This traditional recipe makes a great all-purpose flaky pastry, great for filled pies and pre-baked crusts. Makes enough dough for a single-crust 9-inch (23 cm) pie.

Source: Veg Family

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups organic, all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon confectioner's (icing) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup organic, non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening, cold
• 3 to 5 tablespoons water, iced

Directions:

1. In a food processor fitted with metal blade, pulse flour, sugar and salt until mixed.

2. Add shortening, pulsing until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. Add 3 tablespoons (45 mL) ice water to flour mixture, pulsing until moist clumps form, stopping to test the dough with fingertips to see if it’s moist enough to hold together. If dough is too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more ice water as needed.

4. Remove blade and gather dough into a ball, flattening into a disk.

5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.

6. For a savory crust, omit the sugar and, if desired, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried herbs such as dill, marjoram, and parsley.

Source: Happy Cow

Ingredients:

• 4 each 1" slices, bread of choice
• 2 cloves organic garlic
• 3 tablespoons organic olive oil
• 3 pinches sea salt
• 4 teaspoons nutritional yeast

Directions:

1. Freeze bread slices for 20 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375F.

3. Remove bread from freezer and rub garlic on both sides of bread slices until bread is lightly coated with garlic pulp and juice.

4. Drizzle bread slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and nutritional yeast.

5. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden and you can smell the garlic.

Source: The Tolerant Vegan

Ingredients:

• 6 cups organic peaches, peeled and sliced (canned or fresh)
• 1/4 cup Bourbon
• 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon refined sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups organic all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 12 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons organic Earth Balance
• 2 tablespoons organic non-dairy creamer
• Vanilla iced coconut or iced rice cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the peaches, bourbon, 1/4 cup of sugar, corn starch, and cinnamon.

3. Blend together the flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, baking powder, salt, and 12 tablespoons of Earth Balance. The dough should be just a little bit sticky, but not runny. If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix these ingredients together with your hands.

4. Melt the last two tablespoons of Earth Balance over low heat in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Add in the peach mixture and cook until the peaches are warm, about 2 minutes for canned peaches and 5 minutes for fresh peaches. Remove from heat and spoon the dough over the peaches.

5. Brush the top with creamer and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar.

6. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the top begins to brown and you can see the peaches bubbling underneath.

7. Serve warm with vanilla frozen coconut or rice cream.

Nutrition (1/8 of recipe): 102 calories, 36 calories from fat, 3.8g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1026.5mg sodium, 315.3mg potassium, 13.9g carbohydrates, 3.8g fiber, 3.7g sugar, 3.8g protein, and 1.6 points.

Note: Sodium figure is inflated because it includes all the salt in the bean-cooking water, all of which is not actually absorbed by the beans.

Source: Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 10 ounces mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Generous pinch cayenne pepper
• Salt to taste
• Fresh pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons spelt flour
• 1 tablespoon chia flour
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 1/2 slices whole grain bread
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance margarine
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/16 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 3 ounces French fried onions

Directions:

1. Bring the water to boil in a large pot. While it’s heating, cut up the beans. Add the salt and beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Drain beans in a colander, and then spray for a minute with cold water to stop the cooking. Let them drain in the colander, shaking every now and then to get off all the water.

2. Trim and discard the mushroom stems and chop the mushrooms into pieces. Coat a pan with canola oil and heat it. Add the mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are very soft and exude their juices. Whisk the flours into the vegetable broth and add to the mushrooms along with the sherry. Simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add the almond milk and simmer until thick, about 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and stir in the beans.

3. Put the bread, margarine, salt, and pepper into a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Pour into a bowl and add the onions. Stir to combine.

4. Put the green beans into an oiled casserole dish and top with the onion mixture. Bake at 425 F for about 15 minutes. If you are not serving this right away, refrigerate the topping separately; bring to room temperature before sprinkling the topping on the casserole and baking for about 20 minutes or until hot throughout.

