Sweet 'n Savory Kale

Kale is sooooo good for you & this recipe is so good that I usually make it once or twice each month.  You can buy any variety of kale you like (health food stores often carry more varieties, the red one is really yummy I must say) it all tastes good, especially cooked this way. 

SWEET 'N SAVORY KALE

Olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 Tablespoon mustard (I often use dijon, but regular mustard is fine too)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups broth (whatever broth you prefer)
4 Cups washed, stemmed, torn kale
1/4 cup dried cranberries
salt & pepper
1/4 cup sliced almonds

*cook onion & garlic in olive oil about 5 minutes
*add mustard, sugar, vinegar, broth & bring to a boil
*add kale, COVER, cook 5 minutes
*add cranberries, boil UNCOVERED 15 minutes
*turn off heat, add s/p & almonds & serve

Baked Asparagus with Butter Sauce

Cooking the meat/main dish in the crock pot most days (which is yummy, but also a necessity with a toddler) has allowed me to spend a little more time on my side dishes.  This is now my absolute favorite way to cook asparagus.  Asparagus used to be my least favorite veggie of all.  And then I started trying it cook in different ways & realized it was actually quite good.  It has such a savory flavor, even when just plain.  I buy most of our groceries at Costco these days.  I LOOOVE Costco.  Their eggs, produce, & meat are available at such great prices.  And their produce is really good most of the time (there are rare occasions where we get something not so perfect).  I normally peruse the produce department for a fresh veggie each time I go & since it's such a big amount of it I then find several different ways to cook that veggie so it's not so boring to my family.  So I do actually have a few other ways that I cook asparagus, but this one is hand's down the favorite of myself & my whole family.  It's so bright green & perfectly cooked & the sauce/glaze is super good too.  Bon appetit!!

BAKED ASPARAGUS WITH BUTTER SAUCE

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed & washed
salt & pepper
2 Tablespoons butter (or vegan butter alternative)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

*preheat oven to 400 F
*place asparagus on baking sheet, lightly brush with oil & sprinkle with s&p
*bake 12 minutes
*while baking, melt butter
*remove butter from heat & stir in soy sauce & vinegar
*pour over asparagus & serve

Vegan Crock Pot Cuban Black Bean Soup

Your house will smell amazing while you cook this & it tastes just as good as it smells!

Vegan Crock Pot Cuban Black Bean Soup

2/3 Cup dry black beans
2 Cups water
1 white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
Vegetable broth powder or paste
1/2 Cup corn kernels
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

*place all ingredients in crock & stir to combine
*cook on HIGH 6 hours or LOW 12 hours

Basic wheat bread machine bread

This is my favorite all purpose go-to bread recipe.  It makes a 2 lb loaf, so set the bread machine on the 2 lb setting & set it for the whole wheat cycle also. 

BASIC WHEAT BREAD MACHINE BREAD

1 1/4 Cups water
3 Tablespoons sugar (or honey)
1/3 Cup oil
2 Cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 Cups whole wheat flour (I like to use white whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 Tablespoon vital wheat gluten

*place all ingredients in pan in order listed or in order recommended by manufacturer
*adjust settings for 2 lb loaf & whole wheat cycle for best results

Turkey Stroganoff

I am always looking for good recipes for ground turkey to give my family some variety from chicken breasts.  They love the stuffed bell peppers, turkey burgers, & sloppy joes & now they love this one too.  :)

Turkey Stroganoff

8 oz package of noodles, uncooked
1 teaspoon oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1 cube chicken bouillon, crumbled (I used 2 Tablespoons of "better than bouillon" paste)
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup (I used my home=made condensed soup)
1 Tablespoon paprika
salt to taste

*boil noodles
*heat oil & cook turkey & onion in it
*mix in bouillon
*stir in soup & cook & stir until heated through
*season with paprika & salt
*serve over noodles

Vegan Snickerdoodles

Vegan Snickerdoodles (from "Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar")

Cookie:
1 Cup vegan butter  (I use the soy free earth balance)
1 1/4 Cups sugar
2 Tablespoons nondairy milk (I use rice milk)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 2/3 Cups all purpose flour
1/4 Cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1/3 Cup sugar
1 rounded teaspoon ground cinammon

*preheat oven to 350 & line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
*cream butter & sugar until lighty & creamy, about 2 minutes
*add milk & vanilla & mix in
*sift in dry ingredients & beat until a soft dough forms
*chill dough in refrigerator at least 30 minutes
*combine topping ingredients
*scoop dough out (tablespoon at a time), rolling into a ball
*roll ball in topping & place on baking sheet (space cookies about 3" apart)
*sprinkle tops of cookies with more topping
*bake 10-12 minutes
*allow to cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to cooling racks
*store in loosely covered container