Vegan "Meatballs"

You will never guess there is tofu in there. I love those, I can just eat them for snacks, yummm.

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion, cut into wedges

1/2 cup water

30 sprigs of fresh flat leaf parsley

4 tsp of vegetable bouillon (can use other kinds if you are not vegetarian)

4 gloves of garlic

3 cups of crackers, finely crushed

2 cups of walnut pieces, chopped

2 cups of old-fashioned oats

1 (14 oz) package of extra firm tofu, drained of liquid and crumbled

Method

• In a food processor, puree onion, garlic, parsley and water until smooth.
• Pour in a bowl, add remaining ingredients. Mix well until mixture holds together.
• Shape in 1-inch balls, and place on cookie sheets (this makes between 50 and 60 balls).
• Preheat oven to 375F, bake for 15 minutes, turn balls and bake an additional 15 minutes.
• Enjoy or refrigerate or freeze.

Dates Wrapped in Bacon

Ingredients
12 slices turkey bacon, cut in half
24 almonds, smoked
24 dates, pitted

Method

• Preheat oven to 450F
• Lay half a slice of bacon flat, stuff a date with a smoked almond, wrap in bacon, and secure with a toothpick.
• Repeat with rest of bacon, almonds and dates.
• Put appetizers on cookie sheet, bake for 8 minutes, flip over and bake for an additional 8 minutes. Serve or refrigerate and serve the next day after you bring to room temperature.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

This tastes better the second day

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder
5 Tb vegetable oil
1 Tb white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup cold water

Method

• Preheat oven to 350F, grease an 8x8 inch baking pan
• In a bowl, mix flour, salt, sugar cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Pour cold water and mix for 3 to 4 minutes (do not skimp on this mixing otherwise the cake will be weird and crumbly).
• Pour batter in pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on rack.
• This tastes better the second day.

Potato Torte

This looks quite impressive and easy to make. I sliced the potatoes using a mandolin, I think it will also work quite well if you slice them in a food processor.

Ingredients
1 Tb extra vrigin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 scallion, sliced
1 tsp herbes de provence
1 tsp zaatar (you can use oregano or marjoram if you don't have zaatar)
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sweet potato, peeled and sliced (1/8 inch thickness)
1 pound golden potato, peeled and sliced (1/8 inch thickness)
3 cloved of garlic minced

Method

• Position oven rack at the lowest level and pre-heat oven to 450F.
• Coat a deep-dish pie pan or a casserole pan with non-stick spray, cover in aluminum foil and spray the foil too.
• Heat oil in skillet, and saute onion, scallion, until softened. Add garlic, herbes de provence, 1/4 tsp salt, some freshly ground black pepper and zaatar and saute for 1 more minute.
• Layer half sweet potato slices overlapping, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with 1/3 of onion mix, and a layer of potato slices overlapping, sprinkle with salt an pepper. Top with 1/3 of onion mix. Repeat until you use all potato, sweet potato and onion mix.
• Press down on the pie, cover tightly with a sprayed piece of aluminum foil.
  Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover, invert on a serving plate and serve. Or, you can let it cool, refrigerate and use it the next day, bring it to room temperature though or reheat covered in oven at 350F.

Moist Baked Oatmeal

This screams cozy and winter. It is adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine. It is also the perfect way to eat healthy and use up all the dried fruits I have lying around during this time of year.

Ingredients

3 cups oats

1 cup mixed dried fruit

2 tsp baking powder

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup low-fat strawberry yogurt (can use other flavors)

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

• Set oven to 350°F Spray with non-stick an 8-in square baking dish.
• Mix oats, dried fruits, baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, mix applesauce, yogurt, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir into oat mixture and pour in baking dish.
• Smooth surface and sprinkle with cinnamon on top.
• Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool in pan for 20 to 30 minutes, cut into 6 squares and cool completely.
• Park in the fridge, or even better, freeze individual portions in zip-top bags. When ready to serve them, put a piece on a plate, drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of milk, heat in the microwave for 1 minute or more if frozen. Add fresh fruits on top and enjoy.

Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients
6 Tb sugar
11 Tb pumpkin puree (this is 3/4 cup missing 1 Tb)
1 Tb corn oil
1/2 Tb flax seed meal
1 1/2 Tb water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips

Method

• Boil water, add to flax meal, stir and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Mix sugar, pumpkin, oil, vanilla, and flax meal mix.
• Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• Stir to mix well. Add chocolate chips and stir.
• Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Fig, Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pizza

This is wonderful cut in small squares as an appetizer

Ingredients
1 can of pizza dough, refrigerated, or make your own dough (12-16 oz)
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, sliced
7 to 8 dried figs, sliced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup grated cheese (use your favorite, I usually use gouda, or fontina)

Method

• In a pan, saute onions in olive oil until caramelized.
• Preheat oven to 450F. Spread pizza dough and bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Take out of the oven, spread onions, top with figs, goat cheese, rosemary and grated cheese.
• Return to oven and bake until cheese melt and dough is golden brown (10-15 minutes).
  

Okra Tagine

I used to think I hate okra, until I tried this recipe. It is very healthy and I couldn't get enough of it.

Ras-El-Hanout is a moroccan blend of spices, you can buy it pre-mixed or use my recipe for it.

Ingredients

1 bag of frozen baby okra

1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro

2 Tb extra-virgin olive oil

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

1 medium sweet onion, finely diced

3 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp of ground black pepper

3 plum tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup vegetable broth

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed

1 tsp of Ras-El-Hanout

Method

• Blanch the okra: bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add okra and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the okra.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add bell pepper and saute. Add onions, garlic, ginger, pepper and ras el hanout. Cook, stirring until onions are soft. Add tomatoes, broth, cumin, okra and cilantro. Reduce heat to med, partially cover.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until okra is soft. Add chickpeas, cook for 4 more minutes.

Black Lentils and Sausage Stew

ahhhh, comfort food. This is awesome with a couple of slices of baguette. I use hot sausage but you can substitute any kind you like.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup lentils (black beluga or green French)
1 lb hot italian sausage, bulk
8 oz frozen sweet white corn
1 medium onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
5 cups water
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Brown sausage over medium heat with onions and celery breaking them into small pieces.
• Pour in the water, add pepper and lentils. Stir all the ingredients, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring from time to time to prevent the lentils from sticking or burning. Remove lid for the last 1/2 hour while simmering.