A Pinch and a Dollop

Author Archives: pinchdollop

• Easy Scallion Pancakes

  Posted at 7:17 pm by pinchdollop, on May 28, 2020

  

  Ok, so, I borrowed this recipe from CD Kitchen, and adapted it slightly. Scallion Pancakes are one of my favorite Chinese Food crave able dishes. They pop into my head at the oddest moments, and sometimes there is just no place to get them that I don’t think they will arrive as gross grease bombs that make me feel awful!

  I will never worry about that again! These pancakes are super easy to make, take the bare minimum of ingredients that almost everyone has in their pantry, and are so worth the effort! They’re really fun to do, and would be a great way to introduce kids to cooking!

  If you don’t have green onions or scallions readily available, you can use finely sliced onion, or omit them. And, you can experiment with other fillings you love, and I will do on my next go around! They’d be delicious with truffle salt and cheese added into the dough, or other herbs and veggies. You can really use anything that is thin and doesn’t require lots of cooking. Savory and sweet!

  All in this takes about 20-30 minutes, and makes 4 pancakes. Measurements for ingredients are estimates, as you might need more of less flour depending on your environment.

  Ingredients:

  1c flour

  1/4 tsp salt

  1/2 c water

  1-2 pats of butter, melted

  1c chopped scallions

  ~3-4 Tbs sesame oil

  1 Tbs sesame seeds (optional)

  Directions:

  Combine the flour, salt, and water in a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. You might need more flour or water to get a firm consistency. Dough can be a little sticky.

  Divide dough into 4 pieces, no need to be exact. Place first piece onto floured work surface, and cover the remaining pieces in the bowl with a damp cloth.

  Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin as thin as you can, in a rough circle shape. Go in small strokes, and add flour to the dough or pin if needed to make sure it does not stick. You should be able to just barely see through the dough, but make sure you don’t rip it in the process.

  Brush dough with melted butter, sprinkle some of the sesame seeds and a handful of scallions to taste, and fold dough over scallions to cover. Fold over again, and even a third time to create a few layers and trap scallions inside. Now you can begin to roll dough flat again. If scallions are coming out or holes open through dough, simply fold dough over that area to cover. You cannot really mess it up or make a mistake!

  Once you have rolled out the dough to a thin circle or square, heat a fry pay on high and use 1/2-1 Tbs of oil to lightly pan fry the dough to get lots of little brown pockets. You can use more oil if you want a really fried pancake, but I like it less fried. Flip over, repeat until browned on the other side. Dry with paper towel, cut into triangles or squares, and enjoy!

  I like to dip in soy sauce, or soy/ponzu or a little chili oil/soy sauce/ginger. Super delicious and satisfying!

  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

• Stuffed Poblanos

  Posted at 4:43 pm by pinchdollop, on November 15, 2013

  

  I saw these Poblano peppers in the market today, and my mind started imagining all the different ways I could stuff them. I threw some things together, and came up with a sure hit for a holiday side dish, or even a main course with a beautiful raw salad. The filling is amazing, and could be used to stuff an acorn or butternut squash, or just to eat on its own.

  10 poblano peppers (get a few extra, as some may crack when roasting)

  1 c cooked quinoa

  1 small onion, finely chopped

  2 green onion, finely chopped

  1 small shallot, finely chopped

  2-3 garlic cloves, minced

  ~ 5-7 oz spinach, more if desired, as it melts to nothing

  1 large portabello mushroom, chopped into small pieces

  8 oz extra firm tofu

  1 fuyu persimmon

  1/8 c raisins

  1/4 c raw sunflower seeds

  1/4c nutritional yeast

  1/8 c unsweetened dried coconut flakes (optional)

  1 ripe sweet plantain

  low sodium vegetable broth, approximately 1 c, but maybe more or less

  Wash poblanos and place on baking sheet with parchment or silpat, and bake in preheated 400 degree oven. Roast in oven until peppers are slightly charred and soft. Skin will begin to pull away from flesh, but don’t remove the skin, as the pepper will break and you will not be able to stuff.

  With the skin on, place plantain in microwave, cook on high 1 minute. Turn upside down and cook on high additional minute. Skin will split while cooking, so don’t be alarmed if it comes off slightly. In a bowl, mash plantain without skin using a fork, and set aside.

