Ingredients

• 1 lb. extra-firm tofu
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 stick margarine
• Nutritional yeast
• Pinch of salt
• Sage
• Celery salt
• Corn flakes
• Brown rice flour or garbanzo flour

Directions

Cut tofu into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. In a small skillet, heat up 1/2 - 1 stick margerine. When completely melted, dip tofu in margarine; make sure you coat all surfaces. Dredge tofu to dry breading, and cover both sides. Transfer breaded tofu to a lightly greased tray or cookie sheet. Bake until crunchy, about 8-10 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened apple butter
• 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
• 6 large strawberries, sliced
• 1 apple or pear, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Spread apple butter over pita bread. Arrange slices of fruit on top of apple butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve as is or heat in 350-degree oven for 15 minutes and serve warm.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• One 6-ounce package vegan “bacon”
• 2 teaspoons oil
• One 24-ounce package frozen lima beans
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

Directions

Fry vegan “bacon” in oil in a non-stick frying pan until crisp on both sides (about 10 minutes). Chop into very small pieces.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, cook lima beans in boiling water for 10 minutes and drain.
Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a medium-size oven-proof baking dish. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 3 small ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1 cup lite soymilk or other milk alternative
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 4 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the mashed bananas, soymilk, and oil together in a large bowl. Add the flour and baking powder and stir well.
Place dough on a floured surface and knead for 3 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch-wide circles using a cutter or tin can. Place biscuits on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, bake 20 minutes or until browned. Serve warm.

These delicious biscuits make a perfect breakfast item. Leftovers can be re-heated in a toaster oven.

Omelet making is a bit of morning magic. With a deft twist of the wrist, a shake, a fold and a flip, and a nonstick pan, turn three eggs into an elegant breakfast.

You need only an ovenproof nonstick skillet, a wire whisk, and a heat-resistant rubber spatula to make a perfect omelet. Fresh eggs, butter, salt, and freshly ground pepper will guarantee that your omelet tastes delicious. The best butter to use is clarified butter, which does not burn as easily as salted or unsalted butter. If you use regular butter, watch carefully to keep it from burning. Clarified butter is easiest to make in large quantities, and because it has no milk solids, which cause butter to turn rancid, it can be refrigerated for several weeks or frozen until needed. To clarify butter, cut a pound of unsalted butter into tablespoon-size pieces, and place in a small, deep saucepan. Melt the butter very slowly over low heat. The water in the butter will evaporate, and the milk solids will sink to the bottom of the saucepan. Skim off the foam that rises to the surface, and pour the clear, yellow melted butter off the milk solids at the bottom of the saucepan and into a glass jar; discard milk solids.

01.    An omelet pan needs to be hot but not scalding. Heat 1 tbsp. clarified butter in a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place your hand above the skillet. When your palm feels warm, the skillet is ready to start cooking.

02.    Whisk together 3 large eggs, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste while the pan is heating, not before. If they have to sit and wait for the pan, the whisked eggs will deflate. You want to incorporate lots of air into the mixture so that your omelet is light and fluffy. Drop a little whisked egg into the pan. If the egg sizzles and begins to fry, the pan is too hot.

03.    Working quickly, pour the whisked eggs into the hot skillet. Reduce heat to medium. If you want to serve several omelets at once, turn the oven to low heat, about 200°F, and place the serving plates in it.

04.    Simultaneously whisk the eggs and shake the skillet vigorously back and forth over heat for less than a minute. You want to keep the eggs moving, incorporating some of the runny parts with the more-cooked parts until there are some curds swimming in the eggs. Stop whisking. The key to producing an omelet with a fluffy, very smooth surface is to stop whisking just before the egg sets.

05.    Continue cooking, making sure eggs cover the entire surface of the skillet. Using a rubber spatula spread the runny egg out to the edges of the pan and over any holes that may have formed on the surface of the omelet.

06.    With the handle of the pan pointing directly out toward you, sprinkle 1/2 cup of your favorite filling (see omelet filling suggestions below) over the left side of the eggs, leaving a small rim of egg around the edge. Run the rubber spatula along the right side of the omelet to loosen eggs from the skillet. Place the spatula under the right side of the eggs, making sure that the spatula is well underneath the eggs to offer maximum support, and lift the right side over the left in one fluid motion.

07.    The folded omelet should look like a half moon. Lightly press down on the omelet with the spatula to seal the omelet together. Do not press hard; you do not want to flatten the curds. Check to make sure the handle of the skillet is still facing directly out toward you. Lift the skillet with one hand, and hold the plate with your other hand. Tilt the skillet, and let the curved edge of the omelet slide onto the plate. Quickly invert the skillet, folding the portion of the omelet that is left in the skillet over the curved edge already on the plate. Keeping the skillet at about stomach level with the handle facing directly out should help you do this.

