Our sun-dried tomato sauce was a bit richer than his, thus our tarts are a bit more colorful than his. We adapted the recipe by using vegan soy cheese and vegan puff pastry. It is simple and delicious. It’s also quick to make, which makes it handy for a nice lunch, brunch or if people suddenly stop over.

We cut a bit thinker than the 1/8 inch in the instructions. Otherwise we did follow the instructions and were very happy to have firm pickled zucchini. They are lightly sweet sour.

Do use lots of ice cubes as that is the big trick, as well as pouring the warm brine over the zucchini, and not cooking them. I hope you give this easy recipe a try and enjoy.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup risotto rice
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup large TVP chunks
• 2 ounces tomato paste
• 16 ounce can chopped tomato pieces
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• taco seasonings to taste
• dash of Tabasco or chili powder to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 ounces soy cheese shredded

Directions:

1. Place the TVP cubes in a bowl and pour boiling water over them to reconstitute. You just need enough to cover the cubes.
2. Chop the onion.
3. Mince the garlic.
4. Slice the zucchini and grate the cheese.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan.
6. Saute the onion until they become soft and glassy.
7. Add the risotto and allow it to absorb some of the flavors, it will begin to look transparent (about 2 minutes).
8. Add 1 cup of water and the tomato paste.
9. Stir well to spread the flavors.
10. Add the garlic.
11. Add the tomato pieces and stir.
12. Add the taco seasonings and chili powder if using.
13. And add the reconstituted TVP cubes.
14. Lower the heat and allow the rice and TVP to absorb the tomato and flavorings.
15. Season to taste with salt and pepper, Tabasco or chili powder.
16. In a separate pan, heat the other tablespoon of oil and saute the zucchini slices.
17. Place the risotto mixture on a serving plate and the sauteed zucchini on top.
18. Sprinkle the grated soy cheese on top and place in the oven on broil for a couple of minutes to quickly melt the cheese.
19. Serve directly with a nice salad on the side.

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.

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.

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

• 3 slices frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 small zucchini, cut in slices
• 3-4 tablespoons vegan ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts or pistachios
• salt and pepper

for the vegan ricotta cheese:

• 3/4 cup non dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup cashew butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon light miso
• 1/4 nutritional yeast.
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 cup coconut oil, melted
• pinch cayenne or splash Tabasco
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions:

1. Make the vegan ricotta cheese.
2. Preheat the oven to 428 F/ 220 C or according to instructions on the package.
3. Thaw the puff pastry. Slice one sheet into 8 thin slices.
4. Moisten the edges of each of the 2 pastry sheets and lay the thin strips on each side to form a low rim.
5. Pierce the bottom of the pastry with a fork.
6. Spread a generous tablespoon of vegan ricotta cheese on the bottom of the puff pastry.
7. Put the zucchini slices o top.
8. Dust with salt and pepper and a few nuts, such as pine nuts or pistachios.
9. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

To make the vegan ricotta cheese:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan.
2. Cook, stirring until the mixture has become thick.
3. Remove from the heat.

Notes:

This recipe will make a bit over a cup, much more than what is needed. You can store the rest in the refrigerator for a couple of days or use it in more tasty recipes that call for a soft white cheese. This “cheese” turns bubbly and browns nicely in the oven.

inspired by http://appleandspice.blogspot.com/2009/09/courgette-ricotta-pine-nut-tart.html

This is a really tasty recipe that we enjoyed from Joshua Ploeg’s book “In Search of the Lost Taste“. We have enjoyed so many nice recipes from this book, as well as it being a fun story to read. This recipe offers a great way to use up those extra large zucchini that sem to hid in your garden until the last minute when they suddenly appear as monsters. The recipe is easy to follow and makes a good main meal or tasty appetizers or finger food.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup sunflower spread (see recipe)
• 4-8 slices crispbread

Directions:

1. Follow the instructions for the Sunflower seed spread
2. Slice the zucchini very thinly using a cheese slicer or mandolin.
3. Place on the grill and lightly brown.
4. Spread each slice of crispbread with sunflower seed spread and lay the grilled zucchini on top.
5. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Yield: 8 roll-ups

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• splash lemon juice
• pinch salt

for the vegan ricotta filling:

• 1/4 cup soy yogurt
• 2 tablespoons cashew butter (white-raw)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon powder
• 2-3 splashes Tabasco
• 2 tablespoons almond or hazelnut flour (meal)
• 1-2 tablespoon fresh basil, minced

Directions:

1. Using a cheese slicer or vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini in 6-8 thick slices.
2. Place in a large bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
4. Put the mixture over the zucchini slices and mix well, but gently.
5. While the zucchini is marinating, make the filling.
6. Mix all the ingredients together to a smooth paste.
7. If it is too “liquid” put in the refrigerator to “harden/thicken”.
8. Spread each slice of zucchini with the filling and roll up.
9. Put in the refrigerator until needed.

Notes:

This recipe served 2 as a lovely appetizer. Multiples will serve more

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini (in England called a marrow)
• 1 & 1/2 cups mixed nuts, ground
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 med. onion, minced
• 3 tablespoons vegan margarine
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
• Cajun seasoning
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar – reduced to be as thick as a syrup.

Directions:

1. Slice the zucchini into rounds about 3 inches thick.
2. Hollow out the seedy center with a knife or melon baller.
3. Place the zucchini rounds in a large pot with a little bit of water and steam them for 5 minutes. Take them out and place them in an oiled baking dish.
4. Grind the mix nuts in a food processor or coffee grinder, once they are ground put the nuts into a mixing bowl.
5. Melt the vegan margarine in a small pan and saute the minced onion.
6. Add the bread crumbs, parsley and thyme to the ground nuts.
7. Mix in the sauteed onions with the melted margarine.
8. Season with Cajun seasoning and other seasonings of your taste.
9. Add a couple of tablespoons of water, just enough so the mixture can stick together.
10. Fill each of the zucchini cavities with the nut mixture, pressing it in well so that the hole is filled.
11. Place in 200 F preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the zucchini is soft, and the nut mixture lightly browned.
12. While the zucchini is baking, pour 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan, bring to a light boil and reduce the liquid until it become a thick syrup. Stir from time to time to make sure it does not scorch.

Notes:

This is another great way to use up a monster zucchini that you didn’t you was hiding in the garden.