Vegan with a Vengeance

with Tahini Dressing
    SERVES 4
    Â 
    I love me some greens. You can prepare the kale without the dressing and serve it with ... well, anything, really. I like to mash it into my mashed potatoes.
    5 or 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    3 tablespoons olive oil
    1 bunch kale, well rinsed and coarsely chopped
    Â¼ teaspoon salt
    Tahini Dressing (recipe follows)
    Lemon wedges to serve
    Sauté the garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Add the kale and a few splashes of water. Use tongs to toss the kale around, coating it with the garlic and oil. Stir frequently for 4 to 5 minutes.
    Serve with a drizzle of Tahini Dressing. I like to use a squeeze bottle for this but if you don’t have one just use a spoon. Garnish with lemon wedges.
    Fizzle says:
    You can use the stems of the kale if they are on the thin side, about ¼ inch wide. If they are larger, cut the leaves from the stem.

Tahini Dressing
    MAKES 2 CUPS
    Â 
    This is way more than you need for the recipe above but I figure if you are making it might as well have some left over for salad and sammiches or falafel throughout the week. It is really important that you don’t burn the garlic; you really just want to heat it and get the flavor into the oil.
    8 teaspoons olive oil
    3 cloves garlic, chopped
    Â½ cup tahini
    2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
    Â½ tsp salt
    Juice of 1 lemon
    Several dashes fresh black pepper
    Â½ teaspoon paprika
    Â¼ cup lightly packed fresh parsley
    Â½ cup cold water
    Heat the garlic in 6 teaspoons of the olive oil in a small sauté pan over very low heat for 2 minutes, just until it’s fragrant.
    Place the heated garlic and all the other ingredients except the parsley in the food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Add the parsley and pulse until the parsley is very finely chopped but not pureed.
    Refrigerate at least ½ hour in an airtight container. You may need to mix in a little extra water once it’s chilled.

Roasted Applesauce
    MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS
    Â 
    This is a standard Passover dish for me to bring as an alternative to that tiresome applesauce from a jar. Serve it alongside potato pancakes or Horseradish- and Coriander-Crusted Tofu (page 151) or any time you think, “This is good but it could use some applesauce.”
    3 pounds McIntosh apples (about 10 apples)
    Juice of 1 lemon
    2 tablespoons canola oil
    Â¼ cup pure maple syrup
    2 tablespoons sugar
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    Â½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
    Pinch ground allspice
    Â¼ teaspoon salt
    Preheat oven to 400°F.
    Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1-inch chunks. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and set aside.
    Combine the oil, maple syrup, sugar, cinnamon, and zest in a glass baking dish, and whisk together. Add the apples and toss to coat.
    Roast until the apples are very tender, about 25 minutes, turning once after 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and mash. If you prefer a smoother applesauce, you can pulse it a few times in a blender or food processor. You can serve this warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms
    SERVES 4
    Â 
    Garlicky green beans and earthy mushrooms together at last. This is a great Thanksgiving dish or as a side to any Italian meal.
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    1½ cups sliced cremini mushrooms
    Â½ teaspoon dried oregano
    4 teaspoons salt
    a few dashes fresh black pepper
    Â½ cup vegetable broth or water
    Â½ cup white cooking wine
    2½ cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
    In a large nonstick pan over medium heat sauté the garlic in the olive oil for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms, oregano, salt, and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms begin to release moisture, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and turn the heat up a bit, bringing to a low boil. Simmer for about a minute.
    Add the white wine and green beans; cover and simmer for about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook for about 3 more minutes or until desired tenderness is reached.

Sesame Asparagus
    SERVES 4-6
    Â 
    Serve alongside the Asian Grilled Tofu (page 145) or any Asian type meal.
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
    2 tablespoons soy sauce
    2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    1 pound asparagus, ends discarded
    2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
    Sauté the garlic in the sesame oil over medium heat for about a