Oh, the Things I Will Do...

for free coconut oil!  My favorite coupon website shared a contest recently.  All I had to do was create a recipe using coconut oil, submit it with a picture, and I might win 2 free quarts of coconut oil! 

cooking + free stuff = good day

Vegan Coconut Banana Bread

1 1/4 c. unbleached flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Egg Replacer equal to 2 eggs (you can also just use 2 eggs)

1/4 c. coconut oil

1/4 c. natural applesauce

1/3 c. sugar

1 c. oats

1/4 c. sliced almonds

1/3 c. shredded coconut

3 ripe bananas, crushed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray, or just rub more coconut oil inside it.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, mix together the egg replacer according to the package directions (or just whisk up the eggs).  Add the coconut oil, applesauce, sugar, and crushed bananas.  Mix well.  Add the flour mixture and stir until moistened.  Add the oats, almonds, and coconut.  Mix lightly.  Pour into loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.  Enjoy!

Yeah, I already ate those two slices...and the crumb.

Deep Thoughts

I'm BAAAAACK!

My computer got a virus for Mother's Day, and I got a bill for $175 to fix it.  Nice.

Meanwhile, I have been over-thinking everything very insightful lately, which has led to many great realizations.

1.  God makes way prettier food than man.

God:

Man:

No contest.

2.  My little Tiny Love is growing up. 

She learned to ride a "big girl bike."

And she discovered a "wiggly" tooth.

Note the snaggle on the bottom right...no, your right.

3.  "Farming" can be a relative term. 

The guy across the road farms:

My mother-in-law "farms."

I farm.

Daisy Dog does not farm.  She just likes to take all the credit.

I better go.  I just had a shocking realization about the dishes...if I don't wash them, they won't be clean.

Avocado Wasabi Dressing

I am in the process of changing my diet a little.  (Why?  Read this.  Don't like it?  Listen to this.)  I know these changes will be a process, and if it doesn't seem to be working for me, I will change it up.  My family will not be making the same dietary choices, so I will continue to cook for them in the healthiest way I can while still pleasing them.  But, that is for another post... 
One of the changes I am making is to eat a large, fresh salad every day.  But salad gets boring, right?  Maybe not.

Avocado Wasabi Dressing

1 ripe avocado, halved and pit removed

1 Tbs. Wasabi paste* (or more, to taste)

3 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar

the juice of one lemon or lime

salt and pepper, to taste

Water to thin, if desired

Scoop the flesh of the avocado into a food processor.  Add other ingredients and process until smooth.  Let sit in the fridge for at least one hour to let the flavors blend. 

Serve.

*Wasabi paste is in a green tube and is found in the Asian foods section of the grocery store.  It is the spicy green stuff you get with Japanese food/sushi.

I didn't thin my dressing with water, and it was creamy and delicious.  My salad contained romaine lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, scallions, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, cilantro, and chickpeas. 

It is like butter :)

Hunting the Elusive Mushroom

I love how, once a year, everyone in our area becomes a "hunter and gatherer" for a day. 

People who normally exist on a diet of Yoo-hoo and Cheez-Its ("not that there's anything wrong with that,") make a mad dash for the countryside, foraging for these beauties:

Then take them home and promptly fry them in Crisco, to make them fit into the afore mentioned diet.  Onlookers eagerly await:

Yes, my family is eco-responsible and tries to eat a local, organic diet. 

At least once a year.

Tofu is Your Friend

Last year I went through a vegetarian phase, which lasted about three months.  I stopped for a lot of reasons, none of which being I didn't enjoy it.  I did.  I discovered two life-altering things while being vegetarian:

1. If you don't eat meat, you can eat more almond butter.
2. Tofu is delicious.

You can turn this:

Into this:

*sigh*

Best Basic Tofu

1 block of firm or extra firm tofu

1 tbs. low sodium soy sauce

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Salt

pepper

1 tsp. olive oil

• 
  
  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
• 
  
  Open and drain the tofu.  Cut it in half lengthwise and wrap it in a clean kitchen cloth.  Now you will need to press it.  I like to put a cutting board on top of it with a cast iron skillet on top of the board.  The weight of it presses the water out and gives you a better texture.  Leave it weighted for five minutes or more.
• 
  
  Unwrap the tofu and place it on the cutting board.  Cut it into 1 inch cubes.  Put it in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and toss it around to coat.  Spread it out in one layer on the baking sheet. 
• 
  
  Bake for 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through cooking time. 

You can add this to a stir fry or casserole, or just eat it plain, dipped in a little of this:

(Because we don't want to be too healthy around here.) 

Enjoy! 

But if you don't, just eat more of this:

(Because it makes it all better.) 

Breakfast Rut

I have eaten the same breakfast almost every day for six months. I don't know if this is a problem. I am a creature of habit, but this seems weird even to me. So, here it is, the breakfast of this champion:

Banana Oats

1/2 c. oats

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. milk (sometimes I use soy)

1 banana, sliced

Put all these ingredients into a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and stir frequently until it gets creamy and thick. Remove from heat.

Add:

1 tbs. ground flax

dash of nutmeg

dribble of vanilla

1 tbs. or so of sliced almonds

Enjoy!

I do think it may be time to branch out a little. Maybe.