Mexican Lentils and Mushrooms Over Polenta

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups small brown or green lentils, cooked
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 jalepenos, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Earth Balance
• 10 oz. sliced Crimini mushrooms
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 2 lbs. cooked, prepared polenta (store bought in a tube)
• ½ cup Daiya shredded cheese

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the onion and sauté just until softened and pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the Earth Balance, the remaining oil, and the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are tender. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Add the lentils, the 3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper and heat, stirring, just until warmed through. Taste and season the lentils accordingly with more lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, slice the polenta into ½ “ circles and brown in a frying pan with Earth Balance until golden. Lay out on a buttered 9 X 13 baking sheet as they are done.

3. Top each of the polenta pieces with approximately 2 tablespoons of the mushroom lentil mixture.

4. Sprinkle the Daiya cheese on top of each piece and finish off with a garnish of cilantro.  Bake in a 350F oven for about 15 mins. Or until cheese is melted. Serve.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

 I love this salad! It tastes wonderful warm or chilled.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

• 1 pound carrots
• 1 orange
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro or flat leaved parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Agave or brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Juice the orange. Scrub the carrots clean and slice them diagonally into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Place them in a medium sized pot and pour all but 1 tablespoon of the orange juice on top. Fill the pot with just enough water to cover the carrots. Simmer the carrots on low heat for about 15 minutes. They should be just tender - not at all mushy.

Remove the carrots from the heat, drain off the water, and allow to cool.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, reserved orange juice, chopped cilantro or parsley, Agave, salt, pepper and cayenne. Add more salt, pepper or cayenne pepper to the dressing according to your taste.

When they have cooled, mix the carrots with the dressing and serve or refrigerate.

This salad can be enjoyed either chilled or at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings.

Cashew Cream

2 cups whole raw cashews (not pieces) rinsed very well under cold water

1.     Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

2.     Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place them in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. (If you’re not using a professional high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve.)

3.     To make thick cashew cream,  simply reduce the amount of water when they are placed in the blender, so that the water just slightly covers the cashews.

Makes about 2 1/4 cups thick cream or 3 1/2 cups regular cream
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus soaking overnight.

Artichoke Spinach Dip

This dip is by far one of the best recipes I've come up with since becoming vegan. Try it for a delicious snack! I like it served warm and used French bread pieces for dipping, but tortilla chips or pita bread work fine too.

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) can or frozen artichoke hearts, drained  
• ½ package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
• 1 cup Tofutti sour cream
• 1/2 cup Vegenaise
• 1 cup Tofutti cream cheese
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder or granules
• 1 teaspoon onion powder or granules
• 1 teaspoon salt



Add caption

• ½ teaspoon pepper

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2.     In food processor, mix together, sour cream, vegenaise, cream cheese, nutritional yeast, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Process until smooth. Add spinach and artichoke hearts. Pulse about 15 times, just until blended in. Pour into 9X9 oiled baking dish. Cover dish.

3.     Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 20 - 25 minutes.