A Recipe Blog of Vegetarian Recipes From Around the World

Waina from Nigeria

2009-05-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

An omelet recipe from the northern states of Nigeria. It is usually served with freshly baked bread or on toast. We ate it with fresh whole grain bread from the bakery at the grocery store.

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*4 eggs
*1 bell pepper, chopped
*1/2 onion, chopped
* butter
*salt & pepper to taste

1. Mix the eggs, peppers & onions in a mixing bowl.

2. Season & stir thoroughly, adding a drop of water if necessary.

3. Heat butter in a frying pan. When hot, pour a ladle full of egg mixture into the butter. Fry until golden & crisp. Remove from pan & drain on paper towels.

4. Continue to fry in this manner using up all the egg mixture. Serve hot on slices of bread or toast.

Malaysian Sweet and Sour Eggs

2009-04-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

Servings: about 3
Time: about 30 minutes

* 4-5 eggs, cooked well done
* 1 onion, cut into rings and then cut into half
* 1/2 red chili, sliced thinly
* 1/2 stalk scallion, sliced diagonally
* 1/8 tsp salt
* 3 1/2 tbsp sugar (extra to taste)
* 3 tbsp cooking oil
* tamarind pulp, the size of a small ping pong ball
* 1 cup water

Note: We couldn't find any tamarind pulp, so we used nectar of tamarind instead and did NOT add the sugar to the recipe. It worked out just fine that way.

1. Fry the eggs well done and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, add one cup of water to the tamarind pulp and soak for 10 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind pulp to extract the juice. Use only the juice and discard the pulp.

3. Heat up your wok and add in the cooking oil. Sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes until they turn slighly brown or aromatic.

4. Add in the eggs and do a quick stir.

5. Lower the heat, add the tamarind juice and bring it to boil.

6. Add in sugar, salt, scallion & chili. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Serve hot.

Vegetarian Hungarian Goulash

2009-04-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

A recipe from Hungary!

* 1 cup potatoes, peeled & sliced
* 1 cup onions, chopped
* 2 pressed garlic cloves
* 1 1/4 tsp paprika
* 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
* 1 vegetable bullion cube
* 2 tbsp water
* 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes
* 3 1/2 tsp marjoram
* 1/4 cup safflower oil
* 3 cups cooked eggless noodles

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large sauce pan, except the noodles. Cook over medium heat, covered for 30 to 40 minutes, then serve over hot noodles.

Adas be Sabanekh from Lebanon

2009-04-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

A recipe from Lebanon!

Time: about an hour
Servings: about 6

* 1/2 lb lentils
* 1 cup sliced onion
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 3 peeled & chopped cloves of garlic
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh corriander (aka, cilantro)
* 10 ounces chopped, frozen spinach that has been thawed
* 2 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced
* salt
* ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup lemon juice

1. Wash & pick over lentils. Place in a saucepan & cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook, covered, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, brown the onion in oil in a large pan. Stir in the garlic & corriander. Add the spinach. Saute 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the potatoes, cooked lentils, & enough lentil cooking liquid to cover. Season with salt & pepper.

3. Bring to a boil, lower heat, & simmer for about 20 minutes.

4. Stir in the lemon juice. Can be served hot, lukewarm, or cold.

Pumpkin Stew with Chilies and Cheese from Peru

2009-04-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

~This is a Peruvian recipe!~

Servings: about 6
Time: over 2.5 hours

* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 4 medium Serrano peppers, finely chopped
* 1 tbsp safflower oil
* 2 lbs pumpkin or winter squash, peeled and cubed
* 2 medium white potatoes, peeled and cubed
* 1/4 cup half-and-half
* 1 cup queso blanco or feta
* salt & pepper, to taste

1. Saute onion, garlic & chiles in oil.

2. Add pumpkin & potatoes, plus a little water if necessary. Cover & cook over low heat until the pumpkin & potatoes are tender.

3. Add the half-and-half & cheese. Heat through.

4. Add salt & pepper. Garnish with additional cheese if desired.

Åland Pancake

2009-04-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Aland!

* 1 egg
* 2.5 tbsp sugar
* 2.5 tbsp flour
* 1 cup rice, cooked & cooled
* 1/2 tsp cardamom
* 1/3 tsp salt
* 2/3 cup milk
* plum or raspberry jam
* whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Mix the eggs & sugar. Add rice, flour, cardamom, salt, then the milk. Mix thoroughly.

3. Pour into a small casserole dish & bake 25 – 30 minutes, until the edges turn a light brown & the center is no longer gelatinous.

4. Serve with plum jam or raspberry jam and whipped cream.

Tum'tumo (Lentils in a Savory Sauce)

2009-04-18T09:38:00.001-07:00

A dish from Eritrea!

Servings: about 4-6

* 2 cups lentils
* 6-1/2 cups water
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 3 tsp olive oil
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp hot sauce
* 1 can chopped tomatoes
* 1 can tomato paste
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped

1. Bring lentils to boil in 6 cups of water. Simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Saute onion in oil until browned. Add salt, hot sauce, tomato paste, & 1/2 cup water. Simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add garlic & lentils. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve.

