Sticks and Stones Salad

Ingredients

2 cup zucchini (washed and trimmed and cut into matchsticks)
2 cup yellow squash (crookneck yellow squash washed and trimmed and cut into matchsticks)
12 oz garbanzo beans (rinsed and well drained)
12 cup italian dressing

Mix everything together and eat it all up. The longer it sits the better it tastes. Sometimes I serve this in lettuce cups. Very pretty.

Serves: 5

Pumpkin Seed Pancakes - Flourless and Low Carb

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
1 cup water (room temperature)
34 tsp stevia powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients into blender. Blend until you get a good pancake batter consistency. And more water if needed.
2 Add stevia powder and vanilla and blend to combine.
3 Pour batter onto oiled pan. (non-stick works well).
4 Cook on medium low heat until browned on one side, then flip and cook until done. About 3 - 4 minutes on each side, more or less depending on how thick/dense your pancake mixture is.

Serves: 4

Cranberry Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 cup cranberries (raw, frozen solid)
23 cup almond milk (soymilk unsweetened chilled)
4 tbsp splenda (sugar substitute)

Dump the ingredients into the food processor and turn it on. the minute the berries are chopped fine and the mixture is still the consistency of ice cream, remove and eat. You may want to make this ahead and firm it up in the freezer, but not for too long or it will freeze solid.

Summer Squash Salsa

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup zucchini (small diced)
1 cup yellow squash (small diced)
12 cup bell pepper (yellow bell pepper small diced)
14 cup red bell pepper (small diced)
14 cup sugar (substitute recommended: splenda)
18 tsp kosher salt
18 tsp black pepper (ground)
1 cup cantaloupe (small diced)

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add all ingredients, except cantaloupe, and cook for 2 minutes, or until just tender. Remove from heat, drain, and spread out on a plate. Refrigerate quickly without a cover to stop the cooking. When cooled, mix in cantaloupe, and cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serves: 24

Marinated Cauliflower Salad

Ingredients
4 cup cauliflower (cut into small florets)
1 cup black olives (sliced thick)
34 cup bell pepper (chopped)
34 cup onion (chopped)
14 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp lemon juice
12 tsp salt
14 tsp pepper

NOTE:. Try some Greek style olives from the deli department.
Combine cauliflower, olives, pepper and onions.
Mix remaining ingredients together well and pour over vegetables, tossing to coat.
Cover and chill (or store in a zippered plastic bag) overnight, mixing occasionally.

Gluten Free Low Carb Spanish Rice

Ingredients
1/2 head cauliflower, grated in a food processor
2 green onions, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
1/2 an avocado, mashed
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 tsp sea salt
Directions
Puree all ingredients together in food processor (except cauliflower) until it creates a guacamole-like consistency. Stir into grated cauliflower and serve! Stores well in fridge for a couple of days.

Makes about 2 1/2 - 3 cups, for 2 big servings or 4 side dishes.

Number of Servings: 2

Nutritional Info

Fat: 7.4g
Carbohydrates: 16.1g
Calories: 130.0
Protein: 4.7g

Vegan Curry Tofu with vegetables

Ingredients

1 15oz. package extra firm tofu.
1/2 Vidalia onion.
2 handful baby spinach.
1 teaspoon tumeric.
1 teaspoon coriander.
1 teaspoon cumin.
3 tablespoons olive oil.
1/8 cup of water or as much as needed.
dash of garlic powder.
salt and pepper to taste.


Salad Ingredients

2 cups green beans.
1 large tomato.
1 ripe avocado.


Salad Instructions

1. steam green beans in steamer or place in boiling water for 4 minutes, covered.
2. slice tomato into discs.
3. peel and slice avocado.


Instructions

1. Dice onions.
2. Cut tofu in cubes or as desired.
3. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat.
4. Add onions to skillet.
5. When onions are tender, add tofu.
6. Add spinach and cook until tender.
7. Add water, salt, pepper and other seasonings.
8. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until cooked thoroughly.
9. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving steamed vegetables, tomato and avocado.

Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Greek olives
1 T. capers
1 T. wine vinegar (or you can substitute lemon juice)
3 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Directions:

1. Steam cauliflower florets until just tender. Refresh under cold
water to stop the cooking process.

2. In a bowl, combine cauliflower, pepper, parsley, olives and capers.
Toss lightly.

3. Whisk together vinegar, oil and oregano. Pour over vegetables.

4. Marinate in the fridge for two hours or over night. Serve cold.

NO OIL-NO SALT-ADDED MARINARA SAUCE

2 1/4 c. dry white wine
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic, peeled & put through a press
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes

Place the wine, basil, oregano, pepper flakes, and garlic in a heavy 2-quart sauce pan. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until all the alcohol from the wine has evaporated. Add tomatoes. Simmer, partially covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes 3 1/2 cups (enough for 1 1/2 pounds fresh pasta or 1 pound dried pasta. 6 average main course servings). Freezes well.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Filling:
1 small or medium onion, chopped
3 small carrots, chopped
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup cooked or canned green lentils, mashed
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt

Topping:
3 medium potatoes, roughly chopped
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tbsp margarine or olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pot of water, boil the chopped potatoes until they can be pierced easily with a fork. In a medium saucepan, saute the onions, carrots, spinach, celery, and tomatoes in the oil. Once carrots are tender, add the mashed lentils, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer without a lid until the liquid cooks off.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or a medium bowl, mash the potatoes, milk, margarine, and salt with a potato masher or fork. Set aside. Pour the vegetable mixture into a lightly oiled pie plate and then layer the mashed potatoes over top. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.

