Fajita Vegetables

These veggies are great for fajitas, but they are also really great to round out any meal that calls for a savory-spicy kick. With some cumin, paprika, chili powder, and liquid smoke, these veggies transform into a yummy Latin side dish. We often have them alongside refried beans and Spanish rice for a filling vegan meal.

Fajita Veggies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp olive oil (optional - you can also dry saute or use a bit of water)
1/2 a red onion, sliced into half-moons

Choose 3 or 4:
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into long strips
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
2 portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and sliced into strips
1 or 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced into strips
1 small zucchini, sliced into thin strips

2 cups of sliced white cabbage

1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp  liquid smoke flavor

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Choose 3 or 4 of the veggies and add them to the pan. Saute until the veggies start to soften a little. Add the spices and stir to distribute evenly. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Serve with beans and rice, in burritos, or have them fajita style with flour tortillas and your favorite fixings.

For 8 Servings with oil

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	238
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20.4g	26%
Saturated Fat 2.9g	14%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1339mg	58%
Total Carbohydrate 16.2g	6%
Dietary Fiber 6.5g	23%
Total Sugars 5.4g
Protein 4.2g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 106mg	8%
Iron 7mg	37%
Potassium 691mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

For 8 servings without oil

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	88
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.9g	4%
Saturated Fat 0.4g	2%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1339mg	58%
Total Carbohydrate 16.2g	6%
Dietary Fiber 6.5g	23%
Total Sugars 5.4g
Protein 4.2g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 106mg	8%
Iron 7mg	37%
Potassium 691mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

Vanilla Rose Custard Pie

 

This pie is a beautiful deep pink color with a hint of flowery rose flavor to complement the vanilla. It is also oil-free, refined sugar-free, and gluten-free. It is a lightened-up vegan dessert perfect for Valentine's Day. 

Vanilla Rose Custard Pie

Crust Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
6 Medjool dates

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tbsp ground flax
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Crust Directions:

Line a springform pan with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Place the oats, dates, sunflower seeds, apple sauce, maple syrup, ground flax, salt, and vanilla in a food processor. Pulse and then process on high until it starts to form a ball of dough. 

Press the dough into the springform pan and press it up the sides a little. Try to get an even layer of dough. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

Vanilla Rose Custard Pie Filling Ingredients:

1 cup of water

3 tbsp dried rose buds and petals

1/2 cup rose tea

1/2 cup corn starch

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp beetroot powder

pinch of salt

1/3 cup of maple syrup

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cups oat milk

Vanilla Rose Custard Pie Filling Directions:

Brew a strong rose tea by steeping 3 tbsp dried rose buds and petals in 1 cup of water for about 20 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

When the tea is done, strain out the rose petals and combine the rose tea with 1/2 cup of cornstarch. Mix well to get rid of any lumps. Put the tea and cornstarch mixture into a saucepan with the vanilla extract, beetroot powder, pinch of salt, maple syrup, lemon juice, and oat milk. Simmer while stirring constantly until the custard starts to thicken. Remove from the heat.

Pour the custard into the crust and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and chill in the refrigerator before serving.

Lentil Bolognese

Lentil Bolognese

I don't know why it took me this long to try a heartier pasta sauce like this. For years, we have stuck with marinara (which is also good) but my family LOVED this sauce over spaghetti. Big hit! We will definitely be having more of this satisfying lentil bolognese. It is amazing how much flavor you can develop while letting it simmer and with a few key ingredients. Plan this recipe for a day you have some time to hang out at the house. This is a great sauce for a long simmer. Once you have it simmering, you just need to stir it every now and then so it doesn't stick. The long cooking time is worth it to develop the flavors.

