![Zucchini & Cauliflower Soup]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 29, 2017 | American, Dinner, Fall, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Soups, Summer, Vegetarian
My passion for soup intensifies every time I come up with a new way to blend different veggies. Since I’m usually always stirring in some kind of dairy into my soups- whether it’s milk, heavy cream or creme fraiche, this recipe is one I’m especially happy to show you because there is a secret ingredient in it that removes any need for dairy- perfect for vegans or those who are lactose-intolerant. 
Would you believe that the secret ingredient – cauliflower – is what makes it so creamy and milky? Without telling anyone there isn’t any cream in the dish, you might easily fool even your foodiest of foodie friends. Seriously. 
But there is another secret ingredient that is my go-to whenever I’m making soup and need a quick and convenient broth to add flavor and depth to all of my soups: the Saffron Road halal broths, whether it’s the vegetable, chicken or lamb broths. 
So you can start this dish with riced cauliflower OR fresh or frozen cauliflower florets. These are sautéed with chopped zucchini, some onion and garlic, too. Once the broth is added, the liquid should come to a boil. 
It should cook for about 20 minutes to soften all of the ingredients, then removed from heat and pureed with an immersion blender, one of my favorite kitchen gadgets to use when making my soups.
I then add in some fresh or dried herbs- always the fresh variety if and when you have those: parsley, dill, basil, cilantro- any or all of them. 
I like to serve this soup nice and thick with a drizzle of olive oil on top, but you could add more liquid- more broth or some water added to the broth. On the side, I love to serve this soup with Saffron Road’s Sea Salt Lentil Crackers, which are totally wheat free and a true gift to those who are avoiding wheat in their diets.
For that, I’m so thankful. Great halal products like Saffron Road’s broth and lentil crackers (which are also gluten free) that pay attention to the special diet needs so many people have today.
If you haven’t tried these products yet, check out my Instagram account on 11/30/17 where I’ll be giving away a week’s worth of Saffron Road coupons to one randomly-selected winner so there is no excuse not to give these fabulous products a try with your family.
To find out more about Saffron Road’s products and where they can be found at grocers near you, go to this link on their website. Follow them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
This post was sponsored by Saffron Road Food. All opinions, recipes and photos are generated by the author.
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![Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 23, 2017 | Breakfast & Brunch, Dessert, Fall, Vegetarian
If you’ve watched my Facebook Live video series with Dr. Madiha Saeed, you’ll probably know a little bit about this recipe and why it’s appearing here- because it’s a total family favorite- and now passed on to more family and friends.
Dr. Saeed started bringing this Pumpkin Cake to me to try quite some time ago and to show me how a non-dairy, non-wheat based “sweet” or treat could be healthy and delicious and easy to make –and something I would actually enjoy making and eating regularly.
And that’s exactly what this is- believe me, you just have to try it. You really won’t believe how good this recipe is and it will change the way you think about baking. I’m actually relieved that I can go dairy-free (if you don’t use ghee) and wheat-free and still have something to drink with my coffee or tea in the morning and afternoon- regularly.
[yumprint-recipe id=’120′]Get Dr. Saeed’s new book, The Holistic Rx: Your Guide to Healing Chronic Inflammation and Disease, on Amazon by clicking on the banner below:
![How to Make Almond Milk]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 20, 2017 | Drinks, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Recently I posted a series of photos on Instagram when I was beginning to make almond milk from scratch at home.
The last couple of times I tried store-bought almond milk (many years ago and then again recently), I was totally turned off by them because they didn’t truly taste like the milk was made from almonds. I was spoiled by how things really tasted in Sicily, where I not only had almond milk, but almond granita, almond gelato, etc. Everything tasted like almonds. As it should.
Even with store-bought almonds, one has to be sure they’re of the best quality, for the best taste. I did some sourcing of my own and found an organic almond farm in California where I purchased some of the best tasting almonds I’ve had since being in Sicily- seriously, by ordering them from Heron Fox Farm. 
To get started, I soak the almonds in a bowl overnight. They get nice and plump so make sure that you have enough water to cover them all.
