Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 250 grams / 8.8 oz tofu crumbled
• 1/2 cup soy yogurt
• 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for color
• dash or two of Tabasco sauce
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 ounces spicy tofu pieces, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• salt and pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, chiffonade
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup shredded soy cheese
• 1/8 cup soy milk
• 6 sheets vegan puff pastry dough, thawed
• poppy and sesame seeds, optional

Directions:

1. Blend soy yogurt mustard, nutritional yeast, Tabasco and turmeric together and set aside.
2. Prepare the onions, garlic, red pepper, spinach and tofu pieces.
3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.
4. Saute the onion until it begins to soften and become glassy.
5. Add the red pepper pieces and continue sauteing.
6. Add the spicy tofu pieces.
7. Add the spinach and cook until lightly wilted.
8. Add the cherry tomatoes and crumbled tofu.
9. Stir well.
10. Add the soy yogurt mixture and cook until the mixture begins to become sold and the liquids are coked off.
11. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 shredded soy cheese
12. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
13. Place the 6 sheets of thawed puff pastry next to each other in a row 3 by 2, slightly overlapping and using soy milk to connect the overlapping slices together.
14. Spoon the tofu mixture down center of pastry, leaving a one inch margin on top and bottom and three inch borders on each side.
15. Cut pastry on side borders into one inch strips.
16. Crisscross strips over top of filling, lightly brush each tip with soy milk to help stick the strips together.
17. Brush top and sides of pastry with soy milk and top with seeds if desired.
18. Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and puffed.
19. Remove from oven and let cool a bit before slicing to serve.

Notes:

You can also make smaller versions by filling individual pastry sheets and therefor have individual parcels.

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.

Yield: 8-12 finger sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soy cream cheese
• 2 tsp. vegetable bouillon powder
• 1 Tbs. nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbs. mixed fresh herbs, thyme, basil oregano and chives, minced
• freshly ground pepper
• dash Tabasco
• additional salt to taste
• 2 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 6-8 slices white sandwich bread
• also needed is a heart cookie cutter

Directions:

1. Make the spread by mixing the first 8 ingredients together. You may need to thin it a little with water or soy milk, depending upon the bread of soy cream cheese.
2. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut the hearts out of the bread. It may be possible to get 2 from a slice of bread if you turn the cookie cutter around and place it in strategic places.
3. Spread each heart with a layer of the prepared spread.
4. Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini very thinly.
5. Lay the thin strips next to each other on a sheet of baking parchment, or a breadboard.
6. Take the cookie cutter and cut the heart form from the overlapped zucchini slices.
7. Using a spatula, pancake turner or pie server, carefully lift the zucchini heart and lay on top of the spread. Continue for each of the sandwiches.

Notes:

If soy cream cheese is not available, then plain soy yogurt can be used. Instead of zucchini you could also use cucumber.

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 250 grams mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 can small tomato paste
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tostados
• 1 cup soy cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• chili or taco seasonings

Directions:

1. Chop the onions and mushrooms in very small pieces.
2. Saute them in a bot of oil, until soft.
3. Lightly season with a bit of salt and taco or chili seasoning.
4. Remove them from the heat and place in a bowl for later.
5. Saute the zucchini slices in a bit of oil, until they become slightly soft.
6. Mix the tomato paste with the equal amount of water and taco seasonings.
7. Heat tostados 5 minutes at 350 F / 177 C.
8. Spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce on the tostadas.
9. Layer the zucchinis on top and in the center a mound of the mushroom/onion mixture
10. Top with the grated soy cheese.
11. Place in oven until cheese melts.
12. Top with soy yogurt, chopped tomatoes and dust with taco or chili powder.

Notes:

adapted from www.recipezaar.com/20988

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cups corn
• 1&1/2 cups veggie bouillon
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
• 1/4 jar red sweet peppers, drained and chopped (1/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup crumbled soy cheese(optional)
• cilantro cream as garnish (optional)

Cilantro cream garnish

• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup soy yogurt
• splash lemon juice
• Pinch salt

Directions:

1. Cut off kernels from the ears of corn, if using.
2. In a blender container combine half the corn and the broth.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. In a large saucepan combine broth mixture and remaining corn kernels.
5. Stir in soy milk, jalapeno peppers, and red peppers or pimento.
6. Heat through.
7. Top each serving with cheese and garnish with cilantro soy cream
8. Makes 4 side dish servings.

To make the cilantro cream:
Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree.

