Haloua with Raisins

Some delicious baked goods...

A pot of tea, Hmm?

It's Tea Time!

Haloua is a North African cookie made in both Morocco and Algeria. Like any sweet or tea cookie I can think of from these countries, it is delicious. The outside is a butter cookie that hides an interior of raisins and nuts mashed with cinnamon and orange blossom water. There is almost nothing better I can think of save maybe date haloua! Oh, and the only sugar used in this cookie is the powdered sugar in which they are rolled. And one can use Earth Balance buttery spread instead of butter (both are excellent), which renders a vegan cookie. Enjoy with tea or something nice and hot!

Haloua with Raisins:

1 1/3 cups of flour

1 stick plus two tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons orange blossom water

Filling:

3/4 Cups raisins

3/4 Cups toasted walnuts or almonds

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2-3 teaspoons of orange blossom water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, place the dates, nuts, cinnamon and orange blossom water. Blend till you get a nice paste. Set aside.

For the pastry, cut the flour with the butter until mixture is crumbly. Add the orange blossom water to pull into a dough. Gently work into a smooth dough. Make quarter size balls and flatten in the palm of your hand enough to place some mixture in the middle. Pull the dough over the mixture and crimp the dough together.

Place the cookies on a baking dish and bake for about 15 min. Allow to cool and rub in powdered sugar or sprinkle through a sifter. Enjoy!

Kate's White Onion Soup

This onion soup is one of those recipes that you keep in your mind forever because it is so easy and also healthful and delicious. I found it on a blog called Serendipity. The original version is made with a rich homemade chicken broth. I just changed it a bit by using vegetable broth and making croutons with olive oil, garlic, black pepper & salt.

I could not get a good photo due to making the soup at night. I am not the best photographer as is, but night photography is the worst. Luckily, Kate from Serendipity very sweetly allowed me to use her picture to give you an idea of how it looks. She also encouraged me to look at another soup of hers to veganize, so I might post that soon.

Vegan Version:

3 onions-sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 heaping teaspoon flour

1/2 cup white wine

2-3 cups of vegetable broth (low sodium)

Salt & black pepper to taste

Bread for toasting (olive oil, chopped garlic, salt, pepper)

Slice onions thin and place in a pan with oil on medium heat. Cover with a lid and turn down to medium low heat. Allow to caramelize for about 45 min. I checked on mine and stirred from time to time. Then add flour and allow it to toast for about 2 min. Add the wine & turn up the heat a bit to encourage evaporation. Once the wine mostly evaporates, add stock and allow to warm through. Salt and Pepper to taste and top with vegan crouton...

Yum! Thank you, Kate, for a delicious dinner! Stella & Adam

See more from Kate at http://serendipity-kate.blogspot.com/

The Best Banana Bread

Yeah, I know. Everyone says that their recipe for whatever they are making today is the best. And I'm sure that there are a lot of wonderful recipes out there for banana bread, however, thus far I have not come across a better banana bread than this. You may not believe me, especially being that this bread does not have the rich cream, butter, or eggs that many others do. But all I can do is beg you to try it. So here goes "please make it, pwease!"...

This recipe is also a one bowl wonder, and no machinery or mixers are needed. Oh, and to you vegans, fire up your ovens. Yes, it's vegan and it's better than theirs!

1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour (Arrowhead Mills is excellent)
3/4 cup of light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
3/4 cup of soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 banana (mushed through your hands)
Chocolate chips, Pecans, Oatmeal, etc for topping (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a bread pan with oiled parchment paper.

In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon thoroughly. Make a well and add the mushed banana, milk, oil, and vanilla. You can run chocolate chips through the batter if you like. Stir gently till smooth and pour into bread pan. If using topping, add about 15 minutes into baking to avoid burn. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

Photo by Stella at The Witchy Kitchen

Tis Still The Season!

Yes, it is still the season to indulge in a little extra libation. Why? You might ask. Well, being cold is a bit uncomfortable as many of us have been reminded in the last month or so. And a drink or two can actually cause for a warm sensation through our knickers and, of course, can often take the edge off when it comes to most types of stress. The old remedy of gargling with hard liquor is also helpful for those suffering from sore throat and such, and is especially good if you don't like taking medicines until it is absolutely necessary.

You may have some leftover guilt from Christmas indulgence or a New Year's resolution promising to cut calories and fat, but don't feel too bad about the calories or alcohol associated with a drink. Allowing yourself this luxury in moderation just may help your health a bit this winter season. So Cheers Everyone!

Ooh, I just realized I am writing this post mid morning. I promise I'm not getting tipsy-not yet at least!

Photo by Stella at This Witchy Kitchen

Arthritis & Glucosamine

You have probably already heard that Glucosamine is the best remedy for arthritis pain in both the holistic and medical world, but have you tried it? If your answer to this question is 'no' and you have pain or even immobility from arthritis, that is a shame to say the least. Being that arthritis is a wearing away of the protective cartilage between joints and that Glucosamine is the only substance that can stimulate cartilage growth, this all natural product should be on the grocery list of almost anyone with Arthritis.

