Curried Lime-Dill Shrimp Kebabs

24 large fresh shrimp, peeled
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp favorite curry powder or Garam Masala
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 inch fresh peeled ginger, minced
Dash red pepper flakes
1 tsp Nam Pla, Thai fish sauce
1 red bell pepper

Toss the shrimp with the remaining ingredients except the bell pepper in a large bowl and allow to marinate for at least half an hour. Meanwhile soak six wooden skewers in water, to keep them from burning when cooking, and preheat a grill. Skewer four shrimp on each wooden skewer, alternating with the bell pepper. Grill over very high heat about 3 minutes a side. Serves four to six.

Chickpea Sandwich Spread

1 carrot, peeled, cut into 6 pieces
2 green onions, cut into 6 pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled
palmful fresh cilantro, or parsley
1 15-oz can chick peas, drained
½ tsp salt
½ tsp favorite curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp good real mayonnaise
juice of ½ lime

In a small food processor, chop the carrots until very fine. Turn into a mixing bowl. Then chop the onions, garlic and cilantro until minced. Tip into mixing bowl with carrots. Then process the chick peas by pulsing and stirring several times, until chick peas are finely chopped but not puréed. Turn into mixing bowl with carrots. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve over crackers or in a sandwich.

Tofu & Zucchini Parmesan

1 brick extra firm tofu
1 large zucchini
1 rounded cup fine Italian bread crumbs, or more as needed
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup pesto
1/2 lb Mozarella cheese, sliced
About 2 cups pasta tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
4 fresh sage leaves, minced

First slice the tofu about 1/4 inch thick and press between paper towels to remove excess water (I put a cutting board on top of the slices with a few cans of beans to weigh it down). Slice the zucchini steeply on a bias to get oblong ovals, about 1/4 inch thick - you should have about 10 slices. In a shallow dish or plate, beat the egg and the milk together well. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish.

Preheat oven to 375F. Heat about 1 cup canola oil in a large skillet to medium high. Dip the zucchini and the tofu into the egg and then the crumbs. Brown in batches in the oil until brown and crispy, and then drain on paper towels.

Spread the pesto on the bottom of an oiled casserole. Layer the tofu on the pesto. Top with half the cheese and sauce. Layer the zucchini onto the tofu layers. Top with the remaining cheese, the garlic and sage leaves and then the sauce. Bake for about 30 minutes uncovered, or until hot and bubbly.

Quick Tomato Sauce

Grilled Tofu Pimenton

1 pkg extra firm tofu, drained and sliced 1/4-inch
1 Tbsp Pimenton Spanish smokey paprika
2 Tbsp olive oil

In a flat dish, stir together the oil and paprika. Flip the tofu in the oil mixture several times and allow them to sit for about 10-15 minutes, for some of the spice to absorb into the tofu a bit. Salt and pepper tofu generously.

Meanwhile, heat a grill. Grill tofu slices carefully on the oiled grill, until browned, flipping once. You could also use a grill pan. Serve with a Tsatsiki yogurt sauce.

Curry Raita Sauce

I use non fat Greek Yogurt - it does not have the fillers like carrgeenan etc., and it is thick and rich. You could also use regular yogurt and strain it in a coffee filter to remove much of the moisture. You can also add finely chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded for a nice crunch).

1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 tsp curry powder or favorite masala
1 tsp smokey Pimenton paprika
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp powdered cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and allow flavors to meld for at least 20 minutes.

Garbanzo Falafel Burgers

My quest for the perfect veggie burger continues with this version, which is basically Falafel. You can vary this with curry powder or other veggies for many fine alternatives, I am sure.
1/3 cup bulgur wheat
¼ cup Besan (chick pea flour)
1 15-oz can chick peas, drained
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smokey Pimenton paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
palmful of fresh cilantro leaves
freshly-ground black (or mixed-color) pepper

First soak the bulgur by bringing 1-cup water with 1-teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the bulgur, stir, cover, take off the heat and let soak for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place two-thirds of the chick peas in a food processor along with all the remaining ingredients (that is except the bulgur and Besan). Pulse to form a mixture with coarse texture (the chick peas should be well chopped, but NOT pureed). Tip into a bowl.

In the same food processor, puree the remaining one-third of the chick peas to paste. Add to mixture in bowl. Strain the bulgur and press to remove most of the water. Add the bulgur and the Besan to the mixture on the bowl. Stir to mix well. Allow to chill in refrigerator for about 1-2 hours (I have not experimented with this, but read this in MANY bean burger recipes – it allows the patties to form better.)

Form chick pea mixture into 4 patties. The mixture uncooked will look like this.
Heat about ¼ inch canola oil in a large non-stick skillet. Cook burgers about 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat, so that the surfaces crisp up well. Take care to flip burgers carefully (I use two spatulas) as they will split easily.

Tomato and Avocado Salad with Feta

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
½ cup Feta cheese
¼ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

Gently toss tomatoes with vinaigrette in a bowl. Fan the avocado slices onto four salad plates.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup olive oil
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Whisk all ingredients together. Makes 1 cup.

Warm Potato Salad with Whole Grain Mustard

2 lb red skinned potatoes
3 green onions, sliced
Palmful fresh parsley, minced
1 Tbsp small capers

Dressing
2 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and cook at a low boil, just until tender. Drain in a colander and allow to cool.

Meanwhile whisk dressing ingredients together. Put onions, parsley and capers in a large bowl. Slice the potatoes and tip into bowl. Pour dressing over veggies and fold gently to mix. Tip into serving bowl. Top with a small crumble of feta if desired, mostly for looks.