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	Recipes.PamRotella.com Twelve Sample Recipes from Vegan Vegetarian Cooking Click on the links below for corresponding recipes: Chapter 3: Barbecue Pumpkin Sandwich Chapter 4: Mediterranean Tostada Chapter 5: Pumpkin Pie Chapter 5: Pie Crust (made with olive oil!) Chapter 6: Beet Cakes Chapter 7: Spinach Pasta Salad Chapter 8: Tomato Brazil Nut Soup Chapter 8: Yam Coconut Curry Soup Chapter 9: Hummus Chapter 10: Garlic Mushrooms Chapter 10: Steamed Artichokes Chapter 11: Avo Maggie Barbecue Pumpkin Sandwich (warm sandwich) Vegetarians don't have to give up their barbecue sauce! You'll buy another bottle after you replace rib sandwiches with this one. Food you'll need 2 onion slices (red/purple onion gives the best color) 4 - 5 thinly sliced (1/4" - 1/2") pumpkin pieces, peeled 2 - 4 roasted chestnuts, when in season, optional Cooking oil, extra virgin olive oil preferred Barbecue sauce, your favorite brand (see Chapter 9 for homemade) 1 leaf of lettuce, optional Wheat or rye bread Preparation (15-20 minutes) Pour 1/8" cooking oil into small frying pan; sauté onion and pumpkin on medium low heat until tender. Cool and drain excess oil. Return pumpkin and onion to frying pan. Turn heat to low; add just enough barbecue sauce to coat pumpkin and onion. When all ingredients are hot, stuff into roll or bread, adding more barbecue sauce to taste. Cover with roasted chestnuts, if desired, broken into 4 pieces each. Top with lettuce and serve immediately. from Chapter 3: Sandwiches Back to the top Mediterranean Tostada(serves 4) This Mediterranean combination creates an attractive tostada, although I usually make a burrito or sandwich from the ingredients below. Food you'll need 4 tostada shells 2 cups Hummus, your favorite brand or homemade (see Chapter 9) 1 cup white or brown rice 2 cups water, distilled preferred Dash of salt Juice of 1-2 lemons 1 eggplant, diced 1 bulb of garlic, all cloves peeled and chopped Cooking oil, extra virgin olive oil preferred 1 bunch fresh spinach or 12 leaves romaine lettuce, torn into pieces 1 cup black olives Preparation (45-60 minutes) Rinse rice and pour into medium-sized sauce pan; add salt and water. Bring to a boil on high heat, stir, and reduce heat to low. Cook until all water is absorbed, stirring occasionally, roughly 20-30 minutes. While rice is cooking, sauté eggplant and garlic in cooking oil until tender. Make each tostada: Lay tostada shell flat on serving plate. Cover center with generous portion of hummus. Add a layer of rice, then some eggplant and garlic mixture. Cover with spinach or romaine leaves, sprinkle with lemon juice, and top with a few black olives. Serve immediately, while rice and eggplant are still warm. from Chapter 4: Main Dishes Back to the top Pumpkin Pie (serves 6) This recipe makes enough filling to fill a very large pie pan. If using smaller pie pans, you might squeeze two pies out of this. I can't tell the difference between this pie and store-bought pumpkin pie. Maybe once in a while, I'll find a small piece of pumpkin, telling me that this pie didn't come out of a can. And of course the crust is better. Food you'll need 4 cups steamed pumpkin, skin removed, diced or mashed 4 cups steamed & peeled sweet potatoes or yams, diced or mashed 2 cups water, distilled preferred 1 & 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, plus extra to sprinkle on top 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 large or 2 small unbaked lower pie crusts (recipe later this chapter) Preparation (2 hours) In electric blender, blend all ingredients except pie crust until smooth. Not all will fit into blender at the same time, so blend a portion at a time and empty each into a large bowl; stir together when finished. Prick raw pie crust(s) with a fork every 2", to prevent bubbles from forming while baking. Pour filling into pie crust(s) and sprinkle top with extra cinnamon, if desired. Bake in preheated oven at 400F for 50-60 minutes, until the pie crust is golden brown. Cool before serving. from Chapter 5: Holidays and Fruit Pies Back to the top Pie Crust The flour should not be "all-purpose", which usually means bleached. Look for flour labeled "unbleached"; it tastes much better. You can also use whole wheat for a brown color and a slightly heartier flavor. Or mix the two - half & half works well. And I'd never ask you to use shortening - just a little oil. Food you'll need 3 cups unbleached or whole wheat flour (or any mixture of the two) 1/2 cup oil, extra virgin olive oil is preferred 1/2 to 1 cup water, distilled preferred 1 & 3/4 teaspoons salt Preparation (15 minutes for an unbaked crust; 30 minutes for baked) Measure flour and salt into large bowl. (NOTE: Use a little less salt for 100% whole wheat flour.) Add oil, then mix with a fork or pastry blender, cutting flour-oil lumps apart until mixture resembles coarse sand. Add 1/2 cup water and stir into the flour mix. Dough should be moist enough to shape into 2 large balls, yet dry enough not to stick to your hands. If needed, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until this consistency is reached. After shaping dough into 2 large balls (for the upper and lower crusts), roll with a rolling pin on a floured surface until roughly 1/8" thick. Line pie plate with rolled dough. If the pie recipe calls for a baked lower crust, prick the crust with a fork approximately every 2 inches to avoid bubbles. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for 20 minutes or until the crust starts to brown. Follow directions of recipes calling for unbaked crusts. To stick upper and lower crusts together, spread water at the points of contact, then apply pressure to stick. After sealing pies with an upper crust, remember to prick the upper crust with a fork, to allow steam to escape while baking. from Chapter 5: Holidays and Fruit Pies Back to the top Beet Cakes (serves 2) These are my very favorite "potato" pancakes, and also the prettiest. Food you'll need 1 cup shredded potato (roughly 1 medium-sized potato) 3/4 cup shredded beet (roughly 1 medium-sized beet) 1/2 cup shredded carrot 3 thinly sliced green onions (also called spring onions, roughly 3/8 cup) 1/2 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Cooking oil, extra virgin olive oil preferred Preparation (20 minutes) Combine potatoes, beet, carrot, onions, salt, and pepper in a bowl; stir until evenly mixed. Add flour and mix until ingredients stick enough to form into patties (roughly 1/2 cup), adding a teaspoon of water if needed. Shape mixture into four pancakes. In large frying pan with lid, sauté in 1/4" oil on medium heat, covering with lid when possible. Cook pancakes until slightly crisp on bottom; flip and cook other side until crisp (roughly 4-5 minutes per side, depending on temperature). Remove from heat and serve with ketchup or salt & balsamic vinegar. from Chapter 6: Breakfast Back to the top Spinach Pasta Salad (serves 2-3) Although they're optional, garbanzo beans and walnuts make this salad especially good. Food you'll need 3 cups cooked spinach rotelle (spiral pasta), cooled 3/4 cup water, distilled preferred 1 & 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 cup fresh spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans, optional 1/2 cup sliced black or Greek olives 1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces, optional Preparation (10 minutes) Stir ingredients together in large bowl and serve immediately. from Chapter 7: Salad Back to the top Tomato Brazil Nut Soup (serves 2) This is one of my favorites. If you haven't tried nuts in soup, you might enjoy the new experience. Brazil nuts add a chewy consistency and special flavor. Food you'll need 1 medium or large brown/yellow onion Cooking oil, extra virgin olive oil preferred 3 cups water, distilled preferred 3/4 teaspoon salt 6 medium red tomatoes, diced (roughly 4 cups diced) 1/2 to 3/4 cup sliced Brazil Nuts, measured after shelling and slicing Preparation (30 minutes) Peel and dice onion; sauté in oil until partially brown and tender. In medium-sized saucepan, combine water, sautéed onion, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then add tomatoes and Brazil Nut slices. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until tomato is desired consistency. from Chapter 8: Soup Back to the top Yam Coconut Curry Soup (serves 2) This is a sweet and mild curry soup - one of my favorites. Blended fresh coconut gives the soup an interesting texture and refreshing taste. If kept as a leftover, the ginger root marinates this soup, and it becomes hotter. Food you'll need 1 & 1/2 cups diced, steamed, and peeled yams 1/2 cup fresh coconut pieces 1 tablespoon steamed, peeled, and diced ginger root 1 tablespoon curry powder 2 cups water, distilled preferred Preparation (15 minutes plus time to steam yams, about 20-25 minutes) Combine all ingredients in electric blender; cover with lid and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into medium-sized saucepan and heat to serving temperature. from Chapter 8: Soup Back to the top Hummus In this recipe, I give the option of using sesame seeds instead of "tahini" - a sesame seed paste which is sometimes hard to find, even in specialty shops. The blend of spices below is my favorite for plain hummus. However, traditional hummus is usually simply made of garbanzo beans, water, garlic, olive oil, salt, and tahini (sesame seed paste). In this recipe, the cayenne, cumin, paprika, and lemon juice can be adjusted to taste or eliminated entirely. Food you'll need 1 cup dried garbanzo beans (also called "chick peas") 3 cups water, distilled preferred, for soaking beans 5 cloves (the buds or separations within a bulb) of garlic 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice 1 & 1/8 cups additional water, distilled preferred 1 tablespoon cooking oil, extra virgin olive oil preferred, optional 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 cup whole sesame seeds or tahini (sesame seed paste) 3/4 teaspoon cumin 3/4 teaspoon