Our Veggie Kitchen

My wife is allergic to peanuts, which sometimes puts a damper on my Thai cravings.  So, when I set out to make tofu satay, I decided to make a tahini based 'peanut' sauce.  This sauce turned out to be a winner for sure.  It was an amazing dipping sauce for tofu.  Then, I took the leftovers, added a little water and used the rest for salad dressing.  Since then, I've made two more batches for salads and we just can't get enough.



Thai No-Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup tahini (preferrably roasted)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tbs golden mountain sauce (or soy sauce)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs ginger, minced
1 tbs red curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen)
1/4 cup water (1/2 cups for salad dressing)
1 tbs agave syrup

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

10 servings:  87 cal (6g fat, 4g carbs, 3g protein)

I took my first outdoors, after 6pm picture of the year. It was a beautiful, warm spring-is-finally-here sort of day. Much of the day was spent in the green house repotting sage and echinacea and snapdragons and tomatoes and peppers and nasturtium and three tiny lavender that I'm not giving up on. And dinner was a perfect cap to the day. I had grilled asparagus and cantaloupe and bread and pasta.

This pasta sauce is striking. It's got canned and sun-dried tomatoes with plenty of thyme and miso and a squeeze of lemon juice. For some time, I've wanted to create a sauce that had the strong flavor of sun dried tomatoes without being overpowering. After a few test batches, I came up with this.



Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
1 lb dried pasta
3 cups boiling water
1/3 cups raw cashews
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 tbs miso
6.3 oz oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained (4 oz drained)
2 tsp fresh thyme
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbs olive oil
15 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)

Bring a pot of water to boil. While the water is heating, combine all ingredients except the can of diced tomatoes in the blender.  Add three cups boiling water and blend thoroughly until the sauce is smooth and creamy.  Add the undrained can of diced tomatoes and pulse for a few pulses.  Pour over the cooked, drained pasta and let set for a couple minutes, stirring occasionally.

 5 Servings:  536 cal (16g fat, 84g carbs, 16g protein)

A note about blenders and hot water:  I have a KitchenAid 5-Speed Blender.
It's a monster:  heavy duty, huge capacity and blends everything--and i love it.  But I've also had a $20 Oester and a stop-gap $7 blender off brand blender.  They all do the job.  There are two keys with blenders and hot liquids.  First, Take the center piece out of the lid and cover the lid with a paper towel.  When you blend hot liquid, it builds up pressure and will explode.  With the center piece out, there's no pressure.  Second, don't overfill your blender.  I try to keep the blender no more than 1/2 to 2/3 full.  Smaller batches always blend better anyway.

This is my favorite "this-couldn't-possibly-have-beans-in-it" cream sauce.  I made it this time with asparagus & carrots, but its amazing with cauliflower and really good with zucchini as well.  At some point, I'm going to make this sauce with zucchini ribbons instead of pasta.  That should be a treat. The sauce really complements veggies and tastes amazing.



Chickpea Alfredo
15 oz can chickpeas
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
4 cups BOILING water
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tbs miso
1 tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp salt (more to taste)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and blend. It's important that you use boiling water or the cashews won't cream up and the sauce will be gritty. Also, I use an extra large blender, so you may need to do this in a couple batches. And, finally, don't be afraid to add a little extra water. If you're combining it in a hot pan, you with pasta, the pasta will absorb some, and it will cook off a bit in the pan.

This makes a lot of sauce. Easily enough for a pound of pasta loaded with veggies, but it's great just poured over veggies. If you don't use a whole batch, I'll bet it freezes nicely.

5 Servings: 249 cal (13g fat, 27g carbs, 8g protein)

Each Thanksgiving for the last few years, I've made VeganDad's Seitan Turkey, not so much for dinner, but for day after sandwiches. Outside of my Sausage Stuffing, Turkey sandwiches were my favorite, and VeganDad got me through my first meatless Thanksgiving.

It struck me this year, that I could make gravy as well. I took VeganDad's 'turkey' spice combination and began playing with proportions. After a couple batches and a tester who's acutally had turkey in the last three years, and I arrived at a winner. If you like VeganDad's turkey, you'll like this. If you haven't had his turkey seitan, I highly recommend it.



