Muffins

This is the basic recipe that my mom has always used
for muffins. You have to add extra ingredients to make
good muffins! I recently added shredded coconut,
chocolate chips, and walnuts. Fresh blueberries, or
diced apples and cinnamon are also favorites.

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs (or egg replacer)
2-4 tbs melted butter (or margarine)
3/4 cup soy milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mix wet ingredients together, then add dry
ingredients and chocolate chips, nuts, and
shredded coconut (or whatever you choose
to add) and mix well. Add mix to well greased
muffin tins.
Bake for 20-25 minutes
Makes 12 muffins.

Butternut Squash Soup

Easiest and most delicious soup!
My aunt always makes this soup for Thanksgiving.
I altered the recipe and didn't peel the skin, which
made this soup a whole lot quicker and easier to make.
No picture--Zack and I ate this batch so fast!

1 medium butternut squash - cut into smallish pieces
2 tbs butter or margarine
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 to 3 cups water

If desired:
soy milk


Boil water. Add squash. Turn heat down and simmer
until squash is tender, usually 30-45 minutes.
Take the contents of the pot and pour it all into a blender.
Pour back into pot and add butter and syrup.
Add milk if you wish.
Simmer for a couple more minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve!

White Pine Needle Tea

I used to have a white pine tree right next door to
my parents house...so I had free white pine needles
all the time! Unfortunately, my neighbors chose to
cut the tree down a couple months ago.

"Pine needles are now known to manufacture large
concentrations of vitamins A and C. It has been
estimated that a cupful of strong pine needle tea
has more vitamin C than the average lemon."

1 pint of boiling water
1 ounce of fresh white pine needles chopped fine
lemon
sugar

Pour water over pine needles and let steep for
at least 5 minutes.
Add lemon and/or sugar is desired.

Mushroom Soup

I made this for Zachary's birthday last year
and it was wonderful. The more mushrooms
the better!

6 tbs butter or margarine
4 tbs whole wheat flour
salt to taste
1/2 tsp pepper
2 pints vegetable stock
1 pound chopped mushrooms
8 tbl cream or liquid nondairy creamer or soy milk
fresh parsley, chopped


Heat butter/margarine in pan, add flour and seasonings
Gradually stir in stock until thick
Add mushrooms and simmer 20 minutes
Add cream/cream substitute slowly
serve and sprinkle parsley

White Sauce: traditional and vegan

What would life be like without your basic white sauce?!?

2 tbs butter
2 tbs whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk

In a small, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons
of butter over low heat.
Blend 2 tablespoons of flour into the melted butter.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Cook over low heat, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes.
Cooking for this length of time will minimize 'flour' taste.
Slowly add 1 cup of milk, stirring constantly.
Continue cooking slowly until smooth and thickened.
For thicker sauce, add more flour till desired thickness.




Vegan white sauce

1 tbs vegan margarine
1 tsp. nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp. Spike seasoning that contains salt

Stir until margarine melts and everything is blended.
Slowly add, while stirring:

2 cups hot plain soymilk (nuke in microwave first)

Note: Making a basic white sauce entails stirring in the
soymilk a little at a time until it thoroughly blends with
the flour mixture, then adding a little more.
If you add the soymilk in too fast, the sauce will come out
lumpy. Heat until thick and hot.

Green Bean Casserole

Yummy, filling, creamy casserole on those cool fall and winter nights!

1 cup cooked tvp
1/2 cup chopped onion
about 5 cups cooked rotini
green beans
creamy white sauce (see: white sauce entry)
bread crumbs
grated cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Add tvp, onion, rotini, green beans, salt & pepper,
and cheese to a casserole dish and mix well. Pour
white sauce over and mix again. Sprinkle bread crumbs
on top. Bake for about 45 minutes.

"Meatball" subs

Quick and easy!

1 cup textured vegetable protein
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
4 individual submarine rolls
1 cup spaghetti sauce


Combine the TVP and boiling water in a bowl and leave
until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add the
bread crumbs, flour, salt, cayenne pepper, oregano, sage,
thyme, fennel and garlic and mix well.

Shape the TVP mixture into 12 balls. Oil your palms and
roll each ball to lightly coat with oil. Place on a lightly oiled
baking sheet and broil until browned, about 10 minutes.

