gnocchi

To make these gnocchi, you'll need

1 1/2 cups of cooled, cooked, smoothly mashed pumpkin or squash (I used Kabocha)
1 cup (approx.) of flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg or allspice

The twist is that the traditional recipe calls for mashed potato. So you can substitute that if you're looking for something more traditional.
I don't have any pictures for this part, but it's easy.
1) combine all ingredients and stir until combined
2) turn the dough onto a lightly floured cutting board or counter top
3) knead until smooth (roughly 3 minutes)
4) Separate the dough into 1 inch tubes, thusly, and cut into half-inch pillow shapes 

Shaping the Dough

I shape the dough the way my nonna taught me.
1) Pinch the pillow shapes so that the ends touch
2) Using the back of a fork, press and roll the gnocchi towards you. The aim is to create grooves that go all the way around the gnocchi. These catch sauce and make the pasta cook faster
3) Transfer the finished gnocchi to a lightly floured plate where they can hang out and get to know one another. Don't let them get too friendly or they'll stick together when you try to cook them.

Make your sauce!

These gnocchi were made with a tomato based sauce. You could also make a curry/coconut milk sauce or a white sauce (which would show off their funky colour)
I made a tomato sauce with leftover deli olives.
Ingredients:
1 can crushed/diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, halved
a handful of pitted olives, chopped
one small celery stalk
one small onion, diced
3 basil leaves, roughly torn
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp oregano
a pinch of dried chili flakes (optional)

Directions:
1) saute the onion, garlic, celery and olives in the oil until tender
2) add the can of tomatoes and the spices. Salt is not necessary because the olives are salty.
3) simmer until it is reduced to a saucy consistency and most of the tomato chunks have broken down (about 10 minutes) stirring OFTEN. 

Cook the Pasta!

When your sauce is almost done, boil a large pot of salted water.
When it's boiling, dump the gnocchi gently into the pot, being careful not to burn yourself, and being careful that they don't stick together.
Continue to boil the gnocchi for 2-4 minutes.
The gnocchi are done when they all float up to the top (if you're unsure, you can taste one. It should be chewy, but cooked through)
Drain the gnocchi in a colander.
Return the gnocchi to the pot and add the finished sauce a spoonful at a time until all the pasta is nicely coated.
At this point, you can add a bit of Parmesan or Romano cheese...or not! 

Vodka Cream Sauce

Penne Pasta with Tomato Vodka "Cream" Sauce

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

    1 lb. penne pasta
    3 - 14.5 oz cans of stewed tomatoes
    3 1/2 cups plain soy milk
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon dried basil
    1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    2 tablespoons vodka
    freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook soy milk on stovetop over medium heat until it reduces to 2 cups.  Puree tomatoes in blender.  Add milk and blend until well mixed.

In a large wok (or really big pot) cook tomato mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  If it starts to sputter, turn the heat down.

Add basil, salt and oregano.  Cook 5 more minutes.

Add vodka, simmer 5 more minutes.  Lastly, add pepper.  Ladle over cooked penne pasta noodles.

I made this for Valentine's day and my omni DH loved it!  Very easy too, the sauce can be pureed in the blender the night before to save time.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 30 minutes

black bean chili

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 2/3 cups coarsely chopped red bell peppers (about 2 medium)
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, drained, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
• 1 16-ounce can diced tomato
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell peppers, and garlic; sauté until onions soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne; stir 2 minutes. Mix in beans, 1/2 cup reserved bean liquid, and tomato sauce. Bring chili to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend and chili thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

chili

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

    2 cans dark kidney beans
    2 cans pinto beans
    2 cans chili beans
    1 medium-sized onion, chopped
    1 large tomato, diced
    1 can tomato sauce
    1-2 tablespoon jalapeno peppers, minced (I use the store-bought ones from a jar)
    2 tablespoons of jalapeno juice
    1/2 cup lentils (optional)
    1 teaspoon seasoning salt
    1 teaspoon mild chili powder
    1 teaspoon black pepper.
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.

Directions:

Use a crockpot or some other slow-cooker for this...Simply place all the ingredients in the crockpot and cook. I like to get mine ready in the morning and let it cook all day on low.  When I come home, its ready!

Cornbread is a must with this.

