Creamy Pesto Viniagrette

Pesto and salads go hand in hand. The first time we made this dressing we devoured it. Not only did we put it on our salad (ok, you got us....we didn't just drizzle it on, we dumped it.) but we also dipped our pizza crusts in it. Now we always double the recipe, just in case.

What you'll need:

2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup cashews
1/3 white balsamic vinegar
1 - 1 1/2 cup basil
1 clove garlic
pinch of sea salt
pinch of pepper

Blend ingredients in Vitamix or food processor until smooth. Pour (or dump) over salad and enjoy!

Mmmmm.....Polenta, minus the hard work ;) You're Welcome

Ok, let's play a game. I say Polenta, you say," ....too much work."

Totally agree, unless of course you are using our Baked Polenta recipe. Then, it's a whole 'nother story.

So sit back and relax while your Polenta magically cooks itself in your oven. NO, you don't need to wiggle your nose silly. Seriously!

What you'll need:

1 cup stone or steel ground polenta - we purchase this in bulk.

1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground Pepper

4 cups water

2 Tbs vegan butter (we prefer Earth Balance)

Combine polenta, salt and pepper. Put water in baking dish 9x13. Add polenta to baking dish with water and vegan butter mix well. Bake on 350 for 40 minutes. Stir about halfway through to make sure all ingredients are well combined.

Let cool, then cut into squares. This is the perfect match for Penne with Pesto and a huge mixed green salad with our basil vinaigrette. Delicious!

Variations:

Pesto Polenta – after baking, top with our Portabello Mushroom Pesto sauce and grilled Portobello mushrooms. Yummy!

Grilled Veggies and Polenta – grilled veggies go great with anything and this is no exception.

Sundried Tomato Polenta – adding our sundried tomato pesto and some baked or steamed asparagus give this dish a new Mediterranean twist.

Polenta Pizza - after 4o minutes of baking, remove the polenta and top with your favourite sauce, cheese and toppings. Bake for another 10 minutes or so.

Top with sauce and fresh thinly sliced eggplant. Bake for about 10 minutes extra.

For left over baked polenta, you can cut into small cubes and add to pasta with some mixed sauteed veggies and your favourite sauce.

Pesto Galore

I love pesto.... everything about it - the color, texture, the fragrance of fresh basil and garlic, and definitely the taste. Since I love it so much, I decided to experiment with my original Pesto Recipe, by adding some of my other favorite ingredients. Don't worry, I'll make sure to include my basic Pesto recipe first, just in case you don't have a vegan one yet.

Original Pesto Recipe




What you'll need:

3/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs pine nuts
1/4 cup raw cashews, pistachios or walnuts
1 clove garlic
4 cups fresh basil leaves
Pinch of salt


Blend all ingredients except basil in a food processor. Add basil, blend until consistency you desire. Ready to serve over pasta, as a dip or however you want to enjoy it.


Sundried Tomato Pesto Recipe

What you'll need:


1 cup of fresh basil
1 cup of sun dried tomatoes, I use jarred and include the oil
1 clove garlic
1 Tbs pine nuts
pinch of salt
Blend all ingredients except basil in a food processor. Add basil and blend until desired consistancy. Voila you've created a new twist on an old time favorite.

Portobello Mushroom Pesto Recipe

What you'll need:

3/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs pine nuts
1/4 cup raw cashews, pistachios or walnuts
1 clove garlic
1 portobello mushroom
4 cups fresh basil leaves



Blend all ingredients except basil in a food processor. Add basil, blend until consistency you desire. This pesto has a real earthy flavor and goes great with polenta.


Broccoli Pesto Recipe

What you'll need:

3/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs pine nuts
1/4 cup raw cashews, pistachios or walnuts
1 clove garlic
4 cups fresh basil leaves
1 medium head of broccoli

Blend all ingredients except basil in a food processor. Add basil, blend until consistency you desire. This is a great pesto for a pasta primavera.

Summer Corn Salad

Ahhh Summer Corn Salad. Ok, so it's not just for the summer- but it sounded good. Anyhow, whenever you can get your hands on some fresh ears of corn, you are in luck!

