Peachy Keen Green

I've made many veggie curries with Trader Joes bottled curry sauce, and they're okay, but never as good as what you get at a Thai restaurant. Once I tried to make curry with store-bought curry paste and coconut milk, but it was eh. What's the trick? Well, we went to Thailand last November and I brought back some curry packets for gifts; I decided to try one. The directions called for coconut cream (not coconut milk). We also had some fresh ginger that I had frozen (grated) in ice cube trays, so I tossed in a cube. (I didn't add the fish sauce it called for.) Boy, what a difference. It was nice and spicy and flavorful. We thought we were in a restaurant! Here's what I did. Ingredients Blue Elephant Royal Thai Yellow Curry paste (or similar) 1 can coconut cream Fresh ginger (optional) Olive oil 1/2 cup water Veggies: 1 onion, chopped 12 cups mushrooms, chopped 1 cup cabbage, chopped 3 small potatoes, chopped and nuked 4 min 1 sweet potato, chopped and n...

After enjoying our friend Judi's "momba" smoothies so many times, we finally bought a good (Ninja) blender so we could make our own. Dr. Gregor has some videos about research that shows you get all the benefits of the kale and berries in blended form, but that's not true for all fruits. And Larry notes that they taste better than they look :) Ingredients banana carrots (1 or 2 small/medium) kale (5-10 leaves) oranges (1 or 2, peeled) apple or pear (1, cored) almond milk (maybe a cup?) frozen berries of your choice (maybe a cup?) Instructions Put everything in a powerful blender and pulse until mixed. I tend to mix everything but the frozen berries, and then add the berries at the end. Sometimes they come out green (if I go heavy on the kale and lighter on the berries), and sometimes they come out more purple (if I go heavy on blueberries). Makes 2-3 glasses, and keeps fine in the fridge until the next day if you can't drink it all. And with ...

My brother Jeff gave me a couple bags of dried fava beans this weekend. He gets them at his local farmers market. I soaked, boiled, and then sautéed them with some garlic and pepper. It was good, but needed something. Then I remembered that Jeff made a yummy fava dish a few months ago in Nebraska. So I called him up to ask what all he put in it. "Tomatoes and onion really go well with favas," he said. I had some chard in the back yard; how about that, too? "That's great, chop it up well!" And so I did. Later: "Didn't chopping the greens change everything? I think chopping releases more flavor and improves the texture." Yes, it does! It was delicious. Next: reminder to self to try this Portugese Fava recipe  (sans chorizo or with vegan chorizo). Ingredients fava beans onion, chopped tomatoes (1 can, or a few romas) chard or kale, chopped garlic to taste olive oil cayenne pepper salt other spices to taste Instructions If using dried f...

A new twist on pasta from Larry's sister Cyndy. Delicious and super healthy. Here's the recipe for 2 people; increase proportionally for 4. (Okay, way too much yellow in this photo; I'll get a better one later.) Ingredients 4 zucchini squash homemade marinara (with onion and mushroom to make it thicker) TJ's meatless meatballs Instructions Using a spiral slicer, create julienne strips of the zucchini. Be careful not to cut yourself against the blades when you're twisting near the end of the zucchini! Put the zucchini on a plate covered with a paper towel, and nuke for 3 minutes. (You may need to do a couple plates worth; nuke one plate while you're finishing the rest the zucchini.) Slice of the ends of the squash and nuke it, too. Optionally, put the nuked zucchini in a casserole dish, put a little pasta on it, and bake it in the oven for a few minutes. In a sauce pan, warm up the marinara with TJs' meatless meatballs, using about 6 meatballs fo...

A hearty, nice corn chowder, from Vegan with a Vengeance . You can use frozen corn, but I think it's better if you use fresh. I made this the first time with my sweet corn harvest (see photos below). It was exciting to turn my lemon-ears (corn that most anyone else would have sent them to the compost bin) into chowder-ade! The soup has some nice heat, and the maple syrup gives it a slight contrasting sweetness.  And it's easy to make. Serve with nice whole wheat bread, crackers, or salad. I ngredients 1 T olive oil 1 medium-size onion, diced 1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 cup carrots, diced 1-2 jalapeño peppers, diced 1 tsp dried rosemary (or more, fresh) 1 tsp dried thyme A few dashes fresh black pepper 1 tsp salt 3 cups vegetable broth  3 cups fresh corn (from about 5 ears of corn) 2-3 medium potatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch chunks 1 bay leaf Pinch cayenne Juice of 1 lime 1/4 cup plain almond or soy milk ...

