Whole Food Market's Morning Glory Muffins

Makes 16

Whole wheat pastry flour combines with apples, raisins, carrots, coconut and walnuts in these nutritious and satisfying muffins. You can also try our Gluten-free Morning Glory Muffins.

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed natural brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Fuji apple, cored, peeled and diced
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dried flaked unsweetened coconut, divided

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; break up any brown sugar lumps with your fingers or a wooden spoon.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and vanilla, then add to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Add apples, raisins, carrots, walnuts and 1/4 cup of the coconut and stir gently until well combined.

Spoon batter into 16 paper-lined muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 full. Top evenly with remaining 4 teaspoons coconut and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Tips: Substitute 1/2 cup apple sauce for 1/3 cup of the oil.
Use currants instead of raisins
reduce the sugar by using the brown sugar and just half the white sugar, or you can leave the white sugar out completely.
or sub with 1/2 C pure maple syrup and 1/4 C nutra farmed(sweeter) brown rice syrup
substitute coconut flakes with flaxseed meal

Stir Fry Sauces

Stir Fry Sauce is a basic combination of four tastes.The flavors should be balanced so that no one overwhelms the others. This usually means there is about 3 to 4 times more wine than soy. The sour and sweet are usually in smaller amounts;
Salt - usually Soy Sauce in one form or another, ie Thick, Thin, etc.
Bitter - Wine - Cooking Sherry, Mirin, Sake, Chinese Cooking Wine (also adds saltiness), etc.
Sour - Vinegar in whatever form you like (balsamic, rice wine vinegar), OJ (combines sour & sweet)
Sweet - Sugar, agave,

Then you can add other flavors like fermented black beans (makes it saltier), peanut butter, almond butter, chili, garlic, herbs, etc.The Corn Starch is only used for thickening. It doesn't add any appreciable taste (unless it's undercooked, and then it's not particularly good.Likewise, the Sesame Oil doesn't add much taste if it's cooked along with everything (just adds extra calories and oiliness). It's meant to be used as perfume, and should be added just after the dish is taken off the heat. Only a small amount is necessary.

Basic Stir Fry sauce
(makes for 2)
1 1/ 2 tsp. sesame oil
1/ 2 tsp. minced garlic
1/ 2 tsp. minced ginger
1/ 2 cup broth
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1/ 8 tsp. Tabasco
1/ 2 tsp. salt
1/ 4 tsp. pepper
1 1/ 2 tsp. lemon or lime juice
1 1/ 2 tsp.cornstarch
1 Tbs. rice wine or sherry

Heat the sesame oil in a small saucepan. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry 15-30 second over medium heat to bring out the flavor. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, Tabasco, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Bring just to a boil, stirring. Dissolve the cornstarch in the wine and whisk into the sauce. Heat until sauce thickens and reaches a full boil. Simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Garlic Sesame Stri fry sauce
(makes for 2)
1/ 2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbs. soy sauce
3 Tbs. broth
1 Tbs. sugar
2 1/ 4 tsp. lemon juice
1/ 3 cup sesame oil
2 1/ 4 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 1/ 2 tsp. water

Combine the pepper, soy sauce, chicken broth, sugar and lemon juice. In a small saucepan heat the sesame oil. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute until soft but not browned. Add the soy sauce mixture and bring just to a boil. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and let boil 20 seconds. Remove from the heat.

10 Minute Stir-Fry Sauce
3 tablespoons tamari sauce or soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons chili-garlic hot sauce
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste (or 3 cloves minced garlic and 1 small piece ginger minced)
3-4 tablespoon ketchup

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 2 vegetable bouillon cubes. After the cubes dissolve, add 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce, 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste and 3-4 tablespoons ketchup. Cook on medium heat and bring to a boil.

or use 2 tbsp of brown sugar instead of the ketchup, throw in a little peanut butter to thicken the sauce.

Simple asian sauce
soy sauce
sugar to taste
orange or lime juice
S + P
cornstarch to thicken it

Vietnamese Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice or white vinegar
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks
3 tablespoons
sugar
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce, chopped fresh hot chilies, dried red chili flakes, or other hot sauce

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a mini food processor or a blender and blend until smooth. Serve in small bowls at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Makes about 2/3 cup.

Thai Stir-fry Sauce
3 to 4 T low sodium soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/3 c. filtered water, vegetable stock
2 T. Natural peanut butter (smooth)
1 jalapeño pepper (deseeded)
2 cloves garlic
, chopped
2 T scallions, chopped
1 t. ginger, chopped
2 T Mirin (sweet sake)
2 fresh mint leaves (1/4 t. dried)
1 T chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a blender, blending until smooth.

Avocado Wasabi Sauce

1 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsely
1 green onion, minced
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp Braggs
2 tsp wasabi powder or to taste (I used double that cause I like it)
2/3 cup homemade tofu mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Transfer to tightly covered container and refrigerate. Is best used within an hour or so of being made.

We found this avocado wasabi sauce great on bean burgers, or as a dip for raw carrots. The smooth texture of the avocado and the zip of the wasabi make an unsuspectingly great combination of flavors. We haven’t tried it on eggs yet - if you do, let us know what you think.

Onigiri balls and Sushi Rice Vinegar

Ingredients
(makes about 2-3 rice balls)
1 c short Brown Rice
3 c water
1⁄4 t Salt
8 Sheets sushi nori seaweed
Umeboshi paste

Place a cutting board or wax paper on the counter and wet your hands throughly. This is to keep the rice from sticking to your hands (although some grains will still stick) and to keep your hands cool from the hot rice. Then place nori on top of paper and several spoonfuls of rice in the center of each nori sheet. Scoop some rice with a spoon or scooper approx 1/3- 1/2 cup of rice for every rice ball
Make a deep crater in the rice ball, but don't puncture it to the point that your fingers slip to the other side! This is where your filling is going to go, so just deep enough to place things in. Insert your fillings into the hole. Make sure that you don't overfill it! Fold some rice over the hole/crater so that all fillings are hidden.

Tips:
Mix sesame seeds in with the rice before you form the rice balls. You can use regular sesame seeds (goma) or black sesame seeds (kurogoma).

Umeboshi either in the center or torn up and mixed into the rice.

Fresh ginger salad dressing mixed with rice!

Use commercial rice seasonings which typically contain some nori, sesame and some other flavors.

Use vinegar or salt on the rice for additional taste or make a solution of the two plus sugar and pour a little at a time onto the hot rice, cutting and folding it into the rice. Don't use too much of the solution as the purpose is to enhance the flavor of the rice -not overpower it. A solution of salt, rice vinegar and water folded into the rice will make the rice a bit stickier which can be beneficial if your rice balls tend to fall apart.

Dip your hands in salt water to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands as your form the rice balls.If you have difficulty sealing up rice balls with fillings, when you form the rice ball, form two halves with filling and put them together, using the salt water solution to help you to smooth and seal the seams.Try to get all the liquid out of a filling, because wet fillings makes your onigiri soggy, unappetizing, and falls apart.

