Featured Recipes

By Vicki Brett-Gach

FRESH RAW CRANBERRY SAUCE

1 12-oz bag of fresh cranberries
2 apples, peeled, cored
1 orange, peeled
2/3 c pitted Medjool dates (approx. 10)

Ingredients

Rinse and towel-dry the cranberries.

Place the cranberries along with all other ingredients in a food processor bowl, and pulse together briefly until desired texture is achieved (somewhat diced, somewhat chunky).

Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate to serve chilled.

WHOLE WHEAT PITA POCKETS

3 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup warm water

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Using a food processor, gradually add water and mix until a crumbly dough forms. Pulse on and off briefly just until a ball begins to form.

Turn out dough onto a floured board. Form dough together and divide into 12 pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball. Cover well with plastic wrap, and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes or more.

When ready to pan-grill, flatten one ball at a time, and use a rolling pin to create a 5- or 6-inch circle.

Heat a nonstick griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Place flattened dough onto the dry hot pan. Don't disturb, as it begins to grill. When dough starts to puff up in the middle after a few minutes, and becomes golden on the bottom, it's time to flip. Allow the other side to cook for a minute or two, and remove from pan when toasty on the second side. Repeat with other portions of dough.

Keep the pitas steamy and soft by stacking them inside of a folded cloth towel. Serve pita loaves right away, while soft and warm.

HEARTY LENTIL SHEPHERD'S PIE

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (I make crumbs from Ezekiel bread)
6 large potatoes
1/2 cup soy milk, unsweetened, plain
salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons oil-free vegetable or mushroom broth
1 large onion, minced
6 ounces zucchini, diced
2 15-ounce cans of lentils, drained, rinsed (or equivalent cooked from scratch)
2 tablespoons dry red wine (or more broth)
2 tablespoons soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
4 tablespoons of prepared chili sauce (I use Organicville brand)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
dash of Cajun seasoning, or seasoned salt (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 to 10 ounces baby spinach or arugula leaves, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have ready a 2-quart round casserole dish, or two deep-dish pie pans.

Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the bottom. Set aside.

Peel and chop the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. (Salt the water, if desired.)

Bring potatoes to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover the saucepan, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add soy milk, plus salt and pepper to taste, and mash until fluffy and delicious. Cover and set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the broth in a large nonstick skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, adding more broth or water if needed to prevent sticking. Add the zucchini and lentils, and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the wine, soy sauce (or Bragg's Liquid Aminos), chili sauce, and the seasonings. Cook gently for about eight minutes.

Add the spinach, a little at a time, cooking just until wilted. Remove from heat, taste, and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Pour the lentil mixture into prepared pan(s), and then spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top. If using two pie plates, divide mixtures evenly between them. At this point, one of the two pie pans can be frozen for later use.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until bubbling hot, and potatoes begin to turn golden brown and slightly crispy. (If frozen, bake at 375 instead of 400 degrees, for a total of about 90 minutes.) Remove hot dish from oven, and allow to stand for five minutes. Cut into wedges, and serve hot.

CREMINI MUSHROOM SAUCE WITH SHALLOTS AND MADEIRA WINE

2 shallots, sliced
6 cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and chopped
3/4 cup Madeira wine
2 cups mushroom broth, divided
1/4 cup raw cashews
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
pinch poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
small handful fresh Italian parole or cilantro, minced

Instructions

Heat a large skillet, and saute shallots and mushrooms in the wine. Turn down the heat slightly, and continue cooking for a few minutes, until the shallots and mushrooms are soft and golden.

In a high-powered blender, add 1 cup (only) of mushroom broth, the cashews, balsamic vinegar, Braggs Liquid Aminos, and poultry seasoning, along withhalf of the shallot and mushroom mixture. Process together until very smooth and creamy.

Stir the blended cashew mixture into the mushrooms, shallots, and wine on the stove. Simmer over very low heat.

In a separate bowl, make a slurry, whisking together the cornstarch and remaining 1 cup of broth. Gradually whisk slurry mixture into the mushroom sauce on the stove, carefully stirring to prevent lumps.

Allow the sauce to simmer gently for a few minutes, until the liquid has reduced by almost one third. Season with salt and pepper, and finish with fresh parsley or cilantro. Stir well to combine all the flavors, and remove from heat, and serve hot.

SPICY GREEN BEANS WITH SHALLOTS, GARLIC, AND GINGER

2 shallots, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 pound green beans
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add a bit of water or broth to avoid sticking to the pan as needed. Once they start to brown, add the garlic and jalapeño, and continue to cook for about 30 seconds.

Add all of the green beans to the hot pan, along with the ginger and Braggs or soy sauce. Turn down the heat to medium, and stir frequently until the beans are well coated with the sauce, and the beans become just tender-crisp.

Remove from heat. Season to taste, and serve immediately.

BAKED PUMPKIN PUDDING PIE

1 15-ounce can cooked pumpkin 
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/3 cup organic brown sugar
1/3 cup sucanat or organic whole cane sugar
3 tablespoons organic cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

In a blender or food processor, process all ingredients together until combined well. Pour mixture into a ceramic pie dish. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until center is set. Remove from oven, and cool on wire rack for 1 hour. 

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled.  

Recipes this month are from Vicki Brett-Gach, Starch Solution Certified, Certified Personal Chef, Forks Over Knives Certified, Certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator, and Ann Arbor Vegan Kitchen, LLC. You can find more of Vicki's recipes at her website and Blog: www.annarborvegankitchen.com and Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnnArborVeganKitchen