Flaxseed Bread

Source: Vegetarian Times
Time: overnight, plus 4 hours.
This is probably one of the best-tasting (and healthiest) breads I've ever made, even including breads I've made in my breadmaker! Flaxseeds are an excellent source of omega-3.
1/2 cup whole flaxseeds, plus extra to sprinkle on top
1/2 cup plus 1 TB flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)
2 TB honey
2 1/4 tsp active yeast
3 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour, plus at least 1/2 cup more for kneading
1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Place 1/2 cup whole flaxseeds in a bowl; cover with 3 inches of water. Let soak overnight. (will resemble egg replacer when done)
2. Combine honey, yeast, & 2 cups warm water in measuring cup. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Stir together flaxseed meal, flours, and salt in large bowl. Drain soaked flaxseeds & stir into flour mixture. Add yeast/water mixture and stir until smooth dough forms, adding a little water or flour if necessary.
4. Transfer dough to well-floured work surface. Knead 7 minutes or until dough no longer sticks to your fingers, adding flour as needed. Shape into a ball, and place in large bowl coated with oil. Cover & let rise in warm place 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch down, reshape into ball, & let rise 1 hour more.
4. Preheat oven to 400. Shape dough into tight ball & place on an oiled baking sheet. Brush dough with water & sprinkle with extra flaxseeds. Cut a tic-tac-toe crosscross in top of loaf. Bake 45 minutes or until loaf is dark brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Thanksgiving!

"What do vegetarians eat for Thanksgiving?" That's a question I hear quite often. I made a garbanzo-cheese loaf, sweet potato balls, and a low sugar apple pie. Gabe made mashed potatoes and rolls. Yum! Here are links to some of the recipes:

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/02/evies-garbanzo-cheese-loaf.html

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/04/sweet-potato-balls.html

Aimee's Cream Cheese Calzones

Makes 4 calzones. You can personalize this recipe and do 4 different fillings for different taste buds!

Whole wheat pizza dough (Breadmaker recipe):
1 cup warm water
1 TB sugar
2 TB oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups bread flour
1 tsp active dry yeast

Filling:
15 oz. ricotta
8 oz. whipped cream cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp oregano
1 TB parsley
2 TB olive oil
1 tsp basil
1 TB parmesan
1/2 cup veggie filling for each calzone, optional (broccoli, green peppers, jalapenos, etc)
marinara sauce for dipping

1. Add ingredients to bread maker pan in the order above; select course 12 (50 minutes). Divide dough into 4 balls & roll out into circles.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 4oo. In large bowl, mix together ricotta, cream cheese, mozzarella, egg, oregano, parsley, & optional veggies. If making different calzones, divide filling into bowls and stir in veggies.
3. Place 1/4 filling on half of one of the dough circles; repeat with the other circles. Fold dough over on each circle and seal in the filling by pressing the dough together. Cut slits on the top of each calzone & transfer to oiled baking sheet. Brush tops with oil & sprinkle with basil & parmesan.
2. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool 5 minutes & serve with marinara sauce.

Dinner Club: 11/21/09

Current invitees for this date include the class managers and instructors from my Jazzercise business. We will update this post with the menu, and later with comments from those who attended!

And… the cuisine winner is Asian (again)! Our guests currently include 7 adults and 3 kids. Here is the menu for dinner this Saturday: Cream Cheese Wontons, Pad Thai with Tofu, and Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert. I couldn't help making the same appetizer & main dish I did last time... some of my favorites! This time I'll make a sweet & sour sauce instead of a peanut sauce to go with the wontons. We will also have a kid-friendly option. You can find these recipes under the category to the right labled “Asian." Stay tuned for details of how the dinner went!

It was so great to see my colleagues outside of Jazzercise. Below are direct links to the recipes I made from my blog:

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/09/tofu-cheese-wontons.html

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/03/pad-thai.html

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/03/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-cheesecake.html

Maple Pumpkin Spice Bread

Source: Vegetarian Times
Makes 1 large loaf or 4 mini loaves

Serving idea: Make this a dessert & spread honey-cream cheese frosting onto slices!

2 cups all purpose flour
1 TB cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 1/4 cups pure maple syrup
1/2 cup oil*
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325. Stir together flours, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, & allspice in large bowl.
2. In separate bowl, whisk together syrup, oil, & eggs; stir in pumpkin & vanilla. Pour flour mixture in & stir until well-mixed; stir in optional nuts.
3. Pour into oiled loaf pan(s). Large loaf: bake 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Mini loaves: bake 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, unmold onto serving platter, & cool a little more. Serve warm.

*use 1/4 oil plus 1/4 cup applesauce if desired

Evie's Seitan Rice Casserole

Makes 10-12 servings

3 cups uncooked brown rice
6 cups water
oil for frying
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 red pepper, diced
16 oz. seitan
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup flour
3 cups milk
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan
paprika to top

1. Cook rice in water (~ 45 minutes); set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. Place seitan in food processor & pulse until finely chopped. Heat a little oil in large pot; saute onion & red pepper. Add seitan & saute a little more until browned. Remove from heat & stir in cooked rice, cheddar, & salt.
3. Heat olive oil in small saucepan; stir in flour until blended. Add milk & cook until thickened & bubbly, stirring frequently. Pour into rice mixture & mix well, along with hot sauce and salt & pepper to taste.
4. Spread mixture into oiled 13 x 9 baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan and paprika on top. Bake 40 minutes.

Broccoli Lasagna Bianca

Source: Favorite Brand Name Vegetarian Cooking
(modified by Aimee)

9 lasagna noodles
4 crowns broccoli
3 TB butter
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 TB flour
1 tsp salt
3 cups milk
15 oz. ricotta
4 eggs, beaten
8 0z. tofu, mashed
2 TB parmesan
1 tsp dried basil
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 tsp oregano
1 tomato, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
2. Meanwhile, put broccoli (one crown at a time) in food processor & pulse until finely chopped; set aside in bowl.
3. In large saucepan, melt butter & saute onion & garlic. Stir in flour & salt; gradually stir in milk. Cook until mixture thickens & begins to boil. Remove from heat; stir in broccoli.
4. Combine ricotta, tofu, eggs, parmesan & basil.
5. Place 3 noodles in greased 13 x 9 dish; top with 1/2 each ricotta & broccoli mixtures. Repeat layer one more time. Top with 3 noodles, mozzarella, oregano & optional tomato. Bake (covered) for 1 hour; remove from oven & let stand 10 minutes & serve.

Easy Chocolate-Tofu Mousse

Source: Prevention

12 oz. silken tofu
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Greek style plain yogurt

1. Melt chocolate chips.
2. Place tofu & vanilla food processor & puree until smooth. Add melted chocolate & blend until well-mixed. Pour into large bowl.
3. Fold in yogurt until just blended. Cover & refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brown Sugar Brownies

Source: Prevention
Makes 9 brownies

1/2 c flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, & salt in bowl.
2. In larger bowl, whisk together brown sugar, oil, egg, egg white, & vanilla. Add flour mixture & stir until blended. Stir in chocolate chips & walnuts (batter will be stiff).
3. Spread batter in oiled 8 x 8 pan. Bake 20 minutes. Cool completely & cut into 9 squares.

To make a larger batch: double the recipe, spread into oiled 13 x 9 pan, and bake 30 minutes.

Savory Veggie Burgers

Source: Family Circle (modified by Aimee)
Makes 10 pattiesYummy but time-consuming! You can make the mixture ahead & refrigerate 1-2 days until you're ready to make & bake patties. Freeze leftovers if necessary.

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 TB oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced
2 TB soy sauce
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1 medium zucchini, grated (about 1 cup packed)
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
10 cheese slices, optional

1. Cook rice in 2 cups water (~45 minutes); set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in skillet; saute onion 2 minutes. Add mushrooms & cook ~4 minutes. Add soy sauce & cook 2 minutes more; remove from heat.
3. Transfer contents of skillet (drain liquid) to food processor. Add garbanzo beans and pulse until until mixture is crumbly. Transfer to large bowl.
4. Add the following to the bean mixture: cooked rice, zucchini, cheese, & bread crumbs. Stir to combine. Add egg, salt & pepper; stir well. Let mixture stand 5 minutes.
5. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. With wet hands, shape mixture into 10 patties and place on sheet. Bake 20 minutes, remove from oven, & carefully flip patties over. Bake another 10 minutes.
6. Turn oven to low broil setting. Broil patties for 5 minutes; carefully flip over & broil another 5 minutes. Optional: remove from oven, place cheese slices on top, & broil 1 more minute.

