STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Servings: variable

40 medium-large mushrooms OR 20 extra large mushrooms

1 12.3 ounce package Lite Silken Tofu

1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 bag dehydrated onion soup mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Place the tofu in a food processor and process until smooth. Place in a large bowl and add the spinach and onion soup mix. Mix well. Fill mushroom caps with the tofu mixture. Place filled side up on a non-stick baking sheet, cover with parchment paper, then cover and seal edges with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20 minutes, depending on size of mushrooms.

Serve warm as an appetizer.

Hint: Check several times while cooking to make sure they do not get too soft. Smaller mushrooms cook faster than larger ones. Mushrooms should be fork tender when done, but not mushy.

HEAVENLY VEGETABLE SOUP

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 minutes

� cup water

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup green beans, cut in 1 inch pieces

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup cauliflower florets

15 ounce can chopped tomatoes

quarts vegetable broth

1 cup frozen corn kernels

8 ounce can tomato sauce

tablespoons parsley flakes

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

� teaspoon Tabasco sauce

� teaspoon chili powder

several twists fresh ground pepper

1/3 cup cornstarch mixed in � cup cold water

Place the water, onions, celery, carrots and green beans in a large soup pot. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except the cornstarch mixture, and cook over low heat for 50 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture while stirring. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Serve at once.

BBQ BEAN SALAD

Contributed by Joan Rice

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6-8

� cup ketchup

� cup cider vinegar

� cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

� teaspoon black pepper

� teaspoon salt

� teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 � tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 15 ounce cans pinto beans

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

1 10 ounce can corn, drained

1 � cups crumbled fat free tortilla chips

Place the ketchup, vinegar, broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, pepper, salt and Tabasco sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in the mustard and set aside.

Place the beans, bell pepper, onion and corn in a large bowl. Mix well, then stir in 1 cup of the tortilla chips. Pour sauce over and mix well. Sprinkle with remaining chips. Serve at room temperature.

Hint: This is wonderful to take to a potluck because it does not have to be served cold. It is always a favorite whenever I take it anywhere.

MOROCCAN VEGETABLES WITH COUSCOUS

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

2 � cups water

1 � cups uncooked couscous

8 small red potatoes, quartered

3 carrots, sliced lengthwise, then cut in 1 inch pieces

1 turnip, peeled and chunked

2 cups green beans, cut in 1 inch pieces

4 medium plum tomatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks

2 zucchini, sliced 1 inch thick

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 � cups cauliflower florets

� cup raisins

2 � cups vegetable broth

1/3 cup flour

� teaspoon crushed fresh garlic

� teaspoon cinnamon

� teaspoon allspice

� teaspoon ground coriander

� teaspoon ground cumin

� teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

Place the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add couscous, stir, and return to a boil.

Cover, remove from heat and let rest.

Place all the vegetables and the raisins in a large pot in the order given. Place the vegetable broth and flour in a bowl and whisk to blend. Add garlic and all the seasonings and mix well. Pour over the vegetables. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Stir and continue to cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garbanzo beans and cook for 5 more minutes.

Fluff couscous with a fork and serve the vegetables over the couscous.

Hint: The vegetables may also be made in a slow cooker. Layer the vegetables as directed and pour the liquid over them. Cook on high for 4-4 � hours or on low for 8-9 hours. Stir a couple of times while cooking, if possible. Otherwise, stir well when you add the garbanzo beans and a few more times while you are waiting for the couscous to absorb the water, about 5 minutes.

JAMACIAN PUMPKIN SAUCE

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

1/3 cup water

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

� teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 15 ounce can pumpkin

1 6.5-7 ounce package smoked tofu, sliced

� cup frozen corn kernels

1 � teaspoons curry powder

� teaspoon ground coriander

several twists fresh ground pepper

1 cup fat free soy milk

2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed in � cup cold water

� cup chopped fresh parsley

Place the water in a medium saucepan with the onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add broth, pumpkin, tofu, corn and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add milk and cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until thickened. Stir in parsley and serve at once.

Serve over whole grains, pasta or potatoes.

RAISIN CARROT CAKE

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 12

1 � cups water

1 cup raisins

1 cup grated carrots

� cup honey

� cup chopped dates

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

� teaspoon nutmeg

� teaspoon ground cloves

1 � cups whole wheat flour

� cup oat bran

1 teaspoon baking soda

� cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the water in a large saucepan. Add raisins, carrots, honey, dates and all the spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, bran, baking soda and walnuts, if desired. Add cooled raisin-carrot mixture and mix well. Pour into a non-stick 9 X 9 inch baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Order brown rice in a Chinese restaurant and you will likely get white rice mixed with soy sauce. But white rice is not so unhealthy. It has nourished billions of Asians and they have been free of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and our most common cancers (of course, unrefined, whole grain rice is better). Chinese cooking is done from scratch, so the order you give to the waitress are crucial. Be clear that you want you food vegetarian, with no added oils and cooked on a clean, no-oil, pan or griddle. For an appetizer order steamed vegetable potstickers or steamed vegetable buns. Follow with "Bean Curd with Vegetable Soup," Assorted Vegetable Soup," "Sizzling Rice Soup," or "Corn Soup." If the soup listed on the menu has animal products in the ingredients ask for that they not be added--the stock they are working from is likely vegetarian (ask!).

For main dish ask is they have a "Monk’s dish." This is a mix of vegetables cooked in a ginger sauce. "Mu Shu Vegetables" is found in every Chinese restaurant. The dish is served with rice flour pancakes, a vegetable mix and plum sauce. Layer the vegetable into the pancakes and top with plum sauce, then roll up as a burrito and eat. Try Saut�ed Broccoli with Chinese Mushrooms," "Snow Peas with Water Chestnuts," "Black Mushrooms and Bamboo Shoots," "Steamed eggplant with Spicy Sauce," or "Saut�ed Cabbage," served over steamed rice. Many dishes are made with bean curd (tofu) and vegetables--but be sure to ask that your bean curd be steamed, not fried. Sometimes you can get a noodle dish such as "Mushroom Chow Mein" (thin noodles) or "Vegetarian Chow Fun" cooked without oil. Ask for a dish to be made for you with steamed rice noodles, vegetables and a non oil based sauce. If all else fails ask for steamed mixed vegetables with a non-oil based sauce and some white rice.

Dessert is easy because dairy is not used (Chinese are lactose intolerant). Order "Chilled Lychee" or "Mixed Fruit Bowl."