Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday, time to get ready for the weekend. Here are six recipes to help you through the weekend, including Rhubarb-Strawberry Refrigerator Cake and Half-Hour Chili. Enjoy!

TOFU FRENCH TOAST

This recipe, as well as the next one (Maple Nut Granola) comes from Compassion Over Killing, and can be found in the breakfast section of their Easy Vegan Recipes.

You can request (or download) Compassion Over Killing's free Easy Vegan Recipes booklet here.

Makes 6-8 pieces

Ingredients

8 ounces silken tofu

1/2 cup dairy-free milk

1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 ripe banana

Vegan butter, such as Earth Balance, or mild-flavored oil for cooking

6-8 slices of bread

Instructions

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.

In a bowl, blend the tofu, dairy-free milk, syrup, cinnamon, and banana on high until smooth. If too thick add a few tablespoons extra dairy-free milk or water. Pour the coating mixture into a shallow dish and dip the bread into the mixture, thoroughly coating both sides.

Melt a teaspoon of oil or vegan butter on the hot skillet, then add your soaked bread.

Cook for 2-3 minutes and flip to cook the other side once the edges begin to turn golden brown. Repeat with remaining bread.

Serve with fresh fruit, powdered sugar, or maple syrup.

MAPLE NUT GRANOLA

Makes 6-8 pieces

Ingredients

2 tablespoons flaxmeal

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups oats

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup golden raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flaxmeal with the maple syrup. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then whisk again until flax becomes sticky. Add the oil and spices and mix thoroughly. Add the oats, nuts, and salt and toss to coat completely.

Spread granola on a parchment-lined tray and bake 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool on pan. Toss in the golden raisins and store in an airtight container. Enjoy with some dairy-free milk or sprinkled over vegan yogurt and fresh fruit.

HERB-ROASTED WINTER VEGGIES

This is from the January 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, p.34. It starts off, “These roasted vegetables are delicious over rice or pasta. They also make a fabulous addition to frittatas.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

2 cups bite-size cauliflower florets, each halved lengthwise

2 cups halved Brussels sprouts

2 medium carrots, cut into sticks

1 medium yam or sweet potato (1/2 lb.), diced

3 Tbs. garlic-infused olive oil, divided

1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and yam in large bowl. Add 2 Tbs. oil, rosemary, and thyme, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Scatter vegetables evenly on baking sheet, and roast 20 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times with spatula. Increase oven temperature to 500°F, and roast vegetables 10 minutes more, or until tender. Transfer vegetables to large serving bowl, and add parsley, lemon juice, and remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Toss to mix, and serve.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 164; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 343 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 6 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

HALF-HOUR CHILI

This recipe begins, “This truly tasty half-hour vegetarian chili is made possible by using convenient canned beans and tomatoes (no pantry should be without them). Whole-grain bulgur adds another layer of toothsome texture and nutritional heft. This chili is relatively mild, so it’s a good crowd-pleaser. If you like it spicy, add extra chili powder or serve with hot sauce.”

This is from Diabetic Connect.

View this online at http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetic-recipes/general/5826-half-hour-chili.

Time: 30 minutes (15 minutes prep)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 medium onions, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 – 2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 28-ounce can plus one 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped, with juices

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans , rinsed

1/3 cup bulgur (see Note)

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt for garnish

1/3 cup chopped scallions for garnish

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, carrot, jalapeño, garlic, chili powder to taste and cumin. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and carrot are soft, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add tomatoes with their juices, sugar and salt; cook for 5 minutes over high heat. Reduce heat to low; stir in beans and bulgur. Simmer until the chili is thickened, about 15 minutes.

Garnish with yogurt, scallions and cilantro, if desired.

Note: Bulgur is made by parboiling, drying and coarsely grinding or cracking wheat berries. Don’t confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which is simply that—cracked wheat. Since the parboiling step is skipped, cracked wheat must be cooked for up to an hour whereas bulgur simply needs a quick soak in hot water for most uses. Look for it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets, near other grains, or online at kalustyans.com, buylebanese.com.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 6; Serving Size: about 1 1/3 cups; Calories: 217; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Protein: 10 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 13 g; Potassium: 854 mg; Sodium: 697 mg; Exchanges: 2 starch; 1 vegetable; 1 lean meat

RHUBARB-STRAWBERRY REFRIGERATOR CAKE

My family spent several years in northeast Connecticut. When I was 15, my parents bought a new house in South Woodstock (we'd lived in Thompson).

One of the new house's charms was a good-sized garden; a large patch of rhubarb threatened to overrun the entire garden. While Dad claimed most of the garden (as “John’s Pea Patch”), Mom decided that the rhubarb was hers. This is one of the many rhubarb desserts we had that year.

This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.

6 C rhubarb, cut in 1/2” pieces

1 tsp. vanilla

3 dozen lady fingers, split

1/2 C sugar

whole fresh strawberries

2 pks. (3 oz. each) strawberry gelatin

2 C heavy cream, whipped

Combine rhubarb, sugar and 1 C water in saucepan. Bring to boil. Boil 6 – 8 minutes until soft. Drain 1 C syrup and save. Put rhubarb and remaining syrup in blender. Make pulp (3 1/2 C). Bring pulp to boil. Pour over gelatin and stir until dissolved. Chill until slightly thickened but not firm. Fold in whipped cream. Add vanilla. Line 9” springform pan (3” deep) with ladyfingers. Alternate layers of rhubarb mix and ladyfingers, ending with rhubarb. Chill overnight, or until firm. Top with glaze and strawberries.

Glaze: Mix reserve syrup and 1/4 C sugar. Bring to boil & stir in 1 1/2 T cornstarch. Blend with small amount of water. Boil and cook, stirring until thickened and clean. Add a few drops of red food coloring. Cool.

SWEET POTATO, CARAMELIZED ONION, AND APPLE CIDER SOUP

This is from Soup for Every Body by Joanna Pruess with Lauren Braun via Publix's December, 2005 GreenWise.

The recipe originally called for 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. I simply cut out the chicken stock and left it at 2 cups vegetable stock.

1 1/2 hours prep time (includes baking time); Serves 4-6

1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes (or yams)

2 Tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil

2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 C fresh apple cider

1 Tbsp unsulphured molasses plus 3 Tbsp water

2 C vegetable stock

salt and white pepper

2 Tbsp finely chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

1 Tbsp finely shredded fresh sage leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes until tender, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool, then peel. While potatoes are baking, heat butter or oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and adjust head to medium. Sauté until golden brown and very tender, about 20-25 minutes, stirring often.

Transfer onions, sweet potatoes, and apple cider to food processor. Puree until smooth.

Return puree to pan and stir in molasses and water. Add stock to the puree and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into heated bowls. Sprinkle a small amount of chopped walnuts and shredded sage leaves in center of each bowl and serve.

Per serving: 326 calories; 4 g protein; 59 g carbohydrates; 7 g fiber; 9 g total fat (4 g sta., 2 g mono, 2 g poly); 346 mg sodium; Vitamin A, B6, Manganese, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), C, E, Pantothenic acid, Copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium