Veggie burgers fall into the category of foods I had no intention of ever trying … until the Daniel Fast. I didn’t have a reason to eat black bean burgers when hamburgers were readily available, but the limits of a vegan diet gave rise to a revolution in the kitchen.
Every other week we meet with a small group from our church for a potluck-style meal. Last night was “chili night,” so I had to come up with a side dish that, a) I could eat while fasting, and b) everyone else would enjoy, too. Since I already had a big bag of apples in the crisper, homemade applesauce seemed like a perfect fit. Naturally, I enlisted the help of my Crock-Pot.
If you choose sweet apples (i.e. not Granny Smith) there’s absolutely no need to add any sugar. Low and slow cooking releases the apples’ natural sugars, and cinnamon enhances the sweetness. I used Fuji apples, but there are many varieties that will work. Don’t bother chopping them up small. I used a combination corer/slicer that makes eight slices per apple.
If you’re concerned this recipe will yield more applesauce than you can eat, be aware that the apples will cook down considerably. It may look like a lot when you start, but the volume will decrease by at least half after simmering all day. A little mashing will make it smooth, or you can just leave it chunky.
Did I mention how good your house will smell while this is cooking? Get ready to be enveloped in apple cinnamon goodness.
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Homemade applesauce should last 3 weeks in the fridge and can be frozen, too.
The cold temperatures of January have had me craving a big bowl of soup. My mom came to visit yesterday and offered to pick up lunch from Panera, but not one of their soups is Daniel Fast approved. So, today I decided to make my own.
The secret to this recipe is selecting a high quality vegetable stock; broth won’t cut it. I always use Kitchen Basics brand, which includes carrot, mushroom, tomato, onion, celery and red bell pepper, plus some herbs and spices. You can tell by the deep, rich color that it’s full of flavor. Add some rice and mirepoix (that’s a fancy word for a mixture of chopped carrot, celery and onion), and soup’s on!
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Ever notice how the boxed mac n’ cheese tastes completely different when you reheat the leftovers? It isn’t nearly as tasty the next day. Well, with this recipe, the exact opposite is true. You’re gonna want to make the sauce ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Let me explain…
This recipe was inspired by one called “Vegan Mac n’ Cheese.” I’m not calling it that, because I think it sets expectations too high. There’s just nothing like real cheese. If you approach this recipe with the notion that it will taste like its dairy-laden counterpart, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you’re willing to try something new, you’ll be amazed at how creamy and comforting a sauce made from cashews can be.
I don’t even like cashews, but I decided to try the “Vegan Mac n’ Cheese” because the author claimed it rivaled the Barefoot Contessa’s version filled with milk, butter, gruyere and cheddar cheeses.
Um, not quite.
It was okay, but it wasn’t something I wanted to eat again. Unfortunately, I had a giant pot of leftovers, and I couldn’t bring myself to throw it all away. So, into the fridge it went. The next day I filled my bowl out of obligation, determined not to waste food. (Raw cashews aren’t cheap!) But something had happened overnight. A miracle? No, probably not, but that reheated pasta was good! By day 3, I was hooked.
You might be confused when you see nutritional yeast on the list of ingredients, but don’t worry, it’s Daniel Fast approved! It is an inactive yeast, which means it’s not a leavening agent. Nutritional yeast is a popular supplement with vegetarians and vegans because it has a significant amount of plant-based protein. It’s also gluten-free and chock-full of B vitamins. Affectionately called “nooch,” it comes in the form of flakes or powder and has a savory cheesy flavor.
This pasta may not replace your favorite mac n’ cheese, but it’s packed with flavor and the texture is delightfully creamy. I used brown rice and quinoa fusilli, but shells or elbow macaroni will work, too.
Give it a try. You’ll be glad you did.
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It’s hard to believe just two simple ingredients are all it takes to create this delicious snack bar. Now, I’ve seen a lot of “2-ingredient” recipes on Pinterest, but most of them involve a boxed cake mix or a can of refrigerated dough or some other processed food item. I realize those recipes are more about convenience than anything else, but it seems a little misleading to say something has two ingredients when, in reality, that number is closer to 10 or 20.
These peanut butter cookie bars truly do have just two wholesome ingredients: dates and peanuts. Add them to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until the dates are broken down and there are just small chunks of peanuts. The mixture can’t be too crumbly because it needs to stick together when pressed into a pan, but you don’t want to process it so much that it turns into peanut butter.
If you’ve ever eaten a Larabar, you’ll notice these are very similar, although I think the homemade ones are much tastier. I used an 9×5 loaf pan, which yields five full-size bars. A larger pan will result in thinner bars that are more likely to fall apart.
Yield: 5 bars
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These bars freeze well, so you may want to double the recipe and save some for later!
