Caribbean Salad with Chickpeas

Spice pattern: basic
This is my version of a salad that a Caribbean restaurant in Minneapolis serves. The interesting mix of vegetables with chickpeas needs only a very simple seasoning.
Elements-

• 1½ c green cabbage, chopped or grated
• 1½ c red cabbage, chopped or grated
• 1-2 carrots, grated
• 1 cucumber, quartered and sliced
• 2-3 roma or regular tomatoes, chopped
• (or equivalent cherry tomatoes)
• 1½ c cooked chickpeas
• or 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice 

Description- 

Combine all ingredients, except the lemon juice and toss. Add the lemon juice, toss again, adjust seasoning and serve.

Source from: Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Tabouli Salad

Spice pattern: Mediterranean
“Authentic” tabouli salad, a very popular Middle Eastern dish, has parsley as the main ingredient. This tabouli recipe is lighter on the parsley and heavier on the grain so it can serve as a main course dish. The texture of the dish will vary according to how coarse or fine the bulghur is.

• 1 c bulghur (cracked wheat)
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 c water
• 2-4 tbsp or more olive oil
• 2-4 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 6-8 scallions, chopped
• ½ - 1 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1 large cucumber, quartered and sliced
• ½-1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 3-4 tbsp lemon juice

Description -

Cook the bulghur with the water and salt for 15 minutes. Allow the bulghur to cool. While the bulghur is cooling, add the other ingredients to a salad bowl in the order listed, stirring after each one is added. (The spice ingredients are added first to permeate the oil.) Add the bulghur and stir, then add the lemon juice. Adjust seasonings, including amount of olive oil, to taste, and serve. Variation: substituting cilantro for parsley also makes an excellent salad, although strictly speaking it is then no longer tabouli.

Chickpea Rice Salad

Spice pattern: Savory
This is a very pretty salad visually, with the bright red bell peppers and tomatoes, the bright yellow chickpeas, the bright green scallions and parsley, and the white rice. The proportion of beans to grain in this salad is about 1:1. so I like to have some crackers on the side. I used short grain white rice, but another rice could be used also.
Elements- 

• 1 c chickpeas or soybeans, soaked
• 4 in stick kombu
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 2 slices ginger
• 1 tsp oil
• 4 c water
• ½ tsp salt or to taste
• 4 tbsp peanut or olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp marjoram
• ½ tsp sage
• 1 tsp rosemary
• ½ tsp thyme
• ½ tsp black pepper or to taste
• 6-8 scallions chopped
• ½-1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• ½ c parsley chopped
• 2 c cooked rice

Description-
Boil the drained beans for about 10 minutes, then cook the beans with the first group of ingredients, preferably in a pressure cooker, until tender (90 min in a pressure cooker, about 3 hours stovetop.) When tender, add salt to the cooking water, stir and let sit 5 minutes. Add the other ingredients to a salad bowl in the order listed, stirring after each one is added. (The spice ingredients are added first to permeate the oil.) Add the chickpeas and rice and stir, then add the vinegar. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.

Potato Salad with Chickpeas

Spice pattern: ‘The Usual’ Indian
Elements-

• 6 large potatoes
• 3 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ c parsley (Italian preferred), chopped
• 1½ c cooked chickpeas
• or 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp grated or finely chopped ginger
• 1 tsp ground coriander (freshly ground is nice)
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt or to taste
• 2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Description- 

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water in their skins until soft (about 15-20 minutes), drain and allow to cool. Peel if desired, and chop in large chunks. Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl except the vinegar and stir - the potatoes should turn yellow from the turmeric. Adjust salt and pepper and add the balsamic and stir. Refrigerate before serving, preferably for at least an hour for the spices to blend.

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Pressed Cabbage Salad

This is a very plain light salad that goes well as a side course to a substantial main dish. The cabbage is very lightly pickled from the salt and pressure, which softens it. The wakame doesn’t affect the taste and adds nutrition.

