Book Review: VEGAN PLANET

Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet has long been a staple in our house. No matter what kind of food we feel like, I am sure to find a recipe in that colossal, comprehensive cookbook. In the mood for Chinese? Try the To-Fu Yung. Indian? Make Robin's Checkpeas Vindaloo. There are vegan versions of food from just about everywhere, such as Italy, France, Greece, Thailand, and Africa--and plenty of U.S. favorites like California Chili made with olives and avocados. And how about Tempeh and Red Bean Jambalaya with Chipotle Chiles? Robin also offers a section of Vegan Basics with recipes for meat substitutes like Seitan, Marinated Tofu, and Tempeh Bacon Bits. One of my favorite features is the amazing variety of delicious dressings and sauces sure to add zest to any meal. She includes everything from an Easy Vegan Hollandaise and Bechamel to Bourbon-Spiked Barbecue Sause and Ginger Lime-Dipping Sauce. 

So, when I received a copy of the new revised Vegan Planet, I immediately checked to make sure my favorite recipes from the first edition were included . . . and yep, they were--including the Tomato-Basil Lasagna Spirals that have gotten me through many a potluck (and believe me no one misses the meat or dairy). And phew, there were the Barley-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls that I make whenever I’m missing my mom’s German cooking. But the good news is that Robin has added 50 NEW recipes to the book, with dishes like Picatta-Style Cauliflower Steak, Paella-Stuffed Peppers, Pulled Portobello Barbecue, and Tiramisu Cheesecake. Robin has also updated the information and recipes from the original book to make them even healthier and more environmentally-friendly. Whether you are a long-time vegan needing fresh ideas or a new vegan wondering where to start, this cookbook is sure to satisfy. Check out some sample recipes here.

Vanilla Spice Granola

Here's an idea for a holiday gift from your kitchen: granola! It's a nice change from cookies and fudge -- not that there's anything wrong with those, of course but I like to mix it up. 

Granola is easy to make and you can make a lot at a time so there's plenty to share with all of your friends. Here's the version I came up with this year.

Vanilla Spice Granola

8 cups regular rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 cup flavorless oil (safflower, canola, etc.)

1 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped raw walnuts

1 1/2 cups sliced raw almonds

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray or lightly oil two large baking sheets with oil.

In a large mixing bowl, stir oats, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk oil, maple syrup, and vanilla together. Pour the oil mixture over the oats but leave a couple of tablespoons of the liquid in the small bowl. Stir the liquid into the oats until they are coated. Divide the oats between the two baking sheets and spread to an even layer in each pan. Bake 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets about halfway through so it bakes evenly.

Mix the nuts and coconut with the remaining maple syrup mixture until coated. Add to the baked oats. Stir them in and move the browned oats around the edges into the center. Spread the mixture again in an even layer and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the granola is a light golden brown. Cool completely. If you like add a couple of cups of raisins or dried cranberries or cherries.

For gifting--make sure the granola is completely cool. Transfer into plastic bags that you can tie with festive ribbon--or place into pretty jars or tins.

This makes about 11 cups of granola (or more if you add fruit)

BONUS RECIPE: Chickpea Noodle Soup

Robin Robertson was kind enough to share a recipe from her new book One-Dish Vegan. 

Chickpea Noodle Soup

Recipe © 2013 by Robin Robertson and used by permission of The Harvard Common Press

 Gluten-free option | Soy-free| Serves 4

This comforting, versatile soup can be altered easily to suit your taste. For example, vary the vegetables according to personal preference, or substitute seitan, tempeh, or different beans for the chickpeas. As the noodles cook in the soup, they will absorb some of the broth, so you may want to add a little more broth before serving. Alternatively, if you have leftover cooked pasta from another meal, you can just add it when ready to serve instead of cooking the noodles right in the soup. To make this soup gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta and, of course, make sure that your vegetable broth is gluten-free.

Ingredients:

·          2 teaspoons olive oil or 1/4 cup water

·          1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped

·          2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

·          1 celery rib, thinly sliced

·          3 garlic cloves, minced

·          1 teaspoon dried basil

·          1 teaspoon dried thyme

·          7 cups vegetable broth, or more if needed

·          4 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

·          4 cups coarsely chopped stemmed kale or cabbage

·      3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

·          1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

·          Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·          6 ounces uncooked linguine, broken into thirds

·          1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

·          2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley

 Directions:

 1. Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, then add the basil, thyme, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

 2. Add the green beans, kale, chickpeas, and tomatoes with their juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

 3. Stir in the pasta, peas, and parsley. Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve hot.

Vegan Apple-Walnut Muffins

Some nice person at work has been bringing in bags of apples fresh from her tree so we've been doing lots of baking . . . apple crisps, apple pies, apple breads, and this week's creation: Apple-Walnut Muffins. Spicy, moist and yummy. The perfect fall snack. Make an extra batch too as these freeze well.

