Okinawan Sweet Potato & Cilantro Quesadillas

Okinawan Sweet Potato & Cilantro Quesadillas 

Servings: 2

This recipe stemmed from a fridge full of veggies from the farmers market that needed to get used in a pinch. Feel free to experiment with different combinations of sweet and savory, spicy and subtle, or anything else that your creative little mind can come up with! 

Ingredients:

1/8 Cup Vegan Cream Cheese (We prefer Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese)

4 Sprouted Grain Tortillas 

1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro (Plus more for garnishing if you're a big cilantro fan like us)

1/2 Cup Cooked and Prepared Okinawan Sweet Potatoes (See our note below for details about how to prepare this)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation: 

1. To create the sweet potato portion of this meal, you'll need about 6 small potatoes or 3 large. Okinawans look similar to other sweet potato varieties on the outside, however, when cut open they reveal their bright purple centers. Start a pot of boiling water and thoroughly wash the exteriors of the potatoes. Carefully slice them into 1/4 inch pieces (the smaller the pieces, the faster the potatoes will cook) and submerge in the water. Cook for about 10 - 15 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Be sure to check for done ness before straining and transferring to a bowl for mashing. 

2. After transferring the strained potatoes into a medium sized mixing bowl, add 2 Tbsp of Earth Balance Butter, 1/8 Cup Coconut Milk and mash until smooth. When only a few small chunks remain, add salt and pepper to taste and mix again. 

3. Now that the sweet potatoes are ready, it's time to prep the quesadillas! Warm a frying pan over medium heat while getting everything together for the quesadillas. 

4. On a smooth surface, spread a layer of the sweet potato mixture onto one half of the sprouted grain quesadilla. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cover the remaining half with a thin layer of cream cheese. 

5. Carefully fold the tortilla in half and transfer it to the warmed frying pan. Depending on the heat of your stove, each side should take between 2 - 3 minutes. The quesadilla is ready to go once the side on the pan is a nice golden color. A few dark toasty spots are okay too. (We use propane so that the heat is easier to monitor, so keep an eye on electric stoves as they have a tendency to heat up quickly and be a bit more tricky to adjust in temperature once they get going.)

6. As the first quesadilla is cooking, start the prep line for the other three. At this point in the meal, it's fun to get others involved in the putting together process so if you have little ones or other hungry folks around, this is a good station for them to work at with all of the ingredients ready to go. Also, if you are cooking with little ones, it's a good idea to create your quesadilla prep station a distance away from the stove :) 

7. After they are done cooking, transfer them to a cutting board, slice into fun little triangles and get your tasty dipping sauces ready! We enjoyed this combination with fresh guacamole, pineapple salsa, and cayenne lime black beans :) 

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Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting

Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting

Chocolate, coconut and coffee join together for these little cakes of goodness. 

Servings: 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Flour

1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 Tsp. Salt

1/4 Cup Canola Oil

1 Cup Coconut Milk

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Tsp. Coffee Extract

1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. and prepare your cupcake tin with liners.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, coffee extract and canola oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until smooth, then fold in the coconut.

4. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full so they have room to rise and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Be sure to let the cupcakes cool completely before applying frosting, otherwise it will be too thin and runny.

5. Meanwhile, while your cupcakes are baking it's time to get started on the mocha frosting!

Mocha Frosting

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Vegan Shortening

1/4 Vegan Butter (Earth Balance)

2 Cups Confectioners' Sugar

2 Tsp. Coffee Extract

1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Preparation:

1. Beat the shortening and the butter together until fluffy.

2. Add the sugar in 1/4 cup increments and continue to mix after each addition.

3. Add the extracts and beat for about another 5 minutes until well combined. Refrigerate the frosting until you are ready to pipe it. If you live in a tropical climate like us, you may want to add an additional 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar to account for the additional moisture in the air. Refrigerating the frosting before application also allows time for thickening, which makes piping the frosting into pretty towers much easier :)

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Nori Tempeh Salad Stuffed Avocados

Nori Tempeh Salad Stuffed Avocados

Servings: 4 Small or 2 Large

I can never get enough avocados and this is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them. The spicy seaweed flavor of the nori salad and the nutty essence of the tempeh create a balanced harmony with the cooling properties and smooth texture of the avocados. This dish is a perfect afternoon lunch on a hot day, or serve alongside some quinoa or brown rice for a quick and healthy dinner. 

Ingredients:

2 Ripe Avocados

1 Package of Tempeh

1/4 Cup Diced Bell Pepper 

2 Tbsp Vegenaise 

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari

1 Tsp. Garlic Powder

1 Tsp. Sriracha Hot Sauce

Nori Komi Furikake Rice Seasoning (Available at most Asian Food Markets. You can also substitute 1 sheet of dried seaweed.)

Salt & Pepper

Preparation: 

1. Crumble tempeh into a sauce pan and fill with water until tempeh is submerged. Turn heat onto medium low and add soy sauce. Cover the pan and let tempeh cook until all of the water and soy sauce is absorbed, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. 

2. Once tempeh is finished cooking, transfer to a small bowl and use a fork to mash into small pieces. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool for about 15 minutes. Stir the tempeh half way through to expedite cooling time.  

3. Meanwhile, cut two ripe avocados in half and carefully remove the seed and skins. Set aside while you continue to prepare the Nori Tempeh Salad.

4. Remove crumbled tempeh from the fridge and add in the remainder of the ingredients, reserving some of the Furikake to sprinkle on top. Taste for salt and pepper and add until desired flavor is achieved. Add additional Sriracha Sauce for a spicier salad. 

5. When finished preparing the salad, transfer the avocado halves onto a plate and carefully scoop salad into the avocado, filling the area where the seed was. Sprinkle the tops with additional Furikake and serve immediately. There will be extra salad left which works fantastically in sandwiches or on top of a bed of greens :)

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Herbes de Provence Scones with Cream Cheese, Figs and Agave

Herbes de Provence Scones with Cream Cheese, Figs and Agave

Servings: 6 Medium Scones

These scones are an easy and fast addition to any brunch or breakfast. The balance of savory and sweet is sure to please everyone at the table. 

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Almond Milk

1 Tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

1/4 Tsp. Salt

1 Tbsp. Herbes de Provence (

1/8 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Vegan Butter 

1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil

1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare your baking sheet by lightly coating it with non-stick coconut spray oil. Combine the almond milk and the apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and herbes do provence in a medium cooking bowl. Be sure to mix well as to avoid any clumps of baking powder in the scones. Add the butter in slivers and mix until the dough becomes small clumps. 

3. In the center of the dough, pour in the milk/vinegar, coconut oil and vanilla. Mix until the dough becomes moist. Be careful not to over mix as this will lead to the formation of gluten, making the scones more chewy rather than the crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, texture that we're looking for. Divide the dough in half, then each half into thirds and place on the baking sheet. You can form each piece into a triangular shape or just place it on the sheet. Either way, they taste delicious.

4. Bake the scones for 18 minutes, until the tops are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the toothpick comes out with dough, return the scones to the oven and let them bake for another 2-4 minutes. 

5. Allow scones to cool for a few minutes, then top with vegan cream cheese (we prefer garden herb), fig halves, and drizzle with agave nectar. Enjoy with a big cup of coffee or tea and you're off to a great start to the day! These scones also keep well, so store left overs in an airtight container for another time :)

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