Nutty Broccoli

I scarf down this dish whenever I make it, so I have to limit the number of times I make it. —Melissa, New York City

• 2 tbsp peanut butter (or other nut butter)

• 1 tbsp Braggs or tamari

• 1 tbsp orange or apple juice

• 4 cups broccoli, chopped

In a small saucepan on medium heat, stir together the nut butter, Braggs, and juice. Heat until warmed through. Meanwhile, steam broccoli for about 3 minutes until it is tender but not fragile. Drain broccoli and toss with sauce. Makes 1 large or 2 small servings.

Larry’s Refried Beans

Our friend Larry thinks he knows everything. Well, he sure knows his beans. Serve over rice or in burritos.

• 1 19-oz (540-mL) can beans (e.g., pinto or black), drained and rinsed

• ½ cup vegetable stock or water

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 tsp cumin

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 Roma tomato, sliced

In a medium pot on medium heat, combine all the ingredients and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Mash with a fork, and serve. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

Maury’s Roasted Root Vegetables

I love, love, love this one because it not only tastes amazing but it makes the whole house smell yummy while it cooks.
—Erin, Vancouver, British Columbia

• 1 large yam, cubed

• 1 cup parsnips, cubed

• 3 new potatoes, cubed (approx. 1 cup)

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tsp dried rosemary

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 2 tbsp grapeseed or olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). In a medium baking dish, toss together all the ingredients until veggies are well coated. Bake in oven for 25–30 minutes or until veggies can be pierced easily with a fork. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

Mushroom Pâté

Almost all of these ingredients can be found at a conventional grocery store, and it can be served with sliced pita, crackers, or bread. It also makes a great sandwich filler (Sarah’s Stranded-in-the-Middle-of-Nowhere Sandwich).

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 1 red onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

• 1 cup button mushrooms, roughly chopped

• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped

• 1 tsp dried sage

• 1 tsp dried rosemary

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp ground thyme

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 cup walnuts, toasted

• 1 tbsp Braggs or tamari

• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds

• 1 slice of bread, roughly chopped

In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, bring the stock to a boil. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, sage, rosemary, nutmeg, thyme, salt, and pepper and simmer for 8–10 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed and has evaporated. In a food processor, blend mushroom mixture, walnuts, Braggs, vinegar, flax seeds, and bread until smooth. Press evenly into an 8-in (20-cm) loaf pan (or a fancy serving dish with a 2-in [5-cm] lip) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Makes 1 loaf.

Cumin Fried Potatoes

A perfect dish to serve alongside Tip-Top Tofu Loaf (Tip-Top Tofu Loaf).

• 1½ tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 large potato, cubed

• ½ cup frozen peas

• ¼ tsp salt

In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, dry roast the cumin seeds until they start to pop and brown, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Carefully add the oil, onions, and potatoes to saucepan. Cover with lid and sauté, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking, until potatoes are browned and can be pierced easily with a fork. Turn off heat, add the peas and salt, and cover with lid. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Makes 1 large or 2 small servings.

Barbecue Tofu

I like to freeze a block of tofu before I make this recipe to change the texture. It is wonderful—I used my grill pan to grill up the tofu and it was amazing! Okay, I will stop now … hahaha! —Taylor, Houston, Texas

• 1 lb (455 g) firm tofu, cubed or sliced

• ½ cup barbecue sauce (Barbecue Sauce)

• 1 tbsp oil

In a small bowl, combine the tofu and sauce and stir until tofu is well coated. Marinate for 5 minutes. In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, sauté the tofu and sauce in the oil until the tofu is browned. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

Caramelized Onion & Fennel Mashed Potatoes

This is my all-time fav way to serve mashed potatoes to my carnivorous family. They fall off their seats when they eat this!
—Sally, Las Vegas, Nevada

• 3–4 medium potatoes, cubed

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 2 tbsp oil

• ½ cup vegan milk

• 2 tbsp oil (e.g. flax or hemp)

In a large pot of water on high heat, boil the potatoes until they can be pierced easily with a fork. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan on medium heat, sauté the onions, fennel, sugar, salt, and pepper in oil until onions are translucent. Set aside. When potatoes are ready, drain them and return to pot. Add “milk” and oil to potatoes and mash. Stir in onion mixture and mix well. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

Mashed Garlic Potatoes with Kale

This recipe has been part of my cooking repertoire for so long I forgot that it came from HIAV! —Siue, dairyfreedesserts.com

• 2 medium potatoes, roughly chopped

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 cup kale (about 2–3 stalks), finely chopped

• ¼ cup vegan milk

• 1 tbsp oil (e.g., flax or hemp) or vegan margarine

• 1 tbsp Braggs or tamari

• salt (to taste)

• black pepper (to taste)

In a large pot of water on high heat, boil the potatoes until they can be pierced easily with a fork. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan on medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until onions are translucent. Add the kale and cover with lid. Reduce heat to simmer for 5–10 minutes until kale becomes soft. Set aside. When potatoes are ready, drain and place them in a large bowl. Add “milk,” oil, Braggs, salt, and pepper to potatoes and mash. Stir in the kale mixture and mix well. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.