Cookies

Cookies...COOKIES...COOKIES! We all love 'em (well, most of us do). But what happens if a cookie-loving person decides to go vegan? Have no fear. While cleaning out my email inbox, I happened to run across an old email from http://www.onegreenplanet.org/ with some of the best looking vegan cookies. The first three cookie recipes are holiday cookies, but there's no need to wait for a holiday to whip up a batch of them. And if you want to see all ten of the recipes on One Green Planet's email list, go to http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/our-top-10-holiday-vegan-cookie-recipes/. Even if you're not a vegan, I have a feeling that you'll find something on here to make your cookie-lover happy. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY COOKIES

Recipe by Nikki Haney: Blogger, The Tolerant Vegan

(makes about 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread

1 cup refined sugar

1/2 ripe banana, mashed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

24 dark morello cherries in syrup

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup non-dairy vanilla milk

3 teaspoons morello cherry juice, from jar

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Place the Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread and refined sugar in a large bowl. Mix on low-medium speed until fluffy. Add in the mashed banana and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on medium speed until fully combined. The cookie batter will be pretty thick.

Scoop the batter onto a baking pan and make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Scoop the cherries out of their jar and place one cherry in each thumbprint.

In a small pot over low heat, melt the chocolate chips and non-dairy milk, stirring constantly. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the cherry juice. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the melted chocolate over top of each cookie.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven, spoon another teaspoon of chocolate over each cookie and allow them to cool to room temperature.

GLUTEN-FREE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES WITH DARK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine almond flour, salt, sugar, Earth Balance, vanilla and peanut butter in a bowl and beat with electric mixer until thoroughly blended. Form into 1″ balls and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes until set and lightly browned. Cool.

Melt dark chocolate either in the microwave (for 45 seconds at a time, stirring in between until melted) or a double boiler, and drizzle on top of cookies.

SANDWICH COOKIES

Ingredients

Cookies

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup organic cane sugar

3/4 cup Earth Balance, room temperature

Ener-G Egg Replacer for one egg (1 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons water)

Filling

1/2 cup Earth Balance, room temperature

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the butter and Ener-G egg replacer. Mix until well blended dough.

For mini sandwiches, drop by teaspoons onto lined baking sheet. For bigger sandwiches, drop by tablespoons onto lined baking sheet. Use hand to flatten cookies. Bake cookies for 8-9 minutes. Cool on a rack.

While cookies are cooling, beat together softened Earth Balance and confectioner’s sugar at low speed. Add vanilla and mix at higher speed for about 2 minutes. Use a pastry bag and a small star or drop flower tip and pipe icing onto one cookie, and top with another cookie. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO OATMEAL COOKIES

From the recipe: "Take chocolate chip cookies to the next level with this espresso-spiked dough that's laced with chewy oats." Makes 48 cookies.

To view this online, click here.

3/4 cup all-purpose flour or oat flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

4 oz. (1 stick) margarine, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cooled espresso or strong coffee

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups oats

1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

1. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in bowl.

2. Cream margarine and sugar together with electric mixer in bowl. Beat in espresso and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, adding up to 1/2 cup more if necessary to make thick dough. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.

3. Divide dough in half. Transfer each dough half to large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper. Use plastic wrap to shape dough into 2 2-inch-diameter logs with plastic wrap or wax paper. Wrap tightly, and chill 2 hours, or overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Slice dough logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer slices to greased or parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake 8 to 11 minutes, or until cookies look dry on top. Cool cookies 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack.

from the December 2011 issue, p.75

nutritional information

Per Cookie:

Calories: 56; Protein: less than 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 43 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan

SOFT APPLE GINGER SPICE COOKIES

This is from the September 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65. The recipe starts off, “In addition to being some of the best spice cookies you’ll ever eat, these may also be the easiest since you don’t need an electric mixer to prepare the dough. You can also make them without diced apples, or substitute dried cranberries.” Makes 20 4-inch cookies.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup Rosy Applesauce (recipe follows) or unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup for rolling cookies

1 large apple, peeled and finely diced (1 cup)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl.

Whisk together oil, applesauce, and molasses in separate large bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup sugar. Stir in flour mixture with spatula. Fold in diced apple.

Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1/4 cup dough into ball, then roll ball in sugar. Repeat with remaining dough. Place balls on prepared baking sheets.

Put baking sheets in oven, and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until tops of cookies are dry and bottoms are golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Per cookie: 176 cal; 2 g protein; 6 g total fat (less than 1 g sat. fat); 30 g carb; 0 mg chol; 127 mg sodium; less than 1 g fiber; 16 g sugars

ANISE CUTOUTS

This was in an email list that I was on, years ago. Not sure whose recipe it is, but definitely yummy!

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp aniseed

In a bowl, cream the shortening and the sugar. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, and the salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the aniseed. Chill for 2 hours or until the dough is easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325 F for 7-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen

I'm Thirsty!

While most of the recipes on this blog are for food, we do occasionally need something to drink. Sure, there's water, soda, coffee, tea, bottled juices and a large assortment of other drinks, but sometimes we want something a little different, something that makes the taste buds dance. Enjoy!

PINK LADY PUNCH

Not sure where this one came from, though I'm thinking maybe from one of my mother's cookbooks that she bought to raise funds for some group or other...

4 C cranberry juice

1 1/2 C sugar

4 C pineapple juice

2 qts. chilled ginger ale

Add sugar to cranberry juice. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add pineapple juice. Chill. Pour into punch bowl & add ginger ale.

WATERMELON PUNCH

Years ago, I was a bride’s maid at a friend’s wedding. A friend of the couple held the reception dinner; this punch was served with the hors d’oeuvres. I’ve added ginger ale to the recipe; it’s good either way.

1 watermelon

1 T honey

6 oz. can orange juice, undiluted

2 liter bottle ginger ale

Put watermelon (excluding rind and seeds) in a blender—and blend. Pour juice through a strainer into a large bowl. Add orange juice and honey, stir, and add ice. Add ginger ale just before serving.

LIZARD LOUNGE TEA

My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.

This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.

1/2 gallon apple cider

4 – 5 herbal tea bags

Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.

SPICE TEA

I used to make this every year for Christmas presents; it was quite popular. Unfortunately, life got a little hectic...As simple as this is, though, I may be reigniting this as a present!

8 oz loose tea

3 orange rinds/peels

1 1/2-2 sticks cinnamon

2 T chopped cloves

Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaionally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.

I'll post some single-serving drinks in a later post. In the meantime, enjoy!

EASTERN SUNRISE SMOOTHIE

It seems that bottled smoothies have hit it big in stores over the past few years. And while many of them are, no doubt, good, and even healthy, there's nothing that quite compares with fresh-made smoothies. The only thing holding one back are one's imagination and the fruits available.

The fruits used in in this smoothie are from the eastern U.S.: orange juice and strawberries from Florida, cranberries from Massachusetts. Top that off with a beautiful pink color. It’s a yummy way to start the morning.

1 C orange juice

1/2 C yogurt

4-6 frozen strawberries

1 T wheat germ

1/2 C frozen cranberries

Blend juice & berries. Add yogurt & wheat germ & blend about 15 seconds more.

PURPLE HAZE SMOOTHIE

Variation on a theme. You can make smoothies out of almost any fruit and/or juice (or milk). Experiment; use any juice to your liking: apple, cranberry, orange (my favorite), whatever, then add whatever fruits you have around. If none of the fruits are conducive to freezing (berries work best), add a few ice cubes, or better still, frozen juice cubes.

This one is similar to the above smoothie. The blueberries give it a pleasant taste and a beautiful color.

1-1 1/2 orange juice (see note)

1/2 C frozen blueberries

4 frozen strawberries (optional)

1/2 C yogurt

1/2 C frozen cranberries

1 T wheat germ

Blend orange juice & berries. Add yogurt & wheat germ, blend for 5-15 more seconds.