  In a large fry pan over medium heat, line the pan with enough broth to cover, and bring to a boil. Add onion, green onions, shallot, and garlic. Saute until onions begin to soften, and add chopped mushroom and spinach. If pan is dry at any point, add more broth as needed to keep enough moisture in the vegetables. Cover with lid, leaving small opening, and let the spinach wilt and mushroom break down. Dice persimmon, and add to saute pan. Crubmle tofo into mixture using your hands to break it into a consistency of hamburger meat. Add raisins, nuts, nutritional yeast, and coconut, stir to toss all together. Add mashed plantain and incoprorate throughout, and then take off heat, and add cooked quinoa. You can mix with your hands or a large wooden spoon, and set aside.

  While peppers are still hot, place under running cold water to cool off so you can work with it, but still keeping peppers warm. With a sharp paring knife, poke into and cut around stem and remove it with the seeds. Fill pepper with water, and make sure most or all of the seeds are removed. With a spoon or your hands, fill peppers with as much mixture as they will hold, periodically pushing down to really stuff pepper.

  Posted in Cooked Fruit Recipes, Cooked Veggie Recipes, Main courses, Nuts and Seeds, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged nutritional yeast, persimmon, poblanos, quinoa, stuffed, tofu

• Cheesy Kale Salad

  Posted at 9:31 pm by pinchdollop, on November 14, 2013

  

  So, I have to admit, I fell off the wagon for a minute there. While I stayed on the veg bandwagon, I started eating more carbs and sweets again, and veered away from the no sugar, no oils path I started out on. And, while I didn’t gain any weight, I didn’t lose any either. So, with renewed vigor, I decided to try again, and here’s what I made for breakfast this morning! I know, kale salad for breakfast? Honestly, it was so tasty, and hit all my perfect spots: cheesy, sweet, and crunchy. It’s a great way to get your maximum veg in, and you can experiment with different ones! I used the topping I normally use for my kale chips because it’s so tasty when liquid, and I wanted to enjoy the flavors without them having hardened into the chip.

  Salad

  5 or 6 curly kale leaves, ripped into small pieces, stems discarded (you can save these for juice too)

  1/2 stalk broccoli, no florets

  1 radish

  1 persimmon, chopped

  1 Tbs raisins

  Handful grapes, sliced in half

  1/4 c Spicy Kale Chip Dressing (see recipe below)

  Spicy Kale Chip Dressing

  1 c raw cashews, soaked or not

  1 bell pepper, cut into large chunks

  1- 2 Tbs Miso Paste

  1/2 c Nutritional Yeast

  1-2 Tbs Siracha

  1-2 Tbs groun flax seed (I grind my own)

  Juice of Half Lemon

  Vegetable Broth, 1-2 Tbs at a time until right texture is achieved

  Make dressing: Place all ingredients into high speed blender and run on high until all incorporated. You may have to scrape down a few times to blend it all evenly. The mixture should be somewhat thick and not too runny. If you add too much broth, you can always add in more cashews and a little miso to balance.

  For salad: place kale into a bowl, and add dressing. With your hands, as if you were making Kale Chips, gently massage the dressing into the leaves. This loosens up the toughness of the kale fibers, but also helps to evenly coat the leaves. Once all leaves are coated, add chopped fruit and using a mandolin, slice radish and broccoli over bowl. Mix all ingredients one last time, and eat!

  Posted in Main courses, Raw Fruit Recipes, Raw Veggie Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged Cashew, cheesy, kale, nutritional yeast, salad

• Banana Cheesecake

  Posted at 6:21 pm by pinchdollop, on November 14, 2013

  

  Guilt free dessert? Yes please! This can actually be eaten for breakfast, snack, or as a side dish as well! There is no sugar added to this, and there’s lots of protein and nutrients, so feel free to indulge without guilt! You can even swap the bananas out for pumpkin and other flavors! I’ll most likely be trying that soon for Thanksgiving and posting other pics too!

  Cheesecake

  3 ripe bananas

  1/4- 1/2 c raw almond butter

  5 oz extra firm tofu

  8 oz silken tofu

  1/4 cup & 3 Tbs shredded unsweetened dried coconut

  Put all ingredients into high speed blender or food processor, and then pour into baking dish (I used a glass one for easy removal from pan). If desired, sprinkle top with the 3 Tbs or more of coconut, and place in preheated 350 degree oven. Cook until top is browned and coconut is crunchy but not overcooked. Let cool for about 10 minutes at least to let cheesecake solidify. You can refrigerate too if you want. Enjoy!

