Lentil Butternut Stew

Serves 8

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, if using stovetop method
• 3 large stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 2 1/2 pounds (1 large) butternut squash or sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice; if less than 2 1/2 pounds, add a sweet potato
• 1 pound brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 5 1/2 to 6 cups vegetable broth or water and bouillon (enough to just cover vegetables)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste (less if using salted broth or bouillon)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, or 4 teaspoons dried parsley
• For serving: hot cooked rice, potatoes, or crusty bread

STOVETOP METHOD:  In a 6-quart saucepan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté onion and celery until softened. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 40 minutes.

SLOW COOKER METHOD:  Combine all ingredients in the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW 8 hours.

Serve over rice or potatoes, or with bread.

Moroccan Stew

Moroccan Stew

Serves 6

SEASONINGS

• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

STEW

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds (2 large or 3 medium) sweet potatoes, diced (6 cups)
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 pound greens, tough ribs removed, chopped or shredded (kale, spinach, chard, green cabbage)
• 1 heaping tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• Bread or hot cooked rice for serving

In a large saucepan heat oil, add seasonings and cook, stirring, over medium heat 2 minutes. Add water, onion, sweet potato, and garlic. Mix to coat well with spices. Cover and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until onions have started to soften, 10 minutes. Add beans, chickpeas, lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 25 minutes. During simmering time, add greens according to their texture -- in the last 15 minutes for tough greens such as cabbage to become tender, or in the last 5 minutes for delicate greens such as spinach just to wilt. Add greens by placing them on the surface of the stew, and covering, so they will steam. In the last 2 minutes, add ginger and mix well. Stew is done when lentils are fully dissolved and vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust salt or cayenne if needed. Serve with bread or hot rice.

NYC Halal Cart-Style Chick’n or Tofu, Yellow Rice & White Sauce

Serves 6

*VEGAN YOGURT SUBSTITUTE (for use in recipes, makes 1 cup)

• 1 cup drained silken tofu
• 2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

WHITE SAUCE  (Makes 2 cups)

• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Vegan Yogurt Substitute* or commercial plain nondairy yogurt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 rounded tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• Salt, optional, to taste

**HALAL SEASONING   (Makes 1 tablespoon)

•  3/4 tsp coriander	•  1/4 tsp cardamom	•  1/4 tsp turmeric
•  3/4 tsp cumin	•  1/4 tsp cinnamon	•  1/8 tsp allspice
•  3/4 tsp paprika	•  1/4 tsp cloves	•  1/8 tsp cayenne
•  1/4 tsp black pepper	•  1/4 tsp nutmeg	•  1/8 tsp ginger

MARINADE & CHICK’N / TOFU

• 1/2 cup Vegan Yogurt Substitute * or commercial plain nondairy yogurt 
• 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Halal Seasoning**
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 packages Gardein Chick’n Scallopini (8 cutlets), thawed, OR 1 block extra-firm tofu cut into 8 slices, drained and pressed*
• High-heat oil (canola, safflower, grapeseed)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

YELLOW RICE

• 2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 cups white long-grain or Basmati rice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken-flavor vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

FOR SERVING

• 1 head iceberg or romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• Hot sauce

FOR VEGAN YOGURT SUBSTITUTE:  In a blender combine tofu, lemon juice and red wine vinegar; blend until thoroughly combined. Remove 1/2 cup and set aside for marinade.

FOR WHITE SAUCE:  To the 1/2 cup Vegan Yogurt Substitute in blender add mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, and pepper; blend until smooth. Season with salt if desired. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

FOR MARINADE:  Return reserved Vegan Yogurt Substitute to blender. Add lemon juice, oregano, Halal Seasoning, garlic and olive oil; blend until smooth. Transfer marinade to a Ziploc bag, add chick’n or tofu, seal, turn to coat, and marinate 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

FOR YELLOW RICE:  In a heavy 4- to 6-quart saucepan having a tight-fitting lid, melt margarine over medium heat. Add turmeric and cumin and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until rice is fully coated and lightly toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth, salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Keeping covered, remove from heat and let rest until water is completely absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

FOR CHICK’N:  Preheat a 12-inch skillet, add high-heat oil and heat until shimmering. Remove chick’n from marinade, add to skillet and brown on both sides. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Transfer chick’n to a dish and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. If serving immediately, return chick’n to skillet with all remaining marinade, and stir to coat cut edges. If preparing in advance, return chick’n to bag with marinade and refrigerate.

TO SERVE:  Divide rice among 6 plates. Alongside rice and add lettuce, tomato and cucumber. Place chick’n over rice and top with white sauce. Serve immediately, passing hot sauce and extra white sauce at the table.

