Orange Banana-Nut Bread

Here's another variation on banana bread to try, following my Molasses-Oat Banana Bread and Cardamom Banana Bread with Pistachios. It's probably the last time I'll make banana bread for awhile, but keep experimenting with different ingredients and flavor combinations if you like! This particular variety is delicious for breakfast - try it with a thin layer of vegan cream cheese on top, or topping it with strawberry, peach, or kiwi slices!

Lightly spoon 2 cups all-purpose flour into measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour in a large bowl with 3/4 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp. salt; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup raw sugar and 1/4 cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance); beat for about 1 minute, until well blended. Add the equivalent of 2 eggs made with egg replacer (such as Ener-G), one at a time, beating between each addition.

Add 1 and 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons grated orange rind, and 3 tablespoons orange juice; beat to combine. Add the flour mixture, and beat just until blended.

Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, then spoon the batter into an 8x4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes - a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Cool the bread for 10 minutes, in the pan, on a wire rack, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. You'll have 16 slices of 180 calories each.

Cost:
banana $1.26
orange $1.23

'Gorgonzola'-Walnut Fettuccine with Toasted Breadcrumbs

This elegant pasta dish works great for company! As with the Crostini with 'Gorgonzola', Caramelized Onions, and Fig Jam that I made last night, try the soy blue cheese from Sunergia in this recipe.

To start, tear 1 slice of white bread into pieces, and place in a food processor; process until you have coarse breadcrumbs. Place the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees until dry - the original recipe said 30 minutes, but I only gave mine 20 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and saute for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then add the breadcrumbs - return the pan to the heat and cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently.

Cook 8 ounces of fettuccine according to package directions, then drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the breadcrumb mixture, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/4 cup crumbled soy blue cheese, 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (which you can toast first, if you like), 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper; toss to combine.

This dish is best served immediately. You'll have 4 servings of 1 and 1/2 cups and 330 calories each.

Cost:
parsley $1.69
walnuts $5.49

Crostini with 'Gorgonzola', Caramelized Onions, and Fig Jam

These tasty little crostini make a great appetizer! In place of gorgonzola, I used the soy blue cheese from Sunergia. You'll have more fig jam than you need for this recipe, so use leftovers on breakfast toast!

To make the jam, place 1 cup dried figs and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Transfer the figs to a saucepan, along with 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and a dash of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thick. Use your judgment on this step - the original recipe said it would take about 25 minutes, but mine wasn't like jam until about 45 minutes - perhaps I wasn't simmering over high enough heat.

Let the jam cool completely before making the rest of the recipe (I made mine early in the afternoon).

To make the onions, heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add 2 cups sliced yellow onion, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp. chopped thyme, and 1/4 tsp. salt; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 20 minutes - the onions should be a deep golden brown by the end. Add up to 1/2 cup water to the pan as needed to keep the onions from sticking to the pan.

Meanwhile, slice 24 (1-inch) slices of French bread baguette; toast for a couple of minutes on each side under the broiler.

Crumble 3 ounces of soy blue cheese. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the 'cheese' on each baguette slice. Top each slice with 1 teaspoon of the fig jam and 1 teaspoon of the caramelized onions. Sprinkle the crostini evenly with an additional teaspoon of chopped thyme.

2 crostini make an appetizer nosh of 110 calories.

Cost:
dried figs $5.49
yellow onion $1.18
French bread baguette $2.29

Curried Cauliflower

I made a slightly milder curry powder for this Indian-spiced side dish, that marries will with vegetables, but you can use store-bought curry powder if you like.

To make the Mild Curry Powder, simply combine: 1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp. ground coriander, 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom, and 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper - that will make more than you need for this recipe, but use leftovers in the coming weeks over other curried vegetable dishes!

To prepare the cauliflower, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup thinly sliced onion and 1 tablespoon finely chopped and peeled ginger; cover and cook for 3 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of the Mild Curry Powder, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic; cook for 30 seconds.

Add 5 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 head), 1/2 cup chopped, seeded, and peeled tomato, 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt (such as Whole Soy), 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro stems, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

1 cup of the cauliflower is 90 calories. Serve with rice and a protein dish (such as lentils or chickpeas) to round out the meal!

Note: this is one of those recipes that moves fast, so have all your prep work done in advance. That includes peeling the tomato - simply mark an X in the bottom of 1 tomato, then place in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process - the skin will slip right off. Finally, seed and chop to equal 1/2 cup.