Be careful, this can be VERY SPICY!  You may want to adjust the amount of jalapeno juice.

Serves: 6-8

Preparation time: 8 hours

Orange Smoothie

Orange Smoothie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

    5 or more ice cubes
    1 banana
    1/2 cup soy milk
    3 tablespoon frozen orange juice
    2 tablespoon silken tofu (optional=it adds creaminess and protein)

Directions:

Crush the ice cubes in a blender. Then add the the orange juice, banana, tofu, and the soymilk.  Blend until creamy.

Serves: 1 person

quick strawberry and banana smoothie

Emilys Quick and Healthy Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

    1 peeled banana
    1 1/2 cups of frozen sweetened strawberries
    1 cup of any kind of fruit juice

Directions:

Start by putting the frozen strawberries and orange juice in a blender.  Mix until most strawberries are blended with the juice.  Break the banana in half, and add it in the blender. Add favorite ingredients to taste.  Mix until smooth.

Serves: 2-4

Preparation time: 3 min

Nutrition Information: Quick and healthy snack!

Strawberry Banana Apple Smoothie

Strawberry Banana Apple Smoothie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

    1 cup soy milk
    1/2 cup juice
    1 apple, cored and chopped
    1/2 frozen banana, peeled and chopped
    1/2 fresh banana, peeled and chopped
    2-3 cups frozen strawberries, chopped
    cinnamon, to taste

Directions:

Add the ingredients into a blender in the order listed.  Blend until smooth, about 1 or 2 minutes.

**TIPS** Vanilla and plain soy milk work well.  Most any kind of juice is good.  Use a sweeter apple, such as gala.  And you can leave the peel on to get all the apples nutrients.  If your blender does not handle this well, then simply peel the apple.  Its easiest to peel and chop the banana first, put it in a bag, and freeze it overnight for a smoothie the next day.  The amount of strawberries is approximate.  I just fill my blender to the top.  I usually put 4 or 5 shakes of cinnamon, but use as much as you want.

**NUTRITION** This smoothie is very creamy and sweet, but very healthy.  Silk brand soy milk will cost you 100 calories, the juice about 60, the apple 50, the banana 100, the strawberries 150.  All the fat comes from the soy milk, coming in at 3.5 grams.

Total calories: 460 Total fat: 3.5 grams

**SERVINGS** This will serve up to 3 people comfortably, but I drink one myself every morning for breakfast.

Comments are welcome!  Enjoy!

Serves: 1-3

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Banana Agave smoothie

Banana Agave Smoothie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

    1 1/2 cup Soymilk
    1 Banana
    1 tablespoon Agave
    1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
    Dash of Cinnamon
    Ground Flaxseed

Directions:

Put it all in the blender until delicious. Drink and enjoy!

You could probably use vanilla soymilk and frozen bananas with pretty good results too but I have yet to try it that way.

Source of recipe: My tastebuds told my brain to do this.

Makes: 1 or 2 servings, Preparation time: under 5 minutes

whole wheat pizza dough

4 1/2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups water, ice cold
a few tablespoons chopped herbs (optional)
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

Caesar Salad

The Best Caesar Salad Ever- Vegan or Not

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tbsp. tahini
1/2 tbsp. mellow white miso paste
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. tamari (soy sauce)
1/8 tsp. Vegan Worchestershire sauce (optional)
1/6 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 head romaine lettuce
2 slice Italian bread crusts, baked until toasted and then rubbed with a garlic clove (optional)
Directions:
Combine garlic, tahini, miso, lemon juice, tamari, and Worchestershire. Wisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Wash and dry the lettuce and cut into bite-size pieces.
Toss dressing over lettuce and cover with toasts if you like croutons.
Makes enough dressing for two large salads.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Vegan Balsamic

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. good olive oil
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
dijon mustard, to taste and for texture
1 pinch herbes de provence
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil with a wisk.
Here's the [easy] trick to making good dressings-- While wisking the ingredients, slowly stream the olive oil into the mixture. The oil will combine with the vinegar rather than resting on the top of it.
Makes enough dressing for 1 large or 2 medium sized salads.

