Nacho Cheese Sauce~Vegan Style

Nacho Cheese Sauce~Vegan Style

I made this last night, for Bruce and one of his long time friends that came in from out of town. So here it is, his friend pretty much told Bruce "No, you can't like that vegan stuff." Maybe phrased differently, but yes. Anyways, last night even his friend went back for more tasty bites.... I put this over black beans, tomatoes and organic blue corn chips.

1 cup cooked and mashed butternut squash (mine was small, so it came out to be half of the squash)
3/4 cup plain coconut yogurt
3/4 cup water
1/4 onion finely chopped
5 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/4 cup raw cashews
3 Tablespoons tapioca flour
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients and process until smooth and creamy. Occasionally scraping the sides to push closer to the blades.

2. Transfer to a heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until thick and creamy. About 2 to 5 minutes, it took me 3 minutes.

Store in a covered container for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Adapted from: Artisan Vegan Cheese

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

Twice Baked Butternut Squash
Vegan; Omit the breadcrumbs to make Gluten Free

During the feast over Christmas I made these.... Since I was sick and couldn't taste anything, I wasn't sure how these came out. However, now that I have my taste buds back-I LOVE these!!!! I top mine with a little Chipotle Cayenne Vegan Parmesan Cheese for the extra kick that we love in the house!

2-3 small or 1-2 large butternut squash
1/4 small onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup plain soy yogurt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon thyme


1. Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and membranes
place face down on a cookie sheet, add about 1/4 inch water and bake at 350 for 40-75 minutes (depending on the size of the squash), then remove from oven and allow to cool until they are comfortable to hold in your hand.

2. Scoop out the cooked squash into a mixing bowl and return the hollowed out skins to the baking sheet, hollow side up.

3. In a saute pan, cook the onions, garlic and pepper in the olive oil until softened (about 7-10 minutes) then add to the mixing bowl add cumin, mustard, and soy yogurt.

4. Fill the skins with the mixture, top with breadcrumbs and sprinkle with thyme
bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and breadcrumbs are toasted.

3 Bean Chili

3 Bean Chili
Vegan

Needing to cook some butternut squash and sweet potato, and looking for something that the boys would eat I made this. They liked since I heard no complaints, and ate some as left overs. I served this with some pearl barley and blue corn tortilla chips....

2 red bell peppers
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can ranchero beans
1 sweet potato, cubed
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup of vegetable broth, plus 2 Tablespoons (divided)
1 cup of no-chicken broth (I ran out of veggie broth)
1/2 Tablespoon thyme
1/2 Tablespoon sage
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove and discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place pepper halves in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and chop peppers.

3. In a large pan or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, combine the 2 Tablespoons of vegetable broth, garlic and onion. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in cumin and next 4 ingredients (through garlic); cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bell peppers, broth, squash, sweet potato and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans; simmer 25 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Chili will be ready when the squash and sweet potato are tender when pierced with a fork.

Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce

Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce
Vegan; Serves 4

In honor of fall and it being cold outside, this is one of those perfect comfort foods! I paired this with a white wine and added crushed red pepper....

2 1/2 cups hemp milk
2 cups butternut squash puree (I made mine the same night, so oven roasted for 30-45 minutes)
1 cup shredded style cheddar Daiya cheese
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Soy Free Spread

1. Set a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add oil and Earth Balance, add onion, saute until soft and opaque, about 1-2 minutes. Add hemp milk, butternut squash, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.

2. Whisk vigorously or use a hand held immersion blender to blend until smooth, cook for 4-5 minutes. Then add maple syrup and Daiya cheese, stir until smooth. Take off the heat.

3. Add to pasta and enjoy! (A spinach or a garlic parsley pasta would be wonderful with this). I served it with some crusty garlic bread.....

Butternut Mash with Orange-Sesame Drizzle

Butternut Mash with Orange-Sesame Drizzle
Vegan; Serves 4; 30 minutes or fewer

Since we have welcomed fall (still with 90 degree weather), this is perfect for a light fall meal. Serve with a salad and crusty bread for a great compliment. So, when I made this the first time, it was bland, everything with the stars is how I modified the orignal recipe.

1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces (2 cups)
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
**1/2 cube of no-chicken bouillion cube mixed in 1/2 cup water (it's vegan)
1 1/2 Tbs. thawed frozen orange juice concentrate (I use fresh squeeze)
**1 tsp. orange zest
2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp. reduced-sodium tamari
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
**1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced

1. Bring squash and broth to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and cook 12 minutes, or until squash is very tender and most of the broth is absorbed. Mash with a potato masher until chunky-smooth. Transfer to serving bowl.

2. Whisk together orange juice, sesame seeds, tamari, sesame oil, and ginger in a small bowl. Drizzle over squash, and garnish with green onion.

Per 1-cup serving: 62 cal.; 1 gram prot.; 2 grams total fat (<1 gram sat. fat); 11 grams carb.; 0 mg chol.; 105 mg sod.; 2 grams fiber; 4 grams sugars

Found:Vegetarian Times October 2011

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Butternut Squash Lasagna
Vegan; Serves 6

When I made this, I added crushed red peppers to the puree-I just can't seem to remember how much I added. So, to be safe add what you like (maybe no more then 1 Tbs.)..... It was bland if you didn't add the crushed red pepper. With some modifications I've changed this recipe to be vegan. Adapted from Vegetarian Times April 2006. This is one of Bruce's favorites!

