Caramel Sauce

Adapted from Living Cuisine

Caramel Sauce

5 Tbs raw almond butter or raw cashew butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbs cold-pressed coconut butter
1 Tbs vanilla extract
2 pitted soft dates
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch sun-dried sea salt

Blend up everything in a food processor or blender until nice and creamy. You may need to add a few drops of water to help blend it up, but remember that the more water you add the thinner it will be. Serve over everything you want to eat caramel sauce on!

Peanut Mustard Sauce

This recipe is adapted from an Eden Foods recipe booklet.

Peanut Mustard Sauce

1/2 cup water
2 tsp. prepared mustard
4 Tablespoons peanut butter or almond butter
2 tsp. shoyu soy sauce

Whiz it all together in a blender until creamy and serve.

You can add chopped parsley, green onions or chives for more flavor if you like.

Secret Recipe Spaghetti Sauce

1 bag burger crumbles, optional
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 (12 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (7 1/2 ounce) can pitted ripe olives, drained and rinsed, sliced
1 bay leaf
2 (1 1/4 ounce) envelopes spaghetti sauce mix
3 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon oregano

In a large soup pot, saute the burger crumbles, garlic, onion, and green pepper in a bit of olive oil until soft.
Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a low boil, cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours stirring often.

Mediterranean Grill

1 sweet onion, sliced into about 6 pieces
2 red bell peppers, sliced into about 6 pieces
2 Chinese or Japanese eggplants (8-12 ounces), sliced into coins
1 zucchini, sliced into coins
4 portobello mushrooms, cut into 4 pieces each

marinade:
½ cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup water
¼ cup Braggs Liquid Aminos or tamari
¼ cup mirin
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/3 cup fresh basil, cut into strips

Place all vegetables in a watertight container or ziplock bag. Mix marinade ingredients and add to vegetables. Close container and turn upside down to coat vegetables. Marinate 1 hour, turning container once or twice.

Prepare grill for cooking. Drain vegetables and cook on a grill pan over medium-hot coals. Serve with pita bread, hummus and fruit.

Makes 4-5 servings.

This is an original recipe.

source: vegpeople.com

Fruit Soup

1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup mango
1/2 cup papaya
1/2 cup pineapple
1 Tbs lime, lemon or unsweetened orange juice
2 Tbs avocado

Blend until smooth. Garnish with think slices of lime or oranges and with shredded fresh mint leaves.

This makes a great snack or dessert for two people.

- Adapted from Kathy Cooks Naturally by Kathy Hoshijo

Mexican Spaghetti

1 medium onion, chopped
ground meat substitute (I used an 8oz box of Trader Joes vegan breakfast patties crumbled up, but you can use crumbled tofu, burger crumbles, etc.)
1 - 8oz can tomato sauce
1 envelope taco seasoning (we used the spicy kind)
7oz package of whole wheat spaghetti

In a sauce pan, saute the onion in a bit of oil until translucent. Add the meat substitute and mix it up with the onion. Then add the taco seasoning, tomato sauce and 3 cups of water, bring to a boil. Break the spaghetti into thirds and add to the sauce. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often to keep it from sticking to the bottom. The original recipe calls for shredded cheese sprinkled over the top, but I have never been a fan of that so we left it off, but you can add it if you wish.

Makes 4 large servings

Cherry Tomato Couscous

Keep your eyes peeled for whole wheat or barley couscous - either would work great here. You can easily make this vegan by leaving out the feta - maybe do some sort of harissa drizzle instead?

3 cups cooked couscous*
1/2 a basket of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 lemon, cut in half
1 lime, cut in half
about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup basil or cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Combine the couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, and chickpeas in a large bowl. Lori - squeezes the lemon and lime juice directly into the bowl, so start by giving a good squeeze of lemon and lime juice into the bowl, add the olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Toss well, taste, and adjust with more of the above until it tastes just right. Lori notes - this really needs a generous amount of salt, and the lemon and lime juices might need to be adjusted depending on how juicy the fruit is.

Add the basil and feta and toss gently until it is evenly dispersed.

Serves 4 - 6.


