Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna

Due to the amount of cheese this isn't the healthiest recipe in existence... but damn it's good. :)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup frozen or canned corn
1 can pinto beans
3/4 can tomato sauce
4 flour tortillas
1 lg. container cottage cheese
1 package shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic and spices. Saute until softened. Stir in corn, beans, and tomato sauce.
In a lightly greased casserole dish place 2 flour tortillas - they'll overlap in the center, that's fine. Spread half of the bean mixture over the tortillas, then half the cottage cheese on that. Sprinkle 1/2 the cheddar on top.
Repeat one more layer of all ingredients.
Bake for 45 minutes.

Garlicky Spinach Potato Soup

This recipe comes from my hubby's side of the family. It is our favorite soup EVER - we make a batch at least two or three times a month. It's vegetarian but can easily be made vegan.
Funny story about this soup...  The recipe originally called for 3 cloves of garlic. Well, before we met my husband was under the impression that a clove of garlic meant a bulb of garlic!! Since he got quite the taste for a very garlicky spinach potato soup we now make it with 5 cloves instead of 3 (cloves, not bulbs.)

2 Tbsp. Earth Balance Spread (or butter)
1 onion chopped
2 medium potatoes chopped
5 cloves garlic diced
5 mushrooms sliced
1/2 bag of frozen spinach
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp - 1 tsp red pepper flakes
Dash of black pepper
Dash of cinnamon
1 container plain yogurt

*To make a vegan version use cashew cream instead of yogurt (1/4 cup of soaked cashews blended with 1/2 cup water)

Heat butter in large pot. Saute onion and garlic with all of the spices. Add the potatoes, mushrooms, spinach, and as much water needed to cover all ingredients. Simmer on low for at least 2 hours. Before serving stir in the yogurt or blended cashew cream. Serve with french bread.

Pumpkin and White Bean Lasagna

I know pumpkin in lasagna sounds a little odd, but it's actually a very subtle (nearly undetectable) flavor.

For the tofu-pumpkin ricotta:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 sun dried tomatoes 

1 package tofu

1 can pumpkin

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning 

2 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

For the lasagna:

1 package whole wheat lasagna noodles

1 jar store-bought marinara sauce

1 can white beans

1/2 a package of Quorn grounds

1 package shredded cheese (Daiya if vegan)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Boil lasagna noodles for 10-15 minutes or until al dente.

While noodles are boiling combine all the tofu-pumpkin ricotta ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until relatively smooth. 

Cook the Quorn grounds in a frying pan with a bit of oil and Italian seasoning. 

Layer your noodles, ricotta, sauce, beans, grounds, and cheese in a lightly oiled casserole dish. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. 

Puerto Rican Sancocho

Sancocho is a Latin American root vegetable stew that is usually made with beef or chicken. My grandmother was Puerto Rican and though I don't remember her ever making Sancocho I wanted to try my hand at a vegetarian version.
Since I've actually never had it I don't know how authentic my version is... but it's sooooooo delicious it doesn't really matter!!!

1 Tbsp oil
1 Not Chick'n bullion cube 
1 onion 
1 green bell pepper 
2 celery stalks 
2 tomatoes 
1 ripe plantain*
2 carrots
2 potatoes
1/2 a jalapeno
1/2 a zucchini
1 Tbsp tomato paste
3 diced garlic cloves
1/2 bunch of cilantro
2 Tbsp. parsley
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet. Add chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and bullion cube. Cook over med-high until veggies are softened. Add the rest of the chopped veggies and ingredients, plus as much water as needed to cover it all and simmer on low for at least 2 hours. I cooked mine about 5 hours and served it with this amazing Vegan Jalapeno Cornbread.

I know some Sancocho's have cabbage and corn in it as well - I didn't have that on hand, but I'm sure it would be a nice addition.

*Don't skip the plantain - that's what makes it authentic and super delish! The riper the better (yellow/brown in color.)