Chunky Marinara & Eggplant Bruschetta

Chunky Marinara & Eggplant Bruschetta
Vegan; 30 minutes; Gluten Free; Serves 6

Running out of bread, I used breaded eggplant. The breaded eggplant comes out crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. This appetizer is super elegant and easy, this is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Eggplant Bruschetta:

2 small eggplant, sliced into 1" round slices and then cut into moon shapes
Egg Replacer the equivalent to 2 eggs
1/2 cup of gluten free Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup of gluten free Italian bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Combine Panko and Italian breadcrumbs. Dip eggplant slice into the egg replacer and into the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat and place on a cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 30 minutes.

Spoon marinara sauce onto the eggplant slices and garnish with vegan Parmesan cheese.

While the eggplant is baking:
Chunky Marinara:

6 ripe tomatoes (I use what I pick up at the Farmers Markets), peeled, seeded and chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup sweet onion, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2-3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2-3 Tablespoons Pinot Noir wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent. Combine mushrooms, peppers and vegetable broth, stirring until mushrooms are brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine vinegar and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and allow to thicken.

2. Spoon mixture on crispy eggplant and serve warm. Enjoy!

Asian Greens Stir Fry

Asian Greens Stir Fry
Vegan; Gluten Free; No Oil; 30 minutes or less

Finding fresh Asian greens at the farmers market, here is the recipe that I came up with. Hope you enjoy! With no oil, and gluten free; this is a dish that you can serve to almost everyone!

Ingredients:

2 medium-size bunches (about 13 ounces) tender Asian greens, such as bok choi, baby bok choi, baby Shanghai choi, choi sum, baby kai lan, or water spinach
1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1 tablespoon Aji-Mirin (Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoning)
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2-3 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 to 2 banana peppers, stemmed and sliced on the diagonal into thin pieces
1 to 2 jalapeno, stemmed and sliced on the diagonal into thin pieces
Choice of tofu, tempeh, or "chickn" mock meat
garnish with sunflower seeds and/or pumpkin seeds
Bragg liquid aminos

preparation

1. Carefully inspect the greens, discarding or trimming off any spoiled stems or leaves. Trim the bottom ends off and discard. Wash the greens in several changes of the coldest possible water. (Note: Because bok choi and baby bok choi tend to have pockets full of sand in the nooks where the leaves meet the center stem, be certain to pull the leaves back slightly away from the stem when you're cleaning them. There are few things worse than a mouthful of sand when you want a mouthful of greens.)

2. In a skillet over medium heat, saute the garlic, onion, and peppers in the vegetable broth for about 5 minutes. Stir in the Aji-Mirin, ginger and cumin. Add your choice of tofu, tempeh or "chickn" and cook till the vegetable broth is almost gone, about 10 minutes. Wilt in the Asian greens by adding a Tablespoon of water at a time to the pan, increasing the heat to medium-high. Stirring, and adding water until the greens are completely wilted.

3. Serve warm, spray with Bragg liquid aminos and sunflower seeds and/or pumpkin seeds.

Traditional Mexican Salsa

Traditional Mexican Salsa

The history of Salsa sauce originated with the Inca people. Salsa (combination of chilies, tomatoes and other spices) can be traced to the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas. The Spaniards first encountered tomatoes after their conquest of Mexico in 1519-1521, which marked the beginning of the history of Salsa sauce. Aztec lords combined tomatoes with chili peppers, ground squash seeds and consumed them mainly as a condiment served on turkey, venison, lobster, and fish. This combination was subsequently called salsa by Alonso de Molina in 1571.

This is the traditional Mexican Salsa from the Mid section "DR" Mexico City region:
Four plump Tomatoes or six Roma Tomatoes
1/4 cup on white onion (best onion for salsas is the vidalia)
One Jalepeno
One yellow or red pepper
One Tomatillo-used to cut down on heat and bitterness of Jalepeno
One cup of Fresh Cilantro
1 1/2 to 2 limes depending on how tangy you like it.

Instructions:
Cut or use a food processor to cut vegetables finely
Mix together in a bowl
Add salt to taste
Squeeze one 1/2 to 2 limes in bowl (to taste)

Let sit for 45 minutes

Add Mango or Pineapple to give a different dimension.

Jalapeno Basil Pesto

Jalapeno Basil Pesto
Vegan

This one is adapted from Show Me the Curry. In this household, we tend to like food on the spicy side. This is the perfect pairing with jalapeno fettuccine and some garlic bread.

1 cup tightly packed fresh basil Leaves
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic
1 jalapeno pepper–or to taste, roughly chopped
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil – 1/4 cup plus additional as needed for serving
Salt – to taste
White Pepper – to taste
Lemon Juice – to taste

Method:

1. Remove Basil Leaves from the stems and wash well. Place them on a paper towel or clean kitchen towel, cover with another towel and dab dry.

