September 8, 2011August 20, 2012 by betsy

Vegan Nachos with Sage-Scented White Beans and Cheddar-Spinach Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

I love nachos. Does anyone not love nachos? I imagine I would love any riff on a vegan nacho that anyone could think up. I know I am passionate about this one.

It all started with the cheese sauce. I wanted to make a cheddary-spinach sauce using fresh finely chopped spinach. I added a fair amount of nutritional yeast to the sauce ingredients which gave them that “pot pie” flavor. Do you know the one I mean?

I had planned all along to load up the fresh corn tortilla quarters (not tortilla chips!) with a white bean, onion, and bell pepper mixture. But when I tasted my cheese sauce, I knew instantly that the beans needed to be flavored differently than I’d first imagined. And that only one herb would do: fresh sage from the garden. The sage marries particularly beautifully with this sauce, so while I normally encourage experimentation, I would, in this case, encourage you to follow the recipe closely. At least the first time. After that, riff to your heart’s content!

When the “not-chos” came out of the oven, I knew the flavor would be just right, but they definitely needed more color contrast. Hence, a tiny dab of vegan sour cream and a teeny wedge of fresh local tomato.

Honestly? They are irresistible.

4-6 inch corn tortillas, cut into quarters

Sage-Scented White Beans (recipe follows)

Cheddar -Spinach Sauce (recipe follows–you will have sauce leftover)

Approximately 4 teaspoons vegan sour cream

16 tiny wedges of fresh tomato

Position oven rack in top position and preheat oven to broil. Place tortilla quarters on a Silpat-lined baking sheet and divide white bean topping evenly among the tortillas. Top with a drizzle of about 1/2 teaspoon Cheddar-Spinach sauce and broil for about 3 minutes or until heated through and a little toasty on the edges. Remove from heat, transfer to plates or a serving platter, and top each nacho with about 1/4 teaspoon vegan sour cream and a tiny wedge of fresh tomato.

Vegan Cheddar-Spinach Sauce

2 cups fresh baby spinach, finely chopped in food processor and transferred to a 2 quart saucepan

1/4 cup roasted and lightly salted cashew pieces

1/4 cup roasted and lightly salted macadamia nuts (Note: if you prefer, you can substitute another 1/4 cup of cashew pieces)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

pinch garlic powder

pinch onion powder

1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk

1 tablespoon light miso

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour (or white whole wheat)

1/4 cup beer or nonalcoholic beer

In the bowl of the food processor in which you chopped the spinach, place nuts and nutritional yeast, pulsing until very finely chopped and almost a powder. Add remaining ingredients and process until quite smooth. Pour into saucepan with spinach and stir well. In a small cup, whisk together flour and beer, and stir into sauce. Heat over medium to medium-high heat, stirring continually, for 3 to 5 minutes or until flour no longer tastes raw and sauce is heated through. Adjust seasoning with salt and garlic and onion powders. Set aside or keep warm over a double boiler.

Sage-Scented White Bean Topping

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

sea salt

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice (yellow or red bell pepper would be nice too)

2-15.5 ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained

8 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt, and saute, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and continue sauteing for another 30 seconds. Add bell pepper and saute, still stirring frequently, for 3 more minutes or until onions are quite soft and bell peppers are softened. Add beans and heat through. Turn off heat, add additional tablespoon of olive oil, and mash coarsely with a potato masher. Stir in sage and season to taste with salt and pepper.

August 27, 2011August 27, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Lentil Salad with Fresh Figs, Blue “Cheese” Dressing, and Smoked Almonds

Yield: 4 servings

With a bag of fresh figs recently plucked from a friend’s tree, I have been in a frenzy of fig-inspired recipe creation before these fleshy and succulent wonders of summer are all gone. In our climate, they are still available, as I saw some at the farm market just today. Plus, my friend’s tree was laded with green ones, not yet ripe for the pickin’.

This is one of a couple of recipes that is inspired by one of my all time favorite appetizers, which I will also post: a fresh fig stuffed with vegan cheese and a smoked almond. It simply doesn’t get any better.

For some flavorful protein and color contrast, I decided to layer the other ingredients over a bed of simply prepared lentils. I like to buy them already steamed from Trader Joe’s. They are inexpensive and beautifully textured. You can find them in the produce section in one-pound packages.

Once fig season has faded, enjoy this salad topped with something like cooked or raw apple wedges or even cooked sweet potato cubes. Both would be delcious with the blue “cheese” dressing and smoked almonds.

