My Classic Vinaigrette

I've been making this vinaigrette for years. It's a simple, classic vinaigrette that everyone loves. It's not too acidic and has just a hint of mustard. If your serving a simple salad toss the greens in this lovely dressing and fall in love. Lately, I've been using it on a vegan nicoise salad and it's out of this world good.

My Classic Vinaigrette

1 T minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t sea salt
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
1/2 t Dijon mustard
1/4 C white wine vinegar
3/4 C olive oil

In salad bowl, combine the shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, Dijon and white wine vinegar. Blend well. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Serve.

Note: The pic is not mine.

Meditation, Sleep, CBT-I... written by Gene Bammel

Meditation has been described in many ways, and there are distinctively different ways of meditating. There will be Buddhist meditators at the upcoming Consciousness Conference in Tucson, and they will set aside an hour each day, and invite beginners to "sit" with them. "How best to meditate? Simply sit still; calm your body, and then, calm down your mind. Think of nothing in particular, and do not worry about where your consciousness takes you. Within a few minutes, you will find that your body and your mind have attained a level of tranquillity that will remain with you the rest of the day." Religiously disposed meditators  might begin by thinking of Psalm 46: "Be still, and acknowledge that I am God."  " Others might begin with the invitation of Jesus in Mark 6: "Come apart, and rest awhile." Some psychologists have worked with "centering meditation," encouraging the practitioner to focus on a particular problem, the antidote to the problem, and cultivating the emotions needed to cope with the problem.

Some people seldom have a problem with sleep. Most people, however, will experience periods of some sleep disturbances, sometimes for clearly physiological reasons, at other times for emotional stresses. At sleep clinics, insomniacs often state that some nameless anxiety is the partner in their sleep difficulties. If you wake up in the middle of the night and are "anxious" about some event of the day that did not disturb you then, but does now, you are probably having a fairly universal experience. But if it happens continually, and over truly trivial matters, you probably have something specialists would classify as an anxiety disorder. "More than 40 million American adults are affected by anxiety disorders each year. However, it's often hard to judge when normal feelings of worry, fear, and stress cross the line and become a serious condition that impacts both your emotional and physical health." --Harvard Health Letter. And that is where "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Insomnia," or "CBT-I" for short, comes in. Sleep clinics often try to wean long-term insomniacs off the strong medications they have been taking, by having them attend a few sessions with a psychologist who practices this form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The heart of the therapy is as ancient as the Greek and Roman Stoics, and as modern as the Reinhold Niehbuhr serenity prayer. There are things you can change, and things you can't change, and it takes prudence to know the difference. Or as Marcus Aurelius said: "Be like the rock against which the waves continually break: it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it." In the ancient world, there were more Stoics than there were Platonists or Aristotelians, and for good reason: Stoicism is a philosophy that works. It accepts that bad things happen to good people, and tells you to take that in stride, and get on with your life. And the ancient world had large scale problems in some ways similar to the kinds of problems we encounter, although our problems may have a more global scale. The ancient world had a way of saying you can disagree without being disagreeable or hostile, but we seem to be losing some of that good sense. 

For the most part, scholars tend to be charitable in their arguments with each other, even political scientists. We have seen recently, in the public sphere, inflammatory remarks by politicians and others, where not only hostility, but enmity or hatred accompany the verbal interplay. Those scenes are disturbing, and could be sources for what might keep people awake at times they would rather be sleeping. I have no prescription to cure whatever political ills afflict us, but I do have an antidote to the "hidden anxiety" that may disturb the sleep of some. Time set aside for meditation might put the body into a more tranquil state; it might move deeply into the physiology of emotions, and put the body at rest, which may keep the mind tranquil. The sleep specialists say that the root source of some of the sleep problems of older people is due to arthritis: the joints of the body send disturbing messages when they are not moved, and may awaken one from even the deepest of sleeps. Surely some of the repressed emotions of the day, some of the raw emotions from challenging encounters, may affect our psyches in a similar manner, and bring us to wakefulness that is not easily subdued. Perhaps the daily practice of meditation, or a meditative form of Tai-Chi, might put our minds at rest, the way a warm bath might ameliorate arthritic problems. And for those who have the good fortune to sleep soundly almost all the time: meditation might either promote even deeper sleep, or, it might make them more aware of the kinds of problems that keep other people awake late into the night! Whichever outcome, setting aside a few minutes each day for the practice of some form of meditation is all but guaranteed to produce beneficial results...

