Lemonilla Cake with Fluffy Lemon Frosting*

Makes 1 9- x 13-inch cake



For the cake

3 cups unbleached flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 cup water

1 cup lemon juice

1 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons vanilla

1 tablespoon lemon extract (or more to taste)

2 tablespoons cider or white vinegar



Preheat oven to 350oF.



Lightly oil a 9- x 13-inch pan and set aside.



In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and

baking soda. In another bowl, place the water, lemon

juice, oil, vanilla, and lemon extract, and whisk well

to combine. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients

and whisk well. Drizzle the vinegar over the top of

the batter and whisk quickly. Pour the batter into the

prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until an

inserted toothpick comes out clean.



Let the cake cool completely before frosting with

icing (recipe below).



For the frosting

1/2 cup softened soy margarine

3 ounces tofu cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons nondairy milk

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract



Using an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a

hand-held mixer, place the soy margarine, tofu cream

cheese, and nondairy milk, and cream them together.



In a blender or food processor, blend the sugar and

cornstarch for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and

blend for an additional 30 seconds.



Add half of the blended sugar and cornstarch to the

creamed margarine mixture and beat well to combine.

Add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat

until the mixture is light and fluffy.



* This recipe was adapted from The Vegan Chef

Crock Pot Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna



This vegetarian lasagna is assembled and cooked in the crock pot--a

perfect solution for people on the go.



1 10 oz frozen box of spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 small onion

1 8 oz fresh mushroom

2 tablespoon dry red wine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 8 oz tomato sauce

1 6 oz tomato paste

2 cups spaghetti sauce

12 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 15 oz ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Milk

2 tablespoons parsley flakes

1 dash fresh ground black pepper

2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded



Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add garlic, mushroom, onion, salt

and wine let simmer for about 10 minutes or until mushrooms and onion

are tender. Next, add tomato paste, tomato sauce, and spaghetti sauce

cooking at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix egg, spinach, ricotta

cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper. Add enough milk to make

ricotta cheese mixture creamy. I add 3 to 4 tbsp milk, (it depends on

whether you like it creamy). Spread a layer of spaghetti sauce over

the bottom of a 4 to 6 qt crock pot. Layer 4 noodles, broken into

pieces to fit, then add a layer of spaghetti sauce mixture followed

by a layer of ricotta cheese mixture, sprinkling half of mozzarella

cheese over ricotta cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on

low setting 4 to 7 hours.



Number of servings: 6

GARLIC AND POTATO SOUP



Serves 4 * Vegan



The secret to this simple soup is simmering the garlic, which tames

its bite. The liquid for the soup is equal parts vegetable broth and

water; for a stronger flavor, replace some of the water with broth. A

green salad and crusty bread round out the meal.



1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

7 large cloves garlic, peeled



Heat oil in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and

cook, stirring often, 10 minutes, or until golden. Add broth, 4 cups

water, potatoes and garlic, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to

medium-low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until potatoes are very

tender. Cool slightly.



Coarsely puree soup in blender or food processor 1 cup at a time,

about 20 seconds per batch, or puree in pot with immersion blender.

Do not overprocess. Return soup to pan. Season to taste with salt and

pepper. Simmer until heated through. Ladle soup into bowls, and serve

immediately.



PER SERVING: 260 CAL; 4G PROT; 5.5G TOTAL FAT (0.5G SAT. FAT); 50G

CARB; 0MG CHOL; 633MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 4G SUGARS

Vegan Cranberry Ginger Bars



Filling:

3 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cups each of raisins, dried apricots and crystallised ginger

1 lb/450g/3 cups of mixed dried fruit of your choice - including

lots of dried

apricots works very well

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup apple juice



In a large saucepan combine all ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil

over a

medium heat. Stir for about 5 minutes or until the cranberries have

popped. Let

cool.



Base and Topping:

2 cups flour

3/4 cups brown sugar

1 and a half teaspoons of ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of margarine or vegetable shortening

1 cup of rolled oats

3/4 cup of raw sunflower seeds



Mix all ingredients together. Set aside 1 and a half cups of crumb

mixture for

topping. Press the remainder into a 9" by 13" baking pan. Bake at

180C/350F for

15 minutes. Spread with cranberry mixture and sprinkle with

remaining crumbs.

Bake for another 30 minutes.

Vegan Creamy Mushroom Puff



A third of a cup/60g/2oz of vegan margarine

4 tablespoons of plain white flour

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic, crushed or very finely chopped (this can be

reduced or left

out if desired)

3 cups of mushrooms, sliced

half a litre/500ml of soya milk

1 glass of white wine (or stock)

handful of chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

approx. 500g/18oz of frozen puff pastry (this even comes ready-

rolled now for

extra laziness!!!)



Melt the margarine and cook the onion and garlic in it for a few

minutes and

then add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes more.

Add the

flour and stir well. Gradually add the soya milk stirring all the

time and then

the wine and keep stirring on a low heat until the sauce thickens.

