Merry Christmas Dinner

Swedish "Meatballs" with a side of Cranberry Sauce and Asparagus
Swedish “Meatballs”
1 cup brown rice
1 cup lentils
1/2 white onion - chopped
1 garlic clove - minced
2/3 cup fresh mushrooms - roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
1 TB Worcester sauce
1 TB ketchup
1 tsp dry parsley flakes
2/3 cup bread crumbs
Canola Oil

For the sauce:
1 TB Soy Butter
2 TB Flour
1 cup Cream of Mushroom Soup (vegan versions are available in organic section of most supermarkets)

1) Boil lentils and brown rice (separately). Make sure they're cooled before adding to food processor.
2) Wet ingredients: Sauté onions & garlic until tender. Turn off heat. Add salt, Worcester sauce, ketchup, parsley. Stir and set aside.
3) Add all the ingredients to food processor. Pulse for 15 seconds or pulse just enough to combine and keep somewhat chunky. Do not overmix, otherwise you end up with watery mush.
4) Roll into small balls and place on cookie sheet (makes about 26 "meatballs”).
5) Bake at 355 degrees for 12 minutes. Let them cool for about 5 minutes so they have time to firm.
6) Use a deep pan, coat bottom with canola oil (about 4 TB) and fry until all sides are crispy. Remove meatballs to separate serving dish.
7) Now to make the sauce…..
8) Drain the remaining oil from the pan, leaving about 1 TB oil remaining in pan.
9) Add about 1 TB Soy Butter and 2 "heaping" TB Flour. Stir on low heat until golden.
10) Add 1 cup Cream of Mushroom Soup. Stir lumps away. Turn off heat. Sauce should thicken.
11) Pour sauce over the meatballs sitting in serving dish. Serve immediately. Do not cook meatballs and sauce together, as the meatballs will become soggy and break apart.

Cranberry Sauce:
· 1 cup water
· 1 (12oz) package fresh of frozen cranberries
· 1 cup sugar
In saucepan, simmer all ingredients until cranberries burst and thick sauce forms. (Optional: top with lemon zest)

Asparagus:
Use 1 bunch fresh asparagus. Rinse. Cut or snap off white bottoms. Boil in 1 inch water for 3 minutes. Drain water. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil. Add pinch of sea salt & black pepper. Squeeze half a lemon. Toss and serve.

Easy Banana Cream Pie

2 boxes Cooked Banana Pudding (I used Dr. Oekter Organic Pudding & Pie Filling Mix)
Unsweetened Rice Milk
2 Bananas
1 container Tofutti Cream Cheese
6 Graham Crackers (makes 1 ½ cups if using ready-made crumbs)

Heat oven 355 degrees.

Crust: Using a rolling pin, smash graham crackers in sandwich bag. Melt about 4 TB soy-butter. Mix until crumbs are moist. Add more melted butter if necessary. Line pie pan with graham crust. Bake for 15 mins. Turn off the oven, as baking is no longer required. Let crust cool 20 minutes….start on filling while you wait.

Filling: Following instructions on box of pie mix: stir in 2 cups milk per box = 4 cups total. (I used “Unsweetened Rice Milk”). Stir until thickens and bubbles break surface. Stir once more and cool 5 minutes. In glass bowl, using hand electric mixer, blend cream cheese & pudding for 30 seconds or until lumps disappear.
Pour half of the filling over crust. Layer with banana slices (1 ½ bananas). Pour remaining filling. Decorate top with vanilla wafers (Safeway's brand appears to be dairy/egg-free). Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Decorate top with banana slices.

Refrigerator Magnets

I made some food magnets (using Polymer Clay) for my refrigerator door. You can find Polymer Clay and magnets at your local arts/crafts store. This type of clay can be molded, then baked to harden.

From top left to right: Grapes, Watermelon slice, Peas in a pod, Butternut Squash, Lemon slice, Peas in a pod, Carrot, Winter Squash, Strawberry, Pineapple, Green Bell peppers, Red Bell pepper, Acorn Squash.

