Eggplant Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants
• 1.5 medium zucchini
• 2 cups pasta sauce
• 1 15-oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup spinach (or more)
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• sea salt, to taste
• vegan Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.  Peel the eggplants and cut into 1/4-inch slices.  Lay on a lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or until shrivelled.
2. While the eggplant is baking, thinly slice the zucchini and set aside.
3. In a food processor, combine all other ingredients, except for Parmesan cheese, until smooth.  Set aside.
4. Once everything is prepared, lower oven temperature to 425F.  Grease a rectangular casserole dish with non-stick spray.
5. Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the dish.
6. Arrange 1/3 of the eggplant slices over the sauce.
7. Spread 1/2 the bean mixture over the eggplant.
8. Put half the zucchini on top.
9. Add a layer of sauce.  Repeat eggplant, bean mixture, zucchini, and sauce.
10. Place the final layer of eggplant on top and pour the remaining sauce evenly over top, spreading with a spoon.
11. Bake for about 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes before garnishing with vegan Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serving.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Recipe from http://ohsheglows.com/2010/10/25/layered-eggplant-and-zucchini-casserole/

Based on 6 servings, each serving yields approximately 240 calories and 12g protein.

Vodka Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes plus juice
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 cup canned coconut milk

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the garlic and onion over medium heat until golden brown.
2. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until the onions are translucent.
3. Stir in the other ingredients (except the coconut milk) and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until you can no longer taste the vodka, stirring often.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk.

Add this sauce to your favorite pasta.

Seitan Bourguignon

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 (1/2 pound) packages traditional-flavored seitan, broken into bite-size pieces
• 4 shallots, minced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 (750 mL) bottle pinot noir
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 15 pearl onions, fresh or frozen, peeled
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance (or other vegan butter)
• sal and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add seitan and cook, stirring, until seitan is browned and caramelized on all sides.
2. Reduce heat and add shallots, carrots, and garlic; cook for 3 minutes, while stirring.
3. Stir in tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes, while stirring.
4. Transfer seitan mixture to a large saucepan.  Add wine and enough stock to just cover the seitan mixture.  Add parsley, bay leaf, thyme, and pearl onions; cover and bring to a simmer until vegetables are tender.
5. Transfer to a large serving bowl and set aside.
6. In a small bowl, mix together flour and Earth Balance.  Add flour mixture to saucepan, stirring until well combined.  Let sauce simmer, uncovered, until it reaches a gravy-like consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.
7. Pour sauce over the seitan in the serving bowl.  Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve.

Makes 4-5 servings.

Leek and Sweet Potato Bisque

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
• 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only
• 6 cups almond milk, divided
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Directions:

1. Wash sweet potatoes and poke each a few times with a knife.
2. Wrap each potato in foil and bake at 350F for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until tender.  Alternatively, you can cut each sweet potato in half and arrange in a single layer in a large microwave-safe casserole dish.  Add a thin layer of water to the bottom, cover, and microwave for 16-18 minutes, or until tender, turning them over halfway through cooking.  
3. While sweet potatoes are cooking, cut the base and green top off each leek.  Slice the leeks lengthwise and rinse throughly.  Then, slice leeks across the grain into half-inch semicircles.
4. In a large pot over medium heat, cook leeks, covered, for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.  If leeks begin to stick, add a little water.
5. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking leeks, covered, for another 20 minutes.  Stir every 2-3 minutes and add a little water (1-2 tbsp) as needed to prevent sticking.
6. Remove pot from the heat and scoop flesh from sweet potatoes (no skin) into the pot with the leeks.
7. Add 4 cups almond milk, salt, nutmeg, and ginger to the pot. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender.  Add the other 2 cups of almond milk and stir.
8. Warm over low heat if needed, stirring continuously.  Serve hot with a sprinkle of nutmeg, if desired.

Prep time: 50 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Golden Cheddar Potatoes

Ingredients:

Cheese Sauce:

• 3 cups almond milk
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp Earth Balance (or other vegan butter)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp vegetable stock

Roast Potatoes:

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large quarter sized pieces
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• salt, to taste
• Optional: paprika and rosemary, to garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 440F.
2. Arrange potatoes and onions in a 13" x 9" baking pan.  Pour on the oil and water, and season with salt.  Bake for an hour in the oven, or until the potatoes are golden, stirring halfway through baking time.
3. Meanwhile, prepare cheese sauce.  Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium pot and whisk continuously together over medium heat until a thick consistency forms.  Lower the heat, and continue to cook for another minute or so.
4. Once potatoes are golden, pour the cheese sauce on top of the potatoes, making sure to allow some of the potatoes to show through by pouring the sauce around the edges first, then the top.
5. Place in the oven for another 20 minutes, or until a skin is formed.
6. Garnish with paprika and rosemary, if desired.

Seitan Mushroom Roast

Ingredients:

Dry ingredients:

• 2 cups vital wheat gluten flour
• 2/3 cup chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour)
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Wet ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz package sliced bella mushrooms
• 1 2/3 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp liquid smoke

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  Set aside.
3. In a food processor, pulse garlic cloves a few times then add the mushrooms.  Pulse until the mushrooms are small pieces, about 1/4 inch.  
4. Pour the mushrooms and garlic into a small bowl and add the other wet ingredients.  Mix to combine.
5. Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to mix them together as much as possible.  Once the mixture is very thick, use your hands to knead the dough until it forms a ball.
6. Set out 2 pieces of aluminum foil, about 16-18 inches long, on a baking sheet.  Lay them out so that one overlaps the other, horizontally, by about 5-6 inches.  Lightly spray the foil with non-stick spray.  Place the dough ball onto the foil and use your hand to roll it into a log shape, about 12-13 inches long.
7. Fold each side of the foil over the top of the long until it is tightly wrapped.  Fold over the ends so the roast is tightly sealed.
8. Bake in the oven for 60-70 minutes, rotating the roast 3-4 times while cooking to ensure that it cooks evenly.  After 60-70 minutes, use a fork to test if the roast is done.  It will be done when it feels firm.  Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

I recommend serving this with a mushroom gravy.

Recipe source: http://keepinitkind.com/seitan-mushroom-roast-2/

Savory Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cartons organic vegetable broth
• 2 cups onion, chopped*
• 1 cup celery, thinly sliced*
• 1 cup leeks, chopped*
• 5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• Optional: 1 cup green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Add broth, onion, celery, leeks, mushrooms, soy sauce, salt, and sesame oil to a large pot.  Cook on medium-high for 10 minutes, or until boiling.
2. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl.  Stir mixture into soup.
3. Cook 3-4 minutes until soup is slightly thickened.  If desired, garnish with green onions.

*These ingredients can be bought pre-chopped from Wegmans.

Makes: 11 cups

Total Time: 20 minutes

Calories: 70 per serving

Recipe source: Wegmans