Soups are a great meal in the colder months and a matzo ball soup is a traditional comfort food that will satisfy vegans and omnivores alike. That is why today we’re sharing with you a vegan matzo ball vegetable soup recipe that can even be made gluten free. This great recipe idea comes from Jennifer Strohmeyer via One Green Planet, an amazing resource for all things vegan.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8)

For the vegetable soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or other healthy vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1 32-ounce carton vegetable broth
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced
• 6 to 8 medium carrots, sliced
• Handful of celery leaves
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning blend, or use a Kosher for Passover brand
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, or to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the vegan matzo balls

• 1 cup quinoa flakes
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup matzo meal (see gluten-free variation, below)
• 1/4 cup light vegetable oil (such as safflower)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• A few grindings of black pepper
• Pinch of onion and garlic powder, optional

PREPARATION

For the vegetable soup

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and celery and sauté over medium heat until golden
2. Add the broth, potato, carrots, celery leaves, seasoning blend, and 2 cups water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then cover and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Stir in the dill, then season with salt and pepper. If time allows, let the soup stand for several hours off the heat to develop flavor. It can also be made a day in advance.
4. Just before serving, bring to a simmer. Adjust consistency with more water if needed be, and taste to adjust seasonings. Add warmed matzo balls to individual servings of soup.

For the vegan matzo balls

1. In a large mixing bowl, cover quinoa flakes with the water. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the matzo meal along with the oil, and mix until well blended. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
3. Just before baking, preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
4. Roll the matzo meal mixture into approximately 1 -inch balls; don’t pack them too firmly. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, carefully turning matzo balls after 10 minutes, until firm to the touch; don’t let them brown.
6. If making ahead of time, let the matzo balls cool completely. then cover until needed. Warm them briefly in a medium oven and distribute them among the soup bowls, allowing 3 or 4 matzo balls per serving.

Gluten-Free Option:

• Substitute 1 1/4 cups quinoa flakes for the matzo meal. Don’t add them to the original quantity of quinoa flakes; this is a separate measure to use dry. A bit more is needed than the quantity of matzo meal for the purpose, as the quinoa flakes are less dense.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

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For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed. 

Miratel Solutions is a PCI certified Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting, direct mail fundraising, data breech response and other call centre services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.

Shepherd’s Pie is a sort of casserole with a layer of cooked meat (traditionally lamb or mutton) and a few vegetables topped with mashed potatoes and baked in the oven until browned. This hearty meal comes to us from England and is the perfect colder weather food fare. Our recipe today is a twist on this delicious dish by making it vegan and putting it all between two tortillas – fusion at its best. This innovative and tasty recipe comes courtesy of Margaux Mouton of Marfig’s Munchie’s via One Green Planet. If you haven’t checked out either website yet, head on over now for a read – I’m sure you’ll love them.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2-4)

FOR THE SWEET POTATO FILLING:

• 2 cups peeled, sliced and steamed sweet potato
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 garlic cloves, roasted (optional)
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Melty vegan cheese (optional)

FOR THE SMOKY LENTIL HUMMUS:

• 1 cup cooked brown lentils
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Big grinds of black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Cumin, to taste

FOR THE REST:

1. 2 cups steamed mixed vegetables
2. 2 large tortilla wraps or toasted bread (gluten-free if desired)

PREPARATION

1. In a high-speed blender or food processor, blend your sweet potato spread ingredients until smooth, adding more or less spices to taste.
2. Clean our your blender/food processor and blend all hummus ingredients together.
3. Preheat the pan to medium heat with non-stick spray or a touch of coconut oil.
4. Toast your tortilla wraps lightly on each side to just heat them up.
5. Remove from pan onto plate whilst you assemble and heat up the next tortilla.
6. Spread the sweet potato blend on one-half of the wrap, leaving a cm or so along the edges so it doesn’t spill out.
7. Scoop half your vegetables onto the sweet potato spread and then smear some lentil hummus on the other half of the wrap.
8. Fold in half and press down so the ends are covered, then place back onto your plan and fry for a few minutes a side until browned and slightly crispy.
9. Slice and serve warm with tomato sauce, vegan mayonnaise, or a drizzle of tahini.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

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For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed. 

Miratel Solutions is a PCI certified Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting, direct mail fundraising, data breech response and other call centre services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.

Soups are a classic comfort food during the colder months. Today we’re bringing you a vegan and gluten free version of the classic French Onion soup with a twist; French onion, fennel, and green lentil soup. This great recipe (and idea) comes from One Green Planet, an amazing resource for all things good for the planet like being vegan

INGREDIENTS

Caramelized Onions:

• 4 yellow or white onions
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)
• Sea salt to taste

Soup:

• 4 yellow or white onions
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for fennel stalks) plus 1/4 cup (for the caramelized onions)
• 1 1/2 cup French green lentils
• 8 cups filtered water
• 2 sprigs plus 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup fennel stalks
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 vegetable bouillon cube (salt-free)
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine (I used Albarino)
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Optional:

• Toasted French bread
• Meltable vegan cheese

PREPARATION

To Make the Caramelized Onions:

1. Start by caramelizing the onions. Cut the ends off the onions then cut in half, remove the skin and slice thin slices into half circles, add to a large straight side pan. Sweat the onions on med heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will remove the water and form a golden crust on the pan called “fond.” You will want to use a wooden spoon to scrape the pan with.
2. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil, deglaze by scraping the pan and stir to combine the golden fond. Turn heat to med-low for 20 more minutes stir a couple of times but not too much, you want the fond to occur, this gives it its golden color and flavor.

To Make the Soup:

1. Add 1 tablespoon of wine and deglaze then let sit for 10 minutes
2. Add 2 more tablespoons of wine, deglaze and let cook for 10 more minutes, then add 1 more tablespoon of wine, deglaze and turn off the heat. They should be dark golden in color. If they aren’t, cook a bit longer and deglaze again with a tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with salt.
3. In a large soup pot combine the lentils, water, two sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil then turn to medium-low for 15-20 minutes (use a timer) until lentils are soft but slightly firm then remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
4. While the lentils are cooking, cut the stalks off the fennel bulb and cut into thin slices starting where the frond are attached to the bulb and measure out a cup.
5. In a saute pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-low heat add the fennel stalks and garlic then saute until the garlic starts to turn golden.
6. Add the tarragon, 2 tablespoons of thyme and bullion cubes to the fennel stalks, mash the bouillon, and stir everything together then add 1 tablespoon of wine to deglaze the pan.
7. Stir the stalks until they start to get sticky and turn golden then add the remaining tablespoon of wine, deglaze and cook for a couple of minutes. Add to lentils and add a tablespoon of water to the pan and scrap all the flavors out and add to the lentils.
8. Add the onions to the lentils and do the same as above with 1 tablespoon of water scraping all the flavors out of the pan.
9. Lastly, add the lemon juice, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper and cook until it is hot and all the flavors combine.
10. Serve as is, or ladle some soup into an oven safe bowl and top with toasted French bread and grated vegan cheese. Put it under the broiler until it turns golden and bubbly on top.

This soup makes a wonderful main course on a cold winter night, or use a smaller portion as a starter for a dinner party. If serving as a main course you’ll want to make use of the optional addition of French bread and serve along side a salad.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

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For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed. 

Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting and direct mail fundraising services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.

Most popular chocolate bars are made of milk chocolate so they are not vegan and never is this more apparent than around Halloween. In the spirit of Halloween, we thought we would feature a recipe for a traditional chocolate bar made vegan like today’s Healthier Peanut Butter Twix. According to the chef who created this great recipe, “It’s the month of candy, and sadly Twix bars are not vegan! But this recipe completely satisfies your Twix-y cravings while upping the ante with peanut butter. These bars are surprisingly easy to make and also gluten-free! You’ll find that the most difficult part is waiting for the chocolate to set.” This delicious recipe comes courtesy of Amanda Smith of Create N Plate via the always inspiring One Green Planet.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE COOKIE LAYER:

• 1 cup gluten-free coconut flour
• 3/4 cup gluten-free oats
• 1/4 cup brown rice syrup
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

FOR THE REST:

• 2 cups dates
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 7 ounces vegan dark chocolate

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE COOKIE LAYER:

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor. Blend until mixture is combined.
2. Press into a pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE TWIX BARS:

1. Place dates in food processor. Pulse a few times until they’re chopped up. Slowly begin to add water. Start with 1/2 cup — how much water you use will depend on how gooey your dates are.
2. Continually add water while blending until a smooth paste is formed. Add in peanut butter and blend until mixed.
3. Pour mixture into 6×9-inch pan. Place in freezer and allow to set up for 8 hours or overnight.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Remove bars from freezer and slice into long pieces, just like a candy bar.
5. Melt 8 ounces of dark chocolate and dip bars into the chocolate; coating them completely.
6. Place them on the baking sheet and into the refrigerator to set up. Serve.

NOTES

• Can be kept in the refrigerator for up to seven days or in the freezer for a few weeks.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

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For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed.  Miratel Solutions is a PCI certified Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting, direct mail fundraising, data breach response and other call centre services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.

