"beef" and orzo-stuffed peppers
Makes 4 servingsIngredients
=======1 cup orzo pasta (make sure you get the vegan orzo)
4 bell peppers (green, orange, red, or yellow)
2/3 cup tightly packed fresh parsley (I used Italian parsley)
1/4 cup vegan soy parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
12 oz faux ground beef-style crumbles
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (I didn't seed mine and it tasted perfect)
1 12-oz jar of tomato sauce (I used pasta sauce)
Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Cook the orzo according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cut off the tops of the peppers (save them) and scrape out the insides, removing the seeds. Place the peppers into the boiling water, simmer for 3 minutes, remove from the water, and invert them onto a paper towel to drain.
Place the parsley, soy parmesan, walnuts, basil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and garlic into a food processor and pulse until blended. With the food processor running, slowly add 1/4 cup of the olive oil and continue processing to form a smooth pesto.
In a large skillet, brown the beef-style crumbles in the remaining oil over medium heat. Stir in the orzo, pesto, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the chopped tomato. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture is heated through.
Pour the tomato sauce into an 8-inch glass baking dish. Fill the peppers with the "beef" mixture and place them into the baking dish. Put the pepper tops back on and bake for 20 minutes.
Ribollita
soup3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
2 large zucchini, thinly sliced
14-ounce can chopped tomatoes
3-3/4 cups vegetable stock
14-ounce can navy or pinto beans, drained
salt and ground black pepper
to finish1 pound young spinach
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
6-8 slices of crusty white bread
variationUse other dark greens, such as chard or cabbage instead of the spinach. Shred and cook until tender.
optionalThe original recipe calls for pesto to be used in the soup and Parmesan cheese as a garnish. I have omitted them to make the soup vegan.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, celery, and fennel and sauté gently for 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, until thte vegetables are completely tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, sauté the spinach in the oil for 2 minutes or until wilted. Spoon over the bread in soup bowls, then ladle the soup over the spinach. Serve with extra olive oil for drizzling onto the soup.
**My 2 cents: I prefer pinto beans as the navy beans leave a strange aftertaste.
Bean Soup
soup 175 g/6 oz pinto beans
1.25 litres/2-1/4 pints water
175-225 g/6-8 oz carrots, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped (we use yellow onions)
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2-1 chili, seeded and finely chopped (we use a serrano pepper)
1 litre/1-3/4 pints vegetable stock
2 tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped (we're too lazy to peel the tomatoes. The soup tasted fine with the skins left on)
2 celery sticks, very thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped coriander/cilantro (optional)
croûtons3 slices white bread, crusts removed
oil, for deep frying
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
Soak the beans overnight in cold water; drain and place in a pan with the water. Bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 10 minutes. Lower the heat, cover, and, simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Or...you could just a buy a 15 oz can of cooked pinto beans and save yourself the headache of soaking, boiling, and draining. It doesn't affect the taste, especially if you go for a low sodium product.
Add the carrots, onion, garlic, chili, and stock and bring back to the boil. Cover and simmer for a further 30 minutes, until very tender.
Remove half the beans and vegetables with the cooking juices and press through a strainer or process in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Return the bean purée to the saucepan and add the tomatoes and celery. Simmer for just 10-15 minutes, or until the celery is just tender, adding more stock or water as necessary.
Meanwhile, make the croûtons. Dice the bread. Heat the oil with the garlic in a small frying pan (skillet) and fry the croûtons until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Season the soup and stir in in the chopped coriander (cilantro), if using. Transfer to a warm tureen ans serve immediately with the croûtons. :: Serving soup in a "tureen" is just a suggestion!
Note: Pinto beans are widely available, but if you cannot find them or you wish to vary the recipe, you can use cannellini beans or black-eyed beans (peas) as an alternative.
Fluffy Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup Non-Hydrogenated Shortening
1/2 cup Non-Hydrogenated Margarine (preferably Earth Balance)
3-1/2 cups Confectioners' Sugar, sifted if clumpy
1-1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Plain Soymilk or Soy Creamer
Beat shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes. Add vanilla and soymilk, beat for another 5-7 minutes or so until well fluffy.
I've noticed this will make more than enough for 24 generously frosted cupcakes. Enjoy!
from
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes That Rule