Vegan Turkey Gravy
3 cups water
3 tbs Earth Balance Margarine
6 tbs flour
1 1/2 tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
1/8 tsp liquid smoke

Combine the nutritional yeast and spices and set aside. Melt the margarine in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for a couple minutes, allowing the flour to cook a bit. Add the spice mix, stir and cook for a minute longer. Remove from heat and add in the water and liquid smoke. Return to heat and bring just to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly, probably 5-10 minutes Test for seasoning and serve.

This gravy is especially good with a few dried cranberries stirred in.

6 servings: 88 cal (6g fat, 7g carbs, 2g protein)

I made a batch of tzatziki for last weeks zucchini fritters and I'll use the left overs this weekend for chickpea burgers.  I've also used it as a dressing for chickpea & chard salad or topped on biryani.  Typically, it is made with Greek yogurt, which is thicker than normal.  You can strain standard soy yogurt or, as I've done here, add a little cream cheese (Tofutti has a trans fat and a non-trans fat vegan cream cheese).



Vegan Tzatziki
1 cup soy yogurt
2 tbs vegan cream cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbs mint, minced
1 cucumber

combine all ingredients, except the cucumber. Either blend or vigorously whip in a bowl. For the cucumber, peel and quarter. Scoop out the seeds from each quarter, cut into long matchsticks and dice. Stir into the yogurt mixture and refrigerate for at least an hour. Makes about 2 cups.

16 servings: 29 cal (1g fat, 4g carbs, 1g protein)

I was lucky enough to receive a case of POM Wonderful Pomegranate juice and my mind's been spinning with ideas ever since. My wife will be making cupcakes and I've got pomegranate & blueberry waffles on my radar, but what really clicked with me was this sauce. I've been wanting to make a rhubarb 'pan' sauce for a while and I thought the tart & sweet pomegranate juice would pair nicely. And it really looked well. It wasn't overly sweet (my initial concern), but it was a complex sweet sauce that worked perfectly with chicken flavored seitan cutlets.



Rhubarb Pomegranate 'Pan' Sauce
4 cups chopped rhubarb (5-6 ribs)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
1 tbs fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup POM Wonderful Pomegranate juice
1/2 lemon juiced
2 Tbs Earth Balance Margarine

Add the rhubarb, sugar, rosemary and Marsala wine to a sauce pan.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb dissolves into a sauce.  Add the Pomegranate juice and bring back to a boil.  Push the contents through a strainer (see note). and return to the pan.  Stir in the butter, until melted and add the fresh lemon juice.  Serve warm.  Makes about 2 cups.

Note:  You just want to get most of the pulp out of the sauce.  It was a bit of a messy job and I ended up with about a cup of pulp that I discarded.  It still had a fair amount of liquid, but I had plenty of sauce. 

8 servings: 108 cal (3g fat, 21g carbs, 1g protein)

Gravy, no matter what the source, has three basic elements:  a liquid, a fat and a thickener.  When you remove the messy step of collecting drippings, it becomes incredibly simple.  And it can be done quickly in a microwave.



Five Minute Gravy
2 cold cups broth, divided (I use Better than Bouillon)
2 Tbs Earth Balance Margarine, or Vegetable Oil
3 tbs cornstarch
1/4 tsp Browning Sauce (for darker gravy), optional
salt and pepper to taste (I don't use any)

In a microwavable bowl, Combine 1 1/2 cups broth the margarine or oil and browning sauce, if using.  Microwave until the liquid boils, about 2-3 minutes.  In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining broth with the cornstarch.  Pour into the boiling broth.  Microwave for another minute or two, until the broth darkens.  Stir vigorously until everything combines.

Note:  The cornstarch acts as a thickener as it cooks.  Once it heats up, it will turn clear, the broth's color will become less milky and the mixture will have become gravy.  Depending on the broth (or other liquid) you use, and its saltiness, you can season with salt and pepper, soy sauce or whatever else.

4 servings:  79 cal (6g fat, 7g carbs, 1g protein)

I'm constantly tweaking my nacho sauce to get the best flavor and consistency and this latest version yields the creamiest and most temperature-stable results. Once blended, it can heat, cool and even re-heat without harming the texture. And the texture, at any temperature, is smooth and creamy.

Original Nacho Sauce: This sauce still has the best flavor. But, as with any other cornstarch-based sauce, it clumps when it cools. It also doesn't reheat well. I still make this sauce, usually in batches. A cup of sauce, microwaved for a couple minutes works perfectly and there's usually no leftovers.



