Eggless Salad

Attention vegans! This is an egg, and dairy free protein packed meal ready for your lunch or snack time cravings. Prep the night before and refrigerate over night for all flavors to infuse.

Ingredients:

• 1 block firm tofu, drained
• 1/3 cup Vegenaise
• 1/3 cup sweet relish
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 stalk celery, diced
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp mustard
• dash paprika for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mash the tofu with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and stir together until well combined. Sprinkle with paprika for garnish, if desired.

2. Serve on bread with lettuce for an "egg" salad sandwich, or spread on crackers.

Oven Baked Kale

In effort to try something new, and also adding a healthy new vegetable to my diet, I purchased kale. Kale at first glance did look a big rough in the look, but when I read the benefits and asked around for suggestions on preparation, I can proudly say I think it is delicious. I had no idea what it looked like until recently (lol).

According to Wikipedia, kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; kale is considered to be anti-inflammatory and is is very high in vitamin c, beta carotene, vitamin k, calcium, and so much more.

Here is an easy, healthy addition to your dinner tonight! My husband and I ate the entire portion.

Serving Size: 2-4
Ingredients:
-kale (one bunch)-rinsed and stems cut
- Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Garlic Salt (optional-to replace sea salt) or any favorite seasoning

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In a bowl drizzle olive oil and sea salt over the kale. Mix well. Do not put too much olive oil or it will be mushy!
3. Place kale on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Cook for 15 minutes than turn over and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.
5. Serve and Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cake

In celebration of Mother's Day, Gary and I made a red velvet cake with fresh cream cheese frosting. Not only did we make the cake, but designed it by using different frosting dyes to make flowers, the borders, and leaves. This was such a fun cake to make, and so delicious. Happy Mothers Day! This recipe yields two 9" pans.

Cake Ingredients
-1/2 cup Spectrum Naturals Organic Shortening
-1 1/2 cups white sugar
-2 eggs
-2 tablespoons cocoa
-4 tablespoons red food coloring
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 cup buttermilk
-2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
-1 pound of cream cheese (or 2 packages of 8 ounce)
-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
-4 cups sifted powdered sugar
-2 sticks of butter

Directions for Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F & Grease two 9 inch round pans.
2. Cream shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar WELL. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Make a paste of cocoa and red food coloring. Add to creamed mixture.
4. Mix salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla and buttermilk together. Add alternately the flour with the milk mixture to the creamed mixture.
5. Mix soda and vinegar and FOLD INTO CAKE BATTER. DON'T BEAT OR STIR NOW.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before applying frosting (approx 1.5 hour)

To make frosting: Mix all ingredients into the stand mixer. To add to the cake, it helped to make the frosting cooler by refrigerating for at least 30 minutes. By doing this it made the consistency stiffer.

Crockpot Eggplant Mediteranean

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients:
- 1 eggplant, cubed with skin in
- 2 medium organic yellow onions, thin sliced
- 3 organic celery ribs, rough diced
- 2 organic yellow squash, cut in 1/2 inch slices
- 2 organic zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch slices
- 1 (15 ounce) can of Italian tomatoes, undrained
- 4 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup black olives
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 cup water (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon capers
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. IN THE CROCKPOT: Add the eggplant, onion, celery, olive oil, tomatoes, and tomato sauce into the crock pot. Mix well. Top with the olives and squash but do not stir. Cover and cook on low for approx. 4 hours.

2. FINSHING TOUCHES: When ready to eat, mix and stir the squash and olives. Then mix in the sugar with the vinegar and add to the crockpot along with the capers, oregano, and basil.

Serve over rice, couscous or pasta. Recipe suggests topping with feta cheese crumbles! Enjoy!