Pasta & Summer Veggies

Here's a quick, easy and delicious meal. I can't take credit, it's my man's favourite meal to make. He puts it all together in less than 1/2 an hour.

Pasta & Summer Veggies

salad with balsamic vinegrette

Pasta & Summer Veggies:
olive oil
onion
garlic
zucchini
peppers
tomato
capers
fresh herbs (basil, oregano, parsley)
sea salt
pasta

Boil your favourite pasta for required time.
Fry onions in olive oil. Add garlic, zucchini, peppers & tomatoes. Sprinkle with sea salt
Serve pasta with veggies, topped with capers & fresh herbs.

Salad:
lettuce
tomatoes
green onions
homemade croutons (toast cut into squares, drizzled with olive oil)

Wash and cut lettuce. Top with sliced tomatoes, green onions, and croutons.


Salad Dressing:
olive oil
canola oil
balsamic vinegar
dijon
salt & pepper
herbs (basil, parsley, chives)
garlic

Mix and serve over salad.

Chick-Pea Burgers

A yummy, summer burger. It's a good recipe on its own, but I added lemon juice and sea salt to give it a bit of zing. Served on some delicious kamut & quinoa bread (but you could use any old bread), topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard and relish. I had enough for leftovers, so I had it again a second night, but served it on tortilla instead; perfect for a hot summer night as it requires no cooking!

Chick-Pea Burger with side salad

recipe from Anne Lindsay's New Light Cooking

Fettuccini No-Fredo

An awesome take on Pasta Alfredo. It can be a bit heavy on its own, so to lighten it up we add veggies (you can boil them with the pasta, or fry them with the sauce) and cut down on the tahini (1/4 to 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 cup).

Fettuccini No-Fredo with broccoli, mushrooms & green onions

Fettuccini No-Fredo from Jae Steele's Get it Ripe Cookbook

Colorful Stew aka Tofu Stew

It's officially called Tofu Stew, but I don't think that sounds very appealing, especially since there's a lot of people who aren't that excited about tofu, so I've renamed it Colorful Stew. You could make it with or without tofu. The recipe calls for winter squash, but I didn't have any so I subsituted with sweet potato. I also cut down on the salt, changing it from one tbsp to one tsp instead. You can use any kind of miso and vinegar you have - I've never seen umeboshi vinegar, so I substitute with rice or wine vinegar.

Colorful Tofu Stew served with fake chicken and dumplings from Yuan

Tofu Stew from Kripalu Cookbook

This cookbook comes from the Kripalu Center for yoga and health in Massachusetts. I've never been, but heard great things about it.

Végépâté & Veggie Stix

I tried making my own végépâté, it turned out pretty good, but so far nothing compares to the one from Fontaine Sante. It makes the perfect sandwich with tomato, pickle, cucumber, Vegenaise, mustard. Served with a side of Veggie Stix.

Levi's favorite - Veggie Stix from IGA - and they're Kid Kritics Approved!

végépâté sandwich with veggie stix

Some of my favorite végépâté sandwiches around town are found at:

Chez Jose

Aux Vivres

Que de Bonnes Choses (Hudson)

Hot & Sour Stir-Fry

Our staple stir-fry... The recipe calls for a 'coleslaw mix', but you can use any veggies. We usually do carrots, peppers, zucchini, onions and some tofu marinated in soy sauce. It tastes good with crunchy veggies, so you can just fry them for a couple of minutes, (that way they keep more of their nutrients as well). I stopped adding the suggested cornstarch since I didn't feel it needed it.

hot & sour stir-fry served with black rice noodles & dumplings from Yuan

we usually use plain white rice noodles, but I found these black rice noodles at Que de Bonnes Choses and thought they'd be a fun change

hot & sour stir-fry from Moosewood's Simple Suppers for the Weeknight Table

West African Groundnut Stew

We've been making this dish over the past couple of years and love it. You can use a selection of your favorite veggies, covered with this delicious peanut butter sauce. The recipe calls for tomato juice, I rarely have it in my fridge, so we use canned tomatoes (juice included).

West African Groundnut Stew with couscous and fiddleheads

West African Groundnut Stew from New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant

Vegan Pizza

Pizza night is one of my favorites. We make everything from scratch, so it can be labor-intensive, but you could buy pre-made crust and sauce to cut down on steps. We've got our routine down-pat: I make the dough and sauce in the late afternoon, let it rise & simmer, and then Jason rolls it out and puts it all together in the evening. It took us about a year of experimenting, now this is the most delicious pizza I've ever tasted!

two-toned delicious vegan pizza left: tomatoes, peppers, basil, onion right: tomatoes, onions, capers, olives, vegan cheese

Pizza Dough:
1tbsp dry active yeast
1tsp sugar
1 1/3 cups warm water
3 1/4 cups flour (I use organic white flour)
1tsp salt (I like sea salt)
pepper
3 tsp olive oil

Combine yeast and sugar in a measuring cup, add warm water (I use hot tap water), set aside until it bubbles, 10 minutes.

Stir together flour, salt & pepper. Add 2 tsp of olive oil. Pour in yeast mixture. Mix well, adding extra flour if necessary, until the dough forms a ball. You might want to put oil on your hands before mixing, so that the dough doesn't stick to your fingers. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, folding it and pressing it down again.

Place the ball of kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl, coat dough with olive oil, cover with a towel. Set aside in a warm area (if you've got something baking in the oven, you can place it on top of the stove), until its doubled in size (approximately one hour).

Punch down dough, knead for a couple minutes, adding flour to keep from sticking. Cut dough in half to make two crusts. If you'd like to freeze one, put it in a large baggie and put it in the freezer for next time (when you're ready to use it, you'll need to let it thaw for a couple of hours).

Roll dough to fit baking sheet (to your desired thickness), rolling from center out to the sides. Place the dough on a lightly oiled pan and let it rise for 10 minutes. Add your favorite toppings.
Recipe adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

Tomato Sauce:
1 can tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
garlic
herbs (rosemary, oregano, basil)

Combine ingredients in a large pot. Simmer 10-60 minutes (the longer you simmer the thicker the sauce).

Toppings:
tomatoes
fresh basil
peppers
onion
vegan cheese (Jason likes 'daiya' mozzarella style shreds)
capers
olives
etc...

Trashy Vegan

I'm not sure if it's politically correct, but we call this meal 'Trashy Vegan'. People always say we're "so healthy" since we're vegetarian, but sometimes it's fun to have something quick & easy. To add a little nutrition, color and flavor, Jason added tomatoes & green onions to the Mac & Shreese, and coleslaw, dill pickle and condiments to the tofu dog.

Mac & Chreese from Viva Vegan

Mac & Chreese + Tofu Dog

Coconut Cauliflower Chana

This is a great recipe to make when you have lots of veggies in the fridge. I didn't have any cauliflower when I made it this time, so I substituted with zucchini. Chick peas are good source of protein. I've been told if you rinse them before cooking they'll give you less gas (not sure if that's true, but worth the rinse!). I usually omit the shredded coconut since I haven't found any non-sweetened kinds that I like. If I don't have any cilantro on hand, I'll substitute with parsley. This recipe calls for 1-2 tbsps of curry powder... I think 1 is enough, otherwise it tastes powdery.

Served over rice, with fake chicken from Yuan, and a spring roll & mango chutney

Coconut Cauliflower Chana from Jae Steele's Get it Ripe cookbook

Vegan Rhubarb Muffins

My Mom gave me some fresh rhubarb from her garden, so I searched for a vegan rhubarb muffin on the internet and found this one on The Venice Vegan. They're delicious! I didn't have any "Egg Replacer" (Ener-G), so I used banana & sunflower oil, and then added some extra soy milk until it came out the right consistency. Although it only made 11 muffins, they're well worth it... the ginger & cinnamon give them a hint of spice and make them extra special.

Vegan Rhubarb Muffins from The Venice Vegan blog

Vegan Rhubarb Muffins

• 1 C Fine Chopped Rhubarb
• 2/3 C Brown Sugar
• 1 1/2 C Flour
• 1 Portion Egg Replacer (Ener-G)
• 1/3 C Unsweetened Soymilk
• 1 t Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 t Vanilla
• 1/2 t Cinnamon
• 1/2 t Ginger (powdered)

Streusel Topping

• 1 t Earth Balance (or preferred Vegan margarine)
• 3 T Sugar
• 1 T Flour
• 1/4 t Cinnamon
• 1/4 t Ginger

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly then incorporate wet into dry.  Combine streusel ingredients and mix with fingers until combined.  Divide into 12 lined muffins, and top with streusel mixture.  Bake for 35 minutes.

 Check out more recipes on The Venice Vegan blog

Quinoa Vegetable Stew

My Mom made this for our Mothers Day dinner, it was yummy and light. She used sweet potato, spinach, mushrooms, onions and a can of tomatoes (we both agreed fresh tomatoes would have been nice), served with a lettuce salad with avocado and walnuts.

colorful and yummy

Quinoa Vegetable Stew from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

Vegan Apple Crumble

Here's one of my favorite recipes from my #1 vegan cookbook Get it Ripe by Jae Steele. Quick, easy and delicious! Best time to make it is autumn with fresh apples, but it's so good I make it all year round.

Get it Ripe by Jae Steele available at Luna Yoga

Get it Ripe by Jae Steele available at Luna Yoga

Portobello Mushroom Burger

Portobello Mushroom Burgers make a great summer dish. They're great for a BBQ, but they can also be done in a cast iron frying pan (that way you get the tasty looking grill lines).  My grandmother was a very old-school, European lady who grew up on meat and potatoes. After a lengthy stay in the hospital, my mom asked her what she'd like for her first dinner home, to our great surprise she replied "Portobello Mushroom Burgers". Not only are they tasty, but they're super easy to make.

Portobello Mushroom Burger with homemade coleslaw & asparagus

Portobello Mushroom Burgers:
4 portobello mushrooms (use the whole top as a 'pattie')
1 red/yellow/orange pepper & onion (optional)
1 clove of garlic
pinch of salt and pepper
olive oil
balsamic vinegar (to your taste)

Wash the mushrooms and cut off the stems. Place them in a large dish. Cut pepper & onion in large chunks, add them to the dish. Mince garlic, mix with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, pour marinade over veggies. Let stand for 10-15 minutes (or cover and put in the fridge till you're ready to start grilling). Grill for 5 minutes each side, mixing up the peppers & onions when needed. Place them on a bun (or on their own if you prefer no bread), with Veganaise & mustard, sprinkled with grilled veggies and slices of fresh tomato. Serve them with a side salad and/or greens.

Note: if you like to use a BBQ, you'll need a grill tray for the veggies

Vegenaise from Viva Vegan Store

Cowgrrrl Cookies

Awesome vegan cookies... People ask me for this recipe often. You can make them with chocolate chips or raisins, or both. If I don't have applesauce on hand (or if the dough turns out a bit dry) I'll use soy or almond milk.

One of the best parts of this recipe is that it makes a lot of cookies, so you can freeze half of them and then when you want them you just put them on a cookie sheet and pop them in the oven (great for when you have lots of hungry musicians coming through your home).

vegan chocolate chips from Viva Vegan Store

second batch for the freezer

from Jae Steele's Get it Ripe cookbook

Miso Glazed Eggplant

This is a really nice marinade and glaze, salty and sweet, plus it's super quick to make. We've made it before with eggplant and it's really good, but you can put it over anything. I rarely have sherry in the house, so I just omit it.

served with couscous, brussel sprouts and a spring roll

miso glaze over carrots, zuccini, broccoli, red pepper, onion,  and whole cloves of garlic

there's lots of different miso flavors, this is a good one

miso-glazed eggplant from Moosewoods Simple Suppers for the Weeknight Table

miso-glazed eggplant from Moosewoods Simple Suppers for the Weeknight Table

Breakfast Smoothie & Cereal

Smoothies are great, especially in the summer when you can get local fresh fruit. Frozen fruit works well too, but fruit starts to release vitamins as soon as it's cut, so the fresher the better. If you like it cold, just add some ice.

Jason's been making smoothies in the morning for the whole family and baby Levi loves them! He throws a bunch of fruit in the baby bullet and blends it with mint and orange juice (most people use a blender, but a baby bullet works too). If you prefer something creamier you can add a non-dairy milk or yogurt (soy milk, almond milk, coconut yogurt, etc).

choose your favorite mix of fruits... blend... and voila!

banana, mango, blueberries, fresh mint from the garden and orange juice

Nature's Path cereal with banana & flax seeds (a good source of fiber & omega-3's)

Nature's Path makes lots of different kinds of cereal, it's organic and the packaging is Eco-friendly too!

Barbecued Tempeh or Tofu

I love this recipe. I throw whatever veggies I have into a baking dish and put them right into the oven (skipping the pre-sauté) for 20 or 30 minutes covered, while I make the sauce, then I uncover it, mix it, and add the sauce and bake it for another 20 or 30 minutes. During the second half of the baking I make the rice/quinoa/couscous and salad or throw some spring rolls in the oven while the veggies are cooking. I usually make it with tofu, but this time I didn't have any in the fridge, so I just made it with fennel, zucchini, yellow pepper and tomato.

Served with couscous and a spinach salad with avocado & flax seeds

Super colorful and saucy

Barbecued Tempeh or Tofu from New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook

Lunchtime Vinaigrette, Salad & Sandwich

My staple lunch. I love hummus and bread (and so does Levi). Here I made a hummus, cucumber, tomato, avocado and Dijon sandwich, with a spinach salad topped with yellow pepper, flax seeds and our favorite vinaigrette. The recipe gives the choice of several different vinagers... balsamic is my favorite.

Levi and I eat half the container of hummus while making sandwiches, he even like the garlic flavored one

flax seeds are a good source of fiber and omega 3

Moosewood has a whole bunch of amazing vegetarian cookbooks (I think they were probably my first), this recipe is from New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant

Butternut Squash Risotto

Here's a nice recipe for when you feel like spending a little more time in the kitchen. I always find cooking grounding, especially when making risotto... the constant stirring is a meditation of its own.

I usually add some veggies when making this recipe, in this one I added broccoli, tomatos and mushrooms. I used traditional Arborio Italian rice instead of the suggested brown rice.

butternut risotto with spinach salad and spring roll

recipe from Get it Ripe by Jae Steele available at Luna Yoga