Asian Carrot Salad
Ingredients:

2 lbs organic carrots, scrubbed (not peeled)
2 cloves garlic
a 1-inch chunk fresh garlic, peeled
1 lb block firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup (more or less to taste) shoyu, tamari, or regular soy sauce
1-2 Tbs sesame oil (to taste)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Grate the carrots into a large mixing bowl using a regular cheese grater. Next, crumble the block of tofu until it is the consistency of cottage cheese. Next, using the finest grater setting, grate the ginger and garlic into the bowl, and add the cilantro to the mix.

Pour a small amount of soy sauce and sesame oil over the mixture and blend thoroughly. (Clean hands are actually great to knead all the ingredients together.) Taste, then add more soy (or salt), sesame oil, cilantro, or whatever you think it needs. Some people even like spritzing with a dash of fresh lemon juice.

Best served cold. Also wonderful used to fill broiled eggplant rounds, as if making small taquitos.

Zucchini Bread
Ingredients:
31/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or 21/2 cups white and 1 cup wheat flour)
2 Tbs. each: honey, maple syrup, grape or apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup wheat germ 1/4 cup oats
21/4 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. baking soda
3 cups grated zucchini 2 Tbs. corn starch
2/3 cup light soy milk 1/3 cup brown sugar or sucanat
2 tsp. molasses 1/3 cup smart beat margarine
1 tsp. vanilla extract 3/4 cup chopped dried apricot
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice dash of ginger
1/2 cup chopped walnuts dash of salt
greased loaf pan, for baking

Soak apricots in water and set aside about 5-10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cream the brown sugar and margarine in a large mixing bowl. Add all the dry ingredients, then the soy milk and zucchini. Drain the apricot pieces and fold in remaining ingredients.
Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake at 350 F about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Yields one loaf.

Lemon Custard Fruit Tarts
Ingredients:
one Keebler graham cracker pie crust - follow baking instructions on label

custard filling: (see Lemon Custard, below)

fresh fruit suggestions: use very ripe fruit--the sweeter the better
1 cup blueberries 2 cups sliced strawberries
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced 1 white peach, thinly sliced
1/2 cup green grapes, halved 1/2 cup red flame grapes, halved
1 cup raspberries or blackberries 1/2 cup sliced sweet cherries
5 fresh figs, sliced (optional) 1 orange, cut into small cubes
? cup shredded coconut

Heat pie crust according to package directions. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack about 20 minutes.
While the crust is cooling, prepare the custard filling according to recipe directions. Fill cooled crust with custard and top with colorful arrangements of sliced fruit. Dust with coconut, if desired. Chill several hours before serving. Serves about 8 generously. If the fruit is lacking in flavor or needs a little boost of sweetness, try dusting lightly with powdered stevia and adding a dash of salt. Mix well to distribute sweetness evenly, then add to the tarts.


**Lemon Custard**

Ingredients:
2 10.5 oz packages (chilled) reduced fat silken tofu--EXTRA FIRM
1/3 cup fat free Farm Rich, Mocha Mix, Soy Dream, or other dairy-free creamer
1/2 cup white sugar or fructose , or stevia to taste (Whole Foods, HEB & Central Market sell Stevia)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. lemon extract
2 tsp. vanilla extract

*For best results, chill the tofu a few hours before using--this will enable you to fill the pie crusts with custard immediately, without having to wait for the filling to chill.

Mash the tofu and mix well in a large bowl with the other ingredients. Transfer to a blender (you may have to do this in batches, depending on how much your blender can handle at once). Blend until perfectly smooth. Chill several hours before serving, for best flavor and consistency. Fills 8 small custard tarts, one regular pie crust, or serves 4 as a pudding alone.

Vegan Carrot Cake
In a large bowl, mix together:
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or 2 cups white, 1 cup wheat)
1 tsp. vital wheat gluten 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. corn starch 1/2 cup rolled oats

In a medium bowl, mix together:
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate (melted) 2 Tbs. water
1 cup brown sugar or Sucanat 1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice 1/2 cup grated apple
21/2 cups grated carrot (about 3 med) 2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cardamom (optional) 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon

soak 1/2 cup raisins in water, set aside to plump, about 10 minutes
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Pour the second mixture (liquids) into the large bowl with the flour and stir well. Fold in the raisins and walnuts, stir again.
Grease a 9 x 13" baking pan and dust it with flour. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake another 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack at least 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 1 large cake.

Traditional Pie Crust
Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup vegan margarine (lowfat margarines will yield a less flaky crust)
1/4 cup cold water

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Take out 1/3 cup of this mixture and combine in another bowl with 1/4 cup water. To the remaining dry mixture, add the margarine and cut in until evenly distributed. Add the wet mixture to this and work with your hands until it is the right consistency to be rolled (you will need to add more flour). Break into 2 equal balls. Roll one out on a well-floured surface. Don't be afraid to roll it very thinly; the lowfat margarine makes it puff a bit during baking.
Line a greased 9-inch pie pan (you may grease with cooking spray). Fill the pie and cover with the other half of the crust, rolled just like the first. Cut the top crust so that it hangs off the sides of the pan by 1 inch all around. Tuck this extra dough under the edge of the bottom crust, pinch, and flute the edge if desired. You may also use 1/2 of this recipe for a pie which calls for only a bottom crust.

Vegan Apple Pie
Ingredients:
6 cups red delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin sections
1/2 cup (granulated) white or brown sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1-2 Tbs. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1-2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
a bit of smart beat or other margarine (optional)

Place the apples in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar first, stir. Next, add the spices, mix again. Then the lemon juice (and vanilla if you're using it). Finally add the cornstarch and mix well with your hands.
Transfer to an unbaked pie crust (see Traditional pie crust recipe). Dot with margarine, if desired, for a richer flavor--a little goes a long way. Cover with the top crust, poke holes with a fork or make slits with a knife.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 and bake another 30 to 40 minutes. Check the pie crust periodically, to make sure it doesn't get too dark. If it is the perfect color way before it's done, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until done.

Chocolate Mousse Pie
Ingredients:
8 oz. unsweetened baker's chocolate (yes, it's vegan)
2 10 oz. packages Mori Nu reduced fat silken tofu *
1 tsp. vanilla extract or liqueur (try 1-2 Tbs Amaretto for a nice variation, reducing amount of all-fruit)
8-10 oz. seedless all-fruit (blueberry is great, as is raspberry, or your favorite flavor)
? cup corn syrup or honey + 1 Tbs. sugar
1 large (or extra large) Keebler ready-crust graham cracker crust (yup, vegan) OR a 9" fat-free cereal crust (see recipe)
Lots of fresh fruit (optional)
A GOOD BLENDER!
A GOOD RUBBER SCRAPER!

*A note about what firmness of silken tofu to use: soft produces a pie similar in texture to a mousse, so the firmer the tofu, the more solid the filling. I personally use firm or extra firm, but you can use any mixture of textures, as long as you end up using 20 oz in all. Make sure to use silken tofu.

Bake the crust at 350 degrees F for about 8 minutes, until it is barely golden brown. Take it out of the oven and cool it on a drying rack.
Heat the chocolate in a double boiler until it is completely melted. Put the tofu in a very large mixing bowl, and cut it up into small pieces with either a knife or your rubber scraper. Pour in the melted chocolate. Add the vanilla and all-fruit, stir well. Pour in the corn syrup, add the rice syrup and sugar, stir again. Taste. If it needs more sweetener, add more sugar. If you like it fruitier, add more all-fruit. Mix it so that it looks brown with lots of white lumps (the tofu). Don't worry that it's ugly--it will look fine once it's blended.
Ladle as much of this filling into your blender as your blender can mix well. If you have a super food processor that can blend the whole thing at once, go for it. If you are using a blender, you may want to fill it only halfway (up to the 2-cup line or so). Blend until all the little white specks have disappeared and it looks like a smooth dark chocolate mousse. Pour the blender's contents into the cooled crust and repeat the procedures until you have blended the whole mass and filled the crust.

