Zucchini Butter Spaghetti

Ingredients
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for pasta water, and to taste
8 oz. spaghetti, cooked al dente
1 c. pasta water, reserved
1 lb. pound zucchini, trimmed and coarsely grated
6 tbsp. unsalted vegan butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/2 c. grated vegan parmesan
Handful fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons

Directions
Boil your spaghetti in well-salted water until it’s 1 minute shy of fully cooked. Before you drain it, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside.

Melt butter in your empty pan over medium-high heat and add the garlic, stirring it into the butter for one minute before adding the zucchini, salt, and red pepper. Cook the zucchini, stirring from time to time, for 13 to 15 minutes. It will first let off a puddle liquid, the liquid will cook off, and the zucchini will become soft and concentrated. If the zucchini begins to brown, reduce the heat slightly. Stir frequently for 2 more minutes, chopping it down into smaller bits with the edge of your spoon or spatula, until it reaches an almost spreadable consistency.

Pour in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir up anything stuck, then add drained pasta, and cook together for 2 minutes. Use tongs or two forks to pull up the zucchini butter sauce into the pasta strands, tossing frequently, and adding some or all of the remaining pasta water as needed to loosen. Toss in half of the parmesan and basil and mix, then transfer to a serving bowl. Finish with remaining parmesan and basil.

Serves 2 generously or 4 as a side.

Spicy Corn on the Cob with Miso Butter & Lime

Ingredients
4 ears of corn, shucked
4 tbsp. plant butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp. white miso paste
2 tbsp. chives, freshly chopped
1 tsp. togarashi, furikake, or crushed red pepper flakes
squeeze of lime juice, to serve

Directions

Heat your grill to medium-high. Grill corn until slightly charred and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. 

Meanwhile mix butter and miso thoroughly in a small bowl. 

Slather hot corn with miso butter and sprinkle on chives and spices. Squeeze a wedge of fresh lime over the corn. 

Serves 4. 

1 ear = 260 calories
 

Sheet Pan Ratatouille with Polenta

Ingredients

5 to 6 cups of cubed vegetables, like eggplant, pepper, onion & zucchini

2 tsp. olive oil

2 1/2 tsp. of Herbs de Provence (or a mix of oregano, basil, thyme)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

4 tomatoes, chopped (or 1-15 oz. can of diced tomatoes)

Fresh basil or parsley

For the polenta:

1/2 c. corn meal

2 c. vegetable broth

2 tsp. of nutritional yeast

1 tbsp. vegan butter

(I've also used vegan ricotta in place of nooch and butter)

Directions

Chop all the veggies and toss with olive oil and spices. I sometimes prep these the day before and store in a gallon sized plastic bag or container. 

Spread veggies on cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until eggplant is done. 

Add in the tomatoes, toss with other veggies, and bake for another 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make your polenta. Heat up the broth until hot, then add in corn meal gradually while whisking. Once you've added all the corn meal and you have thick polenta, add in your butter and nutritional yeast (or ricotta). Continue to whisk until smooth(ish). 

Serve ratatouille over polenta in bowls. Sprinkle fresh basil and some pepper flakes. 

Serves 3. 

1 serving = 282 calories

Southern Pasta Salad with Black-Eyed Peas, Greens & Smoked Tofu

My vegan version of a recipe from EatingWell.

Ingredients

1 c. sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)

8 oz. elbows or other small pasta

8 oz. Swiss chard or kale, washed and cut crosswise into thin strips

8 oz. Soy Boy Smoked Tofu, chopped

28 oz. black-eyed peas, cooked or canned

½ c. sweet onions, chopped

1/4 c. brewed coffee

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

1 ½ tsp. molasses

1 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. ground cumin

Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Place sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and let stand until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool. Cut into slivers and set aside.

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water until al dente; add greens during the last minute of cooking. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Press to remove excess water and transfer to a large bowl. Add tofu, black-eyed peas, onions and the reserved tomatoes.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl for dressing. Add to the pasta and greens; toss until well-combined.

Makes about 18 cups. 

