Taco Salad

Crushed tortilla chips
Fresh Lettuce from the garden
Red onion
Pinto beans
Fresh tomatoes
Jalapenos and Pepperoncinis
Vegan Nacho "Cheese" Sauce
Chalula

Greek-Style Pasta

I Just threw this together, so I don't really have too many specifics on the recipe, but I will try. Here goes......
Sauteed some red onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, then added some kale and spinach. Added 2 cans of "Hunt's" organic diced tomatoes, a large can of tomato sauce, thyme, basil, oregano, chili powder, marjorum, and red chili flakes to taste. Bring to boil, then let simmer for about half to one hour. Before serving, I added garbanzo beans and kalamata olives. Heat through. Served on whole wheat pasta and topped with romano and feta cheese. Served with salad and applesauce.

Grilled Artichokes and Gyro Sandwiches

I cut each artichoke in half and steamed until almost tender. Then basted with Italian dressing and grilled until tender and roasted. Served with lemon dipping sauce.

Now, we didn't do a traditional gyro with the beef and lamb combo, but those who wanted put sliced tomato and garlic turkey sausage on theirs. I grilled the greek-style pitas on the bbq and kept them warm in a tea towel until needed. They are topped with romaine lettuce, tomato, red onion, kalamata olives, feta cheese and homemade tziki sauce.

The sauce is made with non-fat plain yogurt, granulated garlic, dill, salt to taste and sliced cucumber.

Meusli

This is what we have been having for breakfast lately, instead of our usual oatmeal. You can use a variety of nuts, seeds, rolled grains, dried and fresh fruit, and milks.

This particular version has 3/4 cup of raw oats, handful of chopped almonds, some sesame seeds, craisins, dried cherries, dried coconut, some frozen berries, a dash of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.

I soaked it all in some vanilla soy milk and a little hemp milk for at least a half an hour. You can also make it up the night before and soak it overnight in the fridge. I then added some chopped apple, a dash more soy milk, mix and serve. This is a great hearty breakfast.

Veggie and Tofu Shish Kabobs

Made a stir-fry sauce out of soy sauce, water, honey, brown sugar, fresh garlic and ginger. Let the veggies (zucchini, red and green peppers, onion, cherry tomatoes and portabella mushrooms) marinate for a few hours in one tub and the cubed tofu in another. After marinating we skewered them onto bamboo skewers that had been soaked (so they don't burn). Grilled on low basting with the left over marinade. Served with brown rice cooked in "chicken" flavored broth powder and fresh parsley and watermelon slices. Sooo Gooood!

Green Smoothie

This is sooo good. And good for you. I put ice, cashews and whole flax seed in the bottom, add baby carrots, kale, spinach, apple, banana, frozen blueberries and mangoes, drizzle of agave nectar, wheat grass powder and spirulina powder and fresh grated ginger. Then pour vanilla hemp milk over the top and blend until smooth. I use a Vita Mix for this. Much more power than a regular blender.

Full of vitamin A, C, D, E, K, iron, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, antioxidants, potassium, B-vitamins, beta-carotene, protein, folate, calcium, manganese, zinc, selenium, phosphorous, riboflavin, folic acid, magnesium-just to name a few-and fiber.



What are you waiting for. Start blending.

Thai-Style Stir-Fry

This was sooo yummy and I just threw it together using stuff I already had.

I had a partial package of rice noodles left, brought some water to a boil, then placed the noodles in and took of the heat and let them sit until done. Drained and rinsed in cold water and then let them sit in a pan of cold water until needed.

Sauteed some garlic and onion until slightly brown, added chopped carrot and sauteed a little longer. Then added baby bok choy, kale and edamame.

Meanwhile, I sliced up some extra-firm tofu into cubes and cooked in soy sauce until it started to brown.

For the sauce I heated 2 cups of water and added 2 Tbs of "chicken" broth powder. About 1-2 Tbs of Mirin (Japanese rice wine) about 1 Tbs of lime juice, some fresh peeled and grated ginger, red chili flakes to taste and about 1-2 Tbs of corn starch.

When the veggies were done, I added the sauce and let it cook until it started to thicken. Then added the tofu and the drained rice noodles until heated through.

I want some more!!

For dinner I made 6 rolls of veggie sushi. I used a sticky green jasmine rice that is infused with bamboo that I got from the local co-op. Makes really good sushi. For the filling I used green onion, avocado, cucumber and baked sesame-honey tofu. You can vary the ingredients-some other ideas are enoki or portobella mushrooms, sprouts, roasted peppers, whatever. I am thinking that cream cheese and jalepenos sound kinda good, too. Before I tried to make sushi for the first time (this was only my second time) I watched a video about making vegan sushi from the Post Punk Kitchen. There are also numerous videos about sushi making on YouTube. Makes it a lot easier.

We served with a stir-fry and blood-oranges. I sauteed onion, garlic and carrots in a little canola oil. Then added some chopped baby bok-choy and steamed edamame. Added some sauteed cubed baked teriyaki tofu. Drizzled some sesame oil over the top and added a stir-fry sauce made of soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin (japanese rice wine) and fresh grated ginger. Then topped with black sesame seeds.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

Sweet and Sour Sauce

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks (I used sliced and cut into tidbits)
• 2 Tbs cornstarch

In medium saucepan, combine vinegar and brown sugar with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Drain pineapple. Combine cornstarch with pineapple juice; mix until blended. Stir into saucepan. Cook over low-heat until sauce has thickened.

I sauteed onion and pepper in a little canola oil, when soft I added the canned pineapple and sauteed until thououghly heated and cooked throughout.

In another pan I pan-seared honey-sesame baked tofu that was cut into cubes until it starts to brown. Add the pineapple mixture and tofu to the sauce and cook until thick.

We served over green jasmine rice infused with bamboo, some sea-salted edamame and orange slices.

You can also make this with chicken instead of the tofu. Use 4 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned and cut into bite-size pieces. Sautee until cooked throughout. Then add to the sauce. I think it would also be good with tempeh, seiten or a mild-flavored bean.

Vegan Veggie Enchiladas

For the enchilada sauce

• 3 8 oz cans tomato sauce
• 2 cans water
• 2 Tbs chili powder
• 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/4 tsp granulated onion
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 Tbs cornstarch

Add all ingredients, except cornstarch and bring to a boil. Keep whisking, so that mixture doesn't stick to bottom of pan. Mix Cornstarch with a little water and add to sauce. Boil for several minutes, then turn down to low and heat until thick.

For the insides, I sauteed some green pepper, garlic, onion, carrot and chopped kale. When tender, I added 8 oz tomato sauce, some leftover local salsa, leftover brown rice, one can of red kidney beans, one can of white kidney beans (any bean combo would be great), a sprinkling of chili powder and cumin and cooked until heated through.

This is my first attempt at making corn tortillas from scratch. I used the recipe on the package of Masa Flour. They are not real pretty, but they taste good. I put them in a tea towel to keep them warm. I don't have a tortilla press (think I may need to invest in one with as much as I make tortillas), so I rolled them out between layers of wax paper.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and add a thin layer of sauce in the bottom. Dip each tortilla in sauce and top with filling. I did this for 15 tortillas. Top with the rest of the sauce until covered. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until top starts to look done. I topped with the vegan nacho "cheese" sauce (you could use regular grated cheese if prefered) and baked for another 5-10 minutes. Then topped with fresh tomatoes and green onions.

Macaroni and Cheese

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs butter
• 6 Tbs flour
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• dash garlic powder
• 4 cups warmed milk
• approx. 1 1/2 cups cheese (I used mostly cheddar and 2 slices swiss), more for topping
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• homemade dry breadcrumbs
• approx. 8 cups cooked whole wheat macaroni pasta

Place olive oil and butter in saucepan over medium heat, when butter melts and bubbles, slowly whisk in flour, chili pwdr, mustard pwdr and garlic pwder. Slowly add milk, constantly whisking, when all milk is added and it starts to get thick, add cheese. When melted, add salt and pepper. Add pasta and stir until well coated.

Put into greased casserole dish and top with breadcrumbs and extra cheese. Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, when cheese starts to brown on top. Remove from oven and let rest about 5 minutes.

For the vegan version, I heated the extra nacho "cheese" sauce from the other night and mixed with whole wheat pasta and topped with breadcrumbs and soy cheese. Cooked for the same amount of time. My son said it was delicious.

Lentil Loaf with "Chicken" Gravy and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Lentil Loaf

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup lentils, uncooked
• 1/2 cup very finely chopped onions
• 1/2 cup very finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
• 5 slices whole wheat bread, crumbled (1 0z. slices)
• 2 egg whites
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground sage
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add lentils, cover, and cook on low heat 45 minutes. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly oil a 4 x 8-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine cooked lentils with remaining ingredients. Mix well. Place mixture in prepared pan and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.

Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes.

Let stand 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Cut into slices to serve.

(From the Lean and Lucious Meatless Cookbook)

I didn't have any celery, and I used fresh chopped garlic instead of the garlic powder. I also used dried breadcrumbs and oatmeal instead of the bread. Used a flax and water substitution for the eggs.

For the gravy I heated 4 cups of water and added 4 Tbs of "chicken" flavored broth powder and whisked together. I heated 4 Tbs of olive oil and added approx 6 tbs of flour and whisked then slowly added the broth a little at a time until thick and added salt, pepper, granulated garlic and some thyme. I think next time I wil use Earth Balance-the olive oil taste was a little strong.

Washed and dried the fingerling potatoes and cut in half. Mixed with olive oil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Roasted in the oven until soft on inside, slightly crisp on the outside and topped with salt and pepper.

Served with salad.

Nacho "Cheese" Sauce

We just had nachos for dinner-needed something quick. And I made this "cheese" sauce for my son. Found the recipe on "The Vegan Lunchbox". Next time I may add a little chili powder or taco seasoning for a little more "kick". Not too shabby. Even DH had some on his nachos

makes about 2 cups

2 cups water

¼ cup raw cashews

One 4 oz. jar pimentos, drained

1 cup nutritional yeast flakes

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon cumin, heaping

Combine all ingredients and blend until completely smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.Serve as a dip with tortilla chips and vegetables.

Sausage Hash and Scrambled Tofu

Peel and cube potatoes into bite-size chunks. Heat one or more TBS of olive oil in pan-depending on amount of potatoes. For our size family (7 still at home), I fill a large pan full of potatoes. Cook on medium heat stirring often-they tend to cook faster with the lid on.

While the potatoes are cooking cut up and sautee your sausage until done. You can use whatever your favorite is. We used Italian-style Tofurkey this time. But have also used various flavored chicken and turkey sausages as well.

When Potatoes are about done, turn heat down to med-low, add sausage, drizzle some more olive oil over the top, add some Mrs. Dash garlic and herb, Rosemary and Sea Salt. Cook until heated through and serve.

Scrambled Tofu

• 1 package firm tofu, drained and crumbled
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1/4 cup diced green pepper
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 Tbs, soy bacon bits (optional)
• pepper, to taste (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crumbled tofu, lemon juice, salt and tumeric

In a pan over medium heat, add the oil, then the pepper, onion, and garlic. Sautee for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just softened.

Add the tofu mixture to the pan and cook about 15 minutes or until the pieces of tofu begin to brown. Stir in parsley and the soy bacon pieces and pepper, if desired.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

I didn't have green onion, so I substituted chopped mushrooms. Didn't have parsley or bacon bits, but I used the same pan as the sausage for some extra flavor and put in just a dash more tumeric and lemon juice. This is surprisingly tasty.

