Linda's Literary Home

Category: Veggie Recipes

  • Fettuccini Salad

    Image:  Fettuccini salad garnished with blue chips & wheat crackers

    Fettuccini Salad

    Ingredients for dressing

    • 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1/2 cup orange juice
    • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
    • 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
    • 1 clove garlic, minced to paste
    • 1 tsp ginger, grated
    • 2 tbsp sesame seeds with hulls, roasted
    • 2 tsp agave nectar 

    Instructions

    1. Mix all Ingredients for dressing and set aside.

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups cooked fettuccini
    • 2 cups green beans, roasted
    • 1/2 cup Serrano peppers
    • 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
    • 1/3 cup red onion, diced
    • 1/4 cup chopped basil
    • 2 tbsp sesame seeds with hulls, roasted
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
    • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 

    Instructions

    1. Mix fettuccini, green beans, peppers, tomatoes, onions, basil, sesame seeds, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes.
    2. Pour dressing onto fettuccini and stir evenly throughout mixture.

  • Homemade Pasta

    Image:  Homemade fettuccini noodles drying on rack

    Homemade Pasta

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup semolina flour
    • 1 cup sprouted grain or whole wheat flour
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup water + 2 tbsp
    • 1 tbsp olive oil

    Instructions

    1. In stand mixer, place semolina and flour, salt, and mix well.
    2. Add water and olive oil; mix until texture resembles coarse cornmeal and begins to clump.
    3. Remove and knead into ball.
    4. Break into six pieces, roll out each piece to about a quarter-inch thickness and follow instructions for pasta machine for desired style of pasta.

  • Biscuits & Gravy

    Image: Original Recipe Biscuits- Photo by Linda Sue Grimes

    Biscuits & Gravy

    These are my original recipes.  You might want to experiment with amounts to find the style you like best.

    Biscuits

    This recipe can easily be converted to a vegan version by simply using vegan butter and almond milk.  When I make it as a vegan version, I use Earth Balance vegan butter and 365 Almond Milk.

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use 365 Organic)
    • 1 cup unbleached flour (365 Organic)
    • 4 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
    • 3/4 cup dairy or almond milk
    • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 cup dairy or vegan butter

    Instructions

    1. Heat oven to 450˚.
    2. Stir vinegar into almond milk and set aside.
    3. Place dry Ingredients into food processor.  Pulse until well mixed.
    4. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
    5. Add milk slowly until all moisture is taken up.
    6. Form into ball.  
    7. Flatten on floured counter and roll out dough to about 1 inch thick.
    8. Cut out biscuits with biscuit cutter.  Makes 12-14 biscuits.
    9. Place in cast iron skillet and bake in 450˚oven for 20 minutes; then, brown under broiler to two minutes.

    Image: Gravy in Cast Iron Chicken Fryer – Photo by Linda Sue Grimes

    Gravy

    This recipe is easily made vegan also by using vegan butter (Earth Balance) and almond milk (365) instead of dairy.

    Ingredients

    • 1/4 cup dairy or vegan butter
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 4 cups dairy or almond milk
    • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, plus 2 tbsp unbleached flour
    • 1 tsp each of sea salt & coarse ground black pepper

    Instructions

    1. Over medium heat, melt butter and oil in cast iron skillet. (The deep chicken fryer is perfect for making gravy.)
    2. Add flour, salt, & pepper, whisking until mixture becomes brown and grainy.  
    3. Slowly add milk, whisking until mixture is smooth.  
    4. Heat over medium burner until mixture begins to simmer.  
    5. Lower heat and gently simmer, stirring continuously for 4 minutes.
    6. Mixture may be thin but will thicken as it cools.

  • Avocado Breakfast Sandwich

    Image: Avocado Breakfast Sandwich – Photo by Linda Sue Grimes

    Avocado Breakfast Sandwich

    This recipe is one of my favorites!  And it is still my favorite breakfast.  The fat and protein of the avocado will keep you satisfied until lunchtime and even beyond.  

    The flavor of the muffin, the tomato (or salsa), the nutritional yeast, and spices is incomparable.  You will savor every bite.

    It is easy to prepare!  It is beautiful to the eye!  What are you waiting for!  Go make one!  Buon Appetito!

    Ingredients

    ▪ 1 English muffin, toasted

    ▪ 2 teaspoons butter (or vegan butter)

    ▪ 1 tsp sesame seeds

    ▪ 1 tsp nutritional yeast

    ▪ 1 slice ripe tomato (or salsa if desired)

    ▪ sea salt & black, coarse ground pepper to taste

    ▪ 1/2 of a ripe Hass avocado

    Instructions

    1.  Toast English muffin to desired toastiness; then add butter to each half. 

    2.  On one English muffin half, place tomato, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast, salt & pepper.

    3.  Place avocado on top of tomato/seeds/yeast.

    4.  Salt & pepper avocado and top it off with the other half of the English muffin.  

    5.  Press down to flatten avocado to make it easier to handle while eating.

  • Homemade Whole Wheat Bread 

    Image: Loaf of Homemade Whole Wheat Bread – Photo by Linda Sue Grimes

    Homemade Whole Wheat Bread 

    Ingredients

    • 2 tbsp dry active yeast
    • 2 tsps raw sugar (honey or maple syrup)
    • 1 1/2 cups warm water, divided
    • 1/2 stick vegan (or dairy) butter, melted
    • 2 cups whole wheat flour (I use 365 Organic)
    • 2 cups unbleached flour (I use 365 Organic)
    • 3/4 cup wheat bran
    • 3/4 cup sesame seeds
    • 1 tbsp sea salt

    Instructions

    1. Mix yeast, sugar, 1/4 cup warm water, set aside to let yeast bloom about 5 minutes.
    2. Place flour, bran, sesame seeds, and salt in stand mixer equipped with a dough hook, mix well.
    3. After yeast has bloomed, add remaining water, butter, and yeast to flour.
    4. Mix on low-medium speed about 18 minutes until mixture becomes a solid mass of dough.
    5. Form into a dough ball and place in oiled or buttered bowl, cover with damp towel, allow to rise for 50 minutes.
    6. After first rise, divide the form into two parts or more if you want to make smaller pieces of bread.
    7. Shape divided dough into loaves and place in loaf pans, allow to rise for about 50 minutes.
    8. Bake in 350° oven for 50 minutes. Turn out onto rack to cool.

  • Saag (Indian Spinach)

    Image (borrowed from Sabrina Snyder):  Saag Paneer

    Saag (Indian Spinach)

    Ingredients

    • 2 tbsp olive oil 
    • 1 white onion, diced
    • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
    • 2 tsp curry powder
    • 1 tbsp grated ginger
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp crushed red peppers
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp coarse black pepper
    • 2 cups chopped spinach, fresh or frozen
    • 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
    • 3/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (or vegan alternatives)
    • 1 cup paneer cheese, cubed (or tofu for vegan version)

    Instructions

    1. In 3-quart sauce pan, sauté onion in olive oil until tender.
    2. Add cilantro, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, crushed red pepper, salt & pepper, & continue to sauté until everything is well integrated.
    3. Add spinach and liquid, mix well, cover and allow to simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
    4. Remove from heat and allow to cool at least 10 minutes.
    5. Add sour cream or yogurt, mix well.
    6. Stir in paneer cheese or tofu.

  • Paesh

    Image: SRF Golden Lotus – Encinitas

    Paesh

    While this recipe is not an exact copy of the one the cooks use to make the dessert served during the Self-Realization Fellowship Convocation Pilgrimage to the SRF Meditation Garden in Encinitas CA, it is the closest I have been able to come up with that tastes like that dessert called Paesh.

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz soft paneer cubed
    • 1/2 cup raw sugar (I use Florida Crystals)
    • 8 oz whole milk ricotta
    • 2 tsp rose water
    • 2 oz slivered almonds

    Instructions

    1. Place paneer and sugar in food processor, mix until cheese if broken into small round pieces.
    2. Move paneer/sugar mixture to sand mixer, add ricotta and rose water.
    3. Blend all ingredients until well incorporated.
    4. Blend almonds into mixture.
    5. Pour mixture into storage container. 
    6. Serve chilled.

  • Mommy’s Cornbread Recipe and a Tweak

    Image: Country Corn Pone – Photo by Linda Sue Grimes

    Mommy’s Cornbread Recipe and a Tweak

    For years, I have experimented with cornbread, trying to find a recipe that was as good as my mother’s.  Finally, I asked my sister if she had Mommy’s cornbread recipe.  She did, and I tried it and discovered that was the taste I was after.

    The recipe is better with white cornmeal, which has become difficult to find except in mixes that contain leavening and other unwanted ingredients.  