During a visit to Nebraska, Dad's friend Jack gave him a bag of about 30 fresh-picked peaches. I decided to try to make a pie, and after a little googling and experimenting, came up with an easy, yummy recipe. When our ripe pears and blackberries start entering the house in buckets, I can easily make a dozen pies. I freeze some blackberries and sliced-up pears so as to spread that out over time. Pears and strawberries are another great combination. That mix reminded me of  rhubarb pie , another great mix. And figs work, too! Ingredients 4-5 cups fruit, fresh or frozen: peaches, pears, apples, blackberries, strawberries, figs, or mix Dry: 2 T flour 2 T arrowroot or cornstarch 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional) Wet: 1 T lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla Dots of vegan butter 2 vegan pie crusts (like  Wholly Wholesome ) or make a vegan pie crust Instructions Arrange pie crust in pie pan and chill. Cut up the fruit; no need to peel. Don't be shy, cut up a lot. ...

Mark brought Trader Joes Beet Hummus to our pool party this weekend, and we loved it! I had 3 huge (potato-sized) fresh beets from Farmdoor in my fridge, so I decided to give it a try. I cut up one of the big beets, microwaved it for 6 minutes, and added it to my regular hummus recipe . Yum! It's delicious, and very slightly sweet from the beet. The Trader Joes version lists balsamic vinegar in the ingredients, and we tried adding a little to a bit on the side, but didn't like it so much. It has a whole lemon, and I think that's enough acidic punch. Ingredients 2-3 large cooked beets, cut up 1 can garbanzo beans, drained 2 T tahini 1 lemon, juiced 1 clove garlic (or 1 tsp minced) 1/2 tsp salt 1-2 T olive oil Instructions Drain and rinse garbanzo beans. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend! Scrape into a bowl to chill, or serve right away. Note: If you're starting from raw beets, you can cut them up into half-inch chunks to microwave th...

Our perfect veggie burger from Oh She Glows . The nuts and seeds really make it, it's crispy outside, and it stays together well. I'm not a big parsley fan, so I use fresh basil instead of parsley, but otherwise I follow the recipe pretty much exactly. I usually make them for summer bbqs, so I prebake them 15 minutes and then we grill them a few minutes outside. Makes 8 burgers; sometimes I double it to have leftovers. ( Image from Oh She Glows ) Ingredients 1/2 cup diced onion, 1 large garlic clove Flax eggs: 2.5 tbsp ground flax + 1/2 cup warm water, mixed in bowl 1 cup oats, processed into flour 1.5 cups bread crumbs 1 cup grated carrots 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and roughly mashed 1/4 cup finely chopped basil (or other herb) 1/3 cup toasted almonds, sliced or chopped 1/2 cup sunflower seeds 1 T olive pil 1 T soy sauce 1.5 tsp chili powder (heaping) 1 tsp cumin (heaping) 1 tsp oregano (heaping) 1/2 tsp salt (heaping) ground pepper to taste In...

I found a nice cucumber salad from Oh She Glows that included these roasted spiced chickpeas as a topping. We mostly just ate them as a snack - really good! Ingredients 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas 1/2 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric Instructions Preheat oven to 400F and line a medium baking sheet with a couple pieces of paper towel. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and place onto paper towel. Add a couple paper towels on top and roll the chickpeas around until completely dry. Or leave them out for a few hours with paper towels on top and bottom. This helps them crisp up in the oven. Put the chickpeas into a medium mixing bowl and stir in the oil until coated. Now stir in the rest of the seasonings. Discard paper towel and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Add chickpeas back onto the baking sheet. Roast at 400F for 20 ...

Sightly adapted from a recipe in Vegan with a Vengeance  mostly to add some greens and tomato, and a little more turmeric. Nice served with toast potatoes, guacamole and salsa. Ingredients 1 T high heat oil (e.g., canola, grapeseed) 1 medium onion, chipped 2 C mushrooms 2-3 cloves minced garlic A few leaves of kale or chard or spinach 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 pound extra firm tofu, drained 1/4 C (heaping) nutritional yeast Juice of 1/2 lemon Spice blend: 2 t cumin 1 t dried thyme 1 t paprika 1 t turmeric 1 t salt Instructions Saute onions over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes; add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic, leaves and tomato, and saute 2 minutes. Add spice blend and mix. Add 1/4 cup water to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to get all the garlic and spices. Crumble in tofu and mix well. Don't crush the tofu, just kind of lift and mix; you want it to remain chunky. Let it cook about 15 minutes, stirring occas...

