Black Bean and Pumpkin Lasagna

Who thinks of these things??? Pumpkin? But of course it's another great recipe! Mmmmm

12 lasagna noodles (I used brown rice lasagna noodles)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (I didn't add this because I didn't have one)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups cooked or canned black beans

1 (15oz) can crushed tomatoes

2 tsp chili powder (divided)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb firm tofu, well drained

3 tbsp minced cilantro

1 (160z) can pumpkin puree

3 cups tomato salsa (recipe in last post or store bought)

1/2 cup coarsely ground pumpkin seeds

1. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the noodles until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover and cook until softened. Add the bell pepper and garlic and cook until softened, 5 minutes longer. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, 1 tsp of the chili powder, and salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the tofu, cilantro, the remaining 1 tsp chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin with the salsa and stir to blend well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Spread about 3/4 cup of the pumpkin mixture in the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Top with 4 of the noodles. top with half of the bean mixture, followed by half of the tofu mixture. top with four of the noodles, followed by a layer of the pumpkin mixture, then the remaining bean mixture, topped with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining tofu mixture over the noodles, followed by the remaining pumpkin mixture, spreading ti to the edges of the pan.

5. Cover with foil and bake until hot and bubbly, about 50 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

My very first SALSA

I have never made Salsa before because there are so many good and fresh salsa's available. BUT today I thought I would give it a try. It's easy. VERY easy and looks so good. I can't believe how one little, tiny, baby pepper can give this recipe such a kick! I love it.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

5 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 serrano chile ( I don't know what kind I used, it was dried. I got it from my asain friend)

1/4 cup chopped red onion (I used yellow because that what I have in the house)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

In a glass bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Cover and let the flavours combine for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate until ready to use.

Forget the eggs....Scrambled Tofu

What a fun dish! I had it with chicory coffee and spelt flour toast, a perfect breakfast - except I had it for dinner :)

1 tbsp oil olive

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cups thinly sliced, cremini mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb extra-firm tofu, drained

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 carrot, peeled and grated

SPICE BLEND:

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp ground paprika

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions for 3 minutes until softened; add the mushrooms, saute for 5 minutes; add the garlic, saute for 2 minutes. Add the spice blend and mix it up for 15 seconds or so. Add 1/4 cup water to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to get all the garlic and spices.

Crumble in the tofu and mix well. Don't crush the tofu, just kind of lift it and mix it around. Let cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding splashes of water if necessary to keep it from sticking too much. Add the lemon juice and nutritional yeast and mix it up.

Grate the carrot into the tofu mixture and fold.

Add a cup of salsa at the end, cook for 1 minute extra for a Mexican entree.

Tastes Like Tuna Salad Sandwiches

It was so good I ate it all and didn't get a photo. Another winner. This actually tastes like tuna...ok I haven't had tuna for awhile...but even my carnivore husband says it tastes GREAT and like tuna. It tastes so good in a toasted sandwich with lettuce and tomato. I used spelt bread. Mmmm.

This recipe uses kelp powder. Kelp powder has an abundance of health benefits. It contains natural iodine ( which is way better then the chemical iodine) plus virtually every mineral in the ocean. From calcium, vitamin K, iron, folate, zinc and many more.

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 celery ribs, minced
1/4 cup minced onion
1 tsp capers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup veganaise
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp kelp powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, coarsely mash the chickpeas. Add the celery, onion, capers, veganaise, lemon juice, mustard, and kelp powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Tastes good on bread with lettuce and tomato.

Today Is DIP DAY

After starting my day off with a healthy breakfast of steel cut oats, barley flakes, buckwheat mixed with apple, cinnamon and of course my favourite protein Hemp Hearts, I decided to have dips for the rest of my meals.
For lunch I had hummus. Chickpeas have 11g of protein per cup!!! I made my other favourite dip Mushroom Pate. It is so rich and one of the best things I have eaten (find the recipe in my past posts). Then for dinner I had spinach-tahini dip (it's kind of like gomai) and served it with Chickpea & Rosemary bread.