Cost:
ginger $1.53
cauliflower head $3.99
tomato $1.80
cilantro $1.69

'Chicken' with Fennel, Tomato, and Tarragon Vinegar

The vegan chick'n cutlets from Gardein were the perfect product to use in this recipe, which originally called for 8 chicken thighs. Each package of Gardein has 4 cutlets, so you'll need 2 packages for the recipe below.

The recipe also called for chopped, seeded, and peeled tomatoes, which takes a bit of prep work, but is worth the extra effort. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water boils, slit a shallow X on the bottom of 3 tomatoes. Boil for 1 minute, then transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water. The peels will slip off easily. Seed and chop the tomatoes to equal 2 cups; set aside.

Now on to the rest of the recipe!

Sprinkle 1/8 tsp. black pepper evenly over the 'chicken' cutlets. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; dd the 'chicken' and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, then remove from the pan. Cut 2 fennel bulbs into quarters; add the fennel quarters to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, turning so they brown evenly on all sides. Remove the fennel from the pan, and add 3 minced garlic cloves; saute for 30 seconds.

Add 14 ounces vegetable broth, 1/3 cup tarragon vinegar, and 2 fresh tarragon sprigs to the skillet; scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the browned bits that have accumulated, then bring the mixture to a boil. Return the fennel to the pan, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 7 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, cover, and continue to simmer on low for a final 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken and fennel from the pan a final time. Add 1/8 tsp. black pepper, the chopped tomatoes, 1 tablespoon plain soy creamer (such as Silk), and 1/2 tsp. raw sugar to the broth mixture. Bring to a boil, then cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 10 to 15 minutes) ,stirring frequently.

Serve 2 'chicken' pieces with 2 fennel quarters and 1/4 cup of the sauce for 4 servings of 230 calories each. This hearty dish is almost like a stew, and would be great served over cooked rice to soak up the extra juices.

Cost:
fennel $3.08
vegetable broth $2.49
tomato $4.00

Swiss Fruit and 'Yogurt' Muesli

This quick breakfast cereal is a great way to start you day!

In a bowl, combine 1 cup regular oats, 1 cup plain soy yogurt (such as Whole Soy), 1/3 cup orange juice, and 2 tablespoons packed organic brown sugar. Add 1 cup shredded Red Delicious apple, 1/2 cup sliced bannana, and 1/4 cup blueberries; stir gently to combine.

This recipe makes enough for 2 servings of 1 and 1/4 cups and 380 calories each, but double or triple the recipe as needed, so everyone in the house gets to enjoy! You can also try varying the fruits in the recipe, according to season, or add almonds on top for a nice crunch.

Cost:
Red Delicious apple $2.14
banana $0.56
blueberries $3.99

'Shrimp' Salad with 'Buttermilk' and Tarragon Vinaigrette

Try the vegan shrimp from Vegetarian Plus for this main dish salad!

Ahead of time, you'll need to thaw 20 ounces (2 packages) of the vegan shrimp, whether in the fridge for about 12 hours, or in the microwave on the 'fish' setting.

Next, make 1 cup vegan buttermilk; place 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a measuring cup, and fill with plain soy milk (such as Silk) to equal 1 cup; let stand for 5 minutes to clabber (sour) the mixture.

Pour 1/4 cup of the 'buttermilk' into a shallow bowl or zip-top plastic bag; set the rest aside for now. Add 2 tablespoons minced Anaheim chile (a mild, green chile), 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon, 1 teaspoon grated lime rind, 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and 1 minced garlic clove. Add the thawed 'shrimp'. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours; stir the mixture occasionally, if in a bowl, or turn the zip-top bag over a few times, if in a bag.

To make the dressing, pour 1/3 cup of the prepared 'buttermilk' into a small bowl - you can discard the remainder, or save for another use. Add 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar, 4 teaspoons finely chopped shallots, 1 teaspoon minced tarragon, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/8 tsp. raw sugar, and 1/2 tsp. grated lime rind; stir with a whisk to combine, and chill until ready to use.

After 2 hours, discard the marinade. Transfer the 'shrimp' to a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat; grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, until thoroughly heated.

To put together the salad, separate the leaves from 1 head of lettuce - the original recipe called for Bibb, but I used Boston lettuce, which is a very similar variety of butterhead; either works just fine.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving platter, along with 12 romaine lettuce leaves. Cut 2 tomatoes into wedges. Arrange the tomato wedges and the grilled 'shrimp' over the lettuce, then drizzle with the vinaigrette.

You'll have 4 salad servings of about 2 cups salad and 5 ounces 'shrimp' (about 8 or 9 pieces). Each serving is 250 calories.

Cost:
Anaheim chile $0.32
fresh tarragon $2.49
lime $0.50
romaine lettuce $3.99