Everybody’s Favorite Comfort-Food Recipes
Vegan-Based and Fabulous
By Venetta G. Kalu
Vegan-Based and Fabulous
By Venetta G. Kalu
Maryland-based Venetta G. Kalu, ND is the owner of Path of Life Wellness Center and a member of the Good Life Wellness Center. The featured recipe(s) are taken from Dr. Kalu’s book entitled: Start Here: A Practical Vegan Diet, Lifestyle, and Recipe Guide. Dr. Kalu promotes eating healthy without sacrificing taste and fun.
Macaroni & Cheese A la Kalu
Serves 6 / 30 min or fewer / gluten-free possibility / vegan
Familiar and user friendly--macaroni is an all time favorite of children and adults alike. This is a vegan substitute with all the zest, aroma and robust flavor of the real thing. This recipe was tested on teenagers and it passed the test with flying colors without a snarl or question. The finished product will taste and smell so much like the real thing, you will not believe your taste buds!
1 box whole grain elbow macaroni
Celery seed
Paprika
Soy Non-hydrogenated butter substitute
Cashew Cheese Ingredients/Order
1.5 cups cashews
2 cups water
3 cloves garlic or 1.5 tsp. garlic powder
1.5 tsp. onion powder
1 roasted red pepper
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes
2 tbsp. lemon juice
4 tbsp. olive oil
6 tbsp. fl our
1. Cook macaroni al dente (keep firm).
2. To get this recipe correct and tasty, you must add the items to the blender one at a time in the order listed above. Smell the aroma of the mixture before and after you add each ingredient. Starting with the garlic, it begins to smell like cheese. As you add each item, it will smell more like cheese.
3. To begin with, blend the cashews with the water until it is very fine and smooth. Start with 1.5 cups of water. Then add water by the half cup until you reach your desired consistency before you add ingredients 2 - 8. The cheese should be fine, not lumpy, thick yet pour at a good rate, but not runny.
4. Oil baking pan. Mix macaroni and cheese well in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the baking pan.
5. Sprinkle with celery seed and paprika. Dot the top of dish with soy butter. Bake at 425oF for 25 minutes until golden brown.
By Venetta G. Kalu, ND
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Pignola Walnut Burgers
Serves 6 / 30 min or fewer / vegan
You can use this recipe to make meatballs, burgers or meat loaf. One time, while eating dinner, I had to stop and think, did I put some beef in this? It tasted like beef. On another occasion, I had to convince my guests that there were no animal products in the meat loaf I made for their enjoyment.
1 cup walnuts
½ tsp. basil
1 cup pine nuts
½ tsp. sage
1 clove garlic or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup Kalamata or black olives
½ tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. water (if you soaked nuts for 4 - 6 hours, then omit the water)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup spaghetti sauce (flavorful)
½ cup grade b maple syrup
1. Place all of the ingredients in the food processor except for the bread crumbs.
2. Process ingredients until a crumbly or pasty consistency (depending on the textures you like in your mouth).
3. Scrape into a mixing bowl and add bread crumbs. The mixture should hold together well. If the mixture doesn’t hold, add some water a little at a time until it holds.
4. Wet your hands and keep them wet to form thick patties, balls, or a meat loaf. With either shape you choose, brown each side. Yes, it is possible to brown a meat loaf without breaking it. It takes some skill getting it into the pan and turning it. Just take your time.
5. Combine spaghetti sauce and maple syrup in a bowl.
6. Place some of the sauce on bottom of the pan. Place patties, balls or loaf into baking pan. Pour remaining sauce over the meat and bake at 400oF about 25 minutes until sauce is thick glossy and bubbly.
By Venetta G. Kalu, ND
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Bejeweled Greens
Serves 4 / vegan / 30 min or fewer
Try this very colorful and flavorful collard green dish! It delivers a new twist on an old favorite.
1 bunch collard greens
½ cup onion chopped
1 clove pressed garlic
½ cup assorted bell peppers chopped
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
cayenne pepper (to taste)
juice of one small lemon
chicken style seasoning to taste
1. Cut collard greens into bite-sized pieces. Put a little fresh water in a pot, add collards, and let steam over a medium flame.
2. Sauté garlic, onions, and peppers.
3. After collards cook down, pour sauté and seasoning into collards.
4. Pour lemon juice into collards and cook about 20 minutes until flavors marry.
5. Greens should be jewel green and slightly tender when done. Do not overcook. Gone are the days of melt-in-your-mouth greens.
By Venetta G. Kalu, ND
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Maple Ginger Pineapple Salad
Serves 4 / vegan / gluten-free
What a delightful, sensuously aromatic fruit salad. You cannot eat just one serving. The fruit and juice is always coveted by everyone down to the last sip.
1 whole pineapple gold
1/4 cup maple syrup
1½ inch long piece of ginger root
1. Clean, peel and slice the ginger root into small pieces. In a pot, warm the maple syrup over medium heat for 10 minutes.
2. Add the ginger and bring the mixture to a boil to extract the flavor of the ginger. It will smell very nice.
3. Clean, core and cube the pineapples. Pour liquid over the pineapples. Mix to blend.
4. Refrigerate to cool. This works well cool or at room temperature.
5. You can keep the salad raw by mashing the ginger root into the syrup and then pouring the sauce over the pineapples. Let flavors marinate and before serving.
By Venetta G. Kalu, ND
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Sweet Cornbread
Serves 4 / vegan
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup fl our
1 cup sweet corn
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. baking powder (aluminum free)
½ cup vanilla soy milk
1/4 cup corn oil
½ cup maple syrup
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. vanilla essence
1. Process corn just long enough to break kernels, about 30 seconds.
2. Mix all ingredients.
3. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes until done.
4. A knife stuck in the center of the cornbread should come out clean.
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Neo-Italian Feast
Fabulous Vegan-Based Recipes
By Venetta G. Kalu
Very Creamy Vegetable Lasagna
Serves 8 / 30 min or more / vegan / gluten-free option
To make this lasagna gluten-free use millet, corn, potato, or spelt lasagna noodles. As I just love this lasagna you will too. It is so creamy; you will not miss having cheese. Spread each layer as thick or as thin as your taste and texture preferences allow. I like it thick!
1 box lasagna noodles
2 jars chunky garden spaghetti sauce
2 bunches spinach
2 large zucchinis, sliced into rounds
4 medium carrots, shredded
2 cups sour cream (a vegan brand or homemade)
2 tsp. stevia leaves
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
Sea salt to taste
1. Sauté the zucchini and carrots with half the onions and 1 tsp. stevia.
2. Sauté the spinach with half the onions and 1 tsp. stevia.
3. Mix the spaghetti sauce with the sour cream.
4. Spread some sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Place one layer of the noodles down. Spread some spinach over the noodles. Pour some sauce evenly over the spinach.
5. Place a layer of noodles down. Spread some zucchini and carrots over the noodles. Pour some sauce evenly over the zucchini. Continue to alternate the layers until done.
6. Pour the remaining sauce over the top layer.
7. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes at 3500F until bubbly.
By Venetta G. Kalu
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Zesty Italian Dressing
Vegan
Serve this dressing drizzled over a hearty vegetable salad.
½ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
½ tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ cup lemon juice
½ tsp. sea salt to taste
1 tsp. onion powder
1. Chop the garlic very fine.
2. Shake all the ingredients together in a cruet.
3. Let seasonings marinate to improve the taste.
By Venetta G. Kalu
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Bruschetta
Serves 6 or more / Vegan / 30 min or less
Bruschetta is a nice appetizer and can be eaten with any topping. Included are a few tasty toppings.
Bruschetta
1 loaf wholesome French bread
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic
1. Cut bread in ½-inch-thick horizontal pieces.
2. Heat oil.
3. Press garlic through garlic press.
4. Toss garlic in the oil, stir constantly. Do not let the garlic burn.
5. Dip both sides of the bread in garlic-flavored oil.
6. Place on baking sheet and bake until golden brown.
Olive Dip
½ cup olive oil
2 tbsp. lime juice
1.5 cups fresh cilantro leaves
2 tbsp. capers (optional)
½ cup green olives
½ cup Kalamata olives
1 clove garlic (2 cloves optional)
1. If there are any stems on the capers or pits in the olives, remove them.
2. Process all ingredients until fine.
Bean Dip
1 cup cooked northern, navy or cannelli beans
3 tbsp. olive or sesame oil
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
½ onion
1-3 cloves garlic
4 fresh spring onions
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground marjoram
1. Cook beans, if not already done.
2. Process all ingredients in food processor until fine.
To Serve Bruschetta Spread olive or bean dip on the bruschetta.
By Venetta G. Kalu
By Venetta G. Kalu, ND
Dr. Venetta Kalu
Owner, Path of Life Wellness Center
Member, Good Life Wellness Center
http://www.drkalu.com/
http://www.good-life-wellness.com/