Apple Walnut Muffins

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cardamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup rice milk (or other nondairy milk)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 medium cooking apples, grated or minced in a food processor (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil 12 muffin tins.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon and ginger. In  medium-size bowl, whisk or beat oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, rice milk, vanilla, and vinegar until smooth. Stir in the grated apples and add to the flour mixture along with the nuts. Stir until just mixed. Divide between the 12 muffin tins. Bake 30 - 35 minutes, or until tester inserted in center comes out dry. Cool 10 minutes before removing muffins from tins. Cool on a rack or serve warm.

Makes 1 dozen muffins

Dairy-free Ginger Chocolate Ice Cream

A good friend of mine is practically addicted to dark chocolate-covered ginger candies, and he got me thinking about what a great ice cream flavor that would be. In my cookbook Lick It! Creamy Dreamy Vegan Ice Creams Your Mouth Will Love, I have a Chocolate Ice Cream and I have a Ginger Ice Cream . . . so with a little tweaking, I combined them into a cold, creamy, chocolaty treat with a spicy ginger burn. And it's just as addicting as those candies, let me tell you. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ginger-Chocolate Ice Cream

We wanted a really strong ginger taste, but if you want it to be a little more subtle, use the lesser amount of ginger.

1 1/3 cups nondairy milk

1/3-1/2 cup peeled and grated ginger (3 – 4 ounce piece)

1 ounces dark unsweetened baking chocolate

1 can full-fat coconut milk

2/3 cup sugar or agave nectar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place nondairy milk in a small saucepan. Add the grated ginger, squeezing it a bit to release the juice. Cover and heat until just beginning to boil. Cover and steep 30 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing all the liquid out of the grated ginger. Return the strained milk mixture to the saucepan. Add the baking chocolate and heat enough to melt the chocolate. Let sit. Pour the remaining ingredients into the heatproof bowl. Wisk in the heated chocolate/milk mixture. Chill in the refrigerator for three hours or until very cold. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Makes 1 quart

Why Use a Slow Cooker?

  

I am so excited to host a guest post by one of my favorite vegan cookbook authors: Robin Robertson. She is about to release a new cookbook called Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker (The Harvard Common Press, 2012). I haven't gotten to see this one yet but from reading her post, I certainly can't wait to get it . . . and you can be sure I'll post a review when I do. So without further ado . . . here's Robin!

Why Use a Slow Cooker?

by Robin Robertson

Most slow-cooker enthusiasts would agree that convenience, economy, and great taste are what keep them coming back to their slow cookers time and again. When you cook in a slow cooker, the longer cooking times allow the flavors of the ingredients to meld into a deep complexity that is often unparalleled in other cooking methods. Slow cooking can be more nutritious, too, since the long cooking time allows the nutrients to concentrate in the food as it draws more flavor out of the ingredients. When you factor in the convenience quotient, you’ve got a kitchen helper worthy of the name.

What could be easier than assembling your ingredients, putting them in the slow cooker, and turning it on? That’s it! Several hours later, dinner is served. For added convenience, your meal can be served directly from the ceramic pot in which it was cooked. In addition, the removable ceramic insert can be refrigerated, so you can prepare your ingredients the night before and refrigerate them overnight right in the insert so it’s all ready to cook the next day. Slow cooking can be a terrific solution for busy people who want to eat healthy delicious meals.

In addition to cooking soups and stews, a slow cooker can be used to do such diverse things as cook corn on the cob, braise tofu, and make seitan from scratch. Its versatility extends to casserole-type dishes such as lasagna or mac and cheese, and even “bake” breads and desserts—dishes usually associated with the oven.  It’s also ideal for making jams, chutneys, and other condiments.