Serve with condiments alone or on whole wheat hamburger buns.

Pasta Salad with Cucumber, Red Pepper & Feta

Source: Prevention (slightly modified by Aimee)
Makes 4-6 servings

1 1/2 cups whole grain elbow macaroni (6 ounces)
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 TB chopped fresh mint (or 1 tsp dried basil)
3 TB milk
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain & cool.  Place in large bowl along with cucumber, red pepper, & feta.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl stir together sour cream, mayo, mint or basil, milk, mustard, lemon juice, salt & pepper in large bowl. Add to cooled pasta mixture; stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweeteners

Many of the desserts in this blog use honey rather than white sugar. Honey contains additional nutrients and is all natural, whereas refined sugar is processed and has little, if none, added nutrients. Molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, and honey all have intermediate to high levels of disease-fighting antioxidants.
You'd be surprised at products which contain added sugars, common products such as ketchup and salsa.
Evaporated cane juice is healthier than refined sugar for two reasons: it does not undergo the same degree of processing that refined sugar does, and it retains more of the nutrients found in sugar cane.
High fructose corn syrup is often used as a substitute for sugar in soft drinks and other processed foods.
And then of course there are the artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, often used in diet sodas and even yogurt.
So go for the sweetener that is the least-processed. Read your labels!

Storing Spices

Source: Cooking Light
"Keep spices in a dark cabinet or drawer-- not in the open in a spice rack or near the stove-- because heat, light, and moisture degrade flavors."

I actually moved my spices from an open rack by the stove to a drawer before I came across this info, mainly so I didn't have to transfer spices to the containers found in my spice rack. I recently gave my old spice rack to my daughters, and now they use it outside and fill the containers with sand & stones. They love to play restaurant with their pretend spices!

Recipes from Magazines

Whenever I come across a recipe in a magazine that I want to try, I cut out the page, fold it up, and slip it into a photo album. I also make sure I know which magazine it comes from so I can cite the source if I end up posting it on my blog. Each week I browse through my recipe "photo" album and try to make at least one new recipe per week!

Fresh Berry Tart with Toasted Nut Crust

Source: Cooking Light (modified by Aimee)

Crust:
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
6 TB chilled salted butter, diced
1 large egg yolk

Filling:
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 tsp lemon juice

1. Crust: Preheat oven to 350. Spread nuts on baking sheet; toast in oven 12-15 minutes or until browned.
2. Pulse toasted nuts, flour, & sugar in food processor until nuts are ground to powder. Add butter & pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk & pulse until moist clumps form. Press dough into bottom & sides of oiled pie plate & pierce with fork. Freeze 30 minutes.
3. Adjust oven temp to 400. Bake crust 12-14 minutes; cool 1 hour.
4. Filling: whisk together sour cream, yogurt, brown sugar, vanilla, & zest in small bowl. Spread sour cream mixture in crust with spatula. Freeze 45 minutes. For best results, refrigerate overnight.
5. Toss berries with lemon juice in separate bowl; spoon over top & gently press into yogurt filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Garlicky Potato Wedges

Source: Vegetarian Times
Makes 2 servings

2 Russet potatoes, quartered & cut into 1/4-inch wedges
1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 TB parsley

1. Preheat oven to 475. Soak potatoes in bowl of hot water for 10 minutes. (Presoaking potatoes helps remove excess starch so they brown & crisp like french fries). Drain, pat dry, & return to bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat oils & garlic in saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic 2 minutes & transfer to small bowl with slotted spoon (without the oil).
3. Pour heated oil over potatoes; toss to coat. Season with salt & pepper. Arrange potatoes in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes; turn & bake 10 minutes more or until golden & crisp.

