Vegan Carrot Spaghetti with Creamy Crisp Celery Apple Topping

One thing that is really fun to make is vegetable spaghetti.
You almost get a different flavor, when you peel the vegetable, and
blanch it.
It truly is like regular noodles, which absorb whatever you add to it.
It is fun to us your imagination for different was to serve vegetable spaghetti.
I have done many vegetables, but in this recipe I used carrots.
Carrots gives a sweetness, to the dish.
This is a delicious way of serving a salad over "spaghetti" :)
This was a BIG hit:)
This is a great dish because the crispness of the apple and celery over the
soft sweet noodles. Yummmmy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carrot Spaghetti with Creamy Crisp Celery Apple Topping
Serves 3 good portions

6 small carrots peeled
1 apple
2 stalks of celery
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped fine)
3 Tablespoons of milk (vegan)
21/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise(vegan)
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
sea salt

Wash and peel carrots into long ribbons, in a small stock pot boil water like you are making
normal pasta, add a good pinch of sea salt to the water.
When water is boiling, add the carrot ribbons and blanch for 3 minutes.
Strain and let cool, add another pinch of sea salt.
Then wash and chop apple into small size pieces, you can peel the apple, but I like the peeling:)
Then squeeze a little lemon juice over the cut apples, just to coat them from getting brown.
Wash and chop the celery stalks into small size pieces, as well.
In a small bowl mix the milk and mayo with a good pinch of sea salt, add the chopped parsley,
and mix until well incorporated.
Then add in the apple and celery, add sea salt to taste, and let sit in refrigerator covered for 20 minutes.
When carrots are cooled, swirl on plate and top with celery apple mixture.

                                                                            Birch Life

Mrs. Beeton Lemon Curd with or without Meringue

It is not a vegan recipe,but as a vegan there are times when the people in our lives that are not vegan,
want us to make them their favorite things.
The one thing that I don't cook is meat.:)
I hope you try this recipe for your non vegan friends or family, or just pass it on.
When I found this recipe I was in the UK, the person I was with, LOVES, lemon curd.
So they wanted to try it, so I googled the author, and I found out that it was written by
a famous lady. A little information about her, She wrote a household management book in 1861.
The book is about 4 inches thick, it so amazing for the time. The book
covers everything from cooking, preserving, housework, gardening, entertaining, anything
to do with keeping house. It is a wonderful book to look through.
There are several recipes per page. It is not like today's cookbooks.

Mrs. Beeton Lemon Curd
approximate 2 cups

3 eggs
3 oz butter
8 oz sugar (I have used cane sugar, honey, agave, and I have used less then 8 oz, it depends
on how sweet you like it.)
Rind and juice of 2 lemons

In a double boiler on medium heat, mix all the ingredients together, whisk until
thick. (7-12 minutes)
Let cool and pour into glass jars.
Keeps for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
To make a double boiler find a oven proof glass bowl that will fit on a sauce pan
without touching the bottom.
Then fill the bottom of the pan with water, but don't let the water touch the glass

bowl.

If you want to add Meringue, simply whisk 3 egg whites, a few drops of fresh lemon juice ( a substitute for cream of tartar) and a few tablespoons of sweetener. Whisk until stiff peaks.
Spoon over lemon curd, and then put under the boiler for a few minutes, DON'T walk away,
keep a eye on it until, light brown:)
                                                                Birch Life

Namaste Say Cheeze non-dairy Mac&Cheese (vegan) Review

When trying a new mac&cheese I get excited!
Being vegan you miss different foods that are not vegan.
For me one of them is mac&cheese, the creamy and smooth texture, with the
warm noodle, yummy:)
So I have tried many different mac&cheese(vegan), and was like
this doesn't taste like the "real" one.
Now I stop comparing them to the "real" one, and I start enjoying
the new flavors, and combinations.
Like anyone a warm noddle with some kind of sauce is soooooo
gooooood!

The Namaste Mac&Cheese is quite good, the noodles are gluten free
and they cook up really well.
I like to describe it as a creamy nutritional yeast, with a hint of mustard, and a light flavor of garlic.
It is not over powering!  
To us vegan nutritional yeast has a cheesy flavor so its perfect for us.
I enjoyed this one, it is truly a creamy noodle in every bite.

My tip when making it is to add 2 Tablespoons of butter(vegan) on the
hot noodles before adding the powder, and if you need to add some of the
noodle cooking water to make it smoother.
You get 3 cups+ it makes a lot.
Next time you see this product, try it I would totally recommend it.
It is great when you are hungry and want a nice warm filling meal.
                                             
                                                                         Birch Life

Avocado Mango Celery Salsa Vegan

I love this salsa:) You can't stop eating it!
So when you make it, double or triple the recipe.
When I originally made it, I didn't use celery, but I wanted a crunch to it.
So I added finely chopped celery, and it adds a great crunch and a freshness.
The combination of the creamy avocados and the sweet mango, is so divine!  
You can serve it with corn chips or potato chips, or whatever chips you like:)
It is also good spread on a wrap, with some fresh greens yummy!


Avocado Mango Celery Salsa
made about 2 cups depends on the size of avocado and mango

1 mango
1 avocado
1 celery stalk (finally diced)
4 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons of fresh lime juice
sea salt to taste

Wash mango and avocado, peel skin and remove pit.
Dice avocado into small chunks, and mango as well.
Mix together and add celery, fresh juices, then sprinkle in sea salt to taste,
I used 2 good pinches.
Serve immediately.

                                                          Birch Life
Sorry the pictures are grainy, but the salsa is sooooooo good!

Vegan Crunchy Sweet and Salty Balls

These are very special, I didn't make them, but someone very special

made them for my birthday!
I love birthday's:)
They were a great treat, I love when I get homemade treats:)
I had to share them with you, they are super simple to make.
I love the salty factor to them, but the chocolate gives it the sweet flavor.
There is crunch too!
For me I couldn't have 1 I ate 3 at a time:)
In up coming posts I will share with you other treats from my birthday!


Vegan Crunchy Sweet and Salty Balls
makes 9 balls

1/2 cup roasted salted cashews
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried coconut flakes
3 Tablespoons sunflower butter
sea salt

In a bowl mix cashews and chocolate chips, with the bottom of a sturdy cup,
mash up nuts and chips.
Just to break them up.
The dried coconut flakes were large pieces, so she chopped them up with a knife,
just until they were half the size.
Then mix the nuts,chips,flakes, and add in the sunflower butter, blend until all is covered.
With your hand make into ball shape, 2 inches in size.
Then sprinkle sea salt over each one.
Let set in refrigerator covered 3 to 4 hours.
They will last 1 week in refrigerator covered:)
They didn't last that long here:)
                                                                 Birch Life

Follow Your Heart Cheese Review, Vegan Cheese and Gluten Free!!!

When picking vegan cheese it can be very tricky, there are so many to choose from.
Also if you live in an area with not much choice, it is nice to see what other people think about them,
it may save you some money.
The store that I purchased it at, had a large variety of flavors even shredded cheese:)
When you look at the cheese, it looks very moist and when you give it a light squeeze,
it has a firm spongy texture.
I purchased the cheddar flavor.
I was excited to try it, so when I arrived home I opened it right away:)
I opened the package,and it slid right on the plate, it cuts like butter!
The flavor is on the sweeter side of cheddar, "real" cheddar usually has a sharper flavor.
The cheese is moist texture but still has the dryness like cheddar.
When I gave a sample around my house, there were very different comments!
"It taste like a firm wet sponge",  "it has a very moist feeling on the tongue."
I do agree it has a firm wet sponge feeling, but the flavor is really good:)
If you get over the texture, it is a great cheese, I was even eating it plain, because the flavor is really good.
I cut a piece so you can see the texture when it is sliced!

