QUICK NACHOS

(Serves 4)

• 3 Tablespoons plus 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes, not drained
• 1 cup canned red kidney beans, drained
• 1 cup canned black beans, not drained
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons tomato purée
• Approximately 4 cups tortilla chips
• 1 ½ cups grated vegan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 3 Tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and sauté until soft. Add tomatoes, beans, spices, and purée and cook, stirring, until heated and thick, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from stove and mix in remaining vegetable oil. Pour chips into a 2-quart ovenproof casserole dish.

Pour sauce on top and heat in oven for 5 minutes. Top with cheese and allow to bake for another 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.

Total calories per serving: 631	Fat: 26 grams
Carbohydrates: 84 grams	Protein: 19 grams
Sodium: 1,187 milligrams	Fiber: 21 grams

Gourmet

Use this recipe to amaze your vegan and non-vegan friends.

SWEET POTATO FLAN

(Serves 8)

• 2 cups peeled raw sweet potatoes, cut into large pieces (Start with 1 ½ pounds of unpeeled sweet potatoes.)
• 1 cup lowfat soymilk
• 2 cups plain silken tofu
• ½ cup beaten silken tofu
• ½ cup sugar (Use your favorite vegan variety.)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• Vegetable oil spray
• Water to steam flan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the sweet potatoes until they are soft enough to mash with a fork, approximately 45 minutes to an hour, depending on thickness of the potatoes. Remove from oven and mash with a fork or with a food processor.

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the soymilk and plain silken tofu and heat until just simmering. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, the beaten tofu, sugar, vanilla, and zest to combine. Slowly add the soymilk mixture, stirring constantly until combined.

Spray a 10" baking pan with vegetable oil and fill the pan with the sweet potatoes mixture. Fill a larger pan with two inches of water to oversteam the flan. Place the 10" pan into the larger pan.

Place the nesting pans into the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven, remove the 10" pan from larger pan, and allow flan to cool before serving.

Total calories per serving: 140	Fat: 2 grams
Carbohydrates: 25 grams	Protein: 5 grams
Sodium: 21 milligrams	Fiber: 1 gram

Vegan Fast Food

Some vegans want their food fast, and they want it good. You don't have to visit a drive-thru to achieve a quick yet tasty meal.

PIZZA PRONTO SOUTHWEST

(Serves 4)

• 4 corn tortillas or whole wheat pitas
• 1 cup canned, vegan refried beans
• 1 cup frozen corn (not thawed)
• ½ cup grated vegan cheese
• 4 teaspoons chopped green chilies
• 4 slices ripe avocado

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tortillas or pitas on a baking sheet. Top each tortilla or pita with cup beans, ¼  cup corn, 2 Tablespoons cheese, 1 teaspoon chilies, and 1 slice avocado. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until all ingredients are heated. Serve hot.

Total calories per serving:196	Fat: 5 grams
Carbohydrates: 35 grams	Protein: 6 grams
Sodium: 419 milligrams	Fiber: 6 grams

Raw

Raw foodists prefer their ingredients not be heated above 118

degrees to retain maximum nutritional value and function. Raw foodists use sprouting, grinding, dehydrating, and soaking to create an extensive list of tempting dishes.