Seitan 'n Salsa

This dish was so delish. I put everything in the crock pot in the morning, and I could smell the wonderfulness wafting from my home even before I opened the front door. Positive reviews from everyone! Feel free to substitute anything for the seitan - tofu, tempeh, portabello mushrooms or even mock chicken.

1/2 recipe Cheater Seitan
1 12oz can corn
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup salsa of your choice - the chunkier the better
1 12oz can tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups black beans
Real salt to taste

Put all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for at least 4 hours, but I cooked mine for 9 and it worked out fine. If possible, stir from time to time to ensure the dish doesn't burn.

Serve over brown rice, barley or whole wheat pasta. If desired, garnish with non-dairy sour cream and non-dairy cheese.

Black Bean Quinoa Vegetable Soup

Okay, so I pretty much just listed the ingredients, but I couldn't come up with a better name. :) My youngest son said, "Just call it soup." I guess I could have done that. It was tasty and made enough for three leftover portions - that's 3 days of lunches. I've started portioning out the leftovers, freezing them, and then sealing them in a food saver bag. This soup will work marvelously for that. It's high in fiber and protein and totally delicious.

7 cups vegetable broth*
3 large carrots
4 red potatoes
1 medium onion, diced
2 bay leaves
1 t. basil
1 1/2 c. cooked quinoa (cook 1/2 c. dry in 1 1/2 c. water for 15 minutes)
1 1/2 c. cooked black beans (rinse well if using canned)
1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
Real Salt, garlic powder, and any other desired seasonings to taste
1 T. miso

Bring vegetable broth to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, potatoes, onion and bay leaves. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork.

Add basil, cooked quinoa, black beans and tomatoes. Continue simmering until heated through. Add other seasonings (Real Salt, garlic powder, etc.) to taste. Remove from heat and stir in miso. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8, 1 1/2 c. servings

*Note: if using vegetable broth powder or bullion (which is generally what I use), add it at the end of the cooking cycle just before the miso.

Random factoid: Miso is extremely delicate. It should never be cooked or boiled, or it will curdle, break down and otherwise become disgusting. Always add miso at the very end of the cooking cycle after removing from heat. Yum!

Mean Green Bean Soup

I wish I had thought of this while zucchini was in season, but it will certainly be a stand-by recipe next fall. In the meantime, this is a wonderful little treat to warm you up on those cold winter nights.

1 bay leaf
3 c. vegetable broth
2 T. olive oil
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 c. cooked white beans
2 c. sliced zucchini
1/2 of a 10 oz package frozen spinach (or use fresh)
1 c. cooked barley
1 T. dijon mustard
1 T. curry powder
2 T. nutritional yeast
1 T. miso paste

Put vegetable broth and bay leaf in a large pot. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and let stand 10 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is soft. If you prefer carmelized onion, which I love, cook a little longer until onion browns. Sometimes I carmelize some garlic along with the onion. :~)

Put onion and all remaining ingredients except nutritional yeast and miso paste into the large pot with vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook over medium heat about 3 to 5 minutes, or until zucchini is cooked and soup is heated through. Do not over cook! Mushy zucchini is nasty. :(

Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Add nutritional yeast and miso paste, stirring well to combine. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

Random factoid: You may have noticed that when using nutritional yeast I always recommend adding it at the end of the cooking cycle after removing the dish from heat. I have read conflicting reports, but some suggest that nutritional yeast will break down when cooked. Personally, I have noticed that it becomes slightly bitter if boiled, so I add it at the end. The choice is yours.

Bean & Barley Weight Loss Soup

I call this "weight loss soup" because it's relatively low in calories, very low in fat, and high in both protein and fiber. It uses a few more processed ingredients than I usually like (canned corn, green beans, etc.) so feel free to substitute fresh or frozen if you have them. This is especially good for combatting the Christmas Hangover - you know, the time when in three days you eat more cookies and fudge than any person should eat over the course of a lifetime.

1 1/2 c. black beans
1 can (12 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (12 oz) white or yellow corn, drained
1 can (12 oz) green beans, drained
1 c. cooked barley (not pearled)
1/2 onion, diced
2 c. veggie broth
1 large or 2 small bay leaves
Basil, granulated garlic (or fresh garlic), and Real Salt to taste
2 T. nutritional yeast

Combine all ingredients except basil, garlic, salt and nutritional yeast in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add basil, garlic, and salt to taste. Continue simmering for 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Add nutritional yeast, stir well, and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Makes 4, 1 1/2 cup servings or 6, 1 cup servings.