•     4 c cabbage (green, red or both), finely chopped
•     2 tsp salt
•     4 scallions, chopped
•     1 carrot, grated
•     ½ tsp black pepper
•     wakame, soaked and chopped (optional)
•     (about 1/8 c total)
•     1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Description-
Mix the cabbage and salt in a bowl, then place a plate that fits in the bowl over the cabbage, and place a weight on the plate - I use a half gallon closed jar filled with water. Let the cabbage sit under the weight at room temperature for 4-8 hours. Drain the cabbage and squeeze it to ring out some of the excess moisture and salt, combine with the remaining ingredients and toss. Chill and serve.

Spicy Cabbage Salad

Spice pattern: basic

• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• ½ c grated daikon radish
• or chopped red radish
• 1-2 carrots grated
• wakame, soaked and chopped (optional)
• (about 1/8 c total)
• 4 c cabbage (green, red or both), finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt or to taste
• 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Combine ingredients and mix - I like to add them to the salad bowl in the order listed, mixing after each so that the spices blend. Chill before serving. 

Variation: use pressed cabbage instead of raw cabbage, and omit or reduce any added salt.

Creamy Coleslaw

This is completely dairy-free, but it has the richness of a good creamy coleslaw.

Elements-

• 4 c cabbage (red, green or both) chopped
• 1 carrot grated
• ½ c white or red radish, grated
• 6-8 scallions chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• ½ tsp black pepper or to taste
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt or to taste
• 2-3 tbsp sesame tahini
• ¼ c water (as needed to thin dressing)
• 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Description- 

Combine all ingredients up through the olive oil and salt and toss to coat vegetables. Stir in the sesame tahini with just enough water to give you the texture of dressing you want. Stir in the vinegar and adjust seasonings. This can be served immediately, but I think it gets better after standing for 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Rice and Vegetable Salad Sample

 This is just an example of a rice and vegetable salad. The All Purpose Rice and Vegetable Salad

Pattern  describes how to vary it.

Elements-

• 2 c short grain brown rice 3-4 tbsp olive or peanut oil
• 4 c water 1 tbsp dried dill
• ½ tsp salt ½ tsp salt or to taste
• 6-8 scallions chopped
• 1 package frozen peas 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 package frozen corn ½ tsp black pepper
• 2-4 tbsp red wine vinegar

Description- 

Pressure cook the brown rice for 50 minutes, or stovetop cook for 50 minutes to an hour, until all water is absorbed and rice is soft and mildly sweet. Put the frozen vegetables in a salad bowl, then add the hot cooked rice and stir. The hot rice will thaw the vegetables, and the frozen vegetables will cool the rice. Add other ingredients, stir and adjust seasonings.

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Potatoes with Brown Mustard Seeds

Spice pattern: ‘The usual’ Indian

Elements- 

• 3 tbsp peanut oil
• or peanut oil with a pat of butter
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 3 large potatoes, cut in ½ in chunks
• ¼ c water
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Heat the oil and cook the mustard seeds covered until they begin to pop. Add the bell pepper and saute about 3-5 minutes. Add the rest of the spices, the potatoes and the water, cover, reduce to a low flame and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15- 20 minutes. Check periodically to see if you need more water to keep the mix from burning.

When the potatoes are done, uncover and cook another few minutes if the dish is wetter than you want. Add lemon juice, heat another 2-3 minutes, and serve.

Variations:

- Omit the mustard seeds and use whole cumin seeds instead. Cook the cumin seeds in the oil until they turn a darker brown, then proceed with recipe.

- For a spicier dish, add some seeded and chopped small green chilis to the oil after the seeds, and cook them for 2-3 minutes before adding the bell pepper.

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Cooked Spicy Cabbage

Spice pattern: ‘The usual’ Indian

• 2-3 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp whole brown mustard seeds
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1-2 small green chilis, seeded and chopped
• 1-2 med onions chopped
• 3 c cabbage (green, red or both), finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt or to taste
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Cooked Vegetables

Description- 

Heat the oil, add the brown mustard and cumin seeds, and cook until the mustard seeds pop - cover the pan since they can spatter. Quickly add the green chilis and cover again, and cook for another minute. Add the onions and saute until they are transparent. Add cabbage and the remaining seasoning and cook until the cabbage is tender - you may want to add ¼ cup of water to very lightly steam the cabbage. Add the lemon juice and adjust seasonings about 5 minutes

before serving. Serve hot.

