Black Bean Brownies

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 eggs
3 Tbsp coconut or canola oil
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp instant coffee
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup SweetLeaf sugar/stevia blend (or 3/4 cup sugar)
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a baking dish. Blend all ingredients and pour into dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Makes 15 brownies.

Seitan Roast Stuffed with Mushrooms and Leeks

This is basically this recipe from the PPK, but with a few substitutions/additions:

• I had cooked cannellini beans, so I used those instead of pinto beans
• I subbed mashed beans and almond meal for the breadcrumbs in the filling
• I used mushroom broth and mushroom-flavored olive oil to boost the mushroomy-ness
• I served it with this gravy

I got rave reviews from everyone who's tried it, and it's packed full of tasty protein.

Savory Vegan Gravy

This is based off a recipe my friend Kelli once served us on stuffed peppers.

1 cup veggie broth (I used mushroom broth)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika


1/3 cup white beans

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, blend with a stick blender and heat until bubbling.  Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until it thickens.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, broken up into florets
olive oil spray
smoked salt
chipotle powder

Preheat the oven to 375.  Scatter the cauliflower florets on a cookie sheet.  Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and chipotle powder.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Baba Ghanoush

1 medium-large eggplant
1 head garlic
olive oil
1/4 tsp smoked sea salt
1/3 cup Trader Joe's tahini sauce
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1 dash liquid smoke (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Poke the eggplant all over with a knife or fork, spray  or rub with olive oil, and bake for 1 hour, or until collapsing.

Meanwhile, rub the extra skin off a head of garlic, cut the top off and spray/rub with oil.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cloves are soft.

Let the eggplant cool for a bit, then peel off the skin.  Remove as many of the seeds as you can get (don't stress about it, though).  Peel the roasted garlic cloves.  Add the garlic, salt, tahini, chipotle and cumin to the eggplant flesh.  Mash thoroughly or blend with a stick blender.  Taste, and if you like it a bit smokier, add a dash of liquid smoke.

Chipotle Devilled Eggs

6 eggs
1/4 cup mayo (I used reduced fat mayo from Trader Joe's)
1 tsp stone-ground mustard
1 tsp vinegar (I used the dark chocolate balsamic vinegar from Allspice)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
smoked paprika for dusting

Put the eggs in a pan with just enough water to cover them.  Bring to a roiling boil, then lower to a simmer and cover.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Immediately remove from the heat and pour in cold/ice water to cool them down.  Peel and halve the eggs, scooping the yolks out.

Mash the yolks with the mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt and chipotle powder.  Spoon the filling back into the egg whites and dust with paprika.  Serve chilled.

Roasted Broccoli, Balsamic Mushrooms & Hot Sauce Glazed Tempeh

Hot Sauce Glazed Tempeh (from Veganomicon)

***

Roasted Broccoli

This couldn't be easier.

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
olive oil spray
sea salt (smoked or regular)

Preheat your oven to 400.  Scatter the broccoli florets on a cookie sheet.  Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Stick in the oven for 25 minutes.

***

Balsamic Mushrooms


1 Tbsp olive oil (I used the Wild Mushroom & Sage olive oil from AllSpice)
8 oz crimini mushrooms, halved
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and salt and stir until the mushrooms have darkened.  Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

Adventures in Slow-Carb Vegetarian Dining in Des Moines

I've been attempting a few-week trial of the Slow-Carb Diet outlined in Tim Ferris' The Four Hour Body lately.  I'm having absolutely no troubles cooking at home following his guidelines, but eating out can get tricky, particularly as a vegetarian.  I thought I'd start this post as a list of options I've found so far in Des Moines:

Mexican

• huevos rancheros (hold the rice)
• guacamole
• refried/black beans
• vegetable fajitas (minus the sour cream and tortillas, get guacamole and beans)
• Many of the build-your-own-burrito places have burrito bowls where you can get the goods minus the tortillas.  Load up on beans, vegetables, guacamole and salsa.  
• Places to try:
• Chipotle
• Pancheros
• Dos Rios: tableside guacamole and the vegetable molcajete
• Bandit Burrito (has vegan chorizo) 
• Fighting Burrito  (has vegan chorizo)  
• Cuatro Burrito Bar (has vegan chorizo)

