PINEAPPLEADE

1 fresh pineapple

2-quarts of water

stevia to taste

Peel the pineapple with a serrated knife.  Serve the fresh pineapple as spears or chunks.

Cut the peelings and core into chunks.  

In a 3-quart pot bring the water to a boil and remove from heat. 

Add the peeling chunks to the water and let it set for 12 hours. 

Strain the pineappleade, add stevia to taste, and chill before serving.   

BLACK BEANS and SAUSAGE

Black Beans and Sausage with brown rice and smashed sweet potatoes

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 to 3-tablespoons oil

2-cups onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, mince

1 green pepper, chopped

2-cans (15 ounces) or 4 cups cooked black beans, drained

1-tablespoon chili powder

½-teaspoon cumin

1 pack tofu sausage

salt and pepper to taste

optional: hot sauce,  cilantro, chopped

In a large cast iron, skillet heat oil over medium heat.  Sauté sausages and remove from pan.  Sauté the onions, peppers, and garlic until soft. 

Add beans, chili powder, and cumin.  Bring to a boil, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add small amounts of water if needed.  

Slice sausages on a diagonal and stir into beans.  Cook a few more minutes to heat sausages and then serve.  

CRANBERRY ORANGE OATMEAL COOKIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yield: 3-dozen small cookies or 1 1/2-dozen large cookies

½-cup canola or coconut oil

¾-cup agave nectar

2/3-cup ground flaxseed

2-teaspoons vanilla

2-cups whole-wheat pastry flour

2½-cups oatmeal

1-teaspoon baking soda

1-teaspoon cinnamon

¼-teaspoon nutmeg

¾-cups dried cranberries

1 orange, juice and zest

In a standing mixing bowl, mix together the oil, agave, flaxseed, vanilla, orange juice, and zest.    

In another bowl whisk together the flour, oatmeal, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cranberries.

Add the dry to wet.  Mix until uniform. 

Pat the dough into a large rectangle about 1-inch thick and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Cut into 2-inch squares.  Freeze ½ to be baked at another time if desired. 

Place on parchment covered baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes or until lightly golden.  If coconut oil is used bake for 3 or 5 minutes longer. 

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yield: 3-dozen small cookies or 1 1/2-dozen large cookies

½-cup canola or coconut oil

¾-cup agave nectar

2/3-cup ground flaxseed

2-teaspoons vanilla

2-cups whole-wheat pastry flour

2½-cups oatmeal

1-teaspoon baking soda

1-teaspoon cinnamon

¼-teaspoon nutmeg

¾-cups chocolate chips

In a standing mixing bowl, mix together the oil, agave, flaxseed, and vanilla.

In another bowl whisk together the flour, oatmeal, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chocolate chips. 

Add the dry to wet.  Mix until uniform.  Add 1 to 2-teaspoons of water if needed if dough isn't holding together.

Pat the dough into a large rectangle about 1-inch thick and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Cut into 2-inch squares.  Freeze ½ to be baked at another time if desired. 

Place on parchment covered baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes or until lightly golden.  If coconut oil is used bake for 3 or 5 minutes longer. 

Berry Wash

When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider probably work best) and ten parts water.  Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted you can't taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge. The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila!  Raspberries will last a week or more, and strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft.  So go forth and stock up on those pricey little gems, knowing they'll stay fresh as long as it takes you to eat them. 

This is a tip sent to me from Susan Berry.  

SCONES WITH VARIATIONS

Oil a baking sheet

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Yield: 16 small scones

4-cups whole-wheat flour

4-teaspoons baking powder

1-cup canola oil

1-cup nut, rice, or soy milk

¼-cup agave nectar

In a standing mixing bowl mix the flour and baking powder.  Mix in any optional ingredients.  Add the oil, milk, agave nectar and mix until uniform. 

Roll dough into 2 round circles each about 1-inch thick on a floured surface.  Cut the circle into 8 equal pie shaped slices.  Mark with fork tines on top and place on an oiled baking sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Serve with buttery spread and jam or just warm from the oven. 

