Ingredients:

• 1 broccoli crown, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. sugar (try Florida Crystals brand)
• 1 cup vegan mayonnaise (try Vegenaise)
• 1/2 cup vegan bacon-flavored bits (try Bacos)
• 1 cup sunflower seeds

Preparation:

Combine the broccoli, onion, and raisins in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar, and vegan mayonnaise. Pour over the broccoli mixture and toss to coat.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Immediately before serving, toss with the Bacos and sunflower seeds.

Makes 6 servings

This heart-healthy stir-fry is so good and easy to make that it will become a family favorite.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 lb. veggie beef strips (try Lightlife or Morningstar Farms "Steak-style" Strips)
• 1 small bunch broccoli
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil, divided
• 2 carrots, sliced diagonally 1/8-inch thick
• 1 bunch green onions
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth

Preparation:

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until combined.

Toss in the "veggie beef" and let stand for 10 to 20 minutes.

Cut the broccoli florets from the stem and slice the stems into 1/4-inch-thick pieces.

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tsp. of the oil. When almost smoking, add the "beef" mixture and stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove from the wok. Add the remaining oil and the vegetables, stir-frying for 1 minute. Add the broth and cook, scraping the bottom, until the vegetables are tender.

Return the "veggie beef" to the wok and heat through.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 lb. broccoli florets
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Sprig of fresh thyme for garnish

Preparation:

Combine the broccoli, onion, and raisins in a large bowl.

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with the salt and pepper.

Add the potatoes, broccoli, thyme, and stock and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Purée in a blender until smooth. Return to the pan and reheat, adjusting the seasonings if needed.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Quick & Easy!

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes

COOKING TIME: 10 minutes

NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 6 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large prebaked pizza shell
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted red pepper

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 450F.

2. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add broccoli florets and garlic; saut until tender-crisp.

3. Bake pizza shell until lightly crisped. Top with ricotta, Parmesan, and broccoli. Sprinkle with roasted red pepper and bake until heated through.

Escarole, fresh radishes and peas bring the simple joy of garden-fresh veggies to this delectably satisfying pasta salad. Serve with a dry, crisp white wine and crusty bread for a light lunch or dinner. Any Salad Green you prefer or a lettuce mix can be substituted for the Escarole.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 16 oz whole-wheat penne pasta
• 1 cup vegan sour cream
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• zest from 2 lemons
• 2 TB chopped chives
• 2 TB chopped dill
• 1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• sea salt, to taste
• ground pepper, to taste
• 1 head escarole, or other salad greens
• 1 bunch radishes
• 3 cups snow pea pods or sugar snap peas, about a 1/2 lb
• 4 green onions

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to package directions. While water is heating to boil, make the dressing by mixing together the vegan sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, chives, dill and parsley together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Next, prep the vegetables. Clean the radishes well (discarding the greens), rinse well and slice thinly. Place in a very large bowl. Rinse escarole well, and tear into bite-size pieces. Place into the large bowl with the radishes.

Slice snow pea pods or sugar snap peas on the diagonal. When pasta is ready to be drained, quickly drop the pea pods into the water with the pasta, stir once and then drain everything together into a colander. Once drained, add the hot pasta and peas to the bowl with the escarole and radishes and toss well. Add dressing, toss again and serve.

This no-fuss Italian egg dish is baked in the pan, and there's no need to master omelet-flipping skills -- you put the filling on top. The recipe makes four portions, each of them about the same size as a two-egg omelet.

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes

COOKING TIME: 12 minutes

NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup sliced red onion
• 5 large eggs
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, or basil)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 small plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 8 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat broiler. Coat a 9- or 10-inch oven proof nonstick skillet with vegetable cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out skillet, coat again with cooking spray, and return to medium-high heat.

2. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, egg whites, herbs, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl; pour into hot skillet. Cook, without stirring, until eggs begin to set, about 2 minutes, lifting up edge with a heat proof rubber spatula while tilting skillet and letting uncooked portion flow underneath.

3. Arrange tomato slices and sautéed vegetables in concentric circles on top. Continue cooking frittata until eggs are golden-brown on bottom and almost set on top, 2 to 3 minutes more.

4. Sprinkle mozzarella around edge of frittata. Transfer skillet to broiler and broil until cheese melts and begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Cut frittata into quarters. One serving equals one of the quarters.

Dairy-Free, Vegan

Hittin' the grill for dinner tonight? For a quick and easy addition to your lunch tomorrow try grilling a few slices of vegetables. These colorful pinwheels are a good way to add healthful veggies to your lunchbox. They're also a tasty snack, and great for parties and picnics.