Un-Potato Salad with Lemon-Dill dressing

The Un-Potato salad with Lemon-Dill Dressing

.
Ingredients:
Salad:
1 c. potatoes, preferably small and colorful, steamed
1/2 c. fresh green beans, steamed
1 ear corn, steamed
1-2 small cucumbers, chopped
1-2 green onions, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Dressing:
2 lemons, zested
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1-2 tbsp. fresh dill
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
After steaming the veggies very quickly, so they are still crisp, put them in an ice bath to stop the cooking.
Juice the lemons, and wisk them together with the zest, mustard, sugar, dill, salt, pepper, and olive oil to emulsify the dressing.
Combine all the ingredients and toss to coat.
Refrigerate and serve cold. This is best if prepared ahead of time and allowed to chill so the tastes combine.
Serves 4.

Sauteed Broccoli

Sauteed Broccoli

I love this vegetable recipe for broccoli and I use the same method for just about any vegetable that I want to sautee. It's very simple, but delicious vegetable recipe.
Ingredients:
2 cups broccoli, lightly steamed
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. pine nuts
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
Bring a large saucepan to medium heat. Let it warm for a minute or two and then add the oil. Here's a little trick with the garlic-- put it in the pan and mash it into the oil with the back of a fork. I like to mash it thoroughly and let the oil soak up the garlic flavor. If you are short on time just throw it in and let it cook for a minute. Then add the pepper flakes and cook for another minute, but don't let the garlic turn brown because it will get bitter. Add the pine nuts, broccoli, and salt, and cook until the broccoli is warmed and the pine nuts are lightly toasted.
Serves 4.
Variations:
Any vegetable can be added here in place of the broccoli. Also, you can try the same thing with different nuts. Almonds are great with this dish, but others are great as well.

Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:
2 beets per person
2 carrots per person
1 small sweet potato per person
2 tbsp. olive oil (or more if you have a large family)
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F
Wash vegetables and scrape any offending lumps or hard skin off. We eat the vegetable skin, but you might like to peel it with a vegetable peeler, or remove the peel once they are finished cooking.
Cut the vegetables into small pieces-- the smaller, the faster they cook.
Put the vegetables onto a baking sheet and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat (I like to use my hands to make sure everything is covered.)
Put the pan in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, testing with a fork for tenderness.
It's that easy. Even someone who doesn't cook can roast vegetables. And, it's truly delicious. Served with a side of whole grains and beans, you have a complete healthy vegan meal. You can put any solid vegetables that you like into this recipe, such as peppers, potatoes, zucchini, etc.
Serves 2-4.

broiled Eggplant Japonaise

Broiled Eggplant Japonaise

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. eggplant
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. tabasco sauce
Salt
Directions:
Preheat the broiler.
Slice the eggplants into 1/2 inch strips.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and pour 2 tablespoons of the oil on top. Mix the eggplant with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Place in the broiler. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until eggplant is nice and soft.
Mix together the minced garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and tabasco sauce.
Toss the eggplant in a large bowl, and dose with the sauce. It tastes good warm, but also surprisingly well at room temperature.
Serves 4.

Whole Wheat Vegetable Dumplings

Whole Wheat Vegetable Chinese Dumplings

I watched Bobby Flay do a Throwdown on dumplings one day and then decided to recreate my own version-- vegan and healthy. It took a few attempts before I got the vegetable recipe right, but it was well worth the experimentation!

