Tofu baked favorite

 We like these in sandwiches and served with pumpkin grits.

You can slice them in whatever direction you prefer.

Preheat oven 400 

Ingredients 

3 tablespoons cornstarch 

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon onion powder 

Italian seasoning for sprinkling 

15.5 block extra firm tofu

 

directions 

oven 400( I use my air bake setting on oven

Mix dry ingredients in bowl except for Italian seasoning 

Dip both sides of sliced tofu ( don’t need to squeeze tofu first). Place on silicone mat on baking pan. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Bake for 30-40 minutes depending on how thick your slices.

Carrot potato soup vegan creamy

 Very creamy. Nice comforting soup.  If you are not vegan you can always add a bit of canned Salmon just before serving if desired. 

Ingredients:

4 cups of vegetable broth

1 medium onion

3 large carrots chopped (2 cups worth)

3 large celery chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

2 medium potatoes chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup cashews soaked in 1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Place a bit of broth in a large pot. Add onions and carrots and celery. Cook about ten minutes.  

Add the garlic ,potatoes, thyme, bay leaf and the rest of the broth and cook 20 minutes or until everything is tender. Remove bay leaf.

Meanwhile place soaked and drained cashews in  high speed blender with a 1/2 cup water and the teaspoon of lemon juice.  Blend thoroughly until very creamy.

When soup in pot is done remove a cup of it and blend with the cashew cream you have made, making sure to leave space for steam to escape.  Add all back to the pot and stir and serve. Salt and pepper to taste.

Stew vegan

 Very nice hearty vegan fall soup. This is without beans, but you can always add them. 3-4 servings 

Ingredients:

3 cup broth of choice

1 onion chopped small

2 minced garlic cloves

3 large carrots sliced

2 celery stalks sliced

2 cups of potatoes cut in nice chunks (or baby potatoes cut in half

1    8 ounce package of baby bell mushrooms quartered

1 cup frozen garden peas

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

15 ounces can diced tomatoes (the kind with garlic is nice)

3 tablespoons low sodium tamari sauce (or soy sauce)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 sprigs rosemary stripped --chop--the sprigs without main stem

5 thyme stems--strip leaves

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons water

Directions:

Heat a bit of broth in large ssoup pot.  (Or if you like using oil you can use 2 tablespoons of oil instead) Heat onion and garlic about 5 -10 minutes until onion is soft.

Add carrots, celery, potatoes cooking another 15 minutes adding more of the broth if needed.

Meanwhile in separate pan brown the mushrooms.

Add the mushrooms to the pot along with the Italian seasoning, rest of the broth, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, rosemary and thyme and garden peas.

Bring to a boil .

Mix the cornstarch and the water in a small bowl then add to the stew, stirring well.

Turn heat to low and cook 45 minutes or longer depending on how large your potatoes and vegetables were cut. Can take an hour. 

Gingerbread gf, dairy free

Very moist, dairy free, egg free, no added oil.
 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plain Seltzer water

1/2 tsp baking soda

2/3 cup blackstrap molasses 

1 & 1/2 cup King Arthur measure for measure Gf flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 tablespoon ginger powder or less*

dash black pepper 

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed soaked in 6 tablespoons of water until thickened.

Directions:

Preheat 350

oil an 8 by 4 loaf pan

Mix flaxseed with water let it thicken--takes some minutes.

Boil the Selzer water and then remove from heat adding the baking soda.  Then add the molasses and sugar and stir until dissolved.

Mix The other dry ingredients in a separate bowl--flour, baking powder, ginger, pepper, salt.

Mix the molasses mixture, applesauce, flaxseed mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.

Pour into loaf pan . Tap on counter to pop any air bubbles. Bake 45-55 minutes until bread feels firm to the touch and toothpick is pretty clean.

Cool in pan for an hour and a half and then remove.

*The original recipe called for 1 tablespoon of dried ginger --I used a tablespoon of dried powdered ginger which is too much ;-)  .  I would try 1/2 of the ginger next time.

Chickpea sauce for pasta

A favorite sauce of my husband’s. (Pictured here with zucchini noodles and black olives.

Ingredients:

1 Rosemary Sprig (about 3 inches)

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can ( 15 ounces) of drained chickpeas

1 can (15 ounces ) chicken broth or vegan substitute

1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup of cashews covered in boiling water

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

salt and pepper to taste

Optional Italian seasoning when serving.

Directions:

In a sauce pan place a bit of water-just enough to keep onion from sticking to pan--- and a spray of olive oil (if desired). Add Rosemary,  onion, and garlic and simmer 10 minutes,

Meanwhile let cashews soak.

After the 10 minutes add the broth, drained chickpeas. Bring to a boil and then simmer 15 minutes.

After cooking--Remove the hard center stock of the rosemary add the cashews/water mixture and place the ingredients that are in the sauce pan, along with the lemon  juice and nutritional yeast into a high speed blender. Once fully blended taste and add salt , pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.

Serve over pasta or rice or veggies.

Note: for my zucchini noodles after spiraling , sprinkle with Italian seasoning and nuke in microwave one minute. Combine with sauce.

Great with can salmon if you eat fish.