Makes about 12 pinwheels

Ingredients:

• 1 piece whole wheat lavash roll-ups(thin wrap bread) or tortillas
• 1/2 cup prepared hummus
• 1 small carrot, shredded
• 3 - 4 long flat slices zucchini and or summer squash, grilled or broiled until soft
• 3 - 4 flat pieces red and/or yellow and/or green bell pepper, grilled or broiled until soft

Preparation:

Spread the lavash bread or tortillas completely to the edge with hummus. Sprinkle with shredded carrot. Arrange grilled vegetables on top of carrots in a single layer all going the same direction. Position the wrap so that the ends of the vegetable strips are facing you. Use both hands to roll lavash fairly tightly.

Wrap the rolled lavash in plastic film tightly and refrigerate at least an hour, and as long as overnight. Remove from plastic wrap and using a sawing motion with a sharp serrated knife, cut the roll into 12 equal slices. Wrap slices individually in plastic for the lunchbox, or arrange them on a plate for a party.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb small new potatoes, cut in half
• 2 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/2" thick pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1" strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" strips
• 1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered
• 1/3 cup of your favorite salad dressing

Preparation:

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 2 hours prior to using to reduce charring. Parboil potatoes until done but still firm. Thread vegetables alternately on skewers. Brush generously with salad dressing. Grill for 3 minutes; turn the vegetables over, brushing with extra salad dressing. Grill for another 3-4 minutes until done.

Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients:

The best thing about making vegetable stock is that you can use all the leftover trimmings from your vegetables. Peeled skin-such as from carrots or cucumbers, seeds and stocks like from peppers, just strain as usual and seeds will come out, tomato stems, the first layer of onion skin, and any onion greens you don't use, any just about to be not eatable veggies, broccoli stems, cauliflower stems, just about any cuttings from veggies you enjoy. You should save them as you prepare vegetables all week and you can freeze them so they don't continue to go bad. Then add the frozen and any fresh veggie cuttings to a large pot of water more than enough to cover the veggies. Then for flavor, add some fresh veggies you love, such as the following and simmer for about an hour, longer if you like, shorter if you haven't an hour. Then strain through a colander or preferably a thin mesh metal strainer. Then another amazing thing to do with veggie broth, is to use it to make rice. It will be so much more flavorful. It will improve your risotto taste. You can substitute vegetable broth for any recipe that calls for water. You can save the broth in the refrigerator for up to a week and you can freeze it. You can freeze it in ice cube trays or just in any freezer container. If you freeze it in measured cups, so you will know how much to thaw when you are ready to use it. Great for soups, stews, adding to pasta water, and so many other uses.

• chopped onions
• chopped carrots
• chopped celery
• chopped leeks
• whole peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf

Preparation:

Place all the ingredients in a large stockpot and cover the vegetables with cold water and add additional to be able to stir easily.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and slowly simmer for one or up to 4 hours.

Strain and continue to cook over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes or until reduced down to about 2 quarts for additional flavor. This is optional.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 large yellow onions (about 9 to 11 ounces each), sliced
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 quarts vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup brandy (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 baguette French bread, sliced, toasted
• grated Romano cheese

Preparation:

Melt butter in large saucepan that holds at least 4 quarts. Add onions, cook over medium heat 12 minutes, or until tender and golden. Stir often. Add sugar and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add broth, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 12 minutes. If desired, add brandy; cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle soup into bowl, float toast on soup. Sprinkle with cheese.

(6 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 Aubergine (eggplant)
• 1 lg Red or yellow pepper
• 3 Courgettes (baby zucchinis)
• 6 sm Onions
• 12 sm Cap mushrooms

FLAVOURINGS:

• 4 tb Lemon juice
• 4 tb Peanut oil
• 2 tb Honey
• Coriander seed,coarse ground
• Coarsely ground black pepper

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 2 1/2 oz Peeled onion
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 5 tb Peanut butter
• 2 tb Peanut oil
• 1 1/2 tb Honey
• 1 1/2 tb Lemon juice
• 1 ts Coriander seeds
• 3/4 ts Chili powder

Preparation:

Cut the aubergine and pepper into chunks; cut the onions into wedges; slice the courgettes into 1-to 1-1/2-inch lengths; leave the mushrooms whole. Mix together all flavouring ingredients. Toss the vegetables in the flavourings and marinate for 2 to 4 hours.

The sauce should be part-prepared well ahead. Chop the onion and garlic roughly, then whizz them in a food-processor or blender with the coriander seeds. Add the chili, oil and whizz again. Add the peanut butter, lemon juice and honey and process once more. Scrape the puree into a small saucepan, cover and set aside for at least 1 hour before cooking.

Thread the vegetables on to skewers and grill under moderate heat for 10-15 minutes, basting with the marinade liquid as necessary. Meanwhile, add 5 tablespoons warm water to the pan of sauce and set it over medium heat. Cook at a steady bubble, stirring often, until the sauce is hot and aromatic. Reduce heat to a very low and cook for a few minutes longer, adding more water if necessary to achieve a good creamy consistency, and adjust seasoning to taste. Hand round the sauce separately.

We owe a big thank you to the cuisine of Provincial France for tapenade, a savory black olive paste that is absolutely divine on bread, pasta, or salads.
It's a cinch to make and completely versatile: you can use it as an appetizer, snack, salad, side, or as a tasty condiment for your main dish.

This version adds sweet onions and red bell peppers to the usual olives, capers, garlic, and olive oil. Heart-nurturing fatty acids and the healthful properties of garlic are just a few of the reasons this robust spread (or dip or condiment) is such a popular feature of the Mediterranean diet.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sweet white onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sweet red onions, finely chopped
• 1 3/4 cups olives, pitted and chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons red or orange bell peppers, finely chopped

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, mix the onions, olives, and capers.

2. Pulse lemon juice, oil, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, and garlic in a food processor for 3 to 5 seconds, then pour over onion-olive mixture and combine with a fork.

3. Place tapenade in a serving bowl, season with pepper to taste, top with chopped peppers, and serve.

Tapenade may be used as a dip for pita, spread on bruschetta or sliced baguette, on top of a mixed greens salad, or as a topping for rice, potato, or pasta.

Yields about 2 cups.

Yield: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 onion; chopped
• 1 cucumber; peeled and chopped
• 1 tomato; chopped
• 3 red, yellow, green or other color pepper; seeded-and chopped
• 1 Italian, or your favorite salad dressing, or oil and balsamic vinegar or vinagerette dressing

Preparation:

Combine veggies in bowl, pour dressing over veggies. (Pour in enough to about half cover the veggies) Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Add additional seasoning (salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, chopped basil, etc.) just before eating or to marinate if preferred.

The juice from the different veggies blend with the dressing and makes a wonderful, easy salad that has great flavor. It is especially delicious when the ingredients are fresh from the garden.

Makes 4 Side-Dish Servings

Ingredients:

• 8 cups mixed vegetable florets (broccoli, cauliflower, and broccoflower)
• 2 pounds of diced tomatoes, various colors for appearance
• 1/2 cup sliced onion
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese - optional
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 ounces freshly grated mozzarella cheese - optional

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Combine the vegetable florets, tomatoes, onion, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and sugar in a large bowl and toss to mix thoroughly. Transfer to a 9x9-inch baking pan, sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese, and bake for 35 minutes.

Adapted from Corn, by Olwen Woodier (Storey Books, 2002).

Traditional Shepherd's Pie is a hearty one-dish meal made of mashed potatoes, corn, and ground lamb or beef. This variation of an old favorite replaces the meat with soy protein. When the author includes it in vegetarian cooking classes, it never fails to gain converts. If you prefer, substitute ground turkey or beef for the soy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 medium stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 2 medium onions, chopped, or white part of 1 large leek, thinly sliced
• 4-6 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 small zucchini, washed and sliced
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 1/2 cups carrot or vegetable juice, or 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or thyme leaves or both, or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 ounces veggie ground round or extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups corn kernels, preferably fresh, or frozen, or canned and drained
• 4 medium yellow potatoes, boiled and mashed with 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons grated cheese (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12- to 13- inch skillet over medium heat.

3. Saute the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic for 3 minutes.

4. Drizzle the remaining oil into the skillet, add the zucchini, if desired, and mushrooms, and saute 2 minutes longer.

5. Add the carrot juice, parsley, herbs, salt, and pepper, then stir in the veggie ground round and the corn.

6. Heat for 3-5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into a 2 1/2-quart casserole, and top with the potatoes.

7. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese, if desired, over the potatoes.

From www.thegardendiet.com

Mash up an avocado. Chop up a tomato into it. Peel a zucchini. Slice the zucchini into noodles with a potato peeler. Chop them up into noodle pieces. Mix it all together and enjoy! Takes about two and a half minutes to make! Very enjoyable. Add some dried herbs. I found a great brand Frontier Herbs that are all organic and non-irradiated. I used Tarragon, Oregano, Cumin, and/or Thyme. You can also add a sprinkle of Unrefined Sea Salt if desired.

Adapted from ExtraVeganZa, by Laura Matthias

If you want more cancer-fighting, health-promoting, high-antioxidant, anti-inflammatory foods in your diet, this delightful summery salad is a great place to start. It combines brightly-colored beets--such a great source of vitamins and minerals--tangy red onions, immune-boosting garlic, and cool refreshing mint in a salad that is pretty to look at, delicious to eat, and fabulous for our health

This is a perfect potluck or backyard barbecue offering, and its easy to make, too.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups beets, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• Sprigs of fresh mint, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Place beets, water, and salt in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and allow beets to simmer for about 10 minutes until they are soft. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the drained beets and stir together.

