Raw Ravioli

Raw Ravioli
Makes 4 servings

Living in San Antonio Texas, we had a mild summer this year. It would really reach up to 109F degrees in cars and the heat index of 103F degrees in the shade. Even with it being more mild, I still wasn't a fan of using the stove or the oven. I'm sure no one can blame me for that :)
Anywho, here is a lovely simple raw meal that will impress anyone!

Start with Macadamia Ricotta


Ingredients
1 cup of Macadamia Ricotta
1 medium zucchini
Smoked black peppercorn, cracked
Organic Olive Oil
Champagne Vinegar
Fresh Basil, chopped (about 1 Tablespoon)

1. Using a food processor is the easiest and fastest way to to slice your zucchini. I used the slice blade adjusted to 1.5 thinness.

2. In a small bowl, mix the Ricotta, fresh basil and grind pepper to taste.

3. Build your ravioli, take a slice of zucchini and fill 1/2 with a spoonful of ricotta and fold over the other side of zucchini (like an envelope). Repeat process till you run out of ricotta or zucchini. Place in a glass casserole dish or on serving plate. Drizzle with olive oil and champagne vinegar and top cracked smoked black pepper. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!

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...

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.

Vegan Zucchini Lemon Cupcakes

Vegan Zucchini Lemon Cupcakes
Makes 16 cupcakes

I made these for Bruce's birthday (which had passed). It's been a busy month, again, not an excuse! However, what Bruce does like, is how it turns into a celebration through the month, and not just one day. I had to adapt this recipe (original came from Fragrant Vanilla Cake) since it called for ingredients that I don't have and one that I had never heard of. I'm including the frosting recipe, but Bruce liked having the lemon curd on and in the cupcake.

Cake:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup pastry flour
2/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup grated green zucchini skin
1 cup pureed zucchini
1/4 cup coconut oil, liquidfied
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp lite coconut milk
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Curd Filling:

1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp organic lemon zest
1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp agave nectar
1/4 cup cornstarch
pinch of sea salt
2 Tbsp plain coconut yogurt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp coconut oil, liquidfied

Frosting:

3 8 oz pkgs non-dairy cream cheese
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
a pinch of sea salt


1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line cupcake or muffin pan with parchment cupcake liners. Whisk flour, baking soda, and sea salt together in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk oil, syrup, juice and zest, coconut milk, vanilla extract, zucchini, and pecans together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely in pan on rack for about an hour.

2. To make the filling, combine agave nectar, cornstarch, and sea salt in a medium pot, and whisk until combined. Add the juice, zest, coconut oil, coconut yogurt, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium high heat whisking constantly until thickened to a curd or pudding like consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Let chill in the fridge until very cold, at least an hour.

3. To make frosting, whip cream cheese until smooth, then add agave nectar, vanilla, and sea salt and beat until smooth.
To assemble cupcakes, take an apple corer and remove the middle of each cupcake. Fill cupcake hole with lemon curd, and allow to set for about an hour before frosting. Frost with cream cheese frosting and top with either toasted coconut shreds or toasted pecans.

Spring Rolls

Spring Rolls
Vegan; Raw (Almost); Gluten Free

I made these last week and the boys LOVED them. These are really easy to make, I will tell you right now that the rice paper doesn't keep too nicely. Mine have really become brittle, I guess the dry air in Colorado. Anyways, there are ideas listed below, so the sky is the limit!

1/3 head of red cabbage, finely chopped
1 cup Udon noodles (to make gluten free use a rice or gf noodles)
1/4 cup fresh herbs (use cilantro, basil or mint, your choice)
1 zucchini, julienned
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated (optional)
juice from 1/2 lime
soy sauce or dipping sauce of choice
I added slices of pan fried tofu to each roll (omit to make raw)
slices of seaweed

Other Ideas:
1/2 cup bean sprouts
5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, grated or julienned

Preparation:

1. To make this easy, if you have a food processor use it. I used mine with the red cabbage, ginger and zucchini to shred evenly. Squirt with lime juice and set aside.

2. Pan fry tofu slices, or skip to make raw.

3. Submerge spring roll wrappers in hot water until pliable, about 15 seconds. Layer with noodles or rice, about 2 tablespoons of cabbage mixture, tofu, seaweed and I used mint on wrapper and wrap your spring rolls. Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!

Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Fritters
Vegan; Serves 4; 30 min. plus baking

I comprised this recipe from 3 different ones, taking the best out of each and then making the recipe vegan. I could have used 1 more grated zucchini, but they still came out tasty! Bruce told me that he would love to have these again, so I may even surprise him with a repeat! ~_^

2 cups grated zucchini squash
4 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1 egg replacer
2/3 cups tofu feta
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper (depending on taste)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place zucchini inside a tea towel or flour sack towel and squeeze out excess moisture.
In a bowl, add the ingredients adding the zucchini last. The mixture with be sticky and thick. Continue to stir, it will thin down. You want it to look like a thick cake batter.

3. On a parchment lined baking sheet, divide batter into 6 mounds on the parchment using a spoon or ice cream scoop. Then flatten each mound with a spoon or your hand to form 4 inch rounds.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or, until the fritters are deep golden brown on the bottom. Then turn to broil and place on the second highest rack in your oven. Broil on high for a few minutes, you want to crisp them up but watch carefully so they won't burn (I skipped this step). Served with cashew cream or marinara sauce.

Recipe adapted from The Yellow House.

Green Chile Stew

Green Chile Stew
Vegan; 45 minutes or longer

Bruce and I served this over baked butternut squash. We had gone out shopping earlier in the day and bought some fresh fire roasted green chilies. Since most of my ingredients were already sliced, this is a super great recipe for left overs.

5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
1/4 diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 diced potato (I used half a sweet potato and 1/2 a blue potato-left overs from a prior dish)
1 can no-salt diced tomatoes (I used a can that had green chilies)
1 can no-salt pinto beans, rinsed
8-10 fresh chilies or 2 cans green chile
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon thyme (I added a little of rubbed sage to the thyme)
2 cups cooked quinoa (I spiced mine with cumin and curry-left over from a prior dish)
1/2 zucchini, sliced (also left over from a prior dish)

1. Sauté 1 cup of veggie broth, onion and garlic for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes to an hour (depending on how big/thick you cut your potatoes) until potatoes are tender.

Basic Tofu Scramble

Basic Tofu Scramble

Well the below are the measurements that I use for this (typical) Sunday morning. I jazz it up with tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, asparagus and spinach. Pretty much whatever I have on hand. Bruce has come to love this as either a sandwich on rosemary sourdough or on an everything bagel. I serve this with a tempeh bacon, and the combinations are pretty endless.

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 block organic tofu, drained and pressed
2 tbsp oil or earth balance
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)

Preparation:

1. Slice the tofu into approximately one inch cubes. Then, using either your hands or a fork, crumble it slightly.

2. Sautee onion, pepper and crumbled tofu in oil for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium and allow to cook 5-7 more minutes, stirring frequently and adding more oil if needed.

3. Wrap in a warmed flour tortilla with a bit of salsa for a breakfast burrito or top with soy or non-dairy cheese. Serves two.

Per serving provides approximately: Cal.: 365; Cal. fr. Fat: 220; Tot. Fat: 24.5g; Tot. Carb.: 18.9g; Chol.: 0mg; Sod.: 484mg; Dietary Fiber: 4.8g; Prot.: 24.2g; Vit. A 19%; Vit. C: 100%; Calcium: 39%; Iron: 33%

Found: About.com

Braised Zucchini Wheels with Sesame-Mint Pesto

Braised Zucchini Wheels with Sesame-Mint Pesto
Vegan; Serves 4; 30 minutes or fewer

I made these for a potluck, when I lived in San Antonio. Everyone was impressed at the presentation of these little yummy wheels. I ended up making more (almost tripling the recipe), so my time was longer then 30 minutes...

Braising—simmering ingredients in a small amount of water in a shallow pan—keeps zucchini's texture firm but tender, rather than turning the vegetable into mush. This technique also works well with a prepared pesto if you're short on time.

1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I did half plain and half Italian seasoned)
1/3 cup whole almonds
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tbs. fresh mint leaves
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
4 medium zucchini (2 lb.), cut into 5 wheels each

1. Pulse breadcrumbs, almonds, garlic, mint, lemon juice, and lemon zest in blender or food processor until coarsely chopped. Add oil and sesame seeds, and pulse several times to make chunky pesto.

2. Score an X in each zucchini wheel to within 1/2 inch of bottom, making sure not to cut through. Gently pry each wheel open, and stuff with 1 heaping tsp. pesto. Place zucchini wheels snugly in single layer, stuffing-side up, in medium saucepan. Add 1 cup water, cover pan, and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook 20 minutes, or until zucchini are tender. Serve hot, with cooking liquid drizzled over top.

