Sausage, Mushroom and Swiss Chard Pasta

Adapted from Living Lou

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound Tofurkey Kielbasa, halved and sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 oz white button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, steps separated and sliced, leaves sliced
• 12 oz pasta cooked according to package directions

METHOD:

• Heat oil, add sausage and chard stems and cook 5 minutes
• Add garlic and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, covered, stirring frequently
• Add Swiss chard, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until leaves are wilted
• Combine with cooked pasta

NOTES:
Seven servings at about 350 calories per serving

Green Bean Chips

Adapted from Whole New Mom

INGREDIENTS:

• green beans*
• coconut oil
• nutritional yeast
• garlic powder
• salt

*When I used fresh green beans that had been blanched, they turned out very hard.  When using fresh green beans that had been blanched, frozen and then thawed, they came out perfect, light and crisp just like potato chips.

METHOD:

• Thaw green beans and spin in salad spinner to remove excess water
• Put green beans in a glass bowl, about 2-3 cups at a time, add a tablespoon of coconut oil and microwave 1 minute; stir (most of the coconut oil will not be melted but enough will stick to the green beans as they warm up some).
• Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and nutritional yeast, stir and microwave 1 minute; stir
• Remove what is left of the clump of coconut oil to use in the next batch
• Place green beans in single layer in dehydrator at 135 degrees (I do this in the evening so they dehydrate overnight and are done in the morning.)
• Repeat with next batch of green beans using the coconut oil that did not melt completely.

Sweet Potato Cabbage Soup

Adapted from The Gluten Free Chef

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vineger
• 5-6 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 head Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• 3-4 carrots, shredded
• 2 peppers, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced and pureed with 1/2 cup water
• 10 cups water

METHOD:

• Saute onions in olive oil, add cider vinegar and saute until tender
• Add garlic and saute another minute
• Add peppers and cabbage, saute until tender or about 7 minutes
• Add sweet potatoes, carrots, pureed jalapeno pepper and saute about 8 minutes
• Add water, cover pot, reduce heat to medium and simmer 20-15 minutes
• Salt to taste

Pasta Primavera with Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

Adapted from Don't Waste the Crumbs

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box spaghetti or fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 4-6 cups fresh vegetables (carrots, bell pepper, broccoli...)
• fresh basil

• 1 head cauliflower

METHOD:

• Cut cauliflower up into equal pieces and steam until tender; set aside to cool
• Cook paste according to directions in water used to steam cauliflower
• While pasta is cooking, melt Earth Balance in large pot
• Add onion and garlic and cook on low until onions are transluscent
• Add vegetables including broccoli stems (not florets) and cook until barely tender
• Add broccoli florets and continue cooking until florets are barely tender
• Place steamed cauliflower into blender or food processor and puree until smooth
• Add cauliflower sauce, basil and pasta to vegetables and combine

Cranberry and Pear Pie

Adapted from About Food

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 9-inch pie crust
• 5 cups pears, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 12 oz package fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance margarine
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon agar powder

      Topping:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine at room temperature

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Combine cranberries, sugar, margarine, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar in saucepan
• Simmer, stirring frequently, 3-4 minutes or until cranberries begin to pop
• Remove from heat and cool
• Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg and agar powder
• Stir in pears
• Pour into pie crust
• Crumble topping ingredients together and sprinkle over top of pie
• Bake for 10 minutes at 375 then reduce heat to 325 and bake an additional 60 minutes or until pears are soft
• Cool before serving

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Adapted from Post Punk Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 9-inch pie cust
• 4 cups pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 4 teaspoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1.5 teaspoons agar powder

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Combine pumpkin, maple syrup, almond milk, oil, spices, cornstarch and agar powder in food processor until very smooth
• Poor into pie shell
• Bake for about 90 minutes or until center looks semi-firm instead of liquidy
• Remove from oven and cool on rack for 30 minutes
• Chill for 4 hours before serving

White Bean Stew with Pumpkin and Kale

Adapted from Healthy Green Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups dried white beans, soaked
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 ribs celery,sliced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar or cheese pumpkin puree
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and sliced
• 5 cups water

METHOD:

• Put beans in large soup pot, cover with water by 2 inches, bring to boil and boil for 10 minutes
• Skim off foam, lower heat, add bay leaves and 1/2 of the onion cut in wedge
• Simmer for an hour or until beans are tender; remove bay leaves and onion; drain
• Saute garlic and the other half of the onion, chopped, in oil
• Add celery and carrots and salt, saute 5 more minutes
• Add water and vegetables to beans and bring to a boil
• Stir in kale and pumpkin puree and continue cooking 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender