Vegan Menu Ideas

Shepherd's salad (tomato, cucumber, sweet peppers)

Southwestern corn and bean salad (corn, black beans, tomatoes / salsa)

Pasta with tomatoes and basil

German potato salad

Ratatouille

Ligurian farinata

Turkish green beans

Scalloped Potatoes

1 h 15 m

6 servings

• 6 potatoes, sliced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 pinch paprika, or to taste

Prep15 m
Cook1 h
Ready In1 h 15 m

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 1-quart casserole dish.
Spread about 1/3 of the potatoes into the bottom of the prepared dish. Mix flour and salt together in a bowl; sprinkle about 1/3 of the mixture over the potatoes. Dot potato layer with about 1/3 of the butter. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the onion over the potatoes. Repeat layering twice more.
Stream milk over the potato mixture in the casserole. Sprinkle paprika over everything.
Bake in preheated oven until the top is nicely browned, about 1 hour.

Cream of Celery Soup

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/celery-soup-51246210

YIELDMakes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 chopped head of celery
1 chopped large waxy potato
1 chopped medium onion
1 stick unsalted butter
Salt
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh dill
1/2 cup heavy cream
Celery leaves
Olive oil
Flaky sea salt

PREPARATION

Combine 1 chopped head of celery, 1 chopped large waxy potato, 1 chopped medium onion, and 1 stick unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; season with salt.

Cook, stirring, until onion is tender, 8–10 minutes.

Add 3 cups low sodium chicken broth; simmer until potatoes are tender, 8–10 minutes. Purée in a blender with 1/4 cup fresh dill; strain. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Serve soup topped with celery leaves, olive oil, and flaky sea salt.

Apple Crumble

Ingredients

Filling:

• 4 large Golden Delicious apples (about 3 pounds)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:

• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch fine salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

Directions

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Peel, core, and slice apples into 1/4-inch slices. Place apples in a large mixing bowl and toss with sugar, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon. Pour into a lightly greased 9 by 13-inch baking dish, and spread out into an even layer. Set aside.

In another large bowl, mix together the nuts, flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, gently work in the cold butter until pea-sized lumps are formed.

Top apples evenly with mixture and bake until apples are bubbly and topping is golden brown, about 45 minutes, rotating once halfway through cooking.

Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Recipe courtesy of Dave Lieberman

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/apple-crumble-recipe.html?oc=linkback

German Apple Cake

(this is a fantastic recipe. I used half the sugar + a bit of honey for the scent)

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 3⁄4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup + 1-2 tablespoons honey; cake was plenty sweet, could reduce further) 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour 
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon (used more like 1.5 tablespoons, also added nutmeg)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups peeled chopped apples (chopped approx 1/2 inch dice)
• (I also added a packet of TruLemon for flavor + a handful of raisins) 

Directions

In large bowl, beat eggs and oil until smooth.

Add next 6 ingredients and mix well.

Fold in apples.

Pour into greased 9 by 13 pan. (I used two smaller pans and bake time was still the same; very moist cake)

Bake at 350F degrees for 50-55 minutes.

Torta di Riso

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
3 cups chopped leeks
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked spinach, squeezed dry
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush a pie plate with 1 tablespoon olive and dust with 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir leeks with a pinch of salt in hot oil until leeks are soft and sweet, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir garlic into leeks and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir leek mixture, rice, spinach, 3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, eggs, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Transfer spinach-rice mixture to the prepared pie dish and smooth the surface with a spatula; dust the top with remaining 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until torta is lightly browned around the outside and firm to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes.

*** Notes: I doubled the recipe, used different vegetables (1 large red pepper, 1 large green pepper; about 2 cups of peas, 1 large onion in place of leeks), and subbed some shredded cheese for about half of the parmesan. I also added some milk (w/o measuring) since the rice looked too dry. It probably totaled about 1/2 cup to 1 cup. The results were very good. I think the dish would have been much too dry without the milk. 

Shakshuka Recipes

New York Times Version

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 (28-ounce) can whole plumtomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped
¾ teaspoon salt, more as needed
¼ teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
6 large eggs
Chopped cilantro, for serving
Hot sauce, for serving


PREPARATION
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in crumbled feta.
Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce.

