Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Banana-Date-Walnut Muffins: Amazing, Tender, and Fat-Free!

From www.blog.fatfreevegan.com

Banana-Date-Walnut Muffins

Inspired by this banana bread recipe on the Knocked Up Vegan blog and some of the muffin recipes in Vegan with a Vengeance resulted in these amazing, tender, fat-free muffins.

Here's how:

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup natural sugar (I used the large crystal, unbleached kind)
3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1-1/4 cups)
1/2 cup vanilla soymilk
1/3 cup natural apple sauce
2 tbsp. agave nectar
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (omit to reduce fat)

Preheat the oven to 400 and spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray. Sift together the flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, mash the banana with the sugar, soymilk, apple sauce, and agave nectar.

Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Add in the dates and walnuts, and pour into 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve to everyone who came running toward the aroma of fresh baked banana muffins!

These came out very light and sweet, you can probably reduce the sugar with no ill effects as they might even be too sweet for some. Enjoy!

Makes 12 muffins. Each (including walnuts) contains 144 Calories (kcal); 2g Total Fat; (10% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 171mg Sodium; 2g Fiber.

Without walnuts: 128 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (2% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 171mg Sodium; 2g Fiber.

World Go Vegan Week Halloween Costume Party!

World Go Vegan Week Halloween Costume Party!

Saturday, October 31

Join the World Go Vegan Week Party-- don't miss out on the catered vegan treats, complimentary vegan wine, silent auction, costume contest, raffle, speakers and more!

Guest Speakers include:

  • Kenneth Williams, World Champion Vegan Bodybuilder
  • Lauren Ornelas, Founder of the Food Empowerment Project


Pig boy7 pm - 11 pm Saturday October 31
in San Francisco
Sliding Scale Donation (all proceeds go to the animals!)

If you'd like to offer volunteer help or silent auction items please contact IDA!

Farm animals and Elvis

Don't Miss Your Chance To See MINE On The Big Screen Oct. 27

Don't Miss Your Chance To See MINE On The Big Screen

Katrina dogs


Last chance to view the San Francisco screening of MINE:

Oct 27, Tuesday ….. SF Doc Fest
9:15 pm, The Roxie Theater

MINE is a compelling, character-driven story that challenges us concerning the way we treat animals in our society - both human and non-human animals.

Set in a post-Katrina landscape of poverty, loss and moral uncertainty, MINE presents the complexity of an intensely emotional situation that has no simple answers. At the center of this tension are animals who are loved like family, but by law are considered property.

This is a powerful film about the bond between humans and non-human animals, and how tragedy intensifies these bonds, told against the backdrop of one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history.

Click here to visit the film's official website.

Candies, Snacks, Recipes and More Halloween Ideas

Treats that aren't tricky to find




Candy

Top 10:

1.
Surf Sweet sour worms
2. Skittles
3. Airheads
4.
Goldenberg’s Original Peanut Chews
5.
Hot Tamales
6. Swedish Fish
7. Laffy Taffy
8. Nerds
9.
Mike and Ike's
10. Sour Patch Kids

More:

American Licorice Candy Company
Red Vines, Super Ropes, Snaps

Andre Prost, Inc.
Zotz

Atkinson Candy Company
Chick-o-Sticks, Peanut Butter Bars

August Storck
Mambas

Bernod's Spun City
Certified Organic Cotton Candy pouches

Cadbury Adams
Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish

Clif Bar
Organic Fruit Twists, Z Bar (Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter flavors)

College Farm Organics
Naturepops

Endangered Species
Dark Chocolate Bug Bites

Equal Exchange
Mini Dark Chocolates

Farley’s and Sathers Candy Company, Inc.
Brach's Dem Bones, Jujubees, Jujyfruits, Orange Slices, Fruit Slices, Gum Drops, Super Bubble, Rain Blo

Ferrara Pan Candy Company
Anise Bears, Applehead, Fruit Headline Sm., Sours (Xl Headline), Atomic Fireball, Boston Baked Beans, Bug City, Cherry Slices, Cherry Sours, Cherryhead, Chewy Atomic Fireballs, Chewy Lemonhead And Friends (Regular and Tropical), Cinnamon Hearts, Cinnamon Imperials, French Burnt Peanuts, Fruit Cocktail, Fruit Slices, Gourmet Jelly Beans, Grapehead, Gum Drops (Regular and Halloween), Jawbusters (Jawbreakers, Mini Peppermint and Spearmint), Jelly Beans Halloween, Jelly Beans Jumbo (Black, Cinnamon, Fruit, and Spice), Jelly Beans Pee-Wee/Mini, Jelly Beans Xl Cinnamon, Jelly Slices Mini, Juju (Fish Assorted, Mini Red Fish, Halloween), Juju Red (Coins, Hot Coins, Raspberry), Orange Slices, Orangehead, Red Hots, Cinnamon Large, Sour Bug City, Sour Cherries, Sour Jacks, Spearmint Leaves, Spice Drops (Regular and Halloween), Starlight Mints (chocolate, peppermint, spearmint), Sugar Pellets

Foreign Candy Company
Skull Pop Suckers

Frito Lay
Cracker Jacks

FruitaBu
Stretch Island, FruitaBu

Ginger People
Ginger Chews

Hershey’s
Twizzlers, Jolly Ranchers

Just Born, Inc.
Mike and Ike, Hot Tamales, Goldenberg’s Original Peanut Chews, Teenee Beenee

Necco
Mary Jane’s (Peanut Butter and Regular), Taffy, Squirrel Nut Zippers

Perfetti Van Melle, Inc.
Airheads

Pez Candy, Inc.
Pez

Pure Fun Confections
Chocolate Meltdowns, Citrus Slices, Pure Pops, Mint Pinwheels, Fruit Pinwheels, Fruit Rocks, Barrels of Fun, Jaw Boulders

Sjaak’s
Dark chocolate (plain, almonds, extra dark, espresso) Almond Butter Bites, Peanut Butter Bites, Nuts and Chew Assortment, Vegan Truffles, Small Bites (Orange, Mint, Acai, Ginger, Caramel)

Sorbee
Crystal Light Candy, Fruit Flavors Candy, Starlight Mints, Butterscotch Lites, Chocolate Lites, Coffee Lites

Spangler Candy Company
Dum Dums, Saf-T-Pops

Sunkist
Fruit Gems

Surf Sweets
Fruity Bears, Gummy Swirls, Sour Worms

Topps Company, Inc.
Ring Pops, Bazooka Bubble Gum (not gum balls), Push Pops, Juicy Pops

Tootsie Roll
Dots, Charms (without gum), Cry Babies, Dubble Bubble, Fluffy Stuff Cotton Candy

Trader Joe’s
Organic Pops

Wonka
Sweet Tarts (non-gummy versions), Nerds, Runts, Bottle Caps, Gobstoppers, Laffy Taffy

The Wrigley Company
Hubba Bubba, Life Savers (non- gummy versions), Skittles (all, except “Crazy-Cores”), Big League Chew

Yummy Earth
Lollipops

No need to fret before Halloween! You now bear witness to the many, many vegan-ingredient sweets, and you too can supply the neighborhood children with handfuls of processed, sugary pancreatic work-outs if you so choose!

