Tofu-Spinach Manicotti!

• Prep time: 15 mins
• Cook time: 40-45 mins
• Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz. box frozen spinach, heated in the microwave (or the fresh stuff, if you're classy)
• 1 – 2 jars of your favorite tomato sauce
• 1/2 lb. carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup canned low-sodium veggie broth
• 1 lb. herbed tofu (or regular tofu, with Italian seasoning added to it)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (available at health food stores)
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 box manicotti noodles, cooked
• some vegan mozzarella cheese, if desired

Instructions

1. Slice carrots, and set them aside.
2. Put olive oil into a large skillet, place over medium-high heat until hot.
3. Add the parsley and garlic, then saute for 1 minute.
4. Add the carrots and veggie broth; simmer uncovered for 5 min.
5. Add herbed tofu, and lemon juice; stir well.
6. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the mixture starts to melt. Feel free to stir in the nutritional yeast at this step, just to make it a little bit more cheesy!
7. Remove from heat; keep warm.
8. Place the cooked manicotti noodles in the bottom of an 11×7 baking dish, stuffing them with spread carrot mixture, the spinach, and then sauce.
9. Once they're all stuffed, pour the remaining sauce over top.
10. Cover and bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees.
11. Uncover, add vegan cheese if desired, and bake an additional 15 – 20 minutes, or until it is thoroughly heated.

Peanut Butter Mousse

• Prep time: 10 mins
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 block silken tofu
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (more or less, to taste)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar
• 2 Tbsp. chopped peanuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the silken tofu, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and agave nectar in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. (If you have a sweet tooth, you can add more peanut butter, to taste.)
2. Top with the chopped peanuts for a nice crunch.

Notes

I love making this as a quick dessert! It's great with peanuts or even chocolate chips. The best part? It's so smooth and silky that NO one will guess that it's completely vegan!

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 can organic cranberries, whole or 12 ounces of fresh berries or frozen berries 
• 1 tablespoon fine chopped leek
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 teaspoon vegan seasoning
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons agave nectar
• 2-3 cups vegetable stock 
• 2 tablespoons cilantro or fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or sunflower oil

Directions:

Heat a small saucepan with olive oil and add the ginger and leek; sauté for 3 minutes and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir and gently simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Keep warm until serving time.

Tarragon Gravy Sauce

A delicious vegetable-based gravy with rich flavor that will complement a wide variety of pies, nut loaves, or tofu dishes.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons leek , finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons roasted ground almonds
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1-2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons white mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 2 dates, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
• 1/3 cup red lentils, soaked for 1 hour 
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons tomato puree (optional)
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons basil herb
• 1/2 small zucchini
• 2 teaspoons wheat-free flour or chick pea flour
• 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy cream such as almond or cashew cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pan and pop the mustard seeds. Use a lid or spatter cover to avoid the seeds popping out of the pan. Sauté the leeks until softened, add the basil, cumin, and coriander; stir and add the rest of the ingredients except flour and fresh herbs and simmer with a lid until well cooked. (About 30 minutes.)

Stir in the flour with a whisk cooking for 5 minutes, then blend the entire sauce in a blender. Add the non-dairy cream and fresh herbs and blend again. Return to the pan and heat but do not boil. Add extra stock if it is too thick and whisk well to attain a gravy sauce consistency.

Serve with pasties or burgers or nut loaf.

Nut Loaf and Sweet Potato Tower With Tarragon Gravy

This is nut loaf is an enticing main course ideal for festive occasions. It’s rich-tasting and has an eye-catching presentation, and the crunchy texture offers a nice contrast to the smooth sweet potato. The often-overlooked herb tarragon brings an unexpected flavor to the gravy.

