The Quintessential Quesadilla

4 c grated cheddar
1 pkg whole wheat soft tortillas
chopped green pepper
chopped onion
chopped mushrooms
sliced olives
salsa
sour cream

Lay tortilla on cookie sheet sprinkled lightly with cornmeal. Put a thin layer of cheese under a sprinkling of veggies, and add another thin layer of cheese before laying a second tortilla on top. Press down gently. Bake at 375F for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, slice into pie-shaped wedges, and serve with salsa and sour cream. You can add just about any vegetable to these, but keep things chopped small and the layer thin, otherwise the quesadillas won't hold together very well.

Sista's Spinach Salad

Bowlful fresh spinach leaves
2 green onions, chopped
a chunk of cauliflower, cut into tiny florets
2 boiled eggs, grated
1 c fresh chopped mushrooms
fake bacon bits

Dressing:
¼ c oil
2 tb red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar (optional)
½ tsp dill
1 tsp dry mustard
1 clove minced garlic

Greek Salad

1 long English cucumber, diced
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
½ green pepper, chopped
4 black olives, sliced, or 8 whole
lettuce (optional), torn into bite-size pieces

Combine first 5 ingredients.

Mix in separate container:
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp oregano

Toss with salad. Add:

½ c feta cheese, crumbled or diced.

Toss again, and serve.

Easy Egg Foo Yung

Make the gravy first, and set it aside:

1 and ½ tsp cornstarch
½ c vegetable broth (or 1 tsp miso paste in water)
¼ tsp sugar
1 tsp soya sauce
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp pepper

Whisk together all ingredients in small pot and heat over medium heat till thick, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Then:

10 eggs
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp sesame oil (or brown a handful of sesame seeds in 1 tsp veg oil before sautéeing veggies)
1 c diced onion
1 c sliced mushrooms
2 c diced celery
2 c mung bean sprouts
3 green onions, chopped
1 c water chestnuts, finely chopped
2 tbsp soya sauce
½ tsp cornstarch

Whisk first four ingredients in a bowl. Heat oil in ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Add next three ingredients and sauté three minutes, till onion is tender. Add last three ingredients and sauté two minutes.

Preheat broiler.

Whisk cornstarch and soya sauce in small glass. Add to the frying pan, mix well with veggies and heat 1 minute. Pour egg mixture evenly over veggies and cook about 4 minutes, or until edges are firm.

Place frying pan under broiler on middle rack of oven. Cook until top begins to brown, about three minutes. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes; drizzle with gravy just before serving.

Serve with brown rice or buttered toast.

Good-as-Gold Granola

16 c rolled oats
3 c unsweetened coconut
3 c wheat germ
3 c nuts and seeds (sunflower, sesame, walnuts, almonds - mixed, or whatever is on hand)
1 and 1/3 c vegetable oil
2 c honey
1/2 c water
1 tbsp salt
3 tsp vanilla
3 c raisins

Stir vanilla and salt into wet ingredients and pour over dry ingredients (except raisins) in a large bowl. Mix well and spread onto two cookie sheets or large pans (cake pans, roasters have high sides and are thus less messy) and bake at 300F for 40 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or more often if you smell burning. When oats are lightly browned, remove granola from oven and cool before adding raisins. Store in airtight container.

This cereal is very filling and chewy, but if you’re going to be a vegetarian you need a handy and nutritious staple like this in your kitchen. Preferably one with lots of protein – so don’t skimp on the nuts.

In my household there are three adults eating this granola regularly and this recipe lasts us about three weeks. If you live alone or are trying homemade granola for the first time, think about halving the measured amounts given. The granola can be kept in the freezer, too.

Mexican Soup

1 c chopped onion
4 tsp olive oil
6 c cooked black beans (or 2 x 19-oz cans)
3 and ½ c vegetable broth (or a tablespoon of miso, in water)
2 x 14-oz cans creamed corn
4 tomatoes, diced (or a 540ml can)
2 tbsp chili powder
½ c chopped red onion
½ c grated cheddar cheese

Sauté first onion in oil till tender; add next 5 ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle red onion and cheese on top to serve. This soup is delicious with toast.

Joanie's Sinful Noodles

Mix:

1/3 c soya sauce
¼ c white wine vinegar (red wine vinegar is also good)
1 TB chili powder
1 TB sugar
2 TB sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ c vegetable oil
2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
1-inch chunk fresh ginger, finely chopped

Toss with:

1 pkg cooked noodles (vermicelli, spaghetti, whatever))
2 large carrots, grated
4 green onions, chopped
peanuts – a couple handfuls
chopped lettuce (to taste)

Rinse and cool the noodles before you add the first mixture, and ideally let the completed recipe sit in the fridge for a couple hours before serving. This recipe is good with hot noodles, too, but hot pasta will absorb your wet ingredients more; you may want to increase the soya sauce and wine vinegar.

Friday Night Chili

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large (540ml) cans kidney beans
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 540ml can diced tomatoes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
parmesan cheese

Sauté onions, pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients and heat over low heat, covered.

Serve with brown rice; sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Colourful, tasty, satisfying.

Variation:
a. Add a can of brown beans.
b. Add a second can of diced tomatoes and stir your leftover rice into the chili beans before heating.
c. Melt grated mozza on tortilla chips in the oven and serve them as dippers.