Okay, so, you think it can’t be good without the milk and sugar, but, I was surprised! I was watching this segment on CBS Sunday Morning about chocolate, you know, the gourmet kind. Sunday morning, a good time to try to make something that was close to what I would like to drink, and, surprisingly, this is pretty good. I’ll give you the basic ingredients, what I used and, if needed, you can adjust.

Mmmm! Vegan Hot Chocolate

1 cup – 365 Organic Almond Milk Unsweetened*
1/2 tsp -365 organic vanilla
2 tsp – Dagoba Organic Chocolate – Cacao Powder**
2 tsp – Truvia***

* 365 is a Whole Foods brand, the unsweetened is important for me, no added sugar
** it’s important to use a high grade of cocoa and preferably organic
*** or sweetener of your choice, but, this is 0 calorie and safe for diabetics or for those cutting out sugar

Heat almond milk up first, add the vanilla. When this mixture is getting warmer add the cocoa and sweetener. Mix with a whisk, it creates some foam, always fun to sip.

To make it really frothy I used my hand immersion that came with a blender container, because it’s small. But, you could put it into a blender, again this makes it frothy and more yummy. Sit back, sip and enjoy.

Lovingly submitted,
Mukta Tana Dean

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts – Plant Based

1 bag of fresh brussel sprouts

1/4 cup roasted pecans

salt to taste

4 – 5  tablespoons earth balance butter spread or olive oil ( or combination of both)

1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

Fresh ground pepper

Roast pecans at 400 degrees until medium brown.  Wash brussel sprouts in a sink full of water and afterward “X” the bottom of each sprout with a knife and then cut in half length-wise.  Using a skillet or saute pan, add the earth balance buttery spread/olive oil to the pan and gently heat oil; then add chopped onions, garlic, salt, brussel sprouts and pecans and cook until brussel sprouts have some brown spots and are desired softness.  (You can place a bit of water in the pan with a lid, if your brussel sprouts are still too hard but only after you’ve achieved brown spots on the sprouts).

Bon Appetit!

Namrata Lisa Abrams

Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

2-3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked (approximately 6-9 potatoes or one 3-lb. bag)

1/4 cup earth balance natural buttery spread

2-6 tablespoons brown sugar (can be omitted if you are not using sugar)

2 tablespoons chopped pecans (can use up to 1/2 cup)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons orange juice (can use up to 1 cup, especially if not using brown sugar)

Peel the sweet potatoes and quarter them and place them in a large pot of boiling water.  Cook until the potatoes are soft, but not mushy.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

After the sweet potatoes are cooked, drain them and place them either back in the pot or in a large bowl.  Using an electric mixer, whip together the sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons earth balance, brown sugar, salt and orange juice.  Then add the chopped pecans.  Pour into a greased 9 x 13 glass pyrex casserole dish (or an 8 x 8 glass pyrex dish is also fine).  You can create a mixture of  butter, sugar and pecans as a topping, if you would like.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Bon Appetit!!

Namrata Lisa Abrams

Spicy Garlic Broccoli with Pine Nuts

Spicy Garlic Broccoli with Pine Nuts
From Dr. Weil
Opinions vary as to whether broccoli is neutral or cooling. It is often prescribed by
Chinese doctors for eye inflammations and nearsightedness.
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds broccoli or broccoli rabe
¼ cup pine nuts
1 ½ tsp (expeller-pressed) canola oil
1 ½ tsp roasted sesame oil
1 tsp hot chile paste or ¾ tsp crushed dried chiles
2 Tbs minced garlic
1 ½ Tbs rice wine or sake, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Sauce (mixed together in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved)
1 ½ Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
Instructions:
1. Trim the ends of the broccoli, separate the florets, peel the outer skin of the stem and
cut it on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths.
2. Toast the pine nuts until golden in a 300 degree oven, turning them occasionally so that
they cook evenly for about 20 minutes.
3. Heat a wok or large skillet, add the oils, and heat until hot, about 20 seconds. Add the
chile paste or crushed chiles and garlic, and stir-fry, tossing with a slotted spoon over
medium heat until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Turn the heat to high.
4. Add the stem sections of the broccoli and stir-fry. Pour in the rice wine and water and
cook, tossing, about 30 seconds, then cover and cook about 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until the
stems are just tender. Add the florets or leafy sections and toss over high heat, cooking
for about 1 ½ minutes or until just tender.
5. Add the premixed Sauce and toss lightly for 15 seconds. Add the toasted pine nuts and
stir-fry a few seconds to combine the ingredients. Scoop the ingredients into a serving
bowl and serve immediately.

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup
From: All About Cuban Cooking
1 lb Black Beans
1 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic
6 cups water
1 tsp black pepper, or to taste
3 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ground cumin
Rinse and soak beans overnight to reduce cooking time. Cook in water until beans are soft (about 1 hour over medium flame), add onion, garlic, bell pepper, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, black pepper, salt and sugar. Start mashing the beans and stir occasionally until soup thickens to your satisfaction (they shouldn’t be too watery or too thick); add olive oil and vinegar.
Serve over rice or as a soup.
Tip: The bell pepper adds more taste if roasted before adding. To roast a bell pepper, place on top of burner until almost black, wrap it in foil for 10 minutes, and finally brush under water to remove skin.
Serves 6

Vegetarian/Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

1 cup orzo pasta
4 bell peppers (any color)
2/3 cup tightly packed fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (or vegan substitute)
2T. chopped walnuts
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp salt, divided
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup plus 1 T. olive oil, divided
12 oz ground beef style veggie crumbles
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 12 oz jar of tomato sauce
Pre heat the oven to 350°
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Cut the tops off the peppers (save them) and clean out the seeds. Place the peppers in boiling water foe 3 minutes. Remove from water and drain, inverted, on a paper towel.
Place parsley, parmesan, walnuts, basil, ½ tsp salt and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until blended. With processor running slowly add ¼ cup of the olive oil. Process until smooth.
In a large skillet brown the “beef” in the remaining oil. Stir in the orzo, pesto, the remaining ½ tsp of salt and the chopped tomato. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the .mixture is heated through. Pour the tomato sauce in to a glass baking dish. Fill the peppers with the mixture and place in the baking dish. Put the tops back on and bake for 20 minutes.
Serves 4

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