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.