The next morning, I remove the water and add the almonds to a blender with double the amount of water (i.e. 1 cup of almonds to 2 cups of water). I like that ratio but if you like more or less, it’s just something you’ll have to figure out by experimentation.
Next, blend them up really well so that there are no more large pieces of almond in the liquid.
Pour it over a cheesecloth-lined colander with a bowl underneath the colander.
Now use the sides of the cheesecloth – bring them up and use them to twist out the liquid as much as you can.
What remains on the bottom is your almond milk. 
What remains in the cheesecloth is what you can use as almond flour. I like to dry it out on the counter for the day, but it cannot stay out overnight as it could get moldy. You can put it in the fridge, but do not cover it or it will also get moldy- it does not like moisture. 
You can sweeten the milk with honey, molasses or maple syrup- or nothing at all. It’s all up to you. 
I like to save the milk for my cereal, my coffee, my oatmeal, my smoothies- the possibilities are seriously endless!
Have you ever had almond milk made like this? Will you make it yourself after reading this recipe?
![Cream of Broccoli & Cheddar Soup]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Dec 31, 2016 | Fall, Soups, Vegetarian, Winter
At this time of year, everyone talks about New Year’s resolutions. To top the list, it’s usually about getting fit and eating healthier. I think soups are one of the best kinds of dishes you can make at home to eat healthy, use up a lot of wonderful, delicious and seasonal ingredients and make great use of the money you spend on those ingredients. There’s no need to go to a restaurant just for a good soup, and those boxed soups just don’t cut it on the flavor and taste, in my opinion. Besides, you can control the amount of oils/fats and salt you use when making your own, which is something you’re not able to do when eating it elsewhere. Have I convinced you yet?
I know cooking takes time, and I am not an advocate of spending all your time in the kitchen. We all have lives to live and things to do, but planning ahead and cutting the work time in half by buying things already cut (i.e. riced broccoli; and a good quality vegetable broth like this one from Saffron Road, which is halal-certified and made with high quality ingredients). 
*My top tip for this recipe is to boil or steam the broccoli ahead of time because it makes for a creamier soup in the end. If you don’t have time to do that, it’s fine, but just be sure to use a minced or riced broccoli so that it cooks thoroughly in around 20 minutes. Once you puree it, it’ll be easier to do and result in a creamier soup.
Want to try the Culinary Classic Vegetable Broth by Saffron Road for yourself? Enter to win our giveaway for a FREE coupon here.
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![Spicy & Sweet Tropical Snack Mix]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Mar 23, 2015 | Appetizers & Snacks, Gluten-Free, Halal-Certified Products, Vegetarian
Snacks are so popular in America, and for good reason. Who doesn’t love something crunch, salty, even spicy any time of day? We work long hours, get hungry, don’t have a lot of time for complete meals, etc. etc. etc. The problem with snacking is that much of the pre-packaged options are filled with too much salt and sometimes even additives that are questionable at the very least. If you can’t pronounce it or if it sounds like something that came from a chemistry lab, should you really eat it?
That’s why I prefer to make my own snack mixes at home, sort of like making your own granola or trail mixes. You can buy the ingredients separately then mix at will. This keeps items fresher for longer (only opening up packages when you need them), and you know exactly what’s going into your mix.
I’ve made these before, slightly different, and this is a new one I particularly love because I have been craving spicy foods a lot lately. Since recipe testing for my new cookbook (insha’Allah), my taste buds have been all over the place, but I always go back to the spicy stuff. Also, dried fruits are almost always in my pantry and recently I was given two packages of dried mango from the Philippines that seemed too unique to simply eat alone. The ingredient that takes this snack mix to the next level, however, is the Bombay Spice Crunchy Chickpeas by Saffron Road.
There’s simply no other snack on the market that I know of or like that is quite like it- crunchy and spicy and good enough on their own, they’re really what makes this snack mix special. Mixed in with the sweetness of coconut, banana, mango, and pineapple and the additional salty and crunchy texture of peanuts, and you’ve got a great on–the-go snack or something you can munch on at your desk or at home. I particularly love it with a glass of tea, or some sort of Indian-spiced chai.
Here’s what you need to make it- and it takes literally under two minutes to do this:
One bag of this Bombay Spice Crunchy Chickpeas (you can locate them at a store near you by going to this page), or just get them online at the link highlighted.
