Create Your Own Lara Bar!

I recently become addicted to Lara bars and while doing some searching online realized that there is basically one main ingredient (dates) and then you can add whatever you want to create your own flavors. There are a bunch of different recipes online (if you want some inspiration for flavors) but this is one I just threw together last night. The possibilities are endless!

Peanut Butter and Banana Lara Bars
(makes 4 bars)

1 box (8 oz) of Chopped Dates
1/2 Bag (3oz) Banana Chips
2.5 Tbsp Peanut Butter (Creamy)
Pinch of Salt

1. Grind up the banana chips in a food processor (or Magic Bullet, blender, etc)
2. Add dates and pulse until the chunks start to break down
3. Add peanut butter, a pinch of salt and process until everything is mixed together and sort of forms a dough type consistency.
4. Lay a piece of saran wrap on the counter. Form the dough into a ball and place it on one half of the saran wrap. Cover and press until it creates a rectangle.
5. Fully wrap and place in the refrigerator over night. In the morning, cut the rectangle into four pieces.

(Note: In the picture, the banana chips aren't ground up. I came up with the idea to grind them first because originally, I had added them to the mixture, last, and had difficulties getting the pieces small enough.)

Homemade Mixed Berry Soy Ice Cream

Last summer, I went to a fundraiser for The Last Resort Animal Rescue and Sanctuary and bought a Donvier Ice Cream Maker (manual version) for $4 - which turns out to have been an amazing deal! I remember thinking that you needed a special type of salt to make ice cream, so I put it away in storage and forgot about it.

Over the past few weeks, I've seen a lot of different recipes - not using salt - but they all called for an ice cream maker which I (thought) didn't have. That is until I paid a visit to my storage room the other day and saw it sitting there! So I picked it up, brought it home and made myself some vegan ice cream. It was delicious, creamy and so simple that I can't wait to test out other flavors!

Mixed Berry Soy Ice Cream

2 Cups Soy Milk (I used Silk DHA Omega-3 & Calcium)
2 Cups Mixed Berries (frozen are fine, but make sure they're slightly thawed)
3/4 Cups Sugar (I used Evaporated Cane Sugar)

1. Freeze the metal freezer bowl for at least 7 hours before use.
2. In a blender, blend together soy milk, mixed berries and sugar until combined well.
3. Remove the metal freezer bowl from freezer and place into ice cream maker. Place the blade in the bowl, pour in the berry mixture and then cover with the lid and attach the handle.
4. Rotate the handle 3 to 4 times and then let sit for another few minutes. Repeat this process for about 20 minutes or until mixture reaches an ice cream consistency.
5. You can eat the ice cream right away of if you want a firmer consistency, transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe bowl and freeze for another hour or so.

That's all there is to it!

Makes about 1/2 quart of ice cream

Perfectly Golden Tofu

For the longest time, the proper way to cook tofu eluded me. Every method I tried never seemed to work; it was either not cooked enough, too dry, not flavorful or just a complete disaster. Then finally, one day I figured it out! This recipe has worked quite well for me, so hopefully it will help you if you've been trying to tackle the art of cooking tofu too!

Perfectly Golden Tofu

1 120z package of Extra Firm Tofu (I use House)
Oil
Your choice of seasoning (I used Adobo for this recipe but if you want something simple, you can also use just salt & pepper as well)
1 tbsp Garlic
1 tbsp Soy Sauce

1. Squeeze the water out of the tofu. Pat dry and then cube.
1. Pour a thin layer of oil into a skillet and spread tofu in the pan in a single layer.
2. Sprinkle seasoning (of your choice) lightly over the top of the tofu cubes and then cover and cook on medium heat for about 8 minutes (or until golden brown)
3. Flip the cubes over to cook the other side. Cover and cook for about another 5 minutes (or until that side is also golden brown)
4. Add about 1 tbsp of garlic and 1 tbsp of soy sauce and stir around to mix a bit and then cook for an additional minute.
5. Remove from heat and place tofu in a bowl (or plate) on a paper towel (or paper bag) to absorb any excess oil. Serve and enjoy!