Vegan Swedish Meatballs (served with apricot-mustard brussels sprouts and yams)

Vegan Meatlessballs:

1 cup brown rice

1 cup lentils

1/2 white onion - chopped

1 garlic clove - minced

2/3 cup fresh mushrooms - roughly chopped

1 tsp salt

1 TB Worcester sauce

1 TB ketchup

1 tsp dry parsley flakes

2/3 cup bread crumbs

Canola Oil

Boil lentils and brown rice (separately). Make sure they're cooled before adding to food processor.

Wet ingredients: Saute onions 2-3 minutes, then add mushrooms & garlic and saute another 3 minutes or until tender. Turn off heat. Add salt, Worcester sauce, ketchup, parsley. Stir and set aside.

Slowly add half the lentils, rice, bread crumbs and wet ingredients (onion mixture) to food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds. Then add remaining ingredients and pulse for another 30 seconds. Pulse just enough to combine and keep somewhat chunky. Do not overmix, otherwise you end up with watery mush. Roll into small balls and place on cookie sheet (makes about 26 "meat"balls). Bake at 355 degrees for 12 minutes. Let them cool for roughly 15 minutes so they have time to firm. Use a deep pot, coat bottom with canola oil (about 4 TB) and fry until all sides are crispy.

Sauce:

1 cup mushroom soup

2/3 cup ricemilk

3 TB white wine (optional)

4 TB Tofutti sour cream

cornstarch (roughly 4 TB cornstarch and 2/3 cup water)

salt/black pepper to taste (optional)

Mix and simmer all ingredients (except cornstarch). In separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Once bubbles break, add cornstarch and stir. When bubbles reach top, stir one minute and turn off heat. Sauce will thicken. Add more cornstarch if necessary. Throw in meatballs "gently"... Better yet, place meatballs in serving dish and drizzle sauce.

** The mock meatballs are good on their own, but be careful as they tend to break apart. Might hold better if frying time is increased. Perhaps served on toothpicks as hors d'oeuvre with cranberry dipping sauce or sweet&sour sauce. Also good with spaghetti.

Serve with side dish....

• Mashed Yams/Sweet Potato - boil and mash with salt/black pepper, as you would regular mash potatoes.
• Apricot-Mustard sauce - mix equal amounts of Apricot Jam, Tofutti Sour Cream, Dijon Mustard. Drizzle over Brussels sprouts. Sprinkle crushed/chopped pecans or walnuts.

Office Cake-Bake

My company had a cake-bake last week. The theme was Discovery Channel and affiliate networks (i.e. Animal Planet, Planet Green, etc..)


Top Left: my cake entry was called Meerkat Manor Chocolate-Mint Cake with green coconut grass.













While the other cakes were not vegan, they were so creative and beautiful that I just had to post them. Especially love the Animal Planet Globe. Too cute!

Water Chestnut Lettuce Wraps

1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cups chopped button mushrooms
(8oz can) 1 cup minced water chestnuts
2/4 cup crushed cashews
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp lime juice
2 1/2 TB soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 TB canola oil

Dipping Sauce recommendations: Hoisin sauce; Plum sauce; Peanut sauce. Make your own or use store-bought. Check the international section of your grocery store.

Use a wok of frying pan. Heat oil and fry minced garlic until golden. Add remaining chopped ingredients and seasons. Stir fry for 8 minutes. Add spoonful to lettuce leaf, wrap & dip. Boston lettuce seems to work best for holding in the mixture.

Mock Salisbury Steak Cutlets

Mock Salisbury Steak Cutlets drizzled w/mushroom sauce, serve w/mash potatoes and peas. The theme here is "JUST ADD WATER"

Peas = boil in water

Mash Potatoes = boil in water, then mash w/salt, black pepper, soy milk & soy butter.

Mock Salisbury Steak Cutlets = I used Vegetarian Nature's Burger (created by Fantastic World Foods). Can be found in organic section of most markets. It's supposed to be used to make veggie burgers, but I shaped them into cutlets. It's a dry powder mix. Follow directions on box: Just add boiled water, shape and fry in 1 TB oil.

Mushroom Sauce = Mushroom Sauce (by Simply Organic). Again, just add water. Simmer and serve.

Tahini Salad

This is sort of a cross between a Fattoush and Greek Salad. For extra dressing, simply double the ingredients.

