Cashew Cheesecake

I found a really good vegan cashew cheesecake but I had my doubts as to its ability to stay together without crumbling so I used a recipe with eggs. It was still pretty easy (hardest part was making the cashew cream cheese). I also made my own toasted almond and brown rice flour crust without a recipe.

Cashew Cheesecake

2 cups cashew cream cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice

Mix ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon over crust. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let cool and refrigerate. Serve with favorite fruit topping.

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Cashew Cream Cheese

When one is sensitive to gluten and dairy finding a viable substitute for decent baked goods, and especially such things as cheese cake, can be difficult. Someone on Twitter mentioned cashew cream and cashew cream cheese. I found several recipes online and as usual I didn’t have all the ingredients necessary in my kitchen so I made some substitutions. I won’t know until tomorrow how well it turned out but thought I’d write down the recipe just in case it turns out well. Once the cashew cream cheese is ready I’ll turn it into cashew cheese cake (and recipe will be duly posted).

Update: I made this as a ricotta cheese replacement in lasagna and it worked beautifully. I used half cashews and half blanched almonds because that’s what I had on hand.

Cashew Cream Cheese

1 1/2 cups raw cashews
2 Tbs grapeseed oil
1 Tbs coconut milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp tapioca starch
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Rinse cashews and soak at least 12 hours. Drain the cashews and add them to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Blend for several minutes until the mixture is smooth. Wrap the mixture in a cheesecloth and place it in a clean bowl. Let it sit in a lukewarm place for 12 hours. This allows the mixture to ‘rest’ and develop more complex flavors. Remove the cheesecloth. Keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to one week.

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Spicy Cabbage Slaw

4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1/2 sweet onion, finely diced
1 sweet pepper (I used yellow), thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 Tbs mayo
2 Tbs lime juice (more or less to taste)
Cayenne pepper to taste
salt to taste

Thinly slice cabbage, using a mandolin or food processor if desired. Slice onions, and peppers, and wash, dry and chop cilantro. Combine cabbage, onions, peppers and cilantro in large salad bowl.

In small bowl, whisk together, mayo, lime juice, and cayenne pepper (can substitute hot sauce for pepper). (You may want to start with less than the full amount of lime juice and pepper and keep adding until you have the right mix of hot and sour).

Use a wooden spoon to mix dressing into cabbage mixture. Season to taste with salt and serve immediately, or chill for a few hours.

This salad will keep well overnight in the refrigerator, but the lime juice will cause red cabbage to bleed color and turn the salad slightly pink.
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Dry-Rubbed Salmon Tacos

Photo Credit: V. R. Roadifer

Dry-Rubbed Salmon Tacos

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 6 oz skinless salmon fillets
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

In a small bowl, stir the cumin with the chili powder and brown sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Brush the salmon fillets with olive oil and dredge them in the spice mixture.

Preheat a grill pan. Lightly brush the grill pan with olive oil and grill the salmon fillets over high heat, turning once, until nearly cooked through, 8 to 9 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a plate and flake with a fork.

Fill warmed corn tortillas with salmon, spicy cabbage slaw & roasted tomatillo salsa. Enjoy!

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Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

I paid a visit to my parents’ favorite fruit/vegetable stand and even though it’s either late or early in season (depending on what you’re looking for), I found a lot of great produce. Among the things I purchased was a pound of beautiful tomatillos along with fresh cilantro, garlic, jalapenos, limes, red onions and red peppers. The available produce inspired me to create a salsa verde.

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 head garlic, divided into cloves
2 jalapenos
Juice from 2 limes
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 red onion
1 red sweet pepper
1 lb tomatillos, husks removed
Black pepper
Sea salt

On a baking pan, spread out garlic cloves, jalapenos, red onion, red pepper and tomatillos. Pour olive oil over the top of the vegetables and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Place in a 350 degree oven for 20-35 minutes, until onion is caramelized and peppers are wrinkled and starting to brown. Remove from oven. Peel and remove the seeds from the red pepper. Remove the seeds from the jalapenos. Peel the tomatillos and garlic cloves. Put peeled produce in a food processor. Add the lime juice. Pulse until salsa is only slightly chunky. Add the chopped cilantro and more salt to taste if necessary. Pulse to combine. Pour into a bowl and serve warm or chilled with tortilla chips or your favorite Mexican dish (fish tacos are in my future!).

