Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Easy Pickling Recipe for Veggies with a seasoning packet.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Condiments, Gluten Free, Pantry, Side dish, Snacks, Vegan, Wheat Free

While exploring one of my favorite little markets this past weekend I noticed packets of pickling spices. I haven’t used them before but we have quite a crop of cucumbers in our garden and I thought it would be fun to make my own pickles…the way we like them. Using a seasoning packet makes pickling very fast and easy needless to say. This recipe is extremely flexible and so easy. These little jars will sit in our fridge for about 2-3 weeks before consuming. Also, make a great hostess gift if you’re attending a party or bbq.

Tip: Save any glass jars you have in your pantry. My favorite are my artichoke jars that are empty. Perfect for overnight oats or pickles!

Ingredients:

Packet or two of pickling spices
3 cups of vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar are perfect)
3 cups of water
5 tbl of organic white sugar
2 tbl of salt
4 small/medium sized cucumbers
2 large beets
3 jalapenos
1 small red onion
5 cloves of garlic
Dill or your favorite herbs
Other veggies that would work well:
Green beans
Okra
Asparagus
Carrots
Radishes

These are all estimates of portions. Depending on your jars, you can fit more or less. I just prefer to cut the veggies thinner so more surface can be pickled. Place the herbs in the bottom, garlic if using and 1 tbl or so of the spice blend. Then pack in the veggies along with another 1 tbl or more of the spice blend. Then top off with more veggies. Pour the liquid over the top and fill to the top of the jar. Once cooled, place the lid on top and store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks prior to consuming. The longer you allow to pickle, the more intense the flavor.

So for my batch of beets I added no herbs but just the pickling spice and liquid.

The cukes got dill, garlic, jalapeño, spice blend and liquid.

I then pickled the red onion with just the spices/liquid.

I did one jar of jalapeños with spices/liquid.

Add what you love. Have fun with this food project. 🙂


Method:

Into a saucepan, add your vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Turn the heat up to medium and whisk to combine. The sugar and salt will take about 2 minutes to melt. Once done, turn the heat off and allow to cool a bit.

Into you jars, pour the liquid carefully over your veggies filling to the top of each jar. Allow to cool a bit and place the lid on. Refrigerate for at least 2 weeks. The longer, the more intense the flavors.

If you’re pickling beets- my tip is after slicing them add some coarse salt to the palms of your hands and “wash” to remove the red color from your skin. Then wash with soap and water.

Can’t wait to hear what you pickle!

~ox

— Knead to Cook

Super easy pickled red onions and jalapeños.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Condiments, Gluten Free, Salads, Vegan, Wheat Free

Hi friends and happy weekend – well almost! This week’s recipe is a super simple but one that will become a must have for sure. Pickled onions and jalapeños are perfect on your veggie burger, bagels with tofu, grain bowl or big ole salad. It add a punch of tangy flavor and crunch that is unmistakeable. Plus that lovely pink color is perfect! This recipe takes about 4 minutes to make and you can easily double or triple as needed. You can also do carrot chips, garlic cloves, radishes or whatever veg you want with this recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 large red onion, sliced very thin
3 jalapeños, seeded or not – sliced thin
1/2 cup of water
1/3 cup of vinegar, white
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
2 teaspoons of salt
Optional: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes

Method:

Into a saucepan, add your water through salt. Bring to a boil and whisk to combine. Then promptly remove from the heat. Into a large glass Ball or Weck jar – add your onions and jalapeño slices. Carefully, pour the hot brine over the onions to coat. With a spoon push the onions down firmly into the jar (being very careful) and seal. Place the fridge for at least 10-12 hours before eating.

