Recipes

During the fall months I like to make hearty, warming meals, so I often prepare soups and stews.  I have also included some recipes for your Thanksgiving celebration.

SOUTH AMERICAN STEW

This is a meal in a bowl, very satisfying and filling.  It may be served with or without the Avocado sauce.  All you need is a good loaf of fresh whole grain bread to complete the meal. 

Preparation Time:  45 minutes
Cooking Time:  60 minutes
Servings:  6

1  32 ounce carton vegetable broth
12 ounces boiling onions, cleaned and left whole
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small sweet potato, peeled and chunked
2 medium red-skinned potatoes, chunked
1 carrot, sliced � inch thick
� cup uncooked long grain brown rice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 zucchini, sliced � inch thick
1 chayote squash, chunked (optional)
� to � head of cabbage, cut in large pieces
� cup chopped fresh cilantro

Place the vegetable broth in a large pot.  Add onions, garlic, tomatoes, celery, potatoes, carrot, rice, jalapeno and cumin.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add remaining vegetables, except the cilantro, and cook an additional 30 minutes.  Stir in the cilantro.  Season with some freshly ground pepper and a dash of salt, if desired.  Serve in a bowl and top with Creamy Avocado Sauce if desired.

Hints:  Frozen whole boiling onions may also be used to save time. Use about 1 � cups.  To clean fresh whole boiling onions, drop them into boiling water for a minute, then they will peel easily.

CREAMY AVOCADO SAUCE

Preparation Time:  5 minutes
Servings:  6

1 ripe avocado
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1/3 cup water
� to � teaspoon Tabasco sauce
� teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Peel and pit the avocado and place in a food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.  Place in a bowl and use a small amount as a topping on each bowl of the South American Stew.

BLACK BEAN CHILI
By Sabrina Nelson

John and I attended the Vegsource Conference in Los Angeles in September and I watched Sabrina Nelson make a delicious Black Bean Chili in an electric pressure cooker.  It looked so easy and quick that when I returned home I purchased my own electric pressure cooker, and we have since enjoyed that Black Bean Chili in our own home.  The great thing about a pressure cooker is that you don�t have to plan ahead to make delicious bean dishes from scratch.  This pressure cooker chili takes only 11 minutes at high pressure, plus the time it takes to chop the vegetables.  This chili may also be prepared in a stovetop pressure cooker, in a regular pot (add approximately 3 hours to the cooking time), or in a slow cooker (add about 10 hours to the cooking time).

Preparation Time:  15 minutes
Cooking Time:  variable
Servings:  6-8

2 cups dried black beans (or drained pre-soaked dried beans)
1-2 onions, coarsely chopped
1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1-2 carrots, chopped
1-2 dried chipotle peppers, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1  28 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1  32 ounce carton vegetable broth
� cup dried TVP (textured vegetable protein) 

Beans:  Several options: Soak beans overnight, quick soak (bring to boil, cook 2 minutes, rest for 1 hour-or use pressure cooker quick soak method) OR do not soak (this is my method and it works just fine).

Place the onions and garlic in the pot with a small amount of water and cook until softened.  Add bell pepper, celery, and carrots and cook for a few minutes longer.  Add the remaining ingredients, cover, bring to pressure and cook at high pressure for 11 minutes.  (Or bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for about 3 hours.)  Use quick or natural pressure release. 

Puree about 1 cup of the chili and return to pot.  Mix well and serve.  Season with a splash of tamari (soy sauce), if desired.

Hints:  There are a lot of variations that you can make with this chili.  Use more garlic and chipotle peppers (found in natural food stores or Mexican markets) if you like your chili spicy.  If you don�t have a bell pepper, make the chili without it.  Use baby carrots instead of large carrots to save chopping time.  Most people recommend soaking dried beans before cooking, however this is a step that I usually omit with no problem in cooking times or in tenderness of the beans.  TVP can be found in the bulk section of most natural food stores.

We really enjoyed this chili and it was great to have it ready to serve only 1 � hours after I decided to make it.  (This included chopping time and a natural pressure release of 30 minutes.)  An electric pressure cooker takes a bit longer to get up to high pressure, but you don�t have to watch it or adjust the temperature during the cooking time.  It is wonderful for less �delicate� recipes, such as bean dishes.  Watch for other pressure cooker recipes in future newsletters. 

