Tapenade

• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup green olives
• (or kalamatas)
  
• 1 tablespoon capers (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Creamy Shell Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup small uncooked seashell pasta
• 3/4 cup fresh broccoli florets
• 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup cubed American cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup sunflower kernels
• 1 hard-cooked egg, peeled and chopped
• DRESSING:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup prepared Ranch salad dressing
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon prepared mustard

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, broccoli, carrot, cheese, cucumber, celery, sunflower kernels and egg. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Chinese white sauce

• ½ cup onions, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ginger, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
• ½ cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons cornflour mixed with 3 cups of clear vegetable stock
• a pinch sugar
• 1 tablespoon oil
• salt to taste

banana pancakes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons raw sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
sprinkle of cinnamon
sprinkle of allspice
1 1/4 cup vanilla soymilk
3 medium sized ripe bannannas peeled and sliced
oil or non-stick cooking spray

Directions
1. In a bowl combine all the dry junk exept bananas.
2. Next in a blender shove in half of the bananas and the soymilk and puree until smooth. Pour wet to dry and fold in unprocessed bananas.
3. Heat the griddle with the oil on there over medium heat.
Put some of the pancake batter on the griddle(4 small pancakes will fit)and cook until lots of tiny-assed bubbles start to pop. Flip the pancakes over and continue to cook until pancakes are browned. Serve with maple syrup of your fave.

veggie chili

Ingredients
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped fine
1 carrot or sweet potato, medium, peeled and chopped
1 poblano chili pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 6 ounce package vegetarian ground beef (Smart Lean original flavor works best)
1 28 oz. can whole organic tomatoes and juice
1 cup or half 15 oz. can, cooked pinto beans, drained
1 cup or half 15 oz. can, cooked black beans, drained
2 Tablespoons Mexican-style dark chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
2 bay leaves
1 small dried chipotle or smoked habanero (optional for wimps)
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste (add before serving)


Directions
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a deep cast iron skillet or large soup pot. Before it begins to smoke, add onions and saut? until softened, about two minutes. Add the carrot and the poblano chili and saut? another minute. Stir in the vegetarian ground beef and allow to brown for three more minutes.

Add tomatoes and juice. With a potato masher, crush the tomatoes until tomatoes are slightly chunky. Add beans, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes and stir to incorporate. Add the sugar, bay leaves and dried chili peppers (optional for wimps) and stir. Lower the heat to simmer and cover. Simmer for twenty and thirty minutes, stirring one or twice to prevent it from scorching. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.