Oh, and Jelly Belly's are vegetarian, they're coated in a beeswax giving them their glossiness. They exclude other animal products including gelatin.
Unfortunately a commercial candy corn that is vegan does not exist...yet. Jelly Belly is the closest brand to being vegan, but still contains beeswax.
So encourage Jelly Belly to Make Their Candy Corn Vegan! Go to http://mycusthelp.com/JELLYBELLY/supportcontact.asp?sSessionID= to send them a message via their online form encouraging Jelly Belly to drop the beeswax from their candy, so that everyone can enjoy!




Snacks

Bean dip (make sure it’s lard-free)
Cracker Jack
Fritos
Lance’s Toasty Crackers
Lay's Stax
Lay's WOW! potato chips
Microwave popcorn (minus the real butter flavor)
Munchos
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Peanuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, Pistachios and other nuts
Pretzels
Salsa
Skittles’ Mints
Tostitos
Trail mix
Triscuits
Wheat Thins
etc.

Recipes & Ideas


Along with real pumpkin lanterns
,
Bloodless Orange Fruit-Lanterns are a playfully unique addition to the edible decor.

After the junk food fun, here are the refreshing fruit salad lanterns with fun spoon stems for scooping up filling.
Ingredients
  • Navel orange
  • Canned or fresh fruit salad
Instructions
  1. To make one lantern, use a small knife or pumpkin carving tool to slice the top off a navel orange and cut around its interior to hollow it out. Scoop out the orange segments, chop them, and mix them with fresh or canned fruit salad.

  2. Carve small facial features in one side of the orange, then cut a slit in the lid to accommodate the handle of a green plastic spoon. Fill the lantern with fruit salad. Insert the spoon and set the lid in place.


Vegan Caramel Apples
-Vegan Caramel-
Ingredient proportions from The Glad Cow Cookbook
Makes ~100 pieces of caramel candy, will coat ~8-10 apples




1 cup margarine*
2 cups sugar
2 cups soy milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1 t vanilla
*Optional: Add 1 tsp salt if using unsalted margarine

-Line an 8 inch x 8 inch pan with parchment or cover a baking sheet with parchment and ready your apples and sticks. You can cover a few apples and then place the remaining caramel in any parchment lined container to set up and make candies. I use a loaf pan for the extra caramel when covering apples.

-Place the margarine, sugar, soy milk and corn syrup in a large saucepan (4qt capacity minimum)

-Bring ingredients to a boil stirring continually.

-Cook over medium-high heat while continuing to stir until candy reaches 248 degrees F. (243-5 for softer caramels)

-Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into lined baking pan. If coating apples then let allow the caramel to cool for a minute while still stirring and then start coating. After you coat the apples place them in the fridge or eat them as soon as they cool.

-Allow the caramel in the pan to cool completely. Snip into pieces using clean kitchen shears that you wipe or spray with oil (or slice with a knife). Wrap individually with waxed or parchment paper. Makes ~100 pieces
Variation: Cook to 230 degrees F for caramel sauce for ice cream/cake. Store in a covered container.

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Scones Recipe

5 out of 5
Originally posted by Jolinda Hackett on About.com

These moist gingered pumpkin scones will fill the kitchen with a wonderful aroma. If you like vegan scones, you might also want to try these vegan chocolate chip scones or this recipe for vegan cranberry lemon scones


Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3 tsp ginger powder
  • 1/2 cup vegan margarine
  • 2 cups pureed pumpkin

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and ginger). Cut in vegan margarine, adding a bit at a time until mixed. Add pumpkin and combine well.

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough a few times, pushing it into a large circle, a few inches thick.

Cut into 12 or so triangular pieces. Imagine you are cutting a pizza so that you get even, triangular slices.

Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until done.

enjoy!





To make cute Halloween "bento" buy "The Vegan Lunch Box" Here and another one here



Stop by the SF Halloween Party and enjoy complimentary treats, wine, and more!

Appetizers, Dips, Snacks, and Spreads

From www.blog.fatfreevegan.com

Portabellas Stuffed with Pesto-Mashed Potatoes

Inspired by Catherine's lucious-looking Portobellos Stuffed with Lentils, Stilton, & Walnuts, these are a unique way to serve mashed potatoes.

This is more a side-dish than an appetizer, though you can pick them up and eat them with your fingers. Don't let the weird color fool you--they're really tasty! If you enjoy leftovers, make two batches!

Portabellas Stuffed with Pesto-Mashed Potatoes

(serves 3 as a side dish)

10 ounces small potatoes (I used 5 or 6 fingerlings)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
1 cup basil, packed
1 tbsp. vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
2-3 tbsp. plain soymilk
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. chopped walnuts or toasted pinenuts (optional)
sprinkling of vegan parmesan (optional)
6 medium-sized portabella mushrooms

Boil the potatoes until they are completely tender. I pressure cooked mine for 6 minutes and let the pressure come down naturally. While they are cooking, make the pesto:

In a food processor, puree the garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, and basil, using a tablespoon or two of water to make the blades run smoothly. Mixture should be coarsely chopped, not completely smooth.

When the potatoes are done, remove them to a mixing bowl and mash them thoroughly. (I chose to leave the skin on mine, but you may peel them first.) Add 2-3 tablespoons of soymilk, until they achieve a creamy yet still stiff consistency. Add the pesto mixture, 1 tablespoon of vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste; blend thoroughly. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts or pinenuts, if desired.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Clean the portabellas and remove the stem and any fluffy flesh that surrounds it. Brush a baking dish with a few drops of olive oil, and use the same brush to brush the bottoms of the mushrooms. Fill the mushrooms with the potato mixture, heaping it in the middle, and set them in the baking dish. Sprinkle the tops with the parmesan, if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until mushrooms are tender and potatoes are beginning to brown. Serve hot.


No-Queso Quesadillas

(printer-friendly version)
Cheeseless Quesadillas
To make a fairly authentic-tasting vegan version, simply use one of the packaged vegan cheeses that are becoming more widely available.

