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.)

Recipe: Pierogie Reuben Casserole

The inspiration for this vegetarian recipe was found on a box of Mrs. T’s frozen pierogies. If you don’t know what they are, then you aren’t familiar with Polish food. Pierogies are the Slavic version of ravioli. Inside two layers of pasta is a filling of potatoes and cheese, potatoes and onion, potatoes cheese and onions, potatoes and sauerkraut, or even a fruit filling such as prunes or cherries. They are usually triangular shaped, and the potato varieties are the most common. I grew up on homemade pierogies, but thankfully they can now be puchased in most grocery stores in the frozen food section. To make them from scratch is an all day project. Pierogies can be boiled, fried, or baked. This recipe is so easy because you can use the frozen pierogies with no advance preparation at all. It goes together in minutes!

Ingredients:

About 20 frozen pierogies (Mrs. T’s tastes most like the ones my grandmother used to make, so I always use that brand although there are others out there)

One 2 lb. bag of sauerkraut (get this in the refrigerated deli section of your grocery store; it’s always better than the canned variety), drained

6 slices of vegetarian Swiss cheese (I used Galaxy Nutritional Foods Veggie Slices)

One 10 oz. package Boca Meatless Italian Sausages (cut in half and then thinly sliced lengthwise)

One cup Thousand Island Dressing (look for vegetarian)

Layer half the pirogies in an oblong glass casserole. Top with half the sauerkraut, meatless sausage, Veggie Slices, and 1/2 cup dressing; then another layer of pierogies and the remaining ingredients as before. Top with rye croutons if desired, or simply serve with warm rye bread.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes until hot and bubbling. Serves 6 – 8 people.

Restaurant review: Good Eatz Green Cafe

Good Eatz Green Cafe, 701 Penn Ave., West Reading, PA 19611. 610-670-4885. Open Monday – Saturday 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. http://www.GoodEatz.org.

Good Eatz is a new restaurant on the main strip in the quaint shopping district of West Reading. Advertised as a green cafe, you can expect to find quality organic ingredients in an ecologically responsible environment. Their baked goods are not only organic, but gluten-free. Many vegetarian, and even vegan, options are available, and the friendly and helpful staff is more than willing to make alterations to suit your dietary requirements. This is a blessing for those who avoid eating out because of complicated dietary restrictions or preferences. The decor is modern and relaxed without being too trendy. I found the menu to be reasonably priced for the quality and variety of menu selections.

Last night I visited with a few friends, all of us ordering vegetarian dishes. My sauteed vegetable wrap was a delightful surprise for someone who has gnawed through many dry tasteless wraps at restaurants before. This wrap at Good Eatz was by far the BEST vegetable wrap I have ever had. It included a generous amount of broccoli rabe, butternut squash, onions, cubanel pepper, grilled asparagus, and hummus in a big gluten-free wrap. Included was a generous side serving of quinoa pasta vegetable salad garnished with an organic orange slice and a whole dried date. Delicious.

Other dishes ordered at our table included the Harvest Salad, a compilation of roasted butternut squash, grilled asparagus, dried cranberries, spiced walnuts, and cherry tomato served on a bed of mixed greens with a cranberry white balsamic vinaigarette. The pasta primavera included a whole grain gluten-free pasta with a variety of organic vegetables tossed with an aoli sauce served with grilled whole grain gluten-free bread.

The entire presentation of each entree was lovely besides being delicious and ample enough to satisfy the most ravenous appetite. After considering ordering bottled water with our meals we were encouraged by the waitress to try their filtered tap water to drink. Another surprise — this tap water tasted better than the spring water we have delivered to our home! (More restaurants should consider the quality of water they serve. Bad water even changes the taste of food).

I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who is concerned about their food choices and the environment. If you want to enjoy an evening out or just a quick lunch knowing that you are eating for the health of your body and the planet, then Good Eatz is the perfect destination. My meal came to under $10.00 with tax. What a deal! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

How to Stock a Vegetarian Pantry

While browsing the Internet I came across this article which I thought would be helpful to people who are new to the vegetarian lifestyle. I remember searching for hours for things I could eat when I made the switch (grocery shopping took forever!). I hope this is useful as you set up your vegetarian kitchen. When you have the common ingredients already on hand cooking is a breeze.

How to Stock a Vegetarian Pantry

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A vegetarian pantry has different needs from a more general pantry. It is important to keep vegetarian foods on hand that will provide energy and nutrients; and substitutes for other non-vegetarian food products. This article will help you achieve you goal of a well-stocked and healthy vegetarian pantry, all in the span of just a few hours.

Steps

Clean out your pantry. If you are changing to a vegetarian diet, or even if you are simply updating an existing impoverished vegetarian pantry, it is time for a good clean out. Remove all out-dated food, any food with unsuitable animal-derived products (ovo-lacto vegetarians can keep more foods than vegans) and remove anything that lacks labels but you aren’t quite sure what it is. Wipe down all the shelves and allow to dry.
Go shopping. It is always a good idea to stock a new pantry with as many fresh items as possible at the same time, so that the items date together. If you are simply restocking, keep items that are still plenty in date but note them. Make sure to write a list of the items that you need, so that you are not overwhelmed by choices or forgetful as to what you need.
Select your items in food groups. A vegetarian pantry that is stocked with the basics should contain:
- Grain products: rice (especially brown, arborio, jasmine, basmati and sweet), millet, couscous, quinoa, kasha, wild rice (aquatic grass), buckwheat, barley, polenta, and whole grain flours.
- Pasta and noodles: pasta made from grain products (e.g., wheat pasta, rice pasta), noodles (e.g., udon, buckwheat etc.). Try to avoid quick-cook noodles; these tend to have a lot of the healthy nutrients removed and are often high in trans-fats.
- Legumes: dried legumes (peas, split peas, lentils, puy lentils, chickpeas/garbanzo, kidney beans, pinto beans etc.), tins/cans of legumes, shelf-stored tofu.
- Instant mixes for veggie burgers, falafels, etc. Try to prefer organic options and low sodium.
- Vegetables and fruits: There are various ways of storing these in the pantry:
  - Tins/cans of fruit in natural syrup, tins/cans of some vegetables. Try to avoid sourcing a lot of your fruit and veggies in this way because canned varieties lose nutrients, have high sodium, and can leach chemicals from the can soldering/composition into the food over time. Always choose cans that are free from dents, and be sure to check use-by dates.
  - Preserved fruit and vegetables. Follow the instructions carefully if you make your own at home.
  - Dehydrated fruits and veggies can also be kept in the pantry for reconstitution.
  - Dried fruit. A must for both eating and cooking with. Apricots, peaches, pears, apple, nectarines etc. are all great choices. Beware of added sugar; dried pineapple, strawberries, paw-paw, kiwifruit etc. often have considerable added sugar.
- Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds should be eaten quickly to ensure that they remain fresh. Only purchase small amounts at a time. It is handy to always have on hand walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, pecans and sesame seeds. Peanuts are a personal choice given modern allergy problems. Nut and seed butters are also very useful to keep on hand; consider tahini, peanut butter, cashew nut butter, almond butter etc. Some require refrigeration on opening.
- Flavourings: There are a number of key flavourings that no vegetarian pantry should be without. These include:
  - Nutritional yeast
  - Soy sauce, shoyu, tamari; look for low sodium options
  - Vegetable broth/stock cubes, liquid or powder – check ingredients carefully!
  - Cheese sauce or cheese substitute sauces in packets; packet soups
  - Seasoned vegetable salt (there are numerous good brands around)
  - Concentrated liquid stock or flavouring derived from vegetable, herb and spice sources (a few drops will do each use)
  - Curry powder
  - Seasonings such as herbs, spices, salt, pepper etc. Dry your fresh herbs for seeing the winter through
  - Seaweed products for seasoning, including dulse
  - Flavoured vinegars, dressings
- Sweeteners such as raw and organic sugar, stevia, rice syrup, agave syrup, honey, maple syrup, xylitol etc. Select whatever suits your needs, preferences, and dietary requirements.
Have a few treats in store. It is useful to have some treats on stand-by for guests, children and the munchies. Good products include dark chocolate, soy chocolate, chickpea crisps, wasabi peas, sugar-free cookies (sweetened with alternatives), microwave popcorn and raw kernals, etc.
Keep a few quick packet mixes for cakes, muffins and pancakes. Prefer organic and low-sugar versions where possible. It isn’t always possible to be a saint and make your own baked goods from scratch; having these packaged possibilities still allows you to add fresh fruit, macadamia oil in place of saturated fats and you have the choice of using eggs or not. This is far better than resorting to store-bought goodies.
Have milk on hand. It is always handy to have some shelf milk on hand for times when you run out and guests arrive. Depending on your needs, you can purchase dairy, soy, nut, grain and other milks that can be shelf-stored. Flavoured milks are also handy, including chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.
Keep an eye on use-by dates and discard products that go beyond these. They might seem all right, but once stale, items never taste quite as fresh. They also do not provide the same nutrients as fresher, in-date items. Circulate goods at the back of the pantry and bring them to the front at least monthly, if not more often. It’s easy to forget about items you can’t see, and the less you waste the happier your wallet will be.

Tips

Places to stock up on vegetarian pantry foods include health food stores, health food co-ops, large health-food oriented super-stores or supermarkets, fruit and vegetable stores, some bulk/wholesale stores, local markets (farmer’s markets etc.) and straight from boutique stores on farms.
Don’t over look your local supermarket. Many “regular” grocery stores are now catering to the Vegan crowd by offering several varieties of soy milks, tofu and vegetarian meat substitutes as well as organic produce.
Some specialty grocery stores are also great to visit in and discover new flavours and textures; try Chinese, Lebanese, South African, Italian, West Indian, Samoan, etc. stores for new ideas.
Some artificial sweeteners, while low in calories, have been implicated in health problems in some individuals. Research carefully before choosing an artificial sweetener option. Stevia is a good, natural sweetener alternative that avoids potentially problematic chemicals.