This vegetable recipe takes a few steps, but none of them are very hard. Make sure to be patient, and use a lot of flour on the counter top. These are SO YUMMY! It makes about 26 dumplings, so you can freeze some for later in an airtight plastic bag.
Ingredients:
Dough:
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 tsp. salt
Filling:
2 scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup chopped red cabbage
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp ground ginger (more if using fresh ginger)
1/2 package firm silken tofu
2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 cup water for steaming
Sauce:
2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
Directions:
To make the dough:
Combine flours and salt, and then add water.
Knead until it forms a smooth ball, about 2 minutes.
Set aside for about 30 minutes to rest.
To make the filling:
Put vegetables, ginger, and garlic into a food processor and pulse until the mixture is very fine.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and then add the vegetable mixture. Crumble the tofu and mix with vegetables. Then add soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.
Cook until the mixture is warm and fragrant.
Refrigerate until mixture is cool. This is important because if it is warm, it will melt the dough and make a sticky mess that will not come out as a dumpling. (Believe me, I know firsthand)
To make the dumplings:
On a very well-floured surface, roll the dough into a long tube and then cut 1/2 inch slices off, like you are cutting out pre-made cookie dough.
Roll each of the slices into a small ball, about the size of a walnut and then return them to a well-floured surface.
Add more flour to your surface, and then use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a patty about 3 inches wide.
Put one heaping teaspoon of filling into the center of each patty.
Fold the patty over the filling into a half-circle shape, enclosing all of the filling.
You are going to close the seam from right to left by pinching the edge and folding it over on itself, making a crimp.
Place the dumplings in a well-oiled wok or large saucepan that has been warmed to medium heat, and don't move them. Let them fry for about 7 minutes, until the bottom is brown and crispy.
Here's the trick to chewy dumplings... take the cup of water in one hand and the lid to the saucepan in another. Pour the water into the center of the pan and quickly close the lid to keep the steam in.
It will take about 10 more minutes for the water to absorb and for the dough to be cooked. Try not to peek, because you will let the steam out.
To make the sauce:
Combine the ingredients and stir vigorously.
Variations:
You can put any vegetables you want into the vegetable recipe, but try to stick with some that have an Asian flair. Mushrooms, red peppers, beans, bok choy, and Chinese cabbage are all great alternatives.
Serves 4.

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Green Bean Casserole

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

This is a delicious vegan vegetable recipe from Alanna Kellogg at A Veggie Venture. It's obviously great for Thanksgiving, but can be whipped together any night of the week.
Her vegetable recipe is made for vegetarians, so this one is veganized and slightly different. I've divided this vegetable recipe into three sections to make it easier to understand, and though it takes a few steps, they're all really easy.
Ingredients for Beans:
2 qts. water
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
Directions for Beans:
Bring the water to boil in a large pot. While it's heating, cut up the beans.
Add the salt and beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Drain beans in a colander, and then spray for a minute with cold water to stop the cooking. Let them drain in the colander, shaking every now and then to get off all the water.
Ingredients for Sauce:
10 oz. mushrooms
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
generous pinch cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Fresh pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. flour
3/4 c. vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
3/4 c. soy creamer (or try full-fat unsweetened soymilk)
Directions for Sauce:
Trim and discard the mushroom stems and chop the mushrooms into pieces.
Heat olive oil over medium heat anda add the mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are very soft and exude their juices.
Whisk the flour into the vegetable broth and add to the mushrooms along with the sherry.
Simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add the soy creamer and simmer until thick, about 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and stir in the beans.
Ingredients for Topping:
1 1/2 slices whole grain bread
1 Tbsp. Earth Balance margarine
1/8 tsp. salt
1/16 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 3 oz. can of French fried onions
Directions for Topping:
Put the bread, margarine, salt, and pepper into a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Pour into a bowl and add the onions. Stir to combine.
To Assemble:
Put the green beans into an oiled casserole dish and bake at 425&degF for 10-15 minutes, and then apply the onion topping and bake for another 10-15 mintues.

If you are not serving this right away, cover both the topping and casserole in separate containers with plastic wrap. Before baking, bring the casserole to room temperature and then bake for 10-15 minutes. Add the topping and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Serves 8.
NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Serving: 138 Cal (54% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 33% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 9 g Tot Fat; 5 g Sat Fat; 12 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb8; 54 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 218 mg Sodium; 16 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points

Vegan Italian Meatballs

Italian Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. pinto beans
1/4 c. rolled oatmeal
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
1 c. vital wheat gluten
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. fennel
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. vegan Worchesterchire sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
tin foil
30 twisty-ties (optional)
Directions:
Fill steamer with water and get it boiling.
Cut tin foil into about thirty 3"x3" pieces.
Mash pinto beans until no beans are left intact. Add vegetable broth, soy sauce, Worchesterchire sauce, olive oil, and wisk to combine.
Add spices, and stir to combine. Add nutritional yeast and oats, and once it's all combined, add the wheat gluten. The gluten will instantly bind everything together, so make sure it's all combined before putting the gluten in. Stir to combine.
Make about 30 balls from the mixture, and put each in the center of a piece of tin foil.
Fold the corners up and twist them together, so that none of the mixture can escape out of the side. If you are using twisty-ties, tie them around the top. Otherwise, twist to seal.
Steam for 40 minutes. Let the meatballs rest for about 10 minutes before taking them out of the tin foil. They can be served immediately, frozen, or stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for about a week.
Makes 30 "meat"balls.