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Dave Leibovitz's Shakshuka

3 to 4 servings

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi and Secrets of the Best Chefs by Adam Roberts.

I’ve made Shakshuka a number of ways; in individual baking dishes, so everyone gets their own portion, to using a large skillet, so folks can eat communally. I’ve given indications for how to do both.

Because everyone likes their eggs cooked differently (which is why when I was cooking in restaurants, I refused to work breakfast shifts – talk about stress!), keep an eye on the Shakshuka as its cooking and use the times indicated as guidelines; various factors can affect cooking times and it’s hard to say precisely how long they will cook. When served, the eggs should be still runny so that the yolks mingle with the spicy sauce.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 – 1 chile pepper (or to taste), stemmed, sliced in half and deseeded, finely diced/minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 pounds (1kg) ripe tomatoes, cored and diced, or two 14-ounce cans of diced or crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon red wine or cider vinegar
• 1 cup (20g) loosely packed greens, such as radish greens, watercress, kale, Swiss chard, or spinach, coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces (about 1 cup, 115g) feta cheese, cut in generous, bite-sized cubes
• 4 to 6 eggs

1. In a wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and wilted. Add the chile pepper, the salt, pepper, and spices. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly, to release their fragrance.

2. Add the fresh or canned tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, and vinegar, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened somewhat but is still loose enough so that when you shake the pan it sloshes around. (Fresh tomatoes may take a little longer to cook than canned.) Stir in the chopped greens.

3. If you want to finish the Shakshuka on the stovetop, turn off the heat and press the cubes of feta into the tomato sauce. With the back of a spoon, make 6 indentations in the sauce. Crack an egg into each indentation, then drag a spatula gently through the egg whites so it mingles a bit with the tomato sauce, being careful not to disturb the yolks.

Turn the heat back on so the sauce is at a gentle simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, taking some of the tomato sauce and basting the egg whites from time-to-time. Cover, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

4. To finish them individually, preheat the oven to 375ºF (180ºC.) Divide the sauce into 6 baking dishes and press the feta cubes into the sauce. Set the baking dishes on a baking sheet, make an indentation in each, and crack and egg into the center. Bake until the eggs are cooked to your liking, basting the whites with some of the sauce midway during baking, which will take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes – but begin checking them sooner to get them just right. If the yolks begin to get a little firm on top before the whites are cooked, drape a sheet of foil over them, but avoid having it touch the yolks.

Serve with lots of crusty bread for scraping up the sauce.

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Saveur's Version
This classic Israeli breakfast, a dish of Libyan origin, can be served as a main course for any meal of the day.

SERVES 4-6

Ingredients

• 5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
• 8 eggs
• 1⁄2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Warm < a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Pita-Bread">pita, for serving
• 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1⁄2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 20 minutes. Season sauce with salt.
Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce's surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pita, for dipping.

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The Simplest Recipe...

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1 cup cubed tofu or feta (optional)
6 eggs
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, roughly diced
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 lbs fresh tomatoes, unpeeled and cut in quarters, or one 28 oz can

Directions

Place the tomatoes, garlic, salt, paprika, tomato paste, and vegetable oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, over low heat until thick, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle the tomato sauce into a greased 12″ frying pan. Bring to a simmer and break the eggs over the tomatoes. Gently break the yolks with a fork. If adding feta, tofu, and parsley, sprinkle them on top. Cover and continue to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the eggs are set. Bring the frying pan directly to the table. Set it on a trivet and spoon out the shakshuka.

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Einat Admony's Recipe (Taim and Balaboosta Chef / Owner)

EPICURIOUS FEBRUARY 2014

In Israel the word shakshuka is synonymous with breakfast. It's best with a slice or two of challah bread to sop up the juices. This is a version of my dad's recipe, except that he used to mix the eggs together, because my older sister refused to eat the egg whites. Here is the recipe I prefer.

YIELD: Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
• 1 large jalapeño chile, cored, seeded, and chopped
• 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground caraway
• 1/2 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped, or spinach
• 8 to 12 large eggs

PREPARATION

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the bell peppers and jalapeño and cook just until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and sauté for another 2 minutes.

2. Slowly pour in the tomatoes. Stir in the bay leaf, sugar, salt, paprika, cumin, pepper, and caraway and let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes. Layer the Swiss chard leaves on top.

3. Crack the eggs into the tomato mixture. Cover and simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the whites of the eggs are no longer translucent.

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Pea Soup

Ingredients

3T butter or olive oil
1 head butter lettuce, chopped
2 lbs petite frozen pean
4 C water or water & vegetable broth
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
fresh chopped thyme
hot sauce (optional)
croutons for garnish

Directions

Heat the oil in large pot over medium heat. Add lettuce and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes
Add peas, cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add liquid, thyme, and hot sauce, simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.
Puree with stick blender. Add salt and pepper.
It's amazing how these few ingredients make such a good soup.

Irish Potato Pancakes (Boxty)

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake that contains a mixture of mashed and grated potatoes, resulting in a unique texture that’s part pancake, part hash brown. While suitable on an Irish breakfast or supper table, boxty pairs well with so many cuisines. For example, try topping it with smoked salmon and crème fraîche for a fun twist on blini.

2 pounds (3 to 4 large) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt, plus more for seasoning the potatoes before cooking
1 large egg
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

1Heat the oven to 200°F.
2Chop half of the potatoes into large dice, place in a medium saucepan, salt generously, and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the potatoes uncovered until fork tender, about 8 minutes.
3Meanwhile, grate the remaining potatoes on the large holes of a box grater. Toss with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and place in a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl; set aside.
4When the boiled potatoes are ready, drain them, return them to the pot, add 1/4 cup of the milk, and mash until the potatoes are smooth.
5With a plastic spatula, press the grated potatoes against the sides and bottom of the strainer to remove any liquid. Add the grated potatoes to the mashed potatoes (no need to stir though).
6Place the egg, remaining 1/2 cup milk, flour, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the potatoes and stir until evenly incorporated.
7Heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Test to see if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling a couple of drops of cold water in it: If the water bounces and sputters, the pan is ready to use; if it evaporates instantly, the pan is too hot.
8Once the pan is ready, add enough butter to lightly coat the bottom when melted. Drop 3 dollops (about 1/4 cup each) of the batter into the pan and spread each to about 1/4 inch thick. Cook until the pancake bottoms are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes more. Place on a baking sheet and set in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter. Serve warm.

Ligurian Farinata

Ingredients:

• 250 g (2.72 cups) chickpea flour
• 700 ml (3 cups) water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt

1. Put the chickpea flour in a bowl and add the water very slowly, a little at a time, stirring continuously with a fork in order to avoid clumps. (Be patient. I used to dump all the water in at once and spend ten minutes smashing all the clumps with a fork.)
2. Let the batter rest for one hour.
3. Add oil and salt and mix well.
4. Pour into one or two pans (depending on the size of the pans) which have been greased with oil. The batter should be around two-thirds of a centimeter high.
5. Bake between 210-300°C (410-572°F), depending on how hot your oven gets, for around twenty minutes but the time varies. Check it frequently. When the top is golden and the edges start to brown and come away from the sides of the pan, but the inside is still soft (not too soft and raw but not too solid and cooked either- check with a fork), then it is done.
6. Eat it right away with ground black pepper on top.

Update: serves four. If I make the entire recipe, I pour the batter into two 10 x 11.5″ (25 x 29 cm) pans, to give you an idea of how much batter should go into one pan (if there is too much batter, the farinata is too high and doesn’t turn out right). I usually cook for two, halve this recipe, and use one pan.

Farinata goes well with rosemary, so feel free to add a sprig of fresh rosemary to the batter while it’s resting and then take it out, or add fresh or dried rosemary to the batter and leave it there while baking. There are also many versions of farinata, with “toppings” added to the batter a bit like pizza. You can experiment (zucchini goes very well), but I’ve never felt much need since the traditional recipe is so good.

It’s not as good leftover, but if made right I doubt you’ll have much trouble finishing it.

Buon appetito!

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Ligurian Farinata (Savory Italian Pancake or Flatbread)

Prep Time: 8 mins
Total Time: 23 mins
Serves: 1, Yield: 1 Farinata

"Every Italian region has its comfort food, its local dish imbued with memories, tradition, and nostalgia. In Liguria, the region flanking Genoa along Italy's northwest coast, that dish is Farinata. A deceptively simply street food, Farinata is somewhat like a large chickpea crepe. Crisp and golden on the top, soft and moist on the inside, glistening with fragrant olive oil on the bottom, Farinata is a finger-lickin' food that nourishes the soul. Farinata, just like pizza, can be stuffed or garnished with any vegetable, cheese, or sauce; Or it can be eaten plain, right out of the oven!"

Ingredients

2/3 cup italian chickpea flour
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3/4 cup mineral water
rosemary (optional)

Directions

In a large bowl, add the flour to the water, a little at a time, mixing and seasoning with salt until all of the flour and water has been absorbed; Add Optional Rosemary at this point.

Let it rest for 4 hours (Or even better overnight).

After this time, a layer of foam will have developed on the surface - Scrape it off with a spoon.

Add the olive oil and remove the Rosemary (Optional) - Stir until all the Oil is absorbed.

Pour into an olive oil well greased baking pan - the right one is called testo, made of "tinned copper" It should be about an eighth of an inch thick, perhaps a little more - a small deep dish Pizza pan will do (We used an iron skillet).

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Remove from the oven when one of the corners (or the edge) starts to appear dark and has turned a golden color.

Sprinkle plenty of pepper and eat immediately.

***It is of paramount importance that the pan is perfectly flat and level when in the oven, otherwise one of the corners will be thicker and will be undercooked when the opposite corner starts to darken. It tends to stick if you do not use enough oil. Also use parchment paper.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 2 cups watermelon, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large tomato
• 1 serrano chili (or sub red chili powder to taste)
• 2 tbs vinegar (cider + balsamic)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbs chopped cilantro
• 1/2 green bell pepper 
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• salt to taste 

Reserve 1/4 cup diced watermelon. Blend remaining ingredients until mostly smooth with small chunks or per your preference. Serve garnished with diced watermelon.

Grilled Chipotle Lime Cauliflower Steaks

Grilled Chipotle Lime Cauliflower Steaks
Serves 4 to 6


2 large heads cauliflower
1/4 cup olive oil
2 limes, zested and juice
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, to serve

Remove the leaves on each cauliflower head and trim the stem end until you can set the cauliflower flat on the cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife to trim off the sides, then cut the cauliflower into 3 to 4 thick "steaks." Reserve the florets that fall away for another recipe.

Whisk the olive oil with the lime juice in a small bowl. Whisk in the grated garlic and honey or agave syrup. In a separate bowl, mix the lime zest, paprika, chipotle, and salt.

Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high. Brush one side of each cauliflower steak with the olive oil mixture and sprinkle generously with the chipotle powder mixture. Place the seasoned side down on the hot grill. Brush the tops with the olive oil mixture and season with the chipotle mix.

Cover the grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and carefully flip the cauliflower. Cook covered for an additional 5 minutes or until done to your desired texture.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
Recipe Notes
Final cooking time will depend on how thick you cut the steaks, and on your particular grill. I cooked mine at high heat until well grilled on the outside, but still a little snappy inside.

Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese from Scratch

Version 1
4-6 Servings

10-12 ounces pasta (macaroni, shells, etc...)
1⁄4 cup butter
1⁄4 cup flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1-2 dashes black pepper (optional)
1-2 dashes nutmeg (optional)
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded meltable cheese (cheddar, gruyere, jack, etc...)

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook on low heat until roux is just cooked through (no more raw flour taste) and still white or blonde (not yet brown).

Slowly whisk in milk until no lumps remain.

Cook and stir until bubbly.

Remove from heat, stir in cheese a bit at a time until melted.

Drain pasta; add to cheese sauce; stir to coat.


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Version 2

Creamy No-Roux Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 pound pasta, any shape
1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-3 cups shredded cheese, like cheddar, monterey jack, or colby
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
Optional extras (cook before adding): Ham, bacon, onions, peas, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower

Equipment

Pasta pot
Sauce pan
Whisk
Spatula
Instructions

1. Boil the Pasta: Bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil over high heat in the pasta pot. Add the pasta and a tablespoon of salt. Cook until the pasta isal dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Warm the Milk: When the pasta has finished cooking, prepare the cheese sauce. Begin warming 1 cup of the milk in the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and the flour until there are no lumps. When you just start to see tendrils of steam rising from the warming milk, whisk in the milk-and-flour mixture. Continue whisking gently until the milk thickens slightly to the consistency of heavy cream, 3-4 minutes.