A wonderful chocolate oatmeal, or make it plain with maple and brown sugar. I found the chocolate version first, on Happy Healthy , and made up the plain version when I needed a change. Both are wonderful with berries on top. I add walnuts and chia to the chocolate version, and flax seeds to the maple and brown sugar version. I also tend to use more water and less almond milk for the plain version. Sometimes I make extra and freeze muffin-size portions like Trader Joes  does, to microwave during the week. Ingredients 1 cup steel-cut oats 2 cups water 3 cups vanilla almond milk* 2 T maple syrup Chocolate version:  1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder  Plain version: 2 T brown sugar *I use more water, less almond milk here Toppings: Berries (Strawberries, blueberries, etc.) Walnuts Chia seeds Flax seeds Instructions For the chocolate version, heat 1 cup of the water in the microwave, 1 minute. Slowly mix the cocoa in the water to p...

A berry crisp that combines elements of a few recipes I've tried, including Judi's. Delish! Ingredients Fruit (berries, pears, apricots, etc.) 2 T canola oil 1/4 C brown sugar  1/2 lemon Topping: 1 C all-purpose flour 1 C quick-cooking oats 1/3 - 1/2 C brown sugar 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 C canola oil 1/4 C water Instructions Pour oil in pan. Put fruit in pan and sprinkle brown sugar and lemon over.  Mix up the topping and spread it over the fruit. Bake at 350 until the juice is all bubbly, about 30 minutes or so.  Here it is with fresh apricots, ready to go in the oven:

Our friend Arul made this for us one night, and I loved it. And it's so easy to make. Thanks, Arul! January 2025 update: Laurie roasted cauliflower for us and served it with a peanut dressing. It was so tasty and easy. I added ingredients for that below. January 2019 update: True Food Kitchen cauliflower is delish, with a tahini-based dressing. Could try tossing some of this in a tahini dressing (added below) and fold in some mint and roasted pistachios. April 2016 update: My friend Sherry made delicious roasted cauliflower for us last night. She marinated the cauliflower in curry, garlic, and olive oil. It was milder, and delicious. She said "I find that if you break the cauliflower up into smaller pieces and roast a little higher at 425, and watch like crazy (so it doesn't burn), it gets more tender." Ingredients 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets 2 T canola oil or olive oil Spices (or just use curry mix + garlic + salt) 1/2 tsp turmeric (heapin...

Happy Healthy and Oh She Glows both have recipes for chocolate chia pudding. One serving gives you all the omega 3's you need in a day! Happy Healthy has her  Overnight Chocolate Berry Breakfast Pudding for breakfast, and Oh She Glows dresses up her Healthy Chocolate Chia Pudding for dessert with a little shaved chocolate (see photos below). They're similar, and I can verify that even the breakfast version works for dessert! You can omit the chocolate if you want a change; it's fine plain. You might also try using white chia seeds then, and maybe a bit more vanilla extract. 11/20/16 update: Oh my goodness. Stop the presses! Judi's Blended Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding is the best of them all. Dangerously good! I've modified the recipe below to add optional peanut butter and using a blender. Ingredients 2 cups almond (vanilla or plain) or coconut milk 1 T maple syrup 4-6 T chia seeds (use high end for dessert version) 1 T peanut butter (optional ...

Mashed cauliflower and potatoes are delicious and even healthier than potatoes-only. I steam the cauliflower and potatoes in batches in the microwave using a microwave steamer, and toss them in a big bowl when they come out (after a few minutes to cool) for mashing. Ingredients 1 head cauliflower, coarsely chopped 2 medium or 3 small white potatoes, coarsely chopped (I leave the skin on) 3/4 cup regular soy milk (not flavored or sweetened) 2 T vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance) Salt and pepper to taste (fresh ground if possible) Instructions Steam the cauliflower and potatoes until soft but not mushy, 8-10 minutes. (I steam in batches in the microwave, but cook them however you prefer; you could boil, but you lose more nutrients to the water.) (Optional) Heat the soy milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming hot but not boiling. (Do this if you're serving immediately; but it's also okay to just pour it on if the potatoes and cauliflowers are ...

