Baked Crispy Onion Rings

set oven to 425 and get a cookie sheet ready with parchment paper or silicone baking pad

Get 3 bowls

1 bowl of dairy free milk

1 bowl of chickpea flour

1 bowl of your favorite breadcrumbs… i use panko

1 large sweet onion (vidalia is best) cut into rings

A very messy process but….

dip ring into milk and then into flour (roll it around in the flour)

dip back into milk and then into crumbs

place on baking sheet

when all your rings are coated … bake for about 15 to 20 minutes so they are crispy crunchy but not burnt

I love mine with hot sauce and a cold beer!   

Very good… no fat/oil and can be made gluten free with choice of breadcrumb!  

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

This is soooooooo easy and soooooooo delicious.

1 fresh pineapple cut into rings or spears or large chunks and grilled

(place pineapple on a hot grill to get grill marks and heated through and then cool to room temp for chopping)

1 jalapeño finely chopped

1/2 red onion finely chopped

fresh cilantro chopped 

1 lime juiced

Mix the chopped grilled pineapple, jalapeño (use bell pepper if you don't like the heat), onion, cilantro in a bowl.  You can use fresh parsley if you do not like cilantro.  Squeeze the lime juice over the salsa and mix.  Serve cold or room temperature.

This is delicious with tortilla chips… or you can use it to top you favorite tacos or grilled entree.

Lettuce Wrap Chickpea Tacos

I have adapted this recipe from the Happy Herbivore cookbook.  

2 cups chickpeas

1 cup of your favorite salsa

Bibb lettuce leaves

cilantro

jalapeños

lime

This can be made from homemade or store bought canned/jarred ingredients

Put the chickpeas and salsa in a sauce pot and bring to a simmer.  Simmer until the liquid is gone… about 15 to 30 minutes depending on how much liquid is in your brand of salsa.  Stir frequently to prevent burning.  

Put the chickpeas in a glass bowl and let cool

I like to serve them at room temp or chilled.  You can serve them warm if you wish.  Spoon some chickpeas into the lettuce wrap and top with fresh cilantro, jalapeño pepper slices and a squeeze of fresh lime juice… so fresh and light.  

Makes a perfect light lunch or supper.  Can also make a nice appetizer if your lettuce leaves are small. 

You can serve them with traditional taco shells and toppings if you like.  

Do you still eat DAIRY???

Cows milk… Let's think about that for a second.  If you are still consuming cows milk you are not only breast-feeding past infancy but you are breast-feeding from a whole other species.  

60% of the United States population is lactose intolerant. What does that mean to be lactose intolerant?... it means that you cannot tolerate lactose from cows milk.  So are you allergic to the substance? No ...you are just not a baby cow and your body was not designed to drink cows milk.... Or any other animal milk except your moms milk as a infant. 

Dairy also contains a hormone called insulin like growth factor number one.  This hormone has been proven to be a huge cancer promoter especially with breast prostate and lung cancers 

If you think about it adult cows do not even drink cows milk...they get all of their calcium from plants. United States has the highest rate of osteoporosis because we are the highest consumers of dairy. Cows milk actually causes our bones to lose calcium and fracture more easily BUT the dairy industry has lied to us about that for years ... Why?  Because they sell milk.  Just look at all of the commercials on TV for milk and cheese. 

In the year 2000 the  physicians committee for responsible medicine won a lawsuit against the US department of agriculture.  They sued them for unfairly promoting the special interests of the meat and dairy industry.  The United States people have been brainwashed into believing that we need meat and dairy for all of our nutrients.  

Cancers, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and disease is rampant in our society I believe that these conditions are all caused by our standard American diet.  I also believe that consuming a 100% plant-based whole food diet is the answer to stopping these ailments.  

For more information on these topics you can read the China study by T Colin Campbell and plant-based living Guide by Lindsay Nixon 

Stewed Chickpeas

You can use canned chickpeas in this but I prefer making them from scratch… canned beans do not compare!

2 cups of cooked chickpeas (according to package directions) with 1 cup of the cooking liquid, or 1 can  of chickpeas with the liquid

1 cup of veggie broth (homemade or brand of your choice… if not using homemade I like Wildtrees all natural veggie broth base.

1 diced carrot

1/2 cup diced sweet onion

1 celery stalk diced

1 large tomato diced

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

pinch of dried thyme

pinch of dried sage

pinch of turmeric

pinch of black pepper

1 Tablespoon of nutritional yeast (optional)

Add all ingredients to a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until some of the liquid is reduced and the veggies are tender.  

Serve with crusty bread or over  brown rice.  

Chickpeas are an excellent source of vegetable protein.  

Wilted Cucumber & Garlic Salad

1  large english cucumber 

(I used an organic english cucumber with the skin on but you can use 2 regular cucumbers peeled if you choose) This works well with cucumbers that get too big and a little seedy in the garden because seeds can be picked out after squeezing)

2 cloves of garlic pressed or 1 Tbsp Wildtree's garlic galore 

1 Tablespoon of salt

1/8 to 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (you want vinegar in the bottom of the bowl) 

Chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish (optional)

You can also add a shake or two of red pepper flakes if you like heat.  Some times I add a Tablespoon of sugar to the vinegar for a sweet and sour taste.  

Slice the cucumber thinly (I use a mandolin)

Place the cucumber slices in a colander and coat evenly with the salt and let set for about 15 minutes

While the cucumbers are losing their water press or mince 2 cloves of garlic and place in serving bowl with the vinegar.  If using Wildtree garlic galore add the mix to the vinegar at this time also.

After 15 minutes… using your hands over the colander… squeeze all of the cucumbers to make them soft and press in the colander to expel the water.  After they are thoroughly squeezed add them to the vinegar mixture and let them sit for about 15 minutes mixing frequently before serving. 

They squeeze better without the skin but with the english cucumbers I like to keep the skin for extra fiber.  

You can double or triple this to make as much as you like  

Jalapeño Green Olive Hummus

Add some excitement to your plain homemade or store bought hummus.  Mix in 2 tablespoons of the olive brine well into the hummus.

Chop several jalapeño stuffed green olives and place on top. 

Delicious and pretty!  

Serve with pita bread or crisps and cut up raw or roasted veggies!