Weekend Fruit Bar

Avocado on the side for the main course

I love fruit; always have and always will. Since I always have fruit and enjoy having people stay over: breakfast is always needed and my favorite thing to impress them with is a colorful fruit spread. It's delicious, nutritious, and everyone can always find something that they like with the variety.







MY TIPS:
~Go seasonal with the fruit you use. It is less expensive and has a ton of flavor.
~Variety and color are key to making a dynamic spread
~Separate foods that run away. Things like blueberries go everywhere if you have them on the platter in higher amounts and become a hassle so portion out.
~Make the fruit manageable in size and if there are inedible parts, remove them before serving.

Fruit Ideas:

Apples ~ Berries ~ Pitted cherries ~ Kiwi ~ Grapes ~ Melon ~ Stone fruits ~ Something new?

Smoothie in a Jar

Stumbled upon this idea, tried it, and some how it worked! I love it since I can now portion my smoothies. I can't be the only one who goes to make a smoothie just for themselves and makes enough for two if not three people. These make for great customized and easy access breakfasts or snacks and are transportable.

These are super simple to put together too. Fill a small mouth mason jar with everything you want, cap and freeze. When you're ready to make the smoothie add vegan milk and blend. The base of most blenders should separate from the bowl and fit the jar.  Blending can take a while depending on how full the jar is and how good your blender is.







Tips and tricks:
~Don't fill too full. The milk needs to be able to go everywhere to aid in blending.
~Don't let the milk freeze. I don't know how I did it but it wasn't fun. I think the bottom was packed to tightly and wasn't being Incorporated well which allowed my milk to freeze next to the frozen greens.
~Yogurt drops work better than trying to add yogurt to the frozen jar. Simply lay out a lined sheet and make small drops of yogurt and freeze.

Beyond Burger!

It was all over the internet, the Beyond Burger. A vegan burger that mimicked actual hamburger meat. It sizzles, It drips and it tastes like meat. Or pretty darn close as verified by me, my carnist sister, and the rest of my family.


I've had it plain and as a LOADED burger.
Here's what we had loaded style. Spinach, sauteed onions, Sauteed mushroom, tomato, and avocado. Oh, and sweet potato fries on the side. By the end it was barely able to fit in my mouth but it was delicious!

Nadine's No Bake Chocolate Cookies

Long ago before she became a vegan Nadine made these cookies. I got the recipe from her and morphed it in to a vegan one my using non dairy milks. I like to make them when I want a simple chocolate cookie. They are super easy to make and aren't super crumby cookie so they are great for on the go.

2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 1/4 cup minute oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup grated coconut

Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in a 1 1/2 qt sauce pan. Add milk and bring to a simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and sample (see note below). Mix remaining ingredients. Drop spoonfuls on to lined cookie sheets and let set until firm and enjoy. Store in an air tight container.

Notes:
Only once has it ever happened to me but I have cooked it and then it turned in to a brick in the fridge There was no way to cut it and I had to throw it away and lost all of the ingredients. Remove a small sample of heated mixture and place on to a small piece of parchment paper. Place sample in the fridge to see if it remains soft after 10 minutes of longer. If hardened do not use the heated mixture, you will get hard cookies. If still soft continue making cookies.

Cooking with Nadine: Vegan Chik'n Pot Pie

  
Seeing as this is a meal most desired in the winter months, I am a little late to the game to discovering....Vegan Chik'n Pot Pie!

As I'm writing this, it's cooking in the oven and my mouth is absolutely watering! I tried a similar recipe before, but it was too soupy, the dough was too yeasty, and there was no flavor!
   But these ones, these one's I cannot stop taking a bite of the creamy, thick stew-y, flavorful filling! Plus, since I have extra filling, and since I usually have left overs: I totally make the left-overs into a Vegan Chik'n and Dumplings!

Best part? It's ready in an hour!


Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 package Quorn chik'n cutlets (or 4 Vegan chik'n cutlets of your choice), diced
1/3 cup non-chicken seasoning
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 package frozen vegetables (I prefer a mix of corn, carrots and peas)
1 package of 2 pre-made Vegan Crusts (or vegan crust of your choice)

Instructions:
Pre-heat your oven to 400°F

1) In a large pot, drizzle oil in pot and add diced onions. Turn stove onto medium-high heat and saute onions. Add garlic and diced Quorn Chik'n.
2) Add non-chicken seasoning and mix, then add flour and mix together with mixture in pot. When no flour sticks to the pot, add vegetable broth and whisk until combined. Add in bay leaves and other seasonings.
3) Let simmer for 10 minutes. Add in frozen vegetables and let simmer for 10 more minutes.
4) While mixture is simmering, prepare crusts in a 9-inch pie dish or in individual pie tins.
5) Once mixture is ready, scoop a cup of the mixture into the prepared pie dish. Place in oven for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy!

Customized Rice Bowls

Rice Bowls are one of my favorite things to make. There are so many things that can be added or subtracted to each person taste; making for a great get together meal option. Also, depending on what you put in it, can be taken to work or school with out worrying about refrigeration.

I haven't settled on a favorite sauce so I don't have and specific recommendations to give. Have fun building your bowl and adding flavors.



The rough order I follow to make my bowl is grain, protein, veggies, and extras. Some examples of what I use, but not everything is listed below.
Grain- rice, quinoa
Protein- beans, cooked tofu
Veggies- sauteed bell pepper, sauteed onion, roasted butternut squash,
Extras- avocado, sauces

Vegan Cooking with Nadine: General Tso Cauliflower

Sesame Tofu & General Tso Cauliflower

Well, I have a bit of a confession: I'm not a good fryer. I've worked in a deli and was never placed to actually fry the food... for a reason. But good news for those of you who are like me: this is pretty simple to make!

I first tried the cauliflower recipe a while back, and although it was my first attempt at frying food at home, it wasn't a failure at all! Which means it can't be too hard, right? It was good, but needed to be spiced up, so I added some the second time around.

A TIP for those who are just starting to fry or are not yet comfortable at frying food: don't add water to a pan of oil! THIS MEANS FIRE. If anyone has any tips for frying food (again, I am new to this), please comment below and leave how-to tips!

REMINDER: NEVER ADD WATER TO HOT OIL!!!

General Tso Cauliflower

For the sauce:

1 Tbs Canola oil
2 tsp ginger, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
5 dried red chili peppers (add more or less depending on how much spice you like)
1/2 Tbs Shaoxing wine (this is what gives it the flavor, try and buy the real thing)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 soy sauce
3 Tbs sugar
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbs cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon vegetable broth
2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally, optional

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce, hold the cornstarch mixture until ready to heat in saucepan. Don't combine before, otherwise the cauliflower will not get a good, thick coating. Directions continue below, after cauliflower has been fried.

For the Cauliflower:

1 head cauliflower
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 cup rice flour (It about $2.50/lb at the store)
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
3 cups of oil for frying (I prefer avocado, it gives me more flavor and has a higher burning temperature)

Pull apart the cauliflower into bite-size florets. In a large bowl, mix cornstarch, baking soda, salt, sesame oil, pepper, broth, and 3/4 cup of rice flour until a batter is formed. Toss the cauliflower in the batter until the cauliflower is coated. Toss the remaining rice flour in, until there's no longer batter on the edge of the bowl. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and toss again.

In a cast iron skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry the cauliflower, a few pieces at a time, until golden brown throughout, no more than 4 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, lined with paper towels to absorb the remaining oil left on cauliflower.

In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the sauce over medium-heat for 3 minutes. Turn the heat on low, letting the mixture simmer for a minute, or until the mixture resembles a thick sauce, like gravy.

In a separate bowl, combine the sauce and the cauliflower. Gently toss the cauliflower in the sauce until coated. Serve over rice and with other Chinese cuisine inspired sides.

Date Balls

After seeing pictures and recipes for date balls and having dates in my cupboard waiting for me I decided to meld a few together to create my own. It took two tries for me to land on this recipe as my favorite mash up. The requirements when I was looking for reference recipes: no coffee, ingredients I already have, nutritiously dense, few ingredients. After comparing recipes I came up with this a 5 ingredient and simple recipe. You can omit the coconut if you want but with the addition of coconut it reminds me of Samoas Girl Scout Cookies.

