Gingerbread

This is a fairly spicy gingerbread cake. It can be fasting or not--if not, it's great with whipped cream on the top! I brought this a few weeks ago for trapeza.

Gingerbread

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

(optional—½ tsp black pepper)

½ tsp salt

½ cup melted butter (or coconut oil)

½ cup sugar

1 egg (or ¼ cup water)

1 cup molasses

1 cup hot dark coffee*

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour a 13x9 inch pan.

Sift dry ingredients in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat together the butter/oil and sugar; add the egg/water and molasses. Gradually beat in the dry ingredients. When completely combined, slowly mix in the coffee. Batter will be runny. Pour into pan and bake 30-35 minutes.

*Instead of a cup of coffee, I often add some instant coffee granules to the dry ingredients and use plain hot water at the end.

Inside-out Spring Rolls

Inside-out Spring Rolls

I really love Vietnamese spring rolls (the raw kind—though the fried ones are good too of course) but it takes forever to roll enough, at least for a family my size! So this is my way to get the fresh tanginess of spring rolls without the work. It's basically the spring roll fillings, chopped small and served on top of rice or soba (the Asian buckwheat noodles). The recipe is very adaptable and is really just a framework—use whatever vegetables sound good to you, and vary the sauce to your taste. I never measure when I make it, but I've tried to estimate what I usually use. It seems like a long list of ingredients, but it's very easy to put together. The only hitch is that the tofu needs to be prepared ahead of time.

Ingredients

1 block firm or extra-firm tofu (14 oz), cut into 4-6 strips

Marinade/sauce (all amounts approximate):

2 cloves garlic, minced/pressed

large chunk fresh ginger, chopped small or grated (about a TBS, grated?)

1/8 tsp Sriracha or other “hot” stuff

1 TBS sesame oil

juice of 1 lime and/or 1 tbs rice vinegar

1 TBS brown sugar

about ½ cup soy sauce

2-3 TBS peanut butter

water—a few TBS

Vegetables—prepare some or all of these, according to your taste:

2-3 carrots, grated

1 cucumber, chopped

2-3 green onions, sliced

sprouts

cilantro, chopped (lots!)

spinach, chopped (a fair amount)

fresh basil, if desired, to taste

fresh mint, if desired, to taste

rice or soba, prepared normally

To make the baked tofu:

Several hours before the meal, prepare the marinade by mixing all the marinade ingredients except the peanut butter and water in a baking pan large enough to hold all the strips of tofu laid flat (I like to use a glass baking dish). Taste the marinade to make sure you like the mix of flavors; it can be infinitely varied. Marinate the tofu for an hour or so, flipping a few times. Pour off the marinade into a bowl and save it to make the base of the sauce later. Bake the tofu at 300-325 degrees for about 2 hours, flipping it every 45 minutes or so, until it is well-browned and a bit dried. This isn't exact—just when you like the texture, take it out. Transfer the tofu to a plate, and refrigerate until later. (You basically are partially dehydrating the tofu by baking it long and slow—for more info you can go to this blog post, from which I learned this technique. Tofu prepared this way can be used in many different ways or just eaten by itself—it's delicious!)

To make the sauce:

Warm the peanut butter in a small bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds or so to make it easier to combine with the other things. Gradually stir in some of the reserved marinade. Add the peanut butter mixture to the rest of the marinade and stir till combined—it may take some time to fully incorporate the peanut butter. Taste, and adjust; usually I add some water because the marinade itself is very concentrated, with all the soy sauce. You want a thick but pourable sauce. Refrigerate until serving time.

To serve:

Prepare the rice or soba. (If using soba, run cold water over the cooked noodles to cool them.) Toss together all the vegetables in a large serving bowl. Add the chilled tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces. On each person's plate put rice or soba, with a large scoop of the vegetable mixture on top, and a few spoonfuls of the sauce drizzled over everything. Enjoy!

Quinoa salad with black beans, avocado, and cumin-lime dressing

Quinoa salad with black beans, avocado, and cumin-lime dressing

Christina is the one who found this salad--she brought it to trapeza a few weeks ago. I've never liked quinoa before, but I really love this salad! It's fresh and flavorful and very healthy. Quinoa is a "grain" (not technically a grain, actually) native to South America that is very high in protein and other important nutrients--it's actually a complete protein, which makes it wonderful for fasting! Here is the original post where Christina found the recipe: http://www.eating-for-england.com/quinoa-salad-beans-avocado/.

