Red Wine Tempeh w/ Polenta

1 tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Shallots, sliced
3 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. each dried Basil and Thyme
2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
3 Zucchini, 1/2" slice
2 tbsp. Sun Dried Tomato, in oil
8 oz. Tempeh, cut into 16 cubes
15 oz. can diced Tomato
1/4 c. Red Wine
1/4 c. prepared Marinara Sauce

Salt & Pepper to taste
Garnish with fresh Parsley

Prepared Polenta, 1" slice

Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Stir in garlic, dried basil and thyme and cook another minute. Reduce heat and add in balsamic vinegar to deglaze pan. Stir constantly until the vinegar has dissolved. Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes until zucchini and tempeh are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over grilled polenta and garnish with parsley.

Hearty Corn Chowder

4 c. Corn Stock (recipe below)

1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 stalk of Celery, chopped
1 c. New Potatoes, coarsley chopped
4 corn cobbs, kernels only
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 1/2 c. Asparagus, sliced
1 Carrot, thinly sliced
1 c. Chicken style Seitan (optional)
Parsley to garnish

Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Add 1/2 of onion and cook 5-7 minutes until soft.  Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds.  Add in celery and potato.  Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.  Add in corn kernels and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in corn stock, cover, and bring to a boil.  Cook 25-30 minutes until vegetables are very tender.  Puree' with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender. Strain out any solids that may remain (optional, but makes for a much smoother soup).  Season with salt and pepper.

Return soup to pot and add in remaining 1/2 onion, carrot, and asparagus.  Cover and return to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook another 10-12 minutes until vegetables are tender.  Add in seitan and cook another couple minutes until heated through.

Serve and garnish with some freshly chopped parsley.

CORN STOCK
4 corn cobbs, kernels removed (reserve for soup)
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
1 onion
handful of parsley
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf

Break corn cobbs in half.  Coarsley chop celery, carrot and onion.  Add all ingredients into a large stockpot with 8 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 1-1 1/2 hours until liquid has reduced to half. Allow stock to cool and strain out vegetables.

Kale Salad

4 c. Dino or Black Kale, chopped
1/4 c. Red Pepper, diced
1/4 c. Fennel, diced
2 tbsp. Red Onion, minced
1/4 c. Raisins or Cranberries
2 tbsp. Sunflower or Pumpkin Seeds

Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp. Olive Oil

Place chopped kale in a large bowl.  Add in lemon juice and salt and massage kale until it starts to become soft, about 3 minutes.  Add in red pepper, red onion, fennel and raisins. Toss to combine.  Refrigerate for an hour to let marinate.

Just before serving, toss with red wine vinegar, olive oil and sunflower seeds.

Chipotle Kabobs

MARINADE
1/4 c. Olive Oil
1/4 c. Vegetable Broth
1/4 c. Soy Sauce
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Chipotle Pepper in Abode Sauce, diced
1 tsp. Vegan Worstershire Sauce
1 tsp. Dried Oregano

VEGETABLES
1 Yellow Squash, sliced 1/4"
1 Onion, halved then quartered
1 1/2 c. Whole Cremini Mushrooms
1 Red Pepper, large chop
1 c. Grape Tomatoes

7 oz. Seasoned Tofu, cubed




Combine all the the marinade ingredients. Put chopped vegetables into a large ziplock freezer bag and pour marinade over. Let marinate for at least an hour.

Place some skewers in water and let soak for 20 minutes while vegetables marinate.

Alternate vegetables with tofu on skewers and grill for about 7-10 minutes, turning occasionally until they are evenly browned. Oh yeah, and don't use none of that Hank Hill propane shit, it's all about the smokey charcoal flavor.

White Bean Dip

1 15oz. Can of White Beans
2 cloves Garlic
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. Olive Oil
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
2 tbsp. Parsley
1/8 tsp. Pepper

Drain and rinse white beans. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. This recipe is similar to hummus, but with a creamier, more Italian flavor. Give it a shot!

Morrocan Millet

The saffron in this recipe gives the millet its beautiful, bright amber color.  The  flavor is very complex and has a nice, slightly sweet flavor that compliments the spiciness of the tofu it is pictured with.  Feel free to swap out the millet with couscous or rice if you can't find it, just be sure to cook the grains according to package directions!





1 tsp. Olive Oil
1 large Shallot, finely chopped
1/2 c. Millet
3/4 tsp. Coriander
1 c. Vegetable Broth/Water
Pinch of Saffron
1 whole Star Anise
Juice of half a Lemon
2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped
7-10 dried Apricots, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the shallot, and cook stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.  Add in the millet and cook, stirring constantly, another 3-4 minutes (Be careful not to burn the millet, you just want to toast it to bring out its nutty flavor.  If it starts to turn dark brown, you've burnt it.  You want a light golden brown color).  Add in the coriander and cook another 30 seconds.  Stir in broth, saffron, and star anise.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 25-30 minutes, until all of the water has absorbed.  Let stand covered for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork. The millet should now have a vibrant copper color!  Add in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

*Serve with Spice Crusted Tofu.

