Bean Dip & Roasted Veggie Open-Faced Sandwiches

Bean Dip & Roasted Veggie Open-Faced Sandwiches

 

Italian Bean Dip
1 can fava/broad beans
1 tsp parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/3 red onion
3 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsps. olive oil

Market Fresh Sourdough Bread
-slice thick and bake for 5 minutes with drizzled oil and balsamic vinegar

Roasted Veggies: roast on 350 degrees for approx. 25 minutes

-1 beet, sliced > sprinkled with thyme and salt
2 large carrots, quartered > covered in pepper, balsamic vinegar and chopped ginger
2 red peppers, sliced > with a chopped garlic cloves, oregano and basil
1 head of kale, chopped > sprinkled with smoked paprika, cumin, curry powder and nutritional yeast

Sweet Potato Black Bean Wraps & Carrot Cake Cupcakes w Vegan Creamcheese Icing!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Wraps with Kale and Mushrooms
as inspired by this recipe for Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos

serves three to four

vegan

alter to taste

(garden fresh kale!)

Ingredients:

>whole wheat pitas

For the Sweet Potatoes

• 1 med size sweet potato
• 1 Tablespoons vegan butter
  
• salt & pepper
  

For the Mushrooms, Kale & Beans

• 1/2 large spanish onion
• 2 garlic cloves
  
• 1 or 2 portabello mushrooms
• handful of green kale leaves
  
• 1/2 large can of black beans

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Cajun spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• a pinch of oregano
• ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel and chop sweet potato and boil until soft. Add the vegan butter and salt and pepper then make it into a mash! Meanwhile, in a frying pan, add onions and garlic until soft. Continue to add the rest of the ingredients for frying. The whole wheat pitas can be warmed by placing them on top of the ingredients frying near the end of cooking. Serve the sweet potato mash and veggie/bean mixture as seperate dishes for the table so that warmed wraps can be assembled individually. As with many of the dishes I've been making lately, offer Chimmichurri sauce on the side!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes w Vegan Cream Cheese Icing!

vegan

makes twelve cupcakes

Ingredients:

4 large carrots

1 banana

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

dash of salt

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

dash of cardamom

1/8 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tbsp almond milk

1/4 cup nut mix or pecans or walnuts

Icing:

1 small can coconut milk

1/4 cup vegan cream cheese

pineapple or citrus fruit juice (1 bloodorange, squeezed)

1 tsp vegan mayo

1 tsp wheat germ

1 tbsp oats

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tbsp hemp hearts

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Boil or steam 4 large peeled carrots. Blend with banana andd small amount of water for consistency. Add to large mixing bowl. In a large mixing bowl add cake ingredients together. Mixture should have a wet, maleable consistency without being runny. Pour into oiled cupcake pan and make for 25 mins at 350 degrees in the oven.

ICING:

In the meantime, cream together icing ingredients, stir to produce a lightly frothed liquid. Put the vegan icing into the freezer until the cupcakes are finished baking. This should produce a thicker icing like texture. Take the carrot cake cupcakes out of the oven and let cool for several minutes. Remove carefully, top with generous portions of icing and serve!

I've converted the original recipe to a vegan one, and it would have been nice to have the toasted pecan, crushed pineapple and white chocolate for the icing! Yet I think you will find these a crowd pleaser and people will be amazed that this is a vegan recipe! ENJOY!

Bloody Beet Root, Apple & Kale Salad

Bloody Beet Root, Apple & Kale Salad

baked garden kale spiced with paprika, sea salt & pepper, cayenne, thyme & grapeseed oil

roasted beets & bok choy

freshly chopped apple

add sunflower seeds, balsamic vinegar, touch of veg oil with one drop of oregano oil for a blast of immune health as the Canadian winter begins!

For those of you who love beets as much as I think you do, check out Tom Robbins' novel Jitterbug Perfume!