NOTE: If adding strawberries, add the extra 1/2 C orange juice. Or use 1 C juice and 1/2 C soymilk.

Monday Recipes

Here are six recipes to help jump-start your week. Enjoy!



PASTA WITH GREENS, CHICKPEAS, AND OLIVES

This recipe is listed as their recipe of the month. According to the site, "This quick and nourishing year-round pasta recipe calls for chard, kale, or spinach, but you can use a combination or even substitute broccoli rabe or mustard greens. My personal favorite in this dish is chard, as it’s so good in the Italian-style trio of pasta with greens and legumes. Just add a colorful salad and you’ve got a meal. Recipe from Wild About Greens by Nava Atlas."

Serves: 4 to 6

10 to 12 ounces rotini, rotelle, or cavatappi (spiral pasta, see note)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips

10 to 12 ounces chard, kale, or spinach, any variety

3 medium ripe tomatoes, diced

15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup sliced pitted oil-cured olives (such as Kalamata)

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, optional

Cook the pasta in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

If using any variety of chard, cut the leaves away from the stems and chop coarsely or cut into ribbons. If you plan on using the stems from chard, trim an inch or so away from the bottom, then slice thinly. If using kale, strip the leaves from the stems, and cut into narrow ribbons or small bite-size pieces. Thinly slice the stems if you plan to use them, otherwise, discard. Stem larger spinach leaves and chop coarsely; if using baby spinach, use the leaves whole.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and bell pepper and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is lightly golden and the bell pepper softens, about 3 minutes.

Add the greens and stir in quickly to coat with the oil. If using spinach, cover and let it wilt for 30 seconds or so. If using kale or chard, add a couple tablespoons of water, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until wilted and bright green.

Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, olives, and oregano. Stir together and cook, stirring frequently for 3 to 4 minutes, or until everything is heated through.

Combine the mixture from the skillet with the pasta in the serving bowl and toss together. Toss with the skillet mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Sprinkle optional pine nuts over the pasta, and serve.

Note: In this dish, I used a spelt rotini, but you can use any kind of short twisty pasta, and of course go for a gluten-free variety if that’s your preference.

Read more at http://www.vegkitchen.com/front-page/pasta-with-greens-chickpeas-and-olives/#Zmm5GfhgzlAAE8dT.99

BLACK-EYED PEAS WITH SPINACH AND HERBS

"Here’s an easy and unusual recipe that highlights fresh spinach. If you use baby spinach, you can skip stemming, making the recipe even quicker than it already is. This Persian recipe is a Sabzi—referring to a recipe using greens and herbs, ingredients so typical to this cuisine. Serve with a fresh flatbread and a salad of chickpeas and tomatoes," according to the recipe.

Serves: 6

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup chopped leek (white part only), well rinsed

Two 16-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

2 large or 3 medium tomatoes, diced

Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon, to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

10 to 12 ounces fresh spinach, stemmed and well rinsed (or baby spinach, well rinsed)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, or more, to taste

4 scallions, sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Hot cooked rice or other grain, optional

Heat the oil in an extra-large skillet or a steep-sided stir-fry pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent.

Add the leek and sauté another 5 minutes or so, until both it and the onion are golden.

Stir in the black-eyed peas, tomatoes, lemon juice, and spices. Cook until everything is hot and the tomatoes have softened, about 5 minutes.

Add half of the spinach, cover and cook until wilted down, then add the rest. Once it’s all wilted down, stir it in along with the parsley, and scallion. Cook for just a minute or two longer, just until then season with salt and pepper.

Serve at once over hot cooked rice or other grain, if desired.

Read more at http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/bountiful-beans/bean-main-dishes/black-eyed-peas-with-spinach-and-herbs/#sDx8kzIPtIHIW3To.99.

SIMPLE QUINOA, BROCCOLI, AND CHEESE CASSEROLE

"This easy casserole offers maximum nourishment. Serve with microwaved or baked sweet potatoes (start the sweet potatoes in the oven about 45 minutes before starting to bake the casserole) and a salad of dark greens and ripe tomatoes," according to the website's description. My description? "Yum!"

Serves: 6

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed in a fine sieve

1 vegetable bouillon cube

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced

2 large broccoli crowns, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/3 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes or sliced black olives

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups grated vegan cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400º F.

Bring 3 cups water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Stir in the quinoa and bouillon cube, cover, and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté until golden. Add the broccoli and enough water to keep the skillet moist. Cover and steam until the broccoli is tender-crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with the broccoli mixture, dried tomatoes or olives, and half of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.

Transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled, shallow two-quart casserole. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese. Bake until the top is golden and crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes, and serve.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Jolinda writes, "Vegan peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips - no eggs, no dairy, just delicious cookies! It's been said that whomever was the first person to mix together chocolate and peanut butter deserves an award for their contribution to humanity, and I couldn't agree more. Yum. Period. Nuff said."

Ingredients:

1 cup vegan margarine

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup soft (silken) tofu

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup chocolate chips

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, sugar and brown sugar. Add the tofu and vanilla and whisk until smooth and creamy.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the margarine mixture and combine well.

Add the peanut butter and mix well, then fold in the chocolate chips.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown.

Friday Recipes

I know that some people find it strange, but I actually have an easier time figuring out to eat when meat is not involved. Somehow, it seems to open up more options. At least that's how I feel about food. That said, for those who are vegetarian, or simply trying to go meatless one day a week, here are more meatless recipes to try. Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN-QUINOA BURGERS

This comes from the July/August 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 60. By the way, Vegetarian Times has an emailing list you can subscribe to for fantastic vegetarian recipes. I highly recommend it.

This recipe serves 8, and begins, “Here's a delicious veggie burger you can whip up from scratch. Any steak seasoning (which is just a combination of herbs and spices) will work to give the patties a rich, hearty flavor. Stash a few in the freezer for busy weeknight meals. For super-easy cookouts, bake the patties ahead, then reheat them on the grill. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.”

1/2 cup quinoa

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 tsp. dried steak seasoning

8 whole-grain hamburger buns

Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)

Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.

nutritional information Per Burger: Calories: 215; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 438 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

SUMMER VEGGIE KEBABS WITH FRESH CORN RELISH

This is from the July/August 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 32. The recipe serves 4, and can be made in 30 minutes or less. It starts out, “Easy-to-assemble vegetable kebabs are paired with a lightly sautéed corn relish for a dish that can be served either as an appetizer or as an entrée when placed atop couscous or another quick-cooking grain. To ensure even cooking, make sure all the vegetables are about the same size.”

Corn Relish

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium yellow tomato, diced (2/3 cup)

1 large ear corn, kernels removed (1 1/3 cups kernels)

1 1/2 Tbs. white balsamic or white wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. dry mustard powder

2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh basil

Kebabs

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbs. white balsamic or white wine vinegar

3/4 tsp. dry mustard powder, divided

1 small yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded, and cut into 12 square pieces

1 medium zucchini, halved and cut into 12 slices

1/2 small red onion, cut into 12 chunks

12 whole cremini mushrooms

12 grape or cherry tomatoes

Coat grill grate or grill pan with cooking spray, and preheat over medium heat.

To make Corn Relish: Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add tomato, cover, and cook 4 minutes, or until tomato is breaking down. Add corn kernels, and cook 2 minutes, or until corn is tender. Stir in vinegar and mustard powder, and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Mix in basil; season with salt and pepper, if desired.

To make Kebabs: whisk together oil, vinegar, and mustard powder in small bowl.