1 cup pitted dates (I use Madjool)
1 cup oats
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp flax meal
2 tbsp unsweetened coconut shreds


Place dates, oats, flax meal, and cocoa powder in a food processor and process together. It will eventually form a ball within the food processor which is perfect for shaping. Shape into balls, roll in coconut shreds and enjoy. Store in the fridge

Make ahead breakfasts

In the mornings it can be hard to get up early enough to make quality food. So here are some ideas for what to make the night before. The great thing is if you use the right container you can take it with you too.

 CHIA SEED PUDDING:
1 cup non dairy milk
2/3 cup chia seeds
Splash vanilla (optional)
Toppings

Mix together everything except the toppings and refrigerate. Wait at least 5 hours to eat. Top with desired toppings and enjoy.

OVERNIGHT OATS:
1 cup non dairy milk
1 cup oats
1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp peanut butter
Toppings
Mix everything together in to a container of your choosing. Refridgerate for at least 5 hours or overnight. Top and enjoy.



Notes:
Chia seed pudding: It is good to eat in a few hour (4-5) if desired. Also if it turns out too think of too runny change the amount of chia seeds as desired. The more chia seeds the thicker it becomes.
Overnight Oats: I made my first cup (pictured) in a peanut butter jar when only a little bit was left.

Vegan Baking with Nadine: Peaches and Cream Macaroons

Makes about 20

My recent discovery has been Aquafaba! Where do you find it in the grocery store though? Surprise! It's in your can of garbanzo beans (or chick peas) for about a dollar! Just drain the liquid into a separate bowl instead of washing it down the sink and save the beans/peas for another use!

With this relatively cheap and healthy alternative, imagine how many delicious recipes you can make? This opens up so many more options for vegan-friendly sweet treats! And if you've already succeeded in making macaroons, this should be a breeze! If you're newer or this is your first time, it's tedious, but so worth the treat in the end!

I highly recommend reading the instructions first!

If you omit the filling portion of the recipe, this is a basic recipe for vegan macaroons. Feel free to explore recipes and share in the comments!

Peaches and Cream Macaroons

Ingredients:
1 15 oz can of chickpea water (aquafaba)
1/2 Cup sugar
1 1/4 Cup almond flour
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1/2 Cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
peach colored food gel

For the filling:
1 Tbsp vegan friendly cream cheese, room temperature
2 Cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp dairy free milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp favorite peach jam

Macarons:

1. Start by boiling the aquafaba in a small pan over medium heat, reduce until 1/3 cup is remaining, this takes 5-7 minutes. Transfer to mixing bowl and set aside until room temperature, about 10 minutes.
2. Prepare the dry ingredients. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together until no clumps remain, discard any pieces too large to pass through.
3. Once the aquafaba is at room temperature, attach a balloon whisk and whisk on medium speed until fluffy (should not take more than 5 minutes). Add the sugar and whisk on high until the meringue is extremely stiff and glossy (5-10 minutes). Preform a simple ribbon test, it should take the ribbon 5 or more seconds to disappear in the mixture.
4. Add vanilla and color gel, whisk until combined.
5. Fold in half of the dry ingredients to the meringue mixture, using a spatula, go slowly. Continue folding until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Fold in the second half and repeat. Preform a simple ribbon test, the batter should take 3-5 seconds to disappear into the mixture. If your mixture takes less than 3 seconds to disappear, you've over mixed and have to restart.
6. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag, snip off the end, and pipe one-inch circles on backing trays lined with parchment paper.
7. Once the trays are lined, pick the tray up to elbow height, and drop on the counter. This process is important because it gets the extra air bubbles out of the mixture. Repeat twice more.
8. Leave the macaroons to dry out at room temperature for one hour.
9. Firstly, place your first tray in the oven and then set the temperature to 210F. Bake for 30 minutes. Do not take the macaroons out of the oven yet!! Turn the oven off and leave the macroons in the oven for 15 minutes. Then open the oven door and leave the macroons in the oven for 15 more minutes. Take the tray out and let cool fully on counter. Repeat the process with remaining tray(s).
10. Pair like-sized macaroons together, placing one upside down to easily pipe frosting

Filling:

1. Cream together the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar.
2. Add almond milk until mixture is a thick, smooth cream.
3. Place into a piping bag.
4. Pipe around the edge of the macaroons, creating an empty center.
5. Dab a small amount of jam in the center.
6. Gently sandwich the top shell with the base shell. Repeat until all macaroons are filled.

Recipe: Barbeque Pulled Jackfruit

It's crazy how with plants you can recreate so many different textures and flavors. This was so similar to pulled pork that I was shocked when I tried it. I will definitely be making it again in the future. The jack fruit doesn't have the same color as cooked meats do so be careful when adding barbecue sauce. It adds flavor quicker than it does color to the pale fruit. Adjust the sauce to your taste, it doesn't take a lot to get a good flavor though. 
You can pair it with so many different things, when making this we didn't want to get anything special so tortillas were used; perfect for other dished since I don't eat a lot of bread in my household. 
Some recipes you find will use fresh jack fruit. After looking over multiple recipes we found that it was easier to use canned jack fruit and not worth it to use fresh. This has to do with the ripeness of the fruit and the preparation can be labor intensive. 

2 20 oz cans of young green jack fruit in water

2 cloves minced garlic

Olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 top cumin 

2 try paprika powder

1 top chili powder

1 pinch red pepper flakes

2 top brown sugar

1/2+ cup Barbecue sauce

Black pepper, to taste

Drain and rinse jack fruit. Remove the core from the prices but do not shred.Stir in spices and brown sugar until evenly coated.

In a pan heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent. add garlic and cook until fragrant. add the jack fruit and cook for 3 minutes. Add barbecue sauce and vegetable broth and cook for 15 - 20 minutes. shred the jack fruit and add more barbecue sauce if desired. 

Serve in a bunch or in vessels of choice, top and enjoy.

Chickpeas and Spinach

I saw this online and decided to make it and it turned out great. It's a simple and inexpensive meal to make while being filling and nutritiously dense.

Olive oil
1 can chickpeas, drained
3 tsp paprika (see note)
2 cups spinach

In a heated pan saute chickpeas in olive oil, sprinkle with paprika. Add spinach, cover with a lid to wilt the spinach. Mix together and add more paprika as desired. Enjoy.

Note:
There are many kinds of paprika and they can range to being spicy to just colorful. Keep this in mind for when you make this dish and keep in mind your preferences.

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Happy Holidays. This is the last weekend before Christmas and if you want some cookies for a cookie exchange I recommend these. They are easy to make and a have wonderful chocolate-peppermint flavor.
If you don't like or don't want that peppermint flavor you can leave out the peppermint extract. The original recipe called for some crushed candy canes in the dough but I omitted them and it still tasted fantastic. The next time I make them I may only use powdered sugar to roll them in; the granulated sugar was a nice surprise but I almost wonder if it was too much. If you try it let me know!

1 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Sugar Coating

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup powdered sugar

in separate dishes for rolling

In a small bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside. In a medium bowl or stand up mixer stir together cocoa powder, sugar, applesauce, oil, and extracts until well blended. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours.

Getting ready to roll after chilling all night.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the granulated and powdered sugars in two separate bowls.

Remove chilled dough and roll into balls about one tablespoon each. Toss first in the granulated and then second in the powdered sugar, coating fully.

Bake for 12-13 minutes  at 350F allow to cool on the cookie sheets. They will be slightly under cooked. Transfer to a wire rack if needed to prevent over cooking.

Confit Byaldi (Baked Ratatouille)

Not all foods have to be super complicated or be heavily modified to be vegan. Confit Byaldi is also known as a baked ratatouille. For anyone that's curious, a true ratatouille is more similar to sauteed veggies than the arrangement that is made here. The ingredients are very similar though.              In the recipe I reference it says to use oregano, I just used a mix of herbs that I thought would complement the dish well. Some include oregano, parsley, basil or anything I had available.

Also, it's important to slice the vegetables thinly, about 1/8 inch, so that they bake quickly but also that the sizes are consistent. A mandolin makes this really safe, quick, and easy to do.

