Hoisin-Glazed Tempeh with Green Beans and Cashews

Asian dishes tend to be high in sodium, so we altered this recipe and it is delicious! Use low sodium hoisin sauce (like Premier Japan Organic Wheat-free), low sodium rice vinegar (Marukan Organic) and balsamic vinegar instead of soy sauce.

Serve over brown rice or your favorite noodles (try soba noodles)!

4 t hoisin sauce

2 - 1/2 t rice vinegar, divided

1 T low sodium soy sauce, balsamic vinegar OR liquid aminos

1 t cornstarch

1 T canola oil

1 - 1/2 T fresh ginger, minced (or 1 t ground ginger)

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 t)

1 - 8 oz package of tempeh, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 - 12 oz package of frozen whole baby green beans (or can use fresh)

1/3 c roasted, unsalted cashews

Whisk together hoisin sauce, 2 t rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and 1/2 c water in a small bowl. Set aside. *If you want a lot of sauce for your rice or noodles, double the sauce recipe!

Heat skillet or wok over medium heat. Add oil, then ginger and garlic. Stir fry 1-2 minutes or until garlic turns pale gold.

Add tempeh and hoisin sauce mixture to the pan. Stir to coat the tempeh. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 2 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.

Stir in green beans. Cover and simmer at least 10 minutes more or until beans are hot and fork tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/2 t rice wine vinegar. Serve topped with cashews.

"Guiltless" Gravy

Whip up a batch of Grandma Beth's Cloud Biscuits and have your gravy too! Guiltless because there are no meat juices adding fat! This gravy is yummy and will satisfy even your most skeptical eaters!

1/2 c flour (your choice)

1/2 c nutritional yeast (gives it a "cheese-like" flavor)

2 T canola oil

4 c soy milk, almond OR rice milk, OR 2 c soy, almond OR rice milk and 2 c vegetable broth

1 T soy sauce (balsamic vinegar or liquid aminos for low sodium)

3 t poultry seasoning OR sage

2 t onion powder

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t fresh cracked black pepper

Heat the flour and nutritional yeast in the oil until it starts to brown. Whisk in soy milk, leaving no lumps. Whisk in the soy sauce, poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper. Heat until it thickens and just starts to boil.

Serve over hot biscuits or Vegan mashed potatoes!

Makes 4 - 1/2 cups

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The most famous cookie of all! They will disappear and you will know why everyone is :)

3/4 c Vegan cane sugar

3/4 c Vegan dark brown sugar

1 c "Earth Balance" buttery sticks or spread (try the soy free version)

1 t vanilla

1/3 c applesauce (egg replacement)

2 - 1/4 c unbleached flour

1 t baking powder

1 - 1/2 c Vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl or food processor, combine sugars, "Earth balance" buttery spread or sticks, vanilla and applesauce. Add flour and baking powder. Stir until the dough begins to stiffen. Add chocolate chips (if using a food processor, stop using and stir in chips by hand).

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake in a 370 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until light brown.

Makes approximately 36 cookies

German Potato Pancakes

With German heritage on both sides of the family it is only fitting that we include German Potato Pancakes. Fry them until crisp and top with applesauce and Vegan sour cream! Include a side of Vegan "Gimme Lean" sausage patties and you have a complete meal, yum!

Makes 6 servings

*We are always baking extra potatoes, this recipe is even better if you use grated leftover baked potatoes

2 large baking potatoes

1 medium onion, chopped

2 egg substitute (Ener-G egg replacer, 1 1/2 t Ener-G to 2 T warm water is equivalent to 1 egg)

2 T parsley, chopped (or 1 t dried parsley)

2 T unbleached flour

2 T bread crumbs

1/2 t dried thyme

2 fresh squeezed lemons

Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Canola oil for frying

In a food processor, grate the potato and onion. Squeeze out the excess liquid (if using raw potatoes) and place in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the egg substitute, parsley, flour, bread crumbs, thyme, lemon juice and pepper. Mix into potato-onion mixture. Add 1/2 c oil to a frying pan and heat to medium high. Place approx. 1/2 c of the potato mixture to the oil and flatten into a thick pancake. Turn heat down to medium and cook for approx. 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Continue to make pancakes until mixture is gone, add more oil if needed.

