a melendez umbrella group

This is an ongoing project, so you will find this page in various states of development.  I am updating as time allows.  When this is complete I shall also offer this in book form.  In the meantime, enjoy.

The Cosmic Cookbook

All recipes are vegetarian and most can be made vegan.  They are also wheat, sugar free and low sodium.

1. Arroz y Habichuelas (Rice and Beans Puerto Rican style, West Coast version)

• 1 cup Beans (pink, pinto, red, or garbanzos) soaked overnight and cooked tender
• ½ Green Pepper
• ½ medium Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
• ¼ cup Manzanilla olives
• 2 tbl Olive oil
• 1 small can Tomato sauce
• 2 tbs Sofrito, or Goya Recaito, or (1 tsp each capers, cilantro, oregano, fresh parsley)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbs Black pepper
• 1 tbs Bragg’s
• 1 ½ cups Long grain white rice

Chop onion and green pepper and sauté in oil over low heat, do not brown.  Add garlic.  If using capers, smear and mince fine and also add to sauté.   Add Tomato sauce, olives, remaining spices and Bragg.  Add beans, cover and simmer for at least ½ hr.  Add water as needed.  The rice can be cooked and served plain, or made more flavorful by using 1 ½ cups of vegetable broth with 1 ½ cups of water and adding a teaspoon or more of Spanish saffron.

2. Parmesan Potatoes

6 medium size Red potatoes cut into 1” pieces

1 cup Spelt flour

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated. Reserve ¼ cup

1 tsp Garlic powder

1 tsp Chili powder

1 tsp Black pepper

¼ cup Olive oil

3 tbs Butter, clarified

Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Microwave or parboil potatoes to the point of being half cooked.  In a mixing bowl combine flour, parmesan, garlic, chili powder, and black pepper.  Stir contents of bowl, mixing thoroughly.  Add potatoes to baking dish and pour butter evenly over potatoes, stir.  Add contents of bowl to baking dish, stir until potatoes and flour mix are mostly combined.  Some of the flour mixture will remain in the bottom of the dish, crisping and clumping for added pleasure.  Sprinkle the rest of the parmesan cheese over the potatoes.  Place the dish in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.  If more crisp is required, place under broiler for approximately 5 minutes.

3. Sautéed Brussel Sprouts w/ Sun-dried Tomatoes

1 lb Brussel sprouts

½ – ¾ cup Sun-dried tomatoes diced small

¼ cup Pine nuts or sunflower seeds

¼ cup Vegetable broth, low sodium

¼  – ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

2 tbl Olive oil and/or butter

4 cloves Garlic, minced fine or pressed

½ medium Onion, sliced thin

1 tsp Black pepper

Splash White wine or Marsala

Bragg’s or Tamari

Prepare sprouts by removing any discolored leaves and trimming woody, stalk end of sprout. Cut larger sprouts in half.  Partially cook Brussel sprouts by steaming or microwave.  Sauté onions in oil at low heat until translucent.  Increase heat to medium high and add sun dried tomatoes, allow to cook for 5 minutes.  Add par-cooked sprouts, garlic, pine nuts, black pepper, Bragg’s or Tamari to taste.  Sauté, stirring constantly for 5 minutes, then add vegetable broth and wine.  Cover as sprouts steam for a minute or so.  Remove cover, remove from heat.  Sprinkle lightly with parmesan and serve promptly.

4. Vegetarian Greens

1 bunch Collard greens, or your favorite such as mustard greens, kale, Swiss chard, or a combination

1/2 large Onion

3 – 4 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed

4 tbl Olive oil

1 cup Vegetable broth, low sodium

1 1/2 – 2 cups water

1 tsp Smoked paprika

2 tbl Bragg’s or Tamari

1 tbl Black pepper

1/2 tsp Thyme

1 pinch Fresh ginger (optional)

Chop onion and sauté in olive at low heat for about 5 – 10 minutes.  Add garlic and continue to sauté at very low heat for an additional 5 minutes.  Trim leaves from central stalk.  Save stalks for soup or broth.   Place leaf halves on top of one another, and roll leaves lengthwise, slice into 1/4″ pieces.  Add greens to onions and garlic and toss in hot oil.  Increase heat and sauté for 5 minutes, turning all the while.  Add the vegetable broth and water.  Add Bragg’s and/or Tamari and all of the spices.  Partially cover and simmer for approximately 1 1/2 hours.  Add water as needed.