1 pound of steamed or otherwise cooked lentils, drained if necessary (the should be firm, not soft or mushy)

1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 to 8 fresh figs, stemmed and sliced in half vertically

1/4 cup or more vegan Creamy Blue “Cheez” Dressing (recipe follows)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped smoked almonds

Optional garnish: fresh parsley sprigs

In a medium bowl, toss together the lentils with the onion, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide the mixture evenly among 4 salad plates. Top each with 3 or 4 fig halves, flesh side up. Then drizzle each with a tablespoon or so of the dressing and sprinkle with a tablespoon of the almonds. Serve immediately. Salads may be prepared in advance without the dressing and almonds, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. Dress and garnish them just before serving. The dressing is easiest to drizzle if allowed to come to room temperature or heated for a few seconds in the microwave.

Creamy Blue “Cheez” Dressing

½ cup sesame tahini
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon crushed garlic or garlic powder
1 teaspoon light miso
¼ teaspoon pepper (I use white to prevent black flecks)
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes or 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

In a medium bowl or food processor, beat together first 6 ingredients until creamy and smooth. Vigorously beat in lemon juice and vinegar until well combined. Stir in parsley or add a very small rinsed and drained bunch to the food processor and pulse a few times to mince and distribute. Keeps 10-14 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stir well before serving.

Dressing Source: slightly adapted from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak (the only changes I made were to omit all of the water, as it made the dressing far too thin, and add more parsley).

August 12, 2011August 21, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Lima Bean Puree with Heirloom Tomato Sauce Rustica

Yield: 4-6 servings

Like so many of my recipes, this one was inspired by a visit to Stoney’s market, my go-to farm market, as it’s the closest to our home, the staff is very friendly and the atmosphere appealing, it’s open every day, and the produce, mostly grown across the street, is beautiful and delicious.

I purchased a bag of shelled Lima beans, but I just couldn’t get excited about eating them whole. So I thought of a puree, but the mild creaminess of the beans would need something to brighten them up in terms of color and flavor. For flavor, lemon zest and a little tarragon did the trick. For color–since red and green are complementary on the artist’s color wheel–a rustic heirloom tomato sauce seemed the perfect pairing. The end result is as pretty as a picture.

Lima Bean Puree:

1 1/4 pounds of shelled fresh beans (not dried), rinsed and drained

2 generous teaspoons powdered veggie base or bouillon cubes

Pinch sea salt

1/3-1/2 cup water in which beans were cooked

1 large clove garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon fresh minced

Zest of 1 large lemon

Freshly ground black pepper

Place beans in a 2-quart saucepan and barely cover with water. Add veggie base and salt. Loosely cover and place over medium-high heat. When simmering, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain beans reserving 1/2 cup liquid (and the remainder for another purpose). In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade process beans with 1/3-1/2 cup reserved liquid, salt, garlic, and olive oil until smooth. Add tarragon and lemon zest and pulse a few times. Check for seasoning and adjust with additional sea salt, if needed, and black pepper. Reheat in the microwave if necessary. Note: After the leftover puree sat in the refrigerator over night, it stiffened considerably. So, I incorporated some of the reserved bean liquid into the puree to restore its creaminess before reheating.

Tomato Sauce Rustica:

You can be very “approximate” with these measurements, as you can’t go wrong!

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium tomatoes (preferably heirloom), cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

Pinch sea salt

2 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons snipped chives

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add tomatoes, garlic and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until tomatoes are softened and garlic begins to turn golden. Reduce heat if necessary. Add wine and simmer 2-3 more minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in chives and remove from heat. Serve warm over warm Lima bean puree.

For 150+ additional seasonal recipes not on this website, I invite you to explore The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

July 31, 2011July 31, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Spicy Chickpeas Romesco a la Ubuntu Restaurant

Yield: 4 servings

The fun and delicious vegan food continued to flow in California after The Blooming Platter Cookbook book-signing dinner at Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco.

The next morning, our host Yvette Hetrick, her husband Randy, my husband Joe, and I took a TRX class at the TRX Training Center and then headed to the Napa Valley for two nights at Auberge du Soleil (think yoga each morning in The Pagode that looked out over the terraced vineyards), a belated “milestone birthday” celebration for grateful me.

For Saturday night’s dinner, Yvette had made reservations at Ubuntu, a 1 Michelin starred vegetarian restaurant in the town of Napa. So amidst a chorus of teasing from our husbands, we set off to find this mecca of plant-based cuisine. And it turns out that all of us–even the guys–were glad we did.

A warm and energetic ambiance in a converted warehouse space provided the context for our stellar meal of one tapas style dish after another, most made with produce and herbs from the restaurant’s organic garden. All of the vegetarian dishes on the menu can be prepared vegan, so I went vegan while the others opted for some cheese.