3. Make the Cheese Sauce: Turn the heat to low and begin mixing handfuls of cheese into the milk. Stir in the salt and mustard. Stir until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Remove the sauce from heat.

4. Combine the Pasta and Cheese Sauce: In a large serving bowl, combine the pasta and 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Stir to coat the pasta evenly. Add the second half of the sauce and any extra add-ins.

5. Serving and Storing Leftovers: Serve the mac and cheese immediately while still warm. Leftovers will keep for up to a week and can be reheated in the microwave. If the sauce is a little dry after re-heating, mix in a splash of milk to make it creamy again.

Quinoa and Almond Burger

Combining quinoa with raw almonds, these are protein-rich veggie burgers. They are very flavorful without being spicy for little palates. Try serving with sliced avocado.

What you'll need
— 2 cups raw almonds
— 1 small-medium clove garlic, cut
— 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
— 1 tbsp tamari
— 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste or ketchup
— 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
— 1/4 tsp sea salt
— 3/4 cup green onions, sliced
— 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
— 1 1/2 cups cooked/cooled quinoa

What to do
In a food processor, add almonds, garlic, balsamic, tamari, tomato paste, rosemary and salt. Puree until the nuts are very finely ground, and becoming a little sticky. Add green onions and sun-dried tomatoes, and pulse through until the mixture starting to hold. Add quinoa and process/pulse until well incorporated. Remove mixture, shape into patties. Cook on a non-stick skillet over medium heat, 5-6 minutes on each side. Makes about 6 patties.

http://www.todaysparent.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes-kids-will-love/?gallery_page=10#gallery_top

Protein Power Balls / Truffles

What you'll need
— 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
— 1/2 cup coconut flour (or 3/4 cup rolled oats)
— 1/3 cup hemp seeds
— 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
— 1 1/2 cups pitted dates
— 3 tbsp cocoa powder
— 2-3 tbsp chocolate protein powder
— 1/4 tsp sea salt (scant)
— 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

What to do
In a food processor, process the pumpkin seeds, coconut flour, hemp seeds and sunflower seeds until fine and crumbly. Add the dates and process slightly. Add remaining ingredients and process until mixture forms a ball — this will take a few minutes, keep processing! Take small spoonfuls (about 1 tbsp) and roll in balls. Makes 25-28 balls.

Turkish Green Bean Stew

..............................Turkish Green Bean Stew................................
A medium onion (or an equal amount of shallots) diced or grated. Grated is traditional but it makes me cry, so I chop.

Olive oil and unsalted butter, about a tablespoon of each

About three fresh tomatoes, halved, seeded and sliced. You can also use grape or cherry tomatoes cut in quarters. If you like, the tomatoes can be peeled but I like the little "curls" of tomato skin that result from sliced tomatoes that are diced.

About a pound of fresh green beans, French cut or sliced down the middle OR about a pound of frozen green beans, but when I use frozen I don't like the Frenched as well as whole or cut.

A scant teaspoon of sugar.

Salt and pepper to taste

Water (NOT stock or broth!)

Heat olive oil first, then add the butter to melt. Saute the onions in buttered oil until they're transparent and very lightly golden. Add tomatoes and continue to saute until they begin to break down and the peels curl; this could take up to five minutes depending on your heat. Be careful not to brown. Add green beans, sugar, salt and pepper and about 3/4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to a light boil/heavy simmer and cover with a tight fittting lid and cook for 40 minutes. If the lid on your pan allows steam to escape, check every once in a while and add enough water to keep from burning and reduce heat if needed. At the end of the cooking period the liquid should be reduced to a buttery sauce. Serve hot as a side dish to roasted red meats or poulty.

VARIATION: Add some finely cut fresh lamb (NOT ground!) when you're sauteeing the onions, then proceed with the rest of the recipe. American and New Zealand lamb is so mild it doesn't come up to Turkish or Greek lamb in flavor, so be sure to include all the lamb fat up to half meat and half fat to maximize flavor. The ratio of meat to green beans (before cooking for both) should be about five parts of green beans to one part of lamb max. This makes a delicious main dish with a rice or bulgur pilaf and a salad of sliced tomatoes with olive oil and chopped fresh mint and dill.