The one thing I miss is melted cheese, yum.
There is something almost magical about melted cheese:)
The true test for us vegans is does it melt?
When it melts is it a gross mess?
Let me tell you it melts beautifully!!!!
I melted it on a plate, so you can see what it looks like.

 smooth and creamy:)

You can see when I melted the cheese, it became smooth and creamy! Yummy!
I did eat it off the plate after I took the picture;)
My suggestion is when melting it, make sure whatever you are topping it with is slightly warmed,
it lasts longer, melted, and it doesn't get hard to fast.
If you are going to melt it on corn chips or something like that, it may get slightly hard by the time you finish
eating it.
But it is still good!!!!!!!!!!!!
I truly recommend this cheese, it has a great flavor, need to give it a try!!!
It melts, the most important reason of all;)
Follow Your Heart Cheddar here is a link to there website followyourheart.com
If the store you shop at doesn't stock it, tell them about it so they can get it in!!!!
The most important thing for me is that it is vegan, and gluten free!!!!!!
Happy cheese melting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                                                     Birch life

Dr Praeger's Veggie Burger Review, Bonus Salad Recipe

When I buy premade food I always think twice, because I have purchased things that look good

on the package, but taste terrible.

I had a coupon for this product, so I thought next time in the store I would give it a try.

The first thing I did was read the ingredients, I was surprised, it was mostly vegetables,

the first ingredient was carrots, they had very little fillers, which is great.

Some "veggie burgers" are full of fillers, and not much veggies.

They are vegan and gluten free:)

The real test is how they taste!

The first way I made them was in the toaster oven, until lite brown edges. (15 minutes)
The middle stays soft, but the outside gets a lite crust!

They have a nice vegetable flavor, all the vegetables melt together very nicely:)

I did have to add a pinch of sea salt, to the top of the burger.

It just heighten the flavors. 

This burger flavor is something I have never had before, it is very good:)

I would definitively recommend this burger to any one:)

I have eaten this burger several times in different ways.

They always come out delicious. Here is a link, they make many other products! drpraegers.com

Today, I made a salad, so I decided to add a crumbled burger on top.
I cooked it and let it cool, then crumbled it over my salad!
My salad consisted of lettuce, avocado, Follow Your Heart Cheese (vegan)
sprinkling of dill, and parsley, and finally a few dollops of vegan mayo.
I always sprinkle sea salt over my lettuce before adding anything, and
to finish it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil:)
This salad was sooooooo good with the addition of the veggie burger, it combined with the creamy
avocado, and all the other flavors aaammmmmaaaaaaazzzzzzzziiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnggggg!
My best salad to date:)
I would recommend the veggie burgers highly!
I think my next dish with the "burgers" are going to be a avocado veggie burger sandwich:)
                                                                      Birch Life

 

Friday's Picture Update on Baby Birds!!

When I spotted them, they had finished "bathing".

So they were drying themselves off, so cute.

I had noticed they had gotten a lot bigger, and now there were only 9:(

I just love watching them, I can get pretty close without them running away!

The Mom still watches pretty close, and gives you a look when you come to close:)

Enjoy, the cuteness!!!

                                                         Birch Life

Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cereal Clusters only 2 Ingredients

These are so easy to make! You get big cheers for making these:)
I love chocolate, but only dark, if you like milk chocolate make it with that.
You only need 2 ingredients, a crisp puffed cereal, I used Kashi Organic Morning
Indigo Morning, whole corn cereal with dehydrated dark berries.
Find a good crunch cereal that you like.

 It has a nice crunch, even when covered with dark chocolate:)
The second ingredient is chocolate, you can either use dark or milk whatever you like.

 I used chips, but you could use a bar, and chunk into pieces.

Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cereal Clusters
makes 15 pieces

2 cups of a crunch cereal
1 cup chocolate chips or pieces

In a double boiler on medium heat, melt chocolate slowly, when it is fully melted add cereal and mix well.
If you don't have a double boiler, find a heat proof glass bowl or ceramic bowl,
and put on top of a small stock pot with 2 inches of water, you never want the water to touch
the bowl on top.
With a spoon, scoop small balls on a plate to cool!!
These are so good!!!!!!!!
I could have ate them all;)

Put in a cool place, if they are not hardening put into the refrigerator.
They keep well in a air tight container in  the refrigerator!!
Simple recipe, but amazing and delicious flavor:)

                  

Friday's Picture The Sweet Smell of Roses

When growing up I had really only smelled Roses that came from the flower shop.

