Vegan Potato Salad

• 1 cup of soaked raw macadamia nuts & 1 cup of raw soaked cashews or 2 cups soaked Raw Unsalted Cashews

• 1 Tbsp canola oil

• 3-4 tsp sea salt

• 2 teaspoon of sugar

• 8 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1/2 - 1 cup water (used for blending)

• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of pepper (to taste)

• 8 cups of small to medium cubed cooked Yukon gold potatoes

• 1 cup puréed yellow or sweet onions 

 

Read Instructions Before Starting

 

High-calorie recipe due to the nuts. Only make for special occasions if you are trying to lose weight.

 

If you omit the oil, the potato salad will still be good but will absorb into the potatoes more and be a bit pasty texture after sitting for awhile.

 

Soak nuts for 6+ hours. If you have a Vitamix, no need to soak the nuts. 

 

In a food processor or blender, turn onions into mush/pulp.  By pureeing onions, which you may have to add a little water to get them puréed, you get the full onion flavor throughout the potato salad vs. eating potatoes and randomly biting into a chopped onion. 

 

In blender combine nuts, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, oil and sugar. 

Blend, while adding water as you blend until you have a rich, creamy slurry. It should drip off a spoon about medium speed. Not too slow but not too fast. 

 

Add slurry to bowl. Combine onion pulp. Stir well. 

 

Then stir in the small-medium cooked cubed potatoes; slowly so not to mush up the potatoes. (make potatoes on stove until tender or in Instant Pot for 3 minutes)

 

Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight for better flavor. 

 

I always double this recipe when you have guests. 

 

 

 

Dynamite Mango Salsa
 

INGREDIENTS:

6 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 mango, skinned, deseeded and chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp chili powder (or to taste - may need 1 more tbsp if chili powder is light/mild)
1 tsp non-dairy pure cocoa (optional but makes it quite tasty)
1 tsp cumin
1.5 tsp sea salt or to taste
1 jalapeño, minced, with seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp coriander
1 tsp minced ginger
4 tbsp date paste (see recipe further down the page) or substitute with 2 tbsp Maple Syrup or to taste
1 tsp white vinegar
2 tbsp dried or 1 to 2 tbsp fresh cilantro or to taste (optional)
1 cup of frozen sweet corn

1 cup of drained black beans
 

INSTRUCTIONS:
Put tomatoes in boiling water until skins slightly start to peel off.  Drain, pour cold water over tomatoes. Once cool, pull off skins.

Combine all ingredients in a small to a medium pot.

Bring to boil, cook on high for 5 minutes; then turn to low and cook for 20-30 minutes (look for a moderate to thick consistency). Stir fairly frequently to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.

 

Note: Date paste makes it better, so would highly recommend making date paste and keeping it on hand. You can freeze it and then chip it out when needed. The liquid could vary based on corn and tomato moisture, therefore, may need to cook it longer for the right consistency.
 

 

 

Low Fat Cheesy Dressing / Sauce

By Darshana Thacker
From Forks Over Knives Family

https://www.forksoverknives.com/print/recipe.php?id=33286

Makes about 3 1/2 cups
Ready In: 30 minutes

Plantessa Note: It tastes amazing!!  Great consistency!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound trimmed cauliflower, cut into
1-inch florets (which equals about 1 1/2 cup florets or 1/2 of a medium head)
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, cut into1/2-inch dice
2 small garlic cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon mild white miso
1/4 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
Sea salt and freshly ground black or white pepper
1/2 cup unsweetened, unflavored neutral plant-based milk

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a large saucepan, place the cauliflower, potato, garlic, turmeric, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender about 10 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until very warm, but not piping hot.
3. Transfer the cauliflower mixture with all its
4. liquid to a blender. Add the nutritional yeast, vinegar, marjoram, miso, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Blend until creamy and smooth, adding milk as necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Serve at once.

How to Use It:
This versatile sauce is excellent tossed with veggies or with chips, on pizza, pita bread, and anything else you or your kids like to dip. You can also mix the leftover sauce with warm cooked pasta for a quick mac 'n cheese, or use it as a cheesy spread in wraps and sandwiches. It's a good standby for packed lunches with celery or carrot sticks. White miso is fermented for a shorter period than other varieties of miso and therefore is milder and less salty. It contributes to the cheesy flavor. The optional turmeric adds nice color.

 

Tip: Warm the sauce separately before pouring it over pasta. If you warm it on the pasta, it will absorb into the pasta leaving a less desirable consistency.

 

Raspberry Vinaigrette

(Fills a large mason jar)

 

Ingredients:

3 six ounce containers of organic raspberries

1/3 c white or dark balsamic

1/2 c cider vinegar

5 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste

1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 c water

1/4 c walnuts

 

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients except walnuts in a blender and blend.

• Pour mixture into a strainer and strain out the seeds.

• Pour the strained mixture back into the blender and add the walnuts, blending until smooth and creamy.