Thai

• tofu/vegetable stir-frys and curries (hold the rice)
• papaya salad
• tom kha soup with tofu
• Places to try:
• Taste of Thai: offers gluten/wheat-meat as an alternative to tofu, which is higher in protein
• Lemon Grass
• Rolling Wok
• Cool Basil
• Thai Flavors

Japanese

• agedashi tofu
• edamame
• miso soup
• seaweed/avocado salad
• Places to try:
• Appare

Indian

• any of the dals or curries (without potatoes or paneer), hold the rice and naan
• baingan bartha (eggplant and peas)
• chana masala (chickpeas)
• mushroom mattar (mushrooms and peas)
• dal (lentils)
• bindhi masala (okra and onions)
• Places to try:
• India Star
• Namaste

Breakfast

• omelettes or scrambles with vegetables, hold the cheese
• Places to try:
• La Mie: tofu scramble or vegetable scramble
• Gateway Market: tofu scramble, huevos motelenos (hold the ham)

American

• veggie burgers without the bun
• vegetable sides 
• hummus with vegetables (carrots, celery) to dip
• salads
• soups 
• Places to try:
• Big City Burgers and Greens: try the Metro Veggie Burger with a lettuce wrap and edamame as your side
• Gateway Market 
• Django
• Drake Diner
• Centro
• Zombie Burger: try the burger that uses mushrooms as the bun with a veggie patty and fried brussel sprouts
• The Contintental: get the chickpea salad as a side and try the truffled mushrooms as a starter

Mediterranean

• baba ghanoush
• hummus
• falafel
• lentil soup
• Places to try:
• Open Sesame: try the falafel salad with a side of baba ghanoush and the lentil soup
• Proof: get the falafel (minus the flatbread) with a salad

Scrambled Eggs with Soyrizo and Salsa

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tube soyrizo, crumbled
4-5 eggs
1/4 cup cheddar or gouda, shredded

Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and soyrizo and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.  Add the garlic, spices and salt and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the salsa and simmer for 2-3 more minutes.  Add the eggs and cook until no longer liquidy, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle on the cheese and serve immediately.

Pumpkin-Ricotta-Spinach Casserole

1 small pumpkin (or spaghetti squash), roasted
1 bag frozen spinach
1 container fat-free ricotta
1 egg
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp roasted garlic powder

1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
nutritional yeast
pine nuts


Shred the squash/pumpkin flesh.  Mix with the frozen spinach, ricotta, beaten egg, nutmeg, salt, white pepper and roasted garlic powder.  Dust with nutritional yeast and sprinkle on some pine nuts.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Refried Beans (a la Kelli)

My friend Kelli taught me how to make beans this way, and I haven't looked back since.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional but awesome)
2 cloves garlic

3 cups cooked pinto beans, black beans or black-eyed peas
salt to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and spices and heat for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the beans and salt and mash the beans until creamy.  Cook until the desired consistency.

Mexican Tofu Scramble

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp salt (can use up to half black salt if an 'eggy' flavor is desired)
1/4 cup salsa
1 pound firm tofu, mashed
1/2 tube soyrizo
hot sauce to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until translucent.  Add the spices, salt and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the tofu, salsa and soyrizo and cook for 5 more minutes, or until heated through.

Mediterranean Casserole

This was thrown together from things in my pantry.  I actually have yet to sample the finished product.  It was pretty easy to make, though.

6 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 can white kidney beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can whole black olives, drained and smooshed
1/4 cup eggplant/garlic dip from Trader Joe's (I might leave this out next time)
1/3 cup hummus
3 Tbsp chopped basil
1/4 cup dry red wine

Mix together.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Broccoli Gardein Divan (Vegan Option)

Thaw by microwaving, steaming, or pouring boiling water briefly over them in a colander.

• 2 Gardein chick'n scallopini breasts
• 1 bag frozen broccoli florets

Chop the Gardein into bite-sized pieces. Blend up the sauce (you could also use Hurry-Up Vegan Alfredo):

• 1 cup nonfat Greek plain yogurt (or plain soy yogurt)
• 1/2 cup reduced fat mayo (Trader Joe's brand is accidentally vegan)
• 1/4 cup hummus

Mix into the sauce:

• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp celery flakes

Put a layer of Gardein bits in the bottom of a casserole dish.  Top with broccoli. Top with sauce.
Top that with:

• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/3 cup toasted almond slivers

Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cauliflower Butternut Red Lentil Curry (Vegan)

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
2/3 cup red lentils
1 jar Trader Joe's Masala curry simmer sauce
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 cups veggie broth

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Bread

This recipe was originally from PPK, back in the day.  I think it's no longer available online, but you really can't go wrong with this pumpkin bread.  It's all kinds of moist and delicious.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with canola oil.

Mix together:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice (I used garam masala)
1/8 tsp cloves

In a separate bowl, combine:
1 cup pumpkin or squash puree
1 cup light coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
2 Tbsp maple syrup (I used sorghum molasses)
1-1/2 tsp powdered egg replacer OR 1 Tbsp soy yogurt

Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Pour the batter into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  (Mine didn't exactly get to the clean/knife stage, but that's fine by me. And since the batter's vegan, it's safe if undercooked.)

This photo is all that remains after taking this to a gathering of friends.

Mini Portable Breakfast Things

These are awesome and easy to make. If you're vegan, you can sub the eggs with this tofu mini quiche recipe.

A dozen eggs OR one batch tofu mini quiche mixture
12 slices smoked tomato Field Roast OR vegetarian bacon
1/2 cup finely chopped spinach OR kale (optional)
Smoked salt
Tobasco (optional)

Spray twelve muffin tins with oil. Line each tin with a slice of Field Roast or vegetarian bacon. Top with 1 tsp spinach or kale. Crack 1 egg on top of each one (or spoon in a few tablespoons of vegan quiche mixture). Top each cup with a pinch of salt and a dash of hot sauce. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes (30 if using the vegan option).

Each cup is about 100 calories of protein-y goodness.

Kale and Hearts of Palm Greek Yogurt Quiche (with vegan options)

2 bunches kale, trimmed and chopped
1/2 zucchini, shredded*
4 cloves garlic
1.5 cups hearts of palm, chopped finely
1 leek, chopped finely*
1 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups plain Greek yogurt OR soy yogurt
2 Tbsp capers*
3 eggs OR 1/3 cup hummus
1 Tbsp fresh oregano
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast*
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp smoked paprika*
1 Tbsp pine nuts*

* optional ingredients

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, leek, zucchini and kale and stir for a few minutes. Add some water, cover and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the kale is dark green.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs/hummus and yogurt together. Mix in the salt, pepper, paprika and nutritional yeast. Spray a casserole dish well.

Mix the kale mixture with oregano,  pine nuts, hearts of palm and capers. Pour the yogurt mixture over the vegetables, and stir well. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serves 8.

Vegan Tempeh Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

1 package baby bella mushrooms, cleaned
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 smallish shallots
3 slices tempeh bacon
1/2 cup cooked pinto beans
1 head roasted garlic (optional)
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp Better than Bouillon vegetable base or miso
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce

Twist the stems gently out of the mushrooms. Mince them along with the shallots and tempeh bacon. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushroom stems, shallots and tempeh and cook for 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and brush the mushroom caps with the mixture.

Mash the pinto beans and roasted garlic. Add the sage, bouillon/miso and nutritional yeast and mix well. Add the shallot/tempeh mixture to the beans and stir to combine.

Spoon a heaping spoonful into each mushroom cap. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cheezy Broccoli Tempeh Divan

1 batch Vegan Alfredo (recipe follows)
1 tsp curry powder
8 oz. frozen broccoli, thawed
2 cups baked winter squash cubes (optional)
1 block (8 oz.) tempeh, steamed and mashed
1/2 cup french fried onions OR slivered almonds

Combine broccoli, tempeh, vegan alfredo and curry powder in a casserole dish. Top with onions and/or almonds. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Vegan Alfredo
1/3 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked for an hour or so (if not, just blend longer)
2/3 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp white miso
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp stone ground mustard
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp hummus

Combine in a blender and blend for 3 minutes, or until completely smooth.

Stuffed Delicata Squash w/ Apples, Onions, "Sausage" and Beets

Ingredients: Makes 6 servings

3 delicata or acorn squash, halved, seeds scooped out1 Tbsp. olive oil1 apple, diced1 medium onion, diced2 Morningstar Farms veggie sausage patties,s diced1 beet, roasted2 tsp. pomegranate molasses1 tsp. sage1/4 tsp. turmeric1/4 tsp. garam masala1/2 tsp. smoked salt

2 Tbsp hummus

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash halves cut side down in a baking dish with a little water in it and let cook while the rest of your ingredients are being prepared.

Dice the roasted beet and toss with pomegranate molasses.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion, apple and sausage chunks and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the spices and stir for another few minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the hummus and beets.

Remove the squash halves from the oven. Drain off the water. Spoon the apple mixture into the squash halves and bake for 20 minutes.

Vegan Mexican "Eggs"

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 black bean burger, minced*
1/3 cup salsa
1 cup corn

1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
A pinch cumin
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp black salt
1/2 tsp smoked salt

1 pound firm tofu, drained
1 cup pepper jack Daiya shreds
tortilla chips

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes. Add the burger crumbles and cook for 3 minutes. Add the corn, salsa, spices and salt. Cook until no longer soupy. Crumble the tofu in and stir for another 3 minutes or so. Add the Daiya and cook until melty.

Serve by spooning onto tortilla chips.

* I really like the MorningStar Farms black bean chipotle burgers, but they're not strictly vegan.

(Almost) Vegan Tuna Noodle Casserole

This whole odyssey started when I found a package of veggie tuna at Campbell's -- which, sadly, contains whey and egg products, so it's the only part of this recipe that isn't vegan. (I'm sure a good substitute could be made with a steamed chicken-style seitan plus fishy flavoring. I'll experiment more with this in the future.)

Both the boy and I miss tuna noodle casserole from our omnivorous days, so I decided to try veganizing it. I replaced the cream of mushroom soup with vegan alfredo + mushrooms and used Daiya pepper jack shreds for the cheesy top. The result was an unqualified success: creamy, salty, baked noodly deliciousness.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.

1 lb. noodles of choice (I used Kalona tomato noodles)

4 cups water

1/4 tsp salt

Boil the salted water. Drop the noodles in and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and add to casserole dish.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

8 oz. mushrooms, chopped (I used oyster mushrooms from the farmers' market)

1/4 tsp smoked salt (sea salt will do just fine)

1 package veggie tuna, chopped finely

Heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions, mushrooms and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions are starting to get translucent. Add the chopped veggie tuna and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish, mixing with the noodles.

Vegan Alfredo

1/3 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked for an hour or so (if not, just blend longer)

2/3 cup vegetable broth

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 Tbsp white miso

2 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine

2 tsp stone ground mustard

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1 Tbsp hummus

4 cloves roasted garlic (optional)

1 tsp nori or dulse (seaweed) flakes

Combine in a blender and blend for 3 minutes, or until completely smooth.

Pour the alfredo over the noodle mixture and mix well. Top with Daiya shreds. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melty. Consume!

Ingredient Notes: I got the veggie tuna and nori flakes at Campbell's. The noodles and Daiya shreds came from Gateway Market. The mushrooms and mustard came from the downtown farmers' market. I get my miso, nutritional yeast and Earth Balance at New City Market. The smoked salt came from Trader Joe's.

Vegan Baingan Bartha

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp canola oil
• aromatics
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 small onion, diced small
  • 1 tsp ginger, grated or finely minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• spices
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp sea salt
• roasted, skinned and mashed veggies
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1-2 sweet potatoes (optional)
  • 3 tiny golden beets (optional)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1-1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1/3 cup soy milk creamer

Heat canola oil in a heavy pan over medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds, cover and wait until you hear them popping, then add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for a minute. Add the spices and salt and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add the roasted veggies and tomatoes and stir. Add the creamer, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the tomatoes have mostly collapsed. Add the frozen peas and cook for 3 more minutes, or until heated through.

Notes: This was very mild. If you want a spicier kick, you could add chipotle powder for some smoky heat.

Vegan Stuffed Peppers

3 yellow bell peppers, seeded and halved
Daiya pepper jack shreds
1 can pinto beans, drained
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp lime juice

1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1/2 veg bouillon cube
1/4 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, chipotle powder and cumin

Combine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cook, covered, for 20 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid.

1/2 package veggie chorizo (I used Upton Naturals)
1 small onion, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Heat the olive in a skillet. Pan-fry the chorizo and onions for 5-7 minutes, or until slightly crispy and charred on the bottom.

Mix the cooked chorizo and quinoa with the beans. Mash the beans lightly. Add the nutritional yeast and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stuff the pepper halves with the quinoa mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

Turn the heat up to 450. Sprinkle the Daiya shreds on top and cook for another 5 minutes, or until they're all melty.

Mexican Zucchini Soup

Unbelievably simple and tasty.

1 zucchini, sliced
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes with chilies, with juice
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 package soyrizo
1-1/2 cups frozen or fresh corn
1/2 tsp salt

Combine in a soup pot. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. Serve with crushed corn chips mixed in, if desired.

Farmer's Market Quinoa Pilaf

2/3 cup dry quinoa
1-1/3 cup vegetable broth

Combine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.

1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 green onion, diced
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces
salt and lime/lemon juice to taste
1 handful chopped fresh herbs (I used basil and tarragon)
1 can white kidney beans, drained
2 Tbsp red pepper-eggplant spread (optional)

Heat the olive oil on medium. Add the mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and let cook for 5 minutes, or until darkened and juicy. Add the onion and asparagus, sprinkle with more salt and lime juice and cook until the asparagus is fork-tender. Add the herbs, red pepper spread and cooked quinoa and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Vegan Cheesecake Cookie Dough Bars

These, adapted for vegan-friendliness from this recipe, are absolutely decadent.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp brown sugar
5 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine, at room temperature

Cheesecake Filling:
8 oz vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup hot cocoa mix (I used Ghiradelli) OR 1/4 cup sugar + 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 tsp egg replacer (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cookie Dough:
2 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine, at room temperature
3 Tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Before you start, set out your margarine and vegan cream cheese and let it warm up. (This isn't essential, but it makes things easier.) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Crush the graham crackers into crumbs. Mix with the sugar and 5 Tbsp margarine. Press the mixture into the bottom of an oiled baking dish. Bake the crust for 6-7 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let crust cool a bit. (You could also use a pre-made graham cracker or Oreo crust, if you want to skip this step.)

Mix the cream cheese, hot cocoa mix (or sugar + cocoa powder), egg replacer and vanilla together until smooth. Spread over the crust.

Combine the remaining margarine, canola oil, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add the flour and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop the cookie dough evenly over the cheesecake layer.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the top is crunchy. Let cool as much as possible before eating.

Kale Artichoke White Bean Strata

It's hard to say exactly how I came up with this dish. I was thinking spanakopita, but vegan. And then my pantry conspired to create this casticasserole.

Skillet Wine-Braised Chard, Beans and Sausage with Polenta

Inspired by this recipe and the fact that I got a tub of organic rainbow chard at Hy-Vee for 99 cents last week.

1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tube polenta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

In a non-stick skillet, pan-fry the polenta cubes until crispy on several sides (you can also spray them with oil and stick them in the oven for this).

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tofurkey Italian sausages, sliced into coins
2 cloves garlic, chopped
a whole mess of rainbow chard, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup red wine (any red wine will do; I used a TJ's Cabernet)
1 can white beans (I used cannellini, but any will do), rinsed & drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp capers, drained (optional)
1 handful fresh basil, chopped

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and saute for a few minutes. Add the garlic and stir for another minute or so. Add the chard and wine, stir, and cook, covered, for 5 minutes, or until the chard has wilted. Add the beans, tomatoes, capers and herbs. Heat through. Stir in the crispy polenta cubes and serve hot.

Farmers' Market Quiche

I only buy eggs during farmers' market season, and then only from farms that I know treat their animals well. This makes quiche a fairly rare delicacy around our house. This one was easy and delicious.