*What you do from here is really up to you. One thing you should realize, no matter what you want to add to the pie, is that it has to cool in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or it will serve like chocolate mouse over crumbs, and not a pie. In other words, give it time to solidify! Serves 8.

Where you can go from here: If you are using fruits such as raspberries, you can mix the raspberries into the pie filling while it is still soft, either before or after pouring the filling into the crust. If you are using oranges or other such fruits that might be too juicy to mix in well, wait until the pie is solid and simply garnish with thin slices.
Basically, a good rule with this pie is to match the flavor of all-fruit with the fruit you are using to garnish. I usually make this recipe with raspberries or blackberries, but I am sure it would be great with strawberries or even orange (use orange marmalade for this--polaner makes orange marmalade all-fruit, so you can still avoid all the refined sugar used in regular preserves).

--The filling can also be made without the crust for a pudding, and is, of course, great with fresh fruit.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies are killer! Be warned however: even though no margarine or oil is used in the cookies, the chocolate and nuts do make them very fattening.

Ingredients:

mixture #1: mixture #2:
11/2 cups flour (any variety) 1/2 cup Wonderslim fat and egg
2 tsp. baking soda substitute
1 scant tsp. salt 3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. water 1 tsp. vanilla extract

other ingredients:
21/3 cups rolled oats
2/3 package Sunspire chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, and almonds are all great in here)
a few pinches white sugar (optional)
cooking spray, for the cookie sheets

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Sift the mixture #1 ingredients together and stir around with a spoon to ensure even distribution.
Combine the mixture #2 ingredients and pour them into mixture #1. Mix together with an electric mixer until they make a thick batter.
Add oats and stir well. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. At this point, you may want to knead the mixture with your hands (leave it in the bowl though). Although your hands will get pretty messy, it is a lot easier on your wrists than wrestling with it using a spoon. (The dough will be quite thick.)
Grease 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray. Drop large balls of dough (2" diameter) onto the cookie sheets, making sure to leave an inch or two between them. Flatten the balls of dough with your fingertips. They should be larger than ordinary chocolate chip cookies. Sprinkle each one with a little white sugar, if desired.
Bake about 10 - 15 minutes, or until done. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on a wire rack at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes about a dozen large cookies.

Vegan Pesto Bread
Ingredients:
1 pkg Fleischman's Rapid Rise yeast
1 tsp. salt, plus extra, to taste
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water ( 120 F)
1/3 cup grated soy cheese or extra firm tofu
2 Tbs. dried basil*
5 Tbs. margarine or olive oil
2 Tbs. dried parsley*
2 Tbs. finely chopped scallions
2 large cloves garlic
2 Tbs. fresh minced tarragon (optional)

*Note: use only dried herbs in this recipe. The bread turns out very bland if fresh herbs are used, even if you appropriately change the measurements based on standard dried-to-fresh conversions.
ANote: if using tofu rather than soy cheese, crumble 1/3 pound of tofu, drain water by placing between a few sheets paper towel and squeezing until it seems all excess water is out. Mix thoroughly in a bowl with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp lemon juice and a few dashes soy sauce.



Crush the garlic (put through a garlic press; or mince finely, and mash with a mortar and pestle). In a medium bowl, melt 4 Tbs. margarine (or pour in 1/4 cup olive oil), then add the soy cheese, herbs, scallions and garlic, and extra pinch of salt. Stir until the mixture forms a paste. Set aside.
Next, sift 2 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl, and add the yeast and 1 tsp. salt. Mix in 1 Tbs. room-temperature margarine or olive oil. Then add 1 cup of warm water to the flour mixture and stir; add extra flour as needed to make a smooth ball of dough.
Transfer the dough to a clean, floured surface, and knead for six minutes, adding flour as you go, to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. Roll out the dough into a 12" by 15" rectangle. Spread evenly with the pesto mixture, leaving a 1" margin plain on each edge. Roll tightly into a long jelly roll shape. Pinch any ragged seams closed and smooth over with moistened fingertips.
Spray the cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the loaf diagonally on it, seam-side down. Cut a 1/8"- deep slit down the middle lengthwise, leaving 1" uncut at each end. Cover with a warm, wet cloth.
Fill a large casserole dish with boiling water; place cookie sheet with dough on top of the casserole dish. Let sit 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, turn the oven to 400 F to preheat. Remove the wet cloth and take the cookie sheet off the casserole dish. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake at 400 F about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (If a small amount of dough comes out on the toothpick, continue to bake.) Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. Best served hot. Serves 8 to 10. Perfect for special occasions.

Vegan French Toast
Ingredients:

? cup vegan corn bread mix (Martha White brand & some generics are non-dairy & egg-free)
? cup white flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbs corn starch
? tsp baking powder, ? tsp baking soda
? cup soy milk
water, as needed
1 tsp vegetable oil (canola or melted vegan margarine)
dash of salt
non-stick cooking spray
2 slices vegan bread, cut in half - try Rudy's Organic Lo-Carb bread for a good weight loss option
ground cinnamon (optional)
pinch of sugar, small amt honey or maple syrup, dash of stevia

In a large, shallow bowl, combine dry ingredients, add soy milk. Whisk until smooth, and add water or soy as needed, to get about the consistency of pancake batter. Coat a large, non-stick skillet with spray oil, and bring to medium-high heat. Coat each piece of bread in the batter evenly, and allow some of the batter to sink into the center of the bread. Fry in the skillet until golden on each side. Serve with sweet dressing of your choice: blueberry or other all-fruit preserves, maple syrup heated with vegan margarine, honey, chocolate sauce, or light powdered sugar.

Ethiopian Split Pea Stew
Ingredients:
1 cup dried yellow split peas
1 tsp salt
4 (+) cups boiling water
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 Tbs shredded fresh (or 2 tsp ground) ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
2-4 Tbs low-fat vegan margarine
1 tsp hot ground chili powder
1 Tbs lemon juice (optional)
? cup diced white or yellow onion
(or fresh red chili paste -- ideally, use Ethiopian Berbere sauce, found at specialty stores)


Place split peas, salt and water in a medium soup pot and bring to a steady boil. Meanwhile, saut? the onion, chili, turmeric, cardamom and ginger in a skillet with a small amount of oil, until onions are tender and there is a general aromatic "cooked spice" smell that fills the room. Do not allow it to brown or burn--it will end up tasting bitter!
Stir this spice mixture into the big pot with the split peas, mix well, and reduce heat to medium-low so that it continues boiling lightly. Cover and cook over medium heat about 30-40 minutes. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, as to keep it from sticking to the pan and to allow it to thicken. Add water as needed if it feels too thick or starts to stick too much to the bottom of the pan.


*This recipe is also great when you add in leftover greens, such as collards or garlic-gingered kale. Some people prefer the stew when the peas are cooked but still separate. Others consider it done when no individual peas are visible, but rather it is a thick, creamy consistency. In any case, the soup should be fairly rich--more like a hearty stew. Add the margarine and lemon juice (to taste) near the end, for a more authentic flavor. Because Ethiopian food tends to be very heavy and oily, you may want to add more margarine (low-fat options are great, for a richer flavor without all the fat), or vegetable oil (olive, peanut & safflower oil are good choices).

Serves 4 as a hot meal. Easily multiplied for a chilled party dip. A good ratio to follow is at least 4 cups of water to every cup of split peas. Cook time should range between 45 minutes to an hour.

*Note: the stew thickens greatly upon standing, especially in the refrigerator. Serve warm for a basis to a meal, or try serving cold various ways. Great served cold and thick, as a dip for pita chips or bread. Also try it in fresh pita bread sandwich, with lettuce, thinly sliced cucumbers, shredded carrots, tomatoes, and sprouts. An excellent complement to green leafy vegetable dishes and cooked vegetable stews.

