Guacamole Authentico

Serves: 8

4 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded

1/2 tsp. cumin, ground

1 ripe Roma tomato, diced

1/2 cup onion, minced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

4 T. fresh lime juice

4 - 6 drops red sauce

Sea salt to taste

Cut avocado into large chunks and mash in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir gently. Leaving some large chunks is fine. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste. 

Pumpkin Butter

This delicious topping is perfect for toast, pancakes, or waffles. It is a great source of Vitamin A and the flavor is enhanced by the sweetness of apple cider and spices.

Pumpkin Butter

1 - 29 oz. can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice or cider
2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 and 1/2 cups white sugar*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently.

Spoon hot pumpkin mixture into hot jars. Cover and refrigerate until used. 

Makes five 8 oz jars.

*Natural sweeteners may be used such as: date sugar, agave syrup, Sucanat, etc.

(USDA does not recommend canning pumpkin butter)

Easy Enchilada Sauce

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon flour of choice
1/4 cup chili powder
2 cups vegan chicken-style broth
10 ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan, heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook 30 seconds. Add broth, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Adjust seasonings, adding salt.. Yields: 2 1/2 cups sauce ( or 20 oz.)

Pumpkin Butter

This delicious topping is perfect for toast, pancakes, or waffles. It is a great source of Vitamin A and the flavor is enhanced by the sweetness of apple cider and spices.

Pumpkin Butter

1 - 29 oz. can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice or cider
2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 and 1/2 cups white sugar*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently.

Spoon hot pumpkin mixture into hot jars. Cover and refrigerate until used.

Makes five 8 oz jars.

*Natural sweeteners may be used such as: date sugar, agave syrup, Sucanat, etc.

(USDA does not recommend canning pumpkin butter)

Melty Cheese

Cheese --- delicious cheese --- high in fat, filled with cholesterol, difficult to digest. But oh, so hard to give up! Until now! How about a 100% plant-based cheesy sauce that helps to fill the gap? This recipe is for a savory and flavorful cheese-like sauce. Put it in a squeeze bottle to use like cheese whiz, use on chips for nachos, layer in lasagna, or stir into pasta for macaroni and cheese. Delicious!

Cheesy Sauce

1/3 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 cups cold water
4 Tbsp. pimientos
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Rinse cashews in a strainer using hot water. Drain and place in blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until very smooth. Place mixture into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat. May be served hot or chilled.

*Notes*
 
Brazil nuts can be substituted for cashews if you have an allergy or difficulty finding raw cashews. Nutritional yeast is available at most health food stores. Happy experimenting! If you have never tried a cheese substitute, I recommend that you don't 'think' of this as cheese, but rather as a wonderful, savory sauce or dressing. It is real food, just not real cheese.

Creamy Alfredo Sauce

 

Alfredo sauce is a creamy favorite for many who enjoy pasta.  Since it is usually made from cream, butter, and cheese, it is usually high in calories and cholesterol.  If you are concerned about these things, you don't have to give up Alfredo sauce.  Instead, try this recipe for a delicious vegan alternative to traditional Alfredo.  It's delicious and contains no cholesterol!

Creamy Alfredo Sauce


  1/2 cup raw cashews, rinsed
  1  1/4 cups water
  1 Tbsp cornstarch
  1 Tbsp chicken-like seasoning
  1/4 tsp onion powder
  1/2 tsp salt
  1/4 tsp sweet basil


Place the cashews, cornstarch, seasoning, onion powder and salt into a blender. Add the water and blend until creamy and smooth.Pour this mixture into a saucepan and bring to a slow boil.  Stir constantly.  Add the basil and remove from heat.

To serve you can:


For tabletop pasta, ladle over cooked fettuccine noodles and serve with steamed broccoli pieces.


For a creamy pasta casserole, pour one recipe of "CreamyAlfredo Sauce" over 6 cups of precooked pasta shells and bake for 30 minutes.

