Red chard, wild rice salad with red pepper, parsley, mushrooms and almonds

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A darkly coloured, but brightly flavoured salad that combines a number of textures. Shown here with sliced tofu in a simple peanut sauce.

Ingredients

1t coarse sea salt divided in quarters
2T of cooking oil, divided
2T of olive oil
2T of lemon, divided
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup wild rice
1 large red pepper, cored, 1/2″ slices
3 scallions, minced (reserve 3-4″ of green for garnish)
1T fresh garlic, minced
100g cremini mushrooms, 1/4″ slices
1/4 cup of slivered almonds
2T tamari, divided
1T of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
4 cups packed red chard
1 cup packed flat leaf parsley (reserve a few leaves for garnish)

Directions

In a pan with a lid, bring the stock and 1/4t of sea salt to a light boil.
Add the wild rice, cover and simmer on low until all the stock is absorbed (about 45 minutes).
While the wild rice cooks, make the rest of the salad.
Stem the chard leaves, tear the leaves and trim and dice the stems (1/2″ dice).
Chop the parsley coarsely.
Toss in a large bowl.
In a frying pan, bring 1T of cooking oil to heat on medium-high with 1/4t of sea salt.
Saute the red pepper for 3-5 minutes (until it’s a nice bright red).
Deglaze the pan with lemon juice and add the red pepper to the chard and parsley.
Toss to combine.
Bring the remaining 1T of cooking oil to heat on medium-high with 1/4t of sea salt.
Saute the scallions for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the almonds, tamari and garlic, reduce heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes or until the pan is starting to dry but still moist.
Remove from heat, add the nutritional yeast.
Toss to combine.
Add the mushrooms to the chard and parsley.
Toss to combine.
When the wild rice is cooked, add it to the bowl.
Toss to combine.
Whisk 2T of olive oil, 1T of lemon juice, 1T of tamari and 1/4t of coarse sea salt.
Dress the salad and serve garnished with a little sliced scallion green and parsley.

Single-serve, apple bread pudding with raspberry sorbet

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A rich fall dessert with a crisp, brightly coloured sorbet for contrast, all in a single serving.

Ingredients

For the pudding
1 slice of whole wheat bread, staled and crumbed (about 1/2 cup packed)
1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1t baking powder
2T plant-only vegetable shortening
A pinch of sea salt
4T sugar, divided as below
1 small baking apple (preferably granny smith), cored and thinly sliced
1/2t dried, ground cinnamon
1/2t corn starch
A pinch of cloves
1t lemon juice

For the sorbet
1/3 cup of frozen raspberries
2T unsweetened soy milk
1/2T agave nectar

Directions

Let the bread get stale (don’t toast).
When ready, preheat the oven to 375F.
Chop the bread in a food processor (or by hand).
Toss with the soy milk, baking powder, shortening and sea salt and 1T of sugar.
Mix the sugar and spices.
Toss the sliced apple with lemon juice and the sugar and spice mixture until evenly coated.
Line a ramekin with tinfoil — with several inches extra to accommodate all of the apple.
Add 1/3 of the bread crumb mixture to the bottom.
Add half the sliced apple.
Add 1/3 of the bread crumbs and the rest of the apple.
Top with the last of the bread crumb mixture.
Seal up loosely (it will extend beyond the ramekin and then shrink as it cooks).
Bake for 30 minutes sealed.
Open the and spread the foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let stand 5 minutes, close up the foil and compact.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes to serve warm.
Open the foil and carefully turn out the pudding, bottom up.
Using an immersion blender, blend the sorbet ingredients in a small cup until smooth.
Use two spoons to quennelle the sorbet, or dollop it on top or on the side.

Tamari and lime seitan baked in garlic polenta

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A flavourful seitan baked in warm, garlicky polenta. Pictured here with a red wine tomato sauce and roasted greens.

For the seitan
2/3 cups vital wheat gluten flour
1T tamari
1/2t lime juice
1/2 cup scant cold water
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4t coarse sea salt (or to taste)

For the polenta
2 cups water
1/2t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2T unsweetened soy milk
2T olive oil
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4t dried ground turmeric
2T of nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Make the polenta first, then the seitan.