Hearty Vegetarian Chili
*Don't let the long list of ingredients intimidate you! Despite the long list, this really is an easy recipe to make.
Best to make the big batch, and immediately freeze what won't be eaten within a few days. With a recipe this good, it's a big relief when you want it again after a week and all you have to do is defrost the leftovers!! Also great for winter parties and as a dip for pita chips.


Ingredients:
1 box Fantastic Foods Vegetarian Chili Mix 1-2 Tbs. taco sauce or salsa
3 1/2 cups water 2 Tbs. jalapeno juice
32 oz. can pur?ed stewed tomatoes 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
4 15 oz. cans dark red kidney (or pinto) beans 1 1/2 tsp. ground chili pepper
1 small to medium summer squash 1/2 to 1 tsp. ground coriander
1 small to medium zucchini 12 oz. canned corn
3 sprigs fresh oregano or dried equivalent 1 large clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced 2 stalks celery heart, sliced
1 medium carrot, diced cooking spray, for the pan
1 medium tomato, diced
3-5 scallions (white part thinly sliced, green part in 3/4-inch pieces)
1 large green bell pepper, diced (red and yellow are fine too, and the best tasting is a mix of all kinds of bell peppers)


Start with a VERY LARGE stew pot or soup kettle. Bring 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil and stir in the package of chili mix. Add all 32 oz. of the stewed tomato pur?e and all 4 cans of beans, including the liquid from the can. (If you are using cooked dried beans, drain them before adding. If you need more water, you can add it later.)
In a skillet coated with cooking spray, saut? the onion, garlic, bell pepper, carrot and celery for a minute or two. Add the dried spices and stir well. Let cook another minute. Pour contents of skillet into the pot of chili, which should be simmering away.
Next, add the oregano sprigs and fresh tomato. Let chili cook at a steady simmer about 5-10 minutes. Add corn, scallions, squash, and zucchini. Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes more, until squash and zucchini are done. Serves 8.

*Note: the longer you let the chili sit after it's done, the more flavor it will have. If you are cooking it for a party, try to have it done 2 to 3 hours before the guests arrive.

Autumn Harvest Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients:
16 ounces canned or fresh pumpkin puree
3 cups soy milk (unsweetened)
11/3 cups water
2 large vegetarian vegetable bouillon cubes **
1 medium onion, diced
4 Tbs. jalepeno juice or other hot sauce, to taste
3-4 small potatoes (or 1-2 regular potatoes), cut into chunks and parboiled
1 12-oz. can of corn
2 stalks thinly sliced celery (celery hearts work best)
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbs. lite Tamari or 1 Tbs. regular soy sauce
cooking spray or dash of olive oil

**Amount of bouillon cubes required for 4 cups stock--may vary by brand. We prefer Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable Bouillon cubes.

Coat a large soup kettle with nonstick cooking spray or oil and saute the onion and celery for a few minutes, just until tender. Add the water, soy milk, bouillon cubes, pureed pumpkin, and bring almost to a boil. Add remaining ingredients; season to taste. Let simmer about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the soup to sit about 15 minutes more, to impart full flavor to all the vegetables. Delicious hot or cold. Serves 6-8.

Amaretto Cream Shake
Ingredients:
1+ cup crushed ice or miniature ice cubes
?-1 cup chilled Almond milk (Blue Diamond brand is the best - if unavailable, use your favorite soy milk)
? - ? cup cold water
? tsp. vanilla extract (add if using plain almond/soy milk. omit if using vanilla soy)
? tsp. guar gum powder (easily found in baking aisle at health food store--it's just a natural fiber)
1 large, soft medjool date, pitted and diced or mashed
2-4 roasted almonds, crushed
5-8 drops stevia extract (or ?-1 packet stevia powder)
dash of salt (enhances sweetness & balances flavor)
2 tsp amaretto liquor (optional) - great for dessert style shake
BLENDER

The almonds and dates add a sweet, creamy flavor reminiscent of amaretto liqueur, without the alcohol. For a more decadent dessert beverage, you can substitute a shot of amaretto liqueur and omit the almonds and date (reduce water and stevia accordingly).

