Baba Ganoush

One thing I'm enjoying this summer and thought you'd love is Baba Ganoush. Fresh eggplant from your garden, CSA share or farmers market. Get out your grill (can be done on a stove griddle, but not quite the same smokey taste) get it hot, and toss those eggplants on....well slice them in half lengthwise first! I put them skin side up for about 10 min. Then flip them over and let them cook for at least 10 min. Then put them in a bowl, or pan and stick in the fridge to cool completely. So for let's say 2 decent sized eggplant: Start by removing the skin and putting the 'meat' into a Cuisinart, add 1 clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt, juice from half a lemon, a heaping Tablespoon of tahini, and a heaping Tablespoon of vegan mayo (I love the Follow Your Heart brand) and blend until completely smooth. Enjoy with crackers, lettuce or NYC bagels like me :)

Pesto

Undoubtedly the best vegan pesto ever ~ if I must say so myself!!!! And so easy! This batch I made with basil microgreens but you can make this with fresh homegrown basil or basil plants from the market. In a small fry pan, toast 1 c of sunflower seeds with med heat tossing until lightly golden. Then in a Cuisinart add sunflower seeds, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp sea salt, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp. braggs, 1/4-1/3 c extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 c nutritional yeast flakes, and 3 c basil leaves (can use whole leaves and stems as long as they are not woody or hard). Blend until all elements are combined. Add 3 c more basil, continue to blend. If it's too chunky for your taste add some more olive oil to thin it out some. If it is too thin for your taste add more basil. The combination of nutritional yeast, lemon, and braggs takes the place of Parmesan cheese, and the sunflower seeds are like a tenth the cost of pinenuts.  Serve over pasta or on pizza (with kalamata olives...mmmm) or just on a slice of toast. SOOOO yummy.

Apple Pie

Happy Thanksgiving. And what better way to celebrate then having a homemade apple pie. This has been my favorite pie recipe for at least 20 years. So easy and can be made gluten free, you just have to be more careful with the crust making. But here goes...Make the apple filling first. Peel and slice 6-7 good sized Macintosh apples. Put into large bowl, adding 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ginger, and 1 T tapioca flour. Mix well and set aside. So the crust, 2 c flour, 1 tsp salt mixed. Add 2/3 c organic spectrum shortening at room temp. Using a fork mix it until  it is slightly crumbly. Then add 5-7 T of cold water, mix again with a fork. Then using your hands just knead it gently until it's one large ball. Now split in half. One half is to be rolled out and put into a pie dish, the other is to be rolled out and used as the top. Once you've got your apple mixture into pie dish, add 1 1/2 T of earth balance divided up into 5 pieces sprinkled on top of the apples. Then put you crust on top. tuck the dough into the edges. Now you can use a fork to do the edge of the crust or as I do ~ pinch the crust with my thumb and index finger around the edge. Using a fork poke some holes in the top. Bake at 375* for 45 minutes until golden brown.

Can't Stop Eating Salad

This is THE best salad ever! So yummy, my husband and I will eat the whole thing in one sitting. It's a great addition to any meal. Now first you will need to make the Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette that I posted already but with 1 tsp dry basil instead of fresh basil and blend it, setting it aside for later. Now, wash and cut a head of lettuce of your choice. Peel and slice 2 carrots and 1 cucumber. Wash and slice 2 ribs of celery. Slice half a can of organic olives. In a small pan over medium heat lightly toast a cup of pecans then set aside for 5 minutes to let them cool. Now in a nice bowl toss all the ingredients, then add 1/2 c of dressing and toss. Now add a can (strained) of mandarin oranges, 4-5 dates cut into pieces, and a handful of raisins, cranberries or dried cherries. Toss salad gently so you don't mash the oranges. add a little more dressing if you want. Then cut an avocado in half, remove the seed, and with a butter knife - slice the avocado and scoop out and fan them onto the side of the bowl (OR) you can just cut up avocado and gently incorporate into the salad. I added some sunflower shoots for added loveliness.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

As we inch closer to Thanksgiving I thought I'd post some simple dishes to go with your mashed potatoes and gravy. Roasted Brussels Sprouts are simple and tasty. I personally never had them as a kid (my mother hated them so it was never on the menu) but, as an adult I've figured out how to enjoy them and maybe my mom might even like them? You never know. So, take a pound of sprouts, slice off the end if needed, then cut them into halves. Place into a glass baking dish. Melt 1/4 c earth balance and drizzle over them. Add 1 T bragg aminos, a hearty pinch of celtic sea salt and some fresh ground black pepper. Toss them and get them coated well. Roast in the oven at 400* for about 35 minutes or until they are crispy on top, stir once during the baking time. This is a perfect side dish. Enjoy.

Baked Pear

Soooooo yummy, Soooooo easy... Perfect for those fall pears. A hit for all ages. What else can I say?
OH! right - the recipe... OK take some pears that are close to being ripe, cut in half, using a melon baller - scoop out the seeded part. place on glass baking dish cut side facing up. Now here is the easy part, say if you have 6-8 pears which then will give you 12-14 halves, Drizzle about 1/2 - 3/4 cup maple syrup all over them, coat the cut opened part with it. Then pour about 1 c of apple cider (or juice) into the bottom of pan. AND THEN....sprinkle cinnamon all over them. WHEW!!! Bake at 400* for about 20-30 minutes or until they are soft. Take out, let cool slightly (since they are sooo yummy warm) and use the syrup on the bottom of pan too. Optional (can be dangerous) Can serve with a scoop of vanilla coconut milk ice cream to really make everyone nuts.....

Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette

I'm sure that right now you probably are getting an abundance of salad makings in your CSA share along with a lot of fragrant fresh basil, yes? If not then get your butt down to your local farmers market and get some because it's prime time for it! My all time favorite thing to do with basil (that's quick and easy) is to make a great dressing. It's a dressing that can be versatile...drizzle it on salads, roasted portabello's, pizza, bruschetta or even if your a little wild...vegan ice cream! It can last a long time in the fridge. To make, take your basil, remove any tough stems or seeds, rinse with cold water, stuff your blender s it's about 1/2 filled. Add 2 cloves of fresh garlic, fresh ground black pepper, a 1/2 tsp celtic salt, and 1c of Balsamic vinegar, 3/4 c Maple Syrup, and 1 - 1 1/2 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Blend until super creamy. ENJOY! yummy.