You can also use the same basic recipe to make tofu steaks. Instead of cubing, just the block of tofu in half twice.

To give the tofu a more meaty texture, freeze tofu in the package and then defrost it a few hours before you're ready to use it. Be sure to remember to squeeze the water out of it before you cook it.

Peanut Butter Fluffies

The other night I was craving peanut butter cookies, so I threw together a few ingredients and made one for myself in the toaster oven. It turned out so well, that I decided to try to recreate it. I tend to like my cookies on the fluffy side, and not flat and crispy, so that's why I named these 'fluffies'. Let me warn you, though; these are definitely not low calorie but they are quite delicious.

Peanut Butter Fluffies

1 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 C + 2 tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 C Water

1. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients together. Add in vanilla extract and peanut butter and combine.  Then add water and stir until dough is thoroughly mixed.
3. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out cookie dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press lightly down with fork, making cross marks on top of the cookie.
3. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Cookies should be fluffy and moist in the middle.

Makes 12-14 Cookies

Quinoa con Calabacitas

This summer, I went to the June Shindig at Catskill Animal Sanctuary in Saugerties, NY. The day was filled with guest speakers, demonstrations, food and other fun stuff. The CAS Chef, Kevin Archer, did a few cooking demonstrations and gave out the recipes for the dishes he prepared.

They were all extremely tasty, but this dish (in particular) stuck with me. It was something different, delicious and seemed really easy to make. I'm going to a pot luck "Meet Up" tonight and figured that this was the perfect time to make it.

Quinoa con Calabacitas

2 Cups Quinoa, cooked
1 Onion
1 Zucchini
1 2/3 Cups Corn Kernels (frozen [but thawed] or fresh)
1 Avocado
1/3 Cup Lime Juice (or juice from 2 limes)
3 tbsp Cilantro, dried
3/4 tbsp Cumin, ground
3/4 tsp Sea Salt

1. Cook quinoa in a rice cooker. (3/4 Cups of quinoa w/ 1 1/2 Cups water) or you can cook the quinoa on the stove per the directions on package.
2. Dice the onion and zucchini.
3. In a large bowl, mix diced onions, zucchini and corn kernels.
4. Mash (or blend) avocado, lime juice, cilantro, cumin and sea salt to make a dressing. Combine with vegetables and then add cooked quinoa and mix well.

This dish keeps well in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

(Yields about 4 Cups)

Chocolate Cream Pie

This is one of those desserts that you can make for vegans and non-vegans alike. It's decadent, super simple to make and no one would even be able to tell that it was made with tofu

Chocolate Cream Pie

1 1/2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
3 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tbsp Corn Starch
1 Package Silken Tofu (I used Nasoya Lite Silken Tofu)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust (I used Keebler, reduced fat)

1. Drain tofu and place in food processor with cocoa powder, corn starch, sugar and vanilla.
2. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (or a double boiler if you have one) and then add to food processor.
3. Mix (pulse) together until mixture is creamy and smooth. It should be like the consistency of pudding.
4. Pour filling into graham cracker crust and place in the refrigerator to chill and set for a few hours.

If you'd like to top the pie with a non-dairy whipped cream, follow this recipe:

Non-Dairy Whip

1/4 cup Soy milk
1/4 cup Sugar
2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil

1. Pour soy milk into a blender (or magic bullet - flat blade) and then add the sugar and vanilla extract.
2. Start to blend but then slowly add oil through the top hole. The soy milk will thicken to a whipped cream like consistency.

If it doesn't, try adding a little extra oil or a bit of corn starch.

Caponata

I watch way too much of the Food Network.

On Saturday, I was watching "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and Anne Burrell made Caponata. I had just bought an eggplant the day before and was wondering what to do with it, so this recipe couldn't have come at a better time. It's basically an eggplant stew in tomato sauce. It looked fairly easy to make and I only had to pick up a few things, so I decided to make it on Sunday. In true Tracie fashion, I modified the recipe a bit but I don't think it changed the flavor all that much. I'd definitely make this again; it would be great to bring for a pot luck!

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, peeled, alternating with 1-inch strips of skin left on, cut into 1-inch dice
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Palm full of chili powder
3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 tbsp chopped garlic
1 red and 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup water
6oz tomato paste (small can)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup black olives
Palm full of dried mint leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss the eggplant generously with olive oil and salt, to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the eggplant is soft and mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve.

Coat a wide deep pot with olive oil. Toss in the onion and chili powder and season with salt, to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the celery and garlic and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt, to taste, and cook until the zucchini and all the veggies are soft and aromatic and starting to come together as a stew, about 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in the eggplant, 1/2 cup of water and the tomato paste. Cook until the water has evaporated. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a small bowl and add it to the mixture. Stir in the olives and mint. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.

Let cool and transfer the Caponata to a serving bowl. Serve by itself or over pasta, brown rice, quinoa, a bed of lettuce or bread (as an appetizer).

Serve immediately or even better tomorrow or the next day.

Serves: 6 - 8 People

Original Recipe found here at FoodNewtork.com

Chesapeake Tempeh "Crab" Cakes

I saw this recipe posted on Olivia Wilde's blog back a few weeks ago and have been dying to try them ever since. They do take a little time to prep, but they're really easy to make.

Chesapeake Tempeh "Crab" Cakes

INGREDIENTS

For the Cakes:

8 ounces tempeh
1 cup water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf

3 tbsp Vegenaise
1 tbsp stone-ground Dijon
1 tbsp hot sauce (Frank's)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup very finely chopped red bell pepper (orange bell pepper)
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh black pepper
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs, plus extra for dredging
1 sheet nori paper (turn into a powder by putting in the magic bullet w/ the flat blade)
Oil for pan-frying

For the Remoulade:

2 tbsp Vegenaise
1 tbsp stone-ground dijon
1 tbsp hot sauce

DIRECTIONS

First we’re going to steam the tempeh to get the bitterness out and also to give it some flavor with the soy sauce. Crumble the tempeh into a saucepan in little bits. Add the water, soy sauce, oil, and bay leaf. The tempeh won’t be fully submerged, but that’s fine. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let boil for 12 to 15 minutes, until most of the water has evaporated. Stir once during boiling.

Transfer contents to a mixing bowl, remove the bay leaf, and mash with a fork. Let cool for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to hasten the cooling process. Make sure the tempeh is barely warm before you proceed, or the cakes may fall apart when you cook them.

Add the Vegenaise, mustard, hot sauce, vinegar, bell pepper, ginger, oregano, salt, and pepper and mix well. Add the breadcrumbs and nori and use your hands to incorporate.

Once you are ready to form the cakes, preheat a thin layer of oil in a heavy-bottomed, nonstick skillet (cast iron is great) over medium heat. Pour a few tablespoons of panko into a bowl. Scoop a little less than 1/4 cup batter (use an ice cream scoop) into your hands and form into a ball. Flatten between your palms and then roll the sides gently to smooth them. You should have ten 2 1/2- to 3-inch patties. Press them into the panko to lightly coat. They don’t need to be thoroughly covered, just a little bit for some texture.

Fry a batch of five cakes for 4 minutes on one side and flip when dark golden brown. Fry for 2 minutes on the other side and transfer to a paper towel or paper bag to drain. Do your second batch and in the meantime make your remoulade by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Optional: Make ahead. Make the entire mixture and the remoulade the night before. In the morning, form into cakes and pan-fry. (I waited about 6 hours)

Prepping the Mixture: 45 Minutes
Forming Cakes & Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Servings: Makes 10-12 Cakes

(Other Use: Instead of making crab cakes, you can also just use the "crab" mixture for sandwiches or over a bed of lettuce, etc. It's delicious on its own as well.) 

Adapted from the recipe in Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These are more like oatmeal raisin biscuits, but I don't think anyone will complain about that :)

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes 10-12 cookies

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Quaker Quick Oats
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Mashed Banana (1 whole medium banana)
3/4 cups Raisins
1/2 cup Soy Milk or Water
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Oil
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. Mix all ingredients together until they are all combined.
3. Use an ice cream scoop and place scoops of dough on the cookie sheet. Press down lightly, using a fork, to spread the cookie dough out a bit.
4. Place cookie sheet in oven for 18-20 minutes.
5. Remove from over, let cool slight and then devour!