Roasted Artichokes & Vegan Aioli

If you are a long time reader of my blog, you know that about three years ago I fell in love with the roasted artichokes served at The Cheesecake Factory. Recently I was in Arizona and made sure I got to a Cheesecake Factory just so I could eat them again. Then I came home and made them! Enjoy!

Roasted Artichokes and Vegan Aioli

Roasted Artichokes
2 artichokes
2 lemons
4 cloves garlic, peeled
8 - 10 T olive oil

Break off and discard the outer layers of leaves on each artichoke. With a scissors, snip off the thorny tip of the remaining leaves. Cut the artichokes in half. Slice a lemon so you have four slices. In a pan large enough to hold the artichokes tightly, lay the lemon slices down with a garlic clove on top of each. Lay the artichokes on top of the lemon slices and squeeze the juice from one lemon over the top. Drizzle the olive oil over the top as well. Seal the pan well with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.

Once roasted, use a spoon to remove the choke and grill the artichokes lightly before serving (this step is optional, but well worth it). Serve with the vegan aioli sauce.... wonderful!



Vegan Aioli

1/2 C Vegeniase
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 t juice from capers
Zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients into a small bowl and mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: The pic isn't mine.

Pasta Primavera

 

This recipe came to my attention courtesy of my beautiful daughter and her boyfriend. The two of them made this over the weekend and enjoyed it so much I received an email containing the recipe along with photos! They found it on the Food Network website from Giada De Laurentis (I've included the link below). My daughter said it was easy to make and fairly flavorful. Her other comments were that it was good either hot or cold, but she preferred it cold, so it sounds like a great lunch too. The recipe below is a copy of what appears on the website but I added the two notes, "minus tomatoes," and "great for the omni's in the house". Thanks Lo!!!

Pasta Primavera

Makes about 6 servings  

Ingredients

• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
• 2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
• 1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
• 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (great for the omni's in the house)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables (minus tomatoes) with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pasta-primavera-recipe/index.html

"To sleep, perchance to dream..." by my Uncle Gene

"Sleep, that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care." Sleep has been much in the news lately, and what I have heard at two recent seminars may be of interest to you. First of all, Dr. Suzanne Salamon, who writes for the Harvard Health Letter, said: "Sleeping pills, in general, are problematic for older people. They lead to grogginess the next day and may contribute to cognitive problems, poor balance and falls." So, do older people have more problems getting to sleep and staying asleep? And if so, Why? Turns out, there has been some recent research on circadian rhythms, the daily ups and downs of energy our bodies experience. These rhythms are stimulated by how much light, and what kind of light we are getting. As we age, we do not process the blue part of the light spectrum as well. By the time you are fifty, you are only processing 50% of the light needed to fully stimulate your circadian rhythms, and, by the time you are 75, only 17%. Bottom line: unless you are very lucky, as you get older, you will not sleep as well.

Well, is that really a problem? Wouldn't it be great to have more active hours? More hours awake are only valuable if you feel you can be enjoyably active during those hours. There are some things to be concerned about, if your sleep has deteriorated. Poor sleep does raise blood pressure and blood sugar, and not only makes people less efficient in what they do, it also detracts from taking delight in what might otherwise be pleasurable pursuits.  What constitutes poor sleep? Basically, not getting as much as you feel you need. How many hours of sleep do you really need? The need  varies from person to person, but most people "need" at least six hours of sleep, and seven to eight hours  seems to be ideal. The first three hours of sleep produce physiological restoration, the next three, some degree of mental restoration. You do go through four "sleep cycles" during the night, reaching R.E.M. sleep, or "Rapid Eye Movement," and then you repeat the cycle, which may last about ninety minutes. Your first dreams of the night may last only a few seconds, the last one may last for ten minutes! Most people actually "wake up" four or five times a night, but unless you get up, you probably don't remember your instants of wakefulness. 

