Green Ginger Juice

Green Ginger Juice

by | Jan 12, 2015 | Breakfast, Drinks, Fruits, Kid-Friendly, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I have a new addition to my home – something I’ve wanted and dreamed about for a long time.  Yup, I got a VitaMix.  It is AWESOME and I LOVE it.  Like LOVE LOVE it.  I was gifted this amazing piece of equipment by my generous parents for Christmas (thanks mom and dad).

I’ve always wanted one, longingly stared at them in stores or on friend’s countertops but held off due impart to the high price tag and also my limited kitchen storage space.  But I’m so excited to have this in my kitchen and I’ve used it almost every day since I got it – for sauce (chimichurri), soup (butternut squash), smoothies (fruit and coconut water), and my new fave green juice.

Based on its versatility and frequency of use, it’s more than worthy of taking up a piece of prime real estate atop my limited kitchen countertops.

Green Ginger Juice | Freshnessgf.comThis green ginger juice is actually a combination my husband shared with me – it’s pretty green, a bit sweet, and very refreshing.

The ginger adds a nice little kick too.  I feel uber-healthy with every sip and it’s a pretty great snack or breakfast drink to start the day.

The VitaMix is strong enough to blitz every last bit of pulp into a smooth and delicious drink. I totally get why the VitaMix is used in so many professional kitchens and homes alike and has a cult-like following.

Green Ginger Juice | Freshnessgf.com

Look how the whole pitcher just filled right up with the veggies and apples.  Let the detox begin.  I am hoping that if I continue to drink these on the regular that my skin will start to glow and my waistline will start to shrink.  I’ll keep you posted.

Green Ginger Juice | Freshnessgf.com

 

Green Ginger Juice | Freshnessgf.com

PRINT RECIPE

Green Ginger Juice

This green ginger juice is actually a combination my husband shared with me - it's pretty green, a bit sweet, and very refreshing. Serves 2 to 3.
Course: Breakfast, Drinks
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: apples, corn-free, egg-free, fruits, kid-friendly, nut-free, soy-free, vegetables
Servings: 2
Author: ness

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

  • Powerful blender like the VitaMix

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups spinach leaves (washed)
  • 3 stalks of celery (washed)
  • 2 medium sized gala apples (or other sweet apples, washed and cores removed)
  • 1 inch piece of ginger (peeled)
  • 2 cups cold water
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons agave nectar (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Add the spinach, celery, apples, ginger, and water to the blender and blend until smooth.
  • For added sweetness, add agave nectar, one teaspoon at a time until a desired sweetness is reached.
Apple Crumble

Apple Crumble

by | Dec 1, 2011 | Breakfast, Desserts, Fruits

So the holidays are here.  It’s official – Movember is over, holiday party invites are streaming in, and tis the season for baked goodies, egg nog, and shopping until you drop.  Many of us are hosting parties and attending potlucks (or like me, doing both this weekend), and finding a dessert that everyone can eat can be a challenge.  I’m gluten-free and mostly dairy/egg-free and I have friends who have nut/sesame allergies.  So what dessert do you make to delight everyone’s taste buds that’s actually satisfying?  It’s this gluten-free vegan apple crumble.  I made this a few weeks ago for a friend’s dinner party and it was described as ‘Christmas in a bowl’.  How sweet is that?

apple crumble ingredients

The ingredients for the crumble are pretty basic and are usually in my pantry – Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free oats, vegan butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, brown sugar, Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.  The apples are usually ones I bought in a big bag and forgot to eat during the week, either Gala, Granny Smith or Honey Crisp.  And lemon is optional. 

slicing apple 1
apple slicing 2
nutmeg cinnamon close up
spices on apple

After peeling the apples, you just slice them into 1/4″ slices.  This helps them cook evenly and faster.  What’s great about apple crumble is you can make a huge one like this for a crowd or a smaller one (halve the recipe in an 8″x8″ baking dish).  Leftovers are awesome on hot oatmeal for breakfast (love desserts for brekkie).

vegan butter bobs GF flour
crumble topping

The topping for this crumble is so easy – just a mix of oats, GF flour, vegan butter, and brown sugar.  Just mash crumble it up with your fingers all together until the butter is the size of peas and spread over the apple mixture.  Then it’s ready to bake.  To make ahead, I prepare the crumble until this point, cover it, and put it in the fridge until I’m ready to bake it.  That way you get the warm apple pie smells wafting through the house while it’s baking.