Note: You can use any type of flour or milk, 1/2 cup of apple sauce if you don't have a banana handy and any type of oil (thought vegetable or canola olive works best)

Homemade Cashew Milk

I've been on a "do it yourself" kick lately, so after experimenting with homemade oat milk, I decided to look up a recipe for homemade cashew milk (since I had some left over from the Avocado Pesto Pasta.)

Surprisingly, it was really simple and required no straining - like some other nut milks do.

Cashew Milk
1 cup (raw) cashews, soaked overnight
3 cups water
2 tablespoon agave nectar (or more, to taste)
A pinch of Celtic sea salt

1. Discard soaking water and rinse cashews thoroughly until water runs clear
2. Place cashews, (4 cups fresh) water, agave and salt in a Vita-Mix (or other high speed blender)
3. Process on high speed 20-30 seconds and then repeat until fully blended
4. Store in glass mason jar in refrigerator

Note: The original recipe calls for 4 cups of water, but as I was adding it to the blender, 3 cups seemed to be the right consistency for me. I also added a little extra agave to make it sweeter.

Original recipe from: Elana's Pantry

Homemade Oat Milk

If you have some extra quick oats laying around and wanted to make your own Oat Milk, give this recipe a try.

1/2 cup Quaker Quick Oats
3 tsp Sugar
1 cup Water

1. In a blender, blend the oats until they turn into a flour type consistency. (I used the Magic Bullet w/ the flat blade)

2. Add the water and sugar and blend until all ingredients are combined together.

Tip: For a thinner 'milk', use 1/4 cup more water. If you want a thicker 'milk', use 1/4 less water.

Servings: 1 (about 10 oz)
Calories: 195 (per 10 oz)

Bethenny's Boo Boo Banana Bread (modified)

This is a modified version of Bethenny Frankel's Boo Boo Banana (Chocolate Chip) Bread from The Skinnygirl Dish. I didn't use eggs or butter and replaced the oat flour with whole wheat flour and the sugar with organic evaporate cane sugar. If you have overripe bananas laying around, this is a great recipe to use them in.

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Organic Sugar - Evaporated Cane Juice
3 Medium, Overripe Bananas
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp All Purpose Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a loaf pan. Put it in the bottom of the pan and spray with cooking spray. Pour in the batter and cover loosely with foil.
3. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then bake for another 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean (moist crumbs are fine). Cool completely, then slice and serve.

Or you can watch Bethenny prepare it on youtube.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 12 thin slices
Calories: 163 per slice

Rice Cooker Cake

I don't know what took me so long, but after wanting one for years, I finally got a rice cooker / steamer. I was looking through the booklet to get some ideas on other things to make in the rice cooker and saw a recipe for a chocolate cake that you bake right in the rice cooker. I was skeptical, so I decided to give it a try. With a little tweaking, it actually worked!

Chocolate Crazy Cake

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 c water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1. Spray steamer / rice cooker pot with vegetable spray.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a separate bowl and stir until combined. Pour mixture into rice cooker pot.
3. Close lid on the rice cooker and press COOK. After a few minutes, the rice cooker will switch to KEEP WARM even though the cake is not done. This is normal. Keep the rice cooker on KEEP WARM setting for about 10 minutes and then press COOK again. The rice cooker will once again switch to KEEP WARM. Wait an additional 10 minutes then press COOK one more time. Once it switches to KEEP WARM again, wait for about 30 minutes or so and then check the cake with a toothpick. Cake should be done but if it's not press COOK one more time then when it goes back to KEEP WARM check the cake again.
4. Remove the rice cooker pot with potholders and invert onto a serving plate.

Servings: 8 Slices
Calories: 221 Calories per slice

(Recipe via Instruction Booklet. Recipe by Debra Murray, Wolfgang Puck HSN Host)

Chef Chloe's Avocado Pesto Pasta

After watching up and coming vegan chef, Chloe Coscarellli sweep the competition on Cupcake Wars, I decided to check out her site and found this amazing looking recipe for Avocado Pesto Pasta.

