Cheesy Squash and Potato Casserole

            
                                               Cheesy Zucchini and Potato Casserole

This recipe is probably the epitome of vegan comfort food. It is not a low-fat dish but, at least there are vegetables in there right? Also.. 0 cholesterol. It has a mix of green and yellow zucchini. I love getting a few at the market each week and finding new ways to prepare them.Zucchini contains Vitamin C and lutein, both of which are known to be good for the eyes.The vegetable is a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, manganese and a lot of other nutrients. Eating zucchini is known to help the body in supporting the arrangement of capillaries. Regular consumption of the vegetable can help protect the body against colon cancer. I added some Kale into this too. You can really add whatever vegetables you have on hand and the cheesy sauce will compliment it well. I want to try broccoli next time.This recipe was adapted from  onesweetvegan.com. Gluten-free, vegan, nut-free. Contains Soy


Cheesy Squash and Potato Casserole

1 lb. squash (I use a combination of zucchini and yellow squash)
1 lb. red potatoes
1/2 cup red onion
1-2 handful of torn up kale or whatever greens you have on hand
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (i.e.Vegenaise)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup shredded vegan Cheddar cheese (Daiya or vegan gourmet)
1/3 cup vegan butter, melted (i.e. Earth Balance)
2 cups organic corn flakes




Method:
Dice potatoes and boil oil until soft.
 Slice squash into bite-sized pieces and dice onion (plus any other veggies you might want to add). Steam together until soft (5-8 minutes)
To make the sauce, mix  together vegan mayo, salt, pepper, garlic powder and nutritional yeast in a bowl until blended.
Pour cooked onion, squash, and drained potatoes into a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Pour bowl of sauce on top, along with 1/2 cup shredded vegan Cheddar. Stir together until the vegetables are coated.
 In a separate bowl pour corn flakes in and add melted vegan butter. Stir until the corn flakes are coated.   Spread the corn flakes on top of the vegetable mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Ricotta Stuffed Baked Squash Blossoms

                                             Ricotta Stuffed Baked Squash Blossoms

I think I have a new favorite dinner! I was so happy to see these beautiful edible flowers at our local fresh52 farmer's market. I have never eaten or tried making them before so, it was a new and exciting experience. I had to put a few different recipes I found together and they turned out amazing! The flowers really don't have a strong taste but it is a nice way to make a ravioli type dish. Plus it is fun to tell your kids they are having flowers for dinner. The ricotta is so delicious. It is made from soaked raw cashews. Cashews are rich in iron, protein, magnesium ( beneficial for bone growth),  antioxidants, copper (good for flexibility in bones, joints and blood vessels), they also have been proven to protect against heart disease. I served this over quinoa pasta shells with a light tomato sauce. Any type of pasta would work . Gluten-free, vegan, contains cashews and  soy.

Batter Ingredients:
1. 2 cups Gf or wheat bread crumbs
2. 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
3. sea salt and black pepper to taste

The Filling: Ricotta nut cheese
Vegan Ricotta Cashew Nut "Cheese" by: kblog.lunchboxbunch.com
makes 2 1/2 cups

2 cups of soaked raw cashews/pinch of salt, drained
2 tsp garlic powder or 3 fresh garlic cloves
1 1/2 Tbsp EVOO
1/4 cup plain soy milk or soy creamer (for richer flavor)
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar OR lemon juice
*you can also use red wine or balsamic vinegar's if you prefer those flavors
1 Tbsp dried Italian herb blend
1 Tbsp agave or maple syrup (or honey)
1/3 cup fresh chives or 1 green onion
1 tsp black pepper
salt to taste (about 1/4 tsp minimum)
garnish: handful of fresh chopped chives or 1 green onion

Directions:

1. Add raw cashews to a big bowl of water, add a pinch of salt. Soak in fridge overnight or at least for about 2-4 hours. More soaking, smoother texture.

2. Drain soaked cashews. Add them to a food processor.

3. Add in the vinegar or lemon juice, soy milk or creamer, agave and EVOO.

4. Blend on high until smooth. This may take a few minutes depending on the strength of your food processor. If your ricotta is looking too dry, add more soy milk and/or more EVOO. I used soy creamer which made my ricotta nice and creamy.


Batter Ingredients:
1. 2 cups Gf or wheat bread crumbs
2. 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
3. sea salt and black pepper to taste


Preheat your oven to 350. Take your cheese mixture and pipe it into each blossom gently ( I used a pastry filler). With your fingers or tongs, carefully dip each flower in non-dairy milk of choice then into the bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Repeat until all of your blossoms are filled and breaded. I had 10 with left over cheese. Spray a baking pan or use parchment paper under the blossoms. Bake at 350 for 12-15 mins. Serve over your favorite pasta with a drizzle of warm marinara. I made my own sauce with the recipe below.

Tomato sauce:
1 clove chopped garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tomatoes finely chopped
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp sugar

Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in a 2 quart sauce pan over medium heat, stirring until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add all other ingredients and cook until sauce has thickened (around 25 mins).