Sweet Potato Eggplant Risotto

Sweet Potato and Eggplant Risotto

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes
½ butternut squash
1 medium sized aubergine
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ cup non dairy milk
½ cup white wine
3-4 cups stock (warm, might require extra depending on the rice)
about 1 cup of risotto rice.

Directions:
-Peel and cube sweet potatoes and squash, steam or boil till soft.

-Cube the aubergine (small)

-Combine the sweet potatoes and squash in a bowl with thyme, salt, cinnamon and the non dairy milk and blend until completely pureed.
-Put 1-2 Tbsp of olive in pan, when hot add the finely chopped garlic, fry for under a min and add the rice and the wine. leave 3 min while stirring and then add some stock.. keep stirring and adding stock for about 15 min then add aubergine and continue adding stock and stirring for another 15 min, once done mix in the puree ( you might not want to use all of it just add bit by bit as you stir it in and get it to your desired texture, remember that as it cools down it also dries up so if it seems a bit on the liquidy side its ok.

Thyme and Mushroom Gravy

Thyme and Mushroom Gravy

By Celia Brooks Brown From BBC-Food 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

1-3/4ozs mushrooms, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp plain flour

4-1/2fl ozs port or other fortified wine

8-1/2fl ozs  vegetable stock

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry until golden. Add the herbs and mushrooms and cook until softened (about five minutes). Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, for about two minutes. Stir in the port or wine, vegetable stock and soy sauce and simmer, stirring, until the gravy has thickened slightly (3-5 minutes). Remove and discard the bay leaf. Pour the gravy into a jug and serve. Serves 4.

Veggie Pot Pie

Incredible This-will-become-your-favorite Veggie Pot Pie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

    1 frozen 2-layer vegan pie shell or fresh dough
    1 to 2 potatoes, chopped
    3 medium carrots, chopped
    variety of veggies (green beans, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.), chopped
    2 to 3 cups veggie broth
    garlic powder, to taste
    cumin, to taste
    tarragon, to taste
    cornstarch or flour, as needed (I use flour)
    nondairy milk, to taste, optional
    bouillon cubes, to taste, optional
    vegan grated or sliced cheddar to cover pan in two layers
    1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed

Directions:

1. Thaw pie shell and try really hard to take one of the two shells out of the tin without it breaking into a million pieces. If you manage, you are a god(dess).  Cook potatoes, carrots, and variety of vegetables until they about 3/4 cooked. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. To make sauce, heat broth in large kettle. Add spices (whatever you like to make it savory) and lower heat. Slowly add cornstarch or flour until slightly thickened.  You can add nondairy milk and use veggie bouillon cubes here. Add sauce to the cooked veggies and stir to coat.

3. Layer 1/2 cheese on bottom of lower crust.  Spoon in veggies and sauce, then add spinach on top. Add rest of cheese on top of that, and close it up as best as you can with the top shell.

4. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is brown and delicious cheese and juice oozes out.

Makes: 3 to 4 servings for hungry adults, Preparation time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 45 minutes

Green Bean Casserole

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

    1-1/2 cups nondairy milk
    1 (2.5-ounce) cube veggie bouillon
    1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    1/2 medium onion, diced
    3/4 cup chopped mushrooms (button, crimini, portabella, whatever)
    1 carrot, diced
    1/2 teaspoon basil
    1/2 teaspoon garlic
    1/2 teaspoon marjoram
    1/2 teaspoon oregano
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    1/2 teaspoon sage
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon thyme
    2 or 3 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
    2 or 3 tablespoons cold water
    1 (14.5-ounce) can French cut green beans
    1-1/2 (24-ounce) canisters vegan French fried onions
 
Directions:

1. In a saucepan, heat the nondairy milk and veggie bouillon; stir until bouillon cube disintegrates. Just heat the milk, do not boil or scald it.

2. In a skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions, mushrooms, and carrots; saute until the onions are translucent. Add the herbs and spices (basil, garlic, marjoram, oregano, pepper, sage, salt, and thyme - and whatever other hearty herbs make you happy).