Variation: Omit chilis and use 2-4 tsp of chopped fresh ginger to add pungency.

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Tofu and Spinach

Spice pattern: ‘The Usual’ Indian

The turmeric turns the tofu a bright yellow, so this dish looks like scrambled eggs and spinach. It is a quick and easy light meal with whole wheat toast, breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Elements-

• 2-4 tbsp peanut oil 
• or peanut oil & butter
• 1 small green chili, seeded and chopped
• 1 med onion chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt or to taste
• 1 package (about 10 oz) firm or extra firm tofu,
• drained and cut in ½ in cubes
• 1 package (about 12 oz) frozen chopped spinach
• or equivalent fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Description- 

Heat the oil, cook the chilis in the oil about 3 minutes, then add the onion and spices and cook on a low flame until the onions are soft, the longer the better. Add the tofu, stir and cook uncovered while the tofu absorbs the spices. Add spinach, stir and heat through. Adjust salt, add lemon juice and serve.

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Sauteed Squash with Onions and Spices

Sauteed Squash with Onions and Spices

Spice pattern: warming

This is a quick and delicious side dish that is a good way to use leftover baked winter squash.

Elements- 

• 3-4 tbsp peanut oil
• or peanut oil and butter
• 1-2 tsp ginger finely chopped
• 1 med onion chopped
• ¼ tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cardamom
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt or to taste
• 2 c cooked winter squash (butternut or acorn), mashed

Description- 

 Heat the oil, add the ginger and onions and spices, cook until the onions are translucent. Add the mashed cooked squash and heat through, stirring occasionally. Serve. Variation: Add chopped pistachios. Or for a sweeter dish, add ¼ c raisins soaked in a cup in enough hot water to cover.

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Oven Roasted Vegetables

Spice pattern: plain, Mediterranean or savory

This is a tasty and warming side dish. It is good plain, and very good with tofu-dill dip or tofuscallion dip. It makes a good light meal with whole wheat toast and a cup of pea soup, and it makes a good breakfast with toast and tofu ‘scrambled eggs’.
Elements-
3 medium potatoes
1-2 large carrots
1 medium onion
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp basil
½ tsp rosemary
or ½ tsp oregano
2-3 tbsp olive or peanut oil
 Description 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roughly chop the vegetables onto a cookie sheet, add the spices and oil and stir thoroughly with your hands to coat the vegetable with the oil and spices. Cook in the oven for about 20-35 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and the vegetables have a golden brown underside. Be careful not to let the undersides get too dark or the vegetables will taste burnt. Serve hot, either plain or with a tofu-dill or tofu-scallion dip.

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Soups (not Bean Based) Miso Vegetable Soup

Spice pattern: Oriental (the miso is the spice pattern) This is a good simple, warming and easy to digest soup that can be made from scratch in about a half an hour. The miso tastes best if you add just enough to make the soup rich tasting without getting very salty. 

• 1-2 tbsp peanut or sesame oil
• 1 med onion finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery finely chopped
• 1 carrot grated
• wakame, soaked and chopped (optional)
• (about 1/8 c total)
• ¼ tsp black pepper (optional)4 c water
• miso - about 1-2 tsp per serving bowl
• chopped scallions for garnish

Description- 

Saute the onions, celery and carrots in the oil over a low flame for 5-10 minutes or until they are soft. Add the water and wakame, bring to a boil, cover and simmer about 15 minutes. For best taste, the miso is added at the time of  serving in each individual bowl. To do this, take 1- 2 tsp of miso in a bowl, add a little bit of the broth and stir the miso to thin it to sauce texture. Add the serving amount to the bowl, stir and check the seasoning. If you need more miso it can be added in small amounts and mashed on the side of the bowl. Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped scallions and serve. 

Variation: This soup is also nice with small cubes of firm tofu added to the broth. 