Judi made this tart from Plant-Powered Kitchen for Thanksgiving, and we loved it! It's delicious with cranberry sauce on it, but super delicious on its own, too. This is my a slightly adapted version. Note the pie crusts come in 2, so you could double, or make a pumpkin pie with the other one! Serve with home-made cranberry sauce (recipe on the bag),  roasted veggies ,  mashed cauliflower potatoes , and/or  kale salad . Ingredients 1 T olive oil 1 cup onion, diced 1/2 C celery, diced 4-5 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups chickpeas, reserve 1/3 cup 2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper 2 tsp tamari 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted 1/3 cup rolled oats 1 bag fresh chopped spinach (or kale) 1/4 cup dried cranberries (optionally soak them in a little water) 1 tsp thyme Pie crust: We like this easy homemade whole wheat crust or Whole Food's  Wholly Wholesome 9" Whole Wheat or Spelt Organic Pie Shell Topping 1/2 t...

So many vegetables work here; I go for a nice mix of color. I almost always use potatoes, yams or carrots, sometimes beets, and if possible something green like brussels sprouts is nice. If you use mushrooms or other vegetables (like asparagus) that need less cooking, set your timer and add them after the pan has cooked for 30 minutes or so. Using silicon baking liners makes cleanup super easy. Ingredients A mix of slow-cooking vegetables, like: potatoes beets yams carrots onions (I don't use these much) brussel sprouts tomato Optionally, some fast-cooking vegetables like: mushrooms fava beans (in the pod) asparagus Seasoning for 1 big gallon-size ziploc baggie: 1/4 cup olive oil (I don't measure; this is a guess. I might use less, probably not more.) 1 tsp salt (sea salt or kosher salt if you have it; bigger grains) 1 tsp fresh ground pepper or lemon pepper Juice from 1/2 of a lemon 2-3 cloves garlic Fresh herbs like fresh oregano and rosemary (I go c...

A super easy, yummy vegan dessert. We used to make it with Grapenuts, but then Costco had some Love Crunch Dark Chocolate and Red Berries organic granola one day, and now we have another favorite topping. It's more dangerous, though, because you'll eat a few handfuls while you're preparing it! For yogurt, any vegan yogurt will do, or even make your own vegan yogurt (maybe some day I'll try that). Ingredients Fresh strawberries (or other fresh berry/mix) Crunchy topping like Grapenuts or Love Crunch Vegan yogurt, like Trader Joes Vanilla Cultured Coconut Milk Instructions 1. Get a pretty bowl and plop in some yogurt. 2. Cut up fresh strawberries (or other berries) on top. 3. Toss on crunch. Eat!

A raw, easy, yummy vegan dessert; see Happy Healthy Librarian's  Chocolate Chia Walnut Bars .   Ingredients 1 1/2 cups pitted Medjool dates (be sure all pits are gone!) 1/3 cup raw usweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup whole chia seeds 3/4 tsp vanilla extract, optional 1 cup raw walnut pieces Oat flour for dusting Instructions 1.  Place dates in bowl of food processor; puree until thick paste forms.  If the dates are on the dry side, you may need to add small amounts of warm water to moisten them up. 2.  Add cocoa powder, chia seeds, and vanilla.  Pulse until all ingredients are combined. 3. Add walnuts; pulse until nuts are finely chopped and well distributed through date mixture. 4. Spread large sheet of wax paper on work surface, and dust with oat flour. 5.  Transfer date mixture to wax paper, and press mixture into 1/2 inch thick rectangle.  Wrap tightly with the waxed paper, and then with foil.  Chill overnight. 6.  Unwrap block, an...

My friend Judi totally loves these soy curls . I made her  vegan bacon  version of these and liked them; Larry thought they were too sweet. Next time I'll cut down the maple syrup. Judi gave me a bite of her  Indian fusion recipe with soy curls (she raves about that one) and it was very good. I need to try making that one, or use them in another Indian dish; no sweetness there!

Adapted from Life-changing Vegan Thumbprint Cookies . I halved this recipe, used a combination of walnut pieces and sliced almonds (NOT ground up), and added a little flax meal. Note: It's hard to get these to stick together as balls when you put them on the cookie sheet; the dough wants to stick to your hands instead of to itself. You can add a little more water, or put a little oil on your fingers when you form the packed cookies. Or just grind up the nuts (so they aren't pieces) and there will be less texture (and less falling apart when you try to pack them into balls). Makes 2 dozen cookies. Ingredients 1/2 cup walnut pieces 1/2 cup slivered almonds 1 1/2 cup oat flour 1/2 cup oats 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 1/4 cup flax meal (optional) 1/2 cup canola oil 1/2 cup maple syrup Assorted jams of your choice. Instructions Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with silicon liners or parchment paper. Grind 1 1/2 cup of oats into a flour. Combine walnuts, almond...