Dried mango. I used two types- ‘green’, which has a yellow flesh and the more common one with the deeper orange colored flesh. You can typically find these anywhere, too, but head to an Asian grocery store for some of the more interesting varieties. The ones I’m using come from Profood International, but more specifically they are Philippine mangoes.
I use kitchen shears to cut both up, as the green ones are quite lumpy and the orange ones too long for this dish unless cut.
These are the dried ‘green’ mangoes, which obviously look more yellow.
I also add dried banana- you can find these salted or unsalted, your preference. I like my snacks salty, but that’s just me. Same goes for the peanuts, if they’re salted (not pictured).
Coconut flakes are so lovely in this mix. If you get the large flakes, they smell heavenly and really go incredibly well with the heat of the Bombay Spice Crunchy Chickpeas, which aren’t too hot, in my opinion. I don’t have a super high tolerance for hot foods, so I’d call the heat pretty mild in those.
I love the softness in the texture of ‘dried’ pineapple, as the center should still be pretty chewy. I don’t get the kind with added sugar on top, but if that’s what you like, go for the ‘candied dried pineapple’.
There’s no particular order in which to mix everything together, but I like to start with the dried fruits on the bottom and put the chickpeas on top since they have all that spice and then fold it all into the rest of the ingredients- sort of like when you add blueberries to a muffin mix and you don’t want the blueberries to run through the batter, so you gently fold them into the rest.
Then it should end up looking like this.
You can serve in one big bowl, of course, or in several individual ones.
For evening or work-at-home snacks, I love to put these in small bowls for each person to enjoy.
With a cup of tea, of course.
How do you like this snack idea? Is it something you would try? What other Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpea would you use instead, if any?
*This post was sponsored by Saffron Road Food.
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![Creamy Mashed Potatoes]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 28, 2014 | Fall, Potato Dishes, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian, Winter
I can’t remember the last time we had mashed potatoes from a box. Just the thought of it brings to mind the empty feeling I get from any foods that are simply a semblance of real food. I know it’s convenient, economical and sometimes the only option for people, but perhaps if we looked to our grandparents and those before them and how not everything they made from scratch in their kitchens was difficult, messy and unworthy of our time. In fact, a recipe for mashed potatoes is one of those things that you learn how to make once or twice and you’re good for life. Never be intimidated by the process of boiling, peeling and mixing- and there definitely is no need for fancy gadgets like the one I’ve used below- a simple hand masher will do the trick just as well.
Here goes…
Maybe the most difficult part is peeling the potatoes. If that is too cumbersome, make it a rustic mashed potatoes dish and leave the peels on (just make sure you scrub the surfaces very clean before boiling). I also add a couple parsnips to the mix just because I like the added texture they give to the potatoes, but if you don’t have them or don’t want to use them, just leave them out altogether.
For 3-5 pounds of potatoes, I place peeled and quartered potatoes in a large Dutch oven of salted boiling water and cook on medium-high for about 30 minutes.
Simply stick a knife or fork into the potatoes to test their softness.
Drain immediately and let them cool a bit.
*At this point, you can even leave them in the fridge, covered, overnight and work on the next part when you’re ready. The only difference here is that you should reheat the potatoes (i.e. in the microwave) before making additions and mixing it all together.
Next, either place the potatoes in a large bowl or in your stand mixer (you can do this in parts if you have a large amount here like I did. Add salt and pepper generously but if you’re also going to top with gravy, you may want to hold back a little on the salt.
Next add the sour cream. I use whole milk sour cream, just my preference as any other type makes the potatoes watery, in my opinion.
And the whole milk (for the same reason). I always warm up the milk because I don’t like cold milk in warm potatoes. Also add softened butter, unsalted so you can control the amount of salt overall.
Use the paddle attachment for the stand mixer if you’re using that appliance.
With the stand mixer, you should be able to reach a desired consistency within 30 seconds on medium-high. Always be careful not to over mix, as the potatoes will become gluey.
Top with fresh or dried herbs and/or your favorite recipe for gravy.
Now you can tweak, enjoy, and make it over and over again!
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