Put ice in blender. Next, add liquids (I find it easiest to fill a large pint glass almost halfway with soy milk, then pour in water to get it up to the ? full range, then pour that along with the other ingredients, into the blender). Add the guar gum powder last.
Set the blender on a fast ice-crushing speed and process until smooth and frosty. Should be the consistency of a Granita or Margarita. Serves one as a breakfast shake, or two as a small dessert.



* Guar gum is a great fiber supplement, safe blood sugar stabilizer (if you are hypoglycemic or tend to get hungry often, this will make you feel more satisfied longer). The guar gum also helps to bind the other ingredients into a thick, smooth, creamy consistency, so although it's not too bad to make the shake without (if it's not at your local grocery store), I find that adding it makes a better shake. Caution though--a tiny bit goes a long way. Use no more than ? tsp. per shake! . If you're ever curious, check the labels of frozen dairy & vegan equivalent desserts. Almost all of them contain guar gum.

***You may also use 1-2 tsp fructose, agave nectar or maple syrup to taste, if you do not have or do not like using stevia.

Ingredients:
1+ cup crushed ice or miniature ice cubes
?-1 cup chilled Almond milk (Blue Diamond brand is the best - if unavailable, use your favorite soy milk)
? - ? cup cold water
? tsp. vanilla extract (add if using plain almond/soy milk. omit if using vanilla soy)
? tsp. guar gum powder (easily found in baking aisle at health food store--it's just a natural fiber)
1 large, soft medjool date, pitted and diced or mashed
2-4 roasted almonds, crushed
5-8 drops stevia extract (or ?-1 packet stevia powder)
dash of salt (enhances sweetness & balances flavor)
2 tsp amaretto liquor (optional) - great for dessert style shake
BLENDER

The almonds and dates add a sweet, creamy flavor reminiscent of amaretto liqueur, without the alcohol. For a more decadent dessert beverage, you can substitute a shot of amaretto liqueur and omit the almonds and date (reduce water and stevia accordingly).

Put ice in blender. Next, add liquids (I find it easiest to fill a large pint glass almost halfway with soy milk, then pour in water to get it up to the ? full range, then pour that along with the other ingredients, into the blender). Add the guar gum powder last.
Set the blender on a fast ice-crushing speed and process until smooth and frosty. Should be the consistency of a Granita or Margarita. Serves one as a breakfast shake, or two as a small dessert.



* Guar gum is a great fiber supplement, safe blood sugar stabilizer (if you are hypoglycemic or tend to get hungry often, this will make you feel more satisfied longer). The guar gum also helps to bind the other ingredients into a thick, smooth, creamy consistency, so although it's not too bad to make the shake without (if it's not at your local grocery store), I find that adding it makes a better shake. Caution though--a tiny bit goes a long way. Use no more than ? tsp. per shake! . If you're ever curious, check the labels of frozen dairy & vegan equivalent desserts. Almost all of them contain guar gum.

***You may also use 1-2 tsp fructose, agave nectar or maple syrup to taste, if you do not have or do not like using stevia.

Simple (vegan) Fruit & Cream
Ingredients:
2 c. frozen fruit of your choice
(delicious fruit combinations: only blueberries; strawberries & raspberries; honeydew & cantaloupe chunks)
2 c. soymilk (we recommend Silk brand, either plain or vanilla)
dash of salt
? packet stevia (more/less to taste)

An ideal summer recipe--when soymilk is added to hard-frozen fruit, after a few moments of thawing, the end product is much like fresh-made ice cream. As the fruit begins to thaw, it absorbs the soymilk and simultaneously chills the milk that remains, rendering a slightly frozen cream. The resulting texture is delicate, creamy and delightful.