Senegalese Stew with Millet

2009-04-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

Time: about 1 hour
Servings: 4

* 2 tbsp vegetable oil
* 2 cups chopped cabbage
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
* 1/2 tsp curry powder
* 1/4 tps thyme
* 14.5 oz canned tomatoes
* 1 cup vegetable stock
* 2 tbsp peanut butter
* 2 cups cubed sweet potato
* 1-1/2 cups cubed rutabega
* 1 cup sliced carrots
* 1 cup cooked chickpeas
* 2 cups cooked millet

1. In a 3 quart sauce pan heat the oil over medium-high heat.

2. Add the cabbage, onion & garlic. Cook, stirring until the cabbage is softened.

3. Stir in the red pepper, curry powder, & thyme. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the spoon.

4. Add the broth & peanut butter. Stir until completely smooth.

5. Add the potato, rutabega, carrot, & chickpeas.

6. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 35 minutes.

7. Serve over millet.

Fried Plantains

2009-04-18T09:34:00.001-07:00

Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

* 2 ripe plantains
* 1/2 cup of oil
* salt (optional)

1. Peel the plantains & cut diagonally in 1/4- inch thick slices.

2. Deep fry the plantains until golden brown. Sprinkle a little salt for flavor. Serve immediately.

Arroz con Maiz

2009-04-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

A recipe from the Dominican Republic.

Time: 35 Mins
Servings: 8

* 4 cups rice
* 1/2 cup of sweet corn
* 1 cube bullion of vegetable stock
* 1/2 cup of pineapple cut into small cubes
* 5 cups water of boiling water
* 5 spoons of oil
* Salt

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the corn, vegetable stock cube & pineapple. Stir until the cube has dissolved. Add the rice & mix well. When everything is well mixed add the boiling water. Salt to taste.

2. Stir regularly to avoid excessive sticking. When all the water has evaporated, cover with a tight fitting lid & simmer on very low heat. Wait 15 minutes & uncover. Stir, add the remaining oil & cover again. Wait another 5 minutes. Try the rice, it should be firm but tender inside.

3. If necessary, cover and leave another 5 minutes on very low heat.

Apple Berry Crisp from Greenland

2009-04-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

A modified recipe from Greenland!

servings: about 8-12

* 7 oz. blueberries
* 3-4 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
* 3.5 oz. butter (or a little less, if you prefer)
* 6.76 fl. oz. flour
* 3.38 fl. oz. brown sugar
* chopped nuts (we used walnuts)
* 6.76 fl. oz. whipping cream & 1 tub crème fraiche 18%... or just use some Coolwhip
* Seeds from 1 stick of vanilla

1. Put all the slices of apple into a dish & sprinkle with most of the berries.

2. Rub the butter into the flour, which has already been mixed with the brown sugar. Sprinkle this crumble mixture onto the apples & berries. Top with the flaked nuts.

3. Put the dish into a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) & bake until the top is crisp & golden & the filling is bubbling slightly – approx. 30 minutes.

4. Take the dish out of the oven & let it stand.

5. Serve with a mixture of whipped cream, crème fraiche & vanilla.

Tofu and Beansprout Fritters

2009-04-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

This dish is called Bakwan Tahu in Indonesia.

* 1 chopped onion
* 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1 tsp ground corriander
* 1 lb firm tofu
* 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp chili powder or freshly ground pepper
* 1/2 cup beansprouts
* 1 egg, beaten
* 2-3 tbsp all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* about 1 cup peanut oil

1. Heat 2 or 3 tbsp of the oil in a wok or frying pan. Fry onion & garlic, stirring the whole time, for 3 minutes or until just turning light brown.

2. Put the onion & garlic (without the oil) into a glass bowl & leave to get cold. Keep the in the pan. When they are cold, put the rest of the ingredients, except the oil, into the bowl & mash with a wooden spoon, mixing everything together.

3. Put the rest of the oil into the frying pan that contains the little bit of oil left for frying the onion. Heat.

4. When the oil is hot, drop a spoonful of the tofu mixture into it, then 3 or 4 more. Fry until golden brown. Take out the fritters with a slotted spoon & drain them on an absorbant paper towel. Finish frying the rest of the mixture in this manner.

Gallo Pinto

2009-04-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

A recipe from Costa Rica!

servings: 4-6

* 2 tbsp canola oil
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 cups cooked white rice
* 2 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp ground corriander
* 1/2 tsp ground ginger
* 2-3 tbsp vegetarian worcestershire sauce (we substituted Supreme Garlic flavored A1 Steak Sauce because it had many of the same ingredients)
* salt & freshly ground black pepper
* fresh cilantro
* sliced green onion

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add onion & saute until it begins to soften and turn translucent. Add garlic. Saute for 5 more minutes, or until onion is golden.

3. Add spices & worcestershire. Stir.

4. Add the beans & then the rice. Cook until mixture is heated through.

5. Add salt & pepper to taste. Serve hot. Garnish with cilantro & green onions.

Heart of Palm Salad from Costa Rica

2009-04-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

A Costa Rican recipe!

servings: about 4

* 1 14-oz can of hearts of palm
* leafy lettuce
* fresh squeezed juice from 1 lime
* salt
* fresh ground black pepper
* 1 chopped red bell pepper
* 1 chopped vine ripened tomato

1. Lay down some lettuce in the bowls. Arrange the bite-sized pieces of heart of palm over the lettuce. Add the tomato & bell pepper.

