Faith, Hope and VeggiesI can do everything through him who gives me strength – Philippians 4:13

Sea Cakes (Potato Nori Cakes)

3 TBSP olive or canola oil

6 medium potatoes

2 carrots finely chopped

1 small onion finely chopped

1 – 2 sheets of nori depending on how much “fish” flavor you like

1 tsp salt

pepper

1 TBSP chefs blend seasoning or Mrs. Dash

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Peel and dice the potatoes then boil them until they are tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain and put in a large bowl, set aside to cool.  While the potatoes are boiling cook the carrots and onions.  In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add in the carrots and the onions and cook about 8-10 minutes until they are tender.  Set them aside to cool.  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle mash them up. Tear up the Nori a little and put it in a spice grinder or food processor.  Grind it until it is finely chopped, but not powder.  Add the nori, carrots and onions, salt, pepper and seasoning to the mash potatoes.  Mix it all together thoroughly.  Form the potato mixer into patties.  (If it is a little too dry add in a little soy milk.)  Coat the patties in the bread crumbs.  Heat another 2 TBSP of oil on a griddle or in a large skillet.  Cook the sea cakes about 5 minutes on each side until they are nicely browned.

Cacciatore

3 TBSP Olive Oil

2 green peppers cut in half and sliced

1 large onion sliced

3 large portobello mushrooms sliced

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup white wine

28 oz can of diced tomatoes

1/4 c chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

1 lb of whole wheat pasta cooked according to package directions.

Heat 1 TBSP of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add in the sliced mushrooms and sauté about 8  - 10 minutes until the mushrooms are browned.  Remove the mushrooms and set aside.  Add the remaining 2 TBSP of oil into the pan.  Add in the peppers and onions and sauté about 5 minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.  Return the mushrooms to the pan.  Pour the white wine into the pan and continue to cook another minute.  Add the diced tomatoes into the pan along with their juices.  Simmer the cacciatore about 8-10 minutes.  Add in the chopped basil.  Serve the cacciatore over whole wheat pasta or with vegan “chicken” cutlets.

Berry Crisp

6 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries

3 cup of rolled oats

1/2 cup flour plus 2 TBSP

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup melted Earth Balance

Preheat the oven to 375.  Place the berries in a large baking dish and toss with the 2 TBSP of flour until all the berries are coated.  In a mixing bowl combine the oats, 1/2 cup of flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and Earth Balance to make the topping.  Mix it until it is well combined.  Crumble the topping evenly over the berries.  Bake 40 – 50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the berries are bubbling.  Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.   Serve the berry crisp with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.

Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

About 6 Cups of your favorite fresh fruit (watermelon, mango, cantaloupe, berries)

Juice of 2 limes

2 TBSP of honey or agave

2 TBSP Fresh mint chopped (optional)

Cut all the fruit into bite sized pieces and place in a large serving bowl.  In a small bowl mix together the lime juice and honey until it is well combined.  Pour it over the fruit and toss to coat the fruit.  Add in the mint if you are using it.  Serve chilled.

Vegan Baklava

1/2 package of phyllo dough thawed (about 20 sheets)

1/2 – 3/4 cup melted Earth Balance

Filling :

1 cup of dates soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes

4 cups of finely chopped nuts  (I used walnuts, almonds and pecans and ground them in the food processor)

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

Put the nuts, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Strain the dates and reserve 1 cup of the soaking water for the syrup.  Puree the dates in the food processor and add to the nuts.  Mix the dates in thoroughly, you will need to use your fingers.  sett aside.

Syrup:

1 cup of the water from the dates

3/4 cup of honey or agave

1 tsp cinnamon

juice of 1 lemon

Put all of the syrup ingredients into a medium sized sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Let it boil for 10 minutes and then remove it from the heat to cool.

To assemble the baklava:

Preheat the oven to 350.  Unwrap the phyllo dough and cover it with a damp cloth (keep it covered as much as possible, it will dry out really fast).  Spread some melted butter in the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish.  Lay in one piece of phyllo and brush it lightly with melted butter (make sure to keep the rest f the phyllo covered).  Repeat with seven more sheets of phyllo.  Sprinkle on about a 1/3 of the nut filling, spreading it evenly over the dough.  Cover the filling with 2 sheets of phyllo brushed with butter.  Put on half of the remaining filling and cover with two more sheets of buttered phyllo.  Add the remaining filling and then cover with 8-10 sheets of phyllo buttering each one.  Brush butter on the top sheet making sure it is completely covered.

Before baking cut the baklava into four long strips lengthwise.  Then make about 8 diagonal cuts to make diamond shaped pieces.  Bake the baklava for 40-45 minutes until the top is a nice golden brown.

While the baklava is baking make the syrup.

When the baklava is finished baking set the pan on a rack to cool.  Let it cool for about 20 minutes then pour on the syrup.  Make sure you get it down into all the cuts.  Let the baklava cool completely, at least a couple of hours, before serving.

Sweet Potato Falafel with Tahini Sauce

2 large sweet potaoes

1 Can of chick pea drained and rinsed

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup parsley

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp coriander

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 cup chick pea flour

1 cup bread crumbs

4 TBSP canola oil

Bake the sweet potatoes at 400 degrees until tender (about 20-30 minutes).  Let the potatoes cool and then remove the skin, it should just peep off.  Set aside.

Add the garlic into a food processor and finely chop it.  Add in the sweet potatoes, parsley, coriander, cumin and salt.  Process it until the potatoes are mostly smooth.  Add in the chick peas and pulse it until the chick peas are mostly chopped, you want it to still have some texture.  Put the mixture into a large bowl and add in the chick pea flour and the bread crumbs.  Mix it thoroughly.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or on a griddle over medium high heat.  Put the falafel mixture in the hot oil by the heaping tablespoons and press them down a little.  Cook on each side for 4-5 minutes until the falafel are a nice golden brown and crispy.  Serve the falafel with the tahini sauce and warm pita.

Tahini Sauce

1 cup chick peas

juice of 1 lemon

1 clove of garlic

2 TBSP tahini

1/2 cup parsley

3/4 – 1  cup water

Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until sooth.  Start with 3/4 cup water and add more as needed.  You want it be a little thick, but still pourable.

Pita Bread

1 package active dry yeast

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 tsp sugar

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups unbleached flour

1 tsp salt

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yeast, water and sugar.  Let is sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast starts to get foamy.  Add in the flour and mix until it is well incorporated, if you are using a mixer mix it with a dough hook.  Knead it for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, but no longer sticky.  You may need to add a little flour while kneading it.  Roll the pita dough into a ball and lightly coat it in olive or canola oil.  Place the dough in a large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap and a towel.  Set the bowl in a warm place to rise for an hour until it has doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen turn it out onto a well floured surface.  Roll it back into a ball and then cut it in half.  Cut each half into 4 equal pieces.  Roll each piece of pita dough into small circles about 4 -5 inches across.  Put  them on a sheet pan, 4 to a pan and then cover them with a towel.  Let the pita rest while you prepare the oven.  Move one rack all the way to the bottom position and one all the way to the top position.  Preheat it to 500.  You have to have a super hot oven to make the pita puff up.

Once the oven is heated up place one tray of pitas on the bottom rack and bake for 4 minutes.  Quickly move the pan to the top rack and bake another 2 -3 minutes.  Remove from the oven and immediately place the pita bread between 2 towels to cool. Repeat with the next tray of pita.  Keep them covered until you are ready to serve them or they are completely cool.  Once the pita is cool you can store them in a bread bag.