— Knead to Cook

The easiest triple nut butter. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Condiments, Gluten Free, Nuts, Pantry, Vegan, Vinaigrette, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations 1 Comment

While testing some breakfast cookie recipes yesterday I ran out of almond butter. Needless to say, I whipped out my food processor and got to work. Any nut butter is truly so simple to make and I’m a huge fan of controlling what ingredients go into my food so this one is super clean and oh so tasty, with the help of a simple tip listed in the recipe below. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 cups of nuts (your choice) I used raw walnuts, almonds and cashews. Pecans, pepitas or sunflower seeds also work beautifully too!


Optional mix-ins:

1 tsp Celtic or himalayan salt
Medjool date
maple syrup
chia seeds
flax seeds

Method:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place a single layer of your nuts onto a baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool completely.

Place the cooled nuts into your food processor and blend for about one and a half minutes. The mixture should be creamy (if you want chunkier, check after 45 seconds). If you’re adding salt or any other mix-ins, add and blend again quickly.

Store in an airtight glass container in your pantry. Enjoy!

No need to pre-soak your nuts of choice.

Allow the nuts to cool before processing.
Still a bit chunkier for me, I blended to 1:30 minutes for the perfect creamy texture.

— Knead to Cook

The easiest red cabbage quick pickle.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Brunch, Condiments, Gluten Free, Party Foods, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 8 Comments


Look at that color!  So we eat with our eyes first, right? Ha.  This weekend I was a bit determined to make my first batch of pickled red cabbage.  I love kimchi, anything fermented or pickled for my salads.  Plus add a big bonus for gut health. I’m a big fan of controlling what ingredients go into my food and when buying mass produced products, typically the salt levels are off the charts in conjunction with sugar overload.  No thank you!

This recipe is super simple – seriously, you can’t screw it up for all those recipe phobic. Add this or remove that (referring to the jalapeño) and then let it do its thing.

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— Knead to Cook

Spicy Beet Ketchup. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Condiments, Gluten Free, Holiday, Sauces, Side dish, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free 4 Comments

If you’ve ever eaten at By Chloe, you’ve had the pleasure of trying beet ketchup.  I had never even heard of it prior to eating at Chloe’s restaurant but once taste… and Bill & I were head over heels.

So that’s where the inspiration for this yummy recipe started.  I researched several recipes online and this was the final creation.  Pretty easy.  I also went the spicy route but you can easily omit if you don’t prefer spice.  This ketchup is perfect with roasted veggies, especially sweet potatoes!  My husband loved it on his vegan burger as well.

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— Knead to Cook

Lemon kale hummus. Vegan and GF.

by Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Condiments, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, Health & wellness, Party Foods, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations 1 Comment


Learning that photoshoots on rainy, dark, dismal days need to be avoided.  After hundreds of images, this was my only acceptable lead photo.  Sorry about that BUT this recipe, it’s seriously OH SO GOOD!

Now I know many, I mean MANY, people despise the rough, hearty texture of kale.  I get it.  I don’t like it raw either.  But massaging it with oil, salt or lemon juice for a salad like this one can change your mind.  With that being said, sautéing kale can also transform it into a lovely version of itself.  See where I’m going?  Don’t judge a book but it’s hard exterior.

I have a lot of kale (many different versions) in my garden.  I was cooking for a client and knowing I wanted to use up some of my kale… hummus came to mind.  This hummus takes a different spin, because your cooking it, but the end result is simply amazing.  I love hummus for salads, Buddha bowls, mixed with ACV for dressing or classically styled with raw veggies.  You choose, but you have to try this recipe.

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— Knead to Cook

Maille FlavorHero Dijon Recipes. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Condiments, Dips, Dressings, Gluten Free, Raw, Rubs, Salads, Sauces, Side dish, Snacks, Sponsored, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vegetarian, Vinaigrette, Vitamix 4 Comments


Incorporating flavor into existing recipes or food preparation can seem daunting but going to back to basics can be quite impactful and so simple to do.  I’ve long loved Maille Dijon and have created many recipes using their flavorful Dijons.  And let me digress by saying not all Dijons on the market are created equal.  La Maison Maille has been producing for more than 267 years. The tradition is kept alive by the team of experts who create the products today, preserving the excellence that defines La Maison Maille in a continual quest for innovation and perfection. It is the attention to detail that sets La Maison Maille apart – the carefully selected ingredients, the nuances of the recipes, the expertise in the methods used and the elegant black and gold packaging.

