The Mediterranean Vegan

The Greek version of the Italian lasanga , pastitsio consists of a creamy béchamel sauce, pasta, and traditionally, lamb meat. You can be creative here with the substitutions. I used tvp, but I can see a variety of things working with this dish (lentils, soy, seitan, mushroom). Serves 4-6 What you need: for the filling 3 tbsp margarine or olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 2 cups texturized vegetable protein (tvp), dry 4 tbsp tomato paste 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp salt 2 cups vegetable broth 1/2 cup red wine 1/4 cup bread crumbs for the béchamel 3 tbsp margarine 4 tbsp flour 4 cups plain soy milk pinch of salt pinch of nutmeg for the pasta 3 cups dry tubular pasta 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup bread crumbs Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Bring pot of water to a boil, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, and cook pasta until al dente . Strain and set aside. In a large pan, melt the 3 tbsp butter on medium-high heat and add the chopped onion. Sauté for 10 minutes or until the onion is tran...

This casserole dish originates from Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine and is similar to a shepard's pie. Its name translates to "tray of potatoes." This dish traditionally contains meat, which I substituted here for lentils. Enjoy. Serves 4-6 What you need: 1 cup breadcrumbs 2 tbsp parsley 2 tbsp margarine or olive oil for the potato layer 3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped 2 cups plain soy milk 3 tbsp margarine or olive oil 1 tsp salt for the rice layer 4 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 1.5 cups dry lentils 1.5 cups dry white rice 6 cups vegetable broth 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1.5 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 cup pine nuts Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Lightly grease a large casserole dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of bread crumbs at the bottom of the casserole dish. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add the potatoes. Boil for 20 minutes on medium heat and drain with a colander. While the potatoes are boiling, start making the rice. Place the pine nuts in the ove...

This cake can be found throughout the Mediterranean. In Greece and Turkey it is called revani. Another common Arabic name for it is basbousa. The base of this cake is semolina flour; and its variants include adding coconut, walnut, almonds, or pistachios. It is soaked in a sugar syrup and often served with tea. Serves 4-6 What you need: 2 cups semolina flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup margarine 3/4 cup soy milk 1 tsp baking soda almonds, walnuts, or pistachios 2 cups sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 cup water 1/3 cup coconut flakes or chopped nuts Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Lightly grease a small cake pan. Make the sauce first so that it is cool and ready to drizzle onto the cake. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, lemon juice and water and bring to a boil. Then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until the sugar sauce has thickened. In a mixing bowl, mix the semolina, sugar, and margarine until well incorporated. You may need to use your hands for this. Add the baking so...

This Moroccan salad can be served hot or cold and is usually paired as a dip with crisp breads. You can add lemon for a tangy flavor or red chili peppers for a spicy salad. Serves 2-3 What you need: 1 large eggplant (aubergine), chopped 3-4 ripe tomatoes, chopped 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika 1.5 tsp salt 4 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup water 3 tbsp fresh parsley 3 tbsp fresh cilantro In a large pan, bring the olive oil to medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well, and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes on medium heat. Remove cover and with a masher or strong fork, mash the zaalouk. Cook for another 10 minutes on medium heat. Serve with bread.

This spicy pumpkin mash is full of flavor and very easy to make. It is served in Libya with flatbread. Serves 2-3 What you need: 2 cups pumpkin, peeled and chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cumin 1 red chili, chopped 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp lemon juice fresh black pepper In a pot, boil the chopped pumpkin for 10 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile, sauté the garlic, cumin, salt, and chili in 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat until the garlic has slightly browned. Strain the pumpkin and add to the pan with the garlic. Mash the pumpkin with a strong wooden spoon over medium heat. Mix in the fresh pepper, lemon juice, and 1 tbsp olive oil and serve while hot.

Mujaddara is a popular dish throughout Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan. It can be made with groats, wheat or rice and its two variants include yellow mujaddara (red lentils) or brown mujaddara (green lentils). Serves 4 What you need: 1 cup lentils, uncooked 6 cups water 1 1/2 cups white rice 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp five spice powder 6 tbsp vegetable oil 2 yellow onions, chopped fresh parsley In a deep pan, add the lentils and the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for around 20 minutes and then add the rice and the spices. Simmer for another 20 minutes. You may need to add more water depending on how fast it evaporates. Taste the rice while cooking and add more water if necessary. In a separate pan, fry the onions in the vegetable oil until the onion becomes brown. Serve the mujaddara and garnish with the fried onions and a pinch of fresh parsley.

These "wrinkly potatoes" are from the Canary Islands, where they were originally cooked in sea water. They are served with both a cilantro green sauce and a spicy chili pepper sauce called mojo. Serves 2 What you need: for the potatoes 20 baby new potatoes 1/2 cup salt for the red mojo 10 cloves garlic 1/4 cup wine vinegar 3 dried red chili peppers 1 cup olive oil 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp salt for the green mojo 10 cloves garlic 1/4 cup wine vinegar 1 cup olive oil 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt 1 cup fresh cilantro In a large pot, bring water and 1/2 cup salt to a boil. Add the baby potatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes. If the potatoes are not floating, add more salt to the water. Drain the potatoes, leaving about 1/4 cup of salt water in the pot. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and shake around until the salt hardens on the potatoes. Turn off the heat, cover the potatoes with a kitchen towel and let sit for 5-7 minutes. For the red and green mojo sauces, add all of the ...