Eggplant Caponata
(recipe originally found in Fresh From The Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
1 celery rib, minced
1 large eggplant, peeled and diced
1 medium-sized red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup black olives, drained pitted and sliced
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, cover, and cook until softened.Add the eggplant, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant begins to soften, about 5 more minutes.
2. Transfer the mixture to a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes. season with salt and pepper. cover and cook on low until the vegetables are soft but still hold some shape. (in the slow cooker about 6 hours.)
3. When the vegetables are cooked, stir in the olives, capers and parsley. Taste, adjust seasonings. Transfer the caponata to a bowl and let cool. Serve at room temperature. If not serving right away cover and refrigerate until needed.
I've made this recipe without a slow cooker. I cooked it all in one large pot, instead of transferring the sauteed onion, celery and eggplant to a slow cooker just lower the temperature to medium and continue the recipe as listed. Stir often. Caponata is much better the next day. I recommend always preparing it a day in advance
Israeli Couscous Salad
2 1/2 Cups Vegetable Broth
2 Cups Israeli Couscous
2tsp turmeric
1tsp salt
1 cup Slivered Almonds
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1 Small bunch of Italian Parsley finely chopped
Raspberry Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
***1/2 cup raspberry infused white balsamic vinegar
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp dried oregano
2tbs pure maple syrup (agave nectar is also good)
sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
optional: 2tbs prepared dijon mustard
* **If you can't get your hands on raspberry infused white balsamic vinegar you can use either of the following substitutions:
1/3 cup raspberry juice and 1/2 white vinegar
3tbs seedless raspberry preserves mixed with 1/2 c apple cider vinegar
******
Prepare Raspberry Vinaigrette and set aside
Bring vegetable broth, turmeric and salt to boil
Stir in Israeli Couscous and let simmer for 8-10 min (or until all water is absorbed)
In a separate large bowl mix together slivered almonds, chopped parsley and dried cranberries
Add prepared couscous to bowl with almonds,parsley and cranberries
pour in raspberry vinaigrette and mix well
chill stirring occasionally until salad has cooled to desired temperature
Pear Ginger Pecan Bread - originally found in The Garden of Vegan (pg.172).
2 cups flour 1/3 cup olive oil
2tsp baking powder 1 banana, mashed
1/2 tsp baking soda 1 large pear, cored and cubed
1/8 tsp salt 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup dry sweetener 3 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
3/4 cup apple juice
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in sweetener, apple juice, oil, banana, pear, pecans, and ginger. Stir together gently until "just mixed." Pour batter into a lightly oiled bread pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan. makes 1 loaf.
Vegan Irish Soda Bread Recipe:
A Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe Veganized By Me
pre heat oven to 350 F.
Mix Dry Ingredients in a large bowl:
4 cups unbleached white flour (plus more as needed)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
8 oz of raisins (presoak in warm water to soften, drain before using)
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix Wet Ingredients in different bowl:
3 tablespoons melted nondairy butter (I use earth balance)
1 cup plain non dairy yogurt
1/2 cup plain seltzer water
1/2 cup plain soy milk mixed with 2 tablespoons Apple cider Vinegar
Combine wet and dry ingredients and knead together
add more unbleached white flour as needed until you have a thick, non sticky dough
Split dough into 2 equal round ball like loaves
place each loaf into a greased, floured pan.
Cut a "X" in the top of each loaf
Bake 55-60 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and tooth pick comes out clean
Serve hot or cold either way it's all good.
Warm Spinach, Artichoke & Roasted Garlic Dip
2 Cups Cashews (salted are ok, just add less salt later)
1 large jar of marinated artichoke hearts drained
1 small head of roasted garlic (see below for directions)
1/4 cup of olive oil (keep more on hand to use as needed)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup of vegan mayonnaise (I use Follow Your Heart's Vegenaise)
2 cups of frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
a pinch of dried oregano
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated vegan cheese
In a food processor combine cashews, artichoke hearts, roasted garlic, olive oil, vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, oregano, salt & pepper and process until thick and creamy. Drizzle extra olive oil as needed to obtain the creamy texture, you can replace the extra olive oil with water if you'd like but only use a couple of teaspoons at a time, you don't want make your dip to thin. When everything is nice and creamy transfer to a large mixing bowl and hand mix in the chopped spinach. Taste and adjust salt & pepper as needed. When the spinach is completely mixed transfer to an oven proof dish, sprinkle the grated vegan cheese on top and bake at 350 for 25 mins or until top is golden. Serve warm.
Optional variations: 1/2 cup diced roasted red peppers mixed in after the spinach
1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts
(I hate water chestnuts and never use them, but I'm told they're really good in Spinach Artichoke Dips.)
Italian Wedding Soup:
A Traditional Italian Wedding Soup Recipe Veganized By Me.
Italian Wedding Soup is a delicious hearty soup that "marries up" pasta, meat and greens. I make my Vegan Wedding Soup with vegetable broth, chopped endive or spinach, chopped carrots, onions and garlic, 2 cups of vegan white wine, olive oil, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, sea salt & pepper, chopped parsley, small ring shaped pasta and vegan meatballs. If I don't have any vegetable broth on hand I'll use Rapunzel Vegan Bouillon and for the meatballs I'll use Nate's Italian style. Nate's are precooked and usually frozen so after all of the vegetables and the ring shaped pasta are fully cooked I'll drop the vegan meatballs into the broth and let them reheat right in the pot of soup. Bring the pot to a boil again for 5-6mins then serve. I'll make vegan parmesan by putting Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour, sesame seeds, garlic powder, dried oregano and lemon juice in the food processor and process into a course meal. Put a bowl of the Vegan Parmesan on the table, it is a great companion for your Wedding Soup. Don't forget garlic bread!
Super Easy Chik'N Salad Pitas
2 packages of Morning Star Farm Chik'N strips thawed and Diced
1 Red Pepper Diced
1 Green Pepper Diced
1/2 Sweet Onion Diced
1/2 Red Onion Diced
1 Bunch of fresh Italian Parsley chopped
Handful of Cherry tomatoes cut in halves
2 cups of Follow Your Heat Vegenaise
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste (I like Jane's Krazy Mixed up salt)
2tsp Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
Garlic Powder to taste
1tbs prepared mustard
2 or 3 marinated roasted red peppers chopped
Mix Vegenaise, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, prepared mustard, chopped roasted red peppers in a bowl and set aside. Mix the Veggies and ChikN in a large bowl. Pour Vegenaise mixture over Veggies and ChickN and stir. Make sure everything is really covered with the Vegenaise mixture. Add sea salt and pepper to taste and let chill or serve in Pita's immediately. Cover left overs and refrigerate. This salad tastes better and better every day! All of the dressing ingredients can be increased or decreased to you preference ~ just remember that the Morning Star Farm Chik'N strips are preseasoned and pretty peppery.
Asian Garlic Sauce recipe:
2 tbs rice vinegar
3tbs pure maple syrup
2 tbs dark soy sauce
2tbs Chinese rice wine
3 to 4 whole dried chili peppers
3 tbs sesame oil
1/4 cup water
3 to 4 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
2 tbs cornstarch
Saute garlic in sesame oil for a min or so. Dissolve corn starch in water. Stir all of the other ingredients (except cornstarch and water) into the sauteed garlic and bring to boil for about 3 mins. After 3 mins stir in cornstarch and water combo. Bring to boil again while stirring. Sauce will thicken. Pour over your stir fry. This sauce works really well with tofu, seitan, tempeh and almost any veggies you would use in a stir fry.