Found: Vegetarian Times July 2009

Zucchini Vegan Parmesan Crisps

Zucchini Vegan Parmesan Crisps
Vegan; Serves 4

When I made these last week, I tossed them in a sun dried tomato pasta. To compliment both, I added artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes and as the sauce I made an olive oil, garlic and earth balance lemon sauce. Bruce loved it with the rosemary sourdough bread toasted with earth balance with some garlic powder.....

1 lb. zucchini or squash (about 2 medium-sized)
1/4 cup vegan shredded Parmesan
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (heaping)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray lightly with vegetable spray.

2. Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Toss rounds with oil, coating well.

3. In a wide bowl or plate, combine breadcrumbs, vegan Parmesan, salt and pepper.

4. Place rounds in Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides of each round, pressing to adhere. The mixture will not completely cover each round, but provides a light coating on each side.

5. Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over the rounds.

Bake for about 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown. (There is no need to flip them during baking -- they crisp up on both sides as is.)

Adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe in The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life

Stuffed Zucchini

Stuffed Zucchini
Serves 4

When I made this the other night, I only scooped out 1 zucchini. However, I'm finding large ones at the Farmers Markets. I ended up forgetting to add the tomatoes while cooking the veggie mix, so I added it at the end with bread crumbs and the crushed red pepper. Bruce loved the non-dairy cream cheese mentioning that it made the dish. You decide.... Happy Wednesday.....

1 large zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise and the "meat" scooped out and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tomato, diced
3 large button mushrooms, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup onion, chopped (I used the green tops-leaves from the one I picked up from the farmers market)
2 Tablespoons Italian bread crumbs
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 8oz. container of non-dairy cream cheese, (I used Follow Your Heart; Vegan Gourmet)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and drizzle 2 Tablespoons olive oil in glass casserole dish. Set aside.

2. In a medium sized skillet (I use my beloved cast iron) over medium-high, heat remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil with the garlic and onion, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and mushrooms, cooking for about 3 more minutes. Finally add the zucchini (and tomatoes) cooking for about 2-3 minutes, adding the non-dairy cream cheese and black pepper. Once the non-dairy cream has melted, stuff the zucchini shells.

3. Bake for 20 minutes, and at the ten minutes sprinkle with bread crumbs and crushed red pepper. If you forget the tomatoes (like I did) sprinkle the tomatoes on first, before the other toppings. Chopped walnuts are nice too....

Serve with some crusty garlic bread and some dry white wine.... Enjoy!

Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

Italian Stuffed Mushrooms
Vegan; Serves 2; 45 minutes

So, I made these 2 nights ago, and they came out fabulous. However, the one complaint from Bruce is "You don't make enough food!" I only had 8 mushrooms, so a girl works with what shes got.... To turn this into a main dish, use more little mushrooms or the large portabella mushroom caps.

8 open-cap mushrooms (I used button)
4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/3 cup dry white wine, divided
1/3 cup onion, diced
1 large clove of garlic, minced-divided (or 2 small cloves)
1 zucchini, chopped (I used 1/2 a yellow and 1/2 a green)
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup Daiya Mozzarella cheese
parsley and crushed red pepper to taste
black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and chop finely. Reserve the caps.

2. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil and 1/2 white wine in a cast iron skillet. Add the onion and half the garlic and onion, sauté till the onion becomes translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Add mushroom stalks and zucchini, cook for about 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in bread crumbs, basil, tomato paste, and pine nuts. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. Sprinkle parsley, crushed red pepper, black pepper and cheese.

4. Place mushrooms in oven-proof dish and pour the rest of the oil and wine around them. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until stuffing is cooked trough and cheese is melted (if you have extra stuffing, sprinkle around the mushrooms in the baking dish). **NOTE: IF the mushrooms are drying out drizzle some olive oil half way through the baking time.**

Brown Rice, Vegetable & Herb Gratin

Brown Rice, Vegetable & Herb Gratin
Serves 4; Vegan; 1 hour

What is great about this recipe, is that you can use whatever veggies you have on hand. I used mushrooms and yellow squash for carrots and baby corn cobs.

1/3 cup brown rice (I used 2/3 cups)
2 tablespoons earth balance
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 carrot, chopped into matchsticks
1 zucchini, sliced
2 3/4 oz. baby corn cobs, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs (I used mint, basil, parsley and oregano)
1 cup grated Daiya mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons whole-wheat bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the rice in a saucepan of boiling water for 20 minutes. (It took mine about 35 minutes. Besides the baking, this is the longest part of the recipe.)

2. Lightly grease a 3 3/4 cup ovenproof dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Heat the butter in a skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until softened.