*Gluten-free; use non-wheat pasta.

Green Tomato Mincemeat

The weatherman forecast our first hard frost, so I made a point of picking several boxes of unripened tomatoes from my garden. They are ripening up nicely in the warm kitchen, but there were more than we could use at one time. I decided to make green tomato mincemeat, a dish I remember making with my grandma and mother when I was a child. I don't know why I didn't try it again until recently. It's delicious! Here's the recipe:

Green Tomato Mincemeat

12 cups chopped green tomatoes*
6 cups peeled, chopped tart apples
2 cups raisins
cup dates, chopped
1/2 cup diced candied pineapple (or citron)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt
3 cups brown sugar, firmly packed**
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Chop all ingredients and place in a kettle. Cook slowly over low heat until tender and thick (2 or more hours). Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Can or freeze as desired (if canning, use water-bath method with 20 minutes of processing; omit cloves if freezing).

Delicious on toast! Layer with peanut butter if desired! Also great served as a fruit sauce, as a pie filling, or for tarts for tea.

Makes about 8 pints.

*If you don't have green tomatoes, tomatillos from the supermarket will work.
**I used agave syrup.

Apple Peach Sauce

Apple Peach Sauce

1 peach, peeled, diced
6 apples, peeled, diced
1/4 c. peach nectar* or water
1/4 c. brown sugar or alternative sweetener
1 t. cardamom
1 t. cinnamon

Place ingredients in a 2 quart crockpot and cook on high for two hours. Reduce temperature and simmer until all ingredients are tender. Then mash or mix with immersion blender until smooth.

*To make peach nectar, blend some canned peaches. Or purchase a 12 oz. can of peach nectar in the Mexican food section of your supermarket.

Garden Salsa

Garden Salsa

This is a great recipe to make when your kitchen garden is at its peak. Fresh, delicious, and healthy, this salsa is great on nachos, mixed with beans, or served over rice. I use a Vidalia Chop Wizard for simple and swift chopping (it's well worth the reasonable price; Goggle it on Amazon.com). I love how 'fresh' this salsa is.

4 large tomatoes, diced

1 Walla Walla Sweet onion, diced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (without stems)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. lime juice, fresh

1 tomatillo, diced

salt

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

Mix all ingredients together, stirring gently. Season with salt to taste. Use immediately or place in covered and seal container and chill. The flavors meld wonderfully and the flavors are enhanced with chilling overnight.

Nacho Cheese Sauce

Nacho Cheese Sauce

This is a recipe I use frequently. It is easy and makes a great topping (either hot or cold) for nachos, haystacks, and cooked vegetables. It's also delicious on homemade pizza or mixed with pasta for a cheesy pasta dish like mac and cheese. If you don't like cashews, Brazil nuts work just as well in this recipe.

1/3 cup cashews, washed

1 1/2 cups cold water

4 Tbsp. pimentos

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes

1 - 2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

Blend all ingredients in a blender until the cashews are completely broken-down and mixture is smooth and creamy. Then place mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly. After mixture starts to bubble, simmer for 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and pour into jar or bowl to serve.

Rich and Creamy Alfredo

Rich and Creamy Alfredo

1 pkg. low fat silken tofu
3 Tbsp. butter-flavored powder
1/4 cup soy Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
vegetable or chicken-style broth
salt and pepper to taste
cooked rotini, or your favorite pasta (gluten free if necessary)

Blend all sauce ingredients, adding enough broth to make a smooth and creamy consistency and heat gently. Serve over pasta one scant quarter-cup per person.

Variations:
Spinach Alfredo - add one 10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained, AFTER blending.

Cashew Cream

Cashew Cream

1 cup water
3/4 cup clean, raw cashews
8 pitted dates (or 2 - 3 Tbsp. maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

1. Process first 3 ingredients in a blender until very smooth.

2. Bring to a boil, then add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, stirring constantly.

3. May be served warm or cold. May also be used without heating.

Pear Sauce Topping

Because it was a hot day, something cool and refreshing seemed perfect for a simple supper this evening. Beautiful strawberries, kiwi fruit, and bananas sliced and sweetened with the sweet herb stevia made a pretty fruit salad for our family meal. It was all topped off with a pear sauce that added exactly the right sweetness and creaminess. Although the spearmint sprig was for garnish, I couldn't help but nibble it with every bite or so. It added just the right amount of 'perk' to the fruity combination. Delicious!

Pear Sauce

2 cups soft tofu
2 cups canned pears
1 cup pear juice (from jar of pears)
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. cinnamon

Whiz in blender until creamy and smooth. Pour over individual fruit salad servings (or fold into entire fruit salad for a creamy salad). Garnish with a strawberry piece and fresh mint. Enjoy! You'll never miss the whipped cream!

Easy Enchilada Sauce

Easy Enchilada Sauce

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup chili powder

2 cups vegan chicken-style broth

10 ounces tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. Then, add cornstarch and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chilli powder and cook 30 seconds. Add broth, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Adjust seasonings, adding salt if needed.

To make vegan chicken-style seasoning, mix 1 cup of water with 2 Tbsp. Bill's Best Chicknish' or McKay's Chicken Style Seasoning.

Creamy Sweet Topping

Creamy Sweet Topping

1 package Silken Tofu, extra firm
1/2 cup sweet fruit juice or 1/2 banana, ripe
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
just enough water to blend

Using a blender, whiz all ingredients until very smooth. Pour into a pretty container and chill until ready to serve. Will thicken as it cools. Serve over your favorite fresh fruits or dessert.

Grapple Butter Delish

Grapple Butter Delish

1 cup grape juice
3/4 cup dried apples
1/3 cup raisins or 7 dates
1/4 tsp. lemon rind, grated (optional)
1/4 tsp. orange rind, grated (optional)

Soak all ingredients together for one hour or overnight. Blend until smooth. Serve chilled over bread or waffles.

Yield: 2 cups

California Citrus Salsa

California Citrus Salsa

1 ruby red grapefruit
2 navel oranges
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
salt to taste
1/2 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil leaves

Divide the grapefruit and oranges in sections over a bowl to catch the juices. Dice into chunks. Fold in the remaining salsa ingredients. Stir and enjoy!

Golden Cashew Gravy

Golden Cashew Gravy

1/4 c. cashews (well rinsed, raw cashews are dirty)
3 T. cornstarch
1 t. onion granules
1/4 t. garlic granules
1/2 t. salt
3 c. water
1 T. nutritional yeast, optional
1 or 2 T. chicken seasoning or to taste

Whiz in blender. Start with all the ingredients except for part of the water so that the nuts can get creamy. Then add the rest of the water and continue to blend. Place in saucepan. Cook over low hit stirring constantly with a wire whisk until gravy thickens.

Use over patties, potatoes, anywhere that you like gravy!! Super delicious!

Tofu Almond Olive Dip

Tofu Almond Olive Dip

1/2 pound extra-firm tofu

1 tsp. honey

1 Tbsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos

6 almonds

8 black olives

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Dash of salt

Dash of garlic powder

1 Tbsp. onion powder

Dash of cayenne

2 sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 - 2 Tbsp. water

Blend ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Some texture is

desired if you like chunky dips. Enjoy!

Judy's Cashew Dressing

This week a friend shared her recipe for a ranch type dressing that I am calling Judy's Cashew Dressing. It is delicious and has been well accepted by our family. Today I made it as a salad dressing for a salad of herbs, vegetables, and violas. Yummy!

In a blender mix:

1/2 cup water or soy milk
1 cup raw cashew pieces, washed
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 or 2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. mineral salt
1/2 tsp. sweet basil flakes
1 Tbsp. celery flakes

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Can be used as a dip or dressing. For a thinner dressing, add more water. Dill may be added for additional flavor.