Fava Bean and Avocado Crostini

I love picking up my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box each week. You never know what you are going to get and sometimes you get something you've never eaten before. Like fava beans. What do you do with fava beans? After some research, I found that fava beans are a lot of work (boo), but well worth the effort (yay!). I settled on making a fava bean, avocado, and spring mix (all items from my CSA box) salad to top crostini. This is an appetizer I'm proud to serve to guests. It's crunchy, creamy, rich, and fresh; it will not disappoint!

Fava beans are a lot of work so I recruited a friend to help me prepare them. You first have to remove the beans from their pod. Then blanch the beans in boiling water for 4 minutes and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once cooled, the skin around each bean needs to be removed. Finally, the beans are ready for use. Trust me when I say it is worth the effort!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fava beans, prepared and ready for use
• 2 ripe avocados, cut into small cubes
• 2 handfuls of spring lettuce
• 1 small handful of mint, roughly chopped
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 lemon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 baguette, sliced into small circles

1. Mix in large bowl the fava beans, avocado, lettuce, and mint. 
2. In small bowl, whisk together the shallot, juice of 1/2 lemon, 3 tablespoons olive oil, dash of salt, and dash of pepper. Add more lemon if needed. 
3. Add dressing to fava bean mix and toss well. Taste and add more salt if needed.
4. Place baguette slices on baking sheet and drizzle or spray with olive oil. Place under broiler until toasted and then flip. Apply olive oil to other side and place under broiler until toasted. 
5. Place crostini on serving tray and top with fava bean mix. 

Ribollita

Ribollita, translated from Italian, literally means "reboiled." But Ribollita sounds much more appetizing and appropriate for a such a delicious Tuscan soup. I just love how the name rolls off your tongue! Like most Tuscan cuisine, Ribollita has peasant origins. It has many variations as it's typically made from leftover soup reboiled the next day, but it is always vegetarian and contains cheap veggies, beans, and stale bread as a thickener.

I receive a produce box from a local farm each week. I never know what I'm going to get, but it's always fun coming up with dishes around fabulously fresh produce. Any leftovers or vegetables I don't know what to do with end up in Ribollita. This is good any time of year, but this hearty soup is especially delicious on a cold or rainy evening. 

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• vegetables: fennel, onion, celery, carrot, tomatoes, kale, cabbage, cooked potatoes, chard, etc. 
• salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 can cannellini beans
• stale bread, crumbled
• pepper

1. In soup pot, heat olive oil over medium. Add vegetables that need to be softened such as the fennel, onion, celery, or carrot. Sprinkle generously with salt and saute until fragrant and soft. Add garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
2. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, and add beans and other vegetables such as tomatoes, kale, cabbage, chard, or potato. Cook until vegetables are soft.
3. Remove about half of the veggies and set aside in a bowl. Using immersion blender, slightly puree the soup remaining in the pot, but not too much. Add back in the veggies which were previously removed. 
4. Add the bread and allow to cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Season and serve.

Dry Fried Green Beans

My husband has been obsessed with Chinese food lately, but I'm not complaining. I'm especially not complaining since I discovered the most amazing green beans which can be found on virtually any Chinese restaurant menu. These green beans come by various names: whether called dry-fried, dry-saute, Szeshuan, or Chinese green beans or string beans, you are getting something delicious. It's hard to reproduce this dish at home without a super hot wok, but this is a pretty good knock off for basically costing a buck or two. 

You might be wondering what dry-saute or dry-fried means. It does not refer to a lack of cooking fat used as I would have guessed. The food is fried in oil over moderately high heat which evaporates the moisture from the food's interior and the exterior becomes browned. It is then tossed in a sauce and the dry-fried food will soak it up like a sponge.

Ingredients:

• 1 cut neutral oil (canola or peanut)
• 1 lb fresh French-style green beans, trimmed and cut into uniform size
• 1 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• couple pinches of crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you want your beans
• drizzle of soy sauce

1. Heat oil over high heat for about 3 minutes. Carefully add green beans and cook, stirring occasionally until the beans are tender and thoroughly blistered. Transfer beans to paper towel lined plat and pat off oil.
2. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes, and cook for 15 seconds.
3. Add beans back to pan and coat with sauce. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds and then serve immediately.

