Chia Seed Banana Breakfast Bowl

Ch ch ch Chia!

Chia seeds have been the food of the moment for a while and I understand why. Apart from having the chia kombucha, these strange little black seeds haven't made it into my every day diet... until now. I learned the basics of making a successful chia breakfast pudding from Oh She Glows and took some liberties to create my own vegan version of her delicious recipe.

Chia Banana Breakfast Bowl
By Caroline Mac, after Oh She Glows

Serves 2-3 (It's really filling!)

Ingredients:

Chia Mixture:
4 T chia seeds
1 1/4 c unsweetened soy milk
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 t vanilla extract
Cinnamon to taste

Topping:
2 T dried cranberries
2 T raw almonds, chopped
Fresh fruit (I used blueberries and strawberries)
Cinnamon to taste

Step 1: Whisk all chia mixture ingredients together until a relatively homogenous mixture has formed. Cover and let sit overnight in the refrigerator to allow the mixture to thicken.

Step 2: Combine almonds and cranberries in a small bowl and fill with water until mixture is covered. Let sit overnight.

Step 3: Drain cranberries and almonds. Spoon desired amount of chia mixture into a bowl and top with almond-cranberry mixture and a handful of fresh berries or other fruit of your choice. Finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve cold.


Note: This recipe barely skims the surface of chia possibilities. Try playing around with toppings and seasonings until you find what you love!

Enjoy!

~Caroline~

4000!!!

Thank you so much to everyone who has visited my blog! Yesterday I reached 4000 views and am super excited about it.

Let me know if you have any celebratory ideas!

By the way, I recently started an Instagram account for my blog, @Carolinesvegetariankitchen. Follow me for daily pics of what I eat and make in my kitchen! There are often pics of the recipes that don't make it to this blog, so you're missing out if you're not following already. ;)

4000 thanks to all of you foodies out there! Here's to another 4000 views!

~Caroline~

Baked Quinoa Patties

Tonight's recipe is a recent result of a friends' cooking night! Paige and I decided to try yet another new recipe: Quinoa patties! The original recipe called for eggs as a binder, but since I'm not an egg fan I decided to try a replacement... tomato paste! Wait... tomato paste? I was skeptical too, but the internet said it would work! As a dedicated food blogger, I decided it would only be right for me to test drive this miracle ingredient before you do! It worked, in case you were wondering. In addition to holding everything together, the tomato paste added great flavor and color to the quinoa.

Don't just take my word for it, though! Try out these quinoa patties to dip, top salads, or as a quick and easy snack. They're great hot or cold.

Baked Quinoa Patties

By Caroline Mac

Makes 24 small patties

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c uncooked quinoa

5T tomato paste

1/2 t salt

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped 

1/6 c chopped fresh dill

1/2 c frozen chopped kale

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

1.5 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t cumin

1/6 c crumbled feta cheese

1t olive oil

Step 1: Cook quinoa according to the directions on the package. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 2: Lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until evenly mixed.  

Step 3: Form quinoa mixture into small patties about 2 inches in diameter. Place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until bottoms are browned. Flip patties and bake for another five minutes. 

Enjoy!

~Caroline~

White Bean Dip with Lemon and Rosemary

Here's another healthy and delicious dip that I whipped up for a party this past weekend. There is only one step when making it: Put everything in a food processor and hit purée!


White Bean Dip with Lemon and Rosemary
By Caroline Mac

Ingredients:
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 T olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/2- 3/4 t Penzey's Trinidad Lemon-Garlic Marinade (you can also use garlic powder)
Lemon pepper to taste
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until creamy. Serve with your favorite chips, crackers, or veggies.

Enjoy!

~Caroline~

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Caramelized onion and Veggies

Every time I browse Pinterest I see about ten pins about cauliflower crust. As a lower carb, gluten free, and healthy alternative to traditional pizza crust, it's no wonder this trendy food has gone viral. I figured it was about time I gave it a shot!

I tried to veganize my pizza as much as possible, using caramelized onions as a base, rice cheese instead of mozzarella, and plenty of veggies. However, since this was my first time making a crust from cauliflower, I decided it would be best to use the eggs included in the recipe. Next time I'll try to use a vegan replacement for those as well!

All in all, the final product was quite tasty and successful. My only issue was that the crust stayed kind of soft in the middle, not holding its shape and making it a bit hard to serve- definitely required a fork! Hopefully I can troubleshoot this the next time I make it and keep the crust more solid all around. Let me know if you figure out a way to solidify the center more!



Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Caramelized Onion and Veggies
By Caroline Mac, crust adapted from recipegirl.com

Ingredients:
Crust:
1/2 large head of cauliflower, shredded into small crumbles (I used a food processor)
1 large egg
1 c shredded vegan mozzarella cheese (I used a rice-based cheese)
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced

Toppings:
1/4 bell pepper, sliced
1/4 zucchini, sliced
3 cloves garlic, halved
4-5 basil leaves, shredded
1/2 portobello mushroom, sliced
6.5 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 white onion, chopped
2 T olive oil

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion. Stir occasionally for about an hour until the onion browns and becomes very soft. The onion is now caramelized. It's worth the extra time!

While the onion caramelizes, make the crust...

Step 2:  Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place cauliflower crumbles in a bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. Let cool.

Step 3: Grease a baking sheet or pizza pan and set aside. Combine cauliflower and remaining crust ingredients in a bowl and stir until thoroughly blended. Pat the mixture onto the baking sheet in a circle about 9-12" in diameter, making sure it is an even thickness throughout. Spread a little olive oil over the crust.

Step 4: Place all veggies and garlic (except the artichoke) in a baking dish and drizzle with a little olive oil and italian seasoning. Stick these in the oven with the pizza crust (step 5) for about 6 minutes. Set aside.

Step 5: Bake pizza crust for fifteen minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven.

Step 5: In a food processor or blender, puree caramelized onions with artichoke hearts. Once creamy, spread over the pizza crust, leaving a 1/2 inch border on the edge. Place all veggies and basil on the pizza.

Step 6: Bake pizza for another 3-5 minutes, making sure not to burn the crust. Remove from oven. Let cool for a few minutes (It'll be easier to serve).


Remember, my crust wasn't 100% successful, so I can't guarantee that yours won't be a bit floppy using this recipe. However, I can vouch for the taste- It's super delicious! I'll update this recipe once I figure out a solution for the crust.


Enjoy!

~Caroline~