paprika Preparation (1 hour, plus 3-4 hours for beans to soak prior to cooking) Rinse garbanzo beans; pour into large jar or bowl with lid. Add 3 cups water, cover, and soak 3-4 hours or overnight (yields over 2 cups after soaking). Drain water when ready to use. Steam or boil both garbanzo beans and garlic until tender. Combine water, sesame seeds, salt, and spices in electric blender; puree for 2 minutes to break up sesame seeds. (If using tahini, only blend for a few seconds to mix.) Add lemon juice, oil (if used), and half of the cooked beans/garlic; blend until smooth. Add remaining beans/garlic and blend; remove from blender and mash any remaining whole beans or garlic cloves with a fork. Top with an extra dash of oil, lemon juice, and paprika, if desired. Use as a spread or dip for bread, sandwiches, crackers, and vegetables. Keep refrigerated. from Chapter 9: Spreads, dips, sauces, & dressings Back to the top Garlic Mushrooms (serves 2) Serve Garlic Mushrooms as an appetizer or in the cavity of a roasted acorn squash. Food you'll need 1/2 cup cooking oil, extra virgin olive oil preferred 1 bulb of garlic, peeled, with each clove chopped into 2-3 pieces 1 lb. fresh whole white mushrooms (common grocery store variety) 1 cup white or red wine (I use chardonnay or cabernet) Preparation (30-40 minutes) On medium low heat in frying pan, sauté garlic pieces in oil for 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Rinse mushrooms; add mushrooms then wine (I prefer cabernet) to garlic/oil mix. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until mushrooms are tender. Enjoy as an appetizer or side dish. Serve warm. from Chapter 10: Appetizers, side dishes, and rice Back to the top Steamed Artichokes (serves 2) In those restaurants good enough to offer steamed artichokes, you'll probably be given two dips on the side. One will be Dijon mustard, and the other will either be mayonnaise (in less expensive restaurants) or a garlic dip/oil (in better restaurants). As a part of this recipe, I've included instructions on making garlic-flavored oil. Finding a good brand of Dijon mustard is up to you. Food you'll need 2 fresh artichokes Water to steam artichokes 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 bulb of garlic, all cloves separated and peeled 1/4 cup Dijon mustard Preparation (30 minutes) Rinse artichokes thoroughly; place in covered pot with 1" water at the bottom. Bring water to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low and steam, covered, until 2-3 outer leaves are easily pulled from each artichoke (20-30 minutes or more, depending on size). Leave artichokes in the covered pot until ready to eat, to keep them warm. While artichokes are steaming, sauté all garlic cloves in oil until tender; remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving. Remove artichokes from water and serve with garlic oil and Dijon mustard. For artichoke novices, here's a brief lesson on how they are eaten: Artichokes are fun to eat. Each leaf has a pricker on the end called a "claw". To eat outer artichoke leaves, pull each leaf from the artichoke by the claw end, then dip the other (soft) end into garlic oil or mustard. Scrape off the soft, edible part from the bottom of the leaf with your teeth, then discard the tough upper leaf. As you come closer to the center of the artichoke, more of the leaf becomes edible. Some people discard most of the outer leaves, and start eating when roughly half of the leaves are a lighter green or yellow color (indicating they're softer). When you finally come to the center or "heart" of the artichoke, the base can be broken into pieces, dipped, and eaten just like the leaves. In fact, when you purchase canned artichoke hearts, the small innermost leaves and the base are what you're getting. For a few dip recipes using blended artichoke hearts, see Chapter 9. from Chapter 10: Appetizers, side dishes, and rice Back to the top Avo Maggie (serves 2) The lime in this drink reminds me a little of margaritas or "maggies". Like maggies, this drink is great with a salted rim or just a dash of salt. To salt a glass' rim, pour 1/4" water into a saucer or plate big enough to dunk the rim. Pour a 1/8" layer of salt onto a second plate. Dip the glass' rim into the water, then immediately dip in salt, turning the glass a little if it needs to pick up more salt. Pour drink into glass and serve. Food you'll need 1 cup pitted and peeled avocado, diced 2 cups cold water, distilled preferred 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 3-4 large ice cubes or 1 cup small ice cubes, optional Dash of salt, optional Preparation (5 minutes) Combine all ingredients in an electric blender and blend until smooth. If desired, add a dash of salt or salt the rims of serving glasses. Serve immediately. from Chapter 11: Drinks Back to the top All content © 1998, 1999 by Pam Rotella. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Back to Pam's vegan vegetarian FUN page Pam's vegan vegetarian cookbook, with vegan vegetarian recipes