Vegan Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing was created right here in my hometown of Santa Barbara. Well, okay, it was just outside of Santa Barbara, at a dude ranch named Hidden Valley Ranch. Gayle and Steve Henson opened the ranch in 1954 and visitors came to enjoy horseback riding and whatever else they do at dude ranches. In the restaurant they served their house, or "the ranch", dressing. More and more people began visiting the Hidden Valley Ranch and when people started asking for batches to take home, the Hensons started bottling and selling their ranch dressing. In 1972, the Hensons sold their Hidden Valley Ranch brand to Clorox for $8 million. 

I have to admit that I'm one of those people who like ranch dressing on everything. I usually make a batch of this each week and keep it in the fridge for salads, dipping veggies, french fries, a spread on veggie burgers or whatever else. Even my husband and non-vegan friends like this. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plain soy milk
• 1 cup canola oil
• half of a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder - OR use a handful of chopped green onion or chives instead if available.
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the soy milk in a food processor. Turn on and slowly add in the canola oil. Blend for 15 seconds- it should thicken up pretty well. 
2. Add in a good squeeze or 2 of lemon and the other ingredients. Blend for another 15 seconds. 
3. Thin out with more soy milk and blend again if needed for desired consistency. 

Butternut Squash and Tomato Fregola Stew

You are probably wondering "What the heck is fregola?!" Fregola is a type of pasta (little round balls, similar in size to Israeli couscous) that's been toasted to give it a slightly nutty flavor. It's origins are unknown, but it's popular in Sardinia, an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. 

I found some at a local Italian market, bought it without knowing what to do with it, and kept it 6 months in the cupboard. Then one day I was watching an episode of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef on the Food Network and a recipe featuring fregola. I made it that night and it was delicious! So here is my adapted version of Ann Burrell's recipe. This is a perfect, hardy stew-like dish for a cold winter night. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• salt
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28 ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes, drained and diced 
• 2 cups butternut squash, diced
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cups fregola
• 1 bunch of chives, finely chopped

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add onions, season with salt, and add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute. 
2. Add tomatoes, butternut squash, and the stock. Add a cup or 2 of water if needed- you want the liquid to half way cover the onion, tomato, and squash mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. 
3. Cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the squash is soft and most of the liquid is absorbed/evaporated.
4. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the fregola and cook according to package directions, but about 1-2 minutes less as you want the pasta to be al dente. 
5. Strain and add to the pan of onion, tomato, and squash. Stir well and add more stock or water if the mixture is dry, or cook longer if it's too soupy. When done, it should be stew-like. Stir in the chives and season with more salt if needed. 
6. Serve in bowls with a crusty bread. I like mine topped with nutritional yeast too!

Potato Pizza

Growing up, my Italian great grandmother would tell me "pizza is peasant food." True, pizza was originally food for the poor. Italian peasants would top some leavened bread with their leftovers as to not waste anything and to make it more palatable. This potato pizza is for the poor and rich alike. It may be cheap, but it's delicious.

Homemade pizza dough is always amazingly flavorful, but tonight I was feeling a little lazy and opted for some refrigerated pizza dough from Trader Joe's. This pizza is topped with olive oil, grated garlic, potato and onion. I also like to top mine with a handful of arugula. I love the textures of this pizza. The crispy crust, soft potatoes, and fresh greens make for the perfect balance. 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pizza dough (even for 1 large thin crust pizza)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 potato
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, stems removed and chopped up fine
• 4 cups arugula

1. Roll pizza dough out thin and transfer to pizza pan. Drizzle with a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, grate the garlic over it, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
2. Bake at 450 for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and pop any bubbles. 
4. Using mandolin, slice the potato and onion thin. Place potato over pizza, making about 3 layers. Then spread onion over the top. Drizzle with the other 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Then sprinkle the rosemary and a little more salt and pepper over the top. 
5. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, until crusty is golden brown and potatoes are cooked through. 
6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with arugula and serve with a knife and fork... hands are okay too though.

A Worthy Tofurkey

My vegetarian best friend introduced me to tofurkey when I was 19 and I loved it. It might even have been my first experience with tofu which was probably a good way to experience something new since it had a level of familiarity and comfort. You can even find pre-made tofurkey in the stores around the holidays and all you have to do is baste and roast them, but I prefer to make mine from scratch. I find the tofu is too tough for my preference and the stuffing is sub-par. It doesn't take that much extra work and the results are way better if you do it yourself. You will need to plan ahead and prep the tofu 24 hours ahead of time.

