Category: Dinner

Pizza


Makes 2 14-inch pies

Ingredients

    Dough:

  • 1 c warm water
  • 1 1/2 T sugar
  • 1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 3 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 t salt

    •  

    Sauce:

  • 2/3 c your favorite pizza sauce

    •  

    Cheese:

  • 1 batch Vegan Mozzarella (or your favorite pizza cheese)


Directions

Whisk water, sugar, oil, and yeast together. Wait ~10 minutes for yeast to “proof” (foam). Meanwhile whisk dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Pour foaming liquid mixture into dry ingredients. Mix together with a wooden spoon until everything mixes together, then knead for ~10 mins.

Roll dough into a tight ball, cover with a thin film of oil, and place in a large oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for ~1 hour.

Dough should have doubled in size. Punch down and lightly knead for a minute (at this point you can freeze the dough and use later if you’d like). Put the lightly kneaded dough back in the bowl and let rest until stretchy again (for 10 mins – 2 hours).

Preheat over to 500 degrees. Stretch the dough out evenly and place on an evenly floured pizza pan (cornmeal works well for flouring the pan).

Spread a thin film of pizza sauce on the dough (~1/3 c), then sprinkle toppings (depending on the toppings, you might want some to be cooked in advance). Don’t put the cheese on yet.

Bake for ~5-8 minutes, until crust starts to rise (but not brown). Take out and quickly sprinkle the cheese on top (I recommend Vegan Mozzarella). Put back in the over and back for another 3-5 minutes, until cheese and crust are lightly browned.

Let pizza cool for ~3 minutes, then cut and serve!


Quinoa-Stuffed Collard Green Rolls with Goat Cheese



Ingredients

  • 2T olive oil
  • 2 (28oz) cans of diced tomatoes
  • 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4c fresh basil, slivered or 2t chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2t salt
  • 12 large collard leaves, center ribs removed
  • 3/4c quinoa
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2c vegetable broth
  • 1/3c chopped walnuts, toasted
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add 1T olive oil to the pan, and swirl to coat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and herbs to the pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add salt. Set aside.

While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add half of the collards to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the pan with tongs and place into a dry bowl. Repeat with remaining collards.

Rinse the quinoa to remove any bitter resin. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the walnuts and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Heat the oven to 375.

Spread about 3/4 cup of tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9×9 or 11×7 glass baking dish. Working with one collard leaf at a time, place about 1/4 cup of the quinoa in the center of a leaf. Fold in the edges of the leaf and roll up tightly. Place the oil, seam side down, in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining leaves and quinoa. Spoon the remaining sauce over the rolls. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes.


Savory Buttercup Squash Pie



Serves 8

Ingredients

    Crust

  • 1 c whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 2 R olive oil
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1/4-1/3 c ice water

    •  

    Filling

  • 2 lb buttercup squash, seeded, baked, and mashed
  • 1/2 T olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 14 oz silken tofu, mashed
  • 1 T fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 t salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 2 T arrowroot powder dissolved in 1 tbsp water

Directions

  1. For the Crust

    2. Mix whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, and salt in a small bowl. Pour olive oil in a separate bowl. Place both bowls in freezer for at least 1 hour.

    In a food processor or with a pastry cutter, combine flour and hardened oil until it forms a coarse meal. Leave a few pea-sized pieces of hardened oil for a flakier crust. Drizzle the water to the flour mixture, using only enough to form a dough. Take care not to overwork the dough, or it will become tough.

    Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into 1/16″-thick circle. Carefully place dough in a 9″ pie pan. Trim and crimp edges as desired. Place crust in refrigerator until you are ready to fill.

  2. For the Filling

    3. Preheat oven to 350º F.

    Slice squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place sliced side down on greased baking sheet and roast in oven for 15-25 minutes until a fork easily pierces the skin. Allow to cool, then scoop out flesh, mash, and set aside. Leave oven on at 350º F.

    In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté onions and garlic about 7 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in squash, tofu, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cook until warm. Dissolve arrowroot in water and stir into mixture to thicken filling.

    Pour the filling into pie crust and bake for 30 minutes. 

Serve warm with salad or soup for brunch or lunch. Keep a back up for yourself.


Scallion Risotto



Ingredients

  • 6c veggie broth
  • 6T unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4c chopped scallions (white and light green parts)
  • 1 1/2c Arborio rice
  • 1/2c dry white wine
  • 1/3c chopped scallions (green tops)
  • 1/2c grated parmesan cheese
  • white pepper to taste

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil; lower the heat and keep at a scant simmer.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat 4T of butter and cook the white parts of the scallions, stirring until they’re soft, about 2 minutes. Add the rice, stirring with a wooden spoon, until all the grains are coated with butter. Add the wine and cook the mixture at a low simmer, stirring until all the wine is absorbed, about 3-4 minutes.

Add 1/2c of the simmering broth and continue to simmer the mixture, stirring until the broth is absorbed. Keep adding broth by the 1/2 cup and repeating as above until the rice is creamy and al dente. The rice may not absorb all the broth, so it’s best to taste the mixture before adding the last 1/2c.

Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2T butter, the green scallion tops, cheese, and white pepper.


No-fu Love Loaf



Ingredients

    1/2c brown (green) lentils 1c vegetable stock 1/3c water 1 dried bay leaf 3/4c bulgur (toasted cracked wheat) (or steel cut oats) 1c water, boiled 1/4c ketchup 1c rolled or quick oats 3T tamari 2T nutritional yeast 2T ground white chia (or flax meal) 2T Worcestershire sauce 2T tahini or sunflower seed butter 2t blackstrap molasses 1/4t dried thyme 1/4-1/2t dried oregano 1t dried basil 1/8t ground fennel (optional) freshly ground pepper to taste
  1. Topping:

    2. 3/4t ketchup 1t Worcestershire sauce


Directions

Combine the lentils, stock, 1/3c water, and bay leaf in saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until just about tender. Once done, add the bulgur and boiling water, cover, and cook on medium-low heat for another 8-9 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil a loaf pan and line the bottom of the pan with a strip of parchment paper to cover (place it in to protrude along the short ends of the pan; this helps for easier removal of the veggie loaf from the pan). Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl.

Once the bulgur is cooked, remove the bay leaf and add all the remaining ingredients (except topping). Stir very well. Transfer the mixture to prepared pan and pack it in. Spread the topping mixture over the top.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 28 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes or so, before cutting to slice and serve. Serves 5-6.


Indian Red Lentil Dal



Ingredients

  • 2 t olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 t grated fresh ginger
  • 1 t ground cumin
  • 1 t ground coriander
  • 1 t curry powder or garam masala
  • 1/2 t turmeric
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 c red lentils, rinsed
  • 2 1/2 c water
  • 4 c chopped baby spinach
  • 2 c small cauliflower florets, steamed
  • cooked brown basmati rice, to serve

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir in garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, curry powder, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, lentils, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are soft, about 40 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook for 2 minutes, or until wilted, then stir in steamed cauliflower an cook 1 minute to heat through. Serve immediately in bowls, ladled over basmati rice.


Lemon-Thyme Tofu and Tomatoes



Ingredients


1 lb tofu, pressed and sliced into slabs
3 t dried thyme
3 T lemon juice
2 T olive oil
1 T white wine
salt and pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, diced

Directions


Lay tofu in a glass baking dish. Rub tofu slabs with thyme. Add lemon
juice, olive oil, white wine, salt, and pepper. Coat tofu with mixture.
Let sit for 15 minutes.

Heat pan over medium heat. Add tofu to the pan (reserve marinade). Brown
on both sides and remove from pan. Add tomatoes and the excess marinade
to the pan. Cook briefly (about 1 minute). Pour the tomato mixture over
the tofu.


