bullfrogs & bulldogs

Grain-Free Cranberry-Orange Scones

May 2, 2013 By Bullfrogs and Bulldogs Leave a Comment

One of my favorite breakfast treats growing up were scones. Maybe it’s my English roots, I’m not sure, but there has always been something that I loved about eating them. It also didn’t help that my mom loved them as well and every time we’d go to get some coffee, when I drank coffee, she’d get a scone and I’d always ask for a ‘bite’ and end up eating half of it.

Once I started to become a lot more health conscious I realized how bad scones can be for you and stopped eating them for the most part. Once I went vegan, it was definitely so long to my crumbly friends.

As I continue to explore what health and a healthy lifestyle means to me I have come to realize that I can still enjoy one of my all-time favorites but just a different version of it. And to be honest, I think this one tastes a whole lot better!

In walks my Grain-Free Cranberry-Orange Scone! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going grain-free. I think grains are an extremely important part of our diet but I just got a huge bag of almond meal and wanted to give it a try for a lighter, more airy texture.

These guys are just that. Light and airy and delicious. I love the citrus with the hint of almond and of course the tartness from the cranberries.

As I continue to explore vegan baking I am constantly impressed with what you can actually make and I’ve come to prefer a vegan treat over a non-vegan one. Aside from tasting better, I know I am doing my body a special favor by a) eliminating all animal products and b) eating a tasty treat!

I’m excited to play around with other possibilities using the base of this recipe, almond meal. I’m thinking I see some kind of vegan chocolate chip scone in my future. Here is the recipe for these Cranberry-Orange Scones for your enjoyment!

Grain-Free Cranberry-Orange Scones

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

22 mins

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 8

Ingredients

3½ cup almond meal/flour
¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup
Juice of one lemon plus 2 tbsps
Juice of two small oranges or 1 cup
1 tbsp baking soda
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 4 tbsp water. Allow to sit in refrigerator for 15 minutes to thicken up)
½-3/4 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. If the mixture is a little on the wet side add a little more almond meal/flour until it’s a consistency that wont stick.
Shape into a ball then put onto greased baking pan. (I grease using coconut oil)
With the palm of your hand start to flatten the ball out slightly.
Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the scone mixture into 8 pie shaped pieces and separate so they each have room to grow bigger.
Place in oven and bake for 12 minutes. I ended up baking for about 15 minutes but start with 12 and add time if necessary.
Enjoy!

Enjoy your weekend! The weather is suppose to be in the upper 80′s here which is big for Oregon!

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: baking, Cranberry-Orange Scone, gluten free, Grain-Free, vegan

Roasted Spicy Garbanzo Beans

April 19, 2013 By Bullfrogs and Bulldogs 3 Comments

David and I love to snack whether it’s homemade baked chips and my famous guacamole or hummus and celery or carrots, we are snackers {that may not be a word but I’m going with it}.

Sometimes though it’s easy {if it’s kept in the house} to reach for the unhealthy snack option instead of the one that’s good for you. I try not to keep too much of that in the house and instead make healthy snacks we can take a handful of as we walk by, like these Roasted Spicy Garbanzo Beans.

Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, are so great for you because they are packed with protein, fiber, maganese, iron and folate. So if you are trying to get preggers this is a GREAT snack for you! These little round legumes are pretty inexpensive as well so you can load up on them without it really affecting your bank account.

You can make hummus with them, add them to salads, throw them in soups, and of course, make these delicious Roasted Spicy Garbanzo Beans. Here is the recipe so you can try them for yourself. Enjoy!

Roasted Spicy Garbanzo Beans

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Snack

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 can garbanzo beans
1 tbsp cumin
1-2 tsp chili powder
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp onion powder
Juice of one lime
Dash of salt and pepper {to your taste}
Dash of hot sauce of your choice {I use Tapatio}

Instructions

Begin by turning your oven on and setting it do 200 degrees.
Open your can of garbanzo beans and drain and rinse thoroughly. Pour beans into a bowl and mix in all other ingredients. I taste a few of the beans to make sure the spices are to my liking. If you need to add more of one or two feel free to do so.
Spray a baking pan or dish with non-stick spray or grease with oil and pour the contents in the bowl into the dish or pan. Make sure you pour the remaining juice from the bowl to get the beans nice and coated.
Bake for about 60 minutes. Check them often. Let them go a little longer then you think they should to make sure they are nice and dried out.
This can be done at a higher temperature in less time but you run the risk of burning them. I’ve done both ways and cooking them at a lower temp allows for them to dry out inside more evenly.
Enjoy!