  Posted in Breakfast, Cooked Fruit Recipes, Desserts | 0 Comments | Tagged almond butter, banana, cheescake, dried coconut, tofu

• Pumpkin Pie Squares

  Posted at 8:28 pm by pinchdollop, on October 26, 2013

  

  It’s hard to think of fall and not think of pumpkins and pumpkin pie. And, while I love just roasting it and eating it in savory dishes, nothing’s more satisfying than the iconic pumpkin pie. Today I wanted to see if I could get away with making a good one that didn’t have sugar or dairy or wheat, and mission accomplished! This recipe is definitely one of my favorites, and I even had a friend come over to sample it, and it got a resounding YES! So, let’s see what everyone else thinks!

  These are squares only because I left my pie dish somewhere and only had a 9×13 pyrex baking dish. I’m sure it would work great as a pie as well!

  Crust:

  2c Almond Flour

  (I used the remnants from my home made almond milk, so it was slightly wetter than packaged varieties).

  1 c shredded unsweetened dried coconut

  10 dates, soaked in boiling water, pitted (drain water before using)

  Filling:

  10 dates, soaked in boiling water, pitted (drain water before using)

  1 medium pumpkin (about 3 1/2 c pulp)

  1 c almond milk

  dash vanilla

  ~ 1Tbs Ground Cinnamon

  ~ 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

  ~1/8 tsp Ground Mace

  1 Tbs Arrowroot

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine all crust ingredients, and pulse until incorporated. The mixture will be crumbly, so you just want to make sure the dates are evenly distributed. Press into bottom of 9×13 inch ungreased pyrex dish or 2 9″ pie pans. Place in oven for about 10 minutes, but watch to make sure crust doesn’t burn. I may have undercooked mine so that it could be baked with the pumpkin, so you might be able to cook a little longer.

  Fo filling, roast pumpkin whole if you are using fresh pumpkin, and once the skin becomes hard and you can feel that inside is soft, remove pumpkin from oven, and let cool. Once it is easy to handle, pull top off and remove all skin. Break apart pumpkin, remove the seeds (Do not discard. Clean these, removing any pulp, and roast them on a baking dish for an excellent treat). Place all of edible pumpkin flesh into food processor, along with all other ingredients. Mix continuously until most of the date bits disappear into the mix, and you are left with a creamy pudding like consistency. When crust is ready, simply spoon or spatula over the crust, and bake an additional 30-40 minutes until top of pumpkin has browned. Remove, let cool slightly, and enjoy!

  Posted in Cooked Fruit Recipes, Nuts and Seeds | 1 Comment

• Almond Butter and Strawberry Jam

  Posted at 4:08 pm by pinchdollop, on October 26, 2013

  

  I LOVE nut butters, and could probably just live off these if I had my way. And, once you start making your own, there’s really no need to ever buy it again. $15 for a jar of almond butter is ridiculous. Yes, nuts are expensive, but this jar cost me less than $5 (including the jar), and it tastes so much better! And, the home made jam is worlds away from store bought, and it has no sugar!

  Almond Butter

  I used about 2 cups of Raw Almonds, but there really is no need to measure. Just pour as much or as little as you want into a 5 qt food processor. (You can roast your nuts for a few minutes before hand for extra flavor, but I like to leave mine raw for more nutrients. Just be careful if you heat them, as the heated oils can ruin the benefits of the nuts). You can use any nuts you want.

  Pour nuts into food processor, and blend on high for about 20 minutes to half an hour. Every few minutes check on the mixing. You may need to scrape down the sides of the mixer to incorporate the nut crumbles. It takes a little while for the nuts to actually break down and release their oils, so do not stop the process until the mixtures passes the ball stage and finally sinks to the bottom and you can start to see the oils release. It will become very hot because of the blades running for so long, but once smooth and creamy, you are done. I don’t use salt, but if you do, you can add this or honey or chocolate powder in at this time.

  Strawberry Jam

  1 1/2 lbs strawberries, washed and sliced

  3/4 c water

  3-4 large dates, pitted

  1/2 c boiling water

  zest of 1 lemon

  juice of half lemon

  In small container, place dates into boiling water, and let sit for several minutes to melt the dates. Place in food processor and mix until dates have incorporated into water, and become somewhat of a syrup. It is ok if there are some pieces of dates, but you just want them mostly combined. Place date mixture and all other ingredients into saucepan, stir and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer until strawberries melt and mixture reduces to desired thickness. You can crush the berries into the liquid, or leave chunkier according to your preference.

  In my next batch, I will add ginger and mint for added spice and flavor. You can use this topping for deserts or in dressings, or simply on a spoon with the almond butter!

