PB2 Granola

Plant based Granola, before baking

This is a lower fat recipe for granola than most I have found published. I am replacing some of the fat and oil with applesauce and by golly it works!

I bought a lot of PB2 powder and wanted to use it in an energy snack that didn't have too much sugar or fats.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees fahrenheit

Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup PB2 powdered peanut butter, I used the cocoa flavored variety
2/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes or shreds
1/3 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried blueberries or cranberries
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
2 tablespoons oat bran
1/4 cup wheat bran

Stir dry ingredients together and then add wet ingredients to dry ingredients as a drizzle while you continue stirring.

Wet ingredients:
Combine 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup applesauce and 2 teaspoons vanilla

It works well to heat the liquids together for a few seconds in the microwave to make the mixture more fluid. All ingredients together will seem fairly dry but keep stirring and eventually it will all become sticky.  When you no longer see dry pockets it is ready to bake.

PB2 Granola

Spread out on cookie sheet that has been lined with lightly oiled parchment.
Bake for 1 hour at 275 degrees fahrenheit. This will make approximately 2 1/2 lbs. of dry granola.
It works great as a breakfast cereal.

What to do with all that Steak Seasoning now that you are on a plant based diet

Garbanzo beans heated through with some steak seasoning

Other seasonings that work well to turn a can of garbanzo beans into a healthier snack than chips are to add freeze dried lemon grass, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and black pepper.

Other snacks if you are like me and like to munch, munch, munch:  popcorn that has been microwaved in a popper by Miracle Ware (Progressive International).  Fantastic!!!!  No oil and no carcinogenic fumes from a bag.

Low Fat Hummus Recipe

My favorite hummus recipe without Tahini:

Put one can of drained chickpeas in a a strong blender or food processor.
Add 1 clove of garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 small mild hot pepper without seeds or stem
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons water may be necessary to get it to blend

Blend until smooth.  This will make enough to last a couple of days in your refrigerator.  I use it in place of mayo.
If you prefer a hummus made with tahini, go ahead and add up to 2 tablespoons (but not more because of the amount of fat that is in tahini).  Your heart will thank you.

(Hummus Recipe derived from ELovings at Recipes.com)

Homemade Banana Chips

The last time I bought a bunch of bananas, all that were available were really green.  I mean, REALLY GREEN.  I bought them anyway thinking they would turn yellow just like always but for some reason they never did turn yellow but instead became a funny gray color with brown spots.  I didn't really want to make banana nut bread because we don't need the extra calories around right now and I almost through them out but decided instead to try making banana chips with the food dehydrator.

When I skinned them, the bananas were just beautiful inside and fragrant.  Huh, go figure.

So I sliced them into 1/8" discs, put them into a bowl with lemon juice and water (about 1/4 cup of each) and then laid them out on the food dehydrator trays. (Dehydrate at 135 degrees)
And wouldn't you know, 18 hours later we had the most delicious banana chips to munch on.....

Dad's Special Rice Dish

My father sometimes would make a rice dish at night when I was a kid that I really liked.  It was made from a box of chicken flavored rice, a couple of stalks of diced celery and about 1/2 cup of Jimmy Dean Sausage.  It was something he didn't make often but I distinctly think of it as something he made as a late night snack (between dinner and bedtime) and if the smell brought me into the kitchen he would invite me to grab a plate and have some.  I considered it a nice little treat.
Now I think of it as a comfort, especially since his passing last February and that darn anniversary is approaching.
I would like to make a version of this that doesn't use Jimmy Dean sausage or rice flavored with chicken stock but that has the same essence of comfort and time spent with Dad.

Recipe for Plant-based Special Rice

2 cups brown rice
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup vegan sausage, crumbled
1 teaspoon vegan bouillon, "not-chicken" flavored
Pinch each of granulated garlic, pepper, dried parsley & rubbed sage

Simmer rice in water and broth until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes.  Add the vegan sausage, celery, bouillon and herbs.  Simmer another 3 or 4 minutes until the celery is hot but not discolored.

Makes 4 comfort servings.

I think Dad would have like to listen to "Still, Still, Still" performed on cello by Steven Sharp Nelson (featuring Marshall McDonald), I know I do.