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.

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.

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

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.

Chickpea hummus

Serve this easy Mediterranean spread with warmed whole-wheat pita bread. For a more traditional version, replace the vinegar with lemon juice and the olive oil with tahini (sesame paste).

Serves 6
Ingredients

2/3 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzos), picked over and rinsed, soaked overnight, and drained
3 cups water
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sliced green (spring) onion
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Directions

In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the chickpeas, water, garlic cloves, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer until the beans are very tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Drain and discard the bay leaf, reserving the garlic and 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a blender or food processor, combine the chickpeas, cooked garlic, olive oil, the 3/4 cup green onion, vinegar, cilantro, cumin and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Process to puree. Add the reserved cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture has the consistency of a thick spread.

In a small serving bowl, stir together the chickpea mixture and the remaining 2 tablespoons green onion. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Hummus with Yogurt
1 15 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained (save liquid)
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini, or low fat peanut butter if you prefer (optional, but if you do not use, increase yogurt by 1 TBLS
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon salt

Spinach and Feta Hummus
1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas (15 oz), drained
1/2 cup fresh spinach
3 oz, crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cups red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon roasted garlic

Tahine Sauce (Taratoor)

Yields about 1.5 Cups

One of the most frequently used sauces in Lebanese cuisine. It is used for fish, Falafel, Kibbeh, grilled lamb or Kafta, to name a few.

1 cup Tahine
¼ cup Lemon juice (or more if you like)
1 tsp mashed garlic
2 tsp ground Cumin
Salt

Mix all the ingredients together with enough water (about 1/2 cup) to make a nice and creamy (NOT PASTY) mixture. The Tahine sauce might seem as if it is going to turn pasty at first but with enough water it will loosen up.

Variation: A very tasty variation on this is to use half the amount of Tahine and substitute a ½ cup yogurt for it. Finish with some fresh chopped parsley if you like. This goes great with Kibbeh.

Laxative Jam Recipe

1 cup pitted prunes
1 cup pitted dates (or apricots for different flavor)
1 cup boiling water (or orange juice)

Bring water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Cut or chop dates and prunes into small pieces. Add to boiling water, and cook until mixture is thick. Use 1 tablespoon per day. Yield: Approximately 20 tablespoons.

Yogurt Cheese (Labneh)

This is a good substitute for cheesey or creamy recipe.

2 cups plain low fat or nonfat yogurt

Be sure that the yogurt you use does not contain any added gelatin or other thickener.
Line a sieve with a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Suspend the sieve over a deep bowl. Place the yogurt in the filter and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow the whey to drain out. When the yogurt has the consistency of a soft cream cheese, scrape the yogurt away from the filter and transfer it to a plastic container.
Discard the liquid in the bowl and refrigerate the yogurt cheese. Use within 1 week, discarding any accumulated liquid before using.

Edamame Dip

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 (16-ounce) package frozen shelled edamame
1 cup vegetable stock
Sea salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoons white pepper
2-3 stalks Celery and/or 1 medium tomato

For dip, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, parsley and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in edamame, followed by stock. Cook until beans are tender and liquid has reduced considerably, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Pour edamame mixture into a blender. Take care as the ingredients are hot - keep your hand over the blender lid. Purée ingredients, gradually pouring in remaining half cup of olive oil. When completely puréed, add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Pour dip into a serving bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Eggplant and Sesame Dip

3 medium or 2 large eggplants
2 Tbsp tahini paste
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
3-4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°F). Lightly brush a roasting pan with olive oil, and place the whole eggplants on it. Pierce them with a fork to allow steam to escape as they cook, and bake for 45-60 minutes, until they feel very soft when pressed. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool. Slice them in half, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Combine the olive oil, tahini, garlic, lime juice, and half of the cilantro, and stir into the eggplant. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Hummus

3 T tahini
1 T sesame oil (or olive oil)
1⁄2 lemon, juiced
1⁄2 C water (use a bit less for a stiffer texture)
1 large garlic clove, mashed
1 15-oz can chick peas
salt & pepper, to taste

Slowly add water to tahini, oil, garlic, and lemon juice. Combine sauce, chick peas, and salt & pepper in a blender. Blend to desired consistency.
Serve with raw vegetables or chips as a dip; on crackers as a spread; or stuff into warmed pita bread halves with grated carrots, shredded lettuce, or fresh alfalfa sprouts on top.
Variations: Add spices such as cumin and coriander; blend in vegetables such as red pepper; or stir in chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.

Tofu Mayonnaise ( Full Fat Version)

( makes 1 to 1 1/2 cups )

1 c firm or silken tofu
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 t good mustard ( dijon mustard or stone ground )
2 t cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
¼-½ t salt
¼ c oil (olive and/or canola)

Blend the everything but the oil for a few seconds.

Without turning off the blender or food processor, slowly pour in the remaining oil. As soon as it is mixed in, turn off the blender and transfer the mayonnaise to the container and refrigerate the leftover