Thread each of 12 skewers with 1 bell pepper square, 1 zucchini slice, 1 red onion chunk, 1 mushroom, and 1 tomato. Place skewers on large platter, and brush with vinaigrette mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Grill skewers 6 to 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and browned on all sides. Serve with Corn Relish.

nutritional information Per Serving (3 kebabs and 1/2 cup relish): Calories: 247; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 30 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 9 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

BAKED TOFU WITH ASIAN GLAZE

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food guide, writes, “A simple vegetarian and vegan baked tofu recipe suitable for an appetizer, or to add to cooked noodles or vegetable stir-fry. Tofu is marinated and then baked in a sweet and sour miso-based Asian barbecue sauce with maple syrup, sesame oil, black pepper and sherry. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe courtesy of the Soy Foods council.

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce) package extra–firm tofu, drained and well-pressed

1 tablespoon miso

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

3 green onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoon sherry

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Cut the tofu into chunks and place in a wide shallow dish or bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the miso and remaining ingredients and whisk well until combined. Pour over tofu and gently mix to ensure that the tofu is coated well. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least two hours and up to 8 hours.

When you're ready to bake the tofu, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Drain the tofu, reserving the extra marinade. Place the tofu on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with the extra sauce, until tofu is lightly browned and lightly crisped.

Serve your Asian-glazed tofu over noodles for an entree, with toothpicks as an appetizer, or add it to your favorite vegetable stir-fry.

Nutritional information, per serving:
Calories: 26; Total fat: 1 g; Protein: 39g; Carbs: 24.7g; Iron: 1.4mg;
Calcium: 20mg

VEGAN PUMPKIN GRATIN

Ashley Adams is the Dairy Free Cooking guide for About.com. She writes, “Perfect for the autumn months when pumpkin is in season, this veganized pumpkin gratin is a healthier, yet delicious, take on the fall-time classic. (And if you happen to crave pumpkin during the rest of the year, you can just use canned pumpkin instead of fresh!) If you've never prepared your own homemade pumpkin puree before, read the Cook's Note at the bottom of the recipe to learn how! As always, feel free to add more tasty things to your gratin; pecans, pine nuts, coconut, dried cranberries, dried figs, and fresh apple pieces are all welcome additions to this dish.”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4

Ingredients:

For the bread crumb topping:

3 slices white dairy-free bread (French bread, sourdough, or another white sandwich bread will do)

1/4 cup shredded dairy-free cheese, such as Daiya

1/2 t. salt

1/8 t. freshly ground pepper

For the Filling:

3 cups pumpkin puree (from either steamed or canned pumpkin)

1/4 cup dairy-free sour cream, such as Tofutti

2 T. white granulated sugar

1 t. salt

1/2 t. sage

1/2 t. marjoram

1/2 cup finely chopped scallions (also known as green onions)

2 medium Bosc pears, cored and chopped

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 T. softened dairy-free soy margarine, cut into small pieces

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Lightly grease a 1-quart gratin dish or casserole dish. Set aside.

Make the topping. In a food processor, process the bread crumbs, dairy-free cheese, salt and pepper, pulsing until the mixture resembles large crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Make the filling. Combine the pumpkin puree, dairy-free sour cream, sugar, salt, sage, and marjoram in a food processor, pulsing until well combined. Using a spoon, fold in the chopped scallions and pears. Transfer the pumpkin filling to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle evenly with the bread crumb topping, then dot with the dairy-free soy margarine. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden brown. Serve hot.

Cook's Notes:

For this recipe, I vastly prefer using Daiya Mozza Shreds over other varieties, but use whatever dairy-free cheese you're comfortable with.

For gratins and other pumpkin casseroles, making your own puree from fresh pumpkin is always better than using canned. (Again, canned will work, so if you don't have fresh pumpkins available or the time to make your own puree, it is fine to use the canned.

To prepare steamed pumpkin (for the pumpkin puree): Peel, seed, and cut a small to medium-sized pumpkin into 2-inch pieces. Place in a steamer basket set over a saucepan with 1-2 inches of boiling water. Cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Puree the pumpkin and use in your pumpkin gratin or other pumpkin recipes!

EGG AND VEGGIE SALAD WITH DILL GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. Serves 4, in 30 minutes or less. Recipe starts out, “Look for French breakfast or watermelon radishes to add color and interest to this salad. Don’t be tempted to make the dressing in just one step; only part of the yogurt is puréed with seasonings, then stirred into the remaining yogurt to achieve the right consistency.

5 large eggs

10 small purple potatoes, halved lengthwise (14 oz.)

16 medium orange cauliflower florets

4 Persian cucumbers

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh dill

3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar

1 bunch large radishes, sliced or quartered, radish leaves reserved, optional

Set large vegetable steamer rack in pot over boiling water. Place eggs on rack; surround with potatoes. Cover pan, and steam 10 minutes. Scatter cauliflower over potatoes. Cover, and steam 3 to 4 minutes more, or until vegetables are just tender and eggs are hard-boiled.

Meanwhile, cut 1-inch piece from 1 cucumber. Peel, and place piece in blender. Add 1/3 cup dill, 1/4 cup yogurt, oil, and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Purée in blender until smooth. Place remaining 1/2 cup yogurt in medium bowl. Stir purée from blender into yogurt until smooth.

Slice remaining cucumbers thickly on diagonal.

Peel eggs under cold running water. Quarter eggs.

Divide radish leaves (if using) among plates. Top with eggs, potatoes, cauliflower, cucumbers, and radishes. Drizzle each salad with dressing. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbs. chopped dill.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 288; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 233 mg; Sodium: 123 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 5 g; Gluten-Free

COOL WHIP PIE

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food guide, writes, “You can 'whip' together this easy Cool Whip pie in five minutes and it lasts for several days in the freezer. If you're looking for an easy no-bake dessert or no-bake pie recipe, this quick and easy Cool Whip pie is the one to try! This is one of my favorite dessert recipes ever, since it's so unbelievably quick, easy, delicious, and not too fattening.” Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

8 oz (one small container) Cool Whip

18 oz (three individual servings) yogurt, any flavor

1 ready made pie crust

Preparation:

Thoroughly combine the Cool Whip and yogurt until smooth. Pour into pie crust and freeze until firm. Remove from freezer approximately 20 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh fruit if desired and enjoy!

Thursday Recipes

Here are today's six vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!

ACADIA'S TOFU STIR FRY

This came from the Food.com e-newsletter, and was sent into by AcadiaTwo. She writes, “I actually had never tried cooking tofu before, so I decided to marinate it first before cooking. It was a quick tasty meal the next night after work. Serve with rice, noodles or plain. Enjoy.” Don't let the prep time scare you off; it's the marinating time. Prep Time: 12 hours; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, go to http://www.food.com/recipe/acadias-tofu-stir-fry-365295.

Ingredients

1 1⁄2 cups teriyaki sauce (sweet)

8 
ounces tofu (firm, drained)

4 
garlic cloves (minced)

1 
tablespoon peanut oil

8 
ounces frozen stir fry vegetables

Directions

Slice the tofu up into 1/4" thick slices and then cut them again into 1"x2" pieces.

Mix teriyaki & garlic together. (Reserve and refrigerate 1/2 cup teriyaki and 1 minced garlic clove in separate container).

Marinate them in teriyaki and garlic for 12-hours in the refrigerator.

In wok on medium heat add peanut oil.

Cook up the the tofu for about 2-3 minutes, flip and cook them for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove tofu and set aside.

Add vegetables to wok and stir fry until tender about 3 minutes.

Add Tofu and (reserved marinade) back to the wok, cook for 2 minutes more, stir throughly coating everything.

Enjoy.

FATTOUSH SALAD

This comes from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. To view this recipe online, click here.

Serves 6; 30 minutes or fewer

The recipe starts off, “Pomegranate molasses and sumac add a tart edge to this Lebanese salad. They can be found in Middle Eastern groceries and well-stocked supermarkets and used to flavor many other vegetable dishes. Choose larger cherry tomato varieties that can stand up to the other vegetables and the pita chips.”

Vinaigrette2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. olive oil

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. pomegranate molasses

2 tsp. ground sumac

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

Salad

1 medium head romaine lettuce, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick ribbons (4 cups)

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

4 small Persian cucumbers, diced (2 cups)

1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice (1 cup)

1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice (1 cup)

3 green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)

1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley

3Tbs. thinly sliced mint leaves

1 1/2 cups plain pita chips, coarsely broken up

1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 oz.)

To make Vinaigrette: whisk together all ingredients in small bowl.

To make Salad: Toss together lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, green onions, parsley, and mint in large salad bowl. Add Vinaigrette, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Sprinkle pita chips over top of Salad, and toss again. Top with feta.

nutritional information Per 2-cup serving: Calories: 181; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Cholesterol: 11 mg; Sodium: 259 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 7 g

MOROCCAN SEVEN-VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

This recipe is from the March 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times The recipe states, “To many Americans, couscous refers to the tiny pearls of semolina we've come to know and love. But in Morocco, it is also the proper name for a time-honored stew, rich with vegetables and the flavors—saffron, cinnamon, turmeric—of North Africa. This is a terrific, relaxed party dish—easy to make, fun to eat and meant for a gathering.” Serves 6.

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 large onions, quartered and cut in 1/2-inch slices

2 pinches saffron threads

1 pinch crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs cilantro, tied in a bundle with kitchen string

4 fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered

1 qt. vegetable stock

3 cups water

1 turnip, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes

1/2 lb. carrots, peeled, halved length-wise and cut in 2-inch sticks

3/4 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 medium-sized zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut in 2-inch sticks

1 cup raisins

1 14-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 Tbs. granulated sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups quick-cooking couscous, uncooked

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted

Heat butter and olive oil in stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, and cook 15 minutes. Stir in saffron, crushed red pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. Sauté 5 minutes. Add herbs, tomatoes, stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes.

Add turnip, carrots and squash. Bring to a boil, and cook 10 minutes. Add zucchini, raisins, chickpeas and sugar. Cook 10 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper.

Cook couscous according to package directions. Mound couscous on large serving platter, and make a well in center. Use slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to well. Ladle stock over entire dish. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Serve immediately.

nutritional information per serving: Calories: 590; Protein: 17 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 103 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 460 mg; Fiber: 12 g; Sugar: 30 g

RED, RED SALAD

From the June 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe, which serves 8 and is ready in 30 minutes or less, begins, “Reminiscent of the '50s favorite chopped salad, this dish indulges your whim for something red and colorful for spring and summer eating. You can dress this with an oil-and-balsamic vinegar mixture or any other preferred dressing. Because this is a focal point for lunch or supper, accompany the salad with grilled cheese squares and wrap the meal up with a tempting sweet, such as a wedge of berry pie. Toast the meal with icy lemonade. This makes about 8 1- to 1 1/2-cup servings.”

1 bunch radishes, greens removed, trimmed and quartered

1/2 head red cabbage, cored and chopped

1 cup grape tomatoes

2 1/2 cups red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/2 large red onion, diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad dressing to taste

Put all vegetables and beans in a large salad bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Dress with salad dressing, toss and serve.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 100; Protein: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Sodium: 200 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

FRESH BERRY TART WITH TOASTED NUT CRUST

This recipe is from the July 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe, which serves 8, begins, “A crumbly homemade nut crust sets this tart apart from other berry pies. It can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.”

Crust

1/4 cup each almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

6 Tbs. chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 large egg yolk

Filling

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. grated orange zest

1 cup blueberries

1 cup raspberries

1 Tbs. orange juice

To make Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray. Spread nuts on baking sheet, and toast in oven 12 to 15 minutes, or until browned.

Pulse nuts, flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until nuts are ground to powder. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk, and pulse until moist clumps form. Press dough into bottom and sides of prepared pan, about 1/4-inch thick, and pierce with fork. Freeze 30 minutes.

Adjust oven temperature to 400°F. Bake Crust 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden. Cool.

To make Filling: whisk together sour cream, yogurt, brown sugar, vanilla, and orange zest in small bowl. Toss berries with orange juice in separate bowl. 
5. Spread sour cream mixture in Crust with spatula. Spoon berries over top a little at a time, until sour cream mixture is evenly covered. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 288; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 58 mg; Sodium: 87 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 13 g

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB SMOOTHIE

This recipe is from One Green Planet. The recipe can be found online here.

Dairy Free; Kid-Friendly; Soy Free; Vegan

Ingredients

1 cup fresh rhubarb, chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tbsp date syrup Organics Are For Everyone (you can substitute pure maple syrup here)

1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1 fresh banana

12 oz unsweetened vanilla non-dairy milk of choice

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

Preparation

Combine chopped rhubarb, orange juice, date syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for five minutes.

Set aside to cool slightly and place in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes (this can be done ahead of time and you can make more so you can enjoy this all week long).

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth and serve.

Wednesday Recipes

I was cleaning off the shelf in one of my closets recently and ran across several magazine holders full of old Vegetarian Times. Talk about yummy food! I had to force myself to finish cleaning before looking through the magazines at all the recipes. Now you know where today's offerings are from. Enjoy!

SORREL DRINK

From Vegetarian Times; June 2008, page 78. The recipe reads, “Red hibiscus flowers are a common ingredient in ruby-hued herbal tea bags, such as Celestial Seasonings' Red Zinger.”

Sorrel Drink:

3 C dried sorrel or red hibiscus flowers, or 5 Red Zinger tea bags

1 4-inch cinnamon stick

10 whole cloves

1/4 tsp. crushed allspice

2 3-inch pieces peeled fresh ginger

Simple Syrup:

1 C sugar

1 C water

To make Sorrel Drink: Bring all ingredients & 4 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer 10 minutes. Cool, strain & chill.

To make Simple Syrup: Bring sugar & water to a boil in small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar & simmer 1 minute. Cool.

Pour Sorrel Drink over ice. Serve with pitcher of Simple Syrup for guess to sweeten drinks to taste.

Per 1-cup serving: 33 cal; 0 g protein; 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 8 g crab; 0 mg chol; 0 mg sod; 0 g fiber; 8 g sugars; vegan

CURRIED POTATOES

From Vegetarian Times; June 2008, page 80. The recipe starts off, “Serve this dish on its own or with steamed rice.”

1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil

2 medium onions, diced (3 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

4 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & cut into chunks

3 carrots, peeled & cut into 2-inch pieces (1 cup)

3 Tbs. Madras curry powder

1 15-oz. can black beans

3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 jalapeno chiles, seeded & finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions & garlic & cook 5 – 7 minutes, or until onions are soft & translucent. Stir in potatoes, carrots & curry powder & cook 4 minutes.

Add beans & their liquid, tomatoes, broth, jalapeno chiles, vinegar & 1 cup water; season with salt & pepper. Cover & simmer 45 minutes or until potatoes are flaky & carrots are cooked through, stirring occasionally.

Per serving: 282 cal; 9 g protein; 4 g total fat (0.5 g sat. fat); 55 g carb; 0 mg cholesterol; 499 mg sodium; 10 g fiber; 9 g sugars; vegan

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PIZZA

This comes from page 66 of the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe starts off, “Yoga teacher and food blogger (theyogickitchen.blogspot.com) Candice Garrett came up with this recipe thanks to an abundance of butternut squash. “My family and I tried them in a host of recipes; the all-around favorite turned out to be pizza,” Garrett reports. “It seemed an unusual pairing and we were all delighted with the result.” She serves the pizza as an appetizer for company or as a main dish for family dinners.” Serves 6.

