Vegan Crock Cheez

I have always loved cheese & crackers.  When giving up cheese that is definitely something I missed.  This really fits the bill.  This is much like those tubs of spreadable pasteurized process cheese food products that you spread on crackers.  The texture is not identical (a bit softer) but the flavor is perfect.  This recipe is from "The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook" by Jo Stepaniak.

1/2 lb (8 oz) firm regular tofu, drained
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 Tablespoons sesame tahini or raw cashew butter
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons light or chickpea miso
1 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

*break tofu in large chunks, place in saucepan & cover with water
*bring to a boil, simmer 5 minutes
*drain well
*chill uncovered in refrigerator until cool enough to handle
*crumble & place in bowl of food processor with remaining ingredients; process into a smooth paste, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary
*chill several hours or overnight before serving to allow flavors to blend

Vegan Nacho Cheez Sauce & Dip

I looove this recipe.  Cheese was hard for me to give up, but having a recipe like this really helps.  I use it for nachos, as a dip with tortilla chips, even spread onto a tortilla to make a quesadilla with.  It's also good in a bean & cheese burrito.  I'm sure there are millions of other uses.  This recipe is from "The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook" by Jo Stepaniak.

Vegan Nacho Cheez Sauce & Dip

1/2 Cup flour (any type)
1/2 Cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 Cups water or non-dairy milk
1/4 Cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard (any kind)
1/2 teaspoon light or chickpea miso
1/4 Cup minced fresh cilantro (optional)

*combine flour, yeast, salt, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, & cayenne in a saucepan
*gradually whisk in liquid, oil, & mustard
*cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly with a wire whisk, until bubbly, thick, & smooth
*remove from heat & whisk in miso
*stir in cilantro (if using) just before serving

Raw food energy bars

While I'm really not into the whole raw food movement, these do qualify as such, so I mention it for those who might be interested in that aspect of this recipe.

I LOOOVE these & could honestly eat them all day, but I limit myself to one per day because the ingredients are all high calorie foods.  This is why they give you energy.  I love to carry one of these in my purse on days when I'm running errands all day & know I will need to raise my blood sugar & get an energy boost.

Raw Food Energy Bars

1 Cup pitted dates
1/4 Cup peanuts
1/4 Cup chocolate chips (I use vegan chocolate chips)
dash of salt

*place dates in bowl of food processor & run (I sometimes have to add a tiny tiny dash of water, but be careful not to add much or else the food bars will end up mushy)
*add peanuts & pulse processor
*add chocolate chips & dash of salt & pulse again until all ingredients are well incorporated (but don't let the nuts turn into peanut butter!!)
*pull dough out of processor & shape into a ball with your hands
*you can place between sheets of parchment paper & roll out with rolling pin into a rectangle or square shape OR you can just shape it with your hands (this is how I usually do it)
*cut into bars, whatever size you want (I use a dough cutter to do this, just a push down movement, rather than a sawing movement, which will destroy the shape of the bars)
*you can store them in the freezer of fridge or even at room temp if they will be eaten quickly

Vegan Citrus Glitter cookies

I have to admit I'm a real sucker for citrus desserts. And this cookie so perfectly hit the spot for me. I will definitely be making these again. This recipe is from "Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar"

Vegan Citrus Glitter Cookies





3-4 Tablespoons turbinado or other coarse sugar
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegan shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used rice milk)
2 Tablespoons finely grated citrus zest (I used a combo of orange & lime; I didnt have any lemons in the house)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup a/p flour
2 Tablespoons fine ground cornmeal (I ran my regular cornmeal in a spice mill)
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

*preheat oven 350 F
*line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
*spoon the coarse sugar onto a plate or shallow bowl & set aside
*cream the shortening & sugar together until light & fluffy, about 90 seconds
*mix in milk, zest, & vanilla
*sift in all remaining ingredients & mix until soft, pliable dough forms (it might look crumbly, but when pressed between fingers it should form easily)
*roll heaping Tablespoons of dough into balls & flatten ball into coarse sugar (only on one side)
*place sugar side up on baking sheet
*bake 10-12 minutes, let cool on baking sheet 2 minutes & then transfer to wire rack
*store in tightly sealed container