Spicy nuts are a good side item to have on a table of party food, and are especially good served warm over ice cream.

Source: Veg Web

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon ground organic cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon ground organic cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups mixed unsalted organic nuts
• 1/4 cup organic Earth Balance
• 1/4 cup organic maple syrup or organic agave nectar
• 2-1/2 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the spices and salt and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, heat nuts over medium heat, stirring often, for five minutes.

3. Place the nuts in a large bowl.

4. In the same saucepan over medium heat, place the margarine, maple syrup, water, and spices.

5. Cook, stirring often, until a glaze forms.

6. Return the nuts to the saucepan and toss to coat.

7. Cook for two more minutes.

8. Remove from heat and transfer the nuts to a baking sheet until cooled.

Whether your winter entertaining leans more toward casual gabfests with friends or TV-themed gatherings to watch awards shows or the Super Bowl, a big batch of chili is a sure bet for satisfying guests. This hearty three-bean recipe, featuring mushrooms and seitan, is chunky and chewy, with just the right balance of heat and spice. Paired with homemade cornbread muffins, Key lime pie, and a big tossed salad, it’s a party meal that’s worthy of a trophy, an award, or a toast from fellow diners.

This chili is made with a base of seitan and mushrooms for a rich, thick dish that is, for lack of a better word, meaty! If you like your chili three-alarm hot, add an extra chipotle chile or two.

Nutritional information: 276 calories, 24g protein, 5g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 33g carbohydrates, 0mg cholesterol, 844mg sodium, 9g fiber, and 4g sugar

Source: Vegetarian Times

Ingredients:

• 1 large organic onion, chopped (2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons organic olive oil
• 3 cloves organic garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
• 8 ounces organic baby portabella mushrooms, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 16 ounces organic seitan, chopped (3 cups)
• 3 tablespoons organic tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons dried organic oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoons celery salt
• 15 ounces cooked organic black beans
• 15 ounces cooked organic kidney beans
• 15 ounces cooked organic pinto beans
• 1 cup organic carrots, chopped (2 to 3 large carrots)
• 2 tablespoon organic tamari or organic soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion, and sauté 7 to 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown, stirring often.

3. Add garlic and chipotle chile, and sauté 1 minute more.

4. Stir in mushrooms; cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened.

5. Add seitan, tomato paste, paprika, oregano, chili powder, celery salt, and 1 cup water; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add beans, carrots, tamari, and Worcestershire sauce.

7. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.

8. Simmer 1 hour, or until carrots are tender.

Source: Oh She Glows

Ingredients:

• 3 organic bananas, peeled, frozen, cut into 1 inch chunks for easier processing
• Splash of almond milk (if needed)
• 2 tablespoons of homemade cookie dough balls

Directions:

1. In a large food processor, add 3 frozen bananas. I like to cut my bananas into 1 inch chunks before freezing.

2. Process bananas, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

3. Finally, add in your cookie dough and process until combined. You should have a soft serve type consistency when done.

4. To make the blizzard simply stir in your desired amount of mini cookie dough balls, pour into a glass, and serve with a spoon.

Yield: 1 cup packed cookie dough

Source: Oh She Glows

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted, organic cashews
• 1/4 cup organic rolled oats
• 1/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour (other flours may work)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1.5 tablespoon natural cane sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon organic maple syrup (or a bit more if dough is too dry)
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a food processor, add the cashews and oats and process until it forms a fine crumble.

2. Now add in the salt, sugar, and flour and process for a few seconds more.

3. Add in the maple syrup and vanilla and process until combined.

4. It will be sticky, but this is normal!

5. Add in your chocolate chips and stir by hand or process.

6. Form into balls.

7. Store in freezer.

Serve in a bun with vegan mayonnaise, mustard, and lettuce, or slice and serve over a salad with a mustard-based dressing.

Alternatively, you can make hot unwings by smothering slices of the fried seitan in sauce and baking them at 300° for a few minutes (to warm and thicken the sauce). A cashew-based “blue uncheese” sauce will pair nicely with the spice, serving as a cool accent. Just don’t forget the celery!

