Salad & Salad Dressing
Serves 10
Ingredients
•Three 8-ounce heads of lettuce
•One pint cherry tomatoes
•4 ounces shredded carrot
•4 ounces shredded red cabbage
•One 8-ounce clamshell of microgreens
•3 ounces sliced cucumber
•2-3 ounces shaved fennel
Preparation
Herb Vinaigrette
Serves 15 with 2 cups of dressing
Ingredients
•1 cup olive oil
•2.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
•3 tablespoons maple syrup
•1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
•2 cloves minced garlic
•4 tablespoons mixed herbs (optional – mix of basil, oregano, dill, thyme, parsley)
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon pepper
Honey Mint Dressing
Serves 12 with 1.5 cups of dressing
Ingredients
•1/4 cup champagne vinegar
•6 tablespoons fresh mint
•2 tablespoons honey
•1 cup olive oil
•Salt & pepper
For both dressings: mix all of the ingredients well in a blender or food processor to emulsify the olive oil.
Garlic Mushroom Topping
Serves 12
Ingredients
•32 ounces of mushrooms – washed and dried
•3 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)
•9 cloves garlic
•18 sprigs of thyme
•3/4 teaspoon salt
•3/4 teaspoon pepper
•3 tablespoons finely chopped flatleaf parsley, as garnish
Preparation
1. Heat the pan over a medium high heat. Add oil. Add the mushrooms and cook for a minute or two. They should brown quite quickly.
2. Once the mushrooms are almost done add in the thyme and the garlic, cook for a minute or two. Season the mushrooms with the salt and pepper to your own taste.
Note:
To accommodate the large amount of mushrooms, split the recipe into three divisions so the mushrooms will cook evenly.
Vegan Sunflower Spread
Makes approx. 12, 2-tablespoon servings
Ingredients
•1 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
•1/4 – 1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
•3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
•Juice of 1 lemon
•1 tablespoon cider vinegar
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Preparation
1. Soak sunflower seeds in just enough water to cover, for a minimum of 1 hour.
2. Drain seeds and place in a hi-speed blender or food processor.
3. Add yeast, lemon, vinegar, salt, and paprika.
4. Blend in 1/4 cup plant milk, adding 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
5. Chill before serving.
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
•6 red peppers
•1 small onion
•2 – 4 garlic cloves, minced
•1 cup veggie stock
•1 teaspoon salt
•1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
•2 tablespoons of olive oil for cooking and drizzling
•Fresh thyme for the sauté and as a topping
Preparation
1. Remove the stem and cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds; rub with olive oil.
2. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes on both sides, until they are blackened slightly, set aside.
3. Sauté the onion for a few moments before adding the garlic; then add the paprika, salt, and some of the thyme.
4. Add the stock, bring to a quick boil then turn down to simmer.
5. Add in the roasted peppers; then, using an immersion blender, create a creamy consistency.
6. Serve in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and a few sprinkles of fresh thyme.
Pasta Primavera Cream Sauce
Serves 8
Ingredients
•4 garlic cloves, chopped
•Zest of 1 lemon
•Dash crushed red pepper flakes
•1 cup heavy cream
•4 tablespoons of butter
•1/2 cup parmesan cheese
•Salt
•White pepper
Preparation
1. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest with the heavy cream.
2. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Cook until sauce becomes bubbly.
3. Spoon onto hot pasta!
Creamy Vegan Polenta
Serves 4
Ingredients
•4 cups water
•3/4 teaspoon salt
•1 cup polenta (sometimes called corn grits)
•2 – 3 tablespoons vegan butter
(olive oil works well also)
Preparation
1. In medium saucepan, bring water to a boil; add salt, stir to dissolve.
2. Slowly whisk in polenta, stirring to avoid lumps from forming.
3. Continue to whisk for 2 minutes at a higher heat so you see gently bubbling but not a full boil, then turn to simmer, cover pot with a lid.
4. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent sticking to the pot, and to see if more water should be added.
5. After 30 minutes, test the polenta; it should be soft but not grainy; if you prefer a thicker texture allow another 10 minutes of cooking.
6. Turn off heat, stir in vegan butter or olive oil.
To bake into polenta “toast”
1. Pour cooked polenta into a baking dish lined with parchment paper.
2. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
3. Allow to cool, slice into “toast”.
4. Sauté in an oiled pan for additional crispiness or place “toast” under the broiler.
Tomato-Basil Pasta Sauce
Serves 6
Ingredients
•1/2 cup olive oil or butter
•4 garlic cloves, minced
•5 large tomatoes, chopped
•1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Preparation
1. Heat the oil or butter in a large sauté pan, add everything else in.
2. Cook down until tomatoes become soft, approximately 15 minutes (no lid is required on your pan).
3. Serve over pasta, topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Garlicky Greens
Serves 6 as a side dish
Ingredients
•3 bunches of either chard, kale, collard greens, or spinach (or a combination)
•6 cloves of garlic, chopped
•Olive oil or Coconut oil
•Fresh lemon juice
•Pinch of salt
Preparation
1. Heat the oil on a medium flame.
2. Add the garlic, then the greens, sprinkle the salt on top.
3. Mix well. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are just wilted.
4. Mix in a smidge of lemon juice, and remove from heat.
Roasted Peaches with Honey-Mascarpone
Serves 5 – 10
Ingredients
•5 peaches, halved and pitted
•3 tablespoons sliced walnuts, toasted (or almonds,
pecans, pistachios)
•1 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
•3 tablespoons honey
•1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
•1/4 teaspoon cardamom
•One small lemon, zested and juiced
•3 tablespoons coconut oil, softened to room temp
•Pinch of black pepper
•1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation
1. Wisk the mascarpone, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Scoop out a wee bit of peach flesh to create a space into which the cheese will rest. Make a puddle of the coconut oil, honey, and black pepper on your baking pan. With your fingers, gently rub both sides of each peach half with that mixture. Arrange the peaches in the dish, skin-side down.
4. Cook until tender, 10 – 20 minutes, depending on size and ripeness of the peach. Remove the peaches from the oven and let them cool just slightly.
5. While the peaches are cooking, toast the nuts on the stove-top, stirring occasionally, until light brown, about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the nuts to make sure they don’t burn.
6. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mascarpone cheese mix into the center of each peach half. Drizzle each peach with honey and then sprinkle the toasted nuts over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
