Cream of Aspargus Soup

1 onion - minced
3-4 cloves garlic - minced
olive or vegetable oil

Heat in soup pot till the onions are transparent. add:

2 bunches asparagus - sliced about 4 cups or more
1-2 cups water

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till the veggies are mushy, really.

Meanwhile make the cream sauce:

Melt 1/2 cup vegan margarine
Add 1/2 cup flour
Whisk and simmer for a bit
Whisk in 4 cups rice milk, slowly
Keep heating and whisking while it thickens, then add:

3 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/8-1/4 tsp. black pepper

Add the cream sauce to the well cooked veggies. Take an immersion blender and cream the soup. Add as much water as needed to get the consistency you want.

Smoked tofu sandwiches

slices of homemade bread
mustard
smoked tofu, sliced
homemade dill pickles, sliced

Make into sandwiches, yum :o)

Naan Melts (serves 4)

2 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1 cup diced zucchini, mushrooms, any veg in season
slices of garden fresh tomatoes optional
could use some diced pepperoni etc. too

mozzarella cheese, grated

4 Naans

Melt butter in fry pan, add garlic, and onion. Saute. Add veggies (and sausage, not tomatoes). Saute more til done. Set veggies aside in a bowl.

On a naan spread 1/4 of the veggie mix, cover with optional tomato slices, sprinkle with grated cheese and put back into the fry pan. Cover and cook on medium low for about 2 minutes until cheese is melted. Repeat for all naans.

Of course this would be even better with homemade naans ;o)
Can be made vegan by using soy cheese instead and leaving out the sausage.

Bagels (32 medium)

3c. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. white sugar (or honey)
1 Tbsp. yeast

3 eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. salt

up to 10 cups white flour

In a large bowl mix warm water and sugar, sprinkle yeast over and let sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk eggs, add oil. Then whisk eggs and salt into the yeast. Add 4 cups flour, mix well, then beat for 1 minute. Add more flour until you can knead a stiff dough. Knead on a floured surface for 5 - 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let rise for 30 minutes.

After rising, punch down and cut dough into 8 pieces, then cut each of these into 4 pieces. Roll a piece of dough into a 'snake' that you can wrap around your hand overlapping 1-2 inches into a doughnut shape. Overlap and roll them together to make a smooth join. Place on an oiled cookie sheet until you have all rolled.

Next step: Drop (6-8 at a time) into a boiling water bath, boil one minute, flip, boil another minute, lift with slotted spoon to drain. Place on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal, could sprinkle them with a pinch of poppy seed while still wet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, till yummy brown, cool on a towel off the trays.

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See Joanne Gailius' original whole wheat recipe at Full Circle Farms Blog under 'April Bread Recipes'

Lenten Taco Salad (serves 12)

2 cups TVP (textured vegetable protein)
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 cups boiling water

1 large head romaine lettuce - shredded
2 tomatoes - diced
1 tin black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg. corn chips
1 bottle Catalina salad dressing

Mix TVP, soy sauce, and taco seasoning in a medium bowl. Add boiling water and stir, let sit till water is absorbed. [Chill TVP before adding to salad if you are making ahead, can be added warm if you are eating immediately.]

Put lettuce, tomatoes, and black beans in a large bowl. Just before serving add the TVP mixture and the salad dressing, toss. Add the corn chips last of all to keep them crunchy.

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PS This is the same way we prepare TVP for tacos.

Master Lists....

I keep losing the paper versions of these master lists for menu planning. I thought I could store them online here AND have them available for my children who are leaving home (& you too!)

Fasting Suppers Planner

Fasting Lunches Planner

Could use tweeking but there you are...

A Week of Packed Lunches 1

Monday:
Veggie soup mix envelope made with added macaroni
Crackers
Peanuts in the shell
Grapes

Tuesday:
Tomato sandwiches made with tomatoes in a container to be added at lunchtime
Apple
Veggie sticks

Wednesday:
Leftover Pizza
Banana

Thursday:
Noodle Soup bowl from store
crackers
Apple
Trail mix, homemade

Friday:
Cucumber Sandwiches with cucumbers in a container to be added at lunchtime
Rice Krispie Squares
Dried fruit

Peanut Noodles

12 oz whole wheat spaghetti
1 carrot halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

4 cups shredded Napa Cabbage (also known as Sui Choy & Chinese Cabbage)
1-1/2 cups bean sprouts

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm, about 8 minutes. Add carrots; cook for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water; set aside in colander.

In large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup water, hoisin sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, garlic and hot pepper sauce until smooth. Add pasta mixture, 3/4 cup of the coriander; toss. Sprinkle with peanuts and remaining coriander. Serve Napa Cabbage and bean sprouts in a separate bowl to be mixed in individually.

This meal met with approval by all family member - no mean feat!!

Left Over Pizza

Just adding this to the ideas list. Make more pizza than you need and serve it for lunch the next day. A real lunch box pleaser. Use soy cheese during the fasts with lots of yummy vegetables for toppings.

M&V - The Vegan M&C

Macaroni and Vegetables

Cook enough macaroni or other pasta for your family, add in some frozen mixed vegetables while they cook. Drain and each person can add various salad dressings to their portion. We like Italian, soy ginger, French, Honey Dijon, red wine vinegar, just check the ingredients first. Add a sprinkle of sunflower seeds to give it a bit of crunch.

Orzo Soup (serves 8)

2 quarts canned tomatoes
6 cups water
1 cup orzo pasta (1/2 package)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried basil
3 oz. tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 cups frozen mixed veg, or equivalent

Toss the orzo with the oil and set aside. Dice the tomatoes by hand or in a blender, pour into soup pot, add water, tomato paste, and spices. Heat to a boil, add orzo, return to a boil, reduce heat, stir constantly and cook for approx. 10 minutes. Add vegetables. Cook til veg and orzo are done.

