rants & recipes

Still salad weather here ... having finished up last week's Dijon and French dressings, I decided to try something different. These both turned out really well. Thanks to a comment on another ranch recipe, I decided to go with marjoram instead of dill (which I hate, prehaps, more than anything) in the ranch. I can't say I fully remember what ranch is supposed to taste like but this is really *good*. And the Asain Sesame is terrific. I'd never bought this flavor before but I really like it. I think it's pretty safe to say that, unless I'm travelling, I'll never, ever buy salad dressing again!

Approximate calorie information: 3.73 calories per gram for the ranch, 75 calories per 20 grams; 4.25 calories per gram for the Asian Sesame; 85 calories per 20 grams.

Asian Sesame:

• 1/2 cup canola oil (120 grams)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons sugar (25 grams)
• 1/4 cup white vinegar (60 grams)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (35 grams)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup water (60 grams)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil (28 grams)
• scant 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger

Ranch:

• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (112 grams)
• 1/4 cup canola oil (60 grams)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened, unflavored soy milk (120 grams)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp fresh chopped parsley or 1 1/2 tsp dried parsely
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup vegan sour cream (I used Follow Your Heart)

1. Combine ingredients in a jar suitable for your immersion blender.
2. Mix until emulsified.
3. Refrigerate.

Summer means salad weather here. Nice not to have to heat up the kitchen, cooking supper. Also salads are a great way to bump up your consumption of leafy greens, which are so incredibly healthy for us. This summer, I found some Organic Ville salad dressings - vegan, gluten-free, tasty. And not exactly cheap. This weekend, I finally decided to have a go at making my own salad dressings. Couldn't be easier or faster. And a lot less expensive than store-bought. As made, by weights, the Dijon has approximately 65 calories per 1.5 tablespoons and the French has approximately 85 calories for the same size serving. Next time I make either, I plan to make them just a touch sweeter and maybe try white vinegar.

Dijon Vinaigrette:

• 42 grams agave
• 60 grams dijon mustard
• 80 grams canola oil
• 60 grams apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 1/2 tsp black peppel
• 1 tsp dried tarragon

French

• 160 grams canola oil
• 135 grams ketchup
• 65 grams apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 15 grams vegan mayo
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 50 grams sugar

1. Combine ingredients in a jar suitable for your immersion blender.
2. Mix until emulsified.
3. Refrigerate.

Not sure what's up with the unavailabilty of Healthy Top lately. I hope it comes back soon.

Gluten-Free Waffles

• 150 grams gluten-free flour
• 100 grams brown rice flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 500 grams vegan milk
• 50 grams oil
• 50 grams maple syrup
• seeds from one vanilla pod

1. Mix together dry ingredients.
2. Mix together wet ingredients.
3. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. It will seem very wet until fully mixed.
4. Put a small amount of oil on waffle maker. Scoop onto waffle maker. I use a half-cup measuring cup twice to distribute the batter.
5. Cook for three minutes, checking for doneness.
6. If you're making the waffles faster than you're eating them, store them on a plate in an oven set at its lowest temperature.
7. Serve with whipped cream, maple syrup, and anything else you find yummy.

Whipped Cream

• Half a package of Healthy Top
• 50 grams oil
• 100 grams maple syrup
• 50 grams vegan milk or yogurt

1. Put ingredients in whipped cream dispenser. Mix well.
2. Put top on dispenser and charge.
3. Shake well.
4. Keep refrigerated.
5. Shake before each use.

Here our go-to baked cornbread recipe. I usually go ahead and bake a triple-batch, especially if I'm making a huge pot of chili.

Single (fills 1 9*13 pan):

• 60 grams gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 60 grams garbanzo bean flour
• 120 grams finely ground cornmeal
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp xantham gum
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 50 grams sugar
• 14 grams ground flaxseed, 90 grams water, mixed
• 225 grams non-dairy milk
• 56 grams molten coconut oil

Double (fills 2 9*13 pans, thinly):

• 120 grams gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 120 grams garbanzo bean flour
• 240 grams finely ground cornmeal
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp xantham gum
• 1.5 tsp sea salt
• 100 grams sugar
• 28 grams ground flaxseed, 180 grams water, mixed
• 450 grams non-dairy milk
• 112 grams molten coconut oil

Triple Batch (fills 2 9*13 pans, thicker):

• 180 grams gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 180 grams garbanzo bean flour
• 360 grams finely ground cornmeal
• 3 tbsp baking powder
• 2 1/4 tsp xantham gum
• 2 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 150 grams sugar
• 45 grams ground flaxseed, 270 grams water, mixed
• 675 grams non-dairy milk
• 170 grams molten coconut oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Grease pan(s).
3. Mix dry ingredients.
4. Mix wet ingredients
5. Make well in dry ingredients. Pour in wet ingredients
6. Mix until combined.
7. Bake 20 minutes or until cornbread begans to turn golden brow on top