Seitan ~ in the Slow Cooker

Seitan ~ in the Slow Cooker
Makes 1.5 pounds
Vegan

This recipe is my "go to" recipe for making homemade seitan. It's SO easy to make and tastes like the roast that your mom used to make. If you love to use a crock-pot or slow cooker, this is the book to buy! Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker

I have used this book for several recipes, and there are other recipes that use this as a base!

Here I've made gyros

Here I've made 3 bean pumpkin soup

1 3/4 cups of vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder (I use 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (I use 1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use a pinch)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 Tablespoons soy sauce (divided)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 3/4 cups water or vegetable broth (I use all the water with a whole no-chicken bouillon cube)
1 medium-size onion, quartered (I use less)

1. In a large bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, onion/garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in 3 Tablespoons of soy sauce, olive oil, and water or broth. Stir well until mixed. Knead for 3 minutes. (All in one bowl making for easy clean-up!)

2. Pour about 2 quarts of water into the slow cooker. Depending on your preference, leave the seitan dough whole or divide into 4-6 pieces and add the remaining soy sauce and onion. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

3. Transfer the cooked seitan to a baking sheet to cool. If you are not using the seitan right away, it can be stored submerged in its cooking liquid in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or for up to 3 weeks in the freezer.

No Oil Spicy Coconut Curry

No Oil Spicy Coconut Curry
Vegan; Gluten Free; 30 minutes

I made this last night for my mom (since I'm staying with her) and she loved it. I served this with brown rice, but use what you have... I plan on making this again and adding some mustard greens, so if you have that or spinach wilt it in...

1 block of extra firm sprouted tofu, rinsed and cut into 1" slices
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of onion, minced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
1 cup of cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups mustard greens or spinach, coarsely chopped
2 large tablespoons of plain coconut yogurt
1/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 tablespoon of red curry paste (check the label to make sure it's vegan)
1-1 1/2 cups unsweetened hemp milk
1 teaspoon ginger powder or fresh
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons cumin
garnish with lime and fresh cilantro

1. In a large pan saute in the vegetable broth garlic, and onion over medium heat till the onion is translucent. Add the tofu and gently toss until coated with the broth. Cook until the tofu has become golden, about 8-10 minutes. Combine the ginger, curry powder, and cumin; sprinkle over the tofu.

2. Add the squash and zucchini, cook for about 5 minutes and add the mushrooms. If using spinach or mustard greens; add it now with 2 tablespoons of water to wilt in. Stir in the coconut yogurt, hemp milk, curry paste, and simmer till the sauce becomes slightly thick. I added some crushed Thai peppers to give an extra kick, fresh cilantro and lime...

Hominy Quesadillas with Grilled Tomatillo Salsa

Hominy Quesadillas with Grilled Tomatillo Salsa
Vegan; Serves 8; 30 minutes or fewer

Welcome summer with this light tasty meal. Letting the grill and the food processor do a lot of the work, makes this a super easy meal to prepare on a weeknight. I soaked cashews in the morning, before going to work and was able to make a cashew cream to take place of the goat cheese that the original recipe from Vegetarian Times called for.

3 large or a combination of small and medium equal to 1/2 cup, husked and halved
1 large poblano chile, halved lengthwise, stemmed and seeded (I used 1 1/2 smaller poblano chiles)
1/2 onion cut into chunks
1 Tbs. lime juice, plus extra to cut into lime wedges for serving (about 3 limes total)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup cooked hominy or canned hominy, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked pinto beans or canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
8 flour tortillas (I used green chile flour tortillas)
1/2 cup cashew cream
1/2 cup pepper jack daiya cheese
hot sauce

1. Preheat over medium heat, you may have to coat the grill grate or the grill pan with cooking spray. We didn't and didn't lose any veggies...

2 Coat tomatillos, poblano, and onion chunks with cooking spray. Grill for 10 minutes or until charred.

3. Pulse grilled onion chunks and tomatillos to coarse puree in a mini food processor. Add poblano and lime juice; blend until poblano is chopped. Transfer to bowl, and stir in cilantro.

4. Pulse hominy, pinto beans, and 2 Tbs. of tomatillo mixture in food processor until just beginning to stick together.

5. Press one-quarter hominy mixture over half of each tortilla. Add cashew cream and sprinkle pepper jack daiya cheese and fold tortillas in half. Grill quesadillas for 6 minutes or until filling is heat through, turning once. Let stand for about 2 minutes and serve with hot sauce.