Curry Wraps

My oldest hates everything foreign - usually until he tries it. This was no exception. The flavor was not something he was used to, but it was quite yummy and we all enjoyed it. I should have made mored because they both wanted seconds! :o)

1 1/2 c. cooked barley
1 1/2 c. cooked white beans
Curry Sauce (recipe will follow)
3 burrito-sized wheat tortillas
9 romaine lettuce leaves
Shredded Vegan Cheese (if desired)

Combine barley and white beans in a large bowl or pot. Use a bowl if you are making a cold wrap and use a pot if you are making a warm wrap.

Prepare Curry Sauce:
1 package (12 oz) light firm silken tofu, drained
1 t. yellow curry powder
1 t. Real Salt
1/4 t. granulated garlic
1/4 t. ginger
1/8 c. nutritional yeast
1 T. Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/4 c. coconut milk

Place all ingredients except coconut milk in a hand blender. Add half of the coconut milk and begin blending, adding more milk as necessary to reach desired consistency. The sauce should be thin but not runny. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Add 1/2 of the sauce mixture to beans and barley, stirring to combine. Store remaining sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. If you want a warm wrap, heat barley mixture over low heat until just heated through. Remove center rib from lettuce leaves, and arrange three of each lettuce leaf on each tortilla. Top with 1/3 of barley mixture. Fold bottom up and then roll both sides over like a burrito. Serve immediately.

If desired, garnish with tomato and/or avocato before rolling.

Mushroom and Rice Soup

The biggest debate we had here was whether to add diced tomatoes to the recipe. Ultimately we decided no tomatoes with the Pick-a-Number routine. It was delicious and filling. We had very large servings and there was enough for 3 bowls. We will definitely be making this again.

2 c. vegetable broth
4 large carrots, scrubbed and sliced into "coins"
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 bay leaves
4 large mushrooms or 6 to 8 small mushrooms, stems removed and chopped
1 c. cooked brown rice
1 1/2 c. cooked garbanzo beans
Real Salt, granulated garlic and basil to taste
1 T. white or yellow miso
1/4 c. nutritional yeast

In a very large saucepan combine vegetable broth, carrots, onion, garlic, celery and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves.

Add seasonings to taste. It is easier to do it at this stage of the cooking than at the end because there are more Chunky Things through which you must blend the seasonings. If you prefer to do it at the end you can. :~)

Add mushrooms, rice and beans. Return to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until mushrooms are soft. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Remove from heat and add miso and nutritional yeast. Serve immediately.

Variations: Like many things on this blog, the vegetables can be swapped out, added or otherwise changed. Zucchini and spinach are some that come to mind. However, the soup can be made creamier, if desired. To make creamier, blend garbanzo beans with about 1/2 cup of the soup broth before adding to the soup. You can blend all or part of the beans, depending on your preference.

Note: When adding miso to a soup, it is important that the miso not be boiled. If boiled, miso paste turns oily and icky and, quite frankly, doesn't taste very good. For best results, cook the soup completely and add miso right before serving, AFTER removing soup from the heat source. :)

**Can be made in the slow cooker.** :o)

Random factoid: Most people toss a significant amount of fiber by peeling the skins off veggies. Whenever possible, leave the skins on vegetables like carrots and potatoes. Just scrub 'em good.

Unfried Refried Beans

Traditional refried beans are literally pan-fried in lard. Gross! I tried making "vegetarian" refried beans, but something just wasn't quite right. After many not-quite-there attempts, I think I finally got it right.

1 1/2 c. cooked pinto beans
1/8 c. olive oil
2 T. vegetable broth powder OR vegetarian beef-flavored bullion (check the bulk section of health food stores)
2 T. minced garlic
1 t. Real Salt (more to taste)
1/2 t. cumin
Water

Place all ingredients except water in a food processor fitted with a metal S-shaped blade. Begin processing on medium speed, drizzling a few tablespoons of water at a time until desired consistency is reached. Stop after about 30 seconds, scrape down the sides, and process again for 30 seconds. Continue processing and scraping until beans are very smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. (If you like chunkier beans, leave them chunkier.) If desired, add some minced onion and pulse to combine.