Xanthan Gum: This is the original nacho sauce is the original sauce, thickened with xantham gum. I was first introduced to xantham gum by my gluten-intolerant mother-in-law. It is used widely in gluten free baking and as a thickener. It thins with friction (shaking or stirring) and sets as it sits, which may be why we shake our salad dressing. And, best of all, it is not affected by temperature. It doesn't thin or thicken as it heats and it doesn't clump as it cools or freezes. I got mine with the bulk spices at the grocery store. It was $22 a pound, but a little goes a very long way. A tsp is roughly equivalent to 8 tsp cornstarch.

No Cook Nacho Sauce:
1/4 cup cashews
1 cup water
2 oz pimentos
1 tsp xanthan gum (scant)
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 small lemon, juiced (about 1 tbs)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs canola oil

Optional: 2 oz diced green chilies, or 1 can for a double recipe
Note: I usually double these amounts.

Add the water and pimentos to a blender and blend thoroughly. Add the cashews and leave in the pimento water while you add the other ingredients. Add the xanthan gum, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt and oil. Blend again until thoroughly combined. Add the green chilies, if using. Serve warm or cold. Makes about 2 cups.

8 Servings: 66 cal (6g fat, 3g carbs, 2g protein)

My birthday was Monday. And I was lucky enough to spend my evening, buried at the end of the agenda of a City Council meeting. I got to listen to a lengthy and contentions public hearing about a sewer system. In the end, my business was passed without discussion in a matter of just a couple minutes. I didn't even need to speak. I guess there was a silver lining.

While I didn't have time for a birthday feast, I did decide to make this warm, yogurt-based mustard sauce. I had it on a chickpea burger and some Brussels sprouts. I thought that the mustard flavor competed with the cumin in the chickpea burgers, but over the Brussels sprouts, it was delicious. Be prepared, this sauce is a little warm and is definitely a 'mustard' sauce, but if you like mustard, you'll love this sauce. I can't wait to try it on broccoli and asparagus.



Mustard Sauce
2 tsp brown mustard seed (or yellow seed, divided)
1 tbs vegetable oil
3 tbs yellow mustard seed
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable broth (golden hued)
3/4 cup soy yogurt
2 tbs white wine vinegar
2 tbs agave nectar
1/4 tsp salt
pinch turmeric

Heat a dry sauce pan over a burner, set to medium. Add the brown mustard seed and toast, just until aromatic. Remove the seed and set aside. Heat the oil in the sauce pan. Add the yellow mustard seed and saute until the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the shallots and saute until they begin to soften. Add the white wine and broth. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes, until the liquid has reduced by about half.

Pour into a blender, along with the yogurt, vinegar, and agave nectar. Blend thoroughly. Puah through a strainer back into the sauce pan. Add in toasted brown mustard seed and reheat gently. Stir in the salt, to taste and the turmeric. Add enough turmeric to attain a pleasing color, about 1/8 tsp. Serve warm. Makes about 1 1/2 cups. It's very good if you let it rest overnight then gently reheat. The flavors have a chance meld and the mustard has less of a bite.

6 servings: 113 cal (5g fat, 13g carbs, 3g protein)

I talk a lot in my blog about the textures of foods. In talking to others, I've come to believe that I put a greater emphasis on texture, in part, because I have a limited sense of smell (and presumably taste). I bring this tidbit up because I deemed this sauce complete only when the texture suited me. It has a great Marsala flavor, but the sauce is creamy and buttery and feels delicious on the tongue.



Fettuccine in a Creamy Marsala Sauce

1 lb fettuccine, linguine or similar pasta
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup water
-----
1 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbs fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp black pepper corns
1/2 cup parsley
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups dry Marsala wine
-----
1 cup water
1/2 cup soy creamer
3 tbs Earth Balance Margarine

Add the dried mushrooms to 1 cup water. Microwave for a minute and let sit until needed. Meanwhile, saute the shallots and garlic, stirring frequently, just until the shallots are softened. Be sure not to burn the garlic. Add the tomato paste and stir until the paste darkens a bit, just a couple minutes. Add the wine, mushrooms in water and the sage, parsley, peppercorns, and sugar. Bring to a rolling boil and cook until the sauce reduces by half, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water until it becomes soft and pliable, but not fully cooked. Strain, and set aside.

Pour the sauce through a strainer. Then pour another cup of water through the strainer to capture any sauce clinging to the mushrooms/shallots etc. Bring back to a boil. Add the soy creamer and margarine. Bring back to a rolling boil. Add the undercooked pasta and cook in the boiling sauce until the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened, about 5 more minutes.

4 Servings: 702 cal (16g fat, 101g carbs, 17g protein)

I've been playing with this recipe to get a good combination of hot and spicy, sweet and savory. And this recipe is well worth the effort. And, with tons of test batches, I've started putting it on everything: mixed into vegenaise (heaven!), schmered on a Thai Burger, or mixed into soup and even a coconut curry or two. This curry paste is delicious and only takes about half an hour to make. And, make it yourself and be assured that there is absolutely no fish sauce or shrimp paste.



Green Curry Paste
1 tbs coriander seed
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs galangal, chopped
2 stalks lemon grass, chopped
6 kaffir lime leaves, chopped
1 lime, juiced & zested
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
10-15 Thai chillies, chopped with seeds (depending on size)

Dry fry the coriander and cumin seeds over medium heat until the cumin begins to toast. Remove from heat and set aside until cool. Grind in a spice grinder and combine with the remaining ingredients. Blend in a blender or a spice grinder (in batches). I run the mixture through my spice grinder twice in two batches each. I don't think a blender would work well unless yours is better than mine (which is highly likely). Makes about 1 cup.

16 servings: 25 cal (0g fat, 6g carbs, 1g protein)

I grew up in a small agricultural town in Eastern Washington. It's the same town where, during my summer vacation, I couldn't find soy yogurt and had to beg the Thai restaurant for some Kaffir lime leaves. But what the town lacks in variety it makes up in quality. And the available Mexican cuisine was a definite strength. There were at least half a dozen distinctly different, and amazingly delicious restaurants scattered throughout town.

My favorite dish was a particular arroz con pollo that was so good, that, to this day, I can close my eyes, lean back, and still taste the sauce. It was chicken and mushrooms, simmered in a sofrito and poured over Spanish rice. It was heaven.

This was close. I posted the Chicken Seitan and the Sofrito last week and the Spanish Rice, a couple weeks prior. And I brought them together for this dish. I dusted the seitan with flour and pan fried it and when I added the sauce it turned into more of a gravy. Next time, I'll nix the flour. But still, this was a delicious and nostalgic treat.



Arroz con Pollo
1/2 recipe Spanish Rice
1 recipe sofrito
2 tbs vegetable oil
4 chicken flavored seitan cutlets
1 lb small mushrooms, halved
15 small corn tortillas

Make the soffrito and set aside. Make the Spanish Rice.

While the rice is cooking, Heat oil in a large saute pan set to medium-high. Pat the seitan cutlets dry and slice them into strips. Add them to the saute pan and fry, stirring occasionally until the strips begin to crisp in places. Remove and set aside.

Add the mushrooms and sofrito. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the mushrooms have softened. Add back the seitan strips and continue to simmer until the rice is finished cooking. Add a little water if necessary to thin the sauce.

To assemble, add a little rice and seitan/mushroom/sauce to each tortilla. Top with sour cream or guacamole if you wish. Eat over a plate with plenty of napkins. You'll need them.

5 Servings: 650 cal (17g fat, 90g carbs, 32g protein)

As I said once before, I made 24 chicken-y seitan cutlets for Veganmofo this year. One of those meals was this stir fry. There is nothing terribly special about a stir fry. Use your favorite vegetables (or the ones you need to use up), combined with some tofu, tempeh or seitan. But the sauce really makes this weeknight workhorse shine. I love adding sherry and ginger to stir fries and I love lots of sauce. And this really hits the spot.

I Usually dust tofu or seitan in flour and pan fry it ahead of the veggies. When you add them back to the stir fried veggies and pour in the sauce, the flour turns the sauce into somewhat of a gravy. And I'd eat barbed wire if it's drizzled with gravy.



Stir Fry Sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs ginger, grated
1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbs cornstarch
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sherry
1 tbs white sugar

When the stir fry is finished cooking, push the veggies & tofu/seitan/tempeh aside. Add the garlic & ginger to the center of the pan. Pour the sesame oil over the top and stir around the center of the pan. Then stir into the veggies. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour into the pan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir and serve.

4 Servings: 123 cal (1g fat, 20g carbs, 3g protein)

I grew up in a small town with a good sized Hispanic population. With that, came an amazing variety of delicious Mexican food. At one point, I worked next door to my favorite restaurant in town. And, while I added a healthy sum of padding around my belly, I spent my lunches in culinary bliss. My favorite dish was arroz con pollo, chicken, rice and mushrooms and a mild red sauce that would make all your worries fade with just a bite.

This sauce pays homage to that vivid memory. It's a mild sauce that starts with with annato seed and built upon tomatoes, peppers and cilantro. This sauce wasn't as good as it's inspiration (you can't best perfection), but it was very good. And it made for a winning plate of Tofu Enchiladas.



Sofrito - Tomato & Red Pepper Sauce
1 tsp annatto seed
2 tbs olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
12 oz beer
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lime, juiced

Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the annatto seeds and saute until the oil turns orange. Add the onions, and peppers and saute until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, then cook the tomato and cilantro until the tomato softens. Add the beer and wine. Boil rapidly for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by about a cup. Add the lime juice and salt. Blend thoroughly the push the contents through a strainer. Makes about a quart.

5 Servings: 145 cal (6g fat, 15g carbs, 2g protein)

Now that football season is upon us, I've been working on no-hassle meals, so that I can watch my game in peace. Today's game was by no means peaceful. My Seahawks looked miserable, they lost the game and they lost their quarterback. On the up side, the Huskies beat USC. I'll say it again because it makes me happy. THE HUSKIES BEAT USC!!!

I had football on my schedule until 4:30. Then I started dinner armed with a batch of Nacho Sauce, a package of of Field Roast sausages and a new Rice-A-Roni recipe. I added this onion relish to the mix. This was so good piled on a hot dog with lots of mustard and nacho sauce. It was a bit sweet, a bit spicy, a bit sweet and a bit tart. It was perfect football food.



Onion Relish
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large sweet onion, halved & sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs white wine vinegar

Heat the oil in a saute pan set to medium. Add the mustard seed and cook just until they begin to sizzle. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and saute until they are brown and fully carmelized. Add the garlic and saute until aromatic. Stir in the brown sugar. Then stir in the white wine vinegar and cook until it has evaporated. Remove from heat and add as a topping to a hot dog, burger, pizza, etc.

4 Servings: 95 cal (7g fat, 8g carbs, 1g protein)

It's fitting that my last post this month is a sauce. Because, over the last year, some of my favorite creations have been sauces and gravies. I have always been a huge fan of sauce. In fact, I once lobbied the USDA to include gravy as a food group. Needless to say, it didn't work, but I still cherish a virtuous sauce above all else (I'm only kinda kidding).

Here are a few of my favorites from the previous year:
Yummy Sauce - One of my favorites. It's amazing on beans & rice and I use it liberally on vegetables, potatoes or as a salad dressing. When I make this, I can't keep it in the fridge.
Almond Mushroom Gravy - mushroom gravy thickened with almonds? Yep. And its uber thick and great on seitan cutlets, tofu, or whatever. Drink it if you like.
Marsala Sauce - I used to love Chicken Marsala, but you don't need chicken to make this a heavenly dish. I made it here with pan fried tofu.
Cilantro Chutney - A yogurt based sauce sauce with plenty of cilantro and mint. This is surprisingly versatile and I'd put it on anything Hispanic, Southwest or Indian and plenty of other things too. It's fun to experiment.

Pepita Mojo (below) - This idea came to me from one of my friends, Dani. She made this mojo sauce with lots of cilanto, citrus, hot chillies and olive oil. It tasted like spicy candy and I've made it a few times since. I made several attempts to thicken it and to cut back on the calories a bit. I finally landed on ground pumpkin seed and it was smashing (literally). The pumpkin seeds give it a great toasted flavor, thickens the sauce and tones back on the heat. Its delicious.



Pepita Mojo
6 cloves garlic
3 serrano peppers, halved and seeded
3/4 cups pumpkin seeds
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 limes, juiced
1 orange, juiced
1/2 tsp salt

Arrange the garlic, peppers and pumpkin seeds, cumin on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 for about 10 minutes. Stir the mixture around after about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for another 5 minutes.

Add the pumpkin and cumin seeds to a spice or coffee grinder (in batches if necessary) and blend. Add to a blender with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into a container and serve or refrigerate. Makes about a cup.

8 Servings: 39 cal (1g fat, 7g carbs, 2g protein)

I'm continuing to reflect on my early posts and how my vegan cooking skills and pallet has evolved. Early on, I spent a lot of time looking at vegan cheese sauces. Nutritional yeast, for many, is an acquired taste. It was for me and, although it has it's place, I still keep my nutritional yeast usage to a minimum. In my opinion, these sauces are cheesy, not yeasty.