Place 3 "meatballs" in each roll and top with warmed sauce.

Tofu Cream Cheese

Sorry no picture! This cream cheese substitute is pretty good
and worth trying. I love it on bagels. The longer you keep the
"cream cheese" the stronger the tofu flavor gets, I found.

12.3 oz. extra firm silken tofu
3 1/2 tbs cashew butter or 5 Tbsp. raw cashews, finely ground
4 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar

Place the tofu in a clean tea towel, gather the end up
and twist and squeeze for a couple of minutes to extract
most of the water.

Crumble into a food processor with the remaining
ingredients and process for several minutes until the
mixture is very smooth.

Use right away or scrape into a covered container
and refrigerate. It firms up with refrigeration.

Chili

I love this chili! It's so fast and satisfying.


1 large onion, chopped
1 cup of corn
2 or 3 white mushrooms, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup bulgar
1 (14-16oz) can kidney beans
1 (14-16oz) can black beans
1 (14-16oz) can tomato sauce
Tabasco Hot Sauce
Chili Powder
Choose whatever extra protein you want:
8oz tempeh, tofu, seitan, TVP, lentils, homemade crumbles, etc.
(I used TVP)

Heat a little olive oil in a large pot with tall sides,
Saute minced vegetables until tender.
Add bulgar
Season with salt and pepper.
Add beans and tomatoes/tomato sauce, A-1, chili powder, and Tabasco, to taste.
Add meat substitute.
Simmer chili until thickened a little, about 10-20 min.
Serve with grated (soy) cheese on top!

Chana Masala

I don't know how authentic this is, but it is
super easy.


2 tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 tbs curry
1 tbs tomato paste
15 oz can of chick peas drained, reserving 3 tablespoon liquid
1/2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh black pepper
crushed red pepper, optional to taste
1 tbs margarine or butter


Heat oil on medium high heat.
Fry onions until slightly browned.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add garlic, curry, and paste.
Stir and simmer about 2 minutes.
Add chick peas, liquid, lemon juice, salt,
and black pepper.
Simmer 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add red pepper to taste.
Add margarine or butter, stirring through to melt it.
Stir and simmer for 5 minutes more or until
peas are softened and dish is hot.
Serve over rice.

TVP Sloppy Joes

this recipe has a lot of ingredients, but it's super easy
and so good!
Serves 8

2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium onion
1/2 tsp pepper
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried oregano
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
4 cups TVP
32 oz. tomato juice
whole grain hamburger buns
shredded soy mozzarella cheese (optional)
14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

Heat oil in a meduim saucepan over medium heat. When
the oil is shimmering, add the onion, garlic, and oregano
and saute until the vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 mins.

Add balsamic vinegar and boil about 3 mins.

Add vegetable coctail, tomatoes, salt and pepper,
Worcestershire sauce and bring to boil. Simmer for
15 minutes, then add TVP and stir until it is
thoroughly softened and the liquid is absorbed.

Heat buns in oven or toaster oven and top each
bun with 1 cup of the TVP mixture and sprinkle
cheese (if using), cover with bun
tops and serve immediately.

Carrot Loaf

So, this wasn't as successful as I'd hoped. If I made it again
I would add raisins and some kind of sugar, or maple syrup.
Also, I baked it for 45 mins at 325 degrees, but I would
recommend 350 degrees because I had to leave the loaf in for
about 10-15 minutes longer.
Other than that, it's easy to make and very filling!

3 cups grated raw carrots
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup raw peanuts or cashews or walnuts
1 cup raw peanut butter
2 cups soy milk
1 tbs sage
2 eggs, light beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix together carrots, rice, and peanuts.
Melt peanut butter and whisk together with
soy milk. Add sage and eggs.
Pour milk mixture over carrot mixture and
mix well.
Turn into an oiled casserole and bake 45 miuntes
or until set.

Carrot Mayonnaise

refreshing dip and spread!

2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped fresh mint
1 clove garlic
2 carrots, steamed until tender
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
nutmeg

In blender, puree parsley, mint, garlic, and carrots.
Add egg yolk. With motor running, trickle in oil.
Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, to finish.