I really love Glucosamine due to my own experience with arthritis in my knees and ankles. I became so wrought with pain that I thought I was going to be disabled and unable to work at the age of 29. Indeed, I was so upset at the the pain I felt every night after work that I researched arthritis one painful night. Within 20 minutes, I was hobbling to the store to buy this 'Glucosamine stuff'. What I found was a bottle of liquid Glucosamine pills that claimed to promise extreme relief within 7 days. This outrageous sounding claim gave me a feeling of hopelessness. Nonetheless, I bought the brand that made this claim out of desperation.

Despite my doubt, I was a lot better within 7 days. I was not perfect, but I didn't hurt so much and I was able to bounce around my job without wondering if I was going to fall or have to go home. In fact, all I felt after a week was mild discomfort after long hours on my feet, so I continued with the pills till the bottle was gone.

You can get your Glucosamine like a bear does by eating an enormous amount of oysters if you like, or you can go out and buy Glucosamine. The liquid form is more expensive, but really is worth the money due to being easily absorbed by the body. I bought Naturemade Tripleflex liquid tabs, a product by a commercial company, but I stand by it due to the efficacy of this product. I also got a lot of complements on my skin while taking it!

As always, you should discuss this remedy with your medical professional as to whether it is right for you & to learn about a proper regimen. I hope this information helps you as much as it did me.

Mood & Magnesium

Do you notice that you crave chocolate every time something stressful happens? Does a mood swing often send you to the store where you buy and sneakily stash a king size Snickers or some chocolaty treat into your purse? If so, there may be a little more to this habit than the idea of comfort food or even a sugar addiction.

Chocolate contains a good amount of a mineral called Magnesium. Amongst other vital roles, Magnesium aids the body in dealing with stress. In one study, over 75% of severely depressed patients showed low levels of magnesium in blood tests. This may sound trivial due to the enormous amount of vitamin and mineral deficiencies in different populations, but it is not when you consider that almost 100% of those who received Magnesium injections showed complete recovery of symptoms*!

Magnesium supplementation also helps women who suffer from mild to severe P.M.S. Similar studies to the one above were done on women approaching menses, and Magnesium's ability to relieve the symptoms of P.M.S. were much like the numbers above. All of these studies lead to the conclusion that Magnesium is vital for mood regulation and is something in which many of us (2/3 of the American Population) are deficient*. So this mineral certainly deserves our attention when it comes to our mood & our craving for chocolate.

In addition, Magnesium regulates bone health to the same extent as Calcium & muscle function to include the health of the heart! One's blood pressure is also effected negatively by a deficiency in this mineral as are blood sugar levels. And this widespread deficiency has been directly correlated with an increase in certain types of cancers.

If this article has made an impression on you, that is a good thing. Here is a list of foods high in Magnesium:

1. Chocolate

2. Okra

3. Halibut

4. Scallops

5. Black Beans

6. Pumpkin Seeds

7. Squash Seeds

8. Whole Grains

Oh, and it is key to know that this is not an excuse to eat high sugar, low quality chocolate. If you truly want to do yourself and your health a favor, buy chocolate that is organic and dark or at least good quality stuff. I am going to go get some right now!

*Info from The Magnesium Miracle by Dr. Carolyn Dean

Photo by Stephanie at lickmyspoon.com

Winter Chili

With all of this cold weather, we have been brewing up quite a few different soups and stews in the last couple of weeks or so. This chili is what we made last night. It is a delicious and memorable chili made with free range turkey, organic pinto and black beans, as well as an array of other ingredients that bring warmth along with the comforting nostalgia that a bowl of tasty chili brings to so many of us.

Ooh, and a bowl of this is packed with fiber and nutrients. So get stewing!

Here is the recipe:

1 lb. of ground meat (turkey, beef, lamb)
1 can of drained pinto beans
1 can of drained black beans
2 small carrots-peeled and diced
1 onion-minced

1/4 green bell pepper-diced
3-4 cloves garlic-chopped
1/2 can of tomatoes/juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2-2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch or two red pepper (optional)
2-3 cups water/broth (start low and add to your liking)
oil for sauteing

cilantro for garnish

First sprinkle meat with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and mix.

In a pan, bring a 1/2 tablespoon of oil to medium high heat. Add the onion, pepper and carrots. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Push the carrots/onion to the sides, and add a bit more oil. Place meat in the hot oil and brown for 4 minutes. Once browned, add 1/2 can of tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic, spices and beans. Mix well and then add the water. Bring to a high simmer, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or till ingredients meld together.

Let cool and eat! Serves 4.

Vegan Option: Instead of meat add a russet potato (peeled & cubed small) just as you would have done the meat. Then, when it's time to add the beans and other stuff, use an extra can of pinto, black bean or any bean you like really. White beans would be great! For your liquid, use vegetable broth or water with a vegan bouillon cube or some "Better Than Bouillon". Simmer on low heat just as instructed above (15 min). Enjoy your Vegan Chili!

Photo by Stella at The Witchy Kitchen