Author: karenwpullen

Cheezy Queso Sauce

karenwpullen Recipes, Sauces and dressings, Snacks, Dips, and Smoothies , , , ,

This is such a great sauce! It goes on anything Mexican like tacos, nachos, chips. Put some on a baked potato or other vegetables, or over pasta.

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Print Recipe

Best “Cheezy” Queso Sauce

Course: Sauces and dressings, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, Mexican, Vegan
Servings: 12

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

  • 1 large potato peeled and diced
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup cashews soaked in hot water 20 minutes, drained
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

  • Boil the potato, carrot, and onion in the vegetable broth until soft, about 8 minutes
  • Add the rest of the ingredients to a blender, along with the vegetables, and blend until smooth.

Notes

Makes about two cups; can be frozen.
This thick and creamy sauce is perfect for any Mexican-style food like tacos, quesadillas, nachos. It makes an excellent dip for chips. Add it to a baked potato or pasta dish.

Going Plant-Based for Healthy Blood Pressure

karenwpullen Blog , , , ,
Going Plant-Based for Healthy Blood Pressure

What is Blood Pressure? With each contraction of your powerful heart muscle, blood surges through your arteries, veins, and capillaries, pressing against blood vessel walls. The walls expand then relax, expand then relax, with every heartbeat.

That’s why blood pressure measurements come in two numbers: the force against the artery wall when the heart is pushing blood through it (systolic pressure), and the force between beats (diastolic pressure).

Ideally, your blood pressure should be around 110/70. There’s an exponential increase in risk of dying from a stroke or heart disease as pressures go up, starting from around 110/70. But most people with high blood pressure have no signs or symptoms, even if it’s reached dangerously high levels. So, it’s important to check it regularly.

Health Concerns. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is of great concern. If the blood vessels are narrowed, or stiffened with sclerosis, the heart works extra-hard and less efficiently. Over time, the force and friction of high blood pressure damages the insides of the arteries, cholesterol plaques form along those tiny tears, and arteries become narrower. Blood pressure raises even higher. It’s a vicious circle.

Read more

Crabless Cake from Hearts of Palm

karenwpullen Main Dishes, Recipes, Side Dishes, Snacks, Dips, and Smoothies , , , ,

I made these for a canape party and they were very popular.

There are many versions of crabless cakes and nearly all use hearts of palm. I like this one for the potatoes and the curry paste.

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Print Recipe

Crabless Cake with Hearts of Palm and Artichoke

Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Thai, Vegan
Servings: 12 cakes

Equipment

  • food processor

Ingredients

  • 3 potatoes, medium
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • 1 lime juice and zest
  • 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
  • 1 can hearts of palm drained
  • 1 can artichoke hearts drained
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Peel and cube the potatoes, cover with water in a pan, and boil until tender. Drain, mash, and set aside.
  • Put green onion, lime juice, lime zest, ginger, soy sauce, and curry paste into a food processor. Process to a paste.
  • Chop and shred the hearts of palm. Roughly chop the artichoke hearts. Place between two clean dishtowels and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. You want this component to be dry.
  • Mix together the potatoes, paste, and shredded vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Form into patties. Bake at 400° on a parchment-paper-covered baking sheet for about 20 minutes; flip half-way. They should be light golden brown.
  • Turn on the broiler for about one minute–watch them! They will get a bit more brown.
  • Serve with dill remoulade: mix together vegan sour cream, ketchup, mustard, dill, parsley. Or lemon wedges, or cocktail sauce.