Golden Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

This cupcake recipe comes from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World". But the frosting recipe is my very own. The combo was very delightful. :)

Golden Vanilla Cupcakes







1 cup non-dairy milk (I used rice milk)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups a/p flour
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil (I used sunflower oil)
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

*preheat oven to 350 F
*line muffin tin with paper liners
*whisk milk & acv together & set aside for a few minutes
*beat together milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, & almond extracts
*sift in dry ingredients & mix until no large lumps remain
*fill liners 2/3 way full & bake 20-22 minutes
*transfer to cooling rack & let cool completely before frosting

Buttercream Frosting

8 Tablespoons vegan butter
3 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
3-4 Tabkespoons non-dairy milk (I use rice milk)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

*beat butter 30 seconds, until fluffy
*stop, add sugar, milk, & vanilla
*blend on low about 1 minute
*increase speed & beat another minute

Crock Pot French Rice Pudding

I have to admit I've never been a big fan of rice pudding. The texture of it just isn't very appealing to me. However, I have a feeling my toddler will love it & I know that my hubby loves it. But my hubby AND my toddler can't have dairy. I chose to make this vegan by using rice milk, but you can certainly use cow milk if you prefer. I made this this past weekend & my hubby loved it & ate the whole thing. My toddler, however, has been sick & his appetite hasnt been good, so he didn't even want to taste it. Once his appetite returns I will make it again.

Crock Pot French Rice Pudding

6 cups milk (I used rice milk)
2/3 cup arborio rice (the kind used in paella & risottos)
2/3 cup sugar
1teaspoon ground cinammon OR 1 small cinammon stick
1/2 teaspoon salt

*lightly oil crock insert
*combine all ingredients in crock pot & cook on LOW 6-8 hours

Polenta with Mushrooms

I really like this dish, the flavor of the mushroom mixture is so rich & delicious, it is phenomenal IMHO.

Polenta with Mushrooms

1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms soaked in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes
EVOO
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups broth
1 cup polenta flour (coarse ground yellow cornmeal)

*lightly oil a 9-10" pie plate & set aside
*bring water & broth to a boil, stir in polenta flour SLOWLY, stirring CONSTANTLY
*reduce heat & add in half of the garlic, salt, & a Tablespoon of EVOO
*cover & simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasinally
*remove from heat & let stand 5 minutes
*pour into pie plate, packing in & smoothing out top, set aside to firm up about 20 minutes
*drain the porcinis in a strainer, reserving the soaking liquid
*rinse the mushrooms thoroughly & drain; coarsely chop & set aside
*strain the soaking liquid through cheesecloth or a coffee filter & aside
*heat oil & cook onion about 3 minutes
*add the remaining garlic, cook, stirring, about 1 minute
*add mushrooms & cook, stirring, about 2 minutes
*add porcinis, the strained soaking liquid, wine, tomato paste, rosemary, s & p.
*bring to a boil, simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquids are almost completely reduced, about 20 minutes
*spoon on top of polenta & cut into wedges & serve

Polenta with Peppers & Tomatoes

I have recently fallen in love with polenta.  I learned Italian cooking very well back when I was a teen & first learning to cook.  I was a vegetarian back then & following Marcella Hazan's cookbooks.  They are not vegetarian books, but I learned quickly on my own how to adapt most recipes to make them vegetarian.  I don't remember if I tried polenta back then or not (I know there were recipes for it in those books), but if I did somehow I wasn't too impressed I guess because I haven't made it again up until now.  This recipe is pretty simple & is really quite good & substantial.