For Salad:
6 Roma -a.k.a.- Plum Tomatoes (chop into medium chunks)
3 Cucumbers (chop into medium chunks)
1 Green Bell Pepper (chopped)
1 Cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
1 Cup Pitted Kalamata Olives
15 oz Can of Chickpeas (drained & rinsed)

For Tahini Dressing:
1 Lemon
1/4 Cup Tahini (Sesame Seed Paste)
1/4 Cup Water (plus 2 TB water)
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Garlic Cloves (crushed)

You can use a "Garlic Press" to crush the garlic cloves. I didn't have this tool on hand, so I chopped the garlic and used the bottom of a drinking glass to crush them in a bowl. Mix the tahini, water, salt, crushed garlic and squeezed lemon juice until smooth. Toss salad ingredients and dressing into large salad bowl.

Gnocchi with Mushrooms & Parsley

*Gnocchi = dumplings stuffed with potatoes.

16oz bag frozen Gnocchi
8oz pack fresh Crimini Mushrooms....sliced
3 Garlic Cloves....minced
1 1/4 cup fresh Parsley....chopped
1 TB soy butter
2 TB Nutritional Yeast (adds a cheesy flavor)
1 1/2 cups water
Salt/Pepper to season

Add gnocchi to boiling pot of 'salted' water. Boil for 1-2 minutes. Drain water and place gnocchi in bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Refill pot with 1 1/2 cups water and bring to boil. Season water with salt & black pepper. Add mushrooms and garlic. Boil for 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced to half. Add butter and parsley. Sauce will begin to thicken. Add gnocchi back to the pot. Sprinkle nutritional yeast. Stir and serve.

Toast for breakfast

Shopping List: Raisin Bread, Green Apples, Tofutti Cream Cheese (all tofutti are non-dairy)

1) Toast raisin bread

2) Spread Tofutti cream cheese

3) Arrange green apple slices on top

4) Great with tea/coffee

Chocolate-covered Pretzel Sticks

Super easy to make. Vegan chocolate chips are available at your local grocery store or organic/Co-Op. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips.

- Boil water in saucepan.
- Place glass bowl on top (see photo). Bowl should not touch water. Bring water to simmer.
- Add chocolate chips to bowl...melt...stir.
- Once melted, turn off heat.










- Use salted pretzel sticks (I used the thick pretzel sticks, not thin pretzel sticks).
- Break sticks in half, or use whole.
- Use a spoon to drizzle/coat chocolate.
- Arrange chocolate-covered pretzels on waxpaper-lined cookie sheet.
- Place in refrigerator for 5 minutes or until chocolate hardens.
- Arrange sticks in cookie jar...and enjoy.

Light Lunch Salads

Spinach Strawberry Salad includes: Fresh Spinach, Sliced Strawberries, 1 can Mandarin Oranges, Sunflower Seeds, Annie’s Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing. Exact measurements are not important. Base portions on your individual taste. This is an easy, quick toss salad.

3-Bean Salad includes: Lima Beans, Kidney Beans, Chickpea (aka Garbanzo Beans), chopped Red Bell Pepper, chopped Green Bell Peppers (or Cucumbers), chopped Red Onion, frozen corn and your favorite Italian Salad Dressing. This dish is easy to create. Just throw in desired amounts of ingredients and toss. Exact measurements are not important. Portions are based on individual taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
3 overripe Bananas
2 cups self-rising Flour
1 ts Baking Powder
¼ cup Sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup chopped walnuts

9x5 standard Loaf Pan

or

3x6x2 mini Loaf Pan

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, use a potato masher to mash bananas into a paste. Add vegetable oil, vanilla, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix well. Sift in flour and baking powder. Mix until all ingredients incorporated, but do not overmix. (If mixture is a bit dry, slowly add 1-2 TB water.) Fold in walnuts. Bake for 40 minutes, or until knife comes out clean.