If not using beans right away, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. If using immediately, place beans in a medium-sized pot or skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, just until heated through.

Variation: Use other kinds of beans. This is similar to hummus, only that the seasonings are slightly different. My favorite non-pinto-bean combination is 1/2 white beans and 1/2 black beans. Using all black beans is also delicious.

Sweet 'n Creamy Dippy Spread

I originally made this as a dip for my homemade sweet potato fries, but it was absolutely delish spread on a bagel. This could easily be adapted as a savory dip/spread by adjusting the seasonings. The boys watched me make it and STILL didn't notice the beans. Bonus: a high protein, high fiber dip/spread that tastes sweet and creamy.

1 1/2 c. cooked white beans
1/8 c. agave nectar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
2 T. cashew butter
Non-dairy milk as needed

Place all ingredients except milk in a blender - preferably a high powered blender like BlendTec (but a regular blender will also work). Begin processing on low speed, drizzling milk in through opening in the lid. Use as much as needed for a smooth consistency, but remember this will be a dip/spread so it should be thick.

Process on medium high speed until very smooth. Check for taste, adding additional agave or seasonings if desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.

Note: Cashew butter is quite expensive. I use it frequently because of the creaminess it lends to dishes, so I have it on hand. If you don't use it and don't want to buy an expensive jar for one recipe, soak a large handful of raw cashews in hot water for 30 minutes and use in place of the cashew butter, or use peanut butter or almond butter instead. These nut butters have a more distinct taste (and you will probably notice a hint of peanuts or almonds respectively), but it will still be delicious.

Hearty Veggie Stew

The boys usually don't like soup for dinner, presumably because it's not very filling. The beans and barley make it stick-to-your-ribs-tasty. When I first started cooking, my almost-15-year-old said with a disgusted tone, "What has infiltrated our dinner?!?" Then when he ate it he said, "Dearest Mumsies, this soup is actually quite good!" I guess that's a compliment. :o)

1/2 c. dry barley
4 c. veggie broth
2 bay leaves
1 small onion, diced
1 T. granulated garlic (or use desired amount of fresh garlic)
2 t. dried basil
1 to 2 t. Real Salt
1 1/2 c. cooked garbanzo beans
1 12 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
2 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 large mushrooms, diced (about 3/4 cup when diced)
1/4 c. nutritional yeast

Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water, 2 cups or more, and bring to a boil. Sort and rinse dry barley. Add to pot, return to boil, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until very tender. Drain.

While barley is cooking, combine veggie broth and bay leaves in a very large pot. Bring to a very low boil and cook for about 2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, basil and Real Salt. Stir to combine. Simmer about 10 minutes. Add garbanzo beans and tomatoes. Reduce heat to very low, just enough to keep warm, and simmer until barley finishes cooking.

Add barley, zucchini and mushrooms to soup mix. Stir to combine. At this point it may look like there is too much "stuff" for the broth, but resist the temptation to add liquid. The zucchini and mushrooms will cook down and it will turn out perfect. Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes or until zucchini and mushrooms are very tender. Remove from heat and add nutritional yeast, stirring to combine.

Serve immediately. Makes 4 very generous portions.

Roasted Eggplant with Cream Sauce

I had to make a deal with the boys that they would get ice cream if they ate it, but they ended up liking it anyway! There's something about the word "eggplant" that makes them balk, but they usually end up enjoying the recipes. I would definitely make this again, but I think I overdid it on the nutritional yeast in the sauce. The recipe for the sauce is with the scaled down amount, but feel free to adjust it if necessary.

2 small eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 egg replacers (like EnerG)
1 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
1 12 oz. package firm silken tofu
2 T. dried onion flakes
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. Real Salt
2 T. nutritional yeast
1 T. white or yellow miso paste
Non-dairy milk as needed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or lightly coat with olive oil. Put breadcrumbs in a 1 gallon plastic bag or pour onto a large dinner plate or similar dish (the bag is much easier). Dip 1/2 eggplant slices in egg mixture, then toss in breadcrumbs. Spread out evenly in baking dish. Repeat with the second half of the eggplant slices. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until eggplant is cooked through, turning eggplant over halfway through baking.

While eggplant is baking, prepare sauce. Put remaining ingredients except non-dairy milk into a blender. Begin processing on slow, adding non-dairy milk a little at a time as needed until a pourable consistency forms. Because we are using dried onion flakes, I recommend blending for at least a minute to incorporate the onion flakes. If you prefer, you can substitute onion powder for the onion flakes (onion flakes are just what I had on hand).

When eggplant is roasted, pour sauce evenly over eggplant slices and place back in oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until sauce is heated through. Watch closely to prevent burning. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving, as sauce will be very hot.

Variation: If you prefer, substitute 1 1/2 cups white beans for the tofu. It will be necessary to add additional liquid this way, which can either be additional non-dairy milk, vegetable broth, or water. This will increase the protein and fiber content. Yum! :o)

Creamy Broccoli Soup

This soup is so thick and creamy you'd never know it didn't contain dairy. If you prefer bigger chunks of broccoli in your soup, simply leave some of the tiny florets whole. Disclaimer: it took a bit to get this to taste "just right," so there are quite a few ingredients listed. Feel free to adapt it according to your individual taste.

2 large stalks broccoli
4 c. vegetable broth
1 1/2 c. cooked white beans
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
1 T. white miso
1 T. dried onion flakes
Soy Milk, as needed
1/4 c. hemp seeds
1 to 2 T. garlic powder
2 to 3 drops liquid smoke
1 T. Tamari, soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 large pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 ripe avocado
Real Salt, to taste
Cornstarch, if needed for thickening

Cut broccoli florets from stalk. Soak in a bowl of cold water mixed with about ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (or other edible acid) for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the tough skin from the stalk of the broccoli. Cut into smaller pieces, no bigger than ½ inch. Place all broccoli in a food processor and run on low speed for a few seconds or until broccoli resembles very coarse cornmeal. If desired, leave out a handful of the smaller florets to give the soup a chunkier feel.

Put broccoli and vegetable broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently. Cook for about 10 minutes.

While broccoli is cooking, place beans, nutritional yeast, miso and onion flakes in a blender. Add a small amount of soy milk, less than ¼ cup, and begin to blend on low speed, adding more soy milk as necessary so it blends easily. Toward the end of the blending cycle add hemp seeds. Continue blending until smooth and creamy. Pour directly into broccoli mixture and stir to combine. Note: there is no need to clean out the blender at this point.

Add garlic powder, liquid smoke, Tamari or soy sauce and nutmeg to pot. Continue to simmer. Meanwhile, put avocado and 1 cup of soup mixture into the blender. Blend on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Use caution when opening blender lid as inner contents will be hot. Pour contents back into pot, stirring to combine. Test for taste, adding salt or additional seasonings as necessary.

Cook for about 10 minutes to cook down a little. If soup is too thin, mix a couple of tablespoons cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water, stir to dissolve, and pour slowly into soup. Cook a few more minutes to thicken.

Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator, heating before serving.

Random Factoid: You know how when you're cooking along and testing and tasting and your dish is just missing something? That Missing Something is what the Japanese call Umami. Umami are specific ingredients that are known as the Fifth Taste. Salt, soy sauce, and avocado are all examples of Umami. For more information about Umami, check out the Umami website at http://www.umamiinfo.com/. Bottom line: if your dish just needs "something," try adding a Umami - you'll probably be amazed at the results.

"Fettucini" Alfredo

This is probably one of my favorite dishes, and I cannot believe I haven't posted it yet. The zucchini "noodles" make this a perfectly healthy, low-carb and low-fat dish.

2 medium zucchini
Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. white wine or cooking wine
1 12oz package soft silken tofu, drained
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 T. nutritional yeast
Real Salt as desired

Using a spiral slicer, slice zucchini into long, thin "noodles". If you don't have a spiral slicer, you can use a regular cheese grater to slice the zucchini, but it will not have the same effect. Still as tasty, but not as aesthetically pleasing. :o)

Pour a small amount of olive oil into a large skillet. Add onion and garlic. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic have caramelized. Add white wine and cook for another minute or until wine has evaporated.

Place onion mixture, tofu, nutmeg, nutritional yeast and salt (if using) into a blender. Process on med-high speed for about a minute, adding a little non-dairy milk if needed to get the desired consistency.