Maille is currently running a Flavor Heroes Contest that you can enter.  All you need to do it tell them how you use a Maille product to enhance your favorite dishes and you can be featured in a recipe video along with winning  a 5 piece signature Le Creuset cookware.  Click here to enter!  And now let me share some ways I incorporate their products into 3 of my favorite dishes.

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— Knead to Cook

Roasted Red Beet Hummus. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Beans, Brunch, Condiments, Dips, Dressings, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Party Foods, Running/Races, Sauces, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

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Roasted red beet hummus.

I’ll admit, I was never a beet fan.  It wasn’t until I was at a party & my friend Julianne implored me to try one that I realized — I loved it!  I always play around with them. Roasted, pickling & eating raw.  Beets are a wonderful anti-inflammatory food, which in my world is very necessary.  My husband always jokes that they taste like dirt but they don’t and this hummus is a fun way to transform a beet.  Plus, hummus is one of the most versatile and protein-packed food for plant-based eaters.

So you think hummus is just for dipping chips or veggies?  Umm no.  Here are some ideas of how you can eat hummus every single day… you can add a dollop of hummus to your salad in lieu of dressing.  Use it as a spread on your sandwiches instead of mayo or mustard.  Spread on Romaine lettuce leaves and top with veggies for a fun snack. You can also thin hummus out with a tablespoon of water and use it as a creamy sauce.  Of

Beets are a very economical food especially if purchased at a local farmer’s market.  Roast several up in the oven and they keep perfectly in the fridge all week.  Okay so let’s get started on this recipe – I’m so captivated by that color!

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— Knead to Cook

Lima Bean Garlic Hummus. V. GF.

by Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Condiments, Dips, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Side dish, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

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Lima Bean Hummus. Vegan & gluten free.

I love to cook seasonally.  I shop at farmer’s markets at least 2 times a week and love buying local seasonal produce.  I’ve been seeing tons of lima beans popping up & wanted to put a spin on their preparation v. the traditional boiling method.  Plus my girls will eat hummus but not a lima beans.

We consume a lot of hummus in our house.  I love it on my daily monstrous salad as an extra boost of protein & because I don’t use dressing – I like the flavor punch hummus provides.  My husband uses it daily on his veggie sandwiches he takes to work.  Plus of course, dipping veggies, crackers and chips is a must.  Lima beans are buttery in texture and are a wonderful source of Thiamin, B6 and folate.  The blend down to a lovely consistency in hummus… and if you like to mix up your beans, and plant based proteins – you will love this one.
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— Knead to Cook

Smoky Vegan Cheese Sauce.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Condiments, Dips, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free 1 Comment

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Ahhhh the last official long weekend of summer.  I’m so ready for fall.  In fact, today we woke up to a brisk 60 something degree morning & I couldn’t be happier.  This all despite the fact that our rare beach day left me fried on my back (because I forgot to take care of sunscreening after coating everyone else).  I love fall so much more than summer… I know, most of you are probably in disagreement.  But the pumpkin has emerged in my kitchen & heartier dishes are on my mind.

Case in point… this sauce.  I often get asked what inspires me.  Recipes I eat, I read about, research & inevitably the nay sayers who truly believe that vegan food is disgusting.  Dare I say… so not the case.  This recipe base is not nut based like my other cheesy sauce recipes here or here.  This recipe is vegetable based and oh so creamy good.  And that color is natural versus the mass-produced, chemically-laden counterpart you purchase at the grocery story.   This sauce is perfect for nachos, taco night, dipping, spreading or as a sauce over pasta.  Totally kid-friendly & parent approved.
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— Knead to Cook