Once thick

remove from the heat and add your seasoning and the parsley. Allow

to cool

slightly while you prepare the pastry. Roll out into 2 wide

rectangular shapes

reserving some pastry for decoration. Place one sheet of pastry on a

greased

baking tray. Heap the slightly cooled sauce onto it leaving a space

round the

edges. Place the top sheet on and seal up the edges with some soya

milk or water

(fold over if needed). Make some small slits on the top of the puff

and let your

artistic side shine with the reserved pastry! I usually make holly

leaves to

place on the top but do whatever you like. Glaze with soya milk and

then bake in

a medium hot oven for about half an hour or until the pastry seems

cooked (no

soggy bits and nicely puffed up!)



Nice served with gravy, roast potatoes, stuffing, vegan sausages,

cranberry

sauce and vegetables of your choice - a feast!

Vegan: Creamy Potato Salad



Makes 4 to 6 servings



6 medium white potatoes

1/2 cup Vegenaise or Nayonaise

4 Tbsp. yellow prepared mustard

2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Paprika (optional)



Cut the potatoes into cubes and cook in boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and let cool completely.

Put the potatoes in a bowl and combine with the remaining ingredients.

Vegan Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

1 cup vegan mayonnaise

1 cup plain soy milk

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoon minced parsley

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper



Directions:

Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to blend. Makes 2 cups.

Note: Best if chilled several hours or overnight.

Sorbet

1 package of your favorite frozen fruit
2 cups of pineapple juice in the can
1/2 cup fructose or other sweetener
7 or eight ice cubes

Put first 3 ingredients in a blender; blend till creamy or smooth. Add ice cubes one or two at a time until like slushy, pour into container and freeze for 4 to 6 hours.

Avocado Salsa with Olives and Cilantro



Dairy-Free, Vegan



Makes 4 cups



1 small red bell pepper, 1-inch dice

1 small green bell pepper, 1-inch dice

1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced

1 medium tomato, 1-inch dice

1/2 small red onion, 1-inch dice

3/4 cup pitted Spanish olives

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

3 tablespoons minced cilantro

2 ripe avocados, small dice



Process bell peppers, carrot, tomato and onion to a fine chop in

food processor or finely chop by hand. Add remaining ingredients

except avocado, process to fine chop. Remove ingredients to a bowl

and stir in diced avocado.



Nutrition Info

Per Serving (90g-wt.): 90 calories (70 from fat), 7g total fat, 1.5g

saturated fat, 4g dietary fiber, 2g protein, 8g carbohydrate, 0mg

cholesterol, 220mg sodium

Vegan Gravy



8 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic -- squashed and minced very well (3 to

6)

2 slices yellow onion -- chopped (2 to 3)

8 tablespoons all-purpose white flour

4 teaspoons nutritional yeast

4 tablespoons low- or reduced-sodium tamari (soy

sauce)

2 cups water (or vegetable stock)

1/2 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 white mushrooms -- sliced (optional) (5 to 6)

extra flour or cornstarch (optional)



Measure the vegetable oil into a small saucepan.

Cook the garlic and onion in it for about two minutes

on medium or medium-low heat, until the onion is a bit

tender and translucent.

Add the flour, yeast, and tamari to make a paste.

Add the water gradually, stirring constantly.

Bring the gravy to a boil on medium to medium-high

heat, stirring constantly -- the gravy has to boil for

it to thicken.

(Grandma always told me to cook gravy for a full five

minutes at a boil to make sure you kill the bugs in

the flour, but I don't always bother.)

Add pepper.

Stir in the sliced mushrooms, if desired.

Add salt, if desired.



If the gravy is too thin for your taste, add one or

two tablespoons of flour or small amounts of

cornstarch to thicken it and add home-made-looking

lumps.

Use a wire whisk to eliminate lumps.



Pour the piping hot gravy onto toast, bisquits,

vegetarian sausage, poultry stuffing, potatoes, or

vegetarian burgers.



This gravy takes about ten minutes to prepare.



Flavor tip for the gravy: take a package of dried

shiitake mushrooms and reconstitute them with about a

cup and a half of very hot (but not boiling) water.

Let it sit for 20 minutes, then strain -- use that

mushroom juice plus enough water to make 2 cups of

liquid for the recipe.



This gravy refrigerates well.

Freezing is not recommended; unused, undesired

quantities should be discarded rather than frozen (the

ingredients are inexpensive)<WBR>.

The cooled gravy re-heats well in the microwave or on

the stove.



As shown, recipe makes roughly a quart. Recipe can be

halved.



NOTES: Use this recipe for biscuits-n-gravy or for any

other dish that calls for a gravy.

It can also be used as a supplement or even substitute

for meat gravies, which have much more saturated fat.

Please note that this gravy, however, is not a low-fat

food -- each serving has about 2/3 tablespoon of oil.

On the other hand, it can be a low-sodium food; and

there is no sugar in the recipe.