Spinach & Tofu "Ricotta Cheese" Lasagna

One box o’ Lasagna Noodles

Filling:
15oz pack Firm Tofu
1 cup frozen chopped Spinach
½ cup Nutritional Yeast
½ tsp crushed Rosemary
¼ tsp Salt

Sauce:
½ Yellow Onion
4 large Garlic Cloves
2 TB Canola Oil
1 ½ TB Basil (I had fresh basil on hand)
1 TB Italian Seasoning (or equal parts Oregano & Thyme)
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp Sugar
Pinch of Salt
6.5 oz can sliced Mushrooms
2 cans (29oz each) Tomato Sauce

Sauce -- Chop onions and garlic, then sauté in canola oil until tender. In mixing bowl, mix tomato sauce, basil, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, sugar, salt, mushrooms, onion & garlic. Set aside.
Filling -- In a separate mixing bowl, use a potato masher to mash tofu (supposed to resemble Ricotta Cheese). Mix in nutritional yeast, rosemary, spinach and salt.

Arrange -- Use a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Pour half the tomato sauce mix into bottom of dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles side-by-side. Use half lasagna noodle to fill in empty portion. Spoon tofu filling and spread evenly. Arrange another layer of noodles. Spoon another spread of tofu filling. Arrange layer of noodles. Pour remaining tomato sauce on top. Tightly cover dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 30 minutes. (Optional: sprinkle top with bread crumbs or nutritional yeast)

Corn Salsa...now in Technicolor

Ingredients:
3 cups frozen Corn
1 large Green Bell pepper (chop into small pieces similar to corn kernels)
1/4 cup chopped Red Bell pepper
1 large Tomato (makes about 1 cup chopped)
2/3 cup finely chopped Red Onion (or 1/3 cup for less intensity)
1 ripe Mango (skin should be yellow & red)
7 large Fresh Basil leaves (roll leaves into ball to chop)
2 TB chopped Fresh Mint leaves
1 Lime
Salt to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste (or black pepper if you prefer)

Boil frozen corn for about 1 minute, then add to mixing bowl. Chop red & green bell peppers into small pieces the same size as corn kernels. Chop tomatoes. Peel off mango skin and chop. Finely chop the red onion. Roll basil leaves into a ball and finely chop. De-sprig mint leaves, roll into ball and finely chop. Throw all ingredients in mixing bowl. Add lime juice. Slowly add pinches of salt, stir and taste until satisfied. Pinch of cayenne pepper to taste. Mix well. Let sit 1 hour (for flavors to blend) before serving. Serve with Blue Corn Tortilla Chips.

Happy Valentines

Heart-shaped vegan sugar cookies!

Tofu Curry

Ingredients:
2 TB canola oil
Extra Firm Tofu (15 oz pack)
1 clove garlic - chopped
2 medium tomatoes - chopped
1 scallion stalk (about 1/4 cup)
3 Cups fresh spinach
1/2 Cup light coconut milk (or equal parts water and regular coconut milk)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
Salt to taste (be generous, lots of salt)
Large Skillet
Mesh Splatter Screen (see photo)




Directions: Set tofu on paper towels to absorb excess water. Heat skillet, add oil. Cut tofu into 1 inch triangles and fry each side for 7 minutes or until tofu begins to brown. (Use the Splatter Screen here. Do not use standard skillet cover, which tends to form condensation, and water from the tofu will cause the oil to splatter.) Remove tofu to plate and blot excess oil with paper towel. Add chopped garlic and spices (turmeric/cumin/coriander) to remaining oil in skillet and sauté 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and tomatoes. Let tomatoes stew and soften. Flavor with salt. Throw in scallions and spinach. Mix in tofu and stir. Serve with rice.

Vegan Pate

Ingredients:
1 Cup (or 15 oz can) cannellini beans
1 Cup (or 15 oz can) navy beans
3 TB chopped garlic
1/2 Cup chopped carrots
1 Cup chopped green scallions
1 Cup chopped Roasted Red Peppers
1/2 Cup kalamata olives (depitted & chopped)
3 TB canola oil
3 TB water
(salt to taste)

Directions: using a potato masher & big bowl, mash beans into a paste. Slowly add 3 tablespoons of water to smooth. In a skillet, saute oil, garlic & carrots. Then add to the bean paste in bowl. Mix in green scallions, roasted red peppers, olives. Add mixture to skillet and fry for 4 minutes, just enough to cook flavors together. Serve with good bread or melba toast.