Ingredients:

• 70 oz of extra firm tofu
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 5 teaspoons dried/powdered sage
• 5 teaspoons garlic powder
• 5 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups of your favorite stuffing

1. You need to prepare the tofu 24 hours in advance in order to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors and for it to drain out excess moisture. Put all of the tofu into a blender or food processor - do in 2-3 batches if necessary. Add 1/2 cup soy sauce, 4 teaspoons sage, 4 teaspoons garlic powder, and 4 teaspoons onion powder. Blend well. 
2. Line a colander with cheesecloth. Pour all of the tofu into the colander, inside of the cheesecloth. Place something heavy over the top and gently push down. Place something under the colander (like a plate with steep sides or a sheet pan) to catch the liquid that drains and place in refrigerator overnight. 
3.  Remove tofu from refrigerator. Scoop out whole from middle of tofu so you have a tofu bowl. Fill hole with stuffing and pack it down gently. Place the removed tofu over the hole and flatten the top. Make sure it's packed down tightly as the top is going to be the base of your tofurkey. 
4. Rub your baking dish or pan with a tiny bit of olive oil. Place on top of the colander and flip your tofurkey upside down on to the baking dish or pan. 
5. Preheat oven to 350. 
6. Mix together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sage, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 2 tablespoons olive oil - this is your basting liquid. 
7. Brush basting liquid onto the tofurkey before placing into the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes. 
8. Allow to cool well. Slice and serve!

Cinnamon Toast Rolls

I loved cinnamon toast when I was a kid. I would butter the bread and sprinkle it with cinnamon-sugar, and then my mom would toast it up in the oven for me. These cinnamon toast rolls are the same thing I loved as a kid, but it a new package... and with icing! The sugar actually caramelizes in to a chewy glaze hidden in the folds of the crispy toast. I'm going wine tasting with some friends in Los Olivos today and decided to whip these up so we'd have a snack for the 45 minute drive.

Ingredients:

• 24 slices of white bread, crust removed
• 4 tablespoons Earth Balance or margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 cups cinnamon-sugar
• 1/2 cup cinnamon icing: powdered sugar moistened with water and flavored with cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Using a rolling pin, flatten a slice of bread. For each side, brush with Earth Balance and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon-sugar. Fold 2 sides into the middle and fold in half again. Roll up and place inside a mini-muffin pan. Repeat for each slice of bread.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. 
4. Let cool before icing. 

Aguas Frescas

Aguas frescas, drinks made from fresh fruit, water, and sugar, are hugely popular in Mexico. There is some confusion in terms internationally between these aguas frescas and bottled soft drinks. In Guatemala and Nicaragua, these are referred to as frescos, short for refresco, which in Mexico means soft drinks. Soft drinks in Guatemala are called aguas, short for aguas gaseosas, but easily confused with the Mexican aguas frescas.

The terminology may be confusing, but aguas frescas are easy to make and are delicious. This is an easy recipe which you can insert any fruit into. Some of my favorite fruits in aguas frescas are watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, cucumbers, and mangos, but the one pictured is with honeydew melon. Also add the sugar slowly as some fruits will be sweeter and not need as much. A splash of lime always livens things up too. 

Ingredients:

• 6 cups fresh fruit, cut into chunks, seeds and skin removed if necessary
• 3 cups water
• 1/4-1/2 cup sugar
• juice of a lime

1. Place the fruit and water in a blender and puree until smooth. You can strain the juice if necessary, but I usually don't mind it with some pulp.
2. Add sugar and lime, small amounts at a time until you have desired flavor. 
3. Serve over ice and enjoy. 

Easy Popcorn Balls

Popcorn balls are an iconic holiday treat. They were hugely popular in the late 19th century as a holiday food, probably because they doubled as Christmas tree ornaments (I prefer to eat them). Although they are associated with winter, the far-fetched legend of their invention says popcorn got their start in the summer. As they story goes, there was a corn field in Nebraska getting scorched by the summer sun and it got so hot that the corn started popping right off the stalks. At the same time, there was a deluge of warm rain over a sugar cane field next door. The rain washed the syrupy sugar downhill toward the popped corn, rolled it into balls, and voila, you got popcorn balls!