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Avocado and Cumin-Lime Dressing

serves 4-6

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed (it's very small, so use a very fine mesh strainer)

1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil

1 3/4 cup water

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 clove garlic, minced

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp olive oil

salt, to taste

1/2 red onion, diced, or a few green onions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

large handful cilantro, diced

1 avocado, chopped into chunks (2 avocados would be great)

tomatoes in bite-sized pieces—3 Romas, a handful of cherry or grape tomatoes, etc.

Warm the olive/coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s hot add the rinsed quinoa and toast for about 2-3 minutes until it starts smelling nutty and lovely. Add water, stir, cover, and simmer with a lid on for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients. To make the dressing, mix together the garlic, lime juice, cumin, olive oil, and salt.

When the quinoa has finished cooking, remove it from heat and fluff with a fork. Add black beans and toss to warm them through. Let the quinoa cool for about five minutes and then stir in the dressing. Add the remaining ingredients and gently stir; adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm, room-temperature, or cold.

Leftovers are great—but it might be better to add the avocado and tomatoes at serving time.

Poor Man's Toffee

I've also seen this called Chocolate Caramel Crackers. There's both a fasting and non-fasting version. The non-fasting one is the tastiest, of course (and what I brought for trapeza today), but the fasting one is incredibly good too! (I've brought that in the past.)

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Poor Man’s Toffee

makes roughly 100 pieces

1 1/4 cups butter, divided
around 40 saltine-style crackers (or graham crackers)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cups finely chopped nuts (optional)

You'll want to have all the ingredients ready ahead of time--once it starts boiling, everything happens quickly!

Preheat oven to 375.
Melt 1/4 cup butter; pour into foil-lined jelly roll pan.
Arrange crackers over butter, edge to edge (cover the entire pan).
Melt remaining butter; add sugar and boil 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally (the longer it boils, the chewier the toffee will be).
Remove from heat and stir in condensed milk. Pour over crackers and spread as evenly as possible.
Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, until bubbly and slightly darkened.
Remove from oven, cool 1 minute, and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes (until chocolate is soft and melty) and spread.
Sprinkle with nuts; press lightly into chocolate.
Cool; refrigerate until chocolate is set.
Remove foil and cut candy.

To make fasting--use margarine instead of butter and omit the sweetened condensed milk. Spread the caramel mixture over the crackers quickly; it will start setting as soon as it's poured.

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(My "personal" version is kind of a combination of an old family recipe, and these two blog posts at Smitten Kitchen and Life in a Shoe)

My new favorite (fasting) cookies

I checked Veganomicon out from the library because I've heard it's a fantastic cookbook. I can't speak for the whole book--this is the first recipe I've tried--but these definitely are fantastic! Rich, dense, chewy, with a lovely hint of flavor from the almond and raspberry. These aren't just good fasting cookies--they're good cookies period! And you don't need a mixer to make them.

Chewy Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies

1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup neutral oil (like canola)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the preserves, sugar, oil, and extracts. In
another bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 3 batches, mixing well with a fork or spoon after each addition. Mix to a smooth, soft, pliable dough. By the last batch, you'll probably need to get your hands in there to help.

Roll the dough into walnut-size balls and flatten into 2 1/2 inch diameter disks. Place closely together on a cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes (they'll be slightly cracked on the tops, but still very soft).

Remove the pans from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Or eat warm and still slightly gooey!

Makes 2 dozen.

Tomato Couscous

Tomato Couscous

Total Time: 30 min
Prep Time: 25 min

Ingredients
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), finely chopped
12 ounce green beans, trimmed
1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 lemon
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt
Pepper
1 can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

In small bowl, cover sun-dried tomatoes with hot water. Let stand.
Heat large covered saucepot of water to boiling on high. Fill large bowl with ice and water. Add green beans to boiling water. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; transfer to ice water. When cool, drain well. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Cook couscous as label directs. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
Meanwhile, cut grape tomatoes in half and chop olives and parsley.
Into large bowl, from lemon, grate 1 teaspoon peel; squeeze 2 tablespoons juice. Stir in vinegar, oil, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drain sun-dried tomatoes well; stir into mixture. Add beans, couscous, grape tomatoes, olives, parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well mixed.

