Gluten-Free Crusty Boule

From "Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day" by Jeff Hetzberg, M.D., and Zoë François

"Shauna and Danny of the Gluten-Free website generously shared their wealth of knowledge with us to develop this fabulous crusty loaf. The dough is incredibly versatile; we bake it as a classic boule or in a loaf pan for sandwiches. It also makes a wonderful pizza crust with your favorite toppings or great crackers if it is rolled thin."

Makes enough dough for at least four 1-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

2 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
3 cups tapioca starch (tapioca flour)
2 Tbsp granulated yeast
1 Tbsp kosher salt (increase or decrease to taste)
2 Tbsp xanthan gum
2 2/3 cups lukewarm water
4 large eggs
1/3 cup neutral-flavored oil
2 Tbsp honey

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Whisk together the flours, tapioca starch, yeast, salt, and xanthan gum in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Combine the liquid ingredients and gradually mix them with the dry ingredients, using a spoon, a 14- cup food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle), until all of the dry ingredients are well incorporated. You might have to use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate if you're not using a machine.
3. Cover (not airtight), and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises, approximately 2 hours.
4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 7 days. The flavor will be best if you wait for at least 24 hours of refrigeration.
5. On baking day, use wet hands to take out a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece of the refrigerated dough. Quickly shape it into a ball: this dough isn't stretched because there is no gluten in it - just gently press it into the shape. You might need to wet your hands a little to prevent the dough from sticking and to create a smooth surface, but don't use so much water as to make the dough soggy.
6. Allow the dough to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, on a pizza peel prepared with cornmeal or lined with parchment for 90 minutes (40 minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough). Alternatively, you can rest the loaf on a silicone mat or a greased cookie sheet.
7. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty metal broiler tray on any other rack that won't interfere with the rising bread.
8. Just before baking, slash the loaf with 1/4-inch-deep parallel cuts, using a serrated bread knife.
9. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone (or place the silicone mat or cookie sheet on the stone if you used one). Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 35 minutes, until lightly browned and firm. If you used parchment paper, a silicone mat, or a cookie sheet under the loaf, carefully remove it two-thirds of the way through baking and bake the loaf directly on the stone or an oven rack. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in resting and baking time.
10. Allow to cool on a rack before slicing or eating.

*Visit www.artisanbreadinfive.com for further instructions and photos, or watch the Gluten-Free Crusty Boule video.

Whole Grain Rye Bread

From "Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day" by Jeff Hetzberg, M.D., and Zoë François

Yields four 1-pound loaves.

2 3/4 cup rye flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use Spring Hard White Wheat)
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbsp caraway seeds, plus additional for sprinkling on top crust
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
4 cups lukewarm water (70 to 80 degrees)
Cornmeal or semolina flour for the pizza peel

1. Mix the flours, yeast, salt, caraway seeds, and vital wheat gluten in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Add the water and mix without kneading, using a spoon or heavy-duty stand mixer with paddle.
3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and flattens on top, approximately 2 hours.
4. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 7 days.
5. On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound piece. Dust with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go.
6. Elongate the ball into a narrow oval. Allow the loaf to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, on a pizza peel prepared with cornmeal or lined with parchment paper for 90 minutes (40 minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough). 30 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on the shelf below the stone.
7. Just before baking use a pastry brush to paint the top with water, and then sprinkle with the additional caraway seeds. Slash the loaf with 1/4-inch-deep parallel cuts using a serrated knife.
8. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone (or place the silicone mat or cookie sheet on the stone if you used one). Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until richly browned and firm. If you used the parchment paper, a silicone mat, or a cookie sheet under the loaf, carefully remove it two-thirds of the way through baking and bake the loaf directly on the stone or an oven rack.
9. Allow to cool completely before slicing or eating.

*Visit www.artisanbreadinfive.com for further instructions and photos, or watch the how-to-slash-rye-bread video.

Fruit Smoothy

Submitted by Kathy Evans

1 cup blueberries (frozen is fine)

2 kiwis, peeled

1 banana

1 apple (with peels)

1 1/2 cup frozen (or fresh) strawberries

1/3 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup vanilla yogurt (We use the brand "WholeSoy & Co." We've found it's the only soy yogurt we like.)

Blend well in blender. (We do not use water or ice - but some of the fruit is frozen so this ends nice and cold.)

Spinach Alfredo

1 pkg Nasoya Silken Tofu
3/4 cup soy milk
1 tsp salt
Juice from 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
4 fresh garlic cloves OR 2 roasted garlic heads
1-1 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated

Blend above ingredients, then add:
1 cup soy milk
2 Tbsp corn starch

Thicken on stove top, then add:
2 cup chopped spinach, wilted

Add:
2-3 Tbsp crushed dry basil
3-4 Tbsp fresh or dried parsley
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated

Mix. Serve over cooked pasta.

