Vegan Crockpot Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 container soft (silken) tofu
1 container firm or extra firm tofu
1/4 cup soy milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp. salt
2 - 10 oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed and patted dry
4 cups tomato sauce (I used more)
1- 10 oz. box lasagna noodles

Preparation:
1. In food processor or blender (I used Vitamix), combine the two kinds of tofu, non-dairy milk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil, and salt.  Process until smooth.
2. Add spinach to mixture.
3. Place about a cup of tomato sauce in bottom of crockpot.
4. Place 1/3 of noodles on top of sauce and 1/3 of tofu/spinach mixture on top of noodles.
5. Repeat layers, being sure to end with sauce on top.
6. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until noodles are soft.

Makes 6 servings

NOTE:  The first time I made this it looked like a disaster, but it turned out very good!

Tuscan White Bean Soup

1 pound white navy beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, white and tender green parts, cleaned well and chopped
1/2 onion, diced
5 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups water
5 teaspoons vegetable base (such as Better than Bouillon brand), or bouillon cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
minced fresh rosemary, lemon wedges, and grated fresh parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Sort the beans and place them in a medium heavy pot.  Add enough water to cover the beans by two inches.  Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.  Turn off the heat and let the beans sit for 1 hour.  Drain and rinse the beans; set aside. 

In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the leeks and onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add the celery, carrots, and garlic and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring often.  Add the beans and water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  Add the vegetable base, rosemary, and pepper, and cook for 40 minutes more, until the beans are soft. 

Carefully transfer 3 cups of the soup to a blender.  Puree and return to the pot.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Sprinkle each bowl with a pinch of extra rosemary and serve with a lemon wedge. 

Roastless Pot Roast

From: The Protective Diet web site (www.protectivediet.com)

Ingredients:

•1 large onion sliced

•1 box – 4 cups vegetable broth

•2 Tablespoons Tamari

•1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

•Fresh ground black pepper to taste

•3 Tablespoons cornstarch + 3/4 cup water

•8-10 small potatoes cut in half or 4-5 large potatoes cut in quarters

•3-4 large carrots cut into 2 inch pieces

•1 red bell pepper cut into large pieces

•1 rib of celery cut into 2 inch pieces

•1 cup of fresh parsley chopped

I also add garlic, shitake mushrooms, and kidney beans

 

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2.Using an oven safe pan like Corning Ware, Cast Iron Dutch Oven shown above or stainless steel with a lid.  On the stove top add onions to a dry pan and cook on high until golden brown

3.When browning is achieved immediately add vegetable broth to stop the browning process before burning begins

4.Stir to incorporate browning from pan into the broth

5.Add Tamari and poultry seasoning

6.Continue heating broth until it comes to a boil

7.Dissolve cornstarch into 3/4 cup of water and whisk into boiling broth

8.Broth should thicken within one minute

9.Remove from heat and add potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, celery and parsley

10.Stir to coat all the vegetables with gravy,  some of the vegetables will be sticking out of the gravy.

11.Cover baking dish and bake for approximately 1 hour or until potatoes are tender

 

Notes:

 This recipe is best suited for oven roasting. The use of a slow cooker or pressure cooker will steam instead of roast the veggies and won’t have the flavor of a Pot “Roast”

Place a baking sheet under the pan to catch any gravy that may bubble over when roasting. It will save you from having to clean your oven.

Chickpea Noodle Soup

Crunchy Spiced Chickpeas

 16 oz. chickpeas, rinsed

 2 t. olive oil (optional...can use vegetable broth)
 2 t. onion powder
 1 t. garlic granules
 1 t. thyme
 1/2 t. rosemary
 Salt and pepper to taste

Soup

 7 oz. gluten-free or regular linguine noodles, broken in half and cooked according to package instructions
 1 T. olive oil or 1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
 1 yellow onion, diced
 2 carrots, peeled and diced
 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
 2 celery stalks, diced
 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, minced
 1 T. low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
 1 T. dill
 1 T. thyme
 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
 1/2 cup curly parsley, chopped
 Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet (with raised edges so the chickpeas don’t roll off) or another long, flat pan with parchment paper. Spread the chickpeas on the pan and bake for 20 minutes, remembering to move them with a spatula every five minutes to prevent burning.

After 20 minutes, lower the heat to 375 degrees, and place the chickpeas in a bowl and toss with the oil and spices. Return them to the same baking sheet and cook for 15 more minutes. Once out of the oven, put them back in the bowl to prevent further cooking.

 Meanwhile, start your soup. Start a large pot of water to boil and cook the linguine according to the directions.

 Heat the olive oil or vegetable stock on medium-high in a large sauté pan; add the onion, carrots and parsnips for four - five minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add the celery, garlic, tamari and spices and sauté for five more minutes. Transfer to a soup pot, add the broth and cook on medium-low until the soup is heated through. Season as you like with salt and pepper.

On the bottom of each bowl, put some strained noodles, then the soup on top of that, sprinkle on the chickpeas and garnish with parsley. Enjoy!  (I put the noodles, chickpeas, and parsley all in the pot and it worked just fine.)

Note to self:  DOUBLE this recipe as it always goes quickly.

http://www.veganstreet.com/chickpeanoodlesoup.html

 

Jambalaya

 

 I had this recipe at a potluck and it was a hit.  Here are the instructions I received. The original recipe's link is at the bottom of the page.  This makes a lot so you can half it if you need to:

• two  28oz cans diced tomatoes
• two 14oz can red beans or kidney beans
• 2-3 lbs frozen vegetables: corn, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash (equal parts) (I used fresh zucchini and yellow squash but you can use frozen if you want)
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (I don't like spicy things so I used 1/4 tsp. and let everyone else add extra into their own bowl) (the original recipe calls for Cajun seasoning, which I didn't have when I made it...still yummy!)
• brown rice

While rice is cooking, combine all of the other ingredients in a pot and heat.  I let it simmer for about 15-30 minutes. 

When rice is done, place in a bowl and serve tomato vegetable mix on top.

  Link to original recipe:  http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe_details.asp?nutrition_id=48249256

Mamo's butternut squash soup

3 squash peel and cube
1 onion, chopped
Sauté onion about 5 min.
Add garlic
1 tsp. cinnamon or nutmeg or both
Add squash and 4 cups veggie broth
Cook on high until it boils
Simmer 25 min.
Purée in processor
Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Add salt and pepper to taste

Potato Leek Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1 large leek
4 cups (1-1/3 pounds) red potatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat.
2. Finely chop onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
3. Cut leek into thin slices, from the base to about halfway up the leaves. Chop the potatoes into small pieces.
4. Once the onions have sautéed, add potatoes, leek, broth, and pepper to the saucepan.
5. Bring to boil and then simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
6. Mash up the potatoes a bit with a fork or by slicing through with a knife before serving.


Prep: 5 minutes (this takes longer for me...guess I'm a slow chopper!)
Cooking: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 cups

From Eating Gluten Free by Shreve Stockton