Here’s a quick and easy fresh fruit medley.

2 medium, ripe bananas, peeled and sliced.

1 pt. strawberries, sliced

10-12 lychees, peeled and pitted.

2 large kiwis, peeled, halved, and sliced.

Toss above ingredients together, serves 4-5.

Optional, if a healthy syrup is to be added:

1/4 c. water

2 tbs. xylitol

Stir xylitol into water, add to above tossed ingredients.

10 minutes to prepare

You can find the pics of this dish and all ingredients here.

8-10 dried Huagu mushrooms (a variety of shitake with striations on its cap — see photos at above link)

2 pearls of garlic, minced

1 tbs. minced onion

2 tbs. nutritional yeast

4 tbs. Maggi seasoning sauce

1 tbs. Soy Garden buttery spread

1/2 c. water

1/2 c.  of cinnamon basil leaves (ram que), finely chopped

8 sprigs of cumin (ngo om), finely chopped

1/2 c. of fishy chick leaves (rau vap ca), finely chopped

1/2 c. of lady thumbs leaves (rau ram), finely chopped

1/2 c. of spearmint leaves (hung mi), finely chopped

20  12-inch rice paper spring roll wrappers

Place dried mushrooms in covered pot with just enough for all of them to begin to float.  Add 1/2 of minced onion, 1 tbs. nutritional yeast, and 2 tbs. Maggi seasoning sauce.  Lightly stir and set to boil at medium heat until mushrooms are hydrated (when the caps feel meaty when poked with a fork).  Take out the individual mushrooms, and allow to cool on cutting board.  Remove stems and dice caps.  (I save the liquid since it makes a great base for later dishes.  Be imaginative).

While mushrooms are rehydrating, take thawed tofu and squeeze out as much water from tofu cake  as possible without crushing it.   Cut into 1/4 cubes.  Mix 2 tbs. Maggi seasoning sauce, garlic and remainder of minced onion, 2 tbs. nutritional yeast, Soy Garden buttery spread, and 1/2 c. water.  Heat to soft boil, remove from heat, stir, add cubed tofu, marinating until mushrooms are diced.  Drain off liquid and save, if you like, for later dishes.  Add tofu cubes with mushroom pieces and toss together well.  If you decide to also use mock duck or braised gluten, you may want to pan sear them first.   Place prepared ingredients aside in suitable bowl.

Prepare and combine the first five (5) ingredients, tossing together thoroughly in suitable bowl.  Clear and wipe cutting board.

Choose a saucepan large enough to hold the spring roll wrappers and fill to about 1/2-depth with water.  Heat until water is close to 140F, maintaining this temperature at the lowest suitable heat setting.  Place the wrappers into the water two at a time, one over the other, as they are quite thin an fragile once rehydrated.  They become soft enough for use in about 20-30 seconds.  Lightly pick both wrappers together and hold above saucepan, allowing excess water to drip off.

Place wrappers one over the other on cutting board,  making a horizontal line of 2 tbs. of minced herbs and 2 tbs. (heaping) of tofu or tofu/gluten mix, roll up like a small burrito.

Peanut sauce:

1/4 c. natural, unprocessed peanut butter

1/4 c. crushed dry roasted peanuts

1 clove of garlic, well smashed

2 tbs. hoisin sauce

1 tbs. unrefined/raw sugar

1 tsp. Maggi seasoning sauce

1 tsp. chili-garlic paste

Juice from one lime

2-3 tbs. of water

Mix all above ingredients together except water to make a thick sauce, adding water to bring it to the consistency of  slightly warm honey.  Use spoon to add a little to each bite.  Enjoy.

My Cajun Seasoning
•    2 tablespoons onion powder
•    2-½ tablespoons garlic powder
•    2-½ tablespoons dried basil
•    2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves
•    1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
•    1 tablespoon celery seed
•    4 tablespoons paprika
•    1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper*
•    3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

*if ya really like it spicy, you can substitute the following:  one dried habanero pepper, seeds and all, with 1 tsp. of ground cayenne.

Place all ingredients in a bowl with locking cover; shake thoroughly to fold all ingredients.  Place dry mix in blender and pulverize at high speed to a fine powder.  There’s no salt because I like to add salt separately for each dish.  Enjoy.

Copyright © 2007, R. J. Ham-Ying.  May be reprinted with permission.

Costa Rican (spicy) Guacamole

1 -2 large ripe Florida/Caribbean avocado, peeled, halved, and pitted
OR
4-5 California avocados, peeled, halved, and pitted
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup fresh diced tomatoes
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 large serrano chilies seeded, chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Mash Avocados until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, mix and chill or eat right away.

Plantain chips:

2 large green plantains (peeled)
vegetable oil
salt to taste

Mojo (garlic sauce):

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup onion (finely chopped)
6 garlic gloves (minced)
1/2 cup lemon juice

Directions

Peel plantains, slice into 1/4″ chips and place in a bowl. In a frying pan or deep fryer, pour 1/4 inch of expeller pressed oil and heat at medium-high. Add enough chips at a time to leave a little space between them. When approaching golden brown in color, remove and place in bowl with double lining of paper towels. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

Using a 2-quart bowl add onion, garlic, and lemon juice.. Heat olive oil over medium-high until frying hot (about 2 minutes), when hot, pour olive oil into bowl. Be certain to pour with one hand while holding a spatter screen between you and the bowl with the other. Whisk ingredients, then pour into single bowl or dipping cups. Some prefer to spoon the mojo over the chips while others prefer to dip. 6-10 chips per serving.

photo credit: foodistablog

Ingredients

6 to 8 potatoes, sliced with skin on
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp granulated garlic
1 cup soy or almond milk
1 tbsp basil
2 tbsp vegan friendly butter/margerine
sea salt to taste

Directions

Boil potatoes until they are soft enough to eat ( not too soft or else you will have mashed potatoes). Drain. In pot add potatoes and all ingredients.  Mix well and serve. You may find that it has a smashed potato look, but that is all the more fun depending on what you cooking them with.

For more great healthy meals, both vegan and non-vegan check out the Meal Challenge Quick and Easy Recipe blog carnival. If you have a quick easy vegan recipe, participate and let’s encourage more people to try vegan.