Thai lime-vegetable soup

Cooking time 20 minutesPreparation time 20 minutes

Makes 14 cups (3.5 L)

Take a few sips of our Thai coconut-vegetable soup and you'll fall in love with its silky smoothness laced with a hint of lime.

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves or 2- 1/2 tsp (12 mL) bottled chopped garlic
• 2 onions
• Vegetable oil
• 1/2 small butternut squash or 1/2 lb (250 g) pkg peeled and chopped fresh butternut squash pieces
• 4 carrots
• 900 mL carton vegetable broth
• 2 (400-mL/14-oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tsp (10 mL) hot chili-garlic sauce
• 1 each yellow and orange pepper
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 large lime
• 1 cup (250 mL) coarsely chopped fresh coriander

1. Mince garlic. Coarsely chop onions. Lightly oil a large wide saucepan or pasta pot and set over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onions. Stir often until onions soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, if using half a butternut squash, scoop out and discard seeds. Peel and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes. If using packaged squash, cut large pieces into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes. Thinly slice carrots.
2. When onions are soft, pour in broth.  Stir in coconut milk, chili-garlic sauce, squash and carrots. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Then reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered and stirring often, until squash and carrots are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, core and seed peppers. Coarsely chop. Thinly slice celery. When squash is almost done, add peppers and celery. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered and stirring often, until vegetables are done as you like, 5 to 8 more minutes. Stir in juice of half a lime. Add coriander. Taste and add more lime juice, if needed. Soup will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months. To serve, defrost and reheat in the microwave. If soup separates, stir or whisk until mixed. Or place in a saucepan and stir often over medium-low heat.   

Baby zucchini with blue cheese

Preparation time 5 minutes       

Roasting Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 baby zucchini
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled stilton or roquefort cheese, about 2 oz (60g)

1. Preheat oven to 450F (230C). Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and lightly rub with oil. Place cut-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast zucchini, uncovered, in centre of preheated oven until cut sides are lightly golden, 15-20 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and turn cut-side up. Sprinkle cheese overtop. Return to oven and continue roasting just until cheese starts to melt, 3-5 minutes.

• Serving Suggestion:

  This zucchini is a great sidekick for Vegetarian Chilly or Meatless Bake Potatoe Pie. If you can find baby zucchini, the regular ones will do - just give them a few more minutes of roasting time.
  

Nutrients per Serving

• 5 g protein  ,6 g fat  ,5 g carbohydrates  ,2 g fiber  ,1 mg iron

Sesame-ginger tofu and vegetable

  Sesame-ginger tofu and vegetable

Makes 2 Servings ________ Photo by John Cullen

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber
• 1 carrot
• 1 454 g medium tofu
• 2 green onions
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar (preferably low sodium and sugar free)
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 tsp dark sesame oil

1. Slice 1 cucumber and 1 large carrot into thin sticks. Thinly slice 2 green onions diagonally. Thickly slice 454 g medium tofu. Arrange all on a platter.
2. Toast 1 tbsp sesame seeds until lightly golden in a small frying pan set over medium. Add to a small bowl.
3. Stir in 2 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tbsp rice vinegar (preferably low-sodium and sugar-free), 1 tbsp grated ginger and 2 tsp dark sesame oil. Drizzle over tofu.

• Soba noodles:

  BOIL 1 bundle (120 g) soba noodles in a large pot of boiling water. Cook until tender, about 3 to 4 min. Rinse with cold running water to cool and remove excess starch, about 2 min.
  SERVES 2 | per serving 202 calories, 10 g protein, 44 g carbs, 2 g fibre, 122 mg sodium.
  

• Garlic spinach sauté

  HEAT 1 tsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan set over medium. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves. Stir constantly for 1 min. Gradually add 10 cups baby spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, until wilted. Stir in 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce.
  SERVES 2 | per serving 60 calories, 5 g protein, 7 g carbs, 3 g fat, 4 g fibre, 279 mg sodium. Excellent source of vitamin A and folate.
  

• Calcium Cachet

  Just 1/2 cup of tofu delivers the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk. And it’s high in protein and low in saturated fat.
  

Nutrients per Serving

• 338 calories  ,21 g protein  ,31 g carbohydrates  ,17 g fat  ,5 g fiber  ,70 mg sodium

Moroccan Vegetarian Stew

Preparation time 15 minutes,  Cooking Time 8 hours,  Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 796 mL can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp sea  salt ( I usually use a salt substitute, it will reduce your salt intake )  
• 540 mL can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup sliced dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or parsley

1. Combine tomatoes with squash, sweet potato and seasonings in slowcooker insert. Cover and cook on low until squash is tender, about 8 hours.
2. Stir in chickpeas and apricots during the last 30 min of cooking. Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving. Serve with couscous.

• Testing Tip

  Raw onions and garlic can taste unpleasantly acrid in a slowcooked dish. Onion and garlic powders are more reliable.
  