I have adapted this recipe from a friend (thanks Sarah) and it truly is the most simple and flavourful dish! I ate the whole bowl for lunch this weekend. Yup, all three ears of corn by myself! Ok, I shared a tiny bit with Jessie and a bite or two with my daughter :)

Ingredients:

3 fresh ears of Corn, shaved
One Lime juiced,
Handful or two of Cherry tomatoes, cut in half or chunks
1 medium Portabello mushroom, cubed
3 Scallions, sliced thin
Sprinkle or two of Sea Salt
Sprinkle or two or fresh ground pepper

Preparation:
Shave corn into bowl. Juice lime into bowl.
Add tomatoes, mushrooms, scallions, sea salt and pepper.
Mix and taste. Add more of whatever you like.
Let sit and absorb flavors, or enjoy right away!

Come to think of it, some fresh Garlic might be nice. Maybe even some fresh cilantro! I'll have to try it next time.

What a refreshing pick for a picnic :)

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Cooking With J & J was recently asked to share a recipe for a healthy version of Macaroni and Cheese. To be honest we're not so sure a healthy recipe is possible. Yummy? Definitely! Better for you than processed box Mac n Cheese? Yep. But healthy....we're not quite sure about that.

We both agreed that Mac n Cheese isn't the most healthy meal.... hey now, no crying, we have some good news. You didn't think we'd leave you hanging like that, now did you? We have some fat trimming 'healthy' recommendations for you.

Drum roll please..............

Instead of making Mac and Cheese your main dish, why not consider it a side?

"What? What's so good about that?" you ask.

Good question. Keep reading, we'll tell you.

One thing we've learned over the years is that if you add more of the 'healthy' stuff (salads and veggies) to your plate, and make it a rule to eat those foods first, then you will naturally decrease your portions of the 'not so healthy' stuff. Well? Whadya think? Not bad huh?

With this strategy you will be doing two excellent things for your health: A) minimizing the amount of fat you ingest from the dairy products included in your recipes - which consequently, is what most of us are concerned with, and B) increasing the amount of nutrient rich foods in your diet. Ok, there is a third thing too. You get to eat things you like and not feel so bad. That's really a win-win situation, don't you think?

Now that we got the 'health' talk out of the way, let's get to the recipe. Be sure to notice that we do use soy milk and Earth Balance to replace cow's milk and butter. This alone will help to cut down some of the fat. This Mac n Cheese sure is delicious!

This homemade recipe is a combination of several different recipes we have used over the years, and it yields this amazing version:

Ingredients:
12 oz Penne pasta
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
Cheese sauce recipe follows

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter using Earth Balance a 9x13 baking dish.

Cook Penne 2 minutes less than directions on the package, it will finish cooking in the oven. Rinse pasta with cold water and set aside.

Combine cooked pasta with cheese sauce (recipe to follow) in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 cup Earth Balance or non-dairy butter substitute
1/3 cup flour
3 cups of soy milk
3 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup jack cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 cloves of garlic, pressed

Melt Earth Balance or butter replacement in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Continue whisking for 2 minutes. Slowly add soy milk, whisking constantly. Cook until sauce thickens, be patient this may take a while, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese, salt and garlic. Stir until cheese is melted and all the ingredients are mixed well, about 2-3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

**For an added crunch, add whole grain flakes to the top of the macaroni before baking.

Sushi? Oh Yeah!

Simple, elegant, and delicious, Sushi definitely makes the 'top 10 favourites' list for both of our families!

But, before we get to the recipe and preparation, allow us to clarify something that you may be asking....

"Isn't this a vegetarian/vegan recipe site, and doesn't sushi mean raw fish?"

Great question, and here is our answer:

"While there are many types of Sushi that include raw fish and seafood (Sashimi), there is also a wide variety of vegetarian/vegan friendly Sushi."

We usually prepare the following types:

Onigirizushi - rice with other ingredients rolled into a ball.
Nigirizushi - hand formed Sushi.
Makizushi - rolled Sushi, which is the type you see in the photos.
Inarizushi - rice stuffed into fried tofu pockets.

