Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Pesto soup

adapted from "The Raw Truth"

10 large fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 Tbsp red miso
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cups water
2 cups diced tomato (about 4 tomatoes)
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
2 Tbsp shredded carrot
2 Tbsp shredded beets (I skipped these)
2 Tbsp minced onion, rinsed
1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Blend the basil, garlic, pine nuts, miso, nutritional yeast while adding the water. Once it is smooth, add the tomato, bell pepper, carrot, beets, onion and salt, and blend until mixed but still chunky.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Mexican lasagna with black beans and corn

5 largs (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 c corn (15oz can)
1 1/2 c black beans (15oz can)
1 1/2 c diced tomatoes (15oz can)
1/2 c diced chiles
1 1/2 c tomato sauce (15oz can)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic finely diced)
1 tsp sugar
1 large egg
16 oz regular sour cream (avoid light and fat-free, they will curdle)
2 c shredded Mexican cheese blend (pepper jack works well)
1/2 c chopped scallions (1 bunch)

Grease 13x9" casserole dish. Heat oven to 400F. Get 4 mixing bowls. 1) grated cheese 2) corn & beans 3) tomatoes & spices 4) sour cream, egg, & cheese mixture.

Stack tortillas on cutting board and slice through them lengthwise into 3 strips each. These will not be uniform due to the round shape of a tortilla.

Grate cheese into a bowl.

Mix corn and beans in a bowl.

Mix tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and sugar in a bowl. Spoon half of this mixture into the bottom of the dish. Cover with 5 tortilla strips. It is okay if they overlap a little.

Break egg into bowl. Beat with whisk or fork until foamy. Add sour cream and 1 cup of grated cheese. Mix well. Spoon half of the mixture evenly over the tortilla layer, and spread with back of spoon. Spoon half the corn and black beans over the sour cream mixture.

Put 5 more tortilla strips evenly over the corn and black bean layer. Top with remaining sour cream mixture, then with remaining corn and black beans. Put remaining tortilla strips over dish. Pour remaining tomato mixture over the tortilla strips. Spread evenly with back of spoon to moisten all strips.

Cover dish with foil, and bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. While the dish is baking, rinse and trim the scallions. Slice thinly, using all of the whites and enough of the green tops to make 1/2 cup.

When the lasagna has baked for 30 minutes, remove and uncover. If not hot and bubbly, return uncovered for 5 minutes. When it is hot and bubbly, scatter green onions on top. Bake uncovered another 5 minutes. Remove and sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over the dish. Bake until cheese melts, roughly 3 minutes.

Remove from oven, let stand 10 minutes, cut into squares, and serve.

YIELD: 8 servings
Adapted from Desperation Dinners

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Vermicelli Salad

1- 8 oz. Package of Vermicelli broken into 1” pieces. Place in boiling water for 5-7 mins.
Drain. Set aside to cool.

Shred 1 cabbage head
Grate 2 carrots
Add ½ cup of each celery, green pepper, & onion

Make Salad Dressing with following:
½ cup vegan sour cream
3 T. sugar
2 T. vinegar
1 cup veganaise ( can use ½ cup) different taste but still great
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix well and pour over vegetables and cooked vermicelli and stir
Chill well before serving
Will keep for a week in covered bowl in refrigerator.