Kale Pesto

Ingredients:
4 cups chopped de-stemmed kale
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 TBSP mushroom soy sauce (or soy sauce or tamari or Bragg's aminos)
1/4 cup lemon juice

To Make:
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
Makes 2 cups.

Serve as a dip, on pasta, on potatoes or on a crusty bread.

NOTE: We bought a bunch of kale at the market this morning and it made 12 cups of chopped, de-stemmed packed kale.

Sweet Potato Hummus

Sweet Potato Hummus

First way for Tahini lovers.

1 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups cooked and peeled sweet potato

1T minced Garlic

2T lemon juice

1/2 cup tahini

1 tsp cumin

1/3 cup dried parsley

Puree all ingredients and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze. 

2nd way for peanut butter lovers.

1 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups cooked and peeled sweet potato

1T minced Garlic

2T lemon juice

1/2 cup peanut butter

Puree all ingredients and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze. 

Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper without oil

Hummus is a very flexible recipe. You can change the ingredients and amounts and still get excellent results. Hummus often has olive oil but that adds a lot of calories from processed oil so we use tahini or peanut butter instead.


Ingredients:
4 cups cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained.
4 whole roasted red peppers
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup tahini [or peanut butter]
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 cup dried parsley


To Make:
Add all ingredients to food processor and puree until smooth.
Serve within 3 days or freeze.


I make large batches of this and freeze it in one cup canning jars. These defrost quickly to serve at home or take as a guest gift.


I use a lettuce leaf and wrap it around this for a quick and satisfying snack or part of a meal. There is very little tahini (nuts and seeds) per serving.

Peanut Dipping Sauce

This is a great dip served cold as a dip with fruit.


Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup water
3 whole pitted dates
1/2 tsp curry powder

To Make:

Add peanuts, water and dates to a measuring cup and let sit in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. 
Add peanut mixture and curry powder to food processor and  puree until smooth. 
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. You cannot taste the curry but it adds a nice flavour.
Note: The next time I make this I will try it with a hand immersion blender to see if I can make it while travelling.

Crock not-cheese with Sherry

This is an easy way to get beans into the diet.


Ingredients:

19 oz can of romano or pinto beans, rinsed and drained.

1/4 cup cream sherry

3 Tbsp tahini

1 Tbsp white miso (soybean paste)

To Make:

To blender or food processor add all ingredients and blend until well mixed.

Cool and refrigerate.

Let sit at least 8 hours prior to serving.

Serve with bread or crackers or as a dip with vegetables.

Makes 2 cups

Smoked Not-cheese dip

1 pound med-firm silken tofu

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice (or one whole lemon, peeled,                  chopped and seeds removed)

2 Tbsp white miso (soybean paste)

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp mustard powder

1/2 tsp liquid hickory smoke

Cut tofu into cubes. Add to a pot of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes.

Drain.

To blender or food processor add all ingredients and blend until well mixed.
If it is too thick add 1/4 cup water.

Cool and refrigerate.

Let sit at least 8 hours prior to serving.

Serve with bread or crackers or as a dip with vegetables.

Lentil Walnut Paté

Lentil-walnut paté

1 cup green lentils.

Boil until soft (approx. 20 minutes) then rinse and drain.

In food processor:

1 cup raw walnuts

Cooked, rinsed and drained lentils

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (Earth Island Veganaise, organic)

Purée 30 seconds for a smooth spread.

Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until serving as a spread on bread, or a tortilla with greens or sprouts or on crackers as a nibbler.

This is a recipe that freezes well. I like to store it in 1 cup mason jars and pull them out when needed. It is a great thing to bring to a shared supper when you are invited out.

We make spreads up ahead (hummus, paté, etc) and keep them in the freezer. They are fast and easy when we need them.

We make spreads up ahead (hummus, paté, etc) and keep them in the freezer. They are fast and easy when we need them.