Pour sauce into a medium saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes, or until just heated through. Do not let sauce boil. Serve immediately over zucchini.

Top with hemp, sesame or sunflower seeds, smoked paprika or parsley if desired.

Note: If you prefer not to use soy in your dishes, substitute 1 1/2 c. cooked white beans for the tofu. You will need to add significantly more liquid when blending (think veggie broth, non-dairy milk and/or water), but it will still be yummy-licious.

Black Bean Hummus

I know I already have hummus on this blog, but the Black Bean Hummus was just too good not to post! Use it as a spread, a dip for veggies, or even just eat it straight off a spoon! I recently started heating hummus before eating it, and I almost like it warm better than cold.

1 1/2 c. black beans
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. minced garlic (yes, it's a lot of garlic, so this is not a date-friendly food)
1 t. cumin
1 to 2 t. Real Salt
2 T. Olive Oil
water

Place all ingredients except water into a food processor. Turn on low and process for about 30 seconds, or until beans are well mashed. Stop food processor and scrape down the sides. Add a few tablespoons of water and continue processing on low or medium speed. Add additional water as necessary to reach desired consistency, stopping periodically to scrape sides. Do not add too much water or the hummus will be too wet and become crumbly.

Garden Chili

Chili is one of my favorite cold weather dishes. Granted, it's July right now and quite the opposite of cold here in good ol' Salt Lake City (although we have had a relatively mellow summer so far), but we had a craving tonight and decided to go for it. Feel free to use diced fresh tomatoes rather than canned if you're feeling the urge to be super-healthy - we just didn't have them on hand. :o) This will also work wonderfully in a slow cooker, making dinner ready as soon as you walk in the door.

3 cups beans (mix or match black, kidney, white, garbanzo and/or adzuki)
1/2 small onion, minced
1 small zucchini, sliced very thinly
1/2 small bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 cans (12oz) petite diced tomatoes, no salt added
2 cans (6 oz) tomato sauce
1/4 cup chili powder
1 t. smoked paprika
1 to 2 t. garlic powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Real Salt to taste

Combine beans, onion, zucchini, bell pepper, carrots, tomatoes and tomato sauce in a large pan, stirring to combine. Add chili powder, paprika and garlic powder and stir to incorporate. Bring to a very low boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Turn off heat, add nutritional yeast, and let stand for 5 minutes.

This chili is excellent when served over cooked spaghetti sauce. :~)

Random Factoid: OoPs! Did you add too much nutritional yeast and the flavor is overpowering your dish? Pour in some soy milk, a little at a time. Soy milk will mellow the intense flavor of too much nutritional yeast.

Variations: If you like your dish to have more of a smokey flavor, reduce the amount of paprika and add some cumin and coriander. Also consider adding different vegetables such as spinach, fresh corn or fresh peas.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic Hummus

Of all the hummus flavors I've played with, this is my favorite. It's great on wraps, pitas, as a dip for veggies, or spread on toast.

1 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans (or 1 12oz can, drained and rinsed well)
1/8 cup (more or less to preference) marinated sun dried tomatoes
1 to 2 T. lemon juice
1 to 2 T. tahini
2 to 3 T. minced garlic (more if you like a strong garlic flavor)
Water

Place beans, tomatoes, lemon juice, tahini and garlic in a food processor with a metal blade, starting with the lesser amounts. Pulse a few times until ingredients start to combine. Turn on low and drizzle water, a little at a time, until mixture is blending easily. Stop food processor, scrape sides, and taste - add additional ingredients if desired to taste. Continue processing, stopping occasionally to scrape sides. Hummus is finished when it is thoroughly combined and almost smooth (it will still be slightly lumpy).

Makes about 1 1/2 cups hummus. Will store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for about a week.

Random Factoid: Most commercially prepared hummus contains a lot of olive oil, which is not inherently bad for you but it does contain a significant amount of fat. I omit the olive oil in this recipe for two reasons: 1) the sun-dried tomatoes are already contributing olive oil because they are generally packed in it and 2) I really don't think the hummus needs it anyway. If you want the olive oil, feel free to add it, drizzling a little at a time, but it will be more fattening this way.

Spinach Hummus Wrap

The boys are visiting their father for a couple of weeks and I don't feel the need to cook a large meal just for me. I made this wrap from tossing several things together from the refrigerator, but it turned out great.

