Serves 4-6 servings

2        zucchini, finely chopped

1        cup finely chopped parsley

1        small onion, finely chopped

1/2   cup all-purpose  flour

4        eggs

1/2    teaspoon black pepper

salt to taste

1       cup olive  oil for frying

-Combine the zucchini with the parsley, the onion and the flour.

-Beat the eggs and add to the zucchini mixture. Season with the salt and pepper and mix well.

-Line large dish with couple of paper towels.

-Heat the olive oil in a shallow and frying pan.  When the oil ready –just drop small drop of the mixture if the oil sizzles upon contact, it is ready– drop 1 tablespoon of the zucchini batter into the pan.  Flatten slightly with the back of the spoon. Fry over medium heat until golden, turn once.  You can drop 4-5 individual tablespoons of the batter, as many as you can fit in the frying pan without over crowding, at the same time.  Place the golden fritter on the paper towel to drain the oil.

-Repeat until you finish the whole batter.  Serve these fritters with tomato scallion salad and good bread and you are set.

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serves 6

14     lasagna sheets

for the tomato sauce

4       olive oil

4       cloves garlic, mashed

6      ounces can tomato paste

1       16-ounce can tomato sauce

1       teaspoon dry basil

salt and pepper to taste

for the basil pesto

20     ounce firm tofu

6        cloves garlic

1        cup chopped fresh basil

1/2    cup olive oil

zest of one lemon

1/8   teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt to taste

-To make the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in sauce pan and sear the garlic for few seconds.  Add the tomato paste, stir to blend.  Add the tomato sauce.  Add couple cups of water, the basil, the salt and the pepper.  Stir, bring back to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.   Remove from the heat and set aside.

-To make the vegan pesto sauce: Cut the tofu into small pieces and place in a food processor.  Add the rest of the ingredient and process into smooth paste.

-To make the lasagna: Bring salted water to a boil.  Drop three sheets of lasagna in the hot water, bring back to a boil and cook until cooked but not over cooked.  Spoon 1/3 of the tomato sauce in 8X 6 baking pan.  Place the cooked lasagna sheet on top over-laping a little.  Spoon 1/2 of the pesto sauce over the lasagna sheet.  Cook three lasagna sheet and place over the pesto.  Spoon another 1/3red of the tomato sauce over the lasagna.  Boil another three lasagna sheet until done and place over the tomato sauce.  Spoon the rest of the pesto over the lasagna sheets.  Spoon the rest of the tomato sauce over the lasagna.

-Place the lasagna in 395 F degree oven and bake for 25 minutes.

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I have to say that lentils are one of my favorite type of beans. It is full of flavor, high in iron, high in fiber, easy to cook and very in-expensive.  I make some kind of lentil dish at least once a week and this salad is one of the more popular one in summer time. It has color, texture and flavor.

1       pound whole lentil

4      scallions, chopped

1       cup diced celery

1       red bell pepper, diced

1       cup chopped Italian parsley

1/2   teaspoon red pepper flakes

zest of one lemon

3/4   cup lemon juice

1/2   cup olive oil

1/2   cup crumbled feta cheese, optional

-Place all the vegetables in salad bowl and toss gently.

-Whisk the lemon juice with the lemon zest, pepper flakes and olive oil. Set aside.

-Place the lentil in pot, cover with water, salt lightly and bring to a boil.  Boil for 10 minutes or until the lentil are cooked but not much or over cooked.  Remove from the heat, drain and place over the vegetables.

-Pour the dressing over the hot lentil and toss until well coated.

-Spoon the salad into shallow serving platter, sprinkle with the feta cheese and serve.

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Vegan goat cheese

makes 4 2-inches balls

12  ounces firm tofu

1     cup almond milk

½    teaspoon sea salt

½    teaspoon chopped sage

½    teaspoon chopped tarragon

1     clove garlic

1/8    teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

4     tablespoons dry oregano

-Freeze the tofu for 24 hrs.  Remove from the freezer and allow the tofu to thaw for 4 hrs.  Squeeze the excess water and place in a food processor.  Puree into smooth paste.

-Peel the garlic, pierce couple times with knife and place in small cheesecloth.  Add the sage, the tarragon and close tightly.

-Mix the almond milk with the cayenne pepper and the salt and place in saucepan.  Drop the herbs cheesecloth and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and allow the milk to cool down.

-Remove the herbs cheesecloth from the milk and then add the flavored milk to the tofu.  Process the mixture for one minute.

-Line a colander with two layers of cheesecloth.  Spoon the tofu mixture into the cheesecloth.  Fold the cheesecloth over the tofu and refrigerate for couple hours.

-Line flat plate with kitchen towel.  Spoon the tofu on to four different spots on the kitchen towel.    Cover with another kitchen towel and refrigerate overnight.

-Remove from the refrigerator.  Wet your palms with water and place one of the tofu ball into your palm and smooth into ball.  Roll each ball in the dry oregano and place on the side.  Repeat until you finish the rest of the balls.  Place in a container, cover and refrigerate.  Use  this cheese the same as you would use the goat cheese.