Soup is a definite warming and satisfying meal option. Especially when it’s a meal in a bowl like today’s Italian wedding soup with white bean balls. According to the chef who created this delicious recipe, “This recipe is (a) traditional mixed with creativity and it’s just so delicious. This soup is guaranteed to make everyone in your family fall in love with it.” This incredible recipe comes courtesy of the very talented Maria Koutsogiannis of Food by Maria, a truly amazing website full of inventive vegan recipes and incredible food images via the always reliable One Green Planet.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

FOR THE BALLS:

• 1-14 ounce can white beans, drained and strained
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill and parsley
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs (or gluten-free bread crumbs)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon basil powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

FOR THE SOUP:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, ribboned, use a vegetable peeler
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed or crushed or finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup fresh dill
• 1/4 cup fresh thyme
• 8 cups vegetable stock, unsalted
• 3/4 cup acini de pepe (a grain-like type of pasta)

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE BALLS:

1. Into a food processor add all the ingredients and blend till completely combined. You want it to be sticky but well blended. You will have to stop a few times to scrape down the sides.
2. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, cover with parchment and let sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
3. Before removing from fridge preheat your oven to 375°F.
4. Remove mixture from fridge, roll into 2 inch balls and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper – you can spray your parchment with a bit of coconut oil.
5. Cook for 30 minutes turning balls halfway through – you want them to look like they’ve been boiled, not baked (aka not too golden).

TO MAKE THE SOUP:

1. Into a large pot add your olive oil and let it heat up for a few seconds.
2. Add your onions and carrots and let them sweat down on medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
3. Turn your heat to high and add your garlic, salt and pepper. Stir for a few seconds.
4. Now add your wine and fresh herbs. Your house is now smelling fabulous and you are becoming increasingly excited to eat this soup!
5. Let the wine cook down for about 5 minutes and then add your stock and bring it to a boil. Once boiling add your Acini De Pepe and let it cook on low heat for around 10 minutes.
6. At the last minute add your spinach and add your balls to the soup.
7. Serve with fresh dill and a few drops of lemon!

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

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For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed.  Miratel Solutions is a PCI certified Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting, direct mail fundraising, data breech response and other call centre services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.

Making your Thanksgiving vegan doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a flavourful and decadent meal. That’s why today we’re sharing The Best Green Bean Casserole from FatFree Vegan Kitchen, an amazing Lentil and Mushroom Loaf with Savoury Potato Filling from the Heathen Vegan and a you’ll-never-know-it’s-vegan Pumpkin Pie from The Kind Life. Click on the links throughout this post for the full recipes including directions for these great recipes from these exceptional vegan resources.

The Best Green Bean Casserole Ingredients

• Beans
• 2 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon table salt (Alanna says it’s essential)
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

Sauce

• 10 ounces mushrooms (I used a combination of regular button mushrooms and shiitake)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• generous pinch cayenne pepper (had to add it for the New Orleanians)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth (I used Imagine’s No-Chicken)
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry (Alanna’s brilliant addition)
• 3/4 cup soy creamer (or try full-fat unsweetened soymilk)

Topping

• 1 1/2 slices whole grain bread
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 3-ounce can of French fried onions

Please visit FatFree Vegan Kitchen for the complete directions.

Lentil and Mushroom Loaf with Savoury Potato Filling Ingredients

• 1 cup Raw Lentils
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 6 ounces white Mushrooms
• 5 ounces (l/2 package) thawed frozen Spinach
• 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Wheat Germ
• freshly ground Pepper to taste
• dash Nutmeg

Filling

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 medium chopped Onion
• 1/4 cup dry Bread crumbs (I make my own and use 5 seed whole meal bread – about 2 slices)
• 1 cup coarsely mashed Potato (from about 1 medium cooked and peeled potato)
• ½ teaspoon each: seasoned Salt, dried Thyme, and dried Sage
• freshly ground Pepper to taste
• curly Parsley for garnish

Please visit the Heathen Vegan for the full details on the delicious recipe.

Pumpkin Pie Ingredients

• can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin 1 na
• maple syrup 0.5 cup
• salt 0.5 tsp
• ground cinnamon 1 tsp
• ground ginger 0.5 tsp
• ground cloves 0.25 tsp
• ground allspice
• optional 1 tsp
• ground nutmeg
• optional 0.5 tsp
• cornstarch to firm up the pie filling 3 tbsp
• package (10-12 ounces) silken/soft tofu 1 na
• 9-in unbaked vegan pie shell 1 na

Please visit The Kind Life for the full recipe details.

