Homemade BBQ Sauce

May 20, 2015 by 9 Comments

Summers coming… for those of us in Phoenix it is right on our door step. In addition to the heat, summer brings on cookout season. If this is your first summer living a plant-based lifestyle you may be a little intimidated by all of the upcoming barbecue invitations. Don’t be, I’ve got you covered.

Today I’m going to share one of my secrets. Homemade BBQ Sauce. I’ll share tips another day.

This Homemade BBQ Sauce is sweet and tangy. My husband said it tasted like candy but his palete is really sensitive to sweetness. Actually, at first you taste the sweet then the tangy hits.

You can use this sauce on anything! Baked Potatoes, Lentil BBQ or my Spaghetti Squash BBQ Sandwich, BBQ Chickpeas, BBQ tofu and more. The sauce is really versatile and you can change it up by using less sugar or more vinegar. You can also add Siracha for a little more kick.

Homemade BBQ Sauce that is vegan and gluten-free. It's perfect for all of your barbecue needs.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 6 oz can of tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp molasses
  • 3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
  • 2 Tbsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup (more or less) of brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water (add it a little at a time to obtain the right consistency)

Do

  1. Add all ingredients except water in a small sauce pan place on low heat.
  2. Stir often as you add each ingredient.
  3. Once everything except water is added taste and make any changes.
  4. Add water a little at a time while stirring until you reach the right consistency. You’ll probably need between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup.

Serve

Use this BBQ Sauce as you would a bottled sauce. If you have leftovers store in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

Next I’ll share my Cauliflower BBQ Bites recipe!

Make sure you read the labels on all of your ingredients. Some versions may not be vegan or may contain gluten. I always check ingredients to make sure it is safe for my family but your family may have other needs.

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Filed Under: On the Grill, Recipes, Sauces, Dips, and Salad Dressings Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Simple Veggie Soup in the Instant Pot

December 12, 2014 by 11 Comments

I want to start by telling you that this soup can be made on the stove or in the Crock Pot as well. For those of you with an Instant Pot you can cook this soup much more quickly.

This Simple Veggie Soup (in the Instant Pot) is so easy and delicious. You can add different ingredients if you prefer but this is made with basic veggie staples that we always have on hand. You know me, I like to keep it simple.

simple veggie soup

There are a few variations on this recipe. To make this soup heartier you can add Great Northern beans. It will cook more quickly if you soak the beans ahead of time. The soup is delicious with or without beans.

I added all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot in the morning and set the timer to come on 4 hours later so it would be ready in the afternoon. This will allow the beans to soak for a while if you are using them

Simple Veggie Soup in the Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1/2 an onion, diced
  • 2 cups broccoli, chopped
  • 1 large carrots, sliced (this equaled 1 cup of carrots for me)
  • 5 red potatoes, quartered (I didn’t peel them)
  • 3 liters of water (12 cups)
  • 1 cup dry Great Northern beans (optional)
  • bullion or dry broth mix (read the label to figure out the appropriate amount)

Do

  1. Put all of the ingredients into the Instant Pot and close the lid.
  2. Press the SOUP button, then if using the timer press the TIMER button.
  3. Use the + or – buttons to select the appropriate number of hours you’d like the Instant Pot to delay cooking. (The time will be the delayed time before the Instant Pot starts.) Remember that it takes time for the Instant Pot to heat up and cool down, especially when cooking soup so you need to take that time into consideration.
  4. Once the Soup is done the Instant Pot will keep it warm until you press CANCEL. Allow the steam to release naturally or use the quick release.

Serve

We eat this soup as is with maybe a sprinkle of salt. It’s perfect if you’ve been fighting a cold or are just in the mood for warm veggies.

Notes

If you are cooking it immediately you do not need to select the TIMER button.

If you are using dry beans they need to be soaked OR you may need to increase the cooking time, check the cooking time chart to be sure.

If you are making this in the Crock Pot just cook it all day or for about 6 hours.

If you are using beans and cooking this on the stove it will take about 90 minutes to cook soaked beans, if the beans haven’t been soaked it will take longer. I recommend you cook the beans first then add them to the soup.

The soup will take about 30 minutes without beans or with previously cooked beans.

Do you ever just make a simple soup? What are your “must” have ingredients? 

Filed Under: Instant Pot, Recipes, Soups, Stews, & Chili Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Meal Plan Monday: Summer Meal Routine

June 23, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Does your cooking style change in the summer? I like simple all year-long but in the summer I DO NOT want to spend time in the kitchen and I pretty much refuse to turn on the oven. I’ll occasionally make an exception, but rarely.

I also take advantage of batch cooking. For example I’ll cook a large pot of quinoa without any seasoning to be used for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. I double batch of Mexican Rice will find its way into burritos, salads and as a side dish. The Crock Pot comes in handy for beans to be used in most meals.