Regardless of the type you make, all you have to do is choose your favourite veggies and make a variety of rolls. We used a combination of Avocado, Carrot, Baked or Fried Tofu, and Cucumber in the photos shown. The possibilities are endless. Once you get the hang of making Sushi, it will be a quick and satisfying meal!

Ingredients for Sticky Rice:

3 cups Sushi Rice

4 cups Water1/3 cup Rice Vinegar

3 Tbsp Honey (or sweetener of choice)

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Nori - seaweed sheets either toasted or dried
Soy Wraps - the light green sushi in picture above

Filling Ingredients:

Carrots, shredded or sliced

Avocados, thinly sliced
Baked or Fried Tofu, sliced

Cucumbers, remove seeds and slice thin

Preparation:

Cook rice in rice cooker with water.
While rice is cooking, mix rice vinegar, honey, and salt in small saucepan on low heat 'till combined. Set aside.
When rice is done, transfer to wooden, stainless steel, or glass bowl.
While still hot, pour rice vinegar mixture over rice and fold with wooden spatula, being careful not to smash the rice.
If you can use a fan while folding the rice, it will makes rice shiny and sticky. If you can't, just fan it manually, i.e, with a mock paper fan.
When cool to touch, wet hands, (not dripping, but just wet) form rice into tennis sized balls (- a bit) and lay out on top of Nori sheets....conveyor belt style.
Wet your hands again, getting any rice off, and spread the rice balls out gently with your finger tips pushing the rice out in all directions until nori is covered just right. Use the photo below as a gauge for just how much rice to use (I used a little too much in this roll).
Place your fillings a little lower then in the middle (closer to you), then roll 'em up using two non - rice covered hands.
If you need help with the rolling part, you can use a bamboo mat, sold at most Asian markets.
Once your sushi's are rolled up nice and tight, slice them into even circles with a clean, sharp, and slightly damp knife.
You may need to clean your knife in between slices, as rice will stick to the knife and will make it difficult to cut the Sushi neatly.

P.S. Sushi makes the perfect lunch for your kiddos to take to school! Ours love it and request it(more like demand it) weekly. Several of their friends always try to make a 'trade' with them for a piece of their Sushi or Inari, I don't think they are too successful though!




Here is our method to making it an easy and quick lunch to prepare in the morning when your time is - let's say.... limited.

When you make it for dinner, make sure you set aside a good amount of Sushi Rice in a container after rice has cooled sufficiently. We like to leave it out (in the container) overnight because we dislike like the consistency of the rice after it has been refrigerated. We did some research on this, and have learned that the rice will not spoil in that short amount of time due to the added vinegar. We also save time by storing any left over carrot slices in water in the refrigerator, so they're all ready to go in the morning.

We use the rice and chopped veggies to prepare a roll or two for each kiddo -including our husbands :) and we make sure to fill up a pouch of Inari with rice, or else we'll here about it later.

Don't forget the Soy Sauce (we use Bragg's liquid Amino's). Put some in an air tight container and their lunch is set.

Sushi Tips

If the rice doesn't stick to Nori, or roll does not stick together when rolled, you most likely did not use enough vinegar in your rice. The rice should be very sticky, annoyingly so. Keep a small bowl of water close by when preparing your sushi. You'll need to wet your hands frequently during the process, as it prevents the rice from sticking to your hands.

If your roll is too thick, or does not hold together well, you probably used too much rice, or packed it down too tightly. The rice should be spread on the nori and should not cover the nori completely. You should be able to see nori between the rice....use just a bit less then the amount shown in the picture above.

Baking Without Eggs???

One of the most difficult things for me to figure out when transitioning to vegan was baking without eggs. Luckily, I found that it isn't really that difficult - you just need to know what to replace it with. So here are some guidelines to help you out.

Flax Seeds

1 Tablespoon flax seeds plus 3 Tablespoons water replaces one egg. Finely grind 1 tablespoon whole flaxseeds in a blender or coffee grinder, or use 2 1/2 tablespoons pre-ground flaxseeds. Transfer to a bowl and beat in 3 tablespoons of water using a whisk or fork. Flax work best in pancakes, and whole grain baking.

