tofugazi

Buckwheat & Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash
Preheat oven to 325 Fahrenheit.
Slice 1 acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds & stringy parts.
Place squash, cavern side down, in baking pan. Fill with 1/4 inch water. Bake 45 minutes.

Cook 1/2 cup buckwheat; bring 1/2 cup buckwheat to a simmer in 1 cup water with 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Cover and simmer 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
In a medium frying pan heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat.
Add 1/2 yellow onion, diced and sauté until translucent and fragrant.
Lower heat, add a handful of fresh baby spinach and 4-6 cherry tomatoes, halved.
When spinach is wilted remove from heat, season with salt & pepper and stir to combine with buckwheat.

Remove squash from oven and drain water from pan.
Flip squash over and brush with oil.
Fill with buckwheat & vegetable mixture.
Bake 15 minutes more.
Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and eat. 

Carrot, Ginger, Cashew Soup
Soak 1/2 cup cashews in water to soften.
Melt 2 tbsp margarine in a large pot over medium heat.
Add 1 yellow onion, chopped into approximately 1/2inch pieces. Sautee 10 minutes.
Add 5 smashed cloves garlic and 4 tbsp minced ginger and cook until onion is soft and translucent. 
Add 5 cups vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
Add 1.5 pounds carrot, sliced 1/4 inch thick. 
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Check carrots by piercing with a fork, if they fall apart they’re done.
Turn off burner and let soup cool somewhat. Stir in 1 tsp nutmeg.
In small batches pour into food processor or blender along with drained cashews and puree until smooth.

Salt & Pepper individual bowls to taste and garnish with parsley.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Wash and cut the center out of 1 cabbage.
Boil in a large pot of water 5-10 minutes.
Remove from pot, separate 12-15 outer leaves and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add 2 cups fine chopped cremini mushrooms, 1.5 cups grated or fine diced carrots, .5 cup yellow onion, 1 clove minced garlic. Cook, stirring, 10 minutes.
Add zest of one small lemon, .5 tsp dried thyme, .5 tsp salt, dash of pepper.
Transfer to a bowl.
In a bowl beat 1 ener-g egg replacer or flax egg, stir in 1 cup buckwheat.
Heat the skillet used for the veggies over high heat, add the buckwheat mixture and toast the grains 3 minutes.
Add .5 cup bulgur, the veggie mixture and 3 cups boiling vegetable broth.
Bring to a boil, cover and cook over medium-low heat until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
Clean out the skillet, heat .5 tbsp earth balance and sautee another .5 c diced onion.
Once the onion is soft and beginning to turn golden add one 28oz can diced tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes.
Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper.

While the tomatoes are cooking roll the cabbage leaves.
Place 1/4-1/3 cup of the grain & vegetable mix at the base inner side of each leaf. Fold each side in then roll, starting at the base. Tie each parcel with string or stick through with a wooden toothpick.
Place seam side down in the simmering tomato sauce, cover and cook over low heat, basting occasionally with sauce. Between 15 minutes and 45 minutes depending on your preference for the tenderness of the cabbage leaves.

Spinach Pesto for tallarines verdes (green pasta)
Remove the stems, tear and rinse 4 tightly packed cups of spinach.
Steam the spinach for 1 minute, you’re just trying to wilt it.
Meanwhile, mince 2 tbsp flax seeds, 2-4 cloves of garlic (according to taste & depending on size of cloves) and 1/2 tsp sea salt in a food processor or blender.
Press excess water out of the steamed spinach and add to blender/processor. Add 1/3 cup cashew pieces, a half cup fresh basil and/or parsley leaves. Puree until smooth.
Add 1/4 cup olive oil and process into a paste.

This is a lovely dip for pita chips if your kitchen is already too hot to boil water for pasta, but it is refreshing on cold pasta and tasty on hot pasta too!

sometimes all you need is salad
baby spinach, red onion, carrots, pan-fried tempeh, sesame seeds, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt

caramelized pumpkin with rosemary, kale, garlic and onions over hulled barley
made with catsluck

coconut milk curry with mushrooms, carrots, onions & peas over brown rice

potato, onion, carrot, zucchini, chard latkes with greek yogurt on top

grate 4 medium potatoes, 1 yellow onion and 1 small zucchini through the large holes of a box grater. Mix in a bowl with ribbons of sliced chard, 1 egg (or 1 heaping tbsp cornstarch, arrowroot powder, milled flax seed, or soy powder + 2tbsp water), 1 tsp cumin, plus salt & pepper to taste. Add 1/4-1/2 cups flour gradually, when the mixture holds together when squished in your hand instead of crumbling you can stop.
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat on the stove. Shape into thin patties that will fit in your palm and fry in thin layer of oil until lightly browned and crispy. 

pumpkin ginger rice noodles (thanks mom!), in vegetable broth, with sautéed spinach, carrots and kimchi. cup of tea.