One of the vegan dishes that was a favorite of all of ours was not on the menu, but we eyed it on some other diners’ table. Happily, we were told that it was considered a bar snack but that we were welcome to order it, so order we did. These chickpeas with Romesco Sauce were so delicious–tender chickpeas in a silken, vibrant sauce perfect for “sopping” with a little bread–that we ended up ordering them again later in the meal.

Back here at home in Virginia, I was fantasizing about that Romesco Sauce, among many other dishes from our tantalizing meal at Ubuntu. So first, I created my new Golden Grape Tomato Tart with Spinach Pesto and Spicy Romesco Sauce. Afterwards, with leftover Romesco Sauce in the fridge, I decided to try the dish that inspired it all. The key to this dish, in addition to the livelyRomesco, is the drizzle of olive oil at the finish. By all means, if you’re fortunate enough to have an opportunity to dine at Ubuntu, do! But if not–or in between visits–I hope my dish will tide you over.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped into 1/4-inch dice

Pinch sea salt

1 medium tomato (preferably an heirloom), cut into 1/4-inch dice (a generous half-cup)

1-2 large cloves garlic, minced

1-15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup Romesco Sauce

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: a drizzle of fruity olive oil, olives and cilantro sprigs

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until softened. Cook another minute or two if you want a little color to develop. Add tomato and garlic and cook down, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes, or until tomato juices release and start to evaporate. Add Chick peas and heat through, followed by Romesco sauce and smoked paprika. Cook until mixture is hot through and thickened. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Serve drizzled with olive oil–it adds just the right finish to the dish in taste, texture and appearance–and garnished with olives and cilantro.

July 3, 2011July 12, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Bombay Lentil Sloppy Joes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Here, my Sloppy Joes aren’t so sloppy. I neatened them up a bit by serving them on a rice cracker boat lined with a fresh baby spinach leaf fora little starter or lite lunch. But I served the mixture on whole wheat buns for my AP Students end-of-year dinner. These more traditional “Joes,” with their nod to India, were a hit with these teenagers!

For my presentation here, I particularly like the “Sweet Chili” flavor of Quaker Oats Rice Snacks. That is, I liked them until I discovered the monosodium glutamate in the ingredient list. After a quick scan, I had been delighted that they didn’t contain whey or any other dairy as so many of the “ranch style” and other flavored chips/crackers do. But, when I bought them a second time, a closer read revealed the MSG. Darn! Alas, the “Joe” mixture is delicious on Melba Toast.

But back to the yummy filling: the lentils give it a texture somewhat similar to ground meat–so crumbled tempeh would be a fine substitute–and the flavor is rich and tomato-y like traditional Sloppy Joes, but raisins and spices give the dish warm undertones of India.

Usually when I’m creating a recipe, I am meticulous about writing down the ingredients and precise amounts. However, in this case, I had purchased crushed tomatoes with basil because that’s all Trader Joe’s had, so the flavor was all wrong for what I sought. I started grabbing spices and adding them by the spoonful in order to mask the Italian flavor and punch up the Indian.

The result was so good that I wish I hadn’t been so frantic. At any rate, I remade the recipe for a report and videographer from WAVY TV yesterday when they were here to tape and the results were at least as good, if not better. This time I got the measurements down exactly right. Though inspired by Aarti Sequeira’s Bombay Sloppy Joes, I not only substituted lentils, but used loads of additional spices.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 cloves garlic

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 small mild (or spicy!) chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon paprika + 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or 1 teaspoon of either one)

sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup water

1 cup diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup tomato sauce (I just blended some of the diced tomatoes and juice)

1 pound steamed lentils (I purchase them already steamed at Trader Joe’s)

1/4 cup shelled pistachios

1/4 cup golden raisins (or dried cranberries)

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or agave nectar

1/4 cup very thick coconut milk (like Chaokoh) or soy creamer

Optional (but delish): about 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Accompaniments: 4-6 whole wheat buns, if serving as Sloppy Joes, poppadom if serving as an Indian “tostato,” or crackers/toasts if serving as an appetizer

Optional: small fresh baby spinach leaves to line the cracker before adding the Sloppy Joe mixture

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onions and saute about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and some color is just starting to develop. If you want to caramelize them for deeper color, keep sauteeing for a few more minutes and stirring until a warm caramel-y brown is reached. Add garlic and bell pepper and saute 3 minutes more or until bell pepper is softened. Lower heat if necessary to prevent garlic from scorching. Add ginger and chili pepper and saute another minute or so until pepper is softened. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine well, and saute about 1 more minute for flavors to release. Stir in water, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Heat through, stirring frequently. Stir in lentils followed by pistachios and raisins. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in pomegranate molasses and soy creamer just until heated through. Right before serving, stir in optional cilantro. Serve hot over hamburger buns, spooned over a poppadom like a tostato, or in a bowl surrounded by crackers/toasts as a filling protein-rich appetizer.

