Baked Eggplants

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups Japanese breadcrumbs (like Panko)
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Liberally coat a baking sheet with olive oil spray and set aside.
2. Fill three separate pie tins or other shallow dishes with the milk, flour, and bread crumbs.
3. Add oregano and salt to the breadcrumbs and combine.
4. Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour, milk, and breadcrumbs then place them on the baking sheet.
5. Coat all of the breaded eggplant slices  liberally with the olive oil spray and place in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Working at the farmer’s market we are often asked for cooking and recipe advice. This recipe came from our market manager, Abbi Cheek, who was asked for advice on one particularly hot afternoon.

To make watermelon puree, place sliced sections of whole watermelon in a blender and process until smooth. Then, transfer the puree to a fine mesh strainer and allow to separate for at least 10 minutes. Use the separated liquid in this recipe.

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups regular oats, divided
• 1/2 cup pecans, whole
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons bourbon whiskey or vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup raisins

Preparation

1. In a food processor or blender combine 1 ½ cups of oats, coconut, 1/2 cup whole pecans, and ground flax seed. Blend into a uniform powder.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour you created, the all purpose flour, salt, baking soda, the remaining oats, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
3. In a small bowl combine the almond milk, vegetable oil, and bourbon.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until thoroughly until incorporated. Immediately fold in the raisins and chopped pecans then allow the cookie dough to sit until the dough is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes.
5.  Shape cookies by rolling about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and flattening with the palms of your hands. Bake on well greased cookie sheets until golden brown at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before eating or storing.

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I love cookies, but my love is tempered by a small personal problem – despite my life long vegetarianism, daily exercise, and general dislike of eggs and dairy I have above normal cholesterol levels. Now, before you send me a condolence letter I should let you know that it is not technically in a high range, but it was high enough to catch my attention when I was ready to blow my last check-up out of the water. Some additional family research revealed some more disturbing facts, like that everyone in my family over the age of 50 has been diagnosed with heart disease and I am probably one of the 30% of people who are susceptible to dietary cholesterol.

So, I love cookies but it is important to me to avoid dietary cholesterol as much as reasonably possible. One solution is to make vegan cookies, but it would be erroneous to assume that all vegan foods are necessarily better for you than foods that may contain dairy or egg products. This is because many of the easiest to find vegan substitutes (margarine) contain trans-fats which – even though they contain no cholesterol – act to raise bad cholesterol in the blood. To me, part of making a good cookie means making one that I can enjoy knowing that I am not consuming cholesterol or trans-fats, and it also has to taste great.

Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho

This chilled summer soup is a perfect way to enjoy seasonal fresh vegetables.

Ingredients

• 4 large ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds), quartered
• 1 large green bell pepper, quartered and seeded
• 1 green tomato, quartered (optional)
• 1 jalapeno, halved and seeded (optional)
• 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• Olive oil
• 1 medium purple onion, chopped
• 1 large cucumber, chopped
• 1 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Additional finely chopped fresh vegetables (onion, cucumber, corn, etc.) and herbs for garnish

Preparation

1. Place the tomatoes, bell pepper, green tomato, jalapeno and garlic in a large baking dish and drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Broil on high until the vegetables have some light charring – about 8-10 minutes.
2. Put the broiled vegetables, onion, cucumber, lime juice, and vinegar in a large blender and process until smooth.  If the consistency is too thick, you can add additional tomato juice or vegetable broth.
3. Season with salt to taste.  Let the gazpacho cool or chill slightly in the refrigerator before serving.  Serve with  finely chopped fresh vegetables and herbs to garnish each bowl.