Ingredients:

Smoky Mustard & Tahini Sauce:

• 1/8 cup spicy brown mustard
• 1 TBS tahini
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/8 cup water
• salt & pepper to taste

Brussels Sprouts:

• 1 lb or more Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 TBS canola oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt (depending on what saltiness you like)
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Preheat a grill with a cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat. Next, make the mustard sauce. Pull all ingredients except the water into a bowl and whisk rapidly until combined. Slowly add water while whisking until the mixture becomes a thick creamy sauce. Add more water if needed to help thin it out a bit.

In a large bowl toss the Brussels sprouts with the canola oil, salt & pepper. Once grill and pan are heated, add sprout mixture and cook stirring and tossing frequently for 3 - 5 minutes or until the sprouts just start to get browned on the edges. Be careful not to overcook, you still want them to have some texture. Pile them neatly onto a serving platter and drizzle with mustard sauce and more fresh cracked black pepper. Makes 4 generous sides.

This week's recipe is about simplicity. Time is precious. Now go hug your spouse, your partner, your kids, your mom, your dad, your brother, your sister, your dogs, your cat, your iguana... you get the idea. Tell them you love them right now. Great, now back to the recipe. This is one of those recipes that you don't even have to get out of your jammies to make. We all have those days. This is about minimal time investment with a huge, delicious return. That sounds good right? Yep it sure is. So make this in the morning, after you have slept in, had your cup of coffee, and are functioning well enough to use a knife. Put it in your crockpot or slow cooker and just hours later you will have some amazing comfort food. This can be served with just about anything. I like mine with a baked potato or alongside rice with a kale salad. Let's see...you could stuff it into a pita, roll it into a wrap, or eat it straight up...Did I mention it's versatile? It also makes great leftovers. Over the long cooking hours the tempeh absorbs the bbq sauce, releasing it as you bite into the perfect juicy and meaty texture. It's easy, simple, comforting, delicious and most of all pretty healthy. My favorite combination Peace and good health to you and yours.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of tempeh, 8 oz each, I used plain soy tempeh
• 16-18 ounces of barbecue sauce, pick something healthy and tasty, mine was agave sweetened
• 1 large sweet onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 cup of water

Directions:

Turn your crockpot on high. Cut the tempeh into 3/4" cubes. I cut it lengthwise into 3 longs strips and then cut those strips into 9 equal pieces. Place tempeh and sliced onion into the crockpot. Add barbecue sauce and water. Stir gently with a wooden or silicone spoon. Place lid on crockpot and let cook for 5-7 hours on high. You can stir occasionally, but it's not really needed. Serves 4-5.

Ingredients:

• 7 large honeycrisp apples, peeled and cored
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest
• 3/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup maple syrup, I used grade A amber
• 1 TBS + 1 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 cups blackberries, I used frozen
• 2-1/2 cups white flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 stick of Earth Balance vegan butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 + 1/8 cup maple syrup, I used grade A amber

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While the oven is preheating, slice the apples in half horizontally, then in 1/3" thick slices vertically and put into a large bowl. Toss with lemon zest and juice. Add the 1/4 cup maple syrup, corn starch, and salt, stirring gently to combine. Next add the blackberries, if using frozen, do not let them thaw before you add them. Again, stirring gently to combine. Pour the mixture into a glass casserole dish. I used a 10.5"w x 1.5"d round quiche dish. Redistribute blackberries by hand if needed so they are evenly distributed. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to push the mixture down to minimize air pockets.

Next, it's time to make the crumble. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Add the cubed Earth Balance. Using your fingers, squeeze the flour mixture and the Earth Balance together over and over until everything is well incorporated. Clean your hands then pour the remaining maple syrup onto the flour mixture. Use a spoon to stir and fold in the maple syrup. You should start to get large crumbs. You want to stir until most of the flour mixture is moist and there is not much dry loose flour left. Use your hands to crumble the mixture on top of the apples and blackberries. I like my crumbles on the large side. They will get crisp in the oven and they are wonderful. Fill the top of the apple mixture with all of the crumble mixture. Do not press down, you want the crumbs to be free-form and loose. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-55 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 15-20 minutes before serving. This gets better the longer it sits. I cover it loosely with aluminum foil and let it sit out on the counter. If you cover it with plastic wrap the crumble will eventually soften. This is best served warm with either vegan whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 TBS canola or olive oil
• 2 lbs of frozen mixed soup vegetables, includes corn, carrots, peas, green beans, etc
• 32 oz vegetable stock or broth
• 2 cups of water
• 6 oz can of tomato paste
• 2 TBS Braggs Liquid Amino Acids
• 1 TBS red wine or Balsamic vinegar
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• 1/2 tsp salt, more or less depending on your stock
• fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large nonstick skillet with deep sides, saute the onions, celery, and potatoes in the oil over medium-high heat stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add the frozen vegetables and put a lid over the skillet, continue cooking another 6-8 minutes until the frozen vegetables are warm. Transfer to a slow cooker and turn on high.

Bring the pan back to the stove and add the stock, water, tomato paste, Braggs, vinegar, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and salt, cooking over medium-high heat. Whisk gently to incorporate the tomato paste. Continue cooking until the mixture is bubbling, about 5-7 minutes. Then add to the vegetables in the slow cooker. Using a silicon or wooden spoon stir in a generous amount of black pepper, I usually add between 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Add the lid and let cook for about 6 hours over high heat, stirring occasionally. Serves 6-8. Please note that you can really use whatever vegetables you have on hand. In the past I have used squash, peppers, cabbage, lima beans, etc. so feel free to improvise.

Ingredients:

Beer-Braised Onions & Garlic:

• 1 - 1/2 large sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 TBS canola oil
• 1 - 1/2 cups of beer, I used a pale ale, add more if needed
• salt & pepper

Horseradish Cream:

• 1/4 cup vegan sour cream
• 1/4 cup Vegenaise
• 1/4 cup horseradish
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

Maple Glazed Seitan:

• 3 TBS Braggs Liquid Aminos
• 1 TBS Balsamic vinegar
• 2 TBS olive oil, divided
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
• 12 oz of seitan, rinsed and patted dry

Remaining Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 sub or torpedo rolls, 6" long, or 2 to 3 long sub rolls, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 large bunch of swiss chard, tough stems removed, sliced into 1" thick ribbons
• salt & pepper

Directions:

First start with the beer-braised onions and garlic. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and some salt & pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden and soft. Add the beer and continue to cook until all of the beer has reduced down and there is not much liquid left in the pan. About 7-10 minutes. Add more beer if you like. Once reduced, remove from heat.

While the onions and garlic are cooking, squeeze the horseradish into your hands to get as much of the moisture out as you can. The combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking gently to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Bring a large pot with an inch of salted water to a boil. Now start on the glaze, in a small bowl add all the ingredients except the seitan and 1 TBS olive oil. Whisk thoroughly until the maple syrup has dissolved. Preheat over med-high a large non-stick skillet with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the dried seitan and cook, stirring often until the seitan starts to turn golden, about 5-7 minutes. Then pour the glaze over top and cook, again stirring often, until the seitan starts to get crispy and all the glaze is absorbed, another 5-7 minutes. While the seitan is cooking, blanch the swiss chard for 4-5 minutes and remove from the boiling water. If you want to keep the bright colors, you can rinse with cook water to stop the cooking process.

Once everything is done, you can assemble the sandwiches. Smear the horseradish spread over top half of the cut rolls. Top the bottom half with a layer of seitan, then add a layer of swiss chard, and finally the beer-braised onions and garlic. Sprinkle on a little salt & pepper. Cut them carefully in half and enjoy! Makes 4-6 small subs or 2-3 longer ones.