Tofu (or Cauliflower) Veggie Curry

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed OR 3 cups small cauliflower florets (1/2 medium head)
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil, divided
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 medium to large waxy potatoes, peeled and diced 1 inch
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, or to taste
• 2 cups water
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, or 1 (11 or 15 ounce) can corn, drained
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup (1/2 can) coconut milk
• Hot cooked basmati rice

If using tofu, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or nonstick foil. Slice tofu block into 24 cubes: Halve the depth of the block making 2 even slabs. Keeping the slabs together, slice lengthwise into 4 sections, then widthwise into 3 sections. Place cubes on prepared baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes or until edges are browned; allow to cool.

In a small skillet on medium-high, toast curry powder and garam masala, stirring occasionally, until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer spices to a dish and set aside.

In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven on medium-high, heat 3 tablespoons oil and sauté onions and potatoes until potatoes begin to brown on edges and onions are golden, about 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Push potatoes and onions to outer edge of the pan. In the center add remaining oil, then garlic, ginger, jalapeno and tomato paste, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add toasted spices, stirring constantly, and cook 1 minute. Add cauliflower if using, and zucchini, season with salt, and mix to coat well. Add water. Scrape browned bits up from the bottom. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes.

Add tofu, chickpeas, corn, peas and coconut milk, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, and serve over rice.

Cuban Chickpeas & Sausage

Cuban Chickpeas & Sausage shown with Italian sausages
made with IsaChandra Moskowitz's recipe

Serves 4 to 6

• Olive oil for sauté
• 4 links vegan Italian-style sausage (1 recipe IsaChandra Moskowitz's Simple Italian Sausages or 1 package Tofurky), sliced on the bias
• 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 large tomato, seeded and diced, or 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• Leaves from 1 sprig of parsley, optional
• Hot cooked rice for serving

Heat oil in a skillet and sauté sausage until browned on both sides; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Sauté onions, peppers and garlic until onion is translucent and peppers are softened, 5 minutes. If using fresh tomato, add and sauté 5 minutes; if using canned, skip this step. Add chickpeas, oregano, cumin and paprika; sauté about 2 minutes. Add canned tomato if using, wine and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add parsley just before serving. Mix browned sausage into sauce and serve over rice, or serve sauce over rice topped with browned sausage.

Stewed Curried Greens, Sweet Potatoes & Chickpeas

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped 1/2-inch
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• 2 to 3 cups water, as needed
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
• 2 to 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/2-inch
• 2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch, or 1 (15 ounce) can carrots, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 pound greens such as collards or kale, (fresh or frozen, chopped)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
• 1/2 to 1 cup raisins, optional
• 1 cup halved walnuts, pecans or cashews, optional
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon, optional
• Brown basmati rice, for serving

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a 5- to 6-quart saucepan heat oil and sauté celery and pepper until softening, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add 2 cups water, tomatoes and bouillon; break up bouillon and mix well. Add sweet potatoes, carrots, chickpeas, greens, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne. Add raisins and nuts if using. Add water if needed to just cover ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer until sweet potatoes and carrots are fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, turn off heat and stir in lemon juice if using. Serve over rice.

Indian Spiced Lentils

Indian Spiced Lentils over brown
basmati rice and red quinoa

Serves 8 as a main dish

• Olive oil, as needed
• 1 large or 2 small onions, diced 1/4 inch
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups (16 ounces) dried brown lentils, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon sweet curry powder
• 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• About 2/3 cup water or broth, as needed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsely, or 2 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (depending on saltiness of broth)
• Cooked rice, for serving

In a saucepan having a cover, heat olive oil and sauté onions 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes until onion is soft and garlic is golden. Add broth, lentils, curry powder, cayenne, and pepper. Add parsley if using dried. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Check frequently and add more water as needed to keep lentils just covered. When done, remove from heat, stir in parsley if using fresh, season with salt to taste, and serve over hot cooked rice.

Puerto Rican Rice & Black Beans (Vinegar)

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup diced bell pepper, optional
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups cooked black beans or 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
• 2 tablespoons recaito (Puerto Rican sofrito, such as Goya jar or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Cooked rice, for serving

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic; cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients except rice. Bring to a boil, then simmer a few minutes to blend flavors. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Puerto Rican Rice & Beans (Tomato)

Puerto Rican Rice & Beans pictured with
Pan-Fried Tofu, Fried Sweet Plantains, and mixed veggies

Recipe contributed by Maria Flores

Serves 6

• 3 cups cooked black beans, red kidney beans or pink beans or 2 (15 ounce) cans beans including liquid
• 2 tablespoons recaito (Puerto Rican sofrito, such as Goya jar or frozen)
• 8 ounces (1 cup) tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning
• 1 medium potato, diced, optional
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch & 1 tablespoon water, optional
• Cooked rice 

In a saucepan over medium heat combine beans, recaito, tomato sauce, seasoning and potato, if using. Cover and heat to boiling, then simmer until potato is tender and flavors are blended, about 15 minutes. If the sauce has thickened too much, add water. If it’s too thin, stir a smooth mixture of cornstarch & water into simmering sauce until thickened. Serve over hot cooked rice.