Vegan Pizza & Other Vegan Dishes

Go to your favorite produce store and select for yourself medium sized firm zucchinis, one for each averaged size member of your household, party or family. You may chose to select a small one for young children, and a larger one for those with a hefty appetite. You should also have on hand some fresh mushrooms, green sliced olives, vegan cheese (Soy Cheddar or Mozzarella Flavored Loaf), garlic, sea salt and vegan pepperoni slices (Yves Veggie Pizza Pepperoni). With all of this assembled, coat a baking tray with a fine mist of olive oil. Cut off the stem end of all zucchinis. Determine how each one curves and then align it in such a way as you can cut the zucchini lengthwise into two equal halves. Hollow out the center part of the zucchinis and leave the rind intact. Place the halves on the baking tray, salt and pepper lightly and insert into an oven that is set at 375 degree Fahrenheit. Let the shells bake while you make the stuffing. Start a pot of pasta if you wish to serve the pizzas on something as a base. To make the stuffing, you will need:

An alternative to the above is to quarter the zucchini and then slice it into thin, 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces and then stir fry it with the other ingredients. In this case, the pasta is layered on the bottom of a deep oven proof dish and the vegetarian mix placed on top of this and then the vegetarian pepperoni topped with vegan cheese shreds or slices placed on top of this. Bake the whole thing in a 375 degree oven for ten minutes. This is actually a faster and easier way to do the same dish. Try both for variety,

The center parts of the carved out zucchinis. Chop into fine pieces.

Tomato paste: One small tin per four medium zucchini halves.

One small mushroom per zucchini (try some variety like chantrelles, boletus, Asian variety etc.)

About a dozen slices of green olives per zucchini half.

Crushed and minced cloves of garlic, usually one per zucchini half.

Diced vegan (Soy Loaf or Diya brand shreds) cheese to the amount of one handful to two zucchini halves.

Vegan Cheese slices that will go over the whole pizza.

Sea salt, to taste

Dried oregano, to taste

Dried or fresh cut basil, your choice.

Parsley.

Several slices of vegan pepperoni (Yves Veggie Pizza Pepperoni) to cover the shells on the baking tray.

Alternative ideas:

You may choose to use Jalapeno Loaf

Try Chopped green pepper

Try Pineapple tidbits

To "kick it up a notch" with a hot taste, use Cajun spice or Cayenne

Mix the above ingredients, except the pepperoni, thoroughly in a mixing bowl. Remove the shells from the oven and leave the oven on. Line the shells with a cover of quartered vegan pepperoni slices. The shells should be easily penetrated with a fork, but not cooked to the point of mush. Spoon the mixture carefully into the hollowed covered shells. You should have a nice rounded appearance in each of your shells. Cover each of the now filled shells with a 1/3 piece of vegan cheese slices and in line to cover the full length of the zucchini pizza halves. Place the whole assembly into the 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the top cheese melts nicely. Watch it so that the cheese on top does not scorch. As all ovens are not created equal, I strongly suggest that you monitor the first batch until you get the feel for your particular oven.

Remove the baking tray when the pizzas are ready. Have some plates ready and a serving of pasta placed on each one. With a thin spatula, separate the pizza shells from one another. Carefully lifting each shell, place them on the pasta on the plates. Place a couple of sprigs of parsley on each plate. Once this is done, they are ready to serve and enjoy with a fork and a steak knife. As a garnish on the side, you may wish to add pickles, pickled beets, avocados or whatever you think may be an interesting choice for taste and appearance.

Here's a vegan recipe that'll knock your socks off if you're a liver 'n' onions fan. O.K., let's go shopping first. You're going to need medium sized yellow cooking onions, one medium onion for each two people. Also seek out and obtain Vegetarian Breakfast Links (made by Yves and soy based). You may need to find an equivalent. Make sure that it is close to what regular breakfast links are like. Now, let's head to Chinatown and get for ourselves some Tamari Sauce and whole Black beans, which come in a paper and cardboard container. Some have dried ginger strips inside. If you like to go for wild edibles, there's really nothing like fiddle-heads in this recipe, but you can find a reasonable substitute as fiddle-head season is short. You will also need some arrowroot powder to help in the vegan gravy making. Get some small baking potatoes, one for each person. Now that we have our basic supplies, let's organize and cook. Place all of your potatoes to bake on a tray in a 350 to 375 degree Fahrenheit oven. Periodically test by poking with a fork until they will cut easily and be fluffy.

Cut tops and bottoms off the onions, one for each two people, slice top to bottom into crescent shapes and place these in a oiled frying pan to braise. Stir to evenly braise the pieces.

Cut and dress the fiddle heads and braise

Fine chop enough black bean to make the base for the gravy, about a small handful for each two people.

Diagonally slice into thin pieces one whole package of links for each two people, two packages for four, etc.

Add Tamari sauce premixed with arrowroot powder to taste and the thickness you want for a gravy.

Cook the whole until there is thick gravy

Vegan soy cheese is optional: dice it to ad near the completion.

Parsley

Cherry tomatoes

The tricky part is to have the potatoes ready when the vegan baby beef 'n' onions are ready to serve. Start by baking the potatoes first and begin to prepare the other when you are confident that the potatoes are ready at the same time of serving. When the baked potatoes are ready, remove, slice and fluff them, one per serving. Ladle the prepared vegan baby beef liver 'n' onions onto the fluffy potatoes. Sprinkle cubed vegan soy cheese on top if you wish. Decorate with sprigs of parsley and cherry tomatoes and serve steaming hot. Believe me, if you do it right, you'll have the best vegan equivalent of baby beef liver and onions possible!

Have you ever wanted good old fashioned burgers and french fries? Haven't we all considering that many of us grew up on such fare. Well, I have a recipe for you that's not only vegetarian, but has no diary of eggs or any meet by product, but is every bit as tasty as any meet fare out there and better for your health and the planet to boot. First of all we need to obtain some ingredients. You will need a four pack of Yves Prima Veggie Burger or equivalent for each two people. You will need one kaiser bun per two patties, a whole medium yellow onion, one large baking potato for each two people, some fiddle-heads or whatever exotic vegetable is in season. Select a firm ripe beefsteak tomato. You will be baking your fries and stir frying your onions and burgers. Prepare your ingredients.

Cut the potatoes first in half and then slice then into thin cut fries with skin on. Spray oil a baking tray and lay out the pieces to cover the try. Sprinkle lightly with seas salt and fresh ground pepper. Spray the top with spray on olive oil. Start to bake thes at 250 to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut tops and bottoms off the onions, one for each two people, slice top to bottom into crescent shapes and place these in a oiled frying pan to braise. Stir to evenly braise the pieces.

Cut and dress the fiddle heads and braise

Fine chop enough black bean to make the base for the gravy, about a small handful for each two people.

Add all the vegan patties you're going to need. Keep an eye on them and turn frequently.

Add soy tamari sauce and miso to taste and mix util a medium gravy is formed.

Once this is done lay out your kaiser buns open faced. You may have to slice them burger style.

You may place a thin slice of beefsteak tomato on each burger.

Place your patties, two to each kaiser bun and ladle on the stir fried onions, fiddle-heads snd gravy. Then with a thin metal spatula, lift the fires and place a side of them on each plate serving. Eat with a steak knife and a fork.