The first time I planned to make it, I only had one avocado - so I had to wait. Then, I got two avocado's, but I had to wait for them to ripen. Finally, I got to make the pasta this past weekend and it was definitely worth the wait. It's super simple and totally delicious - just be sure that you have a large enough food processor, otherwise it will become quite the project. I'd suggest one that can hold at least 7 cups, otherwise you may have some issues.

The original recipe is below but I used some substitutions, so I've italicized them and put them in brackets.

Avocado Pesto Pasta
Serves 6

What You Need:
1 pound dried linguine
1 bunch basil leaves (about 2½ ounces)
½ cup pine nuts [1/4 cup salted cashews, 1/4 cup unsalted cashews]
2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about ½ of a lemon) [3 tablespoons lemon juice]
3 cloves garlic [3 tsp chopped garlic]
½ cup olive oil
Salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (optional) [didn't use]

What You Do:
1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add pasta and cook to package directions. While pasta cooks, in a food processor, blend basil, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Drain pasta. In a large serving bowl, toss pesto with hot, freshly cooked pasta and garnish each serving with a basil leaf. For an extra touch of color and flavor, top pasta with sundried tomatoes.
3. Enjoy!

Baked BBQ Tempeh & Adobo Seasoned Fries

Baked BBQ Tempeh and Adobo Seasoned Fries

Baked BBQ Tempeh
Serves 4

1 - 8 oz package of Tempeh (I used Trader Joe's Organic 3 Grain Tempeh)
2 Cups BBQ Sauce (or use a mixture of ketchup and liquid smoke)
1 medium diced onion
2 tsp chopped garlic

Preheat over to 350°F.

Mix together the BBQ sauce, onion and garlic.

Cut tempeh into 4 pieces and place in shallow baking dish. Cover tempeh with BBQ sauce.

Cover baking dish with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, flip over pieces of tempeh, spoon excess sauce from baking dish on top, re-cover with foil and bake for another 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve.

Adobo Seasoned Fries
Serves 4

3 potatoes (washed and dried)
Adobo Seasoning
Olive Oil

Preheat over to 425°F.

Cut potatoes into wedges. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and toss.

Add Adobe seasoning (to taste) and toss until evenly coated.

Cover baking sheet with foil and spread wedges onto tray in a single layer.

Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from over, flip wedges over and cook for another 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Tofu Quiche

A few weeks ago, I came across this Tofu Quiche recipe from The Garden of Vegan and I knew that I just had to try it. So, last night, I decided to give it a go. I made a few adjustments - like putting the cheese on top instead of inside and wound up with 2 pies instead of one - but it turned out quite well anyway!

Tempeh, Mushroom & Onion Stirfry

1 Package of Tempeh
1 Can of Sliced Mushrooms
1/2 of a Large Onion (diced)
1 Cup Brown Rice (uncooked)
2 tbsp Garlic
Adobo Seasoning
Olive Oil

1. Cook rice according to direction on package
2. Cook tempeh in olive oil, over medium heat, until both sides are slightly browned (5-10 minutes)
3. Add diced onions and mushrooms and a bit of extra olive oil (if needed)
4. Saute for 2 minutes then add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
5. Add Adobo Seasoning (to taste)
5. Add brown rice and mix thoroughly then and add a bit more Adobo Seasoning (to taste)

Servings: 2 Large or 4 Small

Chick Pea and Tomato Pâté

Chick Pea* and Tomato Pâté

2 Cans Chick Peas*
1 Can of Hunt's Seasoned Diced Tomatoes for Chili
1 Tbsp of Chopped Garlic
Basil
Oregano
Dill
Salt & Pepper
(add spices to taste)
Vegan Grated Topping (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In an oven safe dish, mash chick peas
3. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, dill, garlic, salt and pepper.
4. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes
5. Sprinkle grated topping on top (Optional)

Serve over toast, rice, pasta or you can also put it on crackers and make it an appetizer.

