Vegan “Parmesan Cheese”

This is an exciting recipe I discovered while viewing a recent cooking demo on http://www.therenegadehealthshow.com . (I highly recommend this site.)

We all know how expensive commercial brands of veggie cheese are, so I couldn’t wait to try this recipe. I made it last night to serve on tofu stuffed shells, and it was great. You can make a larger batch to keep on hand. It’s simple and stores well in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

5 large Brazil nuts, rough chopped

1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

sea salt to taste (I found that 1/2 tsp. works well)

Grind the nuts. Add sea salt and nutritional yeast, and grind again. Done!

Is that easy, or what?

Potato Chips

This recipe is from the cookbook, “How We All Went Raw, Raw Food Recipe Book,” by Charles Nungesser, Coralanne Nungesser, and George Nungesser. I recently decided to eat more raw and purchased an Excalibur food dehydrator and this book to start on my journey. This potato chip recipe is the first I tried with my new dehydrator. I was delighted with the results, and so was my family. The chips were crispy and delicious. The only thing I would change is the cayenne pepper. For my taste 1 tsp. is just too much — way too spicy for me. Next time I will use 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, and I think that would be perfect.

I love that these chips are raw, and that I have the power to regulate the amount of spices; definitely healthier than the supermarket variety. A dehydrator uses low temperatures over a longer time than baking does, but don’t worry, it only costs 3 – 6 cents per hour to run a dehydrator, and you will be preserving the living enzymes in your food.

time: 20 minutes prep

2 – 3 hours to soak

11 – 12 hours to dehydrate

In a bowl, add: 6 red potatoes, thinly sliced (if you use russet potatoes, trim off any green spots)

5 cups distilled water

Soak about 2 – 3 hours; rinse and drain to remove starch.

In a bowl, add:

potato slices

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c. Ume Plum Vinegar (or raw apple cider vinegar)

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (I think 1/4 tsp. is plenty)

1 – 2 tsp. sea salt, or to taste

Marinate for 1 hour. Place each chip on a teflex sheet and dehydrate 11 – 12 hours at 105 degrees.

Zucchini “Applesauce”*

The inspiration for this recipe came from http://www.allrecipes.com where you can find several variations of zucchini “applesauce.” I wasn’t quite satisfied with the one I tried, so I added some spices and a few real apples for texture. (I just didn’t think the texture was authentic without the apples). I also think you could use stevia as a sweetener if you wanted to avoid the sugar. (1/2 tsp. stevia equals 1 cup sugar, so add gradually and adjust according to your taste). This recipe is a surprising way to use up those last few zucchini now that apple season is upon us.

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini, peeled and chopped. (If the seeds are large and starting to get hard discard them and use only the fleshy parts)

3 lg. peeled apples (I used Granny Smith), cut into chunks

1/3 c. apple cider vinegar

1 – 2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. sugar

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. allspice

Method:

Put all ingredients into a large pot. There is no need to add water because there is a lot of water in the zucchini already. Heat to boiling, and then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 30 – 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Cooking time depends on the zucchini.)

When the mixture has cooled then you want to blend it until mushy like applesauce. I used a Foley Mill to do this (the old fashioned way). You could also puree the cooled mixture in a blender or food processor.

*One of our favorite ways to eat any kind of applesauce is to pair it with a peanut butter sandwich for a very kid-friendly lunch 🙂

Zucchini Casserole #2

Here is another great zucchini casserole; easy to make comfort food:)

Ingredients:

2 lbs cubed zucchini

1 c.chopped onion

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 Tbsp. organic butter

1 c. whole wheat saltine crackers, crumbled

1/2 c. plain organic soy milk

1 c. Vegan Gourmet cheddar cheese, by Follow Your Heart – shredded

1/2 c. pecans – finely chopped (or buttered bread crumbs)

Method:

In a large non-stick saucepan saute the zucchini, onion, salt, and pepper. (Zucchini is very moist, so no water is necessary). Cook over medium heat until zucchini is tender, stirring occasionally. Add the butter, and gently stir until butter melts.

Stir the crumbled crackers into the zucchini mixture, and add the soy milk.

Spray a glass baking dish with vegetable oil (PAM), and spread half the zucchini mixture in the dish. Sprinkle half the veggie cheese, cover with remaining zucchini mixture, then the rest of the “cheese.”

Top with the chopped pecans or bread crumbs.

Bake @ 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Serve hot with a big salad, and you have a complete dinner that is as satisfying as mac ‘n cheese, but a whole lot healthier. (4 – 6 servings)

Freeze Your Tomato Harvest

I grew up helping my mother can tomatoes the old fashioned way. We spent hours skinning the tomatoes in boiling water, sterilizing glass quart jars, and then processing the tomato-filled jars in a boiling water bath and waiting to hear the “pop” as each jar cooled and sealed. It was an all day project that most gardeners endured in order to enjoy the fruit of their labor during the long winter months.

Later, as a young wife, my mother-in-law taught me how to freeze fresh tomatoes. It still involved skinning the tomatoes in boiling water, and then slicing them into eighths. But, instead of the canning process, you just had to pack and freeze them in plastic quart containers. I thought this system was a real time saver, and did it that way for years.

Imagine my surprise when I learned just last year that there is a MUCH simpler way to freeze all the tomatoes we harvest from our garden, and now this is how I do it:

First, wash and core (cut out the stem end) your whole tomatoes.

