Gluten Free and Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

 These are Gluten Free Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

These are Gluten Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

I have been making both of these cookies a lot lately, I don't have a gluten intolerance nor do we eat vegan all the time but I love having these in my arsenal of recipes for a healthier treat, or for the friends in our lives that have special needs in the food department. I got these recipes for Elana's Pantry, a food blog that I like to follow. Check her out! Enjoy!

Vegetable Minestrone

I LOVE SOUP! I think soup is the perfect meal for lunch, well really anytime but especially during the cold months when you need just a little hug of warm soup in the middle of the day. Last week I made Lentil Stew (recipe is on the blog) but this week I went for Vegetable Minestrone. I appreciate the protein coming from the white beans (that I made instead of buying canned... I swear their easy) and the abundance of vegetables, also bean and veggie soups are good to your waistline, at this time of year that's a blessing in my book. Enjoy!

-Vegetable Minestrone-

1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 carrots, diced
2 zucchini, diced
1/2 c. leafy celery tops, chopped
3-4 c. cooked white beans (you can use 2 14oz. cans of cannellini beans, making your own is an extra step but worth it)
1 jar of my canned tomatoes, crushed up with your hands (you can use 28oz can of whole tomatoes, I like the Eden brand)
1 bunch of kale, chopped
2-3 c. savoy cabbage, chopped (savoy cabbage is milder in flavor and texture than your traditional green cabbage)
1 quart veggie stock
1 1/2 c. water
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
*optional- Parmesan or Romano cheese rind

-Directions-

1. Start by heating some olive oil in a big soup pot over medium heat, when you can smell the oil add the onions and start to saute. Saute for just a few minutes and add the carrots, celery and garlic. Saute for just another few minutes (maybe 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
2. Next add the zucchini and season well with salt and pepper, toss around and saute until the zucchini starts to soften just a bit, maybe another 5 minutes. Next add the tomatoes, broth, beans and rind if using, bring this mixture to a boil and reduce back to medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. The last 5 minutes add the kale and cabbage, stir in until it starts to wilt, add the water and top with the lid and let simmer for those last few minutes. Remove the lid and taste for salt and pepper- add more if needed.
4. Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil, grated cheese and a slice of bread, or divide into lunch containers for the week.

Coconut Pumpkin Ice Cream w/ Toffee

So naughty but so nice. I made this recipe a few weekends ago when I was needing some cheering up. I just happened to have these ingredients laying around and thought to mix them all up- Voila! A sweet treat perfect for the season and it also worked in cheering me up. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cans organic canned coconut milk
1 package of Pumpkin Ice Cream starter mix (I bought this at Williams Sonoma)
1 1/2 c. toffee, chopped into smaller pieces (I used toffee from V Chocolates, it was gift from someone Billy works with and was just sitting around begging to go into this ice cream)

Directions:

1. Open and pour the two cans of coconut milk into a mixing bowl, pour in the package of Pumpkin Ice Cream starter and whisk until it feels like the mix has dissolved. Refrigerate this mixture in until completely chilled.
2. After the mixture has chilled (maybe 2 hours) take out of the fridge and mix in the toffee.
3. Pour the coconut pumpkin toffee mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer directions. I think I processed mine for 20-25 minutes.
4. Pour into freezer safe containers and freeze for at least one hour before serving.

Tart Dried Cherry Quinoa Salad w/ Walnuts, Parsley and Olive Oil

I love this dish! It was a perfect side dish for lunch with my Market Squash Soup (recipe on the blog). Delish! Easy, healthy and totally gourmet. You can mix in different dried fruits and nuts to suit your taste. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 c. cooked, cooled quinoa (quinoa is a great source of protein and it's gluten free, a major staple in the Cosmo Hippie Chef kitchen)
1/2 c. tart dried cherries, chopped (I got mine at the Farmers Market, but you can find them in the bulk section at the grocery store)
1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to the directions (Simple: Boil 2 c. water and a pinch of salt, when boiling add 1 c. quinoa, rinsed, to the boiling water. Bring to boil and then turn heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.) Let cook completely.
2. Scoop cooled quinoa in a large mixing bowl, add all the rest of the ingredients- tart dried cherries, parsley, walnuts, olive oil and salt and pepper (salt and pepper to taste). Mix all together. Taste to check salt and pepper.
3. Let chill in the fridge for a least one hour for flavors to mell together. Serve as a side dish, snack or for lunch.

-A drizzle of Sesame Oil just before you eat puts this dish over the top. (Thanks Brenna for the idea)

Market Squash Soup

This photo says it all-EASY! Just a few other ingredients are missing but it is really this simple. I had some leftover squash hanging out in the fridge and bought some at the Farmer's Market, they all came together for this lushish, warm, grounding soup for my lunch this last week. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 c. leftover roasted pumpkin puree
1 1/2 c. leftover baked sweet potato
2 c. diced kombocha squash
1 c. diced carrots
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 T. chopped fresh sage
1 quart veggie broth
2 tsp. chipotle in adobo
olive oil
salt and pepper (I used a smoked salt)
*the juice and zest of one orange, add just before you serve
-optional: top w/ toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts, drizzle w/ olive oil or any other flavored oil

Directions:

1. Start by heating your favorite soup pot over medium heat. Drizzle in some olive oil and add the onion, carrots and kombocha squash. Season with salt and pepper, stir and cover and with lid and cook for 15 min. Remove the lid, add the sage and saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the pumpkin  puree and baked sweet potato, stir to incorporate. Cook for a minute just to warm through. Season with a bit more salt and pepper. Next add the veggie broth and simmer the soup with the lid slighty askew for 15 minutes.
3. After you have simmered the soup, turn of the heat and blend the soup. (You can use a blender, food processor, or I like my hand held immersion blender). Last but not least add in the chipotle and orange juice and zest and stir to mix in.
4. Serve right away topped w/ toasted nuts and a drizzle of your favorite oil, or portion out in your lunch containers and store in the fridge for later. You can also freeze for a when your in a pinch.

-If the soup is too thick just add a bit of water to loosen it up.

Komen Walk and Mother's Day Dinner- Boobs, Friends and Food

 Our group for the big Komen Breast Cancer Walk, Yeah Team!

 Jenn, Mom and Me

 Breakfast at Squatters- Yum Fun

 Creminelli Sopressatta Salami over Fresh Cucumber

Urban Oven Crackers topped w/ local Goat Cheese, Fresh Anchovies and a slice of Fresh Lemon

 The dudes chillen, waiting for food. (Billy and Big Mike)

 View of our beautiful table

 Close up of Greek Salad (made by Mike, recipe on the blog) and Homemade Pasta (made my me) topped w/ local Sunbridge Pesto

Dessert- Homemade Coconut Ice Cream topped w/ Strawberries that were marinated in Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar

-Homemade Coconut Ice Cream-

1 14oz can organic coconut milk

1/4 c. agave

1 T. Bourbon Madagascar Vanilla (I get mine at Williams Sonoma)

a pinch of salt

1. Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl and pour into your ice cream machine and process for 20-25 minutes.

2. Scoop into a freezer container and freeze for at least a few hours before serving.

3. When ready to serve take out of freezer and let sit for awhile to soften just a bit, serve. ENJOY!

Tortilla Soup...YUMMY!

Okay kids here's a good one for you, this soup is a staple in our house during the cold month's. Lucky for me and my family it was soup weather this weekend! ENJOY.

Soup:

3 lrg carrots, chopped into bite size pieces

3 stalks of celery, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

-Start by sauting these ingredients in a medium size soup pot with some olive oil over medium heat.

1 package baby bella mushrooms, sliced or chopped

2 c. rainbow swiss chard or spinach

16 oz to 32 oz canned tomato's ( I can my own and they really make the soup awesome)

32 oz/4 c/1 quart vegetable broth

2 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped ( can be found in any supermarket), ( put the left overs in a zip lock bag and store in the freezer)

2 tsp. adobo sauce

salt and pepper ( My store had this smoked salt and I use it in place of regular salt, delish!)

-When the other ingredients have started to soften make sure to stir and season with salt and pepper. Then add the mushrooms, let them saute a minute or two before you season or the salt will draw all the moisture out, and we want them to brown a bit first. Next add tomato's, chipotles, adobo sauce, and vegetable broth. Let it come to a boil and turn to medium low and simmer 10 min. When those ten minutes are up turn heat to low or simmer and add the chard or spinach.

* optional indredients

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 c. fresh corn, or canned

-So when the chard/spinach has wilted at this point you could add the optional ingredients. This is the first time I've pureed this soup and it was great. So if your going to puree it do that first, and then add beans and or corn.

-We like to top our soup with local beehive sharp cheese and tofutti sour cream (vegan). We also use hot sauce and diced avocado, oh yes and my homemade tortilla strips.

Tortilla Strips:

1 package corn tortillas ( you might only use half the package)

olive oil

spices: ( your choice) 1/8 tsp. - 1/4 tsp. salt, pepper, cumin, garlic salt or garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper.

- Take two tortillas at a time, cut in half stack the two half moon shaped pieces on to of each other and then cut into strips. Do this to at least six tortillas, then toss in a bowl with olive oil and spices of choice. Line a baking sheet with foil, heat the oven to 375 . Place strips onto baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 min.