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Artsy Butternut Squash Almond Butter Soup

Spice pattern: neo-trendy (‘The Usual’ Indian mostly)
Very delicious, and to be used to impress your friends with how very hip your vegetarian cooking skills are. (Actually, I thought of this soup as an example of a recipe that sounds more exotic and trendy than ‘split pea soup’.) The recipe is a good example of how nut butters can be used to add a creamy thickness to soups. They work well with sweet vegetables like winter squash, or carrot and parsnip. Peanut and cashew butter also work well used this way.

• 1 large butternut squash 2-4 tbsp almond butter
• peanut oil or other nut butter
• ½-1 tsp salt or to taste
• 2 tbsp peanut oil ½ tsp black pepper or to taste
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 tsp finely chopped ginger fresh chopped cilantro garnish
• 1 med onion chopped grated kefalotyri cheese garnish
• ½ tsp turmeric (or other imported, hard to pronounce
• 1 tsp coriander sharp grating cheese)
• ½ tsp cumin
• 4 c water

Description- 

Cut the butternut squash in half, scoop out and remove seeds. Coat cut sides with peanut oil, and bake in a 375 degree oven until tender, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool enough to handle. In your soup pan, heat the oil and add the brown mustard seeds, cover and cook the seeds until they start to pop and spatter. Reduce heat to low, add the ginger, onion and spices and cook onions slowly until very soft, at least 15 minutes, the longer the better. It’s okay if the onions start to brown. Add the water. Scoop the cooked squash out of its skin, mash and add to the water - a
wire whisk will smooth the texture of the soup. Cook another 5 minutes, then add the almond butter, salt and pepper and stir to get a very smooth soup. Adjust salt and pepper if necessary, and cook another 5 minutes on low heat. Serve in bowls sprinkled with finely chopped cilantro and the grated-hard-to pronounce cheese. (Romano or parmesan will do in a pinch, but make sure they are imported and expensive.)

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Spice pattern: basic, savory
The rolled oats and tahini together make this soup creamy and rich, and they complement the sweetness of the parsnips. The miso is salty, but if you use just the right amount it further enhances the sweetness of the other ingredients without making the soup taste salty. Start with the smaller amount of miso, and only add more if the soup tastes flat.

• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• ½ tsp chopped ginger
• 1 med onion, finely chopped
• ½ tsp marjoram
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 4-5 parsnips, finely chopped
• 4 c water
• 1/3 c rolled oats
• 2 tbsp tahini (adjust to taste)
• 1-2 tbsp misoparsley garnish (optional)

Saute the ginger, onion and spices in the oil over a low flame until the onion turns transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the parsnips, stir and saute another 3 minutes. Add water and rolled oats, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes - the parsnips should be very tender and the oats should be pretty much dissolved in the water. Add the tahini, stir and cook on very low flame another 3 minutes or so. Mash the miso with 5-6 tbsp of the broth to thin it out, and stir it into the soup. Taste and adjust miso if needed/ Simmer another 2-3 minutes, then serve. Variation: Small amounts of other savory spices (thyme, nutmeg, rosemary) could be used to good effect.

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Vegetable Tomato Barley Soup

Sspice pattern: Savory

There are no peas or beans in this soup, so all of the flavor comes from the slowly sauteed vegetables and spices in the oil. So, take your time on the saute step and let the onions soften slowly.

•     3 tbsp peanut oil 1 stalk celery chopped
•     1 tsp ginger chopped 1 large carrot chopped
•     2 cloves garlic chopped 2 med potatoes chopped
•     1 large onion chopped 4 c water
•     ½ tsp salt or to taste ½ c pearl barley
•     1 tsp basil 1 piece kombu
•     ½ tsp rosemary 1 lg can diced tomatoes
•     ½ tsp black pepper
•     ½ tsp thyme 1 tsp lemon juice

 Heat the oil ad cook the ginger and garlic 2-3 minutes. Add the onions, celery and spices and cook until onions are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and potatoes, stir and cook another 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about an hour or until barley is thoroughly cooked.  