Sweet Potato Bake Recipe

Sweet Potato Bake Recipe

10-12 Servings
Prep: 35 min. Bake: 20 min. + standing

Ingredients
7 large sweet potatoes (about 6 pounds), peeled and cubed
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger

TOPPING:
12 oatmeal cookies, crumbled
6 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions

Place sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook just for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain
Mash potatoes with butter. Add the marmalade, orange juice, brown sugar, salt and ginger. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Toss cookie crumbs with butter; sprinkle over the top.
Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes or until browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Nita's crazy cake

Nita's crazy cake
yield: Makes 8 servings

This cake is good sprinkled with powdered sugar or topped with vanilla frosting.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place first 5 ingredients in 8x8x2-inch nonstick metal pan. Using handle of wooden spoon, poke three holes in dry ingredients. Combine 1 cup cold water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla in large glass measuring cup. Pour liquid ingredients into holes in dry ingredients (there will be some overflow). Using fork, stir until batter is smooth. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)

Receipt Pancet

Receipt Pancet.


Half of 1 bag rice noodles soak in hot water for 10 min.

1 cup cut cabbage

1/2 cup cut carrots

1/2 cup cut onion

Optional mushrooms

1/4 cup oil heated, put all veggies fly for 5 min. add 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1 table s. sesame oil. Drain noodles. Then add noodles, mix together and fry covered for 10-15min. Stir occasionally.

Orzo Salad with Corn, Tomatoes and Basil

I got this recipe from Soulemama's blog a few years ago and it's one of our favorites. It's fresh, easy, colorful, and keeps well. The original recipe doesn't have the feta, and it's delicious (and fasting!) without it, but with the feta it's even better.

Orzo Salad with Corn, Tomatoes and Basil

DRESSING:
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 TBSP red wine or red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, crushed

SALAD:
1 cup uncooked orzo (half of a box)
2 cups chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cups fresh yellow corn kernels
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 cup crumbled feta (or more!)

Prepare all dressing ingredients and place in a jar. Cover tightly and shake thoroughly. Prepare orzo according to package directions. Drain and place in a large bowl. Spoon half of the dressing over the orzo; toss to coat. Let cool to room temp. Add the remaining dressing, corn, tomato, onion, feta, and basil to the pasta. Let stand for at least 30 minutes.

Serves 8.

Chocolate Sorbet

This is so wonderfully rich and chocolatey! Better than chocolate ice cream, in my opinion. Make sure you use a large pot or it will bubble over. And don't skip the blender step--I did, and while it was wonderful, there were little bits of chocolate and I think it would be even better perfectly smooth.

Chocolate Sorbet
from The Perfect Scoop

2 1/4 cups water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
6 ounces (170 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the water with the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Let it boil, continuing to whisk, for 45 seconds.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it’s melted, then stir in the vanilla extract and the remaining 3/4 cup water. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for 15 seconds. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker. If the mixture has become too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out. After freezing in the ice cream maker, transfer to another (cold) container to continue freezing until it's the right consistency (another hour or so).

You can probably make this without an ice cream maker--just put it in the freezer and stir every half-hour or so until frozen--probably 4 hours?

Makes 1 quart.

Cilantro Lime Rice

This is a really nice accompaniment to Asian or Mexican main dishes. Not much harder than regular rice, and very tasty.

Cilantro Lime Rice

2 1/2 cups rice
4 1/4 cups water
1-2 cubes bouillon*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup lime juice (or lemon)
1 tablespoon fresh lime zest (or lemon)
2 tablespoons olive (or other) oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin (sometimes I leave this out--just depends which taste you want)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced fine

Combine all ingredients except cilantro in a pot. Stir with a wire whisk to break up big clumps of seasoning. Bring to a boil, stir again, and cook 15 minutes or until rice is done. Add cilantro and serve.

(adapted from owlhaven)

*My favorite vegan bouillon is Edward and Sons' Not-Chick'n and Not-Beef. A bit hard to find--some Krogers have them in their natural foods section--but a wonderful flavor, not pricey, and healthier than many others.

Three Hummus Recipes from Father S.