CREAMY SPINACH-TAHINI
1 (10oz) package fresh baby spinach (I used lots of spinach)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup tahini
Juice of 1 lemon (always use fresh lemon juice!!!)
Ground cayenne
2 tsps toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (I forgot to add these)

Lightly steam the spinach until wilted, about 3 minutes. Squeeze dry and set aside.
In a food processor, process the garlic and salt until finely chopped. Add the steamed spinach, tahini, lemon juice, and cayenne to taste. Process until well blended and taste. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

CHICKPEA & ROSEMARY BREAD
1 cup water
1 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water and the chickpea flour until the mixture is very smooth. Add the oil, salt, and rosemary and mix until smooth and well blended. Set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a 12-inch pizza pan or large oven proof skillet and heat in the oven until hot. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and pour the batter into the pan. Bake until the top is firm and the edges are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
To serve, sprinkle with pepper and cut into slices. Serve immediately.

Langley Times - A vegan triathlete's healthy fuel

Langley Times - A vegan triathlete's healthy fuel

Curried Tofu "egg salad" pitas

Another wow weeee recipe.
I'm not a big fan of tofu (trying to stay away from packaged products) but this is such a nice change for lunch.


1lb extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry
1/2 cup veganaise
1/4 cup mango chutney (recipe in last post)
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded carrots
2 celery ribs, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion
8 small boston or butter lettuce leaves
4 whole wheat pita breads, halved

1. Crumble the tofu and place it in a large bowl. Add the veganaise , chutney, mustard, curry powder, salt, and cayenne, and stir well until thoroughly mixed.
2. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to blend.
3. Tuck a lettuce leaf inside each pita pocket, spoon some tofu mixture on top of the lettuce, and serve.

MANGO CHUTNEY WOW WEEEEEEE

The picture does not do it justice. It is so goooood. Sweet but with a spicy kick. Beautiful golden colour and gooood.

1/2 cup golden raisins (I only had the darker ones)
1/2 cup sugar (I used sucanat)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1/3 cup minced shallot
1/2 tsp allspice (I didn't have any so used nutmeg & cinnamon)
1/2 tsp salt
3 -4 firm ripe mangos, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1 small dried hot red chile (I didn't have so I put in a few squirts of hot chile sauce)

In a large saucepan, combine the raisins, sugar, water, vinegar, ginger, shallot, allspice, and salt over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Mix in the mangos and the chile and cook until the mixture thickens, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove chile and discard. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Will last about a week.

Fettuccine Alfredo?

This dish tastes extra great with spinach. As shown here the spinach is on the side, but right after the picture I mixed it all together. Creamy, cheesy tasting sauce. Mmmm.

1/2 lb fettuccine (I use brown rice)
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tsp shoyu
2 tsp chile powder
1 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh black pepper

Prepare pasta according to package directions.
In a skillet over medium heat, saute the onions in oil for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute for 2 more minutes. Transfer to a blender, add all the other ingredients, and blend.
Drain pasta and transfer it to a plate, spoon the sauce over the top and serve.

Broccoli and Chickpea Casserole

This is an easy casserole to make and it is another 'comfort' food. I really like it.

3 (16oz) cans of chickpeas, drained

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 carrots, grated

1 head of broccoli, cut into small pieces

2 tbsp thinly sliced chives

1/2 cup bread crumbs

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a very large bowl mash the chickpeas well. Add the vegetables and mix well. Add the bread crumbs and mix, then add the oil and mix again. Finally, add the broth and salt, and mix one last time. Transfer all ingredients to a 9X13 casserole dish. Press the mixture firmly into the casserole. Cover with foil, bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. Serve it hot the day of, but it tastes good cold as well.

Parsnip Pancake?

I really like the sweet taste of the parsnips.

4 cups shredded, peeled parsnips

1 cup finely chopped scallions (I used leeks because I didn't have scallions)

1/2 cup flour

2 tsp canola oil plus extra for frying (I used grapeseed oil because that's in my house)

1/2 tsp salt

Fresh black pepper

1/3 cup water

Combine the parsnips and scallions in a bowl, mix together. Add the flour, oil, salt, and pepper, tossing to coat. Add water and mix.

Preheat skillet over medium high heat. Add oil. Make sure the pan is hot. Form any size patty you would like. Cook about 3 minutes per side or until nicely browned. Serve immediately.

Roasted Chickpeas

A change from nuts and chips. I sprinkle cayenne pepper on them for a bit of spice.

1 1/2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas drained and rinsed

2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the chickpeas and oil. Toss to coat. Pour into a baking pan and sprinkle with salt. Roast until they are crisp and browned, about 30 minutes.Cool completely then serve. Good on salads. They are the best when eaten the same day.

NOW YOU KNOW!!!