5. Chili sans Carne

2 ½ cups Beans, pink or pinto, soaked overnight

¾ cup Bulgur wheat

1 large can Tomatoes in juice

3 Tbl Tomato paste

1 medium Green bell pepper

1 cup Green (or your favorite) chilies, mild, diced

1 large Onion

1 Carrot, diced

½ cup Green olives, chopped

4 – 6 cloves Garlic

2 Tbl Bragg’s

2 Tbl Chili powder

2 Tbl Black pepper

2 Tsp Cumin

1 Tbl Smoked paprika (optional)

2 oz Dry red wine

Dash or two Worcestershire sauce (optional, contains anchovies)

2 Tbl Olive oil

6. Mushroom and Barley Stew

1 lb Mushrooms (your favorite combination of dried and fresh)

½ cup Barley

1 med Carrot

1 stalk Celery

3 med Potatoes

1 med Onion

4 cloves Garlic

3 cups Vegetable broth, low sodium

3 cups Water

2 Tbl Bragg’s or Tamari

4 Tbl White wine

2 Tsp Thyme

1 Tbl Black pepper

1 Tsp Poultry seasoning

2 Tbl Olive oil

7. Rigatoni and Ricotta Casserole

1 lb Rigatoni, spelt or brown rice for wheat free. Penne, or your choice of pasta, may be used.

1 ½ lb Ricotta cheese

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated fine

2 ½ cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

½ cup Asiago cheese, grated

1 bunch Kale, swiss chard, or spinach (or a combination), finely chopped

2 Eggs

1 med Onion, chopped fine

4 cloves Garlic, pressed or chopped fine

2 Tbl Black pepper

2 Tbl Olive oil

2 Tbl Butter (optional)

Bragg’s or Tamari Soy Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce

Cook the pasta, drain and set aside after tossing with olive oil.  Sautee the onion in olive oil and butter until translucent.  Add greens and toss in hot oil.  Add garlic.  Cook at medium heat until greens are well wilted.  In a large mixing bowl add ricotta, 1 ¾ cups of mozzarella, all of the asiago, and ¾ cup of parmesan.  Mix well.  Scramble eggs and combine with cheese mixture.  Add greens, soy sauce, and black pepper.  Mix thoroughly.  Transfer the mix to a lightly oiled 9 x 13 baking dish.  Level the mix and top with spaghetti sauce.  Scatter the remainder of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.  Bake uncovered in a 375F oven until the top is lightly browned, approximately 35 – 45 minutes.

8. Bean Soup w/Lentils

White Northern beans or your favorite combination

Lentils

Carrot

Celery

Onion

Garlic

Vegetable broth, low sodium

Bragg’s or Tamari

Thyme

Poultry seasoning

9. Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant sliced to ¼” thickness

Almond milk

Spelt flour

Black pepper

Olive oil

Mozzarella cheese, sliced

Parmesan cheese, grated

Tomato sauce (recommend using Salsa di pomodoro)

10. Red Beets in Béchamel (from the Silver Spoon cookbook)

Red beets, peeled and sliced to ¼” thickness

Béchamel sauce

Spelt flour

Olive oil

Butter

Black pepper

Bragg’s

Almond milk

11. Macaroni and cheese

Spelt or brown rice noodles, wide Amish style

Oat bran

Parmesan cheese, grated fine

Cheese béchamel

Spelt flour

Olive oil

Garlic

Butter

Cheddar cheese, grated

Raclette cheese, grated

12. Black rice with cheese béchamel & sautéed vegetables

13. Béchamel sauce (Basic, from The Silver Spoon Cookbook)

This is a basic sauce from which many variations may arise.  Adding cheese, or mushrooms, yogurt, or mustard, for instance, can produce a very adaptable sauce.

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

2 ¼ cup milk

Salt and pepper

I approach this a bit differently:

1 tbs butter or omit entirely

3 – 4 tbs olive oil

2 cups almond, oat, or soy milk

Bragg’s or tamari to taste

Place oil and/or butter in pan over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and pour in all the milk.  Continue to stir until it boils.  Add Bragg’s or Tamari to taste.  Simmer at low heat for approx. 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Adjust thickness accordingly.

14. Mushroom sauce

Dried wild porcini

Fresh crimini

Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil

Shallot

Garlic

Vegetable broth

Red wine

Thyme

Spelt flour

Olive oil

Butter

15. Salsa di pomodoro robusto (spaghetti sauce)

Crushed tomatoes

Diced tomatoes

Tomato paste

Onion

Green bell pepper

Garlic

Carrot

Olive oil

Agave nectar

Black pepper

Bragg’s

Dry red wine

16. Kelly’s Transcendental Chili Oil

La Sopa de Ajo Casera (Spanish Garlic Soup)

Tempeh & zucchini cacciatore

Greens stuffed cannelloni