Portobello Spaghetti Sauce

I just got my spirooli in the mail today and had to give it a test run. Something amazing about having the texture of spaghetti but the taste of zucchini.

Portobello Sauce

2 cups sliced mini(baby) portobello mushrooms
1 small carrot sliced thinly
1 (15oz) can of tomato sauce
1 can of tomato chunks (I used a can of Hunts chunky tomatoes with sweet onion)
1 medium vidalia onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp oregano
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp of tomato paste

Place a small stock pot on the stove and turn on the eye to medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and let the pan come up to temperature. Dice the onion into ¼ inch chunks and sauté until translucent.

Add portobello mushrooms and continue sauteing until they have reduced in size and most of the fluid has condensed into the pan. Add garlic and simmer for about 3 minutes to marry flavors.

Add sauce, tomatoes, carrots, oregano and paste. Simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.

Serve over your favorite noodles (or spiralized zucchini!)

Best Banana Nut Muffins!

I've been making this recipe for a while now and this morning I had to make a double batch. A single batch only makes about 18 muffins and with 4 kids and multiple friends, sometimes we need much more than that. I've done very little to it from the original that I found online, but prefer the raw cashews over walnuts :)

(one of my lovely daughters modeling the food for me!)

Hope you enjoy.


Banana muffins are a very easy muffin for vegans to make because the banana can act as a binder and provide moisture instead of eggs. So you don't needs eggs or even egg-replacer! Give this easy-peasy vegan banana nut muffin recipe a whirl and leave a comment to let us know what you think!

Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas
1/4 cup oil or vegan margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup raw cashews (use whatever nut you like most here)

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 360 degrees.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork till soft. Add the oil or vegan margarine and sugar and cream together.

In a separate bowl, combine together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Combine with the banana mixture, stirring gently just to combine.

Grease or line a muffin pan, and fill each muffin about 2/3 full with batter. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Superb Green Smoothie

I'm a big fan of green smoothies, ever since I read the book Green For Life. This morning after spending over an hour sitting in the DMV waiting area, I needed something to boost my energy levels and fill my now grumbling tummy. (Probably should have eaten breakfast before going!)

So here is my own version of a green smoothie, hope you enjoy!

Green Smoothie

3 ripe bananas
2 leaves of kale, remove stems
1/2 cup of red tipped lettuce
1/2 cup of spinach, remove stems (can leave them in if you want but I like to remove them)
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup chilled water
1/4 cup crushed ice

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend till smooth. Make sure if you have a high RPM blender not to let it get hot, add more ice if necessary.

Service in a chilled glass, and enjoy!

Beet Hummus

My friend posted this amazing recipe on Facebook the other day. Thank you Moonyen!

Beet Hummus


1/2 pound beets (about 4 medium sized beets), scrubbed clean, cooked, peeled, and cubed*
2 Tbsp tahini sesame seed paste
5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest from approx. 2 lemons)
Generous pinch of sea salt or Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

*To cook the beets, cut off any tops, scrub the roots clean, put them in a covered dish with about 1/4-inch of water in a 375°F oven, and cook until easily penetrated with a knife or fork. Alternatively, cover with water in a saucepan and simmer until tender, about 1/2 hour. Peel once they have cooled.

Method

Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and ingredients as desired.

Chill and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

Eat with pita chips, or with sliced cucumber or celery, or on a crostini with goat cheese and shaved mint.

Makes 2 cups.

What did you do to my nanners?

My bananas have what on them?

I've been buying some bananas at Aldi's lately, simply for the ease of getting them while getting what pasta and rice we get at an affordable price. I must say they've been very good at selling them to me at amazing prices. Less than $1.00 a bunch, or 16.00 a case. And they taste good too. Really good, much better than some other ones I've gotten.

As I was looking at the case today to make sure I was eating the ripest ones, I found this on the side :

What are these things and why are they on my bananas? Let's look at thiabendazole first. It's an anti fungal treatment to keep the bananas from getting some kind of fungus or root rot. That makes sense. I don't want my bananas to start rotting or growing some kind of mushrooms in the case before I can eat them. But what else does this product do?

The substance appears to have a slight toxicity in higher doses, with effects such as liver and intestine disorder at high exposure in test animals. Some reproductive disorders and decreasing weanling weight have been observed, also at high exposure. Effects on humans from use as drug includes nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, or headache; very rarely also ringing in the ears, vision changes, stomach pain, yellowing eyes and skin, dark urine, fever, fatigue, increased thirst and change in the amount of urine. No mutagenic or carcinogenic effects have been shown.

So first we have an antifungal that can cause all kinds of nasty side effects, even lower fertility and weaning weight in children/animals. That to me is disturbing. Next, there is imazalil. Imazalil is both a fungicide AND a pesticide. It's a linked carcinogen, causes infertility, acutely toxic, and did I mention carcinogen!

So here we have two chemicals put on my bananas to make sure their fresh. But according to current research they aren't just on the outside. Even in oranges and bananas with their thick outer skin, they are finding levels of this substance in the flesh of the fruit!

So look very carefully at your fruits and veggies. I for one don't want to be putting cancer causing agents in my body when I think I'm getting healthy food. I also don't want to lower my reproductive ability or get any of those nasty side effects above from eating something I love.

Raw Hummus

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dry garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons tahini
1/2 a lemon, juiced
4 cloves garlic, crushed or to taste
1 cup filtered or spring water
1 pinch paprika

Directions

Soak the beans for 24 hours. Drain, and let sit for 2 to 3 days, until the bean's sprouts are about 1/2 inch long. Rinse the beans once or twice a day.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat, and let stand for 1 minute. Place the sprouted beans in the hot water, and let sit for 1 minute. Drain. If you do not do this step, the hummus will be awful.
Place the sprouted beans into the container of a large food processor. Add the tahini, sea salt, lemon juice, and garlic. Process until smooth, adding water if necessary. It will take 3 to 5 minutes to blend. Let sit in the food processor for 5 minutes to allow the beans to absorb as much of the water as possible. If too thick, add more water, and blend again. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Spoon into a serving dish, and garnish with paprika.

How to milk an almond!

Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk
Cookbook: Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods
Renee Loux Underkoffler
Makes 4 cups.

"A sweet and delicious fresh milk with the elegant essence of vanilla"

1 cup soaked raw almonds (soaked 4-8 hours)
4 cups filtered water
Pinch of sun-dried sea salt
1 T non-alcohol vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean (optional)
3 T agave or maple syrup (or 3 soft dates, pitted)

In a blender, at medium, then high speed, blend soaked almonds, water, and sea salt until smooth. Pour through a strainer (or use a nut bag) to separate pulp. Pour liquid back in the the blender and blend in vanilla extract and bean (if using) and sweetener until smooth.

Qunioa!

Most vegans have heard of quinoa, but many have never tried it. I also want to encourage those who are just curious about getting more fruits and veggies to try adding this grain into their diet as well. Quinoa is one of the few plants that have what many call 'high quality' protein or complete protein. As you can see from Nutrition Facts quinoa is very good for you and can be an amazing food to add to a whole foods, plant based diet.

Quinoa also provides sugars, starches, oils(*linoeolic acid!), fiber, vitamins and minerals too. Unlock other grains it's not very sticky, but rather fluffy. And it's very easy to digest, and it's low on the glycemic scale so it is a good option over white rice for a diabetic. It can be used in any recipe that you would normally use rice in and cooks in much the same way. The following is one of my favorite ways to prepare quinoa and I hope you enjoy it as well.

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 TBSP olive oil
~2 cups vegetable broth
1 can chick peas
1 cup quinoa

Directions:
Place stock pot over medium to medium low heat, and add olive oil. Roughly chop the onion and begin sautéing it in the warm olive oil. When onions are just translucent, finely dice and add garlic. While garlic is sautéing rinse the quinoa well. (If you don't rinse the quinoa it has a powder naturally on the outside that can make it taste quite bitter.)

