Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 medium celerac (celery root), about 1 pound
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 2-3 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 – 1 cup soy yogurt of soy cream
• salt and white pepper to taste
• vegan sweet spicy nuts as garnish or spicy vegan croutons

Directions:

1. Peel the celerac and cut into chunks.
2. Peel the shallots and chop
3. Heat the oil in a soup pot.
4. Add the shallots and saute unitl soft.
5. Add the celeriac chunks and continue cooking, stirring to mix.
6. Add the vegetable stock, place a lid on the pot and cook until the celeriac chunks are soft.
7. Drain the artichoke hearts, quarter them and add to the cooking celeriac.
8. Puree the soup. (I use an immersion blender.)
9. Add the soy yogurt or soy cream.
10. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Serve the soup garnished with vegan sweet spicy nuts or spicy vegan croutons.

Yield: 24 bruschetta slices

Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant, cut in small pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and cut in small pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped in small pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• Italian herbs
• salt and pepper
• oil to saute with
• 2 baguettes, sliced
• 1/4 cup fine olive oil
• balsamic vinegar to drizzle on top
• basil leaves as optional garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare all the vegetables, de-seeding and chopping etc.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
3. Begin cooking the bell pepper first, as it takes the longest time to soften.
4. Then add the zucchini and onion, saute until they begin to soften.
5. Add the garlic, herbs and tomato pieces.
6. Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Turn the heat down to keep the vegetables warm.
8. Meanwhile, slice the baguette and brush each side with fine olive oil.
9. Grill or toast the baguette slices.
10. Place a spoonful of ratatouille on each toasted baguette.
11. Drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar on top, and garnish with a basil leaf.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 medium celery root (celeriac), trimmed and chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• handful chives, minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 4 cups vegetable bouillon
• 3 pears, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup vegan soy cream

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot.
2. Add the chopped onions and begin to saute.
3. Add the chopped celery root pieces and saute, stirring to keep the onions from browning and evenly coat the celery.
4. Add the vegetable bouillon chives and thyme and bring to a boil.
5. Once the soup comes to a boil, turn it down to simmer and cook until the celery pieces are soft.
6. Add the prepared pear pieces and cook for 3-5 minutes.
7. Puree the soup to a smooth consistency. I used an immersion blender.
8. Add the soy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. We garnished the soup with a dash of nutmeg, a few chives and dried apple chips.

Note:

adapted from http://www.canadianliving.com/food/pear_and_celery_soup.php

Yield: 4 mushroom caps

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine
• 4 large portobello mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
• 1/2 small tin tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup vegetable bouillon made from 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon powder
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable bouillon from
• 3 tablespoon grated soy cheese

Directions:

1. Chop the onion and walnuts and mince the garlic and sage.
2. Heat the olive oil and the vegan margarine in a small frying pan.
3. Saute the the onions until the begin to become glassy.
4. Add the walnuts, garlic and sage.
5. Saute to toast the walnuts and lightly brown the garlic.
6. Add the breadcrumbs and mix well.
7. Mix the we wit the tomato paste and add to the mixture to make and moist mixture that will hold together. If the mixture is too moist, add a few more bread crumbs or walnuts.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Grate the soy cheese.
10. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
11. Place mushroom caps in an oiled, oven-proof baking dish.
12. Fill each mushroom cap with 1/4 of the mixture.
13. Top with some grated soy cheese and bake until the mushrooms are golden brown 15-20 minutes.
14. Meanwhile, thin the other half of the tin of tomato paste with 1/4 – 1/2 cup vegetable bouillon, depending on how thin you want the sauce.
15. Serve the mushrooms garnished with some of the tomato sauce.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 &3/4 lb. potatoes, peeled and chopped in bite sized pieces
• 1 lb. fresh chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned
• 1 leek
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 cups water
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and freshly milled pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice the white part of the leek lengthwise in half, then cut bite-sized pieces from the 2 halves.
2. Warm the oil in a large pot.
3. Add the leeks and begin to cook to soften.
4. Peel the potatoes and cut into bite sized pieces.
5. Add the potatoes to the leeks.
6. Add the water and bouillon cubes
7. Cook until the potatoes are soft.
8. Meanwhile, clean the mushrooms well.
9. Add the mushrooms, dill and parsley to the soup
10. Season to taste with salt and freshly milled pepper.
11. Serve with full grain bread or rolls.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 yellow bell peppers, de-seeded and chopped
• 2 jalapenos, de-seeded and chopped
• 4 cups vegetable bouillon
• 1 large potato, peeled and chopped
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cilantro or coriander, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot.
2. Add the chopped onion and yellow bell pepper pieces and begin to saute.
3. Ad the potato pieces and jalapeno pieces. Stir to mix well.
4. Add the vegetable bouillon. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a soft boil.
5. Cook until the vegetables are soft (about 20 minutes).
6. Add the vinegar and puree the soup (I used an immersion blender).
7. Season to taste.
8. Serve the soup with the chopped cilantro as garnish on top.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 small fennel bulb, cleaned and sliced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1-2 tablespoons fennel seeds, ground
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 cups water
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 oranges)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
2. Add the sliced fennel, garlic and sliced carrots.
3. Saute the vegetables until they begin to soften.
4. Add the water, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds.
5. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a soft simmer.
6. Cook the soup until the vegetables are soft (about 15-20 Minutes).
7. Add the orange juice and puree the soup to a smooth creamy consistency.
8. Season to taste with additional, salt, pepper or fennel.
9. We garnished the soup with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and fennel seeds.

