The Mediterranean Vegan

I needed something to do with my leftover pumpkin from "thanksgiving," so I made traditional risotto alla zucca . Risotto is a popular dish in Northern Italy, and there are several different ways to make it. You can also use butternut squash or another winter squash if you don't want to get a pumpkin. Serves 2-3 What you need: 2.5 tbsp margarine 1 onion, diced 1/2 cup white wine 2 cups cooked pumpkin, chopped (boiled or baked) 2 cups short-grain white rice 5 cups vegetable broth 1 tsp salt pinch of nutmeg In a deep pan, melt 1.5 tbsp margarine and add in diced onions. Sauté onions until clear and add dry rice to pan. Mix the rice in until the butter is absorbed into the grain. Now add the 1/2 cup white wine to the pan and stir until completely absorbed by the rice. Mix in the 2 cups pumpkin and 2 cups vegetable broth. Set a timer for 17 minutes. Stir until the broth has soaked into the rice. Keep adding vegetable broth, cup by cup, waiting for the broth to absorb and then...

This recipe for creamy peas is very simple and full of flavor. The word grasak means peas , and there is really little else in this dish. I hope you like peas; I know my friend Sarah Seals will love this. Serves 4 (as a side) What you need: 1 tbsp margarine 1 tbsp flour 1.5 cup water 4 cups fresh or frozen peas 1.5 tsp salt 2 tsp parsley 1 tsp thyme pinch of pepper In a medium-size pan on medium heat, melt the margarine and then add in the flour. Mix the flour in well and then add the water. Stir to form a creamy paste and when it begins to boil add the peas and spices. Keep on low-medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This hearty soup from France's Provence region is made of summer vegetables, beans, potatoes, and pasta. It is topped off with the French pistou sauce, similiar to the Italian pesto but without the pine nuts. Though it is a summer food in France, I find it to be a perfect meal on a cold winter night. What you need: 4 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped 2 leeks, chopped 2 cups green beans, chopped 1 zucchini, chopped 2 cups white beans, cooked or canned (without juice) 4 tomatoes, chopped 7 cups water 4 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper for the pistou sauce 1 cup packed fresh basil 4 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp salt 4 tbsp olive oil In a large pot, sauté the onions, leeks, carrots, and potatoes in olive oil for 10 minutes or until slightly soft (but not brown). Add the green beans and zucchini and sauté for another 7 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and water and cook until the broth begins to boil. Add the white beans and tomatoes and cook for ...

This is a recipe for authentic Italian lasagne alla bolognese that uses tvp instead of meat for the tomato sauce. Most Italians will tell you the key ingredient to lasagne is béchamel, and the soy version of the creamy sauce is just as good! Serves 4 What you need: for the bolognese sauce: 4 tbsp olive oil 1 large yellow onion, diced 3 carrots, peeled and finely diced 4 stalks celery, finely diced 2 cups texturized vegetable protein (tvp), optional 1 cup white wine 3 cups vegetable stock 800g canned crushed tomatoes salt and pepper for the béchamel sauce: 3 1/4 cups plain soy milk 6 tbsp margarine 1/4 cup flour 1.5 tsp salt pinch of nutmeg for the noodles: around 15 dry lasagne noodles (for a med. casserole dish) In a large pan, fry the onions, celery, and carrots in the 4 tbsp olive oil for 20 minutes. Mix in the two cups dry tvp and stir for another few minutes. Add the wine, stirring the vegetables until it has evaporated. Do the same with the vegetable broth, adding cup by cup unti...

There are several debated methods for this French staple ratatouille. Here is a simple recipe for the dish. It can be served with rice, bread, or pasta. My friend Adrianna and I made it with whole wheat pasta. Serves 4 What you need: 1 eggplant, diced 1 zucchini, diced 1 onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, diced 2 carrots, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 5 tomatoes, diced 3 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp basil 1 tsp marjoram 2 tbsp olive oil In a large pan, sauté onions and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil until soft (around 15 minutes). Add in tomatoes and stir occasionally for another 7 minutes. Add all other vegetables and spices and cover, stirring occasionally for around 30 until all vegetables are cooked thoroughly. Remove lid and let cook for another 1o minutes until the sauce thickens. Add more salt and pepper if necessary and enjoy as a side or sauce.