4. Add the garlic, carrot, zucchini, and corn cobs and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

5. Mix the rice with the sunflower seeds and mixed herbs and stir into the pan.

6. Stir in half of the mozzarella cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Spoon the mixture into the greased dish and top with the bread crumbs and remaining cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese begins to turn golden. Serve at once.
Variation: Use an alternative rice, such as basmati, and flavor the dish with curry spices, if desired.

Found and adapted from: What's Cooking Vegetarian by Jenny Stacey

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

Spinach-Zucchini Soup

Spinach-Zucchini Soup
Vegan; Gluten Free; 30 minutes or fewer
Serves 6

Ingredient List

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (2 cups)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, such as cannellini, or 1 15-oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups baby spinach (4 oz.)
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
4 tsp. finely chopped mint leaves

Directions

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion 3 to 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add zucchini, and cook 8 minutes more, or until vegetables are well browned. Add vegetable broth and 2 cups water, and bring to a boil. Stir in beans and spinach, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, or until spinach is wilted. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and mint. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Nutritional Information

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 133, Protein: 6g, Total fat: 4g, Saturated fat: <1g, Carbs: 21g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 189mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 4g

Found: Vegetarian Times- September 2009

Spicy Garden Couscous

Spicy Garden Couscous
Vegan

Adapted from The Co-Op Cookbook, by Rosemary Fifield (Chelsea Green, 2000).

Couscous only takes 5 minutes to make. When you load it up with fresh garden veggies like zucchini and red bell peppers, you get great antioxidant nutrition. Add some ginger and hot pepper flakes and you’ve made one fast and spicy treat for a night when you don’t have a lot of time to cook.
This is one quick-to-make and tasty crowd-pleaser.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup dried couscous
3 cups vegetable stock or water, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
4 carrots, cut into coins
pinch hot red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1. Put the couscous in a large bowl and add 1 cup of boiling stock or water. Cover the bowl and let stand for 5 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add carrots, red pepper flakes, coriander, and remaining stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Add zucchini, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add red bell pepper, and cook uncovered for 3 minutes.

3. Fluff couscous with a fork. Pour vegetables and cooking liquid over it, mix, and serve.
Serves 6.

Found: Care2.com

Vegan Moussaka

Vegan Moussaka
Prep Time 30 minutes, Bake Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves 8

If there were ever a perfect vegan entrée, moussaka has to be it. This recipe has dropped the Gruyere cheese and eggs in the Béchamel sauce and the Parmesan cheese in the topping along with any beef or lamb of course. The creaminess and the spices are silk and sass in the mouth.

So I made this last night, and I had to use my "Jackie Magic" as Bruce puts it. The Béchamel sauce was going south fast (very bland), so after I put it on the casserole. I jazzed it up! Everything that has stars next to it is how I improvised the dish.

Here's what you do:

Ingredient List
1 medium eggplant
**2 medium zucchinis (I used half a zucchini and half a yellow squash-sliced)
1/4 cup olive oil
**1 large onion, chopped (I used 1/4 of what it called for)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
**28-oz. can crushed peeled tomatoes (I sliced 3 1/2 tomatoes, I ran out-really needed 5 thinly sliced and left the skin on)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
**1 large baking potato (I used a sweet potato-peeled and sliced)
1 tablespoon olive oil for drizzling on top
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish


1) Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2) Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Salt the slices and let them "sweat" for 10 minutes. You 'sweat' the egg plant by gently salting the eggplant slices and letting them sit in a colander in the sink or on a tray for 30 minutes, then wash the salt off. This pulls out the bitterness.

3) Cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, and set aside.

4) Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is transparent and lightly browned. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

5) Lightly oil the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Peel the potato and cut it lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Layer the potato slices in the bottom of a baking dish, and spoon one-third of the tomato sauce over them. Then layer eggplant, one-third of tomato sauce, **zucchini and squash slices, and finally the rest of the tomato sauce. Drizzle the top with olive oil.

6) **Cover with a baking dish lid or foil (I didn't cover) and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

7) **Remove from the oven and remove the cover. Ladle Vegan Béchamel Sauce over the casserole and put back in the oven to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is nicely browned. Let sit a half hour before cutting and serving. Garnish each serving with lots of chopped fresh parsley. (after about 30-40 minutes of the casserole baking, I put the sauce on. I drizzled about 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil, added more nutmeg about 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of allspice-all 3 ingredients sprinkled on top of the dish)

Vegan Béchamel Sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
**2 cups soy milk (I used hemp milk)
1 tablespoon cornstarch diluted in 1/2 cup water (this helped to make the sauce bland and thick, next time I'll use 1 teasoon.)
**1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I used 1 teaspoon.)

