Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Seriously these are the best mashed sweet potatoes ever! The inspiration came from a restaurant I went to the other night with friends. I found their whipped sweet potatoes so good, I decided to try my hand at my own version. The result came out far better than I ever could have imagined. One side note I want to make here about not only this recipe, but all of the recipes on my blog in general, is that I often don't give exact measurements for herbs and spices. The reason is that seasoning is a very personal thing. Many are sensitive to salt, or don't like heavily seasoned items. It is very important to taste as you go to get a flavor that pleases your personal palate. That being said, the below recipe is exactly how I made this dish, but feel free to experiment!

Ingredients:

2 Large sweet potatoes

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 Cup unsweetened soy milk

1 Tablespoon orange juice

1/4 Cup butter, melted (vegans can subsitute margarine or a vegetable oil spread such as Earth Balance)

1/8 Teaspoon salt

1/8 Teaspoon black pepper

Wash sweet potatoes thoroughly. Wrap individually with plastic wrap. With a fork poke holes in the wrap in several places. Place on a plate and put in the microwave for 7 minutes. Turn potatoes over (be careful they're hot!) and cook an additional 7 minutes. Potatoes will be VERY hot. Allow to cool for five minutes or so, then remove plastic wrap. Remove skins from potatoes. you should not need a peeler, you can now easily remove skins with your fingers. Place into the bowl of your kitchen aid mixer, fitted with a paddle if you have one. Mash a bit with a hand held potato masher. Now add the remaining ingredients to your bowl. Turn on mixer for 2 minutes. If you do not have a mixer, you can use an electric egg beater or simply a handheld masher. That's it! The cinnamon and brown sugar really help to bring out the sweetness of the potato. This is a very satisfying side dish and would make an especially nice accompaniment to a holiday meal.

Trendy Trail Mix

How can a trail mix be trendy you ask? The dried cranberries. Dried cranberries are in everything. It almost seems as if they have replaced raisins and with good cause. They add a pleasant tartness to muffins, breakfast cereals and of course trail mix. I love G.O.R.P. (good old raisins and peanuts) just as much as the next person, but this is a slightly more upscale version of the childhood favorite we have all come to love. Cranberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants making this snack just as healthy as it is yummy.

Ingredients:

1 Cup honey nut o's cereal

2 Tablespoons dried cranberries

1 Tablespoon salted whole Almonds

1 Tablespoon milk chocolate chips

1 Tablespoon white chocolate chips

Combine and serve!

Berry Soy Milk Shake

Ingredients:

1 Cup silken tofu

1 Cup fresh blueberries

1/4 Cup plain unsweetened soy milk

2 Ice cubes

2 Tablespoons agave nectar

1 teaspoon strawberry jam

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in magic bullet or blender until smooth. Pour into tall glass and serve. This shake is truly creamy and delicious. Because of the tofu and soy milk, it serves as a good source of protein. I love this shake in the morning for breakfast, it's so easy!

Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Ancient Harvest Brand Quinoa

salt

1 1/2 cups peeled finely diced cucumber

1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes

1 bell pepper, red, yellow or green will work

1/2 cup dried parsley

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

1 cup crumbled feta (or soy feta for a vegan dish)-optional

1/2 cup diced kalamata olives-optional

1/2 cup olive oil

6 Tbs lemon juice

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to package directions. While that is cooking, you can chop your veggies.

Allow quinoa to fully cool (spreading it out on a baking sheet helps). When cool, fluff the quinoa with a fork. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Add red onion, parsley, cucumber, tomato, peppers, oil, lemon juice, salt and spices. Mix in olives if desired. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Before serving let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the cheese if desired. Add more oil, lemon juice and salt as needed.

Vegan No-Bake Strawberry "Cheese"cake

Ingredients:

Filling:

12 ounces Tofutti brand better than cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

8 ounces Tofutti brand imitation sour cream

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 ounces dairy free whipped topping, thawed

1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced vertically

Crust:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup melted margarine spread, such as earth balance brand

If you can find a vegan prepared graham cracker crust, go for it. I couldn't find one, and this one is really simple to make.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs with 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup melted earth balance. Press mixture into 9-inch pie plate and bake for 8 min. Cool completely.

In a Kitchen Aid mixer, add all the toffuti better than cream cheese into the bowl (1 and a half containers). Turn mixer on and beat until smooth. Gradually add and beat in sugar. Add and beat in the sour cream and vanilla until just combined (don't over mix). Using a rubber scraper, fold in the whipped topping. Scrape the mixture into the pie crust. Refrigerate over night. Starting at the edges arrange strawberries in a circular pattern. The outer layer should all be facing the same direction, the next layer should have the berries pointing up, and the center should leave leaves for garnish.

This is actually a vegan variation of the cheesecake recipe I found on my iphone app. I wanted to make a vegan version and it came out great! The texture is very creamy and light and it is super easy to make.