3. Make a thickener by combining cornstarch and cold water; mix well. Pour into the nondairy milk-bouillon mixture. Stir well, because this will coagulate pretty quickly.

4. Quickly add the can of green beans, the sautéed veggies, and about half of the French fried onions; stir well. Pour that mixture into a casserole dish or pan and top with remaining French fried onions.

5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the French fried onions begin to brown.  Remove. Eat. Enjoy.

Banana Pancakes

Vegan Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:

    1 cup flour
    1 tablespoon brown sugar
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    dash cinnamon
    2/3 cup nondairy milk (I use soy)
    1/2 banana, very ripe and mashed
    1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix flour, vegan sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together. 

2. In another bowl, combine all other ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir well. Add more milk if batter is too thick.

3. Cook on medium-high heat in skillet until browned on both sides.

Serve with maple syrup, icing sugar or jam.

Serves: 2-4 (8 small pancakes), Preparation time: 15 minutes

Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

Ingredients:

    Muffins:
    1 egg equivalent, prepared (e.g., Ener-G Egg Replacer)
    1-1/2 cups flour
    3/4 cup vegan sugar
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/3 cup vegetable oil
    1 Ener-G Egg Replacer
    1/3 cup nondairy milk
    1 cup blueberries

    Crumb Topping:
    1/4 cup sugar
    1/8 heaping cup flour
    2 tablespoons vegan margarine
    3/4 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200C). Grease 12 muffin cups. Prepare egg replacer; set aside.

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

3. To a 1 cup measuring cup, add the vegetable oil and egg equivalent, then add enough nondairy milk to equal one cup. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in blueberries, then place the batter into the greased muffin tin.

4. Crumb topping: Mix sugar, flour (overfill the 1/8 cup), margarine, and cinnamon until any large lumps are worked out. Sprinkle topping over muffin batter before baking.

5. Bake about 25 minutes, until the topping and the tops of the muffins are golden.

Makes: 12 servings, Preparation time: 20 minutes, Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Manicotti

Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Manicotti

Ingredients

    1 pound firm tofu
    1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained somewhat
    1 tablespoon garlic powder or 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
    1/4 cup nurtritional yeast flakes
    1 teaspoon sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon oregano
    3 or 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    1 (8 ounce) package manicotti noodles
    1 (24 ounce) tomato sauce (I like Barilla Lasagna and Casserole Sauce)
    vegan mozzarella, shredded (I use Soymage), optional

Directions:

Note:  A little trick I learned working in a good Italian restaurant in New Jersey.  You do not need to precook the manicotti noodles, just leave the filling a bit wetter than you normally would.  The same goes for lasagna noodles.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove tofu from water and put into food processor or bowl.  Add spinach, garlic, salt, pepper,
oregano, yeast flakes, and about 2 tablespoons olive oil. 

2. Pulse or mix by hand in bowl until well mixed and smooth, scraping sides of bowl. Taste.  Adjust seasoning.  Fill large zip lock or regular plastic bag with mixture.  Snip about a dime sized hole in bottom corner.  Pipe mixture into manicotti shells, filling compactly. 

3. Pour tomato sauce into a large bowl.  Fill jar with about 1/2-3/4 cup water.  Put top back on jar and shake well to further remove any remaining sauce.  Add to sauce in bowl, mix well adding some olive oil.

4. Ladle 1/2 sauce into a large retangular pan.  Put stuffed manicoti into sauce.  Top with remaining sauce. Bake, covered 20-25 minutes. Remove cover and top with vegan mozzarella, if using. Bake another 10-15 minutes, until nice and bubbly and a little crunchy. Let cool a bit and enjoy!!

Dumpling Stew

Dumplings

  Stew:
    2 teaspoons vegetable stock concentrate
    1 cup boiling water
    1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, summer savory, basil, sage and tarragon)
    1 teaspoon oregano
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 cup turnip, peeled and diced
    1 cup onion, chopped
    1 cup carrot, diced
    1/2 cup celery, sliced
    1 clove garlic, minced
    2 bay leaves
    1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
    1/2 teaspoon rosemary
    1/2 teaspoon basil
    2 cups water
    5 teaspoons tamari
    2-3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
    1 cup frozen peas
    2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water
    salt and pepper, to taste

    Dumplings:
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 cup parsley, chopped
    1/2 cup nondairy milk (I use soy)
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

1. For stew,  blend first four ingredients and set aside. Sauté turnip, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, rosemary, basil, garlic and parsley in oil for 8 minutes.