Bring the water, sea salt and corn mealto a soft boil in a pan with a lid.
Reduce heat to low and cook for roughly 20-40 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
The polenta will be done when it’s quite thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan. Cooking time will vary depending on the grind.
Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, turmeric, soy milk and any additional seasonings.
Stir thoroughly to combine.
Let stand five minutes to cool.
Spoon the polenta into a lightly oiled (or nonstick) 3″x9″ baking dish, and smooth the top with a spoon.
Let cool for about 30 minutes uncovered in the refrigerator to setup.
Preheat the oven to 375F and make the seitan.
Combine the all the ingredients but the flour, and then add to the flour.
Make a dough and knead for 5 minutes.
Divide in half and flatten each into oblong or circular shapes.
Carefully turn out the polenta, and cut in half.
Mold the polenta by hand around each piece of seitan until covered.
Lightly oil two pieces of aluminum foil.
Wrap the polenta covered seitan in the foil.
Bake for 40 minutes on the middle rack, turning once.
Remove the seitan and let rest 5 minutes.
Unwrap the seitan and add to a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Bake for another 20 minutes — until the polenta starts to start to lightly brown and the outside is lightly crisp. Ovens vary. Use the texture and colour as a guide.
Remove and let cool for 5 minutes and serve with the sauce of your choice.

Single-serve strawberry cobbler

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Cobbler is a simple alternative to pie, combining seasonal fruit with sweetened biscuit dough. This version is simple, rustic dessert sized for one. The recipe easily doubles with a second ramekin.

Ingredients

For the strawberries
2/3 cup of sliced strawberries
3T sugar (or to taste)*
2t corn starch
1/2 lemon juice

For the dough
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2t baking powder
2T sugar*
A pinch of coarse sea salt
3T unsweetened soy milk
1t apple cider vinegar
1T canola oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Toss the strawberries with the lemon juice, corn starch and sugar.
Add the fruit mixture to the bottom of a ramekin.
For the dough, mix the dry ingredients, the wet ingredients, and then the wet with the dry until you have a wet dough.
Pour the dough over the fruit mixture and smooth.
Bake for 20 – 30 minutes, or until the dough is starting to brown lightly. Ovens vary; use the colour of the dough as your guide.
Cool for 15 minutes to enjoy warm or chill covered with aluminum foil for 2 hours to enjoy cold.

*A growing number of white cane sugar is processed without animal bone charcoal. Organic cane, beet, agave, and other alternatives are available.

Creamed artichoke and walnut soup with kale and kalamata olives

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Served with red Thai chili spiced tomato ribbon and scallions, this soup combines enthusiastic flavours and colours.

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable stock
1t coarse sea salt, divided
1/4t black pepper
1t dried, rubbed thyme
1T lemon juice
2 cups artichoke hearts
4 scallions, minced (6″ of greens reserved for garnish)
2T fresh garlic, minced
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup and 1T nutritional yeast
4T kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1/4 cup passata (tomato puree)
1/4t red Thai chili paste (or to taste)
1 cup kale, finely chopped
2T tapioca flour whisked with 2T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Soak the walnuts in warm water for 1 hour.
When ready to make the soup, preheat the oven to 400F.
Toss the kale with 1/4t of coarse sea salt.
Add the kale to a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until lightly browned (approximately 15 minutes). Ovens vary; use the colour and lightness of the kale as your guide.
Bring the stock to a light simmer in a pan with a lid.
Add 1/2t sea salt, lemon juice and black pepper
Add the artichoke hearts, scallions and garlic.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Remove the kale from the oven when ready.
Toss with 1T nutritional yeast and set aside.
When the soup has simmered 10 minutes, pull out the artichoke hearts with a spoon (and some stock is fine).
Drain the walnuts.
Using an immersion blender, puree with the artichoke hearts until smooth.
Add the pureed artichoke hearts and walnuts to the pan.
Puree soup together until smooth.
Return to a simmer on low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
While the soup simmers, mix the passata with the chili paste and 1/4t of coarse sea salt.
Whisk the tapioca flour and the cold water.
Stirring constantly, add the mixture slowly. to the soup until it thickens.
Add the 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and stir to combine.
Remove from heat.
Season to taste.
Ladle out the soup into bowls.
Sprinkle the soup with roasted kale.
Dribble the passata over the soup and the kale.
Sprinkle about 1/2T olives around the soup with 1/2T in the center.
Garnish with scallions and serve.

Sweet potato pie with walnut, pistachio and date crust

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A seasonal and traditional favourite, this version is sweetened with a little bourbon and trades the traditional baked wheat crust for dates and nuts.

