Chef Nancy Berkoff offers this idea for making a vegan Easter “egg” alternative.

FAST CRISPED RICE EGGS

(Makes 8-10 small eggs)

• ¼ cup vegan chocolate or carob chips
• 2 cups puffed rice cereal

Melt chocolate in a microwave or on the stove. Remove from heat, mix in cereal, and very quickly form into shapes. Store on a parchment- or waxed paper-lined tray.

Chef Nancy’s article “Usin’ the Old Bean“ offers several easy suggestions for preparing dishes with canned or leftover cooked beans. Nancy says, “Doesn’t it always seem as if you have either leftover cooked beans in the refrigerator or extra cans of beans staring out at you from the pantry? Cooked or canned beans are certainly edible in their natural state. But this can get so boring!”

Some of her international bean dish ideas primarily using garbanzo or white beans (also called Great or small Northern beans) include:

Italian: Toss lightly with tomato sauce, minced garlic or garlic powder (be careful, since garlic “grows” in power as it’s heated), dried red pepper flakes, and chopped fresh or dried basil.

Greek: Toss very lightly with olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, and chopped black olives; if you’d like to serve this cold, toss in some chopped cucumbers and fresh tomatoes.

Central American: Add in chopped fresh or canned tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped onions, and chopped green bell peppers; if you’d like some heat, add some Tabasco or hot sauce.

English: Toss cooked white beans with ketchup or used canned vegetarian baked beans and serve on toast. (Beans on toast is a mild English teatime item.)

Indian (and this is a very Anglicized version): Toss cooked lentils or garbanzos with curry powder and chopped onions. If you have the time, purchase garam masala (spice mix) and some tandoori paste, then toss cooked beans with these and bake until bubbly.

Norwegian: Very mild, very pure-cooked, or baked beans flavored only with a small amount of bay leaf.

French: Invest in a small bottle of Herbes de Provence (found in most markets), an aromatic spice blend that includes lavender and thyme. Toss lightly with tomato juice, lemon juice, and Herbes de Provence. If you have the time, you can make a vegan cassoulet by simmering white beans with onion, garlic, tomatoes, vegan sausage, black pepper, and thyme.

Find the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2003issue1/2003_issue1_cooking_tips.php

Here’s some online shops offering vegan Easter Chocolate and Candy:

No Whey Chocolate: https://www.nowheychocolate.com/easterchocolate_s/159.htm

Natural Candy Store: https://www.naturalcandystore.com/category/vegan-candy

Vegan Essentials: https://store.veganessentials.com/categories.aspx?Keyword=easter

Rose City: https://www.rosecitychocolates.com/catalogs/display_catalog/vegan-easter

Lake Champlain Chocolates: https://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/seasonal-chocolates/vegan-easter-chocolate

Enjoy Life (vegan and good for people with allergies): https://shop.enjoylifefoods.com/Seasonal-Chocolate-Minis/c/EnjoyLife@Seasonal

Serve this Vegan Chopped “Liver” Spread from No Cholesterol Passover Recipes on matzo or crackers if you’re not observing Passover.

Vegan Chopped “Liver” Spread

(Makes about 1 cup)

3 Tablespoons vegetable broth

½ pound mushrooms, chopped (use fresh or drained canned)

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup copped walnuts

Pepper and salt to taste

1 Tablespoon water

Sauté mushrooms and onion in vegetable broth over medium heat for 8 minutes. Pour mixture into blender or food processor cup and add walnuts, seasonings, and water. Blend until smooth.

Want vegan meals delivered to your home? Check for over 50 sources here: www.VegMealDelivery.com

If you’re unable to attend a Passover Seder due to the Coronavirus or perhaps you’re just looking for a new soup suggestion suitable for Passover, you may want to prepare this Carrot Cream Soup recipe from No Cholesterol Passover Recipes.

Carrot Cream Soup

(Serves 6)

1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon oil plus 3 Tablespoons water

6 cups water

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely (or 1 Tablespoon dried parsley)

In large pot, sauté the chopped onions and carrots in the oil and water mixture for 10 minutes over a medium heat. Add 6 cups water and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Purée in blender, return mixture to a pot, and reheat before serving.

Note: If you don’t purée the soup the mixture also makes an excellent vegetarian soup stock.

Perhaps you or your children are stuck at home right now and looking for something fun to do. If so, consider viewing the previous winners of The Vegetarian Resource Group Video Contest. See: https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

This Cinnamon and Potato Pancakes recipe from Chef Nancy Berkoff is a great way to use up extra potatoes and a terrific way to put a new spin on pancakes!

Cinnamon and Potato Pancakes from Vegan Meals for One or Two(Makes 4 pancakes)

Vegetable oil spray

2 cups frozen has brown potatoes, thawed (or cooked, leftover hash browns)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups prepared pancake batter

Spray a large frying pan with oil (or lightly oil the pan). Add hash browns and cook until crisp. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Divide the potatoes into six separate stacks in the pan and pour ½ cup pancake batter onto each stack. Mix each stack with the batter, right in the pan. Cook until each side is golden brown. Serve with syrup and sliced fruit, if desired.

Note: If you have a leftover baked potato, you can slice it and use it for hash browns.

Many schools are closed now due to the coronavirus. Here’s some veggie-friendly games for young children:

Veggie Memory Cards https://www.vrg.org/family/memory_cards.php

Veggie Counting Game https://www.vrg.org/family/memory_cards_math_game1.php

Many of us are now stuck at home due to the coronavirus. Food supplies may be limited; however, if you have a package of tempeh and a few other ingredients you can make this easy Sloppy Joe recipe from Conveniently Vegan.

Quick Sloppy Joes

(Serves 5)

Serve this dish over a whole wheat bun or over a baked potato.

Small onion, chopped

2 teaspoons oil

Two packages tempeh, grated

2 teaspoons chili powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon salt

6-ounce can tomato paste

2 cups water

Sauté onion in oil in a large frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add grated tempeh and stir-fry for 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat, add remaining ingredients, and simmer 5 minutes. Serve warm.