Moroccan Chickpea Bisteeya



Ingredients

  • 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, divided
  • 2 t olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 t grated fresh ginger
  • 1 t ground coriander
  • 1/2 t ground cumin
  • 1/4 t ground allspice
  • 1/4 t cayenne
  • 1/2 c vegetable broth
  • 1 c unsweetened coconut milk, plus more if needed
  • 1/2 c frozen green peas, thawed
  • 1/2 c golden raisins
  • 1/2 c chopped dried apricots
  • 1/2 c chopped pitted prunes
  • 3 T chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • 2 t lemon zest
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 2 sheets vegan puff pastry, thawed
  • 1/2 c toasted slivered almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, place half of the chickpeas, mash thoroughly, and set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, stir in coriander, cumin, allspice, and cayenne, and continue to cook for a few minutes or until onion is very soft, stirring in vegetable broth as you cook.

Stir in mashed chickpeas, coconut milk, green peas, raisins, apricots, and prunes. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick, stir in additional coconut milk. Remove from heat, stir in remaining chickpeas, cilantro, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt, and set aside to cool completely.

In a 9″ Springform or cake pan, press one sheet of pastry. Spread cooled filling mixture evenly inside pastry. Sprinkle almonds on top of filling. Arrange second sheet of pastry on top, trimming sides and crimping ends of both sheets of pastry together to seal. Using a form, poke a few holes in top of pastry.

Bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Cool for about 8 minutes before removing from pan and cutting into wedges. Serve immediately.


Baked Tofu Bites



Ingredients

  • 1 (16 oz) package extra firm tofu
  • 1/4c soy sauce
  • 2T maple syrup
  • 2T ketchup
  • 1T vinegar
  • 1 dash hot sauce
  • 1T sesame seeds
  • 1/4t garlic powder
  • 1/4t ground black pepper
  • 1t liquid smoke flavoring

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray a non stick baking sheet with oil. Slice tofu into 1/2inch slices, and gently press excess water out of tofu. Cut sliced tofu into 1/2inch cubes. In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, ketchup, vinegar, and hot sauce. Stir in sesame seeds, garlic powder, black pepper, and liquid smoke. Gently stir tofu cubes into sauce. Cover, and marinate at least 5 minutes. Place the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn tofu, and bake until the tofu turned golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

Coconut Chana Saag


Serve over basmati rice and don’t be ashamed to pick up a jar of mango chutney

Ingredients

    * 2T refined coconut oil * 1 medium yellow onion, diced * 3 cloves garlic, minced * 2T minced fresh ginger * 2T mild curry powder * 1t salt * several pinches of freshly ground black pepper * 1/2t anise seeds (or crushed fennel seeds) * 1/4t garam masala * 1/2t ground cumin * 1/4t cayenne (or more/less) * 1 24oz can whole tomatoes * 2 15oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained (3 cups) * 8oz kale, chopped (or chard/collards…or 2x spinach) * 1 14oz can regular or light coconut milk * 2T fresh lime juice
  1. For serving

    2. * cooked basmati rice * mango chutney * fresh cilantro


Directions

Preheat a 4qt pot over medium heat and add the coconut oil. Sauté the onion in the oil for 5-7 minutes, until lightly browned.

Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the curry powder, salt, pepper, anise seeds, garam masala, cumin, and cayenne and toss to coat the onions, letting the spices toast a bit (for a minute or so).

Add the tomato juice from the can, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Simply hold the tomatoes and let the juice strain from your fingers. Now add the tomatoes from the can, squishing them with your fingers as you put them in the pot, to mash them up. Add the chickpeas and mix well.

Cover the pan and bring the heat up a bit. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale and stir until wilted, then let simmer or 5 more minutes, uncovered, to cook it down even further.

Add the coconut milk and heat through. Add the lime juice, then taste for seasoning. It tastes best if you let it sit for 10 minuets or so.