*To cook the couscous: Either follow the package instructions or bring 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil, stir in a scant 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt and 2 cups of couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Steam for 5 to 10 minutes and then use a fork to fluff up the couscous.

source: http://www.101cookbooks.com

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup Earth Balance, melted OR use a non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening, melted
1/2 cup pureed firm silken tofu
1 tsp vanilla extract
Ener-G for 1 egg
12 ounces chocolate chips

Prehead oven to 350F degrees.

Mix together dry ingredients and set aside.

Hand mix Ener-G and set aside.

Puree tofu in food processor. Add melted margerine, sugars, vanilla and Ener-G. Mix again.

Add dry ingredients and process until just mixed. Take mix from food processor bowl and put in regular mixing bowl. Fold in chips.

For best results chill dough for at least 10 minutes before cooking, and put in refrigerator between batches. Works well to make dough ahead of time and store in frige.

These cookies do not spread a lot so they can be placed fairly close together on baking sheet.

Make each cookie from 2 tablespoons of dough. Bake 14 minutes (times may vary with each oven, check after 11 minutes).

If you can stand it let them cool before you eat them. They are better when they are completely cool.

Banana Pudding

From Valerie

1 box firm Japanese style (Mori-Nu) tofu
1 large over ripe banana
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Put everything in a food processor and puree. Chill. Eat.

Black Bean Burgers

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen or canned okay
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilis, undrained
3 cloves garlic, run through a garlic press or very finely minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
scant 1 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread crumbs
¾ cup wheat gluten
Olive oil for coating burgers

Pulse beans, corn, olive oil and chilis in a food processor until there are very few whole beans. Some chunks are okay – don’t make this perfectly smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients except wheat gluten. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of wheat gluten over the surface and stir in. Add another ¼ cup wheat gluten the same way. Repeat with the remaining wheat gluten. (Stirring in the gluten this way keeps it from clumping until it’s blended with the other ingredients.) If necessary,stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time until mixture will just hold together (I didn’t need any water.)

Stir well with a wooden spoon for at least 3 minutes to give the gluten a chance to bind the burgers.

Form into 6 patties. Coat each side with olive oil and grill over medium coals until browned on the outside and cooked through.

Chili Potato and Grilled Vegetable Burritos

2 cups chili
Try this or this, or you can use a 15-ounce can - the spicier, the better.
2 cups cooked, diced potatoes
Use some potatoes made like these, with or without the spices.
2 cups grilled vegetables
I’ve made the recipe with leftovers from this and this, both of which can be frozen.
4 large flour tortillas

Combine chili, potatoes and vegetables and heat. Roll up in tortillas. Serve as is, or brush/spray with some olive oil and bake at 350 for 10 minutes until lightly crispy.
Serves 4 generously

Hot Spiced Wine

4 cups red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir are preferable)
4 ounces brandy
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 oz. lemon juice
1 cup orange juice
3 whole cloves
7-10 whole peppercorns
4-5 whole cinnamon sticks

In a four-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients except the wine.

Bring to a boil and and keep at a steady boil for about 10 minutes until the liquid is reduced by about half.

Lower heat and add the wine. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes but be careful not to bring it to a boil a second time. Strain the fragrant product through a fine sieve.

Serve hot and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Pasta e Fagiol

This is quick and easy! Adapated from the The McDougall Program: Twelve Days to Dynamic Health.

Pasta e Fagiol

2 15-oz. (or 1 32-oz.) cans of crushed tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 water or veg broth
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. uncooked whole wheat pasta

Saute onion and garlic in 1/4 water in a large pot for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the pasta, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Cook pasta separately and drain. Remove bay leaf from the sauce and combine with the pasta in a 3-quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Stuffed grape leaves

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.

Five Tofu Marinades

Smoky BBQ

¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or mirin)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1-1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons paprika or chili powder

Blend all ingredients and pour over tofu. Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 1 pound.

Asian I

¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Blend all ingredients and pour over tofu. Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 1 pound.

Asian II

¼ cup vegetarian oyster-mushroom stir-fry sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons ume vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Blend all ingredients and pour over tofu. Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 1 pound.