And don’t forget some dairy-free vanilla ice cream – my fave is Purely Decadent Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk ice cream.  Made from coconut milk, it’s got a unique flavour that is amazing that everyone, no matter what their food sensitivities are, will love.

crumbles for a crowd

 

Apple Crumble
PRINT RECIPE

Apple Crumble (gluten/nut-free, vegan)

So what dessert do you make to delight everyone's taste buds that's actually satisfying? It's this gluten-free vegan apple crumble. I made this a few weeks ago for a friend's dinner party and it was described as 'Christmas in a bowl'. How sweet is that?
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: apples, Bob's Red Mill, butter, coconut, dairy-free, egg-free, fruits, gluten-free, nut-free, yeast-free
Servings: 8
Author: ness

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

  • 9”x13” baking dish

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 lbs apples (peeled and cored and thinly sliced)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Canola oil or vegan butter for greasing the pan

Topping:

  • ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
  • 3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats
  • 6 Tbsp packed brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup vegan butter (cut into small pieces (1 stick))

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss until apples are evenly coated. Grease the baking dish and pour ingredients into dish in an even layer.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar and salt and mix until combined. Add butter and using your fingers or a fork, work in the butter until they are pea-sized chunks.
  • Spread the topping evenly over the apple filling and bake for about 25 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and topping is golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
Baked Apple Pie Tortilla

Baked Apple Pie Tortilla

by | Apr 14, 2011 | Desserts, Fruits

When I was a teen and my metabolism was at its all-time high (um… I would eat McDonald’s McFlurries and Doritos as meals), I used to order this amazing deep-fried apple pie dessert from a local restaurant – apple pie filling wrapped up in a flour tortilla, deep-fried, covered in cinnamon sugar and served a la mode.  Classic apple pie is already pretty awesome but imagine it deep-fried?!?  You had to eat this monster with a steak knife and fork.  Mind-blowingly delicious.  A recent issue of Intermezzo featured a crispy pear fritter which I adapted into an apple pie filling and paired the filing with a brown rice tortilla.  Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, baked, and served with a scoop of vanilla coconut milk (dairy-free/vegan) ice cream, this GF version is infinitely more figure-friendly than the fried original – so all the yum without a bigger bum.  Yay!

Apple Pie Ingredients together
peeled organic apples
diced apples in bowl

This recipe is super easy and it’s vegan since I used Earth Balance’s Vegan Buttery Sticks instead of real butter.  These sticks are amazing and should be in every vegan/dairy intolerant person’s fridge.  Unlike butter, this is free of hydrogenated oils, trans-fatty acids, and dietary cholesterol. Find out more at www.earthbalancenatural.com.

melted butter in pan
caramelized apples in pan
diced apples in bowl
melted butter in pan
Tortilla ready to bake on pan
baked apple tortilla on sheet pan
Baked Apple Pie Tortilla
PRINT RECIPE

Baked Apple Pie Tortilla with Cinnamon Sugar

This recipe is super easy and it's vegan since I used Earth Balance's Vegan Buttery Sticks instead of real butter. These sticks are amazing and should be in every vegan/dairy intolerant person's fridge. Unlike butter, this is free of hydrogenated oils, trans-fatty acids, and dietary cholesterol.
Course: Dessert
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: apples, butter, dairy-free, Earth Balance, egg-free, fruits, gluten-free, nut-free, pie, tortilla, yeast-free
Servings: 6
Author: ness

INGREDIENTS

Filling:

  • 3 organic apples (peeled and diced into 1/4" cubes (I used 2 gala and 1 golden delicious 'cuz that's what was in the fridge))
  • 4 Tbsp butter substitute (Earth Balance's Vegan Buttery Sticks)
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 3/5 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 4 oz organic unsweetened apple sauce

Tortilla:

  • 3-4 rice tortillas (I got mine from Trader Joes)
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Dairy free vanilla ice cream (Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream is so amazing)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • To make filling, melt butter substitute in large pan on medium-low heat. Add spices and stir. When butter is melted, add vanilla and stir. Add the apples, sugar, and lemon juice and turn temperature up to medium high. Continue stirring until the liquid starts to bubble and caramelize into a sticky brown mixture, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in apple sauce, and cool.
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay tortilla on baking sheet and scoop about 1 cup of the apple mixture along the middle. Fold two sides over to cover apple filling and flip over so middle part of tortilla is facing up and gently press down to flatten. Sprink 1/3 of cinnamon sugar on top and bake in oven for 5-6 minutes or until tortilla starts to crisp up and brown and sugar is cooked. Remove from oven and cut in half. Serve with a scoop of ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

Pin It on Pinterest