Serve with a sauce made of soy sauce and some gari (pickled ginger) and wasabi.

Other fillings:
Sweet red bean paste (Anko) for a more desserty onigiri, however doesn't go well with nori
Grilled smoked Tofu
Steamed Carrot sticks
chopped up pickles (tsukemono)
pickled plum (umeboshi)
Ground veggie meat cooked with grated or chopped ginger, then flavored with soy sauce, some red pepper flakes, sake or mirin, and sugar. It should be quite dry. Curry flavored veggie ground meat mixture works surprisingly well too.
Tofu Wasabi Spread (really Thick)


Sushi vinegar mix (awase-zu)
If you can't get prepared sushi vinegar you can make it thus:
Mix 1/4 cup of rice vinegar or mild cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of mirin, sake or sweet brandy, and 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Heat over low heat in a small saucepan, and stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved. This is enough to flavor 4 cups of rice, so adjust the amount according to the amount of rice you have.

Vegetarian Hand Rolled Sushi (Temaki)

Ingredients

* Sushi rice (brown rice or white rice)
* Nori

Possible filling ingredients:

* Carrot, julienned
* Orange and red bell peppers, julienned
* Cucumber, julienned (Chinese B without seeds, or regular is also ok)
* Asparagus
* Avocado
* Scallions, julienned


Garnishes:

* Black sesame seeds
* White sesame seeds
* Black sesame seeds/salt combination

Directions

Place a half sheet of nori horizontally in front of you on your mat. Place rice on left third of nori, leaving border of nori all around. Place filling ingredients vertically across middle of rice. Fold near corner of nori over to begin folding into cone shape. Continue to roll until cone is formed.

Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce as condiments.

Basic Miso Soup

For about 4 servings, you need:

* 4 cups of basic dashi stock (see below)
* 1/3 - 1/2 cup of miso
* gu or extra ingredients (see note below)

Heat up the dashi if it's cooled. Simmer any hard ingredients, such as potatoes or daikon radish until tender.

Add any ingredients that don't need any cooking, such as wakame seaweed or tofu.

Take the miso in a ladle, and add a little bit of the hot stock, Mix the miso and stock together in the ladle with a chopstick until the miso is dissolved. This step ensures that there will be no lumps. (Go easy on the miso amount at first, and taste. If you need to add more you can.)

Dissolve the miso mixture in the soup. Don't let it boil or the flavor will dissipate. Serve immediately.

Here are some easy ingredients combinations, or gu, that you can put in the miso soup:

* Cubed tofu and presoaked wakame seaweed cut into small pieces. (A very easy to handle brand of wakame is "Fueru Wakame-chan", available in Japanese or Asian food stores. It comes in precut form in little pouches. Wakame can also be used in seaweed salad. Soak it briefly before using - oversoaking makes it slimy.
Hint: to cube tofu so that it doesn't fall apart, cut it up on a wet chopping board and slide it in the pan slowly, or else cut it up on the palm of your hand.
* Cubed potatoes (simmered in the soup until tender) and wakame. This is one of my favorites in the cold months.
* Julienned daikon radish, simmered until tender.
* Julienned cabbage, simmered until tender.
* Sliced button or shiitake mushrooms, or canned nameko mushrooms., with tofu and some chopped green onion added just before serving.



Vegetarian / Vegan dashi (Japanese stock)

Mizu dashi (water dashi) with kombu
My preference is for a simple kombu based stock, which can be made quite easily by soaking a piece of good quality kombu in water in a closed container overnight in the fridge. Put about a 30cm / 12 inch long piece of kombu in about 2 litres (8 cups) of filtered water. This is more kombu than for the regular kombu and katsuobushi stock, since the kombu has to produce all the umami on its own. If you don’t have time to soak it overnight, you can soak it for a minimum of half an hour at room temperature.

To use, bring the dashi up to a simmer (not a full boil), then take out the kombu. This produces a light colored, subtly flavored dashi. The soaked kombu can be cooked further until soft, and used in stewed dishes and the like.

Dashi using shiitake mushrooms and kombu
If the kombu dashi is too subtle for you, you can try tossing in a couple of good quality dried (never fresh) shiitake mushrooms in the water. This needs to be soaked for at least a couple of hours, or until the shiitake are quite soft. This will produce a light brown colored dashi with an assertive shiitake flavor, which is especially suitable for dishes that will include the shiitake. The soaked shiitake can be used in your dish.

Saving the soaking liquid from shiitake mushrooms
Finally, if you are using shiitake mushrooms for a dish and reconstituting them anyway, save the soaking liquid to use as dashi in the future. I keep the cut off hard stems in it to extract a bit more flavor. It will keep for a few days in the fridge, or can be frozen. (I freeze it in small ziplock bags, laid flat.)

Instant Miso Soup on Go

All you need is a source of boiling water at lunchtime. Put the miso ball and ingredients in the bowl (or you can use a mug), add hot water, and let it sit for a few minutes while the ingredients expand and flavors amalgamate.

The basic rules

* If the added ingredients are salty, use 1 teaspoon miso for an average size miso bowl (which contains about 3/4 cups, or 180ml, of liquid). If the added ingredients are not salted, use 2 teaspoons. Put the miso paste in a twist of plastic wrap.
* Dried ingredients like wakame and finely chopped up ingredients can be combined directly in the miso.
* More watery ingredients like spinach leaves should be carried separately (just tuck them in a corner of your bento box).
* Big dried ingredients should also be carried separately - e.g. komachi-bu, dried wheat gluten.

Some ideas for miso ball miso soups

* Wakame: 1 miso ball combined with a pinch of dried wakame seaweed
* Finely chopped green onion with a 2 tsp. miso ball.
* A small umeboshi with a 1 tsp. miso ball. Interesting sour-salty combo.
* Baby spinach leaves with 2 tsp. miso ball
* Shredded lettuce with 2 tsp. miso ball
* Your favorite furikake with a 1 tsp. miso ball
* Shredded nori and a 2 tsp. miso ball
* Komachi-bu is a small form of fu, dried wheat gluten. It expands in hot water, and has an interesting texture. Use with a 2 tsp. miso ball, perhaps with some green onions.
* Finely cut aburaage (fried bean curd) with a 2 tsp. miso ball
* A spoonful of mixed frozen vegetables (the classic carrots-and-peas for example) with a 2 tsp. miso ball
* A spoonful of frozen or canned corn with a 2 tsp. miso ball

Instant Mediterranean vegetable soup concentrate

makes about 10 portions

1 medium onion
1 garlic clove
1 large green pepper
1 large red pepper
1 fennel bulb
1 medium carrot
2 stalks of celery
1 big bunch of parsley
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 small (1 lb or 400g) can of crushed tomatoes
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. salt and 1 vegetable stock cube, OR 1 Tbs. salt

Chop up all of the vegetables fairly finely but not too finely. You can do this in a food processor, or just chop by hand.

Heat up a heavy bottomed pot with the olive oil. Add all the vegetables, and sauté until limp.

Add the can of tomatoes and tomato paste, plus a little water (rinse out the can and pour that water in). Add the herbs, salt and stock cube. Bring to a boil, then simmer over a low heat until the mixture has reduced to about 1/4th, stirring up from the bottom occasionally to prevent it from burning. The moisture should be just about gone, and it should look like a very thick vegetable-studded sauce. The cooking down process takes about half an hour or more, so you’ll want to do this when you can be around the kitchen to check up on its progress.

Let the mixture cool, and take out the bay leaf. If you taste it at this point it should be quite salty - too salty to eat on its own, since you will be diluting it with hot water.

Wrap up 2 tablespoon portions in plastic wrap, put the packets in a zip bag, and freeze. . Squeeze out the contents of the defrosted packet into a mug or bowl. Add boiling water. Mmm, piping hot veggie soup.


Notes

Adding some precooked pasta and beans will turn this into a minestrone!

The plastic wrap packet does tend to leak a bit once the mixture has defrosted, so be sure not to carry it on its own. Yu may want to put it inside a divider cup in your bento if you don’t want the surrounding food to be tomato-stained.

There’s a lot of salt in this, because it is a concentrate. If you want to regulate the salt more, omit it from the concentrate and add salt to taste when you mix up your cup of soup. Sprinkling in some dried herbs when mixing will help with that too.

Freeze it in ice cube trays. Ice cube trays will hold 2 tablespoon portions and then the soup cubes can be stored in one plastic bag or storage bowl with lid.

Lasagna Ideas

vegetarian "white" lasagnas with bechamel, ricotta, parmesan, garlic, herbs and whatever veggies are in season. My favorites are spinach; zucchini and fresh oregano, marjoram, and a little basil; or eggplant, fresh tomato, basil and sage.

Vegan Moussaka

Makes 8 servings.
1 medium eggplant
2 medium zucchinis
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, sliced
28-oz. can crushed peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large baking potato
1 tablespoon olive oil for drizzling on top
Chopped fresh parsley for garnis

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Salt the slices and let them "sweat" for 10 minutes. You 'sweat' the egg plant by gently salting the eggplant slices and letting them sit in a colander in the sink or on a tray for 30 minutes, then wash the salt off. This pulls out the bitterness.

Cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, and set aside. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is transparent and lightly browned.

Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Lightly oil the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Peel the potato and cut it lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Layer the potato slices in the bottom of a baking dish, and spoon one-third of the tomato sauce over them. Then layer eggplant, one-third of tomato sauce, zucchini slices, and finally the rest of the tomato sauce. Drizzle the top with olive oil.
Cover with a baking dish lid or foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

7Remove from the oven and remove the cover. Ladle Vegan Béchamel Sauce over the casserole and put back in the oven to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is nicely browned. Let sit a half hour before cutting and serving. Garnish each serving with lots of chopped fresh parsley.

Bechamel Sauce (Flour Based) and Variations

Sauce to serve with meals or as topping. Semi-liquid béchamel sauce can be poured over vegetables, rice, etc. (esp goes well with roasted asparagus)

Pour over Casseroles for Vegetable, pasta and fish bakes. Top with béchamel and breadcrumbs or béchamel and cheese and bake. Especially can be used for creaming in macaroni cheese, lasagne and moussaka, au gratin potatoes, spinach or chard gratin etc

Basic white sauce (Bechamal)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter (or clarified Ghee or Vegan Butter like eartbalance)
2 Tbsp. flour (whole Wheat Flour or Vital Wheat Gluten would work as well)
1 cup milk or soy milk
dash salt
dash white pepper
1 pinch nutmeg (Optional)

Preparation:
In heavy saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Stir in flour with a wire whisk. Cook over low heat for three minutes, stirring constantly (This mixture is called a roux). Do not allow the mixture to brown. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat for 3-5 more minutes until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat when the sauce is sufficiently thick – it should coat the back of a spoonSeason to taste. Makes 1 cup.

extra notes:
Once you've heated the butter and flour, add the milk very slowly, while stirring. The flour will bubble and expand; stir vigorously to keep lumps from forming. Should they form anyway, reduce the flow of milk to a trickle until you've stirred them out. Once you've added all the milk, stir the sauce slowly over a moderate flame until it thickens. Depending upon what you plan to use it for, you may wish to season it with salt and pepper to taste.

OR To avoid getting lumps, let the flour and butter form a paste that comes off the sides of the pan when you add the first bit of milk. If not, cheat and use a blender.

Healthier Version:
Replace the flour with cornflour, leave out the butter, and use semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. Mix 40g of cornflour and 500ml of milk in a bottle and shake vigorously, then thicken over a low heat.

Flavouring béchamel:
Add seasoning and flavouring to béchamel at the end of cooking so you get the quantity right.

Mornay Sauce:
Add 1/2 cup of grated Swiss, Gruyere or Emmanthal cheese after sauce thickens. Remove from heat and whisk until melted and smooth.

Onion White Sauce
Cook 1 Tbsp. minced onion in the butter until translucent. Then add the flour and continue with the recipe.

Mustard White Sauce
Whisk in 1-2 tsp. prepared mustard after the sauce is thickened.

Brown Sauce
When cooking the flour and butter mixture together, stir constantly and cook until the mixture begins to turn brown. Use stock instead of the milk.

Curry Sauce
Add 1-3 tsp. of curry powder (to taste) to the butter and simmer for 1 minute before adding the flour. Continue with the recipe as directed.

Tips:

1. To make the standard Béchamel, after adding the milk to the medium white sauce recipe add 1 small onion studded with 3 cloves, a bay leaf, and a grating of nutmeg.
2. Light stock, cream, or a combination may be used in place of the milk.
3. Add more flavor by seasoning with celery salt, nutmeg, a teaspoon of lemon juice, onion juice, or sherry, or a few tablespoons of chopped chives or parsley

Hot and Sour Cabbage Soup

Serves four to six

1 Tbs Oil
1 Small Onion, minced
1 Small Cabbage, about the size of a grapefruit
2 Large Carrots, chopped
1 15oz Can Tomatoes, blended smooth
6 Cups Water
1 Cup Cubed Pressed, Baked Tofu (or pressed one with very little water)
1/4 Cup Tamari, low sodium
1/3 Cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar (One cup of seasoned rice vinegar is the same as 3/4 cup white rice vinegar plus 1/4 cup sugar plus 2 teaspoons salt)
1 tsp Hot Red Chili Flakes
1/2 tsp Salt
Black Pepper, to taste (a lot!)

Heat a large 5 qt soup pot that has a heavy lid over medium heat. Add oil and onion, and saute until golden. Meanwhile, quarter your cabbage, remove the core, and shred the cabbage with a large chef’s knife. Add carrots, tomatoes, cabbage and water to the pot and stir well. Add the tofu, tamari, vinegar, chili flakes and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, then turn heat down to medium low. Simmer for 20 minutes or until cabbage and carrots are the desired tenderness.

Grind a lot of fresh black pepper over the top and serve.