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Serves 4-6

2          pounds fresh spinach, chopped

1          medium onion, julienne

6          tablespoons olive oil

1          cup crumpled vegan feta *

¼        teaspoon black pepper

1 ½     cup gluten free flour mixture for savory recipe **

4          tablespoons vegan butter

3          tablespoons pureed cooked rice

½        teaspoon salt

¼        teaspoon baking powder

-To make the spinach: Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in pan.  Add the spinach, stir and cook couple minutes or until the leaves are wilted.  Remove from the heat and spoon into colander.  Allow the liquid to drain from the spinach.  Spoon the spinach into a bowl and add the crumbled feta, the goat cheese and the black pepper.  Mix well and then spoon into 8 X 11 baking pan.

-To make the crust: In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt and the baking powder.  Add the butter, the rest of the olive oil, the rice puree and couple tablespoons of cold water.  Mix well into smooth dough.

-Place wax paper on board, brush with olive oil, and then place the dough on top of the wax paper.  Grease another wax paper on top.  Gently and with the palm of your hand push down and spread until you have 1/8  inch thick dough.  Remove the top sheet and gently but fast flip the dough on top of the spinach.  If the dough break, no worry, just patch it.  Cut the edges and then gently cut the crust into diamonds or square shapes.

-Bake in 395 F. degree oven for 35 minutes and little golden.  Remove from the oven, allow the spanakopita to rest for 10 minutes, and then serve.

*Vegan Feta

makes 2 cups

1       12-ounce extra firm tofu

2       cups warm water

2       tablespoons sea salt

1       clove garlic, pierced couple times

-Freeze the tofu for 24 hours.  Remove from the freezer and allow it to thaw.

-Mix the warm water with the salt. Add the garlic.

-Open the box of the tofu and gently squeeze the water out.  Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and drop in the salted water.  Allow the tofu to marinate in the brine for couple hours.  Remove the garlic, drain the water and gently squeeze the brine.  Now you have your feta.

**gluten free flour mixture is 1/4 th white sorghum, 1/4 th quinoa flour, 1/4 th potato flour and 1/4 th potato starch

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I can’t think of a more inappropriate word for a vegetable than the word, “leek.”  It brings forth images of anything but good food, which is what a leek is.  For those of you who have never used leeks in cooking, permit me to describe what it is.  It looks like a green onion on steroids.   Its thickness can range from two to five inches in cross-section.  It has a white part a the bottom, and a green part at the top.

Leeks do belong to the onion family, but in addition to being larger, their flavor is much milder.  They are used mostly as flavoring of soups and soup stocks.  There are two kinds of leeks—one native to the Mediterranean that is thicker and milder in flavor.  It grows from winter to spring.   That’s the one found in American stores.  The other kind is native to the United States, called “ramp,” that is much thinner, more pungent in flavor, and more closely resembles scallions.  This variety starts budding out in the spring.  American Indians used native leeks in their cooking as well as in the treatment of coughs and colds, and to relieve the pain and itching of bee stings.

European chefs call leeks “the poor man’s asparagus.”  In England there is an annual competition for the largest leek.  The most unusual place where a leek is found is on the flag of Wales, a province of England. The founding myth of the Welsh leek is when it was worn in the helmets of Welsh soldiers in 640AD to distinguish themselves on the battlefield from their enemy, the Saxons.  Some Welshmen wear leeks to commemorate King Cadwallader’s victory over the Saxons on St. David’s Day, March 1^st.  Another version of this myth holds that the battle was fought in a field of leeks, and the leek is honored because of the Welsh victory on that day.

When the leek is growing, soil is constantly piled up around the base of the leek to encourage a long, thin, white base.  Because the leek grows mostly underground, one must cut it in half and wash it thoroughly before cooking, as the sand infiltrates the layers of the leek as it is growing.  It is better to use a leek that is no larger than two inches thick—the younger the leek, and consequently the thinner, the more delicate the flavor.  It is better not to wash the leek until you are ready to cook it, as putting a washed leek in the refrigerator will spread the odor throughout.

Leeks are full of vitamin C, as well as a kind of fatty acid that is known to be good treatment for hypertension.  Food scientists believe that leeks increase the production of good cholesterol, or HDL.

Here are a couple of recipes that may help you take advantage of the benefits of using leeks in cooking:

Leek with  Mushroom And Tarragon

Serves 4

3           leeks

1     medium onion, julienne

1     pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced

5    tablespoons olive oil

2     cloves garlic, mashed

2     tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

1/2 cup chopped scallion

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

-Cut the green part of the leeks and discard.  Thinly slice the leeks and wash thoroughly.

-In a shallow frying pan, heat three tablespoons of olive oil and saute the mushrooms until the juice evaporate and the mushroom start to become golden.  Remove the mushrooms and set aside.

-Add the rest of  the olive oil and  sauté the onion and the leeks over low heat for couple minutes.

-Add the mushrooms,  garlic, the tarragon and the spices, stir and continue to cook for couple minutes.

-Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the chopped scallion and serve.

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