May 6, 2012

Breakfast
Coconut Cashew Cupcakes with Lilac Blossoms
serves 2 ~ $1.98 per serving
cashew cream
1/2 cup cashews ($1.00)
1 tablespoon agave ($.20)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
cupcakes
1/2 cup cashews ($1.00)
1/2 cup raisins ($.75)
1/2 cup mature coconut (flaked or chunks) ($1.00)
coconut flakes
lilac blossoms
Lilacs have always been my
favorite flower, and while some think they’re overpowering, I LOVE how
they smell. I bring arm loads in, in the spring. I even planned my
wedding for when the lilacs are in bloom here. So, I was thrilled to
discover my favorite flower is edible. And they taste just a bit like
they smell.
When using edible flowers, make
sure you know what you’re picking and that it’s nontoxic. Also make sure
they haven’t been exposed to any contaminants, such as pesticides, etc.
First, make the cashew cream. In a
small bullet type blender, puree the cashews, agave, salt, and water
until very smooth and creamy. This can take several minutes. Cover and
store in the refrigerator until needed.
For the cupcakes, in a food
processor fitted with an “S” blade, process the cashews, raisins, and
coconut until the mixture starts to stick together. Put about a 1/4 cup
of the mix into cupcake liners, and press into shape.
Spoon a small amount of cashew cream over the top, add a mound of coconut flakes, and garnish with individual lilac blooms.

calories: 368
fat: 22 gr
carbs: 47 gr
protein: 13 gr
 Just about anything is pretty with a garnish of a few lilac blossoms.

Lunch
Salad with Lemon Tarragon Dressing
serves 2 ~ $2.98 per serving

dressing
1 avocado ($1.49)
1/2 large cucumber ($.69)
1/4 medium onion
juice and zest of one lemon ($.69)
1 tablespoon agave ($.10)
1 teaspoon tarragon ($.10)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper 
1/2 -1 cup water for blending
salad
1 head green leaf lettuce, chopped ($1.89)
1/2 large cucumber, sliced ($.69)
2 carrots, grated
3/4 medium onion, diced ($.05)
6 radishes, sliced ($.25)
salt and pepper to taste
I’m
starting to really love salads to the point that they’re what I
picture in my head when thinking about yummy food. And lemon and
tarragon is my current favorite flavor combination. Oh yeah, this is
going to become a staple.
In
a blender, puree all the dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy.
This can be a very thick dressing or a bit thinner, depending on how
much water is added. I used all the dressing on two salads, but any
leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a few days.
The salad is just the salad ingredients tossed together and topped with the dressing.
 
calories: 315
fat: 15 gr
carbs: 43 gr
protein: 8 gr

Dinner
Mushroom Burritos
serves 4 ~ $2.25 per serving
2 tablespoons oil ($.20)
18 oz sliced mushrooms ($6.87)
2 medium onions, sliced ($.20)
8 flour tortillas (see recipe below to make your own) ($1.20)
vegan mayonnaise (see recipe below to make your own) ($.20)
several lettuce leaves, chopped ($.30)
salt and pepper to taste
Nope,
this isn’t raw. But I’ve included it here because I wanted to show you
how easy it is to make your own tortillas, as well as pass along a
recipe for your own homemade veganaise.
Making
your own tortillas is one of those “kitchen tricks,” like homemade
pasta, that is both satisfying and impressive, as well as amazingly
easy. Use the recipe below to make your own tortillas, or use your
choice of store bought.
Heat
the oil in a skillet and fry the mushrooms and onions over medium high
heat until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms tender. Spread
about half a tablespoon of mayo on each tortilla and then fill with the
mushrooms and onions and some chopped lettuce. Salt and pepper to
taste.
calories: 385
fat: 23 gr
carbs: 35 gr
protein: 10 gr
Tortillas
makes 8 ~ $.15 each
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour ($1.00)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)
1/2 cup water
Burrito
shells are basically the same thing as chapati bread and couldn’t be
simpler to make. These will turn out just a bit less pliable than the
packaged flour tortillas.
In
a bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the oil and stir to
distribute evenly. Pour the water in a bit at a time, kneading it into
the flour. On a floured surface, knead the bread for about 3 minutes.
Place in a covered bowl to rest for 15-20 minutes.
Cut
into eight equal pieces and roll each piece to about six inches
across. Perfectly round is a good shape to aim for, but they taste just
as good if they’re a bit lop sided like mine.
Heat
a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and
let it heat until bubbles start forming inside the dough. Check the
underside and flip when just lightly browned. There will be some darker
brown spots in places. Repeat on the other side making sure the dough
is cooked through in the center. There will probably be quite a few
bubbles or pockets, and if the heat gets high the dough can even expand
like a balloon. The bubbles will flatten out once off the heat. 
Remove to a plate and cover with a towel to retain the heat.
Vegan Mayonnaise
makes 24 tablespoons ~ $.05 per tablespoon
1 1/2 cup oil ($.59)
1/4 cup soy milk ($.30)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika 
1 teaspoon agave ($.10)
1 teaspoon vinegar ($.10)
This
is a flavorful version of a vegan mayonnaise. It takes all of about
two minutes to make and can be customized to your own taste. Soybean
oil is what is used in most commercial mayos, but any liquid oil can be
used keeping in mind it will change the taste accordingly.
Place
all ingredients in a bullet type blender and process for a minute or
so. It will very quickly turn into a stiff mayonnaise. Stir well and
store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
 

Dessert
Banana Mango Ice Cream
serves 2 ~ $.97 per serving
3 ripe bananas, sliced and frozen ($.45)
1 cup frozen mango chunks ($1.49)
pinch salt
pea blossoms or other edible flowers (optional)
I
never get tired of making the banana ice creams. It’s one of those rare
things that seem too good to be true, but isn’t. And even with making
this so often, I’ve never had the exact same recipe twice.
I
used a couple pea blossoms and vines as a garnish (only use blossoms
from edible pea vines, the fragrant sweet pea blossoms are poisonous).
It was almost too pretty to eat … almost.
In
a food processor with an “S” blade, process all ingredients until
smooth and like soft serve ice cream. It can take just a bit of scraping
and adjusting to get it to process completely. Add just a tiny bit of
water if needed to help blend. Serve with an edible flower garnish if
desired.
 
calories: 225
fat: 1 gr
carbs: 53 gr
protein: 3 gr
Total cost for the day: $8.18
total calories: 1,293
total fat: 61 gr
total carb: 178 gr
total protein: 34 gr

4 Responses

  1. Kristin says:

    That homemade vegan Mayonnaise is awesome, I have always seen different brands in the store, but never been quite comfortable with the cheap ingredients, I am definitely going to have to try this… I was wondering if I could omit the agave nectar or replace it with date paste?

  2. Hi Kristin, yes, absolutely the agave can be replaced with date paste, or even omitted if you like things less sweet. It really makes a difference when there are no chemicals and/or cheap ingredients added.

  3. Joanna DeVoe says:

    Those cupcakes are so darling!