This dish tastes best topped with miso gravy.

Recipe from "How It All Vegan" by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer

GF, Sugar-Free, No-Oil Banana Bread

1/4 c apple sauce
4 medium very ripe bananas
2/3 c rice or soy milk
1/2 t vanilla extract
2 c brown rice flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c each raisins and chopped walnuts

Place apple sauce and bananas in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mash bananas with a potato masher or fork until just slightly lumpy. Add milk and vanilla extract and stir until well-mixed. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, place brown rice flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well-mixed. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly with a spoon. Stir in raisins and chopped walnuts until evenly dispersed.

Pour batter into three oiled 4 1/2" x 3" loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes.

I'm pretty sure this would work well as muffins too. That's how I'll make it the next time. For people who don't like things overly sweet, you'll love these. If you're not sure whether you'll like the banana bread without added sweetener, plan to eat it with jam smeared on top--yumm! You can't go wrong! ;)

Berry Jam Muffins

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 tablespoon gluten-free baking powder*
1/2 cup sucanat
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup rice milk
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
1/4 cup berry jam

Whisk together in a bowl the brown rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, and sucanat. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ground flax seed and water. To this bowl, add the apple sauce, rice milk, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined. Add to the dry ingredients, and mix until combined. Spoon into paper-pan lined muffin pans. Using a spoon, make a small dent in the top of each muffin, and fill the hole with 1 teaspoon of berry jam. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 35 minutes. Makes 10 muffins.

*You can make your own gluten-free, corn-free baking powder from 1 cup arrowroot powder, 2/3 cup cream of tartar, 1/3 cup baking soda.

Rice casserole

Rice casserole

1 C uncooked white rice
2 C plain nondairy milk
1/2 C nutritional yeast flakes
2-4 Tbs ume plum vinegar
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 C bite size broccoli pieces

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients in a 4-quart casserole dish. Cover and bake 50-60 minutes.

This always comes out too dry for me so I add up to 1 cup of water after removing it from the oven to make it the way I like it.

Creamy Curried Veggies

This recipe is from "How It All Vegan," an amazing vegan cookbook by Tanya Barnard + Sarah Kramer. It's the best curry I have ever had. It's very flavorful and extremely creamy. It's usually served over brown/white rice, but I like to eat it plain!

1 large onion, sliced
2-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1-3 large carrots, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium potato, diced
6-8 mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
pinch of cayenne pepper (You can adjust how much of this ingredient you put into your dish depending on how spicy you like your curry)
1 cup coconut milk OR soy milk
1 cup peas
3 tbsp gluten free soy sauce

In a large saucepan, saute the onions, garlic, and carrots in oil on medium-high until the onions become translucent. Add the veggies and spices, then add the coconut milk or soy milk. Simmer for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork. Stir in the peas and the soy sauce stirring constantly so the liquid thickens.
Makes 2-4 servings.

Potato Burrito

INGREDIENTS:
16 oz. pkg. frozen hash brown potatoes (with no oil)
1 cup chunky salsa
1/4 cup chopped green onions
6 corn tortillas

PREPARATION:
Cook hash brown potatoes as directed on package. Add salsa and green onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until hot. Fold mixture into warmed corn tortillas and serve. 6 servings

EASY TACO CASSEROLE

1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 ½ cups salsa, mild
mexican seasoning mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Drunken Bean Soup

Two 15-oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed.
1/2 cup water or beer
1/2 medium onion, sliced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

Baked Apple Dessert

2 medium yams
1 large baking-type apple
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup water
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the yams and slice thinly. Peel and core the apple and cut into thin wedges.

Layer the yams and apples into a square non-stick baking dish. Combine the applesauce and water and pour over the layered ingredients. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover and bake for 50 minutes. Serve warm.

Mexican Pizza

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can fat free (or reduced fat) refried beans

10 (6 inch) corn tortillas

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

1 cup enchilada sauce

1 roma tomato, chopped

1 cup vegan cheese, shredded

1 (2 1/4 ounce) can black olives, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

Saute onion in oil (you can use a little veggie broth). Add beans and taco seasoning. Heat through.

Spread mixture evenly on 5 tortillas. Top with other 5 tortillas.

Spread with enchilada sauce. Sprinkle tomatoes, then cheese, then olives, then green onions on top, dividing evenly between all five "pizzas.".

Broil in oven for 1-2 minutes or until "cheese" is melted.

Cut each "pizza" into four sections with pizza cutter.

Backyard Bean Burgers

2 cans (15 ounces each) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup chunky salsa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Hamburger buns

Place beans in food processor; process until fairly smooth. Add flour, cornmeal, salsa, cumin and garlic salt. Spoon mixture into 6 balls on a large plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours before cooking.

Heat barbecue grill or ridged grill pan over medium heat. Coat grill or pan lightly with oil. Form each ball into a 4-inch patty about ½-inch thick. Place the patties on the grill or in pan and cook until browned and heated through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.