Perhaps one of the most popular dishes to make in a slow cooker is chili. One of my favorite chili recipes in Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker is this Two-Lentil Chili.  Using two kinds of lentils give this chili a great texture — the red lentils cook down and thicken while the brown lentils hold their shape.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Recipe: Two-Lentil Chili

Serves 4 to 6

Slow Cooker Size: 4- to 6-quart

Cook Time: 6 to 8 hours on Low

Gluten-free

Soy-free Option

Ingredients

·          2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)

·          1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped

·          4 garlic cloves, minced

·          1 or 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced

·          1 bell pepper (any color), seeded and chopped

·          3 tablespoons chili powder

·          1 teaspoon dried oregano

·          1 teaspoon ground cumin

·          1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed and picked over

·          1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over

·          1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

·          1 tablespoon soy sauce

·          1 teaspoon natural sugar

·          1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

·          Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·          4 cups water

·          Diced avocado, minced onion, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, and/or chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. For the best flavor, heat the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, chiles, and bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the chili powder, oregano, and cumin and sauté for 30 seconds longer. Alternatively, omit the oil and sauté these ingredients in a few tablespoons of water or combine them in a microwave-safe bowl with a little water, cover, and microwave for 2 minutes.

2. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add both lentils, the tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, cocoa, and salt and pepper to taste. (You may need to add up to 2 teaspoons of salt.) Stir in the water, cover, and cook on Low until the lentils and vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 hours.

3. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Serve hot, garnished with your favorite chili toppings.

Recipe © 2012 by Robin Robertson and used by permission of The Harvard Common Press.

Zucchini-Avocado Salsa

If you have a garden--or a neighbor with a garden--chance are you have a plentiful supply of zucchini right now. Maybe even too plentiful . . .

Well, this Zucchini-Avocado Salsa from The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook is one of our favorite ways to serve zucchini. It makes a nice big batch--great for parties or potlucks and, as a friend recently commented, this tastes very much like guacamole but the zucchini stretches those expensive avocadoes. I keep a batch in the refrigerator so there is always a healthy snack on hand. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Zucchini-Avocado Salsa
This a delicious alternative to regular salsa or guacamole. It is great with chips or as a topping for burritos, tacos, or quesadillas.

2 small zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Tabasco sauce to taste
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Steam zucchini and corn together for 2 or 3 minutes until colors are bright. Place in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir together and chill for at least one hour.

Makes about 3 cups

Variation: Add 1 to 2 cups diced tomatoes

Quick and Healthy Dinner: Tempeh-Kale Pasta

Here is this month's quick and healthy dinner idea. If you have leftover pasta, it'll take about 15 minutes . . . and only a few minutes more if you are cooking the pasta from scratch. Just start the pasta water boiling before you chop your veggies and cook the pasta while you are cooking them. I didn't include measurements because this is one of those flexible dishes that you can make just for yourself or for a crowd.

Olive oil
Chopped onion
Sliced red bell pepper
Diced tempeh
Chopped kale (I prefer dinosaur kale)
Cooked linguine (hot or cold)
Marinara sauce
Red pepper flakes
Minced fresh parsley (optional)

Add enough olive oil to coat bottom of skillet and place over medium-low heat. Add the onion and pepper and saute for a couple of minutes to soften. Stir in the tempeh and kale. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes, until kale is bright green. Add the linguine, just enough marinara sauce to coat pasta and red pepper flakes to taste. Stir and cover. Cook a couple of minutes until heated through. Serve with fresh parsley, if desired.

Do you plan your meals or just wing them?

So I'm wondering . .. . do you decide what your menu will be in advance and then shop for the needed ingredients?

I've tried that but it doesn't really work for me. Well, maybe once in a while when I am making a special meal . . . but in general, I kind of do things backwards. When I head to the farmers' market or to pick up my CSA box, I don't really know in advance what I'm going to get. I mean really that's part of the fun of shopping at farmer's markets. I don't exactly know what I'll find or what's going to look good to me.

Like yesterday, I stopped at the natural foods store and came home with these beautiful long, slim Chinese eggplants, a head of cauliflower, yellow cherry tomatoes. So when I got home, I had to decide what to have for dinner. I looked in my refrigerator and found a half box of mushrooms and some marinara sauce left over from the girls' pizza making slumber party. Add to that a red onion and a can of garbanzo beans that I decided would all go well with pasta.

I tossed the vegetables and garbanzo beans in olive oil and an herb/spice mix and roasted them at 450 degrees until tender as I cooked the pasta. Then I tossed the veggies into the hot pasta with the marinara sauce and some fresh basil, parsley, and thyme from my herb garden.

That's pretty typical on how meal planning goes for me.

