I love saag paneer and tofu is a great substitute for the cheese in this tasty Indian/Pakistani stew.  I have also found a quick way to make this dish so that I can make it anytime I have a craving and I don't have to spend a ton of time slaving over a stove. The quicker the better I say! Vegan Saag Paneer 1 Large sweet or yellow onion diced into medium size 5 cloves of garlic finely diced 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger fin...

This dish is curry heaven! It is nutritious, mild, filling and light and you can serve it as a one pot meal. Traditional Dahl would not have any grain in it, but I add quinoa to mine to make it a bit thicker and give it extra texture when you bite. As far as the lentils, you can soak them for 10 minutes or a few hours. If you know you want the lentils to cook quickly, then soak them a few hours and it cuts the cooking time almost by hal...

This delightful and easy soup is just right for those warm summer days.  In the photo below, I have garnished the soup with a  mango and corn salsa but you can top with most anything that strikes your fancy.  I find that thinly cut shallots are delicious with this soup.  Also, this soup is so rich that it works well as a main meal with maybe a bit of bread on the side. Chilled Avocado Cucumber Soup Two chilled ripe avocad...

This recipe is only a variation of many a grilled panini that one can make.  For this recipe I have used a panini machine, which I bought for about $50 on amazon.  It is a luxurious thing to be able to whip up a hot sandwich anytime!  The key to this sandwich is lightly coating both sides of the bread with either Earth Balance spread, or my new favorite spread which is made from coconut oil.  The coconut give is a special sweet and ...

Who doesn't like lasagna?  I think most everyone I know loves it.  This lasagna is super easy to make, vegan and gluten-free, and as moist as any other except without all the bad cholesterol and heaviness.  And it makes a great leftover.  Enjoy! Spinach Vegan Gluten-Free Lasagna 9 to 12 no-boil uncooked rice lasagna noodles 15 oz package of extra firm tofu washed and dried 2 teaspoons of dried oregano 16 oz package ...

This is a great dish that can be easily made from leftover risotto.  You'll find that risotto turns into a sticky blog the next day, so risotto cakes are a great transformation to an elegantly recycled meal. And, of course, this meal is vegan and gluten-free. Risotto Cakes 4 cups of cooked risotto (cold) olive oil for the pan and extra for drizzle on the cakes 1 teaspoon of Earth Balance spread Work the cold risotto w...

While living in Buenos Aires I was always amazed by the beautiful tarts or "tartas" that you could buy in most restaurants and as quick to go meals on the cheap.  I realized that it was just as quick and as inexpensive to make my own tarte and with a variety of vegetables.  The most popular tartes are made with spinach or collard greens and they are traditionally made with eggs, dairy and breading.  I replaced the last three  ingred...

Most people think of risotto as a special occasion dish because the perception is that it takes a long time to make and a ton of stirring. It takes a bit of time and a little stirring but not as much as we tend to do here in American versus Italy, where it is a popular everyday dish.   I use to slave over risotto as well until I watched my friend's mother who was visiting from Italy make a most effortlessly and delicious risotto. The k...

Winter makes me crave warm and creamy soups.  Years ago I had a tomato soup recipe that required my time enslavement and then a wait period of simmer that by the time the first spoon went in my mouth I was so hungry that I scarfed the soup down without actually enjoying the taste. After experimenting with fresh tomatoes, and pomi tomatoes and all types of tomatoes, I found a recipe that calls for fire-roasted tomatoes that are full of ...

Chasing after my toddler all morning gets my appetite going and some days I not only need something comforting to soothe my hunger but also a yummy food that is super easy to make.  On some of these days when running out of steam and it's only noon,  I crave something cheesy and gooey, filled with flavor but that it's still healthy.  Can't feel guilty about that!  This recipe calls for a vegan cheese and you can use any that you lik...