Add drained quinoa to the pot and begin to toast it for about 2 minutes. Then drain chick peas, saving reserve liquid in a measuring cup(if you want, you can only use vegetable stock as well.) Add enough vegetable stock to the measuring cup to bring total liquid to 2 cups. Add this to the mixture along with the chickpeas and bring the mix to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, covered.

Turn heat off and fluff it with a fork. Then serve. (You can reduce liquid to as little as 1 and 1/4 cup for a different texture, so experiment to find the best texture for you :) You can also make this in a rice cooker if you have the 'Simmer then Sauté' setting.)

Remember to experiment and have fun. Add some celery and carrots to the onions to give it a French feel or throw in your favorite refried beans at the end and make it a more Latin American version.

Kale and Potato soup

Ingredients:
10 medium potatoes
5 leaves of kale
1 medium sweet onion
5 cloves of garlic
2 TBSP white wine
8 cups of vegetable stock
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
4 TBSP oregano

1. Put olive oil in a stock pot, and saute onions and garlic until translucent.
2. Add oregano, salt, and pepper and cook just till aromatic
3. De-glaze pan with white wine
4. Add 8 cups of vegetable stock and bring to a boil
5. While stock is heating up, peel and dice potatoes
6. Place potatoes in stock and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about an hour. (till potatoes are fork tender)
7. Take about 2/3 of the mixture and blend it in a blender till it's smooth and creamy. Add back to unblended portion
8. About 10 minutes before serving, cut kale up in small pieces and add to the simmering soup

Soup is ready when the kale is just crisp-tender.

Raw Vegan Sushi

Ingredients:
Nori rolls
Parsnips
Carrots
Avocado
(Also, cucumber if you want cucumber rolls)
NOTE: 1 avocado made 3 sushi rolls

It was quite easy. A food processor makes this super easy.. but if you don't have one, you'll have to grate or finely chop your parsnip. Essentially, you're just making it tiny and rice like.

I've never worked with Parsnips before... All you have to do is peel them and throw them in your food processor:



Chop:



Get your other ingredients together - sliced avocado, julianne carrots and sprouts, if desired:



Rolling sushi can be tricky. I know it still is for me! And with the raw sushi, I've learned that you can't use as much parsnip-rice as you would regular sushi rice. So, your sushi will be smaller (which I actually prefer):



After you've laid your nori roll on the sushi roller (they're inexpensive and can be found at any Asian market), just lay out some parsnip-rice and the other veggies you want in your sushi and roll, using the sushi roller:



Now slice into desired size and number of pieces:



Dip in a bowl of Nama Shoyu (raw soy sauce) or soy sauce, if you prefer:



I love sushi. I'll take it raw or made with regular sticky sushi rice. Just give me sushi!

Original Recipe here

Creamy Garlic Sauce and Broccoli Pasta

2 T Vegan Butter

2-4 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced 

2T nutritional yeast

1/4 c plain soymilk

dash of basil (1/4 to 1/2 t)

Melt that delicious chunk of butter in a small pan over medium heat and add your garlic in.  Let it sizzle for about a minute and  your cooking area will dazzle your nostrils with garlic awesomeness.  While that garlic is doin' its thang, mix the soymilk and nutritional yeast together with a fork and add it to the pan.  Stir the sauce until it's all homogeneous-y and whatnot.  Finally, let the sauce boil just a lil' teensy-weensy bit.  Keep on stirrin' and the sauce will thicken up a bit (about 2 minutes for us).  When you like what you see, dip in some cooked broccoli and wonder why cheese could never be this amazing. 

Original Recipe here

Vegan Banana Muffins

Banana muffins are a very easy muffin for vegans to make because the banana can act as a binder and provide moisture instead of eggs. So you don't needs eggs or even egg-replacer! Give this easy-peasy vegan banana nut muffin recipe a whirl and leave a comment to let us know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup oil or vegan margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 360 degrees. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork till soft. Add the oil or vegan margarine and sugar and cream together.
In a separate bowl, combine together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Combine with the banana mixture, stirring gently just to combine.
Grease or line a muffin pan, and fill each muffin about 2/3 full with batter. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin

Original Recipe here

Banana Ice Cream Recipe

Banana Ice Cream

(1 serving)
Adapted from Choosing Raw

2 1/2 frozen bananas

2 tablespoons water (or almond milk)

optional add-ins: a Chunk of dark chocolate, a handful of almonds, etc get creative.

I used my vita mix to do this, but I understand a food processor also works, or another powerful blender. I just blend for about a minute using the vita mix pulse to push the bananas and ice down, but here are instructions on making it with a food processor.

This needs to be consumed immediately since it is a soft serve texture. Don't forget to top it with fun things like chocolate, fruit and nuts. 

Original Recipe here 

Ruby Red Strawberry Crumble with an Oat Cruch Topping

Yesterday I was gifted a large punnet of strawberries – Maltese local strawberries, with a heavenly taste that just bursts nectar in your mouth – sweet, sweet nectar from the heart of the Mediterranean !  So, as it is not yet summer, and whilst my marmalade was cooking, I thought to myself “I cannot make more jam”, and I didn’t fancy them the traditional way with cream.

“Something that melts in your mouth and lifts the spirits”, I thought. “Something gentle, yet warm and fulfilling – a strawberry crumble it will be.”  The juices that these glorious berries yield when baked, combined with maple syrup, is simply sublime.  Serve, of course, with lots of hot custard – or dollop on the cream (in our case soya), and melt in the flavour, as it captivates your taste buds.  You simply can’t mix talk with this type of eating – only the sound of “Mmmmm…” emerges.  Let’s take these strawberries onto the next level then. Oh, and by the way, I am going to make this pretty simple for you.

Serves 6-8.


INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING

• 1.25kg fresh strawberries (I’m afraid frozen won’t do for this), washed and cut into medium slices (around 3-4 slices per strawberry)
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• ¼ cup of maple syrup

METHOD FOR THE FILLING
You will need a medium sized oven dish – distribute your strawberries evenly over the base, then cover with the sugar, and pour the maple syrup over the top.  That’s your filling sorted out.  Now let’s make the topping.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRUMBLE

• 200g unbleached white or wholemeal flour (or mixed works well)
• 25g oats
• 75g vegan margarine (dairy free)
• 75g white sugar
• ¾ tsp almond essence

METHOD FOR THE CRUMBLE

Heat the oven to 180c.  Place the oats, flour and sugar in a food processor, and process until crumbs are formed.  Now add the margarine and almond essence, and process for a few moments.  Tip the mixture into a large mixing bowl, and continue to crumble by hand.  Always ensure that you are left with a crumble mix, not a dough – so if it over-thickens, add a little more flour to dry it out.

Add the crumble as evenly as you can on top of your strawberry filling, cover in foil, and place in the oven for 20 minutes (this process helps the filling to cook and yield it’s nectar).  Then uncover, and allow to cook for a further 15 minutes  until the crumble turns golden in colour.  Serve hot with custard, or cream – or both if you wish to over-indulge !!!  It also tastes out of this world with vanilla ice-cream in the summer.

Original Recipe here

Vegan Tacos

Vegan Tacos
Boca crumble 1 pkg.
Favorite taco season to taste
½ red onion
1 inch of a jalapeño
... Vegan cheese
Romaine lettuce
Favorite salsa
1/4 c. of favorite oil of choice

Pinto beans :
Pinto beans 1 pkg. can be made with can pinto beans if in time crunch
1 tomato
½ jalapeño
½ red onion
¼ c. cilantro
1/4 c. of favorite oil of choice
1 tbs. crushed garlic

Tortillas’:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Authentic-Mexican-Tortillas/Detail.aspx

Make sure you get vegetable shortening in this recipe, all shortenings are not vegan.

Recipe by Shawn

Vegan Flat Bread

 

 

Vegan Flatbread Recipe

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbs salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of baking soda
• 3 tbs canola oil
• 1 cup cold water
• Extra flour for dusting
• Optional: chopped fresh cilantro, 1 clove chopped garlic

Preheat the oven with pan inside to 400 degrees.
Put ice in the water to really get it cold while you prepare the ingredients.
Mix together the flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Stir in the canola oil until uniformly distributed.  If you want, stir in garlic or handful of chopped cilantro to taste, but it is just fine served plain.
Measure one cup of water (don't use the ice) and stir into mixture until the dough becomes one ball.
On a clean countertop or smooth cutting board, spread out a nice handful of flour.  Coat your hands with the flour and place the dough on floured surface.  Fold it in half just a few times so it is easy to work with and not sticky.  Divide the dough into 8 roughly equal balls.  (Divide the dough in half, then each half in half, then each of those halves in half.)  Add some more flour to the surface if you need to, then take one ball and smoosh it with your palm.  Rub some flour on your rolling pin, then roll the dough until it is about a 6 to 8 inch circle.  Usually half way during rolling, I pick the circle up and flip it over to make sure it isn't sticking.  If the dough is snapping right back, just put the circle to the side and start with a new ball.

When all the balls are rolled into flat discs, redust your surface with flour and further roll out the ones that were not cooperating.  They should behave after their time-out.  I like to roll them all a second time to get them pretty thin, to almost 9-10 inches in diameter.

Carefully place a disk of dough into the pan in the oven.  I didn't have to grease my cast-iron pan because it is seasoned.  Bake for 3 minutes, then remove with tongs.  It should have several blistery bubbles.  If you are using a ridged pan, the ridges should be indented and the rest of the dough slightly puffy.  If you want a very flat bread like the triangles pictured, flip the disk over using tongs after a minute and a half of baking.

Repeat with the remaining disks.

So that's it!  Easy-peezy, cheap, and quick!  Once you get the hang of it, it only takes about 10-15 minutes to mix the dough and roll out the circles.  The total baking time for all 8 pieces is 24 minutes (unless you have two pans going), so I try to plan and use that time for chopping veggies or cleaning up the dishes.
This recipe is super versatile.  I've served it as naan to go with Matt's sweet-potato and chickpea curry, as the pita-like dipping vehicle for black bean hummus, and even as a Taco Bell "Gordita" style tortilla with bean tacos.  It's also an excellent addition to "peasant" themed meals.
I hope you find this recipe as useful as I do!  There is nothing like being able to bring freshly baked bread to the dinner table.  This recipe is definitely a keeper.

Original Recipe here

"un" egg salad sandwich submitted by Christina

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 pound firm tofu, sliced and well drained
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

• Directions
• In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, vinegar, mustard, sugar, turmeric, dill, and parsley. Mix well, and reserve.
• Place drained tofu in large bowl, and crumble with a fork. Stir in onion and celery. Mix in reserved mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for several hours to allow flavors to blend.

Dominik's vegan recipes

Veggie Calzone submitted by Christina

 

Filled with yellow squash, zucchini, onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper, these Veggie Calzones are a healthy take on an old favorite!

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 40 mins

Ingredients Fillings 1/4 cup (60 ml) grapeseed oil, plus 1 tablespoon 1/3 cup (40 g) yellow onion, thinly sliced 1/2 zucchini, thinly sliced 1/2 yellow squash, thinly sliced 1/2 cup bell peppers 1 cup (70 g) button mushrooms, thinly sliced Salt and pepper, to taste 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/3 cup (75 ml) red wine 1 cup (160 g) tomatoes, crushed 1 cup (90 g) shredded Daiya mozzarella cheese Vegan Pizza Dough 1 pkg. yeast  3 cups whole wheat flour  1/3 cups lukewarm water  1 teaspoon salt  2/3 cup lukewarm water

Dissolve yeast in 1/3 cup lukewarm water and let stand 10 minutes. In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, blend, then add 2/3 cup lukewarm water to make a pliable, elastic dough. Form into a ball, cover with a clean cloth, and let rise until doubled in a warm place (about 20-30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C). Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the oil into a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms and bell pepper 5 to 7 minutes, or until vegetables are just tender. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, oregano, and thyme and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Let the mixture cook at a slow boil until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and partially cover the pan. Simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the vegetable mixture.