2. Heat 1 tsp Olive Oil in a skillet and quickly saute Garlic and Jalapeno on high heat. Remove into another plate to cool when Garlic turns light brown and Jalapeno skin starts to blister.

3. In a food processor, add almonds and pulse lightly. Add cooled Jalapeno and Garlic and pulse lightly. Add Basil Leaves and pulse until roughly chopped.

4. Add Olive Oil slowly while continuing to pulse. Add vegan Parmesan Cheese and process for about 15 seconds until mixture is smooth but still has a little texture.

5. Remove into a bowl and add Salt, White Pepper and Lemon Juice to taste.

Cumin and Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Cumin and Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4; Vegan; Gluten Free

I made this for a potluck last week, and it was a huge hit. Super simple to make, the longest part of this is the roasting time. I added a few things to the original recipe, so I’ll add stars to them. Happy Eating!

1 large sweet potato or garnet yam (1 ¼ lb.), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
**¼ onion, coarsely chopped (those who follow me, know I never put the amount of onion called)
Original calls for 1 large yellow onion (about 2 cups)
**1 jalapeño seeded and chopped
**1 tsp. Safflower oil (I added a little extra, the potatoes were drying out)
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 lime, halved
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Toss sweet potato, onion and jalapeno with oil on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with cumin and paprika, and season with salt if desired. (I didn’t add salt, I added lime zest instead.) Squeeze juice of half lime over the sweet potato mixture. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour (mine took 42 minutes), tossing halfway through cooking time.

2. Remove vegetables from oven; squeeze juice of remaining ½ lime over top, and sprinkle with cilantro.

Per 1 cup serving: 135 cal.; 3 grams prot.; 2 grams total fat (<1g sat fat); 29 grams carb.; 0 mg chol.; 36 mg sod.; 5 grams fiber; 10 grams sugars

Found: Vegetarian Times Sept. 2012 2nd place winner in readers contest

Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno Poppers
vegan, makes 10 poppers

I made these last month for a pot luck, and everyone LOVED them... I made about 40 of them to make sure there were plenty for people to enjoy. If you make as many as I did, please wear gloves, my fingers were burning for days after. ~_^

5 large jalapeno peppers, de-seeded and halved

cheese mixture:
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese
1/4 cup Daiya cheddar cheese shreds

Flour Mixture:
2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
dash of chipotle powder
pinch of salt and pepper

Panko Bread Crumbs

small flat bowl of hemp milk (about 1/4 cup)

1+ cups olive oil

Directions:

1. Prep your jalapenos by halving them and carefully removing the seeds. Set aside.

2. Get your "breading" station set up. You will have a bowl for each of these: cheese mixture (fold the shreds into the cream cheese), flour mixture, panko crumbs, soy milk.

3. Start prepping your jalapenos. Here is the method: stuff with cheese, roll in milk, roll in flour, back in milk, roll in panko crumbs, set aside. Pressing the panko crumbs into the wet cheese layer really helps. Continue this process until all the jalapenos are stuffed and breaded.

4. Pour your oil into a large pot over med-high heat. Test the oil for heat-readiness by dropping one panko crumb into the oil - if it sizzles, the oil is hot enough. If you can get by with cooking all your poppers with 1 cup of oil, great. But if you want a more saturated "fry" you may need to add more.

5. Pan-fry each jalapeno popper for about 90 seconds on each side. Flip with care.

6. Transfer poppers to a paper towels to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Found: kblog.lunchbox.com

Simple Black Bean Burgers

Simple Black Bean Burgers
Vegan; 30 minutes; Serves 4

What took the longest to make, when I made this for dinner a couple of weeks ago, were the sweet potato fries. I served these with chipotle mayo and some melted Daiya cheddar cheese on toasted rolls. Bruce loved the burgers and said they tasted just like and had the same texture as a hamburger.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup sweet onion, diced
1/2 cup sweet bell pepper, diced (I used a combination of red and yellow)
1 jalapeño, minced
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (I used fresh, and added a little more)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour (use what you have on hand, I used gluten free all purpose)
2 cups of black beans (I use 2 cans)

1. In a saucepan over medium heat with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, sauté onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mash black beans, sautéed vegetables and bread crumbs mixing well. (I needed Bruce to mash the ingredients with his hands. This is great for kids to help with.) Season with cumin, cilantro, and salt; mix again. Shape into patties, then coat in flour.

3. Place in pan over medium heat with remaining oil. Cook each patty for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden (lightly) browned.

Home-Style Squash and Pinto Beans

Home-Style Squash and Pinto Beans
Makes 4 servings; Vegan

1/4 cup vegetable broth (or more, as needed, for sautéing)
1/2 cup diced onion
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sliced yellow squash (1/2-inch thick)
1 cup sliced zucchini (1/2-inch thick)
**1 cup sliced patty pan squash (1/2 inch thick-I added this to the origianl recipe)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (I omitted)
1 16-ounce can pinto beans, drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained, or 1 1/2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes plus 1/2 cup tomato juice, water, or vegetable broth
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 cups cooked brown rice, couscous, or pasta

1. Heat broth in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapeño, and garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in squash and zucchini and sauté 2 minutes. Add corn, beans, tomatoes and their liquid, and thyme. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

2. Discard thyme. Serve over rice.

NOTE: Spoon leftovers into a dish and let them cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for up to two to three days.

Veggies, rice, and beans make this all-American dish a welcome guest after a hard day. This recipe contains 12 grams of fiber and less than two grams of fat. Serve with a salad and fruit wedges.

Per serving (1/4 of recipe): 268 Calories; 1.9 g Fat; 0.3 g Saturated fat; 6.4% Calories from Fat; 0 mg Cholesterol; 11.6 g Protein; 53.6 g Carbohydrates; 5.6 g Sugar; 11.9 g Fiber; 323 mg Sodium; 91 mg Calcium; 3.4 mg Iron; 14.9 mg Vitamin C; 270 mcg Beta-Carotene; 1.6 mg Vitamin E

This recipe is from the NEW BOOK

Found: The Cancer Project

Spicy Thai Soup

Spicy Thai Soup
Makes 6 1-cup servings

What a delicious way to enjoy healthy green vegetables!

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
4 cups Vegetable Broth
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 - 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or more to taste)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup bite-size broccoli florets
1 cup packed finely chopped bok choy
1 green onion, finely chopped, including top
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

1. Mix broth, ginger, garlic, and jalapeño pepper in a pot and bring to a boil.

2. Add mushrooms and simmer 2 minutes.

3. Add broccoli and bok choy. Simmer until broccoli is tender but still bright green and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overcook.

4. Stir in green onion and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Per 1-cup serving

Cal.: 59; Fat: 0.8 g; Sat. Fat: 0.1 g; Cal. from Fat: 12.4%; Chol.: 0 mg; Prot.: 3.2; Carb.: 10.8 g; Sugar: 1.3 g; Fiber: 2.8 g; Sod.: 152 mg; Calcium: 43 mg; Iron: 1.3 mg; Vitamin C: 17 mg; Beta Carotene: 914 mcg; Vitamin E: 0.5 mg

Source: Healthy Eating for Life to Prevent and Treat Diabetes by Patricia Bertron, R.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

Roasted Tomatillo and Black Bean Tacos

Roasted Tomatillo and Black Bean Tacos
Serves 4; Vegan

Ingredient List

3/4 lb. fresh whole tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeño pepper
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
4 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
1 small avocado, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional (organic)
1/4 cup low-fat vegan sour cream, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to broil. Place oven rack 3 inches from heat source. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread tomatillos, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Broil 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are blistered and charred, and onion and bell pepper are softened and charred, tossing once halfway through cooking time.

2. Pulse garlic, 1 Tbs. cilantro, jalapeño, and tomatillos 10 times in food processor, or until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Toss 1/4 cup tomatillo sauce with black beans, red bell pepper, and onion.

4. Fill tortillas with black bean mixture, avocado, and queso fresco. Garnish with remaining cilantro and corn kernels, if desired. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce and sour cream, if desired, on side.

Nutritional Information
Per Serving: Calories: 226, Protein: 8g, Total fat: 7g, Saturated fat: 1g, Carbs: 36g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 457mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugars: 7g

Found: Vegetarian Times April/May 2010

Southwestern Breakfast Hash

Southwestern Breakfast Hash
Vegan; Serves 4

Okay, so I know what you are thinking. But, sometimes you want breakfast for dinner or just need a really yummy idea for any meal.

3 Tbs. canola oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs. of minced onion (Any time a recipe calls for a whole onion, I cut it down to fit my taste)
8 oz. yellow pear tomatoes
4 mushrooms, sliced (Any kind will work)
5 asparagus, sliced in 1 inch pieces
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp. nutritional yeast seasoning
1 8 oz. package of tofu, pressed and crumbled
1 medium zucchini, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin, garlic and onion; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Heat remaining oil over medium heat. Cook jalapeno, zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, beans, yeast, and tofu, stirring until tomatoes begin to break down, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. This is great to serve as tacos....