Cheesy Potato Skins

Ingredients:
russet potatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper
spring onions
Daiya cheddar style cheese
tomatoes (optional)
Tofutti sour cream (optional)

Directions:
Bake your potatoes. (For mine I made 1 potato for myself. This can be easily adjusted to make as many as you need.) I recommend if you are on a time budget to microwave the potatoes for about 10 minutes or until soft. This will save you an extra 30 minutes. (You can also use an oven but this will take more time.) After potatoes are cooked, slice in half long ways. (Use potholders as they will be very hot!) Using a spoon remove the center of the potato. Leave behind a 1/8'' or so layer in the skins. (I used my leftover potato for mashed potatoes.) Slice thinly one spring onion. Fill the skins with tons of cheese, and a bit of the spring onions. Drizzle some olive oil over them to keep them moist. Bake in a toaster over on 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted an the edges are crisp. For a more awesome result, in the last 5 minutes switch your oven to broil. This will allow the potato and cheese to crisp up. (You may also use a conventional oven for this as well.) Remove, and allow to cool a bit. Top with spring onions, tomatoes, and sour cream. Serve and enjoy!

Perogies

Feel free to substitute with your favorite dairy, egg, and meat free products!

Ingredients:

dough;

1 1/2 cups of flour

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup water
1 spoonful of Tofutti sour cream

1 tsp. salt

 stuffing; (all ingredients can be modified to your taste!)

3 golden potatoes 

a handful of Daiya cheddar style cheese

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 spoonful of Earth Balance

1 tablespoon of parsley

salt
pepper

Tofutti sour cream for dipping

Directions:

Mashed potato filling - Wash and peel about 3 golden potatoes. Cut into large chunks. Cook in boiling water for about 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Drain the water and add into a large mixing bowl. Add in 1 spoonful of Earth Balance, and 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk. Add in parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Using a potato masher or hand blender, combine ingredients to desired texture. (I like to use a hand blender to get it very creamy.) Mix in a handful of Daiya cheddar style cheese. Place aside to use for stuffing later. 

Dough - In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, almond milk, water, sour cream, and salt until it has a nice doughy texture. (You can use a mixer if you have one on hand, but it is fine to be mixed by hand.)

Fill a large pot halfway with water. Bring to a light bubble. Add a good amount of flour to your counter top. Using a standard teaspoon, scoop a spoonful of dough onto your floured surface. Knead/roll into a thin round patty. (About 3'') Place a spoonful of your stuffing onto the middle of your dough. Fold the dough into a half circle and using a fork seal the edges together. (If the edges don't stick, add a drop of water to the dough to moisten it a bit.) Use a spatula to remove your perogies from the counter and into the boiling water so you don't make a hole in them. Cook for about 10 minutes or until your perogies are tender and float. Strain your pergoies using a skimmer or strainer. Heat a pan with enough oil to cover the surface on medium-low. Place perogies in the pan and cook on both sides until lightly golden brown. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, and enjoy!

Lasagna

 

Feel free to substitute with your favorite dairy, egg, and meat free products!

Ingredients: 

marinara sauce;

  4 cloves of garlic

1/2 of a large yellow onion

1 tbs. oil

1/4 cup water

4 tbs. tomato paste

  4 large 'on-the-vine' tomatoes

4 tsp. salt

1 tbs. oregano

1 tbs. fine ground black pepper

10 leaves of fresh basil

no boil lasagna noodles

2 packs of mozzeralla style Teese

Gimme Lean beef style grounds

oil

onion powder

garlic powder

salt

pepper

Directions:
Marinara Sauce - (This recipe makes more sauce than you need for your lasagna. I recommend freezing the remaining sauce in a freezer safe bag if you don't plan to use it all immediately.) Heat a small pot on low-medium with 1 tbs. of oil in it. Finely dice your garlic, onions, basil, and tomatoes. Add your garlic and onions to the pot. Cook for about 5-10 minutes until the onions and garlic are soft. (Try not to brown them, but rather cook them slowly.) Add in your oregano, diced tomatoes, and basil. Also add in salt, pepper, tomato paste, and 1/4 cup of warm water. Cook for another 15-20 minutes on medium-high. Using a hand blender or food processor, puree your sauce. (If you cannot do this you can just enjoy it as a chunkier sauce.)

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Put a layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of your Pyrex or baking dish. Put a layer of noodles, then cheese and 'meat'. Continue this process to the top of your baking dish ending with a layer of noodles, then sauce and cheese only. Make sure the lasagna has a good bath of sauce around it. Sprinkle a bit of fresh oregano on top (optional). Bake for 45-60 minutes, until noodles are soft, and cheese is melted. Allow to cool. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Ravioli with Creamy White Wine Beefless Mushroom Sauce

Feel free to substitute with your favorite dairy, egg, and meat free products!

