Spanish Rice

This is my vegetarian adaptation of my Grandma Hamstreet's recipe. She used it to stuff peppers, and Dan liked it better than my stuffed pepper recipe.

Cook 1c rice.

Heat 1T vegetable oil, 1t soy sauce or tamari, and 1/4t liquid smoke in a frying pan.

Add 1 medium onion (chopped) and 1 green pepper (finely chopped) and fry until browned.

Add 1c chopped tomatoes.

Season with salt, paprika, and/or chili powder to taste.

Mix in cooked rice.

Oriental Brown Rice Salad

1c brown rice

2T canola oil
2T lemon juice
1T soy sauce or tamari
1/2t fresh ginger, minced
1/2t garlic powder

1/2c tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes

1c snow peas or sugar snap peas, cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces
2 stalks celery, cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces

Cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients.  Add tofu to marinate.

When rice is finished, add marinated tofu and vegetables.  Serve warm or room temperature.

Mexican Pizza

prepared pizza crust
refried beans
cheese, if desired
additional toppings, as desired, such as:

• lettuce
• tomato
• olives
• salsa
• jicama
• sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Top pizza crust with refried beans and cheese, if using.

Place in warm oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and top as desired.

Pumpkin Polenta with Vegetables

1lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered (about 4c)
1lb cubed peeled butternut squash (about 3c)
2T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2c milk
1c quick-cooking polenta
1 15oz can pure pumpkin puree
3/4c grated Parmesan cheese (about 2oz), plus shaved Parmesan, for topping
2T unsalted butter
2T chopped fresh sage

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash with the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; seasoned with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer. Bake until tender and browned, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water, the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the polenta. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring often, until creamy, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the pumpkin. Cook, whisking, until warmed through, about 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan, butter and sage; season the salt. Top each serving with the roasted vegetables and shaved Parmesan; drizzle with olive oil.

Recipe from Food Network Magazine

Grilled Cauliflower Melt

Cauliflower:
1 head cauliflower
1/4c extra-virgin olive oil
2t mustard powder
2t smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Honey Mustard:
1/4c yellow mustard
1T stone-ground mustard
1T honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Sandwich Build:
4T salted butter, at room temperature
8 slices sourdough bread
8oz cheese, shredded
2 pears, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut off the cauliflower stem, then place the heat cut-side down and slice into 1/2-inch-thick steaks. Brush the cauliflower steaks with the spiced oil. Place them flat on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the cauliflower, return to the oven and roast until golden, another 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the yellow mustard, stone-ground mustard and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter on a griddle over medium- low heat. Spread some honey mustard on 4 pieces of bread; top each with some cheese, roasted cauliflower, sliced pears, more cheese and another piece of bread. Place 2 sandwiches on the griddle and cover with a metal bowl. Cook until golden and crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Add the remaining 2T butter to griddle and repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Serve with the remaining honey mustard.

Recipe by Jeff Mauro, courtesy of Food Network Magazine.

Cranberry Rice Pilaf

2 1/2c vegetable stock
1c short-grain brown rice
1T fresh lemon juice
1 med Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2c scallions, sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
3/4c dried cranberries
3T chopped italian parsley

Heat stock in saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Stir in rice, and bring to a second boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, drizzle lemon juice over diced apple and set aside.

Heat oil in medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute.  Add garlic, scallions, and celery, and saute for 3 minutes.  Add cooked rice, diced apple, cranberries and parsley.

Mix thoroughly, reduce heat to low and cook for 8 minutes.

Pecan Rice

Heat in a small sauce pan:

1T oil
1t soy sauce
1/4t liquid smoke

Add 1/2 small chopped onion, and cook until soft.

Add 1 1/2c basmati rice and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Add 1c vegetable broth, 1 1/4c water, and salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, 15 minutes.

Add 1/3c chopped toasted pecans.

Cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork.

Apple-Chard Quiche

1 9-inch deep dish pie crust, unbaked
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Unsalted Butter
1 Large Vidalia or other Onion thinly sliced
1 Cup (4 oz.) shredded ruby Swiss chard
1 Cup (about 2 oz.) thinly sliced mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 Cup peeled, chopped apple
2 Tbs. All purpose flour
1/2 Tsp. ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded jarlsberg cheese
1/2 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 375F.