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced

1 stalk of celery, diced (I like to include the leaves; they have lots of great flavor)
1 carrot, peeled and diced

salt and pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if you prefer)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 cup red wine

2 tsp Better Than Bouillon
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1/4 tsp blackstrap molasses
1 tsp agave
16 oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 cup water
1 cup red lentils

1 package spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat (unless you are doing the Starch Solution, in that case, water saute the onions, celery, and carrots).  Add the diced onion to the pan and cook until they begin to soften - be sure to stir them around a bit. It should take around 5 minutes for the onions to soften. Then add the celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring frequently. Sprinkle the veggies with some salt and pepper and then add the oregano, red pepper flakes, and nutritional yeast. Stir the veggies to coat them in the spices.

Add the wine to de-glaze the pan and cook until the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently. Next, add the bouillon, liquid smoke, molasses, agave, pasta sauce, and water. Stir in the lentils and bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling lower the heat to a low boil or simmer, cover partially with a lid (I just leave a crack vented on one side), and let it cook until it has thickened and the lentils have softened all the way through. This took around 2 hours for me. Be sure to stir it every now and then so the lentils don't stick to the bottom. If your lentils are taking longer to cook you may want to add a bit more water. It will still cook down again to the thickness that you are looking for with a little more time. Go by feel and don't worry - you can't mess it up. Just stir and add more liquid if you need to.

When the lentils are almost cooked through start cooking your pasta.

Taste and adjust the seasoning of the sauce, serve over spaghetti, and enjoy!

Quickview

131 Calories

7g Protein

1g Total Fat

20g Carbs

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

 

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are oil-free, refined sugar-free, made with whole grains, and are of course, vegan, but they are still really yummy with a nice chewy texture. I love these for a quick snack or as a sweet something after a meal. They hit all the right notes with whole grains, flax, and banana, which are healthy ingredients that when mixed with oats and chocolate make a great cookie.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ground flax

3 tbsp water

1 or 2 ripe bananas mashed (to equal a 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Optional: add in 3 tbsp raisins, nuts, chocolate chips, or sunflower seeds

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the ground flax with the water and stir to combine. Mash the banana and then combine the wet ingredients (flax, banana, maple syrup, and vanilla). In a larger mixing bowl combine the wheat flour, oats, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to ensure there are no lumps of cocoa powder or baking soda.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in any optional nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, or raisins. Place heaping tablespoons of dough onto parchment paper and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Oil-Free Cornbread

Oil-Free Cornbread

I have been working on an oil-free cornbread recipe that comes out with a nice springy bread texture. Some of my earlier tries were too dense and a little dry. After lots of tweaking, I found that the combination of flax and applesauce resulted in a moist bread with some lift. It was just what I was looking for in an oil-free version. I have been baking vegan cakes, breads, cookies, and pastries for just over 20 years now and have tried so many different things as egg replacers. For me, a flax egg gives the best texture to most baked goods without altering the flavor. If you are new to vegan cooking, know that your tastes do change over time. You can adjust to and grow to love this way of cooking and eating. I love the challenge of recreating old favorites and making them in a healthier way. Try a variety of methods and recipes and find the ones that suit you! 

This cornbread has just a hint of sweetness and is good on its own, especially when it is warm out of the oven.  We have made this a few times now and my family devours it within a day every time, so I knew it was a hit. Try this oil-free vegan cornbread alongside some chili, or a winter stew for a satisfying and healthy meal.  This can be made gluten-free if you use oat flour in place of the whole wheat flour, which still makes a great loaf of bread that is just slightly more dense than the whole wheat version.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp flax meal

6 tbsp water

1 cup soy milk (or other plant milk)

1 1/2 tsp vinegar

1/2 cup applesauce

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 cup whole wheat flour (oat flour works, too, but is a bit more dense)

1 cup cornmeal

1 tbsp baking powder (that is not a typo - you need a full tablespoon to get a nice rise to this bread)

1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper.

Combine the flax meal with the water. Give it a stir and let sit to thicken up a bit.

Stir the vinegar into the soy milk and add the applesauce and maple syrup to this mix.

Set these wet ingredients aside (I usually prep them in a glass measuring cup. Once the flax is thickened, I add the soy milk and vinegar to it, plus the applesauce and maple syrup).

For the dry ingredients, combine the whole wheat flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Then add the wet ingredients and fold these in until everything is just combined.