• If you like the vinaigrette thinner, add more water and blend.

 

Note:

The walnuts are used as a binder, reducing the risk of separation; and it makes the vinaigrette more creamy and tasty, but doesn't make it taste like walnuts.

 

 

 

Cheeze Sauce

 

Inspired by BabyFirstTV's Recipe

(We simplified it & provided heating instructions & meal options)

(Makes about least 2 large mason jars full, more if you thin it out a bit using water)

(Each jar contains approximately 4 servings. Therefore you will get 1.75 ounces of cashews per serving and .4 tsp of salt max per serving)

(If you must cut out most nuts for health reasons, omit cashews; or if you are trying to lose weight, omit cashews or just eat it no more than a few times per week)

 

Ingredients:

1/2 large peeled & chopped onion

5 medium peeled and largely chopped russet potatoes

10 baby carrots

4 cups of water 

1/2 to 1 cup of water to use when blending

3 tsp sea salt 

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

8 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 cup soaked cashews (soak about 8 hrs) then drain (you can omit. Just know, the consistency will be more like a puree than a sauce).

 

Instructions:

• In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil, add all the vegetables carefully into the water. When water starts boiling again, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 14 minutes.

• While veggies are cooking, add the drained cashews and all the seasoning (salt, garlic & onion powder, nutritional yeast) in the blender. 

• Once the veggies are finished cooking, pour the veggies with water into the blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  If desired, pour in additional water as you blend, for desired consistency. 

• Portion out pasta in each bowl then pour cheese sauce over pasta, stir, and serve.

• Do not omit the nutritional yeast. It is what gives it great flavor. You can find nutritional yeast at most groceries either in the bulk section or organic section. You can also find it on Amazon.com.

​

Same Cheeze Sauce Made In The Instant Pot

 

Instant Pot Ingredients:

• 1/2 large peeled & chopped onion

• 4 medium peeled and largely chopped russet potatoes

• 10 baby carrots, cut into halves

• 4 cups of water in Instant Pot

• 1/2 to 1 cup of water to use when blending

• 3 tsp sea salt 

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp onion powder

• 8 tbsp nutritional yeast (key/critical ingredient)

• 1 cup cashews (no need to soak)

 

Instant Pot Instructions:

Add everything to instant pot. Seal. Set to manual 5 minutes. Once done, turn off warmer, release pressure value. Pour contents into the blender, blend for about 2 minutes. If desired, as you blend, pour in additional water to reach desired consistency. 

 

Meal Options:

Also, you can pour over steamed veggies, a baked potato piled high with broccoli, or eat it as a cheeze dip, just to name a few!

 

Store & Warm-Up:

Store sauce separately. We store the sauce in mason jars. Reheat the sauce in the microwave separately for best results. Do not combine it with pasta when heating. It causes the sauce to absorb into the pasta, making it dry.   If you steam a bowl of broccoli and cauliflower, then pour the cold cheeze sauce over the hot veggies, the veggies will warm up the sauce, making the meal the perfect temperature.

 

 

 

Date Paste

• Soak dates in water for 48 hrs or more (keep water)

• Remove the date pits

• Pour dates into a blender, add the water they soaked in. 

• Blend and until smooth. May need to add more water, but to it in small amounts at a time. Consistency should be thick.

• After use, freeze date paste. That way you can keep it longer. You can take a butter knife and cut out chunks of frozen date paste and microwave it about 15 to 30 seconds to thaw so you can measure how much you need. 

 

 

Balsamic Vinaigrette
 

Ingredients:

1 handful of walnuts
1/2 c of drained navy beans or chickpeas
1/2 c balsamic vinegar
1 tbs of dijon mustard
1/2 c water
4 cloves of garlic, remove centers - the centers tend to be bitey/spicy
4 pitted dates, chopped - if they are hard, soak them for 1 hr
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a blender, blend until smooth. Add more water if you wish to thin it out more. 

 

 

Caesar Dressing

(Do not make if you are trying to lose weight, due to the high-calorie cashews)

 

Ingredients:

2 cups soaked or rinsed unsalted organic raw cashews (no need to soak if you have a Vitamix)
1.5 cup filtered water (add a little more water if you like it a bit thinner)
1 tablespoon minced garlic or 2 average garlic cloves
1/3 cup organic squeezed lemon juice (usually about 3 small lemons)
2 tablespoons ground pumpkin seeds 
2 tablespoon of Nutritional Yeast
2 teaspoons Himalayan or Keltic sea salt (any quality sea salt will do)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tbsp of capers (optional)

Handful of Vegan Croutons 

Go Veggie Parm sprinkled on salad to taste (Optional)
 

Instructions:

1. Soak the cashews for 4-5 hours before adding to a blender. (If you have a Vitamix, no need to soak cashews)
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, then blend until creamy.  

Optional: capers replace anchovies.

Optional: Sprinkle Go Veggie Parm over salad after adding dressing.