Heat oil and butter in large skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and saute onions until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Add Swiss chard, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms and chard are soft, about 7 minutes.

Spoon into pie crust.

Combine eggs, cheese and milk and beat until ingredients are well blended.

Combine apples, flour, and nutmeg in a separate  bowl, and toss to coat apples. Fold into egg mixture, then pour on top of vegetables in pie crust.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until cheese mixture is set and top is brown. Cool slightly before slicing, and serve.

Adapted from a recipe in Vegetarian Times Magazine.

Zucchini Spoon Bread

1/2c carrots, diced
1/2c water
1T nutritional yeast
1/2t onion granules
1/2t salt
1/8t garlic granules
2 boxes silken tofu
3c shredded zucchini
1/2c tofu sour cream
2T minced onion
1/2c vegetable oil
1/4t salt
1 1/2c cornmeal

Let shredded zucchini stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil carrots in water until soft.

Puree carrots and water. Add yeast, onion granules, salt, garlic granules, and tofu and blend thoroughly.

Press or pat dry zucchini to remove excess water.

Combine all ingredients and pour into a gratin dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

adapted from a recipe by Debbie Styles in Cooking Pleasures

Veggies and Dumplings

Vegetarian chicken or vegetable broth
 
Assorted chopped vegetables, such as:
onion
carrots
broccoli
corn
green beans
zucchini
potatoes
 
2/3c flour
1T snipped parsley
1t baking powder
1/8t dillweed
1/4c soy milk
2T oil

Combine vegetables and broth and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until vegetables are soft.

Prepare dumplings.

Combine remaining ingredients and drop mixture by tablespoons atop bubbling stew. Cover. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

dumplings adapted from the Better Homes and Garden New Cookbook

Tofu Pot Pie

This recipe is somewhat labor intensive, but the result is sooo yummy. When I was growing up, my mom would occasionally serve Swanson’s frozen mini pot pies for dinner, and we would have our choice of beef or chicken. I always loved the chicken best, and this recipe replicates my memory of it. It just makes me feel all warm and homey. The crust is from a different recipe of Louise’s that I have always loved but could never find quite the right filling for. When I put these two together it was like a match made in heaven.

Step one: Prepare the potatoes. You will need:

3c potatoes, cubed

Boil until just tender, then remove half and set aside.

Let the remaining potatoes cook a few minutes more until soft. Drain and mash.

Step two: Prepare the crust. You will need:

1T oil
1t salt
3c flour
1t baking powder
1/2c cold water
Beat together the mashed potatoes, oil and salt.

Add the flour and baking powder.

Mix well, then mix in the water.

Knead to a smooth dough (it will be very hard and stiff), cover, then let rest while you prepare the other ingredients, at least 30 min.

Step three: Prepare the filling:

1 med onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2t salt
1lb tofu, frozen, thawed, and cut into cubes
1 1/2c frozen mixed vegetables

Saute the onion, garlic, and salt until the onions are soft.

Combine onion mixture, tofu, vegetables, and reserved potatoes in a 2-quart casserole.

Step four: Prepare the gravy. You will need:

3T oil
3T whole wheat flour
3T nutritional yeast
1 1/2c water
1 12c soymilk
1t salt
1t sage
1/2t thyme
1/2t garlic powder
1/2t black pepper
1/2t paprika

Combine the first three ingredients and let bubble for a few minutes over low heat.

Add remaining ingredients and whisk until boiling and thickened.

Pour over the vegetable-tofu mixture in the casserole dish.

Step five: Complete the crust.

Roll out reserved pie crust. By now it should be soft and easy to work with.

Cover the casserole dish, tucking up (rather than cutting off!) any ends that flow over the dish.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is just beginning to turn brown.

Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

adapted from Tofu Cookery by Louise Hagler

Stuffing

1T olive oil
1 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 stalks celery, chopped
4 slices of bread (rosemary bread makes especially good stuffing)
vegetarian chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in olive oil over med-high heat until translucent and slightly brown, approximately 4 minutes. Add carrots and celery and continue to saute until slighty tender, approximately another 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, tear bread into bite-sized pieces. Add onion, carrot, and celery and stir to combine. Pour in chicken broth and mix well (it’s easiest if you use your hands). Continue to add broth until all bread is soaked through and ingredients stick together.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Press stuffing into a shallow, greased casserole dish.

Bake at 350 about 45 minutes or until top is dry and crusty.

