BLACK BEAN COUSCOUS topped with TOMATO SALAD

BLACK BEAN COUSCOUS topped with TOMATO SALAD – QUICK AND EASY! 

–       1 Cup uncooked Couscous

–       2 Cups Water or broth (I usually do ½ and ½)

–       ½ onion, chopped

–       2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

–       Olive oil

–       Frozen (or fresh) corn

–       1 Can Black Beans, rinsed/drained

 

Tomato Salad:

–       2-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped

–       Fresh basil

–       Olive Oil

–       Salt & pepper to taste

Put chopped tomatoes and chopped basil in a bowl, generously drizzle with olive oil, season with salt & pepper

 

In a pot, sauté onion & garlic and corn in olive oil for about 2 mins.  Add water/broth bring to a boil.  Add Couscous & black beans, cover  and let sit for 5 minutes until the water is absorbed.  Top with tomato salad and serve!

Carciofi – Italian Stuffed Artichoke

– Vegan Friendly Breadcrumbs – I toast vegan bread and then blend in food processer – season with salt, pepper, garlic, oregano & basil to taste

– Fresh Artichokes, cleaned and trimmed – cut off all the pointy tips and trim stem

            Starting from the outside leaves, fill with breadcrumbs until you reach the center.  Put in large pot with a small amount of water on the bottom (about an inch deep), drizzle stuffed artichokes with olive oil, cover pot and cook on low – steaming artichokes.  Cook until leaves are tender (about 45 mins)

 

VEGAN Home-made Pumpkin Ravioli with Hazelnut Cream Sauce

Home-made Pumpkin Ravioli with Hazelnut Cream Sauce

Pasta:

  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 2/3 Cup Water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 T olive oil

Mix all ingredients together until dough comes together in a ball.  Kneed on floured surface until smooth. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.  Roll out into sheets (or use hand crank pasta machine – Pull off small chuck (about 1/8th of ball) flour well and run through on 1st /largest setting, re-flour, fold into thirds and run through the 2nd setting, repeat until the desired thickness – we use #5 on our machine) if it’s too thin then the fillings seems to seep out.  Once in strip and desired thickness, cut into squares, fill with pumpkin filling and fold, be sure to press together edges well so filling doesn’t escape.  Place on flat floured surface until ready to cook – DO NOT stack on top of each other or they will stick and rip.   Once ready to cook, place 5 or 6 raviolis into boiling water. Wait until raviolis start to float (about 30 secs) and take out of water with slotted spoon.

Filling:

  • 1 large Carrots
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbs vegan margarine or oil
  • 1 16 oz can pureed pumpkin
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 Tbs Maple syrup

In a medium pot, cook carrot, onion, garlic, salt, pepper coriander and allspice  in margarine until soft.  Then, add pumpkin puree and maple syrup.  Cook on low heat for a few minutes or until ready to use.

Sauce:

  • 2 Cups Soy Milk
  • 1 Cup toasted, chopped hazelnuts
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Dash white pepper
  • Dash cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in small pan and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer for 10 mins.  Transfer to food processer or blender and blend until smooth.  Return to pan and keep warm on med-low heat.  If not thick enough bring back to a boil until thickened.

 

Also – These are seriously DELICIOUS!!!!!

REVIEW: Vegan Samoas Recipe

REVIEW: Vegan Samoas

Recipe found on VegNews:

http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=4249&catId=11

 

Well, after 5 hours of mixing, baking, waiting, heating, stirring, coating, waiting…. I’d say these cookies are good.  Not great, not bad, but good.   Would I happily eat and enjoy them – yes!  Would I spend the time and effort to make them a second time – definitely not!

Ciambotta (pronounced Jum-buta) *FAMILY FAVORITE*

Ciambotta

(pronounced Jum-buta)

This is an Italian squash stew that has been one of my favorite childhood & adult recipes – passed down from generation to generation it changes and is easily adaptable to likes/dislikes and freshness of vegetables.  That said, these vegetables and amounts are more like loose guidelines than an exact measurements!

 

2 large zucchini, cut in cubes or ½ circles

2 medium yellow squashes, cut in cubes or ½ circles

1 large potato, cut into cubes

1 onion, chopped

5 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 pepper (green or red..) chopped

Green beans, fresh or frozen work

Olive oil, enough to cook with

Fresh basil (the more the better!)

Lima beans (optional ) or Chick peas (optional) or neither!

1 large can of Diced Tomatoes (or 1 lb of fresh tomatoes chopped – if you have enough in the garden)

Any other vegetables that are fresh or you love – for instance, if you have some fresh sugar snap peas, spinach, eggplant etc. add them in!

 

–          Add all vegetables (except tomatoes) in a large pan with olive oil.  Cover & cook on medium-low for about 20-30 minutes – until vegetables are soft looking

–          Add in tomatoes (and basil if you haven’t already) season with salt & pepper to taste

–          Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes – the longer the better the flavors simmer together..

–          Serve in a bowl with fresh bread to dip!  YUMMMM!

Pistachio-Crusted Eggplant Cutlets

Recipe From: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11831

Yumm!

I added a bit more olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the baking dish and also needed to cook it an additional 15 minutes from what was recommended.   Also, I served it with a garlic/wild rice/chickpea  side – which we good, but will probably pair the eggplant cutlets with couscous or a pasta next time!  ENJOY!

Vegetable Red Curry

Vegetable Red Curry

1 package of Extra Firm Tofu sliced  and pan fried with a dash of curry powder, sugar and Braggs

Fresh Vegetables (Broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, peppers)

Vegetable oil to cook

1 onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tsp Thai red curry paste

14oz can Light Coconut Milk

3 Tb Braggs or soy sauce

1 Tb brown sugar

Peanuts to top!

 

In a pan, heat oil, onion, garlic and curry paste stirring until onion is softened.  Add coconut milk, vegetables and seasonings. Bring to a boil and then simmer until vegetables are tender.  Top with seared tofu and peanuts!