Easy Pad Thai

Easy Pad Thai

Serves 6

FOR SAUCE

• 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha or Tabasco, to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tamarind paste

FOR SAUTE

• 1 pound dry banh pho -- Thai or Vietnamese flat rice noodles a.k.a. rice sticks or chantaboon
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen stir-fry vegetable mixture such as Birds Eye Sugar Snap Stir-Fry (sugar snap peas, mushrooms, onions, carrots)
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 (5 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained
• 1 (5 ounce) can bean sprouts, drained
• 1/2 block firm tofu, drained, pressed, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3/4 cup finely chopped peanuts, for serving

Directly into a 4-cup measure, using marks as a guide, pour peanut oil, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and lemon juice. This will equal 1 1/4 cups. Add peanut butter to the 2-cup mark. Add sesame oil, soy sauce, and sriracha. Using an immersion blender, blend until peanut butter is incorporated. Add tamarind paste and blend until smooth. Sauce may be mixed in advance and refrigerated.

Meanwhile, submerge banh pho in a bowl of cold water and soak 15 to 30 minutes and bring a saucepan of water to a full boil. When noodles are flexible, drain, then add to boiling water. Stir and untangle noodles. When noodles are soft but still somewhat chewy, 2 to 3 minutes, drain. (Alternatively, soak noodles in warm water 15 to 20 minutes.) Rinse noodles in cold water and return them to pan. Add sauce to noodles and toss to fully coat; set aside.

In a large skillet on medium, heat oil and warm frozen vegetables until thawed. Add water chestnuts, bean sprouts, tofu, garlic and cilantro and cook until heated through. Add noodles, scraping pan to get all the sauce, and toss with vegetables until well mixed and heated through.

Serve sprinkled with chopped peanuts.

Macaroni Mozzarella Salad

Makes 3 quarts, serves 6 to 8

• 3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 3 stalks celery, diced (1 cup)
• 2/3 cup red, orange or yellow bell pepper, or 25 halved seeded grape tomatoes (1/2 pint)
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped pimento
• 1 cup Follow Your Heart Vegenaise, or other vegan mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup sweet pickle relish (3/4 of a 10 ounce jar) or to taste
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 1/2 cups diced vegan mozzarella (10 ounce package Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella Cheese Alternative), or cheddar or Jack style vegan cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions; rinse with cold water and drain well. In a large bowl combine macaroni, celery, bell pepper or tomatoes, scallions and pimiento. In a 2-cup measure combine mayo, relish and mustard; whisk well. Add dressing mixture to macaroni mixture, using a rubber spatula to get it all; mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cheese and toss lightly. Chill and serve.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Use your own homegrown tomatoes, or the vine-ripened variety from the farmer's market or supermarket. This is a light sauce best served over a delicate pasta such as capellini (angel hair).

Makes 2 1/2 cups sauce; serves 2 as a main dish

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large or 1 small sweet onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 8  medium or 6 large vine-ripened tomatoes (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), seeded and quartered
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (or 3/4 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano)
• 3/8 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil)
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 8 ounces capellini or other delicate pasta, cooked according to package directions

In a large skillet on medium-high, heat oil and sauté onion until translucent, 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic, 1 minute. Add tomato paste, cook and stir until paste is well distributed and has darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until alcohol has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, oregano and basil, and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have released all their juices and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. As tomato skins loosen, use tongs to remove and discard them. If desired, puree sauce using an immersion or countertop blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over capellini.

Pesto

Spaghetti with Pesto, pictured with
Garlic Wilted Spinach and
Baked Cannellini, Zucchini & Peppers 

Makes 1 1/2 cups pesto, for 1 pound pasta

• 1/4 cup raw pine nuts, toasted if desired
• Handful raw almonds or walnuts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves (or other leafy green such as spinach, cilantro, arugula, etc.)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor pulse nuts and yeast until a crumbly meal is formed. Add basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and 1/3 of the olive oil. Puree, scraping down the sides as needed. With the motor running, drizzle remaining oil until fully incorporated and mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Broiled Veggies & Sausage Over Pasta

