veggie fajitas!

it's getting so hot here in new york, pretty soon i'll only want to eat salads and watermelon!

last night i was craving mexican, so i made vegetable fajitas, re-fried beans and guacamole.

i heated some corn tortillas, topped it all with fresh greens and cilantro, and chowed down!

 guacamole, veggie fajitas, and re-fried beans

        guacamole

• 3 ripe avocados
• juice of one lime
• a pinch of smoked chipotle powder
• 1/2 a teaspoon of cumin, chili powder, and salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 an onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 a container of grape tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• pepper, to taste     

 in a medium mixing bowl, add the avocado meat and toss with 1/2 of the lime juice

 add the salt and spices, and mash in with a potato masher

fold in garlic, onion, tomatoes, and cilantro

add pepper, the rest of the lime juice and more salt to taste

cover and refrigerate for an hour

      veggie fajitas

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 a dried chipotle pepper
• 1/2 of an onion, sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
• 6-8 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 summer squash, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, salt, cumin, pepper, and crushed coriander

 in a large pan, heat oil, garlic, chipotle pepper, and onion until cooked, about 3-5 min

add orange pepper, cook and stir another 3-5 minutes

add mushrooms and seasoning, stir 3 minutes

add squash, cover and cook until squash is tender

    re-fried beans

• 1 can mixed beans (black, pinto, kidney), drained and rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 a container grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, and pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

 

 

in medium sauce pan, combine beans and water, bring to a boil

add all remaining ingredients besides the oil, reduce heat and cover

simmer about 15-20 minutes, until most water is gone

remove from heat, mash with potato masher

add oil, and return to the stove

cook another 3-5 minutes on medium heat

serve immediately

chilly day chili!

yesterday was a weird weather day here in new york city.

so weird, in fact, that i'm writing about it on a food blog.

it snowed, rained, hailed with a lightning and thunder storm, and then snowed some more.

covering all the bases, i suppose. 

anyways, i want nothing more than to be cuddled up, warm, and full on days like these. 

so after a trip to the store to get ingredients for my NEW BREADMAKER (yes!! my mom is amazing and got one for me! it even has a gluten free setting on it!), i was on a mission to make some bread and chili. and then eat it!

vegan chili mac

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 of a medium sized onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 stalks small celery stalk, chopped
• 1 orange pepper, chopped
• 4-5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 dried chipotle peppers, chopped
• 2 sunshine burgers (i used the "south west" burger)
• 2 cans tomatoes (i used fire roasted with roasted garlic)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can roman beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 box of quinoa macaroni pasta
• loose fresh spinach, to taste

in a large pot, i heated the oil on medium heat, and added the onion

then i added the bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt

once the onion looked cooked through, i added the celery and orange pepper

once the vegetables were cooked and tender, i added the sun-dried tomatoes and chipotle pepper,

then the sunshine burgers, and reduced the heat to low

once the burgers were thawed, i broke them into small pieces with a wooden spoon

stirred on low for about 5 minutes

then i added the tomatoes, chili powder, black pepper, kidney, garbanzo, and black beans, turning the heat up and bringing everything to a boil.

once boiling, i put the heat back to low, covered the pot, and simmered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

in a separate pot, i brought some water to a boil, and cooked my quinoa pasta, for about 8 minutes, and then drained and set aside.

after my 45 minutes had passed, i added the corn to the chili pot, stirred and cooked for another 5 minutes

i took the pot off the heat and combined it with the macaroni

i served the chili with fresh spinach, and roasted garlic potato bread.
satisfying!
(more on the bread soon!)

sorry for the lack of visual aid....

it's been a distracting past few days!

that hasn't stopped me from eating, just from taking pictures.

here are some of the things i've made this week.

spanish cauliflower with black beans and kale 

this is a healthier alternative to traditional spanish rice, and tastes just as delicious!

      spanish cauliflower

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 orange or red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 a head of cauliflower
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

heat oil in medium skillet

add onion and garlic, cook until onion is tender

add pepper and cauliflower, attempting to slightly brown cauliflower

stir in water and tomatoes

season with spices and parsley

cover and cook about 20 minutes (till liquid is absorbed)

         black beans with kale

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4-5 mushrooms, chopped
• 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 a bundle of kale
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 a lemon 

in medium pan, heat oil 

add mushroom, cumin, and chipotle powder

after stirring a few minutes, add beans

after another few minutes add nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.

in separate pan, heat oil and garlic

once garlic is almost browned, add kale

squirt lemon over kale and cover for 5 minutes

cook kale to desired consistency (i like mine pretty chewy)

salt and pepper to taste

plate all items together, and enjoy!

quick and tasty dinner

 last night i made a simple and warm meal.

beans, potatoes, and sauteed portobello mushrooms

not really a recipe to these, but i'll let you know what i put in em.

for the bean dish i used a can of pinto beans, spinach, half of an orange pepper, one small onion, and about 2 cloves garlic.
i cooked the garlic and onion first in a little olive oil, then added the orange pepper, then the beans, and finally the spinach, a few minutes in between each.
added some chili powder, cumin, salt, and just a pinch of cinnamon.

for the potatoes i simply cut up 2 into cubes, and boiled in water until soft
drained them, tossed them in a bowl with nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chipotle chili powder
then i threw the mix on a baking sheet, and baked at 350 F until crispy
topped em with some chipotle ketchup

for the mushrooms i sliced them, then sauteed them in a little olive oil
added a little oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder while cooking
takes only about 7 minutes to cook them, flipping often
they get cold quick so i do this as the very last part

yum!

virginia vacation

last week i had the pleasure of going to virigina for a lil' vacation.
while running around having fun, i managed to find some good stuff!

i always try to check out thrift stores while i'm in any town. you never know what you'll find!

this trip i managed to find an unused(!!!) hamilton beach donut maker for 5 bucks. amazing! it came in the original packaging (looked like the 70's) which i unfortunately didn't take a picture of and threw away to save room for my trip home.

this is the only similar image i found of it on the internet, it really is that old!!

(sorry so tiny)

i did manage to rip off the instructions on the box though
(makes two MAN SIZED donuts heh heh)

on my adventures, i also checked out an organic food store in virginia beach, that had locally baked, gluten free vegan friendly goodies for sale!! and to my surprise, they were all really good!!
i bought the zucchini bread muffin, banana bread muffin, and chocolate sunflower rice bar.
they were all reasonably priced, fresh, and filling! i checked out the website of the baker, unfortunately no pictures, but she ships her treats anywhere in the US!! made in a dedicated gluten free kitchen, yay!
check her stuff out at pasqualina's gluten free goodies


ok. back to the donuts. when i returned to new york it was the first thing i did. holy crap. mmmm donuts. i'm leaving you all with a recipie for plain cake donuts. they can be altered for your taste buds (add chocolate, coconut, jelly, etc.) and you don't have to have a donut maker for em. simply bake in a muffin pan. the taste remains the same.

Gluten free vegan donuts
makes around 12 donuts (or cupcakes)

• 1 cup almond or coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vinegar (apple cider works best)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cup white rice flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (doesn't have to be dark, i just like the molasses like flavor)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• confectioners' sugar

PREHEAT the oven to 350 F
combine the milk, vinegar, and cornstarch and set aside.
sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt.
making sure cornstarch is dissolved, add the first mix to the flour mixture.
add the oil, sugar, and vanilla.
stir until all is mixed well.

if using a muffin tray, fill with batter about three-quarters full.
if you wish to turn them into jelly donuts, add a heaping spoonful of your favorite jelly on the center of each cupcake. the baking will do the rest.
if you wish to make chocolate cake donuts, simply add about 1/3 cup cocoa powder to the mix.
you can also get creative adding other ingredients (for some i added coconut to the batter, some i added on top) like fruit and nuts (mmm blueberry donuts!)

bake for 20-25 minutes
let cool, then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar

delicious!!!

here we go!!

hello there!

my name is andrea, and i am attempting to make a food blog, in hopes to share my dietary restrictions with those who also have special needs, and those who care about someone that does.

i have an autoimmune disorder called celiac disease. it prevents me from absorbing any nutrients when any wheat, barley, or rye gluten is consumed. it greatly affects my digestion and intestines, and also leaves me open to other illnesses when my immune system is down. this is not a simple "allergy" like most people believe. it is a severe illness that needs to be treated as such. there is no cure, and the only treatment of the disease is living 100% gluten free.

that being said, i have to be very careful eating every single day. celiac's can get sick with even the slightest trace of gluten present. for example, using a knife after someone buttered their bread can cause an awful reaction. we must always be aware of the food in front of us, cross-contamination possibilities, and hidden ingredients. fortunately, what usually begins as a struggle can turn into an amazing cooking adventure!

i live in new york city, the place where you can pretty much eat or find anything you want to eat, at usually any hour of the day. even with all these possibilities in front of me, there is only ONE restaurant in all of new york city that does not make me sick. that is because it does not contain any wheat or gluten in ANYTHING. there are "gluten-free" restaurants, bakeries, etc., but they all make the simple mistake of carrying or making other wheat or spelt products. the chances of you becoming very ill are very high and the risk is never worth it.

i am also vegan. i am vegan by choice, and having celiac disease really helped me figure out what else my body isn't into. i do have to be very aware of protein and other essential vitamins in my daily intake of goodies.

so basically, i cook everything myself. i have to! luckily, i really enjoy it. i love learning and discovering and sharing new ideas and techniques. i love the trial and error. when something goes wrong, i feel that much more determined to get it right. i love feeding a vegan gluten free treat to a wheat/butter eater and hearing them say "this is better than the real thing!!" although i don't do it for them, it's great to have that positive feedback.

throughout the years and internet searches, i have had a hard time finding others like me. i know they're out there, and hopefully this brings me a step closer to finding them.

i will now share my recipes, pictures, and knowledge with anyone willing to listen.

this blog is dedicated to those feeling left out on all the goodies they watch their friends consume, with hopes to making a better one, from scratch!!

word up!!