1/2 onion, finely chopped                               

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup tomato puree

Herbs                                                            

 Olive oil                                                            

1 small eggplant, thinly sliced                          

1 zucchini, thinly sliced                                    

1 yellow squash, thinly sliced                           

l red bell pepper, core removed and thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, core removed and thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

In the bottom of a baking dish mix the tomato puree with the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Layer vegetables in a pattern of your choosing until the dish is filled, overlapping but still exposing the upper portion of the previous slice. sprinkle with herbs and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes, the vegetables should be cooked but still hold their shape for serving.

Serve and enjoy.  This dish can be enjoyed both hot or after being refrigerated. There are many pairings you can make with this dish. I haven't tried many so let me know your favorite pairings. 

Cut veggies. They were broken into smaller
pieces to better fit in the baking dish.

The final dish.

Double layer Pumpkin Cheesecake: Vegan Baking with Nadine

     The time for thinking about holiday "vegan friendly" alternatives has arrived!  Introducing a delicious alternative to pumpkin pie and cheesecake; it's vegan pumpkin cheesecake! Also good for showing off to friends, this recipe has been to many potlucks, made in bite-size snacks for a party, and now... featured on a blog.
     Being a fan of the pumpkin flavor, I added a splash of Torani's Pumpkin Pie syrup to the recipe (it tastes better than it sounds). This recipe will definitely be on my plate this Thanksgiving!

Serves: 12
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Fridge time: 3 hours
Total time: 4 hours and 10 minutes
 
Ingredients:
Cheesecake layer:
8 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
12 ounces extra-firm silken tofu
1/2 cup agave nectar (or sugar)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pumpkin Pie layer:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons rum (optional)
A splash of Torani's Pumpkin Pie syrup (optional)
3 tablespoons brown sugar or natural sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Crust:

1 pre-made 8-inch graham cracker crust
Alternative: A crust recipe of your choice.

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare your crust (if necessary).
3. Place the "Cheesecake layer" ingredients in a food processor and puree
until completely smooth. It should be silky smooth—not chalky or lumpy.
4. Remove a heaping cup of this mixture from the processor and spread it flat on top of the
the crust.
5. Combine the ingredients in the "Pumpkin layer" to the food processor with the remaining cheesecake ingredients and process until well blended. With remaining cheesecake ingredients, combine "Pumpkin layer" in the food processor until smooth.
6. Smooth it carefully over the cheesecake layer, heaping it slightly in the middle (so the center won't go flat on you).
7. Bake until the center is almost set, about 50-60 minutes. Insert a toothpick, if the cake on the toothpick comes out runny or cold, give it more time, until the center is firm.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When at room temperature, place cheesecake in the refrigerator until chilled, about 3 hours.

Storage: Keep in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Long Time No Talk

Hello everyone!

A lot has changed for me since I started this blog and I'm happy to say I will be making a few changes to the content of this blog.

My most recent Farmers Market haul. Only $15.

First thing: I'm planning on doing regular blog posts. This isn’t a content change but there will now be more content. I’ve stocked up on posts and am in the final stages before posting them for you. So expect a post every other week.

Second: You may have noticed but I have a collaborator working with me to keep the content coming for you. She provided the ALT sandwich recipe earlier this year. I’ve known her for years am I trust them to provide delicious recipes for all of you.

Third: this will now be a vegan food blog. I recently decided to change my lifestyle and want to be able to share delicious meals. Some will be familiar favorites and others new additions.

Enjoy the new Decorative Delights.

~Rachel

P.S. All of my old recipes will remain on the blog. I still want them to be accessible if anyone wants to reference them or alter them.

Super Simple Granola

I finally did it, rather than let my oats sit in  a container until I had to buy new ones ( I can only make and eat so many cookies) I decided to make granola. I also was determined to use what I had in my kitchen at the time, and that wasn't very much.Other recipes add things like nuts, I didn't have any at the time so I compiled different recipes to make mine.

5 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1 Tbsp Vanilla
Dash of cinnamon (optional)

In a bowl mix the oats, honey, and vanilla; sprinkle with cinnamon and mix until incorporated. Spread evenly on two aluminum covered cookie sheets and bake at 300 for 15 minutes. Mixing once half way through. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Enjoy


Notes:
I used some extra honey I had, you can use and syrup like sweetener to bind the ingredients together.
Once you remove it from the oven you can mix it again, this should cause the granola to cool into smaller pieces.

A.L.T. Sandwich: Vegan Cooking with Nadine

Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato Sandwich

       What Is better than a quick, simple vegan meal? The answer is nothing... except possibly midnight chocolate snacks, but that's besides the point....
      After spending all day at school (where they don't yet provide true vegan alternatives) I wait to eat dinner at home. But after spending 12 hours on campus, the last thing I want to do is spend a long time making myself food. Typically wanting to cheat on being vegan just to eat a quick meal, I've found the perfect solution! (Be aware, I usually have to have two of these... they're that good!)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

8 slices of your preferred bread (I like Sourdough best)

1 ripe avocado, cut into thin slices

1-2 ripe tomatoes, cut into thin slices

1/4 head of romaine lettuce, washed and dried

4 tablespoons Vegenaise (I use about a tablespoon per sandwich)

Vegan bacon of your choice (optional)

Cracked pepper (optional)

Instructions:

1. Toast the bread of your choice in either your toaster or in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes.
2. In the meantime, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Once your bread is toasted, spread desired amount of Vegenaise on both slices of bread.
4. Layer the avocado (bacon if desired) on one slice of bread and the lettuce and tomato on the other slice.
5. Crack the pepper over both slices.
6. Close the sandwich, cut in half (if desired) and enjoy!

Homemade Pizza

Want a fun weekend meal? How about homemade pizza, you can completely customize it and have fun making it too. By freezing the dough it becomes easier to make any night of the week.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups water 100-110°F 

3-4 cups flour

1 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp olive oil

pinch of salt

desired toppings

Activate yeast in water while mixing dry ingredients together. Add olive oil and yeast-water mixture. Mix until well incorporated and not sticky. Add flour as needed to reduce sticky texture of dough. Allow to rise in a warmed oven for an hour and a half. Separate into 3 evenly sized dough balls. Allow to rise, slightly separated, for 15 minutes. Roll each out to  1/4-1/2 inch think on a floured surface. Place on a baking sheet or pizza stone with corn meal. Add desired toppings and bake at 500 for 8-15 minutes until the crust has browned.

Notes:

Extra dough can be frozen but will need to thaw and rise again before baking. It's best to  freeze the dough before the second rising then continue from there.

Manicotti: Vegan Cooking with Nadine

Vegan Manicotti

       My sister, who has no interest in any vegan choices, actually requests for me to make this when she comes over to my house. This easy to follow beginners recipe is simple, clean eating. I usually pair it with a garlic bread and some fresh fruit, along with a chocolate dessert.

       The recipe calls for tofu, and if you don't like tofu, you're in luck! The tofu is mashed up to make a cottage cheese and then mixed with spaghetti sauce, so you don't even process it as tofu!

      I gave myself a bit more than hour (maybe 90 minutes) to prepare this dish my first time, but after that, I got the hang of what would make this dish quicker: get water boiling before you start cutting your vegetables. This saved me about 15 minutes because the first time I made this recipe, I didn't read the instructions all the way through (oops!) and I ended up having to wait for the water to boil, then for the noodles to partially cook, and lastly waiting for the noodles to cool down enough that I could handle them. 

In short, learn from my mistakes and boil water first!

Serves: 6-8

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1/2 package of manicotti noodles (24 shells)

2 20oz jars of spaghetti sauce

1 recipe Vegan Cottage Cheese (see recipe below)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1-2 Tablespoons oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped

1 onion chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1 pound spinach, chopped or whole

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Chicken Style Seasoning (found commonly in bulk seasonings).

Vegan Cottage Cheese:

1 pound extra firm Tofu

1/2 cup Vegenaise

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

• Mash tofu and mix in other ingredients.

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta (to fill the pasta, it's easier if the noodles aren't fully cooked, and just a few minutes under cooked).
3. Sauté the last 8 ingredients above in the oil until onions and spinach are tender.
4. Add tofu cottage cheese and parsley to the saucepan and mix well.
5. Pour 1/2 a jar of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish 
6. With a large spoon, fill pasta with the mixture from the saucepan. Place the shells in the tomato sauce.
7. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Make sure the shells are covered with the sauce, otherwise when they're done cooking, the exposed parts will turn hard.
8. Cover with foil and place in preheated oven for 40 minutes.