Serve these great dishes with a big green salad and some crusty bread. These recipes prove that you can have an amazing plant based meal on any occasion (even one where the food is centered around a mass turkey slaughter).

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting and direct mail fundraising services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.

Finding elegant and delicious vegan dishes for special occasions or just for something different on a weeknight isn’t difficult. Polenta is a simple dish that can easily be a staple in your diet and can help switch things up from yet another pasta dish. That’s why tonight we’re making vegan portobello mushroom steaks with cheesy rosemary polenta. This dish comes from One Green Planet, an amazing resource for all things good for the planet like being vegan.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

For the Mushrooms:

• 4 portobello mushrooms caps
• Sea salt or smoked salt for a grilled flavor, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Coconut oil, for cooking
• Approximately 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar per mushroom

For the Polenta:

• 2 cups of corn grits (pre-soaked for at least an hour is best)
• 6 cups water
• 4 tablespoons vegan butter
• A sprig of rosemary (do not chop)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

For the Garnish:

• Balsamic reduction
• Fresh rosemary sprigs

PREPARATION

1. In a pot, add 6 cups of water and the cornmeal/grits. Leave to soak for 1-4 hours, for texture.
2. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes, then add a sprig of rosemary. Stir every few minutes to prevent burning on the bottom.
3. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until all the liquid is soaked in.
4. Heat the grill, stovetop grill or skillet till the oil sizzles, then add the seasoned portobello mushrooms.
5. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on each mushroom and let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
6. Flip the Portobellos, drizzle more balsamic and cook until desired (rare, medium, or well-done).
7. Remove from stovetop and slice at an angle for presentation.
8. On each plate, smash the polenta into a flat circle shape and then cover with the steaks.

Tip: You can buy instant polenta that takes only 1 or 5 minutes to cook. By buying a faster “instant” polenta, your can cut down the cooking time on this or any polenta dish.

To complete this meal serve the vegan portobello mushroom steaks with cheesy rosemary polenta with a large, raw leafy green salad dressed with balsamic or Italian vinaigrette.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

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For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed. 

Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting and direct mail fundraising services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.

Chickpeas area a delicious and healthy way to get protein regardless if you are a full-time vegan or just trying to cut-down on your meat consumption. They can be seasoned and treated into many delicious recipes like today’s Indian-Spiced Chickpea and Vegetable Cakes. According to the chef who created today’s recipe, “Crisp, flavorful, and incredibly simple. These vegetable cakes are going to be your new edible obsession! The Indian-spiced cakes are packed with bold flavor and wholesome ingredients in each bite! We promise after you take your first nibble of these crunchy cakes with creamy yogurt mint sauce, your taste buds are going to be dancing for joy.” This delicious recipe comes courtesy of Jessica Gavin of Jessica Gavin Culinary Scientist, a great site for interesting recipes (although it is not exclusively vegan) via the always inspiring One Green Planet.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE MINT YOGURT SAUCE:

• 1/2 cup vegan yogurt
• 1 tablespoon mint leaves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

FOR THE CAKES:

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
• 1 cup zucchini, grated
• 1/2 cup carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup green peas, cooked
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chili pepper (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or grape seed oil

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE MINT YOGURT SAUCE:

1. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, mint leaves, green onions, salt, and pepper. Taste and season as desired.

Refrigerate if not serving immediately.

TO MAKE THE VEGETABLE CAKES:

1. In a food processor or blender, pulse chickpeas until a rough puree is formed, about 30 seconds scraping down as needed. You do not want it to be completely smooth purée; it should look mashed with some smaller pieces of beans. This will give the fritters some texture.
2. In a medium sized bowl combine ground chickpeas, zucchini, carrots, peas, garlic, oat flour, flaxseed, turmeric, curry, salt, pepper, and chili pepper. Measure out 3 tablespoons of the mixture and form a ball with your hands, the mixture should stick together as you press together and form it. Press down into a  1/2-inch thick patty, about 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide. This should yield 8 cakes. Place onto a sheet pan as you make each cake.
3. Heat a large sauté or cast iron pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and allow to heat. Add half of the cakes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy on the surface. If your pan is large enough, you can cook all 8 at the same time. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. If needed, add another 1 tablespoon of oil and allow to heat. Cook the rest of the cakes as directed above.
4. Serve vegetable cakes immediately while still warm with mint yogurt sauce.wels before serving.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

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For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed.  Miratel Solutions is a PCI certified Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting, direct mail fundraising, data breech response and other call centre services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.