Nutrients per Serving

• 253 calories  ,7 g protein  ,57 g carbohydrates  ,2 g fat  ,9 g fiber  ,577 mg sodium

Ratatouille Gratin

Ingredients :
Cooking Spray
8 oz. firm tofu
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup whole- wheat bread crumbs
2 cups diced eggplant, in 1 inch cubes
1 large beefsteak-type tomato, cut into 10 wedges
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, halved and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch crescents
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch squares
1 medium zucchini, cut into ¾ inch slices
Directions :
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions until translucent, 4 minutes. Add two-thirds of garlic, eggplant, red pepper and zucchini, and cook, stirring, until vegetables look moist, 1 minute. Add tomato and basil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender but not soft, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If pan looks dry, pour in 1/4 cup water. Season vegetables to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
3. While vegetables cook, cube tofu. Spread on a double layer of paper towels, top with another sheet, and press firmly to soak up as much moisture as possible from tofu. Crumble tofu until it resembles finely crumbled feta cheese.
4. Place tofu in mixing bowl. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, bread, crumbs, cheese, oregano, red pepper, garlic and a pinch salt and pepper. Using a fork, combine all ingredients. Sprinkle topping in even layer over vegetables.
5. Bake uncovered, until topping is golden and feels dry and crisp to the touch, 20-25 minutes. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes, and serve hot or warm.
Makes 5 Servings .
Per serving : 170 calories, 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 16 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 250 mg sodium.

Kung Pao Tofu

Serves 6
Ingredients :
1 block tofu, firm
1 tablespoon peanut or olive oil
1 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup onion, small diced
1/2 cup carrot, small diced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (chili and garlic sauce)
1 tablespoon Spicy Bean Paste (Korean hot sauce)
1/2 cup sugar (optional)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, small diced
1/2 cup zucchini, small diced
1 tablespoon peanut or olive oil
1/4 cup macadamia nuts or peanuts
Directions :
1.Place the water packed tofu in the freezer overnight. Using tofu that has been frozen first will give this dish a meatier feel. Freezing makes the texture of tofu chewier, which resembles chicken. Thaw the tofu by leaving it out all day or in the microwave for a few minutes. Once thawed, squeeze the tofu between your hands over a bowl to catch all the water that will come out. It will feel like squeezing a sponge dry. The more water you get out, the more the tofu will absorb the flavors of the sauce. Slice the tofu in to bite-sized cubes and fry in the peanut oil until golden brown. Set aside.
2.Next, make the Kung Pao sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well, then set aside. Adjust the sauce to your taste by adding more hot sauce if you want the sauce to be hotter, and less sugar to take away some sweetness.
3. Cut all the vegetables into small size pieces so that they will cook evenly. In a saute pan heat peanut oil and saute the vegetables. Just be sure to add the thicker ones, like carrots. first and let cook for 2 minutes. Then the onion and bell peppers for another 2 minutes. Add delicate vegetables like zucchini last and only cook briefly or they will get mushy and lose vitamins. Add the golden tofu cubes and mix gently. Now add the sauce, a little at a time, until you get the desired coating. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes to reduce the sauce and thicken it. For the final touch, sprinkle with macadamia nuts for a truly local flair, or peanuts. Serve over jasmine rice and enjoy.

Meatless Baked Potato Pie

Ingredients :
1/2 cup TVP (dry)
1/2 cup hot water or warm water
1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning**
4 - 5 potatoes
1 block of margarine made with olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup sweet corn
1/2 cup sweet peas
2 teaspoon mushroom seasoning
2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
1. Mashed potatoes form the crust for this pie. Cut each potato into 4 pieces and bake them in the oven at 350º for 45 minutes or until the surface of the potatoes are golden brown. Then mash the potatoes until smooth (Note: do not let the potatoes cool off too much before mashing them because it is easier to mash when they are hot). Using your hands, mix the butter into the mashed potatoes. You can use margarine or olive oil if you want to avoid dairy products.
2. Next, you will hydrate the TVP so that it becomes soft. Mix the mushroom seasoning in to the hot water so that the TVP will have some flavor after it absorbs all the water. Add the dry TVP to the water and let sit for 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the meatless filling for the pie. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the chopped garlic and the sweet onion. After the onion caramelizes, add with diced carrots, mix well, and cook until the carrots softens. Add the TVP, the mushroom seasoning, and the black pepper. Mix well until everything is coated with flavorings. Next, add the sweet corn and sweet peas, and mix together.
4. Brush a baking dish on all sides with olive oil. Using your hands, put half of the mashed potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish and pat down into a even layer. Then, scoop all the meatless filling on top of the layer of mashed potatoes. Cover the meatless filling with the other half of the mashed potatoes, smoothing the top to be even. Bake the pie at 350* for 45 minutes or until the potato crust is golden Brown.
5.After baking, let the pie cool for 15 minutes before you cut it so that it becomes firm. You can serve the pie warm or cold, sliced large for main portions or small for appetizers. We like it with tomato ketchup.

Vegan Chilli

INGREDIENTS:
3 (15.25 ounce) cans kidney beans
1 large red onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
2 red bell peppers, chopped
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons hot chili powder
3 tablespoons molasses
1 cube vegetable bouillon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 12oz. Pack vegan burger crumbles
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup water
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot water
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a slow cooker combine vegetarian crumbles, kidney beans, onion, celery, bell pepper, bay leaves, chili powder, molasses, bouillon, cilantro, hot sauce, salt, pepper and 1 cup water. Cook on high for 3 hours.
2. Dissolve flour in 1 cup hot water. Pour into chili and cook 1 more hour