Vegan Mofo Day 4 Art Inspired - Tomato Crisps

Today's Vegan Mofo prompt is "Artist inspired" – Art comes in many forms – how can you use it to inspire you?

I can't say I'm a very 'arty' type of person. I would love to be able to do incredible paintings or drawings but it's just not me!
But it got me thinking how sometimes we wander through art galleries and realise that art can be splattered colours on a canvas and it's up to the individual to interpret it as they choose........
So today I bring you my "blobs" of colour in food form ;-) haha

TOMATO CRISPS

In a mixing bowl combine a can of diced tomatoes with  

1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves. 

Mix until the basil leaves are evenly distributed. 

Spread the tomato mixture over dehydrator trays in a thin but even layer. 

Dehydrate overnight until crisp.

Use a pizza cutter to slice into cracker size pieces. 

These super easy crisps are fantastic by themselves, or they make great crackers for hummus, tofu dips, and other dips and spreads. 

What do you reckon? Are they kind of "arty"??? ;-) 

Refried Bean Dip with Corn Crisps

Brace yourself --> I bring you fabulous news!!!
It is possible to make delicious Corn Chips that haven't been deep fried!

Here's how:

Layer half a can of creamed corn onto a lined dehydrator tray.
(You can use as many cans and trays as you like.)
Dehydrate for 8-10 hours, time will vary depending on your dehydrator. You can tell when it is done as the colour will have changed completely and the corn will be crisp.
Note: You can stir into the corn some paprika or taco flavoured spices if you desire.

 Gently pull the lining away from the corn crisps, being careful not to split them.

Using a large knife, slice into pieces (or you can do it with your hands if you'd rather!).

Serve! 

Yes, it's really that simple!  
The hardest part is waiting for the dehydrator whilst a delicious aroma fills your home!

Now for a perfectly paired dip.


Mix a can of re-fried beans with 1/4 cup diced tomatoes (either canned or freshly chopped). Stir until the re-fried beans are now more spreadable.
Pour bean mix into a serving container.
Chop 1/2 red capsicum into little pieces, sprinkle over the top of the dip along with 1/2 can drained corn kernels and 1 chopped spring onion. You can put a dollop of salsa in the middle if you like for presentation purposes.

 

Would you like an invite to our home for pre-dinner snacks???

PB Carrot Crackers

Meatless Monday has returned! :-) 

Today we're cooking with oats.

Peanut Butter Carrot Crackers

You'll need:

4 medium carrots

1 cup oats

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon each: nutmeg, cardamom, allspice

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup raisins

Using a food processor, shred the carrots. Add the oats, flax, and spices. Blend til oats are broken down and not chunky pieces remain.

Add the peanut butter and water. Blend til a thick paste is formed. The mixture will be very sticky.

Add the raisins and blend for a few seconds until they are distributed evenly but not broken into pieces.

Use a spatula to spread the mixture onto lined dehydrator sheets. Number of sheets will depend on the size of your dehydrator, I used three sheets.

Dehydrate for 10-12 hours.

Slice with a pizza cutter! 

 Store in a cookie jar. Will keep for a week. They will get crispier the longer they are stored.

I am also submitting this recipe to I am Vegetarian - Hear me Raw.

Question of the day:
Do you own a dehydrator?
Do you use it for more than just fruit and vegetables?