Vegan pronto

Two quick Italian dinners:







Basil-almond pesto with kale: basil, almonds, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, brown rice pasta, kale.












Polenta with spring vegetable ragu: cornmeal, artichokes, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, onion, garlic, red chile flakes, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, salt.

Stuff a squash not a turkey!

Mom and Jill take Thanksgiving very, very seriously:




Pomegranate champagne punch with rum and mint.












Artichoke stuffed with breadcrumbs, olive oil and garlic.












Roasted butternut squash, onion and apple soup with pecan cilantro pesto.












Roasted sweet and blue potatoes with fried shallots.











Stuffed sweet dumpling squash with wild and basmati rice, apricot, cranberry, pecan and cardamom from Compassionate Cooks.









Stuffed mushrooms from Veganomicon were a big hit.













Veggie platter with glazed baby carrots, roasted brussels sprouts and cippolinis, steamed broccoli and green beans almondine.












A very full plate with all the aforementioned plus vegan mashed potatoes (no omnivore was the wiser...), some freehanded cornbread and soy sausage stuffing and a rosemary drop biscuit from The Joy of Vegan Baking (easy, delicious). Oh and no, I couldn't finish it all, though I tried my best.












Chocolate pumpkin pie from Dreena Burton's Eat Drink and Be Vegan, and apple strudel from The Joy of Vegan Baking. Both were excellent and will be made again soon.

Perfect summer pasta

Make it while you still can!

Ingredients:
*Whole wheat fettucine for two.
*2 medium tomatoes (or 4-6 plum tomatoes), diced
*1 can artichokes, drained, rinsed and quartered
*1/3 cup white wine
*1 tsp tomato paste
*2-3 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 tbs olive oil
*1/2 tbs margarine
*handful of walnuts, lightly crushed or rough chopped
*two handfuls fresh spinach rough chopped
*1/2 tsp. oregano (dried, more if fresh)
*1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
*squeeze of fresh lemon
*kosher/sea salt and black pepper to taste

-Boil pasta in salted water
-In large skillet, melt margarine and olive oil together
-Toss garlic in the pan first, letting it flavor the oil just a few seconds before adding the next ingredients
-Add tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, artichokes, lemon, oregano, pinch of salt and red pepper flakes and cook until tomatoes have given up some juice and a light sauce has come together in the pan, moving vegetables around the pan gently
-Add the spinach, basil and walnuts, remove from heat when spinach is just wilted
-Grind on lots of fresh black pepper, add more salt if needed
-Toss with cooked pasta