For a lower fat version, skip the packaged cheese, and make quesadillas with a nutritional yeast-based cheese. These no-queso quesadillas don't really taste like cheesy ones, but they're great, melty and full of flavor. But because they don't taste like cheese, please don't go out and make these for your non-vegan friends, they'll come away with the impression that vegan food is even weirder than they thought it was. But, if you like nutritional yeast sauces, I think you'll find these as tasty as I did.

No-Queso Quesadillas

These quesadillas taste best when they're filled with something in addition to the cheesy sauce. I made them both plain and with spinach, but you can experiment with other fillings. Just don't add too much or the whole thing may fall apart as you flip it. And be sure to pre-cook any vegetables that you don't want crunchy.

Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lowfat soymilk
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon stoneground mustard
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon tahini

2 tablespoons salsa
4 6-inch whole wheat tortillas
optional fillings: spinach, mushrooms, olives, peppers, onions, potatoes, black beans, etc.

Put all sauce ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a medium non-stick saucepan, add the salsa, and stir as you bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to cook, stirring, for at least 2 minutes after boiling. Sauce should be thick and smooth. Set aside.

Heat a large, non-stick skillet. Place 1 tortilla in the skillet and cook until brown spots begin to appear on the bottom. Flip over. Spread half of the "cheese" over the tortilla. (If you are adding any other fillings place them on top of the cheese.) Cover with another tortilla. Cover pan and cook for a minute or two, until the bottom tortilla is golden browned. Carefully flip the whole thing over and cook until the bottom tortilla has browned. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into four triangles with a pizza cutter.

Makes 4 servings (2 pieces each). Per serving: 201 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (23% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 659mg Sodium; 7g Fiber. Weight Watchers 4 Points.

Tip: The tortillas used contained 3 grams of fat each. If using other tortillas, adjust fat content accordingly.

No-Queso Quesadillas

There are a lot of good vegan quesadilla recipes that don't try to imitate cheese at all. Here are a few that look delicious:


Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches
(printer-friendly version)

I don't have a lot to say about this recipe. I mean, there are only so many ways I can say something's delicious—Mmmmm! Yum! Wow! Awesome! Kid-Friendly!—without sounding like a 4th grader.

These use silken tofu in quiches was inspired by the frittata Kaji's Mom did recently. (Hers looks excellent, by the way. Be sure to check it out.)

These are extremely versatile: Good hot or cold, you can eat them for breakfast, put them in a lunchbox, or serve them for dinner. If you're throwing a party, try making them in mini muffin cups, and they'll be the perfect finger food. (Reduce the baking time for smaller quiches.) Try them with different vegetables, but be careful not to add too many or they may not hold together. Most importantly, plan to either hide them from your family or make enough to share!

Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches

olive oil spray
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup bell pepper
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives (or one green onion)
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried, crushed)
black pepper to taste

1 12.3-ounce package lite firm silken tofu, drained of water
1/4 cup plain soymilk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon cornstarch (may sub another thickener such as arrowroot or potato starch)
1 teaspoon tahini (preferred) or cashew butter
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray 12 regular-sized muffin cups well with non-stick spray. (I used silicone cups like these.)

Lightly spray a non-stick skillet with olive oil and sauté the garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms over medium heat until the mushrooms just begin to exude their juices. Stir in the chives, rosemary, and freshly ground black pepper, and remove from the heat.

Place the remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth and silky. Add the tofu mixture to the vegetables and stir to combine. Spoon equally into the 12 muffin cups: it will fill regular muffin cups about halfway.

Put the muffin pan into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 F. Bake until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the middle of a quiche comes out clean--about 25-35 minutes depending on your oven and muffin cups (silicone will take longer than metal, so if you're using a metal pan, check it at 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. Enjoy! They're light, so plan on making more of these—or serve hearty side dishes—if you're serving more than 3 people.

4 mini-quiches contain: 96 Calories (kcal); 3 g Total Fat; (23% calories from fat); 11 g Protein; 8 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 459 mg Sodium; 2 g Fiber




Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Last night's dinner

The easy dip of artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers dip is flavorful and filling and (WARNING) extremely spicy with two cloves of garlic. You may want to tone down the garlic but keep the rest of this tasty recipe.

Artichoke Hearts and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 cup roasted red peppers (from a jar)
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped (these get very strong, so I advise moderation)
1 tbsp. tahini
1/8 tbsp. white pepper
salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Serve as a dip for fresh vegetables (baby carrots, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.) or pita bread.


Green Olive Hummus

This low-fat recipe uses less tahini because the olives contain fat and cuts down on the spices so that the olives carry the flavor. If you like olives, you'll love this hummus!

Green Olive Hummus

(makes about 4 cups)

3 large cloves garlic
2 cans (or 3 cups) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup green olives (stuffed with pimentos)
1 tablespoon tahini
1/4 tsp. sumac
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt, to taste
5-6 more olives

Chop the garlic in the food processor. Add the chickpeas and lemon juice, and coarsely chop. (If more liquid is needed to get the blades moving, add a tablespoon or two of water or vegetable broth.) Add the green olives, tahini, and seasonings, and process until everything is mixed. (This will not be a smooth type of hummus, but all ingredients should be well-distributed.) Taste for saltiness, and add salt if needed (the olives make it pretty salty already.) Process to blend in the salt, and then add the remaining olives. Pulse a few times just to barely chop the olives. Serve with crackers, pita bread, or crudités as desired.


Artichoke Tapenade

(printer-friendly version)

Artichoke Tapenade

If you're not concerned about fat content, a quarter cup of pinenuts would probably push this recipe closer to the mouthwatering ecstasy of the original.


Artichoke Tapenade

Artichoke bottoms have a denser texture for this, but artichoke hearts will also work.

1 14-ounce can artichoke bottoms, drained and rinsed well (or 8 ounces fresh artichoke hearts)
1 tablespoon capers
1 1/2 ounces kalamata olives (about 3 tbsp. pitted, halved olives)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice (optional; use more for fresh artichokes)

Put all ingredients except lemon juice into food processor. Process, stopping to scrape down sides a couple of times, until everything is finely chopped. Taste and add lemon or lime juice, if needed. Refrigerate and allow flavors to blend for at least an hour before serving. (It's even better if you let it rest overnight and bring to room temperature before eating.) Spread on good bread or crackers.

Makes 4 servings or about 20 tablespoons. Per tablespoon: 9 Calories (kcal); .5g Total Fat; (56% calories from fat); trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 82mg Sodium; trace Fiber.

One-fourth of recipe contains: 47 Calories (kcal); 3g Total Fat; (56% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 412mg Sodium; 1g Fiber.
Weight Watchers 1 Point.

Pistachio Crusted Tofu with Ridiculously Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce


Pistachio Crusted Tofu
(printer-friendly version)

Pistachio Crusted Tofu Pistachios add a little pizazz to breaded tofu. You can also dip the tofu into a sweet and spicy mustard-based sauce before dredging it in pistachio-spiked breadcrumbs. The tofu is tasty on its own, but you may want to carry the sweet and spicy theme one step further and add an easy version of the "duck sauce" found in Chinese restaurants. With so many competing flavors, it sounds like a mess, but somehow it works: crunchy yet tender, sweet yet sour, nutty yet...? Well, you get the idea. It's a symphony in your mouth!

One note: Although the photo shows the sauce in a dipping bowl, it's better just to pour the sauce over the tofu; otherwise the breading falls off, and you get a dipping bowl full of soggy crumbs.

Pistachio Crusted Tofu

14 ounces tofu
2 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium

1 1/2 slices whole wheat bread
1/2 cup pistachio nuts
ground pepper -- to taste
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, low sodium
1 tablespoon tofu mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 400F; prepare a baking sheet by either oiling it lightly or lining it with a silicone liner.

Cut the tofu into 8 1/2-inch slices and dry them lightly with paper towels. Brush both sides of the tofu with the 2 tablespoons soy sauce and set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.

While the tofu is marinating, place the bread into the food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Measure out 1 cup of crumbs into a wide, shallow bowl. (Save any remaining crumbs for another use.) Pulse the pistachios in the processor until they are reduced to fine crumbs. Add them to the bread crumbs along with a generous grating of black pepper, and mix well.

In another shallow bowl, combine the mustard, syrup, soy sauce, and mayo.

Dip a slice of tofu into the mustard mixture, lightly coating all sides; then place it into the bread crumbs, sprinkle crumbs over the top and sides, and lightly press them into the tofu. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all slices of tofu.

Put the tofu into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve with the sauce of your choice, such as the Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce below.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving, excluding sauce: 243 Calories (kcal); 15g Total Fat; (50% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 570mg Sodium; 4g Fiber. Weight Watchers 5 Flex Points.


Ridiculously Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce
(printer-friendly version)

3 tablespoons peach preserves or All-Fruit spread
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, low sodium
1/4 teaspoon chili paste

Mix all ingredients together well. Serve over tofu or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, wontons, etc.

Makes 4 servings, about 1 tbsp. each. Per serving: 38 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (0% calories from fat); trace Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 33mg Sodium; trace Fiber. Weight Watchers 1 Flex Point.

Two Easy Recipes for World Go Vegan Week

From www.blog.fatfreevegan.com

Chili Mac

(printer-friendly version)

Chili MacMost of SusanV's recipes are kid-friendly if the children you're cooking for will eat vegetables and beans. If trying to transition family to a plant-based diet and your kids absolutely refuse to eat most of the foods on it, these kid-friendly recipes may not help much, and veganizing dishes that they already like might work best.

But if they're open to eating beans, this vegan version of the childhood favorite, Chili Macaroni, could be a winner. Feel free to leave out the kale until you get your family addicted to it and then slowly add in the greens a little at a time. You'll find that the kale provides nutrition and color but relatively little taste, so your more open-minded family members won't mind it at all.

Chili Macaroni

2 cups elbow macaroni
1 onion, chopped
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
4 teaspoons mild chili powder*
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
10 ounces frozen corn kernels
1 16-ounce can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
5 cups thinly-sliced kale (thick stems removed before slicing) or other greens**
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water until tender. Drain. Sauté onion in a large non-stick pot until translucent. Add remaining ingredients, as well as cooked pasta. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

*This is chili powder, not pepper, a mixture of mild chili peppers and cumin that adds no heat to the dish. If you want it spicy, add cayenne or additional chipotle chili powder.
**If you use a faster-cooking green such as spinach, add it during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 259 Calories (kcal); 2g Total Fat; (6% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 52g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 854mg Sodium; 9g Fiber. 139mg Calcium; 2mcg B-12. Weight Watchers 5 Flex Points.


If you're ever in Pensacola, Florida, please check out the End of the Line Cafe. It's a small coffee house near the railroad tracks, but we were all impressed by the delicious sandwiches, hummus, quinoa tabouli, homemade vegan cheeses, and incredible potato chowder.


Ridiculously Easy Lunchbox Enchilada Casserole
(printer-friendly version)

Ridiculously Easy Lunchbox Enchilada Casserole

Ridiculously Easy Lunchbox Enchilada Casserole

The amount of ingredients you need for this will depend on the size of the container you're making it in. Servings based on thermos (which held less than the CorningWare dishes), so the ingredients listed below are just approximations based on one serving--you may find you need more or less.

1/2 cup salsa
2-3 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
2/3 cup fat-free refried beans or chili beans (or a combination of the 2)
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels
a handful washed baby spinach
2-3 jumbo black olives, sliced

Choose a 1-serving dish that can be safely microwaved. (The thermos shown above is designed to be put into the microwave; most are not and should not be used for this.) Spread a couple of tablespoons of salsa in the bottom of the dish. Next place a layer of tortillas over the salsa, trying to cover most of the dish's bottom--a little overlapping is okay. Spread the tortilla with half of the beans and top with the spinach. Add another layer of tortillas. Spread with the rest of the beans, sprinkle with the corn, and spoon a little salsa over the corn. Top with a final layer of tortillas. Spread the tortillas with a good layer of salsa, and put the olives on the top. (Or, hold the olives and add them after cooking.)

Cover the top loosely with waxed paper (do not use the thermos top), and put the dish into the microwave. Cook on high power until heated all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Microwaves vary, so check to make sure that the inside is warm by inserting a knife into the middle and checking a sample. If you're making this in a thermos, it will continue to cook after you've sealed the container, so getting it hot in the middle is not so important. If serving right away, heat it until it's very hot and then let it sit for a few minutes to cool.

Makes one serving. With 2 tortillas and 2 olives: 306 Calories (kcal); 3g Total Fat; (7% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 62g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 1287mg Sodium; 9g Fiber. 6 Weight Watchers Points (or Core plus 1 point for tortillas).

Easy Desserts


Ridiculously Easy Pineapple Sorbet
(printer-friendly version)

Ridiculously Easy Pineapple Sorbet

A can of pineapple, a freezer, and a food processor are all you need to make this light, refreshing, and naturally sugar-free dessert.

1 can (about 20 ounces) pineapple chunks packed in juice

A few hours (or days) beforehand, open the can of pineapple and pour it, juice and all, into a freezer-safe container; a large, flat one works best. When it's frozen hard, remove it from the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes. Use a table knife to break the block of pineapple into several large chunks; then put it into the food processor. (If your processor is small, you'll have to do this in more than one batch.)

Process the pineapple, stopping often to push the chunks under the blades, until it is a smooth, creamy consistency. This will take a few minutes, and you may have to be patient as the friction of the blades heats the pineapple slightly, allowing it to blend smoothly. Serve immediately. If you have leftovers, return them to the freezer and re-process briefly before serving later.

Tips: You can modify this recipe in dozens of ways. If you like your dessert sweeter, add a little of your favorite sweetener. If you like it creamier, try adding a couple of tablespoons of non-dairy milk or coconut milk (great flavor!) Or substitute half of the pineapple with frozen mangos, bananas, peaches, or berries. Get as creative as you want!

Makes 4 servings. Each contains 85 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (1% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 1mg Sodium; 1g Fiber. Weight Watchers Core / 2 Flex Points.



Cherry-Chocolate Mousse Pie
(printer-friendly version)

Cherry-Chocolate Mousse Pie
The basic pie is impossible to mess up; throw in everything from almonds to oranges to peanut butter and it always comes out delicious. It's a variation on the chocolate mousse that every vegan knows, the first vegan dessert that many of us learned.

Tip: Make a lower-fat version by using cocoa powder instead of chocolate chips.


Cherry-Chocolate Mousse Pie

1/2 cup dried cherries
1 12-ounce box light silken tofu (or extra-firm silken tofu)
2 tablespoons agave nectar (more if you want it sweeter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 prepared Graham cracker crust

Cover the dried cherries with 1/2 cup of boiling water and soak them until soft. Drain (and reserve) the water, and put the cherries into the food processor. Pulse to chop. Drain the tofu and add it to the food processor along with the agave nectar and vanilla. Process until smooth.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour it into the food processor and puree, scraping down the sides as needed to make sure it's well blended. Pour into a prepared crust and chill for several hours.

Makes 8 servings. Each slice contains 341 Calories (kcal); 16g Total Fat; (39% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 49g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 155mg Sodium; 3g Fiber. Weight Watchers: 8 Flex Points.

(See, I told you it wasn't fat-free!)

If you'd like to make it without the crust, here's the info for a crustless version: 231 Calories (kcal); 11g Total Fat; (38% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 40mg Sodium; 3g Fiber. Weight Watchers: 5 Flex Points.

Serving Suggestion: Take the reserved cherry-soaking water, add some sugar, and simmer it on the stove until it's reduced to a syrup. Drizzle over pie just before serving. (Here's a sneaky photographer's secret: I added some grenadine to the cherry syrup to brighten the color.)

Easy Soups and Salad Recipes

Recipes from www.blog.fatfreevegan.com

Soups:

Ridiculously Easy Lentil Soup
(printer-friendly version)

Ridiculously Easy Lentil Soup

Instead of the frozen mirepoix vegetables, feel free to use 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 2 ribs celery, diced.

2 cups (400 g) green lentils, rinsed
7 cups (1600 ml) water
14 ounces (400g) mirepoix blend vegetables
8 ounces (220 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
2 servings vegetable bouillon cubes (I used one large Not-Beef Broth Cube, which is gluten-free)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
3 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, chopped

14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes (use fire-roasted for best flavor)
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/8 teaspoon hickory salt (or other smoked salt), optional
salt, to taste
additional seasonings, to taste
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Place lentils, water, and next 7 ingredients into pressure cooker or large pot.

For pressure cooking, seal the cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook under pressure for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to come down for 5 minutes. Then, release any remaining pressure and return to very low heat. Add tomatoes, pepper, and both salts, and taste to check seasonings. If necessary, add more to taste (I added more oregano and garlic). Cook uncovered for at least 15 minutes, adding more water if it seems too thick, and stirring from the bottom often. Stir in vinegar just before serving.

For regular cooking, bring to a boil, stir well, cover pot, and cook over low heat until lentils are tender, about an hour. (Add additional water if it begins to dry out.) Add tomatoes, pepper, and both salts, and taste to check seasonings. If necessary, add more to taste (I added more oregano and garlic). Cook uncovered for at least 15 minutes, adding more water if it seems too thick, and stirring from the bottom often. Stir in vinegar just before serving.

Servings: 8
Ridiculously Easy Lentil Soup
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/8 of a recipe (13.8 ounces).

Ridiculously Easy Lentil Soup Lable
Percent daily values are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.

Though MyPoints are calculated using a formula similar to Weight Watchers Points TM, this site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.


Ridiculously Easy Lentil Soup


Garden Vegetable and Bean Soup

Garden Vegetable and Bean Soup

Aside from an added can of cannellini beans and slightly increased seasoning because of the increased volume of the beans, this soup is exactly as the Weight Watchers Zero Points Garden Vegetable Soup over at Alanna Kellogg's incredible blog, A Veggie Venture. Alanna had marked it as a favorite recipe and named it as the best soup on her blog for January. It's filled with fresh veggies and nutrient-rich cabbage.

6 cups fat-free vegetable broth (but I used Imagine Un-Chicken broth)
cooking spray
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 teaspoons garlic (from a jar or substitute four cloves minced garlic)
1/2 cabbage, chopped
1/2 pound frozen green beans
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
generous grinding of black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 large zucchini, diced
1 19-ounce can (2 cups) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (may substitute Great Northern Beans or any white beans)

Sauté the carrots, onion and garlic in a large sprayed or non-stick pot for about 5 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the zucchini and cannellini beans and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the beans are tender. Add the zucchini and cannellini and cook until the zucchini are tender.

Simple though it seems, this soup was wonderful. And--attention parents--it is kid-friendly!

Even with the addition of beans, Weight Watchers members and people following Eat to Live or the McDougall Program can enjoy this without guilt. Based on 8 servings, the nutritional breakdown is about 86 Calories; trace Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 448mg Sodium; 5g fiber; 1 WW Point.


Quick and Easy Potato Soup
(printer-friendly version)

Quick and Easy Potato SoupThis is such a simple recipe, SusanV adapted from the VitaMix cookbook.
Peeling the potatoes isn't even necessary because blending completely pulverizes the skin, but including the peel makes the soup a sort of gray-green color, so if you want your soup to be creamy white like in these pictures, you'll need to peel your 'taters. Just let them cool a little so you don't wind up with scorched fingers!