Place the cored tomatoes on a tray with sides (leave a little space around each one — you don’t want them to touch) and place the tray in the freezer. (notice that you DO NOT have to peel the tomatoes).

When they are completely frozen (like the next day), put the whole frozen tomatoes in a gallon size plastic freezer bag, zip closed, and store in the freezer until needed.

When you are ready to use, simply remove however many tomatoes you need and hold each one under hot running water. The skin will easily slip off the frozen tomato. Then let them defrost just long enough to be able to slice or chop.

That’s it! You can easily fit this method of preserving your tomato harvest into even the busiest day and be satisfied with the results.

Zucchini, Zucchini, and More Zucchini!!!

By mid July most home gardeners find themselves drowning in zucchini. We loved planting those seeds a couple of months ago and the almost instant gratification when we saw the sturdy green sprouts poke through the soil. But by now we are asking why we ever planted so much zucchini (face it, you really only need one plant and you’ll have all the zucchini you need for the summer). You know it’s bad when friends start to avoid you because they’re afraid you’ll try to “bless” them with more of your zucchini harvest!
Well, did you know that you can freeze fresh shredded zucchini , and it’s so easy to do? Simply wash the zucchini. Don’t peel it, but cut off the stem and the blossom end. Shred the whole zucchini. Zucchini is very moist, so you will want to get most of the water out. An easy way to do that is to put the shredded zucchini in a colander or large strainer; salt and toss it so that the salt is evenly distributed. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out the moisture — you will be surprised how much comes out. You can freeze the drained shredded zucchini in one cup portions, and then it will be ready to use it in your favorite recipes all winter.
Hiding this shredded zucchini in whatever you cook (soups, stews, “meat” loaves) is a great way to get more green veggies into your kids’ diets. Hint: to make it even more inconspicuous, peel the zucchini before shredding and they will never suspect a thing:)

Raw Banana “Ice Cream”

When it’s hot outside most people look for a cold treat like ice cream. When I stopped eating dairy this created a problem because I really LOVE ice cream. I have learned that frozen bananas make the best ice cream substitute ever.

It’s simple to make: All you need are a Champion Juicer* and a couple of frozen ripe bananas. ( I like to wrap each banana in plastic wrap before freezing so they don’t stick together in the freezer.) When you want a naturally sweet frozen treat simply run the frozen bananas through the Champion Juicer using the blank (not the screen). What you will have is something that looks and tastes like soft-serve banana ice cream, but without all the negatives of dairy. For variety you can add any frozen berries you desire. This is also an inexpensive alternative to any sorbet on the market.

*If you don’t have a Champion Juicer you can use a food processor. It doesn’t produce the same creamy consistency as the Champion so you may have to add a little rice or soy milk and some sweetener (the rice or soy milk will dilute the natural sweetness of the fruit).

Very Berry Pie

This recipe comes from “Country Life Vegetarian Cookbook.” It is easy and so healthy. If you pick your own blackberries as I did, it’s also very economical. The taste is sweet/tart and the berries stay whole and fresh because you never cook them. YUM!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. pineapple juice or apple juice concentrate (I used the apple juice concentrate)

1/2 c. honey

1 tsp. vanilla

6 1/2 Tbs. organic cornstarch

4 c. frozen raspberries, blackberries, or boysenberries (I used blackberries)

Method:

Blend the first four ingredients on high for 10 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat and gently fold in frozen berries with a rubber spatula.

Pour the berry mixture into a 9 inch baked pie shell and chill.

That’s it — Enjoy!

Recipe: Vegetarian Slow Cooker Casserole

Normally vegetarian recipes for dishes prepared in a slow cooker require additional preparation before you put everything into the slow cooker and turn it on. I like this one because it requires no advance prep: nothing to saute or blanch beforehand. What could be easier?

Ingredients:

2 – 3 large potatoes, sliced

2 – 3 med. carrots, sliced

1/2 lb. frozen peas

3 med. onions, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 – 10 oz. can condensed tomato soup

1 – 10 oz. can water

salt, pepper, smoked paprika* (as desired).

1/2 package Morning Star Veggie Crumbles

Method:

Place layers of vegetables in order given into slow cooker. Season each layer with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika to taste.

Mix together tomato soup and water, and pour mixture over all.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hrs.

After 6 hours have passed add the Veggie Crumbles. Gently stir to mix and turn heat to HIGH.

Cook an additional 10 – 15 minutes until heated through and vegetables are tender.

*Smoked paprika is a wonderful spice that gives vegetables a barbecued flavor.

Recipe: Greek Salad Dressing (+ Salad)

This is an easy dressing that you can mix up in minutes with common ingredients you already have in your kitchen. It’s the best!

Ingredients:

1/3 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. of chopped fresh dill OR 1 Tbsp. dry dill weed

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

Whisk all above ingredients together until well blended.

Then add 2/3 – 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, and whisk again.

Serve over a salad that includes Romaine lettuce, sliced sweet onion, sliced green bell peppers, cucumbers, black Greek olives (Kalamata), and tomatoes. Top with crumbled feta cheese (look for vegetarian) if desired.

( Note: Sometimes I toss everything above with cooled cooked wholegrain pasta to make a complete meal.)