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1/2 cup nondairy plain, unsweetened coconut milk, I used SoDelicious (don’t use canned coconut milk)
• 2 TBS cornstarch
• 2 TBS Earth Balance Vegan butter, melted
• 1 TBS nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
• 2 tsp agave syrup, light
• 1 tsp tahini paste
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 6 cups kale, leaves removed from stems, stems discarded
• 1 – 10 oz jar of artichokes in water (about 9 chokes), drained
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup Daiya vegan mozzarella shreds
• Water for Boiling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large deep skillet, bring a couple inches of salted water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, chop the kale leaves into 1/2” strips. Once the water is boiling, drop the kale into the water and cover. Boil for 5 minutes then empty into a colander to drain.

Next, combine all the ingredients from milk to black pepper into a food processor. Process for about one minute to combine. Then, while processor is running, slowly drizzle olive oil in. Let run for about 10 more seconds after the last drop of the oil is in, set aside.

Chop the artichokes by cutting them in half lengthwise, then cutting those pieces across into thirds. Squeeze as much water out of them as you can by hand and place into a large bowl. Next squeeze the blanched kale in your hands to get the water out, do this in batches and place into the bowl with the chokes. Add the minced garlic and mozzarella shreds, stir gently to mix. Now pour the sauce over everything and mix thoroughly to combine. Pour everything into a small casserole dish, mine was about 4”w x 8”d x 2”h. If it’s filled pretty close to the top, as mine was, place the dish onto a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil to catch any drippings. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes until the top is just starting to brown and the middle and edges are bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes, serve with toasted bread or pitas, or tortilla chips. Serves 6-8 as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1/4 cup of rolled oats
• 3/4 cup of rolled oats, ground fine in a food processor
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/8 cup agave syrup, I used light
• 1/8 cup canola oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, or more to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper, then spray the paper with non-stick spray. In a large bowl whisk together the rolled oats, ground oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a medium bowl whisk the banana, agave, oil, and vanilla together. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture. Using a spoon, stir until everything is well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Place a heaping tablespoon of batter for each cookie onto the parchment lined pan, leaving at leaving about 2 inches between the cookies. Press the down on them slightly until they are no more than 1/2" thick. Put 8-10 cookies on each sheet. Bake cookies for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through to make sure they back evenly. They should be just slightly golden around the edges. Let rest on pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Makes 16 - 20 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut flakes, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups non-dairy milk, I used SoDelicious Plain Unsweetened Coconut Milk
• 2 TBS cornstarch
• 1 tsp agar agar flakes
• 1/4 cup agave syrup, I used light
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 - 14.5 ounce can of full fat coconut milk
• vegan whipped cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut flakes onto a cookie sheet and bake for 5 - 7 minutes stirring occasionally until coconut is toasted and golden. Next, in a medium saucepan add non-dairy coconut milk, cornstarch, agar flakes, agave syrup, and salt. Whisk well to combine. Add toasted coconut, reserving a tablespoon or two for garnish. Bring to a slow boil over medium-low heat. Once boiling, cook for 10 minutes whisking often. Place a mesh strainer above a heat proof bowl and pour coconut mixture through to strain. Use a spoon to move coconut flakes around and get all the liquid. Open the can of coconut milk and scoop out the thick cream, being careful to get as little of the coconut water as possible. Add the cream to the bowl with the coconut mixture. Once all the cream is added, whisk very well until everything is incorporated and there are no lumps. Pour mixture into 4 ramekins, small bowls, glasses, or whatever else you have on hand. Each serving is 1/2 cup. Put into the fridge and let chill for 1-2 hours until set. Top with vegan whipped cream and remaining toasted coconut. Makes 4 servings, 1/2 cup each.

