Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Vegan, Gluten-free Recipes for New Year
Cucumber Chickpea Salad


I have really done it up this holiday season. Lots of treats, plenty of cocktails and very little self-control.

Should I keep the party going in the new year?

Should I craft a list of foods/ingredients that are now permanently off my menu?

Or might there be a third way?

Vegan, Gluten-free Recipes for New Year
Slow Cooker Vegan Soup



I don't do very well with the absolutes of resolutions. I might be able to cut sweets with refined sugar out for a month (a pretty good goal for this sugar-loving lady), but I think I'd rather approach the new year from a positive perspective, rather than a negative.

Vegan, Gluten-free Recipes for New Year
Blueberry Coffee Cake from Super Seeds


  • I will eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. 
  • I will include my little friends, the super seeds (quinoa, flax, hemp, amaranth and chia) into my diet on a regular basis. 
  • I will look to naturally sweet fruit to enliven my desserts (which I need to have!) and fragrant herbal teas to provide my afternoons with a treat.
 
Vegan, Gluten-free Recipes for New Year
Cocoa Dusted Pepitas



What will you do to ensure that you are eating healthfully in 2015? 

Shared with What's Cooking Wednesdays!

Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

Thursday, December 11, 2014


Seeds are Super, Chicagoan’s cookbook shows

SUE ONTIVEROS

Hemp Seed Hummus



Hemp seeds stand in for tahini in a party-pleasing hummus. | Reprinted with permission from Super Seeds © 2014 by Kim Lutz, Sterling Publishing Co.  Photography by Bill Milne

We often hear that seeds are packed with nutrients. We want to include them in our diets, and often wonder what to use where.

Well, Chicagoan Kim Lutz provides a wealth of answers in her cookbook “Super Seeds” (Sterling Publishing, $14.95).

Head Shot Kim Lutz


Lutz’s name may sound familiar. She is the Kim behind Kim’s Welcoming Kitchen, a site popular for its allergy-free, gluten-free, and vegan recipes.

She starts with a quick primer on the good points of each of the seeds — chia, quinoa, flax, hemp and amaranth . For instance, did you know the vitamins in them all can contribute to shiny hair and good skin?

Because they are natural pairs, Lutz includes in her more than 75 recipes several for salads and smoothies that include them. But then she includes chilis, patties, soups and desserts where the seeds share the spotlight.

There are things you don’t often see, such as heating up a taco-flavored stuffed avocado. That intrigues me.

Super Seeds Cover


She also includes other recipes that can be used with the seeds, such as a DIY spice mix for taco flavoring (instead of those in the package) and a recipe for a richer broth that doesn’t rely on cream.

Throughout the book she sprinkles in little facts about seeds and other ingredients as well as tips about usage. There are a lot of solid tips for people wanting to embrace seeds in their diets in ways I hadn’t particularly considered.  (I liked her easy method for making flour.)

It’s party time, so I thought Lutz’s recipe for a hummus that uses hemp seeds instead of tahini would be a good choice. Those of you with sesame seed allergies will appreciate her take on hummus. And for those of you who don’t, just serve this without blabbing about the ingredient switchup. Your guests will find a fresh and intriguing dip.


HEMP SEED HUMMUS
MAKES 1 ½ CUPS

Hemp seeds do double duty in this recipe. First, they take the place of the traditional ingredient in hummus, tahini (some people are allergic to sesame seeds). Second, they bring crucial phytonutrients, including zinc and magnesium, to this tasty, satisfyingly textured dip. It makes a great snack, served with crudites
such as baby carrots, cucumber slices, celery sticks, and strips of crunchy bell peppers. In addition to making superb sandwiches, hummus is also a salad’s
best friend. Try adding a healthy dollop on top of your green salad and you
will have a flavorful, filling meal.

1¾ cups cooked garbanzo beans (or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons water

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Reprinted with permission from Super Seeds © 2014 by Kim Lutz, Sterling Publishing Co.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Holiday Coffee Blend, and Easy DIY Gift
Dress your homemade coffee blend in a pretty bow with a spoon for a hostess gift!


I like to think of myself as pretty crafty. I enjoy making gifts for family, friends and neighbors during the holidays. There is nothing I like better, though, than a quick-to-come-together gift that everyone loves.

My friend, Karen, is a star at the holidays, because she puts together a coffee blend that everyone looks forward to. Holiday Spice Coffee is a great gift to have on hand, because it takes only minutes to stir up. Put it in some coffee bags, tie it with a big bow, and attach a tablespoon, and you have a gift that will thrill every coffee drinker r on your list!

Holiday Coffee Blend, and Easy DIY Gift
You probably will want to keep a bag for yourself, too!




Holiday Spice Coffee

These are the proportions for a pot of coffee   Make as much as you want to gift, but keep these proportions.

Ingredients:

  • 10 tablespoons ground coffee
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick (Ground cinnamon will clog your pot.)
Preparation:

  1. Mix all ingredients together, and bag up in a sealed coffee bag.
Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.