2 12-oz. pkg. frozen butternut squash purée, thawed, or 4 cups fresh butternut squash purée
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried rubbed sage
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 package of firm tofu, with the liquid pressed out
1/2 cup grated vegan Parmesan cheese, or nutritional yeast
1-2 Tbs. crushed red pepper
8 short no-cook lasagna noodles (about 7x4 inches)

Directions

To make Fresh Butternut Squash Purée:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 2 whole butternut squash (about 2 lb. each) on baking sheet, and bake, turning occasionally, about 1 hour, or until very tender when pierced with tip of paring knife. Let squash cool enough to handle.

2. Halve each squash lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds. Scrape flesh into food processor and purée until smooth.

To make Lasagna:

3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine squash purée, 1 tsp. salt, sage, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in medium bowl; mix well. Combine tofu, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in second bowl, and mix well.

4. Coat 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place 2 noodles in bottom of dish, overlapping slightly. Spread half of squash mixture over noodles. Layer 2 more noodles on top, and spread with half of tofu mixture. Repeat layers—noodles, squash, noodles, tofu—then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

5. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake 45 minutes, remove foil, and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, or until golden on top. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving: Calories: 265, Protein: 15g, Total fat: 8g, Saturated fat: 4g, Carbs: 34g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 774mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 1g

Smothered Cajun-spiced Squash

Smothered Cajun-spiced Squash
Serves 8; Vegan

Fat Tuesday Style Meatless Monday Recipe

1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 clove of garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
2 butternut squash, quartered and seeded, each quarter halved
2 Tbs. plus 8 tsp. Cajun seasoning, or more to taste, divided
4 large onions, halved and sliced (8 cups)
4 medium red or green bell peppers, quartered and sliced (2 cups)
8 large celery ribs, sliced on the bias (2 cups)
5 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 Tbs. cider vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1 Tbs. oil and garlic in a small bowl. Brush garlic-oil mixture over butternut squash pieces, and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle each squash piece with 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, or until squash pieces are tender enough to easily pierce with fork.

2. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, and celery, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir flour into onion mixture, and cook for 1 minute, or until flour begins to brown, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar, remaining 2 Tbs. Cajun seasoning, and 6 cups of water. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.

4. To Serve: Place 2 squash pieces on plate. "Smother" with 1 cup onion mixture.

Per Serving: (2 squash and 1 cup onion mixture) 201 cal.; 3 grams prot.; 9 grams total fat (1 gram sat fat); 30 grams carbs.; 0 mg chol.; 976 mg sod.; 6 grams fiber; 9 grams sugar

Found in Vegetarian Times-Feb. 2009

Autumn Vegetable Tagine

Autumn Vegetable Tagine
Vegan; Serves 6 (Can be made Gluten Free)

This recipe shows you how to quick-soak dried chickpeas in a pressure cooker in about 5 minutes—a good technique to know because you can use it with any dried bean. When cooking beans, adding a tablespoon of oil to the pressure cooker minimizes foaming. This dish calls for harissa, a North African chile paste available in Middle Eastern markets and some supermarkets. If you can't find harissa, substitute sriracha sauce and 1/4 tsp. each of ground cumin and ground coriander. To make the tagine gluten free, substitute quinoa for the couscous.

Ingredient List

1 cup dried chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (3 1/2 cups)
1 lb. collard greens, coarsely chopped (8 cups)
1 lb. plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped (2 cups)
1 Tbs. harissa
1 10-oz. pkg. whole-wheat couscous
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine chickpeas and 4 cups water in pressure cooker; bring to a boil. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat, and cook 2 minutes. Release pressure using automatic pressure release, or carefully transfer cooker to sink, and run cool water over rim of lid. Remove lid, tilting away from you to let steam escape. Rinse and drain chickpeas. Set aside.


2. Heat oil in pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add chickpeas and 3 cups water. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes. Release pressure using automatic pressure release, or transfer cooker to sink, and run cool water over rim of lid. Remove lid, tilting away from you to let steam escape.


3. Stir in squash and collards. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat, and cook 5 minutes. Release pressure using automatic pressure release, or transfer cooker to sink, and run cool water over rim of lid. Remove lid, tilting away from you to let steam escape. Stir in tomatoes; cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in harissa. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.


4. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions. Fluff with fork. Serve tagine over couscous. Sprinkle with cilantro, and garnish with lemon wedges.
Nutritional Information

Per serving (1 1/3 cups tagine; 3/4 cups couscous): Calories: 414, Protein: 16g, Total fat: 8g, Saturated fat: <1g, Carbs: 74g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 142mg, Fiber: 16g, Sugars: 8g


Found: Vegetarian Times Issue: October 2009

Creamy Roasted Garlic-Squash Soup

Creamy Roasted Garlic-Squash Soup
Vegan; Serves 10

2 heads garlic
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup vegan margarine
2 cups diced onions
3/4 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
4 lbs. butternut squash, seeded, peeled, and roughly chopped
6 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped sage
1/2 cup plain soy milk (I used Hemp milk)
Sea salt and white pepper, to taste


1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Cut the garlic heads in half crosswise. Rub the cut surfaces with the olive oil and put back together. Wrap in foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and let cool.

3. Meanwhile, melt the margarine in a large pot over medium heat.

4. Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until the onions are translucent. Add the squash, broth, and sage. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until the squash is tender.

5. Once the garlic has cooled, remove and mash the cloves. Stir into the soup.

6. Purée the soup in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in the soy milk. Season with the salt and pepper.

Found: www.PETA.org