VARIATIONS

Cranberry Orange-juice and zest of 1 orange and 1-cup dry cranberries

Blueberry1-cup dried blueberries

Cinnamon Date or Cinnamon Raisins 1-tablespoon cinnamon and 1-cup raisins or 1-cup chopped dates

Almond-2-teaspoons almond extract, and 1-cup smashed almonds,

Chocolate Chip-2-teaspoons vanilla extract and 1-cup of chocolate chips

Lemon Poppy Seed-juice and zest of 2 lemons and 2-tablespoons of poppy seeds.

 Clotted Cream Substitute

1/4-cup buttery spread

1/4-cup agave nectar

Mix the two ingredients and serve with the warm scones.  

Parchment Cookie Baking Tip

Save parchment paper after each use.  After the parchment is cut to size, it can be reused.  When cookies are done baking, place the whole parchment paper of cookies on the cooling racks.  This is faster than placing each cookie on the rack.  

CHOCOLATE WALNUT COOKIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yield: 3-dozen small cookies or 1½ dozen large cookies

¾-cup agave nectar

½-cup canola or coconut oil

1-teaspoon vanilla

1/3-cup ground flaxseed

½-cup cocoa powder

1-teaspoon baking soda

2-cups whole-wheat pastry flour

½-teaspoon salt

1-cup nuts, smashed

In a standing mixing bowl mix together the agave, oil, vanilla, and flaxseed.

In another bowl, whisk together the cocoa, baking soda, flour, and salt. 

Add the dry to wet and mix until uniform.  Fold in the nuts. 

Place the dough in plastic wrap and form into a 3-inch diameter roll.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 

Cut into 1/2-inch rounds. 

Place on parchment covered baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 11-15 minutes or until lightly golden.  If coconut oil is used, it takes longer to bake.  

EASY BLACKBERRY PARFAIT

Preparation time: 3 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

1-cup blackberries

1 container of plain soy yogurt

stevia

Mix stevia to taste in the yogurt container. 

In 2 parfait glasses, layer yogurt, blackberries, yogurt, blackberries.  Top with yogurt and place one blackberry on top and serve.  

CUCUMBER SOUP-HOT or COLD

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 to 3-tablespoons oil

1-cup onion or leek, chopped

1/2-cup celery, chopped

2 cucumbers, chopped

1 vegan bullion cubes

1-cups water

3-cups plain nut, rice, or soy milk

salt and pepper to taste

optional:  chopped chive to garnish

In a sauté pan heat oil over medium heat.  Sauté the onion or leek, celery, and cucumbers until soft. 

Zap the cup of water and stir in the vegan bullion cube until dissolved.  Add to the veggies.

Add the milk, and salt and pepper to taste.  Take out a few cups at a time and blend soup in a blender.  Reheat after blending if needed and serve

This soup is 

MANGO BITS

Easy as 1

2

3

Preparation time: 3 minutes

Yield: individual servings

The mango has a one large flat seed.  Have the narrow side facing you as you slice down each side along the flat seed.  The majority of the fruit will be in each half. 

Make cuts horizontally and vertically into the flesh on each half.  Run your finger between the skin and the fruit, and you have diced mango bits.

The mango can also be peeled and then long slices cut off the seed. 

CORN, CUKE, and CELERY SALAD

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

2 leftover corn on the cob

2 large stalks of celery, diced

1 cucumber, diced

Romaine lettuce (about 4 cups), chopped

Chop all the veggies and toss with dressing.  

Place Romaine on the plate with a mound of the veggies. 

ZIPPY DRESSING

1-tablespoon MYONAISE or salad dressing of your choice

2-tablespoons salsa

Mix ingredients together. 

COLD POTATO SALAD FAMILY STYLE with MYONAISE

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

2 ½ pounds small red potatoes

1-cup celery, diced

½-cup green onions, minced

½-cup red or green peppers, diced

1 recipe MYONAISE or salad dressing of your choice

salt and pepper to taste

optional: sprinkle with sliced radishes and/or paprika to decorate

Zap potatoes, with skin on for 5 minutes, turn, and repeat until a knife easily goes through each potato.  Cool and then chop into cubes. 