  Posted in Cooked Fruit Recipes, Nuts and Seeds | 0 Comments | Tagged almond butter, almonds, jam, strawberries

• Roasted Veggie Burger and Celery Root Salad

  Posted at 1:47 pm by pinchdollop, on October 25, 2013

  

  I’m always looking for ways to either sneak my veggies in, or get new ideas for raw salads. These burgers are amazing for throwing just about anything you have lying around you want to use up in the fridge, and they taste great! The salad inspiration came from my friend Felicia, who introduced me to the apple, celery root, mustard combo! So delicious! I made a few tweaks, and it was perfect with the bergers!

  Celery Root, Apple, and Pomegranate Salad

  1 celery root, julienned

  4 small macintosh apples, peeled, cored, and julienned

  1 pomegranate, seeded

  ~ 1-2 Tbs Dijon Mustard

  ~ 1/4 c apple cider vinegar

  Cut the celery root and apple and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds. Make dressing by mixing the mustard and vinegar, and adjust amounts to your taste. Pour over fruit/veg, mix and eat! The combo of the sharp mustard and vinegar with the distinct celery flavor and sweetness of the fruit is amazing!

  Roasted Veggie Burgers

  1 green bell pepper

  1 leek

  1/2 carrot

  1 large beet

  1/2 fennel bulb

  1 head broccoli

  1 package white mushrooms, sliced

  12-15 garlic cloves

  1c vegetable broth

  1/2 c white beans

  1 1/4 c rolled oats

  2/3 c nutritional yeast

  splash liquid aminos

  Cut vegetables, all but mushrooms,  into large chunks, and spread evenly on baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat. Pour 1/4c of broth over veggies to flavor and protect from burning. Place into 400 degree oven, and roast for about 45 min to 1 hour, mixing veggies every so often so they don’t burn and evenly roast. You can add a little extra broth if they are starting to char.

  While veggies are cooking, line a fry pan with 1/4 c broth and add full package of mushrooms. Once wilted and browned, take mushrooms off heat and place in blender.  (You can do this in the food processor as well if you do not have a blender). Once veggies are finished roasting, add about half of the tray or 2 cups to the blender. Add all other ingredients, but save 2/3 c of the rolled oats to add into blended mixture. Once incorporated, the mixture should resemble a paste similar to ricotta cheese. Pour this into a bowl and mix together with remaining rolled oats. Form into patties, and then place on baking sheet lined with silpat (This is pretty important so the burgers crisp and don’t stick). Place in oven, and bake for about 15-20 minutes on each side, or until burger is crispy on outside. Inside it will remain soft and moist.

  Guacamole

  1 avocado

  several springs of cilantro, chopped

  splash of hot sauce

  Mash avocado and mix cilantro and hot sauce in!

  I usually do 2 burgers as a main course with a dollop of the guacamole, but eat until you are satisfied, not full! The burgers can have any veggies you want, and you can even add in a little brown rice in the blender or into the fold for a nutty, chewier texture. The nutritional yeast is key for flavor, adding a slight cheesiness, and it is super rich in vitamin B12, which is a great addition when you are eating a plant based diet!

  Posted in Cooked Veggie Recipes, Raw Fruit Recipes, Raw Veggie Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged apple cider vinegar, celery root, guacamole, mustard, nutritional yeast, pomegranate, roasted veggies, veggie burger

• Green Smoothie

  Posted at 1:12 pm by pinchdollop, on October 24, 2013

  

  So, in the struggle to get that pound of raw veggies in, I find it helps to hide them a little! Even if you can’t taste them, you’re still getting the nutrients! So, I make this almost every morning, and despite giving up my coffee addiction, this seems to give me more than enough energy that I need to get my day going. It’s incredibly filling with all of that fiber, and tastes super fresh from the lime and ginger! Make sure to leave your lime rind on, as that’s the best part! (The glass in this photo was made for me by a dear friend, Justin Teodoro. Message me if you like these and want info on how to get them)!

  1 green apple, cut into 4

  1/2 c ice

  1/2 c water

  1 lime wedge, skin on

  1/4″ slice coin of ginger

  1/2 c seedless grapes

  1 banana, cut into pieces

  1/2 cucumber, cut into pieces

  2-3 leaves kale, stems removed

  1/4 tsp or more turmeric

  Put ice, water, lime, ginger, grapes and banana in high powered blender, and blend until incorporated. Add cucumber, apple, blend again. Follow with kale, cut into pieces, and add desired amount of turmeric (you can’t taste this, but it may turn the smoothie a little yellow or brown. Doesn’t matter. It’s fantastic for building a strong immune system (as is the ginger), so it’s great to get into your food during the winter months!  Blend for a few minutes so kale gets cut into small enough pieces. If you have a vitamix blender, this shouldn’t take too long. My Ninja blender is amazing, and I use it every day, but it’s not as strong, so the kale doesn’t break down as well. I don’t mind, as I like having something to chew, but if you like a smoother blend, just leave it on longer!