Meal Plan Monday! Vegan and gluten-free Meal plans!

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

I’ve been embracing chia seeds at breakfast but most days are cold cereal. I’ll often sprinkle chia on whatever we are eating.

  • Chia porridge with maple syrup and fruit.
  • Toast with WOW Butter and apple slices.
  • Cereal and rice milk
  • Breakfast Rice with raisins and diced apples
  • Breakfast Quinoa with blueberries and chia seeds

Lunch

Batch cooking saves lunch time every day. Most of the time I don’t even reheat the food because my kids like leftovers cold.

Dinner

I’m all about ease and keeping the house cool these days. Most of these dishes are quickly mixed together for a meal. I cook large batches of foods, like Mexican Rice, to use in multiple dishes throughout the week.

My kids are eating lots of fruit and some veggies for snacks. The top picks this week are apples, blueberries, grapes, nectarines, apricots, cherries, plums, bell peppers, cucumbers and carrots.

My kids are allowed to eat fruit almost any time. If they still have a meal on the table they may have to eat it first but raw fruit and veggies between meals is the norm. We don’t often have chips, crackers, or other processed foods available.

What do meals look like in your house during the summer?

Filed Under: Meal Plan Monday, Meal Plans 2014 Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Creamy Tomato Soup: Never Eat Condensed Soup Again!

May 14, 2014 by 15 Comments

Sometimes I create a recipe that is so good we are completely surprised. I’m a pretty good cook, but I don’t expect to be able to recreate some foods, especially with all of the food sensitivities in our house.

Unlike the big name condensed soups (you know who I’m talking about) that use tomato paste, corn syrup, wheat and plenty of chemicals, this recipe uses only real vegetables. I am in love with this vegan, gluten-free, and sodium-free Creamy Tomato Soup. I have a feeling you will probably love it too.creamy tomato soup It is perfect for spring and summer time when you can get garden fresh tomatoes AND it doesn’t require the use of a stove! I made this with the help of my Crock-Pot and my Blendtec! Easiest. Soup. Ever! If you are not in the mood for a warm soup you can also drink this cold! creamy tomato soup

Creamy Tomato Soup

Vegan and Gluten-Free

Ingredients

  • 9 tomatoes (these were vine ripened tomatoes and between Roma and Beefsteak tomatoes in size)
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 ribs of celery
  • 8 cloves of garlic
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 to 2 cups of water

Do

  1. Wash all produce well and remove and discard any leafy ends.
  2. Put all veggies in a Crock-Pot. Veggies can be cut if needed. I cut the celery, carrots and onions so they would fit better but left the tomatoes whole. My Crock-Pot was almost overflowing.
  3. Cook on low all day.
  4. Allow to cool slightly then blend in a Blendtec or high-powered blender. I let mine cool all the way. Don’t burn yourself. 🙂
  5. Add salt if needed.

Serve The soup is perfect as is or with a light dusting of salt. You could eat it with crackers, toast or a grilled Faux Cheesy Snack. I also love it cold! It’s a perfect quick snack that I can drink easily in a cup when I’m on the go and it tastes a lot like V-8.

A few months ago we bought a Blendtec and have been loving it! It has made a lot of new recipes possible like my Green Chili White Bean Dip and my Creamy Italian Salad Dressing. I recently became a Blendtec affiliate! Did you know you can get $100 Off + Free Shipping on Blendtec Factory Recertified Blenders? 

TIP! I store this soup in a pitcher so I can easily pour it into a bowl or a cup and it takes up less room in the fridge than a bowl.

Do you love Tomato Soup? Next time I’m going to make a spicy version!

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Filed Under: Crock Pot, On the Go, Recipes, Soups, Stews, & Chili Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

7 Quick and Easy Mexican Food Ideas

May 5, 2014 by 1 Comment

Today is Cinco de Mayo. For most of you that is just an excuse to eat Mexican food, you know that I don’t need an excuse to eat Mexican food. It’s pretty much on the menu daily at our casa. It takes a lot of thought to branch out into anything else for me.

Today I’m going to forgo the normal Meal Plan and share 7 Quick and Easy Mexican Food Ideas! This is for those of you who haven’t planned and have NO TIME! Go ahead and admit it, embrace it even.

Each of these ideas can be ready in less than 30 minutes, some much less. If you are exhausted, frustrated or feel like running away from home then these recipes are for you.

7 Quick and Easy Mexican Food Ideas

7 Quick and Easy Mexican Food Ideas

Let’s begin the countdown with the recipes taking the longest time to the recipes taking the least amount of time. Remember they are all quick, taking less than 30 minutes.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Holiday Cooking, Mexican Food Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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