For One Wrap:
1 large tortilla or wrap
2 T. hummus
1/4 roasted bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/8 cup diced (not sliced) baby portabello mushrooms
2 T. brown rice
8 to 10 large spinach leaves (or however many will fit in your wrap)
1 to 2 T. Creamy Vegan Ranch

Note: The hyperlinks will take you to a recipe on this blog for the required ingredient.

Optional: Heat tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds or in a heated skillet until just warm. This step is not required considering this is a cold wrap, but it does help the tortilla to roll more easily without tearing.

Spread hummus down the center of the wrap. Top hummus with peppers, mushrooms and brown rice. Add spinach, then drizzle ranch.

Fold like a burrito, tucking the "bottom" side in first. It is helpful to use a dull knife to stuff the vegetables into the wrap so they don't fall out while rolling.

Serve immediately or wrap in foil until lunch (be sure to recycle it when you're finished). :o)

Wraps are a great way to get some veggies into your diet. Load the tortillas up with any combination of vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, or even fruits. Sauces are the key to a delicious wrap - play with vegan Ranch, Caesar, varied flavors of hummus (my favorite is sun-dried tomato), or vegan cheese sauces.

Baked Falafel Burgers

While at the store the other day I was looking for something healthy and vegan that the kids wouldn't balk at (they've been doing a lot of balking lately). I came across some packaged falafel. I had never eaten falafel before, but the ingredients were wholesome so I figured we'd give it a try. I was completely amazed at the results. I thought, "If the packaged mix is this good, they're probably to die for when homemade!" I didn't like that it was fried in oil, so I surfed the web to get the gist of the ingredients and then made these tonight for dinner. I decided to bake them with cooking spray instead of frying them in oil. It worked like a charm! They got great reviews from the kids.

1 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans
1/2 cup cooked mung beans (optional)*
1 small sweet onion
1 large handful fresh spinach leaves
3 T. whole wheat flour
1 T. parsley
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. ground cumin
1 T. Real Salt
2 T. minced garlic
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

* Mung beans are not a traditional ingredient in falafel. I added them because a) I had them on hand and b) I was afraid the garbanzo beans were not going to yield enough food for my growing teenage boys to devour. As it is, it would have worked out fine without them, but fine with them, too. Fava beans or white beans would also work, or simply use more garbanzo beans (I just happen to store mine in 1 1/2 cup portions).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If using canned garbanzo beans rinse very well. Spread garbanzo beans onto a single layer atop paper towels and allow to dry.

Put garbanzo beans, mung beans (if using) and onion in a food processor and blend on low setting until very well combined. Add spinach and process to incorporate. Add seasonings and pulse a few times until fully mixed. It will be necessary to stop the food processor and scrape the sides numerous times during the blending process. The mixture will be wet and very crumbly. Resist the temptation to add liquids - you won't be able to form the patties if the mixture is too wet and it won't cook properly.

Put mixture into a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to ensure seasonings have blended well, adding additional seasonings if necessary to taste. The mixture should stick together when squeezed gently. If it does not, add additional flour.

Line a baking sheet with foil and coat generously with cooking spray. Form mixture into six hamburger-sized patties (they will not shrink like beef does) and gently arrange on cooking sheet. The mixture will be wet and squishy. Spray tops of falafel burgers with additional cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip and spray again with cooking spray. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Falafel should be browned on both sides. If it is not, bake an additional 5 minutes at a time, turning frequently, until browned. The insides will still be slightly moist.

Makes 6 burgers. We eat them like regular hamburgers with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc. However, falafel is traditionally served in a pita with a cool cucumber dressing, which is also an option. They tend to get a little more crumbly when stored, so if storing is necessary, make sure the patties are not disturbed to keep them intact.

Cal 95; Fat >1; Carb 18; Fiber 4; Protein 4

Note: If you object to using generous portions of cooking spray, which some people might, it would be perfectly acceptable to use a light coat of olive oil. Keep in mind this will skew the nutritional facts, adding fat and calories to the final count.

Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Salad

The only thing that would have made this salad better was roasted almonds, but I didn't have any on hand. As a bonus, we had fresh spinach from the garden, but packaged spinach will also work. I took this as a dish to a Memorial Day barbecue and it was a huge hit.

1 red bell pepper, roasted (see post on roasting peppers)
12 cups raw spinach (about 2 regular sized packages)
1 cup cooked adzuki beans
1/2 recipe Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe to follow)

In a very large skillet, heat a small amount of water (about 1/8 cup) and olive oil (about 1 teaspoon). When water is almost boiling, place a small amount of the spinach directly into the hot pan. Turn quickly over and over with tongs until spinach just starts to cook. Do not allow it to cook thoroughly. Set aside on a plate while finishing the remaining spinach in batches.

Remove as much water as possible from the spinach. Place wilted spinach in a large serving bowl. Top with beans. Dice roasted pepper and sprinkle over salad. Prepare dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 T. minced garlic
1 t. Real Salt
1 t. crushed black pepper

Place all ingredients in a jar with a screw-top lid. Shake vigorously for about one minute or until ingredients are combined.

Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Add more dressing if necessary.

Optional: prepare dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. This will help blend the flavors.

Vegan Rice and Beans with White Sauce

Every once in a while the boys and I will have what we call Choice Night, which is just a nice way of saying they can have something that either contains mad meat or that comes out of a can (and usually both). That leaves me to my own devices for a vegan meal. Sometimes I have leftovers and sometimes I don't - tonight I did not. This is what I whipped up from some of the ingredients in my refrigerator.

3/4 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked adzuki beans
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/2 tomato, diced
1 to 2 t. raw hemp seeds

For sauce:
1 package (12 oz) silken soft tofu
3 T. nutritional yeast
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 to 2 t. Real Salt
1 to 2 t. dried dill
1 to 2 T. raw apple cider vinegar

Place a small amount of olive oil in a medium saucepan or skillet. Combine rice, beans, scallion and tomato and add to skillet. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Meanwhile, combine tofu, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, dill and apple cider vinegar in the container for a hand blender or in a traditional blender. Blend until smooth. Start with the lower amount of salt, dill and vinegar, adding more as needed to reach desired intensity of flavor.

Divide bean mixture between two plates (in my case, one plate and one storage container). Top with as much sauce as desired. Remaining sauce will keep stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Sprinkle hemp seeds on top of sauce and serve immediately.

Note: This dish has a lot of what I call "Natural Flavor," meaning you can really taste the flavors of the food you are eating. Some people call this "bland." If you are concerned about your food being too bland, taste bean mixture before plating. If not flavorful enough for your taste, add chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and/or garlic to spice it up before serving.

Makes two servings plus a lot of sauce leftover. Sauce will go well over vegetables, rice or beans during the week.

Baked Burritos

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, the boys wanted something Mexican-ish. They originally suggested burritos, which are not my favorite. Earlier in the day I had come across a number of different recipes for Cinco de Mayo feasts, and this is a hybrid of my favorite parts of each.

8 (8 inch) flour tortillas (whole wheat is best)
1 can (12 oz) fat free refried beans*
1/2 small onion, diced
1 cup packed spinach, thinly sliced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. non-dairy cheese (optional)
Taco seasoning to taste
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

To prepare burritos, put a small amount of each ingredient just off center on each tortilla in the following order: beans, onion, tomatoes, taco seasoning, spinach, cheese. Tuck each side in and roll into a burrito. Place on prepared baking sheet with the open edge down to hold it in place.

Use a pastry brush to very lightly coat each burrito with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn over and bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with salsa, avocado, non-dairy sour cream or any other desired burrito toppings.

Makes 8 burritos.

*If you have time, homemade refried beans are really easy. Take 1 1/2 c. cooked pinto beans (from scratch, not from the can or what's the point?) and mash with a potato masher. Mix with just enough water to get the right consistency, 1/2 t. of cumin, 1 T. powdered vegetable broth, and Real Salt to taste. Stir and continue adding water as necessary. Feel free to play with the seasonings until you get the taste you're after. They're much tastier than the canned beans, although they do take a bit more time.

Nutrition facts per burrito without garnishes
Cal: 265, Fat: 10, Carb: 35, Fiber: 4, Protein: 9

Random Factoid: Most commercially produced non-dairy cheeses contain casein, which is a milk protein. I hate to point out the obvious, but that means it's not a dairy-free cheese. Checking the label for casein (or more appropriately, lack of casein) will ensure you're getting a truly dairy-free cheese.