Servings - 4
Calories per serving - 219 (pâté only w/o grated topping)

*Any type of beans can be substituted. Using Butter Beans gives this dish more of a pizza type taste.

Thick & Hearty Vegetable Stew (Vegan)

I've been craving a nice thick, hearty stew lately, so I decided to give it a shot and make my own. I must say, the results were delicious.

Hearty Vegetable Stew

7 Medium Potatoes (peeled and cubed)
11 Carrots (peeled and sliced)
4 Celery Stalks (sliced)
2 Parsnips (peeled and sliced)
2 Turnips (peeled and cubed)
2 Leeks (chopped)
3 tsp of Chopped Garlic (or 3 Cloves)
1 Large Onion
1 Bay Leaf
Fresh Dill & Basil (to taste)
3 Quarts Vegetable Stock or 3 Quarts of Water and 4 1/2 tbsp Better Than Bouillon: Vegetable Base Concentrate*
Cornstarch or Flour

1. Prepare the vegetables
2. Put the onion and garlic in the bottom of the pot and saute, with a bit of olive oil, on low heat for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the rest of the vegetables to the pot
4. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and cover. Let the stew simmer for about 1 hour (or until all the vegetables are tender)
6. To thicken the stock: Mix cornstarch** and water until the cornstarch is sticky liquid then add that mixture to the stew and stir throughly. Continue to do this, in small batches, until desired thickness is reached.

*If you choose to use Better Than Bouillon, add 3 quarts (12 cups) water and bring to a boil, first then add the 4 1/2 tbsp of concentrate to pot and stir thoroughly.
**Flour can be substituted for corn starch, but you'll need to use more of it.

For Dumplings:

2 1/2 cups Bisquick   
2/3 cups Soy Milk

1. Mix bisquick and milk until soft dough forms.
2. Drop dough, by spoonfuls, onto the top of the hot stew.
3. Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer.

Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 1/2 Hour / Add 15 Min for dumplings.
Servings: 8-12 (estimated)

Vegan Sausage & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

What you need:

Lightlife Gimme Lean Sausage

Tofutti American Soy Cheese Slices

1 Whole Wheat English Muffin

What to do:

1. Cook sausage per the instructions on the package
2. Add cheese in the last few minutes of cooking (cover pan so that the cheese will melt faster.)
3. Assemble on whole wheat English muffin. (salt, pepper & ketchup - optional)

VegTacos & Nacho Night!

We made these last night and they were absolutely delicious!

What you'll need:
Soft and/or Hard Shell Tacos
1 pkg Boca Crumbles
2 8oz blocks of Vegan Cheddar Cheese (or Vegan Gourmet Cheddar), shredded.
Tortilla Chips
3 Tomatoes, diced
1 Onion, diced
Shredded Lettuce
Taco Seasoning
Guacamole
Salsa
3 Bowls

Nachos:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Layer tortilla chips, 2 diced tomato & 1-8oz block of grated cheese in a oven-safe dish.
3. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes (or until the cheese starts to melt)

Tacos:
1. Put Boca Crumbles in a frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes.
2. Add 1 diced tomatoes, 1 diced onion and taco seasoning (to taste).
3. Heat for 3-5 minutes, then place Boca taco mixture into a bowl.

Heat soft taco shells in the microwave and fill the other two bowls with guacamole & salsa.

Layer taco shell with Boca mixture, shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole & lettuce. Eat nachos "as is" or add guacamole and salsa to them as well. Enjoy! (Serves 2-4 people)

Alternate suggestions:
Replace Boca Crumbles with Morningingstar Chick'n Strips or Black Beans & Brown Rice.
Replace fresh tomatoes & onions with Hunt's diced tomatoes (fire roasted, onions & garlice, etc.)
Add re-fried beans to the nachos.

White Bean Alfredo Veggie Shirataki

White Bean Alfredo Veggie Shirataki

White Bean Alfredo Sauce  (2-4 servings)
1/4 cup margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked white beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups soy milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parsley (optional)
Jane's Krazy Mix up Salt (optional)
Jane's Krazy Mix up Pepper (optional)
Oregano (optional)

1. In a sauté pan over low heat, melt the margarine. Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Transfer the margarine mixture to a blender or food processor, add the white beans and 1 cup of soy milk. Blend until completely smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add the remaining soy milk until you reach the desired consistency.

