Instant Pot Natural Pear Sauce

Black Bean Brownies - no sugar, no flour, no milk

Instant Pot: using up potatoes and onions

This worked well tonight when I needed to use up my onions and potatoes and didn't have time to bake or cook anything.  I didn't use carrots.  I plan on using this with eggs, cheese and sausage for Breakfast Tacos. Loving my Instant Pot!! 

Instant Pot Potatoes, Onions & Carrots

Josie Smythe

by Josie Smythe

Ingredients

Potatoes
Onions
Baby Carrots
Seasonings of choice
2-3 Tablespoons Oil
1 cup chicken broth

Steps

Cut potatoes into good sized chunks.
Slice Onion.
Sprinkle generously with seasonings of your choice.
Heat oil in IP on Saute.
When the display says "Hot" add the potatoes & onions;
Saute for about 4-5 mins.
(don't overcrowd the pot-do in batches if necessary)
Remove potatoes & onions from pot.
Add broth to the pot & deglaze it. (thoroughly scrape food off  the bottom)
Add the potatoes & onions back to the pot;
Add the carrots & stir it up.
Cook on Manual/High Pressure for 5 minutes; Quick Release.

Notes

I use Mediterranean Seasoning, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper for my seasoning. 
Cook time will vary a minute or two depending on the size of your potato & carrot chunks and your preference on how soft you want them. 

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Scones

Don't let this holiday season be boring or uneventful.. Join others EVERY way you can!!

Zoom scone making .... ready to have some Christmas fun with others?

Gather your ingredients, then tune in for this:

Thursday, December 10th at 7:30pm MDST  

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99016967858?pwd=ejl0ZGdpYmdaZkRFV3NMeE91Y0xPUT09

Scone Making with T. Wheeler

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Scones
1 3/4 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 T cold butter
6 T half & half or milk
1 egg
1/2 c. Craisins
1/2 c. white chocolate chips
almond extract
powdered sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a bowl by hand or using an electric mixer, blend together the flour, sugar,
baking powder, salt, and butter.
3. Add the half and half, beaten egg, cranberries (I like the dried ones) and the
white chocolate chips, and stir until the dough holds together.

4. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 2 minutes.

5. Form into a 1/2 inch thick round, then cut the round into 8 wedges (you can
also make two smaller rounds if you would like).

6. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil, then transfer wedges to sheet.

7. Bake the scones at 400 degrees F for 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Apples with Tahini Caramel: Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut free, Oil free, Sugar free

This is surprisingly good.  I like the combination of sweet and solid.
from a cookbook I borrowed from the library: Vegan Yack Attack's Plant Based Meal Prep (p. 154)
Look for the original there.  It's Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut free, Oil free.  

Of course, I had to change a few things.

I made a one-third batch.  Mine is also sugar-free.

Ingredients: 
1/3 cup chopped dates
1/4 c hot water

1 1/2 T tahini paste

1/2 tsp granulated Stevia

1/4 tsp liquid monk fruit

1/3 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 apples, cored and sliced

Directions:

Place dates and hot water in blender.  I used a small bullet container. Let them soften for 10 minutes. Add the tahini, monk fruit, Stevia, vanilla and salt.  Puree until completely smooth.  If your blender is struggling, add another tsp of water.  Since the dates were already chopped, this was not a problem.

Serve with the apple.

If you're saving the apples for later, toss them in 1/2 tsp lemon juice.  The tahini caramel can be stored in the fridge up to 7 days.

Makes 2-3 servings.

The Best Cheese ball

I've used a cheeseball recipe I really don't like for years.  It uses cottage cheese and Worcestershire sauce. The texture has never been good and most of it goes to waste.  

Not this year.  Even if I can't eat it, I'm gonna make a good one.

The Best Cheese ball

Ingredients
16 oz cream cheese softened
1 jar Kraft Old English spread (sharp cheese variety is good)
1 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese (medium)
1 tsp garlic + 1 tsp onion + 1/2 tsp salt
          (or tsp each garlic salt and onion salt)
1-2 tsp lemon juice concentrate
2 heaping T mayo (NOT miracle whip)
2 c finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds - whatever)

1 T chopped parsley
crackers for serving

Instructions

1- finely chop nuts and set aside

2- In a large bowl (or food processor) combine all of the ingredients.  Mix well.

3- Form a ball and place on a large piece of saran wrap.

4. Place the cheese ball in the fridge for 10-15 min to firm up.  

        You can continue or wait for the last two steps and do them right before serving.

5- Mix the chopped nuts and parsley and place on a plate.

6- Unroll the cheese ball and place it in the nuts.  Roll to cover and shape with your hands.

7- Serve immediately or store for a few hours in the fridge.

Paleo Lemon Loaf

I doubled this and put it in a used a 8x12 pan.
For the flour I did 2 1/2 c of a 1/3 - 1/3 - 1/3 mixture of oat flour, tapioca starch and brown rice flour 
then I also added 1 1/3 c. Almond Flour
1/2 c coconut oil + added olive oil to make 2/3 cup
1/2 c. granulated Stevia
And I added 3 tsp more lemon concentrate because I had no lemon zest
Baked for 22 min at 375 F.
It's good, but it needs the grated lemon, I think.