Curry Pita Pizza

This here pizza was full of flavor and managed to abide by the ETL rules.
The following was spread onto a whole grain pita, then topped with dried figs and red bell peppers.  Then I baked it at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutres.

Cashew Curry Sauce (sorry for the lack of specific measures)
soaked raw cashews
a small amount of silken tofu
curry powder, to taste
a little bit of unsweetened soy milk to thin it out
Directions: Blend until smooth

Carmelized Onion Marmalade
2 yellow onions, cut into thin rings
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions:   In a hot skillet, add onions and vegetable broth.  Cover and cook until very soft.  About 20 minutes.  Add balsamic vinegar, toss to coat, reduce heat to low, uncover and cook until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, and  mass of "slimy" onions is left.

I also really like to eat my salads right on top of my pizza, so after the pizza was cooked, I topped it with a romaine salad topped with pine nuts and the Green Goddess Dressing from Isa's Appetite for Reduction.  I made the dressing sans the salt, and it is still really, really yummy.

Pizza topped with SAlad

I just cannot get enough salad!

Finally, having just about wrapped up testing for Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites: Lip-Smacking, Belly-Filling, Home-Style Recipes Guaranteed to Keep Everyone-Even the Meat Eaters-Fantastically Full, I simply cannot get enough green salad!  Kale, mixed baby greens, spinach, cabbage, romaine, even iceberg...my body has never appreciated leafy greens as much as it does right now. 

Thankfully, I have a big fat handful of great recipes from Celine and my latest effort, The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions: Veganize It! Foolproof Methods for Transforming Any Dish into a Delicious New Vegan Favorite, to help me on my rabbit inspired new love for a big bowl of crunchy goodness.

If the unseasonably warm Southern California weather (it was 104 degrees on Sunday and 112 degrees on Monday at my house) has you ready to throw your pots and pans out the window and opt for a cool, easy to toss together no-cook salad like it does me, well, try on one of these for size:

From The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions:

Curry Tofu and Arugula Salad

*Quick and Easy
*Wheat Free
*Gluten Free
The more natural colors on your plate, the healthier the meal! This salad a riot of peppery green arugula, sweet red peppers, and yellow curry dressing. You’re welcome to enjoy it on its own, but why not try scoop it onto a crostini, or stuff it into a wrap or pita? If you are not a fan of arugula, feel free to substitute baby spinach.

1 pound (454 g) extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed, pan-fried if desired
3 ounces (84 g) stemmed arugula
1/4 cup (40 g) raisins
1/4 cup (30 g) pine nuts
1/4 cup (46 g) diced roasted red peppers
Half a medium red onion, finely diced
1 cup (224 g) vegan mayonnaise, store-bought or homemade
2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (6 g) curry powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop tofu into small cubes. Add to a large mixing bowl.
Add arugula, raisins, pine nuts, red peppers, and onion.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar, curry powder, salt, and pepper.
Add dressing to salad and toss to coat.

Yield: 4 main-dish or 8 side-dish servings

No-Fat Balsamic Mustard Dressing
*Quick and Easy
*Nut Free
*Corn Free
*Low Fat

Wait! No oil? That's right. A super kicky dressing without an ounce of fat! Enjoy over dark leafy greens or warmed with steamed kale.

1/2 cup (120 g) Dijon mustard
1/2 cup (120 ml) balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) agave nectar
1 tablespoon (8 g) garlic powder
1 tablespoon (8 g) onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container, cover with lid, and shake to mix. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Yield: Just over 1 cup (270 ml)

Shown here in a wrap and in a bowl…I like it both ways!

From Hearty Vegan:

Chopped Waldorf Wraps

For the dressing:
1 cup (224 g) vegan mayonnaise, store bought or homemade
1/2 cup (120 g) nondairy sour cream, store bought or homemade
1/2 cup (120 ml) orange juice
1 tablespoon (9 g) poppyseeds
salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
3 hearts (12 ounces, 340 g) romaine lettuce, chopped
2 medium granny smith apples, cored and chopped into small cubes
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup (160 g) diced red onion
1 cup (109 g) pecan pieces
1 cup (160 g) raisins

For the wraps:
6 large burrito size tortillas (Find the largest, freshest, most pliable tortillas you can find, they work best for wraps)
6 pieces of parchment cut to squares just larger than the tortillas

