Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream

2 frozen ripe bananas

4 dates (may use more)

½ cup raw cashews

2 cups strawberries

Blend above ingredients thoroughly.

Freeze in ice cream freezer.

Crock Pot Sweet Potato and Apples

3 sweet potatoes, sliced or chopped

3 apples, chopped

¼ cup maple syrup

2 T. Earth Balance (vegan butter), melted

¼ t. cinnamon

¼ t. nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Cube sweet potatoes and apples and place them in a crock pot or slow cooker.

Sprinkle remaining ingredients on top of the potatoes and apples.

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Quinoa Salad

1 ½ cup cook quinoa

1 ½ cup frozen corn, thawed

2 medium avocados, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

½ medium red onion, diced

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Zest of 1 lime

2 T lime juice

salt

Watermelon Gazpacho

Adapted from Delicious Living magazine, June 2013 issue.

1 seedless watermelon -to yield 10 cups of chunks (reserve the liquid) (You may have to use more or less chunks to get the right amount of puree)

2 cups of cucumber, diced

2 red peppers, diced

2 yellow peppers, diced

6 stalks of celery, diced

1 small red onion, diced

6 T. fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons of sea salt (I used coarse gray sea salt)

Cut watermelon into chunks, removing the rind. Work over something to catch the juices. Puree chunks and juice in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour watermelon puree over vegetables, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour. Taste and season with more salt if necessary. Serve very cold.

This makes a big batch.  

Tropical Kale Slushy

4 servings

Combine

2 chopped stemmed kale leaves,

2 cups chopped fresh pineapple,

1 peeled kiwi, and

1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves in a blender.

Add ice and enough water to cover; purée until smooth

African-Style Stewed Kale

6 servings

Heat

1 chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves

Sauté in water or some of the tomato juice until soft. 

Stir in:

1 Tbsp. ground cumin and

1 Tbsp. ground coriander, then

1 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes and

chopped stemmed leaves from 2 heads of kale. 

Cover and cook until kale is just tender, about 15 minutes.

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and simmer for 10 minutes

Stir in ¼ cup natural peanut butter, optional ( I did not use )

Serve over corn meal, rice or couscous.