Pour this batter into an 8x8 square baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it and if the top is getting too browned, loosely cover it with some foil. After 20 minutes check that the bread is done with the toothpick test - which is a real thing. 

Let the bread cool a bit and then dig in!

Apple Cinnamon Blender Waffles

This recipe is great because it only takes a blender and a measuring cup to make these waffles. They are hearty, filling, gluten-free, and a great vegan breakfast. Slather on some nut butter, top with yogurt and fruit, or go classic with vegan butter and maple syrup.

Apple Cinnamon Blender Waffles

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups soy milk

3 tbsp white vinegar

3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 an apple, diced small (optional)

Directions:

Put the dry ingredients into your blender and pulse a few times to grind the oats and incorporate the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Then add in the wet ingredients and blend until smooth. Add the diced apple and cook according to your waffle iron's instructions. Enjoy with some vegan butter and maple syrup.

Millennial Hash

This recipe is simple and very filling. I love the combination of the potatoes, kale, and avocado - it is so good!

Millennial Hash

This recipe got its name from my husband making a comment about me putting avocado on my hash browns "like a millennial"....because millennials are known for spending more on groceries than other generations and they apparently put avocado on everything. I think that is a great thing because avocados make everything better - including hash browns!

Ingredients:

1/2 bag of frozen shredded potatoes (1 lb bag)

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

4 oz button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 bunch of kale washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces

Salt and pepper

Tamari

1/2 a ripe avocado, sliced

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a non-stick pan over medium heat. I don't add oil. I find that if you leave them alone to let them brown, they don't stick and flip easily. I let them cook for 10-15 minutes - check them and flip them when they begin to turn golden brown.

While the potatoes cook, heat the onions and garlic in another non-stick pan until they begin to soften. Then add the mushrooms and the kale and cook through. Once the veggies have softened sprinkle them with salt and pepper and then use a little tamari or soy sauce to deglaze the pan. Serve the veggies over the hash browns and top it all with the sliced avocado.

Granola Bars Au Naturel

These bars are not too sweet,  nice and chewy, and have no added sugar or oil, which makes them super satisfying and good for you. These make a great snack, breakfast or dessert. I had never tried mulberries until High Carb Hannah mentioned them in her granola recipe. I found them at Sprouts and am hooked. They are sweet and chewy and remind me of a cross between a raisin and a fig. Yummy! If you can't find mulberries, you could sub 1/2 raisins and 1/2 chopped figs.

Granola Bars Au Naturel

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup mulberries
8 dates
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2-3 Tsp hemp seeds
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup water

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined.

Press into a rectangle baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. These are slightly chewy and really yummy - store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Oil Free Corn Chips

These are easy to make and taste so fresh. They are great with vegan nacho cheese sauce, fresh salsa, or for the base of a taco salad. These skip the oil so they are low fat, but still have great corn flavor. You can add other seasonings such as garlic salt, onion powder, and smoked paprika if you would like. They are great plain, too.

Oil Free Corn Chips

Ingredients:

18 count corn tortillas
1/3 cup hot water
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut the tortillas into 8 triangles.

Mix the hot water with the salt until the salt dissolves. Place the tortilla triangles in a single layer on a baking sheet and use a basting brush to coat them with the salt water. Add a few sprinkles of salt and bake for 7-10 minutes (until they are golden brown and crisp). Repeat until you have baked all of the tortilla triangles.

Chocolate Buckwheat Pancakes (Gluten Free)

This recipe is based on the one from the Starch Solution, but with a couple of adjustments such as the added cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Plus this is made to be gluten-free and low-fat, as well.

Chocolate Buckwheat Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp flax meal
3 tbsp water

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup non-dairy milk (soy works well)
1/2 cup sparkling water
3 tbsp natural sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

3/4 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup oat flour
2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Combine the flax meal with the water, and set aside to let thicken. Mash 2 bananas and put them in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the non-dairy milk, sparkling water, sugar, and lemon juice and mix it all together. Add the flax mixture and mix that in as well.

