Pâté— Vegan Walnut Pecan

(gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan)

Ingredients: 

1 3/4 cups shelled walnuts

3/4 cup shelled pecans

1/4 medium red onion

2 large peeled garlic cloves   

1 1/2, 14 ounce packages organic firm tofu, gluten free (21 ounces, or 597 grams)*

1/4 cup tamari sauce (gluten free soy sauce)

1/4 cup water

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, flat leaf or curly (optional)

Directions:

Place walnuts and pecans on cookie sheet, spread evenly in one layer. Do not add butter or oil to nuts. Toast nuts until golden brown in 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven.  Toasting nuts goes quickly.  Watch carefully so they do not burn.  Toss them once or twice to ensure even toasting. Do not overcook or blacken nuts. 

Chop onion and garlic (large bits) and put into food processor with nuts, tofu, tamari, apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper.  Process until smooth.

Remove mixture to bowl and stir in fresh parsley.

Refrigerate overnight for best taste.

Delicious on gluten free crackers, baked veggie chips, or fresh sliced veggie chips!

* To simplify, close enough to say 1 1/2 pounds organic tofu  (if your packages happen to be 16 ounce). Recipe just fine, give or take a few ounces. 

Gingered Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup

Ingredients

Serves: 4 Prep:  15min |Cook: 30min |Total: 45min

              

•      1 tbsp olive oil

•      1 medium onion, chopped

•      1 C low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

•      1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

•      5 large carrots, peeled and sliced

•      1 tbsp jarred ginger, chopped

•      Plain nonfat Greek-style yogurt (optional)

Directions

1.Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion and cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add stock plus 2 cups water, then add sweet potato, carrot, and ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

2.Strain out vegetables and put them in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth, adding a bit of broth if needed. (If you're using a standard blender, allow the mixture to cool first; hot liquid may cause the blender to squirt out contents. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to do this in batches.)

3.Pour vegetable puree back into the saucepan and stir until well blended and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of yogurt on top, if desired.

Spicy Sweet- Potato Fries

Ingredients

Prep:  10min |Cook: 45min |Total: 55min

              

•      2 large sweet potatoes, peeled

•      2 tsp olive oil

•      1 tsp cayenne pepper

•      2 tsp paprika (preferably smoked paprika)

•      1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat an oven to 400°F. slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then cut each half into four wedges. Toss the wedges with the oil, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt, and lay the pieces on a baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until

they're browned on the outside and tender all the way through. Makes 4 servings

Roasted Sweet- Potato Salad

Roast sweet potatoes and red bell peppers together for a delicious mingling of flavors and then place over a bed of spinach or arugula and sprinkle with white balsamic vinegar. Serve this as side dish or add goat cheese and grilled chicken for a satisfying lunch.

Serves: 4 Prep:  12min |Cook: 40min |Total: 52min

              

•      2 tablespoons olive oil

•      1/4 teaspoon salt

•      1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

•      2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1" chunks

•      2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1" pieces

•      2 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar

•      1 pound spinach or arugula, torn into bite-size pieces

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2.In a large roasting pan, combine the oil, salt, and black pepper. Add the sweet potatoes and bell peppers and toss to coat well. Roast, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the oven and stir in the vinegar.

3.Place the spinach or arugula in a large serving bowl. Add the potato mixture and toss to coat well. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin (or squash) Pie with Coconut Crust

Crust:

2 cups dried coconut

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup coconut oil

Filling:

1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree or delicata squash

2 eggs

3/4 cups honey

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (we made our own from all spice, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg)

1/4 tsp salt

grated rind of 1 lemon

1 cup coconut cream or coconut milk

Direction:

1. Make pie crust first. Preheat oven to 300 F

2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and transfer to a 9 inch pie pan and press firmly and evenly against sides and bottoms

3. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is a dark golden color. Allow to cool to room temp.

4. To make filling, cream eggs with honey. Gradually blend in other ingredients. Pour into prebaked coconut crust pie shell and bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes until firm.

Sweet Potatoes With Pecans and Parmesan

Hands-on Time: 15m

Total Time: 1hr 10m

Ingredients

•   3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking dish

•   2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1⁄4-inch-thick rounds

•   1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

•   salt and black pepper

•   3/4 cup chopped pecans

•   1/4 cup light brown sugar

•   2 teaspoons thyme

•   pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Oil a shallow 2 ½- to 3-quart baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake until tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the pecans, sugar, thyme, cayenne, the remaining tablespoon of oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.

4. Remove the foil from the baking dish, sprinkle the pecan mixture over the potatoes, and continue to bake, uncovered, until the pecans are toasted, 10 to 12 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Calories 297; Fat 16g

Pâté— Vegan Walnut Pecan

(gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan)

Ingredients: 

1 3/4 cups shelled walnuts

3/4 cup shelled pecans

1/4 medium red onion

2 large peeled garlic cloves   

1 1/2, 14 ounce packages organic firm tofu, gluten free (21 ounces, or 597 grams)*

1/4 cup tamari sauce (gluten free soy sauce)

1/4 cup water

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, flat leaf or curly (optional)

Directions:

Place walnuts and pecans on cookie sheet, spread evenly in one layer. Do not add butter or oil to nuts. Toast nuts until golden brown in 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven.  Toasting nuts goes quickly.  Watch carefully so they do not burn.  Toss them once or twice to ensure even toasting. Do not overcook or blacken nuts. 