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Serious Tomato Sauce

Spice pattern: Mediterranean

This is a ‘genuine’ Italian tomato sauce recipe. I learned it from ‘genuine’ Italian relatives while

growing up in New York City. The ‘secret’ to a thick and crumbly textured tomato sauce is to fry the tomato paste  with the garlic and oil until it crumbles and darkens, almost until it burns. For a cooking wine I use a hearty inexpensive red wine like burgundy. The tomato puree makes a very thick and heavy sauce, the diced tomatoes a little less so.

To do this one right, the sauce really needs to cook all day or overnight. Once the frying step is finished, the rest of the ingredients can be combined in a slow cooker. It gets better with time.

•     4 tbsp olive oil (or more)
•     1-2 whole dried red chilis (optional)
•     or 1-2 tsp dried guajillo chili pieces
•     3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
•     1 small (6 oz) can tomato paste
•     1 lg can (28 oz) tomato puree or diced tomatoes
•     ½ c (or more) hearty burgundy or similar red wine
•     or 1 tbsp brown sugar (if you can’t deal with the wine)
•     1 tsp basil
•     1 tsp oregano
•     ½ tsp mint (optional)
•     1 stick kombu or kelp (optional)
•     1-2 bay leaves
•     1/2 tsp salt or to taste
•     ½ tsp black pepper

 Descriptions-

 Heat the oil over a low flame, and fry the red chilis and garlic until the garlic just starts to brown. Add the tomato paste, stir and fry, stirring occasionally, until the paste is crumbly and browning and appears coated with the oil. Don’t rush this step - you can fry the paste to where it starts to burn a little bit. When you stir you may need to scrape the paste off the bottom of the pan where it sticks. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, put on a very low flame or slow cooker, and just let it cook covered, stirring occasionally (less often with a slow cooker) for as long as you can, 4-6

hours minimum. The sauce tastes as good or better reheated the second day.  Variation: Add extra vegetables - onions, bell peppers or anaheimpeppers, mushrooms

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Spaghetti and Mock Duck with Tomato Sauce

This is a serving suggestion for pasta with sauce. The mock duck fried with the onions has a chewy, meaty texture and works with the spaghetti and sauce. If you like a pasta, butter and onion kind of taste, the mock duck and spaghetti stirred together without the tomato sauce works well also.

• Cooked spaghetti 
• Serious Tomato Sauce
• or other tomato sauce
• (use a store bought sauce if you want - I won’t tell)
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 sm can wheat gluten (mock duck)
• salt and pepper to taste

Fry the onions in the olive oil until translucent, then add the mock duck, season to taste and saute for a couple of minutes. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, and toss with a little bit of olive oil or butter while still very hot. Serve the spaghetti topped with the mock duck and onions with the tomato sauce added. Or, have the pasta with sauce with the mock duck on the side.

Variation: Instead of mock duck, substitute a package of tempeh, steamed and cut into ½ in chunks. The cooked tempeh could also be mixed into the sauce. 

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Onion Miso Gravy

Onion Miso Gravy

 Spice pattern:  basic or savory

This sauce works well over hearty grains like buckwheat or brown rice. The creamy ‘stroganoff’ variation works well with egg noodles.

When you make this or any sauce, remember that the intensity of the taste will be diluted by the food you eat it with. So, the sauce by itself should taste strong and rich, too rich to eat by itself, for it to taste good mixed over food. If you season the gravy to taste perfect stand-alone, it will probably taste bland once you pour it over food. If you use the wine, I suggest an inexpensive hearty red table wine like burgundy. Do not use socalled cooking wine, which is inferior quality and overpriced. This is a cornstarch gravy, which is textured like sauces you get with Oriental food. It is easy to

make and hard to get wrong. Add the cornstarch in small amounts and let it cook in and check thetexture, because too much cornstarch will make the gravy almost pudding thick.