Things You’ll Need

Pantry
Items as listed in article
Shopping bags – take your own

Related wikiHows

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Vegetarian Chop Souey

This is an easy, recipe that feeds 4 hungry people. It calls for just a few ingredients and doesn’t take much time to throw together. (The rice is the most time consuming part). Delicious!

Ingredients:

2 lg. onions, cut in half and thinly sliced

5 stalks celery, 1/2 inch slices

1 1/2 – 2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 can (15 oz.) bean sprouts (or you can use your own fresh bean sprouts)

1 large mixing spoonful of molasses

1 large mixing spoonful of soy sauce

1 pkg. Lightlife Smart Strips (steak style veggie strips)

Method:

Saute onions in one Tbsp. oil. Add celery and just enough water (or vegetable broth) to cover. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Then add the bean sprouts, seasonings, molasses, and soy sauce. Stir well to blend, and heat to boiling.

Thicken mixture with 1 Tbsp cornstarch diluted in 1/3 c. water. Stir until gravy thickens.

Add Smart Strips and cook for about 10 minutes to heat through. (If using fresh bean sprouts add them now instead of earlier and cook until they start to wilt, but don’t let them get mushy.)

Serve over cooked brown rice.

Tofu Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

1 – 2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 chopped onion

1 clove minced garlic

10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

8 oz. chopped mushrooms

1 container (12.3 oz.) Mori-Nu silken tofu, drained and mashed with a fork

15 – 20 jumbo pasta shells

2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast*

1/4 c. Parmesan flavor veggie cheese, plus another 1/4 c. reserved for topping

1 Tbsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. oregano leaves

1 – 1 1/2 tsp. salt or sea salt

about 8 oz. shredded mozzarella flavor veggie cheese

1 qt. any good marinara sauce

Method:**

Cook the pasta shells according to pkg. directions, drain and set aside. (Lay them on a damp linen dishtowel covered with another damp linen dishtowel so they won’t dry out or stick together while you work).

Saute onions, garlic, and mushrooms in olive oil. Add thawed, drained spinach and cook for another couple minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl combine tofu, 1/4 c. veggie Parmesan, oregano, salt, nutritional yeast, and veggie mozzarella (reserve 1/4 cup). Add sauteed vegetables and mix together with a fork.

In a rectangular casserole spread a thin layer of marinara sauce.

Stuff the noodles with the tofu mixture (2 – 3 Tbsp. per shell), and place the stuffed shells in the casserole. (Place the stuffed shells close together so they don’t tip over).

Spoon remaining sauce over the stuffed shells and top with reserved veggie mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 30 – 4o minutes. Serve.

* Nutritional yeast can be purchased at the health food store. It is not Dry Active Yeast although it looks similar. It is a granular powder that comes in a jar, and it gives food a cheesy flavor and aroma. Nutritional yeast is high in B vitamins.

** You can also substitute this tofu mixture for the ricotta cheese used in any vegetable lasagna recipe — just layer it between lasagna noodles, sauce, and veggie mozzarella cheese. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Or, you can layer the tofu mixture with of any type of pasta and sauce for another one dish variation.

Cinnamon Apple Chips

This is a sweet healthy snack everyone will enjoy, and they’re much cheaper than those you can buy in the store. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 cups unsweetened apple juice or apple cider

1 cinnamon stick

2 Red Delicious apples

Method:

In a large pot or skillet combine the apple juice or cider and cinnamon stick; bring to a low boil. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Meanwhile core apples, slice off 1/2 inch from top and bottom (and eat!). Gently saw apples crosswise into very thin (1/8 inch) slices (a mandolin works great for this).

Drop slices into boiling juice; cook 4 – 5 minutes until slices are translucent and lightly golden.

With slotted spatula or spoon, remove apple slices from juice and pat dry. Arrange slices on cooling racks (I used the racks from my toaster oven for this). Place racks on middle shelf in preheated oven; bake 30 – 40 minutes until apple slices are lightly browned and almost dry to the touch. Let chips cool on racks completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes about 40 chips.

Savory Spinach Dip

I got this recipe right off a box of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu. The box credits “Mari Oser’s Soy of Cooking” (Chronimed Publishing: Minn. MN) 1996. I hope you like it as much as we do. It is wonderful for parties served with fresh veggies or crackers. You could probably hollow out a bread bowl and serve the dip with little squares of bread, too, which I’ve done with other recipes but not this one specifically. (This recipe doesn’t have as much mayo as others I’ve made, so I’m not sure if it would soak into the bread and make it soggy or not). However you serve it — this recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Mori-Nu Silken Soft Tofu, drained

1.75 oz. pkg. onion soup mix

1/2 c. mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)

3 large cloves garlic, peeled

10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and pressed into colander

8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1/4 c. thinly sliced scallions

Method:

Drain tofu and pat with paper towels. Place tofu in food processor, and blend until smooth. Add dry onion soup mix, mayo, and garlic; blend. Add spinach, and blend. Add water chestnuts and scallions; pulse just until chunky.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Makes 4 1/2 cups.