Combine the dry ingredients in a separate container. This is the buckwheat flour, oat flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until there are not any large lumps of flour remaining.  Add the optional chocolate chips if using.

Heat a non-stick pan over high heat and pour 1/2 cup of batter into the heated pan. Watch for bubbles to form on the top of the pancake. You know it is time to flip the pancakes once the little bubbles pop and leave little holes on the top.  Serve with syrup, fresh berries, banana slices, or with a drizzle of nut butter.

These make 6 large pancakes.

Fresh Juice (Orange Detox and Healthy Green)

It is spring, and that means lots of fresh produce - yay! To get the most out of the fresh fruits and veggies on sale at the market, as well as what is coming up in my garden, I have been making lots of fresh juices. Here are a couple of really good combinations to try.

Fresh Juice

Orange Detox Drink Ingredients:

2 golden beets
4 large carrots
2 or 3 navel oranges
1 inch piece fresh peeled ginger
1 inch piece fresh turmeric
1/2 lemon, peeled

Healthy Green Juice Ingredients:

1 bunch of collards, washed
Small handful of parsley leaves
Small handful of mint leaves
2 cucumbers, peeled
2 or 3 apples, cored

Directions:

Clean and prepare your fruits and vegetables before running them through your juicer. That's it! Chill and enjoy soaking up the nutrients.

Nacho Cheese

This veggie based nacho cheese sauce is amazing! It is a twist on the one from High Carb Hannah and I absolutely love it! It is so good on top of burrito bowls, in wraps or on top of a baked potato.

Ingredients:

2 small potatoes
1 carrot
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic
water to cover

1/2 bell pepper
1/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Roughly chop the potato, carrot, onion, and garlic. Put them in a sauce pan with water to cover. Boil over medium heat until the veggies have softened which takes around 10 minutes or so. Put the boiled potato mixture in a blender with about 1/3 cup of the cooking water. Add the pepper, salsa, nutritional yeast, hemp seeds and salt. Blend until smooth.

Vegetable Sushi Salad

We are still on a sushi kick over here. It is such an awesome summer meal! This salad is great when you don't want to take the time to fuss with rolling sushi. It is easy to eat this way, too. Make this with some edamame on the side, or with some pan fried tofu.

This salad is best served immediately because the rice will still be warm and pliable. If you have some for leftovers, try sprinkling a little water on the rice and then warming in the microwave for just a minute to make the rice soft again. It doesn't need to be hot, just warmed enough to soften up.

Vegetable Sushi Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked short grain white rice (you need 1 1/2 cups dry rice plus 3 cups water to make the rice)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

1/2 cucumber, peeled and seeded then diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced small (about 1/2 cup)
3 sheets nori, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp sesame seeds

avocado slices
pickled ginger

Directions:

Cook the rice according to package directions. Fluff the rice with a rice paddle and put it into a large mixing bowl. Toss the rice with the vinegar, salt and sugar.

Prep the veggies and the seaweed and add them to the rice, along with the sesame seeds. Toss again to distribute the ingredients. Serve with sliced fresh avocado and pickled ginger.

Johnny Marzetti

This is another recipe inspired by a childhood food memory. My mom used to make a similar dish, probably because it was a cheap and easy way to feed seven people. I love carbs and love-love anything with pasta so I had to update this recipe with some vegan swaps, and it turned out great. I have made it a few times and my family really loves this version.

Johnny Marzetti

Ingredients:

12 oz pasta, cooked according to package directions

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced *

1 tsp dried fennel
1/2 tsp chili powder
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 cup water
1 tsp vegetable bouillon
1 bag Boca Crumbles, or Gardein Beefless Ground (whatever TVP you like)

16 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup artichoke hearts (packed in water)
1/2 cup plain unsweetened soy milk (optional, but brings a nice creaminess to the dish)
1/2 cup vegan parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

* I have also used 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms cooked in a 1/2 cup of water. Which was amazing, too.