Hummus - Middle Eastern Garbanzo & Sesame Butter Spread (Vegan)

This is what we do when we need to make a quick bowl of hummus at home. Sometimes we remember to cook up a large pot of garbanzos at the beginning of a fasting period and freeze these in meal-sized packets for easy use. If not, we’re left to using cans.

4 Cans Cooked Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans

3+ Medium Cloves of Garlic (to taste)

3/4 C. Tahini – sesame seed butter (to taste)

1/4 C. Fresh Parsley, tightly packed, Optional

1/4 C. Fresh Scallions or Onion, Chopped

Juice from 2 Med. Lemons

1/4 C. Olive Oil (or eliminate, if fasting)

1 1/2 Tsp. Salt

Put garbanzos/chick peas into food processor. Add Lemon Juice and Olive Oil and blend well. Blend in Tahini. Add Salt, Garlic, Parsley, Onion and/or Scallions and blend again. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking. Best if allowed to sit for several hours or refrigerated overnight. Serve on Pita Bread, Tortillas, Crackers or Bread. Very good.

Hummus – Moroccan or Algerian Style (Vegan)

Hummus is one of those fasting-legal dishes which have become a staple at our house. Its bean protein really sticks with you throughout the day, and also makes an excellent before Vespers snack. The following is a recipe from Orthodox and birding friend, Leslie Cusick, who is part of the OCA Parish of St. Anne’s, in Oakridge, Tennessee.

2 Cans Garbanzo Beans, drained, liquid reserved

1/2 C. Tahini Pasted (roasted is best if you can find it)

1/3 C. Warm Water (or some of Garbanzo bean liquid)

6 Cloves Fresh Garlic, or to taste

Juice of 2 Lemons

1-1/2 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

3 Tsp. Ground Cumin

1/4 C. Good Olive Oil, optional if fasting

Put first 5 ingredients into food processor and process until smooth. If adding oil, gradually add it next. If not, blend in the remaining ingredients and process until well combined. This recipe is more Moroccan/Algerian Mediterranean than the more Eastern or Northern Mediterranean one. It is delicious! Add more lemon juice for a looser consistency, if so desired.

Spanish Spinach Hummus (Vegan)

Okay, it may seem a bit of a stretch, but we came up with this one during Great Lent one year when, early in the afternoon on a day when Pre-Sanctified Liturgy was going to be held, someone gave us a large case box of fresh spinach. We had been planning to make hummus for the Lenten meal which our Parish traditionally holds after services. Instead, we adapted to suite our revised situation an old recipe from Seville in España, one which was originally strongly influenced by the Moors. Actually much more “Moorish” than Spanish, as the recipe is a good outcome of the “necessity is the mother of invention” quandary, it is also to be considered an example of the concept, “Moor with less"

2 Lbs. or More Fresh Spinach, Washed, Stemmed & Lightly Torn

1 Lg. Onion, Roughly Chopped

6+ Cloves Fresh Garlic, Peeled

¼ C. Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil

¼ C. Fresh Cilantro, Optional

2 Tsp. Cominos (Cumin), Ground

2 Tsp. Paprika

½ Tsp. Oregano

¼ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes or Red Chile, or to taste, Optional

1 Tsp. Salt, or to taste

1 Tbsp. Tahini (Sesame Butter)

3 Cans Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas), partially drained

2 Tbsps. Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice, Optional

Wash and lightly tear up the fresh spinach. In a heavy pan, heat olive or other oil. Add onion and garlic, stirring frequently until sautéed. Add fresh spinach, optional cilantro, and additional spices. Stir frequently and only lightly “stir-fry” the greens, removing them from the heat while still a bright green color. Place vegetables in a food processor and process until coarsely ground. Add Tahini, garbanzo beans and optional juice of lemon or lime. Process again until well blended and coarsely ground. Serve warm, room temperature or slightly chilled, along with pita bread, crackers or French bread. Or, serve over rice, couscous or yellow split peas.

Versatile Vegan Fruit Cobbler

Crust:
1 c. margarine (you can use shortening)
dash salt
1 1/2 c. white flour
2 c. sugar
2 c. oats
Mix together w/ pastry blender and set aside. Should be crumbly, not a ball of dough.

Fruit:
2 large cans peaches or 2 cans of berry pie filling
1 bag frozen blueberries or blackberries

Mix and pour into greased pan. Spread crust mixture evenly over top.

Bake at 350 to 375 degrees 40-50 minutes.

Excellent Vegan Mayonnaise

½ cup of soy milk, plain and preferably unsweetened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of canola oil
¼ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon of agave - or you can use honey if you're Orthodox and don't mind exploiting the bees
¾ teaspoon of kosher salt
½ tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
zest from 1/8 of a lemon
1/8 teaspoon of dry mustard

Directions:

Put everything in the blender and process until it is thick. I make mine in my Vitamix and it takes about 15 seconds. If you have a lower speed blender you may need to process a little longer. The homemade vegan mayonnaise will become thick and completely emulsified exactly like a mayonnaise made with egg.

Comments:

You will not be able to tell the difference between this and egg mayonnaise. The flavors may be slightly different from your favorite brand, but the texture and overall flavor profile are just like egg mayonnaise.

I have kept this in my refrigerator for a couple of weeks. It will last as long as the soymilk.

If you only have sweetened soy milk wait and add the agave at the end, you will probably need less, but that will vary by brand of soymilk and your taste.

Super Easy Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium sweet pepper, chopped
• 2 T oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups Vegetable Broth
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups cubed cooked pumpkin
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• In a large skillet, saute the onion and pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Vegan Cream of Pumpkin Soup

1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup pecan pieces
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk

PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion. Cover and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the curry powder and the pumpkin puree, then whisk in the broth until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to develop, stirring occasionally.
2. While the soup is simmering, make the curried pecans. In a small bowl, combine the pecan pieces with the remaining maple syrup and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the remaining curry powder, tossing to coat. Place the pecans in a small baking dish and bake until toasted, about 3 - 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Otherwise, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Stir back into the pot. Return the soup to the stove top, turning the heat to low. Whisk in the coconut milk, taste to adjust seasonings. Heat until hot, do not boil. Serve the soup garnished with the pecans.

Vegan Rice Pudding

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup white medium grain or short grain rice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups soy milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 slightly heaping tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch of salt
1/2 cup white raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped almonds (optional)

PREPARATION
1. Combine 1 1/2 cups water, the rice, and the salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over very low heat 8 to 9 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed. Check frequently and stir to make sure it doesn't stick. Add 3 1/2 cups of the soy milk and the sugar. Continue simmering on very low heat for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is soft and most of the milk absorbed. You want a spongy texture, with no bite. Remove the rice from the heat.
2. Pour 1/4 cup of the remaining soy milk into a bowl and whisk in the cornstarch to dissolve. Add the vanilla extract and cardamom. Pour the cornstarch-milk mixture along with the remaining 3/4 cup soy milk into the hot pudding and stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt and the raisins and nuts if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Stew

• 4 cups pumpkin, diced
• 2 cups dried beans, soaked overnight in 5 cups water then drained
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup oil
• 3 cups corn
• 1 28 oz. can tomatoes, diced
• 6 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried or 3 tablespoons fresh Basil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried or 3 tablespoons fresh Oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons fresh Marjoram
• 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

Saute onions and garlic until tender in oil in a 5 quart heavy pot.
Put soaked and drained beans, diced pumpkin pulp, and seasonings (except salt) in pot with enough water to cover about 2 inches above ingredients.
Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low.
Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours or until beans are tender.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, corn and salt.
Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer for 30 minutes more.

Habit Forming Potato Casserole

1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 white or yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup of sliced celery
3 - 4 T minced garlic (I use the stuff out of the jar, which really speeds things)
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped up fine
6 or 7 nice sized potatoes, peeled and cut into thick sticks
1 cup of peas
2 - 3 T dried parsley
2.5 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 cup of white flour
1/2 cup of Soy milk or water

In a very large frying pan heat the oil over medium high heat and add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook and stir until onions are golden brown. Add the carrots and cook for a few minutes longer and then add the potatoes, the peas and all of the spices. Cook for an additional 2 or 3 minutes, stirring. Sprinkle the flour over the potato mixture and stir to coat. Add the soy milk or water, a little bit at a time, stirring all the while, until you have a nice creamy sauce coating everything. Place all into a casserole and cook at 400 degrees for about 25 or 30 minutes, or until potatoes are nicely browned on top.