The kids that didn't want any just had plain potatoes with eggs and toast.

We just served with some fresh fruit.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Running out of staples, and my youngest daughter is having a friend spend the night, so we needed something kid-friendly, so we made breakfast for dinner.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I used all whole wheat)
• 3 Tbs brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 2 TBS vegetable oil (I used canola)
• 2 TBS vinager

Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Stir into the flour mixture enough to thoroughly combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides.

For the vegan version I used 1/2 cup of applesauce for the egg-have also used banana puree-and soymilk for the milk. I am sure that rice and nut milk would also work as well.

We topped our pancakes with real organic maple syrup. Jam is also very good on these. Mmmmmmm.

Black Bean Fajitas

Soaked one pound of black beans over night and put in my very ancient crockpot (that used to be my mom's when we were growing up) with 8 cups of water on high and covered with a thick dish cloth to conserve heat (there is a small chip in the lid). Put in about an inch or two size of kombu (a type of seaweed) after a few hours-it helps cut down on the flatulence factor of beans. A few hours before the beans are done, I put in some dried onion and garlic.

Sautee some fresh onion, garlic, green pepper and mushrooms in some olive oil. When done add drained black beans, "Lawry's" fajita seasoning, some water (about half cup more or less-not too dry, not too runny) and jalapenos if desired. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to low for about 5-10 minutes and add fresh tomatoes. Serve on freshly made whole wheat tortillas. That's my 11 year old daughter's hands showing off her handy work-she helped with rolling some of the tortillas.

Serve with your favorite toppings-sour cream, hot sauce, salsa, green onion, cheese, avocado,etc.

For the vegan boy, I made his tortillas with rice milk (the dough tends to be a little stickier, so need a little extra flour when rolling them out). He put on some vegan cream cheese instead of sour cream and some vegan soy cheese.

Chewy Flour Tortillas Recipe

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

· 3/4 cup lukewarm milk (2% is fine)

Stir together the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and vegetable oil to the lukewarm milk and whisk briefly to incorporate. Gradually add the milk to the flour, and work the mixture into a dough. It will be sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with flour and knead vigorously for about 2 minutes (fold and press, fold and press). The kneading will take care of the stickiness. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 15 minutes. (This dough will not rise, but it needs a rest).

Divide your dough into 8 balls of equal size, cover them, and let them rest again for about 20 minutes. Avoid letting them touch, if you don't want them to stick together.

Dust your work surface with flour. Working one at a time, remove each piece of dough and pat it into a 5-inch circle. With a rolling pin, roll out the tortilla, working from the center out, until you have a 7- or 8-inch tortilla a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the tortilla to a hot, dry skillet or griddle. It will begin to blister. Let it cook for 30 seconds, turn it, and let the other side cook for 30 seconds. Remove the tortilla, place it in a napkin-lined basket and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. (I just wrap in a tea towel).

If you like, you can substitute one cup of whole wheat for the all-purpose.

Also, hard to get perfectly round, since the dough tries to draw up on itself.

Eggplant Parmesan

One large eggplant sliced thin

homemade dried breadcrumbs

granulated garlic

basil

oregano

thyme

marjorum

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a shallow bowl (except eggplant). Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, dip in breadcrumb mixture to evenly coat both sides and fry over medium heat in a pan brushed with olive oil until brown and crisp on both sides.

Place some homemade or jar spaghetti sauce (I used homemade) in the bottom of a small casserole dish and layer eggplant and sauce. Can top with your favorite Italian Cheese (mozzerella, romano, parmesan, asiago, etc.) and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes until thouroughly heated and cheese is melted and bubbly. Since my son is going vegan I just baked as is and let everyone who wanted some to put on their own cheese after.

Top whole wheat spaghetti (or your favorite pasta) with some extra sauce, if desired, and eggplant.

We served with a salad of all organic ingredients, topped with feta dressing and extra feta cheese and fresh ground black pepper.

Bon Appetit!