3. Pour the sauce back into the pan over low heat, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Add fresh herbs, such as parsley, if desired. Cook until the sauce is warm.

(Adapted from VegCooking Blog)

Other Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Steamed Veggies (more or less may be used)
1 bag of Tofu Shirataki*

Vegetables:
1. Steam Vegetables until desired softness is reached

Pasta:
1. Open bag and Tofu Shirataki pasta.
2. Boil water and add the full bag of Tofu Shirataki.
3. Parboil pasta for a few minutes then re-drain pasta.

Place pasta on a plate, cover with veggies and sauce.

Servings:
Sauce, 2-4
Pasta & Veggies, 1-2

*Note: You can use regular pasta for this recipe as well, but the Tofu Shirataki is only 20 calories per serving (or only 40 calories per bag!)

Seltzer Brownies

Seltzer Brownies

1 Box Brownie Mix
6 oz of  Seltzer

1. Pre-heat oven according to temperature on the box of brownie mix.

2. Mix together, using a spoon, the brownie mix and seltzer until thoroughly combined.

3. Pour batter into cake pan and cook according to the baking time on the box.

(Picture coming soon)

Soda Cupcakes

Soda Cupcakes

1 Box Cake Mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)
10 oz of Soda, Diet Soda or Seltzer
1 Can of Frosting (I prefer Duncan Hines)




1. Pre-heat oven according to temperature on cake mix box and line cupcake trays with inserts or grease.

2. Using a hand held mixer, beat the cake mix and soda/seltzer together for about 2 minutes.

3. Pour batter into cupcake trays and bake according to cooking time on the back of the box of cake mix.

4. Let cupcakes cool, frost cupcakes.

Tip: If you're not going to use seltzer, for darker cakes - use darker colored sodas. For lighter cakes, use lighter colored sodas.

Peanut Butter and Banana Smudgies

Peanut Butter and Banana Smudgies

2 ripe bananas
2 heaping tbsps of peanut butter
10 graham crackers rectangles (1 sheet = 2 squares = 1 smudgie)

1. Peel the bananas and place them in a bowl.

2. Add the peanut butter and mash the two together with a fork until creamy.

3. Place 10 graham cracker squares on a piece of foil. Use the fork (or a spoon) to smear the banana and peanut butter mixture onto the crackers.

4. Then place a plain graham cracker on top to make 10 sandwiches.

5. Stack them so you have a row of three (and 1 extra on top in the middle) and then wrap them in the foil.

6. Place them in the freezer for at least six hours and enjoy.

(Original recipe found on FitSugar)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

1/2 Cup Earth Balance Butter
3/4 Cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
3/4 Cup Graham Crackers or 10 Graham Cracker Squares
1/4 Cup Maple Sugar or Other Granulated Sweetener (I used agave nectar, which isn't granulated)
1 Cup Non-Dairy (Dark) Chocolate or Carob Chips
1/4 Cup Soy, Rice or Nut Milk (I used Soy)
1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans, Almonds or Peanuts (I used Peanuts)

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs and sugar and mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat. Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups (I followed the 2 tbsp suggestion and got 13 PB cups)

3. Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted. Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts.

4. Place in refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.

(From The Kind Diet)

Pie-less Apple Pie

Pie-less Apple Pie

Prep/Cooking: Under 10 minutes
Yields: 1 Serving

1 Apple
1 Sheet of Graham Crackers (2 Crackers), smashed
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tbsp Butter

1. Cut up apple and put slices in a microwave safe bowl
2. Fill Bowl with Water. (It should cover the slices)
3. Microwave on High for 4-5 minutes (or until apples are soft)
4. Drain Apples and put back in the Bowl
5. Add Butter, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Graham Cracker Crumbs and mix thoroughly.

You can adjust the amounts of Brown Sugar, Cinnamon & Butter to taste.

