Funky Monkey Cookies

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These cookies are banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but I wanted to name them something fun!

Ingredients:
2 mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup soy milk
3/4 cub light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour (or you can do 2 1/3 cups all purpose)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each all spice and nutmeg and salt
1 1/2 cups instant or rolled oats
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray 2 cookie sheets.
In a bowl combine banana, maple syrup, sot milk, vanilla, and brown sugar. You might want to use a hand mixer or stick blender to get the banana "smoosh" smooth and incorporated. Sift in all dry ingredients except oats. When a dough forms fold in chocolate chips and oats. Form into walnut sized balls and bake 10min. They will be soft and not look done but let them cool (slightly if you can't wait) and they will become chewy and delicious! Enjoy with ice cold non-dairy milk or coffee!

Black Bean Burgers and Sweet Potato Oven Fries

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This is probably one of my favorite meals because I LOVE burger and fries. Honestly the ketchup and fries make it so good you can use pre-made veggie burgers if you want but this is worth the trouble. I recommend Amy's Texas burgers if you want to use a frozen burger. Below I included two recipes for black bean burgers. The first is from Veganomicon is a little "bready" so i made an open face sandwich and the second is inspired by my fried Sarah (of Sarah and John's famous guacamole).

Burgers:
1 can organic black beans
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten*
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin and coriander
1/4 cup water*
1 table spoon tomato paste
1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 red onion finely chopped

Mash beans with a fork and then add other ingredients. Combine until you can form four patties. Spray a non stick skillet with Pam and cook 5-10 min each side. Serve with guacamole, tomato, lettuce and onion or ketchup mustard and pickles!

To make Sarah's version omit * items. The burgers will be softer so be gentle turning them.

Fries:
Set oven to 375. Cut two sweet potatoes into fry shapes. Toss in EVOO and spread out on a baking sheet. Lightly dust them with cumin, salt, and chili pepper. Bake for 20 min, flip and bake another 20-30min until crispy.

Make dipping sauce by combining ketchup, one clove fresh crushed garlic, Tabasco sauce, and minced cilantro. This is also great on burgers!

Rustic Mushrom and Carmalized Onion Flatbread

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This uses Tom's pesto recipe as a base for delicious mushrooms, caramelized onions, sun-dried and diced tomatoes.

Pesto:
Kalmata olives
Basil
Pine nuts
1 clove garlic
handful of baby spinach

Combine a small handful of each ingredient in food processor and add 1-2 tablespoons EVOO
Spread on pre-made pizza dough and add toppings.

Topping:
Sauteed mushrooms
Caramelized onions
Sun dried tomatoes
1/2 jar Trader Joe's bruschetta sauce or diced tomatoes

Thai Stir Fry

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This is an easy meal to do with different veggie combos or any veggies you have left in the fridge after the week. I have done the one above with Green beans, squash, peppers, and strips of carrots. But below I have a picture with red onion, eggplant, peppers, mushrooms, and pineapple. To me pineapple is a must in this dish and blends wonderfully with the spices.
Star by sauteing vegetables in order of how long they take to cook. Onions, then eggplant mushrooms and peppers.
Once vegetable are softened add garlic and lemon grass to mixture and cook lightly.
Add soy sauce, ginger and a little brown sugar or you can use Trader Joe's Soyaki which has all of these ingredients.
Add Saricha sauce based on how hot you like it.
Then add green beans or pea pods so they cook but stay crunchy (bamboo shoots are good too).
Add fresh pineapple chunks and a TBS or so of their juice.
Once sauce is cooked down and veggies tender, add chopped Thai basil and mint and grate some lime zest over the top.
Serve with brown rice and any sides you would like. I served the above one with pan fried tofu and peanut sauce for wrapping in lettuce leaves.

Minestrone

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In Boston it is pretty cold, and while I wish it was spring, I try to enjoy the winter with hearty soups and stews. The minestrone is great because you can put any veggies you want in it. Here is my version

Ingredients:
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
3 leeks
1 yellow squash or zucchini
2 cloves garlic
5 cups vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes (you can get some flavored with italian spices and balsamic and those would be good here)
1 can garbanzo or kidney beans
1 cup pasta of your choice
1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil and spinach (optional)
Bread for dipping (optional)

Clean leeks by cutting off dark green parts of leaks (discard or save for stock). Chop white and light green parts into rounds about 1 inch thick and then in half. Place in a sink filled with cool water or bowl so sand will fall to bottom of bowl. While soaking cut up celery, carrots and squash into bite size pieces. Start sauteing carrots in TBS of EVOO and when they start to soften add squash, celery and drained leeks. Cook for 2 min and add 2 cloves crushed garlic, hot pepper flakes, bay leaf and oregano. Cook for 1 more min and then add veggie broth. Bring to a boil and add beans and tomatoes and cook for a bout 20 min so flavors can develop. About 8minutes before serving add pasta (check cooking time on your pasta) then 3 minutes before add fresh spinach and basil. Serve with forcacia for dipping!

Happy Valentines Day!

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The day before Valentine's Day we had some people over to watch a scary movie because it was Friday the 13th.

We made chocolate covered caramel corn, vegan raspberry brownies, and had kettle corn to snack on, but we needed a really great cocktail to keep everyone happy during the scary movie!
Strawberry Mojito:
Muddle frozen or fresh strawberries with 3 or 4 mint leaves in the bottom of a glass
Pour in one shot white rum
Top with sparkling berry lemonade (from Trader Joe's)
You can use any lemonade but the one from TJ's is pink and has a nice berry and lemon flavor.

After a great night with friends and getting scared out of our minds watching The Descent, we woke up hungry. This was an easy breakfast to make the next morning that showed Tom how much I love him!
Peanut Butter Banana Quesadillas:
2 Whole Wheat tortillas
natural creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 banana cut into rounds
handful semi-sweet chocolate chips

Spray skillet with non-stick spray and heat to medium. Spread 1/2 of each tortilla with peanut butter, lay on 1/2 of the banana slices and sprinkle 1/2 of the chocolate chips on each. Fold each tortilla in half and warm in skillet outside is soft and inside melty. Cut with pizza cutter.

I also cut some Trader Joe's vegan banana waffles into heart shapes with a cookie cutter!

Vegan Superbowl

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Ah Superbowl Sunday. Time for Americans to gather together and pretend they care about a game they don't understand in order to drink and eat in excess. I refuse to allow being vegan to keep me from my beer and snack food so I had a bunch of people over (who don't care about football) and fed them junk food they didn't expect with vegan eating.

Menu:
-Supremely Spicy Sabra Hummus with pita chips and veggies
-Chips and salsa, guacamole, and pineapple salsa (pulse fresh pineapple, red onion, jalepeno, lime juice, and cilantro in food processor)
-Layered Dip (Layer Amy's re-fried beans, black beans, guacamole and salsa. Top with scallions and cilantro. Scoop and enjoy with tortilla chips!)
-Chili Bar with toppings (olives, scallions, bacos, hot sauce, jalapenos)
-"Pigs" in a blanket (wrap tofu pups or any vegan hot dog or sausage with Pillsbury crescent dough)
I try to eat healthy but woohoo! Bacos and crescent dough are vegan?! That is crazy! (now I will immediately forget that so I can go back to brown rice and veggies). Use this menu whenever you want to pig out and are drinking beer (and then go to the gym).