In a food processor or blender: place garlic, green onion, and mince. Add chickpeas, lemon juice, salt, and puree – while drizzling olive oil until texture is creamy yet still a thick paste. Season to taste with cayenne and/or cumin. Transfer to tightly lidded container and chill. Serve with pita bread, corn tortilla chips, or use as a spread on sandwiches. Goes great in a cheese and veggie sandwich. Make approx. 1 ¼ cups. (3 to 4 servings)

Classic Vinaigrette

1-2 tsps. grainy mustard

2 tbsps. fresh lemon juice

6 tbsps. olive oil

crushed garlic to taste

salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients and store covered in refrigerator for up to two days.

Cauliflower-Cheese Pie with Grated Potato Crust

Crust

2 cups grated raw potato

¼ cup grated onion

½ tsp salt

1 egg white, lightly beaten

flour for your fingers

a little oil

Filling

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 medium cloves of garlic

½ tsp salt

black pepper to taste

½ tsp basil

¼ tsp thyme

1 medium cauliflower, in small pieces

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

1 cup grated cheddar

paprika

Preheat oven to 350o F. Oil a 9” pie plate

Combine grated potato and onion, salt and egg white in a small bowl and mix well. Transfer to the pie pan and pat into place with lightly floured fingers, building up the sides into a handsome ridge.

Bake for 30 mins, then brush crust with a little oil and bake it 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and turn the temperature down to 375o F.

Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan. Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 mins. Add cauliflower, stir and cover. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally (about 8 to 10 mins.)

Spread half the cheese onto the baked crust. Spoon the sautéed vegetables on top, then sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Beat the eggs and milk together, and pour this over the top. Dust lightly with paprika.

Bake 35 to 40 mins, or until set. Let stand 10 mins. Serve hot or warm, with a green salad, and whole grain bread.

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Squares

1 cup rolled oats

1 ½ cups other flour (your choice)

1 tsp. baking soda

2/3 cup plain yogurt

1 cup milk (soy/rice/cow’s)

2 tbsps sweetener (honey/maple syrup/apple sauce)

1 egg

½ cup blueberries

1 tbsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 425o F. and grease a 10” square pan. Blend oats, flour, baking soda, yogurt, milk, sweetener, and egg. Stir in ¼ cup blueberries. Spread into pan and bake 10-15 mins, or until fully set. Meanwhile, cook remaining blueberries with enough water to make a syrup. Mix in cornstarch until thick and bubbly. Cut the squares into 12 pieces. To serve, drizzle with blueberry sauce.

Barley Salad

3 cups water

1 cup pearl barley

Salt to taste

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Green onion to taste

1 cucumber, diced

5 or 6 radishes, diced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

½ cup chopped mix herbs (your choice)

Dressing

3 tbsps. olive oil

3 tbsps. fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Salt to taste

Bring water to a boil, add barley and salt. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 45 mins. Drain well and place in a medium bowl. Mix dressing ingredients together and pour over barley. Allow barley to cool, then add parsley, vegetables, and herbs. Mix well and chill for several hours before serving.

Spicy Lentil Soup

2 tbsps. olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped finely

2 large carrots, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped finely

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp ground coriander

1 cup red lentils

6 cups vegetable stock

1 small can chopped tomatoes

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Freshly chopped parsley to garnish

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add chopped onion, carrots and celery, and cook over low heat for 5 mins. stirring occasionally.

Stir in garlic and spices. Cook for another minute or two, then stir in lentils. Gradually add vegetable stock and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 20 mins, until vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Serves 4 to 6

Vegetarian Lasagne

1 pkg. lasagna noodles

1 tbsps. olive oil

1 onion

1 green pepper

1 stalk celery

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 jar pasta sauce (your choice)

2 eggs, beaten

1 bag baby spinach (chopped)

2 cups light ricotta cheese

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. sliced mozzarella cheese

Cook lasagna in large quantity of water. Drain water and cover in cold water to prevent from sticking together. In large fry pan, heat oil, sauté onion, green pepper, celery and mushrooms until tender. Stir in pasta sauce, oregano and salt, simmer 10 mins. stirring occasionally. Combine eggs, spinach, ricotta cheese, garlic, and basil. Spread ¼ vegetable sauce in 13”x9” baking dish. Top with about five lasagna noodles, with another ¼ sauce, and then more noodles. Spread spinach mixture over lasagna. Top with noodles, then sauce, more noodles, and ending with sauce. Arrange mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 350o F. for 45 mins. Let stand for 10 mins. before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Vegetable Fried Rice

3 cups cooked white or brown basmati rice

1 carrot chopped fine

1 small onion finely chopped

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup red cabbage, shredded

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

Add oil to deep frying pan. Saute vegetables until tender crisp. Add cooked rice to vegetable mixture. Toss until well blended. Add soy sauce, toss to blend. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Penny’s Special Carrots

These are served at my house for every special occasion. They go with everything, and are enjoyed by all.