Ingredients for the nut loaf:

• 2 cups pecans, whole
• 2 cups almonds, whole
• 2 cups sunflower seeds
• 1 1/2 cups cooked white basmati rice
• 3/4 cup finely chopped leeks
• 1 cup finely grated zucchini
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme leaf
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley or cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped sage leaf
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vegan seasoning
• 2 tablespoons organic ketchup or tomato puree
• 4 teaspoons organic mustard sauce
• 1 teaspoon agave syrup or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon rock salt or Celtic salt  

Ingredients for the sweet potato filling:

• 2 to 3 large orange sweet potatoes, baked whole in the skin
• 2 tablespoons very finely minced celery
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon leaf
• 2 tablespoons almond or cashew cream

Ingredients for the leek and sundried tomato topping:

• 1 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped leeks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
• 1/3 teaspoon black pepper
• Sea salt

Directions:

Spread out the nuts and seeds on a baking tray, and bake for 7 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle with Bragg Liquid Aminos. 

Gently sauté the ginger and leeks in 2 tablespoons oil. Add the Vata seasoning and grated zucchini after 4 minutes and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes.

Grind the nuts and seeds to a coarse texture in an electric grinder or mixer.

In a large bowl, mix the cooked leek mixture, rice, nuts, fresh herbs, tomato puree, mustard, salt and pepper, lemon juice, and agave syrup into a thick paste. 

Press and spread this mixture onto a flat surface dusted with ground fennel seed and sesame seeds until the mixture is about 1-inch thickness. Take a circular cookie cutter and cut out rounds about 3 inches in diameter. Turn them to coat with the seed mixture.

Place the rounds on a lightly oiled baking tray and sprinkle them with a little oil. Place in the middle shelf of the oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 to 45 minutes. They should be nicely browned and crunchy on the surface.

While they are baking, remove the skins from the sweet potato and discard. Place the potatoes in a bowl and add the almond cream, celery, chopped tarragon, 2 tablespoons parsley, salt and pepper, a little olive oil, and lemon juice, and mash until smooth and creamy. Keep warm.

To construct the tower, place one round of the nut loaf on your serving plate, then neatly spread a good spoonful of the sweet potato mixture on top of each round. Neatly smooth the sides and then place a second round of nut loaf on top.

To make the leek and tomato topping, first steam the sundried tomatoes in a small pan for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile sautée the leeks in sunflower oil and cook on low heat for 7 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, fresh herbs, and agave. Stir well. Place half of this mixture in a blender with some almond cream cheese and 1/3 cup of water, and blend. Add back into the pan, heat gently, and stir well.  Finish by placing a spoonful of sundried tomato and leek mix on top of each tower.

Then top each tower with tarragon gravy.

Serves 6

Vegan Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (chopped small)
• 1 clove garlic (freshly pressed)
• 1 medium/large cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1/4 cup almond milk, hemp milk, or coconut milk
• 3 ounces Daiya—chive and onion cream cheese style spread (vegan)
• 1/3  roasted red pepper (chopped small)
• 1/3 roasted orange pepper (chopped small)
• 1/3 roasted yellow bell pepper (chopped small)
• Freshly ground himalayan sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add chopped onion to skillet and heat until golden brown. Add in garlic and bell peppers and heat for 7 minutes. In another large saucepan place cauliflower florets and cover with cold water.

Bring to a boil and cook until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork. Drain cauliflower and place back into saucepan over low heat until dry. Using a food processor, hand mixer, or potato masher, add in almond/hemp/coconut milk and cauliflower until desired consistency. Add Daiya cream cheese to the mashed cauliflower until combined. Add in the onion, garlic, and bell peppers and stir together. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/the-health-conscious-cookbook-nutritious-thanksgiving-recipes?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=CCL%20Newsletter%20151117&utm_campaign=November#sthash.GZjfVhGQ.dpuf

Spice Rubbed Roasted Squash

Total Cost: $3.75

Cost Per Serving: $0.47

Serves: 8

Total time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 small (or 2½ lbs.) winter squash $3.19
• ¼ cup brown sugar $0.08
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
• ⅛ tsp garlic powder $0.02
• ½ tsp smoked paprika $0.05
• ½ tsp salt $0.02
• Freshly ground black pepper (10-15 cranks) $0.05
• 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.32

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the stem off of the squash and then carefully slice each squash in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and any stringy flesh. Cut the squash halves in half one more time, so that each squash is now in quarters.
2. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Add a little bit of water (1-2 Tbsp) to make a paste that can be spread easily over the squash.
3. Place the squash pieces in a glass or ceramic baking dish so that they are in a single layer, not overlapping, and cut sides are facing up. Spread the spice mix liberally over all cut surfaces of the squash (don't season the skin side).
4. Roast the squash in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to one hour, or until the edges are golden brown and the squash is easily pierced with a fork. The exact time will depend on the size and thickness of your squash.