1 tube biscuits

1 tsp olive oil

3 strips tempeh bacon, chopped

3-4 stalks asparagus, diced

2 spring onions, diced

2 stalks of spring garlic, diced

1 Tbsp fresh oregano and/or thyme

1 large bag spinach, rinsed

4 eggs

1-2 Tbsp grated cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Spray a pie plate with oil. Squish the biscuit dough out until it covers the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh bacon, asparagus, onions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until onions/garlic are wilted and the asparagus is tender. Remove the mixture from the pot and spread over the biscuit dough.

Add the spinach & 1/4 cup water to the pot and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the spinach is dark green. Drain the spinach in a colander, squeezing out as much of the water as possible. Chop the spinach finely and spread over the biscuit dough. Sprinkle herbs on top.

Beat the eggs lightly. Mix in the grated cheese, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture on top of the other ingredients in the pie plate. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Ingredient notes: I grabbed everything except the biscuits and tempeh bacon at the farmers' market this weekend. The eggs & spring garlic came from Coyote Run. The cheese was Prairie Breeze cheddar out of Milton (purchased at Gateway Market some months ago). The asparagus came from Reinhart's Family Farm. The spinach and spring onions showed up somewhere along the route, too. You could, of course, use a pre-packaged pie crust, but watch the ingredient list for lard.

Asparagus-Mushroom Quinoa Pilaf

This was a spur-of the moment creation from this week's farmers' market haul, but the boy and I both agreed that it was damn tasty (and pretty simple, to boot).

3/4 cup quinoa
3/4 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup almond pieces (or pine nuts or cashews, optional)

Combine water, broth and quinoa in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then let simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in nuts, if using, and let stand.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 head roasted garlic (or 3 fresh cloves, minced)
8 oz. oyster mushrooms, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp fresh oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme
salt to taste
lime juice to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until starting to get translucent. Add the mushrooms and garlic, sprinkle in a little salt, and stir for another few minutes. Add the asparagus and herbs, spritz with lime juice and stir for 3-5 more minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and the mushrooms are cooked through. Stir in the cooked quinoa. Add more salt and lime juice to taste.

Serve sprinkled with a little nutritional yeast, if desired.

Quick Seitan Tacos

We threw together tacos last night in about 10 minutes flat.

corn tortillas, warmed on a hot skillet*

pan-fried seitan** of choice

a schmear of chipotle remoulade or hummus

salsa verde***

chopped avocado

a handful of arugula (or other salad green of choice)

* You do need to warm the tortillas, or they won't be flexible enough. If you over-skillet them, though, they'll get tough. 15 seconds on each side should do it.

** The seitan I used was a pre-made batch of Veganomicon chickpea cutlets, only with pinto beans instead of chickpeas (and steamed, not fried). I just chopped them into strips and pan-fried them with a little olive oil until they were crispy on two or three sides.

***You could use regular salsa, but salsa verde is amazingly awesome; I get mine fresh from Gateway Market.

Tempeh Bacon/Arugula/Avocado Sammiches

This week has been a little insane, so we've been winging meals. This one is so simple, it barely qualifies as a recipe. But here we are anyhow.

1 English muffin, toasted (I used whole wheat)

chipotle remoulade (recipe follows)

2 strips tempeh bacon, pan-fried (I used Lightlife, but you can make your own)

1/4 avocado, sliced

a handful of arugula

1 thick slice of tomato (optional)

Chipotle remoulade:

1/2 cup vegan mayo (Trader Joe's reduced fat mayo is accidentally vegan)

1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo

1 Tbsp capers

Sweet Potato Samosa Pie

I saw this recipe and was inspired. I love sweet potatoes. I love samosas. There's really no downside here. Because I had a head of cauliflower, I decided to try this Caulipots style (check out Post Punk Kitchen's Appetite for Reduction for the skinny on that technique). And OMG. Completely delicious.

Note: A lot of the spices are optional here; I happen to have a crapload of Indian spices lying around. You could cheat and just go with more curry powder if you're feeling lazy.

1/2 head cauliflower, chopped

2 small or 1 large sweet potato, chopped

2 cups frozen peas

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced (you could sub dried)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup vegetable broth + 1 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 pie crust OR 1 tube crescent rolls

Indian spice mix:

1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

For serving:

tamarind dipping sauce OR chipotle Tobasco

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a largish pot. Add the mustard seeds and cover, until you hear the seeds popping. Uncover and add the onions; cook for 3-5 minutes, or until they start to get translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for another minute, then dump in all the rest of the spices and stir for one more minute.