Quick and easy Potato Soup

Potatoes can be microwaved, boiled, steamed, or even baked beforehand, but microwaving is quickest.

3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked and peeled, if desired
1/2 small onion
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (using more will make it spicy)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon raw cashews or 1/2 tbsp. cashew butter (optional)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cups low-fat soymilk or other non-dairy milk

Vita-Mix InstructionsHigh-Powered Blender Users: Place two of the potatoes along with the remaining ingredients into the blender in the order given. Start machine on low speed and increase to highest setting. Blend for about 4 minutes, until steaming hot. Dice remaining potato and divide it among 4 bowls. Pour the soup over the potatoes and serve hot.


Regular Blender InstructionsRegular Blender/Stovetop Users: Chop the onion and sauté it until soft in a medium-sized saucepan. Cut the potatoes into cubes and add 2/3 of them to the pan, along with the broth, rosemary, white pepper, and salt. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Pour into blender along with cashew butter, soymilk, and nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth. Return to pan, add remaining potatoes, and cook, stirring often, over low heat until hot.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving, with cashews: 131 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (8% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 306mg Sodium; 2g Fiber. Weight Watchers 2 Points.

Without cashews: Per serving: 119 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (1% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 305mg Sodium; 2g Fiber. Weight Watchers Core/ 2 Points.



Smoky Refried Bean Soup
(printer-friendly version)



Refried Bean Soup

This soup is so thick it's almost a chili. Use the minimum amounts of chipotle chili powder and hot sauce to make this a mild dish or add more to make it as hot as you dare.

The canned beans version is such a great convenience, and in this soup, they contribute a wonderful creaminess that will make you think the soup is richer than it is. But if you don't like using canned refried beans, you can always do it the old fashioned way: whiz up a cup and a half of pinto beans in your food processor with a little of their liquid and add them straight to the soup. No frying needed!

1 large onion, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
15 ounces fatfree refried beans
15 ounces black beans, cooked
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 - 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (to taste)
1 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste

Spray a large, non-stick pot with cooking spray, and sauté the onion until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook for one more minute. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook until the flavors blend, 20-30 minutes.

Serving suggestion: Garnish with fresh tomato salsa and serve with baked tortilla chips and a large salad.

Makes 4 large servings. Per serving: 257 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 47g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 895mg Sodium; 14g Fiber. Weight Watchers Core (4 Flex Points).



Salad:



Raw Corn and Black Bean Salad with Avocado
(printer-friendly version)

Raw Corn and Black Bean Salad with Avocado

Fresh raw corn tastes good, a little starchier than you might expect, but sweet and juicy. People have been whipping up raw creamed corn, soup, chowder (and more chowder), salad (and more salad), and corn chips and, of course, eating it right off the cob.

This salad is very quick to throw together, light, with the flavors of summer. A couple of words of warning, though. You must use corn that is freshly picked for this to have the best flavor. Older raw corn is still edible, but it'll be tougher and less sweet. Also, some people (such as kids) just don't like raw corn.
Raw Corn and Black Bean Salad with Avocado

If your corn is not absolutely fresh, cooking it before removing the kernels is recommended for best flavor. Baking and grilling produce the most flavorful results.

2 ears fresh corn, silks and husks removed
1 1/2 cups (1 can) cooked black beans, drained and rinsed in a colander until water runs clear
1 medium tomato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)
1/4 - 1/2 jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped (to taste)
1 avocado
4 lime wedges, to serve

Cut the corn from the cob: Stand the corn on end in a large mixing bowl and insert a sharp knife just at the bottom of the kernels. Slowly cut all the way to the other end of the corn. Turn the corn and repeat until all the kernels are cut from the cob. (See a short video here.)

Put the corn in a medium mixing bowl. Add the well-rinsed black beans and all remaining ingredients except the avocado and lime wedges. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate a couple of hours to allow flavors to blend.

To serve, peel and slice the avocado. Place one-fourth of the slices on each salad plate, arranging them in a circle, if you wish. Fill the center of each circle with the salad. Serve with wedges of lime to be squeezed over the salad at the table, if desired.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/4 of a recipe (7.4 ounces).
Recipe Nutrition

Percent daily values are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.

Though MyPoints are calculated using a formula similar to Weight Watchers Points TM, this site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.


(Without avocado, contains 161 calories, 1g of fat (7% calories from fat), 32g carbohydrates, 9g fiber, 9g protein. My Points: 2.54.)

Raw Corn and Black Bean Salad with Avocado


Monday, October 26, 2009

Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch And Dinner

From www.blog.fatfreevegan.com thanks to SusanV of FatFree Vegan Kitchen
and www.veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com

Breakfast:

Fat-free Vanilla or Blueberry Waffles
(printer-friendly version)

Blueberry Waffles


Fat-free waffles are softer and less crispy than traditional waffles, but if you want them crispier, simply pop the cooked waffles into the toaster for a minute or two. This is also a great way to reheat leftovers.

1 1/4 cups flour (for even crispier waffles, use rice flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon potato starch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or maple syrup or sugar)
1/2 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
3/4 cup blueberries (optional)
canola oil spray

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the soy milk, cider vinegar, and agave/sugar in a smaller bowl. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the liquid ingredients (or add vanilla extract). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until all flour is moistened. If blueberry waffles, fold in blueberries. Set batter aside while you heat your waffle iron.

Spray your waffle iron with canola oil, if necessary, and follow your iron's instructions for making the waffles, cooking until golden brown. Makes approximately 12 waffles.

Makes about 6 servings. Per serving, without blueberries: 128 Calories (kcal); 2g Total Fat; (9% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 542mg Sodium; 4g Fiber. 2 Weight Watchers Points.

With blueberries: 138 Calories (kcal); 2g Total Fat; (9% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 543mg Sodium;
4g Fiber. 2 Weight Watchers Points.

Or:

Vegan Omelette for One
(printer-friendly version)



It's essential to use a truly non-stick skillet to make the omelet come out of the pan intact. Be sure to oil it and have it hot before you pour the batter into the pan. If the unfortunate happens and your omelet sticks, open-faced omelettes taste good, too!

Also: You may double this recipe but you must divide the batter in half and cook it as two separate omelets. If you try to cook too much at one time, your omelet will not cook properly.

6 ounces (1/2 package) Mori-nu lite silken tofu (or regular extra-firm silken tofu)
1 tablespoon soymilk
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch
1 teaspoon tahini
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 pinch chipotle pepper or smoked paprika (optional)

Also needed:
Omelette filling of choice (have filling warm or at room temperature)

Blend together all ingredients until smooth. (I use a Magic Bullet blender, but you may use any small blender or hand blender. To use a larger blender, you may have to make a double batch.)

Spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil and heat on medium-high until very hot. Pour the batter into the center of the skillet in a circular pattern about 6-8 inches across, and use a spoon or spatula to smooth over the top. Place your filling ingredients over the batter, and reduce the heat to low.

In the pan

Cover and cook for about 2-4 minutes, checking often to see if it's done. When the edges have dried out, lift a small section with a spatula and check to see that the omelette is set. It will be golden in color, but not browned. When it's ready, loosen the omelette by sliding the spatula under it from each direction, and then fold one side over the other.

After turning

Cook for about one more minute. Carefully lift or slide it onto a plate and serve hot.

Vegan Omelet

Omelette with fresh spinach and mushrooms sautéed beforehand and topped it with a little of the chipotle remoulade leftover from Monday's black-eyed pea cakes. Mmmmm.

Makes one serving. Without filling, this provides 157 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat; (22% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 687mg Sodium; 2g Fiber.



Lunch:


Asparagus Pesto Pasta Salad

(printer-friendly version)


Asparagus Pesto Pasta Salad

Enjoy this improved update of an old favorite, first posted in June of 2006.

Between the asparagus and the lemon juice, this turned out much more tangy than regular pesto. It's definitely a keeper!

Asparagus Pesto Pasta Salad

This is one of those dishes that improve overnight as the sauce has time to develop its flavor.

2 pounds asparagus
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts (lightly toasted)
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound whole wheat or gluten-free spiral pasta
2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the asparagus spears. Cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Without emptying the water from the pot, lift out the asparagus spears and place them in a colander. Rinse with cool water.

Bring the water back to a boil. Add salt, if needed, and add pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, and drain and rinse the pasta with cool water. Put into a serving bowl.

Place the asparagus on a cutting board. Trim off the top 3 inches of the asparagus spears, and put the tips into the bowl with the pasta. Cut the bottoms into several pieces, and set aside to use in the pesto sauce.

Use a food processor to make the pesto: With the processor running, drop in the garlic cloves and allow them to chop. Add 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts, and pulse to chop. Add the lemon juice, basil, salt, nutritional yeast, and the asparagus pieces (not the tips!) along with 3-6 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and optional olive oil. (Start with 3 tbsp. water and add more as needed.) Puree until smooth.

Toss the pasta, asparagus tips, and tomatoes (if using) with the pesto, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes: If making it ahead of time, add the optional olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together, but doesn't improve the taste, so don't feel like you need to use it.

Servings: 8


Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 1/8 of a recipe (7.7 ounces) without olive oil.


Percent daily values are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.

And/Or:

Triple Corn Soup

(printer-friendly version)

Triple Corn Soup

Using corn in three forms to create a soup that's different from anything. Its base is blended corn kernels; masa (finely ground corn flour) is added for thickening; and corn tortillas add texture and crunch. The result is a very corn-centric taste that's slightly spicy and surprisingly cheesy. Serve it alone, as a starter-course soup, or as a hearty main dish soup with some pinto beans, diced tomatoes, or cooked vegetables mixed in.

Triple Corn Soup

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound frozen corn
3 cups warm vegetable broth (more as needed)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper (more or less, to taste)
2 tablespoons masa (corn flour)
1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 corn tortillas
salt, to taste
chili powder, to taste
chopped parsley, for garnish

In a heavy saucepan, sauté the onion until it is lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Scrape the onions into the blender along with the corn, 2 cups of vegetable broth (Vita-Mix users may use all 3 cups), cumin, chipotle, masa, and nutritional yeast. Blend until very smooth.

Vita-Mix InstructionsHigh-Powered Blender Users: Continue blending at high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until soup is steaming hot and bubbly. Add salt to taste. Soup is ready to serve.

Regular Blender InstructionsRegular Blender Users: Pour the blender contents back into the saucepan, add the remaining 1 cup of broth, and simmer on very low until soup is thick and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Watch closely and stir often to prevent scorching. If it becomes too thick, add more broth. Add salt to taste.

While the soup is cooking, make the tortilla chips. Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the tortillas in half and then each half into strips about 1/2-inch wide. Place them on a cookie sheet, spray lightly with 1 quick spray of canola oil (optional, but helps seasonings stick), and sprinkle with salt and chili powder. Bake until light brown and crunchy, 5-10 minutes. Stir once, halfway through, and watch closely to prevent them from burning.

Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with chopped parsley. Divide the tortilla chips equally among the bowls, or save a few to add at the table to provide additional crunch.

Makes 4 large servings. Per serving: 158 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (7% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 26mg Sodium; 4g Fiber. Weight Watchers 2 Points.



Dinner:

Brussels Sprout Slaw with Mustard Dressing and Maple-Glazed Pecans

Thanks to Bryanna from http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/ and one of her cookbooks.

Show up to a Thanksgiving meal with this side dish and you're sure to please.
8 servings
November 2009

This can also be substituted for Coleslaw with Poppy Seed Dressing or other ideas.

Ingredients

  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 1 cup large pecan halves
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray large sheet of foil with nonstick spray. Place pecans on small rimmed baking sheet. Whisk maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Add to nuts and toss to coat; spread in single layer. Bake nuts 5 minutes. Stir. Continue to bake nuts until toasted and glaze is bubbling thickly, about 6 minutes. Immediately transfer nuts to prepared foil and separate. Cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight.
  • Whisk mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar in small bowl; whisk in oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
  • Bring large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Add brussels sprouts. Cook until crisp-tender and still bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Cool on paper towels.
  • Using processor fitted with 1/8- to 1/4-inch slicing disk, slice brussels sprouts. Transfer to large bowl. DO AHEAD Dressing and brussels sprouts can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.
  • Toss brussels sprouts with enough dressing to coat. Let marinate 30 to 60 minutes. Mix in some pecans. Place slaw in serving bowl. Top with remaining pecans.
  • shopping tip

    Look for Grade B pure maple syrup. It has a bolder maple flavor than the delicate Grade A.
Hungry for More? If you have a question about this recipe, contact askba@bonappetit.com. To see more recipes like this one, check out Thanksgiving Sides Slideshow.
  • Nutritional Information

    One serving contains the following:
    Calories (kcal) 223.1
    %Calories from Fat 68.3
    Fat (g) 17.1
    Saturated Fat (g) 1.4
    Cholesterol (mg) 0
    Carbohydrates (g) 17.4
    Dietary Fiber (g) 4.2
    Total Sugars (g) 9.9
    Net Carbs (g) 13.2
    Protein (g) 3.9
Or:

Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

(printer-friendly version)

Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

With some sweet red onion, cooked chickpeas, and a reduced balsamic dressing, the mustard greens salad quickly becomes a complete, light meal.

Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

This fits into the category of warm dinner salads, but you could serve it as a side dish to up to four people.

10 ounces mustard greens
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
4-6 tablespoons vegetable broth, divided
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar or sugar
1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Remove any large stems from the greens and discard. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

In a deep pot or wok, sauté the onion in a tablespoon or two of vegetable broth until mostly faded to pink, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and red pepper and another tablespoon of broth and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the mustard greens, 2 tablespoons of broth, and cook, stirring, until greens are wilted but still bright green, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the salt, if using. Remove greens and onions from pan with a slotted spoon and place in a serving dish, leaving any liquid in pan.

Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and agave or sugar to the liquid in the pan (if there is no liquid, add 2 tablespoons of broth). Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about half. Spoon the chickpeas over the greens and drizzle the sauce over all.

Serve warm, with additional balsamic vinegar at the table.

Servings: 2

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/2 of a recipe (12.3 ounces).

Recipe Nutrition

Percent daily values are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.

Though MyPoints are calculated using a formula similar to Weight Watchers Points TM, this site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.


And/Or:

Skillet Gardener's Pie
(printer-friendly version)

Skillet Gardener's Pie

"If everyone lived on mashed potatoes, the world would be a happy place."
--EV, Food Philosopher and Potato Lover


Feel free to substitute about 1- 1/2 cups of any cooked beans or lentils. Or, if faux meats are your thing, rehydrate some TVP, crumble up a couple of Boca burgers, or chop up some seitan and use it instead.

2 pounds Yukon gold or red potatoes
1/2 cup soy milk
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced, leaves minced and reserved
8 ounces mushrooms, diced
2 cups fat-free vegetable broth
16 ounces kidney beans, cooked
2 cups green beans, cut in 1" pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/4 teaspoon sage
2 cups baby spinach leaves, packed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water (or veg. broth)
extra rosemary for garnish

Scrub the potatoes and cut them into cubes. (I leave mine unpeeled, but if you want you can peel them before dicing.) Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender. Reserve a cup of their cooking water, if possible, and drain. Place in a large bowl, add the soymilk, and mash until smooth, adding a little of the potato-cooking water if they seem too dry. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and set aside in a warm place.

While the potatoes are cooking, make the "pie" filling. Spray a large non-stick or cast iron skillet with canola oil. Heat it on a medium-high burner and add the onions. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and sauté for 3 more minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, kidney beans, green beans, and herbs. Simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes and all vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste (I added a little hickory smoke salt). There should still be some liquid in the pan, but if it has become too dry, add a little of the potato-cooking water. Add the spinach and stir until it's completely wilted. Mix the corn starch with the water until smooth, and add it to the pan. Cook, stirring, until mixture has thickened.

Spoon the potatoes evenly over the top of the filling and sprinkle with chopped rosemary. If potatoes have cooled, put the skillet under the broiler for a minute or two. Serve immediately while hot.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 272 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (3% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 56g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 46mg Sodium; 11g Fiber. Weight Watchers Core/ 5 Flex Points.

Take a look at the amount of potassium, fiber, Vitamin A, and folicin in one serving:

nutritional info
Nutritional info courtesy of MasterCook

What a delicious way to get your vitamins and minerals!

Skillet Gardener's Pie











Dessert:

Fatfree and Fabulous Fudgy Brownies
(printer-friendly version)

Sinfully Good Low-fat Brownie

1/2 tbsp. ground flax seed
1-1/2 tbsp. hot water
3/4 cup lite silken tofu (firm), crumbled
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached white flour or cake flour
1 cup unbleached cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional--depending on how nutty you like your brownies)

Mix the ground flax seeds with 1- 1/2 tablespoons of hot water and set aside. (Mixture will thicken slightly.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mist an 8-inch x 8-inch x 2-inch glass baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.

Blend the tofu, water, maple syrup, cocoa powder, flax mixture, and vanilla extract until completely smooth. (I use a hand-blender, but you can do this in a regular blender.)

Place the remaining ingredients, except the walnuts, in a medium mixing bowl and stir them together until they are well combined. Pour the blended mixture into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl, and stir them until they are well combined. Fold in the walnuts, if using.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Completely cool the brownies in the pan. Cut and serve.

These are fudgy, not cake-like, brownies, and they're actually better the second day...if you can make them last two days! This is really as fudgy as it gets without added oils or chocolate chips, so you can indulge your sweet tooth without worry.

The nutritional breakdown, based on 12 brownies:

Nutrition (per serving without walnuts): 163 calories, 9 calories from fat, 1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 75.4mg sodium, 124.5mg potassium, 37.7g carbohydrates, 2.2g fiber, 24.9g sugar, 3.3g protein, 2.9 points.

Nutrition (per serving, with walnuts): 179 calories, 22 calories from fat, 2.6g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 75.5mg sodium, 135.2mg potassium, 38g carbohydrates, 2.3g fiber, 25g sugar, 3.7g protein, 3.3 points.

This recipe is an adaptation of Ultra-Fudgy Fudge Brownies. It was inspired by some evilly seductive photos posted by a gluten-free goddess.


And/Or:

Fresh Cranberry Sorbet
(printer-friendly version)

Fresh Cranberry Sorbet

It's kind of an unusual use for cranberries at this time of year, and you may need to throw on a jacket while you eat it, but if you love sweet-tart tastes, give it a try. It's kind of like frozen cranberry relish!

Fresh Cranberry Sorbet 2


Ripe pears mellow the tart taste of the cranberries somewhat, but if you like things sweeter, you may need to add more agave nectar or other sweetener.


1 package (12 ounces) cranberries*
2 ripe pears, peeled and cored
1/2 cup agave nectar, or to taste
1/2 cup water (approximately)
grated rind of one orange

Put all ingredients into the food processor and puree until smooth. Pour into a shallow pan or dish and place in the freezer. Let it freeze until solid. About 15 minutes before serving, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw for about 10 minutes. Put it back into the food processor and process until it becomes fluffy. If necessary, add a little cold water to aid in blending. Serve immediately.

Or, if you have an ice cream maker, just follow the manufacturer's directions.

*You can use frozen cranberries, but be prepared to process in small batches before adding the other ingredients.

Makes about 8 small servings. Per serving: 107 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (1% calories from fat); trace Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; trace Sodium; 3g Fiber.