Spaghetti Salad (serves 8)

leftover spaghetti or 500 g of pasta, cooked
1 tomato, diced small
1 green pepper, diced
1 green onion, sliced thinly
3 radishes, diced small
1/2 cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
lots of Italian salad dressing

I toss leftover spaghetti with a little Italian dressing before I put it into the fridge to keep it from sticking together. The next day I use two knives to chop the spaghetti into shorter pieces and add all of the chopped veggies and other ingredients. Toss well and serve. On fish days we add a can of drained tuna.

Beans and Toast

Lots of toast
tins of vegan baked beans, heated

Scoop of beans and slices of toast for each person. May like to dip beans with the toast.

(one of my lame lunch ideas)

Pizza Buns (serves 8)

24 English muffins, split and toasted
3 tins (213 mL each) pizza sauce
1 block soy mozzarella, shredded

Turn oven onto broil. Place muffins open side up on cookie sheets. 1 Tbsp.(approx.) pizza sauce spread on each. Sprinkle with soy cheese. Broil til cheese is melted. Keep a close eye on these!

Pumpkin Soup

This recipe was improvised by my mom (Cheryl Meng) for church this weekend.

In large stock pot sauté in generous amount of olive oil (1/2 cup):

1 large onion, chopped

One bunch celery, including leaves, chopped

¼ cup teff grain

½ cup lentils

1 red or yellow pepper chopped

1 T. Cajun seasoning

2-3 T. Mexican seasoning

Salt and pepper

Several dashes Maggi bouillion

Add and boil until grains nearly cooked:

4 cups water

½ cup powdered vegetable broth

Add:

4 cups water

2-3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

5-6 cups pureed pumpkin – fresh from the garden is best

When potatoes are nearly cooked, add:

1 can corn, or 1 cup frozen corn

Check seasonings – may need to add more salt, powdered vegetable broth, or Mexican spice to taste.

Ukrainian Grandma's Borscht (11 quarts approx.)

In a large pot put:
2 1/2 quarts water
5-6 peeled but whole potatoes
3 whole beets, fist sized, tops trimmed
Bring to a boil and cook til tender, about 30-40 minutes. Scoop out potatoes and mash with 2 pints (4cups) whipping cream. Remove beets and grate, tossing out some of the peel and the stem bit. Return to pot. (Don't toss the water!)

In a medium pot put:
2 quarts canned tomatoes, diced
4 Tbsp. butter
Heat to a boil and turn off.

In a really big pot (12-13 quart capacity) put:
Lots of butter
1 whole cabbage, shredded
4 carrots, grated
2 green peppers, diced
2-3 onions, diced
1 bunch celery, chopped
Saute.

Once the vegetables are soft add the potato mix and the tomatoes. Then add:
Dill, lots, prefer fresh
Parsley
Salt
Pepper
and more butter
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to minimum and simmer.

To made this vegan, use margarine instead of butter, using as little as possible, and leave out the whipping cream. Not Grandma approved but it is still tasty.

Garden Soup - Local Ingredients Only

Day One:

2 Quarts canned tomatoes, pureed
1 small onion, minced
3 cups cut up potatoes
3 cups sliced carrots
1 patty pan squash, peeled and seeded, cut up
1 green zucchini, large shredded
and a sprinkling of seasoned salt from the store.

Day Two took the leftovers and added:
Another quart of tomatoes, pureed
1 lb. ground beef , scramble fried first
1 cup green peppers, cut up
more onion
and a sprinkle of chili powder with a bit more seasoned salt.

Both were really good and I would have added beans to the second night for a bit of a chili taste but I didn't grow any this year and wanted to see what I could cook using only local stuff.

Oven Roasted Potatoes (serves 8)

leftover baked potatoes, cut into bite sized bits, about 4 lbs.
1/3 cup veg. oil
seasoning salt
pepper
garlic powder
1 onion minced

Toss bits of potato with oil and seasonings. Spread in two 10x15 pans, bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Stir frequently.

(When we make baked potatoes we do the whole 10 lb. bag and serve the leftovers like this the next day.)

Fr. Richard's Red Lentil & Pumpkin Soup

Boil:
5-6 c. water
2 c. red lentils

Add:
1/2 c. vegetable broth powder

Simmer while preparing:
1 small pumpkin, peeled & chopped (he used butternut squash as pumpkin was unavailable)

Add to pot and continue to simmer.

Saute in 1T. olive oil:
1 onion, chopped
1-2 celery, chopped
1-2 t. curry powder
1-2 t. paprika

Add to pot and cook til done.

Samosas (serves 10)

The Dough:
2 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
extra flour as needed

Mix the salt into the flour. Add the water, and mix by hand to make a smooth dough. Add more flour as needed. Dough will be soft, not sticky. Set aside.

The Filling:
3 large potatoes
1 Tbsp. vegan margarine
1 cup finely minced onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp. freshly minced ginger root
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. dried coriander
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 carrot peeled and finely grated
cayenne to taste

Peel the potatoes and dice into 1 inch pieces. Boil til soft. Mash and set aside.

Melt margarine, or use veg oil, in a heavy fry pan. Add onion, garlic,, ginger, mustard seeds, coriander, and salt.

Saute over medium heat about 8-10 minutes, or until the onions are quite soft. Add this to the mashed potatoes, along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well, don't mash the peas! Cool before filling.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use well oiled baking sheets. Roll out 1 inch balls of dough into 5 inch circles. Place about 1 1/2 Tbsp of filling in the middle fold over and seal with a fork. Brush with oil, and place on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, flip and bake 10 minutes more. Adjust heat and time to suit your oven.

(These freeze well)