Slow Cooked Ziti Casserole

Adapted from Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson

2 T olive oil
1 large onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
12 oz. package frozen vegetarian burger crumbles
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 T chopped fresh basil leaves, or 1 t dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. ziti, cooked according to package directions until al dente, drained, and rinsed
2 T chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or soy parmesan cheese

1. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium. Add onion, cover, and cook about five minutes (until onion is softened). Add the garlic, cooking an additional 30 seconds (until fragrant).

2. Place the onion mixture into a 4 quart crockpot, then add the tomatoes, meat crumbles, water, and wine. If using dried basil, add that too, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low setting for 3 1/2 hours.

3. Add the cooked ziti, cover, and continue to cook on low for an additional 20-30 minutes.

4. Stir in parsley. If using fresh basil, stir that in as well. Sprinkle with soy parmesan and serve.

5. SHARE!

Perfectly Easy Seitan

This is based on two recipes – Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Soy and Seitan Turkey and Seitan O’Greatness from the Post Punk Kitchen forums. It's a bit easier than Bryannas but still has that nice "chickenish" flavor that goes in other dishes well.


Dry ingredients:
2-1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
½ cup chickpea flour (besan)
½ cup nutritional yeast flakes
3 tablespoons vegetarian chicken broth powder (I use Frontier Foods brand)
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon sage
½ teaspoon thyme

Wet ingredients:
1-3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I use the double concentrated kind from a tube)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I like Braggs for this)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 325.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, briefly beat together wet ingredients with an electric mixer. Add about 1/3 of the dry mixture (about a cup) and beat on medium for 2 minutes. Set a timer and don’t cheat! Add another cup of the dry mixture and beat on low for another 2 full minutes. Add remaining ingredients and blend in with a spoon. If necessary, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until dry ingredients are just combined.

Divide dough into two equal pieces and roll each piece into a log about 6 or 7 inches long. Wrap each log tightly in aluminum foil, twisting the ends to seal.

Bake for 90 minutes.

Makes 2 pounds of seitan, about 12 servings.

Golden lentil soup

Golden lentil soup, 4 portions

1 chopped onion
1 packet saffron (½ gram)
2 tbsp oil
4.2 cups water (1 liter)
1 cube vegetable bullion
About 1.2 cups red lentils (3 deciliter)
3 average sized potatoes in cubes
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp lemon juice
Herb salt, pepper

Fry onion and saffron in oil for a few minutes. Add water, cube of bouillon and bring to a boil. Add the rinsed lentils, potatoes, tomato purée and the lemon juice. Let the soup simmer under a lid for about 20 min. Herb salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli and Carrots casserole

Ingredients:

* Potatoes, skins on and cut into 1 inch piece
* Carrots, cut into 1/2-3/4 inch slices
* Broccoli, cut into florets
* Fresh garlic, minced
* Fresh dill (or use dried)
* Olive oil
* 1/2 onion chopped and sauted
* Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Put cut veggies in a casserole dish. Drizzle with oil. Season with S&P and add herbs. Toss to coat. Bake covered for 35-45 minutes (until tender). Stir every 10-15 minutes.

Frijoles Borrachos

1 tb vegetable oil
1 c diced tomatoes
2 large scallions, chopped
4 cups cooked pinto beans
1/2 cup beer (corona extra)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 4oz can chopped chiles
salt to taste
2 cups sharp cheddar, grated

Get a really big skillet. Heat oil. Add tomatoes and scallions, and saute over medium-low heat 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover, simmer over low heat 30 minutes. Uncover. Mix in cheddar, stir until dissolved into liquid. If there is too much liquid, cook uncovered until it thickens. Serve hot.

Grilled Squash and Zucchini Sandwiches

1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
1 sweet onion (a 1015 or Vidalia)
1 baguette (12 ounces)

Marinade:
¾ cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
¾ cup water
½ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, or 2 teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried
1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Spread:
2 tablespoons Veganaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Cut zucchini, squash and pepper into short, thin strips. Slice onion, cut slices in half, and separate into half-rings.

Combine all marinade ingredients. Put vegetables in a container with a lid or ziplock bag and pour on marinade. Marinate for an hour or so, turning once or twice.

Prepare grill. Drain vegetables and grill until tender.