   

  Posted in Raw Fruit Recipes, Raw Veggie Recipes, Smoothies | 1 Comment | Tagged Beverages, breakfast, green smoothie, Health shake, juice, kale, turmeric

• Lentil Soup, Crudite, and Tofu “Cheese” Dip

  Posted at 4:50 pm by pinchdollop, on October 23, 2013

  

  It’s cold today, and I have been craving warmth all day long. So, I had the leftover Eggplant Manicotti for Breakfast, and wanted something warm along with my veggies for lunch. Voila! Lentil soup. I followed the skeleton of this great blog called “Simply Scratch” and made my tweaks, as you will see below.  (www.simply scratch.com: There are all these step by step instructions with photos to show you what it will look like, so if you are just beginning to cook, this would be great for you)! I LOVE how the soup came out; it’s very smoky and hearty. The Smoked Paprika makes you feel like there is bacon or something in here, when there is no fat at all! It’s fantastic! I topped it with pumpkin seeds and my favorite One Lucky Duck Parmesan Flakes (you really don’t need, but I am a little obsessed). I paired it with some cut up veg, and a little of the filling from the Eggplant Manicotti to use as a dip, and it was an excellent lunch!

  LENTIL SOUP

  1 Lg Onion, Diced

  1 Carrot, Diced

  4 Celery Ribs, Diced

  6 Garlic Cloves, Minced

  2 c Dry Lentils, Sorted and Rinsed

  2 Qtz Low Sodium Veg Broth (I use Imagine)

  2 Bay Leaves

  1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

  1/2 tsp Turmeric

  1/2 tsp Cumin

  1/4- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika

  10-12 Pepitas (Raw Pumpkin Seeds), Optional

  Sprinkle of One Lucky Duck’s Parmesan Flakes, Optional

  For cheese dip, see filling for Eggplant Manicotti

  In a large Dutch Oven or Heavy Stock Pan over medium high heat, pour about 1/2 c of your broth or enough to coat bottom of the pan. Let this heat for a minute or two (it will start to bubble quickly, so chop your veggies first), and then add onion, carrots, and celery and stir. Let the veggies sweat, or cook until the onion begins to be translucent. Once the veggies have cooked a little, add your minced garlic and continue to sauté. After 5 minutes, you can add your cleaned lentils, bay leaf and spices. Sir and then add the rest of the broth. Let everything come to a boil and then bring heat to low to simmer for about half an hour or until lentils are done. They should have some body, but be soft to the bite.

  Once the soup has done cooking, place half the soup in a blender, and mix on high for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is creamy and incorporated. If you like a less chunky soup, you can blend the whole mixture, but I would suggest at least doing half because it gives the soup body and texture, while leaving lots of big chunks. Stir the blended mixture back into the remaining soup in the pot, and serve!

  Posted in Cooked Veggie Recipes, Raw Veggie Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Bay leaf, Lentil, Lentil soup, smoky, Soup, Soups and Stews, winter

• Kale, Beet & Apple Salad

  Posted at 3:19 am by pinchdollop, on October 23, 2013

  

  So, the goal is to eat 1 whole pound of raw veggies a day! Gulp! It seems like a lot! So, I’ve been experimenting with ways to make it all new and exciting. Always experimenting with new dressings that have no oil and don’t taste horrible; this one was pretty tasty, and I managed to eat the whole bowl, so not too shabby!

  Salad:

  3 leaves curly Kale

  1/4 carrot, sliced with mandolin

  1/4 beet, sliced with mandolin

  1 ear corn, kernals cut from cobb

  1 Tbls raisins

  1/4 pomegranate, seeded

  1 tsp raw pumpkin seeds

  1/8 c navy beans, drained

  1 small McIntosh Apple

  Dressing:

  1/8 c raw tahini

  Juice of 1 lime

  Splash of Braggs Liquid Aminos (you can use soy sauce if you are not gluten free)

  1/4 c Apple Cider Vinegar

  Break Kale into bite sized pieces, and toss all other ingredients on top. Pour desired dressing amount onto salad, and toss to coat. I got 2 servings out of the dressing, but you might get more or less depending on your taste. Feel free to add other ingredients: red onion, cabbage, peppers, cucumbers, diced jalapenos, jicama. All make excellent additions with flavor and texture! The goal is no salt or oils used, so getting creative is key!

  Posted in Raw Veggie Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged apple, beet, corn, kale, kitchen sink, salad, tahini

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