June 21, 2011June 27, 2011 by betsy

Vegan “Southern” Indian Cilantro-Scented Cardamom-Coconut Cream Blackeyed Peas, Peppers & Spinach

Yield: 4 servings

That title is a mouthful, but since you can’t inhale the intoxicating aroma in our kitchen, I wanted you to be able to imagine what this luscious and colorful amalgamation would smell and taste like just from the title.

The “southern” part has little to do with Southern Indian cuisine, but with my south’ren roots revealed in the inclusion of blackeyed peas instead of a more traditional Indian legume.

In the photo, I served the dish as a starter, ready to spoon into miniature puri (fried bread puffs) at right, and spooned into a puri and garnished–just break through the crisp top crust with your finger or a spoon–at bottom. But I created it to also be served over basmati rice as a main course or a welcome addition to an Indian-inspired buffet.

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 cup of yellow onion, cut into 1/4 x 1-inch pieces (about 1 medium)

sea salt to taste

1 large red bell pepper, coarsely diced

2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1-15.5 ounce can blackeyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1-15 ounce can coconut milk (I don’t use the lite, but rather cut calories elsewhere!)

2 cups, semi-firmly packed fresh baby spinach, finely chopped (I use a food processor)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1 Roma tomato, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

optional: 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida

Accompaniments: miniature puri for appetizers (little spheres of puffed bread dough available in Indian markets) or over cooked basmati rice (I like to throw in a cinnamon stick and a few cardamom pods–avoid biting into either)

Optional garnishes: fresh cilantro, in sprigs or finely chopped, an/or a few roasted and lightly salted cashews

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat the tablespoon of olive oil to shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and saute for abut 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until the onion develops a light brown caramelization. Adjust heat if necessary to prevent scorching. Add the bell pepper and saute for 3 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until garlic and peppers are soft. Stir in the peas followed by the cardamom, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. Add the coconut milk, stir well to combine all ingredients, and heat through. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, just until heated through. Add the cilantro and optional asafoetida, stir to combine, and cook just another minute to allow flavors to combine. Check for seasoning and add additional salt and black pepper if desired. Serve in miniature puri as an appetizer or over basmati rice for a main course. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

May 15, 2011May 15, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Indian Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas in Cilantro-Mint Chutney Sauce

Yield: 4 salad, side dish or light main dish servings (easily doubles)

A heck of a multi-purpose dish–salad, side dish or even main dish–this new Indian inspired favorite goes together quickly and with few ingredients. It’s inspiration came from several sources.

After the VEER Magazine cover photo shoot for The Blooming Platter Cookbook, there were lots of veggies to cook and enjoy. So before the photographer was barely out of the driveway, I was roasting the asparagus and broccoli together. It was still in the fridge today, and still good, but I had almost forgotten about it.

Then yesterday, on a Hampton Roads Magazine reconnaissance mission for our “Best Of” issue, I came home with a couple of jars of different Indian chutney: a cilantro and a mint, not sure how I was going to use them, but knowing they would give something an extra special flavor boost. Some prepared foods are so good that I can’t make them better at home, and these are two examples.

And finally, I had purchased some poppadom on the International aisle of my local Kroger–another prepared item that I wouldn’t even try to make at home–to accompany a dish that I ended up popping in my freezer a week ago when I realized that there wasn’t time for a photo shoot. Stay tuned for that one!

With all of those tasty ingredients in my larder, I went for a pre-lunch dog walk, fantasizing all the way about what my mid-day repast would be. I decided to toss the roasted vegetables and a can of chick peas together with a dressing made of both of the chutneys and a small dollop of vegan sour cream (or yogurt), and serve the dish room temperature over a poppadom, tostato style.

Oh my goodness. This is a keeper for sure: so quick, so pretty, intensely flavorful and highly nutritious. Plus, it ‘s fun to serve and eat. Enjoy!