Slice baguette lengthwise. Mix spread ingredients and spread on bottom half of baguette. Add vegetables and cut into four servings.

Curry-roasted Butternut Squash Raita

2 cups peeled, seeded and diced (about 1/2 inch dice) winter squash, such as butternut, buttercup, kabocha, sweet dumpling or pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
pinch of sugar
Salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt (soy yogurt can be used), drained
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons shelled sunflower seeds, toasted

Heat oven to 425. Toss together the squash, oil, curry powder, sugar and season with salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast about 20 minutes, until lightly browned and tender. Let cool.
Combine the yogurt, scallion, cilantro, lemon juice and then gently fold in the squash and sunflower seeds. Serve with warm pita or naan. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tofu Pie

2 boxes silken tofu
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 Tbs maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
graham cracker crust (or you could buy one):

1 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1/4 melted vegan margarine
1 Tbs sugar (opt.)

Instructions:


filling:

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler (I use a microwave) and add to tofu in a blender. Blend until smoot. Add maple syrup and vanilla, and blend again.

crust:

Combine crumbs, margarine, and sugar and mix well. Press into bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan. Prebake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees (do not bake if you're using for baked pies)

assembly:

Soften peanut butter and gently spread on the bottom of the pie shell. Pour tofu mixture into shell and chill until set. Then serve

Sesame Tofu Nuggets

1 cup tofu, drained and pressed
1/2 cup of cooked brown rice
2 Tbs low-sodium soya sauce
3/4 cup ground almonds
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ

Mash tofu in a bowl. Blend half the cooked rice in a processor with the tofu until it's a thick paste. Transfer to a bowl and mix in everything else EXCEPT only 1/4 cup of the sesame seeds. Mix well. Roll into 1-inch balls (should make around 15 or so) and roll each ball in the remaining 1/2 cup sesame seeds to coat them.

Bake on a lightly greased sheet at 350 F for around 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with a tossed salad. Kids apparently love these.

Moussaka (Baked Eggplant Casserole)

(adapted from: "The Green Way To Healthy Living" - Radha Soami Satsang Beas)

Moussaka (Baked Eggplant Casserole)

3 eggplants (about 3 lbs or 1½ kg)
Flour and water for dipping
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions, thinly sliced
3-4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (or use canned tomatoes)
¼ cup parsley, chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Bechamel Sauce (below)
1 cup Vegan Parmesan cheese

(The original recipe wasn't vegan ... milk was changed to soymilk, butter was changed to soy and cheese was made vegan)

Cut eggplants lengthwise into ¼-in (6-mm) slices. Sprinkle with salt and let stand in a colander for about half an hour. Pat dry. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Dip the eggplant slices in flour. Place in an oiled baking dish and bake for about 15 minutes on each side. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Add onions and saute until soft. Add tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring to mix all the ingredients.
Prepare the bechamel sauce according to directions (below). Add salt and ¼ cup (1 oz or 30g) of the vegan parmesan cheese.
Reduce the oven heat to 350° F (180° C or 4 G). Place half the eggplant in a baking dish. Cover with the onion/tomato mixture and sprinkle with ¼ cup (1 oz or 30 g) of the cheese. Place the remaining eggplant on top and pour the bechamel sauce over the casserole followed by the remaining vegan parmesan cheese. Bake 45 minutes or until done.

Bechamel Sauce

4 tablespoons soy butter
4 heaping tablespoons flour
4 cups soymilk
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Prepare the bechamel sauce in a small saucepan by heating the soy butter over low heat until it melts. Add the flour stirring constantly to avoid lumps and cook a few minutes.
Add the soymilk gradually, stirring all the while. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Keep stirring the sauce until it thickens.

Root Vegetable Salad

1 15-ounce can diced beets, drained
1 small jicama, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried dill

Put the root veggies in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Pour over the salad and toss up to mix. Eat either warm or chilled.

Adapted from Foods That Fight Pain by Neal Barnard

Chickpea Breakfast Pizza

adapted from World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey
This is a great morning "pizza" Although I find it more omelette than pizza and super simple to make.

2/3 cup chickpea flour
1/3 tsp salt
3 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed rosmary (dried)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
3 tbs Tomatoes any kind seeded and chopped (I used marinated sun dried)
chopped cilantro (to taste)
3 tbs finely chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup water

mix chickpea flour and salt then pour half of the water slowly mixing quickly as you pour. Stop and stir out any clumps and add the rest of the water and stir. Let sit for 30 min. Use this time to prepare the other ingredients. I put the tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro and pepper in a bowl and mixed them up together. Preheat the oven to broil and find a 12 inch saute or fying pan (make sure it has a metal handle so it can go in the oven).
After 30 min are up add rosmary and stir. Put 1 tbs of oil in pan and heat on med high till hot and then pour mixture quickly into pan and let it heat up for a few minutes. Do not stir. When it starts to bubble sprinkle the onion/garlic/tomato/cilantro mix over the surface and drizzle the remaining 2 tbs of oil on the top. Grind pepper over top of pizza to taste. Wait about 5-6 minutes and then pop in the oven 5 inches under the broiler. Leave until the top begins to brown.
Take out and let cool, or serve hot (right out of the oven it won't hold together quite as well)

The vegetable amounts are not set and you can vary them and the seasoning amounts to your own taste. if you wanted it spicy it would be great with some chopped jalepenos. I put a quick drizzle of soy sauce on mine.
I haven't tried it yet but I bet the batter would keep overnight and could be cooked in the morning to save time.

Banana date pudding

adapted from "The Raw Truth"

6 dates, seeded
1/2 cup filtered water
seeds from 1/2 of a split vanilla bean
6 ripe bananas, peeled and halved crosswise
chopped walnuts, for garnish

Soak the dates in the 1/2 cup of water for 1 hour, or until soft. In a food processor blend the dates and their soaking water and vanilla seeds until smooth. Add the bananas, blend until smooth, pour into serving dishes (serves 2 - 4) and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until chilled. Serve with chopped walnuts sprinkled on top.

* this recipe is suitable for raw food diets *

Carrot Cake

1 cup unbleached cane sugar
1 8-oz. can unsweetened, crushed pineapple in juice
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cups grated carrot, lightly packed
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8x8 inch glass baking dish.
Mix the sugar, pineapple and its juice and the oil in a bowl. Stir in the carrot, raisins and walnuts. In separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Then gradually stir the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredient mixture. This is going to be a rather thick batter (and mighty tasty, too!). Spoon this into your baking dish and bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting it or dusting with powdered sugar.

Adapted from Vegan Vittles.

"Emergency" Muffins

(this recipe was adapted from a Nava Atlas 'basic muffin' recipe)

2 C all purpose flour
2 T ground flaxseeds
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/3 C granulated sugar
1 strawberry soy yogurt - 6oz (the original recipe lists 1 C vanilla soy yogurt or 1 C applesauce)
2 T safflower oil
1/3 C soy milk (I used closer to a 1/2)
handful of raisins

Preheat oven to 350F
Mix together all the dry ingredients (except the raisins)
In a separate bowl mix together the yogurt and oil
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the yogurt and oil, add enough milk to pull it together as a stiff batter
Throw in the raisins

Lightly grease a muffin tray and divide the mixture equally between 10 muffin cups (the original recipe claims to make 12, but I've had better results with larger muffins, making only 10).

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until you can poke them with a knife/skewer and it comes out clean. The tops should be golden brown.

Once they're cool enough to handle, pop out of the muffin cups and cool on a wire rack

MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

For hors d'oeuvres, use 36 leaves and 1 and a half tablespoons of filling for each leaf. Serves 12.


FILLING

2 cups vegetable stock or purified water
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup grated radish
1/3 cup chopped scallions or green onions
1/2 cup minced celery
3/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup currants or yellow raisins
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 pinch salt (optional)
36 grape leaves
1 bunch chives
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a large pot bring the stock or water to a boil, then add the rice and salt. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Fluff the rice with fork.

In a large bowl, mix together the rice and all the other filling ingredients, tossing thoroughly with a spoon. Rinse the grape leaves and pat dry. Spread the grape leaves out and spoon 1 to 1 and a half tablespoons of the filling on the end of each leaf, and then roll up, folding the outer edges in. Take three 5-inch-long chives and tie them around each stuffed grape leaf. Place the leaves in a small casserole dish and drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice over them. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F.

Serve warm or cold.

Makes 36 grape leaves, 3 per person.

Testing

dubrovnik

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.

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

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.