Archive for the ‘dairy free’ Category
« Older Entries |Coconut Oil, Star Fruit Cake, and Yoga
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
This Sunday Yoga on the Beach held a brunch in addition to a fabulous morning yoga class led by Céline. Class was great, the weather was beautiful and brunch was delicious. It was a perfect event to test out a fun new variation on my upside-down fruit cake. Here in Key West we are fortunate to get starfruit from a local grower, and it makes for such a beautiful cake! If you try this out, and are interested in making the starfruit upside-down cake dairy-free I replaced the yogurt in the recipe, with mashed avocado. It came out perfect!
If you have been following my blog, you will have noticed that I often use coconut oil in baking. I have been using coconut oil for a few years now, and definitely recommend that if you have not tried coconut oil yet, you should consider taking the leap. Coconut oil adds a sweet natural coconut flavor to baked goods, and you can use less of it than you would other oils or fats, therefore saving on the fat content of your sweet treat. It is also one of the few oils that maintains its quality at high heat so the quality of the food that you consume is also maintained. Don’t think that the benefits of coconut oil end there…check out Meghan Telpner’s blog to find out more.
When shopping for a coconut oil it is important to purchase a quality coconut oil that is unrefined, organic and extra virgin. I recently was fortunate enough to receive a sample of Tropical Traditions Extra Virgin Gold Label Coconut Oil. How exciting to receive a no-obligation sample of a product that I am so excited about! I tested out their extra virgin coconut oil in my starfruit cake and was very happy with how it came out. Everyone else at the brunch was pretty happy with it too!
Let me know if you get a chance to try out the Starfruit Cake yourself, and if you join the bandwagon of coconut oil lovers, I would love to hear about your experiences.
Tags: avocado, coconut oil
Posted in dairy free, dessert, fruit, gluten-free, vegetarian, wheat-free | 1 Comment »
Lemon Ginger Cookies
Monday, February 8th, 2010
These cookies quickly became a favorite in our household. I have been wanting to try baking with almond flour for months now and finally was able to test out some recipes when my partner bought me a bag of almond flour for Christmas. This may sounds sort of silly, but you will understand a little better knowing that almond flour costs $12.99/lb on our little island. Of course once my partner fell in love with the cookies, the cost of the flour was justified!
The inspiration for these cookies came from Elana’s Pantry recipe for Lemon Lavender Cookies. I have been admiring her recipes for months now, and was excited to try something out. Since I didn’t have all of the ingredients to replicate her recipe, I made modifications, and am pretty happy with the results. The ginger and chocolate are a really nice mix too!
Tags: almond flour, chocolate, ginger, lemon
Posted in alternative grain, cookies, dairy free, dessert, egg-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free | 4 Comments »
Roasted Beet and Green Bean Salad
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Roasted Beet and Green Bean Salad
Thank you so much to everyone who left comments on my blog and facebook congratulating me on my anniversary! All the love…and the truffles, made it a great day. I am also enjoying hearing from all of the new readers who are enjoying Well Being in the Kitchen too!
For those of you who love salad even in the cold months, here is a great recipe that will keep the soul warm but not weigh down the belly. C. and I have made this salad in so many different versions over the years, but I think this is the most simple. I just wanted to pull together something healthy and delicious for lunch today, and shazam! Roasted Beet and Green Bean Salad. Apart from roasting the beets, it really takes very little time and effort to make.
Tags: beets, green beans, salad greens
Posted in dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetable side, vegetarian, wheat-free | No Comments »
Anniversary, Makeover and Truffles!
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
Happy Anniversary Well Being in the Kitchen!
Raw Cacao Truffles
It is officially 1 year to the day that I wrote my first recipe on this blog and I am loving it. Looking back at this past year I have had the pleasure of sharing some of my favorite recipes with you like Falafel (2 Ways), Gluten-Free Pizza, and Nectarine Upside-Down Cake. More importantly this blog has inspired me to test out new recipes and share them with pride like the Roasted Vegetable Tart, and the Cornicopia Rolls. Best of all, I was able to share my travels with you too, as I explored the markets, fairs and restaurants of Europe. I feel very fortunate to have had such a wonderful “foodie” year!