Perfect Patties

Adapted from "The Guilt-free Gourmet" by Vicki B. Griffin

4 cups rolled oats
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp Herbamare or other seasoned salt
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp molasses
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 Tbsp savory
1/2 Tbsp basil

Boil 4 cups water. Mix in all other ingredients. Let sit for 20 minutes. Form into patties (using wide-mouth mason jar lid and ring). Bake on baking paper at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Turn patties over and bake another 20 minutes.

Serve with cheese sauce or cashew gravy.

Cheese Sauce

1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup well-cooked brown rice, warm
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp nutritional food yeast
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cup water
1/4 cup pimento

Blend well, until very smooth. Heat to boiling to thicken.

American Chop Suey

1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 Tbsp water
1 quart home-canned tomatoes or 1 28-oz can, diced or broken up
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)
1 cup water
2 Tbsp liquid aminos
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
1 lb brown rice macaroni (I used Tinkyada)

Saute onion and garlic in water in a large saucepan for 2 minutes. Cover and cook until onions are tender. Add tomatoes, tomato pate, TVP, water, and liquid aminos. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a saucepan in boiling water until "al dente." Drain and rinse with hot water. Add pasta to tomato mixture and mix well. Add sea salt.

Vegetarian Fried Rice

In this simple recipe, cooked rice is fried with vegetables and cashew nuts. It can either be eaten on its own or served as an accompaniment.

Generous 3/4 cup long-grain rice
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1 carrot
1/2 English cucumber
1 yellow bell pepper
2 scallions
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
3/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
cilantro leaves, to garnish

• Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the rice and simmer for 15 minutes. Tip the rice into a strainer and rinse: drain thoroughly.
• Heat a wok or large skillet. Add the cashew nuts and dry-fry until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
• Cut the carrot in half along the length, then slice thinly into semi-circles. Halve the cucumber and remove the seeds, using a teaspoon; dice the cucumber. Slice the bell pepper and chop the scallions.
• Hat the oil in the woke or large skillet. Add the prepared vegetables and the garlic. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the rice, peas, soy sauce, and salt. Continue to stir-fry until well mixed and thoroughly heated.
• Stir in the reserved cashew nuts and serve garnished with cilantro leaves.

Serves 2-4

Last-Minute Meal:
You can replace any of the vegetables in this recipe with others suitable for a stir-fry, and using leftover rice makes this a perfect last-minute meal.

Tuscan Bean Soup

Adapted from "Vegetarian For Life" by Darlene Blaney

1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 large carrots, sliced
2 cups chopped rutabaga (frozen is OK)
4 cups shredded green cabbage (I put in the whole head)
1 lb. dry large lima beans, soaked overnight
1 1/2 cups brown rice
6-8 cups water (or enough to cover everything)
6 Tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos
1 Tbsp dried parsley
4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Saute onion in a little water. Add garlic, carrots, and rutabaga (if using fresh). Cook for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except for frozen rutabaga), and bring to a boil. Cover and boil slowly for about an hour or until rice is tender. If using frozen rutabaga, add it now, and bring to a boil. Boil until rutabaga is thawed and tender.

Makes an 8 quart kettle-full of soup.

Asparagus Guacamole

2 cups cooked asparagus
2 Tbsp soy yoghurt
2 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime

Blend first three ingredients together, then add:
2 Tbsp gren onion, minced
2 Tbsp tomato salsa
1 Tbsp cilantro, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin

If desired, you can also add:
1/2 avocado
1 Tbsp Vegenaise

Un-Tuna Sandwich

"Try toasting some bread and using some vegan cheese, you can make it into an Un-Tuna Melt. You won't be disappointed." ~ Jeff Peterson, 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. news anchor on WGME-TV.

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup of celery, diced
1 medium carrot, grated
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 Tbsp of relish or dill pickle, chopped fine
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp kelp granules

Drain and rinse beans and place in medium bowl. Mash the beans and combine with the rest of ingredients until mixed well. Add sea salt as necessary. Serve with rice crackers, as a sandwich, or wrapped in a tortilla.

Carrot & Tofu Scramble

From "Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook"`
Submitted by Sophia Palange

1 Tbsp oil
1 lb carrots, grated
1 lb x-Firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sesame seeds (optional)
1 Tbsp ?? sesame oil

In skillet, heat oil over medium heat and cook carrots, stirring for 15 minutes. Add tofu to carrots and cook until soft. Add soy sauce and sesame seeds. Cook 1 minute. Stir in sesame oil. Serve hot.

Recommend serving over rice.