To view this recipe online, click here.

1 small butternut squash, peeled, halved, and sliced 1/8-inch thick

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)

2 Tbs. Eden Selected Spanish extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 16-oz. pkg. refrigerated pizza dough

1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves

1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Toss together squash, onion, oil, and rosemary in bowl. Spread in large baking dish, and roast 30 minutes, or until tender.

Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Divide pizza dough into 2 pieces, and shape each piece into 8-inch round. Place dough rounds on baking sheet, and top with squash mixture. Bake 13 to 17 minutes, or until crust is crisp. Drizzle pizzas with oil, scatter 1/4 cup spinach over each, and garnish each with 2 Tbs. shaved Parmesan.

nutritional information Per 1/3 pizza (2 slices): Calories: 295; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 448 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 5 g

CHICKPEA SUCCOTASH WITH LEMONGRASS

This recipes comes from the January 1970 issue of Vegetarian Times and starts off, “Lemongrass brings out the flavors of tomatoes and herbs in a lightly cooked stew. Serve over whole grains.” It serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view online, click here.

2 stalks fresh lemongrass

1 large tomato (1 lb.)

2 tsp. olive oil

1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)

1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 small clove garlic, minced (1/2 tsp.)

3/4 cup cooked chickpeas

1/2 cup fresh corn kernels

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro

Trim and discard tough base and skinny top leaves of lemongrass stalks, then peel away tough outer layers. Crush inner white stems with mallet or rolling pin, then finely chop. (You should have 1 Tbs.) Transfer to small bowl, and cover with 1/4 cup boiling water. Set aside.

Halve tomato through middle, and scoop seeds into strainer set over bowl. Press juice from seeds, then discard seeds. Set juice aside, and dice tomato flesh. (You should have 2 cups.)

Heat oil in large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add squash, ginger, and garlic, and sauté 3 minutes without browning. Stir in chickpeas, corn, diced tomato, lemongrass with liquid, and tomato juice, and season with salt and pepper (if desired). Cover, increase heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes, or until tomatoes just begin to soften. Stir in basil.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 108; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 83 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

BLACKBERRY CRISP WITH MAPLE-PECAN TOPPING

This recipe is from page 60 of the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Tangy blackberries have a great affinity for pecans and maple, but you could certainly make this crisp with blueberries or a combination of berries. Leftovers are delicious for breakfast!” Serves 8.

This recipe can be viewed online here.

5 Tbs. maple syrup, divided

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

6 cups fresh blackberries (1 3/4 lb.)

3 Tbs. sugar

16 Tbs. all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. salt, divided

2/3 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 Tbs. canola oil

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat deep baking dish with cooking spray.

Whisk together 2 Tbs. maple syrup and vinegar in bowl. Place blackberries in large bowl, and drizzle maple mixture over them. Add sugar, 3 Tbs. flour, and 1/8 tsp. salt to berries; toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.

Combine remaining 13 Tbs. flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in separate bowl. Drizzle oil and remaining 3 Tbs. maple syrup over dry ingredients. Use fingers to combine thoroughly until small clumps form. Arrange topping clumps over berries.

Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and berry juices are bubbling just around edges of crisp.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 319; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 50 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 115 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 27 g; Vegan

ZUCCHINI AND CARROTS WITH FRESH HERBS

Yield: 6 servings

Serving size: 3/4 cup

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/768.shtml

Source: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Terrific Diabetic Meals

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/76.shtml

Ingredients

2 medium carrots, sliced

4 medium zucchinis, cut into julienne strips

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place a steamer basket in 1/2 inch of water in a saucepan (water should not touch the bottom of the basket). Place carrots in the basket. Cover tightly and heat to boiling.

Reduce heat and steam carrots 5 minutes. Add zucchini and steam 4 to 6 minutes or until carrots and zucchini are crisp-tender.

Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Stir in carrots, zucchini, thyme, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook uncovered, stirring gently for 2 to 3 minutes, or until hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 55; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 61 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Glycemic Index: 22, Glycemic Load: 1; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable

Pies!

Today's post deals with pies. Enjoy!

Most of these are from my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.

SQUASH PIE

This is from Grandma Hallock. She wrote, "I was given several large yellow winter squash by Grandma Carpenter & Grandma said, 'Make pumpkin pie' & I did. They were our favorite from then on."

2 T butter

3/4 C sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp.cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 C mashed yellow winter (hubbard) squash

1 1/4 C milk

Cream butter. Add sugar & eggs. Mix well. Add rest of ingredients. Line 9” pie plate with crust. Pour filling into unbaked pastry shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream

CRANBERRY PIE

Dad sent this in a letter dated "18 No 79". He wrote, "Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it."

2 T cornstarch

1 C sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T butter

2 C cranberries

Pie crust

Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want.)

VARIATION

2 T cornstarch

1/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C raisins

1 T margarine

1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)

1 1/4 C hot water

Pie crust

Make as above.

EGG NOG PUMPKIN PIE

1 C canned eggnog

1 egg

18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

9" pie crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.

PEACH PIE

4 C peaches, cut up

1 - 1 1/4 C sugar

3 T unbleached flour

dash salt

2 T butter

1 unbaked pie shell and lattice top

Arrange peaches in unbaked pie shell. Mix sugar, flour & salt. Sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Cover with lattice top. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

The first time I made this pie, I was 15 and wanted to impress a boyfriend. I did, but not the way I’d planned: the crust came out tasting like under-cooked pizza dough, I burned the chocolate pudding, and the whipped cream came out almost to butter. Hmmm...

9 " pie crust

1 large package chocolate pudding(not instant)

whipped cream

Cook pudding according to package directions. Pour into baked pie crust. White cream & place on pie. Chill.

Note: Now, what could be easier?

Monday Recipes

Here are today's six vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!

BREAKFAST QUINOA WITH CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, “Breakfast quinoa with chocolate and peanut butter recipe. Chocolate and peanut butter is a flavor combination from heaven. Even with a bit of cocoa and sweetener, this breakfast cereal is still much more nutritious than the sugar-packed, processed, and refined cardboard-box brands in the supermarket.

“Reprinted with permission from The Everything Vegan Cookbook, by Jolinda Hackett (that's me!)” Prep Time: 5 minues; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: one large serving

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

½ cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups soy milk

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa

1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown-rice syrup (optional)

Preparation

Combine the quinoa and soy milk over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until quinoa is done, stirring frequently.

While still hot, stir in peanut butter, cocoa, and sweetener.

Makes one generous serving.

BABY BOK CHOY AND TOFU IN MARMALADE SAUCE

This comes from the April/May 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 26. The recipe states, “Marmalade is the shortcut ingredient that lends sweet flavor and citrusy brightness to this recipe. Serve over steamed rice.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this recipe online, click here.

1/4 cup orange marmalade

2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp. cornstarch

2 Tbs. canola oil

3 cloves garlic, thickly sliced

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned

2 8-oz. pkg. plain or Asian-flavored baked tofu, drained and cubed (2 cups)

6 dried hot red chiles (such as chiles de arbol), or 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 lb. baby bok choy, cut into 1-inch lengths (5 cups)

1/3 cup toasted unsalted cashews

Whisk together marmalade, soy sauce, cornstarch, and 2 Tbs. water in small bowl. Set aside.

Heat wok over high heat, until water droplets evaporate within 1 second. Add oil, then garlic and ginger. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Add tofu and chiles; stir-fry 3 minutes, or until tofu cubes are browned. Add bok choy, and stir-fry 2 minutes, or until bok choy starts to soften. Stir in marmalade mixture, and cook 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Stir in cashews.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 383; Protein: 24 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 355 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 14 g; Vegan

BAKED ZITI

What to fix when you've just gotten home from work and you want something good, hot and with a minimum amount of effort? Baked Ziti fits the bill on all three counts. And if you're like me, chances are you have all the makings in your cupboard and fridge.

