Spinach Lasagna

I’ve always loved lasagna – especially spinach lasagna with lots of ricotta cheese.  Thankfully, since becoming vegan I’ve discovered that tofu can be transformed into a delicious ricotta, and Vegan Gourmet mozzarella works perfectly to top everything off!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz oven-ready lasagna noodles*, or 12 prepared noodles
• Tofu Ricotta:
  • 1 lb firm or extra firm tofu, drained
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 lb frozen spinach, thawed
• Easy tomato sauce:
  • 14-oz can diced tomatoes
  • 6-oz can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup (or other sweetener)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 8 oz shredded vegan mozarella cheese, such as Vegan Gourmet (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix together tomato sauce ingredients in a pan, and simmer on low heat as you prepare other ingredients.   In a food processor, combine tofu ricotta ingredients and process until a semi-smooth yet grainy consistency is achieved (similar to dairy ricotta).  Transfer ricotta to a large bowl and fold in the thawed spinach.

Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.  Layer 3 of the lasagna noodles over the bottom of the pan.  Spoon 1/3 of the spinach-ricotta mixture over noodles, and spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the top.  Repeat twice more with noodles, ricotta, and sauce.  Layer the final 3 noodles over the dish, and spread with remaining tomato sauce.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle grated vegan cheese over the top, cover again, and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese has browned.

Allow lasagna to set for 5 minutes at room temperature before serving.  Enjoy!

* I used Ronzoni Oven Ready Lasagna noodles in this dish.

Creamy Hummus

Hummus is a delicious and nutritious dip/spread that has become a staple in our vegan diet! My kids love dipping everything from carrot sticks to tomatoes to chips in it. It is also a great sandwich filling. Store bought hummus, while tasty, is so overpriced, and the homemade version is a snap to prepare! Every vegan cook needs a good, standby hummus recipe. This is my basic recipe, but it can be spiced up in many ways! For example, I like to roast a red pepper or a bulb of garlic and add it to the hummus. Sometimes I’ll make a big batch of this basic hummus and then divide it up and make several variations! Have fun and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans*
• 1/3 cup roasted sesame tahini
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 – 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup water, as needed
• more olive oil for drizzling

Preparation:

Place all ingredients except water into a food processor, and process briefly. Add 1/4 cup water and process again, scraping down sides occasionally. You may need to add more water to reach your desired consistency. Process very thoroughly, at least 1-2 minutes, for a smooth and creamy hummus. Chill, if desired. Grind a bit more black pepper over the top, and drizzle some additional olive oil on the hummus to serve. Enjoy with pita bread, pita chips, corn chips, and/or fresh cut veggies!

* To cook chickpeas, simply soak 1 cup dry chickpeas for 6+ hours (or overnight), drain, and rinse. Place them in a pan covered with a liberal amount of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours. Yields 2 cups cooked. Canned chickpeas can also be used in this recipe, 1 14-oz can is about 2 cups.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Twice-baked potatoes are the perfect combination of creamy mashed potatoes and hearty baked potatoes – the marriage of comfort food and elegance! Potatoes are an excellent source of potassium and iron, and contain a respectable amount of protein, fiber, and vitamin C as well. So dig in!

Ingredients:

• 3 – 4 baking potatoes
• 1/2 cup vegan sour cream, homemade or storebought *
• 1 – 2 Tbsp soy milk
• 2 Tbsp finely sliced green onions, green part only
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, or “yellow spice” **
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wash baking potatoes and prick all over with a fork. Wrap each potato in foil and bake right on the oven rack, 40 – 60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Take them out when they are slightly underbaked.

Unwrap potatoes. Let stand about 10 minutes. Cut a lengthwise slice off of each potato, and discard (or eat it, like I do!). Scoop pulp out of each potato into a large bowl, leaving about 1/2 inch of pulp on bottom and sides.

Mash the potato pulp with a potato masher or an electric mixer on low speed. Add vegan sour cream, green onions, yellow spice, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Add as much soymilk as needed for desired consistency. Spoon mashed potato mixture back into potato shells. Sprinkle tops of potatoes with additional yellow spice and black pepper, if desired.

Bake potatoes for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Enjoy!

* Tofutti Sour Supreme or Better Than Sour Cream are increasingly available at many supermakets and health food stores (buy the Better Than Sour Cream if you can, it does not contain hydrogenated oils). However, making your own vegan sour cream is easy! Simply place a package of Mori-Nu firm silken tofu into a food processor, add 3 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp canola oil, 1/2 Tbsp agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener), and 1/2 tsp salt, and blend until smooth and creamy.

** “Yellow Spice” is a staple in my house! Place 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes into a coffee grinder or spice grinder, add 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend to a powdery consistency. We sprinkle this on many foods, kind of as a Parmesan cheese substitute. It’s a nice way to get a little extra Vitamin B-12, and it tastes yummy!

A Balanced Meal

Many people might wonder what a healthy vegan meal looks like. When I plan meals for my family, I try to keep the vegan four food groups in mind: fruits, vegetables, beans/nuts, and whole grains. For example, breakfast could be cereal (whole grains) with soymilk (beans), walnuts (nuts) and raisins (fruit). Lunch might be an avocado, tomato, and lettuce sandwhich (vegetables, whole grains) and a peach (fruit). Snack might be some soy yogurt (beans), toast with peanut butter (whole grains, nuts), and/or more fruit. And a balanced dinner might be like the one pictured above: Chickpea Ratatouille (beans, vegetables) over a bed of quinoa (whole grains) and a side of zucchini and summer squash (more vegetables). If you want the recipe for this delicious Chickpea Ratatouille, go out and buy Dreena Burton’s fabulous cookbook, Vive Le Vegan!

As long as you keep enough variety in your diet (hint: eat fruits and vegetables in season!), then you should have all your nutritional bases covered.

However, there are a couple of nutrients that vegans should be aware of:

• Vitamin B-12: Vegan sources of this important vitamin include fortified soymilk (check the label), Red Star Nutritional Yeast (again, check the label), and some cereals (did I mention check the label?) Make sure that you eat at least one of these foods regularly, or take a supplement. Personally, I drink fortified soymilk every day, and enjoy nutritional yeast in a variety of dishes.
• Calcium: Good sources of calcium include tofu, nuts and seeds, blackstrap molasses, dried figs, and green leafy vegetables such as kale and collard greens. Spinach is high in oxalic acid which binds to the calcium and makes it difficult for the body to absorb. Many vegans choose to drink a calcium-fortified soymilk, rice milk, or nut milk in order to ensure adequate calcium intake.
• Iron: Vegan sources of iron include beans (all types), whole grains, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and dried fruit. Foods that are rich in vitamin C can enhance the body’s ability to absorb iron from plant sources.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A lot of people eat fish to obtain these healthy fats, but there are some great plant sources as well! Nuts and seeds are fantastic sources, especially walnuts, flaxseed, and hempseed. I like to add walnuts to oatmeal or dry cereal, and add flaxseed to smoothies.

And in case you were worried about protein intake, rest easy. Studies have shown that most vegetarians and vegans actually get more protein than they need! Most meat-eaters get as much as 3 times the required amount. If you are eating enough food, and have a little variety in your diet, you are probably getting plenty of protein.

For more detailed information about vegan nutrition, the Vegan Society is a wonderful source of information!

Double Cornbread

If you like cornbread that’s a little bit sweet and very moist, this recipe is for you! I often serve this with a hearty soup, such as split pea soup, lentil soup, or vegan chili. If you prefer a smooth cornbread without corn kernels (or you don’t have any on hand), feel free to omit them – it will be delicious either way!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
• 1/4 cup natural sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup plain soymilk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer powder mixed with 2 Tbsp warm water *
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease or oil 8 x 8 inch baking pan, and set aside.

Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. In a seperate bowl, combine Ener-G egg replacer and warm water, then mix in oil and soymilk. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stir until just mixed. Gently fold in frozen corn kernels, and pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 22 – 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

* Ener-G Egg Replacer powder is a thickening agent made from potato and other starches, and can be found in most health food stores. It can also be found at many mainstream supermarkets such as Fred Myer and QFC. It may seem expensive at $5.00 or more per box, but one box lasts a very long time, and is a handy addition to any vegan kitchen!

Sauteed Kale

Kale is abundant this time of year, and it is oh-so healthy! It is chock full of vitamin A, and has respectable amounts of calcium, iron, protein, potassium, and vitamin C. Not to mention all the phyto-nutrients in that dark green pigment! When I first tried to cook kale, I just steamed it and served it plain, and wasn’t impressed. After some trial and error, I’ve happened on the following way to cook kale – sauteed, and tossed with toasted pine nuts and raisins. Pine nuts make any dish taste delicious, and I especially like the way the sweet raisins contrast with the strong flavor of the kale. Enjoy this one often!

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
• 1 large bunch raw kale, de-stemmed and chopped *
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted **
• 1/4 cup raisins
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sautee for about one minute. Add kale and sautee until it looks bright green all the way through (about 5 minutes). If your pan is small you may need to add kale in batches, as it will shrink as it cooks. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts and raisins. Salt and pepper to taset, and serve immediately.

* To easily remove the stems of kale, simply hold kale by the stem (stem facing you), and push the leafy portion down the stem with your other thumb and fingers.

** To toast raw pine nuts, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes. You will want to check these frequently as pine nuts will burn in an instant! I recommend toasting them as your first step and having them set aside before you begin cooking the rest of your meal. It is just too easy to burn them when you are distracted with whatever else you might be cooking!