When I first smelled real growing in the ground Roses, I was hooked:)

There is something really special about the smell, it can be very sweet,

or even smell like a very expensive parfum.

I love to take a large inhale of a rose, and close my eyes to enjoy the moment.

Most people think of rose scent from a fake stand point, and don't like it very much.

When they smell a real rose, they take a inhale relax their shoulders, and become for that minute

relaxed:)

Which flower do you like to take a long inhale from?

                                                                   Birch Life

Smooth Vegan Chocolate Pudding with layered Sweet Peaches

This recipe is very fun to make.
There is something special about eating a smooth velvety cool pudding:)
I have eaten this for breakfast even!
The addition of peaches brings it to a different level.
You really never see peaches and chocolate, but it is a good combo!
If you don't have peaches or you don't like them, try a different fruit
you like.
Anything works for this recipe, even a different flavor of milk.
This recipe makes a good amount, the pan I used was 25 1/2 cm by 16 1/2 cm or
10 in by 6 1/2 inches


Smooth Vegan Chocolate Pudding with layered Sweet Peaches
serves 6 to 8 large portions or 10 to 12 smaller

5 ripe peaches
1 liter milk (I used oat milk, chocolate)
6 Tablespoons potato starch
4 Tablespoons raw sugar( you can leave out if you don't want it too sweet)
3 crisp cookies (I used gluten free)

Small stock pan pour 3/4 of the liter of milk, with the rest pour in small bowl
and mix in starch and sugar, stir until well combined.
On medium heat, heat milk until it is warm to touch and add in starch and sugar mixture.
Stir until thickened 5-7 minutes. Every stove top is different, so stir until thickened.
Remove from heat and put in bowl to cool. It should be room temperature, before assembly.
Wash peaches and slice, remove stone.
Layer the pan with half of the peach slices

Then pour the cooled pudding on top, add the rest of the peaches, and
crumble the cookies with your hands all over the top:)

Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving!

                                                                           Birch Life

Friday's Picture Mom and her 10 babies

I love baby chicks! They are sooooo cute:)
These are very special chicks, because I have been watching them
from when they were very young.
There has been a total of 10 since the beginning!
They stay very close to there mom, and always look to her
for what they should be doing.
In the evenings they all huddle under a tree next to the water.
The mother has a very protected eye on them.
In this picture, she is walking to the water, they are following her!

 But there is always one in the bunch that is on there own time:)

For me wild animals are very interesting to watch.
So enjoy the pictures, I will keep watching them and
update you:)
It was lightly raining, you can see the rain drops on the water!
                                                              Birch life
                 

Peach Apple Celery Chutney!!

I like making chutney, it is very simple and adds huge flavors to even the simplest dish.
I always thought chutney was to sweet or to spicy, but when you look for good quality
made chutney, you have opened a new door of wonderful flavors.
Chutney is not a jam, usually it is thicker pieces of what ever you are making into a chutney.
They can be savory or sweet, fruit or vegetable, and even both combined:)
This recipe has a sweet note from the peach and apple, but the addition of the celery brings it all
together.
You almost get a saltiness from the celery:)
After making this recipe you can experiment with all different flavors!
I like serving it with your favorite vegan cheese:)
You can also serve it on baked tofu, over faux chicken and rice, crackers, etc.
Have fun with it and try new things.
This chutney should be eaten the day you make it!