THANKSGIVING RECIPES 

HOLIDAY STUFFING

This makes a festive main dish for a holiday meal. Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy, assorted vegetables, salad and bread or rolls.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time:  45 minutes 
Servings: 6-8

1 loaf whole wheat bread, cut into cubes
5 cups vegetable broth
1-2 onions, chopped
2-4stalks celery, chopped
3 �  tablespoons soy sauce
1 �  tablespoon parsley flakes
2 �  teaspoons thyme
2 �  teaspoons sage
1 �  teaspoon marjoram
2-3  teaspoons poultry seasoning
�  teaspoon rosemary
several twists of fresh ground pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Place the broth, onions, celery and seasonings in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl, pour the cooked broth over the bread and toss well until bread is saturated with the liquid. Cover the bowl and allow liquid to be absorbed for about 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings (adding more poultry seasoning and ground pepper, if needed).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the stuffing into a medium oblong baking dish that has been lightly oiled. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes.

Hints:  To save some time, cube the bread the night before and allow it to sit uncovered in a single layer overnight. This will eliminate the need to bake the bread cubes in the oven for 15 minutes.  For instructions on how to stuff a pumpkin using this bread stuffing, see the Holiday Recipes on our website.

GOLDEN GRAVY

We have a very talented dietitian and cooking teacher at the McDougall Program in Santa Rosa, CA. This is a delicious variation on one of the recipes prepared by Jill Nussinow during one of her cooking demonstrations.  This is wonderful served over stuffing and mashed potatoes.

Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  10 minutes
Servings:  makes about 2 cups 

� cup unbleached white flour
1 � cups vegetable broth
� cup water
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
freshly ground pepper to taste 

Place the flour in a non-stick frying pan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the flour becomes a golden brown.  Do not let it burn!  Slowly whisk in the vegetable broth and water.  After it is quite smooth, add the tahini and tamari or soy sauce.  Continue to whisk until mixture boils and is smooth and thick. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

PUMPKIN PIE

Thanksgiving wouldn�t be complete without pumpkin pie.  I have been making various versions of pumpkin pie for many years, but have never been really pleased with the results.  This one is the best!  You can proudly serve this to everyone!

Preparation Time:  45 minutes
Cooking Time:  1 � hours
Servings:  makes one 9 � inch pie 

Crust:
1/3 cup unsalted, roasted cashews
3 tablespoons Sucanat
2 tablespoons Wonderslim Fat Replacer
� teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:
1  12.3 ounce package reduced fat silken tofu (firm)
1  16 ounce can pumpkin
� cup Sucanat
1 teaspoon cinnamon
� teaspoon ginger
� teaspoon ground cloves
� teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon salt
� cup soymilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place the cashews in a food processor and grind until they resemble fine meal.  Add Sucanat, fat replacer and vanilla.  Process until well combined.  Mix the flour and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the cashew mixture and mix well, beginning with a spoon and ending with your hands.  Press this mixture into the bottom of a lightly oiled 9 � inch pie pan with a high fluted edge.  (To lightly oil a pan, place a small amount of oil on a paper towel, then wipe this over the bottom and sides of the pan.) Press the mixture evenly over the bottom and up the sides.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the tofu in a food processor and process until very smooth, scraping the sides often.  Remove and place in a large mixing bowl.  Add the pumpkin and mix well.  Add the Sucanat and the spices and mix until very smooth.  Add the soymilk and mix again until well combined.  Pour this mixture into the prebaked pie shell.  Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.  Remove and cool. 

For best flavor, chill for at least 2 hours before serving.  This may be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated until serving.  Serve with vanilla soy ice cream or Vanilla Cream Sauce. 

VANILLA CREAM SAUCE

Preparation Time:  5 minutes
Chilling Time:  1 hour
Servings:  makes 1 � cups

1  12.3 ounce package low fat silken tofu (firm)
� cup soymilk
1/3  cup Natural Golden Cane Sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Place the tofu in a food processor and process until very smooth.  Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.  Chill before serving.

This may be prepared ahead and will keep in the refrigerator for at least 5 days.