4. Meanwhile, stir parsley into reserved garlic; sprinkle over wedges. Season with salt & pepper and serve.

Nutritional Yeast

We have been using nutritional yeast flakes more often lately. It is actually a complete protein, which makes it easy to sneak protein into your diet! I love to make yeast butter to drizzle on veggies: we just melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave, then stir in some yeast flakes. Here is a little blurb about it from Wikipedia: "It is a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins and is a complete protein. It is also naturally low in fat and sodium... Nutritional yeast has a strong flavor that is described as nutty, cheesy, or creamy, which makes it popular as an ingredient in cheese substitutes. It is often used by vegans in place of parmesan cheese. Another popular use is as a topping for popcorn. It can also be used in mashed and fried potatoes, as well as putting it into scrambled eggs."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutritional_yeast

Honey Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

Source: http://www.recipezaar.com/115432
Makes 12 muffins or 3 mini loaves

1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TB wheat germ
1/3 cup oil
½ cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 ripe bananas, mashed
¼ cup hot water

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, & wheat germ
3. In larger bowl, beat oil & honey together; mix in eggs & bananas
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet, slowly adding water
5. Spoon batter into 12 greased muffin cups; bake 20-25 minutes (mini loaves bake 35 minutes)

Tomato-Basil Penne with White Bean Sauce

Source: Vegetarian Times (slightly modified by Aimee)
Makes 6-8 servings

1 cup olive oil (divided)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) diced tomatoes
1 TB sugar
3 tsp basil, divided
12-16 oz. whole wheat penne
2 cans cannellini beans (15 oz. each), drained
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper

1. Heat 1/2 cup oil in skillet; add onion & garlic & saute until soft; stir in tomatoes, 1tsp basil, & sugar; reduce heat to low & simmer 20 minutes
2. Cook penne according to package directions; drain
3. Meanwhile, puree beans, water, & 1/2 cup oil in blender. Combine bean mixture, garlic salt, 2 tsp basil, oregano, & pepper in saucepan over medium heat; cook until heated through, stirring often
4. Toss cooked ziti with tomato mixture & spoon onto plates; ladle bean sauce over ziti mixture

Aimee's Spinach-Artichoke Dip

1 cup grated parmesan
1 cup mayonnaise
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped spinach

1. Preheat oven to 350 or plug in small slow cooker.
2. Whisk together parmesan, mayo, cream cheese, & peppers in medium bowl; stir in spinach & artichokes.
3. Spoon into oiled 8 x 8 baking dish; bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned OR spoon into small slow cooker & heat through, stirring often.

Tomato & Goat Cheese Quiche

Source: All About Vegetarian Cooking (slightly modified by Aimee)

1 frozen deep dish (9 inch) pie crust, unthawed
4-5 Roma tomatoes, seeded & diced
4 oz. goat cheese crumbles
3/4 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
optional: 1 cup shredded cheese to top

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spread diced tomatoes in pie crust.
2. In bowl mix together goat cheese, cream, milk, eggs, & spices; pour over tomatoes.
3. Bake 40 minutes uncovered, then 20 minutes covered with foil. Top with optional cheese & bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes & serve.

Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate

Makes 2 servings

2 cups milk
2 TB cocoa powder
2 TB maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine cocoa powder & maple syrup in small saucepan & stir over low heat until cocoa is dissolved. Add milk & vanilla & heat through & enjoy!

Dilly Red Potato Salad

Source: Prevention


5 red potatoes, diced
2 avocadoes
1 TB lemon juice
1/2 chopped dill pickle
2 TB sour cream
2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

1. Place potatoes in large pot & cover with water. Bring to boil & cook 20 minutes or until just tender. Remove to large bowl & cool.
2. Mash avocadoes & lemon juice in small bowl; add to potatoes along with sour cream, green onion, pickles, dill, & salt. Stir until well-combined & serve immediately. Add more lemon juice to leftovers to help maintain color.

Granola Muffins

Source: Arrowhead Mills
Makes 9 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups granola (like raspberry & cream)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 ripe banana
1 egg white, beaten
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup water
3 TB oil

1. Preheat oven to 375. Stir together flour, granola, baking powder, baking soda, & salt.
2. In blender, puree banana, egg, honey, vanilla, water & oil; add to dry ingredients & stir until just moistened. Spoon batter into 9 greased muffin cups; bake for 20 minutes or until lightly
golden.

Evie's Italian Tofu Cutlets

Makes 8 servings

28 oz. tofu, frozen & unthawed (2 blocks)
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
16 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
1 jar pasta sauce (28 oz)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
parmesan cheese & oregano to top

1. Preheat broiler to low. Gently squeeze water out of tofu blocks using paper towels. Cut tofu into 10 slices per block. Coat each slice in egg mixture & cover in bread crumbs; place on oiled cookie sheet and broil ~8 minutes per side
2. Remove tofu from oven & preheat oven to 350. Spread a little sauce over each tofu slice, then sprinkle mozzarella, parmesan & oregano on top. Loosely cover with foil & bake 10-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions & heat pasta sauce; serve with tofu cutlets.

Szechuan-Style Tempeh (served warm or cold)

Source: All About Vegetarian Cooking
Makes 4 small servings

8 oz package tempeh, cubed
4 TB soy sauce
½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
oil for frying
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp minced garlic 
¼ cup chopped green onion
¼ cup peanut butter

2 TB rice vinegar
1 TB cooking sherry
4 tsp sesame oil, divided
1 tsp chili paste
¼ cup chopped peanuts (optional)
if serving cold: 1 sliced cucumber, chilled, cooked rice noodles
if serving warm: cooked brown rice

1. Combine tempeh, 2 TB soy sauce, ginger, & peppers; let stand 30 minutes.
2. Place 1 tsp oil in skillet; add tempeh mixture, red pepper, garlic, & green onion. Saute until browned.
3. Combine the following: peanut butter, rice vinegar, cooking sherry, 3 tsp sesame oil, chili paste, & 2 TB soy sauce.
4. If serving cold: Chill tempeh mixture; spoon over rice noodles & drizzle with peanut sauce. Garnish with cucumbers & chopped peanuts.
5. If serving warm: Add peanut sauce to tempeh mixture in skillet; stir & cook until heated through. Serve over rice & garnish with chopped peanuts.

Baked Goat Cheese Rounds

Source: All About Vegetarian Cooking
Makes 14 rounds

10.5 oz log goat cheese, cut into 14 rounds
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Dip each goat cheese round in olive oil & coat in bread crumbs. Place on oiled baking sheet & bake 10-12 minutes. Serve as an appetizer with crackers or over salad greens.

Roasted Vegetable Hash

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

2 small sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
3 large carrots, cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, peeled & cut into quarters
3 TB olive oil
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp turmeric
1 cup packed spinach leaves

1. Preheat oven to 425. In 13 x 9 baking dish combine potatoes, carrots, & garlic with olive oil.
2. In small bowl combine chili powder, salt, pepper, & turmeric; sprinkle over vegetables & toss to distribute seasonings.
3. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, stirring a few times. Remove from oven; add spinach & toss just until spinach is wilted.

Featherlight Potato Latkes

Here's a great recipe for Hanukkah!
Source: Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant
Makes about 15 latkes

6 medium potatoes (or 20 oz. bag already shredded)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt
pinch of baking powder
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour (or Matzo meal)
oil for frying
optional: sour cream and/or apple sauce to top

1. Grate the potatoes in a food processor; drain into a colander, pressing out the liquid. Return grated potatoes to the food processor; add onion, eggs, salt, baking powder, & pepper; process until just smooth (mix in batches if necessary).  Transfer to large bowl & stir in flour.
2. Heat 1/8 inch of oil in large skillet, until a drop of batter sizzles on the surface. Drop a large spoonful of batter into the skillet & flatten with the spoon to make a thin pancake. Fry the latkes on both sides (about 5 minutes per side) until brown & crisp adding more oil if necessary. Drain the latkes on paper towels & keep them warm, in a single layer in a 200 degree oven, until all the latkes are made.
3. Serve latkes topped with optional sour cream or apple sauce.

Sesame Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli over Soba Noodles

Source: Vegetarian Times (slightly modified by Aimee)
Makes about 6 servings

3 small crowns broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets
2 small sweet potatoes, cubed
1 small bunch green onion, chopped
4 TB sesame oil, divided
1/4 tsp salt
2 TB sesame seeds, divided
2 TB orange juice
2 TB tamari
1 TB rice vinegar
1 TB sherry
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
10 oz. soba noodles, uncooked
optional: 8 oz. tofu, cubed & cooked

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place broccoli, sweet potatoes, & green onion in large bowl. Add 3 TB sesame oil, salt, & 1 TB sesame seeds; toss well to coat. Spread veggies on baking sheet, & roat 20 minutes, turning with a spatula 3-4 times.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together OJ, tamari, rice vinegar, sherry, ginger, garlic, & 1 TB sesame oil.
3. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain & combine with roasted veggies, OJ mixture, & 1 TB sesame seeds Toss well to coat & serve with optional tofu.