Add the cauliflower, sweet potato, salt, veggie broth and water. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower and sweet potato are very soft. Drain off any excess broth and mash the cauliflower and sweet potato together. Add the peas.

Spread the sweet potato mixture into a greased pie pan. Top with pie crust or crescent roll dough. Bake until the top is golden (45 minutes for pie crust, 20 or so for the crescent roll dough).

Serve with tamarind sauce or chipotle Tobasco drizzled on top.

Vegan Solarz

We went to Mars Cafe for brunch the other day, where my husband got the Solarz breakfast sandwich, which was cream cheese, a fried egg, jam and spinach. It looked tasty, so I set out to veganize it.

1 English muffin
1/4 vegan omelette (I used the baked recipe from Happy Herbivore)
1 Tbsp vegan cream cheese
1 Tbsp raspberry jam
1 handful arugula (or baby spinach)

Vegan Taco Pizza

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted (or crescent roll dough, or pizza dough)

1/2 can vegetarian refried beans

1/4 cup salsa

2-3 Tbsp vegan cream cheese (optional)

1 handful kalamata olives, diced

1 vegan chorizo sausage, crumbled (I used the recipe from Vegan Brunch)

1-2 handfuls Daiya cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If using puff pastry, bake it on a pizza stone for 10 minutes before adding toppings.

Mix the refried beans with the salsa and cream cheese. Spread a generous slathering on the crust. Top with olives and sausage, then with Daiya. Press everything down flat. Bake for 20 minutes.

Mediterranean Artichoke Casserole

This casserole was borne out of pantry desperation, but it turned out lovely. I might ditch the fake chicken next time, though... it just didn't impress me.

2 cans white beans, drained (I used white kidney and butter beans)

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1-1/2 cups artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 package Trader Joes chicken-less strips, diced (or other equivalent, optional)

1 tsp dried sage

3-4 Tbsp vegan cream cheese

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted

Mix the beans, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, 'chicken' bits and sage together in a casserole dish. Distribute little bits of the vegan cream cheese across the whole thing and stir. Top with puff pastry and bake at 400 for 45 minutes, or until the puff pastry is all puffed up and golden.

***

If you have a little strip of puff pastry left over, I like to slather it with raspberry jam, sprinkle on some chocolate chips, roll it up and dust it with hot cocoa mix, then bake for 20-30 minutes. It tastes amazingly decadent, and it's so damn easy.

Laura's Amazing Creamy Tortilla Spread

This recipe was veganized off one from my friend Laura, who makes these amazing tortilla roll-ups for parties. My accidental reformulationrecipe has become a huge hit around my house. It doesn't layer up thick enough to make neat slices, but it's damn tasty just slathered and rolled on a tortilla.

1 8 oz. tub vegan cream cheese

1 cup (ish) of hummus

2-4 Tbsp salsa

diced black olives to taste

Spread thickly on a tortilla and roll up.

Soup from a Stone

When I was a kid, there was a book I loved called 'Soup from a Stone.' It's in a poor village where people are hungry, and a visitor comes around claiming that she can make soup from a stone. (Hence the book's catchphrase: "Soup from a stone? Fancy that!") She convinces the locals to throw in little bits of whatever they've got on hand... a carrot, a potato... and before you know it, they have delicious soup!

I love soup, for many reasons. 1) It's dead simple. 2) It's generally pretty good for you. 3) It's an easy way to use up otherwise unusable things and thereby save money.

This soup started with a hunk of collard greens I'd cooked and frozen earlier this year. Then some lentils, a handful of nearly expired baby carrots, and a potato that was starting to grow eyes. Chuck in the crock pot and serve. Couldn't be easier.

Soup from a stone? Fancy that!

2 cups frozen greens

1 cup dry brown lentils

1 can diced tomatoes + 1 can water

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1 potato, peeled and diced

1 tsp vegetable bouillon (I used 'Better Than Beef')

Cook on low in a crock pot for 8 hours.