2. Pour some lime juice over the salad and sprinkle salt & pepper, to taste.

Korean Vegetarian Dumplings

2009-04-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

servings: makes 50 dumplings

* 2 10-oz packages firm tofu
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 leek, chopped
* 2 green onions, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tsp sesame oil
* 2 tsp salt
* 1 tsp black pepper
* 50 dumpling wrappers
* vegetable oil for frying

1. Press the excess water from the tofu. Crumble the tofu and place in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add remaining ingredients (except the wrappers and vegetable oil) & combine until mixed.

3. Pour some cold water in a small bowl for dipping.

4. To make the dumplings, place a wrapper in the palm of your hand. Spoon enough filling into the middle to leave about 1/2 inch of empty wrapper. Dip your finger in the cold water & wet 1/2 the edges of the wrapper, then fold in half & press to seal it. Repeat with all of the wrappers.

5. Pour enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a pan & heat over medium heat. Place several dumplings in the pan, but don't let them touch. Fry until golden brown & crispy on one side, them flip them and cook all sides until golden & crispy all over. Cook all dumplings, adding more oil as needed.

Quick Kimchi

2009-04-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

A Korean recipe!

*2 Nappa cabbages
*1 medium Asian radish
*1/4 cup coarse sea salt or kosher salt
* water
*4 green onions, sliced into pieces about 1 inch long
*5 garlic cloves, minced
*2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
* 2 tablespoons chili powder

1. Wash the leaves of the cabbage & cut them into about 2-inch lengths. Peel the radish & halve it lengthwise down the center, cut lengthwise again, & then slice into 1/2-inch thin squares.

2. Dissolve salt in 1 cup water. Place the vegetables in a large bowl and pour the salt water over them. Let soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.

3. The next day, drain the vegetables & retain the salty water. Add the green onions, garlic, ginger, & chili powder. Mix the vegetable by hand (you might want to use gloves so the chili doesn't stain your hands). Pack into a 1-gallon jar (or an appropriate amount of smaller jars). Pour the salted water over the mixture. Leave about an inch of space on top of the jar.

4. Let sit about 2 or 3 days, depending on how fermented you like your kimchi. Refrigerate after opening.

Complete Jollof Rice from Benin

2009-04-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from the country of Benin.

Serves: 8 people

* 1 cup dry black-eyed peas
*2 medium-sized eggplants
*1 1/2 tbs oil
*3 tbs ginger root, grated or minced
*2 peppers of your choice (I used Anaheims), roasted with the seeds removed, chopped
*8 tomatoes
*2 tsp cayenne
*2 tps curry powder
*Tabasco sauce to taste
*12 cups of water
*1 tsp salt
*2 large onions, chopped
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1 green bell pepper, chopped
*1 1/2 tbs tomato paste
*1 lb carrots
*1/2 lb green beans
* 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

1. In a large pot, soak the black-eyed peas overnight in 4 cups of water.

2. Drain & replace with 8 cups of fresh water, & simmer peas for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving water for cooking.

3. Meanwhile, roast the peppers, as mentioned above. I cooked mine in the oven.

4. Slice the eggplant into rounds about 1/2 inch thick and place in a colander. Salt and let them drain for 5 minutes.

5. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add eggplant, 1 tbs chopped onion, 1 tbs grated ginger, 1 chopped pepper, 1 clove garlic, & the bell pepper. Cook, stirring until the eggplant is browned, for about 5 minutes. Remove eggplant & set aside.

6. Add remaining onion, ginger, pepper, garlic, reserved water, tomatoes, tomato paste, cayenne, & curry, stirring them all together. Add hot sauce to taste. Simmer 10 minutes, uncovered.

7. Add black-eyed peas, carrots, & rice. Simmer another 5 minutes.

8. Add green beans & eggplant & simmer 15 minutes more, still uncovered.

9. Finally, cover & simmer another 20 minutes.

Ailazan from Armenia

2009-04-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is a traditional Armenian dish. It is a thick vegetable stew.

* 1 lb eggplant
* 1 lb potato (we used small red potatoes)
* 1 onion
* 100 g oil (I think that came to about 1/2 cup of oil when we used our kitchen scale)
* 3 vine ripened tomatoes
* 1 cup green beans
* 1 red bell pepper
* 1 cup of fresh spices (basil, thyme, cilantro, parsley)
* a bit of chopped garlic
* ground black pepper
* ground red pepper
* salt
* 1/2 cup water

1. Slice the eggplant finely, put a little bit of salt over each piece, then leave it to sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze out the extra juice. (We pressed them with paper towels.)
2. Slice the other vegetables finely & mince the spices.
3. Put the vegetables in a deep pot in layers, beginning with the eggplant on the bottom. Sprinkle every layer with spices including some salt.
4. Pour the oil & the water over top of the vegetables. Cover. Cook on low heat until done. (We cooked the stew on "2" for 1 hour & 45 minutes-- it turned out perfectly.)

Note: A lot of water will cook out of the vegetables, so dont worry that it doesn't seem like enough water at first.