Easy Pumpkin Pie

Easy Pumpkin Pie

1 can of Libby's Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix (30 oz)
1 box silken firm tofu
1 frozen pie crust shell

Add any (or all) spices listed, to taste:
ginger
nutmeg
cinnamon
allspice

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Mix Libby's Pumpkin Pie mix with the silken tofu in a blender.
3. Add in spices and blend a bit more
4. When happy with the taste, pour mixture into pie shell.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. then bake for an additional 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Chorizo and Rice Stirfry

Chorizo and Rice Stirfry (Serves 2)

1 link of Trader Joe's Vegan Chorizo (only $1.99 for a package of 2!)
1 package of boil in the bag brown rice
2 peppers, chopped*
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 or 2 tbsp of Olive Oil
1/4 tsp tumeric
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the rice according to the directions on the box (most boil in the bag rice, you would cook for 10 minutes)

2. Put Olive oil in a pan, over medium heat, and then add in peppers and onions. Saute for 3 minutes.

3. Add 1 link of vegan chorizo (be sure to remove it from the sleeve - it will be crumbly) and cook for about another 5 minutes and stir.

4. Add the tumeric, salt and pepper and stir a bit more to mix everything together.

5. Open bag of rice and place in a dish then scoop out the pepper, onion, chorizo mixture and put it on top.

6. Mix everything together and serve.

Tips:

If you have a big enough pan, you could add the rice directly to the pepper and onion mixture and get the same results.

For a bit more color, use different colored peppers instead of just using green bell peppers.

I didn't get a chance to take a picture, but it's delicious. It's quite spicy though, so if you don't like spicy, this isn't for you.

Tofu Scramble

Tofu Scramble

1 block of Firm Tofu (Drain and press as much excess water out of it)
2 cups mixed peppers and onions (frozen)
1 cup Spinach (frozen)
1 tbsp Oil (Olive or vegetable oil)
3 cloves of garlic (minced) (You can also use the minced garlic that comes in a jar - 1/2 tsp usually equals 1 clove))
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Chicken Style Seasoning (like chicken bullion but loose powder - Check for vegetarian/vegan kinds)
1 tsp Ground Ginger

1. Defrost peppers & onions and spinach in microwave separately.
2. Heat oil in pan and then add peppers & onions, garlic. Let them saute for a couple minutes.
While the veggies are sauteing, mash the tofu - in a bowl - with either a fork or you can use your hands until it looks like scrambled eggs.
3. Make a hole in the center of the vegetables (pushing them to the sides of the pan) and add the tofu.
4. Then add seasonings: Turmeric, chicken seasoning & ginger and mix everything together. The tofu should turn a yellowish color.
5. After it's all well mixed, add the spinach and cook another minute more.

Either serve on a plate or make it into a sandwich (pita, bread, wrap..etc)

3, 2, 1 Cholate Cake (aka 3 Minute Cake)

3, 2 ,1 Cholate Cake (aka 3 Minute Cake)


3 tbsp Bisquick
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
Soy Milk

1. Mix ingredients together and put into a small bowl (or mug)
2. Microwave for about 3 minutes or until the cake looks like it's finished.

"Meat" Loaf

"Meat" Loaf (Serves 6)

2 cups of prepared veg broth
½ cup ketchup
2 tblsp tamari (or soy sauce)
2 cups of TVP granules
1 cup of quick oats or bread crumbs
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 tbsp of nutritional yeast
                                                      2 tsp each garlic granules, onion powder, oregano and basil

You can also add chopped onions, peppers, rice or whatever else you think would taste good in it.

(BBQ topping option: 1/3 cup unsweetened ketchup, 2 tbls tamari, a good shake of liquid smoke)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. In medium bowl, combine prepared broth, ketchup, tamari and TVP. Mix to combine and let stand 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.

2. Add remaining ingredients, except topping. Mix well

3. Pack mixture into a 9 x 5 loaf pan or a glass casserole. (Many people making this suggest just forming into a loaf on a baking sheet.) Bake 40-45 minutes.

4. If using topping, spread on loaf during the last 10 minutes of baking.

You can also use this recipe to make "meat" balls & patties.

Recipe was found here but modified slightly