If you have extra ingredients on hand like bell peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini, feel free to add them in

Alfredo/ White Creamy Sauce

Makes 2-3 Servings

It’s also a great sauce for casseroles, over steamed veggies, on top of lasagna — wherever you want a basic creamy sauce.

1 Cup Soymilk
1/3 Cup Raw, Unsalted Cashews
1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast
3 Tbs Low-Sodium Tamari or Soy Sauce
2 Tbs Earth Balance Margarine
1 Tbs Tahini
1 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp Paprika (smoked is awesome)
1 Pinch Nutmeg
2-4 Cloves of Garlic, optional
Black pepper, to taste

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. This may work best in a high-speed blender (like a Vita-Mix), but you can definitely make it in a regular blender. Just blend extra-long, or perhaps strain if if you want it perfectly smooth. Tiny bits of cashews won’t hurt anyone though!

If you’re making this sauce for pasta, drain the pasta and return it to the hot empty pan. Pour the sauce over, place on medium heat, and stir until heated through. Serve with lots of fresh cracked black pepper. I love it with steamed broccoli added in!

Another Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Serves 4 as a meal, 6 as a side dish.
Veggie lovers, if you like your vegetable pie less spicy, use regular diced tomatoes and leave out the red chile flakes.

For the mashed potato crust:
3-4 large gold or white potatoes, peeled, cut up
Vegetable broth, non-dairy milk, milk or cream, as needed
Vegan buttery spread or olive oil, to taste
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh chives, to taste

For the filling:
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin or curry spice
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets (about half a smallish head), cut to bite size
3 medium-large carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 zucchini squash, sliced and cut into quarter moons
1 yellow summer squash, sliced, cut into quarter moons
1 heaping cup shredded cabbage or slaw mix
1 14-oz. can Muir Glen Organic Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles, with juice
2 tablespoons chopped roasted Hatch chiles or jalapenos- whatever you like

1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestshire sauce or balsamic vinegar
1-2 tablespoons low sugar apricot jam, to taste- to balance the heat
1 tablespoon rubbed sage
Hot red pepper chile flakes, to taste (or use hot pepper sauce)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 14-oz. can butter beans, drained and set aside

Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted cold water; bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about twenty minutes.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet and add the cumin or curry, and garlic. Stir one minute and add the fresh chopped vegetables. Stir and cook about five minutes or so.

Add the canned diced tomatoes with green chile, the chopped Hatch chiles or jalapenos, vegetable broth, vegan Worchestshire sauce or balsamic vinegar, apricot jam, sage, pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce begins to reduce. You want the vegetables to be tender-crisp, not too done, and the sauce to be thickened and not too thin [if, by chance, you need a little more liquid to cook the veggies, add a splash more broth or water]. When this has been achieved, taste test the sauce for seasoning adjustments; then remove from heat, and gently add in the butter beans. Set aside.

Mash the cooked potatoes with a little liquid and Smart Balance or olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper. Add chives if you like. Taste test. Don't add too much liquid or over-mix the potatoes or they'll get gluey.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Assemble your pie:

Spoon the vegetables into a casserole dish. Top with mounds of mashed potato. I like to leave a few peaks (they get a bit golden). Sprinkle with chopped chives or parsley. Bake in a moderate oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pie is bubbling and heated through.

Vegetarian Mulligatawny Recipe

Serves 6.

This delectable post-modern version of mulligatawny is made with a vegetable broth base and coconut milk. The chick peas give it a boost of protein; the apple gives it a sweet-tart kick. It's a mouth crush of flavors sweet and savory, creamy, spicy and tangy- all at once.

3 tablespoons light olive oil
2 to 3 teaspoons Thai Kitchen Green or Red Curry Paste, to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more, to taste
1 medium sweet or yellow onion, peeled, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup cauliflower florets, chopped
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 heaping cups thinly shredded cabbage
1 quart light vegetable broth
1 14-oz. can diced Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes with juice (I use the diced tomatoes with spicy green chiles)
1 14-oz. can chick peas, drained
Sea salt, to taste
1 14-oz. can coconut milk, stirred
Juice from 1 medium lime
1-2 teaspoons agave nectar, to taste (or organic raw sugar)

Thin apple slices or shredded apple, for garnish

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a medium size soup pot. Add the curry, cumin, and cayenne and stir for 1 minute. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, cauliflower, apples, sweet potato and cabbage, and sauté until softened, 7 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the broth, tomatoes and chick peas; season with sea salt, if desired. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cover and simmer the soup, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, lime juice and brown sugar. Stir well. Taste for seasoning adjustments. Heat through gently; don't boil.


Options:

* If you desire a smooth soup, puree the soup with a handheld immersion blender (or puree in batches, covered, in a blender or food processor) until smooth. Return the puree to the soup pot. Heat over low heat until serving.

* If you prefer more texture, puree only half the soup, or mash lightly with a potato masher until you have the consistency you desire.

* It is also beautiful left as is, as a hearty, chunky stew.

* I sometimes toss all the ingredients into a slow cooker early in the day and let the cooker do all the work. To do this, follow the manufacturer's guidelines for your cooker [look for soup or veggie stew instructions]

Instead of sunshine soup

Serves 6-8

3 tbsp curry powder
3 tbsp canola oil
2 onions
3 big cloves garlic
1 red chilli
3 medium carrots
Half a celeriac
1 large parsnip
1 celery stick
1/2 medium leek
2 red bell pepppers
2,5 dl (1 cup) red lentils
2 liters (8 1/3 cups) water + 4 stock cubes (or the same amount of stock)
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper

In a LARGE pot, combine canola oil with curry. Chop your onions and garlic and add it to the curry. Curry releases most of it’s aromatic flavour when heated in a little oil. While the onions are sautéeing at medium heat, finely chop your chilli. Add to the onions and let cook for a few minutes. Meanwhile, peel and cube your carrots, celeriac and parsnip into 1 cm/half inch cubes. Add to the pot and stir. Chop the rest of you veggies finely and add to the pot. Sauté for a few minutes and then add your lentils, water and stock cubes (or ready made stock) and 2 bay leaves. Let soup cook for atleast 20 minutes, but a longer cooking time makes for a nicer heartier soup (I let mine cook for over an hour while I prepared other food). Salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Spanish style Chick pea Soup

3-4 portions

* 2 cans chick peas or 8 dl ( 28 fl oz) home boiled
* 2 tbsp dried basil
* 1 onion
* a little olive oil
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 3 garlic cloves
* 1 can chopped tomatoes
* 3 tbsp tomato purée
* 1 tbsp sugar
* 1 tbsp salt
* 3-4 dl ( 10-14 fl oz) water (or maybe more!)
* juice of half a lemon
* salt and pepper

Chop the onion and the garlic finely. Fry in a bit of olive oil for a little while. Add basil, ground cumin, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar and salt. Cook for about 15 minutes or so. Mash half of the chick peas or use a hand mixer. It’s not supposed to have any bits left. The rest of the chick peas you leave as they are. After cooking the tomato mix for 15 minutes you add the mixed/mashed chickpeas, lemon and enough water to make the soup ’soupy’ but still pretty thick. Add the last whole chickpeas and pepper to taste. Maybe you’ll want to add some more lemon (I did!). Serve with a nice bread. It’s very very filling because of all the chickpeas and full of things that are good for you.

