No-bake Peanut butter Cookies

1 cup oats
1 cup dates
1/2 cup unsweetened peanut or sunflower seed butter
a few shakes of sea salt
2 T water
1/2 (heaping) cup chocolate chips, melted

• Place all ingredients except for the melted chocolate in food processor
• Add a little bit of water, if needed, to form a dough that is sticking together and not crumbly
• Roll dough into balls, and flatten into cookies
• Place cookies on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes
• Dip each cookie into melted chocolate and place on parchment paper
• Freeze for about 15 minutes. Store cookies in the freezer.

Coconut Whipped Cream

2 cans coconut milk
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

• Place cans of coconut milk in fridge for (at least) 2 days
• Place mixer bowl and whisk in freezer for 20-30 min
• Open cans and scrape off the solidified coconut milk into mixer bowl
• Mix on high speed until whipped and thickened
• Add vanillla and then powdered sugar a bit at a time while mixing on low
• Whip on high speed again for a few minutes
• Store in fridge

No-Bake Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

2 cups dates (If not soft, soak in warm water for a few hours)
1 cup walnuts- ground, plus 1/2 cup chopped
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp salt

• Chop dates in food processor, until a sticky ball is formed
• Using a stand-up mixer, combine dates, walnuts, cocoa powder, almond meal, maple syrup, and salt.
• Press mixture down firmly into an 8x8 pan
• In a small saucepan, heat milk on a low flame just until it begins to bubble around the edges
• Turn flame off and add chocolate chips and salt, making sure the chips are completely covered by the hot milk.
• Cover the pot and let it sit for about 5 minutes
• Uncover, and stir quickly until smooth
• Pour over brownies, spreading evenly and freeze for a few hours
• Cut into squares and store in fridge or freezer

Super Healthy and Super Easy Vegetarian Chili

2 large onions, diced
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups chopped collard greens or kale
1/2 cup quinoa
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2  4oz cans diced green chile peppers
1-2 T chili powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
hot mexican chili powder, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
water, as needed

• In a large stock pot, saute onions, celery, tomatoes, and chiles in some vegetable broth
• Add spices and heat while stirring occasionally for 10 min
• Add quinoa, beans, and kale
• Simmer for at least an hour

Melted (dairy-free) Cheese Sauce

1/2 cup cashews
2 cups defrosted frozen cauliflower (optional)
1 cup hot water
1 cup almond milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp mustard
2 T nutritional yeast
Dash of nutmeg

• Blend all ingredients in high power blender for 2 minutes (if blender is not high powered, soak cashews first for a few hours)
• Pour into saucepan and heat over a medium-low flame until thickened, stirring frequently
• Serve over pasta, in grilled "cheese" sandwiches, quesadillas, etc.

Creamy Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing 2

1 cup cashews
3/4 cup water
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 T lemon juice
1 T agave
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1.5 tsp herbamare
1 T dried parsley
1 T dried chives
1 tsp dried dill weed

• Blend first 8 ingredients in blender (if not high power, soak cashews first) for 2 minutes
• Add last 3 ingredients and blend on low speed for an additional 30 seconds
• Chill and serve

Parve "Chicken" Vegetable Soup

2 onions, chopped
6 stalk celery, sliced
6 carrots, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
2 turnips, cubed
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

4 cups vegetable broth

6 T chicken soup mix

salt, pepper to taste
water, to cover

• Combine all ingredients except seasonings in a large pot
• Bring to a boil
• Add seasonings, reduce to a simmer
• Cook for at least an hour

Chewy Granola Bars

1/2 cup sunbutter (or peanut butter, or any nut-butter) plus 2T
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/4 cup agave, plus 2T
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups oats 
2 cups crisped rice cereal 
1/4 cup flaxmeal
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (or chocolate chips or chunks)

• Over a medium-low flame, heat while stirring first 5 ingredients until smooth
• Mix in the oats, cereal, and flaxmeal
• Spread onto a 9x13 pan
• Sprinkle chocolate chips on top, and press down firmly
• Freeze for a few hours and then cut into bars

Chickpea Cutlets

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup walnuts
1 T ground flax seeds, mixed with 3 T warm water
2 T tehina
2 T lemon juice
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
cornflake crumbs to coat (about 1 cup)

• Process chickpeas and walnuts in food processor 
• Mix well with remaining ingredients
• Refrigerate batter for a few hours or overnight
• Preheat oven to 375
• Roll batter into about 22 balls and flatten into cutlet-shaped patties
• Place crumbs on a plate and press cutlets into cornflake crumbs, coating both sides.
• Bake on large baking sheet for 25 minutes
• Flip and bake for 10 more minutes

Healthy Chocolate Fudge!