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to package directions, and then drain and reserve the pasta. Use a smaller pasta like shells, elbows, etc.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan or saucepan (you need a good size with taller sides). Add the diced onion and stir until the onion begins to soften, then add the garlic and the sliced mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms start to release liquid and soften up. Next, add the seasonings which are: fennel, chili powder, nutritional yeast and paprika. Stir to coat everything and then add the water, bouillon and meatless crumbles. Stir and continue to cook until the crumbles thaw out and heat through (you may need to add a little more water if it starts to stick. Once the crumbles are heated through add the spaghetti sauce, artichoke hearts, soy milk (if using) vegan parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Finally, stir in the prepared pasta and enjoy!

Coriander Quinoa with Oven Roasted Vegetables

This dish is healthy and full of flavor. I love the fresh mint, citrus and coriander....they make for such a refreshing flavor profile. This meal is great as is, or folded into a pita or tortilla to take on the go.  It is also awesome with hummus, tzatziki sauce (made with vegan mayo), a drizzle of hot sauce, or you can go crazy and add all three!

Coriander Quinoa with Oven Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 cup sweet potato cubes (about half of a large sweet potato)
2 carrots, peeled and diced (try to mimic the size of the sweet potato)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 14 oz block extra firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes

1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water

2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp dried dill
rounded 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp minced fresh mint

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Prep the veggies and the tofu and put them in a roasting pan or oven-safe casserole dish. Whisk the marinade ingredients in a small bowl (maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, tamari, salt, pepper, and liquid smoke) and pour over the tofu and veggies. Toss to coat everything with the seasonings. Put in the preheated oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Try to use a big enough dish to roast them in so that the veggies and tofu are not crowded. The cooking time will depend on the crowding in the pan and the size of the pieces of tofu and veggies.

While the veggies roast you can start the quinoa. Rinse the cup of quinoa and put it in a sauce pan with the two cups of water. Bring to a boil, and then cover and lower the heat to let it steam for 15 minutes. Once the quinoa is done, fluff it with a fork and then add the seasonings (coriander, cumin, dill, salt, lemon juice, mint) and toss again to coat.

Combine the quinoa with the roasted veggies and fold it all together. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Serve with a slice of fresh lemon and more minced fresh mint.

"Cheesy" Vegan Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are big on flavor and low in fat. After reading The Starch Solution, I have been tweaking many of my go-to recipes to eliminate added oils. These low-fat mashed potatoes are not lacking in any way; you won't miss the vegan margarine, I promise. The nutritional yeast and spices give these a richness in flavor and a bit of the cooking water makes them nice and fluffy.

"Cheesy" Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 russet potatoes, peeled and diced (sometimes I leave the peel on a couple of the potatoes)
1-  1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Directions:

Wash and dice the potatoes, cutting them into 8 pieces works well. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and let them cook for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are softened through and easy to pierce with a fork.

Use a 1 cup measuring cup and scoop up a cup of the cooking water, set this aside and drain the potatoes. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, adding in a little of the reserved cooking water to create a nice creamy consistency. Add in the seasonings (salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast) and stir to combine, taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Makes about 4 servings.

Veggie Sushi Rolls 3 Ways

I have been addicted to watching High Carb Hannah's YouTube channel. I found her channel after reading Dr. McDougall's Starch Solution (which is a great book) and appreciated all the high carb low fat recipes she shares on her channel. One video that really caught my eye showed how easy it is to roll your own veggie sushi. I was intrigued and decided I wanted to try it, as we either buy the take-out sushi from the grocery store or go out to restaurants for this treat. My husband and I went to a nearby specialty market for Asian foods and stocked up on rice, nori, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, wasabi, and a small bamboo mat for rolling the sushi. We also picked up a jar of pickled baby lotus root just because it was so beautiful. The shiitake filling recipe came from Connoisseurs Veg's Website, which I just slightly adapted. There are tons of creative vegan sushi recipes out there and Hannah was right...rolling your own is easy once you get the hang of it.

