Fiesta Soup

Fiesta Soup

1 C cooked rice
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 zucchini, chopped
3/4 C edamame
2 C veggie broth (I used 2 Maggi bullion cubes dissolved in 2 C water)
1 15 oz can of corn

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook the onion, carrots, zucchini, edamame, garlic powder, and chili powder for 5 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the broth, corn, and rice. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 15 minutes to get the edamame a bit soft.

Note: I really love the way this turned out. The chilli and garlic adds the perfect amount of spice so that you can still taste the flavor in each of the veggies (mmmm, especially the sweet corn). Also, if you you don't have the veggies called for just do what I did and throw in whatever you have :)

Sweet & Spicy Nuts

Sweet & Spicy Nuts

2 1/2 C almonds
1/4 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F then spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes. Combine sugar, salt, and cayenne in a large skillet and melt over medium-low heat. Stir the mixture and be sure to keep the sugar from burning. Once the sugar has melted toss in the almonds and make sure they all get coated. Let the nuts cool completely in a single layer on a baking sheet then store in an airtight container. They should keep for 2 weeks.

Snow Ball Cookies

Snowball Cookies

Cream together:
1 C earth balance vegan margarine
1/4 C powdered sugar
2tsp vanilla

Add:
2 C flour
1 tbsp water
dash of salt
1 C chopped pecans

Roll dough into balls and bake at 375 F for 10-12 minutes. Once baked, roll the cookies in powdered sugar then cool completely on a cooling rack before rolling once more in the sugar.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C Earth Balance vegan margarine
3/4 C white sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp cornstarch
4-5 tbsp water
1 1/2 C Tropical Source choclate chips
1 C chopped walnuts
One large handful of rolled oats (not instant)

Cream margarine, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Next, add in cornstarch and water until smooth. Then mix in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, and oats then spoon onto cookie sheets. Bake at 375 F for 9-12 minutes then cool on cookie sheets. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

The BEST Veggie Pot Pie

Veggie Pot Pie - The best vegan pot pie recipe ever :)

3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 an onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 tbsp earth balance vegan margarine
1/2 C flour
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 C plain silk soy milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3/4 C frozen peas
3/4 C frozen edamame

Saute celery, onions, and carrots in butter for 10 minutes.
Add the flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute
Add broth and milk to mixture while stirring constantly
Cook over medium heat until bubbly then stir in the peas, edamame, salt, and pepper.

Pour into a 2 qt casserole dish and top with crust.

Bake at 375 F for 30-45 minutes


Pot Pie Crust


1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup earth balance
2-3 tbsp cold water

Mix flour and salt together, cut in shortening, add the water, then shape into a ball and chill. Once it's chilled roll out the dough to fit the casserole dish.

"Stove Top" Stuffing

5 slices of white bread, cubed
4 slices of wheat bread, cubed
3/4-1 cup of water
1/4 cup of vegan butter (I really like Earth Balance)
1/4 large (or 1/2 small) onion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
2 vegetable bouillon cubes, crushed
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder


Heat the butter in a large pan then saute the onion, celery, bouillon, and spices until the veggies are soft. Next stir in the water and mix in the cubed bread. Pull the pan off the burner and let it sit for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork.

Macaroni & "Cheese"

Macaroni & "Cheese"

1 3/4 C macaroni noodles
1/4 to 1/2 cup Earth Balance vegan margarine
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cups boiling water
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
3/4 tsp garlic powder
Pinch turmeric
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
bread crumbs
a few sprinkles of parprika


Cook the macaroni and set it aside in a colander. In a saucepan melt the margarine over low heatthen mix in the flour with a whisk and continue whisking over a medium flame until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in the boiling water, salt, soy sauce, garlic powder, and turmeric. Mix it well to dissolve the flour mixture and cook until it thickens and bubbles. Stir in the oil and nutritional yeast. Add the noodles to the sauce and make sure all the noodles get coated. Next pour the mixture into casserole dish (I used a 3 in deep 5"x7" pan), top with bread crumbs, and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for about 15 minutes at 350†F.

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

Summer Rolls

Cucumber, sprouts, lettuce, carrots, a few green onions, cilantro, mint leaves, rice vermicelli noodles and a package of summer roll wrappers (very different from the egg roll wrappers that are in the refrigerated section of grocery stores. Summer roll wrappers are transparent and brittle).

Next, cook the vermicelli in boiling water for several minutes, then transfer to a colander and rinse with cold water.

Cut the vegetables into thin sticks or strips so that they fit nicely in the transparent wrapper.

Dip the dry summer roll wrapper into cold water until soft and pliable (not too long though or it will tear too easily). Then fill and roll each wrapper before moistening the next.

Start by placing some vermicelli half way between the middle and edge of the wrapper. Next add some sprouts, sliced carrots, lettuce, cucumber, a bit of cilantro, and a strip of green onion. Roll it up once around, then tuck both sides in neatly. Roll once more and set aside on a plate. Only make enough rolls for one sitting as they wil dry out very very quickly.


Peanut Sauce

1 Cup of peanut butter
1 Cup of hot water

Whisk together in a pan over low heat. Then add:

1/4 Cup of soy sauce
1/4 Cup of molasses (regular, not blackstrap)
1/2 Cup of white vinegar
1 Tsp of cayenne pepper
1/2 Tsp of ground ginger
2-4 TBS of sugar (depending on what you like, just taste as you go)

Stir it all together then put it in a bowl/dish and get it cold in the fridge before serving. It makes a lot of sauce so feel free to cut the recipe in half. Enjoy :)