1 tablespoon vegan sour cream or vegan plain yogurt (I think the latter can sometimes be too runny and too sweet)

1 tablespoon prepared Indian cilantro chutney

1 tablespoon prepared Indian mint chutney

(or you can use 2 tablespoons of either type of chutney)

1 tablespoon vegan sour cream or plain yogurt

2 cup roasted vegetables (virtually anything would work, but I like asparagus and broccoli; I also like a lot of caramelization, so I roasted a small bunch of each with a little olive oil and sea salt for about 25-30 minutes at 450 degrees, and had twice as much as I needed)

1-15.5 ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained

Optional Garnish: small slices or wedges of tomato and sprigs of cilantro

Accompaniment: one o per person, microwaved for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes

In a medium bowl, combine chutneys with vegan sour cream or yogurt. Add roasted vegetables and chickpeas and toss well to evenly coat. Serve one-fourth of hte vegetable mixture mounded on top of a poppadum, garnished as desired with tomato slices or wedges and cilantro sprigs. Wait until just before serving to heap the mixture on the poppadum to prevent them from getting soggy.

You may alternatively serve this dish slightly heated to open up the flavors a bit. Heat the vegetable mixture separately from the poppadum and mound it on top just before serving.

May 1, 2011May 9, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Red Lentil-Pistachio Spread Will Bloom on Your Platter

On the Saturday night before Easter, my husband and I enjoyed a Middle Eastern dinner at the new Azar’s at Hilltop in VA Beach. I savored my lamb-less Lenten, I mean, Lentil Soup, redolent of cardamom, with a wine I had never sampled before, but certainly will again: Ksara Vineyard’s Blanc-de-Blancs from Lebanon. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Chardonnay, this wine is its own breed: fruity, nutty and…hmm…is “spicy” the right world? It tastes delectably “different.” Try it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — From The Blooming Platter Cookbook

And I happened to think that it would be lovely with my Red Lentil-Pistachio Spread, one of the Starters in The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes. Have you bought your copy yet so that you can get cookin’ on this and some 175 other delectable recipes (if I do say so myself)? The book is available on-line at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble or, locally, at Prince Books, Norfolk’s favorite bookstore.

Remember, you can also enter for three chance to win a copy through the new blog created by my publisher, Vegan Heritage Press. Don’t delay, though, as that contest ends tonight at midnight.

You can also head over to VegWeb’s blog, register, and enter for still another separate chance to win a copy. That give-away ends May 3.

Good luck!

April 3, 2011April 3, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Tunisian Tostatos with Vegan Lemon-Chili Cream

Yield: 4 servings

I love playful twists on fusion cuisine, especially when the result is a fun to eat, like a tostato. In this case, I combine my love of Mexican and Southwestern food with the seemingly more exotic flavors of Tunisia.

The finished dish is beautiful, healthful and a little surprising. But it works, probably because cumin and coriander are spices common to both cuisines. Plus, the lentils function similarly to pinto or black beans on a tostato: a creamy-chewy counterpoint to the crisp tortilla. By itself, the lentil mixture is mouth-watering, but it is transformed into something extraordinary when crowned with a drizzle of the silky Lemon-Chile Cream.

These are irresistible bejeweled with ruby-red pomegranate seeds and crunchy green pistachios, encircled with fresh chopped cilantro, and crowned with a plump dried apricot.

Vegan Lemon-Chili Cream

1/4 cup vegan sour cream

juice of 1/2 of a lemon

dried chili flakes to taste

pinch of sea salt to taste

In a small cup or bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Set aside.

Vegan Tunisian Tostatos

canola oil

4-6 to 8-inch whole wheat tortillas

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium, yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 large garlic cloves, sliced

1 large red bell pepper, stem, membrane and seeds removed, cut in half crosswise and then into 1/4-inch strips

sea salt to taste

12 dried apricots, chopped

8 sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

3 tablespoons hummus

1 tablespoon tahini

2-4 tablespoons water

juice of 1/2 of a lemon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 1/2 cups steamed lentils (should be firm enough to hold their shape)

Garnish: 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 4 dried apricots, pomegranate seeds, chopped pistachios

Preheat the oven to warm. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a large cast iron skillet, heat a thin layer of oil to shimmering over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas, one at a time, for a minute or two on each side or until lightly browned and crisp, adding more oil as necessary. Remove each on to the prepared baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven.

To make the lentil mixture: whisk together hummus, tahini, water, lemon juice and all spices until well combined. Set aside. Heat olive oil to shimmering in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt, and saute, stirring almost continuously, for 3 minutes. Add the apricots and sundried tomatoes and saute, still stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add hummus mixture, cilantro and lentils, and cook, stirring continuously, until well combined and heated though.

To serve, place each tortilla on a serving plate, mound with 1/4 of the lentil mixture, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro around the perimeter, spoon 1/4 of the Lemon-Chili Cream over the lentil mixture, and garnish with a dried apricot, a few pomegranate seeds and some chopped pistachios.