If you've every made popcorn balls then you know what a daunting task making them can be. The candy syrup is too hot to handle and then once it's cool enough to touch, it's too hard to get an even coating on the popcorn. It take a couple tries so be prepared to toss your first, and maybe the second, batch. And be sure to give yourself plenty of space to spread out.

This is a super easy and traditional recipe that I have taken from Paula Dean with my own tips inserted.

Ingredients:

• 18 cups popcorn- salted, but with no butter. For me this was 1/4 cup kernels before being popped.
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• non-stick cooking spray

1. Put down silicone mats or parchment paper on large working space. 
2. In medium pot, combine sugar, water, corn syrup, vinegar, and salt, and cook over high heat until it reaches 250F. Going any higher than 255F will make the syrup too hard to handle when cooled so pull off the heat at 145-150 as the temperature will raise slightly even after removed from heat. Once removed from the hear, stir in the vanilla. 
3. Pour half of the syrup over the popcorn and using a spatula, immediately start tossing. Pour the remainder of the syrup over the popcorn, and toss again to get a light even coat. 
4. Once the syrup is cool enough to touch, you need to form the popcorn into balls. Use the non-stick cooking spray on your hands to keep the popcorn from sticking. Form into 14-16 tight balls and place on parchment paper to allow to finish cooling and harden. 

Grape and Almond Soup

Behold the mighty grape. It is, quite possibly, the greatest fruit on earth because it's what wine is made of. I drink a lot of wine, but don't often consume grapes in any other form. Now I have this super easy and refreshing recipe for grape and almond soup so grapes may find their way onto my shopping list more frequently.

This is a great summer dish because it's light and there is no cooking involved whatsoever. You literally throw everything into a blender and let 'er go. Dinner in 5 minutes? No problem. Cold soup or soups made of fruit may seem kind of odd if you aren't used to these things, but I know you will like it if you give it a try with an open mind. This soup is sweet from the grapes, but is balanced with the acidity of the lime and savory onion and pepper. Try it with a peanut butter sandwich for a new take on the classic PB and J flavors!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain soy milk (or almond milk if you can find it unsweetened, but then cut back on the sliced almonds below if you use it)
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• 2 stalks green onion, chopped
• 1 lb seedless white or green grapes, stems removed
• juice of 1 lime
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Put all ingredients into a blender. 
2. Puree. Add dash of salt and pepper. 
3. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. 

Peanut Pasta Salad

This is a dish stolen from South Coast Deli. You won't find it on their menu though; they will whip up a batch for you by request if ordering for a large group. We always get this when getting lunch catered by South Coast Deli for work events. I've asked for the recipe, but their lips are sealed. After some experimentation, I'm confident I cracked the recipe- and it's an easy one at that!

This chilled garlicky and peanuty pasta salad is made up of only a handful of ingredients, but is more than just the sum of its parts. It's great as a side dish (bring to a BBQ or serve with sandwiches) or as a meal (I love it on a hot summer night).

Ingredients:

• 12 oz of raw spaghetti, cooked and then submerged into ice water
• 3 tablespoons veganaise
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed into a paste
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 3/4 cup roasted peanuts

1. Start by combining the veganaise, vegetable oil, and smashed garlic to create a sauce. Add salt to taste, but go easy as you can always add more to the finished dish.
2. Drain the spaghetti and toss with the sauce. It should be a very light coating, but you can add more to your liking. Mix in the green onion, cilantro, and peanuts. Add more salt if necessary. 
3. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to develop.

Butternut Squash Farfalle

I always order the same thing when we go to our favorite Italian restaurant: butternut squash ravioli. It's the perfect combination of sweet and savory, and tossed with sage and olive oil it can't be beat. I tried to recreate the dish a couple of times, but I am terrible at making ravioli. Then it dawned on me; why does it have to be ravioli? I can put all the same flavors into a pasta dish and forget the hassle.

