Cauliflower and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegan butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
4 tablespoons tahini
salt and black pepper, to taste
3 kale leaves, stemmed and chopped
vegan cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Roast the cauliflower with the spices and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir until well incorporated and slowly add milk until desired consistency is reached. Add the nutritional yeast and tahini and season with salt and pepper.

Toss the kale with the cauliflower and add the sauce. Cover and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Asparagus Nicoise Salad

Ingredients:

1 shallot, finely minced
1 tablespoon capers, minced
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed, crushed
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and back pepper, to taste

1/2 cup puy lentils
grapeseed oil
10 new potatoes, quartered
20 green beans, stemmed
asparagus, trimmed
arugula or boston lettuce
1/4 cup olives, cut in half lengthwise
4 radishes, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Combine dressing ingredients (preferable in the blender) and set aside.

Cook the puy lentils and set aside.

Toss the potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven until golden. Toss with a spoonful of the dressing.

Toss green beans and asparagus separately in oil, salt, and pepper and roast until tender crisp and lightly charred. Set aside.

Arrange leafy greens on a plate and top with the asparagus spears. Arrange potatoes, green beans, lentils, olives, and radishes on top. Sprinkle with the chives and remaining dressing.

Fettuccine with Wild Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme and/or rosemary
1/2 pound wild mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, chanterelles)
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup vegetable or mushroom stock
4 ounces fettuccine
imitation bacon
parmesan, to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Cook shallots in the oil and add the herbs, mushrooms, and stock. Cook until liquid is reduced.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente.

Fold the noodles and bacon into the mushrooms and divide into serving plates. Garnish with parmesan and parsley.

Mango Cake

Ingredients:

cake:
1-1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup mango juice or puree
1 cup mango, diced
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

filling:
1/2 cup mango
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients, followed by the vinegar. Divide between two lined or greased 6 inch cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool before removing from the pan.

Combine filling ingredients in a saucepan and whisk until thickened. Set aside to cool.

Slice both the cakes in half and spread mango filling onto each and stack. Frost with cream cheese style frosting and decorate with a mango rose.

Roasted Peri Peri Veggie Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, sliced
1 zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, large dice
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons peri peri sauce
bread
arugula
avocado

Salt the eggplant, and squeeze out liquid. Brush with oil and cut into small pieces.  Combine with remaining vegetables and oil. Bake at 425 until vegetables are charred, then stir in the sauce. Roast an additional 10 minutes.

Assemble the veggies into a sandwich with the arugula and avocado.

Cucumber Poppy Seed Salad

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers, sliced at an angle horizontally
1 mild red chili, thinly sliced
1-1/2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1-1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon agave
salt and black pepper, to taste

Toss all the ingredients together and serve immediately.

Saffron Tomato Risotto

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
2-1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 zucchini, diced
1 teaspoon saffron, crushed
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup vegan parmesan

Cook the onion in the butter until translucent and add the rice and stock. Bring to a simmer and add the zucchini, saffron, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, cover and cook until rice is tender. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, and paprika during the last five minutes of cooking. Sprinkle with the parmesan.