Veggie Pasta Salad

In the winter, soup is my staple food. I make a big batch at a time so we have enough to last for a few days for dinners, lunches, etc. Well, in the summer I do the same thing but with salads . . . especially hearty salads made with potatoes, beans, or grains. This pasta salad that I made this weekend that was a such a hit with my kids. We had some for dinner, took some to the beach, and the kids even ate it for snacks. It would be a great choice for a potluck as well.

Veggie Pasta Salad

I basically used all the veggies from my trip to the farmer's market and herbs from my garden, so don't feel like you have to stick to this exact combination. You can also add cooked beans or some crumbled feta cheese.

1 cup asparagus cut into bite-sized pieces
1 yellow summer squash, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
2 cups green beans cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups chopped kale (packed)
1 pound penne pasta
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup black currant champagne vinegar (or flavor of your choice)
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Prep:
Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Blanch asparagus by putting in boiling water and letting cook a couple of minutes, until bright green and slightly tender. Use slotted spoon to remove asparagus to a colander. Immediately rinse with very cold water to prevent it from cooking further. Repeat with squashes, beans, and kale. When veggies are cooked, use the same boiling water to cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta.
To Assemble salad:
Put pasta in large mixing bowl. Add cooked vegetables and remaining ingredients. Toss together and chill until ready to serve.

Makes at least 10 servings

Quick Hot Cereal Alternative

A few weeks ago, I posted an alternative to processed cold cereal . . . well, today I'm posting an alternative for processed hot cereals. Now, hot cereals are typically less processed than cold ones but the less processed they are the longer they typically take to cook. This hot cereal uses leftover cooked brown rice and is ready to eat in minutes. We call it:

Breakfast Rice Pudding

Place cooked brown rice in a saucepan with enough milk (dairy or nondairy) to cover the rice. Sprinkle on some cinammon and a dash of vanilla extract. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until warm. Serve with fresh or dried fruit. We also like to sprinkle on chopped nuts or seeds.

Tip: Whenever you cook grain or beans for dinner, make extra. The leftovers can be used for future dinners, lunches, and as in this recipe . . . breakfast. You can find lots of other recipes for hot and cold cereals in The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook.

Healthy Cold Cereal Alternative

Store-bought cold cereals are certainly convenient, but not only are they quite expensive . . . they are really not very healthy. Even the organic, whole-grain varieties are highly processed and the nutrition really only comes from the chemically-added nutrients. So, what can you do when you need a quick breakfast in the morning? Well, my mom used to make us muesli--a breakfast she had grown up with in Germany. In fact, in the summer when fresh fruit and berries were plentiful, she'd just make a huge batch and we'd snack on it all day. It's a breakfast I still love . . . and my kids do too. In fact, it was the first meal they learned to make on their own.

Muesli is basically rolled oats soaked in milk (I use nondairy milk and also add yogurt for the probiotics) mixed with fresh or dried fruit and nuts/seeds if you like as well. I also like to add a splash of orange juice if I don't have oranges in it . . . it adds a nice tang. You can even use other rolled grains besides oats. No recipe is needed--this is a meal you cater to your own taste (though for those of you who prefer exact measurements, there are recipes for a winter muesli and summer muesli in The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook).

And the nice thing is you can make it for one, like I did for myself this week with blueberries, strawberries, and sliced almonds. Or make a big batch like my daughter did when she got home from school so we'd have enough left for breakfast tomorrow morning (muesli will stay good for several days). Besides the berries, she added chopped oranges, sliced bananas, and raisins.

Have fun and experiment!

Quick and Easy Dinner

We all need those quick and easy dinners in our repertoires for those hectic nights. Here's one that my family gobbled up.

Stir-fry a bunch of your favorite veggies in a large skillet--this time I did onions, carrots, zucchini, bok choy, and spinach--until almost to the doneness you like. Then stir in some diced baked tofu (I like Trader Joe's Organic Baked Teriyaki Tofu) and some leftover cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle on soy sauce and a little mango vinegar. Sweeten with agave nectar or your sweetener of choice if you like. Toss and heat through.

That's it!

Mediterranean Veggie Roast

I was invited to a birthday potluck this weekend and wasn't sure what to bring . . . but I had this beautiful eggplant, mushrooms, and saw some Mediterranean feta cheese at Trader Joe's (the birthday girl loves feta) so came up with this dish which we really liked. For a vegan version, use toasted pine nuts or dairy-free feta substitute.