Source: Hell Yeah It’s Vegan

Ingredients:

• Homemade seitan
• 5 1/3 cup water
• 21/2 teaspoon organic cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons organic soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons organic flour
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 11/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• dash of lemon pepper
• 2 tablespoon organic cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon organic baking powder
• 1 teaspoon organic paprika

Directions:

1. In a large pot, whisk together 5 cups water, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.

2. Lightly simmer – don’t boil! – seitan cutlets in broth, covered, for 15 minutes, flipping them once.

3. In the meantime, work on the breading. Mix together in a low, wide-mouthed bowl 1/3 cup water, spicy brown mustard, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and a dash of lemon pepper.

4. In another low, wide-mouthed bowl, mix together 1 cup flour, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, cornmeal, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.

5. Pour about ½” peanut oil into a frying pan and bring to medium heat. It’s ready when adding a drop of water results in a continual crackling — don’t add your cutlets too early or they’ll just soak up oil.

6. Once seitan has finished simmering, and working fast, dredge cutlets in wet mixture, followed by the dry mixture.

7. Add each cutlet to the hot oil and fry each side until golden.

8. Remove and place on a cooling rack placed over a plate so excess oil can drip off without making your finished product soggy.

9. If you somehow manage to have leftovers, let them cool fully before putting them away (to avoid sogginess), and fridge or freeze them for future use (reheating in a toaster oven or conventional oven).

This recipe is genius. I used bottled sauce, but there are also plenty of vegan Worcestershire recipes online that I’m sure would work great.

Source: Voracious Vegan

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
• 1 teaspoon organic garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon organic cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoon organic soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon organic vegan Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together wheat gluten, garlic powder, cumin, salt, lemon pepper, and chili powder.

2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together water, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce; add wet to dry and stir until well mixed.

3. Knead once or twice to work gluten into a ball, but no more than that. (I feel strongly about not over-working or over-cooking seitan. It’s easy to make it too tough or too dry!)

4. Divide into 5 pieces and shape into rough discs (or whatever shape you desire).

Colcannon is an Irish dish traditionally served on Hallowe’en, with coins hidden in the mash for children to find, but has also served as a regular staple. It’s similar to the English dish Bubble and Squeak, which was popular during WWII as a cheap and nutritious combination of leftovers. There are lots of variations on the dish, so experiment to see what suits you best:

You can use cabbage or kale. Onions, leeks, and green onions can be used interchangeably in this dish.

Some insist that the potatoes must be mashed smoothly, but the kale breaks the smoothness up enough not to notice some potato skin.

Source: Hell Yeah It’s Vegan

Ingredients:

• 11/2 pounds organic potatoes, chopped and peeled
• 1/2 pound organic kale or organic green cabbage, chopped
• 1 small organic onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsweetened, unflavored organic almond or rice milk
• 1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons organic Earth Balance
• water (as needed for mashing)
• Organic dill
• White pepper
• Organic nutmeg
• Salt

Directions:

1. In a large pot, boil the potatoes in salted water.

2. In a medium saucepan, boil the kale for a couple of minutes until it turns bright; some crunchiness is great. Set aside.

3. In a small saucepan, sauté onion in a tablespoon of butter until translucent.

4. Add remaining butter and milk and leave over low heat until melted.

5. Remove from heat and cover.

6. Once potatoes have finished cooking — you want them slightly over-cooked, to the point where they’ll fall apart a little when pierced by a fork — drain them and mash until smooth, adding water as needed.

7. Add onion mixture and kale; stir until combined.

8. Season with pinches of dill, white pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste.

9. Serve warm with a pat of butter in the center.

It’s spicy — there’s a lot of nutmeg and cinnamon — and it just has a great, warm flavor. It’s also got a great texture; it’s fluffy and moist with a nice crumb. It kind of just melts in your mouth. A slice of this is the perfect way to wake up in the morning.