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

* 3 medium carrots, peeled and quartered lenthwise
* 2 large tomatoes, quartered
* 1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges or 4 or 5 slices
* 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick wedges
* 6 garlic cloves
* 1 Tbsp olive oil
* 6 cups or more of vegetable broth*
* 4 cups of finely chopped kale
* 3 large fresh thyme sprigs
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 15 oz can of Great Northern white beans, drained

If cooking gluten-free, use gluten-free broth.
Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F (reduce heat by 25°F if using convection oven). Brush rimmed baking sheet with a thin coat of olive oil. Arrange carrots, squash, tomatoes, onion, and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast vegetables until they are brown and tender, stirring occassionally, about 45 minutes.

2 Cut squash and carrots into 1/2 inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in food processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto the baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

3 Add carrots, beans, and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

Can be made a day ahead. Serves six.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Sauerkraut on Rye Recipe

Ingredients

* 2 slices dark rye bread
* Several thin slices of aged, Gruyere Swiss cheese
* 1/3 cup drained and heated sauerkraut
* 2 teaspoons of butter

Method

1 Heat a frying pan to medium high heat. For each slice of bread, butter one side and place slice butter side down on the hot pan.

2 Add a layer of cheese to one of the slices. As the bread begins to toast just slightly, and the cheese begins to soften, spread the heated sauerkraut over the slice of bread with cheese. Using a spatula, flip the cheese-less bread slice over on top of the slice with cheese and sauerkraut.

3 After 30 sec or so, check to see if the cheese is just beginning to melt. If it is, flip the whole sandwich over onto the other side. Toast a minute more or less on that side until the cheese has melted, but isn't runny. Remove the sandwich from the pan. Slice in half.

Serves one.

Sauté of chickpea, butternut squash and chard, served with mint yoghurt

Chickpeas
o 70g dried chickpeas
o 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
o 2 tbsp olive oil
o 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
o 1 tsp caraway seeds
o ½ tsp castor sugar
o 1½ tsp ground cumin
o 100g Swiss chard leaves
o Juice of ½ a lemon
o 3 tbsp picked coriander leaves for garnish
o Salt and black pepper

Butternut squash
o 200g butternut squash
o 2 tbsp olive oil
o Salt and pepper

Yoghurt sauce
o 80g Greek yoghurt
o 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
o Juice of 1 lemon
o 3 tbsp olive oil
o 1 tsp dried mint
o Salt and black pepper

Soak the chickpeas in enough cold water to cover them twice. Add the bicarbonate soda and leave for at least 12 hours.

Drain the chickpeas, put in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of fresh water. Bring to the boil and simmer for at least an hour and sometimes up to 90 minutes. The chickpeas should be totally tender but retain their shape. Occasionally you would need to skim the froth off the surface. When ready, drain the chickpeas into a colander and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Peel the butternut squash and cut into 2cm cubes. Put them in a baking tray, drizzle the olive oil on and season with salt and pepper, mix well to coat and roast for 25-30 minutes or until soft.

While cooking the butternut squash, prepare the chickpea sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the onion, caraway seeds, sugar and cumin and fry for 10 minutes, while stirring, until golden brown.

Stir in the chopped chard, and then add the cooked butternut squash and the chickpeas with about 5 tablespoons water. Mix together and cook for another 5 minutes or until hardly any juices are left. Add the lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Make the yoghurt sauce by whisking together all of the ingredients. Taste for salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon the warm chickpeas on a serving dish, spoon over a bit of the yoghurt sauce and garnish with coriander leaves.

Oats and Coconut Milk Pudding

Ingredients
1/4 to 1/2 cup Whole rolled oats (Quick cooking kind)
*1/4 cup Jaggery ,grated[available in most Asian stores)
1/2 cup to 1 cup Water (depending on the amount of oats)
1 cup(about 4 ounce) Lite Coconut Milk
Roasted nuts and dried fruits for garnish

Cashew nuts, broken into small pieces – 3 tablespoons (Optional)
Raisins – 2 tablespoons (Optional)
cardamom powder – 1/4 teaspoon (Optional)
*If Jaggery is hard to find use 2 tablespoon brown or white sugar,or 3 teaspoon Agave nectar.

Method
In a heavy bottom sauce pan add the jaggery ,oats and water.Bring to a slow boil and cook until oats are softened.Reduce the heat and add the coconut milk,let simmer for 4-5 minutes until thick and creamy.Serve warm ,garnish with roasted nuts and dried fruits.

In a heavy bottom sauce pan add the powdered jaggery and water.Once the jaggery dissolves completely, pour this syrup slowly into another vessel so the impurities in the jaggery will remain in the bottom of the sauce pan itself. Now clean the sauce pan and transfer the syrup back to the sauce pan itself. Let this syrup boil for 2 minutes. Now add the oats to the syrup and let it boil for another 3 minutes. By this time the oats would have cooked. Now add the coconut milk to the oats/jaggery mixture and combine it well. Once it boils, switch off the stove.In a small frying pan add the coconut oil. Once it heats add the cashew pieces and raisins and fry until golden brown. Add this and the cardamom powder to the oats pradhaman.

Those who have ate oatmeal (or oats kanji) would know that oats tends to get sticky. I think toasting the oats in a dry skillet for 2 minutes before adding it to the jaggery syrup would make it less gooey.

Baked macaroni with Béchamel sauce

About 4 servings
1 pound (whole wheat) macaroni, cooked
3 Tablespoons light oil (sunflower, peanut, etc.) or sesame oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large (organically grown) carrot, julienne cut
3 Tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour or regular unbleached flour
2-1/2 cups water
1/2 pound firm, drained tofu, crumbled
4 Tablespoons tamari soy sauce, or to taste
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Over medium heat, sauté the onion and carrot until the onion is transparent and lightly browned, about five minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the flour. Brown lightly for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Slowly pour in the water, about a half-cup at a time, stirring constantly to prevent lumps (a whisk is helpful). When all the water has been added, return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Stir in the tofu. Season with soy sauce to taste. Place cooked macaroni in a 2-quart casserole dish. Stir in the vegetables and sauce, mixing well to coat. Sprinkle top with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest for ten minutes before serving. Serve hot; leftovers are tasty when reheated

Hot and Sour Shirataki Noodles with Tofu

(serves 2)

14-16 ounces shirataki noodles, packed in water (two 7 or 8 ounce packages) OR regular thin noodles, such as buckwheat soba or angel hair pasta. Just make the noodles according to package directions and then add them at the end of the recipe.
2 cups water
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. sesame oil

8 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into cubes
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. sesame oil

1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. chopped garlic
4 finely chopped green onions
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. hot Chinese chili sauce (to taste)
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
shredded Napa Cabbage
chopped toasted peanuts

Drain and rinse the shirataki noodles and place them in a saucepan with the water, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Toss the tofu cubes with the 1 tbsp. soy sauce and 1/4 tsp. sesame oil and set aside while you heat an oiled non-stick skillet or wok. When the skillet is hot, lift the tofu from the marinade and pan-fry it until it is lightly brown on all sides. Remove it from the skillet and place it back in the bowl with the marinade. Stir gently, and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil to the pan. Over medium-high heat, stir fry the red pepper, garlic, green onions, and mushrooms until the mushrooms start to exude their juices. Add the lime juice, 3 tbsp. soy sauce, and sugar, and stir well. Continue stir-frying until the mixture boils.