Mediterranean Veggie Roast

1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges
8 ounce white mushrooms, halved (or quartered if very large)
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch slices lengthwise
3 zucchini, sliced
1 large eggplant, quartered and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese or toasted pine nuts
salt and black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, toss onions and mushrooms with a splash of balsamic vinegar and enough olive oil to coat. Place on baking sheet and roast in oven (stirring occasionally) 15-20 minutes, or until slightly browned.

In mixing bowl, toss red bell peppers with just enough olive oil to coat them. Spread on baking sheet and cook about 20 minutes or until edges are browned, turning once or twice so they don’t char.

In a mixing bowl, toss zucchini with a splash of balsamic vinegar and enough olive oil to coat. Place on baking sheet and put in oven. Roast about 10 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

In a mixing bowl, toss eggplant with a splash of balsamic vinegar and enough olive oil to coat. Place on baking sheet and put in oven. Roast about 10 - 15 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Place roasted vegetables in the mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Serves 8

Easy Greens

I found the cutest little baby bok choy at the Farmers' Market yesterday and rather than adding them to a soup or stir-fry like I normally would, I decided to let them shine all on their own. I had also been wanting to try my new bottle of Mango Balsamic Vinegar from my last trip to Global Gardens so . . . voila . . . . Mango Balsamic Braised Boy Choy!

Wash and coarsely chop the bok choy. Coat skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the boy choy and stir a bit. Cover and cook about 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drizzle boy choy with Mango Balsamic Vinegar and sprinkle on some sea salt. That's it! Easy and yummy.

Roasted Winter Vegetable Pot Pie

When I was at the Farmers' Market yesterday picking up my favorite winter veggies, I was surprised to see signs of spring coming when I was able to buy fresh berries! Wow . . . can't wait to get asparagus--my absolute favorite spring vegetable. But before I skip ahead, I wanted to pay homage to all the great produce available in winter and created a pot pie made from roasted vegetables--and I have to say this is one of the best meals I've ever made. It takes a bit more work than my usual recipes, but I think you'll agree it's worth it.

Roasted Winter Vegetable Pot Pie
Roasting the veggies before putting them into the pie really brings out the sweetness. This is a great one for company. To save time you can use a sheet of puff pastry or a prepared pie crust instead of the homemade crust below. We like it with a winter fruit salad or applesauce.

Crust:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
pinch salt
1/3 cup vegan butter
4-6 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
1 large Yukon gold potato
1 sweet potato
2 carrots
1 rutabaga
1 large parsnip
20 medium Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons walnut or olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Sauce:
Walnut or olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 cup vegetable broth or water
2 cups nondairy milk
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
salt and black pepper, to taste

Prepare crust by mixing the flour, cornmeal, and salt together in a food processor or bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 4 tablespoons water and mix. Add additional water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together when pinched. Form into a ball, cover, and place in refrigerator while you prepare the vegetables.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Trim ends of vegetables and peel if necessary (sometimes the rutabaga can be a bit hairy). Cut into bite sized pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients and toss until vegetables are coated with oil. Spread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Add just enough oil to a medium saucepan to coat the bottom and place over low heat. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the flour and nutritional yeast. Whisk in the broth until smooth. Add the milk, spice, thyme, rosemary, and stir or whisk until smooth. Bring to boil over medium heat. Boil 30 seconds to thicken. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

To assemble, place the roasted vegetables in a 2-quart baking dish. Pour the sauce over the vegetables. Roll out the crust to the size of the baking dish and place over the filling, trimming edges as necessary. Use a sharp knife to poke slits in the crust. (Make sure you reduced the oven heat to 375 degrees!) Bake 30 minutes, or until crust is golden.

Serves 6 to 8

Note: This is a versatile recipe. Use whatever root vegetables you like best—they should add up to 9 cups cut up. Also, if you’re not a Brussels sprouts fan (hard to believe that some people are just not fans), substitute 2 cups of cauliflower or broccoli florets. You can also 1 cup frozen peas along with the sauce.

Dreamy Smoothie and Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

My favorite place to go in Los Olivos is the store, Global Gardens. They have wonderful local, organic oils, flavored vinegars, and other cool sauces and condiments. Most everything is organic and/or sustainably grown. Several of their products inspired a couple of delicious dishes today and I thought I'd share. I don't have exact measurements, but they're not really the type of recipes that need exact measurements anyway. I'll tell you as best I can and you can use your intuition when making these yourself.

