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2 pounds tomatoes, halved
1 onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable stock
Olive oil
Non-dairy butter
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place tomatoes on a roasting sheet, sprinkle with enough olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper.
Roast in oven for 30 minutes.
In a large pot, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium.
Add onions and carrots, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.
Add garlic, and sauté for another couple of minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add roasted tomatoes to pot and stir.
Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and using and immersion blender, blend soup until tomatoes are pureed. (If you do not have an immersion blender, you may ladle soup into a regular blender, returning to the pot once pureed.)
Add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until it has melted into soup.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 6

Note: Inspired by a recipe from today.com/food

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2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion (peeled, finely diced)
1 bag chopped kale (8 ounces, about 6 cups)
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Hummus

6 pocketless pita breads
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large sauté pan, add olive oil and heat over high heat.
Add red onion and cook until almost tender, about 4 minutes.
Add kale and allow to cook until slightly wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add vegetable stock, vinegar and chili flakes and allow to cook until wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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Preheat grill or grill pan to medium heat.
Brush pita on both sides with olive oil and place on grill.
Allow to cook until charred and warmed through, about 2 minutes per side.
Remove pitas to a plate or platter, spread hummus on top of each pita and top with kale.

Note: Can use your favorite flavor of store-bought hummus for these flatbreads.

Inspired by a recipe from  ABC’s The Chew

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16 ounce jar with lid
small salad/pickling cucumbers, approximately 7
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pickling spices
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled, optional
1 sprig fresh dill
filtered water

Scrub the cucumbers.
Pack them vertically in the jar.
Add salt, pickling spices, garlic cloves (if using).
Add water to fully cover the cucumbers.
Place dill on top of water.
Cover with tight-fitting lid (some liquid may escape during fermenting).
Place outside on a table, if possible, or inside near a sunny window for 1-2 days, depending on the air temperature (speeds up fermentation process).
Place jar in the refrigerator.
New dills after 3 days, half sours in about a week and a half, and full sours after three weeks.

Note: Deli pickles at a fraction of the price!

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2 (15 oz.) cans of pitted sour cherries, with their juice
1 cup tart cherry juice
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1 stick cinnamon
1 slice (1⁄2″-thick) lemon
1 cup vegan sour cream

Add cherries, with their juice, and tart cherry juice to a 4-quart saucepan.
Add salt, cinnamon stick, and lemon.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until cherries are soft, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together vegan sour cream and 1⁄4 cup of hot cherry liquid from pan.
Remove pan from heat; stir in sour cream mixture.
Chill the soup.
Before serving, remove lemon slice and cinnamon stick.

Serves 4 – 6

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16 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled
1 1/2 cups (or one 13 1/2-ounce can) coconut milk or almond milk
1/4 cup honey, or to taste
1 vanilla bean, scraped, or 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/2 cup chia seeds

Place the strawberries, coconut milk, honey, vanilla, and lime zest in a blender and blend until smooth.
Taste and add more honey if desired.
Place the chia seeds in a large bowl, pour the strawberry mixture on top, and whisk thoroughly. Let stand for 10 minutes and whisk again.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
Stir the pudding before serving.
The longer it sits, the thicker the pudding will become; if it is too thick, whisk in a little water (or coconut water).

Spoon into individual cups or bowls and garnish.

Serves 4-6

Note:
Sweeteners: Honey may be substituted with other sweeteners like maple syrup, agave nectar, etc.
Garnish ideas: strawberries, coconut flakes, lime zest, chopped or slivered nuts, fresh mint.

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4 flour tortillas (10 inches)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
8 ounces non-dairy cheddar cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 400°

With a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan.
Use the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add onion, jalapeño, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add beans and beer, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup of cheese.
Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer.
Bake until cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove side of pan; sprinkle pie with scallions.
To serve, slice into wedges.

Serves 6

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1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 sweet onion, peeled and finely diced
1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups rolled oats, not steel cut
1/2 cup cashews, finely chopped

Serving suggestions

toasted potato buns
avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
vegan mayonnaise
pickled red onions
green lettuce leaves
Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes and garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place on baking sheet, fitted with parchment paper and roast for 35-45 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse to combine sweet potato, Worcestershire sauce, onion, and chickpeas.
Remove mixture to a large bowl and add the rolled oats and cashews and mix to combine.
Form into five patties using an ice cream scoop.
In a heated, large sauté pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
Add patties and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes, flip and cook another 4 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
Makes 5-8 burgers, depending on size

Note: use a plastic lid and plastic wrap to help form the burger patties into perfect rounds.
Recipe inspired by the television program, The Chew.

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3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons nondairy butter
1 1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro oil

1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Soup

Heat oil with butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides.
Cook squash, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
Add lentils and water and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 1 hour.
Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Cilantro oil

Purée cilantro, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender.
Serve soup drizzled with cilantro oil.

Note: Soup, without cilantro oil, can be made 3 days ahead and chilled.

Serves 4-6