*Applesauce and Vegan sour cream for the toppings

Sweet'n Sour Roasted Pineapple and Red Bell Peppers (Gluten Free)

Looking for something really simple and satisfying, this will do it! This can be used as a side dish, or complete meal served over steamed brown rice (add a meat alternative if you like, but good just as it is).

Makes 5 - 6 servings.

3 c fresh pineapple, cubed or 24 oz can of pineapple chunks

1 red bell pepper, cubed or sliced

1 medium red or white onion, cut into thin wedges

1 T toasted sesame oil

1 T canola oil

1 T Vegan dark brown sugar

1 T shredded or flaked coconut (optional, but yummy)

1 T fresh squeezed lime juice

Arrange pineapple, red bell pepper and onions on a baking sheet lined with foil for easy clean-up! Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and canola oil, sprinkle with Vegan dark brown sugar, season with fresh cracked black pepper and toss to coat.

In a 400 degree oven roast pineapple mixture approx. 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Remove from oven, sprinkle with coconut and drizzle with lime juice. Can be served hot or at room temperature.

*Pineapple juice, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar and lime juice make a nice marinade for our Kickin' Kebob's (watch for our recipe on 1/16/11)!

Serve over a bed of steamed brown rice.

Mac and Cheese Please!

Everyone loves macaroni and cheese, it is true "comfort food". Amy was the pickiest eater growing up, she lived on macaroni and cheese. This dish is quick and satisfying! Serve it alone or as a side dish. If you want to make it more hearty add cooked vegetables like broccoli and meatless ground crumbled.

Serves 4

5 c water, divided

3/4 c nutritional yeast

1/4 c pine nuts OR cashews

2 t onion powder

1 t garlic powder

1 T parsley

1 t fresh cracked black pepper

1 T soy sauce (balsamic vinegar or liquid aminos for low sodium)

1 c uncooked pasta (or 2 c if you like it drier)

3 T olive oil

1/4 c unbleached flour

3/4 c breadcrumbs (Whole Foods Market 365 brand whole wheat breadcrumbs 0 mg sodium)

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and cook pasta (cook until al dente, it will continue to cook in the oven). While pasta is boiling, in a food processor or blender, combine nutritional yeast, pine nuts, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley and black pepper until smooth. Add remaining 1 c water and soy sauce and blend.

In a large pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add flour and stir constantly to remove lumps. Pour in the blended mixture and stir until desired consistency. Remove from heat.

Strain cooked pasta and pour into the pan of cheesy sauce. Transfer into a oven-safe baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs.

*If you like a lot of sauce, go by the recipe. If you like it drier, then add 1 c more dry pasta.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly in a 400 degree oven.

Sir Paul McCartney's Vegan Enchiladas

"When I see bacon, I see a pig, I see a little friend, and that's why I can't eat it. Simple as that."

"If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. ...It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty."

-Sir Paul McCartney

For the sauce:

1 c tomato sauce

1 c water

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 t chili powder

1/2 t ground cumin

1/2 t dried oregano

2 T cornstarch dissolved in 4 T water

For the filling:

1 lb (approximately 16 oz) firm tofu, drained and mashed

1 onion, chopped

1/2 t chili powder

1/4 t ground cumin

1/4 t garlic powder or 1 t fresh garlic, minced

1/4 t black pepper

1 - 1/3 c picante sauce (we use "Trader Joe's" Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa-No Salt added)

3 c steamed spinach

12 large flour tortillas or lavash wraps (lower in sodium)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all the sauce ingredients, except for the cornstarch, in a small saucepan and cook over low heat, covered for 20 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce thickens.