Pseudo Thai Stir Fry

2009-04-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

Servings: 4
Time: about 30 minutes

* 1/4 to 1/2 cup canola oil
* about 4 cups of chopped vegetables of your choice, for example: snow peas, broccoli, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper
* 1 can coconut milk
* fresh basil, coarsely chopped, no stems
* 1/4 tsp red or green Thai curry paste (we prefer green for this recipe)
* a few dashes of soy sauce
* cooked rice (about 4 cups)

1. Stir fry veggies in oil until partially cooked but still crisp.
2. Add coconut milk & basil.
3. Add curry paste & soy sauce.
4. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Mixture should be soupy.
5. Serve over rice.

*Note: This is one of Elliot's favorite recipes to make!

Baked Quesadillas

2009-04-18T09:13:00.001-07:00

Servings: as many as you like!
Time: about 20 minutes

* tortillas
* refried beans, canned (for us, 1 can makes about 4 quesadillas)
* grated cheddar cheese (or whatever cheese you like, really)
* anything else you want to add to the quesadillas, for example: sliced bell pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, onion
* salsa &/or sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Assemble the tortillas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or forget the baking sheet & parchment paper, & just put them on aluminum foil, if you don't mind the bottom tortilla a little soft). Put the tortillas together by spreading the beans onto one tortilla, layering your vegetables over the beans, & sprinkling as much cheese as you like. Then put another tortilla on top, like a sandwich.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes.
4. Serve with salsa & sour cream.

*Note: These are super-easy to make, and really tasty if you add lots of vegetables.

Super-easy Peach Crisp

2009-04-18T09:12:00.001-07:00

Servings: 3-4
Time: 20 min

*2 cans (15.25 oz each) sliced peaches, drained
*2 packages (1.6 oz each) cinnamon instant oatmeal, uncooked
*1/3 cup flour
*1/2 cup chopped walnuts
*1/3 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put peaches into a lightly buttered 2-quart baking dish.
2. In a separate bowl, mix oatmeal, flour, & nuts. Stir in butter. Sprinkle mixture over the peaches.
3. Bake for 15 min or until golden brown.

Note: Good with ice cream!

Pancake For Two

2009-04-18T09:11:00.001-07:00

~suggested by Brendan and Taryn... thanks, guys!~

Servings: 2
Time: about 25 min

*2 eggs
*1⁄2 cup flour
*1⁄2 cup milk
*Pinch of ground nutmeg
*4 tbsps butter
*2 tbsps confectioners' sugar --- optional topping
*Juice of half a lemon---- optional topping
*Fig or blackberry jam, pear butter or any kind of marmalade, for serving (optional).

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the flour, milk & nutmeg & lightly beat until blended but still slightly lumpy.

2. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet with a heatproof handle over medium-high heat. (Taryn says: "what i do is put the butter in the skillet, & then put the skillet in the oven to melt the butter. we use the cast-iron skillet for this, but you could also probably use a cake pan") When very hot but not brown, pour in the batter. Bake in the oven until the pancake is billowing on the edges & golden brown, about 15 minutes. (Taryn says: "this amount of time would depend upon your oven. it takes less than ten minutes in ours. just keep an eye on it. while it bakes, you can fry some apples or heat up some berries for the topping")

3. Working quickly, remove the pan from the oven & using a fine-meshed sieve, sprinkle with the sugar. Return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes more. Sprinkle with lemon juice & serve with jam, pear butter or marmalade.

Taryn's adjustments: "i skip the lemon, sugar, and jam and serve with either fried apples or berries and maples syrup. the pancake will puff up in the oven and then deflate after you take it out. that is okay. do not feel that you have failed, it is supposed to do that."

Tangy Vegetable Dip

2009-04-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Serves: about 6 (makes one cup of dip)
Time: 15 min

*1/2 cup non-fat mayonnaise
*1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt
*1 tbsp chopped onion
*1 tbsp fresh minced parsley
*1/2 tsp seasoning salt
*1/2 tsp Worcestershire
*1 to 4 drops hot sauce

1. Combine the ingredients.
2. Chill until ready to serve with vegetables (such as baby carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers, etc).

Note: This is also good with dinner, served instead of a salad!

Cantonese-style Fried Rice

2009-04-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Servings: 3-5
Prep time: about 20 min

*2 or 3 eggs
*2 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp dry sherry
*2 tbsp onion, minced
*5 tbsp cooking oil
*4 cups cooked rice
*1 tsp Chinese brown gravy syrup or 1/2 tsp Kitchen Boquet or Gravy Master
*1 cup bean sprouts or the shredded thick part of lettuce as a substitute

1. Beat eggs with salt & sherry.
2. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Stir in onion then egg mixture. Scramble and break into pieces until quite dry.
3. Add rice, gravy & bean sprouts. Stir constantly until the ingredients are well blended & thoroughly heated (about 8 to 10 minutes).

Note: 1/2 cup of diced or shredded meat or fake meat can be added with rice, if you want.

Note: Never use soy sauce because it makes the rice too soft.

Note: Fried rice is the way Chinese use leftover rice, so its fine to use day-old rice for this recipe.

