Wow! The bakery is growing alot right now. We are now in California currently we have a small presence but we are about to have a much larger one. I think its because we have just introduced our bakers dozen value pack. It seems to be going over really well. Anyway this is all keeping me very busy which keeps me from updating my blog on a regular basis so please forgive me.
I did want to tell you about this really great asian dish I made the other night. I used Quorn chicken strips and my family didin't even know. This is how I did it.
Clean and slice into strips:
Broccoli
Carrots (baby ones are sweet and tender)
onions
Mushrooms (slice like you normally would, if they are very wide cut in half)
And any other vegetables you think would go good or you have in your fridge
Wash a couple handfulls of fresh spinach (more if you like alot of greens)
METHOD
Heat a wok or skillet and add enough peanut, coconut or sesame oil to coat bottom of pan. Throw in the veggies all except mushrooms and spinach and some red pepper flakes and toss around in oil, sautee until just beginning to get tender. Add the Quorn chicken and mushrooms continue to sautee stirring occassionally. Season with garlic, ginger, curry powder and liquid aminos. Sprinkle with a little brown sugar or fructose. Cover and let simmer about 3-5 more minutes. Be carefull not to let veggies over cook stir in about a tablespoon or 2 of General Tso's bottled sauce if you want and then add the spinach last and toss with all of the juices. This is great without the General Tso's but it adds a sweet/tangyness and a little more juice to spoon over rice.
The great thing about this is, like all of my recipe suggestions; it's just that a suggestion ment to teach you how to put flavors together so that you can use what you learn from one recipe and make adjustments to turn it into your own. For instance this recipe can be made your own by using as much of the spices as you like. If you like garlic use more if you don't like ginger go light on that. Also if you use denatured coconut oil it will be tasteless but if you don't it will give it a nice coconut flavor and how kool to add some unsweetened coconut flakes to this. Or serve over coconut rice.
Another idea would be to substitute another green or seaweed for the spinach adjusting the seasoning to match the flavor of the green for instance omitting the sugar.
Enjoy over your favorite rice or try over quinoa for added protein.
I love passing on these ideas and would love to know what you do with them so if anyone wants to let me know how they tweeked it to make it their own I would really like to hear form you.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
My version of popular fast food
Most of my recipes are vegetarian even vegan but my family does eat chicken and some meat so I have to come up with healthy ideas for carnivore recipes. Having teenagers around that I have to feed makes it even harder to be creative all of the time.
My daughter Haley loves Subway; which I hate and can't understand; but what do they say," if you can't fight um Beat um! "LOL :). So I came up with a recipe for her favorite sub (Chicken bacon ranch) that we can do at home. Heres what I do:
Cut a chicken breast into stripes, (You can also use your favorite fake chicken thats what I do and I love it) season with garlic, salt and pepper then fry out in a little olive or grapeseed oil set aside. Slice a sweet onion into thin slices and saute till golden in the same pan. Open a sub roll preferably wheat and on 1 side squirt some ranch dressing, use mustard of your choice on the other Haley likes honey mustard. Then Put some chicken and onions on 1 side of the bun and top with provolone slices or other cheese of your choice. Place on a cookie sheet and put under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove and finish with what ever toppings you want, (my daughter likes fresh spinach, tomatoes, sliced banana peppers, and cucumbers. She also likes bacon on it so I either use Bac'Uns or real bacon bits (not that I like to use them but I don't buy bacon so its a way for her to have the taste without using too much of it).
You can also do a similar thing with Kentucky fried chickens mashed potato bowl which she loves and used to sneak sometimes until I started making it for her. Use the same principle as above except you can buy vegetarian tenders (Quorn makes a good one) or Barberas makes a natural raw one that you have to bake first. Then make mashed potates and gravy and cook some sweet corn with chopped onions. Put it all together in a bowl and top it off with shredded cheese.
Another one is McDonalds new breakfast sandwich made with the sweet maple flavored muffin. At home we make small pancakes and use them for the bread and then drizzle maple syrup on the fake sausage and egg. Its yummy.
Use these ideas and see what else you can come up with on your own. Its turns out to be not only better for you and your family but alot cheaper too.
My daughter Haley loves Subway; which I hate and can't understand; but what do they say," if you can't fight um Beat um! "LOL :). So I came up with a recipe for her favorite sub (Chicken bacon ranch) that we can do at home. Heres what I do:
Cut a chicken breast into stripes, (You can also use your favorite fake chicken thats what I do and I love it) season with garlic, salt and pepper then fry out in a little olive or grapeseed oil set aside. Slice a sweet onion into thin slices and saute till golden in the same pan. Open a sub roll preferably wheat and on 1 side squirt some ranch dressing, use mustard of your choice on the other Haley likes honey mustard. Then Put some chicken and onions on 1 side of the bun and top with provolone slices or other cheese of your choice. Place on a cookie sheet and put under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove and finish with what ever toppings you want, (my daughter likes fresh spinach, tomatoes, sliced banana peppers, and cucumbers. She also likes bacon on it so I either use Bac'Uns or real bacon bits (not that I like to use them but I don't buy bacon so its a way for her to have the taste without using too much of it).
You can also do a similar thing with Kentucky fried chickens mashed potato bowl which she loves and used to sneak sometimes until I started making it for her. Use the same principle as above except you can buy vegetarian tenders (Quorn makes a good one) or Barberas makes a natural raw one that you have to bake first. Then make mashed potates and gravy and cook some sweet corn with chopped onions. Put it all together in a bowl and top it off with shredded cheese.
Another one is McDonalds new breakfast sandwich made with the sweet maple flavored muffin. At home we make small pancakes and use them for the bread and then drizzle maple syrup on the fake sausage and egg. Its yummy.