I was once a major cheese junkie and my need for cheeziness has led me to develop some delicious sauces. Here's a list of cheese sauces I posted in my first year:

Nacho Sauce (below): This is a delicious sauce. The flavor is amazing, but it has one drawback. It is a cooked sauce, thickened with cornstarch. As a result, it clumps as it cools and it doesn't reheat well. It's still amazingly tasty the second time through, just a bit lumpy. I blend this up and freeze it in 1 cup batches, then microwave it until it thickens. Problem solved. This is the recipe posted below.

Dippable Nacho Sauce: I solved the reheat problem with this sauce. It is thickened with cream cheese and has a great consistency at room temperature. Perfect for a cheezy dip along-side corn chips. If you heat it, do so gently.

Chedda Sauce: This is a thick sauce that tastes more like cheddar cheese. Its base is chickpeas, its pretty healthy and it makes amazing grilled cheeze sandwiches. Also, it doesn't clump as it cools, so it can be reheated. When you heat it, heat it gently.

Instant Mac & Cheese: I posted this sauce barely a month ago and it only took three days to become my most popular post ever. The sauce is delicious, it's creamy and stable and it reheats just fine. I make the powder by the bag and store it in my refrigerator where the kids can cook some pasta, and just dump in the sauce powder with some boiling water. Ta Da!



Nacho Sauce

I made this cilantro & mint chutney last week, knowing that I would be making a bunch of Mexican food. Hispanic food shares many of the same spices as Indian cuisine, but I wasn't sure how it would go, given that the base is yogurt. I ended up using it on Chipotle Tempeh Burgers, tofu quiche, corn chips and, of coarse, plain rice. I think you'd be able to use this in place of any salsa and be happy.



Cilantro Chutney
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup mint, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup soy yogurt

Add everything except the cilantro and mint into a blender. Add the cilantro and mint in batches sufficient to not clog the blender. Blend until you get a uniform consistency that still has flecks of leaves. It's worth it to coax your blender into blending this mix as is. If necessary, add a little water.

Makes about 1 cup

8 Servings: 20 cal (4g carbs, 1g protein)

My daughter wanted a BBQ for her birthday dinner this weekend. But she wanted kebabs with broccoli, amongst other things. Broccoli doesn't seem a great fit for my normal barbecue sauce so I came up with this one, with a fruity sweetness and just a hint of tang. It did go especially well with broccoli, and corn and pineapple and I'll try it on tofu next time.



Sweet Apricot Barbecue Sauce
1 Tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp mustard seed
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs ginger, minced
1 tomato, chopped
15 oz can apricots, drained
15 oz can tomato sauce
2 tbs cider vinegar
2 tbs molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt

Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seed until they begin to pop. Add the onions and jalapeno until the onion is soft, then add the garlic and ginger until aromatic. Add the tomato and apricots, breaking them apart until they have softened, then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Put the contents into a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pan and bring back to a boil. Makes about 1 quart.

32 Servings: 55 cal (1g fat, 13g carbs, 1g protein)

I wanted to make a cheese sauce that is spreadable, that gets melty when hot and that has more of a cheddar flavor. In doing so, I came up with this concoction. When cold, it's thick, but still spreadable. When heated It becomes creamier and gooey, but not liquid and it has a mild cheddar-like flavor.

I've been spreading it on cold sandwiches and making way too many grilled cheeze (it's way too good) and, also pictured, broiled on top of a Philly Cheese Steak I made with leftover 'pot roast'seitan.

It isn't firm enough for slices, like vegan cheese. Then again, it doesn't taste like rubber either.

Gooey Chedda Cheeze
3/4 cups chickpeas (1/2 can)
1/2 cup cashews, ground
2 oz pimentos
1/4 cup water
2 tbs nutritional yeast
2 tsp miso
2 tbs Earth Balance Margarine, melted
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)



Add all ingredients to a blender and blend thoroughly. Then blend some more. If you want a smoother consistency, you can push the sauce through a fine strainer. Serve hot or cold, spread on sandwiches or pizza or, my favorite, as a spread for grilled cheeze sandwiches. It also freezes well.

Makes about 3 cups.

12 Servings: 75 cal (5g fat, 6g carbs, 3g protein)