Polenta with Peppers & Tomatoes

3 cups water
1 cup polenta flour (coarse ground yellow corn meal)
EVOO
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large bell peppers, chopped or sliced (I like to use 2 different colors)
1 can (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar

*lightly oil a 9-10" pie plate & set aside
*bring water to boil for polenta, SLOWLY add in polenta flour (to prevent clumping) stirring CONSTANTLY
*reduce heat, add in 1 T EVOO, 1/3 of the chopped garlic, & salt
*cover & cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes
*remove from heat & let stand for 5 minutes
*pour into pie plate, pressing it in & smoothing the top out
*let stand 20 minutes to firm up

*heat EVOO & add onion & cook, until softened
*add bell peppers & remaining garlic; cook 5-8 minutes
*add tomatoes, oregano, s & p; bring to a boil & simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
*add vinegar & sugar, cook another 5 minutes or so, until thickened slightly
*spoon pepper/tomato mixture over the polenta, cut into wedges, like a pie, & serve

Italian Sorghum Soup

This is such a very easy & simple soup, yet it's quite hearty & satisfying at the same time.

Prior to learning that I have celiac disease & going gluten free this was "Italian Barley Soup".  I really loved barley in soups, but can no longer eat that.  I purchased some whole grain sorghum (actually by mistake, thinking I was ordering sorghum flour online!) & cooked it up & realized the texture is much like barley.  So I now use sorghum in soups in place of barley.  It's perfect in this recipe!  If you are not gluten free, feel free to use pearl barley instead.

Italian Sorghum Soup

6 cups broth
2 cups water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 cup whole grain sorghum
salt & pepper to taste
garnish: chopped basil or parsley

*bring broth & water to boil
*add tomatoes, sorghum, salt, & pepper, combine well
*simmer 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally

Garbanzo Romesco

I have to say that I am not much of a garbanzo fan, but this recipe I absolutely adore.  I am so in love with it & it is a regular in my kitchen these days.  My meat eating family doesn't like it much, but I LOVE it.  It is my understanding that  traditional Spanish romesco sauce is thickened with bread, but this version is thickened with almonds & I really really like it.

Garbanzo Romesco (adapted from "Veganomicon", changes made by me)

1/3 Cup almond meal/flour (you can grind your own almonds in the food processor if need be)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 roasted bell peppers
olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/4 large onion, diced
1 red serrano chile pepper, minced finely (leave seeds & pith if heat is desired, remove if not desired)
1/4 cup white wine
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
30 oz cooked garbanzos (drained & rinsed if using canned)
salt & pepper to taste

*puree the tomatoes & roasted bell peppers in blender or food processor & set aside
*saute garlic, onion, & serrano in olive oil 4-5 minutes
*add wine & deglaze pan, cooking about 1 minute
*add tomato mixture, vinegar, sugar, thyme, & rosemary & combine
*bring to a near boil & simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
*add almond meal & garbanzos & combine, simmer uncovered 25 minutes
*add salt & pepper to taste

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

Crock-Pot "refried" beans

One of my all time favorite foods is a bean (or bean & cheese) burrito.  It was the very first type of burrito I ever ate & I fell in love with it & over the years I've found if I'm eating a burrito I'm always disappointed if it's not a bean burrito.  And no matter what's in the burrito there had better at least be some beans (preferably refried) or else it's just not a burrito to me & I most likely won't finish it, & certainly won't enjoy it.  Silly, I know, one of those weird things I can't seem to shake.  Over the years I mastered cooking a pot of beans, but still didn't know how to do refried beans & because of this I would still head to burrito joints for a bean & cheese burrito.  I knew that if I could only master making good refried beans I could stop visiting the burrito joints & just make my own & alas, I did just that.  :)

CROCK-POT "REFRIED" BEANS

chopped onion (or dried minced onion)
3 Cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 fresh hot chile pepper, seeded & chopped OR dash of chile powders, such as cayenne, ancho, chipotle
2 Tablespoons minced garlic (or dried minced garlic)
1 Tablespoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper (fine grind)
aprox. 1" strip of kombu
9 cups water

*place everything in the crock pot, stir to combine
*cook on HIGH 8 hours
*strain beans, reserving cooking liquid, remove kombu
*mash beans, adding the reserved water as needed, until desired consistency is reached

Crock-Pot Blueberry Cobbler

Along with the same theme of the last entry, this is an IC safe dessert also, since it's blueberry.  It's very yummy  :)

CROCK-POT BLUEBERRY COBBLER

1 Cup flour
1 1/2 Cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinammon
2 eggs, beaten (or vegan egg replacer)
2 Tablespoon milk (I use rice milk)
2 Tablespoon oil
4 Cup fresh blueberries
1/2 Cup water

*Combine flour, 1/4 Cup sugar, baking powder, & cinammon
*in another bowl combine eggs, milk, & oil
*add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stir until moist
*spread over bottom of crock
*in saucepan combine berries, water, & remaining sugar
*pour into crock
*cover, cook on HIGH for 2 hours

Crock-Pot Maple-Sauced Pears

I recently learned that I have interstitial cystitis & the only "safe" fruits for me now are pears & blueberries.  So I came up with this as a fruity dessert for myself & it is phenomenal!  My hubby is not a big pear fan, but he is soooo in love with these!

CROCK-POT MAPLE-SAUCED PEARS

6 pears
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/3 Cup maple sugar
1 Tablespoon butter, melted (or vegan butter)
1 teaspoon orange peel
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons juice (pear is best but can be hard to find, orange works ok if you can't get pear)

*peel pears, core from bottom, leaves stems intact; stand upright in crock
*mix ingredients (except cornstarch & juice) & pour over pears
*cook on HIGH 2-2 1/2 hours or until tender
*remove pears & place upright in serving dish
*mix cornstarch & juice, stir into sauce in crock
*cook on HIGH 10 more minutes, spoon over pears, & serve

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

I LOVE this dish.  I don't eat it very often though, since it has cheese & my hubby can't eat cheese.

14 oz canned whole green chili peppers (as hot or as mild as you prefer)
6 Cups (12 oz) shredded cheese (again, your preference), divided
4 green onions, thinly sliced
6 eggs
3 Cups milk
3/4 Cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
14 oz green chili salsa

*preheat oven to 325 F
*split chili peppers lengthwise & remove seeds & pith
*spread chilies in a single layer on bottom of 9x13" baking dish
*sprinkle half the cheese over the chilies
*sprinkle the green onions over the cheese
*beat together eggs, milk, flour, & salt & carefully pour into baking dish
*bake for 50 minutes or until "set"
*mix salsa with remaining cheese, place on top of casserole
*bake for 10 minutes more or until cheese melts
*let stand for a few minutes before serving

Zucchini Bread

This bread is very popular in my house.  I make it quite often.

Zucchini Bread

2 1/2 Cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium)
1 Cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 Cup oil
3 eggs (or egg replacer, such as ener-G brand)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 Cups whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Cup chopped pecans

*preheat oven to 350 F
*oil BOTTOMS of 2 loaf pans
*mix zucchini, applesauce, oil, egg, vanilla, & sugar until well blended
*stir in remaining ingredients except pecans & mix well
*fold in nuts
*spoon batter into pans
*bake 50-60 minutes
*cool 10 minutes, transfer to cooling rack for 1 hour

Note: this could easily be a vegan dish if you use an egg replacer

Home-Made Rice Milk

I LOVE making this myself, my toddler guzzles a couple of gallons per week easily & I cook & I bake with it plenty since my hubby has a dairy allergy.  It saves me money & I feel I get a better quality product by making it myself.

Home-Made Rice Milk

1 Cup uncooked long grain brown rice, rinsed well
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
8 Cups water (plus some more during the blending process)
1 teaspoon salt

*place 8 Cups water & rice & chia seeds in slow cooker & cook on low for 10-12 hours (I leave it overnight)
*add salt & stir
*blend in batches in blender--using equal portion rice mixture to equal portion water in blender batches (I do 3 cups rice mixture to 2 cups water in each batch & I do 3 batches, but it depends on the size of your blender jar)
*strain (I recently started making almond milk & learned about nut milk straining bags & I started using this to strain my rice milk as well now & I LOVE the result, very creamy & no sediment at all--I personally use a paint strainer bag from Lowe's, much more economical)
*I adjust if needed to make sure I have a total of 15 cups combined rice mixture & water in the end before stirring & placing in mason jars

Note 1: I store mine in mason jars, this recipe fills 4 quart mason jars (makes 1 gallon)

Note 2: If you don't have a slow cooker you could also simmer the rice on the stovetop for 3 hours.  I did try this recipe both ways & it was much easier to me to use the slow cooker, so I will definitely continue doing it that way.

