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1¾ cups dried pinto (or Sangre de Toro or Rio Zape) beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked
2 links Field Roast chipotle vegetarian sausages, crumbled
1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or organic canola oil
1 large green bell pepper diced
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons hot or mild New Mexico chile powder
2 teaspoons chipotle powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1½ teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 26-oz carton Pomi chopped tomatoes or Bionaturae chopped tomatoes*
12-ounce bottle beer, such as chocolate stout
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons molasses (or substitute brown sugar)
1½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
Cooked brown rice (optional)

Toppings: Avocado, red onions, cilantro, yogurt or sour cream (soy or regular)

Drain the soaked beans, then place in a large saucepan and cover well with fresh cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour, adding water as necessary. Let them sit until you’re ready to use them, then drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Heat a teaspoon of oil on medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the crumbled vegetarian sausages and cook for 3 minutes, stirring a few times (it will stick; it’s ok). Remove to a plate.

Heat the remaining oil on medium heat in the same pot. Add the onions, garlic and peppers. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate the sausage remnants that stuck to the pan. Add the tomato paste, chili powders, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the tomatoes, beer, espresso powder and brown sugar or molasses. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the reserved vegetarian sausage and beans and simmer very gently for 10 minutes. If the chili seems much too thick, add a little of the bean cooking liquid. Stir in chocolate and lime and turn off the heat.

Serve on cooked brown rice with your toppings of choice, or refrigerate and serve the next day, when it’s even better.

*BPA-free brands

Serves 6-8

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1¼ cups French green lentils
½ cup chopped roasted red peppers
½ cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup chopped raw almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste (I like flaky Maldon salt here, rubbed between your hands)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Rinse the lentils thoroughly. Put them in a saucepan and cover with cold water by a few inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the lentils are cooked but still nicely chewy (you don’t want mushy lentils.)

Drain the lentils and place in a serving bowl along with the red peppers, olives, parsley, dill and almonds. Gently stir in the red wine vinegar and let sit for a few minutes. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve warm or refrigerate for several hours and bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves 4

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For the cashew cream:

3/4 cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked in water for 6-8 hrs, drained and rinsed
1-2 cloves garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup water

For the onion and chard topping:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large yellow onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 large or 2 small bunches Swiss chard or lacinato (a.k.a. dinosaur) kale, center stems removed, leaves chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

For the crust:

1 3/4 c. chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. cold water

Puree all of the cashew cream ingredients in a food processor until very smooth and thick. This will take several minutes, and may require scraping down the sides of the processor. If the mixture seems to dry to become creamy, add one or two teaspoons of water as needed.

For the vegetables, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven. Cook the onions and salt over low heat for 45 minutes to one hour, until golden and soft. Add the greens and cook until tender, about 4-8 minutes (kale will take longer than chard). Drain off any excess liquid. (Alternatively, just mix in a cup or so of previously-cooked greens.) Stir in the balsamic vinegar.

To make the dough, mix the chickpea flour, salt and thyme. Drizzle the olive oil over the flour mixture and work together with your hands until crumbly. Add the water and mix very briefly, just until dough comes together (add an additional teaspoon of water if the dough seems too dry.)

Flatten the dough into a disk on a floured work surface (I used all purpose flour for the work surface, but you can use a gluten-free flour.)  Roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1 inch larger than the diameter of your tart pan.

Loosen the pastry by slipping a pastry lifter or metal spatula underneath. Fold in half and carefully transfer to the tart pan, pressing it into the bottom and sides.  Trim off any excess.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover the crust lightly with foil (don’t press), add some dried beans or pie weights and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Top the partially-baked crust with the cashew cream, then the onion and greens mixture.  Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes longer. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6

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9-10 cups peeled, cubed root vegetables (any combination of carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, brussels sprouts or beets)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse or flaky salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (if you can’t find it, make your own)
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
2 cups quinoa, rinsed well if not the pre-rinsed variety
3 cups water
1 cup nonfat or soy yogurt (regular, not Greek)
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl or a cup, combine the pomegranate molasses and maple syrup and set aside.

Mix the vegetables and olive oil in a bowl. Spread on two large cookie sheets, and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the vegetables and drizzle with the pomegranate and maple mixture. Roast for 25-30 minutes more, until vegetables and tender and nicely browned.

Place the quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Let it sit for a couple minutes, then fluff with a fork and remove to a serving platter.

Combine the yogurt, dill, horseradish, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Spoon the vegetables over the quinoa, and drizzle with the yogurt-dill sauce.

Serves 6

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4 small cooked, peeled beets, cut into wedges (see note above)
1 large navel orange
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and very roughly chopped
1 large Hass avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 ounces baby arugula

Zest the orange and set the zest aside. Cut the top and bottom off the orange and cut off the peel, making sure to cut off all the white part.  Slice the orange crosswise into slices, then cut each slice in half.

In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar or lemon juice, Dijon mustard and orange zest. Whisk in the olive oil. Toss most of the dressing with the arugula, onion and beets, and place on a serving platter. Top with the orange slices, avocado and hazelnuts. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Serves 4 as a side dish