To make the dressing whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl.
Set aside.
To make the salad, toss all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, add prepared dressing and toss to coat.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the wraps lay one piece of parchment on a flat surface.
Place a tortilla in the center of the parchment.
Place 2 to 3 cups (340 g to 510 g), depending on the size of your tortilla, of prepared salad in the tortilla, spread out across the half of the tortilla closest to you. It will seem like a lot, but that’s the magic of making a tight deli style wrap.
Using the parchment to help keep the tortilla from tearing, begin to roll it up like a burrito, folding in the edges halfway through.
Roll as tightly as possible.
Tape the parchement to keep it closed tightly.
Use a sharp knife to cut the wrap in half on the bias.

Yield: 6 wraps or a large bowl of salad, about 15 cups (2550 g)

Add it! Cubed tofu and cubed avocado make a wonderful addition to this salad.


From The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet:
Creamy Balsamic Dressing
*Wheat-free

This dressing is my answer to a creamy garlic dressing that is served at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. Unfortunately for me, that dressing contains beef consommé and, therefore, is not vegan.

12 ounces (340 g) extra-firmed tofu, drained but not pressed
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon (8 g) garlic powder
1 tablespoon (8 g) onion powder
Salt and pepper

Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Keep refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use. Lasts about 1 week.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups (375 g)

Cold Multigrain Salad

Here's a sneak-peak at one of the recipes from The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, it will be in the chapter about substituting fat in your diet. This one has no added fats!

This Cold Multigrain Salad has no added fats and is full of nutrition.

Cold Multigrain Salad
Low Fat-Corn Free-Nut Free

WARNING: This makes a butt ton of salad...really. Like, so much you can take it to "Food Not Bombs" and feed all of downtown. I make this salad when I am going to a potluck or get together and let the old ladies swoon at the fact that it has less than 1 gram of fat per serving with 2 grams of fiber and 2.5 grams of protein and only 75 calories, which means it only has 1 WW point!

For the Salad:
1 cup dry pearled barley
1 cup dry red quinoa (white will work just fine as well)
1 cup dry wild rice blend
1/3 cup (1 ounce, 28 g) finely chopped green onion
1 shallot, diced
1 bell pepper, cored and seeded, diced (any color is fine)
2 tablespoons (30 g) minced garlic
1 ounce (28 g) finely chopped fresh parsley (about 1 packed cup)

For the dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
1/4 cup Agave nectar
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the salad, first prepare all of your grains. This can take awhile, so it's best to do some of the work in advance. For barley, the ratio is 1 cup barley to 3 cups lightly salted water. For the rice and the quinoa the ratio is 1 cup grain to 2 cups lightly salted water. It is not recommended to cook the grains together. You can, however, cook them in the oven at the same time. Mix the proper ratios, each into a separate covered oven safe casserole and bake at 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) until water is absorbed and grains are tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Fluff with a fork. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Once grains are prepared, mix them all together in a large mixing bowl. Add in the green onion, shallot, bell pepper, garlic and parsley.

To make the dressing, whisk togehter the vinegar, Bragg's, agave, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a separate small bowl.

Add dressing to salad, and toss to mix.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Yield: 24 servings

MexiQuinoa

Try this healthy side dish instead of Mexican Rice with your next Mex-style dinner. It tastes good cold too!

MexiQuinoa is an awesome alternative to Spanish Rice!

MexiQuinoa
Ingredients (makes about 8 servings)
2 cups dry quinoa
4 cups water
15 oz can of corn (about 2 cups), drained
15 oz can of black beans (pinto would work well too), drained
4 oz can of nacho sliced jalapenos, drained
1 cup chunky salsa, of choice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice (or lime juice)
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregeno (or 1 tbsp fresh)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional add-ins:
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
extra chopped tomatoes

Directions
In a sauce pot, bring water to boil. Add quinoa, return to boil, then reduce heat and cover to cook, about 10-12 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from Heat. Fluff with a fork, cover and let sit another ten minutes. While quinoa is cooking you can mix all the other ingredients together in a large bowl. When quinoa is ready, mix it into the other ingredients and serve. Tastes great as a hot dish, but even better the next day after all of the flavors have really melded together!

Yield: 8 Servings