Millet Pudding

This is based on a recipe called Creamy Rice Pudding in Marilyn Diamond’s American Vegetarian Cookbook.

3/4 cup raw millet 

 

2 cups water

2/3 cup honey

1 cup raisins (optional)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon                                           

1 tsp vanilla extract                                        

1 tsp lemon juice

                                                  

1 cup soymilk*

4oz tofu (any plain variety)                                       

2 Tb tahini

         

Apricot all-fruit jam or additional cinnamon for dusting

 

*Any kind of milk would work. If you're not vegan, half and half or regular milk would work. Coconut milk would probably be really good. (I have only made this with soy milk.)

 

1.  Preheat oven to 325°F.  Place millet in a dry medium saucepan and toast over high heat, stirring frequently.  When brown and aromatic, add water, honey, raisins, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

2.  While millet cooks, combine milk, tofu and tahini in a blender and liquefy.  Stir into millet mixture and cook until mixture begins to thicken.

3.  Spray a 2-quart casserole with vegetable spray.  Pour mixture into casserole and bake for 45-60 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.

4.  When pudding is cooked there will be a layer of tofu on the top.  Mix this into

the rest of the pudding.  Either sprinkle with cinnamon or allow to cool and spread apricot jam over the top of the pudding.

NOTE:  keeps for several days in the refrigerator.  Heat in the microwave for 10-30 seconds to take the chill off or let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes or so.

 

 

David's Best Cornbread

This is David's sugar-free twist on Betty Crocker's Sweet Country Cornbread (www.bettycrocker.com/recipes). Warning: All other cornbread will pale by comparison.

1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
2 TB margarine or butter, melted
2 eggs
1-1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup Splenda (the kind for baking that's sold in the big bag -- not packets)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (can probably eliminate for the low-sodium diet)

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 8" square pan with Pam (or other oil spray)
2. Beat milk, margarine (or butter), and egg in large bowl.
3. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl.
4. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture and stir lightly by hand. Batter will be lumpy. Don't overbeat.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cut and freeze to keep fresh.

Alz Sorta Hummus

A bean dip that's sorta like hummus -- but different.

1 16-oz can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed
1 16-oz can Great Northern (white) beans, drained and rinsed
2 TB cashew butter*
1/2 small clove of fresh garlic, minced
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash or other salt-free herb seasoning
1/8 tsp dried thyme
Juice of 1-2 small lemons (about 4 TB)
1-2 TB sesame oil
1 TB olive oil
Lemon slices

*Can easily make your own cashew butter by processing raw or roasted cashews in a food processor until smooth.

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Chill and serve with lemon slices.

Nature's Candy

This is the Lisa's Pie Crust recipe from The American Vegetarian Cookbook from the Fit for Life Kitchen by Marilyn Diamond. I just decided to roll them into candies. There's a variation I came up with noted below.

1/3 cup sunflower seeds, unsalted (raw or roasted)
1/2 cup sesame seeds (hulled or unhulled)
2/3 cup of whole almonds
1 cup raisins
1 cup soft dates, pitted
1/3 cup dried, shredded coconut (unsweetened)

1. Grind seeds, nuts and coconut to a fine powerd in a food processor.

2. With food processor running, add raisins and dates, a bit at a time. When the mixture starts balling up to one side of the processor bowl, it's ready to roll.

3. Roll into one-inch balls.

4. Optionally, roll balls in carob power or cinnamon to coat. Adds a nice finish to the candies.

Variation:

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup unsalted nut butter in place of some of the dried fruit. The dough will be softer.

Carob Candies

Great powerpack for the road. I would know because I excercise a lot. No, really. :-)

1 cup honey or brown rice syrup
1/2 cup carob powder
2 TB canola oil
1/2 cup nut butter (peanut, cashew, etc.)
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup dried, shredded coconut (unsweetened)

Optional ingredients to push these over the edge:

1 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1. Bring honey / syrup, carob powder and oil to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Let boil for one minute.
2. Remove from heat, quickly stir in vanilla then oats & coconut (and craisins and pecans, if using)
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto was paper.
4. When cool, lightly wet hands and roll each lump into a ball.

Freeze to keep fresh. Bring to room temperature prior to serving. Makes about 20-24.