I am also excited to unveil the new “look” of Well Being in the Kitchen. I have been wanting to personalize the style of the site for a while now, and finally found a little pocket of time to “renovate”. As a designer, you can bet that this is only the beginning. I am sure there will be more tweaks and touches to come…but I hope you find the design welcoming!
Lastly, in celebration of my anniversary, you might have noticed that I made some truffles. I have been experimenting with raw cacao in the past few days which has been great fun, and voila, truffles! They are super easy to make, have no added sugars, and even have a little kick! I hope you get a chance to try them out too.
Tags: cacao, coconut, dates, walnuts
Posted in dairy free, dessert, egg-free, gluten-free, indulgent, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free | 5 Comments »
Passion Fruit Pudding
Sunday, January 3rd, 2010
Sunday in Key West.
It brightens my morning to start off with Yoga on the Beach at Fort Zach. Since it was a little chilly this morning (58 degrees) Céline warmed us up with the 5 Tibetans (yoga) and kept us going with sun salutations to greet the morning sun.
Next we headed in search of vibrant sustenance. It has become a tradition for us to go to the Help Yourself Farmer’s Market after yoga on Sundays. I am so appreciative that they have brought this market to the island, because Key West has really been missing a great source of fresh, organic foods. Personally I just love the atmosphere of farmer’s markets. Charlie, the owner, has created a beautiful setting of fresh produce, smiling faces and acoustic music.
The tropical fruits were what caught my eye this time, and I am excited to share a recipe that I created from these sweet treats. Passion fruit, start fruit, and avocado star in this delicious, and naturally sweet pudding.
Tags: avocado, banana, coconut oil, passion fruit, star fruit
Posted in breakfast, dairy free, dessert, egg-free, fruit, gluten-free, indulgent, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free | 4 Comments »
Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
A cup of warmth
Today is a perfect day for soup. Not only is it a chilly day in the tropics, but after all of the holiday festivities, and the food that goes along with it, I have been yearning for some hearty, healthy soup! This morning I put all other plans on hold long enough to whip together this delicious batch of soup, and quickly proceeded to eat a nice big bowl of it.
Soup is one of the staples of our diet because it is delicious, easy to make, and lasts for a few days if you make a big batch. Consequently I realized that it is strange that I have not shared any soup recipes on this blog, so I am happy to finally have the chance.
If you can find them, I definitely recommend using French lentils in this soup. Often lentil soup is made with red lentils which become mushy and are better for a puree. The French lentils hold their shape and crunch and therefore add some hearty texture to the soup. You might have to look for them in a specialty food store. I recently purchased mine from Atlantic Spice Co.
Tags: carrot, celery, cumin, curry, garam masala, lentils, sweet potatoes
Posted in dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, soup/stew, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free | No Comments »
Creamy Squash-Gingered Quinoa
Monday, November 30th, 2009
Butternut Squash "Quinotto"
Thanksgiving morning I woke up with a big chunk of time before joining my extended family for our Thanksgiving meal, and still no clear plan of what I wanted to “bring to the table”. It is odd for me not to have a plan of what to cook…a recipe that I have been looking forward to testing out on just the right occasion. I guess I was a bit preoccupied though. Lots going on lately! Packing, moving, planning to move again soon after the first move. Living in cold weather, packing for warm weather, and who knows what else. So, in the mix of it all, I was sort of lost for inspiration on this Thanksgiving day.
The next thing that happened was a welcome distraction from it all. My neighbors invited me for a morning walk, and I was quite happy to have some company and get out of the house. A release from all of my worries for a 1 hour walk…which turned into more. By the time we got back, I realized that I had left myself very little time to actually come up with a recipe and prepare a dish to bring to my aunt’s house. So, I quickly googled up a few ideas and then decided to go with my own.
Quinoa is a very easy grain to cook. It is one of the fastest, and personally I find that it is pretty difficult to mess up. Perfect! Normally I make a simple “naked” quinoa to accompany other dishes, but this time I decided to be adventurous and try something new. A little ginger, and a creamy dollop of butternut squash, and voila – quinotto. (At first I thought I might be making up this term, but after googling it to be sure, of course someone else had come up with it first.) A creamy version of quinoa that resembles risotto.
This turned out to be so easy to make, and absolutely delicious. I was even surprised that everyone who tried it really liked it too. Even the ones who had never heard of/seen quinoa before! So, don’t be shy. Step up to the “plate” and try it yourself…and let me know what you think.
Tags: butternut squash, ginger, quinoa
Posted in alternative grain, dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain side, vegan, vegetable side, vegetarian, wheat-free | No Comments »
Butternut Squash Flan with Pecan Crust
Thursday, November 19th, 2009
Butternut Squash Flan
Fearless Creativity. Funny, I definitely don’t think of myself as fearless, but I will say that when it comes to cooking and baking, I get the closest to this sense of fearlessness. Maybe that is why I love cooking. Usually when I am feeling overwhelmed and stuck, I retreat to the kitchen to lighten my heart and work on releasing what binds me…
This week, I have been in serious need of some fearlessness, so I have been adding creativity here and there between the kitchen and my studio. I guess here is where I can fearlessly plug my newest jewelry designs which you can see in my etsy shop and get a preview of at the bottom of the page…
But back to the kitchen… This recipe was super easy, and I hope you will try it out! It was a total experiment and I will surely tweak it for next time, but after rave reviews last night (from my mother) I know it is ready for the world to taste!
Tags: butternut squash, eggs, pecans, rice milk, rosemary
Posted in alternative grain, dairy free, entree, gluten-free, indulgent, vegetarian, wheat-free | 2 Comments »
Gingered Rice Stuffed Peppers
Sunday, August 30th, 2009
Color, flavor, crunch…these peppers have it all.
I have been making this gingered rice recipe from Vegetarian Times Magazine for a few years now. In my first few years in Key West I would purchase these magazines religiously. Always looking for new ideas on great vegetarian meals I definitely found my share. I have bookmarked numerous pages, and my collection of magazines has followed me from Key West to Boulder and now to Cape Cod. Who knows where I will take them next… I will keep you updated on where my next home will be, but in the meantime enjoy this fun summer rice dish.
Tags: bell pepper, corn, ginger, orange juice, rice
Posted in dairy free, egg-free, entree, gluten-free, grain side, vegan, vegetable side, vegetarian, wheat-free | 1 Comment »
Pasta with Almond Tomato Pesto Sauce
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
Tonight I flipped through old photos of my dear friends from Florence and smiled remembering all of the great times we had together. Considering it was Italy, a lot of the fun involved good food, and social gatherings. Living in Florence was a great influence on my life in so many ways and I don’t think I could have left without having a new culinary approach. No one understood how I could be vegetarian in Italy…but surprisingly I met other vegetarian/vegans in Italy too. These friends opened my eyes to new exciting directions. My friend Tracey was passionate about spinach and green beans, and thanks to her, they became staples of my diet as well. She even taught me how to make roasted chickpeas…delicious!
My friend Joslyn introduced me to so many new recipes and shared beautiful meals with me. I was always excited to join her for a dinner party. One recipe I loved was her Fennel and White Bean salad…so easy and so good! Eventually she introduced me to the recipe below for Pasta with Almond Tomato Pesto Sauce. It came from an Italian cooking magazine called Cucina Naturale which I eventually bought every issue of.
My dear friends from Italy, I am sending you love and hoping that we can gather around the table again soon to share good food and life stories.
Tags: almonds, basil, pasta, tomatoes
Posted in alternative grain, dairy free, egg-free, entree, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free | 1 Comment »