Vegetarian Cooking with MiChelle Franzen and Bonnie Goodman

First Session, First Week: Oct. 4th First Week - Dressings and Sauces

Blue Cheesy Dressing

French Onion Dip

Green Goddess Garlic Dressing

Dill Tahini Sauce and steamed veggies

Nacho Cheese

Kale in Peanut Sauce

Jamaican Grilled Tofu

Blue Cheesy Dressing

• 1/2 block firm or extra firm regular or silken tofu (silken will make a very creamy dressing, regular will make it like chunky blue cheese)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• The juice of 1 lemon (1/4 cup)
• 1 cup Veganaise
• 1/4 cup Tahini
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 TBSP fresh chives
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Put all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl, and mix with an immersion blender. A food processor will also do the trick. This dressing is delicious as a dip, on salads, and on baked potatoes.

French Onion Dip

• One tub of Tofutti's "Better than Sour Cream"
• One packet of Western Family brand French Onion Dip mix

In a small bowl, use a fork to stir the soup mix and Tofutti until well blended. Place the mixture in a serving bowl, and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Green Goddess Garlic Dressing

• 5 cloves freshly minced garlic (or more, to taste)
• 1 cup fresh chives (one .75 oz package)
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 TBSP miso (any kind will do)
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tsp salt

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth. Taste it to see if you want to add more salt or garlic. This dressing will thicken as it is refrigerated.

Dill Tahini Sauce

• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• The Juice of 1 lemon (1/4 cup)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (or one small package) fresh dill

Place all ingredients except the dill into a blender or food processor, and mix until smooth. Add the dill, and pulse a few times, to make green flecks in the sauce. This is delicious as a salad dressing, and also wonderful served over steamed veggies. Try broccoli, or Brussels Sprouts!

Nacho Cheese Sauce

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 2.5 tsp salt
• 3 TBSP cornstarch
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• 3/4 nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/4 cup pimentos
• 2-3 TBSP canned diced green chili peppers

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until thickened. Serve Immediately. If you want plain cheese sauce, just omit the green chilis.

Kale with Peanut Sauce

• 1 large bunch of kale, spines removed and chopped
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
• 2 TBSP tamari or soy sauce
• 2 TBSP rice vinegar
• 1 TBSP agave nectar
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• Sesame seeds, for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, water, tamari, rice vinegar, agave, and red pepper until well mixed. Use a steamer or wok to cook the kale and carrot. When veggies are soft, add the sauce, mix well, and cook until the sauce thickens a bit. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Jamaican Grilled Tofu

This recipe makes about 9 large pieces

• 3 packages of extra firm tofu: 
frozen, thawed, drained, and pressed
• 1/4 cup + 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup tamari soy sauce
• 3 oz (1/2 can) tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp ketchup
• The Juice from 1 lemon (at least 1/4 cup)
• 2 TBSP cup fresh minced garlic
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 cup + 2 TBSP fresh minced ginger

Prepare the tofu:

First, you must freeze the tofu. Just put it in the freezer when you get home from the grocery store, as is. It must freeze and then be thawed to get that chewy texture. Thaw the tofu, then rinse it, and squeeze it like a sponge to get the water out. Use a Tofu Xpress, OR: put a dish towel AND a tea towel on a large

cookie sheet. Place the tofu on top, then cover the tofu with another tea towel and another regular towel. Put another cookie sheet on top, and put heavy stuff on the cookie sheet - and put this in the fridge for at least an hour. You want to squish out as much of the tofu water as possible. Once drained and pressed, slice the tofu blocks into pieces that are about 1/2 inch thick. (About 3 slices per package.)

To make the marinade:

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse. Let the tofu slices soak in the marinade for at least an hour. It can even soak all day: prepare it in the morning, then grill it that night. Once marinated, grill the heck out of that tofu. We use an electric indoor grill (any grill will work). This grilled tofu is delicious served hot or cold.

Vegetarian Cooking with MiChelle Franzen and Bonnie Goodman

First Session, Third Week: Oct. 18th - Brunch Favorites

Homemade Cherry or Cranberry Sage Sausage

Gingerbread Waffles

Green Smoothies

Scrambled Tofu

Homemade Muesli

Quiche

Field Roast Apple Sage Sausages

Find more great recipes here:

http://theveeword.blogspot.com/

http://www.theppk.com/2011/05/smoky-maple-sausages/

http://www.vegkitchen.com/tips/easy-vegan-breakfasts-recipes-and-ideas/

Homemade Cherry or Cranberry Sage Sausage

adapted from Vegan Brunch, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz ~ makes 4 large sausages

• 1/2 cup navy beans, rinsed
• 1 cup veggie broth
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 TBSP + 1 tsp Rubbed Sage
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• Fresh black pepper
• 1/2 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries, finely chopped

Assemble steaming apparatus and bring water to a boil. If you don't have a steamer, use a colander in a big pot. Have ready 4 sheets of tinfoil. In a large bowl, mash the navy beans until no whole ones are left. Add the liquid ingredients and dried fruit. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and add to the bean mixture. Stir with a fork. Divide the dough into four even parts (split the dough in half, and then into quarters). Roll each piece into a sausage shape. Wrap them in the tinfoil sheets, like a Tootsie Roll. Place the wrapped sausages in the steamer and steam for 45 minutes. Unwrap and refrigerate. These sausages firm up when cool. Slice and brown.

Gingerbread Waffles

Adapted from Vegan Brunch, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Makes 4 six-inch round waffles or 8 four-inch square ones.

• 2 cups almond milk (or your favorite nondairy milk)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 TBSP canola oil
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2-inch knob ginger, peeled and grated (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Preheat your waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl use a fork to vigorously mix together milk, vinegar, oil, molasses, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix until the molasses is mostly dissolved. Mix in the grated ginger. In a smaller bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, then add them to the wet ingredients. Stir until smooth. Cook waffles according to manufacturer's directions. Serving suggestions: try syrup, fresh fruit, Earth Balance, applesauce and Tofutti Sour Cream.

Green Smoothies

(Use ANY fruits and greens you have on hand!)

• 1 banana, frozen
• 5 strawberries
• 2 large handfuls of spinach
• 1/4 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 to 1 cup non-dairy milk of your choice
• 1 TBSP flax seeds

In a blender, mix milk and unfrozen fruits first. Once smooth, add the spinach and blend again. Then add the flax seeds and blend. Add the frozen banana last. TIP: Brown bananas are perfect for smoothies - buy those red-band bananas you see at Town and Country: peel them, lay them on a parchment-paper-covered cookie sheet, and freeze them. When they are solid, transfer them in a gallon-size zip-locked bag and store them in your freezer. You can use any soft fruit in your smoothie: peaches, nectarines, melon slices, plums. You can also add a couple of drops of stevia or agave nectar if you want to sweeten it up.

Scrambled Tofu

• 1 block extra-firm tofu, drained
• 5 mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3-4 handfuls of fresh spinach
• 1 tsp olive oil, or some cooking spray
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 TBSP nutritional yeast (aka "nooch")
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

In a large skillet (or electric wok!), heat the olive oil or cooking spray. Sauté the mushrooms, onion, and red pepper over medium high heat until onion is translucent. If veggies stick to the skillet, just add a little bit of water. While veggies are cooking, combine all of the spices and nooch in a small dish, and stir well. Crumble the tofu, and add to the veggie mixture. Sprinkle on the seasonings and soy sauce and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the spinach, and cook another 2 minutes. This dish is delicious served with toast or tortillas, or with roasted potatoes.

Homemade Muesli

Make a mixture of any of the following:

• Rolled Oats (regular, not "quick")
• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Pecans
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Chopped apple
• Banana Slices
• Raisins
• Dried Cranberries
• Dried Cherries
• Dried Blueberries
• Non-Dairy Milks: Try soymilk, almond milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, rice milk . . .
• Apple Juice

Quiche

(this recipe can be made with 4 cups of ANY veggies you have on hand!)

• 1 lb firm tofu, drained
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 TBSP Basil
• 2 TBSP Oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 veggie bouillon cube
• 1 frozen whole wheat pie shell
• 2 TBSP canola oil or water for sautéing veggies
• Optional: Daiya cheese, Tofutti cream cheese, or 2 TBSP nutritional yeast

Preheat the oven to 350F. Pierce the crust with a fork and bake for 12 minutes. Sauté the veggies and bouillon cube in a skillet or wok until they soften. In a food processor, combine the tofu, olive oil, and seasonings until well blended. Add the tofu paste to the veggies and mix well. Mix in the Daiya, Tofutti or nooch, if using. Scoop the mixture into the pie shell and bake for 30 minutes. Tofu will turn golden. If you want it more browned, broil for a couple of minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and serve!

Field Roast Apple Sage Sausages

Field Roast Sausages are sold at Town and Country, in the frozen foods section. FoodWorks has them sometimes too! Let them thaw, remove the plastic casing, and brown them with a little canola oil in a skillet. Every product that the Field Roast Grain Meat Company makes is delicious!

Vegetarian Cooking with MiChelle Franzen and Bonnie Goodman

First Session, Fifth Week: Nov. 1st - Thatzatalian

Make-your-own Pizzas with Daiya Mozzarella

Pesto sauce

Amy's Roasted Veggie Pizza

Cashew Alfredo Sauce

Tofu Alfredo Sauce

Parmie Cheese Topping

Spinach Lasagna

Mediterranean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Pignoli Almond Cookies

Make-Your-Own Pizzas

These are perfect for parties - and kids love them too!

• Pita Bread
• Olive Oil
• Sauce (try some pesto, or Muir Glen brand Pizza Sauce- yum!)
• Daiya Mozzarella shreds (available in the dairy section of Town and Country, and Foodworks)
• Assorted veggies: sliced mushrooms, olives, broccoli, onion, what ever you like!

Preheat oven to 425. Brush the top of the pita bread with a little olive oil. Add sauce, Daiya, and veggies of choice. Bake for 5 - 8 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted.

The Best Pesto

• 1 large bunch of basil (about 3 cups, loosely packed)
• 2-4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts (or a combination of the two)
• 1/2 - 1 tsp salt, to taste
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

In a small frying pan, heat the pine nuts or walnuts over medium heat, stirring often until they brown. (You don't have to add oil or anything, they just toast all by themselves!) Put all the ingredients in your food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve over pasta or veggies, or use as a spread with bread or crackers.

Amy's Roasted Veggie Pizza

Available at Town and Country and Foodworks, we'll sample this delicious frozen pizza. It's topped with marinated organic shiitake mushrooms, roasted red peppers, sweet onions and marinated artichoke hearts. Non-dairy/no cholesterol.

Cashew Alfredo Sauce

• 1 1/4 cup RAW cashews (find them in the produce section of Albertsons, or in bulk at Co-op)
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water (best to use starchy pasta-cooking water)
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 4-6 garlic cloves, to taste
• 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
• 3 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 lb pasta
• Fresh veggies of your choice~ try broccoli, red peppers, mushrooms

1. Start to cook the pasta according to directions.

2. Place raw cashews in a blender and pulse until nuts are very fine.

3. Take boiling water from the pasta; add to the cashews and blend until smooth.

(Using starchy water helps the sauce to thicken.)

4. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for 2 minutes.

5. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, and serve over cooked pasta and veggies.

Tofu Alfredo Sauce

(You may want to double this recipe if you are cooking 1 pound of pasta plus veggies)

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 package soft silken tofu
• 2 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
• 1 tsp salt

1. Lightly brown garlic in oil.

2. In a blender, combine tofu and cooled garlic/oil mixture and blend until smooth and creamy.

3. Put tofu mixture in saucepan, add green onions and heat on medium/low for 10 minutes.

Add water to adjust consistency, if desired.

4. Add basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Heat for another 3 minutes. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Parmie Cheese Topping

(This stuff doesn't melt, but it tastes great on top of pasta and veggies!)

• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 1/2 - 1 tsp salt (to taste)

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, until lightly browned. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until seeds are chopped. Store in a shake-top spice jar, and keep refrigerated.

Spinach Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta

• 1 pound firm tofu
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 45 oz jar of veggie spaghetti sauce
• 1 box of lasagna noodles
• 1 package of Daiya Mozzarella cheese shreds

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a food processor, blend the tofu, milk, spices, lemon juice, garlic and chopped onion, until the mixture is the consistency of cottage cheese. Stir in the spinach. Drizzle the bottom of a lasagna pan (9 x 13") with a layer of spaghetti sauce, then place a layer of uncooked noodles on top. Sprinkle with half of the tofu mixture and 1/3 of the Daiya cheese. Add another layer of noodles, then sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining tofu mix, another 1/3 of the cheese, then more sauce. Add one more layer of noodles, and top with the remaining sauce. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the last of the Daiya on top, and bake for another 15 minutes, uncovered. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Mediterranean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

(from "The V - Word" blog by Rhea Parsons)

• 4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (or 2 TBSP sun-dried tomato paste)
• 1 TBSP red wine vinegar
• 2-3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Put the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
• For the Salad:
• 4 cups arugula
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
• 3-4 ribs of celery with leaves, chopped
• 1-15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup Kalamata or black pitted olives, halved

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing.

Pignoli Almond Cookies

From Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar & the Post Punk Kitchen blog

Makes 2 dozen

You may simply know these as "pignoli," the rice almond buttery cookie with the dense, chewy center and a smattering of pine nuts. I've been missing Brooklyn a lot lately, especially around autumn, and these cookies are an Italian (and Jewish) bakery staple.

The bakeries in Brooklyn are different from the kind of hoity-toity-4-dollar-cookie bakeries we find across the country these days. For one thing, you could buy cookies by the pound. And for another, the cases were overflowing. It wasn't about buying one cookie to nibble on while you pretended to work on your laptop. It was buying a box, tied up with red string, to bring and share wherever you were going.

It wasn't a birthday party (or a funeral) if it didn't end with a big cardboard box of colorful, chewy, chunky, crispy, crumbly cookies.

Pingolis were a staple in that box. If you know what I'm talking about you're probably already in the kitchen unwrapping your almond paste. If you don't, well, try these heavenly bites and join us.

Note: These cookies are super-soft right out of the oven, so be sure to allow them a full five minutes to firm up on the cookie sheet before transferring to racks to complete cooling.

• 7 ounces almond paste, sliced into1 inch cubes (not marzipan)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine, softened
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 2 to 3 TBSP almond milk for dipping

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a medium sized baking sheet with parchment paper. Pulse almond paste, salt, baking powder and 1/3 cup sugar in a food processor until mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute. In a large bowl cream together margarine and remaining 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add almond paste mixture and almond extract and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Sift in flour and beat until a slightly crumbly yet soft dough forms. Dough should form a soft mass when pressed together. Pour pine nuts into a shallow bowl and pour 2 TBSP of almond milk into a small saucer. For each cookie, roll 1 tablespoon of dough in palms to form into a ball, dip one end in almond milk and press moistened end into pine nuts. If necessary, press pine nuts into surface of ball. Place dough balls, pine nut side up, on baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 14 minutes until cookies have puffed and spread a little, and nuts are just slightly toasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before carefully transferring to cooling rack. Store in a tightly covered container.