Yield: 5-6 slices

Ingredients:

for the panini:

• Vegan basil pesto (see below)
• 1 Red bell pepper
• 1 Yellow bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 slices whole grain bread
• 1-2 ounces vegan cheese, grated

for the vegan basil pesto:

• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Make the pesto first as that takes the longest time.

to make the vegan pesto:

1. Place the basil, olive oil and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Pulse the machine to puree the basil.
2. When the basil has become pureed, add the walnut pieces, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Season to taste.

to make the panini:

1. Slice the bell pepper in long thin slices.
2. Saute the pepper slices until slightly soft, yet still crisp.
3. Toast the slices of bread.
4. Place a generous portion of peppers on each piece of toast.
5. Place the slices on a cookie sheet and sprinkle the grated vegan cheese on top of each slice.
6. Warm in the oven until the cheese is slightly melted. (5-7 minutes).
7. Remove from the oven and drizzle the vegan basil pesto on top.

Notes:

The original recipe was very easy to adapt to be vegan.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 350 grams penne pasta
• 250 grams asparagus, peeled and sliced
• 100 grams black olives, pitted, and sliced
• 1 large bunch basil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons ground nuts – walnuts, pine hazelnuts or almonds
• 100 grams soy cheese, grated

Directions:

1. If you are using fresh, white asparagus, you will need to peel it.
2. Cook the prepared asparagus al dente. I lightly salted water and a pinch of sugar.
3. Cook the pasta in lightly salted water at the same time.
4. Prepare the olives. Pit them and slice.
5. Make a light basil pesto from 3/4 of the basil, the olive oil, nuts, garlic salt and pepper.
6. Place the pesto ingredients in a blender and puree.
7. When the pasta is al dente, drain the water.
8. Mix a bit of the pesto sauce on the pasta, add the olive pieces and mix well.
9. Drain the water from the asparagus pieces.
10. Add the asparagus pieces to the pasta and olives.
11. Garnish with a few basil leaves and grate the soy cheese on top.
12. Alternatively serve some basil pesto on the side for people to help themselves.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 250 grams of whole wheat spirali pasta
• oil for frying or to drizzle on baking
• 1 medium eggplant, cut in small bite sized pieces
• 1 zucchini, cut in small bite sized pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut in small bite sized pieces
• 1 orange bell pepper, cut in small bite sized pieces
• 2 med. onions, cut in small bite sized pieces
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• herbs de Provence
• dash cayenne
• fresh basil
• lemon pepper
• salt
• olive oil
• 1-2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
• a bit of cilantro oil (made from fresh cilantro and olive oil with lemon juice)

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta in lightly salted water, drain and place in a large bowl that has a lid.
2. As it is very warm today, I will be stir frying the veggies, not firing up the oven to bake.
3. Heat some oil in a frying pan. 
Lightly saute the onions, until one side is lightly brown, and they begin to be soft.
4. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
5. Do the same, with the bell peppers and garlic, then the zucchini, then the tomatoes, and at least the eggplant.
6. Drain the extra oil from each vegetable well, as you don’t want the salad to be too heavy with oil.
7. Make a dressing, from a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, herbes de Provence, lemon pepper, lemon juice, salt and pepper and cayenne.
8. Pour the dressing over the pasta and mix well.
9. Add the vegetables and mix again.
10. Add the nutritional yeast, mix and taste. Season to taste with additional seasonings if needed.
11. Allow the salad to season for 3-4 hours. Serve at room temperature with fresh herbs as thyme and basil.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium cauliflower
• 4 carrots
• 3 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped
• 2 Tbs. fine olive oil
• 3 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• Italian salad seasonings

Directions:

1. Cut the florets from the cauliflower and put them in a food processor.
2. Chop the cauliflower until it is as fine as couscous.
3. Place the chopped cauliflower in a large serving bowl.
4. Peel and grate the carrots.
5. Add the grated carrots to the cauliflower and mix well.
6. Chop the fresh basil and add to the salad.
7. Make a dressing from the oilive oil, white balsamic vinegar, sugar and Italian seasoninsgs.
8. Pour over the salad and mix well.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 200 grams white rice, cooked
• 1 med. zucchini, cut in very thin slices
• 1/4 cup vegan pesto
• tomato and chives as garnish

Directions:

1. Cook the rice and allow to slightly cool.
2. Make the pesto (I chose basil but you can use any green pesto of choice.
3. When the rice has cooled, make sure there is not extra water, if so drain the rice.
4. Mix the pesto into the rice.
5. Using a pastry ring, fill the lower 1/4 with the “green” rice.
6. Place a layer of the zucchini over the rice and then another layer of rice, followed with a second layer of zucchini.
7. I topped the tower with rice, and garnished with a tomato and a few chives.
8. However, if you wish, it is also pretty topped with a layer of zucchini and garnish of choice.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

For the basil sauce

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup soy cream or plain soy yogurt
• 6 Tbs. fresh basil, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

for the nut burgers:

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 red onion, minced
• 250 grams mixed nuts (unsalted would be est)
• 150 grams bread crumbs
• 2 Tbs. parsley
• 2 Tbs. tomato puree
• 1 Tbs. miso (if using unsalted nuts)
• 2 egg replacement equivalents
• 4-6 Tbs. water

Directions:

to make the sauce:

1. Heat the oil in a small frying pan.
2. Add the shallot, and saute until glassy.
3. Place all the ingredients in a blender and wiz to a smooth consistency.

to make the nut burgers:

1. Using a food processor, chop the nuts to a coarse consistency.
2. Put the nuts in a bowl.
3. Using the food processor, make the bread crumbs add the parsley and chop to a fine consistency.
4. Add the bread crumbs and parsley to the nuts.
5. Heat the oil in a small pan and saute the red onion.
6. Add the onion to the nut mixture.
7. Add the tomato puree, the egg substitute and the miso if the nuts are not salted.
8. Using a fork, mix the ingredients well, adding a bit of water at a time to form a sold mass.
9. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes – 1/2 hour.
10. Form small patties.
11. Either fry the patties in a frying pan with a bit of oil, or bake in the oven until lightly brown and crispy.

Notes:
The miso is not necessary, but nice and also healthy. One can use salt, or if the nuts are salted, then not necessary at all.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 400 grams spinach tagliatelle
• 2 avocados
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbs. chili oil (olive oil with red chili)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 80 grams fresh basil leaves
• 20 grams parsley
• 1 tsp. grainy mustard
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• cayenne pepper
• Tabasco
• 200 grams pistachios, shelled and chopped

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil with a bit of salt in it.
2. When boiling, add the pasta and cook al dente.
3. Meanwhile, make the pesto.
4. Peel and de-seed the 2 avocados.
5. Put them into the blender.
6. Ad the chili oil, the basil, parsley and lemon juice and puree,
7. If necessary, you can add a bit of water so the blender can puree them all, but do not add too much as you don’t want the sauce to be too runny. Only about 2 tablespoons.
8. Add the garlic, salt, cayenne pepper salt and pepper and continue to puree.
9. Add the mustard and the sesame oil and puree until the mixture is very smooth.
10. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper or Tabasco.
11. Using a food processor or a coffee mil, chop the pistachio nuts coarsely.
12. Drain the pasta.
13. You can choose to put the pesto on the pasta and toss it well, serving it mixed, or you can serve the avocado pesto as a sauce that each can put on top of their pasta, thus serving themselves.
14. Sprinkle a generous amount of chopped pistachios on top.

Notes:

Adapted from waitrose.com