Vegan Cooking Really Isn't All That Bad...

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Polynesian Bars

1 cup millet flour

1 cup oatmeal, dry

2/3 cup applesauce

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Mix all ingredients toegether with hands. This will make a crumb

mixture. Press half of crust

mixture into 9 " x 12 " baking pan.

Filling:

4 cups dates, chopped

2 cups crushed pineapple, undrained

3/4 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

Cook filling until thick and smooth. Add vanilla. Spread mixture on

the crust to the edges of the pan, completely covering the crust.

Add remaining crust, covering the filling, and pat down well. Bake

at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Meridian Cafe's Tomato Bean Soup

Published in the Louisville Courier Journal Newspaper 6/4/03

15 can Black beans undrained

15 ounce can red kidney beans undrained

15 oz can pinto beans undrained

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 med onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 small yellow squash, diced

1 small zucchini, diced

3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

2- 28 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 Tbsp dried thyme

1 Tbsp. dried basil

1 Tbsp. dried sage

salt and pepper to taste

************************************

Drain bean liquid in a bowl, set aside.

In a large stock pot, heat oil until simmering. Add onion, celery,

squash and zucchini;

cook until lightly browned and slighlty translucent. Add garlic and

cook until garlic is soft and fragrant.

Add diced tomatoes with liquid, cook 30 minutes. Add spices, and

cook 10 minutes longer.

Puree these ingredients in a blender ( in three batches, holding a

towel over the top to prevent the liquid

from " jumping " out.) Return ingredients to pot.

Add beans. Simmer 10 minutes, adding reserved bean liquid to thin

to your liking.

Serves 8-12

Spinach-Miso Pesto

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1/4 cup walnuts

12 ounces fresh spinach, washed and stemmed

1/2 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons miso, any variety

Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat or on a baking sheet at 250°F

for 3 minutes. Set aside.

Steam spinach until just wilted. When cool enough to handle, remove excess

moisture with paper towels or a salad spinner.

Blend spinach, walnuts and remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender

until mixture is a rough paste.Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight

container for up to one week.

TIPS:

Toss with hot cooked pasta or new potatoes.

Spread on garlic bread for a tasty appetizer.

Use as a filling for stuffed pastas or mushrooms.

Herb Garden Couscous and Black Bean Salad

Serves 6

This substantial salad is reminiscent of tabouleh, a Middle Eastern grain salad.

1 cup uncooked couscous, preferably whole grain

16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed, or 2 cups cooked

1 large celery stalk, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

2 medium-size tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup chopped green olives

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large heat proof container, combine couscous with 2 cups boiling water.

Cover, let stand for 10 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.

Let the couscous cool until just warm, then stir in the remaining ingredients.

Cover and refrigerate for one hour before serving.

VARIATION: In place of mint and dill, try a combination of fresh herbs such as

oregano, thyme and basil.

Herbed Tofu-Mushroom Quiche

Serves 6

Health-conscioius eaters may prefer this crustless quiche over the traditional

egg-and-cheese variety.

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon light olive oil

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

16-ounce tub silken tofu

1 teaspoon curry powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/3 cup wheat germ

1 medium-size tomato, thinly sliced

In a medium skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in oil until onion just begins

to brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, sauté mushrooms over medium heat, covered, until they are

just softened and beginning to give off liquid. Stir in fresh herbs and remove

from heat.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place half of onion mixture in a food processor or blender. Crumble in tofu and

blend until smooth.

In a mixing bowl, combine tofu mixture, remaining onion mixture, curry powder,

salt, pepper and mushroom-herb mixture.

Oil a 9 " pie pan. Sprinkle half of wheat germ over bottom of pan. Spoon in tofu

mixture and pat to form an even layer. Top with thinly sliced tomatoes and

sprinkle with remaining wheat germ. Bake until set, about 40 minutes. Let stand

for 10 minutes, cut into wedges and serve.

" Give us justice which is not the searing spite of revenge, peace which is not

the product of war nor dependent upon it " - Penny Rimbaud, 'Oh America', 2002