The ingredients are also pretty darn wholesome, so if you’re looking to sneak in a few extra veggies onto a picky eater’s plate, this might be just what you’re looking for. If that’s the case, you should probably just call it “Spicy Awesome Bread.” Or if you’re looking to instill fear, Midwestern grandma-style, call it “Spicy Surprise Bread.”

Yield: 2 loaves

Source: Hell Yeah It’s Vegan

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons ground flax seeds whisked into 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon warm water
• 1/2 cup organic oil
• 1/2 cup organic applesauce
• 2 cups turbinado sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla
• 21/2 cups organic zucchini, grated and packed (approximately 3 medium-sized zucchini)
• 2 cups organic, all-purpose flour
• 1 cup organic whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon organic cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon organic nutmeg

Directions:

1. Grease two loaf pans.

2. Grate your zucchini.

3. Make sure to pack it before measuring.

4. Mix together flax seed mixture, oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla.

5. Add zucchini; stir til combined.

6. In a separate bowl, sift together remaining dry ingredients. Add to wet and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened and everything is incorporated evenly; some lumps are fine.

7. If adding additional mix-ins, fold them in now.

8. Divide batter between prepared pans.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45-50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.

10. Let cool a few minutes before slicing.

11. Feel free to add in a cup of chocolate chips or raisins; they really fit nicely here.

12. If you want muffins instead, reduce baking time to 30-40 minutes.

Try this fresh and flavorful salsa as a side dish, a tasty topping to your tacos, or simply scoop it up with some tortilla chips for a delicious snack.

Yield: 2 cups (serving size: about 1/4 cup)

Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic tomato, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh, organic cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup organic avocado, chopped and peeled
• 2 tablespoons organic red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh, organic lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 organic garlic clove, minced
• 1 organic jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; lightly mash with a fork.

This fresh dish is full of flavor and easy to whip up. Seitan has a neutral flavor and a chewy texture.

Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons organic olive oil
• 3/4 cup organic onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon organic oregano
• 2 organic garlic cloves, minced
• 1 organic jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon organic soy sauce
• 15 ounces organic black beans, cooked
• 1 cup water
• 8 ounces organic seitan (wheat gluten), finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 taco shells
• 2 cups organic Romaine lettuce, shredded
• Salsa

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add onion, oregano, garlic, and jalapeño; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Stir in sherry, soy sauce, beans, water, and seitan; bring to a boil.

4. Cook 7 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

5. Sprinkle with black pepper.

6. Prepare taco shells according to package directions.

7. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into each shell; top each taco with about 2 1/2 tablespoons lettuce and about 2 1/2 tablespoons salsa.

This fresh recipe embraces summer and ramps up the flavor! Pico de Gallo is best when made the day you plan to serve it. Prepare it early the morning of the party.

Makes 3 cups (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Nutritional information: 83 calories (0.0% from fat) 6.9g fat, 0.9g saturated fat, 4.5g monounsaturated fat, 0.9g polyunsaturated fat, 1.2g protein, 6g carbohydrate, 2.8g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 0.4mg iron, 5.7mg sodium, and 12mg calcium.

Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 2 medium organic tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 medium-size ripe organic avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup organic white onion, diced
• 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons organic lime juice
• 1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Toss together tomatoes, avocado, onion, pepper, lime juice, and olive oil in a medium bowl.

2. Cover and chill 1 hour.

3. Season with salt to taste.

This salad offering is fresh as a main or a side dish, pleasantly reminds us of fresh salsa, and wouldn’t be out of place on a Mexican-themed buffet.

Nutritional information: 72 calories (68% from fat), 1.1g protein, 5.4g fat, 0.7g saturated fat, 6g carbohydrate, 1.5g fiber, 155mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol

Source: Sunset

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds organic tomatoes
• 1 large mild green chile (such as poblano)
• 3 tablespoons organic olive oil
• 2 tablespoons organic lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Directions:

1. Core and halve tomatoes.

2. Remove seeds (either scoop them out with a spoon or hold a half in your hand and squeeze out the seeds) and cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces.