Curry Pumpkin Soup

2009-04-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

~special thanks to Jen for this recipe!~

*1/2 stick butter
*1.5 large white onions
*2 tbsp lime juice
* plus or minus 1/4 cup masaman or panang curry paste
*kosher salt & pepper
*bay leaves (Jen says: "we didn’t use these")
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1/2 cup white wine
*1 can coconut milk
*2 cups milk
*2 small cans (or 1 large can) pumpkin puree
*1/2 cup black rum
*3 cups vegetable stock
*optional: parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, etc (to taste)

1. Sauté onions in butter.
2. Add curry paste, lime juice, bay leaf, optional ingredients & brown sugar. Stir 1 minute.
3. Add white wine, coconut milk & milk.
4. Simmer on medium heat about 20 minutes to reduce.
5. Meanwhile, combine pumpkin, stock & rum in a medium saucepan until warm & uniform in texture. Add to other ingredients.
6. Reduce for 20-30 more minutes by simmering.

(Jen says: "Recipe says to add honey or sugar, salt & herbs, garlic if needed to taste- but I have not tried those.")

Honey Granola

2009-04-18T08:59:00.001-07:00

~ Taryn & Brendan's alterations of the recipe from "Breakfast Lunch Tea Rose Bakery" by Rose Carrarini. Thanks, guys!~

(pistachio granola image from Taryn and Brendan)

Prep time: several hours

*5 1/3 cups rolled oats
*2 cups chopped walnuts (you can use any combination: almonds or seeds or whatever)
*1/4 cup roasted ground flaxseeds (the original recipe calls for wheatgerm)
*1/2 cup vegetable oil
*1 cup honey
*1/2 cup water
*a few drops of vanilla
*a pinch of cinnamon (Taryn & Brendan caution: don't use more than a pinch!)
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*dried or fresh fruit to serve

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a bowl, mix together the oats, honey, nuts, seeds, ground flaxseeds.
3. Put the oil, honey, water, vanilla, cinnamon & salt in a saucepan. Bring just to a boil, stirring constantly, then pour over the dry ingredients & mix well.
4. If the mixture is too wet add more oats - there should be no excess liquid & it should be sticky.
5. Spread out evenly on a couple baking trays & bake for about 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
6. Reduce the temperature to 275 degrees & continue baking until the granola is golden, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
7. Switch off the oven & leave to dry out for at least another hour, or up to overnight.

Note: Taryn & Brendan say not to store the granola with raisins or other dried fruit because it makes the fruit hard.

Homemade Yogurt

2009-04-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

~special thanks to Taryn and Brendan for this recipe~

Apparently this is really easy to make. The recipe is for plain yogurt, but it can be sweetened with honey or maple syrup after the yogurt is made. The recipe is called "Effie's Mom's Incredibly Easy Recipe for Homemade Yogurt"; it originally comes from the website No Impact Man & has been only slightly modified below.

Prep time: wont be ready until the next day

*milk (use your containers as your guide for how much milk to use)
*1 tbsp live yogurt (to get the culture going)
*you'll also need glass or plastic containers & 2 or 3 towels

1. Boil milk (Taryn and Brendan use 1% and say that you can use soy or almond milk; No Impact Man recommends whole milk) in a large pot until it boils and foams at the top. Shut it off before it spills over.
2. Let the milk cool off until you can keep your pinky finger in the milk for 10 seconds without burning it (No Impact Man says: "a temperature reading would have been great for this step but I don't think they had these back in Greece 70 years ago"... apparently Effie's mom is Greek and quite old).
3. In a small bowl that holds about 2 cups, beat one tablespoon of live yogurt until smooth. Slowly add one cup of the milk from the pot, stirring slowly until combined.
4. Transfer this mixture from step #3 to the pot of boiled milk, slowly pouring it into the pot while mixing the pot of milk (with a spatula or long spoon) the whole time in order to combine thoroughly.
5. Pour into glass or plastic containers and seal them.
6. Arrange the containers together and cover with 2 to 3 towels keeping them in a warm place of the house (No Impact Man says: "and no, you don't need some sort of a yogurt maker gadget to keep them warm"). Let them sit overnight.
7. In the morning place them in the refrigerator and they will get cold. Yogurt is done.
8. Do a dance!

Veggie Black Bean Soup

2009-04-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

Prep time: 30 min
Servings: 4

*1/2 small onion, chopped
*1/2 cup chopped carrots
*1/2 cup chopped celery
*1 clove garlic, minced
*1/8 black pepper (freshly ground if you're fancy, regular black pepper if you're like me)
*2 cups vegetable broth
*2 cups fresh baby spinach
*14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
*1/3 cup chickpeas (out of a can), rinsed and drained
*1/3 cup low-salt black beans (out of a can), rinsed and drained
*oil or cooking spray

1. Heat a little bit of cooking spray or oil in a large pot. Saute the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, & pepper for 5-7 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
2. Add broth, spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas, & black beans. Bring to a boil.
3. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Calories: 95

Note: Of course, you can adjust the ingredients to your own liking. I usually forgo the onion and celery and put in zucchini and green bell pepper instead. I've tried it with corn, too.

Pear with Vanilla Almond Dip

2009-04-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

Prep time: less than 5 min!
Servings: 1

*1/8 tsp almond extract
*1/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
*dash of nutmeg
*pear, sliced

1. Stir the almond extract & the nutmeg into the yogurt.
2. Serve with the sliced pear.

Note: This is unbelievably delicious. I can't explain it.

Chocolatey Nut Clusters

2009-04-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

Prep time: about 20 min, plus one hour to cool
Servings: makes about 20 clusters

*6 oz semisweet chocolate
*2 tsp vegetable shortening
*2 cups unsalted mixed nuts (8 oz)

1. Mix the chocolate & the shortening in a medium-sized saucepan. Heat over low heat & stir occasionally until the chocolate melts (about 3 minutes).
2. Remove from heat & stir in the nuts.
3. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Make clusters of the chocolatey nuts by spooning little heaps onto the wax paper with a tablespoon. Leave about 1 inch between the clusters.
4. Put them in the fridge for at least 1 hour to harden.

Note: These are messy, even after they've hardened.

Fake Meatball Subs

2009-04-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

Prep time: 5 min!

*sub rolls
*fake meatballs (look in the frozen foods section of your grocery store)
*spaghetti sauce
*slices of mozzarella cheese

1. Heat the meatballs according to the package directions.
2. Put 6-7 meatballs on a sub roll, pour spaghetti sauce over them & then put slices of mozzarella cheese on top.
3. Put the subs back in the microwave long enough to melt the cheese & heat the sauce.

Note: These are sooooooo easy to make and they're super yummy.

Okra Creole

2009-04-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

A recipe from Barbados!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

* 1 large onion, sliced
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 3 tbsp peanut oil
* 20 okra pods, topped, tailed, sliced (or 1 bag frozen okra works fine, too!)
* 2 tomatoes, chopped
* 1 cup fresh corn kernels
* salt & pepper to taste

1. In a heavy skillet, saute the onion & bell pepper in the oil.

2. Add the okra & cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes & corn, lower the heat, & cook for 15 minutes (or until okra is done).

4. Season with salt & pepper.

Banana Bread

2009-04-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

Makes one 9-inch loaf.

Ingredients:
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
* 1/4 cup butter
* 3 ripe bananas, peeled & mashed
* 1 egg
* 2 cups flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* dash of vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease 9-inch loaf pan and line with wax paper.

3. Cream the sugars & butter together in a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the bananas & mix.

5. Add the egg, dry ingredients, & vanilla. Mix.

6. Pour the batter into the pan & bake for 50 minutes, or until brown. A knife inserted into the center will come out clean when done.

7. Remove from pan and cool on a rack for 10 minutes.

Eggah from Tunisia

2009-04-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients :
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 onion, thinly sliced
* 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* 1 green bell pepper, seeded & thinly sliced
* 1 red bell pepper, seeded & thinly sliced
* 2 zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
* 1 lb ripe tomatoes (4 to 5), peeled & cut into wedges
* 1/8 tsp to 1/4tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
* 3/4 tsp ground cumin
* 1/2 tsp ground coriander
* 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
* sea salt & freshly ground pepper
* 3 eggs
* 6 egg whites
* 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed lidded frying pan or casserole & add the onion & garlic. Saute until the onion begins to soften.

2. Add the green & red peppers. Continue to saute 5 minutes, stirring.

3. Add the zucchini. Continue to saute 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the tomatoes, spices, sea salt & pepper to taste.

5. Stir together, cover, & reduce heat. Simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through & fragrant. If they begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a little water. Correct seasonings and remove from the heat.

6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees & oil a baking dish large enough to accommodate the vegetables and eggs.

7. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the parsley.

8. Stir in the vegetable mixture, correct seasonings again, & turn into the prepared baking dish. Cover and bake 30 minutes.

9. Remove the cover and bake another 10 minutes or until the top is nicely browned & the eggs set. Serve at once, or allow it to cool and serve, cut into squares, as an appetizer. The eggah will keep a day or two in the refrigerator.

Falkland Island Warmer

2009-01-29T15:25:00.000-08:00

~A drink recipe!~

* 1 1/2 oz. Drambuie
* juice of 1/2 lemon
* 4 oz. hot water

1. Strain the lemon juice to remove pulp.

2. Add Drambuie.

3. Fill with hot water to desired dilution.

Easy Egg Drop Soup

2008-12-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

Prep Time: 15 min!
Servings: 4-6

* 2 cans (about 30 oz) broth (chicken broth is traditionally used, but I substituted vegetable broth)
* 3 eggs
* 1/2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (regular soy sauce is too salty for this recipe!)
* 1/2 cup chopped green onion

1. Bring broth to a boil. Meanwhile, whip the eggs.

2. Once the broth is boiling, take the pot off the heat & add the soy sauce.

3. Stir in the eggs. As you stir, the eggs will separate into stringy pieces.

4. Add the green onion & stir.

5. Serve hot.

Cous Cous Soup

2008-12-07T18:24:00.000-08:00

~special thanks to Candi for this recipe!~

Prep time: 15 min!
Servings: 8

* 8 cups broth (the orignal recipe calls for chicken broth, I used vegetable broth)
* 1 cup cous cous
* 1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomato
* 1-2 thinly sliced, seeded jalapeno peppers
* 1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Bring broth to a boil.

