Spice Substitution Chart

I saw this posted on Facebook and thought I would share it here for anyone else who might be interested!  I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to try a recipe but didn't have a lot of the spices on hand, or simply didn't like the spices the recipe include.  Since I'm never really sure how to swap out spices without royally affecting the taste on my own, this will come in handy!

Click here for the link to the blog where this chart came from.  

Vegetable Teriyaki w/Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

I'm back; if only for a moment...  ;)   Even though it's been quite some time since I've posted any new recipes or content, I'm blown away by the number of page views this blog still gets on a daily basis!  Thank you to everyone who has continued to use these recipes; I hope you have been enjoying them!  

I really didn't intend on sharing a new recipe, but I made a really yummy teriyaki dish tonight and instinctively ran to get the camera so I could share a pic!  :-)   It's really easy to make and a very nice alternative to take-out, especially if you're worried about MSG or other additives.  I found a recipe online for home made teriyaki sauce and tweeked it just a bit.  I was really impressed with the taste!  

Vegetable Teriyaki w/Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients (adapted from here)

1.5 cups cold water

*1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1-2 tbsp Organic, Grade B Maple Syrup

*1/2 cup soy sauce (homemade or store bought)

1 tsp garlic powder

3 tbsp organic cornstarch

1 tsp safflower oil

*The original recipe called for 3/4 cup brown sugar.  I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of refined sugar, but I wasn't sure how substituting all of it for another, more natural sweetener (like maple syrup) would effect the outcome.  I decided to cut back just a bit and it worked out well.

*Soy Sauce may cause MSG reactions in some MSG sensitive people.  I can handle certain brands, but the homemade recipe is a great substitute!  

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and stir constantly over medium heat, until sauce thickens and it's heated through.  Sauce will keep fresh for one week in the fridge.

Vegetable Teriyaki Ingredients

1 large head of broccoli, chopped

1 cup onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

3 carrots, sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick

2 cups snap peas

Directions:
Place all vegetables in a steamer basket.  Boil water and add basket.  Steam 5-10 minutes, until vegetables are soft, but not too soft.  Serve over brown rice, top with homemade sauce.

It's not the greatest picture but I was hungry so I just took a quick shot.  ;-)  Enjoy! 

A new direction...

After a lot of thought and careful consideration, I have decided to take a break from blogging at Additive-Free Eats.  Please feel free to enjoy the recipes I have already shared, and to contact me with any questions.  

I've really enjoyed blogging my recipes for the past several months and am so thankful for all of my supporters!  I hope to be back from time to time posting more recipes, so stay tuned for more at some point.

  

Coconut Almond Joy Bites

If you read this blog entry before 7/31, you might have seen my long, drawn out post about a cleanse I started.  I wanted to separate my cleanse posts from the recipes.  I did this so that it's not so annoying to come here for a recipe and have to scroll down through lots of stuff you might not be interested in reading first.  ;-)  (By the way, I'm on Day 2 and it was a lot harder than yesterday.  I'm still going strong though!)


I made these last night because I had some leftover dates that I wanted to use and well, I knew they would come in handy when I was craving something sweet!  They're delicious!   

Coconut Almond Joy Bites

(yields about 20 bites)

Ingredients

2 cups fresh dates, pits removed

1 cup almonds

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Directions:
Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.


Place dates and almonds in food processor/blender and blend until a sticky dough forms.  


Add coconut and pulse to combine


Place dough mixture into medium bowl and knead with hands to fully combine all ingredients and get a good, sticky dough.


Press mixture into baking dish and evenly distribute


Refrigerate for one hour.  Remove from fridge and cut into bite sized pieces.

If you like these, you might also like my Peanut Butter & "Jelly" Energy Bars, and my Vanilla Almond Date Balls.

(Aunt Maryann's) Homemade Iced Tea

I recently got to spend some time with my wonderful Aunt Maryann at her home.  Always the thoughtful and gracious host (and amazing cook!!), she had prepared a delicious vegan spread for lunch, as well as homemade iced tea.  She said her mother (my grandma, who is no longer with us) used to make it for her, my father and their siblings when they were children.  I guess you can call this a family recipe!   It was so good, I asked for the recipe to share!

It's not really a complicated recipe, but it's so good and refreshing, and it sure beats the chemical laden iced tea powders at the store!   

Please see my notes that follow the recipe.

(Aunt Maryann's) Homemade Iced Tea

Ingredients

2 green tea bags 

3 regular tea bags

1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)

1/3 cup sugar

honey (optional)

8 cups water, divided

Directions:

Boil 5 tea bags in 6 cups of water.  Once boiling, remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes.  Remove tea bags & set aside.

In a pitcher, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice and remaining 2 cups of water.  Add boiled tea and combine.

Add 1/3 cup sugar and desired amount of honey.  Stir until dissolved. 

Cool in refrigerator, serve & enjoy!

Notes

*I personally use decaffeinated tea bags.

*I broke my "no refined sugar" rule with this recipe.  But, realistically, although I'd like to eliminate it completely from my diet, that hasn't happened yet.   A natural, homemade drink like this is okay by me from time to time!  I use organic, pure cane crystals that are certified vegan.

*Honey is not considered vegan.  Some vegans use it and others don't.  This recipe is just fine without it (which is how I made it).  But I didn't want to eliminate that ingredient from the original recipe for those who choose to use it.  Buy organic!

*When adding the boiled tea bag/water mixture to your pitcher, make sure it's a pitcher that can handle that type of heat!  If you don't have one, you can mix all the ingredients in the pot you use to boil the water, and then let the pot sit in your fridge until the mixture cools enough to add to your pitcher.