Recipe: Vegan Posole Verde (cooked)

Vegan Posole Verde
1 cup dried, or 3 cups cooked, hominy
1 cup dried, or 3 cups cooked, navy beans or other white bean variety
4 large poblano peppers
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 medium tomatillos, husked, washed, and diced
3 medium spring onions or 6 scallions, with tender green shoots
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 medium cremini mushrooms, quartered
3 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade
1 tablepoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
5 teaspoons salt, divided

Accompaniments
2 avocados, diced
1 medium cucumber, diced
5 small radishes, peeled and diced
Lime wedges
Fried corn tortilla wedges

Instructions
For hominy and beans*: Soak each overnight in separate bowls, and rinse each in a colander. In one pot, add hominy and 5 cups water; bring to a boil and add a teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer for an hour and a half. Hominy will be tender and the liquid with be starchy and gummy. Drain hominy, reserving liquid (if any). Set hominy aside. Meanwhile, add beans and 3 cups water to another pot; bring to a boil and add a teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain beans, reserving liquid. Set beans aside.

For poblanos: Preheat oven to a 500º broil with the top oven rack 5 inches from the heat source. Wash and place poblanos on a baking sheet in a single layer. Slide baking sheet into oven, and turn poblanos every few minutes, until their skin has bubbled and begins to brown on all sides. Place poblanos in a bowl, and cover with a clean kitchen towel, until cool. Pull skin off peppers (with gloves if your skin is sensitive like mine). Split poblanos; remove seeds, and chop into 1/4-inch pieces.

For posole: Heat oil in a large pot over medium high, and add garlic. When garlic begins to turn golden, add tomatillos, spring onions, and jalapeno. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and mushrooms, and cook 2 minutes more. Add poblanos, and cook 1 minute. Add hominy, beans, herbs, vegetable stock and 2 cups reserved bean/hominy cooking liquid. Bring to a boil and taste for salt (if you’re using canned stock, you may need less than called for). Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve with garnishes. Lime wedges and avocado are a must!

Serves 6 hearty portions



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Recipe: Vegan Posole (cooked)

Posole Stew, Minus the Pork
Published April 13, 2010
Makes 4 servings

In a traditional posole, hominy simmers for hours in a chile-spiked pork broth, but in this version, canned hominy and vegetable broth keep the dish plant-based and put it on the table in under an hour.

Ingredients
•1 small dried New Mexican red chile
•1 1/2 cups boiling water
•1 to 2 fresh Anaheim chiles (if you like it hot, use 2 chiles)
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
•3/4 cup diced carrots
•3/4 cup finely chopped celery
•4 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
•1 1/2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
•1 teaspoon ground cumin
•3 cups canned hominy, rinsed and drained (one 29-ounce can)
•2 cups diced, unpeeled red new potatoes
•4 cups Imagine brand organic No-Chicken broth
•1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice (divided)
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper
•1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
Place the dried chile in a small bowl. Pour the 1 1/2 cups boiling water over the New Mexican chile and let it soak for 30 minutes. Discard the water, seeds and stem and finely chop the chile; set aside.

Roast the Anaheim chiles over a gas flame or on a baking sheet set 4 inches below the broiler until charred all over, occasionally turning with tongs, about 10 minutes. Put hot chiles in a heavy quart-size freezer bag or covered bowl while they cool, which will help loosen the charred skin. When cool enough to handle, remove the charred skin carefully, then remove and discard the stem and seeds. Finely chop the chiles and add to reserved New Mexican chile.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery, sautéing until onions are translucent and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano and cumin and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add hominy, potatoes, broth, chile mixture and 1 teaspoon lime juice. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, and cook partially covered until the flavors have melded and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice to stew, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish individual servings with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

From The Adaptable Feast: Satisfying Meals for the Vegetarians, Vegans, and Omnivores at Your Table by Ivy Manning



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Recipes: Vegan Soup and Salad ideas

Two cool soup-and-salad meals
From A Vegetarian Kitchen

So far, this rainy summer in the Hudson Valley has inspired more warm foods than cold, but I trust that there will be plenty of hot days ahead. On those occasions, I love to make cold soups. The following soups are from Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons and the salads they’re paired with are from Vegan Express.
First pairing: Tomato-Mango Coconut Cooler & Southeast Asian Cold Noodles with Tempeh
Tomato-Mango Coconut Cooler
6 servings

Think of this no-cook soup as a Thai-flavored gazpacho. It’s best with really lush summer tomatoes. Serve with a cold noodle dish for a quick summer meal.

* 4 medium ripe tomatoes, finely diced
* 1 ripe mango, finely diced
* 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
* 1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, or more to taste
* Two 13.5-ounce cans light coconut milk
* 1 teaspoon good-quality curry powder
* 1/4 cup jarred Thai peanut satay sauce, whisked together with 1/4 cup hot water
* 2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice, to taste
* Salt to taste
* Chopped peanuts for garnish, optional

Combine all ingredients except the last 2 in a serving container. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two, until chilled.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve, topping each serving with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts, if desired.
Southeast Asian Cold Noodles with Tempeh
6 to 8 servings

This spicy, nutty salad is an amalgam of Indonesian and Thai-influenced ingredients and seasonings.

* 8 ounces udon or other Asian noodles of your choice
* One 12-ounce package tempeh
* 1 tablespoon light olive oil
* 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
* Chili powder to taste
* 2 cups small broccoli florets
* 6 large baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
* 3 scallions, sliced
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
* 1/4 cup crushed peanuts, optional
* 1/2 cup Thai peanut satay sauce
* 2 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste

Cook the noodles in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water, then drain well again.

Cut the tempeh into 1/2-inch dice. Slowly heat the oil and soy sauce together in a wide skillet. Add the tempeh dice and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, until nicely browned and crisp. Sprinkle lightly with chili powder and remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, steam the broccoli and carrots in a large saucepan with about 1/2 inch of water until just tender-crisp. Drain and rinse under cool water, then drain well again.

Combine the noodles, broccoli, and carrots in a serving container. Add the tempeh, scallions, cilantro, and optional peanuts. Pour in the satay sauce and lime juice, toss well, and serve.
Second pairing: Cool Curried Zucchini and Carrot Soup & Sweet and White Potato Salad with Mixed Greens
Cool Curried Zucchini and Carrot Soup
6 servings

This refreshing cold soup is one that I often serve to summer company.

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
* 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
* 2 medium zucchinis, grated
* One 12.3-ounce package firm silken tofu
* One 16-ounce can great northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
* 3 to 4 cups rice milk, or as needed
* 2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, or more, to taste
* Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon, to taste
* Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until golden.

Add the carrot and a small amount of water, just enough to keep the bottom of the skillet moist. Cover and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue to cook, covered, until the carrot and zucchini are tender but not overdone, about 3 minutes longer. Uncover and set aside until needed.

Combine the tofu, half of the beans, the parsley, and 1 cup of the rice milk in a food processor. Process until smoothly pureed.

Transfer the puree to a serving container. Stir in the carrot and zucchini mixture, the remaining beans, and enough additional rice milk to give the soup a flowing, medium-thick consistency. Stir in the curry and dill, then season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Allow the soup to stand for an hour or so to allow the flavors to blend, then serve at room temperature. Or refrigerate the soup for an hour or two and serve chilled.
Sweet and White Potato Salad with Mixed Greens
6 or more servings

This may look fancy, but it’s so easy to make. The pleasing presentation makes it a good salad to impress company with, as well as to bring to potlucks.

* 1 large sweet potato
* 4 medium white potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold or red-skinned
* 1/2 cup vinaigrette (homemade, page 000, or store-bought)
* Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
* 4 ounces (or as desired) mixed baby greens
* 1 cup (1/2 pint) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
* 1 medium avocado, peeled and diced
* Toasted pumpkin seeds for topping

Microwave the sweet potato and white potatoes separately until done but still nice and firm. Start with 3 minutes, then test. When done, plunge into a bowl of cold water when done.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into dice. Combine in a mixing bowl with vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper.

Line a large serving platter with the greens. Mound the potato mixture in the center.

Scatter the tomatoes and avocado around the perimeter of the salad. Top the potato mixture with a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds. Serve at once; pass around additional vinaigrette as desired.