Silken Tofu

1/4 cup blended silken tofu = 1 egg. Whiz in a blender until completely smooth and creamy. Tofu works best for brownies.

Ener-G Egg Replacer

1 1/2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons water mixed well = 1 egg.

Bananas

1/2 banana blended until smooth or mashed well= 1 egg. Bananas work best for breads, muffins, cakes, pancakes.

As always, if you have any questions please feel free to email us at cookingwithjandj@gmail.com

Happy Baking!

Jessie and Jaime

StRAWberry Oatmeal!

I know, I know, for those of you who are new to raw foods recipes, this seems a bit ... strange. I totally understand. But, I've been asked time and time again to provide friends with sample menu's of my daily meals, so I couldn't not post it. It's an easy and deliciously satisfying breakfast. Plus, it's also incredibly nutrient dense!

Somewhere, sometime I promise to post info on the benefits of a living foods diet, but for now...I only want to focus on taste!



Ingredients:

Raw Oat Groats - (1- 2 cups) You can purchase these from a whole foods market in their bulk section. These are what the rolled oats look like before being flattened, steamed and toasted.

Sea Salt - pinch

Your choice of sweetener - couple of tablespoons should do. Use honey, dates, or Yacon Syrup if you want to keep it truly raw. If you don't care so much, you can use Maple Syrup.

Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean - Tablespoon or two, or a half vanilla bean pod (only use if you have POWERFUL blender or food processor)

Fresh Strawberries - however many you choose. I used about three large strawberries.

Preparation:

Put raw Oat groats in a glass or stainless steel bowl, cover with water and soak overnight.
In the morning, rinse well and do a taste test for consistency of groats. They should be chewy by now. If you want them softer, soak some more and test occasionally. If you have a really powerful blender or food processor (like a Vitamix or Kitchen Aid) then go ahead and drain the oats and place in blender or food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend till smooth and creamy. Or, don't - you can just place the oats in a bowl and add your sweetener, vanilla and tiny pinch sea salt. Mix well. Cut up fresh strawberries and garnish. Enjoy!

Bananas in a Blanket

My son helped create this tasty snack, which can be enjoyed anytime of the day. Who doesn't love peanut butter and bananas? This is the classic scrumpious combination with a twist.

Ingredients:

1 tortilla
1 banana
1-2 Tbs creamy peanut butter
1 -2 Tbs whole grain nugget cereal
1-2 Tbs maple syrup, honey, or agave

Spread the peanut butter on the tortilla. Sprinkle with nugget cereal. Then place the peeled banana on tortilla. Roll banana in the tortilla. Drizzle with maple syrup, honey or agave. You can even garnish with extra nuggets. YUMMY!!

Hearty Broccoli Soup

My daughter loves this soup so much that she had four bowls full! That sure is a lot for a 10 1/2 month old. This soup goes well with both the sweet rolls (previously posted) and the upcoming fresh baked 'Peasant Bread'. This recipe is adapted from Grandma Kathy... thanks Grandma. Our whole family loves this, we hope you will too.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of broccoli, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, chopped
8 oz of Earth Balance or other vegan butter substitute
1/2 cup flour
2 cups soy milk at room temperature
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Steam broccoli over two cups of water. In a large soup pot melt Earth Balance, add onion, celery and carrots; saute for 5 minutes. Add flour, stirring quickly. Cook for another 2 minutes. Slowly add the liquid from the broccoli, stirring constantly. Add broccoli and remaining ingredients. Mix well and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Stir often to prevent scorching.

Vegan Cupcakes and Icing

Being vegan doesn't mean you can't have delicious treats. My kids couldn't tell the difference and neither could their friends.

Cupcakes:

1 cup of soymilk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/4 cup flour

2 Tbs corn starch

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup Earth Balance or other vegan butter substitute

Pre-heat oven 350 degrees. Mix soymilk and apple cider vingar till it curdles (see picture on the right). Cream Earth Balance and sugar. Add vanilla. In a seperate bowl combine dry ingredients. Combine cream mixture and dry mixture with soymilk mixture. Mix well. Line cupcake tray and pour batter into cupcake tray.