2. Add water, broth mixture, tamari and potatoes.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add peas, continue cooking another few minutes. Remove bay leaves.  Combine cornstarch and water, add to stew, and stir until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. For dumplings, sift dry ingredients together then add parsley. Mix milk with oil and add to dry ingredients (just stir until moistened). Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto stew. Cover and cook for 15 minutes (Do NOT lift the lid!)

Pesto

Simple Vegan Pesto

Ingredients

    3 cups fresh basil leaves
    6 tablespoons pine nuts (walnuts can be used if you have no pine nuts)
    2-4 cloves garlic
    3/4 teaspoons course sea salt
    6 tablespoons good quality olive oil

Directions:

Put the basil, nuts, garlic and salt into a food processor or good blender.  Process (blend) until all the goodies are finely chopped. Add the oil and process till its all worked in together.  Enjoy.

Serves: about 1 cup

Preparation time: 15 mins

Easy Apple Crisp

Easy Apple Crisp

Ingredients

    5 cups of thinly sliced apples
    3/4 cup sugar
    3/4 cup whole wheat flour
    3/4 cup rolled oats
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
    1/3 cup oil
    1 tablespoon rice/soy milk

Directions:

I try to use vegan margarine as little as possible when I cook, so finally decided to create a vegan margarine free apple crisp recipe; since I love this desert so much. I hope you enjoy this!

Heat over at 375 degrees.

Boil apples in water for 2 minutes to soften them up.  Strain and place at the bottom of a square cooking dish,

Mix remaining ingredients until you get a flaky texture (if too moist, add a little bit more flour and mix well).  Sprinkle over the apples and even out with a spoon.

Place dish in oven and cook for 30 minutes.

Allow to cool before eating.

Serves: 4

Broccoli and Mushroom Alfredo

Broccoli & Mushroom Alfredo

Ingredients

    spaghetti for 1
    2/3 cup broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
    1 cup nondairy milk
    2 tablespoons white flour
    1/2 teaspoon garlic puree or 3 crushed garlic cloves, to taste
    salt and pepper, to taste
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    2/3 cup mushrooms, sliced   
    1 tablespoon margarine, optional
    1 tablespoon vegan parmesan, optional

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to directions on the packet.  In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli, then drain.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk, flour, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Stir slowly until bubbly, then reduce heat to low.

3. Add mushrooms and vegan margarine. Allow to cook for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat. Stir almost constantly. Taste and add more salt/pepper/garlic, if needed.

4. Serve over the pasta and broccoli and top with the parmesan for a quick, rich-tasting meal.

Serves: 1-2, Preparation time: 20 minutes

Mushroom Stroganoff

Mushroom Stroganoff

Ingredients

    1 pound mushrooms, sliced
    1 pound green beans, trimmed and sliced to 1" pieces
    1 or 2 onions, sliced
    1 teaspoon dried sage
    1 teaspoon thyme
    1/2 teaspoon white pepper
    salt or veggie broth mix, to taste
    1/2 cup dry white wine or broth (vermouth, sherry)
    1/3 cup whole wheat flour
    2 or 3 cups nondairy milk, divided

Directions:

1. Put veggies and herbs with vegan wine in large dutch oven, cover and steam until tender.

2. Put flour with 1 cup milk in a jar or plastic container with a lid, shake well.

3. Add 2 cups milk to veggies, bring to a simmer, and add flour and milk mixture to pot, a little at a time. Keep shaking it up, stir and simmer until desired thickness is acheived. Heat, do not boil.

4. Serve over eggless noodles, rice, baked or mashed potatoes.

Blueberry Greens Smoothie

Blueberry Greens Smoothie

Ingredients

    2 cups water
    1 cup spinach (kale is better)
    1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries
    1 frozen banana
    1 tablespoon EFA oil
    2 tablespoons agave nectar

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into blender.

2. Blend it for about 1 minute or until the spinach is totally obliterated.

If you didn't use frozen fruit this smoothie will not be as thick. You can always add some ice to it if you like it chilled.