WATERCRESS, APPLE AND “CREAM CHEESE” SANDWICHES

v Vegan

After touting watercress as a “super-food” in the Salade Cinçoise recipe, I couldn’t wait to eat my leftover greens, and decided to use them for sandwiches. I also used the remaining baguette from my Roasted Red Pepper bruschetta. However, you can use any type of thick crusty bread. The “cream cheese” is homemade with tofu. There will be enough for approximately four sandwiches, so whatever you don’t use can be covered and kept in the refrigerator for at least three days.

8 oz. extra firm silken tofu (about 3/4 of a block, depending on package size)
3 tablespoons blanched almonds
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey if you’re not vegan)
Crusty multi-grain bread or skinny baguette
fresh watercress (about a handful or 1/2 oz per sandwich)
fresh apple (will use about 1/4 per sandwich)

For the cream cheese, it’s easiest to use a food processor because it keeps everything in one container, but if you don’t have one, you can use a coffee grinder for the nuts, and a hand mixer (or if all else fails, a whisk) for the remaining mixture. First, drain the tofu, cut into smaller pieces, and turn out onto a paper towel. Cover with another paper towel and press out the water by applying light pressure with your hands. In the food processor, chop the almonds until finely ground. Add the tofu, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and maple syrup. Blend until smooth. It should be the consistency of a soft, whipped cream cheese with a slightly sweet taste. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for a few minutes while you prepare the rest (or keep in longer if you want it to be more firm). Wash and pat dry the watercress. Cut the apple into thin slices. Cut the bread if necessary. Spread a thick layer of the cream cheese on one side of the bread. Lightly press the apple slices into the cheese. Top with the watercress.

ROASTED RED PEPPER BRUSCHETTA

v Vegan

An elegant appetizer with a nutty autumnal taste. You can either use jarred peppers or roast them yourself.

8 oz jar roasted red peppers, well-drained, or two fresh red bell peppers
skinny French baguette bread, about 1/2 of a long loaf
1/4 cup blanched almonds
3 dashes salt
1/4 tspn ground cloves
1/4 tspn ground cinnamon
1/4 tspn olive oil (not needed if peppers are packed in oil)

If using jarred peppers, skip ahead. To roast fresh peppers, slice in half, de-stem and de-seed, and place face down on non-stick pan or glass baking dish. Broil the peppers in the oven until the skins char. Remove from oven, and while still hot, use tongs to place peppers in large paper or plastic bag. Tie off end of bag and allow to sit for ten minutes. After you remove the peppers from the bag, the skins should peel off easily. Set the peppers aside.

Slice the baguette into (12) 1/2” thick rounds and spread out on a flat baking sheet. In a food processor, grind the almonds until fairly fine, then add the peppers, salt, cloves and cinnamom. Chop until peppers are coarse pieces, but not pureed. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a coffee grinder for the almonds, and a knife to hand-chop the peppers into fine pieces.) Add a few drops of olive oil if the mixture is too dry. Spread a tablespoon of the mixture onto each baguette slice. Cook in oven at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until edges of bread just start to crisp. Makes 12 appetizers.

HOT CEREAL WITH PEACHES AND PECANS

I’ve been on a Cream of Wheat kick lately. Ever since I found out a serving provides 50% of your daily iron needs. For people who don’t eat meat, it can be the single best source of iron you get, even better than spinach.

Cream of Wheat only takes a few minutes to prepare. Just put four tablespoons in a bowl with 1 cup of water and stir. Cook it in the microwave for 1-1/2 minutes. Stir again, and microwave for another 30 seconds. Sprinkle a little cinnamon and drizzle a little maple syrup over top. Break up a handful of pecans and toss them in. Cut up a fresh peach, or use a mango or kiwi for even more vitamin C content. (Non-animal sources of iron require vitamin C in order to be absorbed.) Pour a little soymilk on top. Enjoy the extra energy you’ll have throughout the day.

SALADE CINÇOISE WITH DIJON DRESSING

This is a variation of a Niçoise salad, only I can’t technically call it that because it neither originated from Nice, nor does it involve rare tuna steaks. A Niçoise does traditionally call for hardboiled eggs, but with the Cinçoise you can replace those with another protein, such as marinated tofu or cooked quinoa. Watercress serves as the lettuce base. Don’t let the stemmy plant intimidate you. It’s not only a super antioxidant agent, but it also provides an amazing amount of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and iron.

To cut down on the preparation time, I use canned beans and jarred artichoke hearts, but you can prepare fresh ones if you want. Use whatever quantities you wish.

Ingredients:
Eggs/Tofu/Quinoa
Watercress
Mushrooms (small, whole, fresh)
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Garbanzo Beans (canned)
Green Beans (canned)
Kalamata and/or Green Olives
Pepperoncinis
Smoked Mozzarella Cheese (optional)
Olive Oil
Vinegar
Dijon Mustard
Salt/Pepper

Start by preparing your protein:
Eggs—place in a pot and fill with cold water until the eggs are covered. Heat on medium-high just until the water starts simmering. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Drain water from pot and refill with cold water. Allow to stand until cool.
Tofu—You can marinate tofu in the same Dijon dressing that will be added to the salad (see below), or use two parts olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar. Just whisk the ingredients, along with a little bit of shaved garlic if you like, in a container that has an air-tight lid. Drain and pat dry the tofu with a paper towel. Toss it into the marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Quinoa—use a quarter-cup of grains and a half-cup of water for each serving you are preparing. Place in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to the lowest heat, and cook covered until all the water has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

While the protein is cooking, wash and pat dry the watercress. Sauté the mushrooms in a skillet with a little olive oil, butter (optional), and a dash of salt. When browned but still firm, remove from heat. Arrange the watercress, the protein, and all the rest of the vegetables on a plate. In a bowl, whisk together two parts olive oil with one part vinegar, a scoop of Dijon mustard and a dash of salt and pepper until slightly frothy. Pour over the salade. A chilled, dry white wine, such a Sauvignon Blanc, makes an excellent accompaniment.

ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

v Vegan

Pumpkins abound this time of year. This recipe uses a real pumpkin (not the canned stuff), and is chunkier than other versions of pumpkin soup often served at restaurants. Although the prep time is short, the cook time is a few hours, so it’s a good meal to make on a Sunday when you can go off and do other things while the soup is simmering.

Whole pumpkin (3-5 lbs)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
one medium Vidalia onion
16 oz of vegetable broth
2-3 cups water
1 tspn cinnamon
1/2 tspn salt
2 tspns maple syrup (or sugar)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds (save for toasting). Lay the halves face down on a sheet of aluminum foil on top of a flat baking sheet. Allow to roast for an hour. The skin will turn dark brown. When done, allow to cool for a few minutes, then carefully peel off the skin with a knife. Pour the vegetable oil into a large pot or dutch oven and heat over medium on the stovetop. Peel the onion and chop it into small pieces. Add the onion to the pot and saute until the edges start to turn brown. Add the roasted pumpkin and mash with a fork. Turn heat to low. Add all the remaining ingredients, using 2 cups of water for a 3 lb pumpkin, or more if your pumpkin is bigger. Allow to simmer on low for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with crusty bread and/or a fresh salad. Makes approx 4-6 bowls.

To toast the pumpkins seeds, first rinse and remove any excess pumpkin strings. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the seeds with a 1/2 tbspn of either melted butter, soy margarine, or olive oil, and a few dashes of salt. Spread flat in a baking dish and toast for 30 minutes.

FAUX STEAK SALAD

Not your typical salad. The cilantro adds an unexpected flavor and the faux steak will fill you up.

1cup fresh cilantro, de-stemmed
1 tspn olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
one package of faux steak strips, such as Morningstar Farms Meal Starters
Romaine or red-leaf lettuce, washed and chopped into small pieces
half a cucumber, sliced
one large or two small tomatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch cubes
Balsamic-vinaigrette dressing

De-stem the cilantro, and either hand-chop with a knife into tiny pieces or chop in a food processor. Add olive oil and lime juice and mix well. Place faux steak strips and a tablespoon of water in a sauté pan and turn heat to medium. Stir occasionally, and add more water if it evaporates so the steak doesn’t stick to the pan. When heated through, turn heat down to medium-low, and add the cilantro mixture to coat. Allow to cook on low heat while preparing salad. Mix lettuce, cucumber and tomato slices in a bowl and toss with a light coat of balsamic-vinaigrette dressing. Spread on two plates. Top with the marinated faux steak. Serves 2.

ASIAN EGGPLANT

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This recipe is so good, and so easy...
I serve the eggplant over mashed potatoes for an unusual but tasty combo. If you prefer rice instead, cook one cup according to package directions.

1 large eggplant
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4-cup soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1/4-tsp ground or freshly-grated ginger
either one large potato or 1 cup of rice
1/4-cup soy milk or regular milk
1 tspn horseradish (optional)

Cut ends off eggplant, then slice into pieces about one inch wide and three inches long. Set aside. Peel and slice potato into cubes, and place in a medium-sized pot. Fill with water to an inch over potatoes, and bring to a low boil over med-high heat. Heat oil in a wide saute or fry pan over medium heat. Add eggplant and cover, stirring every few minutes to make sure it doesn't stick to bottom of pan. In a cup, mix soy sauce, sugar and ginger. When eggplant is tender but not soggy, pour soy mixture evenly into pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook another 5 minutes until sauce has slightly thickened. When potatoes are tender, drain water from pan. Add milk and horseradish if desired, and mash with a fork or hand mixer. Serve the eggplant over the potatoes. Makes 2 servings

WHITE CHILI

v Vegan

1 tbspn olive oil
1 small vidalia onion, chopped to your preference
1 orange bell pepper, chopped into small pieces
2 medium white potatoes, chopped into cubes
1 cup of white corn, fresh off the cob or frozen
2 cups (16 oz) navy beans (I prefer canned, but you can soak raw beans overnight)
4 cups water
1 cup (8 oz) organic vegetable broth
1 small habanero pepper, sliced and de-seeded
salt/pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions until they soften or just start to turn clear. Add chopped bell pepper and potatoes, and toss frequently while cooking another two minutes. Add the corn, beans, water and broth. Reduce heat to low. Allow chili to simmer on the lowest heat for at least 45 minutes to an hour. Add the habanero, salt and pepper, and let cook for another 15 minutes. Spoon into bowls. If desired, top with soy cheese or parmesan. Serve with fresh bread or a leafy salad. Makes 4-6 servings.

Note: for a mildly spicy chili, use only half of the habanero pepper. For a more extreme spice, use all the pepper and the seeds. A little habanero goes a long way.