I would call this month a successful sprouting month. I have successfully used my sprouts in creative ways. Some of which my family did not even realize, and others in a way that I really need to work on (according to the food critics at my house).

Alfalfa Sprouts

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This dessert is my absolute favorite. I love bringing Vegan Pumpkin Squares to dinner parties. I always get raved reviews, especially when folks hear what’s in it…or what is NOT in it.  It is my easy ‘go-to’ dessert for a crowd. I usually double the recipe and often make two batches of a doubled recipe for a crowd.

The spices make this pumpkin dessert wonderful for the holidays and a sweet treat any time of the year.

This recipe is so simple and easy, it makes an ideal recipe for kids to help with. Clean up is super simple when all the ingredients are mixed in the blender then poured into the baking dish.

To clean your blender jar, add a couple of cups of hot water and a drop of dish soap and blend or pulse for 10-20 seconds.

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The pineapple on my counter had been setting there awhile. I know this, because once of my children warned me I need to cut it before it goes bad. It wasn’t until the next day that I took heed and cut up the pineapple. I don’t know what aversion I have to cutting up pineapples. I guess they are placed in stores quite green that it takes several days for them to ripen and they kinda get lost in the row of produce on my kitchen counters.  But, thankfully, I do manage to cut them when they are super ripe and oh, so juicy. This one was not exception.

To this smoothie I added Alfalfa sprouts. I am doing very well with using sprouts this month. I am nearly ready to begin another jar of sprouts soon.

This Pineapple-Orange Smoothie w/Alfalfa Sprouts got rave reviews from the kiddos. They said it was more like Pineapple Juice. I can go with that. They drank it right up.

Pineapple-Orange Smoothie w/Alfalfa Sprouts

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When I say Eggs, I do, mean real chicken eggs. Nearly all of this site’s recipes are Vegan or Vegetarian, but I do use eggs, sometimes.

Throughout my recipes I give alternatives for eggs, but I, personally, have never used an egg substitute for scrambled eggs or omelets. If you have, and it’s good, please let me know what has worked for you.

Back to real eggs… We have access to country chickens “aka yard eggs” and love to take advantage of this luxury.

From time to time we even get the privilege of taking care of the chickens and get to keep the eggs. We love that! There is just something about peaking into the nest and finding several eggs laid and ready to be taken. I guess it’s like a hide-and-seek game — fun for the whole family. Read more

This month I am working on being creative with sprouts. Today I used Alfalfa Sprouts in my guacamole. We love Guacamole at our house. It does not last long and this recipe with the added sprouts was no exception.

Alfalfa Sprouts sprouted in a mason jar

Guacamole alone is a great, kid-friendly dip and an easy appetizer for a crowd (or small family). It can also be a healthy and nutritional lunch for those of all ages. Read more

I have begun this New Year by learning how to incorporate more sprouts to our diets. So far I have sprouted Broccoli Seeds, Alfalfa Seeds and am now working on Mung Beans.

Sprouted Mung Beans

The following is just a few transformations Mung Beans undergo after sprouting:
•    Protein availability   — increases 30 percent
•    Calcium content        — increases 34 percent
•    Iron content               — increases 40 percent
•    Vitamin A content     — increases 285 percent
•    Ascorbic acid or Vit C content      — An infinite increase

This change was posted at healthlibrary.com. I found this list with lots more content on sprouting from GreenSmoothieGirl’s 12 Steps to Whole Foods. Fantastic book! I highly recommend it! I love looking through it to see what I could be working on to better the nutrition of me and my family. This month…sprouts!

For those who are new to sprouts (as I really am), it is super easy to sprout. The only tools I use are:

•    Pint or Quart Jar with rings
•    Cheese cloth big enough to fit around the opening of the jar
•    Sprouting Seeds or nuts (look for them at a Health Food Store)

So far I have blended most of my sprouts in smoothies, but I am trying to get creative now.

Tonight it’s Vegetable Chili – with Sprouts!

Sometimes it just tastes better served in a tea cup - if you are small enough to have a full serving tea-cup sized.

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This winter we have lots of sweet, easy-peel tangerines. The problem is they have so many seeds that we do not care to bother with them. I put my littlest cook to work juicing the small pile of tangerines I cut in half.

My Google search on an Orange Oil-Free salad dressing lead me to this post on Green Lemonade’s site.  The original recipe called for avocado, which I did not have. The other ingredients were honey, apple cider vinegar and a bit of water (as well as orange juice).  I made it without the avocado or water and it turned out wonderful. It was light (due to no oil) and sweet and very tasty.

I am not a big salad eater, but this dressing is a winner and helps makes salads easier for us to eat. It was simple to make and the proportions are easy to work with. Her idea for the salad to accompany this delicious salad dressing is winner as well.

Check out her recipe here.

You can adjust the quantity of the Salad Dressing by tasting it to decide if it has too much vinegar and not enough oranges or honey to suit your taste. This also makes quite a bit, but it’s a wonderfully light dressing.

You can add a bit of water to the Orange Juice too.

Add this to a mixture of Romain, spinach leaves, mixed salad greens, walnuts, grapes and grated carrots. If you have a weakness for croutons (like me), add some of them too. Read more

I was thrilled when I walked into our local international food store and saw the Young Thai Coconuts. I have read post after post and watched numerous videos on opening and blending these nutritious and delicious coconuts. But the only coconuts I ever found were the hairy brown ones, and those required my husband to open.

I bought two young coconuts the first time I saw them. The first I opened (by myself) had pink water and purple, slimey flesh.  After doing some research on this one I concluded it was not fit to eat. Read more

It’s fun to see a young athlete that has discovered the benefits of a raw/vegan diet.

In this post she shares her basic green smoothie recipe …

http://rawsoccerstyle.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-make-smoothie.html

Tis the season for fresh cranberries. With the holidays rolling around grocery store coolers are being packed with those beautiful red berries.

Cranberries are most commonly known for fighting off  urinary tract infections and are an excellent food for weight loss. Mix these precious berries with greens and you have a nutritious-packed fruit drink! Read more

Pumpkins are showing up everywhere and they are so beautiful to keep around, until the day you discover a growing moldy spot on the back! Yuck! It is past time to cut up and cook the pumpkin.

I was given a very large pumpkin from a friend’s garden this summer (yes, this summer). I cut it up, cooked the pumpkin and froze the cooked pumpkin puree for year round pumpkin dishes.

Here is a simple ‘how to’ when processing a large (or small pumpkin).

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I was on the search for how to make a fat free pie crust for a Pumpkin Pie when I found Fatfree Vegan’s Impossible Vegan Pumpkin Pie. This recipe was exactly what I was looking for, but didn’t realize it until I found it.

This Vegan version of Pumpkin Pie makes it’s own crust from the batter, so no need for shortening or other fat in the crust. No crust needed. Read more

Guiltless Vegan Chocolate Muffins

Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins

I am a woman, I love chocolate. I know that’s not the best food for me…let’s be real. It’s just comfort food…aka “mommy food”.

I have been on the look out for something to satisfy my sweet/chocolate craving with hopes of it being healthy at the same time…

With a few other recipes combined and some practice baking, I came up with this  Guiltless Vegan Chocolate (Chip) Muffins. Read more

This vegan hummus pizza is a quick meal that, like any pizza, can hold an unlimited amount of toppings. The sky (or fridge) is the limit for this versatile vegan pizza.

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One of the perks of owning a high powered blender the ability to make raw soup on demand. This vegan soup recipe can be made raw if you exclude the last two ingredients.

For a great blender cookbook, checkout a few top picks at Amazon.

Before purchasing my Blendtec Blender I watched many videos and read many reviews and so on. But, it was while seeing a live demo and tasting the soup made from the Blendtec did I decide to buy it.

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My Favorite Vegan Cornbread

There is nothing better than crispy cornbread to accompany your cooked greens and a big pot of beans and rice, or bean soup. With fall well on it’s way here and the little sprouts of greens coming up in the garden, it’s time to get the cornbread cooking in the kitchen!

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Sloppy Lentil Joe on homemade Whole Wheat Bun

I found this recipe in Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell B. Esselstyn. The last half of his book is recipes. I have found the spices in some of his recipes are rather bland, but they are written for those with heart disease. I add salt and different seasonings.

This book has great ideas for lunches/dinners and desserts. I recommend this book to be on every cooks recipe book shelf.

I found this recipe to have great flavor. I served the Sloppy Lentil Joes on homemade buns with steamed asparagus or over brown rice.

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Mid-morning smoothies are always a quick and easy way to get essential vitamins and nutrients in us with out opening a packaged box snack. This is a great way to get a real energy boost when our breakfast has worn off.

To make it fun we add colorful straws or use fancy glasses to drink our smoothies.

Lately,  my main ingredients for smoothies begin with water, spinach, carrots and bananas. From there the sky is the limit.

The colors of the ingredients are beautiful.

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Peanut Butter Dip for Apples Kids Love

Peanut Butter dip for fresh veggies or fruit.

I whipped up this Peanut Butter Dip one afternoon as a quick snack and served it with apple sticks (an apple I sliced into sticks).  Now it has become a common snack at our house when the kids get the munchies between meals.

The next morning I spread it on toast for breakfast. This peanut butter dip is an excellent substitution for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The dates make the dip sweet and it’s all natural ingredients.

Peanut butter dip on toast.

If you don’t have dates you can use maple syrup or honey for sweetener.

This is also a great way to incorporate flax seed into your diet. Flax is high in Omega-3 essential fatty acids which are good fats shown to have heart healthy effects. Flax is also high in fiber. In order to absorb these nutrients, the seed must be broken apart such as in a blender or grinder. Otherwise the seed just ‘”passes through”.

Any nut butter can replace the peanut butter. This dip does not need to be measured exactly, just throw the ingredients in your blender and blend away. If you need a bit more milk to get it to blend, add some. If you need more maple syrup or another date to sweeten it, add it. Experiment. It really is hard to mess up this mixture of  ingredients. They just go together and come out great. Read more