Icing:

1/2 cup Spectrum or other vegan shortening
1/2 cup Earth Balance or other vegan butter substitute

1 lbs. powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla
2-3 Tbs soymilk

Combine ingredients in mixer and mix till smooth. Frost cupcakes.

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

COMING SOON!
These were the best Easter treat ever! I just had to break my all raw diet for this one .... it was soooo worth it! SHH, don't tell the kids I ate the last one.

Sweet Potato and Tomato Salad

A nice accompaniment to Sloppy Joe's, or the perfect dish to bring to a potluck! Grab a big helping, cause this one won't last long!

Dressing:

1/2 cup red win vinegar

3 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Combine ingredients and whisk.
Set aside

Salad

1 large sweet potato, cut into 2 inch thick slices

2 Roma tomatoes, cut into 1/2 cubes

1 green onion, chopped

Chopped walnuts for garnish

Preparation:
Cook Sweet Potatoes for 15 minutes in boiling water ( until tender but not falling apart).
Drain and rinse with cold water.
Add Potatoes and remaining ingredients to the bowl with dressing and toss gently.
Garnish with Walnuts, cover and store in refrigerator until ready to eat.

Sloppy Joes

This dish reminds me of my childhood, minus the meat...which no one will even miss. Seriously.

Ingredients:
1 cup of textured vegetable protein (TVP) or a bag of veggie crumbles
3/4 cup boiling water, not needed if using store bought veggie crumblesOlive oil for frying
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup red bell peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
One 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup water

2 Tbs tomato paste
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs light brown sugar
2 tsp red wine vinegar

Pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Burger Buns

If using TVP:

Stir TVP with boiling water in a medium bowl; let stand for five minutes until water is absorbed.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, peppers and garlic until tender about 8-10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients including TVP or store bought veggie crumbles. Stir until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Arrange the burger buns cut side up on a baking sheet and broil (toast) for 3 minutes or until lightly brown. Once done spoon filling on the bottom half of each bun and top with other half. And they are ready to eat.

Nut/seed milk pulp creation

Now that we have told you how to make your own nut or seed milks, you're asking, "what do I do with the pulp you had me reserve?". Well, here is one of the latest raw nut/seed milk pulp creations, inspired by the recent Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup.

This is a simple, yet tasty way to utilize the reserved pulps, so you don't have to waste your food or money. I don't have a name for it as of yet, and I really dislike naming things 'mock' this or 'mock' that. If I were to follow the typical 'Raw Food Recipe' trends, I would probably name it something like 'Mock Pumpkin Cheese Gnocchi'. However, I feel that this tends to give us a false conception of what the recipe should taste like and does not do justice to our palette or the food. Therefore, I believe that living food recipes should be in a category all their own. So if this looks interesting enough for you to try, let me know what you think... help me name it.

Ingredients:
Reserved pulp from nut or seed milk ( especially tasty if you use the Pumpkin Spice Milk in the Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup recipe)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Sea Salt to taste
Nutritional Yeast to taste
A couple of shakes of all should do. Again, taste it as you go. Start little and add more in small increments. When it comes to raw food, use the KISS principle ( Keep It Simple Silly).

When you are happy with the flavor, mold the pulp into little gnocchi shaped balls, or whatever you like. If you have a dehydrator, and have some time to wait before you eat, go ahead and put them in on low for a while. Slightly hard on the outside, chewy on the inside is PERFECT. If you are like me, and don't want to wait, no big deal- just arrange on a bed of mixed greens and add the Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup as a sauce and enjoy right away.

Thai Style Vegetables with Peanut Sauce

For those of you who love creamy dessert like peanut sauce you will love this dish. The combination of this sweet creamy peanut sauce with fresh veggies and coconut rice is simply delicious and crowd pleaser.

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs lime juice
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 Tbs rice vinegar
4 palm kernels (found in Asian markets) or 2 Tbs agave syrup
Peanuts

Combine all ingredient in a medium size pan. Heat on medium until all ingredients dissolve. Turn heat to low, keep warm until vegetables and rice are ready. Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes to thicken before serving.

Vegetables:
16 oz firm tofu, cut in cubes
Medium size bok choy or napa cabbage, chopped
3 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 cups of chopped broccoli
Any other vegetables of your choice

In a large wok or saute pan cook tofu until golden. Add vegetables and cook on medium heat until tender about 10-15 minutes. Place cooked vegetables in a shallow bowl and cover with peanut sauce, add peanuts as a garnish.

Reserve peanut sauce can be used as a nice alternative for dipping veggies.

Coconut Rice:
3 cups of uncooked rice
4 cups coconut milk
2 cups water

Combine ingredients in a rice cooker or medium size pot. Cook for approximately 20 minutes or until rice is done. Serve rice on the side.

Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Soup

A recent creation- this soup is creamy, sweet, savory and incredibly easy!







Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Pumpkin Spice Milk (recipe to follow)
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes
1/4 Tsp Sea Salt

Blend all till creamy and smooth in Vitamix.

Pumpkin Spice Milk ingredients:

1 Cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds (also known as Pepitas)
4 1/2 Cups Water
Pinch Sea Salt
1/4 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 Tbsp Raw Honey (+/-)

First blend seeds with water, then strain through nut milk bag and reserve pulp.
Next, pour milk back into Vitamix and add remaining ingredients. Blend for a few seconds and taste. If you want, start off with less honey, and continue adding more until satisfied.


To learn more about the benefits of raw pumpkin seeds and raw sweet potatoes check out the links below.

http://health.learninginfo.org/herbs/pumpkin-seeds.htm

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64

* For those of you who would rather the soup be cooked, just leave the Vitamix on longer.

Granola Love

This is one of my favorite granola recipes. It's sweet, simple and totally satisfying. Mold it into a bar and eat as is, or enjoy with some nut milk for breakfast.



Ingredients:
1/4 cup Raw Cashews
1/4 cup Raw Walnuts
1/4 cup Raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/4 cup Raw Sunflower seeds
1/4 cup Raw Almonds
1/4 cup Raw Pecans
1/4 cup Sprouted Buckwheat
1/4 cup Sprouted Quinoa
1/4 cup Raw Coconut Flakes
2-3 Tablespoons Raw Cocoa Powder
1/4 cup Raisins
1/4 cup Sweet Dried Cherries
2-3 Tablespoons Raw Honey
Pinch Sea Salt


Putting it all together:

Chop the dried cherries (optional). Chop or crush nuts to manageable chunks. Put in bowl and mix in sea salt and Cocoa Powder Stir until well distributed Mix in Honey and stir until all is thoroughly coated. Love it!

You can store this in an airtight container/glass jar, or shape into bars and store in fridge or freezer.

* Note - the amounts listed are estimates. Adjust as you go. Many raw recipes are often so simple that they don't require specifics. However, for those of you (Jessie) that like exact measurements, I am working on documenting the amounts I use when creating new recipes. Forgive me.

Inspiring Others with Cooking

We'd love to hear from our followers. Please email us your favorite vegetarian, vegan or raw recipe, at cookingwithjandj@gmail.com. We'll try them out and post our favorites to share with everyone.

Sweet Rolls

5 -6 cups flour
2 pkg yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Earth Balance

1 1/2 cup hot water

3 Tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 4 tsp water

Combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Add Earth Balance and water all at once. Mix for 2 minutes. Add Ener-G Egg Replacer mix and 1 cup flour, beat 1 minute, stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.

Knead for 5-10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and clean towel. Let rest for 20 minutes. Divide into rolls about 2 1/2 dozen. Place in greased pan, cover with plastic wrap. Refridgerate 2-24 hours. Let stand about 20 minutes at room temparture before baking. Bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes.

Cashew Creme Fruit Parfaits

Simple, decadent and satisfying, a household favorite for any age. Great for breakfast, snack (or even dessert!)