3. Put tomatoes in a large bowl.

4. Remove stem and seeds from chile.

5. Finely chop chile and add to tomatoes.

6. Set aside.

7. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, salt, and mustard until emulsified.

8. Drizzle dressing over tomatoes and chiles and toss gently to combine.

9. Add more salt to taste if you like.

10. Serve at room temperature.

This dip brings the flavor and the brown sugar adds an awesome hit of sweetness. Dark brown sugar and hot sauce lend an olive color to this slightly sweet yet spicy dip.

Source: Coastal Living

Ingredients:

• 8 ripe organic avocados, peeled and chopped
• 2 2/3 cups organic corn
• 1/2 cup fresh, organic lime juice
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/3 cup organic hot sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons organic cumin, ground
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh, organic cilantro (optional)
• Organic tomato, chopped tomato
• Organic lime wedge

Directions:

1. Mash avocados in a large bowl to desired consistency.

2. Stir in corn, lime juice, brown sugar, hot sauce, salt, cumin, and black pepper.

3. Cover and chill.

4. Serve chips with dip.

5. Garnish, if desired.

This zesty soup is best served with quesadillas. Enjoy!

Serving size: 1 3/4 cups

Nutritional information: 161 calories (20% from fat), 3.5g fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 1.9g monounsaturated fat, 0.8g polyunsaturated fat, 3.8g protein, 31.7g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 2.2mg iron, 389mg sodium, 76mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons organic olive oil
• 2 cups organic butternut squash, cubed and peeled (about 3/4 pound)
• 2 cups organic onion, chopped
• 1 cup organic red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup organic celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup organic poblano chile, sliced and seeded
• 1 teaspoon organic oregano
• 1 teaspoon organic chili powder
• 4 cups fresh vegetable broth or water
• 15 1/2 ounces organic white hominy or organic corn
• 1/4 cup fresh, organic lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh, organic cilantro, minced

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. Add squash, onion, red bell pepper, celery, poblano chile, oregano, and chili powder; sauté minutes.

3. Add broth and hominy; bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat; simmer 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

5. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

Serving size: 1 cup

Nutritional information: 184 calories (23% from fat), 4.6g fat, 0.7g saturated fat, 3g monounsaturated fat, 0.5g polyunsaturated fat, 4.9g protein, 32.8g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 2.3mg iron, 421mg sodium, and 36mg calcium.

Source: The Hispanic Food Network

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup organic avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon organic olive oil
• 1 teaspoon organic cumin, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups white rice, cooked
• 1 cup organic plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded (about 3 tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup fresh organic parsley, minced
• 15 ounces organic black beans, cooked
• 2 tablespoons fresh organic cilantro, minced (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine avocado, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl, and toss gently.

2. Add rice, plum tomatoes, parsley, black beans, and cilantro, if desired; toss well.

3. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

This recipe brings some sweet heat with the combination of heavenly chocolate, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.

Nutritional information: 450 calories (0% from fat), 12g fat, 2g saturated fat, 6mg protein, 87g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 4mg iron, 312mg sodium, and 36mg calcium.

Source: Real Simple

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons organic cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground Mexican chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup organic canola oil
• 1 tablespoon organic balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 6 tablespoons water
• 10 small fresh organic strawberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350° F.

2. Lightly coat an 8-inch round cake pan with vegetable cooking spray.

3. Combine all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, cayenne pepper (or Mexican chili powder), salt, water, canola oil, balsamic vinegar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth.

4. Pour mixture into the pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

6. Remove cake from the pan and cool completely.

7. When the cake has cooled, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and water.

8. Dip each strawberry into the glaze and set aside.

9. Pour the remaining glaze over the cake and arrange the strawberries on top.

10. Set aside to dry, about 30 minutes.