Ingredients:

Cornmeal Beer Battered Pickles:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup beer
• 1 tsp agave syrup, I used light
• 1 - 24oz jar thicker sliced dill pickles, I used Woodstock Farms organic dill
• canola oil for frying

Crunchy Slaw:

• 2 cups of coleslaw and red cabbage mix
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/8 cup packed cilantro, minced
• 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp agave syrup, I used light
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt

Chipotle Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Vegenaise
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
• 2 tsp nondairy plain, unsweetened coconut milk, I used SoDelicious
• 1/2 tsp agave syrup, I used light
• 1/2 tsp adobo sauce, add less for a less spicy aioli
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 TBS Olive oil

Remaining Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 sub or torpedo rolls, 6" long, or 2 to 3 long sub rolls
• 2 - 3 large tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
• salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place a large wire cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the batter, whisking well. Add the beer and agave and whisk until smooth. The batter should be like thick pancake batter, if it's too thick add a little more beer. Let rest for 15 - 30 minutes. In the meantime drain the jar of pickles and lay them out in a single layer on multiple sheets of paper towels to dry, cover the tops and pat dry. Set aside. I usually start my oil at this point as it takes awhile to bring it to temperature. In a medium sauce pan with high sides, bring at least 2-3 inches of oil to 350 degrees, over med-high heat.

While the oil is coming to temperature, combine all the slaw ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing gently to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. In a small food processor add all the chipotle sauce ingredients except the olive oil. Process for a minute until smooth. Next, while the processor is still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the sauce is emulsified and creamy, usually takes less than 30 seconds. Cover and set aside.

Once the oil is ready, dip 2-3 pickles at a time in the batter and carefully drop into the oil, let cook 30 seconds to a minute, until the bottom side is golden and then flip. Cook another 30 seconds to a minute and remove to the cooling rack. These cook really quick, by the time you get the 3rd pickle slice in you will be flipping the first one over. Cook this way in batches until at least half the pickles are cooked, then put rack in oven to keep them warm and continue with remaining pickles. Next it's time to assemble the sandwiches. Place the sliced tomatoes on the bottom half of the rolls, top with a little salt and fresh pepper, next add the pickles in a layer as shown in my pictures, then using your hands carefully pile on the slaw. Smear the cut side of the top half of the sandwich with sauce and assemble your beautiful Po' Boys. Cut them carefully in half and enjoy! Makes 4-6 small subs or 2-3 longer ones.

Ingredients:

Vegetable Marinade:

• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp agave syrup, I used light
• 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Garlic Bread:

• 1 baguette loaf, sliced in half lengthwise
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 2 TBS Earth Balance Spread, melted
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

Vegetables (Feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand):

• 1 or 2 baby eggplants, sliced lengthwise 1/4" thick
• 1 or 2 zucchini or summer squash, sliced lengthwise 1/4" thick
• 2 to 3 small sweet or spicy peppers, such as Hungarian, long hots, etc
• 1 or 2 small onions, peeled and ends removed
• 2 small tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
• 12 leaves of fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium heat. While grill is preheating combine all marinade ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse a few times, scraping down as needed, then turn processor on and drizzle in the olive oil until the marinade is emulsified or thickened slightly. Transfer to a bowl. Using a brush (I use a silicone one), coat all the vegetables you are using, except the tomatoes and basil, with the marinade.

For garlic bread, combine the garlic and Earth Balance, brush onto the cut sides of the loaf. Then, using your fingers, sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the cut sides making sure to evenly distribute. Set aside.

Once grill is hot, place vegetables (except tomatoes and basil) on a single layer on the grill and grill a couple minutes each side, flipping to grill both sides. You want the vegetables to be slightly softened with good grill marks. We grill the onions and peppers whole, so they can take a bit longer than everything else. Transfer the veggies as they get done to a platter or cookie sheet. Once they are all grilled, set aside. Next add the garlic bread, cut sides down and grill for a couple minutes until they get nice grill marks, flip and grill other side for another minute or two. Remove from heat.

Next peel the skins off the peppers, remove stems and seeds and cut into 2-3 pieces lengthwise. Slice the grilled onions into 1/4" thick rounds. Now it's time to assemble the sandwich. I usually put the flattest veggies on the bottom, so that would be the eggplant strips, zucchini or squash. Create a single layer to cover the whole base of baguette. Keep layering the grilled veggies onto the sandwich. Then top with the tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and salt and pepper. Put the top of the baguette on the sandwich and carefully slice into 3-4 large sections, I usually involve my elbows to help keep the sandwich together while cutting. Serves 3-4 people.