If you aren't familiar with prepping butternut squash, it is important to know that it can cause "contact dermatitis" for many people. This is a minor skin allergy caused from contact with the flesh of the squash. If you experience this, just apply Cortisone cream and it should clear up in a day or so. If you have sensitive skin, you may just want to take the precaution of wearing latex gloves. Many places sell butternut squash already cut into small squares, but you'll pay a lot less if you buy a whole one and prep it yourself.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into bite-size cubes
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• handful of fresh sage, prepared into a chiffonade
• 8oz uncooked dried farfalle pasta
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons crushed walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 400F. 
2. Toss butternut squash in 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Spread out on cookie sheet and roast in oven for 10 minutes. Flip squash over and roast for another 10 minutes or until softened. 
3. While squash is roasting, cook farfalle according to package instructions. Drain and set cooked pasta aside, but reserve a 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
4. Using same pot used to cook the pasta (why dirty another dish?) heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, and sage, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until sage is crispy. 
5. Remove from heat. Add in pasta and squash, and toss well in olive oil sauce. Use the reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. It has some starch in it so will help the olive oil stick to the pasta. Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with crushed walnuts. 

BBQ "Pulled" Tofu Sandwiches

It's like pulled pork, but made with tofu, and it's good! After a stressful day at work, I was craving comfort food, but after a weekend of eating out, I wanted to keep it light. The sweet barbecue tofu with a tangy coleslaw on a toasted bun really hit the spot. The flavors are bold and classic so you might not even notice there is no meat. This recipe passed the husband test so I know it will satisfy meat eaters and vegans alike.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (14-16 oz) firm tofu
• 1 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
• 1 lime
• 4 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 tablespoon veganaisse
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 hamburger buns

1. Shred the tofu using the large side of a cheese grater and place tofu in a cool skillet. 
2. Add barbecue sauce and juice of half a lime. My sauce was really thick and I used the whole bottle plus a cup of water. You want just enough sauce so the tofu can marinade for an hour or so. 
3. While tofu is marinating, make your coleslaw. Combine veganaisse, juice of the other half of lime, teaspoon of hot sauce, and pinch of salt. Mix and toss with the cabbage. Set aside.
4. Place tofu on burner over medium heat and bring to a simmer. While tofu is cooking, toast burger buns. 
5. After about 10-15 minutes, sauce should be thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Assemble sandwiches and serve immediately. 

More Salsa!

Fiesta may be over, but I've still got salsa on my mind! As a follow up to my previous post of a black beans salsa, I wanted to share a couple more of my favorite salsa recipes.

This first one was my creation for last year's salsa contest where I won for the best salsa verde (but I had the only green salsa so that really doesn't say much, does it?). It's called "La Bomba Verde" and it's a thin sauce which you can use as a dip or to top food.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 3 jalapenos (you can use less if you want it more mild)
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cans tomatillos
• salt to taste
• sugar to taste
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 bunch of cilantro

1. Chop the onion, jalapenos, and garlic. They don't have to be very small as the salsa will eventually be blended. Then sweat them in some olive oil. 
2. Add 2 cans of tomatillos, salt, a dash of sugar, vinegar, and 1 cup of water. 
3. Let simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add more water as the salsa thickens.
4. Roughly chop the cilantro and add to salsa. Puree with an immersion blender. Add more salt if necessary, but go light. 
5. Serve over food or refrigerate and use as a salsa dip.

The other salsa I want to share is one that a coworker made: a black bean and corn salsa. This salsa tastes fresh despite being made up of mostly canned food, and is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. This recipe is from Trader Joe's and uses their delicious Corn and Chili Salsa which you may want to stock up on in case they ever stop making it. If  that tragedy ever happens, I suppose you could substitute regular corn and this salsa would still be great. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 jar Trader Joe's Corn and Chili Salsa
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, finely diced
• 1 jalapeno, finely diced
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• salt to taste

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and season. 
2. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Viva La Fiesta! Salsa

Fiesta week has arrived in Santa Barbara! And that means lots of fun, sun, and delicious food. Fiesta is throw back to the "Old Spanish Days" of Santa Barbara, and is a time our community comes together to celebrate the various cultures in which our city was built upon.

My coworkers are holding a "dip off" in the spirit of Fiesta. I made a colorful black bean salsa. Lime vinaigrette brightens up the flavors and a little bit of chili sauce gives it a nice kick. I used just enough avocado so you get a little in each bite. Adding avocado to a salsa rather than making a guacamole helps stretch the costly avocado and cuts back the fat, but you still get the benefits of its creamy richness.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 bell pepper (any color of your liking, but I like red, orange, or yellow for the color)
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 small avocados
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1-2 limes
• 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1-2 teaspoons salt 
• Sirracha or other chili sauce

1. Dice the onion, bell pepper, and garlic- you want it to be about the size of a black bean- and then saute in olive oil over medium heat.
2. Place onion, bell pepper, and garlic into a large bowl and allow to cool.
3. Meanwhile, chop cilantro leaves and cut avocado into bean size pieces. Add to bowl along with the black beans. You need to work quickly on getting the vinaigrette done for the next step and into the salsa once you get the avocado cut so it doesn't start turning brown.
4. Dress with juice of 1 lime, red wine vinegar, salt, and few dashes of chili sauce. Add more of any of these things to suit your taste. Toss well and chill before serving. 

Watermelon & Serrano Pepper Salad

Not that a good watermelon isn't delicious all on it's own, but this watermelon salad will blow your socks off. This dish was inspired by a local food truck that serves a watermelon and Serrano pepper salad which I love on a hot summer day. I took their idea and made my own version. The flavors are bright and really pop; it's the perfect combination of sweet, tart, and spicy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 Serrano peppers
• handful of mint leaves
• 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Remove the seeds and ribs from Serrano peppers and dice finely. Place in small bowl.
2. Chiffonade the mint leaves by stacking the leaves, rolling them up into a tight cigar, and slicing finely. Add to peppers.
3. Add the juice and zest of the limes, vinegar, sugar, and salt, and stir together. Place dressing in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. 
4. Toss watermelon in dressing and serve.

Damn Good Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's hard to find soft and chewy vegan chocolate chip cookies, but this recipe is pretty damn good. My husband is always my first taste tester. Not knowing they were vegan (but I'm sure he suspected) he ate a cookie and reported they were good. When I told him they were vegan he responded, "I knew there was something wrong with them," but proceeded to eat 2 more. I'll admit that they are not like traditional chocolate chip cookies, but they are the best vegan cookies I've ever had and better than most non-vegan cookies too.

You've got to make these cookies fairly big in order to get the right texture. They are crispy on the outside, despite their pale color, and chewy on the inside.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• dash of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (usually semi-sweet is vegan but check the ingredients on the label)
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 3/4 cup canola or other bland vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and chocolate chips. 
3. In separate bowl, combine the sugar and oil. Then mix this into the dry ingredients, but don't overwork the dough. 
4. Mix in the vanilla and water. The dough will be rather dry and crumbly, but you can add a little more water if it won't hold together.
5. Spoon large balls (smaller than a golf ball) of dough onto a greased cookie sheet or silmat, and flatten slightly. This should make about 20 cookies. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Note that they will be rather pale in color. 

    

Faux-Fredo

Last month I made a tofu based Alfredo sauce which turned out just okay. A friend recommended I try a cashew based recipe instead. And I'm so glad I did because this vegan Alfredo sauce is fantastic! Not to mention it's really easy; you just throw everything into a blender. It comes out a little grainy unless you have a really awesome blender, but you can run it through a fine meshed strainer if it bothers you.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water overnight
• 2 cups hot water (use the pasta water)
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound pasta
• 2 cups sauteed mushrooms

1. Put everything into a blender (except for the pasta and mushrooms) and puree. If the sauce is to thin, add a little bit more olive oil. Season to taste, but keep in mind that the flavor will be slightly diluted when you add it to the pasta.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and put pasta back into the pot. Add sauce and mushrooms, and heat if necessary before serving.

Any Time Key Lime Pie

My most favorite food is key lime pie. I was introduced to key lime pie when I was around 10 years old and I've been hooked ever since. I love the tangy and creamy filling in contrast to the sweet and crunchy graham cracker crust. A few days ago a friend of mine shared a vegan key lime pie recipe and I just had to try it. I was hopeful, but skeptical. And let's face it; you replace egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk with tofu, it is not going to be the same. However, it's still good and is a much healthier way to satisfy my key lime pie cravings. I will definitely make this again.

Crust

• 2 cups crushed graham crackers
• 3 tablespoons melted Earth balance
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Mix everything together and press into greased pie dish.
2. Baked for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely before making filling.

Filling

• 24 oz silken tofu
• 1 lb key limes, juiced
• zest of 4 key limes
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (this really helps cut the tofu taste)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1.  Put all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Pour into pie crust and place in freezer for 2 hours or until pie is set. Serve frozen, but defrost slightly if too hard.