In the meantime, prepare the filling: Mix the tofu, onion, chili powder, cumin, garlic, pepper and picante sauce. Put some of the spinach in the middle of each tortilla, then add 3-4 heaping t of the tofu mixture , and roll up the tortillas. Lay the enchiladas in a baking dish, cover with sauce and bake for 20-25 minutes.

*We altered this recipe by placing refried beans on top of the steamed spinach, before the sauce. You could also serve beans and our Mexican Quinoa on the side. Top with Vegan sour cream and more picante sauce.

Makes 12 enchiladas

*You can buy Vegan sour cream (we like "Tofutti" brand in the blue and white tub, no butterfat and non-hydrogenated), but you can also make it from scratch!

1/2 lb (8 oz) tofu, patted dry

3 T canola oil

1 t maple syrup

Juice of 1 fresh squeezed lemon

Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.

"Veganized" Carrot Cake w/Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake is very moist, dense, sweet and quick to make! I made it for Amy's birthday before she left for New Zealand. It was a hit! I used a glass baking dish, but next time I might try my new Bundt pan, to make it more elegant!

- Vegan Mama Jodi

1 c "Earth Balance" sticks or spread, softened

2 cups of Vegan cane sugar (or you can use 1 c Vegan cane sugar and 1 c Vegan dark brown sugar)

1 T plus 1 1/2 t "Ener-G egg replacer

6 T water (1/3 c)

2 c unbleached flour

2 t ground cinnamon

2 t baking powder

2 t vanilla

1 c carrot, grated

1 c crushed pineapple, drained

1 c shredded coconut

1 c walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Oil and flour a baking dish or bundt pan (or you can make cupcakes), set aside. In a small deep cup or bowl, combine the "Ener-G egg replacer and water. Mix until frothy. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl using an electric mixer (you can use a food processor), combine the "Earth Balance" buttery spread or sticks and sugar until well mixed and creamy. Add the 'Ener-G egg replacer/water mixture and vanilla, blend well.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and add to wet ingredients. Stir until everything is mixed well. Add the grated carrot, crushed pineapple and stir. Fold in the nuts and coconut.

Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for approx. 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean (if using a 9 x 13 pan or baking cupcakes 50-55 minutes). Let cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 - 8 to 12 oz container of "Tofutti" non-hydrogenated Better Than Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 c "Earth balance" buttery spread or sticks, softened

1/2 to 1 c liquid or dry sweetener (liquid sweeteners, like agave nectar or maple syrup will make it more like a glaze, drizzled on. Using dry sweetener, like Vegan cane sugar, Vegan dark brown sugar or Vegan maple sugar spreads more like a regular frosting).

1 - 4 t soy, almond OR rice milk, if frosting is too thick to spread

1 t vanilla

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth and creamy. Spread or drizzle over cooled cake.

Amy's Mexican Stew

Amy is always cooking with "Adzuki" beans, she loves them! We didn't know what an "Adzuki" bean was until we started eating Vegan. When beans and lentils become a large part of our protein, different varieties become very important! Top with slices of avocado, a dollop of Vegan sour cream, salsa or pico de Gallo. Serve with tortilla chips or Chili Cornbread on the side!

3 T olive oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 bag of frozen butternut squash

1/2 bag frozen corn

1/2 bag frozen mixed bell peppers

2 - 32 oz tetra packs of low-sodium vegetable broth

1 jar of low sodium marinara (like Trader Joe's)

1/2 package meatless ground, crumbled

1 c cooked brown rice

3 c cooked "Adzuki" beans (or any choice of beans)

1 t crushed red pepper flakes (remember to ask for extra when ordering pizza!)

Fresh cracked black pepper and Mexican Seasoning to taste.

Saute olive oil, onions and meatless ground until onions are soft. Add all other ingredients and let simmer in a dutch oven or stock pot on top of the stove. The longer it simmers, the better it gets!