2. Stir in cous cous & cook for 5 minutes. (Meanwhile, dice the tomato & jalapeno.)

3. Add the tomato & jalapeno. Cook for about 8 more minutes.

4. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, & serve.

Note: if the soup becomes too thick, add water.

Note: add Tabasco sauce for a Mexican flavor or fresh basil for an Italian flavor!

Vegan Cornbread

2008-12-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

Prep Time: less than 30 minutes
Servings: 6

* 1 cup cornmeal
* 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use all-purpose flour & it works out just fine)
* 1 tbsp baking powder
* 1/4 cup oil
* 1 cup soy milk
* 1/3 cup molasses or maple syrup (I use maple syrup)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix ingredients together in a bowl.

3. Pour batter into a lightly oiled 8-inch round pan.

4. Bake for 20 minutes.

Sweet Potato Soup

2008-12-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

~ suggested by my friend Taryn! ~

Prep Time: about 45 minutes, once the sweet potatoes are baked

Note: Taryn says, "You can use sweet potato or canned pumpkin."

* 2 onions
* 4 baked sweeet potatoes or 1 can of pumpkin
* vegetable stock
* nutmeg
* salt
* pepper
*smoked sweet paprika or fake bacon (note from Mary: MorningStar Farms makes good fake bacon, available in the frozen section of grocery stores)

1. Fry the onions until translucent. Add the sweet potato mush & spices. Then add stock. If you like thinner soup, add a lot of stock or if you like thicker soup add less stock.

2. Cook for about 1/2 hour.

3. Top with smoked sweet paprika or crumbled fake bacon.

Taryn says: I love this with pumpernickel bread.

Garbanzo Bean Stew

2008-12-07T18:17:00.000-08:00

~ suggested by my friend Taryn! ~

Prep Time: depends... at least 1 hour

Note: Taryn says, "I use dried beans because I think that they taste better, but canned is fine."

* 1/2 cup dried garbanzo beans (if using a can, just use the whole can)
* 2 onions, chopped
* 1 head garlic, smashed & chopped
* 1/8 cup olive oil
* water
* 1 potato, chopped
* 1 can of whole tomatoes (Taryn says: We used canned roasted tomatoes. You may need more spices with plain ones.)
* salt & pepper

1. Soak the beans for 24 hours.

2. Fry onion & garlic in oil until translucent.

3. Add beans & enough water to cover. (Taryn says: The less water you cook beans in, the quicker they cook.)

4. Turn the heat down & cover. Check the beans after an hour, but expect them to take up to 4 hours to cook.

5. Add the potato & tomatoes, including juice.

6. When the potato is done, add salt & pepper to taste.

Cream of Asparagus

2008-12-07T18:14:00.001-08:00

~ suggested by my friend Amber! ~

Servings: 12

* 1 1/4 sticks butter plus 1 1/2 tbsp butter
* 1/2 cup flour
* 12 1/2 cups stock (Amber says: I use chicken, but you can use vegetable stock or any stock that is light colored & clear)
* 1 cup asparagus
* 3/4 cup onion, diced
* 3 cups hot milk
* salt to taste
* white pepper to taste
* heavy cream to garnish (optional)
* asparagus tips to garnish (optional)

1. Heat 1 1/4 sticks of butter on low until thoroughly melted. Stir in flour. You will see a light golden color. Now you have a blonde roux.

2. Allow to cool slightly.

3. Whisk the mixture into warmed stock.

4. Sweat onion & asparagus in 1 1/2 tbsp of butter, then add to stock. Simmer until soft & tender.

5. Puree vegetables & pass through a cheesecloth or foodmill & add back to stock. (Amber says: This is the annoying part of the recipe. You get all of the flavor but lose the stringy quality of the asparagus. If you own a foodmill, that may be easier than using cheesecloth.)

6. Add hot milk until you reach the desired consistency. Temperature of the milk is important because cold milk does not reach very well when suddenly added to a warm mixture, so mix similar-temperature liquids together. Heat soup again, but do not let it boil after adding milk.

7. Season to taste & serve.

Tortilla Soup

2008-12-07T18:11:00.000-08:00

~ suggested by my friend Jen! ~

Prep Time: about 45 min
Servings: about 8

* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 cup corn kernels (frozen/canned), rinsed
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 cup white hominy, rinsed
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 4 oz can chopped green chile peppers
* 2 tsp chili powder
* 1 can black beans, rinsed, drained
* 1 tsp dried cumin
* ½ cup chopped cilantro
* 2 cans veggie broth
* 28 oz crushed/diced tomatoes

Optional ingredients (Jen says: I use about 2 tsp lime, a lot of cayenne):
* Lime juice
* Cayenne pepper or tobasco to heat it up
* Sugar- if it gets too sour from all the acid

Garnish options:
* Tortilla chips
* Sliced avocado (Jen says: my favorite)
* Monterey Jack cheese
* Chopped green onions

1. In a medium to large pot, heat olive oil over medium. Saute onion & garlic. Stir in chili powder, cumin, tomatoes, broth. Bring to boil & simmer 10 minutes.