For the pie filling
1/4 cup bourbon (1)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 cup sugar, or to taste (2)
1/4t dried ground cinnamon
1/4t dried ground ginger
A pinch dried ground cloves
1 1/2T agar-agar flakes
2 cups cooked sweet potato

For the crust
1 1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pistachios
1 cup scant soft dates, pitted and chopped
A pinch coarse sea salt

Directions

In a sauce pan with a lid, bring the bourbon to a simmer on medium and reduce to by half.
Add the soy milk, sugar, spices and agar flakes and return to a simmer.
Reduce to medium low and simmer 15 minutes, stirring
frequently.
Add the sweet potato and stir until combined.
Cover loosely and simmer on low for 20 minutes to reduce, stirring frequently.
While the sweet potatoes finish, make the crust.
Using a food processor, chop the nuts until you achieve a buttery consistency.
Add the dates and sea salt, and grind until consistent.
Spread the crust by hand evenly in a 9″ pie plate.
When the sweet potatoes are done, let stand to cool 10
minutes.
Pour into the pie crust, and chill for 20 minutes uncovered.
Cover with plastic wrap, chill for at least 4 hours to setup, slice and serve.

1. It’s rare, but some manufacturers use animal products in the making of bourbon.

2. Some cane sugar is still manufactured using animal
bone charcoal. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and other unrefined sugars are typically fine.

 

 

Blueberry buckle with cashew ginger streusel

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A traditional coffee cake similar to bublanina and other desserts. Trade the cashews for walnuts for something more traditional.

Ingredients

For the buckle
2 cups wheat flour (1)
2t baking powder
1/4t coarse sea salt
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 cup sugar (2)
1T ground flax meal
1/4 cup, 1/2T and 1 1/2T plant-only shortening, divided
2 1/2 cups blueberries, 1/2 cup reserved

For the streusel
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
1/4 cup sugar (2)
1 1/2T wheat flour
1/2t dried ground cinnamon
1/4t dried ground ginger
1 1/2T plant-only shortening
1/4t coarse sea salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and sea salt.
Cream the sugar, soy milk, 1/4 cup shortening and flax seed.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients to form a dough.
Add 2 cups blueberries until well mixed throughout the batter.
Grease a 9″ x 9″ baking pan with 1/2T shortening.
Add the batter to the pan and add the remaining blueberries over the top.
Mix the streusel ingredients until well-combined and crumble over the top.
Bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes until a fork comes out clean. Ovens vary; use the color, texture, and a fork test as a guide.
Turn off the heat and let cool in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool another 10 minutes, slice and serve warm, or let cool 30 minutes, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

1. The harder the flour, the more rustic the texture. Use cake flour for something light and airy.

2. A growing number of cane sugars are bleached without the use of animal bone charcoal. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and otherwise unbleached sugars are typically fine.

 

 

Deep dish white pizza with kale, sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives

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A thick-crust pizza with a white sauce made from red lentil, cabbage and artichoke white sauce accented with sesame, oregano, nutritional yeast and white miso.

Ingredients

For the dough
2 1/4 cups hard wheat flour
1/4t coarse salt
1T dried Italian herbs
1 cup warm water
1T yeast
4T olive oil, divided
1/2 coarse yellow corn meal

For the sauce
1/2 cup red lentils
1 1/2 cup water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1 cup cabbage
1 cup artichoke hearts
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1T white miso
1T fresh garlic, minced
2T olive oil
2T sesame seed butter
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2T tapioca flour whiskey with 3T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the toppings
1t dried oregano, rubbed
1/4t coarse sea salt
2T sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted
2T kalamata olive, pitted and chopped
1 cup of kale, coarsely chopped
1/2T olive oil

Instructions

Start the dough, then make the sauce and then add the toppings.
Combine salt and flour in a bowl.
Combine the water and yeast according to your yeast’s instructions.
Once the yeast proofs, whisk in 2T of oil.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Kneed for 10 minutes on a floured board.
Let rise at least 1 hour in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, covered with a damp clean kitchen towel.
Punch down from time to time.
While the dough is rising, make the sauce.
In a small saucepan with a lid, bring the water to a boil with 1/4t coarse sea salt.
Add the red lentils, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients except for the tapioca flour and water.
Simmer on medium low, uncovered for 15 minutes.
While the sauce simmers, roll out the dough on a lightly floured board.
Oil a 9″x9″ baking dish with the remaining 2T olive oil.
Sprinkle the corn meal evenly across the bottom.
Puree the sauce and return to a light simmer.
Whisk the tapioca with water until dissolved.
Stirring continuously, add the tapioca mixture to the sauce slowly until thickened.
Set aside and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
While the sauce cools, preheat the oven to 450F.
Add the dough to the pan, and pinch up the sides about 1″.
When the sauce has cooled a bit, add to the dough in an even layer.
Sprinkle the sauce evenly with the coarse sea salt, the oregano, the sun-dried tomatoes and olives, and the kale last.
Drizzle with the 1/2T olive oil.
When the oven is ready, bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is starting to brown lightly. Ovens vary; use the color of the crust as a guide.
Remove from the oven, let cool 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Collard green wraps with tempeh, eggplant and potato and a smoky peanut sauce

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Garnished with a little sauerkraut and red Thai chili, this is a simple wrap with a lot of rich flavours.