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How to Eat Like, and Live as Long as, a Mediterranean

How to Eat Like, and Live as Long as, a Mediterranean
Your big, low-fat, Greek diet: Study shows what parts of the Mediterranean diet are the healthiest.
Don’t worry about increasing your fish consumption. Get lots of healthy fats from olive oil and nuts, and boost your fruit and veggie intake
By Emily Main
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA
06-29-09
(link to full article below, with awesome recipes)


It’s all about the olive oil, vegetables, and wine, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal. The study, which followed Greek men and women for about 9 years, found that people who had a higher compliance with the standard Mediterranean diet (lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, and olive oil, and less meat and dairy) were more likely to outlive those on a more Westernized diet. Ironically for an eating style named after a sea, the biggest impact on longevity wasn’t boosting fish intake; it was moderating alcohol consumption and increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and olive oil.

To read the full article: http://www.rodale.com/mediterranean-diet-recipes?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_06_29-_-Top5-_-NA

Couple samples of their recipes:

Lunch Soup:
Gazpacho
Even though this study focused on Greek citizens, the Mediterranean diet includes food from any country bordering the Mediterranean. Gazpacho is a traditional Spanish dish that includes tons of vegetables, and because the soup doesn’t need to be cooked, you retain all their nutrients. Make it on a Sunday afternoon, and you’ll have enough to last you an entire week. (Total time: 2 hours, 15 minutes)

Serves: 6
Ingredients
5 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1½ cups chopped, peeled cucumber
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup tomato juice
1 cup beef broth
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt & ground black pepper to taste

Directions
1. To peel the tomatoes, plunge them one at a time into a saucepan of boiling water, and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon. Cool, core, and slip off the skins.
2. Reserve some chopped tomato and cucumber for garnish. In a food processor, in batches, pulse the remaining tomatoes and cucumber with the bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic to a chunky puree. Add tomato juice as needed to thin the mixture.
3. Transfer to a large bowl or container, and stir in any remaining tomato juice, the broth, parsley, vinegar (if using), and Tabasco. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until ready to serve.
4. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved chopped tomato and cucumber and a sprig of parsley.

Lunch Salad:
Popeye and Olive Oil Salad
If you prefer something a little easier to whip up, this quick salad recipe is packed full of high-antioxidant fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries and spinach, with a dressing of healthy-fat olive oil and red wine vinegar. Researchers believe that red wine vinegar has the same levels of the cancer-fighting flavonoid resveratrol as red wine, and its cancer-fighting benefits are doubled when paired with fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C like those here.

Serves: 1
Ingredients
1½ cups chopped baby spinach leaves
1½ cups chopped romaine lettuce
3 slices prosciutto, chopped
1/3 cup mandarin orange slices
1/3 cup sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons diced red onion

FOR DRESSING:
1½ teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ clove garlic, crushed
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
1. Mix all salad ingredients in large bowl.
2. Mix dressing ingredients in small bowl with a fork.
3. Drizzle dressing on salad mixture and toss.

For more recipes and to read the full article: http://www.rodale.com/mediterranean-diet-recipes?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_06_29-_-Top5-_-NA

Recipe: Winter Soup

1 small beet, washed, cut in half
1 stalk celery, washed, cut in half
1 slice onion
2 stems mustard greens (which Annmarie forgot… oops)
1 chunk cabbage (less than 1/2 cup)
1/4 lemon, washed, with peel
1 very small piece ginger (about 1/2 tsp grated or a little less)
1/4 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup water

Blend on high.

Recipe: gazpacho

Raw Tomato Basil Gazpacho Recipe

2 large tomatoes, cored and diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 small onion, peeled and diced
1/2 red pepper, seeded and diced
6-10 leaves of fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Chill and serve cold. Garnish with fresh basil, either whole leaves or a chiffonade of basil strips.

If you like spicy food, you can add jalapeno pepper or chile peppers to the soup. If you don’t like basil, cilantro or parsley can be substituted. You can also add carrots, celery, raw corn, green onions, or other vegetables or herbs you may like. Most types of vegetables and many herbs would work just fine in this dish.

If you like your soup chunky, you can add some diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions to the soup after you blend it. This a also makes the soup look a little prettier!