Fresh fruit can be chopped and frozen overnight (or at least for 4 hours). In a large mixing bowl combine fruit, soy milk, salt and stir well. Dust with ? packet of stevia and taste, add more if necessary (a little goes a long way). When desired sweetness is achieved, serve into dessert bowls and serve immediately. Best when thawed approximately 5 minutes, until the fruit is coated with an icy-white film (frosted soy). Serves 2--easily multiplied for more people.

White Peach Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 ripe frozen white peach, diced
1/3 cup cold soy milk
1/3 cup cold rice milk
4-6 drops stevia (or ? packet white stevia powder)
? tsp. vanilla extract (unless using vanilla rice & soy milks)
? tsp. guar gum powder
1 cup crushed ice, or miniature ice cubes
dash of salt (enhances sweetness & balances flavor)

BLENDER

Put ice in blender. Add remaining ingredients, guar gum last. Process on high speed until all the pieces of ice have been crushed and consistency is smooth and frosty. Serves one as breakfast shake, or two smaller dessert portions.

Tip: cut fruit before freezing; freeze at least 4 hours to solidify.

Bulgarian-Style Veggie Burgers
Ingredients:
1 package vegan burgers (4 burgers) i.e., boca burgers, better n' burgers, etc.
1 scallion, finely minced
2 Tbs. Finely minced onion (any variety)
? cup finely minced green bell pepper
? cup finely minced red bell pepper
1 tsp. Ground cumin
? tsp. Salt (optional)

Perfect for 4th of July cookouts, or really any time you want something more interesting than a plain veggie burger!

Defrost store-bought veggie burgers and crumble into medium mixing bowl (as you would with plain, raw ground beef). Add other ingredients and mix well. Reshape into four or five veggie burgers.
Either coat in flour and fry on non-stick pan, or barbecue 5 minutes each side. Great either on a bun, or alongside grilled vegetables. For an authentic Bulgarian twist, shape into short sausages (Kebaps) before cooking, and serve alongside roasted vegetables, potato salad or tabouleh.

Tabouleh
Ingredients:
1 cup dry bulghur wheat or couscous, prepared (follow package directions) and chilled
1-2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice (or more, to taste)
1 medium cucumber, diced
1/2 small red onion, minced
2 scallions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes
? cup chopped fresh parsley
? to 1 tsp. salt (to taste)
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint (optional)
8 oz. canned chick peas, drained (optional)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced finely (optional)

Place the cooked and cooled grains in a medium to large mixing bowl. Salt to your satisfaction, then add the olive oil and mix well, making sure the end product is nice and shiny. Next add the lemon juice, onions, scallions, and herbs and stir again. Finally, add the chick peas, tomatoes, cucumber, and red bell pepper and toss.
Serve cold over a bed of fresh greens, with sliced tomato on the side. Nice dusted with finely ground black pepper. Serves 6 as a side dish, and 4 as a light meal.

Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta
Ingredients:

10.5 oz package reduced fat silken tofu (the firmer the silken tofu, the thicker the sauce)
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
1 cup warm water, for soaking tomatoes
3 large Greek black olives, pitted and diced (opt)
1 Tbs. fresh minced basil (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. lemon juice (optional)
1 Tbs. unsweetened soy milk or non-dairy creamer (optional)
2 slices jalapeno pepper, minced plus some brine from the jar (optional)
2 cups prepared, pasta (any variety), chilled
BLENDER

In a small bowl, soak the sundried tomatoes in enough warm liquid to cover them (about a cup). This could be done with either water, brine from canned jalapenos, or a combination of the two. A small amount of lemon juice can be added if you are soaking them only in water. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, mash the tofu and combine remaining ingredients (except the pasta). Then drain and dice the sundried tomatoes, chop, and add them to the bowl. Mix well. Spoon into a blender and process until smooth, adding small amounts of lemon juice, non-dairy creamer, or soy milk for taste and consistency, if desired.
Pour over the pasta and mix until the noodles are smothered in a creamy sauce. Best if chilled at least 30 minutes before serving. Serves 3.