Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 2 spring onions sliced
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine
• 1 cup prepared vegan cream sauce*
• 8 ounces artichoke hearts, halved or quartered
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 package spicy tofu pieces (about 1 & 1/2 cups or 10 ounces)
• 1 & 1/2 cups long grain rice or black and white mixture (white and wild rice)
• 1/2 cup soy cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup soy milk or other no-dairy milk
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• vegan Parmesan, soy cheese or dried bread crumbs as topping

for the vegan cream sauce:

• 1 cup soy cream or soy milk or soy yogurt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable bouillon powder
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional but gives a bit of color and flavor)

Directions:

to prepare the rice:

1. Cook the rice in 3 cups lightly salted water.
2. Cook until the water has been almost completely absorbed (10 inures or so).
3. Remove from the heat and put a lid on the rice to allow it to further swell.

to make the vegan cream sauce:

1. Place the soy cream or soy yogurt in a medium saucepan.
2. Add the corn starch and stir well to mix.
3. Add the vegetable bouillon powder and soy sauce if using.
4. Heat the mixture until it becomes a nice thick sauce, stirring so that it does not scorch.
5. Remove from the heat.

to make the casserole:

1. In a large frying pan, melt the vegan margarine and saute the carrot, sweet bell pepper and green onion until the vegetables are al dente.
2. Remove from the heat.
3. Put the cooked rice in a large bowl.
4. Add the sauteed vegetables and then the prepared vegan cream sauce.
5. Add the artichoke, thawed peas, tofu, grated vegan cheese, thyme, and non-dairy milk.
6. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
7. Gently mix and pour into an oiled baking dish, or individual casserole dishes.
8. Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan, grated soy cheese or dried bread crumbs.
9. Bake, covered in a 350 F / 177 C oven for 10 minutes, uncover then bake for about 5 more minutes or until the mixture is bubbly.
10. We dusted the top with a pinch of sweet paprika for color.
11. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

This is a very hearty and filling meal. We really enjoyed the flavors. I didn’t have any quinoa on hand, so I made confetti couscous using orange bell pepper. We will be having this tasty meal again. We hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as we did.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/2 cup lentils
• 4 cups water
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 onion chopped (optional)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• dash taco seasonings
• dash cayenne or Tabasco
• sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
• 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
• 1 eggplant, cut in rounds
• oil for frying
• soy cheese, crumbled or grated
• rucola, chives or basil as garnish

Directions:

1. If you are including the onion and bell pepper, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot and saute the chopped onion and bell pepper.
2. When the onion becomes glassy and the bell pepper pieces soft, add the lentils and stir well to mix the flavors.
3. Add the water ad bouillon cube.
4. Cook the lentils until the lentils are soft but al dente.
5. While the lentils are cooking, slice the eggplant and lightly fry on each side.
6. The eggplant slices can be kept warm in the oven until ready to serve the meal.
7. When the lentils are done, remove from the heat and drain off any excess liquid.
8. Add the seasonings and chopped sun-dried tomatoes if using.
9. Crumble a piece of soy cheese.
10. To assemble, lay a slice of eggplant on a plate, then a layer of lentils, then another pice of eggplant, then top with the lentils, optionally top with another slice of eggplant.
11. Garnish with some greens or basil and crumbled soy cheese.
12. Optionally if you would prefer the lentil mixture to stick together a bit more, 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste can be added to the lentils.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

for the lentils:

• 2 cups red lentils
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon powder or 1 cube

for the spicy root vegetables:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut in chunks
• 4-6 medium red skinned potatoes, washed and cut in chunks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon powder or 1 cube
•  handful fresh coriander or cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 – 1 cup plain soy yogurt

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
2. Add the carrots, potatoes and parsnips and begin to cook, stirring to keep them from sticking.
3. Add the chopped onion.
4. Add the water and vegetable bouillon and stir well.
5. Add the curry powder, bring the heat down, cover the pot and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
6. As the vegetables begin to soften, add 1/2 the chopped coriander and prepare the lentils.
7. Place the lentils in a medium pot.
8. Add the water, vegetable bouillon and curry powder.
9. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer.
10. Taste and season according with additional salt and pepper.
11. Serve the vegetables on a bed of lentils. Garnished with a dollop of soy yogurt and fresh coriander.
12. This is very nice with a whole grain bread or served with naan bread.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pine nuts, toasted
• 1 – 1 & 1/2 cups red lentils
• 2-3 cups vegetable bouillon
• 3-4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the cauliflower by cutting away the stem, cut or break the cauliflower into bite-sized florets and place the pieces in an oven-proof dish to roast.
2. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower pieces and place in a preheated (425 F/218 C) oven to roast.
3. Roast the cauliflower 20-25 minutes until lightly toasty brown in places.