Serves 5 to 6

• 1 pound pasta (penne, rotini, etc.)
• 1 pound large mushrooms, thickly sliced (1/2 inch)
• 3 small zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch on the bias
• 1 bell pepper, sliced lengthwise into strips 1/4 inch wide
• 4 links vegan Italian-style sausage (1 recipe IsaChandra Moskowitz's Simple Italian Sausages or 1 package Tofurky), sliced on the bias
• Additional fresh or leftover vegetables (e.g. onion, cabbage, kale, broccoli florets), optional
• Olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt & pepper to taste 

In a large saucepan bring to boiling 4 quarts salted water, cook pasta according to package directions, drain and return to saucepan. Toss with a little olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste, cover and set aside. Meanwhile, heat broiler on HIGH. Place a rack in a foil-lined shallow baking pan, or use a broiler pan. Broil each vegetable separately. Batch if necessary:

In a large “tossing” bowl, toss mushrooms with olive oil to lightly coat. Broil on rack 5 minutes (until they begin to release moisture). Flip and broil 2 minutes. Transfer to a “storage” bowl that will accommodate all the veggies and sausage.

In the tossing bowl, toss zucchini with olive oil to lightly coat. Broil on rack 5 minutes. Flip and broil 2 minutes until crisp-tender and lightly browned. Transfer to the storage bowl.

Broil strips of bell pepper on rack 4 minutes. Transfer to the storage bowl. Toss vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange sausage on rack and brush lightly with olive oil. Broil 4 minutes. Flip and broil 2 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to the storage bowl.

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic until just golden, about 2 minutes. Add all the veggies and the pasta, and sauté just until evenly heated. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Penne with Sausage & Artichokes

Serves 6 

• 1 pound penne pasta
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can artichokes in water, drained and quartered
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
• 4 links vegan Italian-style sausage (1 recipe IsaChandra Moskowitz's Simple Italian Sausages or 1 package Tofurky), sliced on the bias
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Dried marjoram or oregano leaves, to taste 

Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions.Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium and sauté garlic 1 to 2 minutes just until aromatic. Add artichokes and tomatoes, and stir until veggies are coated in garlic and oil. Add sausage and heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.

Add cornstarch to reserved tomato liquid and stir with a fork until smooth. Add mixture to skillet and stir until sauce has thickened and coated veggies and sausage. Drain pasta, then immediately add to skillet, and gently stir to coat with sauce. If too dry, add more olive oil as needed. Season with salt, pepper and marjoram to taste.

Mac & Cheese

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 pound elbow, shells or rotini pasta
• 1/4 cup canola or olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 cups unsweetened soymilk or almond milk
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/3 cup Daiya Cheddar Style or other vegan cheddar cheese
• Paprika

Cook pasta al dente in salted boiling water; drain in colander, rinse with cold water, and set aside in the colander covered with the saucepan lid to keep moist.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch casserole.

Heat oil in the pasta pot over medium heat. Stir in flour with a spatula to create a roux (paste), 3 to 5 minutes, until roux smells toasty-nutty and has turned a light blonde color. Whisk in tomato paste until lumps are dissolved, then milk and seasonings. Whisking, bring to boil over high heat. When sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, turn off heat and mix in cheese. Add pasta to cheese sauce, mixing gently to coat pasta well. 

Pour mixture into prepared casserole, top with a sprinkle of paprika. Bake 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Pasta

Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Pasta
over Spinach Fettuccini,
pictured with Broiled Zucchini

Also excellent served as a soup!

Serves 6

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced, optional
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds crimini or white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
• 1 (15 ounce) can artichokes in water, drained and sliced, optional
• 3 to 4 cups unsweetened almond milk or other nondairy milk
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (reduce if using salted bouillon)
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion (omit if using shallots)
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons porcini mushroom powder, optional
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup unsweetened nondairy milk or water

Heat a large pot of salted water and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, return pasta to pan, toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking, cover and set aside. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine dry seasonings: nutritional yeast, bouillon, salt, onion, garlic and pepper and porcini mushroom powder if using; set aside. In a cup whisk together cornstarch and milk until smooth; set aside. Heat oil in a saucepan on medium. Add shallots if using and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic, 1 minute. Add wine if using and simmer until alcohol has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add mushrooms sauté until mushrooms are softened and have released all their liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in milk, artichokes if using, and seasoning mixture. Bring to a simmer. Whisk cornstarch slurry and, stirring constantly, slowly add to simmering sauce just until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; discard remaining slurry. Turn off heat, taste and adjust seasonings.