Virtually Vegan

Chicken and peach salad with Thai lime cashews

~ The maple and lime give depth and interest to the yogurt dressing, and the Thai lime cashews really take the whole salad to the next level.

Ingredients:

3 C. spinach

1 med-small head of Romaine lettuce, chopped

½ C. mushrooms, roughly chopped

3 green onions, tips and ends removed, diced

½ cucumber, chopped

2 yellow peaches, chopped into bite size pieces

2 chicken breasts, cooked through and chopped into bite size pieces

1/3 C non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 lime

2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

2 Tbsp. Trader Joe’s Thai lime chili cashews

(If you don’t have access to a Trader Joe’s market, any roasted cashew will do.)

1. Combine spinach, Romaine lettuce, mushrooms, green onions, cucumber, peaches and chicken in a large bowl.
2. Mix Greek yogurt with juice of one lime, add maple syrup and stir to combine.
3. Pour yogurt mixture over salad and toss gently to combine.

Roughly chop Thai lime chili cashews and use to garnish top of salad. Serve immediately. Serves 3 large entree portions.

Maple pear, spinach, quinoa, and garbanzo bean salad

4 Bosc pears, chopped into bite size pieces

3 C. loosely packed spinach

1 C. quinoa, cooked according to package directions

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

3 Tbsp. Fresh mint, rinsed and roughly chopped

2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

3-4 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook 1 C. quinoa according to package directions. Fluff with fork and set aside.

2. Combine spinach, chopped pear, garbanzo beans in a large bowl. Add cooked quinoa and gently mix.

3. In a small bowl, whisk maple syrup, and Dijon mustard together. While continuing to whisk, add olive oil. Pour over salad and toss to coat.

4. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with mint. Serve immediately. Serves 2 generous main course portions, or 4-6 side dishes.

Bloody Mary Tomato Salad

Adapted from Bon Appétit July 2011

¼ C. finely diced red onion

3 Tbsp. vinegar, divided (I used a combo of balsamic and white wine vinegars)

2 lbs. tomatoes chopped (you can also use cherry or grape tomatoes, halved)

1 C. chopped celery hearts (inner stalks and leaves)

2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. hot pepper sauce

½ tsp. celery seeds

¼ C. extra virgin olive oil

    Celery salt and cracked pepper

Mix onion and 1 Tbsp. vinegar in a large bowl. Let macerate 10 minutes, tossing often. Add tomatoes and celery.

Whisk remaining 2 Tbsp. vinegar, horseradish, and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil. Add to bowl with tomato mixture. Toss to coat. Season with celery salt and pepper. Cover and chill.

Can be made 4 hours ahead.  Serves 4-6 side dishes

Blueberry Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Lightly adapted from www.ohsheglows.com

1C. non-dairy milk

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

¼ C. ground flax seed

2 C spelt flour

1 and a ½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

¼ C. vegetable oil

½ C. pure maple syrup

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

½ tsp. almond extract

1 and a ½ C. frozen blueberries (no need to thaw the berries!)

Cinnamon Streusel Topping: 3 Tbsp. Turbinado sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. Earth Balance, softened

1. Preheat oven to 375F and spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. I used 1 regular 12 muffin pan. Mix non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl mix in the dry ingredients (ground flax, spelt flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a small bowl mix the wet ingredients (oil, syrup, extracts). Pour the wet over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
3. Gently fold in the frozen blueberries. Divide mix between 12 muffin cups.
4. Make cinnamon streusel topping and drizzle over top of the batter.
5. Bake in the oven at 375F for 17-22 min. Muffin should be golden and spring back when touched. Cool and enjoy!

Pan-Fried pasta with Sage-Roasted Butternut Squash, Onion, and Pine Nuts

1 medium butternut squash

1 red onion, chopped

4cloves garlic, minced

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. cinnamon (or more to taste)

½ C. fresh sage leaves

16 oz. cooked pasta (I used brown rice pasta)

½ C. pine nuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds and strings. Peel and chop into 1 in. cubes. Toss with the onion, garlic, drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Add half the sage leaves to the mixture, minced. Spread in a single layer on baking sheet (spray first with non-stick cooking spray) and roast for 30-40 minutes. Squash should be tender, not mushy.

Heat salted pasta water and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente (do not overcook). Drain, toss with a drizzle of olive oil and set aside. Pasta will pan-fry best if it’s near room temperature.

As the squash finishes roasting, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large, sauté pan.

Toss pasta, squash mixture and remaining sage leaves together. Working in batches, fry up the pasta/squash mixture/remaining sage until pasta is heated through and getting golden and crispy in some places. Add the pine nuts during the last minute of sautéing. Make sure pan is not overfull, you want to crisp the pasta in places, not just steam up. Remove from heat and pour into serving bowl. Repeat the pan fry with the remaining pasta mixture. Serve immediately. Serves 8-10. Refrigerate leftovers in appropriately sized glass casserole dish.

To prepare the leftovers: Preheat oven to 375F, remove casserole dish from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Grate Soy-based Mozzarella over the top and bake for 30-35 minutes (until pasta is heated through and ‘cheese’ is melted and bubbly). If the ‘cheese’ is getting to dark, gently tent with foil. Remove from oven and serve.