We just spoke last week about the versatility of cauliflower when we featured a recipe for Sweet Chili Habanero Glazed Cauliflower Wings and today we are further proving that point with today’s Polenta Cauliflower Torta with Roasted Asparagus. According to the chef who created this delicious recipe, “This polenta dish is peppered with rich sautéed cauliflower florets and sweet onions, giving it a wonderfully creamy moist texture. Paired with the ever popular green spears and crunchy toasted hazelnuts, here is a delicious meatless entrée for a celebratory dinner or a side dish for brunch or an elegant buffet.” This incredible recipe comes courtesy of Letty Flatt of Letty’s Kitchen, a wonderful website full of vegan food delights via the always reliable One Green Planet.

INGREDIENTS (serves 10)

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:

• 3 cups coarsely chopped cauliflower florets and stems
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 to 2 sweet onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine

FOR THE POLENTA:

• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/4 cups coarse polenta cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

FOR ASSEMBLY:

• 2 bunches asparagus
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon large flake sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE CAULIFLOWER:

1. Steam the cauliflower pieces over boiling water until they are tender but still a little firm, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onions on medium heat until they begin to show a bit of golden color.
3. Stir in the steamed cauliflower, salt, and first teaspoon of thyme; raise the heat to medium-high. Continue to sauté until the cauliflower begins to show color in places. Stir in the Marsala. Remove from heat and set aside.

TO MAKE THE POLENTA AND ASSEMBLE:

1. Put the vegetable broth and water, polenta cornmeal, olive oil, salt, and Aleppo pepper in the pressure cooker or cook the polenta on the stove top according to package instructions. For the pressure cooker method, do not stir, lock lid, and cook on porridge setting with time adjusted to 7 minutes. Natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then vent to release the pressure completely.
2. Immediately whisk the cooked onions and cauliflower, the nutritional yeast, and the Aleppo pepper into the polenta.
3. Brush a round casserole or shallow bowl with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Spread the hot polenta cauliflower mixture into the casserole, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until set, about an hour (At this point, you can refrigerate the polenta in its dish for a day or so).
4. Preheat oven to 425°F.
5. Lightly brush the back side of a baking sheet with oil or spray with cooking spray. Invert the molded polenta onto the baking sheet. Brush the top with olive oil and bake 40-45 minutes until the torta shows nice golden color. If the uncooked torta is cold, you will need to increase the baking time 5-10 minutes or finish under the broiler.
6. Wash the asparagus and snap off the tough ends of the stalks. Setting aside 12 pieces for the top, cut the rest in 2-inch lengths. Place on a tea towel to dry away most of the moisture, then toss both the lengths and pieces with olive oil, salt, and about 20 grinds of black pepper.
7. Spread the asparagus on a baking sheet. Roast 15-25 minutes, until the tips begin to blister and brown, shaking the pan halfway through. Roasting time will depend on the thickness of the stalks.
8. Transfer the hot polenta onto a large serving platter. Arrange the asparagus lengths on top and surround with the cut pieces. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and toasted hazelnuts.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

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For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed.  Miratel Solutions is a PCI certified Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting, direct mail fundraising, data breech response and other call centre services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.

Being meat-free does not mean you can’t have the same nibbles that you ate as an omnivore – you can but they are just healthier. Today’s vegan tofu popcorn chick’n recipe is the perfect choice if you are looking for a vegan alternative to a popular comfort food. Aside from being gluten-free, this recipe is simple to make, delicious and will even please meat-eaters. This great recipe (and so many others) comes courtesy of The Vedge.

Vegan Tofu Popcorn Chick’n Ingredients

• 350g / 13oz block firm or extra firm tofu
• ⅓ cup chickpea/garbanzo flour
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbsp wet mustard (any kind: dijon, wholegrain etc)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp all purpose seasoning (try cajun or lemon pepper for different flavors)
• ½ tsp pepper
• ⅓ – ½ cup water
• 2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil

For complete directions (along with other vegan recipes and tips), visit The Vedge website.

Serve with your favourite dipping sauces. You can also use these tasty tofu popcorn chick’n in a sandwich or lettuce cup wrap with your desired toppings.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit the Meatless Monday website and join us in taking the pledge today. Spread the word at home and at work and promote CSR business initiatives to make your green call centre, office, factory, shop, restaurant or salon even greener.

____________________________________________________________________________________

For nonprofit, nonprofit fundraising, CSR business and other news, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Pinterest or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including PCI compliant inbound telephone fundraising, outbound telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery fundraising services, donation processing and receipting and direct mail fundraising services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all our business decisions  and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.