1. Meanwhile, chop the onion.
2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or soup pot.
3. Add the onions and saute until they become glassy.
4. Add the lentils and lightly cook to infuse the flavors.
5. Make the vegetable bouillon using the water and a vegetable bouillon cube.
6. Add the vegetable bouillon to the lentils and add the raisins and ground coriander.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer.
8. Add the balsamic vinegar to the lentils and when soft, remove from the heat.
9. If there is extra liquid still in the lentils then drain it off, or use a slotted spoon to place the lentils on a serving plate.
10. Toast the sunflower seeds or pine nuts in a dry frying pan.
11. Add the toasted seeds to the lentils and mix.
12. Serve the steamed cauliflower on a bed of the marinated lentils.
13. We garnished with a few more sunflower seeds, if you wish, chopped coriander would also be nice.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup de Puy or brown lentils
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 lb. smoked tofu pieces or faken bacon pieces
• 1 tablespoon oil to fry the tofu pieces
• 1 lb. of plums
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• potatoes for 4 people

Directions:

Begin to boil the potatoes so that they are ready at the same time as the lentils.

to prepare the lentils:

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot.
2. Add the onions and saute until they become glassy.
3. Add the lentils, garlic, parsley, water and vegetable bouillon cube.
4. Bring the lentils to a boil, then turn the heat down to a soft boil.
5. Add the balsamic vinegar and tomato paste.
6. Cook the lentils until they become soft, but not mushy, about 20 minutes.

to prepare the plums:

1. Meanwhile, cut the plums in half and remove the stone.
2. Slice the plums in eighths into a bowl.
3. Sprinkle the plums with the sugar and cinnamon.
4. Heat the vegan margarine in a frying pan.
5. Add the plums and lightly saute to caramelize them, but not so much that they loose their shape.

to prepare the tofu

1. Heat oil in a separate pan
2. Warm the tofu pieces.

Serve the lentils with tofu pieces on top, and a generous portion of plums on top of the tofu.
Optionally sprinkle with a bit of parsley, and the boiled potatoes on the side.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces spirali pasta
• 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
• 2-3 cups romanesco broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup fresh basil,chopped

for the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons miso
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1-2 ounces soy cheese grated as garnish and handful toasted almonds

Directions:

1. Steam the romanesco florets al dente.
2. Cook the pasta according to the recommendations of the package.
3. Prepare the peas – frozen can be thawed with boiling water, fresh should be cooked al dente.

to prepare the sauce:

1. Place the miso in a small saucepan.
2. 
Add the white wine and stir to evenly dissolve the miso.
3. Add the ground almond and pepper flakes if using.
4. Lightly warm the sauce.
5. Season to taste as desired.
6. Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan.
7. Grate the soy cheese.

to prepare the meal:

1. When the pasta is coked, drain off the water and return to the pot
2. Add 13/4 of the miso sauce and mix well.
3. Add 3/4 of the chopped basil, the peas and mix.
4. Add the romanesco and lightly mix in.
5. Serve the meal in a large serving bow, or on individual serving plates.
6. Garnish with a few more basil leaves, some toasted almonds, and the grated soy cheese.
7. The rest of the miso dressing can be served in a bowl for people to help themselves I they want more.

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 450 grams (2 & 1/2 cups) fresh or frozen peas
• 1 large sweet onion as Spanish or Vidalia, chopped
• 4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the peas in boiling water or steam them.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sweat the onions and garlic until soft and glassy, but be careful to not over-cook as the garlic becomes bitter.
3. Drain the peas and place in a bowl.
4. Add the sautéed onions and garlic and puree to a smooth texture.
5. Add a very small pinch of salt and season to taste with cracked pepper.

Notes:

The flavor we enjoyed was quite garlicky yet sweet from the sauteed onion. This tasted delicious on whole grain bread but would also make a lovely dip for vegetables

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped in small pieces
• 1 leek (or 2 spring onions) cut in small pieces
• 1/2 sweet bell pepper (I used a yellow one), cut in small pieces
• 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced or quartered
• 1 cup fresh peas
• 5 – 6 fresh asparagus spears, cut in small pieces
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 cups water
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
• 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
• 1/4 cup soy cream

Directions:

1. Peel and cut the carrot.
2. Cut the leek and the bell pepper.
3. Slice or quarter the mushrooms.
4. Prepare the asparagus pieces.
5. Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
6. Add the carrots and saute until they begin to soften. Add the sweet bell pepper pieces and continue sautéing, stirring so that they do now brown.
7. Add the mushrooms and leek.
8. Mix all well to blend the flavors and coat with oil.
9. Add the water and bouillon and cook until the vegetables are soft.
10. Mix the flour with a bit of water in a bowl to make a liquid paste.
11. Add the soy cream and blend well. Add this to the soup and stir.
12. Add the peas and asparagus and gently cook until the soup has thickened (3-5 minutes).
13. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as needed.

We also cooked the lentils from dried rather than buying prepared lentils. This really tastes lovely (even better the next day) and we will look forward to having it more often over the summer, and into the cooler months of fall.