Cashew Creme
4 1/2 Cups Raw Cashews, soaked for about an hour and rinsed
1 Lemon juiced
Pinch Sea Salt
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
1/3 Cup Raw Agave
1 1/3 Cup H20 (+/-)




Variety of seasonal fresh fruit.(Photo to the right includes Bananas, Strawberries, Atulfo Mangos,and Pineapples)

Sprouted Buckwheat:
Make sure to purchase Raw Buckwheat (the dark Buckwheat is called Kashi and is not a living food)
To sprout, soak in water for 4-6 hours, drain and rinse in colander. Leave colander on a plate and occasionally rinse lightly to keep it moist (at least a few times a day). In 24 hours small sprouts should appear. If they are not visible by 36 hours, your buckwheat is dead.. try a different source. Keep the process going until the sprout is larger than the actual buckwheat. This should take 1- 2 days. After 36 hrs, unused sprouts should be refrigerated or dehydrated.

Blend Cashew Creme ingredients in Vitamix until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust as needed. Remember that salt and lemon juice bring out sweetness. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but if you need it a bit sweeter, try adding a tiny bit more sea salt or lemon juice.

Putting it all together:
Now that you have your delicious Cashew Creme ready and your fresh seasonal fruit cut up, you can layer the Fruit and Creme (with or without Buckwheat) as you wish.

Non Raw options:
Don't feel like waiting for the sprouts? No worries, just use Kashi or granola, or omit completely. Keep a lookout for our Raw Granola Love recipe....coming soon.

*This is a live food recipe.

Coming Soon

J & J have been busy cooking up a storm this past weekend. Stay tuned for new recipes coming this week. Here is a sneak peak at a favourite in both of our homes.

Simple Nutmilk

1/2 cup Raw Nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, or any preferred nuts)
8 Dates (to taste)

5 cups Water

Pinch Sea Salt

2 -3 Tbls. Maple Syrup (to taste)

2 Tbls. Pure Vanilla Extract

*2 -3 Tbls. Raw Cocoa Powder ( optional)

Blend all ingredients in Vitamix until smooth (note: it is not recommended for a normal household blender). Pour mixture into nutmilk bag (0r jam strainer bag) and squeeze out milk. Reserve nut pulp for other recipes. Enjoy immediately, store milk in airtight container for up to 2 - 3 days, or freeze in ice cube trays for frozen treat.

Welcome to Cooking with J & J.

We met in 2000 at a local play group when our children were 3 months old. Jaime, a vegetarian since birth, and Jessica (Jessie), who made the decision to become a vegetarian in 1997, have been friends for the past 10 years. Throughout the years we have shared a passion for providing our families with nutritious and delicious meals. As our friendship and families grew, so did our awareness of the importance of organic whole foods. Determined to satisfy our palettes, while maintaining ultimate health, we continue our journey, and invite you along.

Jessica: "I have always loved trying new recipes and sharing them with friends and family. There is nothing better than good food and good company. Ensuring our family is eating well and enjoying meals together has always been important to my husband and I. Over the last ten years I've become more aware of the effects of what you put into your body and your over all health. With my husband and my family's health history we are committed to reverse these cycles in our immediate family by making the choice to raise our three children vegetarian. It was not until recently that we began exlporing the vegan lifestyle when we discovered our oldest son is allergic to dairy and eggs. As a working mother of three I hope to inspire you and help you discover how healthy choices will make a difference for you. Join me in experimenting with these new recipes."

Jaime: "While I have been a vegetarian my whole life, it was not until I met Jessie, that my love for whole and organic foods began. For the past 10 years, I have made a concerted effort to provide my family and friends with healthy and delicious meals (and snacks). As our two children have grown in size and age, I too have grown in awareness. Fortunately, I have been able to be a stay at home mom for the last few years. During this time, I have had many opportunities to be present in my children's school. It was through these experiences that I gained insight into how our nations kids (or at least a sample of them) are being fed. This, no doubt, combined with my passion for non - violent living, has had a tremendous impact on how I choose to live and raise a family. Over the past 3 years, I have been inspired to become a more globally, socially conscious individual and have been happily experimenting with a vegan living foods diet, focusing mainly on raw fruits, nuts and veggies. Due to the numerous requests from friends for 'sample' menus, (and a bit of laziness on my part, for not wanting to repeat myself again and again), I am excited to post some of my creations and discoveries! Enjoy!