Makes 2 servings

Spice Crusted Tofu

   

Tofu thats extra crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and bursting with flavor!

MARINADE
12 oz. Extra-Firm Tofu

1/4 c. Vegetable Broth
1/4 c. Soy Sauce
1 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic

SPICE CRUST
1 heaping tbsp. Cumin
1 tbsp. Coriander
1 1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/4 tsp? Pepper

Drain tofu and cut into into 1" thick squares or rectangles. Place between two plates lined with paper towels and weigh down with something heavy (large can of beans, full tea kettle, etc). Press tofu for at least 30 minutes until it feels pretty dry.

In the meantime, combine all of the ingredients for the marinade. Place marinade in a skillet just big enough to lay the tofu out in a single layer. Bring the marinade to a simmer and continue to cook tofu for 5-10 minutes. Flip tofu and cook another 5-10 minutes.

While the tofu is cooking, combine the spices.

Remove tofu from the heat and shake off any excess liquid.  Lightly press the tofu into the spice mixture and flip. Continue with the remaining pieces of tofu. Heat a panini press, George Foreman grill, something similar and grill tofu until browned and heavily marked on both sides, 4-5 minutes.

*Serve with Moroccan Millet

Barley Salad

This salad tastes great on it's own or can be used for stuffing. It has a tangy, fresh taste that's perfect lunch. I used this recipe to stuff portobello mushrooms and it turned out delicious!

1/2 c. Barley
1/2 c. Vegetable Broth or water

2 tsp. Olive Oil
2 Shallots, minced
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 Zucchini, chopped
1/4 c. Artichokes in oil, chopped
1/4 c. Kalamata Olives, sliced
2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped
Season with salt and pepper

Bring a half cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in barley, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.

In a separate pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in shallots and cook 2 minutes. Add in garlic and cook another minute, stirring as to not let it burn. Add in zucchini and cook 3-5 minutes until it begins to soften. Lower heat and add in artichokes, olives, salt and pepper. Add in parsley at the last minute. When the barley has finished cooking and cooled, add it in with the vegetable mixture.

Makes 2 servings

Portobello Steaks

Portobello Mushrooms have a naturally meaty, earthy flavor, and are often substituted in the place of meat dishes and burgers.  They also easily absorb flavors which make them incredibly versatile and juicy!  Here, I decided to marinate and stuff them in an Italian style.  I must say, my favorite way to eat them is between two buns, but this is a nice change.

2 Large Portobello Mushrooms

1/4 c. White Wine

1 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 tbsp. Soy Sauce

1/2 tsp. Dried Basil

1/2 tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Dijon Mustard, whole grain
2 cloves Garlic, minced

Clean mushrooms and remove the stems.  Place the mushrooms in a dish with gill sides up.  Combine all of the marinade ingredients and pour over the gills of the mushrooms and use hands to coat the bottoms.  Marinate for at least an hour.

From here, you can bake, broil, or grill the mushrooms.

I baked mine at 375 degrees for 10 minutes , gill side down, then flipped and stuffed them with the Barley Salad, and baked them another 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the mushroom.

Spaghetti and "Meatballs"

These babies are better than mama's meatballs! They have a slightly smokey, meaty taste that will make hardcore carnivores question why they need to eat real meat. The nutritional yeast also gives a creamy texture that you would normally get from parmesan cheese. They're super fast and easy to make. You can also make them ahead of time, freeze them after shaping into balls, and then just defrost when you're ready to use. Bon Appitit!

8 oz. Tempeh
1/2 Yellow Onion, minced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 tbsp. Soy Sauce
1/4 tsp. Liquid Smoke
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. Whole Wheat Flour
2 tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped

Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Marinara Sauce, recipe below (you can use a prepared sauce to save time)

Cut tempeh into 4 strips and steam for 10 minutes.  After tempeh has cooled, use a cheese grater to cut tempeh into tiny pieces. In a large bowl, combine the tempeh with the remaining ingredients and use your hands to thoroughly combine.  The "meatballs" should begin to clump together and feel slightly sticky.

Pre-heat oven to 350.  Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Using an ice cream scoop, measure out the tempeh mixture and form into balls.  Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Transfer the "meatballs" to a saucepan with marinara sauce that is already heated and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve with spaghetti.

MARINARA SAUCE
10 Tomatoes
1 tbsp Olive Oil + 1 tsp.
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 c. Fresh Basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 375. Half tomatoes width-wise and seed. Coat tomatoes with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and place in a large Pyrex dish with cut sides up. Bake in a preheated oven for an hour until tomatoes are soft and broken down. Let the tomatoes cool before handling. Once they are cool, squeeze the tomatoes from their skins.

Heat 1 tsp. of olive oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add in garlic and oregano and cook for one minute. Add in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and allow the flavors to develop. Add in basil. Use an immersion blender, or transfer to blender/food processor and blend until chunky/almost smooth.

