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Sweet or Savory Vegan Corncakes

Posted on June 5, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Good afternoon my little pancake stacks! Anyone notice that I went missing yesterday? Well, I “unplugged” for the day and went out to enjoy the fresh (and hot…and humid…and…I’m not complaining, I swear) air! I hope you’ve all gotten the chance to relax this weekend and maybe indulge in a little vitamin D absorption!

So today, I have something a little different for Pancake Sunday…

who’s up for some cornmeal pancakes?!

Maybe it’s the thought of my newest sandwich, or maybe it’s that I’m beginning to run out of ideas for Pancake Sunday, but when I woke up this morning, I had corncakes on the brain!

I don’t know about you guys, but I am a texture freak! I love combining textures and finding surprise bites in my food so I thought I’d have a little fun with this recipe and add a little “extra” in the texture department! I also decided to make them vegan AND gluten-free for all my bloggy buddies out there who are dairy or gluten “challenged”! 😉

Vegan Cornmeal Pancakes: (serves 1)
Inspired by this recipe in Runner’s World Magazine

1/2 flax egg (1/2 tablespoon ground flax + 1 1/2 tablespoons warm water)
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/8 cup brown rice flour*
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup creamed corn
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used soy) + 1 teaspoon vinegar = “buttermilk”
sweetener if desired (I omitted since I knew I wanted sweet toppings)

1. Combine flax and water in a small bowl and allow to set.
2.Pre-heat non-stick skillet to medium heat.
3. Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir to break up any lumps.
4. Stir the corn, “buttermilk”, and flax egg together.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Coat skillet with non-stick spray and scoop batter out by 1/4 cupfuls.
7. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side or until lightly brown on top and bottom.

*whole wheat flour works too for those of you who do not have a gluten preference.

Top as desired, but I highly recommend butter (non-dairy of course for my vegan friends) and maple syrup…simple and delicious!

Or maybe even a few bloobs! 🙂

For staying power, I amped up the protein in this breakfast with a little Greek yogurt and bloob action!

Anyone tried the Honey Vanilla Bean flavor of Voskos?

It’s amazing!

Now, I said sweet OR savory, right? Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dare leave you hanging on this one!

These babies were so good, I HAD to find a way to incorporate them into my lunch as well! I used the same recipe as above, but I threw in a little bit of Mrs. Dash crack and BAM!…savory corncakes!

I used about 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle Seasoning, but you could add just about anything you have in your spice cabinet…chili powder, smoked paprika, or maybe even some turmeric for a fun twist!

After the photo sesh, I also added 1/4 of an (very ripe and un-photogenic) avocado and some nutritional yeast to the previous topping of freshly diced tomato…it was absolutely perfect!!

And since the other side of my plate was JUST as tasty, I thought I’d share! A simple combo of steamed kale and a tri-blend bean mix topped with this:

Appalachian Piccalilli

I found this at the farmer’s market yesterday.

Ingredients: Green tomatoes, cabbage, corn, green beans, pinto beans, cauliflower, sweet peppers, celery, jalapenos, sugar, vinegar, salt, spice, turmeric, citric acid

Could they fit any more deliciousness into one jar?!

I think I’m in love!

Ok, I seriously can’t think of a question right now, so tell me what your favorite color is!

Mine is GREEN…are you surprised?

Posted in Breakfast, Entree, Pancake Sunday | Tagged blueberries, butter, corncakes, flax egg, Greek yogurt, pancakes | 29 Comments

The Opposite of Snowballing

Posted on June 3, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Hello my little BBQ Balls! Looks like you guys are getting pretty used to my unusual foodie combos…hmm, does that mean I’m free to amp it up a bit? Anyone for a salsa sundae?

Ok, that even makes ME gag! 😉

So, you know how you have those days were it seems like one bad thing happens and then starts a snowball effect until you wish you’d never gotten out of bed?

Well, today the OPPOSITE happened to me!

I recently won a NuNaturals giveaway on Spabettie’s blog and received the package in the mail yesterday. I already knew (or so I thought) what was in the box, so I didn’t think to open it right away. When I saw it on the kitchen table this morning, I decided to take a look while I was waiting for my coffee.

This is what I was expecting to find inside the box

THIS is what was actually inside!

I literally squealed when I saw this!

Cocoa bean extract?!

fa(^$%#shid!