Note 3: Although I prefer the taste of the almond milk, I do have to admit that rice milk is the more economical option if that's important to you.

Guacamole

Ok, someone asked me if I have a good recipe for this.  I LOOOVE avocados & when we have them in our house (which is pretty often) we always make guacamole.  I find this recipe challenging to share because I don't really measure anything when I make it.  And sometimes we make a small amount for just us (cuz extra doesn't keep well) & sometimes we are making a whole bunch when we're having people over.  So it's hard to narrow down amounts for me.  But I will do my best to share this.  There are also millions of different ways to make guacamole, this is just how we like it in our house. 

Guacamole

Ripe avocados (if you have unripe ones & want to speed up the ripening process place in brown paper bag & check daily for ripeness)
Cilantro (the more the better is my opinion)
Salt
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Chopped fresh onion (optional)
Chopped fresh tomato (optional)

*wash, dry, & finely chop cilantro
*wash, peel, & seed avocados, scoop flesh out of skins & place in bowl
*mash up avocados with a potato masher or similar object, add in cilantro & mix well
*add onion &/or tomato if using & mix well
*add seasonings & adjust to taste

Note 1: I like mine just as it is, but my mother in law always likes to add water, not a lot to make it watery, she just doesn't like it so thick I guess.  So that's another option as well.

Note 2: I don't own a food processor (would LOVE to have one, still on my personal "wish list") but I would imagine you could make this in a food processor rather than using a potato masher if you wanted to.

Note 3: I have read (but as of yet haven't tried it, so don't kill me if you try it & it doesn't work, LOL!) that if you have extra guacamole  (this NEVER happens in my house, LOL!!) to keep it from going "brown" & ugly you need to put the saran wrap down into the container so that it is flush against the top of the guacamole, much like you are supposed to do with pudding to prevent that "skin" from forming on top.  If you do try this please let me know if it works!

Miso Soup

I have become more interested in vegan & macrobiotic ways of eating recently.  I know I can never be 100% vegan, but I can choose to eat vegan at least some of the time.  One big plus is that my hubby can also eat vegan meals, since they don't have dairy products.  A lot of times vegetarian recipes are heavy on dairy products & my hubby cannot partake.  I am by no means an expert on macrobiotics, but I am very interested in learning more about it.  It would seem to me that the most important staple in the macrobiotic diet is miso soup.  I often see it being eaten as breakfast.  I do have to say that I love miso soup.  There are many recipes out there, but this is the one I like best.  It's just so simple & it's the one I always reach for.  I personally vary what goes into it somewhat.  I usually always have daikon, carrot, & mushroom in it, but sometimes I put in more, just depends on my mood & what's available in my kitchen.

Miso Soup

Water
Soy Sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small carrot, sliced
1 slice daikon radish, chopped
Handful of mushrooms, sliced
Handful of water chestnuts, sliced
Soba noodles, optional
Greens or sea vegetable
1 teaspoon miso per cup water

*I generally start with 4 cups of water & add just enough soy sauce to make it "brothy", not too much or it will be too salty, & bring to a boil
*add veggies & simmer for 10 minutes
*add greens & noodles, if using & turn off heat
*take a small amount of broth out of the soup & mix miso into it, once it's mixed in smoothly, no lumps, add back to soup pot & stir it in well

Note 1: miso is a fermented product, much like yogurt & kefir--you never want to "cook" it or else you will kill off the healthy enzymes it contains; always add it in after the heat is turned off

Note 2: for greens I usually use the sea vegetable wakame

Note 3: I am a tad anti-soy, I personally think soy is way overused & too much of it is not a good thing--it can affect our hormones, thyroid, etc.  I also have a very severe bad reaction to LIQUID soy products.  However, I have seen studies that show that FERMENTED soy products are much much healthier for us than other soy products are.  Fermented soy products include miso, tempeh, & true fermented soy sauce (tamari, shoyu, etc).