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  Toss salad with MYONAISE to coat or salad dressing. 

Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.  Garnish with paprika and radishes. 

MYONAISE

Preparation time: 3 minutes

Yield: ½-cups

1 container (12.3 ounces) silken tofu

6-tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice 

1-teaspoon prepared mustard

3-tablespoons oil

1-teaspoon salt

2 packets stevia

Blenderize all the ingredients together.  Store covered in the refrigerator.  It will keep for a week.  It’s a great low calorie (16 calories per tablespoon) alternative in sandwiches and potato salad.  

CURRY

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 to 3-tablespoons oil

1 potato, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1-tablespoon grated ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

2-cups vegetables, chopped (broccoli, green peas, eggplant, bell peppers)

2-teaspoons curry powder

1 can (15 ounces) light coconut milk

                                                                                    salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Sauté the vegetables until soft but firm.  Add the curry powder, coconut milk, and salt and pepper.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve over brown rice or whole-wheat noodles. 

WHEAT MEAT ROAST

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

2-cups gluten flour*

1-tablespoon onion powder

1-tablespoon garlic powder

1-tablespoon poultry seasoning

2-cups water

1-cube veggie bullion

¼-cup soy sauce

¼-cup water

¼-cup oil

In a standing mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.  Add the 2 cups of water to form a ball of dough.

Place the dough into a bread pan. 

Zap the 1/4-cup water and whisk in the veggie bullion.  Mix the bullion water with the soy sauce and oil.   Pour over the dough. 

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Uncover the roast for the last 10 minuets. 

Slice the roast on the diagonal and let the slices soak up the liquid in the bread pan.  

*Gluten flour is the protein part of wheat that is elastic and glues the bread together.  You buy it in any health food store.  

CUCUMBER SANDWICHES 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Yield: 16 servings

1 loaf of unsliced whole-wheat bread

1 container of tofu cream cheese

1 cucumber, sliced thin

salt and pepper to taste

optional:  chives, society garlic, society garlic purple flowers

Remove the crust from the bread and slice.  Add chopped chives or society garlic leaves to the cream cheese if desired.  Spread the cream cheese on the bread slices.   

Peel and slice the cucumber into rounds.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Place the cucumbers on the cream cheese.  The sandwiches can be cut into closed sandwich triangles or open face squares.  Place a purple society garlic flower on the cucumber of an open face sandwich. 

JULY COMMENTS

Pineapple grown by Fred Bornemann in Port St. Lucie, FL, 7/2012.

What do vegans do on the 4th of July?  We do what everyone else does, celebrate summer, being in a great country, and fireworks.  In my case it's the excuse I use to make a big batch of potato salad.  If you think vegans are happy with a salad during a celebration, you'd be mistaken.  I had my sister, Kari, and her husband Fred over for the day. 

Brunch was an Asparagas Fritatta, Fake Bacon, homemade Whole-Wheat Toast, cut tomatoes, and walnut sticky buns.  Dinner was potato salad, corn on the cob, Wheat Meat Philly You Up cheese sandwiches, and Reuben sandwiches on homemade Rolls, followed by a Lime Cheese Cake with a Date and Coconut Crust. 

I have a request for the Wheat Meat Roast.  I use this recipe for sandwiches and to serve with Golden Gravy, Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, Peppered Peas, and salad.  It's one of our favorite meals.  If I want to be fancy and impress the guests, I use slices in my Wheat Meat Wellington. 

I have a Wheat Meat Loaf recipe that goes with the Golden Gravy, and a Wheat Meat Steak recipe that I use for Piccata, Potpie, Shepherd's Pie, Stroganoff, and Swiss Style Steak. 

All of the Wheat Meat Recipes are much easier than my first exposure to making wheat meat.  After an hour of kneading and washing the wrong soft wheat flour, we ended up with a baseball size lump of gluten.  These recipes take minuets to prepare.