Here's what it takes:

16 ounce box of ziti
26 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce
1 jar-full of water
2 C shredded cheese

Okay, I can hear you asking, "What brand of spaghetti sauce? What type of sauce? And the cheese...Cheddar? Mozzarella? Can it be the stuff already shredded and in a bag or does it have to be a block of cheese that I grate and measure?" Here's the good part: Use what you have.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Take a 9 X 13 inch baking pan. Dump the dried ziti into the pan. (No, no, do NOT cook the ziti first. Dump the ziti uncooked straight from the box.) Pour the spaghetti sauce into the pan and add one jar-full of water into the pan. Stir to mix. Add most of the shredded cheese, reserving 1/4-1/2 cup of cheese. Stir to mix. Bake in pre-heated oven for 35 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake for another 5 minutes for a total time of 40 minutes.

Serve with a salad and possibly garlic bread.

See? Simple, hot, good and with at minimum amount of energy. What could be better for an after-work dinner?

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP

There are times when nothing quite hits the spot like homemade soup. This yummy recipe comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. She writes, “This curry-spiced roasted cauliflower soup is creamy and delicious. For a pleasant tang, add the lime juice and top with cilantro or green onion. It's a wonderful lunch soup with sandwiches, or serve as a soup course at a special dinner party.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, go to http://southernfood.about.com/od/cauliflower/r/Roasted-Cauliflower-Soup.htm.

Note: You could use a vegetarian version of the light cream.

Ingredients

1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets

1 small onion, chopped

2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups light cream

2 teaspoons lime juice, optional

salt, to taste

chopped green onion, cilantro, or parsley, for garnish

Preparation

Line a large baking pan with foil; spray lightly with cooking spray. Heat oven to 425°.

Toss the cauliflower florets with the chopped onion, curry powder, pepper, and cumin. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat lightly.

Spread out on the baking pan and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes, turning frequently, until tender.

Put in a large saucepan with the broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until very tender.

Add the cream and continue cooking for 1 minute longer. Blend in batches. Add lime juice if desired, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley, chopped green onion, or cilantro.

Serves 5 to 6.

DECADENT DAIRY-FREE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLFES

Serves 10 (makes about 30 truffles)

The recipe comes with this disclaimer: "Truffles are usually made with heavy cream, but you'll never miss the dairy in these luscious vegan chocolates."

To view this online, click here.

6 oz. high-quality dark chocolate (60% cocoa), finely chopped

1/4 cup walnut, almond or canola oil

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1. Place chocolate, oil and 1/3 cup water in microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high in microwave 1 minute. Stir; heat 1 minute more, or until chocolate has melted. Whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 6 hours, or overnight.

2. Place cocoa and nuts on separate plates. Shape truffle mixture by heaping teaspoonfuls into small, 3/4-inch balls. Roll in cocoa or chopped nuts. Chill until ready to serve.

from the May 2006 issue

nutritional information

Per TRUFFLE:

Calories: 66; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

FABULOUS VEGAN FUDGE CAKE WITH BITTERSWEET ICING

Serves 8

From the website: “I’ve tried vegan cake recipes in the past, but didn’t like the sour taste of the vinegar that is usually used to activate the leavening,” says single mom and café manager Shelly Platten. “I tinkered with some recipes that didn’t use vinegar to come up with a fudgy, satisfying cake.”

To view this online, click here.

1 1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill organic unbleached white flour

1 2/3 cups Florida Crystals organic cane sugar, divided

1 1/3 cups Chatfield’s cocoa powder, divided

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup Silk vanilla soymilk, divided

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup canola oil, divided

1 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch round pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.

2. Whisk together flour, 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk together 2/3 cup soymilk, 1/3 cup oil, and 1/2 cup water in separate bowl. Stir soymilk mixture into flour mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold onto plate.

3. Warm remaining 2/3 cup cocoa, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup oil in saucepan over medium heat. Pour in remaining 1/3 cup soymilk, and cook 1 minute, or until smooth. Spread icing over warm cake, and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

from the September 2012 issue, p.66

nutritional information

Per Slice:

Calories: 525; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 67 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 315 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 43

Friday Recipes

Finally, it's Friday! Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekend. Enjoy!

CROCKPOT APPLE BUTTER

I love homemade apple butter, and this is probably one of the easiest recipes I've found. It comes from Erin Huffstetler, About.com's Frugal Living expert. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 720 minutes; Total Time: 750 minutes; Yield: Varies

To view this online, click here.

Erin writes, “Pull out your crock pot, and whip up a delicious batch of apple butter. Here's how:”

Ingredients

6 lbs apples

1-1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preparation

Peel, core and slice apples.

Put the apples, sugar and spices in a crock pot (4 quarts or larger), cover and cook on high for one hour.

Remove the lid, and cook on low (stirring occasionally), until the apple butter reaches a spreadable consistency and is dark brown in color.

Transfer to hot, sterilized jars, taking care not to fill past the headspace line.

To Can: Process the jars for 10 minutes in a water bath canner.

Refrigerate any jars that fail to seal properly.

To Freeze: Allow the jars to cool. Then, place in the freezer. Use within a year, for the best quality.

Tips:

Use a variety of apples for the best flavor

Want to speed up the process? Turn your crock pot on high, and stir more frequently

Have a super-big crock pot? This recipe doubles and triples beautifully

Prefer to make your apple butter on the stove? No problem. Just set your pot to a low simmer. No recipe modifications are required

Warning: Processing times vary by altitude. Check with your local extension office for times specific to your area.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAKFAST QUINOA WITH CHOCOLATE SOY MILK

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, “I love having chocolate for breakfast, and, I love having quinoa for breakfast, so this chocolate banana quinoa recipe is pretty much ideal for me. It's got plenty of protein from the quinoa, so it's perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Kids will love the chocolate and maple syrup, and parents will love the healthy combination of protein, fiber and fruit.

“This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, high in protein, refined sugar-free and gluten-free.” Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 1 large or two medium servings

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup water

2/3 cup chocolate soymilk

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp maple syrup or another sweetener

1 banana, sliced or mashed

Preparation



Heat the quinoa and water stovetop for about five minutes. Add chocolate soy milk, stirring to combine, reduce to medium low, and heat another 5-7 minutes, until liquid is mostly absorbed and quinoa is soft, adding more liquid as needed.

Remove quinoa from heat, stir in cocoa powder, maple syrup and banana slices.

Enjoy!

Note:This recipe would also be delicious with some chopped nuts, berries, or even some peanut butter or other nut butter stirred in.

For extra flavor, add in a light shake of cinnamon or a drop or two of vanilla extract.

LATE SUMMER MINESTRONE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND FRESH CORN

This comes from the September 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It begins, “Bright, beautiful, and bursting with veggies, this colorful minestrone is a great way to stretch the harvest.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup sliced leeks

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 tsp. salt, optional

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)

1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage, or 2 tsp. dried sage

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 bay leaf

2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped (1 cup)

2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (3/4- to 1-inch cubes)

2 cups green beans or flat beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 15-oz. can or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2–3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish, optional

Heat oil in 5-qt. Dutch Oven or other large soup pot over medium heat. Add leeks, celery, bell pepper, and salt, if using. Cover, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until veggies are softened, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and continue cooking 5 to 6 minutes more, or until celery is somewhat shrunken and leeks are browned.