Use these ideas and see what else you can come up with on your own. Its turns out to be not only better for you and your family but alot cheaper too.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Wedding Cakes
I don't do alot of wedding cakes but I love to do them when I get the chance. I just want to brag a little on the 2 I did in August so I am posting the pictures here for all to see : ) I'm not sure why I can't get the cupcake one to stand upright so you have to turn your head to see it Sorry!
Monday, September 27, 2010
California Expansion
Great News! We are very excited about our expansion into the northern California area. We have hired Organic Brand Management from Capitola California to help us with the expansion. Andrew the owner is very talented in his field and with his help we should do well out west.
Along with the expansion we are also going to be rolling out a new group of value pack cookie bags. A bakers dozen of your favorite Everyday Gourmet Bakery cookies.
Oh and we are so excited to have been nominated for the best on-line vegan bakery in VegNews' yearly contest for the best vegan businesses. We will post the results of the contest when we get them.
Along with the expansion we are also going to be rolling out a new group of value pack cookie bags. A bakers dozen of your favorite Everyday Gourmet Bakery cookies.
Oh and we are so excited to have been nominated for the best on-line vegan bakery in VegNews' yearly contest for the best vegan businesses. We will post the results of the contest when we get them.
Stuffed Jalepenos
This is a simple dish that you can adjust to fit your taste. I am a vegetarian and I use dairy products in some of my personal dishes so I use cows milk cream cheese. You can substitute tofuti cream cheese if you want.
Heres the basiscs of the dish:
Take jalepenos as many as you want I used 6 and slice in half horizontaly, seed and rinse well. (be careful your fingers will have hot oils on them)
Mix about 6 oz of cream cheese with chopped garlic, cumin powder, chipotle powder and chopped scallions or chives. Put this mixture into a plastic bag or frosting bag and cut off the tip end. Fill each half of pepper by pipping mixture into it. Place the peppers into a baking dish and set aside.
In a food processor or blender process 1 large or 2 medium fresh tomatoes (cut up) along with some sea salt, garlic, and cumin. Pour over peppers and place into a 350' oven, bake 30 minutes. Serve hot with rice. DELICIOUS!
Don't be affraid to experiment with other flavors in the cream cheese mixture. Also try other types of peppers
mild and hot.
Heres the basiscs of the dish:
Take jalepenos as many as you want I used 6 and slice in half horizontaly, seed and rinse well. (be careful your fingers will have hot oils on them)
Mix about 6 oz of cream cheese with chopped garlic, cumin powder, chipotle powder and chopped scallions or chives. Put this mixture into a plastic bag or frosting bag and cut off the tip end. Fill each half of pepper by pipping mixture into it. Place the peppers into a baking dish and set aside.
In a food processor or blender process 1 large or 2 medium fresh tomatoes (cut up) along with some sea salt, garlic, and cumin. Pour over peppers and place into a 350' oven, bake 30 minutes. Serve hot with rice. DELICIOUS!
Don't be affraid to experiment with other flavors in the cream cheese mixture. Also try other types of peppers
mild and hot.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Hospital Food
Who are the nutritionist that develop the menus for hospital food? I cannot believe what they serve to the patients and I really can't believe they call some of it food!
My husband is in the hospital right now, something he has to do every 2-3 years or so. He is a heart patient and a borderline diabetic. He is also disabled due to a severe back injury and permanent nerve damage. I have kept his diabeties under control with diet and he eats a heart healthy diet at home. At the hospital last night they tried to feed him a dinner of bbq pork, mashed potatoes and corn.....when he asked the nurse if this was the correct plate for him she responded "yes sir this is a heart healthy meal, they do this scientificly sir". He refused to eat it telling her that his wife would kill him if he did and opted for a tuna sandwich which the nurse produced from the nurses refrigerator. I was proud of him but also appauld at the hospital! How dare they give greasy pork to a heart patient and 2 starchy carbs to a diabetic whats wrong with this picture?
I really wish they would let me create a truely healthy menu, the patients would love it and they would not be getting food that could actually kill them!
My husband is in the hospital right now, something he has to do every 2-3 years or so. He is a heart patient and a borderline diabetic. He is also disabled due to a severe back injury and permanent nerve damage. I have kept his diabeties under control with diet and he eats a heart healthy diet at home. At the hospital last night they tried to feed him a dinner of bbq pork, mashed potatoes and corn.....when he asked the nurse if this was the correct plate for him she responded "yes sir this is a heart healthy meal, they do this scientificly sir". He refused to eat it telling her that his wife would kill him if he did and opted for a tuna sandwich which the nurse produced from the nurses refrigerator. I was proud of him but also appauld at the hospital! How dare they give greasy pork to a heart patient and 2 starchy carbs to a diabetic whats wrong with this picture?
I really wish they would let me create a truely healthy menu, the patients would love it and they would not be getting food that could actually kill them!
Eco Village
You know how you have a dream that just seems to get further and further away so much so that you start to get scared that you will never acheive it. Well thats how I have been feeling lately about my husbands and my dream of becoming part of or starting our own eco-village. I puruse those eco village websites hoping to find just the right place for us to retire. Only to find that the expense of joining such a place is so high that I cannot ever see us affording it. I really only want to have a piece of land that is big enough to provide space for about 4-5 familys and allow for farming area to feed all of us. I want to create a community spirit that encourages love for one another as well as respect for each others personal space. With communal spaces and private dwellings. I am hoping that with enough involvement we can all share in the work as well as expences so that we can all benefit sharing in the bounty as well. I guess the best thing to do is to keep my focus on acheiving the dream and not let myself worry about it happening instead I WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!
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