Drain the noodles and add them to the pan, along with the tofu and its marinade. Toss well to mix. Serve on a bed of shredded cabbage and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Fettuccine No-Fredo with Broccoli and Sautéed Mushrooms

Sauce:
1 head cauliflower, chopped into small pieces
4 cups water
4-6 cloves garlic
1-2 tsp. basil
1/2-2 tsp. oregano
pinch cayenne pepper
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
pinch nutmeg
1 1/2 tbsp. nutritional yeast

2 large Portabella mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cloves garlic
1/8 cup wine (I used white, but red will do)
salt to taste

1 pound fettuccine
1 head broccoli, cut into florets

Sauce:
Using the lesser amounts of each seasoning, place all the sauce ingredients except nutritional yeast into a large saucepan and cook, covered, until the cauliflower is very soft, about 15 minutes. When it's completely tender, use a blender to puree the cauliflower to a smooth sauce. (If you have a good hand blender, I recommend you do this in the pot.)

Check the seasoning of the sauce, and add more to taste; add the nutritional yeast. Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken while you prepare the mushrooms and pasta.

Sautéed Mushrooms:
Heat a non-stick skillet brushed or sprayed with a little olive oil. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms begin to exude their juices. You can prevent them from drying out by keeping the skillet covered between stirrings. When the mushrooms get juicy, add the wine and salt to taste. Cook just until the wine is absorbed and then set aside, covered, until ready to serve.

Pasta:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the fettuccine and salt, if desired, and set a timer for 3 minutes less than the amount of time indicated on the package. When the timer goes off, add the broccoli and cook for three minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. (For my fettuccine, this meant I cooked it for 9 minutes, added the broccoli, and cooked it for 3 more.) Drain the pasta and broccoli and return it to the pan. Stir in the cauliflower sauce and serve topped with sautéed mushrooms.

Baked Spinach Kofta with Cucumber-Soy Yogurt Sauce

Baked Spinach Kofta
Makes 4 servings.
2 medium red potatoes, about 12 ounces
6 ounces fresh spinach
2 ounces tofu
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons chickpea flour (besan)

Peel the potatoes, dice them into 1/2-inch pieces, place them in a saucepan, and cover them with water. Boil until the potatoes are tender and then drain them well and mash. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for one minute, or just until wilted. Drain well in a colander. Put the spinach along with the tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt into a food processor and process until crumbly. Set aside.

Spray a large skillet with canola oil and bring it to medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast for one minute. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and sauté until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala, stir, and immediately add the potatoes and the spinach mixture. Cook, stirring, for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and spoon into a large bowl.

Add the chickpea flour and stir well. Allow to cool until easy to handle. Shape into about 20 balls, approximately 1-inch in diameter. (Don't worry about getting them perfect; they will naturally flatten out some during baking.) Place on an oiled cookie sheet or a silicone baking mat:

Preheat oven to 450F. Bake for 10 minutes and then turn the kofta. Bake for 10 more minutes and turn again. Bake for 10 more minutes or until all sides are lightly browned.

Serve with Cucumber-Soy Yogurt sauce (below), garnished with tomatoes, red onion, and hot chile peppers. This makes a delicious stuffing for whole wheat pita bread or chapatis.

Cucumber-Soy Yogurt Sauce

1 small or 1/2 large cucumber
1 cup plain soy yogurt
1/4 cup diced red onion
1-2 tablespoons minced mint leaves
1-3 tablespoons lime juice (use more if you are using store-bought soy yogurt because it tends to be sweetened)
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Peel and finely dice the cucumber. Place the pieces in a colander and allow the liquid to drain while you mix the other ingredients in a bowl.

Before adding the cucumber, blot it lightly with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Add it to the yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and White Bean Pesto

Makes 6 servings.

3 medium summer squash (yellow or zucchini), halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, larger ones halved
2 fennel bulbs, halved and sliced
1/2 large yellow or red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 large green bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
freshly ground pepper
olive oil spray
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
salt (optional)

16 ounces uncooked whole grain pasta

Pesto:
1 1/2 cups (1 can) great northern beans, rinsed well and drained
1 cup fresh basil
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. nutritional yeast
1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
salt to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a large rectangular baking dish with olive oil and add all the vegetables except the tomatoes to it. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, and stir in the garlic. Give it a very quick spray with the olive oil (1/2 second) and put it in the oven. Set the timer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, stir the vegetables and add the tomatoes. Return to the oven for 15-20 minutes, until all vegetables are done.

While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the pasta according to package directions and make the White Bean Pesto:

With the food processor running, drop in the garlic and process until minced. Add the basil and chop coarsely. Add the remaining pesto ingredients and process until smooth. Add salt to taste, if desired.

When the vegetables are done, add salt to taste. Serve the vegetables on top of the pasta, topped with a spoonful of pesto.

Tofu Pesto Pasta Salad

3 cups fresh basil (or 2 cups basil and one cup spinach)
3-4 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts, pine nuts, or raw cashews
1/2 container silken tofu (about 6 ounces)
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 lb. pasta, cooked according to package directions and rinsed with cool water
1-2 large tomatoes, chopped
additional nuts, to taste

In food processor, chop garlic and nuts until finely minced. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Toss pasta with sauce and tomatoes, and sprinkle with nuts. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Artichoke Pesto Pasta Salad

Makes 4 servings.
1 cup basil, packed
1 can quartered artichoke hearts (packed in water)
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 tbsp. vegetable broth
1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
salt, to taste
8 ounces whole wheat pasta, cooked
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

Place the basil and 3 artichoke hearts (12 quarters) in a food processor, and pulse to coarsely chop. Add the garlic, nutritional yeast, vegetable broth, and lemon juice, and process until it becomes a thick paste. Add salt to taste.

In a serving bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the pesto and blend well. Add the remaining artichoke hearts, the tomato, and the pine nuts and toss. Serve at room temperature.

Pesto Variations

Cilantro-Lemon Pesto
1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese, shredded
2 cups fresh cilantro
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon, juice of
Salt, to taste

Combine ingredients in food processor. Puree until ingredients are fully combined and the pesto has a smooth texture with no significant lumps (may still be just a little gritty). You may add additional olive oil if you like. May be served hot or at room temperature. Leftovers can be frozen in small tupperware containers or ice cube trays and thawed when you're ready to use.