• 3 tbsp peanut oil ½ tsp salt
• 3 large onions, sliced in crescents ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp or more chopped ginger (optional) ½ tsp sage (optional)
• ½ tsp thyme (optional)
• ¼ c wine (optional) ½ tsp rosemary (optional)
• 2 c water ( 1 ½ c water if using wine)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp miso or to taste ¼ c cold water

 Slowly cook the onions and spices (and ginger) in the oil over a low flame until the onions arevery soft, the longer the better - at least 15 minutes. Add the water (and wine) and heat slowly,and cook about 5 minutes. Thin the miso with a little bit of the gravy liquid and add it back, andadjust amounts of miso and seasonings. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water and stir into thegravy, and stir until it thickens. If the gravy is still too thin, add a bit more cornstarch and coldwater. Adjust salt and pepper one last time if necessary.

Variation: Mushroom ‘stroganoff’ gravy - Add ½-1 cup chopped mushrooms when the onionsare almost done, stir and saute another few minutes .Add 2 tbsp tahini and stir into the saucewhen you add the miso to make the sauce creamy. Add 1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar with the tahinito give the gravy a stroganoff type creamy and sour taste.

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Cranberry Sauce

Adapted from Eat Drink & Be Vegan.
Ingredients:

•  1 ¾ cups fresh cranberries
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

 Directions: 
In a pot on medium-high heat, combine the ingredients and bring mixture to a boil stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Once sauce has thickened, taste test, and add vinegar is desired. Serve warm or chilled.

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This Ain’t Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked
• 2 tablespoons Earth Balance
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

Topping:

• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup Sucanat (or brown sugar)
• 1/3 cup spelt flour
• 3/4 cups chopped pecans (I didn`t have- optional)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish with canola oil. I wipe a bit on with a paper towel. Peel and then boil sweet potatoes until tender. Mash the sweet potatoes with the margarine until smooth. Add the milk, vanilla, maple syrup, sea salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour into casserole dish. Next, mix the topping ingredients together until well-combined. Sprinkle topping mixture over the casserole and bake for approx. 50 minutes,
checking it every so often. Serves 7-9.

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High Protein Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 10-12 large organic red potatoes
• 3-3.5 cups cooked navy beans (2 small cans)
• 1/4 cup soy-free Earth Balance buttery spread
• 2 tbsp unsweet. almond milk
• 4-5 large cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions: 

Wash potatoes with a potato scrubber, chop into large chunks, and toss into a large pot. I prefer to leave the skin on (they are organic potatoes!). Fill with water until potatoes are covered. Cook on medium-high heat for about 30-35 minutes until fork tender. Drain potatoes and place in a large bowl. After cooling for a few minutes, take a potato  masher and mash until desired consistency is achieved. While mashing add your milk and Earth Balance. Mash some
more. Add garlic to a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add drained beans, salt, 1/2 tsp paprika, and process until mostly smooth. Add bean mixture to potato mixture and mash until mixed. Sprinkle with black pepper, remaining paprika, and additional sea salt. Serve with Earth Balance, salsa, ketchup, or BBQ sauce, and a serving of cooked veggies to round out the meal. Nutritional Info: (Serves 8). Per serving, approx: 336kcal, 7 gram fat, 11 grams fibre, 11 grams protein, 2 grams sugar.

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Vegan Gravy

Adapted from Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan.
Quite possibly the BEST gravy I have ever tasted! Everyone raved about this!!
Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable broth
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp blackstrap molasses
• ½ tsp agave nectar
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
 In a blender or food processor combine all ingredients and puree until smooth. In a pot on medium to high heat, add mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and stir frequently to thicken. Remove from heat and serve. Add additional agave, water, or vinegar if needed to adjust taste.

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‘Frank Approved’ Glazed Walnut Loaf with Gravy

Ingredients:

• 9 slices multigrain or whole wheat bread
• 2 cups walnuts, toasted
• Chia egg (1 tbsp chia seed + 3 tbsp water)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 celery rib, minced
• 1 small bunch parsley, stems discarded and leaves chopped
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 cup crushed canned tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1.5 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Generous seasoning freshly ground black pepper
• Glaze: (2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp apple butter, 1 tbsp cornstarch)
• Vegan Gravy (see below)

 Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and toast walnuts for 10-12 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and set aside. Toast the bread slices in the toaster.Let cool. Grease a 9x5 inch (or similar size) loaf pan, then line the bottom with waxed paper and grease the parchment paper. Tear up the toasted bread slices and process in a food processor. Place in a large bowl. Now, process the walnuts until finely ground and mix into the bread crumbs. Place the green pepper, onion, celery, parsley, tomatoes, and oil in the processor and grind until fine but still with some texture. Stir into the loaf mixture along with the chia egg, salt, and 6 pepper. Mix this all very well until evenly  moistened. Scoop into the prepared loaf pan and smooth over the top. Brush with prepared glaze. Cover the loaf with foil. Bake 80-100 minutes until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out dry. Let sit 5 minutes, then run a knife all along the sides of the loaf to help loosen it. Unmold the loaf onto a platter and remove the waxed paper. Let the loaf cool 20 minutes or so before slicing it. Serve with vegan gravy (below).

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Twice Baked Bar Nuts

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups mixed unsalted nuts (I used 1/2 cup peanuts, 1/2 cup cashews, 1/2 cup walnuts, and 3/4 cup almonds)
• 2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• Small Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1-2 tbsp Sucanat (or brown sugar)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup, to taste (optional)
• 1.5 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance butter

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread nuts onto the baking sheet and toast for about 10-12 minutes. Remove nuts and let cool for about 5 mins. or so. While cooling, mix the sauce ingredients (rosemary, cayenne, Sucanat, maple syrup, sea salt, 1 tbsp of Earth Balance butter). Now, dump nuts into a large bowl and stir in 1 tbsp of melted Earth Balance butter. Add sauce and mix well. Pour nuts back onto baking sheet and bake
for another 10-12 minutes until golden. Cool for about 20 minutes and serve warm. Makes 2 1/4- 2 1/2 cups.

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Lemon Cashew Cheese

Lemon Cashew Cheese
Ingredients:

•  1 cup raw cashews
•  1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
•  ½ tsp sea salt
•  Black pepper, to taste
•  1 garlic clove

 Directions: 
In a food processor, process all ingredients until smooth.

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Eggplant Salad Toasts with Lemon Cashew Cheese

Ingredients:

•  1 medium eggplant, cut into ½ inch cubes
•  2 tbsp olive oil
•  ¼ tsp sea salt
•  Black pepper
•  1 tsp red wine vinegar (or balsamic works)
•  1 small clove garlic, minced
•  Lemon Cashew cheese (recipe below)
•  1 baguette, sliced into ½ inch wide rounds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or simply grease with oil. Toss the eggplant, oil, salt, and black pepper in a medium sized bowl. Spread out onto baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 425F. Prepare your lemon cashew cheese while waiting (see below). After eggplant is cooked, remove from oven and pour into a bowl. Slice baguette and line up on baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes watching carefully so as not to burn it.Remove from oven and layer on the eggplant mixture topped with lemon cashew cheese. Makes about 30 rounds.

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Homemade Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients:

•  2.5 tablespoons balsamic, white, or red wine vinegar
•  2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
•  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or regular mustard
•  2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
•  1/4 teaspoon sea salt
•  Ground black pepper to taste
•  1/2 minced clove of garlic (optional)
•  2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Toss all ingredients into a bowl and whisk! Makes about 1/2 cup of dressing.

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Candied Pecans

Ingredients:

•  ¼ cup brown sugar
•  1 tbsp olive oil
•  1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
•  1 cup pecan halves

Directions: 

n a skillet, stir together the sugar, olive oil and vinegar over medium heat until the sugar melts and the syrup bubbles. This should take a couple minutes. Stir the pecans until they're evenly coated and toasted. This should take about 5 to 6 minutes. Spread the nuts out on a piece of parchment paper and separate using two forks. Cool completely.

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Cranberry, Pear, and Candied Pecan Spinach Salad

Cranberry, Pear, and Candied Pecan Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

•  Approx 6 cups packed spinach
•  2 pears, chopped
•  ½ cup dried cranberries
•  1 cup Candied pecans (see recipe below)
•  Homemade Balsamic Dressing (see recipe below)

 Directions: Toss all ingredients together and serve as part of appetizer.

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