Notes:

This makes a nice homestyle soup with lots of roughage. If you plan to serve it for guests, I would put the pureed corn through a sieve before adding the rest of the corn pieces and returning to the pan. That way it will be a creamier, smoother soup.

Inspired by BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS MAGAZINE — SEPTEMBER 1996

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 pomegranate
• 300 grams pumpkin, sliced thinly and steamed
• 175 grams mixed salad greens
• 200 grams soy cheese, cut in small squares
• 200 grams chestnuts, ready to eat, from vacuum pack or canned, cut in halves and quarters
• 1 spring onions, cut in small rings
• 2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
• 6 Tbs. fine olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate.
2. Cut the steamed pumpkin in very fine strips or pieces.
3. Mix the salad greens, pumpkin pieces, soy cheese, and chestnuts together in a large salad bowl.
4. Make a light dressing from the olive oil and white wine vinegar, with a touch of salt and pepper.
5. Drizzle over the salad and mix.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon soy margarine
• 250 grams pumpkin, cut in small pieces (or 1 can pumpkin puree)
• 1/4 cup vermouth or dry cooking sherry
• 1 cup vegetable bouillon
• 100 grams soy cheese grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch sugar
• roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
• 500 grams farfalle (pasta bows)

Directions:

1. Peel the garlic and mince.
2. Peel the onion and slice finely.
3. Saute the onion and garlic until glassy, add the fennel seeds.
4. Set the mixture aside until needed.
5. Meanwhile, steam the pumpkin pieces until they are soft.
6. Puree the pumpkin, onion, garlic and fennel together to be a smooth mass.
7. Return the mixture to the pot and put on a low heat.
8. Add the vegetable bouillon, and vermouth and season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg and a pinch of sugar.
9. When the sauce is ready, bring a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
10. Cook he pasta al dente.
11. While the pasta is cooking, roast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until the begin to pop…it will only be a minute or two so watch them, otherwise they will quickly brown and burn.
12. Drain the pasta when ready and serve the sauce on top.
13. Sprinkle some of the soy cheese on top and then a few roasted pumpkin seeds.

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients:

For the soy cream cheese:

• 1 cup tofu, crumbled in small pieces
• 3 tablespoons cashew butter (like peanut butter only cashews)
• 2 tbs. lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of salt or dash of tamari

For the apple spread:

• 1/2 cup grated soy cheese (optional)
• 1 tbs. lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated

Directions:

To make the soy cream cheese:

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

To make the apple spread or dip:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the soy cream cheese, the optional soy cheese and lemon juice.
2. Grate apple directly into cheese mixture.
3. Add the cinnamon.
4. Season to taste with additional corn syrup and cinnamon.

Notes:

The basic soy cream cheese is very nice and can be adapted to be sweet or savory. You can add various things to make pineapple soy cream cheese, soy cream cheese and nuts with a bit of paprika powder, sun dried tomatoes with soy cream cheese or soy cream cheese and olive spread. The list is endless.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cup cooked macaroni (1 c uncooked)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup spicy tofu pieces, cut in small cubes
• 1/2 cup soy cheese, cut in small cubes
• 1/ s cup sweet pickle relish

vegan salad dressing:

• 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
• 2-3 tbs. soy cream
• 1 tbs. grainy mustard
• 1 tbs. vegetable bouillon powder
• 2 teaspoons juice from the pickle relish
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the first five ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Make a dressing from the remaining ingredients.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
4. Refrigerate for a least 1 hour.

Notes:

This keeps well for 2 days, if it hasn’t been all eaten up.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 eggplants, sliced in rounds approximately 1/4 inch thick
• 3 tbs. oil
• 2 cups soy yogurt
• 2 tsp. vegetable bouillon powder
• 1 tbs. grainy mustard
• 1 tbs. paprika paste optionally tomato paste
• 1 tsp. Italian herbs
• 50 grams soy cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Slice the eggplants, place them in a colander and sprinkle them with salt and let them sit for about half an hour.
2. After half an hour, rinse the salt off the eggplants and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and lightly brown the eggplant slices, remove from the pan and drain on kitchen towels to remove excess oil.
4. Pour the soy yogurt in a bowl, add the vegetable bouillon powder and mix well.
5. Add the mustard and paprika paste and mix.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 (F).
8. Put a layer of the eggplants on the bottom of a greased, ovenproof baking dish.
9. Put a layer of the gratin sauce over the eggplants. Follow with another layer of eggplant slices and then the gratin.
10. Continue until all ingredients are used.
11. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
12. For the last 10 minutes, grate the soy cheese on top, and allow it to bake until golden brown.
13. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.