

Blend wet and dry well with a spatula and divide into the two oiled pans.   Sprinkle sugar or cinnamon/sugar mix on top. Bake in center of oven for about 75 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  Let cool.  The taste is much better the second day.

Fat free means no nasty oil all over your hands and coating your precious blood vessels!  Next time I make this I think I will reduce the sugar by a full 1/2 C. and I'm sure no one will even notice.  Enjoy!

Best Bean Soup Ever

So, I have this crazy 2nd cousin named Zeke whom is famous in the family for many things among them that he's raced the legendary Gumball 3000 road rally through Europe and crewed a boat in The America's Cup during the early '80s.  Zeke's a character, you might say and beloved by all.  

He also happens to have created the world's best black bean soup recipe, at least in my book.
Have at it!  Warning - it makes a huge pot, so if you don't plan to eat if for a week or feed a crowd, cut in half:-)  It takes less than 1/2 hour to make - bonus!

Zeke's 20 Minute Black Bean Soup

5 - 15 oz cans Black Beans, drained (can substitute red or kidney beans for some)

5 C. Chicken or Veg. broth

2T. Olive Oil

2 Onions, minced

3-5 cloves Garlic, minced

1T. Cumin

3-5 - 16oz cans Hominy (white or yellow)

1/4 C. Worcestershire

1 1/2 t. Tabasco

1 1/2 t. Salt

OPTIONAL toppings/sides:

Cilantro and or/ Avocado, Sour Cream 

Tortillas, Tortilla Chips or Cornbread

• Puree 1/2 of your beans and 1 can of Hominy in a blender.  
• Sauté onion and garlic in the oil until clear.  Add everything but the serving items.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer a minimum of 10 minutes but no more than 30.  Quicky soup!
• Serve with toppings of choice

Food! Fat Free Salad Dressing - I found a Goodie!

Another food post!  What's going on here?  I guess it's that the more I read and listen to podcasts (favorite right now: http://www.richroll.com/podcast ) the more I can't separate what I'm eating* from what I believe in from an environmental impact + fashion perspective.  And, I've learned I need to cut out fat due to cardiac concerns that run in my family (thank you, Dr. Esselstyn!).  

So - what can I use as salad dressing?   I don't like sweet ones and the only two I ever loved are Blue Cheese and Ranch (which, after living in Texas where pizza is dipped in it!!!!!!  I was so grossed out I couldn't eat that anymore.  It doesn't wash off plates very easily either - can you imagine what it's doing in your body? ugh.ack.yuck.).   

Fat Free Dressing?  Does it exist?  How can one live without olive oil???  Here's what I just invented, and it's pretty tasty on top of being nutritionally dense!

"Salty" Lemon Dressing

2T. Lemon Juice

1-2T. Bragg's Liquid Aminos

Shake or 3 of Maine Coast Sea Seasonings Dulse Flakes (yummy seaweed)

Shake or 3 of Toasted Black Sesame 

    Whip it together w/ a fork and pour over your salad.  Done. 

Here's why I like it - lemon juice aids in the absorption of iron and calcium from greens; Bragg's and Dulse add a sea salty taste without being refined salt; Bragg's is of course an amazing source of Amino Acids (meat, schmeat!);  sesame seeds (the wonder food!) add beauty, crunch, a gazillion minerals, fiber and an earthy sort of meaty flavor; Dulse Flakes are also mineral dense.   

There you have it!  Enjoy:-)

*BACK STORY:  I was raised vegetarian but went meaty in my teens believing the hocus pocus about "needing animal protein" but then, after reading Skinny Bitch 6 years ago I switched to a 95% vegan diet because I didn't have any legitimate excuses for eating animals anymore.  I struggle to this day completely avoiding cheese and ice cream, but I get better every month:-)  And better, the less dairy eat the better my skin and overall health/well-being.  

Brie, oh how I love thee, but thee lovest not me:-(