2. Stir in corn, hominy, green chiles, black beans, cilantro. Simmer 10 minutes.

3. Serve with any of the garnishes above.

Barley and Lentil Soup

2008-11-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

(picture by Jen)

~ Suggested by my friend Jen! ~

Time: about 1 hour
Servings: 8-10

* 1 cup chopped onion
* 6 cups vegetable broth
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 2 tsp dried rosemary
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 2 tsp dried oregano
* 28oz can diced tomatoes
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* ¾ cup rinsed lentils (uncooked)
* 2 cups carrots
* 3/4 cup rinsed pearl barley (uncooked)

1. In large soup pot, cook onions, celery & garlic in hot olive oil until tender.

2. Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, lentils, barley, rosemary, oregano, pepper, & carrots.

3. Cook for 40 minutes, or until barley, lentils and carrots tender.

Note: Jen says, "I like to eat this with cheese and crackers on the side."

Stuffed Pepper Soup

2008-11-30T10:55:00.000-08:00

Time: 30 mins
Servings: 4-6

* 32 oz vegetable broth
* 1 chopped green bell pepper
* 1 chopped red or yellow bell pepper
* 1 small onion, diced
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 14. 5 oz can diced tomatoes, pureed in a blender
* about 10 oz meatless crumbles (or for you beef-eating carnivores, you could probably use cooked hamburger meat, but I'm not going to vouch for how the soup turns out)
* 3/4 cup brown minute rice
* a bit of oil for sauteing

1. Prepare all of the vegetables.

2. Saute the onion & garlic in the oil until they are soft.

3. Add the peppers & cook until they are tender.

4. Add pureed tomatoes, meatless crumbles, & broth. Bring to a slow boil.

5. Once boiling, add the rice. Cover & cook until rice is tender (about 10 minutes).

Panzanella Soup

2008-11-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

Time: 25 min
Servings: 4

* 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
* 1/3 cup minced fresh basil or 2 tbsp dried
* 2 tbsp minced fresh oregano or 2 tsp dried
* 1 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled & chopped or 1 cup canned tomatoes,
drained, peeled & chopped
* 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
* 4 cups cubed bread, crust removed
* 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat, & saute the garlic, onion, basil, & oregano until the onions are soft (about 8 min).

2. Add the tomatoes, broth, & bread. Stir until the mixture is heated throughout & you have a coarse porridge.

3. Spoon into serving bowls & sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over each.

Avgolemono

2007-01-31T10:48:00.000-08:00

This is a quick version of a Greek classic. I like to serve it with spanakopita (that I bought from the frozen section of the grocery store) and a salad. I have to be careful when I add the lemon juice to this soup because the taste of the lemon quickly becomes overpowering for some people (i.e. my husband).
***********************************************************************************

Time: 10 min!
Servings: 6

* 7 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
* 1 cup orzo pasta
* 3 eggs
* juice of 1 lemon
* 1 tbsp cold water
* salt & black pepper

1. Put the stock into a large pan & bring to a boil.
2. Add the orzo and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Beat the eggs until frothy, then add the lemon juice & the tablespoon of cold water. Slowly stir in a ladelful of the hot stock, then add one or two more.
4. Take the pan of stock off the heat. Slowly add the egg mixture to the pan. DO NOT LET THE SOUP BOIL ONCE THE EGGS HAVE BEEN ADDED OR IT WILL CURDLE.
5. Season with salt & pepper.

Tip: Be sure you use good quality stock. The stock will make or break this recipe.

Beans and Greens Soup

2007-01-30T10:45:00.000-08:00

I first made this recipe several years ago when one of my coworkers, knowing that I am a vegetarian, suggested it to me. It's a very hearty and flavorful soup that tastes distinctly southern.
**********************************************************************************

Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

* 2 cups chopped onion
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 cups water or vegetable stock
* 1/2 lb collard greens or kale
* 2 cups undrained (16 oz) canned tomato, chopped
* 2 (16 oz) can black-eyed peas
* 1 tbsp white vinegar
* 1 tbsp brown sugar
* pinch of dried thyme
* 1/4 tsp allspice
* a couple of splashes of Tabasco or hot sauce
* 2 cups cooked rice
* salt to taste

1. In soup pot, combine onions & garlic in 2 cups water/stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat & simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Cut collards/kale in small pieces.
3. Add greens, tomatoes & their juice, black-eyed peas, the additional cup of water/stock, vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, & Tabasco/hot sauce to the pot.
4. Simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Stir in rice & cook for 5 minutes more.
6. Add salt to taste.

Chilled Strawberry Soup

2007-01-30T10:34:00.000-08:00

This soup is quick to make and tastes like really yummy, fruity yogurt. My little sister loves it-- I first made it for her when she was still in middle school. It's a very light soup and makes me think of summertime. I always make it with sandwiches and serve it as part of a light lunch.
***********************************************************************************

Time: 15 min!
Servings: 8

* 1 peach, peeled & sliced
* 1 nectarine, peeled & sliced
* 2 cups strawberries, sliced
* 2 (8 oz) cartons strawberry yogurt
* 1 tbsp sugar
* 2 tbsp lemon juice
* fresh mint leaves

1. Put peach, nectarine, strawberry slices, yogurt, sugar, and lemon juice in blender. Process until smooth.

2. Cover and refrigerate. Spoon into soup bowls and garnish with mint.

Note: to make this recipe vegan, use soy yogurt!