    I was lucky enough to find white cornmeal on Amazon under the brand Indian Head.  The pack states that the product is “Old fashioned stone ground.” Interestingly, the white cornmeal cost $5.00 more than the yellow.

    While I do think that white cornmeal makes for better flavor, I have determined that the real difference that has made my earlier cornbread unacceptable was using egg.

    Except for my vegan version of cornbread, I had always added egg, and I now believe that the egg created a flavor that distorted the true taste of cornbread.

    In the vegan version, I had used coconut milk and vegan sour cream, which likely distorted the cornbread flavor.  It was a simple omission that has made all the difference in cornbread, the simple omission of egg from the recipe.  

    Now I plan to tweak my vegan version, by omitting the vegan sour cream and substitute almond milk for coconut milk.  The tweak offered here can easily be made vegan by using vegan butter (I use Earth Balance) instead of dairy butter.

    Ingredients

    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 2 cups white cornmeal
    • 1 cup flour
    • 2 tbsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions

    1. Heat oven to 425°
    2. Place 10 inch cast iron skillet with oil in oven
    3. In large mixing bowl place remaining ingredients 
    4. Mix well
    5. Remove skillet with hot oil from oven, and pour into mixture
    6. Mix well
    7. Return skillet to oven
    8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown

    My Tweak of Mommy’s Recipe

    Because buttermilk tends not to serve me well, I have tweaked Mommy’s recipe a bit.

    Ingredients

    • 1 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 cup white or yellow cornmeal (because white is hard to find nowadays)
    • 1/2 cup unbleached flour
    • 1 tbsp baking powder (without aluminum)
    • 2 tsp salt (I use Redmond Real Salt™️)
    • 1 cup almond milk (with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar)
    • 3/4 cup water

    Instructions

    1. Heat oven to 450°
    2. Place 10 inch cast iron skillet with butter/oil in oven
    3. In large mixing bowl, place remaining ingredients
    4. Mix well
    5. Remove skillet with hot oil/butter from oven, and pour into mixture, mix well
    6. Pour mixture into hot skillet
    7. Return skillet to over
    8. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown

  • Veggies Recipes

    Image: Veggies – Photo by Linda Sue Grimes

    Veggies Recipes

    My first cookbook featured only vegan recipes, but all of those recipes are easily converted to non-vegan by substituting dairy and eggs for their vegan counterparts.  

    I experimented with a vegan diet for about five years but discovered a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet suits my health needs better; thus my recipes now include both versions, vegan and non-vegan.  

    My current diet is still mostly vegan. Although I use very little egg and dairy foods, I do not avoid them completely, as did when I followed a vegan diet.

    An Experimental Culinary Journey

    Because my adventures in cooking remain experimental, I will be adding recipes as I invent them. Some of the following recipes are included in my cookbook The Rustic Veggie-Table: 100 Vegan Recipes.

    Thank you for taking this experimental culinary journey with me! Buon Appetito!

    Original Recipes

    1. Rainbow Slaw 
    2. Mommy’s Cornbread Recipe
    3. Paesh 
    4. Saag (Indian Spinach) 
    5. Homemade Whole Wheat Bread 
    6. Avocado Breakfast Sandwich 
    7. Biscuits & Gravy
    8. Homemade Pasta
    9. Fettuccini Salad

  • Rainbow Red Cabbage Slaw

    Image: Rainbow Red Cabbage Slaw

    Rainbow Red Cabbage Slaw

    I keep at least one large container of this veggie mixture and every day add it to my romaine/spinach combination for an easy, quick salad.

    I try to find only organic veggies.

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 medium-sized head of red cabbage
    • 4 slicks of celery – cut in chunk
    • 4 large carrots – cut in large slices of shredded 
    • 1/2 small head of cauliflower – broken into small florets
    • 6 large radishes – thick sliced
    • 1 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
    • 1 small tub of grape or cherry tomatoes

    Instructions

    1. Wash and dry all veggies.
    2. Cut all the veggies in small chunks, according to your size preference
    3. In a large mixing bow, place all veggies
    4. Mix well
    5. Place in storage container  (I use Pyrex glass containers)

    You might want to experiment with the sizes and proportions of each veggie. Just base the amount of each that you like best. I usually try to keep them about equal in amount, but I also sometimes add more carrots and cauliflower.

    I have found that celery and carrot keep better if cut in large pieces. Shredded carrots turn brown and gooey, while large slices cut with a food processor stay fresher longer.