1/2 cup mini choc chips
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup nutbutter
1/2 packed cup madjool dates (8-10)
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup almond milk
1 T vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 T maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped walnuts + more for topping

• Place all ingredients except walnuts in blender
• Blend until as smooth as possible
• Mix in walnuts
• Pour into an 8x8 square pan and smooth out the top
• Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top (optional)
• Freeze or refrigerate overnight and cut into squares

Low Fat Cornbread (egg-free, oil-free, gluten-free)

2 cups finely ground cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
1/4 cup applesauce
2 T agave
1 Flaxseed egg

• Preheat oven to 375
• Combine all ingredients
• Mix well
• Pour into 8x8 or 9x9 square pan
• Bake 35-40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean

Creamy African Sweet Potato Stew

2 large onions, sliced into half rings
3 carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 sweet potatoes, cubed
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
2 T onion soup mix
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 T peanut butter or sunbutter
1 cup almond milk, or lite coconut milk
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen chopped spinach or kale

• Combine all ingredients in a large pot
• Bring to a boil
• Simmer for 30 min- 1 hour, until vegetables are soft

Gourmet Green Beans

2 1/2- 3 lbs green beans, trimmed
1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 T soy sauce
1 T agave
black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, or dry-toasted slivered almonds
juice and zest of 1 small lemon or 2 T lemon juice

• Boil green beans for 15 minutes, drain, and set aside
• Saute mushrooms in soy sauce, until little liquid is left
• Add garlic, agave, and black pepper and continue to heat
• When there is almost no liquid left, add nuts
• Continue to heat for about three minutes, stirring constantly
• Add green beans and lemon juice, mixing until evenly coated

Amazing, Cholestrol-free, Low-Fat Potato Kugel

6-8 medium-sized yukon gold potatoes, peeled and grated with shredding blade
4 potatoes, peeled and pulsed very fine with the chopping (s) blade
2 onions, grated
4-6 flax seed eggs- (golden flax seeds work better than the dark ones in this recipe)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp baking powder

• Preheat oven to 375 
• Using a strainer, allow potatoes to drain as much liquid as possible
• Combine all ingredients and mix well
• Pour into a 9x13 (coated with cooking spray) pan, or divide into two 8x8 pans
• Smooth out the top and coat lightly with cooking spray
• Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Broil for another 5 minutes to crisp the top (optional)

Healthy Coleslaw

1 14 oz bag classic coleslaw mix
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup cashew mayo
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 T agave

• Combine coleslaw, pepper, and green onion in a large bowl
• Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, until smooth
• Pour dressing over coleslaw mixture and toss to coat

Spinach Potato Bites

10 medium-sized yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup non-dairy milk
Seasoned-salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup flour
2 onions, diced
1 lb frozen spinach, defrosted

• Boil potatoes in a large pot for about 15 min, until soft
• Add milk, salt and pepper
• Mash well
• Add the potato starch and flour and mix well
• Saute onion and garlic in vegetable broth or water
• Add spinach and continue to heat until little or no liquid is left
• Combine spinach mixture and mashed potato mixture
• Refrigerate for an hour or two or overnight
• Form into balls- about 2 T in size, and place on a slightly greased cookie sheet (about 15 per sheet)
• Bake at 375 for 25-30 min until slightly brown
• Let them cool off completely before removing from the pans

Rice Pilaf

1 large onion, diced
2 cups grated carrots
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 T dried parsley
1 T dried chives
2 cups brown rice
5 cups vegetable broth

• Saute onions and carrots in some vegetable broth or water, until soft
• Stir in the rice and continue to heat for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously
• Add spices and vegetable broth and bring to a boil
• Cover and simmer for about 45 min until rice is fully cooked

Portobello Mushroom Steak

10 Portobello mushrooms, sliced into thick strips
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 T BBQ sauce
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp liquid smoke
Steak seasoning to taste

• Wash and cut mushrooms, removing the fans
• Combine remaining ingredients, and mix well
• Pour over mushrooms and set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes
• In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms in the marinade until little or no liquid remains

Mushroom Pate

20 oz mushrooms
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup scallions (white part only), chopped
2/3 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper, to taste 

• Shred mushrooms in food processor 
• In a large skillet saute garlic and scallions in vegetable broth for 5 minutes 
• Add mushrooms, salt and pepper 
• Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until no liquid is left 
• Refrigerate for a few hours before serving

Fat-free, Gluten-free, Vegetarian Shabbos Cholent

2 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry, soaked pinto beans (or one 15 oz can)
1/2 cup dry, soaked kidney beans (or one 15 oz can)
1/2 cup dry, soaked navy beans (or one 15 oz can)
1 cup brown rice
6 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp paprika
black pepper, to taste
4 T ketchup
2 T BBQ sauce
4 T homemade onion soup mix
water to cover (about 5-6 cups)

• Combine all ingredients and mix well
• Cook in crockpot on high for 6 hours, then turn to low
• Continue to cook on low overnight (or at least 6 more hours)