Creamy Sweet Potato and Tomato Soup w/ Rosemary Croutons

1 tbsp. Olive oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
2 tsp. Rosemary, dried
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 15oz. Can Diced Tomato
1 lb. Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
3 c. Vegetable Broth
1 c. Soy Milk
Rosemary Croutons (recipe below)

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in onion and cook about 7 minutes, until onion is soft and translucent. Add a pinch or two of salt if pan becomes too dry (I like to decrease the amount of oil in my soup recipes, so when cooking the onion, the pan often becomes dry. Adding the salt releases moisture from the onions and prevents them from burning.) Add in garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring constantly another 30 seconds. Add in tomatoes, sweet potato, and vegetable broth (You may need a little more broth. Pour enough to just barely cover the potatoes.) Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes until potato is very tender.

Allow soup to cool for a few minutes and transfer to a blender, or use and immersion blender, and blend about a minute until completely smooth. Stir in soy milk. Return soup to sauce pan and cook until heated through. Season with salt.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with Rosemary Croutons.

ROSEMARY CROUTONS
1 mini loaf of French/Sourdough Bread
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
2 tsp. Dried Rosemary
1/4 tsp. Salt

Pre-heat oven to 375. Cut the crusts off of the loaf of bread and cut into large cubes, about 2" in size. Place the bread in a bowl and toss with olive oil. Add in the Rosemary and salt and toss to coat. Place the croutons on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing occasionally until golden brown. Place atop the soup for added flavor and an unexpected crunch!

Sweet and Savory Flatbread

1 pkg. Prepared Pizza Dough
Cornmeal
1/2 recipe of Roasted Garlic Hummus
1/2 large Kabocha Squash, roasted
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp. Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
2 Leeks, sliced
1 Green Apple, julienned
Basil

For the squash:
Preheat oven to 375.
Cut squash in half.  Remove seeds and outer shell.  Cut squash into 3/4" cubes and coat with 1 tbsp. of olive oil.  Place squash in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, turning half way through.  Remove from oven.

For the leeks/apples:
Slice the leeks, using the white and light green parts only. Separate the leeks and place in a colander. Run under cold water to remove any dirt that may be caught inside. Remove the skin and core the apple. Julienne (cut into very thin slivers) the apple.
Over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a skillet. Add leeks and
saute' 8 minutes, or until softened. Add salt about half way through. Add thyme, rosemary, pepper and apples and cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

For the flat bread:
Preheat oven to whatever package says (mine was 425).
Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal.
Roll out pizza dough into the shape of a rectangle to 1/2" thickness. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Spread Roasted Garlic Hummus over the pizza dough. Evenly distribute the roasted squash atop the pizza dough. Repeat with the leek/apple mixture. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with freshly torn basil.

Let the flatbread cool for 5 minutes before cutting.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Don't worry, this hummus won't scare vamps away, but it IS oh so tasty.  Eat it with raw veggies, crackers or breads for a snack, or use it as a spread for sandwiches, flatbreads, etc. This hummus is creamy, garlicky goodness, and we know garlic goes good on anything!

2 bulbs of Garlic, roasted
15 oz. can of Chickpeas + 1/4 c. reserved liquid
1 1/2 tbsp. Tahini
5 tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tbsp. Olive Oil (plus more for roasting garlic)
1 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Coriander
3/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped

Pre-heat the oven to 375.  Peel bulbs down to a thin outer layer and cut off the tops of the bulbs so that each clove is exposed.  Coat with olive oil and wrap in foil.  Place on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes. When the garlic is done, simply squeeze the cloves out of their skin.

While the garlic is roasting, you can prep the rest of the ingredients and get the hummus started.

Drain and rinse chickpeas, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid.  Combine all of the ingredients, excluding the parsley in a food processor.  Process until smooth and creamy, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides.  Add in parsley and process another few seconds until combined.

Spinach & Shaved Fennel Salad w/ Red Pepper Dressing

Roasting one little red pepper for this dressing sounds like a lot of work, but its really not.  Especially if you're preparing something else time consuming for dinner.  You could just do what you have to and forget about the pepper.  If that doesn't convince you, you can always buy them pre-roasted.  Just make sure to use a whole pepper, not one thats fallen apart, and rinse off the liquid its contained in.

6 oz. Spinach
1 small Fennel Bulb, shaved on the mandoline (or very thinly sliced)
1/4 c. Fresh Basil, torn
1 recipe for Red Pepper Dressing (below)

Toss spinach and basil with red pepper dressing and top with shaved fennel.


RED PEPPER DRESSING
1 Red  Bell Pepper, roasted
1/4 c. Silken Tofu
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 small clove Garlic
1/4-1/2 tsp. Salt
1/8-1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 tbsp. Basil, chopped

Pre-heat the oven to 375.  Remove the stem and seeds from the pepper.  Rub with olive oil and roast on a baking sheet lined with foil for 40-45 minutes, turning halfway through.  Transfer the pepper to a paper bag and close to let the heat from the pepper steam off the the skin for 15-20 minutes.  By this time, the skin should easily be peeled away from the meat of the pepper.

Combine all of the ingredients, aside from the basil, in a food processor and process until completely smooth. Then add in the basil and process another 20-30 seconds until it has been chopped smaller and integrated with the rest of the ingredients.