A delicious lentil soup that Larry's sisters Laurie and Cyndy discovered. It's particularly good with real French Green Lentils, but green lentils from Trader Joes is also delish. Ingredients 1 onion, chopped 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 2 T canola oil 3 carrots, diced 3 stalks celery, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 14 oz crushed or diced tomatoes 2 cups dry green lentils 6 cups veggie broth 2 cups greens (kale, spinach, cabbage), chopped 2 T white balsamic vinegar Spices: 1 tsp dried oregano 1 bay leaf 1 tsp dried basil salt to taste Instructions In large soup pot, cook onion, pepper, carrots, and celery in oil until onion is tender.  Stir in garlic and spices and cook another 3-5 minutes.  Add tomato, lentils, broth, and greens. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.  When ready to serve, stir in vinegar (important, this is delish!)

An easy appetizer that is delish! Ingredients 6 tomatoes 3 cloves garlic 1/2 cup fresh basil 1T olive oil salt to taste baguette (french or sourdough) Instructions Dice the tomatoes and garlic, and chop the basil. Toss together with olive oil and a little salt to taste.  Slice the baguette diagonally, brush with olive oil, and toast. Assemble together on a nice plate with a spoon so folks can top their own toast!

A delicious vegan potato salad. Fools the omnivores! Can make it the day before a summer bbq. Adapted from epicurious recipe, and uses cashew mayo .  Ingredients 3 pounds baby red potatoes  3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar 1 cup cashew mayonnaise (see below) 3 medium green onions, thinly sliced 1 celery stalk, chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (important) 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel Cashew mayo 1 cup raw cashews 1 cup water  1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup almond milk (or other vegan milk) 1/4 – 1/2 cup olive oil salt and pepper to taste  Instructions To make the cashew mayonnaise : Soak the cashews in the water and vinegar for 1-2 hours.  Drain off water, and put cashews and 1 cup water (or less, if you like thicker mayo) into a blende or food processor. Blend until smooth, then blend in the vegan milk. Drizzle in the olive oil while blending. Add sa...

This is a South Mediterranean version of caponata, the famous Italian eggplant salad. I often double the recipe if we make it for a party, so we have leftovers at home.Thanks to Christine for the delicious recipe. Serve with pita bread (whole wheat, lightly toasted if desired) or pita chips or baguette. Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil (or more, as needed) 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 medium cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp salt 1 large eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes 3 T tomato paste 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 cup small pitted green olives 1 small jar (6 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, (drained, each piece cut into 2 or 3 smaller pieces) 1/4 cup toasted pinenuts Instructions 1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic, and salt, and saute over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent (5 to 8 minutes). 2. Add the eggplant cubes, stir, and cover. Cook until the eggplant is very well done (15 to 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add s...

Larry's sister Laurie made this yummy dish for us. The chutney, garam masala, and nuts really make it. (Garam masala is a blend of spices such as nutmeg, cloves, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, and pepper.) Bake in a glass pie plate; comes out really colorful and pretty. Makes 8 servings. Ingredients 1/2 cup mango chutney (too sweet if use more) Cilantro leaves (optional) 1 1/4 cup dry red or yellow lentils 2 medium carrots, shredded 2/3 cup chopped dried apricots 1 medium onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 1/2 tsp. garam masala  2 cloves garlic, minced 1 T vegetable oil 3 flax eggs (3 T flax meal + 9 T water) 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice 3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped 1/4 cup chopped red sweet pepper 1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh mango Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bring 3 cups water and lentils to boiling; reduce heat. Cover, simmer 10-15 min or until tender. Drain; set aside. 2. In skillet, cook carrots, apricots, onion, celery, gara...

My mom's recipe, with less sugar and whole wheat flour instead of white. Really easy to make, not overly sweet, and hard to stop eating! I like to make mini loafs to give as gifts. (Like for Judi. Her family loves this, yay!) Ingredients Dry: 3 1/3 cups whole wheat flour 1 1/2 cups sugar  1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon (heaping) 1 tsp nutmeg (heaping) 2 tsp baking soda Wet: 1 cup oil (I use canola) 4 flax eggs (1/4 C flax meal + 3/4 C water) 2/3 cup water 1 15oz can cooked pumpkin (2 cups) Optional: Chocolate chunks (I use Trader Joes) Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl by hand. (Don't use a mixer; if you overmix, it will be dense and not rise properly.)  Grease and flour 2 muffin pans, or 2 large loaf loaf pans, or 1 large loaf pan and 3-4 mini loaf pans.  Pour batter pans. Optionally top with chocolate chunks. Bake roughly 35 minutes for muffins, 45 min for mini loaf pans, or an hour for large loaf ...