Ingredients

For the collard greens
6 medium sized collard green leaves (e.g., 6″ long, 4″ wide)
Warm water to cover
1t coarse sea salt

For the filling
1T cooking oil
3/4t coarse sea salt, divided
1T fresh garlic, minced
1t fresh ginger, minced
1 dash liquid smoke
250g tempeh, shredded coarsely
1 medium eggplant, shredded coarsely (about 2 cups worth)
1 medium white potato, shredded coarsely (about 1 cup)
1T white vinegar
2T tamari
2 cups vegetable stock
A sprig of kombu (about 2″)
1/4 cup crunchy unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter
2T nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the garnish
6T sauerkraut
2T red Thai chili paste or other hot sauce to taste

Directions

Soak the collard leaves in warm, lightly salted water for about 15 minutes.
Remove, and set the collards aside to dry while you make the sauce.
Shred the vegetables and toss with 1/2t coarse sea salt.
Let stand ten minutes, and then drain any liquid.
Lightly rinse to remove some of the salt.
Shred the tempeh (it may crumble during the process –that’s fine).
Bring the oil to heat in a frying pan on medium-high with 1/4t coarse sea salt.
Add the garlic, ginger and smoke and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the eggplant, potato and tempeh.
Saute for 3-5 minutes or until the pan starts to brown.
Add the white vinegar and tamari and deglaze the pan.
Add the vegetable stock and kombu.
Cover reduce heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring here and there.
After 40 minutes, the liquid in the pan should be quite reduced.
If not, remove the lid and cook until there’s only half a cup of moisture in the pan.
Remove the kombu.
Add the peanut butter and nutritional yeast and stir until well-combined.
Remove from head and let cool 5 minutes.
Season to taste.
Add 1/6 of the filling to each roll (about 2/3 cup give or
take).
Garnish each roll with roughly 1T of sauerkraut and 1t of hot sauce.
Roll up like a burrito or temaki (a sushi hand roll) and serve.

Parsnip, ginger and miso soup

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A rich and filling soup for winter, garnished with smokey bourbon and brown sugar coconut, spinach chiffonade and black pepper.

Ingredients

For the soup
2T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T fresh garlic, minced
2T fresh ginger, minced
3 cups parsnip, 1/2″ dice (about 4-5 cored parsnips)
1T lemon juice
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
2 cups vegetable stock
1T white miso
2T nutritional yeast
1T tapioca starch dissolved in 2T cold water
1/2 cup baby spinach
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the coconut
3T coconut flakes
1T bourbon (1)
1/2T tamari
1/2t brown sugar (2)
A dash liquid smoke
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

First, core and dice the parnship.
Bring the oil to heat with 1/4t sea salt in a large pan with a lid on medium high.
Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 minutes until they’re aromatic.
Add the parsnip, and fry for 4-6 minutes, until the pan is starting to brown lightly.
Add the lemon juice to the pan and deglaze.
Add the soy milk, stock and miso.
Return to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
While the soup simmer, make the coconut.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Toss the coconut in the other ingredients until well-coated.
Arrange the coconut in a a small glass or ceramic baking dish in an even layer.
Bake on the middle rack until brown, about 10-12 minutes, stirring here and there. Ovens vary; use the
color and dryness as a guide and be careful not to overcook.
When ready, remove the coconut from the oven and set aside.
When the soup is ready, remove it from heat.
Add the nutritional yeast.
Puree the ingredients.
Return to a light simmer.
Stirring continuously, add the tapioca solution to the pan, stirring until thick.
Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes to cool.
Season to taste, and ladle into bowls.
Garnish with a few grinds of fresh black pepper, 2-3 whole spinach leaves, 2-3T spinach chiffonade and
coconut.

  1. It’s rare that bourbon is manufactured with animal
    products, but some are.
  2. An increasing amount of cane sugar is made without animal bone charcoal. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and otherwise unrefined sugars are typically fine.