6 to 8 good sized carrots

2 tsps butter

1 ½ tbsps maple syrup

1 tsp dried marjoram

Salt and pepper

Trim and peel carrots. Cut into strips and cook in boiling water until cooked but firm.

Drain and remove from pot.

Put pot back on the stove and melt butter, being sure not to let it burn. Once it’s bubbly and starts to foam, add maple syrup, salt and pepper and marjoram. Within 30 seconds it should get bubbly and become quite thick and sticky. At this point, put the carrots back in, turn heat down and toss well to coat.

These can be served right away, or make the night before and refridgerate. Reheat in microwave or in oven.

Serves 4 to 6

Tofu Quesadillas

1 package of garlic firm tofu

1 red pepper sliced in strips

1 green pepper sliced in strips

1 large onion thinly sliced

1 cup grated cheddar

2 tsps olive oil

1 pkg. flour tortillas

1 jar mild salsa

Sour cream

Slice tofu into thin strips and fry in 1 tsp olive oil until golden on all sides. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add vegetables and sauté until tender crisp.

To assemble. Lay tortillas out on counter top, place 2 or 3 slices of tofu along center of tortillas in a line. Add a few pepper strips and onions, and then top with grated cheese. Roll up and place on cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated 350o oven for 10 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Serves 4 to 6

Penny’s Best Ever Gingerbread

¼ cup maple syrup

2/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup canola oil

1 ½ cups soy milk

1 ½ cups spelt flour

2/3 cup brown rice flour

¼ tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsps baking powder

1 tbsp. cinnamon

2 tsps. ginger

¼ tsp. ground cloves

2 eggs

Blend maple syrup, molasses, oil, and soy milk. Sift together dry ingredients. Form a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in wet. Mix in eggs.

Pour into greased 9 inch square pan. Bake at 375o oven fir 45 mins. or until firm to the touch.

Serves 8

Granola

2 tbsps grapeseed or canola oil

½ cup sesame seeds

½ cup honey

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup slivered almonds

1 tbsp orange zest

½ cup unsweetened coconut

1 tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350o

Put oil, sesame seeds, honey, vanilla, oats, almonds, orange zest, and coconut in large bowl. Stir everything together until thoroughly coated. Turn out onto a greased baking pan with a rim, and spread out ingredients. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top and bake for 20 minutes moving everything around a couple of times with a spatula until all the oats are evenly browned. Let cool 5-10 mins. Store in a zip-lock plastic bag in the freezer until ready to eat.

Can be enjoyed as a cereal with milk, as a snack by itself, or as a topping for yogurt.

Squash Soup

This soup is very tasty. The ginger adds a lot of flavour and hotness. A very rich and comforting soup.

2 butternut squash (beige coloured, pear shaped squash)

3 onions, chopped

1 head garlic

Olive oil

1 tbsp curry powder, mild

2 tins organic vegetable broth (found in natural foods section of grocery store)

1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped

Preheat oven to 350o

Wash squash and pierce twice. Place both squash whole, in a large baking dish or baking sheet. Bake at 350o for one hour or until well done. In the same oven, take one head of garlic, slice small amount off top and drizzle with 1 tsp. olive oil. Wrap in foil and place next to squash.

When well done, let squash cool, then cut lengthwise and scoop out seeds and discard. Scoop out the squash and place in large pot.

In frying pan, add 2 tsps olive oil and sauté onions until quite golden and soft. Add curry powder and ginger, and blend for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and squash. Squeeze garlic from its skin and add to squash mixture. Mix well and simmer for 5 mins to blend flavours.

In small batches, blend in blender until smooth. Add more broth or a little water if needed.

Serve with crusty bread. Freezes well.

Serves 6 to 8

Oriental Tofu in Parchment

The presentation is beautiful and the aroma released when their contents is revealed makes these surprise packages something worth making again and again.

½ tsp sesame oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 slice fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp. soy sauce

2 tbsps. sherry

1 package plain firm tofu cut into large bite-size pieces

2 tbsps julienned leeks

½ carrot, cut into matchsticks

6 slices julienned red bell pepper

2 slices fresh ginger, peeled

Combine sesame oil, garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, and sherry. Pour over tofu, cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper, each slightly more than double the size of your palm. Fold the sheets in half.

Divide ingredients into two equal portions and arrange as follows for both packets: first put the leeks on one side of the folded parchment, then place the carrots on top of the leeks, followed by the tofu. Crisscross the bell pepper over the tofu, and place the ginger next to the tofu, and with a knife edge, crease and seal the ends of the packets.

Placed the closed packets on a baking dish and bake in a preheated 350o oven for 30 mins.

Remove packets from the oven and place on dinner plates. Being careful of the escaping steam, cut an X in both and serve.

Serves 2

Fruit Crisp

Preheat oven to 375o

4 cups of fruit – choose a combination of apples and berries, or other fruit such as peaches, pears, plums. Whatever you happen to have.