Fall Vegan Recipes

Vegetarian Kitchen Recipes

Hearty Whole Grains for Fall Meals

If you’re a vegetarian, or at least a health-conscious person, chances are that brown rice is already a staple in your pantry. And while this is undoubtedly a good thing, why not expand your repertoire by exploring other whole grains? They offer an impressive array of nutrients and high-quality protein. Whole grains supply essential complex carbohydrates and fiber, and are a superb source of B vitamins, vitamin E, and minerals, including iron. A diet rich in whole grains has been credited with lowered rates of certain cancers, cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and yes, even weight loss. That’s because high-fiber foods contribute to a feeling of fullness and help stabilize blood sugar levels.

Some high-protein diet gurus have helped spread the notion that a high-carb diet may not be the best; but it’s important to distinguish a diet filled with white breads, white rice, refined pasta, and starchy snacks from a diet that embraces a variety of whole grains. Next time you visit a natural foods store, stock up on quinoa, whole-grain couscous, whole oat products, bulgur (cracked wheat), millet, barley, and the rolled versions of certain whole grains (like kamut, spelt and rye), which take 10 minutes to cook and make delicious hot breakfast cereals. These recipes highlighting whole grains complement or combine well with fall harvest veggies.

Bulgur Salad With Fruits and Nuts
Serves: 6 to 8
Adapted from Vegetariana

Bulgur is perhaps best known for its use in the popular Middle Eastern salad, tabbouleh. Here’s another enticing way to use it in a salad.

1 cup raw bulgur (presteamed cracked wheat)
2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins or currants
1 large celery stalk, finely diced
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 medium tart apple, cored and finely diced (don’t peel)
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or more to taste
3 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon agave nectar or maple syrup, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan, then stir in the bulgur. You can cook the bulgur in one of two ways: either simmer gently, covered, until the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes), or simply cover and let stand off the heat for 30 minutes. When done, transfer to a serving container and allow the bulgur to cool to room temperature.
Combine the bulgur with the remaining ingredients in a serving container. Stir to mix thoroughly. Serve at room temperature.

Moroccan-Style Vegetable Stew
Serves: 6 or more
Adapted from Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons
This delicious stew looks and smells as good as it tastes.

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 medium-large potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
2 heaping cups raw pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
16-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup raw couscous, preferably whole grain

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over moderate heat until golden. Add the potatoes, pumpkin or squash, carrots, tomatoes, and just enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then add the seasonings and simmer gently, covered, for approximately 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Add the chickpeas, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, place the couscous in an ovenproof bowl. Cover with 2 cups boiling water, then cover the bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Place a small amount of the couscous in each soup bowl, then ladle the stew over it. Serve at once.
Variation: Substitute one large sweet potato for the white potatoes.

Warm Wild Rice and Barley Salad
Serves: 6
This earthy dish is good served warm or at room temperature.

1 vegetable bouillon cube
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup pearl or pot barley
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 cup peeled carrot, cut into matchsticks or sliced diagonally
1 to 2 cups cleaned and sliced mushrooms, any variety
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup natural low-fat vinaigrette, or as needed to moisten
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine 3 1/2 cups water and the bouillon cube in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the wild rice and barley. Cover and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the carrot and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and scallion along with just enough water to keep the skillet moist, then cover and cook until the mushrooms have wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
Combine the rice and barley mixture in a serving container with the mushroom mixture. Add the remaining ingredients together and serve warm or at room temperature.

Quinoa with Cauliflower, Cranberries, and Pine Nuts
Serves: 6
Adapted from Vegan Express

If I had to choose a favorite quinoa dish, it would be this one. With just a few ingredients, it manages to showcase sweet, savory and nutty flavors all at once.

1 1/4 cups quinoa, rinsed in a fine sieve
2 tablespoons fragrant nut oil, such as walnut or untoasted sesame (if unavailable, use olive oil)
1 medium yellow or red onion, finely chopped
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small pieces and florets
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, or more, to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the quinoa with 2 1/2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.
Meanwhile, heat the half of the oil in a wide skillet or stir-fry pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until golden. Add the cauliflower and about 1/3 cup water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the cauliflower is just tender.
Once the quinoa is done, add it to the cauliflower mixture, followed by the cranberries, pine nuts, and parsley. Toss together, then remove from the heat. Drizzle in the remaining oil, then season with salt and pepper. Serve at once.