Did you know that 1 cup of QUINOA contains more calcium than a QUART of milk???? Mother's milk is for babies. Babies need mother's milk to grow. Breast milk can grow a 8 pound newborn into a 24 pound toddler. It is fattening to allow for the biggest growth spurt of a persons entire life. Most mommies stop breast feeding after a year. SO WHY, O why do humans drink and eat cows milk that is suppose to be for calves? Cows bodies produce milk only when they give birth. THEY do not need to be milked - ever. The difference between cows milk and human milk is that cows milk is designed to grow a 90lb calf into a 2000lb cow over 2 years. Please don't tell me how good cow milk is for you. Got mucus? Dairy products produce mucus. Did you know that the high protein content of dairy actually leaches calcium from the body. The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis included the USA and it is a country that consumes the most meat, milk and other animal foods. Research it and find out how BAD cow milk is for you.

The Agave Grill

WOW what a great resturant: The Agave Grill in Langley BC.

Going to this new mexican resturant in Langley was such a great experience. They treated us like gold. Not long after we sat down the matre d came to our table and had a chat. On their menu they have Tequila Flights which are a trio of tequilas (1.5 oz each) so you can try different kinds of tequilas. My trio included Don Julio 1942 tequila. It is amazing, very smooth and so easy to drink PLUS because it is so pure and made from the blue agave plant it doesn't give you a hang over or make you feel sick the next day. I told the matre d that I was a vegan and he sent the head chef over to my table right away to discuss what I could eat. He had the kitchen put together a enchilada that had no meat or dairy. WOW they take care of you. Plus the bartender (who make s the BEST cosmos ever and believe me I am very fussy) came over with the flight of tequila's (pictured above, empty mind you) and took his time explaining the different tequilas. This restuarant has over 50 different tequilas OLE! I can't wait to go back.

Dinner Tonight...BLACK BEANS AND RICE

Tonight I fried up some onion and zucchini. Then I added some cooked brown rice, black beans, and chopped tomato. I added some sea salt, fresh pepper, cumin and chile powder. For my portion I added Japanese chile sauce (HOT sauce mmm). Topped mine with avocado (of course they are my favourite I am addicted) and soy sour cream. Warm goodness, a taste of Mexico. Ole

OH HAPPY FETTUCCINE!!!!

I can't really describe the flavour, it is very very good. A mixture of pumpkin seeds, maple syrup and shoyu....spinach (my favourite) this is a WOW recipe.

Serves ONE, double it for TWO, triple it for THREE hee hee :)

Fettuccine for one (I use brown rice fettuccine in my ever attempt to cut gluten out of my diet)

1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp oil

2 large handfuls of spinach, torn

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp shoyu

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup dried cranberries (I used dried cherries just because that is what I had, next time I don't think I will add any fruit)

2 fresh thyme sprigs (optional) ( I didn't use because I didn't have any and I forgot to add dried, I will add next time)

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add the pasta. While pasta is cooking, pulse the pumpkin seeds until chopped fairly fine, then set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the spinach. Use tongs to coat the spinach in the hot oil. Add the red pepper flakes, shoyu, and maple syrup, and then the thyme. Toss in the cranberries and mix everything well. Turn the heat to low.

Once the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the skillet. Add the chopped pumpkin seeds and toss well until everything is coated. Serve immediately.

PRETTY STEW

This recipe is SO pretty and it tastes great too. Oh the colours and the flavours...mmmmm

2 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice

3 cups vegetable broth

3 tbsp cornstarch (I use arrowroot)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, thinly sliced and washed

1 small onion, diced

1 1/2cups carrot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp of salt or to taste

3/4 cup peas

1 (15oz) can navy beans, drained and rinsed

Place the potatoes in a small pot and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let cook for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender enough to be pierced with a fork. Drain immediately so that they do not overcook.

Mix the cornstarch into vegetable broth until dissolved.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Saute in the oil the leeks, onion, and carrots until very soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, thyme, pepper, and salt and cook 1 more minute. Add the cooked potatoes and frozen peas, then pour in the vegetable broth mixture, then stir in the beans. Raise the heat just a bit; it will take a few minutes but the liquid will start simmering. Once it does, lower the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Sunday Dinner

Tonight we are having Chickpea Cutlets with mustard sauce and mushroom gravy, potatoes and Roasted Cauliflower Salad.

The Chickpea Cutlets, mustard sauce and mushroom gravy recipes are in past posts on this blog. Try the cutlets they are so great and with the potatoes and gravy a real comfort food.