Peach Apple Celery Chutney
makes almost a 1 cup

1 apple
1 peach
2 stalks of celery
1 Tablespoon of butter + 1 teaspoon
little water
sea salt

Wash fruit and vegetables, chop apple and peach into chunks,
chop celery into 1 inch pieces (approximate)
 In a Small pan melt 1 Tablespoon of butter, add celery cook 1 minute, then add the 1 teaspoon
of butter, apple and peach with a pinch of salt.
If the chutney seems a little dry add a little water
Cook covered 5 to 7 minutes.
Just until fruit is cooked though, not falling apart.
Taste for salt.
Serve cooled or room temperature:)
                                                        Birch Life

 

Friday's Picture Smiley Poppies

I love Poppies, they have such a delicate petal, almost like tissue paper.
They always have a happy smile:)
                                                                       Birch Life

Smooth Mango Peach Frozen Strawberry Smoothie The last one of The Smoothie Series

The final recipe in the smoothie series!
Thank you, to all of you that have really enjoyed the series.
I love to create in recipes, so don't think I won't be working hard on new ones:)
If you have a idea or suggestion, email me or write me on Facebook.
The final recipe is a delicious smoothie, it combines mango, peaches with
frozen strawberry's, you get a smooth and creamy texture, and the frozen
berry's give you a nice cool down when it is hot outside:)
Peaches are a great treat, there is something special when you eat a
juicy, sweet peach, it gives my a big smile:)
They have a nice amount of liquid, so you don't have to add a extra liquid!
I like adding mango to smoothies it just gives it a thickness, without
adding cream!
Even a whole mango and a few Tablespoons of yogurt blended together
is really a great treat!
Start experimenting with mango and you will find a new Love:)
                                                                    Birch Life

Smooth Mango Peach Frozen Strawberry Smoothie
Makes 2 cups +

1 mango
2 peaches
1 cup frozen strawberries
3 Tablespoons of yogurt (I used vanilla, vegan)
1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

Wash fruit, peel mango, take stone out of peaches, and
add everything to blender.
If you need more liquid, add a little vegan milk(whatever kind you like)
but you shouldn't have too:)

Friday's Picture Who wants to swim in the Bodensee?

Who wants to go for a swim in the Bodensee?
I love swimming:)
The first walk into the water, the coldness on your hot skin.
Are you a dive in or a slow walker in to the water?
When you go in the water, the lightness you feel.
You feel refreshed and almost like a weight has been lifted off of you:)
The Bodensee is cold, but on a hot day it feels sooooo nice.
People swim in the Bodensee every day in the warmer season:)
                                                            Birch Life

Creamy Broccoli Spinach Topping for a Steamy Baked Potato;)

This is a ultimate comfort food! It ticks all the boxes, warm, creamy, hot, and filling!
It is a simple recipe for 1 to 20,I also like to make it when I have been outside all day and you need a hardy meal:)
I love broccoli,and I cook it until there is still a crunch.
Spinach is a great basic ingredient to have on hand, I buy frozen, you can take as much as you need,
and nothing goes bad.
The combo is soooooo good over a steamy baked potato, I like to buy the yellow flesh potato's
they have a creamer texture and more flavor.
As always use what you like!

Creamy Broccoli Spinach Topping for a Steamy Baked Potato
Makes 11/2 cups (it may make more because of the liquid in the spinach)

1/2 lb broccoli
8 oz of frozen spinach
1/2 cup of milk (I used oat milk)
3 Tablespoons of butter (vegan)
1 Tablespoons of potato starch
sea salt

Wash and chop broccoli into bigger chunks, in medium pan add 1 tablespoon of butter, when melted
add broccoli, saute until there is a slight crunch.
Then add spinach to the broccoli, 2 good pinches of sea salt.
Cook until spinach is heated though and water is released from spinach.
Mix milk, starch and a good pinch of sea salt until smooth.
Then add it to broccoli and spinach mixture, and stir until thick.
When thick add the last 2 Tablespoons of butter.
Before you spoon the creamy topping, over steamy baked potato add a pinch of sea salt to the baked potato!!!
Always taste for salt, add more if you like. If you want when serving add a dot of butter on top!
For even richer, add butter to steamy potato, before broccoli mixture.
                                                                      Birch Life

                                                               

Friday's Picture!!!

Who wants to take a relaxing walk in the woods?
I love walking in the woods, the air is so clean, and fresh!
Take loooooong deep breath, and exhale all the stress, it feels so good:)
Also take time to enjoy the sounds of the woods.
So maybe this weekend take a nice relaxing stroll in the woods:)
Maybe, hug a tree;)

                                                 Birch Life