Tangy Marinated Rice Salad with Vegetables

Serves 8

½ cup basmati rice

1 cup water

½ 8-ounce package baked flavored tofu, diced

1 cup cherry tomato, sliced

1 cup broccoli florets

2 green onions, chopped (¼ cup)

¼ orange bell pepper, chopped (¼ cup)

½ cup carrot sticks or baby carrots

½ small cucumber, peeled, quartered, and sliced (¼ cup)

½ small yellow squash, diced (¼ cup)

½ cup small button mushrooms, halved

¼ cup vegetable oil

14 teaspoons olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried parsley

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and black pepper to taste, if desired

1. Bring rice and water to a boil in covered saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until rice is tender and has absorbed all water. Cool. Transfer to small bowl.
2. Stir tofu, tomatoes, broccoli, green onions, bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, squash, and mushrooms into rice.
3. Whisk together remaining ingredients in large bowl until mixture forms smooth marinade. Season with salt and black pepper, if desired.
4. Pour marinade into 1-quart canning jar with lid or large resealable plastic bag. Add vegetable mixture and shake to coat.
5. Refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight, shaking mixture occasionally, and serve.

Shaved Fennel in Thin Avocado-”Sprite”-Chipotle Bisque

Serves 4

SOUP:

1 medium avocado, diced (1 cup)

4½ tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon white miso paste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¾ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or ⅓ teaspoon dried rosemary

¼ teaspoon chipotle powder

½ clove garlic, minced (½ teaspoon)

3¼ cups water

Sea salt and pepper to taste, if desired

TOPPING:

½ small fennel bulb, shaved (¼ pound)

¼ cup diced cherry tomatoes

½ green onion, finely chopped, for garnish (1 tablespoon)

¼ cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper

1. To make Soup: blend all ingredients except salt and pepper in blender until smooth and no large droplets of olive oil remain. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
2. Divide soup among 4 serving bowls, and top each serving with 2 tablespoons shaved fennel, 1 tablespoon diced tomatoes, ¾ teaspoon green onion, and 1 tablespoon diced bell pepper.

Vegan Asian Blueberry-Vegetable Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

½ cucumber, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons soy margarine

4 ounces Oriental-style baked tofu, diced

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ red pepper, seeded and diced

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup cooked shelled edamame

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup wasabi-seasoned peas

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup soy nuts

½ tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup soymilk

1 cup fresh blueberries

½ tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or more to taste

½ tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Tamari Oriental-style salad dressing to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line ⅓-cup muffin cups with paper liners, or spray with cooking spray.
2. Squeeze diced cucumber to remove excess moisture. Mix cucumber, soy margarine, and next 13 ingredients together in mixing bowl. Spoon equally into muffin cups; sprinkle with ginger and sesame seeds.
3. Bake 35 minutes, or until tops are firm. Cool slightly on rack, drizzle with desired amount of dressing, and serve.

Drunken Strawberry-Collard Greens-Kiwi Slaw with Rose Geranium

Serves 12

4 cups water

4 wild-berry tea bags

16½ tablespoons sugar

2 1-pint baskets strawberries, hulled

6 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 25.4-ounce (750-ml) bottles chilled sparkling apple cider

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 fresh rose geranium leaves, crushed slightly, or ½ teaspoon rose water

½ tablespoon dry mustard

½ tablespoon celery seeds

½ cup light rum

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

Salt and pepper

1 large bunch collard greens (about 1 pound), thick stems trimmed, leaves halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (about 8 cups)

3 kiwis, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes

4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (about ½ medium head)

2 cups ice cubes

2 cups coarsely grated peeled carrots (about 3 large)

1. Bring 2 cups water to boil in large saucepan. Add tea bags; cover and let steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add sugar to hot tea; stir until dissolved. Stir in remaining water. Chill tea until cold, about 3 hours.
2. Puree 1 basket strawberries in processor. Slice remaining strawberries.
3. Whisk tea, pureed strawberries, vinegar, and next 7 ingredients (through paprika) in large bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Combine sliced strawberries, collard greens, kiwis, cabbage, ice cubes, and carrots in very large bowl. Pour dressing over; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until collard greens soften and wilt slightly, tossing occasionally, at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

Cinnamon-Corn-Maple Applesauce

Serves 8 (serving size: about 1 cup)

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup water

4 cups chopped peeled apple (about 4 medium apples)

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon canola oil

¼ cup unpopped popcorn kernels

2 tablespoons maple sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1. Combine syrup and water in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Add apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg; cover and cook over medium-low heat 25 minutes or until tender. Mash apples with a potato masher. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes.
2. Add oil to apple mixture; increase heat to medium-high. Add popcorn, sugar, and salt to pan; cover and cook 3 minutes or until kernels begin to pop, stirring frequently. Continue cooking 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. When popping slows down, remove pan from heat. Let stand, covered, until all popping stops.

Sweet and Spicy Nut, Grappa, and Pretzel Mix

Serves 8
1½ tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, divided
³⁄₈ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
¼ cup pecans
¼ cup blanched almonds
¾ tablespoon butter
¾ tablespoon Nardini almond grappa
1½ cups tiny unsalted pretzels
¾ tablespoon Pages Verveine du Velay Extra Liqueur
½ cup crispy rice cereal squares (such as Rice Chex)
¾ tablespoon Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¾ tablespoon lime juice

1. Preheat oven to 350˚.
2. Combine brown sugar, ½ teaspoon thyme, salt, cinnamon, and red pepper in a small bowl.
3. Combine pecans and almonds on a jelly-roll pan.  Bake at 350˚ for 10 minutes or until the nuts begin to brown.  Combine the pecan mixture and butter in a medium bowl, stirring until the butter melts.  Gently stir in grappa, pretzels, verveine, cereal, maraschino liqueur, syrup, and lime juice.  Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over pretzel mixture; toss gently to coat.  Spread pretzel mixture in a single layer on jelly-roll pan.  Bake at 350˚ for 10 minutes, stirring once.  Sprinkle with remaining thyme.  Cool completely.

Pumpkin-Spiced Mushroom Chips

1 cup apple cider

1½ cinnamon sticks, divided

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1½ whole cloves

¼ cup canned pure pumpkin puree

½ ounce white rum

½ pound oyster mushrooms, stemmed

1. Simmer cider, 1 cinnamon stick, olive oil, and cloves for 5 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin. Strain; add rum and toss with mushrooms and remaining cinnamon stick, crushed. Spread on rack set on baking sheet. Bake at 400^o until crisp, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle with salt,

Garlicky Sparkling Lima Bean Sangria Spread

Serves 8 (serving size: 9½ tablespoons)

1 cup fresh lima beans

8 teaspoons fresh parsley leaves

½ cup cherries, pitted and halved

8 tablespoons water

½ cup blueberries

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ cup raspberries

½ tablespoon olive oil

½ cup quartered small strawberries

2 teaspoons roasted garlic paste

¼ cup chopped nectarine (about ½)

¼ teaspoon salt

8 teaspoons brandy

¹/₈ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup apricot nectar, chilled

¹/₈ teaspoon hot sauce

½ (750-milliliter) bottle cava, chilled

1. Sort and wash beans; drain and place in a medium saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Place beans and next 16 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving with summer vegetable crudites, such as whole radishes, baby carrots, endive leaves, zucchini, and/or yellow squash strips.