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt (I only use sea salt. I use Nature's Cargo it's the best)
Fresh black pepper
Noodles - anything you like, I used one bundle of udon noodles
4 cups coarsely chopped spinach
1/2 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, cut up
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and put a pot of water on to boil.
Place the cauliflower in a baking pan in one layer. Add the olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper and toss. Roast for 25 minutes, turn oven to broil and broil 3 more minutes until nicely colored.
Cook the pasta, then drain and rinse in cool water.
Place the spinach in a large bowl. Dump the hot cauliflower on top and gently toss. Set aside and let the heat wilt the spinach. Add the pasta on top.
Add the tomatoes and vinegar and toss well. Season to taste.

Sunday Breakfast

With the left over crepes from last night I decided to make some vegan breakfast crepes. I cooked down some fresh raspberries to make a sauce. Then I warmed up the crepe add the sauce, rolled, topped with maple syrup and more raspberry sauce. I love Sunday mornings.

THE BEST EVER POTATO-SPINACH BLINTZES

WOW these are so so so so so good!!! They are amazing. Mmmmmmmm In the picture I served the blintzes with mustard sauce and soy sour cream with a side of steamed spinach.

1 recipe crepes (last post)

Earth Balance margarine for frying

FILLING:

1/2 lb Yukon gold potatoes

2 tbsp oil

1 small onion

1 lb of cooked, chopped fresh spinach

Plenty of freshly ground pepper

salt

OPTIONAL SAUCES:

Mushroom gravy (recipe in past post on this blog)

Mustard sauce (recipe 2 posts down)

Unsweetened apple sauce

Soy sour cream

Prepare the crepes. Stack them one on top the other, on a dinner plate. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and set aside.

Peel and coarsely chop the potatoes. Place them in a medium size pot, add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch, and boil for 20 minutes until easily pierced with a fork and tender. Drain, place the potatoes in a large bowl, and mash coarsely.

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and add the onion. Stir and fry the onion until it's golden brown and very soft. Add the cooked spinach and stir. Add mixture to the potatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place about 3tbsp of the filling in the center of the crepe. Pat the filling to shape it into an oblong. Fold two opposite sides of the crepe over the filling, then fold the remaining two sides over those.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. The pan will be ready when a few droplets of water sizzle. Brush the bottom of the skillet with the softened margarine. Place two blintzes, seam side down, onto the skillet and cook each side for 3 minutes, until their pan-side surface is crisped and browned. Turn once. Serve the hot blintzes immediately.

VEGAN CREPES!

These are so good and VERY easy to make.

1 1/2 cups soy milk
1/4 water
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1 tbsp arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp salt

Combine the soy milk, water, flours, arrowroot, and salt in a food processor or blender. Blend for a few seconds, scraping the sides of the blender once, until everything is smooth. The batter will be very thin. Pour into an air tight container, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour, or as long as overnight. When ready to cook the crepes, briefly stir the batter.
Over medium-high heat, heat a skillet. The pan is ready when a few drops of water flicked into it sizzles. Dab a brush into soften Earth Balance and brush along the bottom and sides of pan.
Ladle 1/3 cup into the center of the pan. The batter should sizzle when it hits the pan. Tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the batter spreads in a thin layer. Cook until the top of the crepes is dry and edges appear firm and lightly browned. Gently run the spatula under the crepe and flip cook for a about 30 more seconds. Slide the crepe onto a dinner plate.
Brush a little more Earth Balance onto the pan for the next crepe. Stack the cooked crepes on top of each other. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

MUSTARD SAUCE

This is a thick, tangy and savory sauce that is great with many recipes but especially Chickpea Cutlets (recipe on this blog) and Potato-Spinach Blintzes (recipe above)

2 tbsp cornstarch (I used arrow root)
3/4 cup vegetable broth
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp of dried thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sherry cooking wine (I used more veg broth)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp capers (with brine)

Mix the cornstarch with the vegetable broth in a bowl and set aside.
In a small sauce pan over medium heat, saute the garlic and thyme in the oil for about a minute.
Add the wine and soy sauce, and raise the heat to high. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat to medium and simmer, to reduce for about 4 minutes. Add the vegetable broth mixture, mustard, lemon juice, and capers. Stir often, using a whisk. Once the sauce is bubbling, lower the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes. the sauce should be on the thick side.
Let cool a bit before serving; this sauce tastes great just above room temperature.