1 cup = 180 calories 

BBQ Chickpea Chopped Salad

Ingredients
15 oz. can chickpeas
2/3 c. BBQ sauce
1 large head romaine
1 c. corn (thawed, if frozen)
1-1/2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered or halved
1 c. shredded carrots
2-3 scallions, chopped

For the dressing: 1 avocado
1 c. milk, half-and-half, or other creamy drink
3 tbsp. lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. dried dill
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. onion powder
Fresh chives

Salt to taste

DirectionsTo make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Rinse and drain chickpeas. In a saucepan over med-low heat, simmer chickpeas in the BBQ sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, chop the romaine, tomatoes, and scallions. Place in a bowl with corn and carrots. Toss to combine. When ready to assemble, distribute the salad into bowls, toss with desired amount of dressing, and top with BBQ chickpeas.

Makes 2 to 3 large salads.

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

For the vegetable mixture:

1tbsp. oil

1 small onion, diced

100 g. asparagus, cut into ½ cm. slices

50 g. sugar snap peas, cut into ½ cm. slices

4 cloves garlic, minced

100 g. mushrooms, cut into 1cm dice

125 g. cherry tomatoes, quartered

125 g. sweetcorn kernels

For the sauce:

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. plain flour

300 ml milk

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Salt

Black pepper

50 g. cheddar cheese, grated

To construct the lasagna:

150 g. no-boil lasagna sheets

100 g. mozzarella, grated

1 large tomato, sliced

Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve

Instructions

Begin by preparing your vegetables. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the diced onion, asparagus, and sugar snap peas. Cook over a fairly low heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, and then add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook for a further 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have cooked down and the mixture is fairly dry. Remove from the heat, and add the tomatoes and sweetcorn. Set aside.

Next, make the creamy sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the flour. Whisking constantly, cook over a very low heat for a minute or two, and then add the milk a little at a time, whisking until smooth each time before adding another dash. Add the nutmeg and plenty of seasoning, along with the grated cheddar. Whisk for one more minute until the cheese has melted into the sauce, and then remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to 375°F.

Now you can begin to construct the lasagna. Begin with about a tablespoon of sauce, spread out over the bottom of a baking dish (mine measured around 8 x 6 inches). Add a layer of lasagna sheets, breaking them into pieces so that they cover the bottom of the dish in a single layer.

From here on, it doesn't matter too much how you create your layers, but here's how I made mine: ⅓ of the vegetable mixture; ⅓ of the sauce; layer of lasagna; another ⅓ of the vegetables; another ⅓ of the sauce; another layer of lasagna; remaining vegetables; remaining sauce. Make sure any corners of lasagna are covered in at least a little bit of the sauce to stop them from burning.

Once you've used up all of your vegetables and sauce, top the dish with the grated mozzarella and slices of tomato. Bake for around 40 minutes, or until the cheese is crispy and golden brown and the lasagna is tender. If the cheese is browning too quickly, just cover the dish loosely with foil and return to the oven until the pasta is cooked.

Leave to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Buttermilk Farro Salad

Another one from Heidi Swanson's 101Cookbooks. Farro is all the rage now, so I thought I'd use up some buttermilk while trying to be hip.

Ingredients
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/8 c. white wine vinegar
1/8 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/8 c. dill, chopped finely
1/4 . chives, chopped finely
3-4 radishes, sliced paper thin
2 small zucchini, sliced paper thin
1/2 bulb fennel, trimmed and sliced paper thin
2 c. farro, cooked and cooled

Directions
Combine garlic and salt on a cutting board. Mash into a paste using the flat side of a knife. Combine in a medium medium jar or bowl with buttermilk and vinegar. Whisk together and let sit for 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, then the herbs.

In a large bowl, gently toss the radishes, zucchini, and fennel with the farro grains. Add the dressing and toss again. Let sit for 10 minutes, taste, and adjust with more dressing and salt, to taste. Serve sprinkled with chives.

Serves 4 as a side.

Bowties with Sugar Snap Peas, Lemon & Ricotta

Perfect for early summer when the snap peas arrive at the market!

Ingredients
Salt for pasta water
1 lb. sugar snaps
1 lb.  dried pasta bowties
1/2 c. (about 1 oz.) pecorino romano or parmesan, finely grated
A glug, then a drizzle, of olive oil
Coarse or fine sea salt for sprinkling
Black pepper, freshly ground
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste
Few leaves of mint, slivered
1 c. ricotta

Directions
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil. While waiting, string sugar snaps and cut into 1/2-inch segments. Cook bowties for two minutes less than the suggested cooking time on the package, then add sugar snaps to pasta. Cook for one minute more. Reserve one cup pasta cooking water, then drain the sugar snaps and bowties. Add them back to the empty pot with 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, grated cheese, a glug of olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook on high for one minute, tossing constantly. Add a splash more cooking water if pasta looks too dry. Turn the heat off, dollop ricotta all over in large spoonfuls and, without stirring, tip pasta mixture into a wide serving bowl. (I do this because I love the idea of finding slightly unmixed pockets of ricotta.) Drizzle pasta with a small amount of olive oil, then squeeze lemon juice over the whole dish, sprinkle with mint, and finish with an extra sprinkling of parmesan. Serve quickly. 

NOTE: Lemon juice, rather rudely, discolors green vegetables so be sure to add this only right before serving.

Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as a side dish. 

Coconut Corn Salad

Yet ANOTHER Heidi Swanson special. Her recipes are so fresh and delicious. This one is perfect when you have farm fresh corn... I probably wouldn't make it at any other time of year. I made a couple of adjustments based on what I had on hand.

Ingredients
3 tbsp. of butter or olive oil
5 ears of corn, shucked
fine grain sea salt
2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes, well toasted
1 c. sliced almonds, well toasted
3 tbsp. red onions, diced
juice of one lime

Directions
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn, sprinkle with a couple of pinches of salt and stir well. You want all the corn to be coated. Cook for just a minute, until the corn looses its raw edge, stir in half the thyme, and then transfer the corn to a large serving bowl. Just before you're ready to serve, add most of the almonds, most of the coconut flakes, the rest of the thyme, red onions, and juice. Stir well. Taste, season with more salt to taste, and serve topped with the remaining coconut and almonds (and another jolt of juice, if needed!).

Serves 4 as a salad.

Yellow Bean Salad with Coconut-Cilantro Dressing

My adaptation on a recipe from Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks, for beans fresh from the garden!

Ingredients
1 lb. yellow runner beans (or, use green beans!)
1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded
5 green onions, green parts trimmed and reserved
a big handful of cilantro
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
3/4 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1 tbsp.sunflower oil
1 c. coconut milk, well mixed
1-2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste1 tsp. agave
2 big handfuls pepitas, toasted
1 avocado, diced (optional)

Directions
Cut the beans into 1-inch segments on a deep bias. Cook in a pot of well-salted water for just 30-45 seconds, drain, and run under cold water to stop cooking. Drain, and aggressively shake off as much water as possible. Set aside.

To make the dressing, pulse the chile, onions, cilantro, garlic, salt, and sunflower oil into a paste with a food processor. Pulse in the coconut milk in two additions, before adding the lemon juice to taste, a half tablespoon at a time.

Place the beans and avocado (if using) in a large bowl with most of the pepitas. Toss well with a generous amount of the dressing. Serve in a bowl or platter topped with the remaining pepitas and scallions. 

Mango & Tomato Salad

An adaptation from one of the Moosewood cookbooks, this is a light summer salad, perfect served alongside grilled veggie burgers.

Ingredients
2 c. fresh mango, diced
2 c. tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. mint, finely chopped
1/3 c. scallions, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
Toss together all of the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serves 4 as a side dish.

NOTE: You can use any fresh fruit, so choose something in season! Also, try substituting Thai basil or cilantro for the mint.

Crema de Guacamole with Crunchy Topopos

Note that this recipe probably serves 10 people. I'd halve it, for sure. Nice summer soup that's actually a bit creamy.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately lower to a simmer for five minutes:

• 12 small tomatillos, husked and stemmed
• 3 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 cups vegetable stock

Carefully puree with a stick blender. Let cool for 30 minute and add 1/4 cup lime juice (key limes > regular limes > bottled lime juice). Strain to remove all solids, especially tomatillo seeds. Cool for at least two hours.

To make the topopos, heat 1/4 cup (two sticks) clarified butter and add a single layer of thin strips of corn tortillas. Toss a few times with tongs until strips are golden, maybe 2-3 minutes total. Remove, placing on towel, and add salt and a squeez of lime juice. Add until 12 corn tortillas have been used.

When finally preparing the soup to consume, mush together 4 ripe avocados, 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and 1/2 lime. Then combine with stock mixture using stick blender.

Serve topped with fresh cilantro, the topopos, fresh salsa and/or crema (apparently this is something resembling watered-down sour cream -- you don't really need this with the creaminess of the avocado, though.)