Spinach Quiche

Prepare pastry:

3/4c flour
1/4t salt
2 1/2T oil
2T ice water

Mix dry ingredients. Add oil and water and stir until mixture is crumbly.

Gather up the dough into a ball (the dough will be moist).

Press evenly and firmly into pie plate. Prick bottom and sides with fork.

Bake at 350 15-20 minutes until light golden color.

Gluten Free Adaptation

• Use gluten free pie crust

Prepare filling:

1/2lb firm tofu, crumbled
2T rice vinegar
1/2t onion powder
1/2t salt
1/4t dry mustard
------------------
1T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1T tamari
1/2lb spinach, chopped
2 T fresh basil, chopped
1 large tomato, sliced

Put first 5 ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Saute onion and garlic in oil and tamari. Add spinach, cover, and cook until wilted. Uncover and cook, stirring often, until excess moisture has been evaporated.

Add to tofu mixture along with basil and mix.

Pour filling into prepared crust. Top with tomato slices.

Bake 40-50 minutes at 350. Let cool 15 minutes.

Gluten Free Adaptation

• Omit dry mustard

adapted from May All Be Fed: Diet for a New World by John Robbins

Samosas

This is my new favorite thing to eat in the whole world. Dan likes the potato filling best, and I like the "meat" filling best, so I have to make one of each. It's a little time intensive, but so worth it! Samosas are supposed to be small little pies that you eat with your hand, but I am too lazy to make little ones, so I just make big ones and cut them into wedges. Sooo yummy! You can use just about any type of crust--Bryanna's original recipe called for phyllo, but you could probably even use refrigerated dinner rolls if you are short on time. Enjoy!

Note: The crust is the same one I use for the Tofu Pot Pie. So good and so easy!

Step one: Prepare the potatoes. You will need:

4c potatoes, cubed

Boil until just tender, then remove about a third and set aside.

Let the remaining potatoes cook a few minutes more until soft. Drain and mash.

Step two: Prepare the crust. You will need:

1 1/2T oil
1 1/2t salt
4 1/2c flour
1 1/2t baking powder
3/4c cold water

Beat together the mashed potatoes, oil and salt.

Add the flour and baking powder.

Mix well, then mix in the water.

Knead to a smooth dough (it will be very hard and stiff), cover, then let rest while you prepare the other ingredients, at least 30 min.

Step three: Prepare the fillings:

1 + 2 onions, chopped
1/4c chopped cilantro

Fry one chopped onion in a little oil until soft, then add:

1/2T ground coriander
1/4t cumin
1/8t chili pepper

Fry for about a minute, then remove from heat. Add to reserved potatoes, along with:

1/2c frozen peas
2T chopped cilantro
1/2t salt

Set aside.

In another bowl, combine:

3/4c dry TVP granules
1/2c plus 1T boiling water
2T soy sauce
1T lemon juice
remaining 2T cilantro

Set aside

Fry the remaining onion along with

1 glove garlic, minced

When onion is soft, add

2t curry powder
1t fresh ginger, minced
1t garam masala
1/2t salt

Fry for about a minute, then remove from heat. Add to reserved TVP mixture and set aside.

Step four: Put everything together

When crust is ready, cut into four pieces. By now it should be soft and easy to work with.

Roll out one piece big enough to fit one of the fillings and place on a cookie sheet. Pile all of one of the fillings on top. Spread out evenly on top of filling, leaving about 3/4 inch around the edges.

Roll out another piece to cover. Place on top of pie and pinch edges together.

Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until golden.

crust from Tofu Cookery by Louise Hagler
filling adapted from The Almost No Fat Holiday Cookbook by Bryanna Clark Grogan

Ratatouille

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1sm eggplant, unpeeled, cubed
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 zucchini, unpeeled, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
2T olive oil
1/2c chopped fresh parsley
1t basil
1t oregano
1/2t thyme
2t salt
Dash pepper
1 loaf french bread, sliced
Combine all ingredients except bread and bake, covered, for 1 hour at 350. Uncover and bake for additional 10-15 minutes to reduce liquid.

Toast bread slices.

Serve ratatouille over bread.

Gluten Free Adaptation:

• The ratatouille itself is gluten free, you just need to serve it without the bread, such as with tortilla chips instead. I don’t know how good that would be, but I felt I needed to at least include it as an option.

adapted from The Big Book of Casseroles by Maryana Vollstedt

Pizza

prepared frozen pizza (we especially like Amy’s No Cheese Roasted Vegetable)
Cook according to package directions.

or

prepared pizza dough (we get our from Bertucci’s...it’s fresh and delicious)
spaghetti sauce
tomato paste
assorted vegetable toppings, such as:
pineapple
mushrooms
onions (raw, sauteed or carmelized with a little brown sugar)
roasted garlic
broccoli, steamed
black olives
artichoke hearts

Roll pizza dough.
Combine spaghetti sauce with a little tomato paste just to make it thicker.
Spread on dough.
Add toppings.

Bake at 500 for 5-10 or until pizza dough is slightly brown.

Pierogie

frozen prepared pierogie (someday I will learn to make my own!)
onion, diced
butter
sauerkraut, rinsed and heated

Boil pierogie until they float to the top of the water.

Remove pierogie from water and place on cookie sheet. Broil until slightly brown on top. Turn and broil for a few more minutes.

Saute onion in butter until soft and translucent.

Serve pierogie with onions and warm sauerkraut.

No Tuna-Melt/Cauliflower Salad

No Tuna Melt

Cauliflower Salad (recipe follows)
bagels, halved
nayonnaise
alfalfa sprouts
fresh tomato slices

Prepare cauliflower salad.
Toast bagel halves.
Spread bagels with nayonnaise and top with alfalfa sprouts, cauliflower mixture, and fresh tomato slices.


I sometimes call this "Cauliflower Sandwich Spread", because it's not something you would really eat on its own. It's just like tuna or egg salad, only it uses cauliflower. Use the ingredients you would normally put in those salads, or use my recipe:

Cauliflower, steamed
Nayonnaise
Dijon mustard

Mash steamed cauliflower.
Add mayo and mustard to taste.


Variation: Broccoli Salad 

You can make the same thing with steamed broccoli, which Dan really likes, but I don't like as well. In addition to substituting the cauliflower, I sometimes sprinkle in some nutritional yeast to give it a little cheesy flavor and leave out the mustard.


Variation: Tofu No Egg Salad 

To make something that really tastes like Egg Salad, drain and press tofu (I often do this with any leftovers I have from an opened package), mash, then add nayonnaise and whatever ingredients you would normally put in egg salad. I add a little yellow mustard, a dash of apple cider vinegar, and lots of sweet pickle relish.

Mushroom Pot Stickers

2 oz bean thread (cellophane) noodles
1 lb white or brown mushrooms with stems
4 scallions, trimmed
2t fresh ginger
2T cilantro
2t sesame oil
2T tamari
1 pkg prepared wonton wrappers
vegetable oil

Place bean thread noodles in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak five minutes. Drain well, snip with scissors into 1/4in lengths. Set aside.

Pulse mushrooms, scallions, ginger, and cilantro in food processor until minced.

Combine noodles, mushroom mixture, oil, and tamari.

Place 1T in the middle of wonton wrapper. Wet two sides of wrapper with water, folder over, and seal.

Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Add wontons and cook just until the underside starts to turn brown. Add about 1/2c water to pan and cover, cooking until water is evaporated.

Serve with soy ginger sauce. Makes 3-4 dozen dumplings.


Soy Ginger Sauce

1/3c tamari
1/4c rice vinegar
1T water
1t sugar
1t grated fresh ginger
1t sesame oil

Combine all ingredients. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions, if desired.

adapted from Vegetarian Times, May 1996

Easy Spinach Calzone

8oz tofu, drained and mashed
1T dried parsley
1T lemon juice or rice vinegar
1t onion granules
1/8t black pepper
1c spaghetti sauce
1 10-oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
2 pkgs 8-ct refrigerated dinner roll dough*

Mix all ingredients except roll dough.

Using a rolling pin, spread the dough for one roll into a 5-inch circle.

Place approx. 2T tofu mixture into the center. Carefully fold the dough circle in half and pinch edges to enclose filling in a semicircle.

Put finished calzone onto a nonstick or lightly greased baking sheet.

Repeat for remaining calzones.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, until golden.

Hint: Divide filling evenly by spooning into 16 muffin cups.

*Update:  I can't seem to find anyone who makes refrigerated dinner roll dough anymore.  Recently I came across some "mini-pizza" dough, though, and they worked great!

adapted from Soyfoods: A Healthy Profile by the Nebraska Soybean Board