1 tbsp. instant tapioca

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ cup maple syrup

Toss sliced apples in a large bowl with whatever other fruit you choose, with tapioca, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

Pile mixture into a greased 8x10 baking dish.

Topping

1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup toasted wheat germ

½ tsp. sea salt

1 ½ tsps cinnamon

½ cup maple syrup

1/3 cup canola or grapeseed oil

Mix together ingredients for the topping and spread over the fruit. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 mins. Uncover and bake for 40 more minutes until the apples are soft.

Snicker Snackers

½ cup ground sunflower seeds

1/3 cup honey

½ cup nut butter (cashew, almond, or peanut butter)

½ cup unsweetened carob powder

¼ cup wheat germ

¼ cup unsweetened coconut

Add ingredients one at a time and blend in a food processor until mixture forms a ball. Pinch off small amounts and roll into bite-sized balls. Roll in extra sesame seeds or coconut if desired. Store in refridgerator in air tight container.

Tacos

For an instant meal, one of the fastest, yet one of the most nutritionally balanced combinations you can serve is the well-loved taco. Just warm the shells and beans, heat up the Veggie Ground Round, chop the veggies, and set out the colourful fillings. Let people assemble their own.

12oz package Yves Veggie Ground Round – Mexican Style

2 tsps olive oil

14 oz can refried beans

1 ripe avocado, mashed

2 tsps lemon juice

10 hard corn taco shells, warmed in oven

2 cups shredded lettuce

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 large carrot, grated

3 green onions, finely diced

1 cup salsa or taco sauce

1 cup grated cheddar or soy cheddar

Heat oil in frying pan and add Veggie Ground Round. Heat for 5 mins. or until lightly browned. Meanwhile warm the refried beans in a small saucepan. Mash avocado and stir in lemon juice. Place taco shells, beans, lettuce, tomato, carrot, green onion, avocado, and salsa, along with Veggie Ground Round, and cheese in serving bowls on table for individual assembly.

Makes 10 tacos. Serves 3-5 people.

Cashew and Vegetable Stir-fry

Sauce

2 tbsps. cashew or peanut butter

1-2 tbsps Chinese chili garlic sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp water

Stir-fry

½ cup cashew nuts

1 large red or white onion

1 – 2 tsps olive oil

1 large carrot sliced diagonally

1 cup broccoli florets

1 red pepper, diced

1 cup bok choy or Chinese cabbage

1 cup snow pea pods

In a small bowl, stir together cashew butter, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, and water to make a smooth paste. If you wish, toast cashews light in small frying pan or oven for a few minutes. In preheated wok or frying pan, cook onion in oil over high heat for 3 mins or until beginning to brown. Add carrot and cook for 1 min., add broccoli and cook for another 30 seconds, then add red pepper, bok choy and snow peas, cooking just long enough to heat through. Add sauce, stir to combine. Sprinkle with cashews and serve over rice.

Makes 2 moderate servings (2 cups each). Double ingredients for 4 servings.

Spinach Pie

Crust

6 tbsps butter, cut into small pieces

1 ½ cups flour

about 4 tbsps cold water, milk or buttermilk

Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut together the butter and flour until mixture is uniformly blended and resembles coarse cornmeal. (A food processor will do this is a few spurts)

Add just enough liquid to hold the dough together. Roll out the dough and form a crust in a 9 or 10 inch pan. Set aside.

Filling

1 tsp butter

1 cup minced onion

1 lb. spinach, finely chopped

1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced

½ tsp salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tsp basil

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

3 beaten eggs

3 tbsps flour

Dash of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375o. Melt butter in a medium frying pan, add onion and mushrooms and sauté for 5 mins over medium heat. Add spinach, salt, pepper, and basil and cook, stirring over medium-high heat until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Spread into unbaked pie shell. For an extra rich pie, top with sour cream, spread to the edges of crust.

Bake 40 to 45 mins or until firm to the touch at the centre. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Note: This recipe is equally good made without a crust, to save on calories – One of my favourites

Vegetable Kichdi

1 cup basmati rice

1/3 cup red lentils

2 tbsps butter

½ tsp chili paste

1 tbsp cumin seeds

5 peppercorns, crushed

4 whole green cardamoms

4 cloves

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 tsp turmeric

2 large onions, chopped finely

2 inches fresh ginger, grated

1 large potato, peeled and diced

1 large tomato, skinned and chopped

¼ cup frozen peas

½ cup each cauliflower and broccoli florets

Sea salt

2 ½ cups water

Cashew nuts, toasted

Rinse the rice with the lentils in a large sieve

In a large frying pan, heat the butter, and fry the spices over medium heat. When they sizzle and crackle, add the chopped onions and ginger, and fry until golden brown.

Next, add the prepared vegetables, rice, lentils, and salt, and stir in the water. Stir and simmer for 15-20 mins until the rice is cooked, adding more water if necessary. Stir and serve sprinkled with cashews.

Serves 4 - 6


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