K's Tomato Soup

• 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tbs nutritional yeast

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend for a couple of minutes, until it is really smooth and creamy. Transfer to a saucepan and heat.

Non-dairy butter

Adapted from a recipe in Homemade Vegan Pantry by Miyoko Schinner

• 1 1/2 cups refined coconut oil (this needs to be refined oil, the odorless kind) 
• 1/2 cup olive oil (I like olive better in this than a more neutral oil)
• 1 tablespoon liquid lecithin (This is not optional. If you use granules, triple the amount.)
• 1/4 teaspoon lactic acid powder (optional, but this adds a note that really sells it as butter)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup plain non dairy milk 

Combine ingredients in a food processor until you have a creamy emulsion. Pour into 4 ounce jelly jars and freeze the unused portion. Keep the active jar refrigerated or it will seperate.

Hot peanut sauce

This sauce is GLORIOUS over steamed fresh veggies (we do broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, sometimes cauliflower), served with seared tofu and brown rice. I sometimes do this with a big handful of raw spinach as the foundation of the bowl. 

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsps ginger purée
• 1 (or more) tablespoons sriracha

Combine in a blender, and then heat in a saucepan, stirring frequently, until very hot.
We fry the tofu in slabs in a little oil, and then cut it into bite sized chunks. We then pour the sauce over rice, steamed veggies and baby spinach.

Dinner Shaped Dinner

I promised this recipe to a random stranger at Costco over a month ago. I'm finally posting it. We call this dinner-shaped dinner - baked potato, veggies, protein.

Step one in the process is the sour cream. You can use a commercial variety if you prefer,

1 cup raw unsalted cashews
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon lactic acid powder
Pinch salt

Combine these ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.

Scrub and puncture four 8 ounce russet potatoes. Place them in the oven, and turn it to 400 degrees. Set timer for 20 minutes.

For the roasted brussels sprouts:
2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half (if the size is not uniform, you may leave the smallest ones whole while quartering the largest)
1 large onion, diced
2 apples, diced (granny smith are my favorites for this, but any apple is fine)
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
either 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or a large handful of peeled whole garlic cloves
black pepper
Toss these together and spread onto a baking sheet (silpat or parchment makes for easier clean up)
When the first timer goes off, add these to the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes again.

For the barbecue glazed tempeh:
2 8 ounce packages tempeh
About 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce - homemade or store bought. We like the Kinder's brand when we are using store bought.

Slice the tempeh package down the center lengthwise, and remove the wrapping. Slice each half across to split it into two thin slabs. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or a sil pat, and brush barbecue sauce over the top of each slab.
When the timer goes off, add this pan to the oven, set a timer for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove the sheet from the oven, flip the tempeh, and coat the other side in sauce. Bake another 15 minutes.

That is enough time for all the components to be fully cooked. Split the potatoes, top with sour cream and butter, and green onions or chives. Dish a generous portion of sprouts, and a couple of slabs of tempeh. Serves 4.