Fresh Basil Pesto With Variations
SERVES 12 (2Tbs each), 1 cup
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use finely ground sea salt or kosher)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Fit your food processor with the steel blade attachment. To bowl add basil, garlic, oil, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Pulse several times, scraping bowl if needed, and continue until the mixture is a smooth paste. Add a tiny bit of oil if mixture gets too thick.
When the consistency is right, transfer to a small bowl and fold in the shredded parmesan cheese.
To Serve: Stir a few tablespoons of pesto with a splash of cooking water from your favorite pasta and toss with hot pasta until coated. Use as a condiment on grilled panini sandwiches, on toast points for an appetizer, as a pizza sauce, or garnish your fresh soup with a few teaspoons.
To Store: Cover with a thin layer of olive oil or spray with non-stick cooking oil and keep in the fridge for several weeks. For long-term storage fill ice cube trays with pesto, freeze and then pop out into a resealable plastic bag. Thaw just the right amount of fresh pesto for your meal any time you want it!
*NOTE: Other aromatic herbs, nuts, oils or hard cheeses can be used in place of or in combination with the basil, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil and parmesan. Keep in mind the herb is the star of the show and should have the most prominent flavor when mixing and matching ingredients. Also, consider the rest of your meal and what fresh flavors might compliment it best. Have fun experimenting with some of the following!

Herbs: fresh cilantro, spinach, oregano, sun-dried tomatoes; Italian flat leaf parsley can be used by itself but is also great to use with any of the other herbs when you may be running short on them.

Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, pecans.

Flavored Oils: porcini mushroom, walnut, lemon, rosemary, raspberry.

Cheeses: parmigiano-reggiano, asiago, romano.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

Makes 8 burgers.

Ingredients

12oz Can Black Beans (or 1 1/2 cups fresh, cooked)
1 Potato, chopped, boiled ( can substitute for squash)
1/2 Onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2tbsp Chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 Jalapeno
1/2 cup Vital Wheat Gluten


Directions
Cook beans and potato as described. Mash up and mix the beans and potato. Add the rest of the ingredients and mash together. Add the Vital Wheat Gluten and mix with hands for a minute or two.

When you are ready to make the burgers, pour some vegetable oil onto a cookie sheet (or use cooking spray), put in the oven and set it to preheat to 400 degrees. When the oven is heated, put the patties on the hot baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.

Black Bean Burgers

(from Veganomicon)

* 1 can black beans, drained (or 2 C black beans from scratch)
* 1 t chile powder
* 1 t cumin
* 1/2 red onion grated (big holes on the box grater)
* 1 T tomato paste
* 1/4 C finely chopped cilantro
* 1/2 C vital wheat gluten
* 1/4 C water

1. Smash the beans in a bowl until you have mostly smashed beans and a few half beans (no whole beans). I just use a fork for this.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir with a fork, eventually kneading the mixture with your hands for about a minute until uniformly mixed.
3. Form the dough into 6 patties, firmly pressing together to make the patties about 1 1/2 inches thick.
4. Heat about 2 t olive oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Cook 3 patties at a time, pressing firmly on the patty with a spatula periodically as it cooks. Spray the tops with olive oil and flip over after about 5 minutes. Cook 5 minutes more on the other side, also pressing.
5. Serve with buns and any condiments or toppings you like.

Zesty Dijon and Herb Tofu Spread

Ingredients:

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 small sweet onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
* 1 block firm tofu
* 1 tablespoon light miso paste
* 1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (any combination of dill, basil, thyme, marjoram, oregano, cilantro)
* Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, stir to coat with oil, and reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Let cool.

Place tofu, miso, Dijon, vinegar, and onion mixture in a food processor and blend until creamy. Pulse in herbs and season to taste.

Makes about 2 ½ cups

Almond Soba Noodles Recipe (with Tofu and red curry paste)

Serves 6-8 as a side, less as a main.
You might want to add a touch more curry paste if you like your noodles on the spicy side. On the other hand, if your curry paste is on the spicy side, you might want to go for a bit less - it is to taste really. As I was eating this I couldn't help but think that some blanched broccoli would be a nice addition or substitution for the pea spouts.

2 teaspoons red curry paste
1/3 cup unsalted almond butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
very scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
6 - 8 tablespoons hot water
12 ounces dried soba noodles
12 ounces extra-firm nigari tofu
4 ounces pea shoots (or other greens, or tiny pieces of broccoli)
12 leaves fresh basil, slivered
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Make the almond sauce by mashing the curry paste into the almond butter. Stir in the lemon juice and salt. And then whisk in the hot water one tablespoon at a time until you have a pourable dressing that is about as thick as a heavy cream. The dressing thickens as it cools, so feel free to thin it out with more water later on if needed. Taste, and add more salt or more curry paste if you like.

Cook the soba in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender, then drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain and shake off as much water as possible.

While the pasta is cooking, drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into matchsticks or 1/2-inch cubes. Cook the tofu, along with a pinch or two of salt, in a well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Add a tiny splash of oil if needed to prevent sticking. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. About 15 seconds before the tofu has finished cooking, add the pea shoots to the hot pan.

In a large bowl combine the noodles with 2/3 of the almond sauce. Toss well, be sure all the noodles get coated. Arrange the tofu and pea shoots on top of the noodles, drizzle with the remaining sauce, and garnish with the slivered basil and toasted almonds.

Zucchini Noodles, Veggies & Spicy Almond Butter Sauce

Almond Butter Sauce ingredients:
• 1 cup almond butter
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup tamari
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons fresh, grated ginger
Noodle Ingredients:
• 4 medium zucchini, peeled and cut in half
Veggies:
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 cup snow peas, halved lengthwise
Garnish:
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced

Place all the ingredients for the Almond Butter Sauce in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Almond Butter Sauce will keep for five days.
Transform the zucchini into noodles using a vegetable peeler or spiral slicer. Toss the zucchini noodles and veggies with enough Almond Butter Sauce to coat well. Garnish with minced cilantro and serve immediately

Oatmeal Protein Pancakes

Serves 2.

These easy, high-protein and high-fibre pancakes provide a fantastic start to your day, or make a terrific afternoon snack (pop a leftover pancake into the toaster).

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
2 tsp vanilla
8 egg whites (1 cup. I buy the "Simply Egg Whites" when I'm going to make this recipe)

Variations
Peanut butter: add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter before blending
Blueberry: add 1/2 cup of blueberries and a tbsp of lemon zest to the batter after blended
Chocolate chip: add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the batter after blended
Pecan flax: add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans and 2 tbsp of flaxmeal to the batter after blended; if batter is too thick, add a bit of milk or water to make it the right consistency before cooking.

Method
Blend all ingredients in a blender until mixture is smooth. (If you're using a variation as listed above, make sure you add your ingredients at the right time.)

Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle to medium heat. Cook the pancake batter about a 1/4 cup at a time until done. I like to keep the finished ones in an 0ven-safe dish with the oven at its lowest setting to keep them warm.

Serves with sliced fruit and topped with yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Tofu and Quinoa with Almond Butter Sauce

Serves 4.