Thai Curry
(spicy)

1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons Thai curry paste
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced

The coconut turns this marinade into a paste. Spread on both sides of tofu. Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 1 pound. Serve with the coconut still on the tofu.

Note: check the ingredients to make sure there is no shrimp paste in the curry paste.

Thai Sesame Peanut
(mild)

¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 tablespoons mirin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Blend all ingredients and pour over tofu. Makes about 3/4 cup, enough for 1 pound.

Chick Peas a la King

This is adapted from Vegan Vittles by Joanne Stepaniak.

Serves 4

1 T oil (I skip this and sautee in water)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (double)
1/2 cu chopped red bell pepper (double)

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (to make gf use 1/4 cup chick pea flour and 1/4 cup sorghum flour. Rice flour is not recommended.)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 t salt
1/2 t paprike
1/4 t thyme, crumbled
1/8 t black pepper

2 cups nondairy milk (unsweetened soymilk works very well)

1 15 ounce can chick peas (about 1.5 cups)

1/2 cup finely sliced scallions

Sautee mushrooms and red pepper in oil or water until cooked. Remove from heat. Stir in flour, nut. yeast, salt and spices. Gradually add milk a little at a time. Return to heat, medium high, and stir until low boil, then reduce heat and stir until mixture thickens. Don't cook it all the way down. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Serve over baked potatoes, rice, noodles or toast.

No-Pork Sausages

Recipe from The Compassionate Cook by PeTA.

10 oz (16) pack frozen lima beans, thawed
3/4 (1) C veg broth
1/4 t dried sage (2T fresh)
1/4 t dried rosemary leaves, crumbled (1 T fresh)
(2 T fennel seeds, crushed into powder using a morter)
(1/2 t salt or herbamare)
(1/4 t cayenne)
6 (9) T cornmeal
veg oil for frying

Use a food processor to coarsely chop lima beans and broth.

In medium saucepan heat ben mix with spices and 4 (7) T cornmeal. Cook until thick and bubbly. I had to add a little more water. Cool to room temp. I put it in the frige for an hour.

Put the rest of the cornmeal (or more) on a plate. Pat the bean mix into patties (1/4 cup measure) and coat with cornmeal. Fry in oil.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

4 large or 6 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled
2 tablespoons margarine
1/4 cup soy creamer or soymilk
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cups chopped pecans
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick spray (or wipe with canola oil).

Mash the sweet potatoes with the margarine until smooth. Add the soy creamer, orange juice, vanilla, sugar, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

Mix the topping ingredients together until well-combined. Spread or sprinkle over the casserole and bake for 45 minutes or until hot throughout.

Adapted from The Fat Free Vegan Kitchen: http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

Ginger Sesame Noodles with Broccoli and Carrots

Adapted from Robin Robertson's Quick-Fix Vegetarian (healthy home-cooked meals in 30 minutes or less!!)

2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons mirin (I have been using good quality sake lately)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I have been using 1/2 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes that are at the bottom of the chili oil jar w/a bit of the oil)
1/4 cup tamari
2 tablespoons water
12 ounces soba noodles (or spaghetti, udon or linguine)
8 ounces broccoli florets
3 small-medium carrots, cut into thin coins
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger
Toasted sesame seeds or gomasio

In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, brown sugar, mirin and red pepper flakes. Stir in the tamari and water.

Put the water on to boil for the pasta. When it's ready add your pasta and cook it until it is almost done. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli and carrots. Drain and rinse with cold water and then toss with the sesame oil. Set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a skillet. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds. Add the noodles and vegetables and the sauce. Toss and heat through. Serve with toasted sesame seeds or gomasio sprinkled on top.

Eggless Salad

adapted it from Food Network and made some changes to accomodate my tastes.


14 oz. package of soft tofu
1/2 cup Nayonaise or Vegenaise (I usually end up adding 2 heaping tablespoons more when I'm done)
3 TBS Dijon mustard
1 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley (dried works too)
1 TBS chopped fresh dill (dried works too)
3 green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
(Sometimes I add sweet pickle relish to it as well)

Mash tofu in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and combine well. Chill and serve as a sandwich or over a bed of greens.