What can you do to get a good night's sleep? There is a lot of evidence that regular exercisers sleep better than non-exercisers, and those who exercise earlier in the day sleep better than those who exercise later in the day. Several doctors suggest that watching the news at bedtime is not a good idea: it is mostly bad news, and you should calm down, relax, meditate, or take a warm bath, or a little bit of warm milk, rather than get yourself excited or upset by what TV has to show you. It takes most people five to twenty minutes to fall asleep. Some people insist that an alcoholic "nightcap" helps them sleep, but the research indicates that while alcohol may make you drowsy, it does not promote sound sleep. What about sleeping pills? The doctors who work with insomniacs acknowledge that pills may help temporarily, but persistently caution against the prolonged use of sleeping pills, including OTC medications like Tylenol PM. One doctor speculated that the ingredient in most of these drugs would not be cleared by the FDA, if it were tested by current standards. 

In research studies, even drinking one cup of regular coffee leaves caffeine in the system seven hours later. "Four cups in the morning is equivalent to having one cup at 10 pm." Some people who insist that coffee does not bother them, find out that switching to Decaf really makes a difference. Some people seem to benefit from taking melatonin, which is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, and that does have something to do with circadian rhythms. However, as with all "supplements," getting the good stuff and getting the right dosage is not easy. One other factor that seems to correlate with older people having sleep problems: as you get older, the level of cortisol in your system, increases. Cortisol is a stress hormone, and stresses that were once easily dismissed can have a greater effect on people as they age. ("It takes less to stress us out as we get older.") Which brings me to the last corrective for sleep problems: CBT, or "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy." Even a couple sessions have proved beneficial to people having serious problems sleeping. To find an expert in CBT, you may have to contact a nearby sleep clinic, or talk to your medical professional. Sleep, as Shakespeare said, is the "balm of hurt minds," so having gotten this off my mind, I think I will go take a brief nap, in the hope of being fully restored to my youthful energies...

A Fresh Mimosa

When my husband and I were in Chicago we went out for breakfast and I ordered a mimosa. It reminded me just how much I truly enjoy this drink on an occasion. When I make it, I use freshly squeezed orange juice, a dry sparkling wine (Mumm Napa is good for this) and float Grand Marnier on top. Then I serve it with a strawberry on the side of the glass.

Fresh Mimosa
Makes 1
 
3 parts of your favorite sparkling white
1 part fresh orange juice
1 T of Grand Marnier 
Strawberries for garnish

Note: The pic is not mine.

Avocado Quesadilla Appetizer

So... I've been watching Dr. Oz lately, and he said I need to eat more avocados. Rough prescription, but I'll do my best!

Avocado Quesadilla Appetizer

4 flour or corn tortillas
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cherry tomatoes, diced
2 T red onion, diced
2 t. fresh lime juice
pinch of coriander
pinch of sea salt
Tabasco Sauce to taste
canola oil or a spray oil for cooking

Salsa for serving

Mix the avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, coriander and sea salt together. Add the Tabasco Sauce to taste (I used 5 drops) and mix. Get out 1 tortilla on a work surface. Place about a quarter of the mixture on one half, not too near edge. Fold the tortilla in half over the filling to form a semicircle. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Slide uncooked quesadilla onto the pan. Press briefly with a spatula. Cook until golden, about 1 minute, then flip and grill 1 minute more. Transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board and slice into 3 wedges. Serve immediately with your favorite salsa. This recipe will make 24 wedges.

Note: The pic is not mine.

Spicy Black Bean & Corn Chili

If you like hot... you'll like this! And it's quick and easy! I posted this recipe a long time ago and on Saturday I decided to make it a part of our Superbowl celebration. When I brought the recipe up to jot down the ingredients I re-read the comments and found one from my sister Kathy. She and her family love this chili, but she only uses 1 cup of corn when she makes it. So this time I took her advice on the corn and changed a couple other ingredients. As usual, my sister was right and now I love it even more.


Spicy Black Bean & Corn Chili

Serves 6
Easy
30 - 40 minutes

1/2 onion, chopped (1/2 C.)
1 stalk of celery, chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, diced
2 - 10 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 - 14.5 oz. can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 - 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 C. frozen corn
1 C. water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1/2 t. cumin
cilantro

In a stockpot, saute onion and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for about 2 minutes more. Add the rest of the ingredients minus the cilantro. Simmer on low heat for 20 - 30 minutes more. With a potato masher, mash the mixture a little breaking up the beans. Serve with a garnish of cilantro.

Note:  I used Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies and Muir Glen Fire Roasted Organic Crushed Tomatoes when I make this.

Philosophy and Meditation.... by my Uncle Gene

The word "philosophy" comes from two Greek words, "philo," the love of, and "sophia," wisdom. So philosophers are simply "lovers of wisdom." Philosophers are not necessarily wise, but, if they are deserving of the name at all, they are at least in pursuit of wisdom. Socrates' reputation as 'the wisest man in Athens," was rooted in the fact that he knew he was not wise! It is not uncommon, in any survey of the history of philosophy, to find philosophers who give up on the use of words altogether, because they cannot find the words to express their most profound perceptions. (I cannot tell you what it is I am trying to say, but if I had a piano here, I could play it for you." -Gabriel Marcel) It is not unknown for philosophers, lovers of words though they are, to turn to the experience of meditation, or to turn to the comparative silence of contemplation. 

The Dalai Lama is a person of the most profound wisdom. His new book, Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World, is a distillation of the wisdom he has been espousing for half a century. While the theme of the book is his expression of a "secular" ethic to which everyone in the world could subscribe quite apart from their religious convictions, for me the most relevant chapter in the book is entitled: "Meditation as Mental Cultivation." The Dalai Lama's hope for peace in the world is based in his hope that some form of meditation might become universal, and the fruit of this practice might be the anchor for global peace breaking out all over. 

The Dalai Lama's summary of the practice of meditation is brief: Set aside some time early in the morning when your mind is freshest and clearest. Begin by setting aside ten or fifteen minutes, and reserve for yourself a couple five minute interludes later in the day. Find a position that is comfortable, and begin by simply focusing on your breathing. Even a few minutes a day will help you overcome any tendency toward excessive worrying, useless obsessions, or anxiety about having more to do than you have time for. It may be helpful to focus on a flower, or a painting, or some object of religious devotion, "or you may imagine looking down from a mountaintop where you have an unimpeded view in every direction." It may be helpful to focus on compassion, or patience, or tolerance, or forgiveness. His own words offer the best summary:

"In a typical session, we begin by settling our mind through breathing. We then choose our object of meditation and focus our attention on it. When we notice our mind wandering, we gently bring it back to our object of meditation. When we wish to end our session, we can do some deep breathing exercises once again so that we finish in a relaxed state of mind." 

Meditation is a very simple practice. It can help us overcome our negative emotions, it can promote greater wakefulness, and it can help us cope with the predictable and unpredictable stresses of everyday life. Strangely enough, by emptying ourselves of our negative feelings and our inclination toward self-centeredness, we can become more ourselves. Meditation is an essential ingredient in the pursuit of wisdom. The Dalai Lama has led a tempestuous life, yet he has come through all his adversities unscathed. His capacity for meditation has been a major ingredient of his success, and probably of his good health. Improve your capacity for meditation, and, who knows? You may become the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama! Short of that, your daily life may be much improved...

  Beyond Religion, Ethics for a Whole World

Rustic Vegetable Soup with Almond Pesto Topping

I really like making soup. To me it's comfort and goodness in a bowl and all I need is a spoon. I made this soup and my husband had one word for it, "Delicious." It's easy to put together and with the pesto on top it has a fresh taste that's very satisfying.

Rustic Vegetable Soup with Almond Pesto Topping

2 T. olive oil
2 small onions, rough chop, 1 - 1 1/2 C.
2 carrots, rough chop, 1/2 C.
5 cloves garlic, rough chop
1 quart vegetable broth, low sodium
1 28 oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 cube of vegetable bouillon
1 16 oz. can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 19 oz. can of cannellini  beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. fresh Italian parsley, rough chop
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the carrots and onion in the olive oil until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two. Add the rest of the ingredients, excluding the salt and pepper, and cook slowly for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the Almond Pesto on top. 

Almond Pesto Topping

In a food processor, pulse the almonds until chopped small. Add the basil leaves and pulse until the basil is shredded. Add the olive oil and pulse quickly just until fully incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste.

1/4 C. almonds
1/2 C. packed basil leaves
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Sparkling Sangria

My husband and I were in Chicago for the weekend and our girls had recommended a restaurant. We decided to try it and ended up there for dinner. They were right, it was great, but the star of the evening was the sangria.

Maybe it's because I've never had a sparkling sangria before, but I really enjoyed it and found it a nice change of pace. So I jotted down the ingredients and came home with the idea of recreating it. Certainly this isn't the exact recipe, but it's close. And don't let it sit like other sangria's because you don't want to lose the effervescence of the sparkling wine. Just make it and serve! My family really liked it. I hope you enjoy it too.

Sparkling Sangria

1 1/2 oz. of Licor 43
1 1/2 oz. of Creme de Cassis
1 oz. of simple syrup
1/2 a lemon, sliced thinly
1 orange, sliced thinly
1 pint of raspberries
1 bottle of chilled Cava, or other sparkling wine

In a large pitcher combine the Licor 43, Creme de Cassis and simple syrup. Stir. Add all of the fruit and gently mix. Add the cava and serve on ice.

Simple Syrup 

1/3 C sugar
1/3 C water

In a small saucepan combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool before using.

Meditation...Another AMAZING article by my Uncle Gene... Enjoy!

The Practice of....

Meditation! I come back, on a regular basis, to the importance of the practice of Meditation. If you want to improve your life and your health in the New Year, you too might want to begin the practice of meditation, or improve upon your practice, if you have been doing it for a long time. I have practiced meditation, in one form or another, for over fifty years, and I find the practice becomes increasingly important for me. I have written about it in various places, and I often find myself trying to improve on what I have said before. Here is the gist of it:

Set aside some secure time, find a comfortable position, and meditate just for the sake of meditation. Focus your mind on your breathing, and meditate with no specific purpose in mind. Do not be surprised if, over time, meditation becomes the root of major changes in your attitudes and dispositions. It has been well documented that meditation works to reduce the feelings of stress, and we all face some major sources of stress each day. Meditation can easily become the most important activity of your day. "Meditation is not the killing of time. It is the deepening and enriching of time." 

There are many sources of stress in our lives. Most cardiac care programs are composed of sessions on diet, exercise, and stress reduction. I handle the stresses of daily life much better, if I start off the day with a few minutes of walking meditation, in which I do nothing but try to breathe deeply, while setting my mind at peace. There are many different masters of meditation, and many different religious traditions have generated their own methods of meditation. I have found Thich Nhat Hanh's book, Peace Is Every Step, to be particularly helpful, and I find what he says is applicable to many different forms of meditation. The following paragraph says it better than I ever could:

"Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing in order to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing, both inside and around yourself. Plant the seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depths of your consciousness."

--With the New Year, I know I have many new readers for these "occasional" reminders about "the things that really matter." What I offer is the distillation of many years of "philosophical" thought, results of my encounters with people much wiser than I, and people who have in one way or another mastered the art of living. I have been a cardiac patient, and have been "in death's vestibule" a time or two, so I have a deeper sense of the importance of living each day as well as possible. The year 2012 has all the earmarks of becoming a year of multiple sources of stress for all of us. Is it too much to ask of yourself that you set aside a few minutes everyday to practice some form of meditation, to be sure you spend some time concentrating on your own breathing, and develop some sense of trying to live in harmony with your surroundings? It might be one way of making sure that you make the most of the golden opportunities that every new year brings...

--Gene Bammel

Ratatouille Appetizer

My husband and I went north for New Years Eve and spent it with family. My sister Kathy organized the celebration and did nearly all of the cooking. She's an amazing cook. She thinks of everything! So when I walked in to find a vegan appetizer, I wasn't surprised. As usual, it was fantastic.  I begged her for the recipe and she sent it on to share along with this note.

"Here is the recipe for the ratatouille! This is my tweaked version of a recipe from a newspaper insert. I can't remember which one! You can use it as a main vegan dish or do the appetizer. If doing the appetizer, you should still have leftover ratatouille. I think this would also be great served over pasta."

I cannot adequately express how beautiful this appetizer is to look at, and it's soooo delicious! Thank you Kathy!

Yummy over pasta too!

Ratatouille

  

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, diced 

1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced

1 medium orange bell pepper, diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 medium yellow squash, diced

1/2 medium eggplant, diced (My sister used a bit less and left the eggplant unpeeled, but you could peel it if desired)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced

1/2 t coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

30 - 45 mini phyllo cups

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add yellow and orange bell peppers and cook for another 2 minutes. Add zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant and cook for 2 more minutes. Add garlic, tomato, salt and pepper and cook for about 1 minute.

To make into an appetizer, spoon ratatouille into the mini phyllo cups and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes, or until heated through.

Vegan Vegetable Pot Pie

Ahhhhh... comfort food. Winter screams comfort food, doesn't it? And this is something I've been missing... pot pie. I use to love chicken pot pie. I remember eating it with delight as a kid and that continued well into my adulthood. So I thought I'd try making a vegan version. My family liked it and so did I!!

It was fun to make, and if you buy pre-cut or frozen vegetables it goes together easily. If you've never used phyllo dough, don't let that get in the way. Just follow the directions on the package. If a sheet or two breaks in the process, don't worry, no one will know... but you could substitute the phyllo for a vegan pie crust if you like. 

Vegan Vegetable Pot Pie

This recipe can be made in ramekins. If you do that, it should make at least four individual servings.?? 

Filling:
2 T olive oil
1 C onion, diced
1 C celery, diced
1 C carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C cauliflower, diced
2 Russet potatoes, cubed small
3 T flour
2 C vegetable broth
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
1 C frozen green beans
1 C frozen corn kernels
garlic powder
celery salt
1/2 t salt
freshly ground pepper

Crust:
10 sheets of phyllo dough, you'll use 1/2 of a package
Earth Balance 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent. Add the cauliflower and russet potatoes and continue to cook for 5 - 10 minutes. Stir often so the vegetables don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the flour and stir it into the vegetables. Once fully incorporated, add the broth and bouillon and scrap all the bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the bay leaf, thyme, greens beans, corn, garlic powder, celery salt, salt and pepper and simmer on low, stirring often, for 20 - 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, melt some Earth Balance and get the phyllo out of the refrigerator. Once the vegetables are done, remove the bay leaf and sprig of thyme, and pour into a  9" X 13" pan. Lay a single sheet of phyllo on top of the vegetable mixture and brush with Earth Balance. Place another sheet on top of that brushing it with Earth Balance. Repeat the process until all the sheets are used. Brush the top of the last piece with Earth Balance and put the pot pie in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until it is golden and the mixture is bubbling up around the edges. Let it sit a few minutes before serving.

Note: The picture is not mine.

Artichoke Dip

My sister Kathy makes a baked artichoke appetizer that's too good to pass up. So my goal with this recipe was to use that as inspiration and make it every bit as delicious, but vegan. This dip can be served hot, cold or heated on top of slices of a baguette.

Artichoke Dip

1 garlic clove
1/2 C raw cashews
1 t fresh lemon juice
2 6oz. jars of marinated artichoke hearts
pinch of onion powder
crackers or baguette for serving

In a food processor, pulse the garlic until finely minced. Add the cashews and process until the cashews are chopped small but not finely processed. Add the remaining ingredients, picking the artichoke hearts out of the jars and transferring only the oil that comes with them. Pulse until the the ingredients are well mixed.

You can serve the dip either hot or cold with crackers or a sliced baguette. To warm it up, put it in an oven proof dish and set it in a 350 degree oven for 10 - 15 minutes. If you want to serve it on toast, slice up 1/2 of a small baguette, place the slices onto a sheet pan and put it into a 350 degree oven. Keep an eye on it. The slices will toast quickly. Remove the baguette slices and put the dip on top of each slice. Place it back into the oven and heat for 5 minutes. Serve.

Note: The photo isn't mine.

Stuffed Artichoke Hors d'oeuvre

This appetizer is elegant, delicious, easy and fun to make. It's perfect for the New Year celebration. I posted it this past summer and it has become a favorite recipe of mine. You'll have to try it and tell me what you think!

Stuffed Artichokes

1 can of artichoke hearts
2 T olive oil
2 T onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1/2 C. packed baby spinach leaves, chop finely
6 T diced oyster mushrooms
1/8 t sea salt
3 T panko bread crumbs
fresh lemon

Drain the can of artichoke hearts and cut them in half. Scoop out the center of each half and mince the center leaves that you've removed. Set aside. Dry the in-tack artichoke hearts with a paper towel so little moisture is left.

In a saute pan, add the oil and heat to medium low. To that, add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the spinach, chopped artichoke, mushrooms and sea salt and saute until the mixture is cooked down nicely (only a few minutes). Finally, add the bread crumbs and heat through.

Scoop out enough mixture to fill each half of the artichoke hearts. It will work out perfectly if you don't overfill. Set the stuffed artichoke hearts onto a baking sheet and broil until the tops are nicely browned. Squeeze lemon over the top of them when they come out.

Serve

Black Bean Dip

Here's a healthy appetizer for the coming New Year festivities! Happy New Year everyone!!


Black Bean Dip

1 clove of garlic
1 15oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. diced green chiles
2 t. fresh lime juice
1/4 C. salsa
1 T. rough chop cilantro
2 green onions, white and some green chopped

corn chips or veggies for dipping

Process the garlic in a food processor until minced. Put the remaining ingredients, except for the green onions, in the food processor and process until smooth. Stir in the green onions in serve with chips and/or veggies.

Tomato Confit

This is a dish I made for Christmas dinner. It's easy, beautiful and a wonderful side... plus, it's red! But one of the best features of this recipe is that it can be made in advance and served at room temperature if you don't have enough space in the oven. It's perfect for entertaining. Enjoy!

Tomato Confit

12 - 15 small tomatoes - about 2 inches round
6 basil leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
enough extra virgin olive oil to come about half way up baking dish
sea salt
freshly cracked pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil water in a large pot and get an ice water bath ready in a bowl. Prepare the tomatoes by cutting a small X on the bottom of each one. Put the tomatoes into the boiling water and time for about 15 seconds or wait until you see the skin begin to crack. Immediately remove the tomatoes and place them into the ice water bath to cool. Peel and core the tomatoes once cooled. Place the basil, thyme and garlic in the bottom of a baking dish just large enough to hold the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes, core side down, on top of the herbs and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Pour the olive oil into the dish until the oil comes nearly half way up the side of the tomatoes. Bake for about 50 minutes. Cool the tomatoes and place them in an airtight container. Remove the garlic and herbs from the olive oil and pour the oil into the container with the tomatoes. Refrigerate. This can be served at room temperature or you can reheat them before serving. They will last for 3 days refrigerated.

Napa Valley Spiced Almonds

It's already the middle of December so I'm beginning to plan dinner for Christmas day. I'm also playing with ideas for appetizers and I think I'll be setting this dish out. It was two summers ago when my dear friend Meg shared this recipe with me. I posted it on my blog then and it has continued to receive a lot of attention, so I'm sharing it with you again. It's subtle, delicious and addictive!


Napa Valley Spiced Almonds

2 C almonds
2 t olive oil
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t turmeric
1/2 t fine sea salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the spices. Pour the olive oil over the almonds and toss to coat. Stir the spices into the almonds. Once the spices and almonds are combined and the almonds evenly coated spread them onto a sheet pan. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, checking often. Allow the almonds to cool before serving.

Roasted Acorn Squash

This time of year I will often roast acorn squash with a rub of Earth Balance and brown sugar. My family loves squash prepared this way but it's very sweet. This is a slightly different take on that recipe. It's still sweet, but not overwhelming so, and it's so simple it becomes an easy addition to any meal.

Roasted Acorn Squash 
Cook Time: 1 hour 

2 acorn squash
1/8 C maple syrup
2T balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
1/4 t sea salt
freshly grated nutmeg
8 sage leaves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the squash in half from top to bottom. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon and place the squash on a baking sheet with the cut sides up. In a bowl mix the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, honey and sea salt. Brush the cut sides of each squash with the mixture and grate nutmeg over the squash. Lay two sage leaves on top of each squash and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, pull the squash out and baste. Put it back in the oven for another 20 minutes. Repeat the basting one last time using up the liquid mixture and finish roasting for another 20 minutes or until tender.

Note: Once again, the photo isn't mine.