Ingredients:
ravioli (the ones I used were made at Whole Foods)
1/4 cup white wine
water
1/2 package of Gardein beefless tips
5-6 button mushrooms
Tofutti sour cream
flour
salt
pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
oil

Directions:
Cook ravioli according to package. (Or make your own!) Slice your button mushrooms in thin strips. Next brown half a package of beefless tips in a pan with the mushrooms and a splash of oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. And a generous sprinkle of onion and garlic powder. Cook for about 5-10 minutes or until mushrooms and beef tips are soft and browned. Add in a light sprinkle of flour over the ingredients. Allow to simmer for 2 more minutes. Next add about 1/4 cup of white wine into the pan, along with a spoonful of Tofutti sour cream. Add in 1/4-1/2 cup of warm water as well. Simmer, and allow sauce to thicken stirring regularly. If sauce doesn't begin to thicken add a small sprinkle more of flour. Allow to cool and thicken more for a few minutes. Serve over your ravioli and enjoy!

Stromboli with Homemade Marinara

Feel free to substitute with your favorite dairy, egg, and meat free products!

Ingredients:
dough;
1 pack of dry active yeast (1/4 oz.)
2 1/2 cups of unbleached flour
1 cup of warm water
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. oil 

marinara sauce;

4 cloves of garlic
1/4 of a large yellow onion
1 tbs. oil
1/2 cup AND 1 tbs. water
2 tbs. tomato paste
2 large 'on-the-vine' tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fine ground black pepper
10 leaves of fresh basil

stuffing;
(all ingredients can be modified to your taste!)
3 button mushrooms
1 handful of baby arugula
loads of Daiya mozzarella style cheese
3 slices of Smart Deli baked ham style
a few tbs. of marinara sauce

Directions:

Marinara Sauce - (This recipe makes more sauce than you need for your stromboli. I recommend freezing the remaining sauce in a freezer safe bag if you don't plan to use it all immediately.) Heat a small pot on low-medium with 1 tbs. of oil in it. Finely dice your garlic, onions, basil, and tomatoes. Add your garlic and onions to the pot. Also add 1 tsp. of water. Cook for about 5-10 minutes until the onions and garlic are soft. (Try not to brown them, but rather cook them slowly.) Add in your diced tomatoes, and basil. Also add in salt, pepper, tomato paste, and 1/2 cup of warm water. Cook for another 10 minutes on medium-high. Using a hand blender or food processor, puree your sauce. (If you cannot do this you can just enjoy it as a chunkier sauce.) Put aside to use for your stromboli later, or as a delightful dipping sauce!

Dough - (This dough recipe it also great for making pizza!) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl combine the yeast, and 1 cup of very warm water. Stir and let sit for about 10-15 minutes. Next combine flour, salt, and oil and knead together with a large spoon, or your hands. Fold the dough over and over until the flour mixes in, then allow to sit for 5 minutes. Coat your counter top in flour, and roll out or knead out the dough into a large oval shape like this, making it very flat. Place the dough on a greased baking sheet or pizza stone. Fill half of the dough with your favorite stuffing. Fold the dough over and pinch the edges in tightly to seal the stromboli. Rub oil over the top of the stromboli to give the top a golden crust. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Parsley Potatoes and Juicy Yellow Squash

Feel free to substitute with your favorite dairy, egg, and meat free products!

Ingredients:
2 small yellow squash
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 of an onion
1 red potato (or your favorite potato)
parsley
oil
earth balance

salt
pepper

Directions:
Potatoes - In a pot bring a few cups of water to boil. (Enough water to cover the potatoes.) Dice up your potato into thick chunks. Add a dash of salt to the water, along with the potato chunks. Allow to boil for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are slightly soft. Drain water, and put back into the pot. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Also mix in a few hefty tablespoons of parsley, and a bit of earth balance. (Add enough parsley to coat all the potato chunks.)

Yellow Squash - In a small frying pan heat a splash of oil on low-medium. Thinly slice your yellow squash width wise. Dice up your onion and cloves of garlic. Brown lightly the onions and garlic. Add in the squash, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover for 10-15 minutes or until the squash is soft.

Serve and enjoy!

Italian Style Stuffed Poblano

Feel free to substitute with your favorite dairy, egg, and meat free products!

Ingredients:
1 poblano pepper
1 tomato
1 spring onion
1 Tofurky Italian sausage
vegan mozzarella style shreds
oil
salt
pepper
basil leaves (optional)

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Dice your tomato, 'sausage', and onion. In a pan add a splash of olive oil (or your favorite oil), and put on medium heat. Add in your diced up ingredients and cook until sausage is browned, and tomatoes are very soft. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, add a spoonful of 'cheese', and mix together until melted. Slice your poblano pepper in half long ways, remove seeds, and place in a baking dish. Spoon in your 'sausage' mixture, and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, top the pepper with cheese and broil until the cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve and enjoy!