GLAZED BAKED ONIONS

8 servings

Slow-baking onions gives them a mellow sweetness. Try this with naturally sweet Vidalia onions.

• 1 cup homemade or canned vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon nonhydrogenated margarine
• Pinch each: dried rosemary and thyme, and ground nutmeg
• 4 large Vidalia or pure white onions
• Wheat germ for topping

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients except the last 2 in a small sauce pan. Heat gently, stirring, until the margarine and honey are smoothly blended. Remove from the heat.

Peel the outer skin from the onions and cut them in half crosswise. Cut a thin sliver from the bottom of each onion half, so that they will stand steadily in a baking dish. Arrange the onions halves in a shallow baking dish and pour the mixture from the saucepan evenly over them.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the onions are tender when pierced with a fork. Once or twice during this time, spoon some of the liquid from the bottom of the baking dish over the onions.

Sprinkle the onions with wheat germ and bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Serve at once or keep warm until needed.

http://vegkitchen.com/recipes/vegetarian-thanksgiving.htm#2

WINE-GLAZED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Serves: 8

The slightly sweet glaze makes Brussels sprouts taste deceptively rich.

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch (*edit:  arrow root can be used or this can be omitted all together)
  

Trim the stems from the Brussels sprouts and cut an X into the base, about 1/4 inch deep.

In a small bowl, combine the wine, honey, and soy sauce and stir together. Transfer to a 3-quart saucepan along with 1/2 cup water and the Brussels sprouts. Stir together, then cook, covered, at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes.

Dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of water. Stir into the saucepan quickly, then cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a covered casserole dish to serve.

http://vegkitchen.com/recipes/vegetarian-thanksgiving.htm#2

QUICK BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO CHILI

8 or more servings

Adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook

With the addition of sweet potatoes, this easy chili is invigorating yet comforting. If youÕre looking for a colorful and hearty addition to your vegetarian Thanksgiving that can be made in a snap, this is a great choice.

• 3 medium-large sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons light olive or extra virgin oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• Two 28- to 32-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• One 16-0unce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 or 2 small fresh hot chiles, minced, or one 8-ounce can chopped mild green chiles
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin, or more, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley or cilantro, or more, to taste
• 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until just firm. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 3/4-inch dice. Set aside until needed.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onion is golden. Add the remaining ingredients except the last three. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered for 15 minutes.

Add the sweet potato dice and continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the parsley and scallions, then season gently with salt. If time allows, let stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through as needed.

http://vegkitchen.com/recipes/vegetarian-thanksgiving.htm#2

"THREE SISTERS" STEW

6 servings

In Native American mythology, squash, corn, and beans are known as of the "three sisters." These are the very crops, along with garden vegetables, that the harvest festival of Thanksgiving is meant to celebrate!

• 1 small sugar pumpkin or 1 large butternut or carnival squash (about 2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium green or red bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips
• 14- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 2 cups cooked or canned pinto beans
• 2 cups corn kernels (from 2 large or 3 medium ears)
• 1 cup homemade or canned vegetable stock, or water
• 1 or 2 small fresh hot chiles, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the pumpkin or squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and fibers. Cover with aluminum foil and place the halves, cut side up, in a foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife but still firm (if using squash, prepare the same way). When cool enough to handle, scoop out the pulp, and cut into large dice. Set aside until needed.

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

Add the pumpkin and all the remaining ingredients except the last 2 and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, covered, until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If time allows, let the stew stand for 1 to 2 hours before serving, then heat through as needed. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro. The stew should be thick and very moist but not soupy; add additional stock or water if needed. Serve in shallow bowls.

http://vegkitchen.com/recipes/vegetarian-thanksgiving.htm#2

Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf

Vegetarian Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf. The flavors of fall combine with wild rice for a dish that's perfect for a vegetarian Thanksgiving entree or everyday side dish. This wild rice pilaf recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
• 2 3/4 cups vegetable broth
• 3/4 cups brown rice, uncooked
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/2 tsp marjoram
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped almonds

Preparation:

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a large saucepan and add the wild rice. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, then add brown rice. Cover and cook for another 45 minutes, or until rice is done cooking.

In a large skillet, sautee the onions and garlic until onions are brown and carmelized, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, celery and spices and cook for another 5 minutes, adding more oil or a little bit of broth if needed.

Add the cooked rice, fresh parsley and almonds, and stir well to combine. Cook for another minute or two, until everything is just heated through.

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/ricedishes/r/wildricepilaf.htm

No Soy Pumpkin Pie

You'll be carving a pumpkin with a knife, when someone at the table says, that's not what I call a life!" ...the Silver Jews make my moment.

I decided that since the holidays are coming up, and since I love pumpkin pie (and we have visitors in town from France who have never had it before) I would make a non-soy vegan pumpkin pie. Here are the ingredients:

for the crust I cheated and used an organic pie crust from Whole Foods, but it isn't hard to make. Here is a recipe I have used and liked for pie crust:

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp sea salt
¾ vegetable shortening (Earth Balance makes a good one)
5 to 6 tablespoons cold water

In a medium bowl with fork, lightly stir together flour and salt. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in cold water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition until pastry just holds together. With hands, shape pastry into ball (makes two). On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll ball into a 1/8 inch thick circle, 2 inches larger all around than pie plate. Roll half of circle onto rolling pin; transfer pastry to pie plate and unroll, easing into bottom and side of plate. (Improvised from a recipe from vegfamily)

1/2 small pumpkin (1 makes two pies) [a cup and a half to two cups]
1 1/8 cup nut milk (I made a macadamia/ brazil nut blend) [hazelnut works too]
3/4 agave, or more to taste (I didn't have enough, so I had to substitute a bit of honey, you can also substitute sugar) [or maple syrup and honey]
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
two knobs of fresh ginger, crushed or finely chopped
1/4 tsp allspice or cloves
3 tsp ground flax

I picked out a small organic pumpkin at the farmer's market for this pie. First split it into fourths, seed it (save the seeds - the are an excellent source of iron, zinc and magnesium) and bake the slices on a baking sheet for 45 minutes at 450 degrees. I made the nut milk while the pumpkin was baking (the recipe for which can be found linked above). Reset the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees.

After letting the pumpkin cool, remove the skin and put the pulp in a blender with the chilled nut milk, the spices, salt, vanilla, flax, and agave and give it a quick blend. Taste the concoction to make sure the sweetness is to your liking. Then, pour the blended golden mush into the pie crust, and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

http://alucidspoonful.blogspot.com/2007/09/vegan-pumpkin-pie-without-soy.html

Chickpeas and Sweet Potatoes

Chickpeas and Sweet Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Vegan Fire and Spice by Robin Robertson © 2008, Vegan Heritage Press. For a variation, add a teaspoon or two of curry powder. And Vegan Planet

2 sweet potatoes, diced
1 tablespoon cold-pressed canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth, or more as needed
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby kale, lightly steamed

Steam the sweet potatoes until just tender, about 20 minutes.
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the water, reserved sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer until the mixture thickens and the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes.
To thicken the liquid, blend about 1 cup of the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, then stir it back into the saucepan. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in the kale and serve over rice.