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Dairy Free Hazelnut Egg Nog

I love egg nog but due to recent health issues my body does not. In order to deal with the problem that dairy (especially cream) causes but still have that egg nog flavor, I scoured the internet for a viable dairy-free option. I found a number of vegan recipes using soy milk and tofu but soy disagrees with me as well. I cobbled together some of the best aspects of the recipes I found interesting and came up with the following. I am making ice cream out of the batch now cooling in my refrigerator but it is very drinkable.

Dairy Free Hazelnut Egg Nog

2/3 cups baker’s sugar (the small granules dissolve more quickly).
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
4 eggs, separated
3 cups unsweetened Hazelnut Milk (can substitute Almond)
1/2 cup rum (I use Captain Morgan)

In medium bowl, combine sugar, nutmeg, cardamom and egg yolks. Whip with electric mixer until color of eggs is a light yellow. In medium saucepan, heat Hazelnut Milk until just before the boiling point. Temper the liquid into the egg mixture (slowly mix the liquid into the eggs, a scant half cup or less at a time so the eggs won’t cook as you add the hot liquid). Once all the liquid is blended, return the mixture to the saucepan and heat up to 160* (less and eggs aren’t pasteurized, more and you have scrambled eggs). Return the mixture to the bowl and add rum. Chill in the refrigerator until cold. Beat the egg whites and vanilla in another mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Once liquid is chilled, beat egg whites into it and serve. Makes about 5 cups.

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Butternut Squash Lasagna


As with most of my recipes, I threw in a bit of this and a dab of that and created something tasty. I don’t measure anything so everything is approximate. Just season it to your taste & you won’t go wrong.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, cooked & mashed (I cut it in half, remove seeds & cook in microwave)
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted pine nuts, or slivered almonds (I’ve used each one in squash & they all taste great. Pick which one you like best)
2 oz crumbled blue cheese
4 oz grated Parmesan cheese
Nutmeg to taste
Salt to taste
1 tsp olive oil
Black Pepper to taste
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 package lasagna noodles (I use the ones you don’t have to pre-cook)

In large sauce pan, saute onions in olive oil until translucent. Add mashed squash, your choice of nuts/seeds, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Heat through. Remove from heat and add all but one ounce of Parmesan cheese into the squash mixture. While onions are cooking, add cranberries, water and sugar to a small sauce pan. Simmer until berries have popped and sauce has thickened (between 7-10 minutes). Remove from heat. In a well oiled baking dish add a layer of lasagna noodles. Spoon an even layer of squash over the top. Add a thin layer of cranberry sauce over the squash. Sprinkle a third of the blue cheese over the cranberries. Repeat layering effect until you’re out of ingredients (I had three good layers). Sprinkle reserved Parmesan cheese over the top layer and bake in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.

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Hot Buttered Rum Mix

Brown Sugar & Spice Ice Cream (extra sweet)

3 cups milk
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Blend ingredients together in large bowl or measuring cup. Pour into ice cream machine and blend per the machine’s instructions.

Hot Buttered Rum Mix

1 batch Brown Sugar & Spice Ice Cream
1 lb whipped butter, melted

Whip melted butter and ice cream together. Pour into air tight container, seal and freeze.

For hot buttered rum add one tablespoon hot buttered rum mix to one ounce rum and 6 ounces nearly boiling water.

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Easy Three Chocolate Fudge

I created this recipe about ten years ago or more from several different fudge recipes, including one passed down from my great aunt. A friend just asked me for it so I thought I’d post it here for all you chocolate fiends. Enjoy!

Easy Three Chocolate Fudge

4 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 oz milk chocolate chips
2 oz unsweetened baker’s chocolate
(chopped nuts optional)

In large pot mix sugar, milk, vanilla & butter. On medium heat, bring to a boil. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and add marshmallows. Stir until dissolved. Add chocolate chips and baker’s chocolate. Stir until melted. Add nuts if desired. Pour into a buttered bake pan (9×13 or larger) and refrigerate. Cut into squares once set up (about 3 hours). Keep refrigerated. Makes 5 pounds.

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Lemon Ginger Sauce

I made this recipe to accompany my roasted apples, chicken & potatoes. I cobbled it together from a recipe I found online and what I had in my cupboard.

3 Tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger
juice from one lemon

In small sauce pan measure out corn starch and sugar. Whisk in vinegar and slowly add water and soy sauce. Put on medium low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir constantly as the sauce comes to a low boil. Continue stirring for about five minutes. Once sauce has thickened remove from heat. Allow boil to calm down and the sauce to settle before serving.

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