Dreamy Smoothie
I add some "Dream Dust" made from sustainable rainforest, pure 100% cacao, Guatemalan Vanilla Bean, Indian
Cardamon, Clove & Vietnamese Cinnamon to my usual smoothie and it was AMAZING!

Orange Juice
Plain or vanilla yogurt (dairy or dairy-free)
1 large banana
Frozen mangos
Frozen blueberries
Frozen raspberries
Pinch Dream Dust

Puree until smooth. Serves 2 to 3.

Note: If you can't get your hands on some Dream Dust, just add a pinch of each of the spices listed.

Balsmic Roasted Vegetables

I tossed asparagus spears, whole white mushrooms, broccoli spears, carrot chunks in walnut oil with a little Blood Orange Balsamic Vinegar. I laid the veggies out on a baking sheet and sprinkled them with Caliterranean Garden Blend (dried herbs and sea salt). Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until tender on inside and carmelized on outside.

Super Quick and Yummy Dinner

I'm often surprised that the amount of time and effort it takes to prepare a meal does not always equal how much my family enjoys it. For example, tonight's dinner took me about 15 minutes to make, but the girls loved it so much, they ate every last bit--and I expected to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

So if you need a quick and easy hit, try this Sausage, Onion, Apple Fry-Up.

Heat a large skillet (I love cast iron for this) over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the pan. Cut 4 Italian-style veggie sausages (made nonGMO soy) into diagonal 1/2-inch slices and add to pan. Peel an onion and slice in half-moons. Add to pan. Core and dice 2 apples. Add to pan. Toss everything together. Cover and cook about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes to brown sausage and onions. I served this over steamed potatoes and squash, but I think it would also be great over mashed potatoes or with rice.

Cranberry Bread

Ever since the success of the cranberry apple sauce on Thanksgiving, I've been thinking what else I could make with fresh cranberries. Maybe it's my New England upbringing, but I just love the flavor of those tart berries. So, though I've been adding them to pies, sorbets, galettes, etc. . . . this weekend, decided to go back to basics and try a good old-fashioned cranberry bread . . . but a healthier, vegan version, of course. So here's what I came up with:

Cranberry Bread
I love the flavor of the tart berries in this slightly sweet bread. We love to dip it in yogurt for breakfast.

2 cups whole wheat pastry or unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch cardamom
Grated peel of 1 orange (optional)
3/4 cup nondairy milk
1 tablespoon vinegar (I used blood orange champagne vinegar but apple cider vinegar is fine)
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh (or thawed frozen) cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Oil a loaf pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardommon and orange peel in a medium bowl. In a separate larger bowl, beat milk, vinegar, oil, and sugars together. Gently mix flour mixture into wet mixture. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Bakin 50 minutes, or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf

Hot Cocoa with a twist

Tis the season for hot cocoa . . . fa la la la la la la la la

Oh yeah, the weather around here has been downright chilly and while I love my green tea, sometimes we just want something a little special to warm us up--and hot cocoa is just the thing. Lately, we've been experimenting with flavored chocolates to make a special thing, even more special. Like . . .

Orange Hot Cocoa: Add 1 tablespoon Triple Sec or 1/8 teaspoon orange extract to 1 cup cocoa.

Peppermint Hot Cocoa: Add 1 tablespoon Peppermint Schnapps or 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract to 1 cup cocoa.

Mocha: Add 1 tablespoon Kahula or 1 teaspoon instant coffee or coffee substitute (like Pero) to 1 cup cocoa--or you can have half brewed coffee and half a cup cocoa.

It's also fun just to add a little hint of spice to your cocoa -- cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, or a chai spice mixture--or a little chili powder too.

One more idea for something really special is the Hot Chocolate Float from Lick It! Creamy Dreamy Vegan Ice Creams Your Mouth Will Love. Try replacing the vanilla with one of the variations above as well!

Vegan Hot Chocolate Float
Makes 4 servings
Who needs (vegan) marshmallows! Try a scoop of ice cream in your hot chocolate instead.

3 cups nondairy milk
1 cup nondairy dark or semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 scoops nondairy Vanilla Ice Cream

Place the milk and chocolate chips in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Heat, whisking occasionally, until the milk just starts to boil. Remove from the heat and whisk until smooth and foamy. Pour evenly into 4 mugs. Carefully drop a scoop of the ice cream into each mug.

So, this is what we've tried so far . . . what are your favorites?