Vegan Rice-Oats Sausage Patties

These vegan patties are quite sausage-like in texture and taste. The recipe can be found here at My Vegan Cookbook. The only changes I made to the recipe were to add 1/4 tsp of liquid smoke and substitute 1 Tbsp water for the oil in the mixture. I cooked these in a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray.

Banana and Spice Puda/Dosa/Pancake

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I wasn't sure what to call this. Probably more puda-like than dosa-like. I ate these with apple chutney.

Kari's Banana and Spice Puda/Dosa (Pancake) Makes 4

The banana in this dosa/puda/pancake adds a slight sweetness. The texture is much like a thick corn tortilla. You could add sweet or savory toppings/fillings.

1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup semolina
1/4 cup besan (garbanzo bean flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp Kapha-balancing churan*, or other spice blend, optional
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flaxmeal mixed with 3 Tbsp water)
1 small ripe banana, mashed
2 Tbsp plain soy yogurt
3/4 cup water

Mix flax egg and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine wheat germ, rice flour, semolina, besan, baking soda, and spices. Combine mashed banana and soy yogurt with flax egg. Add banana mixture and water to flour mixture. Mix well.

Heat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Spoon batter onto hot griddle, swirling out with spoon to about 6 or 8 inches. You want the puda/dosa/pancake thin, but you don't want holes. Let cook until top dries. Flip and cook until bottom browns, pressing with spatula. Flip again and cook another minute or so. Remove to plate and do next puda/dosa/pancake. You should get 4. More if you make them small. Serve with chutney or roll around favorite fillings.

*Kapha-Balancing Churan:
2 tsp each: ground ginger, black pepper, and turmeric
1 tsp each: ground coriander, ground cumin, sweek paprika, salt, turbinado sugar, and dried mango powder
Other dosha spice mixes can be found here at Fran's House of Ayruveda

Harvest Muffins

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Kari's Harvest Muffins (18 muffins)

Egg Substitute for 2 eggs:
2 Tbsp flax meal
6 Tbsp water

Dry ingredients:
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup oats
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Wet ingredients:
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plain soy yogurt
1/4 cup barbados molasses
1 tsp vanilla

Add-ins:
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray.

In small bowl, combine flax meal and 6 Tbsp water; set aside.

In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients: flours, wheat germ, oats, turbinado sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, and cloves.

In small bowl, combine wet ingredients: flax mixture, pumpkin, water, yogurt, molasses, and vanilla.

Stir wet mixture into dry mixture, then stir in chopped apple, raisins, and walnuts.

Divide batter between 18 muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes.

Soup of the Day: Minestrone

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Kari's Minestrone

1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 small or 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1/4 small cabbage, cut in thin shreds (about 2 cups)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz)can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp dried oregano
black pepper
7 cups veg broth (or water and bouillon cubes)
2 small zucchini, diced
1 can white beans, or other bean, rinsed and drained
1 cup mini Farfalle, or other small pasta
1/2 cup peas

In large soup pot, saute onion, celery, carrot, cabbage, bell pepper, and garlic in water. When vegetables soften, add tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and several grinds of black pepper. Add vegetable broth (or water and bouillon) and simmer for 20 minutes. Add zucchini, beans, and pasta. Simmer 7-10 minutes. Test pasta. When tender, stir in peas. Heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add more broth or water if soup seems too thick and you want more broth. Serve with crusty bread.

You can add other vegetables, depending on what you have available. Toss in some green beans or corn or spinach or parsley or whatever you like.

Rice Noodles and Vegetables with Sweet Soy Sauce