Black Bean Soup

1 yellow or white onion chopped

3 Tbs olive oil

7 cloves garlic minced

1 carrot chopped minced

4 cans organic black beans (or made from dried beans)

3 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 Tbs onion powder

2 Tbs garlic powder

1 Tbs fresh ground pepper

3 Tbs chili powder

2 Tbs cumin

1 Tbs cornstarch

Chop the onion and garlic together in the food processor. Add to the pot with olive oil. Mince the carrot in the food processor and add to the onion and garlic. Saute this for about 10 minutes. Add all the spices and mix together. Add 2 cans black beans and vegetable broth.

While this is simmering, in a vitamix or blender add the other 2 cans black beans and about 4 cups of the soup that is simmering. Blend well and add back to the pot.

This step is optional depending on if you want your soup thicker or not: In a bowl add the cornstarch and about 1 cup of the hot soup. Mix together with a fork until the cornstarch is well blended. Add this to the soup and let simmer for 1/2 hour on the lowest heat. Serve topped with grated vegan cheese

Roasted Root Vegetables & Black Beans

I use all organic vegetables

1 rutabaga

1 yellow turnip

2 large carrots

1 large parsnip

1 large yam

1 sweet potato

1/2 large red onion peeled and cut up in chunks and split apart

15 oz black beans drained

Vinaigrette Dressing (below)

Preheat the oven to 450

Wash and peel all the vegetables. Cut them up in 1 inch chunks. Add any other root vegetables you like. Place all the vegetables in a large bowl.

Toss the Vinaigrette Dressing with all the vegetables. Place in a roasting pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Reduce heat to 375 and roast for about 45 - 50 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Toss the black beans in the vegetables the last 10 minutes of roasting.

Vinaigrette Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

6 cloves garlic

1 tsp minced fresh or dried basil

Salt

Pepper

1 Tbsp ginger sesame dressing/marinade

2 Tbsp water

Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, ginger dressing, water and basil in a small cup. Put the garlic cloves in the food processor and mince. Add the garlic to the olive oil mixture.

Grilled Portebello's

5 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs vegan ketchup

1/2 tsp hickory smoke flavor

1 Tbs soy sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion

1/8 tsp pepper

2 large portebello mushrooms

Mix together the first 7 ingredients. Brush the mushroom tops with the marinade. Place on the grill cap side down and grill on high for about 7-8 minutes. Brush on the rest of the marinade on the bottom side of the mushroom and turn over and grill another 7 minutes or until the caps are tender. Great with quinoa topped with steamed vegetables.

Recipes For The Fall

In the mountains at Lake Arrowhead you truly experience all four seasons. Fall is my favorite season. The weather starts to cool down, the trees change to the beautiful fall colors and we usually have the fireplace going early in morning. Time to turn the oven on and start baking. Here are some recipes for the Fall.

The egg replacer I use for the pies and bread is a mixture of flaxseed meal & water. Flaxseed is rich in fiber, lignans (natural antioxidents) and omega-3 fats

Pumpkin Pie
1 can (15 oz) organic pumpkin
3/4 cup vanilla soy milk
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp ginger
6 Tbsp flaxseed meal
9 Tbsp water
1 Vegan Pie Crust (I use Wholly Wholesome Organice Pie Crust)

Preheat oven to 400

Mix together the first 7 ingredients. In a small cup mix together the flaxseed meal and water stirring until well mixed. Let sit for a couple of minutes. In a food processor put in the pumpkin mixture and the flaxseed mixture. Mix until all blended. Pour into a frozen pie crust. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 375 and bake for another hour, 15 min. If a knife inserted might not come out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool. Needs to be refrigerated to further set before cutting. Serve with vegan whip cream

Pumpkin Nut Bread

Oatmeal & Fruit Cookie

3 1/4 cups rolled oats

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbs cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

9 oz pitted dates or prunes

24 oz dried apricots

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 Tbs real vanilla

2 Tbs soy vanilla milk

16 oz soy yogurt (the one with no fruit at the bottom)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a cookie sheet with pan spray

In a large bowl mix together the rolled oats, flour, baking soda and spices and set a side. Put in the food processor chop up the dates or prunes, apricots and cranberries and put in a large bowl. Mix into the dried fruit mixture the yogurt, vanilla and soy milk until well mixed. Add the flour mixture 1 cup at a time until well mixed. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Take the spoonful and squeeze it in your fingers to stick together, place on the cookie sheet and gently press down bit. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Cool on wax paper.

Makes approx 40-55 cookies depending on the size you make them. They freeze well for a couple weeks.

Smoothies

We usually have a smoothie for breakfast. Add a handful of fresh spinach and you have a serving of vegetable in your shake and it won't change the taste

Blueberry Blast
½ bag frozen blueberries (or any other frozon fruit: strawberries, peaches, etc)
1 ½ bananas (1/2 frozen)
2 scoops of soy protein powder
1 cup soy milk vanilla flavor
¼ - 1/2 cup water (more or less to achieve the consistency you like)

Mix all together in a vitamix or blender

Pineapple Crush
10 oz frozen pineapple
1 large organic fuji and other organic sweet apple
1/4 cup soy milk vanilla flavor
2 scoops of soy protein powder
1 1/2 cups ice water

Mix all together in the vitamix or blender until smooth

Passion Delight
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 banana (1/2 frozen)
1 cup soy milk vanilla flavor
¼ - 1/2 cup water (more or less to achieve the consistency you like)

Mix all together in a vitamix or blender

Berry Delicious

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 cup frozen blackberries

2 scoops soy protein

1 cup soy milk vanilla flavor

¼ - 1/2 cup water (more or less to achieve the consistency you like)

Mix all together in a vitamix or blender

Green Salsa

2 lbs tomatillos
1 small anaheim pepper cut in half
3 habanero peppers
2 jalapeno peppers cut in half
2 garlic cloves
1 small bunch cilantro
1 small white onion peeled & quartered

Remove the husks from the tomatillos , rinse and pat dry. Place them on a broiler pan covered with foil. Broil them until they are blackened and charred, about 10 minutes then turn them over and repeat for the other side. Place the tomatillo's in a strainer with a bowl underneath to catch the juice. Refrigerate for about 1/2 hour. Discard the juice

Put the tomatillos in a food processor along with the chili’s, cilantro, garlic and onion and mix until blended but leave it chunky. Refrigerate.