Meatless Monday: Easy Greek Style Cous Cous

One of my favorite things to eat on warm summer days is this cold salad/pasta dish.

1 cup cous cous
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1/2 medium red onion
Juice of 1/2 medium lemon
3 peeled chopped persian cucumbers
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Salt
Pepper

Prepare cous cous as package directs.
Chop ingredients.
Add everything to cous cous, stir and chill for at least 2 hours.
Serve cold.

Meatless Monday: Mujadarrah

I love this dish. Omit the yogurt/sour cream for a vegan version.

Lentils and Rice with Fried Onions (Mujadarrah)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large white onion, sliced into rings
• 1 1/3 cups uncooked green lentils
• 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions, and cook about 10 minutes, until browned. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Place lentils in a medium saucepan with enough lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 15 minutes.
3. Stir rice and enough water to cover into the saucepan with the lentils. Season with salt and pepper. Cover saucepan, and continue to simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until rice and lentils are tender.
4. Mix half the onions into the lentil mixture. Top with yogurt or sour cream and remaining onions to serve.

What are you having in your house for Meatless Monday?

*Original recipe from allrecipes.com

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies (vegan)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup hot water

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup quick cooking rolled oats

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

6 Tbsp. chopped walnuts

1 vegan egg replacer (I use 1 Tbsp. ground flax meal & 3 Tbsp. water mixed together to equal 1 egg)

6 Tbsp vegetable oil (can also substitute 6 Tbsp. applesauce)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make flax meal egg substitute mixture & set aside

Combine cranberries & hot water in a bowl & set aside

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt

Add cinnamon, nutmeg, oats, sugar & nuts to dry mixture

Add wet ingredients

Mix until a dough forms

drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet

Bake for 10-13 minutes


Makes 24 Cookies
86 calories per cookie (with flax meal & applesauce variation)

Meatless Monday: Simple Vegan Chocolate Cake

Ready to go into the oven.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups water

¾ cups vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla

The finished cake!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Mix dry ingredients

Add in wet ingredients

Pour into baking pan

Bake for 30-40 minutes

The best part of baking!