Vegan Béchamel Sauce
1) Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sprinkle in flour and nutmeg, stirring constantly until lightly browned and a nutty aroma arises. Whisk in the soy milk, cornstarch mixture, and salt, stirring until the mixture begins to boil; then reduce the heat and whisk until thickened. This Béchamel Sauce makes a good topping for all sorts of steamed veggies.

Source:VegCooking.com


Wine Pairings
A big Chardonnay, a Viognier or a Pinot gris would complement this entrée quite well.

Yellow Squash and Zucchini Tacos

Yellow Squash and Zucchini Tacos
Vegan; 30 minutes; Serves 4

This is adapted from one of the farmer market vendors. She used Japanese eggplant and sweet bell peppers. (Feel free to substitute what you have on hand.) My tortillas didn't come out exactly round, but Bruce and the boys LOVED them anyways....

2 med. or 1 large yellow squash, cut into strips
2 med. or 1 large zucchini, cut into strips
1 cup of Portabello mushrooms, sliced
1 sweet red bell pepper cut into strips
1/4 cup olive oil (enough to coat the pan)
1/2 lime
2 Tbs. cilantro
tortillas
arugula
salsa (I used a blackberry, peach, chipotle salsa)

1. On medium heat coat pan with olive oil. Add yellow squash and zucchini. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms and cook for about 2-3 minutes until brown. Add red bell peppers and while that's cooking add cilantro and squeeze lime. Cook till heated through.

2. Serve on heated tortillas, arugula and add salsa. Enjoy!

Summer Veggies and Chickpeas with Purple Carrot Juice

Summer Veggies and Chickpeas with Purple Carrot Juice
Vegan; 30 minutes or fewer; Serves 4

On Saturday, some friends and I gave a presentation for VegSurvival 101. For the dish, I prepared this to show that you use what you have on hand and to think outside the box. Food is an art and that it doesn't have to be a chore to make dinner for your family. The presentation was a success, with the attendees feeling better about how easy it is to stick to a vegetarian/vegan/plant-based diet. Enjoy the jewel tones of this dish and add what you have on hand. I wanted to use quinoa, but had to substitute pearl barley-just getting back from the store-and realizing I was out...

1 cup quinoa
1 cup purple carrot juice
1 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil (use vegetable broth if your watching your oil intake)
4 mini sweet peppers, sliced in half moon (I used yellow, orange and red)
1 tomato
5 cremini mushroom, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced-I zested mine (if going with ground ginger, use 2 teaspoons)
**2-3 teaspoons of dried thyme
**2-3 teaspoons of dried lemon peel
**Add crushed red peppers for added heat or try dried Thai peppers

**With the purple carrot juice being so tasty, you may need to add more spice to the dish for added flavor.

1. In pan add quiona, purple carrot juice and water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender and liquid is absorbed.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil (enough to coat the pan). Add garlic and ginger, sauté for 30 seconds. Next, add the peppers and mushrooms, continue to sauté for 3 minutes or until mushrooms are brown and peppers are tender. Add squash, zucchini and chickpeas and sauté for 5 minutes or until heated through, adding the lemon peel and thyme until fragrant.

3. Combine the quiona mixture with veggies and serve. Enjoy with some crusty bread, toasted with some earth balance, sprinkle some garlic powder and rosemary.

Zucchini Pesto

Zucchini Pesto

Since I'm seeing lots of zucchinis at the farmers markets I thought this would be a great recipe to share. If you like an added kick, add (depending on taste) 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper.

Pesto is a delicious topping for steamed vegetables.

2 small zucchini or other summer squash
1 medium garlic clove
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut zucchini into 1-inch chunks (you should have about 2 cups). Steam chunks over boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until it is just tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
Place garlic and basil into a food professor fitted with a metal blade and chop until fine. Add zucchini, oil, and salt. Pulse until everything is finely chopped.

Per 1 tablespoon

Calories: 17; Fat: 1.2 g; Saturated Fat: 0.2 g; Calories from Fat: 62.4%; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Protein: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 1.6 g; Sugar: 0.5 g; Fiber: 0.8 g; Sodium: 75 mg; Calcium: 20 mg; Iron: 0.4 mg; Vitamin C: 3.2 mg; Beta Carotene: 454 mcg; Vitamin E: 0.2 mg

Source: Foods That Fight Pain by Neal Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

Found: PCRM.org