Yield: 12 bites

Ingredients:

• 12 small pastry (pie) bites formed as shells
• 1/4 cup fig jam
• 3-4 artichoke hearts, sliced
• 1 ounce soy cheddar sliced in small pieces
• greens as garnish, we used lemon verbena

Directions:

1. We used pre-made vegan pastry shells. However they can also be made from vegan pie dough and baked ahead of time.
2. Slice the artichoke hearts in thirds or quarters.
3. Slice the vegan cheese in small pieces.
4. Place a small portion (1/2 teaspoon) of fig jam in the bottom of each shell.
5. Put a piece of the artichokes on each shell.
6. Top with a small piece of soy cheese on each shell and garish with a small leaf.
7. Serve on a tray or individual plates.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe honeydew melon, sliced, seeds removed and peeled
• 6 slices tofu ham, vegan cold cut or tempeh bacon
• 2-3 tablespoons bell pepper nut cream
• lettuce and grapes as garnish

for the sweet bell pepper nut cream:

• 1 large red bell pepper, stem cut away, de-seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup ground almonds, hazelnuts, cashews or walnuts
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ginger syrup
• 1/2 inch knob ginger, peeled
• pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon oil

Directions:

to make the sweet pepper nut cream:

1. Heat the oil in a small frying pan.
2. Add the chopped bell pepper and saute until soft.
3. Place the cooked bell pepper pieces in a small bowl.
4. Add the ginger syrup, cayenne pepper, knob of peeled ginger and ginger powder and puree to a smooth consistency.
5. It will be slightly liquid at this stage.
6. Add the ground nuts and puree again. At this stage it will become thicker.
7. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and any additional seasons you may want.
8. Cool until ready to use.

to prepare the salad:

1. Arrange some lettuce or lollo rosso around the edge of each plate.
2. Slice the melon about 1/3 inch thick
3. Slice the peel off and remove the seeds from the center thus making a hollow area for the nut cream.
4. Slice the tofu ham in small half rounds- usually 3 rounds are enough for each center area.
5. Line the center hollow with the tofu halves.
6. Fill the center area with the bell pepper nut cream (about 2 teaspoons per melon center) and optionally top with 1/2 a grape.

Notes:

This tastes particularly nice with the honeydew melon, or other sweet greenish yellow melons. I do not recommend it for a cantaloupe as it has such a different flavor. I would make a different nut cream, with ginger, lemon and nuts.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 10 carrots, diced
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or Tabasco to taste
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup cashews,
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil and add the onion and carrots.
2. Sweat and become really flavorful for 10-15 min.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, cayenne and cardamom, stir well and let this cook for 2 min.
4. Add the stock and cashews and bring to a boil and simmer for 10 min.
5. Puree the soup, add the coconut milk, make sure it is really smooth.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper or even a splash of agave or maple syrup.