Chapati

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup water
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Combine flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add honey, butter, and half the water. Start kneading and add more water as needed until dough comes together. Continue kneading dough for a few minutes until smooth. Allow dough to rest for a few minutes.

Separate dough into four balls and roll them out. Scrunch the dough up like a fan and roll into a coil. Allow to rest again.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface.

Heat a bit of oil in a skillet and cook the dough on one side for about 3 minutes and flip over and cook until other side is also golden. Serve warm.

Polenta with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup chickpeas
oil
salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pint mushrooms, quartered
1 cup brussels sprouts, thick asparagus spears, zucchini, etc
1 red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup polenta
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Toss chickpeas in some oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes until crispy. Set aside.

Toss mushrooms, vegetable, and red onion with oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Alternately, grill the vegetables.

Meanwhile, boil water, stock, and salt. Add the polenta and stir. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until polenta is cooked. Stir in nutritional yeast  and butter before removing from heat.

To plate, place polenta on plate. Top with vegetables and sprinkle with chickpeas. Garnish with parsley.

White Bean and Herb Dip

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup cannellini beans
2 tablespoons basil
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 small lemon
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Puree all ingredients in a food processor and add water to adjust consistency.

Serve in a shallow plate drizzled with more olive oil and pine nuts or in a sandwich with sprouts, tomato, and cucumber.

Puy Lentil Dip

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups french green lentils, soaked
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander (optional)
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
olive oil

Cook the lentils until tender. Partially mash the lentils and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add garlic, coriander, and cumin, then tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are softened and add the cilantro and lentils. Cook until mixture is thickened and mash the mixture a little more if needed.

Meanwhile, place the sliced onions in ice water for 20 minutes and drain.

Stir tahini into lentil mixture and add lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Place dip into a shallow plate and sprinkle onions and more cilantro on top. Drizzle with olive oil.

Serve warm with flatbread.

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

2 cups pineapple, diced
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup cilantro, minced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 small jalapeno, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lime
tajin, to taste (optional)

Toss all ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips.

Fideo Soup

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons oil or butter
8 ounces fideo pasta or vermicelli, broken into 1 inch strands
2 chipotle peppers, chopped
4 roma tomatoes, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 cups vegetable stock
1 avocado, diced (optional)
cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add pasta. Saute until golden brown, stirring frequently. Stir in peppers.

In a blender, puree tomato, onion, garlic, water, cumin, and salt. Add mixture to the pasta. Cook until pasta is tender and soup is thickened.

Serve with avocado, cilantro, and a wedge of lime.

Legume Reshteh Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon turmeric
2/3 cup yellow split peas
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup fava beans
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup dill, chopped
2 ounces reshteh, broken into 2 inch pieces (may substitute udon)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
lime wedges

Cook onions and garlic in the butter on low heat until wilted. Add turmeric.

Pour in stock and yellow split peas. Bring to a simmer and stir in chickpeas and fava beans, then all the herbs and reshteh.

Season with salt and pepper and stir in vinegar before removing from heat.

Serve with lime wedges.

Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches

Ingredients:

grapeseed oil
mexican seasoning
salt and pepper
Italian eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
avocado
lime juice
hot sauce
burger or cemita buns
shredded cabbage
cilantro
pickled jalapenos
matchstick carrots
beefsteak tomato, sliced

Whisk oil with cumin, salt, and pepper. Brush eggplant slices with the oil. Grill on each side.

Mash avocado with lime juice, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt. Spread avocado on the bottom of each bun. Top with eggplants, remaining ingredients, and top half of bun.

Chestnut Fennel Spaghetti

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red chili, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1/2 cup vegetable stock
8 roasted chestnuts, roughly chopped
2/3 cup vegan italian sausages, sliced
4 ounces spaghetti
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
salt and red pepper, to taste
lemon wedges
olive oil

Cook the onion in the oil and add the pepper, garlic, and fennel. Stir until aromatic. Add stock, chestnuts, and sausages. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti. Add to the onion mixture and stir in lemon juice and half the parsley. Remove from heat. Garnish with lemon wedges, remaining parsley, and olive oil.

Celery Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 large leek, halved and thinly sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
4 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper
6 celery stalks
1/3 cup thick cashew cream
lemon olive oil

Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan. Add leeks, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until softened. Add celery and cook for another few minutes.

