Lahmucan (Turkish Pizza)

Ingredients:lahmucan
3 Eggplants, roasted
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon tamari (or light soy sauce)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon kirmizi biber, or combination sweet paprika and cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Dough
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or other sweetener)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
1 yeast packet

Directions:
Rinse and dry each eggplant and slice them in half. Score each half in a diamond, cross-hatch pattern. Place all 6 halves on wire roasting rack. Heat oven to 400 degrees and cook for 40 minutes.

While the oven is heating up combine all ingredients in order, in a mixing bowl. Using a mixer on a low setting mix dough until it forms a ball. Cover and set dough aside for 40 minutes while the eggplant roasts.

Let the eggplant cool for about 10 minutes. Add the onion and red pepper along with some water, curry powder and tamari and saute for about 10 minutes. Once the eggplant has cool scoop the inside and place in a food processor along with the tomato paste and kirmizi biber. Puree until ingredients are combined. Add the sauteed onion, red pepper and parsley and pulse to break down. The vegetables shouldn’t be completely broken down, but have some minor chucks.

Once the dough as risen, roll it out and divide into 4 separate pieces. With a rolling pin, roll out each piece of dough to resemble a single serving pizza. Top each piece of dough with the eggplant mixture. Cook each Lahmucan for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Serving Size: 4

Nutritional Facts: 1 Lahmucan
Calories: 463
Total Fat: 2.4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 588.9 mg
Potassium: 1287.8 mg
Total Carbs: 91.8 g
Protein: 16.5 g

Notes: This was also the second time I made Lahmucan, the first time time from Vegan Magic, which I think lacked flavor. I continued reading other sites and saw a pureed eggplant mixture using assorted spices. Not sure the tamari was needed when sauteing the onion and red pepper. If you are not a curry fan, you could probably do without the powder and not lose much flavor.

You can adjust the amounts of flours to your liking. I do want to try spelt and besan. Lahmucan can be eaten folded up, but with the dough recipe above it was not very pliable and the dough ended up tearing as I ate away.

Source: I pulled this recipe together referencing a few different website including Vegan Magic and Food Network. In the ended I combined what I read into my own recipe.

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cashews (I have used pieces, whole and salt & pepper)
3/4 plain, unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 cloves, minced garlic
1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
ground black pepper
14 ounces artichoke hearts
1 bunch spinach leaves

Directions:
In a food processor combine the cashews, soy milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, dry mustard and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Clean the spinach and add to the food processor. Finally add the artichoke hearts and pulse, in order to leave the artichoke chunky. Place in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serving Size: 16

Nutritional Facts: (1 corn tortilla with potato filling)
Calories: 66.9
Total Fat: 3.4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 134.9 mg
Potassium: 208.9 mg
Total Carbs: 6.4 g
Protein: 3.8 g

Notes: I use my wife as verification to how a recipe tastes. If she likes it, then I see the recipe as a success. The first time I made Dreena’s dip, my wife didn’t like it, as she though it was bland. This was why I modified her recipe, adding nutritional yeast and substituting Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or Tamiri) for the 3/4 tsp of salt. I feel the nutritional yeast gives a bit of a creamy and cheesy taste, but it’s not overbearing.

Source: Dreena Burton’s Plant Powered Kitchen

Black Bean & Millet Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup millet, uncooked
3 cups water
2 cups black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium cucumber, sliced

Dressing
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions:
In a pot add the water and millet, cook for 30 minutes and let cool. In a bowl combine millet, beans, tomato & onion. Chop cucumber and add to bowl.

Combine dressing ingredients, mix, pour over salad. Cover & refrigerate until chilled. Serve on lettuce leaves or stuff in pita.

Serving Size: 5 1/2-cup servings

Notes: I had to substitute the all spice since there was none in my pantry. I used a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg (didn’t have any cloves either). It’s a filling salad, the onion seems a bit overbearing, I might make some adjustments to the dressing the next time I make this salad. 4/12/12

Source: My friend Jenniffer, who is masterful in the kitchen!

Spaghetti

INGREDIENTS:
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 cups water
3 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar (I omitted the sugar)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine (a good Cabernet!)
1 lb wheat grain spaghetti
Parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
In large, heavy stockpot, brown Italian sausage, breaking up as you stir.
Add onions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until onions are softened.
Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water.
Add basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.
Stir well and barely bring to a boil.
Stir in red wine.
Simmer on low, stirring frequently for at least an hour. A longer simmer makes for a better sauce, just be careful not to let it burn!
Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Spoon sauce over drained spaghetti noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

SOURCE: Food.com

Bean & Fresh Herb Spread

INGREDIENTS:
3 cloves garlic
2 16 ounce cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Drop the garlic cloves into a food processor or blender. Add Great Northern Beans, lime juice and olive oil; puree until smooth. Add basil, thyme, salt and pepper; pulse until incorporated and the herbs are coarsely chopped. Serve chilled.

SOURCE: About.com Vegetarian Food