Almond Caesar Dressing

Native Foods Blog & Restaurant

1/4 cup blanched almonds(blanched means brown skins off-put almonds in boiling water for 5 minutes til skins begin to fall off – use paper towel to run skins away) You can buy almonds already blanched - usually in Bulk Bins at local Grocers.

1/2 cup water

2 ea. garlic cloves (large cloves)

4 Tbsp. dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. capers

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. tahini (no tahini, ½ tsp sesame seeds, 1 tsp sesame oil)
6 Tbsp. lemon juice (I used lemon juice concentrate – would recommend fresh)

1/4 c. olive oil (plus extra to thin out the dressing)

-Blend almonds with water in blender until creamy

-Add the rest of the ingredients and blend some more.

Store in an airtight container in fridge.

rader Joe's confirmed that it has plans to open three stores in Houston this year: one in the Memorial area, one inside the former Alabama Theater in the Montrose area and one in The Woodlands.

Read More

This sticky pudding cake has the perfect amount of sweetness, remaining true to the original classic dessert, without going overboard. The cake is fantastic; once the sauce is poured on, it turns into a gooey, moist, and dense cake. The toasted pecans add a lovely texture to this dish and I don’t recommend skipping them unless necessary. Whatever you do…serve this dish WARM!

Ingredients (6-8 servings)

For the cake

200 grams pitted dates (about 1.5 cups), roughly chopped (I bought crushed dates at the Lebanese market – it worked great) (HEB also sells pitted dates in the Produce area, where the fresh packed trail mixes and dried fruits are located)  *** If you use the HEB pitted dates you will need to put ½ cup at a time in the food processor, process til crushed.

1.5 cups almond milk

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup Earth Balance (or other vegan butter substitute), lightly softened  **I’ve used Smart Balance Light as well

1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar (75 grams) **Sucanat or Cane Sugar should also work

3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans, divided  **Don't skip this step

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 & 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose) **I’ve only used whole wheat pastry flour

For the toffee sauce

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown rice syrup

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp unpacked brown sugar (35 grams) **Sucanat or Cane Sugar should also work

3 tbsp Earth Balance

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp almond milk

salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F and toast the pecans for about 8-10 mins. Now, preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9-inch pie dish or an 8-inch square pan with Earth Balance. .

2. In a medium sized pot, bring 1.5 cups of almond milk to a low boil. Add in the chopped and pitted dates and reduce heat to low. Cook for 1 minute, remove from heat, and stir in baking soda. It will froth up a bit.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the softened Earth Balance and brown sugar until no clumps remain. You can also use an electric mixer if desired. Now add in the date & almond milk mixture and stir.

4. Add the dry ingredients (cinnamon, salt, 1/2 cup of pecans, and whole wheat pastry flour) into the wet and stir until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish.

5. Bake at 375F for 27-28 minutes, or until the cake gently springs back when you touch it.

6. Toffee sauce: About 10 mins before the cake is done, make your toffee sauce by whisking together the sauce ingredients in a pot (use the same one). Bring to a low simmer over medium heat, and then reduce heat to low, whisking frequently making sure it doesn’t burn. Heat for about 5 minutes while standing over the pot to stir & watch. Remove from heat and set aside.

7. Remove cake from oven, let it cool for a few minutes, and then *** with a fork or toothpick all over. I made about 100 holes. Pour 2/3 of the toffee sauce over the top of the cake (reserving the other 1/3 of the sauce for later) and smooth out with a spoon.

8. Scoop out your portions onto plates, drizzle with remaining sauce, and top with toasted pecans. Serve with a side of your favorite vegan ice cream.

*Note: Other liquid sweeteners may work instead of brown rice syrup (you can use honey if you eat it), however the taste and consistency will change slightly. Maple syrup would also work, although it won’t get quite as thick.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/Products/SuperMoist-Cakes/No-Cholesterol-Recipes

February 2012

I created this Heart Healthy version of the classic dip, which I think comes pretty DARN close to the original but without the cholesterol. 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.  2. Blend together tofu, beans, nutritional yeast, raw garlic clove, vinegar, lemon juice and parsley, optional creamer in food processor until smooth. Remove contents and place in large bowl.  3. Put spinach on baking sheet that’s been sprayed with cooking spray, roast for 3-5 minutes or until edges begin to brown. 4. Heat oil in heavy duty skillet. Add flour and stir constantly until browned then add onion, garlic and cook 2 minutes then add artichoke hearts and saute until onion is soft.  5.  Add cooked ingredients plus spinach, spices and green onion to bowl and stir until well mixed. 6. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor.  7.  Smooth into baking dish coated with cooking spray 8.  Reduce heat to 350°F and bake covered for 15-20 mins plus an additional 5 minutes uncovered or until lightly browned on top. 

Total Prep/Cooking Time: 45 minutes to 1 hr. 
Servings for 5-10 people
Serve on Pita, Celery, Crackers, Fresh warm bread