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 450g package of firm tofu, cubed
2 zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup of peas (fresh or frozen)

sauce
2 tbsp almond butter
3 tbsp tamari sauce
2 tbsp water
2 tsp hot chili sauce (less if you don't like spicy--I like spicy! Or more if you like very spicy)
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar

Method
Rinse quinoa, and put in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 min until cooked. Fluff with a fork when ready to serve.

Meanwhile, heat your cast-iron pan or wok at medium-high heat and add your tofu. Sear on each side, then add your diced veggies and let them cook for about 5-10 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking, add all of the sauce ingredients into a blender and whir. (Or, use a jar and just whisk them together really well.) Add the sauce to the veggies and tofu and cook for another minute or so.

Serve sauce mixture over the quinoa.

Tomato Pizza Sauce, Thick & Hearty

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Medium Onion Chopped
4 Cloves Garlic
2 8oz Cans No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
1/2 6oz Can Tomato Paste
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Marjoram
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

In a sauce pan, medium heat, saute onions, garlic with olive oil until translucent. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil, oregano, marjoram, sugar and salt. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

Creamy Spinach Sauce (or Tofu ricotta with spinach)

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Blanched Slivered Almonds
1/2 Cup Soy or Rice Milk
2/3 14oz. Block Firm Tofu
1/2 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Lemon, Juice
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
Dash Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Grated Onion, Well Drained
1 1/2 Cups Frozen Spinach, Cooked & Well Drained

Place almonds, soy milk, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt, onion powder and pepper into a blender and blend until smooth.Squeeze water from tofu and place into mixing bowl and crumble with a fork. The key is to make this look like riccota cheese. Now place the almond mixture and spinach into the bowl and mix well.

Vegan Cheddar Cheese

Yield 2 cups

1 1/2 cups white beans (like Great Northern), rinsed* and well drained
1/2 cup pimiento pieces, drained
1/4 - 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons roasted tahini
1 Tablespoon miso
1 teaspoon onion granules
1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt

Blend all ingredients until completely smooth. Refrigerate unused sauce.

Macaroni and un-Cheese with Tomatoes

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

3 cup dry Elbow Macaroni, whole wheat
6 Tomatoes, Roma
1 large Onion
2 cups White Beans
1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
1/2 Chipotle Pepper, optional for a spicy smoke flavor
bit of salt and pepper

Directions
Microwave oven or conventional oven at 350 degrees F can be used to prepare this dish. Wash, peel, and dice the onions and place in a large covered baking dish. Cook until the onions begin to become semi transparent (about 5 minutes in the microwave oven).
While the onions are cooking, place the water in the pasta pot and heat to boiling.
Wash the tomatoes and remove the stem ends and any blemishes or bad spots. Cut into bite-sized pieces, and add to the onions when they are cooked. Cover the baking dish and cook until the tomatoes are hot, but not cooked through. When the pasta water boils, add the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni softens, but is still slightly chewy.
Open the cans of beans and drain off the excess liquid. Place the beans in the container of a high speed blender. Add the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and chipotle pepper (stem removed). Cover and run the blender at high speed until the ingredients are creamy smooth. Use the tamper rod as necessary. Combine the cooked and drained pasta and the bean sauce with the onions and tomatoes in the covered dish, and mix well. Cover and bake for about 10-15 minutes

Individual Lasagna

1/2 cup sauce (any pasta sauce or homemade tomato sauce, or tofu-mock ricotta sauce or beany-nutritional sauce or pesto sauce or Bechamel Sauce)
1 cup Diced veggies (fresh or microwaved frozen veggies) ( can use roasted eggplant, roasted mushroom, peppers, fresh herbs)
2 sheets Lasagna sheets
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1 slice provolone cheese or any 1/4 cup cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Pour some sauce in 2 cup casserole before laying down one lasagna sheet. Layer it with veggies and half slice cheese and repeat with sauce, lasagna, cheese. Bake in 350 F preheated oven with the casserole dish covered for first 15 minutes. Uncover and cook for next 15 minutes or till the lasagna looks bit dry.

Cheezy- spinach Vegan version
Instead of cheese use Tofu-ricotta cheese or creamy spinach sauce with nutritional yeast sprinkled on top

Tofu Mayonnaise

Egg-Free Mayonnaise
makes 325ml, keeps 2 days in fridge
300g drained tofu, chopped
1 T olive oil
juice of half lemon
1 T cider vinegar (or brown rice vinegar)
1 garlic clove, crushed


Subtle Mayo (for use in other recipes)
6 oz. of firm tofu
1.5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of natural sweetener like Stevia or Agave (optional)
3 Tbsp olive oil, sesame oil, flax oil or Udo’s oil - your choice base on flavor preference.

Place all the ingredients, together with 2 T of cold water, in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and chill.

Veggie Bean Burger with Avocado Cream

Veggie Bean Burger
(makes 4 burgers)
2 cups cooked beans (black beans, aduki, pinto, kidey, chickpeas)
1 cup steamed squash
1 carrot
1/2 onion, finely sliced
1 small shallot
1/2 cup miso liquid or stock to moisten patties
1 T fresh herbs or powdered (sage, corainder, parsely, thyme, dill, basil, ginger, fennel, cumin, mint, garlic)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
sunflower seed if desired

Mash up beans. Mix in the other ingredients and make patties. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 oF until brown. Serve with avocado cream.

Avocado cream sauce
2 very soft avocado
2 spring onions, chopped finely
1/4 t coriander powder
1/4 t seaweed seasoning (or salt)
1/2 t olive oil
3-4 T water

Place water at the bottom of a blender. Add avocado, spring onion, coriander, seasoning, olive oil and mix until creamy.

Quinoa/Buckwheat Tabbouleh

(serves 4)
2/3 cup cooked quinoa ( or 175 g dry buckwheat groats: Cook for 10 minutes until tender)
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 1/2 cup fresh parsely, chopped
1 large beef tomato, deseeded and diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
2/3 cuo ( 2-3) finely chopped onions
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 whole fresh lemon, juiced
1 pinch sea salt
lettuce leaves

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover and chill for 20 minutes. Serve tabbouleh mounded on a bed of lettuce, accompanied by lemon wedges.

Sweet Potato Shepherdess Pie

(serves 4)

2 t virgin oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 sticks celery, washed and sliced
1 bay leaf
1 small butternut squash, peeled, halved and cut into small pieces
15 oz vegetable stock (made from 1 cube of stock)
15 oz can of red kidney beans, rinsed under water
410 g can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 red or yellow peppers, washed and sliced
3 tomatoes, washed and sliced in half
2 medium zuchhini, sliced
1 broccoli head, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp arrowroot
4 sweet potatoes, steamed for 15 minutes and mashed

Heat a little water and olive oil, in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, onion, celery and bay leaf and simmer for approx 3 minutes. Add the squash and heat for 3 minutes, stirring. Pour in the stock and bring to boil over medium heat. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionly. Add the kidney beans, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, and carrots. Simmer for further 5 minutes until squash is tender. Stir in the parsely. Add a little arrowroot to thicken.
Transfer ito baking dish, mix the sweet potato mash with little of cooking water and dash of tamari sauce and add as topping and bake for 15 minutes at 40 oF. Just enough to set.