Garam Masala Roasted Cauliflower

On a whim I wanted to do something with some fresh cauliflower that was cut up in the refrigerator.  Since we were going to eat an Indian themed dinner I found a recipe for roasted cauliflower but I didn't have the exact ingredients to make it. I decided to combine two recipes and the results follow. Spice combining on a whim seemed to work in this case. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

3 1/2  cups of fresh cauliflower. Chopped into small florets.
1 tsp fresh lime zest
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp of cumin
1 tsp of garam masala
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper 
olive oil
salt to taste

Directions:

1. chop up the cauliflower & toss with a splash of olive oil
2. sprinkle on seasonings and mix well.
3. place cauliflower on a baking dish.
4. Roast in a 450 degree oven until browned and tender.

Savory Baked Tofu

This recipe is adapted from a Moosewood Cookbook that I have had in my collection for years. When the tofu comes out of the oven it is hard not to start snacking on it right away. Amazingly delicious.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons of gluten free tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 clove of garlic grated (with a microplane)
Szechuan pepper to taste
1 block of firm tofu

Directions:
1. Press the tofu between two plates with a book or other weight on top for 15-20 min. Once a pool of water has collected under the tofu - chop the block up into 1 inch cubes
2. Mix the wet ingredients together in a bowl and then microplane a large clove of garlic into it
3. Mix the tofu into the wet ingredients.
4. Arrange on a baking sheet and sprinkle with pepper.
5. Bake at 400. Turn every 10 minutes or so to crisp up on all sides. Remove from oven when nicely browned.

Grilled Zucchini Lasagne

Ingredients:

3 large zucchini
14 oz white mushrooms thinly sliced
1 bottle of your favorite pasta sauce
2 small yellow onions
Penzy Spice Pizza Seasoning
1 batch of Cashew Ricotta
1 (4 link) package of Meatless Italian Sausage

Directions:

1. Make the cashew cream. I used a recipe from the following website The Simple Veganista
I made mine the day prior so the flavors could meld.

2. Using a mandoline - slice the zucchini longways into thin strips. Also thinly slice the mushroom, onions, and Italian sausage. Make sure the veggie sausage is as thin as you can get it.

3. Toss the zucchini in a bit of olive oil and a few dashes of Penzy's Pizza Seasoning

4. Grill zucchini directly on the grill. Wrap up the mushrooms in foil with a little olive oil and pizza seasoning. Wrap up the sausage with the onions after tossing with a little olive oil and pizza seasoning. Grill until the zucchini has grill marks and is slightly tender. The rest should all be cooked until tender.

5. Once everything is grilled, start layering your lasagne in an 8x8 baker. Pour in a bit of sauce. Then layer the Zucchini, next spoon on a thin layer of Cashew Ricotta, next the Sausage and onions, mushrooms, and then repeat. Top with sauce and bake at 350 until bubbly. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan if you wish.  It is a bit runny the first day so it is a great dish to make the day before and reheat.

#1 Sauce

                                                                                   

#2 Grilled Zucchini

#3 Cashew Ricotta

#4 Onions and Veggie Sausage

#5 Mushrooms