2 garlic cloves, minced
2 - 3 tsp Asian chili garlic sauce (or hot sauce of your choice)
3 cups assorted raw nuts (e.g. pecans, almonds, walnuts)
Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). In a medium saucepan on medium heat, sauté the margarine and garlic together until garlic starts to soften. Turn off heat, stir in chili sauce, salt, and nuts; toss until well coated. Spread evenly on cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Makes approx. 3 cups.
SPICED NUTS
Roasting brings out nuts natural flavors but unlike raw nuts, roasted nuts will not keep as long, so consume them within a few months of roasting.
3 cups assorted raw nuts (e.g. pecans, walnuts, almonds)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
Pre-heat oven to 350°F (175°C).In a medium bowl, toss together all the ingredients. Spread evenly over cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Makes approx. 3 cups.
CAROB - COVERED MINI - PRETZELS
You can use chocolate chips instead of carob, but I’m allergic to chocolate (sob), so there you go. If you don’t have a double boiler, just place a small pot in a larger pot containing water.
1 tbsp “milk”
2 cups mini-pretzels, salted
Line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper. In a small double boiler, melt the carob chips and “milk” on medium heat, stirring until smooth and creamy. Dip half or all of the pretzel in carob sauce and lay on cookie sheet. Repeat until done. Place cookie sheets into refrigerator and allow carob to set. Makes approx. 70 mini-pretzels.
SALADS
Salads can stand alone as a meal or complement many main dishes. Unfortunately, when it comes to salads, I’m a creature of habit, and even though I often say, “Today I’m going to make something different,” I usually end up making a simple green salad with an oil and vinegar dressing. It’s terrible. Thank goodness I have my buddy Shirley, a.k.a. Wolffie, from Davie, Florida, who provided me with several of the great recipes in this chapter. Thanks, Wolffie! You’re awesome.
AUNTIE BONNIE’S CHICKPEA SALAD
My Auntie Bonnie needs a chickpea intervention; she has them stockpiled in her kitchen cupboards. Does anyone really need 35 cans of chickpeas “just in case”? But incredibly simple yet fresh and delicious salad is purrrrfection. Just like my Auntie Bonnie.
1 19-oz (540-ml) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large tomato, diced
3 tbsp oil (e.g. flax, hemp, olive)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.
WOLFFIE’S BLACK BEAN & LENTIL SALAD
I’m not a big fan of “The Bean Salad”; it’s usually the one dish at vegan potlucks that I tend to skip over. If you’re like me and don’t care for the bean salad . . . well, let me blow your mind. I can’t urge you enough to try this fantastic recipe from the amazing Wolffie. Her dishes never fail and are a treat to eat. TRUST ME!
Dressing:
1 garlic clove, minced
