Macaroni and Cheeze

From one of my favourite cook books, Veganomicon. SO GOOD! 

Cheezy Sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup all purpose flour (I used rice flour)
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of dried thyme (crumbled in your fingers)
1/4 tsp salt
Several pinches of freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp turmeric
3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard

Combine the broth and flour in a measuring cup and whisk with a fork until dissolved.
Preheat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Place the oil and garlic in the pan and gently cook for about 2 minutes , stirring often and being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the broth, turmeric, and nutrition yeast, and raise the heat to medium. Use a whisk  to stir constantly, The mixture should start bubbling and thickening in about 3 minutes: if it doesn't, turn the heat a bit higher.
Once the mixture is bubbling and thickening, stir and cook for about 2 more minutes. Add the lemon juice an mustard. The mixture should resemble a thick, melty cheese. Taste for salt.

Mac Daddy  Recipe
2 cups macaroni
1/2 lb firm tofu
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Cook pasta and when pasta is ready, drain and set aside. 

To assemble:
Crumble the tofu into baking dish. Mash the tofu until it resembles ricotta cheese Add the salt, oil, and lemon juice, then stir.
Add 1/2 cup of the Cheezy Sauce to the tofu and stir. Add the macaroni to the tofu, along with 1.5 cups of sauce and stir well.
Smooth the top of the pasta mixture and press it down with a spatula to level it. Then pour the remaining sauce  over the pasta and smooth again.
Bake for 30 minutes; the top of the macaroni should be slightly browned. Remove from oven and let sit for 20 minutes. Enjoy!!!

Add ins...
red pepper flakes for an extra kick
4 cups finely chopped spinach for some greens
Frozen peas for Mac & Peas

Sunflower Zucchini Bread

Oh yes I did!
It tastes so good warm out of the oven. Wasn't sure about adding the sunflower seeds but oh YUM!

1/2 cup of softened coconut oil
1 cup of sugar (yes I used white sugar, I don't usually but.....)
2 cups of grated zucchini
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (because why would anyone use artificial?)
2 cups all purpose flour (yes the white stuff, I was shocked I even had this in my house)
2 tsps. baking powder
2 tsps. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (always use raw seeds and nuts)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a loaf pan. Mix together the oil, sugar, zucchini, milk and vanilla. Mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir the wet  mixture into the dry mixture. Blend well. Mix in the sunflower seeds. Transfer batter into loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes, cover with foil and bake 10 more minutes. Cool for 30 minutes before slicing...if you can wait...I couldn't.

Best Ever Marinara Sauce

This recipe is delicious, easy to put together and so fresh! Make sure to use fresh basil!! I served this great sauce on top of zucchini and carrot noodles.

In a blender process all the ingredients until smooth. Heat gently.

1/2 chopped white onion
1 garlic clove
8-10 large roma tomatoes
1 tin of tomato paste
1 bunch of fresh basil (about 1/3 cup)
1 tbsp. of fresh oregano
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Crispy Baked Avocados!!

Happiness!!!
And they are crispy! Oh my!

2 tbsp. rice flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
blend

1/4 cup gluten free bread crumbs

Ener G Egg Replacement to equal 2 eggs

2 avocados, sliced

Turn on broiler. Dredge avocado pieces in flour, then dip in 'egg mixture' then roll in the bread crumbs. Place on greased cookie sheet. Spray olive oil over the slices. Broil for 5 minutes, flip and broil for 2 more minutes.
Serve immediately. When I make them again I will add some spice (cayenne) to the flour mixture.

Smokey Kale Salad

Oh I am thrilled that there are people who come up with these incredible recipes. The dressing is amazing!!!  WOW.

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 lb. sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of pepper
• 15 oz. can of black-eyed peas, rinsed
• ¼ cup your favorite vegan BBQ sauce
• 1 large bunch of kale, torn off of the ribs into bite-sized pieces
• Drizzle of olive oil
• ¼ cup roasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

Smoky Ranch Dressing

• ½ cup raw cashews
• Hot water
• ⅓ cup soy milk
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. chopped white onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In one bowl toss the chopped sweet potato with the 2 teaspoons of oil, salt and pepper; then spread it out into a single layer on half of the baking sheet.
3. In another bowl, stir the black-eyed peas and BBQ sauce together, then spread the mixture out on the other half of the baking sheet.
4. Once the oven is to temperature, place the baking sheet inside and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
5. While that is roasting, stir together the soy milk and vinegar to create a "buttermilk" mixture, in a small bowl.
6. Then cover the raw cashews with very hot water and soak them for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the cashews and place them in a blender, along with the rest of the dressing ingredients, including the "buttermilk". Blend until very smooth.
7. Once the dressing is made, set it aside and place the torn kale pieces into a bowl with a light drizzle of oil. Massage the kale for a minute, and divide it between four salad bowls.
8. When the black-eyed peas and sweet potatoes are done in the oven, divide each mixture between the four bowls, starting with the black-eyed peas. Next, drizzle the desired amount of dressing on top, then sprinkle a tablespoon of roasted pepitas on each salad.
9. Serve immediately.

Spinach Dip!

Yummy. I needed this today. SO good. Great with fresh bread or like I did a spoon :)
Find the recipe at:
http://norecipes.com/recipe/vegan-spinach-dip/

No Chicken Noodle Soup

Comfort food! I love how my house smells so good. Easy to put together with ingredients you will most likely have on hand.

 

• 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots, sliced
• 1 1/2 sliced celery stalks
• half of a large white onion, finely chopped 
• 1 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 1/2 cups potato (1/2 inch cubes)
• 6 cups veggy broth 
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• handful of rice noodles
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Instructions

1. Prepare all of your veggies and set aside.

2. Add the veggy broth to a large pot, bring to a boil. Add all of the rest of the ingredients except the pasta. Stir well and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, immediately turn to the lowest heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

3. Add the pasta and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, leave the lid off and turn the heat to medium-high and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender, but still firm. Turn off the heat. . Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and black pepper, if desired.