Veggie Sushi Rolls

Ingredients:

2 cups (dry) short grain brown or white rice
2 1/2 cups water

5 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

6 dried shitake mushrooms
1 cup of water
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp agave nectar

3 sheets nori
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced into thin strips
1/2 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin strips
1/2 avocado, sliced into thin strips
1/2 mango, peeled and sliced
pickled baby lotus root, optional

Pickled ginger
Toasted sesame seeds
Wasabi
Soy sauce

Directions:

Prepare the rice according to package directions. I cook mine in an Aroma rice cooker and it takes about 20 minutes. First, I rinse and drain the rice 2 or 3 times before adding the 2 1/2 cups water to cook it with. Rinsing the rice removes debris and some of the starch, which makes for more separated grains after it cooks. Then I set the rice cooker to the white rice setting and let it do it's thing.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the mushrooms by cooking them in the cup of water over a low boil for 15 minutes. Then remove the mushrooms from the cooking water (reserve the liquid) slice them and quickly fry them in a non-stick pan with the sesame oil for a couple of minutes. Then season the mushrooms with the chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, the remaining liquid from cooking the mushrooms, and the agave. Continue to stir fry until the liquid absorbs into the mushrooms.

Once the rice is done, fluff it and put it in a large glass, ceramic or wooden bowl.  Sprinkle the vinegar one tablespoon at a time over the rice while mixing the rice gently in a folding motion. Add the sugar and salt and mix to incorporate those as well.

**I highly recommend watching some videos on YouTube to learn about making sushi rice and how to roll the sushi. There are tons of tutorial videos out there to help you get started. Alternately, you can just add the ingredients directly into the rice (after cutting them into bite-sized pieces) with the nori chopped into little pieces and make a sushi salad!

Once the rice is ready, prep your veggies, by thinly slicing the carrot, cucumber, mango, and avocado. The three rolls are seasoned shiitake mushrooms, avocado-mango-lotus root, and cucumber-carrot-avocado rolls.

Seasoned Shiitake Mushroom Rolls
Lay a piece of nori on a bamboo sushi rolling mat on top of a cutting board and spread one third of the rice on the seaweed, then add the mushrooms one third of the way down and roll it up, squeezing it tightly as you go.

Carrot, Cucumber, Avocado Rolls
Then, take another piece of nori and add another third of the rice and spread it around. Then add some carrots, cucumber, and avocado slices one third of the way down and then roll it up, squeezing and shaping it as you go.

Avocado, Mango, and Baby Lotus Root Rolls
Take the third sheet of nori and spread the rest of the rice on it. Add the mango, avocado and baby lotus root (if using) and roll it up again.

Cut the rolls into 6 pieces each, sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy with the condiments of your choice.

Smoky Hummus

Starting from scratch with dried garbanzo beans makes for a creamy hummus, and the seasonings bring a hint of smokiness that is just so good!

Making hummus from scratch isn't as daunting as it first seems....it just takes a little planning. I usually soak the beans the night before I plan to make the hummus. Once the beans are soaked, they cook fairly quickly in a pressure cooker (about 45 minutes total) or take a couple hours on the stove. Once the beans are ready, it is just a quick spin in a food processor (or blender) and voila you have delicious oil-free homemade hummus.

Smoky Hummus

Ingredients:

1 cup dried garbanzo beans or 2 15 oz cans, drained and rinsed (reserve the liquid).

1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup water or liquid from cooking the beans
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 tsp paprika
dash of garlic powder
rounded 1/2 tsp salt
dash of black pepper
1 tsp liquid smoke

Directions:

Soak the dried garbanzo beans in water to cover for at least 8 hours. Cook the garbanzo beans on the stove top until soft, adding water as needed to keep the beans submerged. Or cook the beans in a pressure cooker with 3 cups of water for 30 minutes.

Once the beans are ready, put them in a food processor or blender with the other ingredients and blend until smooth. I prefer making them in the food processor and start them out on low for a minute or two, then scrape down the sides and process them on high for 3 to 5 minutes more. This hummus is great fresh and has a wonderful creamy texture.