Migas are a typical dish throughout all of Spain. Each region has a different way of making it. The region of Extremadura had the most veg-friendly version, so I decided to go with that. Instead of chorizo, which is a key ingredient to migas, I used mushrooms. The recipe is perfect if you have some stale bread laying around that you don't want to throw out. Serves 2 What you need: 1 baguette (preferably stale) 2 cups mushrooms, sliced (I recommend a darker mushroom) 3 cloves garlic (cut in half lengthwise, with skin left on) 1/2 red pepper, diced 1/2 green pepper, diced 6 tbsp olive oil 1.5 tsp salt pepper Break the baguette into a few pieces and place in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water until it rises just above the bread and let sit. The water will soak into the bread within a few minutes. In a large skillet, sauté the peppers, garlic, mushrooms, and 1/2 tsp salt in 3 tbsp olive oil until lightly brown (around 15 minutes). Move the vegetables onto a plate. Strain the bread ...

This Valencian plato is eaten all over Spain. It is a variation on the Spanish paella , using noodles instead of rice. Serves 3 What you need: 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 zucchini, diced 1 tomato, shredded 15 mushrooms, sliced 3 tbsp olive oil other vegetables (optional) 1 (7 oz) package short vermicelli noodles 5 cups vegetable broth 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp parsley 1 pinch saffron In a paella pan (or similar shaped pan), sauté the peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms in the olive oil for 20 minutes. Add the shredded tomato and sauté for another five minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and parsley. Add the dry noodles to the pan and mix in for 1-2 minutes. Add the 5 cups vegetable broth and 1 pinch saffron. Make sure the broth rises slightly above your other ingredients. Leave on medium heat for 17 minutes without stirring. Take the fideuà off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary. Your fideuà is ready!

Panellets are a Catalan sweet meaning "little bread." They start popping up in bakeries for All Saint's Day and continue to be eaten throughout the winter in Catalonia. Here is a vegan version for those of us who are tired of looking at them through the bakery window. Makes 15 panellets What you need: 1 sweet potato 1 cup sugar 1 cup ground almonds 1/2 lemon zest variations: candied (glacé) cherries espresso powder pine nuts coconut flakes Boil the sweet potato until very soft and drain in a colander. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potato until a creamy paste forms. Mix in the crushed almonds, sugar, and lemon zest until well incorporated. This is your base dough for the different variations of panellets. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees celsius (500 fahrenheit) and roll out foil onto a cookie sheet (or coat lightly with oil). For the cherry version: Roll dough into small balls and press onto cookie sheet. Press the middle of the balls lightly with your thumb to create sp...

Kushari is one of the most popular dishes in Egypt and happens to be vegan! Enjoy. Serves 2-3 What you need: 1 cup white rice, cooked 1 cup pasta (any kind), cooked 1 cup lentils, cooked or canned 1/2 cup chickpeas/garbanzo beans (optional) 2 cups tomato sauce (with or without vegetables) 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1/2 onion, diced 1 tbsp margarine salt pepper Make the rice, pasta, and lentils according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, make the simple tomato sauce . Add the red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce while cooking. Add diced onion and margarine to a small pan and fry until caramelized (around 25-20 minutes). Mix the rice, pasta, and lentils together. Top with the tomato sauce and caramelized onions. Add salt and pepper to your liking. You're done!

Spanakorizo is a Greek rice dish made with onions, spinach, olive oil, and lemon juice. In this version I added garlic, mushrooms, and dill. Serves 3 What you need: 1 yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, diced 8-10 white mushrooms, sliced 5 cups fresh spinach 1/2 tsp dill 1/3 cup olive oil 1 1/2 cup basmati rice 6 cups water 2 tbsp lemon juice salt pepper In a deep pan, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until transparent (15-20 min). Add the mushrooms, spinach, and dill and sauté for another 7 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Add the rice along with the water. Stir occasionally on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper and stir. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.