Chop onion and garlic (large bits) and put into food processor with nuts, tofu, tamari, apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper.  Process until smooth.

Remove mixture to bowl and stir in fresh parsley.

Refrigerate overnight for best taste.

Delicious on gluten free crackers, baked veggie chips, or fresh sliced veggie chips!

* To simplify, close enough to say 1 1/2 pounds organic tofu  (if your packages happen to be 16 ounce). Recipe just fine, give or take a few ounces. 

Butternut Squash and Sage Lasagna

With our freeze-now, serve-later dishes, you can give your family a comfy meal on even the busiest weeknight. The light, minty flavor of fresh sage pairs beautifully with sweet butternut squash in this complex vegetarian entrée.

Serves: 12

Yields: 2 casseroles

Total Time: 2 hr

Prep Time: 50 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min

Oven Temp: 450

•      2 large onions, each cut in half, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

•      2 tablespoon(s) olive oil

•      1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

•      3/4 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper

•      2 medium butternut squash, each cut in half and seeded

•      7 cup(s) low-fat (1%) milk

•      1/2 cup(s) cornstarch - use non-GMO cornstarch from a natural foods store or food coop

•      1/4 cup(s) (packed) fresh sage leaves, chopped

•      1/4 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg

•      2 cup(s) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

•      12  no-boil lasagna noodles, from 8- to 9-ounce package

•      3 package(s) (10-ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry - or fresh spinach, chard or greens

Directions

1.   Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In large bowl, toss onions with oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Place onions in one 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan. Line a second jelly-roll pan with foil; arrange squash, cut sides up. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Cover pan with squash tightly with aluminum foil. (Do not cover onions.) Roast both pans of vegetables 45 minutes or until squash is tender and onions are browned, stirring onions halfway through cooking. Reset oven control to 375 degrees F.

2.   Meanwhile, in 5-quart saucepot (do not use a smaller pot; milk mixture may boil over), heat 6 cups milk on medium-high just to simmering, stirring occasionally. In small bowl, whisk cornstarch into remaining 1 cup milk. Add cornstarch mixture to simmering milk in pot; heat to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. (Make sure to scrape bottom of saucepot to prevent scorching.) Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in sage, nutmeg, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.

3.   When vegetables are done, scrape squash into food processor with knife blade attached; discard skins. Add onions to processor; puree until smooth. You should have 4 cups puree.

4.   Into each of two 8" by 8" glass or ceramic baking dishes, spoon 1/2 cup white sauce to cover bottoms. Arrange 2 lasagna noodles over sauce in each casserole. Evenly spread 1 cup squash puree, then 3/4 cup chopped spinach over noodles in each casserole. Top each with 1 cup sauce. Repeat layering one time, starting with noodles. Top each with 2 more noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

5. Cover one casserole with aluminum foil. Place casserole on cookie sheet (to catch any spills during baking) in oven and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes for easier serving. Meanwhile, prepare second casserole for freezing

Roasted Pumpkin-Apple Soup

Yields: 12 servings, about 1 cup each

Total Time: 1 hr 10 min

Prep Time: 30 min

4 pound(s) pie pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks

4 large sweet-tart apples, such as Empire, Cameo, or Braeburn, unpeeled, cored, and cut into eighths

1/4 cup(s) extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh sage

6 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1/3 cup(s) chopped hazelnuts, toasted

2 tablespoon(s) hazelnut oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss pumpkin (or squash), apples, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Spread evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, for 30 minutes. Stir in sage and continue roasting until very tender and starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Transfer about one-third of the pumpkin (or squash) and apples to a blender along with 2 cups broth. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a Dutch oven and repeat for two more batches. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and heat through over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent splattering, for about 6 minutes. Serve each portion topped with hazelnuts and a drizzle of hazelnut oil.

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

Preheat oven to 425. Peel and seed a medium butternut squash and chop into 1 ½ “

Pieces. In a large bowl, combine squash, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss squash to coat, and roast on a baking sheet until just soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together 1 minced garlic clove, ¼ cup lemon juice, and 3 Tbsp. tahini. Add 2 Tbsp. each water and olive oil and whisk well, adding more salt as needed. Combine the squash, a 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained), ¼ chopped red onion, and ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl. Add the tahini dressing to taste, and mix.

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 whole canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped

1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can of peppers

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Put cubed potatoes into steamer basket and place steamer into a large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of basket. Allow to steam for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Add butter to potatoes and mash with potato masher. Add peppers, sauce, and salt and continue mashing to combine. Serve immediately.