Brownies!

I just made brownies, healthy brownies, and they are delicious!

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup walnuts (optional)
• 1 dash cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray or oil an 8 x 8 baking pan.
2. Mix applesauce, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (and cinnamon if using) together.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the applesauce mixture. Mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips (and walnuts if using).
4. Spread in prepared pan and bake 25-30 min, until center is firm and not sticky.

*I did not have any walnuts, so I omitted them. The chocolate chips really add something to the brownie. They took about 30 minutes to bake.

Kale Salad

OK, we all know Kale is loaded with everything good, but it is sometimes hard to figure out what to do with the stuff. Here is a recipe, from Whole Food's website, that is really easy and tangy delicious. It a raw recipe, so all you have to do is chop, add the marinade, mix and eat.
I used one bunch of Kale and doubled the marinade, because I'm not sure what Whole Foods considers a bunch. Plus, I'm a fan of dressings. I like food to be appropriately coated, and with this recipe everything that coats it is healthy. Basically, I love this recipe.

Here goes:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder
Salt to taste
2 bunches kale, stems and tough ribs removed, leaves very finely chopped

pine nuts (optional)

Method

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, chili powder and salt. Add kale, toss to combine and serve.

*So you can decide if the above recipe is enough dressing/marinade or if you want to double it.

Anyway, the Kale cooking adventure has begun!

Daiya Quesadillas

Daiya melts and is actually a yummy soy-free cheese alternative. It's pretty amazing. We like the Italian Blend; it's not as buttery as the Cheddar. I usually order it from Vegan Essentials

So, anyway, last night we had Daiya Spinach Quesadillas. This time we used corn tortillas, and it seemed to bring out the flavor more than the flour. Plus, corn tortillas are healthier, so it's a win-win.

Basically, I think everyone should at least try Daiya. Be adventurous!