Add garlic, sage, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Stir 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and 8 cups water, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes. Add squash, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add green beans, white beans, and corn; simmer 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, stir in vinegar and mint.

nutritional information Per 2-cup serving: Calories: 185; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 130 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 7 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

ZUCCHINI-CORN SAUTE

This yummy recipe comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “This four-vegetable medley makes a colorful addition to just about any meal. It is especially enticing with grilled or broiled pork or lamb chops.” Serves: 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; CookTime: 8 minutes

To view this online, go to http://www.familytime.com/Recipe/ShowRecipe.aspx?RecipeId=14454.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups (about 3 medium) zucchini, sliced

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1 1/2 cups loose-pack frozen whole-kernel corn

1 cup (about 1 medium) tomato, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, onion, and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in corn, tomato, and thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

TRADITIONALL FALAFEL

This comes from the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 50. It begins, “The most time-consuming step in this recipe is soaking the chickpeas for 24 hours. After that, the falafel balls come together quickly and easily. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, tahini, hot sauce, and a minty yogurt sauce, such as Cucumber Raita from Vegetarian Times.” Makes 36 falafel balls.

To view this online, click here.

1 cup dried chickpeas, rinsed and sorted

1/2 tsp. Plus 1/3 tsp. baking soda, divided

1 small leek, white and light green part cut into 4 or 5 pieces

1 cup fresh parsley leaves

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

3–4 drops hot sauce, optional

2 cups canola oil

Place chickpeas and 1/2 tsp. baking soda in large bowl, and cover with 3 to 4 cups water. Soak chickpeas 24 hours. Drain.

Place chickpeas, remaining 1/3 tsp. baking soda, leek, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, salt, pepper, and hot sauce (if using) in bowl of food processor. Process 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until chunky paste forms.

Shape 1 Tbs. chickpea mixture into compact ball, pressing out any excess moisture, and place on plate. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Heat oil to 350°F in large skillet over medium heat. Add 12 falafel balls, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned on bottoms. Roll, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until golden brown all over. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining falafel balls.

nutritional information Per Falafel ball: Calories: 35; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 46 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: less than 1 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

CUCUMBER RAITA

This comes from the February 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, and starts, “This refreshing Indian yogurt sauce is great served with spicy foods (such as curried lentils) as a palate cooler. Or tuck some into a falafel-filled pita, or spoon it over grains, vegetable croquettes and grilled vegetables. Store raita in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.” Makes about 1 1/ 2 cups in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 8-oz. carton plain low-fat yogurt

1/2 cup finely chopped, seeded, peeled cucumber

1/4 cup minced green onions

2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl, and mix well. Season to taste with salt, if desired. Serve right away, or chill.

nutritional information Per 1/4-CUP SERVING: Calories: 31; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Sugar: 3 g

Desserts!

Desserts! Enjoy!

PAVLOVA WITH MANGO, RASPBERRIES, AND WHIPPED YOGURT CREAM

From the June 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 73; Serves 10

The recipe starts with, "Crackly-dry on the outside and moist on the inside, a Pavlova is a virtually foolproof “cake.” Even if something does go wrong, the lavish cream and fruit topping will hide any flaw."

Toppings

2/3 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. sugar

1 large, ripe mango, peeled and diced (2 cups)

1 6-oz. container raspberries

Pavlova

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 cup large egg whites (about 4 eggs)

1 tsp. fresh lime juice or lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

To make Toppings: Beat cream, yogurt, and 1 Tbs. sugar in medium bowl until stiff. Combine mango, raspberries, and remaining 1 Tbs. sugar in separate bowl. Cover, and chill until ready to serve.

Position oven rack just below center, and preheat oven to 250°F. Trace 9-inch-diameter circle onto sheet of parchment paper. Turn parchment over onto large rimmed baking sheet; circle should show through.

To make Pavlova: Combine 1 Tbs. sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Beat egg whites, lime juice, and vanilla with handheld electric mixer in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 15 Tbs. sugar. Increase mixer speed to medium-high; beat 4 minutes, or until meringue is thick and satiny, and path remains when spoon is drawn through. Beat in cornstarch mixture.

Scrape meringue into center of circle on parchment. Spread meringue to fill circle, building edges slightly higher than center. Bake Pavlova 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until outside is dry but center is still soft (crust will give when poked). Turn off oven, leave door closed, and cool 1 hour in oven. Slide metal spatula under Pavlova to loosen, and transfer to cake plate using a tart pan’s removable bottom for support.

Spread yogurt cream thickly over Pavlova, leaving 1-inch border uncovered. Top with fruit mixture.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 186; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 31 g; Cholesterol: 22 mg; Sodium: 30 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 28 g; Gluten-Free

BLACKBERRY CRISP WITH MAPLE-PECAN TOPPING

From the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 60. Serves 8 The recipe starts with, "Tangy blackberries have a great affinity for pecans and maple, but you could certainly make this crisp with blueberries or a combination of berries. Leftovers are delicious for breakfast!"

5 Tbs. maple syrup, divided

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

6 cups fresh blackberries (1 3/4 lb.)

3 Tbs. sugar

16 Tbs. all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. salt, divided

2/3 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 Tbs. canola oil

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat deep baking dish with cooking spray.

Whisk together 2 Tbs. maple syrup and vinegar in bowl. Place blackberries in large bowl, and drizzle maple mixture over them. Add sugar, 3 Tbs. flour, and 1/8 tsp. salt to berries; toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.

Combine remaining 13 Tbs. flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in separate bowl. Drizzle oil and remaining 3 Tbs. maple syrup over dry ingredients. Use fingers to combine thoroughly until small clumps form. Arrange topping clumps over berries.

Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and berry juices are bubbling just around edges of crisp.

MINI COCONUT CREAM PIES

from the June 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. Makes 6 pies. Recipe reads, "These little coconut pies are strudy enough to travel in a lunch box or picnic basket. Check the baking section at your grocery store for vegan-friendly, ready-made graham cracker pie crusts."

1/3 cup sweet flake coconut

6 oz. soft silken tofu, drained

1/3 cup sugar

5 Tbs. cornstarch

1 14-oz. can light coconut milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. coconut extract

6 mini graham cracker pie crusts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread coconut on baking sheet, and toast 5 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, or until golden.

Blend tofu in blender or food processor 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth. Set aside.

Whisk together sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Whisk in coconut milk, and cook over medium-high heat 8 minutes, or until thickened, whisking constantly.

Remove pan from heat. Fold in tofu, vanilla and coconut extracts, and coconut. Divide among mini pie crusts, and chill.

nutritional information Per Pie: Calories: 283; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 37 g Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 134 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan

VEGAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

From the February 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. Makes 40 1-inch truffles Recipe starts, "Melt-in-your-mouth truffles don't need much to make them irresistible, but if you want to jazz up this recipe, try stirring in 2 teaspoons of flavored liqueur, such as Chambord, Frangelico, or Kahlúa."

1/2 cup chocolate soymilk

1 12-oz. pkg. vegan chocolate chips

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

Warm soymilk until hot to the touch. Set aside.

Melt chocolate chips in large metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Stir in warmed soymilk until smooth. Cover, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.

Place cocoa on plate. Shape chilled chocolate mixture into 1-inch balls, and roll in cocoa.

nutritional information Per Truffle: Calories: 45; Protein: less than 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 19 mg;Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan and Gluten-Free

VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE CUSTARD

I'm not sure where this recipe came from; possibly from some old email list that I was on? Serves 8

1 1/2 cups of soymilk

4 Tbls cornstarch

1 1/2 cups of solid-pack canned pumpkin or cooked pumpkin

1/2 cup sugar (preferably raw or Turbinado) or other sweetener

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the soymilk and cornstarch until smooth. Stir in pumpkin, sweetener, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Pour into either 8 large ramekins for individual servings, or a 9" Pyrex baking dish.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until firm. Start checking custard at 45 minutes to prevent over baking. Filling should be set, but the center still a bit jiggly.

Cool before cutting.