Potato and Cauliflower Burritos

Potato and Cauliflower Burritos
30 minutes or fewer; Vegan; Soy Free

Somehow I missed posting this recipe from the other blog. That happens, when you have SO many recipes posted in various places. Switch out the potatoes with yucca for a different texture. Depending on your heat tolerance, use 1/2 a chipotle pepper or remove the seeds before pulsing. This hits the yum factor!

1 15-oz. can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tsp. canola oil
1 small onion, halved and sliced (1 cup)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
3 cups small cauliflower florets
1 medium Yukon gold or russet potato (I used 2-3 small red potatoes since I can find them local), cut into 1/4 inch cubes
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 8-inch flour or whole-wheat tortillas, warmed
1 cup cooked brown rice, warmed
1 cup pepper jack Daiya cheese

1. Pulse tomatoes, chipotle chile, and garlic in food processor until coarse puree forms.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and oregano; saute 2 minutes. Stir in cauliflower, potato, and tomato mixture, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover, and simmer 5 minutes more, or until cauliflower and potatoes are tender. Stir in cilantro.

3. Divide cauliflower mixture among tortillas, top with rice, and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up tortillas, leaving one end open.

Per burrito: 366 cal.; 10 grams prot.; 12 grams fat (<1 gram sat. fat); 55 grams carbs.; 0 mg chol.; 491 mg sod.; 7 gram fiber; 7 grams sugar

Found: Adapted from Vegetarian Times June 2011

Rajas

Rajas
Vegan

I had three poblano peppers and it would have been better to have the six, since I sliced them SO thin. The original recipe calls for heating the onions and garlic in a skillet, here I've made it easier for clean up and everything gets cooked together.

6 poblano chilies (1 lb.)
2 tsp. safflower oil
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Slice peppers and onion into 1/4-inch strips; place on cookie sheet and set aside. Add garlic, oregano and drizzle with oil, oven roast for 15-20 minutes.

Not What You Remembered Ratatouille

Not What You Remembered Ratatouille
Vegan; 30 minutes; Serves 2-4

I just made these, and even the boys liked the dish. Bruce told me, that his ex used to make this totally different. Getting the idea for this from Everything Vegan Baking Cookbook that one of my beautiful friends gave me for a birthday present. All of that being said, this is loosely from the Everything Vegan Baking cookbooks. I had the vegan puff pastry on hand, so please check the blog for the recipe. I, also, used a lot of left over veggies. So, like I've said~use what you have on hand and make the dish your own!

1 zucchini, sliced in 1/4" rounds
1/2 yellow bell pepper sliced into 1/4" strips
1/4 onion, sliced into 1/4" strips
2 organic tomatoes, sliced into 1/4" rounds
3 mushrooms, sliced 1/4" strips
4 radishes, sliced in 1/4" rounds
1 large garlic clove, minced
4 radishes, sliced in 1/4" rounds
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon fresh parsley
1 sheet of vegan puff pastry (see recipe in blog)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. To make the Ratatouille, combine veggies and spices in a bowl. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Place the veggie combination on a shallow glass casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes. This will allow the puff pastry to remain flaky and crisp.

3. Roll out puff pastry and arrange ratatouille on puff pastry, making almost a nest, keeping a 1" border. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve with a salad for a more complete meal.

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

Chickpeas Masala

Chickpeas Masala

2 cups chickpeas
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 green chili, minced
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. garlic paste or 1 large clove of garlic minced
1 tsp. red chili powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
3 tsp. Chana masala powder, (optional)
1/4 tsp. Garam masala
garnish with fresh cilantro

1. Soak chickpeas overnight and pressure cook with salt in it. If using canned rinse them.

2. Heat a wide pan with a Tbsp of oil, add cumin seeds, green chili and ginger garlic paste. Add onions and cook till onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, red chili powder, coriander powder, chana masala (if using), salt and cook till tomatoes are mushy. Transfer the cooked chickpeas and let it boil.

3. Take 1/4 cup of tomato and allow it cool. Grind the rest of the tomato onion mixture to a smooth paste. Blend in the gravy and cook further till it thickens. Mix the chickpeas with tomato onion mixture.

4. Add cilantro or kasuri methi leaves.

Enjoy with warm naan

Adapted from Hot Pot Cooking

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.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
Vegan; 1 hour total; Can be made Gluten Free; Serves 4

Alright, I made these for the boys and added the cashew cream wrapped in the enchilada. The boys ate the dish all up, with corn tortillas and daiya cheese, this is a SUPER kid friendly dish. To make this easier, you can use taco seasoning or (like me) use a variety of seasonings. This recipe does require an extra set of hands. So get a friend or loved one to help and make it an extra special meal....

1 large sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (15 oz.) can of black beans
1 cup vegetable broth
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 sweet onion, minced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
1 package "chicken" seitan (omit if making gluten free)
1 cup cashew cream
1 cup daiya cheese shreds (I used pepper jack)
1 package corn tortillas (organic)
2 small cans tomato sauce
Chili Powder to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1 cup fresh salsa (be creative here, my favorite is either the one Bruce makes or apple chipotle salsa)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small, wide bowl combine tomato sauce and seasoning. (You'll be dipping the tortillas in it.)

2. Over medium heat; in a medium pan combine the vegetable broth, seitan, onion, garlic, chipotle pepper and sweet potato. Cook sweet potatoes and black bean mixture until broth has evaporated.

3. Cover the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch pan with a thin layer of tomato sauce.

4. Heat corn tortillas (this will help them from breaking). Place tortilla in spice/sauce mixture and fill with sweet potato and black bean mixture. Add cashew cream, salsa and pepper jack cheese. Roll and repeat till tortillas are gone. Sprinkle the remaining fillings (salsa, cashew cream, black beans and pepper jack cheese) on top. Cover with foil and bake for minutes. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Portobella Mushroom Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Portobella Mushroom Cheesesteak Sandwiches
Vegan; 30 minutes or fewer; Serves 2

I made these for brunch one late morning for Bruce and me. These are also great as a lunch, very light and filling.... You may even be able to sneak them past the hard core carnivores! Happy Eating!

Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 extra-large portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. red wine (about 2-3 cubes)
salt and pepper to taste
1 small green pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 large onion, thinly sliced
4 slices vegan pepperjack or mozzarella cheese
2 sub rolls, sliced lengthwise (don't completely cut the top from the bottom, though!)

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes, or until softened and browned. Add wine and increase heat to high. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes. Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add green pepper and onions; cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Top vegetable mixture with cheese slices. Once cheese has melted, remove from heat.

2. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

4. Divide veggie mixture into sub rolls. Wrap each cheesesteak tightly with foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and unwrap carefully....

Mini No-Meat Loaves

Mini No~Meat Loaves
Vegan; 1 hour total

I made these to be part of the Christmas Day feast. They came out great, but only last for a few days as left overs. They get to be really dense, so at a certain point you feel like you're eating a hockey puck.... Honestly, these were great the first two days... (I doubled the recipe, so there would be enough for everyone!)
Inspired by a meatball recipe in The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions

1 cup tomato sauce
4 Tablespoon almond butter
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 very finely diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon vegan Worcestershire

Glaze: combine the following in a small container:
1/2 cup organic ketchup
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Vegetable broth saute the onion and garlic until the onion is nearly translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

2. Whisk tomato sauce, almond butter and Worcestershire together. In a separate bowl Mix dry ingredients together including spices. Combine the dry and wet ingredients with a wooden spoon, then add the sauteed onions and garlic.

3. Lightly spray half or place a parchment cupcake liner of a 12 cup muffin tin, this will make 6-8 mini “meat” loaves. Press the mixture into the tins, then top each mini “meat” loaf with some of the glaze. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from muffin tins and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos

Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos
Vegan; 30 minutes or fewer

When I made these, I really wished I would have had some cashew cream made to use as a sour cream and some salsa made. This was kind of a last minute idea, SO next time I make this I'll be more prepared. This takes a new twist on black bean tacos.... I hope you enjoy! I served these with green chili tortillas for extra kick!

1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin (ground)
1 15 oz. can black beans
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (chopped) {For less spice, use 1/2 a pepper}
2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
6 tortillas


1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.

2. Add the chili powder, and cumin and saute for about a minute. Add the beans, water, oregano, salt and pepper and cook until most water has evaporated.

3. Remove the beans from the heat and mash half of them with a fork. Mix the pumpkin puree, chipotle peppers and cilantro into the black bean mixture.

4. Heat the tortillas and place some of the pumpkin black bean mixture into the tortilla and wrap it.

Top with salsa, shredded Daiya cheese, cashew sour cream etc.

Yucca and Spinach

Yucca and Spinach
Vegan; Serves 4; 30 minutes or fewer

So, I've made this before for Bruce, and I'm surprised that I've never posted this. The original recipe calls for Yukon Gold potatoes from Vegetarian Times. However, I love this SO much more with yuca, it seems to have more of the perfect balance and texture. Yuca is often used a substitute for potato. Hope you enjoy!

2 Tbs. canola oil
1 lb. Yuca, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
1/4 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced (1½ cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
2 Tbs. zested fresh ginger
1 jalapeño chile,finely chopped (1 Tbs.)
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 1/2 cups light coconut milk
1 6-oz. bag baby spinach
1 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
1 Tbs. lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Steam yuca in steamer basket set over simmering water 10 minutes, or until just tender.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 8 minutes, or until soft and golden. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeño, and sauté 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Add steamed yuca, and sauté 1 to 2 minutes, to coat with spices. Add coconut milk and 1/4 cup water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.

3. Stir in spinach, garam masala, and 1/4 cup water, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until spinach is wilted. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

Pumpkin and Apple Sauce

Curried Pumpkin and Apple Sauce
Vegan

This is the sauce that I made to go with the ravioli. Bruce loved it, and no surprise that the boys didn't. Needing to use pumpkin, that has moved from the fridge to the freezer, it takes a starring role in this spicy sauce.

2 Tablespoons low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder (you can use mild or spicy)
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 sweet apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 1/2 cups water
pepper, parsley and salt to taste

1. Warm vegetable broth in large pot over low heat. Add onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add curry to onions, and simmer for about 5 more minutes.

2. Add pumpkin, apples, and water to the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes, or until the apple is soft.

3. Process in a blender to puree the sauce to a smooth consistency.

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.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacony Bits

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacony Bits
Vegan; Serves 4; 30 minutes

2 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1 tablespoon Sesame oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 clove of garlic
1 Tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Bacony Bits
2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If sprouts are very small, cut in half; otherwise cut into quarters. Cook the sprouts until barely tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.

2. Add oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, stirring often, until soft but not browned, reducing the heat if necessary, about 4 minutes. Stir in thyme (or savory) sprigs, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high, add the Brussels sprouts, and cook, tossing or stirring occasionally, until tender and warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove the herb sprigs. Add the bacony bits, thyme (or savory) leaves and lemon juice, if using, and toss.

Pumpkin Burgers

Pumpkin Burgers
Vegan; Makes 6 patties

With all of the pumpkin I still have, I'm finding different recipes for it. I made these last, and they are really good! Since my pumpkin had already been pureed, these didn't take very long to make. I served these with an old favorite, chipotle mayo and Brussels sprouts on the side (recipe will follow).

1 15oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree
egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 onion, diced (add more if you like onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (if you like it a little hotter add 1 teaspoon)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Saute garlic, onion and red bell pepper, until soft. About 5 minutes.

2. In a food processor, add chickpeas, egg replacer, cumin, chili powder, and coriander. Pulse until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, breadcrumbs, chickpea mixture and pumpkin until mixture is stiff enough to from and hold patty shape. In a skillet (I used a little oil to coat the pan) over medium high heat, cook patties until golden brown. About 5 minutes on both side.

Tatale (Ripe Plantain Pancakes)

Tatale (Ripe Plantain Pancakes)
Vegan; about 30 minutes

Since Bruce and I had a Saturday morning without having to make a mad dash out the door to football, I decided to make these for him. This recipe comes from Ghana, so I adapted it for what I had in the kitchen. If you want use rice flour for the corn meal and replace the whole wheat flour with cornmeal! I also served these with strawberry candied jalapenos....

3 or 4 large over-ripe plantains, about 1 1/2 lbs. after peeling), or about 3 cups when sliced
1/3 onion, or shallots, minced or finely chopped
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 t dried ground red cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
3 t fresh grated or ground ginger
about 1/4 cup of oil for pan frying
1/4-1/2 t salt (optional)
1 cup of water

1. Cut the ends off, slice them into slices about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick. Traditionally these would then be pounded in a mortar with a wooden pestle, however, I mashed mine with a fork (since my potato masher is still in storage). It should not be completely smooth.

2. Stir in the grated ginger, cayenne pepper and onions. Add the cornmeal and wheat flour. Add the water and stir again.

3. Over medium-high heat, heat a heavy frying pan or griddle as you would for regular pancakes (my cast iron skillet worked perfect). I used enough oil to coat the pan, then drop the batter onto the griddle (either small, like "silver dollar" pancakes, or somewhat larger, say using 1/3 to 1/2 cup batter).

4. As soon as the tatale is firm enough to turn without breaking, carefully turn it over with a pancake turner and press the turner down firmly on the pancake to flatten it. Continue doing this every few minutes while the pancakes cook.

5. Drain the pancakes on paper towels and add a little more oil to the pan for each batch of tatale. Avoid stacking them--spread them out to drain, and serve them on a large platter. The tatale can be made in the morning and kept warm in a low oven, but will become tough if heated too long. A better alternative is to zap them briefly in the microwave to heat them before serving them.

**NOTE**It's good to let the mixture sit for 20 - 30 minutes before you cook the pancakes. The batter can actually be made a day ahead and refrigerated until you're ready to cook the tatale.

Original Recipe Found: BetumiBlog

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.....