Once I composed myself, I fixed myself a mug of coffee the size of my face

Hey, some of us need a little extra motivation on Fridays! 😉

Then, since I worked 12 hours on Monday for the holiday, my boss let me leave early! (Granted I ran my BUTT off the time I was there…we were crazy busy!)

When I came home, I threw together a fantastic lunch!

Forty spice hummus and jalapeno cheese spread, yellow zucchini, tomatoes, steamed kale, and sprouts!

It’s a wrap! <- Sorry, couldn’t resist!

And then, I made one of the best impulsive decisions ever!

I remembered one of the local pools just down the road from me…only 5 bucks for admission…sign me up! I met a couple of friends there and we had a great time soaking up the sun and just playing around! A great way to spend the afternoon, especially when I’d normally be stuck at work!

And the best part? It seriously feels like it should be Saturday, but it’s only Friday night!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to venture into the kitch and see what I can whip up with that cocoa extract! 😀

Any big plans for the weekend?
I’m going to “try” to sleep in tomorrow and then I’m off to check out the new permanent campsite my parents found for their camper! Hmm, maybe I’ll even talk my dad into firing something up on the grill!

Who’s got some recipe suggestions for Stevia? I’m so excited to try out all the different varieties!

Posted in Entree, Vegetarian | Tagged cheese, coffee, hummus, mail, Stevia, veggies, wrap | 26 Comments

PB&J Hummus Balls

Posted on June 2, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Hello my loves! Oh how I’ve missed you! Whenever I post early one day and late the next, it feels like it’s been SO long since we’ve “hung out”!

So what have you guys been up to?…besides giving me a fat head about being the most clicked on link for What I Ate Wednesday! By the way, I LOVE you guys! You always know how to perk a girl up in the middle of the week!

Huh…what have I been doing? Well, thanks for asking! Oh, I’ve been doing the side shuffle in my corner of the ring preparing for the throwdown hinted to on Jess’s blog. Please tell me you guys saw her post on the BBQ Bars! If not, go NOW and check it out!

Seriously…GO!

I think I may have finally met my match when it comes to weird foodie concoctions! I swear when I sent her a jar of locally made FROG preserves, our minds were suddenly and mysteriously linked…I guess you could call us ~~blood~~ jam sisters! 😉

Ok, where was I? Oh, yeah…throwdown…blogger recipe style!

You ready?

So you guys know how I made Christin’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bean Balls not too long ago, right? Well, seems like I haven’t been able to get those things out of my head lately! I seriously polished a full batch of those off in less than a weekend…by myself!

And, from the looks of this bottle, I also can’t seem to get enough of Jess’s PB&J BBQ Tofu Sandwich!

And then the dreams began…

Suddenly I was transplanted into a huge factory with these ginormous food processors churning away at some dessert hummus (where IS my spatula??). Then, I look down and suddenly see my new bottle of ~~crack~~ bbq spice.

Hmm…coincidence? I think not!

PB&J (BBQ) Hummus Balls: (yields: ??) <-I may or may not have used the “one for the pan, one for my belly” method! 😉

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/8 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted peanut butter)
3 tablespoons of your favorite jam (I used FROG preserves)
10 drops vanilla stevia
2 tablespoons brown rice flour
2 teaspoons BBQ seasoning (optional, unless you’re weird like me!)
1/3 cup chopped dried fruit (something that pairs nicely with your jam. I used apricots)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine all ingredients except for the dried fruit in a food processor and process until smooth (you may need a small drizzle of water to help it come together).
3. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and stir in the dried fruit.
4. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop out “dough” and place on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil.
5. Roll dough between hands to get more of a “ball” shape.
6. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.

My favorite sandwich now in a portable, bite-sized ball!

And of course, if the thought of BBQ seasoning dancing around your palate with PB&J freaks you out a bit, you can always leave it out and just have PB&J Hummus Balls!

The addition of the dried fruit adds the PERFECT amount of texture to these! I’m thinking my next batch is going to make use of the dried bloobs I still have stashed in the pantry from a run to Trader Joe’s…mmm!

Or maybe you’re feeling a bit lazy?

Then don’t bake them at all!

Just spoon you up a bowl of some PB&J Hummus!

What is your favorite dried fruit?
I have a bit of an obsession with dried fruit…as in if I see something I haven’t tried before, I HAVE to buy it! I think I’d have to say my favorite is Calimyrna figs!