In Season: Spaghetti Squash

If ever there was a “fun” vegetable, it would be spaghetti squash. I enjoy serving it to anyone who has never tried it, as everyone seems amused by its spaghetti-like appearance. Spaghetti squash makes a nice side dish for fall meals and is a nice accompaniment hearty grain dishes such as some of those given above. It’s now available everywhere from supermarkets to farm markets.
This is not the thing to start preparing when you come home exhausted at 6:30 on a weekday. But with a little forethought, you can bake the squash on a lazy Sunday afternoon and have the makings of a nifty side dish or two for the week.

Here are the basic directions for preparing spaghetti squash:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove the stem and seeds. Place, cut side up, in a casserole dish with l/2 inch of water. Cover tightly with foil and bake until easily pierced with a fork, about 40 to 45 minutes. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scrape it lengthwise with a fork to release the spaghetti-like strands. If you have children, let them do the scraping—they have a blast doing it.
You can serve spaghetti squash simply by sautéing it in a bit of nonhydrogenated margarine, and seasoned with salt and pepper. I also like it with sliced sun-dried tomatoes tossed in; you can dress it up with chopped fresh herbs and toasted nuts, too. You can even toss it with pasta sauce as a vegetable replacement for pasta.

Spaghetti Squash With Peas and Almonds
Serves: 6
Adapted from Vegetarian Celebrations

1 large spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced
2 cups diced fresh tomato, or one 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon good-quality curry powder, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups thawed frozen green peas
1/2 cup slivered toasted almonds

Prepare the squash as directed above. This may be done ahead of time.
Heat the margarine in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté over moderate heat until golden. Add the tomatoes, ginger, basil, nutmeg, and curry powder, then stir in the squash. Simmer over low heat, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasion ally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This dish may be made ahead of time up to this point.
Just before serving, add the peas and parsley and heat through. Take care not to overcook, so that the peas don’t lose their bright color. Transfer to a serving container and scatter the almonds over the top. Serve at once.

Apple Cobbler and Apple Crisp
Serves: 6
Adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook

Our neighbor across the street has four apple trees and for the last month, they’ve been bursting with fruit. He has kindly made us the beneficiaries of his excess apples, which have been amazingly delicious. I’ve made cobblers and/or crisps nearly every weekend for the last few weeks. In our house, they go very quickly!

Cobblers are kind of an upside-down cake—a simple batter covers a layer of fruit to make a warm, comforting, and healthy dessert.

4 to 5 cups peeled, thinly sliced apples or apples combined with pears
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg

Batter:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup natural granulated sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds, optional
2/3 cup applesauce, or low-fat vanilla yogurt or soy yogurt
1 tablespoon safflower oil
2 tablespoons rice milk or soymilk, or as needed
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the first 4 (dry) ingredients plus the optional flaxseeds and stir together.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and stir in the applesauce, oil, and enough milk to make a smooth and slightly stiff batter. Stir until the wet and dry ingredients are completely mixed.
Pour the fruit into a lightly oiled 9- by 9-inch baking pan and pat in evenly. Scatter the optional walnuts over it. Pour the batter over the fruit and pat in evenly with the help of a baking spatula.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top of the batter is golden. Allow to cool until just warm, then serve.

Apple or Apple-Pear Crumble
Serves: 6
Adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook

Fruit crumbles are a wonderful way to highlight fresh fruit. With an easy-to-prepare oat and wheat germ topping, they are as healthful as they are delicious.

4 to 5 cups peeled, thinly sliced apples or apples combined with pears
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg

Topping:
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup finely chopped or ground walnuts
1/3 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons natural granulated sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons safflower oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the first 5 topping ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle in the oil and stir until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened.
Pour the fruit into a lightly oiled 9- by 9-inch baking pan or round pie plate and pat in evenly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is golden and turning crisp. Allow to cool until just warm, then serve.

Source: soflavegans yahoo group (awesome!)