Kale Chips

                                                                  Kale Chips

Don't be afraid of little green things! These chips are so tasty. You may find yourself eating a whole batch (like we did). That's okay... they are really good for you. Kale is an excellent source of calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C and K. The Icing on the Kale" is the naturally occurring all important phyotochemicals which research suggests may protect against cancer. All in a light crispy chip. They are so easy to make too! Gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, soy-free.

1 bunch (around 6 ounces) kale
1 TBS olive oil
Sea salt to taste (don't over do it you can always add more after they bake)

Preheat oven to 300. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove them stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil and salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Chipotle Hummus

I love hummus! On sandwiches, burgers, raw veggies or corn chips. Here are two recipes. One traditional and one chipotle. You can cook your chickpeas from dry or use canned. It tastes much better to use freshly cooked chickpeas. If you use canned use water in place of the cooking liquid. These hummus recipes are my favorite from melomeals.blogspot.com Gluten-free, vegan, soy-free contains sesame seeds

Chipotle Hummus

• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 t Tony’s creole seasoning
• ¼ t cumin
• ¼ t coriander
• 2 c HOT chickpeas (reserve ½ c cooking liquid)
• 1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 4 T tahini or peanut butter
• 2-4 T chickpea cooking liquid as needed or Olive Oil if you aren't watching  your calories
• Juice of 2 limes ( around 3 T )
• ¼ c chopped cilantro (optional)
• Salt/pepper to taste

Method:

1. Pulse garlic and tony's in food processor until garlic paste is formed
2. add the rest of the ingredients and puree until totally smooth
3. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more lime juice if needed. 

Hummus
8 cloves garlic
2 t salt
1 t chili powder
4 c hot chickpeas
¼ c tahini
1/3 c lemon juice
Chickpea cooking water to thin if necessary

Method: Cook chickpeas and reserve cooking water.
In a food processor, add the garlic, salt and chili powder. Pulse until garlic is a paste. Now add the chickpeas, tahini and lemon juice. Puree until totally smooth. Add chickpea cooking water to thin mixture if desired.

Chocolate Covered Banana Sandwich

                    
                                                     Chocolate Covered Banana Sandwich

I found this yummy chocolate flavored peanut butter at Fresh and Easy. It is all natural! It also works well with sliced strawberries or raspberries. Fresh fruit > Jam. Gluten-free, vegan, soy-free, contains peanuts.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

                                                              

                                                           Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Don't ask me how this works but, somehow smashed up chickpeas dressed as tuna salad is amazing! You don't really need a recipe for this because you can add whatever you usually add to your tuna salad. I made mine with some low-fat vegan mayo, brown mustard, relish, celery and cucumber. I drain then pulse a can of chickpeas together with the other veggies and then add the wet ingredients. Add lettuce, tomato, onion (whatever you prefer) and make it a sandwich. It works well stuffed in a bell pepper, a hollowed out cucumber or a lettuce wrap. It is so easy and the kids love it. Gluten-free, vegan, soy-free, nut-free.

 2 slices whole wheat bread or hollowed veggie
 1 can  drained chickpeas
 1 tsp brown or yellow mustard
 1/3 cup (or less)  vegan mayonnaise
 2 tbs pickle relish
 1 rib chopped celery- optional (cucumber, green,onion or mix of all)
    lettuce, optional- i like the spring greens mix
    tomato slices, optional
    fresh ground pepper

Sloppy Joes

My 10 year old son requested Sloppy Joes for dinner. I was reluctant but decided I was up for the challenge. They turned out great! My husband and I ate ours in a lightly roasted red bell pepper with a drizzle of non dairy cheese sauce. They are made with textured vegetable protein. This stuff has a great texture and is very similar to ground meat. Gluten-free, vegan, contains soy.


Ingredients:
•2-3 tbsp olive oil or olive oil spray
•1 onion, diced
•1 green or red bell pepper, diced
•1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
•1 cup gf bbq sauce
1 cup ketchup
•1 tbsp chili powder
•1 tbsp gf soy sauce
•dash hot sauce or tabasco sauce (optional)
•1 tbsp sugar
•1 1/2 cups TVP
•salt and pepper to taste
•5-6 hamburger buns
Preparation:
In a large skillet, sautee the onion and peppers in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onions are soft.
Reduce heat to medium low and add the remaining ingredients (except buns) and stir well to combine. Allow to simmer for at least 15 more minutes.
Spoon onto hamburger buns or roasted bell pepper and serve hot. I roasted a bell pepper cut in half @ 350
 for 10 minutes with a little water in the pan.

Nutritional Yeast Cheese Sauce  Recipe By: dailygarnish.com
Ingredients:
•1/4 cup nutritional yeast
•1/4 cup millet flour (gluten free) or unbleached wheat flour
•1/4 tsp garlic powder
•1/4 tsp onion powder
•1/8 tsp ground mustard
•1/4 tsp sea salt
•1 cup water
•1 tbsp vegan margarine (ex. Earth Balance)
To Prepare:  Mix all dry ingredients together in a small saucepan.  Mix water and butter together and microwave for 2 minutes to melt and combine.  Slowly pour water and butter into saucepan with dry ingredients while whisking (to avoid lumps).  Heat saucepan on the stove top over medium heat until thickened – keep whisking!