Rainbow Quinoa and English Pea Salad
For decades, my husband has been bringing me home recipes (from Outdoor Alpha Male, Men’s Protein World or some similar sounding magazine) that invariably include quinoa which was hard to find years ago. Back then, I could only find quinoa in a health food store or on-line but with its recent surge in popularity – due in part to its high protein and iron content – nearly every supermarket now carries various types of quinoa. My family prefers the Rainbow Quinoa which contains three types of quinoa: white, royal red, and royal black because they enjoy the slight difference in flavors and the various colors certainly make a dish look appetizing. Read more 
Pulse: Organic Roasted Chickpeas
Pulse is a new brand of organic roasted chickpeas that are low in fat, gluten-free and high in fiber, protein, and flavor. Super crunchy and flavorful, Pulse Organic Roasted Chickpeas make a great snack and are particularly delicious in a salad (instead of croutons). Made by Pulse Foods out of the Bronx in New York City, Pulse Organic Roasted Chick Peas come in four flavors: Read more
Brownies (Vegan)
Brownies made without pure creamy unsalted butter and fresh eggs seemed impossible to imagine until recently. These were the ingredients – along with cocoa – that made brownies taste so decadent. But, when my daughter decided to lead a vegan life, I started to re-think several recipes because I wanted to make food that all of us would eat; otherwise, I would be chained to the kitchen making separate meals for everyone. Read more
Cinnamon Sugar Sprouted Lentils
The Perfect Snaque makes a product called Cinnamon Sugar Sprouted Lentils that is deliciously crunchy, high in protein, and low in fat and sugar, despite the use of the word “sugar” in the product name. Whenever I see the word “sugar,” my first response is to move on but as the company truly states, these snacks are “insanely delicious and ridiculously nutritious.” Read more
Vegan Carrot Cake
For years, I relied on a carrot cake recipe from the The Silver Palate Cookbook, which was THE cookbook of the 1980’s. Full of carrots, pineapple, coconut, and walnuts, the Silver Palate carrot cake was my ideal of what a carrot cake should be: moist, sweet, rich, and mile-high. But, as I’ve gotten older, I’m less inclined to put 3 cups of sugar and a cup and a half of corn oil in a cake recipe; and with a vegan daughter, dairy and eggs are not optional ingredients. Read more
Kopali Organic Chocolates
Kopali Organic Chocolates are 100% organic with no refined sugars or animal products. Gluten-free, vegan, and fair trade certified, Kopali Organic Chocolates are pure, energy-packed, and nutrient-dense with an intense deep dark chocolate flavor in every bite-sized piece. Winner of the Socially Responsible Business Award, Kopali Organics supports sustainable farming in making five products that are “so much more than super delicious.”
Read more
Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad
Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad is a bright, colorful salad that takes less than 10 minutes to make and tastes fresh and delicious. Filled with a diced seedless cucumber, chopped sweet grape tomatoes, a minced sweet orange pepper, chopped Haas avocado, cilantro, and a dash of Pink Himalayan salt, this salad goes with nearly any main dish. The Cucumber, Tomato, and Avocado Salad is light and refreshing with ingredients that are readily available this time of year. When time is limited, this is a great salad to pull together in minutes. Read more
Quinoa, Black Bean and Avocado Salad
On a sunny Spring afternoon, I came home to find a bowl of Quinoa, Black Bean and Avocado Salad on the countertop. My daughter, a devout vegan decided to create one of her favorite lunch dishes with quinoa – a grain like seed that contains high quantities of the B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, zinc and lysine (an amino acid) – vegetables (California avocado, sweet red peppers), fruit (sweet grape tomatoes, lime juice), legumes (black beans), herbs and spices (cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper), and a small amount of olive oil. The result is a refreshing colorful salad that has the perfect balance of flavors: Read more
Jade Pearl Rice Pudding
Rice pudding is one of those old-fashioned desserts that can always be made in a pinch because most people have rice, sugar, vanilla, and milk on hand. A creamy and delicious comfort food, rice pudding is easy to make and can be dressed up with berries, nuts, or plump juicy raisins. But when a member of the family is vegan and milk is no longer an option, the challenge is to figure out a way to make this much-loved dessert just as flavorful and creamy as the traditional version but without the dairy ingredients. With plant-based “milk” – soy, almond, rice, and coconut – widely available at grocery stores, making vegan rice pudding is not only possible but easy and convenient. Read more
Kakawa Chocolate House
On a local street that winds around the historic district of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a small chocolate store called the Kakawa Chocolate House – an ode to all things chocolate and Santa Fe. Well known in warm drink circles as the place to go for hot chocolate, the store serves a variety of this rich intense elixir made from recipes that date back hundreds of years.Equally famous for their chocolates – truffles, caramels, mediants, and Chili d’Arbols, Kakawa is also known as an artisanal chocolate source where the chocolatiers make their own blend of 80% dark chocolate. Nary a milk chocolate in site, which is how the artisans dedicated to balancing tradition with cutting edge want it. Read more
Paddock Post 