Whisk oil, vinegar, spices and salt together in a pie tin or other medium-sized dish with sides. Keep in mind that pattypan are like eggplant. They are greedy little sponges for oil. Make more than you think you need. Dip both sides pattypan slices in seasoned oil and reserve on a large plate.

Heat your grill or grill pan to a high searing temperature. Lightly shake off any excess oil from your pattypan slices and place them on your grill. Sear and then lower temperature to medium. Let slices soften, and then turn to sear and cook the other side. You want your pattypan tender but not mushy.

You have two options for the pizza preparation if you are using a grill. You can either place your topping on top of your seared pattypan crust in the grill, close the lid and allow the heat to melt the cheese, or you can reserve your slices and heat the topping in the broiler of your oven. The latter option will result in more browning, so I found I preferred to use the broiler. For broiler option, place pattypan slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler on high. Remove when cheese is melted and has browned. You can use Daiya cheese as a dairy-free alternative, but it will not brown in the same way so just remove when melted.

Prepare pasta until al dente and rinse in cool water to remove excess starch. Blanch green beans (i.e. drop in boiling water and then rinse in cold water when crisp tender.) Cooking time depends on the bean- I used fresh ones from the farmers market and they cooked quickly but older, tougher beans like those at Trader Joes will take more time.

Toast pecans in pan on stove on low heat, sprinkling with salt and sugar as they start to warm. Continue toasting and remove from heat before they burn.

Mix pesto into the green beans. (You may have extra for the pasta or for another use). Fold into the pasta, and add your olives and sugared pecans.

Serve and enjoy!

Meanwhile add one bunch of mint leaves and 2 green chilies to a blender or food processor and blend it coarsely. Add to the pan with the veggies and fry until the raw mint smell fades.

Drain rice thoroughly and add to the pan with the mint and veggies. Salt to taste and add water.

If you have a rice cooker, at this point you can transfer to a rice cooker and run the cycle. If you don’t have a rice cooker, cover the pan and cook on medium for approximately 15 minutes. Remove lid and check for doneness, fluffing with a spoon. Serve and enjoy!

Preheat oven to 375F.

Prepare 2 lb. bread pan by lining with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease with butter or margarine. Sprinkle bottom of pan with 2 tbsp. gluten-free bread crumbs and some of the pecan pieces.

In a large bowl, mix together the red lentils, parmesan cheese, onion, crimini mushrooms, 1 1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs, and parsley. Add the eggs and lemon juice and stir together. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Carefully spoon into prepared bread pan. Use remaining pecan pieces to attractively decorate the top of the lentil loaf.

Bake lentil loaf for an hour or until it has a golden brown and firm exterior. Slices will be more firm as it cools, but it tastes great hot out of the oven.

We served it with mashed potatoes and arugula, or brown rice pasta in a nutritional yeast sauce. Delish!

Take pressed tofu slices and coat in potato starch. Heat oil and then Fry tofu in batches until it starts to turn light brown. Remove tofu when done and let any excess oil ‘drain” on a wire rack. When all tofu is done, baste with reduced barbecue sauce and serve.

Enjoy!

Bake beans in 1/4 of the barbecue sauce in a corningware type pan while you prepare the tofu and bake the tofu.

Place tofu on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Coat with olive oil and toss, and sprinkle with smoked paprika on both sides and salt to taste. Bake for 15-20 minutes and then turn when tofu cubes are brown on one side.

Add the chopped chard to the baking beans and return to oven.

Bake tofu until the other side is browned. Add to bbq chard and beans along with additional 1/4 recipe barbecue sauce. Make sure tofu is thoroughly coated. Bake for another 10-20 minutes and serve.

Heat oil in a cast iron pan to medium and saute your onion until almost translucent. Add garlic clove and diced carrot and continue cooking until carrot softens slightly. Toss in your cumin seeds and oregano, letting them heat and release their fragrance. Mix in your can of chilies and season with salt and pepper. Take out 1/2 cup or so of the onion mixture and combine in blender either with reserved cooking liquid (1/2 to 1 cup) or water. Add your beans to the cast iron pan and combine thoroughly. Add extra cumin and/or oregano if you think it needs it after tasting. Let beans heat and flavors permeate. After at least 10 minutes fold your blended liquid into the other ingredients in the pan. Let cook for another 10-20 minutes (adding extra water or cooking liquid if it gets too dry) and then taste again, adjusting seasonings- you may need more salt. Sprinkle in a dash of apple cider vinegar and fold in some fresh cilantro. A few minutes later, take the pan off the burner and serve.

Heat nonstick frypan over medium-high heat and add a teaspoon or two of olive oil (for the nicest browning) and cover pan evenly. Shape your potato mash into balls and then flatten into a patty. If you like, you can combine the teff flour and seasonings and flour your patty OR you can just leave the croquette as is. Fry your patty until golden brown, turning over to get both sides evenly crispy and brown.

To serve as “finger food” provide your guests (or family) with large lettuce leaves to make a lettuce potato wrap, with a smidgen of aoli or vegan mayonnaise or other creamy sauce and a dab of “red” sauce (your choice). Or just enjoy plain!