This gazpacho capitalizes on the best that early summer produce has to offer.

Green tomato gazpacho (Photo:Gabirel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 4 large green tomatoes
• 2 medium cucumbers
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 clover garlic
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 sprig of mint
• 1 medium purple pepper for garnish, diced
• 1/2 small sweet onion for garnish, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine green tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, cilantro, and mint in a blender adding enough water to create a smooth consistency.
2. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste
3. Serve garnished with diced purple peppers and onion.

This is a recipe is the love child between tomatillo salsa and Peruvian Aji Verde. You can serve it like a Peruvian Aji to add heat and flavor to any dish but it is also mild enough to consume in larger quantities with chips like a typical Tex-Mex salsa.

Green Tomato Ají

Ingredients

• 5 medium green tomatoes
• 1 large jalapeno, seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 sweet yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a high-speed blender until thoroughly processed.
2. Serve immediately

In Texas there is a narrow window of overlap between the last of the spring fennel and the beginning fresh fig availability. Make the most of this limited season with a vegetarian variation on a classic French dish.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced in to 1/2 inch thick strips
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 pound fresh figs, halved
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Kohlrabi, which means cabbage turnip in Swiss German, is a cruciferous vegetable. The flavor of fresh kohlrabi is mild and light similar to broccoli hearts. It is great raw as in this slaw and is also a fantastic addition to stir fry.

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 2 large kohlrabi, peeled and grated
• 2 medium green apples, peeled and grated
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, washed
• 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

1. Combine kohlrabi and apples and toss with lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a blender or food processor combine mint, sugar, pecans, and olive oil. Blend until smooth.
3. Combine mint dressing and vegetables. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Kohlrabi Apple Slaw with Mint Pesto

I don’t like to eat any food that I can’t make myself. Translation: I want to eat a whole food plant based diet and I don’t like vegan or vegetarian foods that replace meat with lab creations. This aversion, however, does not extend to gluten “meats” since 1) gluten is the protein found in wheat and you can extract at home with relative ease, if you are so inclined; and  2) I am fortunate enough not to have any gluten intolerance so gluten based meat substitutes are a good source of protein in my diet.

This recipe and method for gluten and bean “sausage” are inspired by Post Punk Kitchen. This version uses black beans, ground Cayenne for heat, and substituted the thyme with Fertile Earth’s Organic Thyme Blend Spice Rub.

Black Bean Veggie Sausage on the grill (Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 1 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fennel seed, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or spice blend
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten

Preparation

1. Blend beans and broth together in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine the bean puree with olive oil, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic, spices, and salt.  Once thoroughly combined, stir in the wheat gluten.
3. Divide dough into 6 even portions and place the portions in individual sections of tin foil, Mold the dough into 5 inch long sausages and wrap in the tin foil.
4. Place wrapped sausages in a steamer basket and steam for 40 minutes. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

These sausages make great hotdog substitutes! We recommend them with Drippin’ Sauce’s Mild Chipotle Ketchup or spicy mustard.

Grilled Asparagus is simply delicious and the addition of portabello mushrooms and this marinade make them to die for!

Grilled Asparagus (Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 1 pound of asparagus, washed with stems trimmed
• 2 large portobello mushrooms, washed and sliced into 1/2 inch thick strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon of ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in an airtight container and allow to marinade for at least 2 hours.
2. Place the marinaded vegetables directly on a lightly greased grill. Cook rotating occasionally until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Serve warm.

Note: If your grill is of questionable cleanliness or you are concerned about loosing a few asparagus lay a square of tinfoil on the grill poke it with a few small holes to allow some smoke to come through the surface, and place your vegetables on the foil.

This recipe is our vegan adaptation of a BBQed Egg.

Grilled Bell Pepper with Tofu Scramble (Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 1 block tofu, drained, pressed, and sliced into small cubes
• 2 green onion, sliced
• 2 cups spinach, washed and chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 rounded tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 large red bell peppers, washed, halved, and seeded
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Preparation

Beet and Rutabaga Borscht

Borscht is a traditional Ukrainian soup with a gorgeous purple-red hue.  It’s a delicious way to use beets and can be served hot or chilled.

Ingredients

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound (about 3 medium) red beets, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 6 cups vegetable stock (see our recipe)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Parsley or dill for garnish
• Sour cream for garnish (optional for vegan preparation)

Preparation

1. In a large soup pot, saute onion and carrots in olive oil over medium-high heat until onions become translucent.
2. Add beets and rutabaga, continuing to saute for about 2 minutes more.
3. Add stock, cover, and bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and continue boiling until beets and rutabaga pieces are soft. Season to taste.
4. Using an immersion blender or upright blender, process soup until smooth.
5. Serve warm immediately or chill and serve cool.  Garnish each bowl of soup with fresh parsley or dill and a dollop of sour cream (optional).

It took me a long time to get around to appreciating smoked spices. My reluctance is the same thing that make so many people love them: smoky flavors remind me of meat. But, I am growing up and trying new things and after enough coxing I have learned to appreciate smoked spices. I am even considering making my own using the same grill method described in Culture Magazine to smoke cheese. Look for an update on this experiment on our News page in the weeks to come.

For now I am using trader Joe’s South African Smoke Seasoning Blend, but any smoked seasoning will do. Just remember, a little will go a long way.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cooked black beans, drained
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked spice
• salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste.

Black Bean Taquitos

Taquitos are a Tex-Mex snack in that typically consist of corn tortillas rolled around small portions of ground beef then deep fried. These little flavor bombs will fulfill anyone’s quotient for junk food particularly when dipped in to a sour cream or cheese sauce. These healthier taquitos are baked and also vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

• 2 cups refried black beans
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted and sliced
• 2 dozen corn tortillas, softened*
• Vegetable or olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Roll the taquitos by placing a tablespoon of black beans and a slice of pepper in the center of a corn tortilla, fold in half, then roll tightly.
2. Place the rolled taquitos in a large baking dish coated in cooking spray.
3. Once the dish is full with a single layer of taquitos, liberally spray the taquitos with some additional cooking spray.
4. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Serve warm with your favorite salsa or aji.

*Corn tortillas are notorious for crumbling. If they are fresh (still warm) this will not be a problem, but it is reasonable to expect that this may not be possible. Here are some instructions for softening corn tortillas to make them more pliable.