FABULOUS VEGAN FUDGE CAKE WITH BITTERSWEET ICING

From the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. This recipe serves 8, and starts off, “I’ve tried vegan cake recipes in the past, but didn’t like the sour taste of the vinegar that is usually used to activate the leavening,” says single mom and café manager Shelly Platten. “I tinkered with some recipes that didn’t use vinegar to come up with a fudgy, satisfying cake.”

1 1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill organic unbleached white flour

1 2/3 cups Florida Crystals organic cane sugar, divided

1 1/3 cups Chatfield’s cocoa powder, divided

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup Silk vanilla soymilk, divided

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup canola oil, divided

1 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch round pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk together 2/3 cup soymilk, 1/3 cup oil, and 1/2 cup water in separate bowl. Stir soymilk mixture into flour mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold onto plate.

Warm remaining 2/3 cup cocoa, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup oil in saucepan over medium heat. Pour in remaining 1/3 cup soymilk, and cook 1 minute, or until smooth. Spread icing over warm cake, and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 525; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 67 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 315 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 43 g; Vegan

Wednesday Recipes

Enjoy!

FRIED EGGPLANT WITH CHICKPEAS AND MINT CHUTNEY

This comes fromMelissa Clark in The New York Times. She writes, “In this gently spiced vegetable dish, baby eggplant slices are first fried until golden, then braised with chickpeas, tomatoes and garam masala until soft, velvety and richly flavored. A quickly made fresh mint chutney adds a complex, herbal, spicy note thanks to the jalapeño in the mix. Serve this over rice or with flatbread as a main course, or on the side of grilled meats or fish.” For vegetarians, of course, you could use this as a side for veggie burgers. Ready in 45 minutes; makes 2 to 3 servings as a main course, 4 to 6 as a side dish.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Eggplant:

2 pounds baby or small Italian eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

Fine sea salt, as needed

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed

1 large white onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 3/4 cups (one 15-ounce can) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned

For the Mint Chutney:

1 cup mint leaves

1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems

1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

1 scallion, cut into 1-inch lengths

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons lemon juice, more to taste

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste

Plain yogurt, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Season eggplant slices all over with salt. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until it thins out in the pan. Add enough eggplant slices to fit in one layer without overlapping. Cook until the bottoms are browned, then flip and continue to cook until well browned and soft, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Add more oil if needed. Transfer cooked eggplant to a plate lined with paper towels, and repeat with more oil and eggplant until all the eggplant is cooked. Taste eggplant and add more salt if necessary.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in pan, then add the onions. Cook until softened and golden, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add spices and cook for 1 minute, then add tomatoes, chickpeas and 2 tablespoons water.

Partly cover the pan and let the mixture simmer until tomatoes start to break down, 10 to 15 minutes. Add eggplant to the pan and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until sauce thickens.

While the eggplant cooks, combine all the ingredients for the chutney in a blender with 2 tablespoons water. Blend until puréed, about 1 minute. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt, or both, if needed.

Serve the eggplant topped with the chutney and yogurt if you like.

TABBOULEH (CRACKED WHEAT SALAD)

Yield: 3 cups (6 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/380.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 cup finely cut bulgur

1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 fresh tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons canola or corn oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

Soak the bulgur in 1 cup water for 1/2 hour. Drain well. Place the bulgur in a large bowl and add the vegetables; mix well.

Combine the lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Add to the salad; toss lightly to coat the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 122; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 206 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 13 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Fat

GLAZED MAPLE-MUSTARD TEMPEH STRIPS WITH COLLARDS

If you're like me, you may have heard of tempeh and wondered how to cook it. Here's one recipe to get you started. It's from the September 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 44. It starts off, “Sweet and sticky with just a little kick, these sliced tempeh strips are briefly marinated, baked, then re-glazed to trap in maximum flavor and tender texture.” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

2 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, sliced into 1/2-inch strips

1/3cup maple syrup

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup safflower oil, divided

2 Tbs. ketchup

2 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1 Tbs. sriracha sauce

1 Tbs. low-sodium tamari

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 12-oz. bunches collard greens, stems and ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced

2 cups frozen fire roasted corn, thawed

Place tempeh strips in medium heat-proof bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together maple syrup, orange juice, 2 Tbs. oil, ketchup, mustard, sriracha, tamari, pepper, and cinnamon in medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Pour hot mixture over tempeh strips, cover, and let marinate 30 minutes, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with foil, and coat with cooking spray. Arrange marinated tempeh strips on prepared baking sheet; reserve marinade. Cover baking sheet tightly with foil, and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil, and flip tempeh pieces. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more, or until tempeh is slightly browned. Remove from oven, and brush tempeh with remaining glaze.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbs. oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add collard greens in two batches, wilting first batch before adding second. Stir in corn, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until greens are tender, stirring occasionally. Serve topped with tempeh slices.

nutritional information Per Per serving (1 cup greens and 4 slices tempeh): Calories: 370; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 358 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 17 g; Vegan



CINNAMON SWIRL BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE

Blueberries! Coffee cake! What's not to like? This also comes from the September 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 63. It begins, “Professional pet sitter and 'obsessive baker' Jenny Dunklee became vegetarian almost 20 years ago, and went vegan last year. 'This recipe came about after my dad and I picked an insane amount of blueberries last fall,” she explains. “I was making all kinds of blueberry desserts and was looking for something special for a weekend breakfast.'” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

1 1/4 cups Florida Crystals Organic Cane Sugar, divided

1/4 cup Florida Crystals Organic Brown Sugar

1 1/2 tsp. Eden Foods Organic Ground Cinnamon

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 Tbs. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup Silk Organic Unsweetened Soymilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) vegan butter, such as Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks

3/4 cup plain soy yogurt

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

Combine 1/4 cup cane sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in small bowl; set aside.

Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

Stir together soymilk and vanilla extract, and set aside.

Cream 1 baking stick and remaining 1 cup cane sugar with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in yogurt until just combined.

Mix in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with soymilk mixture.

Spread half of batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle 3 Tbs. cinnamon sugar on top, and swirl into batter with skewer or chopstick. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries on top.

Spread remaining batter over blueberries. Sprinkle 3 Tbs. cinnamon sugar mixture over batter, and repeat swirling; top with remaining 1 cup blueberries.

Melt remaining 1/2 baking stick in small saucepan. Stir melted baking stick and remaining 1/4 cup flour into remaining cinnamon sugar. Sprinkle over coffee cake.

Bake 55 to 65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 467; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 73 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 468 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 42 g; Vegan

COLORFUL COLESLAW

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Secrets of Good-Carb Low-Carb Living

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/740.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage

1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage

1 medium carrot shredded with a potato peeler, or 1/2 cup precut matchstick carrots

Dressing Ingredients:

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Place the cabbage and carrots in a medium bowl, and toss to mix.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to mix well. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again.

Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 52; Protein: 0.8 g; Fat: 3.6 g; Sodium: 187 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 1.2 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

VEGAN CARROT CAKE

This was sent in by Christina Kaoh to the SHARE: Reader Recipes segment. According to the segment, Christina developed this for a friend’s birthday. Serves 15.

Cake

1 medium ripe banana, frozen, then thawed

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

1 1/4 cups flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Icing

1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 Tbs. vegan margarine

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

To make Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Mash thawed banana in large bowl. Whisk in sugar, oil, and carrots. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in separated bowl. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture, until no lumps remain. Fold in raisins and walnuts.

Pour cake batter into prepared baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Transfer to wire rack, and cool completely.

To make icing: Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, margarine, vanilla, and 2 Tbs. water in bowl, adding more water, if necessary, to achieve drizzling consistency. Drizzle Icing over Cake when cooled.

Per slice: Cal: 222; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 8 g (1 g sat. fat); Carb: 37 g; Chol: 0 mg; sodium: 205 mg; Fiber: 1 g; sugars: 26 g