08.    Traditionally, omelets are garnished with something that relates to the filling, but this does not need to be a hard-and-fast rule. A simple sprig of parsley is sufficient. A garnish that’s been strategically placed can also help mask an imperfection.

Ingredients :

· 6 cups water
· 1 large sweet potato, diced
· 2 to 4 celery stalks, chopped
· 2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced
· 1 large onion, chopped
· 1/2 cup chopped parsley
· 2 to 4 cloves garlic
· 2 bay leaves
· 1/4 tsp. pepper
· 1/8 tsp. salt

Cooking Procedures :

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat to low. Let it simmer, covered, for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from heat. Let it cool.
3. Pour mixture through a strainer, discarding solids. Refrigerate until use.
4. Stock can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or up to 6 months if frozen in airtight containers.

Ingredients :

· 2 to 4 talong (eggplants), average size
· 2 to 3 eggs, beaten
· salt and pepper, to taste
· oil, for frying

Cooking Procedures :

1. Broil eggplants until tender (the skins are charred and blister appears).
2. Once cool, peel off the skins of the eggplant and retain the crown and the stem. Gently flatten its meat by using the back of a fork. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
4. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Dip each eggplant, one at a time into the egg mixture. Gently bring the bowl near the skillet and tip, lowering the eggplant onto the heated oil.
5. Fry until golden brown on one side, then turn and brown the other. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm and serve.

Ingredients :

· 1 lb. ground beef
· 3 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 onion, diced
· 2 tomatoes, chopped
· 1/4 tsp. sugar
· salt and pepper
· 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
· 1/2 cup water (optional)
· 4-6 eggs, at room temperature
· oil, for frying

Cooking Procedures :

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown ground meat for about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
2. Stir in garlic until fragrant. Add onion and tomatoes. Stir-fry for a few minutes or until soft and wilted.
3. Season with sugar, salt and pepper.
4. Add diced potatoes and water, if using. (This allows the potatoes to cook, but if you find it not too dry and can cook the potatoes, don’t add any water so that it will not be watery nor be soggy but if it’s needed just add water a little at a time).
5. Cook covered for about 6-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender and most of the water (if any) has evaporated. Remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool completely. Set aside.
6. Meanwhile, beat the eggs. Pour onto cooled meat mixture. Correct seasonings.
7. Put oil in a skillet about to cover the bottom. Heat oil over medium heat.
8. Spoon 1/2 cup of egg-meat mixture into the skillet. Let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes on each side. (I cooked it just like making a pancake..)
9. Transfer to a serving plate.

Ingredients :

· 1/2 lb. pork, thinly sliced (optional)
· 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
· 3 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 onion, chopped
· 1 carrot, thinly strips
· 1 red bell pepper, thinly strips
· 1 green bell pepper, thinly strips
· 2 tbsp. soy sauce
· 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional)
· salt and pepper, to taste
· 1/2 to 1 lb. togue (bean sprouts)
· 1/2 cup water (or broth)
· chopped green onions, for garnishing

Cooking Procedures :

1. In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook pork (if using) until it turns slightly brown.
2. Add garlic and onions; sauté for a few minutes until onions are soft and translucent.
3. Add in carrot, bell peppers and season with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce (if using), salt and pepper. Stir-fry until well blended for about a minute or two.
4. Add water (or broth) and togue (bean sprouts), cook for a few minutes. Correct the seasonings. Be sure not to overcook the bean sprouts it should be crispy. Immediately remove from heat. Gently stir to blend.
5. Transfer to a serving dish and serve. Garnish with chopped green onions (if using) and serve.

Ingredients :

· 1 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces
or any choice cuts of your liking like thighs, drumsticks or wings)
· 1 thumb-sized fresh ginger root, cut into strips
· 2 cloves garlic, crushed
· 1 onion, chopped
· 2 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
· salt, to taste
· 4 to 5 cups water (or rice water – 2nd washing)
· 2 to 3 sayote (chayote squash), quartered (or green, unripe papaya or potatoes)
· 1 cup sili (chili) leaves or malunggay or substitute 1/2 lb. spinach · vegetable oil

Cooking Procedures :

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add onions, stir-fry until softened and translucent.
2. Add chicken cuts. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until chicken colors slightly. Season with patis and salt.
3. Pour in water (or rice water, if using). Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer until chicken is half-done. Add in chayote (or papaya or potatoes, if using). Continue simmering until chicken and vegetable are tender. Correct seasonings and then add sili leaves or malunggay or substitute. Stir to combine until well blended. Remove from heat.
4. Let stand for a few minutes to cook the green vegetables. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.