Do you have a roasted garbanzo bean recipe you like to share? Leave a comment below with a link to your site so we can all check it out! Or, leave the recipe in the comments!

Happy Friday and have a great weekend

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: gluten free, Healthy Snack, Protein packed snack, Roasted Spicy Garbonzo Beans, vegan

Super Creamy Hummus

March 7, 2013 By Bullfrogs and Bulldogs 5 Comments

Hummus, I probably eat the stuff every single day but that wasn’t always this case. There was a time when I didn’t like the smooth Arabic deliciousness but upon reflection, I realized it was more to do with the consistency of the stuff then the taste. Times have changed though and I’m now obsessed.

Given our diet, it’s a staple snack in our home, usually dipping a baby carrot or piece of celery in it. The store bought versions are often expensive and loaded with preservatives and at the rate I go through it, it adds up rather quickly. The problem is, as mentioned above, I am VERY picky about the consistency and creaminess of my hummus and have had trouble making it myself in the past. It usually ends up grainy and I need super smooth and creamy.

I decided to give it a go again because well, I hate given up and knew that one day I would master the art of making hummus. Perseverance does pay off! And, I’m trying to really cut back on mindless spending and make more things from scratch. I usually get nervous about doing so because let’s be honest, sometimes store bought stuff just taste better, and I end up letting whatever I make go to waste and I really dislike wasting things.

While on our month long trip, I spent a lot of time thinking about the things I want to change in my life (more like make better) and around the house. Spending less, getting rid of anything we no longer need, and making more of the foods we love from scratch are just a few on my list.

So, in the attempt to stay committed to these new goals of mine, here it is, my homemade super creamy {and delicious} hummus!

Super Creamy Hummus

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Appetiser

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

One 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbonzo beans)
1 lemon freshly squeezed
¼ cup tahini
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tsp cumin
water or liquid from chickpeas for added smoothness

Instructions

Drain the chickpeas and set aside.
Add the juice from one lemon and the tahini in a food processor or blender and mix until a smooth paste.
Add olive oil, garlic, salt, and cumin to lemon tahini mix and blend until well combined and smooth.
Add the chickpeas and blend until completely smooth. This is where you will need to add the water or liquid from the chickpeas. Start by adding ONLY one tablespoon at a time until it’s the consistency you like. I enjoy really smooth and creamy hummus so I added about 3-4 tbsps of water.
Enjoy!

What is your favorite kind of hummus? Do you like it plain or with a little added pizzazz to it like roasted red peppers or kalamata olives?

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: creamy hummus, healthy snacks, spreads, vegan, vegan dips and spreads

Carrot Cake Oat Cake with Cashew and Date Frosting

June 25, 2012 By Bullfrogs and Bulldogs Leave a Comment

It’s no secret that I have a huge sweet tooth. I was all about chocolate for many years but I suppose my taste buds are changing cause this last year or so all I want are cookies, cakes, pastries and tarts. I thought that once we went vegan all my decadent cravings were going to have to be ignored forever. Truth be told, indulging my cravings is easy as ever and to be honest, I prefer the way vegan desserts taste. Although not technically ‘good’ for you, I feel better knowing they aren’t loaded with butter and other dairy products.

The other problem is I can’t have gluten. I mean I can, I don’t have celiac, but all sorts of unpleasant things happen to me so I do my absolute best to avoid them when possible. So when we are craving something sweet I have a few things I have to consider.

I came across this recipe on The Wellness Warrior, one of my favorite go to blogs for all sorts of nutritional and health information, and altered it to what I was craving, carrot cake.

This recipe is so easy and super fast to make.

What you will need:

{I only made 1/4 of what the recipe called for as I was only making it for D and I}

4 c. G/F Oats

2.5 c. Grated Carrots

4-6 Mashed Bananas

1.5 tsp Vanilla Extract

1.5 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 c. Honey

1. Mash up all the bananas until there are no clumps.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

3. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the Frosting;

Soak 1/2 c. cashew and 1/2 c pitted dates in water for an hour. Drain and put in mixer along with 1 tsp vanilla extract and blend. You may need to add a little nut milk or water to get a smoother, creamier consistency.

Enjoy!

I’m linking up to the following: Allergy Free Wednesdays

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Carrot Cake Oat Cake, gluten free, vegan