To assemble the Calzones - divide the dough into 4 equal balls and roll out the balls of dough into 8-inch (20 cm) circles. Place a quarter of the vegetable mixture on half of each crust. Top with Daiya mozzarella style shreds. Fold the dough over to cover the filling and pinch the edges to seal. Cut a small incision on the top of each calzone to allow steam to escape. Place each calzone onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and dot the tops with remaining oil.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Fastest, Easiest Homemade Pizza Crust (Submitted by Christina)

Fastest, Easiest Homemade Pizza Crust

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
12 ounces beer

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet (12 x 18" or slightly smaller works well).

2. Combine all ingredients. Dough does not have to rise at all, but will be fairly wet and sticky.

3. Press into prepared cookie sheet If it seems too sticky to work with, sprinkle a little flour on it as you pat/press it into the pan.

4. Top with your favorite sauce and toppings. Bake 20-25 minutes or until dough is browning and crisp around edges.

Voila! Enjoy!

Serves: 4-6, Preparation time: 30

Original recipe here

Shepard's Pie (submitted by Christina)

To visit the original recipe site, click here

Photo by kmouse

Meat Eating Husbands Love This Shepard's Pie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

4-5 russet potatoes, peeled
nondairy milk, to taste
vegan butter, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
sprinkle garlic powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 head broccoli, chopped or grated, stems and all
2 carrots, chopped or grated
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 cup mushroom or vegetable broth
3/4 cup plain nondairy milk (I use soy)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon flour
nonstick spray
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 handfuls French fried onions

Directions:

1. Bake potatoes in oven or microwave. Mash cooked potatoes with as much milk as you need and lots of vegan buttery spread to make them nice and creamy. Add some salt and pepper and a sprinkle of garlic powder.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the garlic and onion over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the broccoli, carrots, mushrooms and celery and cook until veggies start to wilt. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

3. Add the broth and 3/4 cup milk along with the cornstarch and flour. Let the mixture come to a boil, stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken up a bit. Season with salt and pepper if you need to. When all the vegetables are cooked, remove from heat.

4. Spray an 8"x8" baking dish with nonstick oil spray and spoon the vegetable mixture onto the bottom. Cover with the potatoes and smooth them down. Sprinkle the top with nutritional yeast and French fried onions. Heat in oven for 10 minutes or so until top is slightly firm and onions are browned.

Serve with garlic toast or fresh bread. Enjoy!

Another way to prepare this is to spread half the potatoes on the bottom of the dish, add the veggies on top, then spread the remaining potatoes on top of the veggies. Either way it is delicious!

Source of recipe: I got a version of this recipe from my friend Becky. I've altered it a bit to my own tastes. Her meat eating husband loves it so I figured mine will too. Made it last night and got many compliments from my husband!

Serves: 6, Preparation time: 30 minutes

Quick and Easy Hummus

The only thing you need to prepare this recipe is a blender (you can use a food processor as well for great results.)

Ingredients:

• 5 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups canned chick peas(garbanzo beans)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp tahini
  
• Juice of half a lemon(some like more, up to 2 lemons)




• Extra water, or reserved liquid from can

Directions: Take all of your ingredients and place them in the blender. Add a little water to start and begin blending. Keep scraping down the sides as you go and pushing the mixture into the blades. You want it to be thick and creamy, so be careful not to add too much water. When it's blended well, take it out of the container and eat fresh or store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes: After you've made your hummus you can add fresh, steamed, or sauteed vegetables to increase the flavor. Just fold them in and enjoy.

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This site is about vegan food! Our goal here is to try to create a place where vegans can go to share their recipes with each other, and to help those new to the vegan lifestyle learn more about preparing healthy, tasty, and compassionate alternatives to their favorite meals. Please consider becoming a guest blogger, or simply emailing in your favorite vegan recipes.

We are a new site so there will be many changes coming in the very near future, including indexing the recipes to make it easter to find them and even moving to a permanent site location. Thanks for your patience and help in forming this site!