Add stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Puree the soup in a blender and whisk in the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with croutons and a drizzle of lemon olive oil.

Sumac Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oil
1/3 cup basmati rice, soaked
1 cup brown lentils, soaked
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup tarragon, chopped
a few mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons sumac
salt and black pepper, to taste
lime or lemon

Cook onion in the oil and add garlic. Pour in the stock, rice, lentils, and tomato. Cover and bring to simmer.

Stir in the herbs and sumac and allow to simmer until they are wilted and the lentils are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and serve with lemon or lime wedges.

Garnish with fried onion and dried mint leaves if desired.

Lemon Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

8 ounces penne pasta
2 cups broccoli florets
3 roma tomatoes
1/4 cup pesto sauce
juice of 1 small lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
buffalo mozzarella (optional)

Cook pasta until al dente. Add broccoli during last 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast the tomatoes in the oven. Allow to cool and coarsley chop.

Drain pasta and broccoli and return to pan. Add pesto, lemon, basil, and tomatoes.

Garnish with mozzarella.

White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1 small onion
1 carrot, diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 summer squash, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 tomato, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
2-1/2 cups cannellini beans
2/3 cup tomato puree
3 leaves kale, chopped
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon agave
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Saute onion, carrot, and celery in the oil. Add zucchini, summer squash, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Pour in the stock, tomato, red pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Cover and bring to simmer.

When vegetables are tender, add the beans and kale. Simmer until kale is wilted. Season with salt and pepper and stir in agave and vinegar just before removing from heat.

Puree about a third of the soup in a blender and return to to the pan.

Fava Bean Spread

Ingredients:

2 cups fava beans
1 small clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon vegan pesto sauce
red pepper
black pepper
salt

Blend all ingredients in a blender until mostly pureed.

Serve with warm toasted bread and drizzle with olive oil.

Mediterranean Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, minced
8 artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon mint
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
puff pastry, cut into 4 inch squares
1/4 cup pesto sauce

Cook onion in the oil. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and seasonings.

Spread puff pastry with pesto. place filling in the center of each and fold over and pinch to seal edges. Place on a lightly greased baking pan, seam side down.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until pastry is golden.

Cut in half diagonally and drizzle with balsamic reduction before serving.

Spinach Calzones

Ingredients:

10 ounces spinach, chopped
8 ounces ricotta cheese
4 ounces mozzarella
1 ounce parmesan
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
red pepper, to taste
1/2 recipe pizza dough

Combine spinach, cheeses, and seasonings.

Divide dough into two pieces and roll into circles. Divide spinach mixture between both pieces of dough and fold dough over the filling. Press edges together to seal. Cut slits into the top.

Bake 20 minutes on baking stone or until edges are golden.

Lavender Peach Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup quinoa, precooked and chilled
1 large peach, diced
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1 tablespoon basil, chopped (optional)
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon lavender, chopped (or dried)
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss. If using dried lavender, allow to soak in the dressing for a few hours prior to mixing into the salad.

Tomato Mango Salad

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes, chopped or cut into wedges or slices
1 mango, diced or cut into wedges
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
salt, to taste
3/4 cup basil, thinly sliced

Toss tomatoes and mango together or arrange on serving platter.

Combine dressing ingredients and toss with or sprinkle over salad. Garnish with the basil.

Variation: replaced minced shallot with sliced red onion and basil with cilantro.

Chicory Asian Pear Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons tahini
1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
a pinch of garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon sriracha
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon chili oil
salt and white pepper

2 mandarins, sectioned
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
chicory, frisee, or endive, roughly chopped
1/3 cup cilantro
1/3 cup mint leaves
1 asian pear, thinly sliced
1 avocado, thinly sliced
sesame seeds, toasted
salt flakes and olive oil

Combine dressing ingredients and set aside.

Toss salad ingredients together (or arrange on a plate) and add the dressing. Drizzle with the olive oil and salt flakes.

Bean Dip

Ingredients:

1 can refried pinto beans
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tomato, finely diced
1/4 cup tomato puree (or salsa)
4 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon cumin
a few dashes of tobasco
water
salt, to taste
soyrizo (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until bubbly. Add water to adjust consistency and salt to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips.