Alex Rodriguez’s Baked Kale Chips

by Alex Rodriguez

Servings: 4

-1 10-ounce bunch lacinato kale
-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
-salt

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.

Pull off the rib from each kale leaf. Wash the kale and spin in a salad spinner. Some water droplets will remain in the curls of the leaves; pat dry with paper towels and let kale air dry for an hour or so. The kale leaves should be as dry as possible.

Spread the leaves on two rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1 tablespoon oil, and toss leaves to coat with the oil. Arrange the leaves so they overlap as little as possible.

Bake, 1 sheet at a time, just until the kale becomes crisp, 8–10 minutes. Do not overcook the kale or it could become bitter. Sprinkle the kale with salt. Transfer the chips to a platter or a deep bowl (they are less likely to break on a platter) and serve.

Photo by EJ Camp
Recipe excerpted from DIAMOND DISHES, ©2011 by Julie Loria.  Published by Lyons Press.

Tomato and Squash Curry with Yellow Split Peas

by Soundly Vegan

-1 medium onion, thinly sliced
-10 oz squash, cubed (2 cup’s worth, cooked or raw)
-16.5 oz chopped tomatoes
-1/2 cup split yellow peas
-4-6 tablespoon red curry paste
-2 cups vegetable stock
-1 – 15 oz can lite coconut milk
-red pepper flakes, to taste
-coconut oil, for sautéing the onions

* Optional – freshly shredded herbs, for garnish (basil, cilantro and parsley are all good options)

Sauté the onion in coconut oil over medium heat until softened. Add in the curry paste and red pepper flakes and cook for a couple of minutes, spreading the paste evenly over the pan so that it’s all exposed to the heat.

Add the coconut milk and whisk the paste into it. Add the peas, tomatoes, squash and vegetable stock. Cook at a low simmer until the peas [and squash, if added raw] are soft.

If the curry becomes too thick, you can easily thin it out with some additional stock.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes

by Meredith Terranova

-1 large sweet potato, baked and mashed
-¾ cup apple juice-sweetened dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
-1 cup Lundberg Rice Jubilee Mix
-1 cup quinoa

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cook the rice and quinoa according to directions. Combine the mashed sweet potato, quinoa, rice and cranberries. Form into cakes and place on a sprayed cookie sheet. Bake each side for 8 minutes.

Photo credit: Gail

Thai-Spiced Tempeh and Green Beans

by Soundly Vegan

These flavors went so well together and that burst of heat from the chili peppers is tempered by the sweetness of the glaze.

-2 cups organic unfiltered apple juice
-1 lemongrass stalk, outer layer removed and reserved, inner stalk sliced thinly
-1/3 cup leek or onion, thinly sliced
-1 Thai chili, seeded and sliced thinly
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/4 cup cilantro
-1 inch-long piece fresh ginger, finely diced
-1 tablespoon ground flax seed
-8 ounces tempeh
-1/4 cup ponzu (without bonito) or tamari/soy sauce
-Juice of 1/2 a lime
-2 cups green beans
-1 tablespoon light miso
-Sesame seeds to garnish

Place the apple juice on medium heat. Add the outer layer of the lemongrass to the juice and reduce by one half.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

While the juice is reducing, add the leek, chili, garlic, cilantro, ginger and flax seed to a food processor and pulse until well combined. Add the tempeh, ponzu and lime juice.

Pulse and use a spatula to reincorporate any of the mix that has climbed the processor walls. Let stand for 10 minutes so the flax meal can hydrate.

Roll into marble-sized balls and place upon a non-stick baking sheet or Silpat. Lightly spray with coconut oil and bake for 30 minutes, or until browned.

When the tempeh is halfway finished, put some water on to boil in a steamer. Steam the green beans for 5-7 minutes until cooked through but still crisp. Remove the lemongrass stalk from the apple juice reduction and stir in the miso. Add the green beans and tempeh and toss gently. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Baked Mac N Cheeze

by Alexandra Jamieson from Nutrition for Empowered Women

Yields: 6 servings

*Can be made gluten-free by subbing gluten-free elbow pasta and brown rice flour

-1/2 pound elbow macaroni (I use Eden Kamut Elbows)*
-2 cups unsweetened soy, rice, hemp, or nut milk
-3 tablespoons flour*
-1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes (I use Red Star brand)
-2 teaspoons powdered mustard
-1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon paprika
-1/4 teaspoon turmeric
-3 tablespoons vegan butter (I use soy-free Earth Balance)
-1/2 cup silken tofu
-1/2 teaspoon of arrowroot or cornstarch
-2 tablespoons yellow or chickpea miso paste
-1/2 cup vegan cheddar cheese (I used Daiya cheddar shreds)
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-black pepper to taste

Topping:
-3 tablespoons vegan butter
-1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, whisk the milk and flour together over medium heat. Add the nutritional yeast flakes, mustard, garlic powder, paprika, and turmeric. Add and melt the butter while stirring. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Place the tofu and arrowroot or cornstarch in a blender and puree until smooth. Whisk the tofu into the simmering milk mixture until smooth.

Remove the pot from heat. Combine the miso paste and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and whisk to remove any lumps. Add to the milk mixture and combine.

Stir in the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Fold the pasta into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish.

To make topping, melt the butter in a sautee pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the pasta with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

(This is made even more delicious when you sprinkle the top with ume-shiso powder, found in the Macrobiotic/Asian/sea vegetable section of your health food store.)