Notes

I used parsley as a garnish in the photos for visual effect only. The parsley is not necessary for the flavor.

Home-made Hummus

Total Cost: $1.97

Cost Per Serving: $0.39

Serves: 5 (1/2 cup ea)

Total time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz.) can chick peas / garbanzo beans $0.66
• 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.24
• ¼ cup lemon juice $0.22
• ¼ cup tahini (sesame paste) $0.72
• 1 clove (1/2 Tbsp minced) garlic $0.06
• ½ tsp salt $0.05
• ⅛ tsp cumin $0.02
• ¼ to ½ cup water $0.00

Instructions

1. Drain the chickpeas. Combine all of the ingredients except the water in a food processor or blender. Starting with ¼ cup of water, puree the ingredients and add more water as needed to keep the contents of the blender churning smoothly. Stop the blender and stir occasionally. The hummus is done when it is smooth and looks slightly whipped. Makes approximately 2.5 cups.

pizza dough

Total Cost: $0.37

Cost Per Serving: $0.09

Serves: 4

Total time 1 hour 42 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tsp yeast $0.11
• 1 Tbsp sugar $0.01
• ¾ cups warm water $0.00
• 2 – 2½ cups flour $0.15
• 1½ tsp salt $0.05
• 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.05

Instructions

1. Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water in a bowl. Stir well to dissolve the yeast and sugar. Let sit for 3-5 minutes to let the yeast bloom (or “wake up”). You’ll see foam on top when it’s awake and ready to go.
2. While you’re waiting for the yeast, combine 2 cups of the flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir well to evenly distribute the salt. Add the olive oil (it will get sired/mixed in during kneading). The remaining half cup of flour was an allowance for what might be added during kneading. In actuality, you probably won’t use a whole half cup.
3. Once the yeast water is foamy on top (see photos below) stir it into the flour mixture. Stir it with a spoon until it forms a loose ball. Turn it out onto a counter and begin to knead the dough. Knead well for 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour on the countertop sparingly as you knead. If you add too much flour the dough will end up dense (more like a bagel) rather than light like a pizza dough. I found that as long as I kept my hands and the dough moving quickly, it did not stick and did not need more flour. 
4. At this point you have three options: use the dough tonight (one hour after kneading), use it tomorrow (allowing it to rise in the refrigerator over night) or within a month (freezing the dough).
5. To use the dough the same day, form the kneaded dough into a ball (or cut and form into four small balls for individual pizzas). Spray a bowl with non stick spray, place the dough inside and turn it to coat with oil. Cover the bowl loosely and let it rise in a warm place for one hour. After it has risen, punch it down to release some gasses and stretch it into a 16″ round.
6. Many people say that the dough develops a better flavor if allowed to proof (rise) slowly over a day or so, either in the refrigerator. Every pizza establishment that I have worked at also made their dough at least one day ahead of time. Form the dough into a ball and coat with oil the same way as in step 4a but place the dough in the refrigerator. The dough can be used up 8-24 hours later.
7. You can also freeze the dough. After forming it into a ball (or multiple smaller balls) coat it with oil, wrap tightly in plastic wrap then place in a freezer bag. When you are ready to use the dough, simply place it on the counter for one hour prior to use. The dough should be at room temperature before you begin to stretch it into shape.
8. Once you stretch the dough into shape, place it on a perforated pizza pan coated with non-stick spray and a light dusting of cornmeal. Bake in a preheated (completely preheated, no short cuts here) oven at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are brown and crispy. Making sure the oven is well heated before hand will ensure that the bottom cooks and gets nice and crispy.