3. Chill salad for 1 or 2 hours to allow beets to absorb the flavors in the sauce. Scoop into a serving bowl and serve chilled. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh mint.

Serves 4 to 6

Be sure to have plenty of crusty bread on hand to soak up the juices.

From SF Chronicle Staff Writer Janet Fletcher.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 thin rings of red bell pepper
• 4 thin rings of orange or green bell pepper
• 3/4 pound Greek or French feta, cut about 3/4 inch thick
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Hot red pepper flakes

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat. Add the bell pepper rings and saute, turning occasionally, until they soften but still hold their shape.

Put half of the peppers in the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Top with the feta, in one layer. Season the feta with oregano and pepper flakes. Top with the remaining bell peppers and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Fold the foil loosely around the feta, sealing well.

Bake until the cheese is quivery, 10 to 15 minutes. Using an offset spatula, transfer the cheese and peppers to a serving plate and pour the juices over all. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Grill or roast a variety of your favorite summer vegetables to concentrate the flavors. The sauce is best made with fresh herbs; if dried are substituted, use about 1/3 less than fresh and add when reducing the broth and wine. Leftover sauce can be used with pasta.

Ingredients:

The Polenta:

• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
• 1 cup medium-grind cornmeal or quick cooking polenta
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

The Vegetables:

• 1 globe eggplant
• 2 zucchini
• 2 sunburst or pattypan squash
• 2 red bell peppers
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 large portabello mushrooms, about 1 pound total
• 1 large tomato, sliced 3/8-inch thick and seeded (optional)

The Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, cut into small dice (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup dry red wine, light or no oak
• 2 cups veggie broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or more to taste

The Garnish:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Chopped parsley

Preparation:

To prepare the polenta, bring the water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan; add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Slowly add the polenta while stirring. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently until done, about 15 minutes for quick-cooking polenta. Stir in the butter, taste and finish seasoning with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt or as needed. Turn into an oiled 8 x 8-inch pan. Cool to room temperature. Polenta may be made ahead, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to assemble the napoleon. If refrigerated, let napoleon come close to room temperature before final assembly.

For the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch pieces. Slice the zucchini lengthwise and the sunburst squash crosswise into 3/8-inch pieces. Cut the red bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing the stem, seeds and membranes. Cut off the bottom and top ends then press gently so the pieces lie flat. Cut the ends off the tomato; cut into 3/8-inch thick slices.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the eggplant, zucchini and sunburst squash with oil, season to taste. Working in batches, brown the vegetables in the skillet, turning so both sides of each slice are golden. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Stem the portabellas, then oil the caps and season them; place on a separate baking sheet. Spread the optional tomato slices on a rack over a baking sheet.

Place all the vegetables in the oven and roast until done, about 20 to 45 minutes (don't let them get too soft). Check frequently and turn the vegetables as needed. The tomatoes should dry a little and become more concentrated. Remove each vegetable from the oven as it finishes cooking. Gently peel the skin from the pieces of roasted bell pepper. Lightly cover the vegetables with foil to keep warm and set aside.

For the sauce: Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the wine and broth, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1 cup. Reduce heat to low and add the tomato sauce and herbs. Simmer gently until flavors start to meld, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. The sauce may be made ahead and reheated. If needed, thin to desired consistency with more broth or water.

Assembly: Heat a large skillet and add about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the polenta into 4 equal squares and brown in the skillet, turning once. Place on plates and stack the vegetables on top of the polenta, cutting the vegetables to fit as needed. Spoon warm sauce around the vegetable Napoleon. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the vegetables and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 cups cubed summer squash (zucchini, crookneck, or scallop)
• 1 onion, cut into chunks
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into large pieces
• 2 cups small mushrooms
• 1/2 pound very firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon Spike, Schilling Garlic and Herb, or other seasoning mix
• 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Prepare the vegetables as directed and mix them with the tofu cubes. Divide between two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes and sprinkle with the seasoning. Toss to mix, then spread evenly in the dishes. Bake until the vegetables are tender and the edges just begin to darken, 15 to 20 minutes. Spread the cooked vegetables over Risotto, Polenta, or pasta, and top with fresh tomato wedges. (Serves 8)

This recipe courtesy of PCRM.

Dying to find a way to get your family to eat healthier? Try this recipe, which is low in calories and the zucchini is high in folic acid, potassium and magnesium. Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 10 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup minced onions
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 pounds minced (ground) beef
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 4 1/2 cups California wild rice, cooked
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 5 cups grated cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Scoop out zucchini pulp and place shells on greased baking pan. Finely chop pulp, set aside.

Sauté onion and garlic in butter. Add pulp, beef, salt and pepper, brown beef and drain. Add wild rice, tomatoes and half the cheese, mix well. Mound into shells.

Cover; bake 25 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, bake 15 minutes uncovered.

Source: California Wild Rice Advisory Board