Note: You can refrigerate the dressing. Once cold, check to see if the dressing is the desired thickness. If it seems too thick, add water. Shake and recheck. Repeat if needed.  I pour the dressing into mason jars, leaving a little room in case I need to add water later.
Note: I use Fresh Gourmet Organic Seasoned Croutons, which I buy at Lucky's Market.

Note: Make sure you measure out the lemon juice. Too much or too little will change the flavor.

 

 

Creamy Italian Dressing
(Makes a large mason jar full)

 

Ingredients:
16-ounce mason jar of homemade soy yogurt (with only 14 oz of yogurt in a jar)
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp celery salt
5 stems of dill, (or 2 tablespoons of dried dill)
2 green onions 
1 tsp dried parsley
4-8 garlic cloves (to taste)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water (use the date water if desired)
8 soaked pitted dates
1/4 cup red onion
2 tbsp chia seeds

 

Instructions:
In a food processor or blender, blend everything together EXCEPT yogurt. Then in the jar of yogurt where you have 14 oz of yogurt, pour in the mixture. Tighten the lid and shake until blended. You don’t want to break down the yogurt in the blender. By shaking it until blended, it will be thicker, less foamy.

 

 

Olive Tapenade 

(Don't make if you are trying to lose weight due to the high-calorie seeds)

 

Ingredients:

1 dry cup of sunflower seeds
8 kalamata olives, make sure all pits are removed, producer tends to miss some
4 green olives
2 cloves of garlic, remove centers - the centers tend to be bitey/spicy
1 tablespoon capers
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup of water 

 

Instructions:
Place ingredients in food processor and blend until thick and smooth. Add water a little at a time until it just starts to blend. You could need more than 1/4 cup water, or less. Blend until smooth. It will take awhile for the tapenade to smooth out, so you don't crunch on the seeds. The consistency should be that of pate', which when you spoon it, the tapenade stays on the spoon when flipping it upside down. Serve with crackers.

 

 

Tunaless Spread
(Don't make if you are trying to lose weight due to the high-calorie nuts and seeds)

Ingredients:
1 heaping dry cup raw walnuts
1 dry cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 + cup chopped dill or sweet pickles or both (your preference)
1/4 cup chopped red onions
2 squeezed lemons
2-3 cloves garlic 
2 Tbsp. pickle juice (dill or sweet or both, your choice)
1 tsp Braggs Organic Sea Kelp Delight Seasoning or just minced kelp leaves
1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup water

 

Instructions: 
Place everything into a food processor BUT the water and blend. Add water a little at a time until it just starts to blend. You could need more than 1/4 cup water, or less. Blend until smooth. It will take awhile for the pate' to smooth out, so you don't crunch on the nuts and seeds. The consistency should be that of pate', which when you spoon it, the pate' stays on the spoon when flipping it upside down. Serve with crackers or make a sandwich. 

 

 

Thai Peanut Dressing
(Don't make if you are trying to lose weight due to the high-calorie peanut butter)

 

Ingredients:

4 heaping Tbsp organic raw non-GMO peanut butter (pour off oil before using)
2 Tbsp water 
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 or 1/2 green chili, remove seeds
2 Tbsp white or rice vinegar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/4 c diced tomatoes
1-inch piece ginger root, minced or 1 tbsp minced organic ginger from a jar
2 Tsp lemon juice

Blend in food processor until smooth, add a Tbsp of water at a time if you want to thin it out. 

 

 

Soy Yogurt
By Mairead Reddy 

 

You only need 2 teaspoons of yogurt as a starter per pint jar, so it's good to freeze a few tablespoons to have on hand. 

Ingredients:
* Vegan soy yogurt starter (get some from a friend or buy a starter, which can be found on Amazon.com)
* 1 carton of West Soy Organic Unsweetened Milk. 1 carton will fill 2 pints (2 16 oz mason jars)

Instructions:
In the Instant Pot (IP), it will fit up to four-pint jars. Put 2 teaspoons fresh or frozen yogurt in the bottom of the jar. Pour in the soy milk, and stir. Place jars in IP, without their lids. Outside of the jars in the IP pot, fill water up to about halfway up the jars (this helps make a thicker yogurt). Set the steam release valve to sealed, and press yogurt button, which defaults to 8 hours. The more hours beyond 8, the more tart the yogurt.

When done, let it sit out for 2 hours with lids on, then place in the refrigerator. 

 

 

Chili Seasoning

Ingredients:
    •    1 Tbsp chili powder
    •    1 tsp ground cumin
    •    ¼ tsp garlic powder
    •    ½ tsp onion powder
    •    1 tsp salt
    •    ¼ tsp (approximately) freshly ground pepper

 

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Store in an air-tight container, away from heat and moisture for up to six months.

 

 

Allspice
1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Ground Cloves
1 Tbsp Ground Nutmeg

 

 

Fresh Herbs on Pasta
Fennel
Thyme
Rosemary
Parsley

 

For added flavor, sprinkle some of each over pasta with marinara.