Our Favorite Lentil Loaf

2 cups of cooked lentils, then slightly mashed
1 med onion, diced
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese, we use Daiya
1/2 - 2/3 cup tomato or BBQ sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 deg
Mix all above ingrediants
Spray dutch oven with Pam
Place lentil loaf in the pan.

Bake for 40 min or until crispy and golden on top of the loaf.

Serve with baked or mashed potatoes.
Carrots  and onions can be placed next to the loaf for baking.

Becky's Minestrone Soup

1 T Olive Oil

1 med onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

28 oz veg broth

1 14.5 can garbanzo beans

1 14.5 can red kidney beans

1 14.5 can stewed tomatoes

2 cups chopped kale or swiss chard

1/2 c cooked small shell pasta

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Another great chocolate chip cookie

2 c. flour + 1 c ground oatmeal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 c. coconut oil
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 T egg sub + 3 T water
8 oz chocolate chips, I use Enjoy Life
Preheat oven to 375.

Roll into balls (about 1 tsp-2 tsp) and bake 8-10 minutes.

Vegan Lasagna like my favorite Vegan Restaurant

Ingredients to be blended in a food processor:
Saute in small pan for 4 minutes:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped (2 cups)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.) 
  
  
  Add and cook for 2-3 minutes:
   
• 8-oz. bag fresh baby spinach 
  
  
  Place in the Food processor:
  The above mixture plus
• 20-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained
• 1 8-oz. pkg. vegan cream cheese
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil or 1/6 c dried basil
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan cheese
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  In a 13 x 9 pan:
  Layer Spaghetti sauce, lasagna noodles (12 cooked or oven ready), processed 'cheese' mixture prepared first (above), continue to layer until all ingredients are used.  On top sprinkle 1 cup of vegan cheese, I use Daiya.  Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 min until lasagna is bubbling.
  Let cool for 10 min before serving.
  
  

Chocolate Mousse

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO MOUSSE

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, I use Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Vegan Choc Chips
4 very ripe (8 ounce) avocados, peeled and pitted
½ - 3/4 cup agave, depending on your preference for sweetness
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 - 1/2 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Place the chocolate chips in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave 1 min, stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place the melted chocolate, avocados, agave, cocoa powder, almond milk, vanilla and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. 

Taste for sweetness and add 1T of agave and blend again.  

Spoon into ramekins and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (this can be prepared the day before too).

Vegan Zuke Casserole

Vegan Zuke Casserole

I took my old recipe and veganized it.  Really good.

Ingredients:
2 med to lg zucchinis, sliced thin
1 clove garlic
1 med onion, chopped
1 bag ground meatless (12 oz)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
2 T vegan Parmesan cheese, I like Veggie Express brand
1/2 cup bread crumbs, or for gluten free corn flake crumbs or what you like for cracker crumbs
1/2 cup vegan mozzarella or swiss cheese, I like Violife.

Preheat oven to 350 deg

In medium skillet place 1 T of olive oil, saute onion, garlic and pinch of salt.
When the onions are soft add tomato sauce, meatless.

Layer zuke slices into a greased 9 x 13 pan.
Place a layer of the meatless mixture on top.
Then sprinkle on crumbs and parm cheese substitute
Continue layering until until all the ingredients are used.
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes covered with aluminum foil.
Remove from over, uncover and sprinkle on Swiss or Mozza vegan cheese.
Return to the oven and bake until cheese has melted about 10 min.
Serve.

Cold Summer Salad

Mix together:
5 cups of vegetables: broccoli, green pepper, red onion, cucumber, celery, cherry tomatoes...
1 lb of cooked, cooled spaghetti
1 8 oz bottle Zesty Italian dressing
4 T Salad Supreme seasonings

Set in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

No eggs?

Great article.

Carrot Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 T egg substitute
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup non-dairy milk with 1T lemon juice or apple cider vinegar or brown rice vinegar
   and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Vegan Animal Crackers

Single recipe - makes 2 doz small cookies
Mix together:
    8 ounces flour, 1 cup
    3 ounces or 1/3 cup Earth Balance 'butter', room temperature
    1/2 c sugar
    1 1/2 tsp powdered milk.  
    1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon baking soda
    1 T vanilla extract
    1 T egg sub

Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight, before rolling.
When ready:
Cut and bake the cookies:
    Preheat the oven to 350° and have 2 parchment lined sheet pans standing by.

    On a well floured surface, roll the cookies to just a little over 1/4" thickness.  Cut the dough with your cookie cutters and transfer the cut-outs to the cookie sheet. They won't spread significantly in the oven, so they can be placed fairly close together.

    You can gather, knead and re-roll the scraps three times; the dough is very forgiving.

    Bake the cookies for approximately 10 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Cool thoroughly. Store in an airtight container at room temperatures for up to a month.

All Veg Pot Pie

Begin with the Crust:
Pastry Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 t baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine kosher salt
1/2 c unsalted earth balance 'butter', cubed 5-7 T ice water
Place in refrigerator while you make the cooked veggies below.

On a medium heat burner add: and cook until onions are soft, about 5-10 min:
2 T veg oil
3 teaspoons kosher salt
2 large yellow onion, chopped
2 large potatoes diced, I use a mix of white and sweet if available
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
4 medium celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Add the butter and melt. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
1/4 c unsalted butter
1/4 c all-purpose flour

Gradually stir in the 4 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer, stirring continually. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1 cup frozen green peas.

Preheat the oven to 375 deg.


Now take the crust from the refrigerator and cut into 2 halves.  Roll to the desired thickness one of the halves, about 1/4" thick, and place in the bottom of your baking dish.
Pour the veggie mixture on top.
Now roll out the other crust half and place on the top of the veg mixture.

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and cook pot pie at 375 degrees F for 1 hour or until bubbly and vegetables are soft.  Cover with foil if the crust is browning.

S'mores if you aren't at the campfire

S'mores Bars

7-8 graham crackers

1 package or 2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 package (12 ounces or 2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with cooking spray. 

Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in dish, breaking crackers as needed to fit. 

Place marshmallows evenly over crackers.

Bake for 7-8 minutes or until marshmallows are puffy. Cool completely.

In a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl (or in a medium saucepan over medium low heat), combine chocolate chips, corn syrup. Microwave on high about 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted, stirring every 30 seconds. If melting in a saucepan, stir constantly until melted, then remove from heat.

Stir in peanut butter until smooth.

Next stir in Rice Krispies until combined. 

Spread evenly over marshmallows.

Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm. Cut and store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Tuscan Bean Soup

Simple, fast and delicious ...
We really liked this one!

Directions and ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed or soak 1/2 cup of white beans

the night before.

 

In  a large soup pot:
1 tablespoon olive oil 

Add and saute:
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced 

When onions are soft add: 2 1/2 cups of veggies

I used 2 carrots, diced, 2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup), 1 large potato, diced (1 cup)

 

Add:

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves

beans

Bring to a boil and let simmer 1 hour.