Raw Marinara

Super simple, really quick, and incredibly good for you; this raw marinara is perfect over zucchini or squash noodles. Try it with a little cashew cream mixed in...delicious. 1 lb plum/roma tomatoes (or, really, whichever kind you like best) big handful of fresh basil leaves 3-4 sundried tomato halves juice from ¼ of a lemon (or half if it’s small) ¼ cup olive oil 1 medjool date, pitted 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 t salt ½ t black pepper ¼ t red pepper flake First chop all of your tomatoes very small. Then blend together everything save for the tomatoes in a food processor. Add a small handful of chopped tomato and pulse that for a minute. Then combine the mixture with the rest of the chopped tomatoes.

Super Simple Pomodoro

After 80 failed attempts at the perfect red sauce, I decided to apply the keep it simple, stupid principle to my marinara. Guess what? It worked. I use this on pizza, in lasagna, over pasta...

1 28oz can of peeled plum tomatoes in juice with nothing added (if you can find a can that indicates they are from the San Marzano region in Italy...well, your mouth will thank you)
1/4 c olive oil
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T dried oregano
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t red pepper flake (or less, if you ain't spicy at heart)

Heat your olive oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan until it shimmers, add your crushed garlic, stir and cook for 3 minutes. I prefer to not let my garlic brown at all.

Add the tomatoes, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper(s) and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with a wooden spoon (I like to hit the sauce with an immersion blender for just a minute). Eat and enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque

Doesn't something with "creamy" and "bisque" in its name just sound....well creamy and bisquey?

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion , chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can good quality whole peeled plum tomatoes packed in juice (unsalted)
1 T brown sugar
3/4 C cashews, powdered, blended with 1 cup water vegetable broth
2 C more veggie broth
1/2 t salt (or more, to taste)
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
fresh basil chopped (as much as you like!)

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sautee onion, garlic, and bay leaf, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
2. Stir in the whole can of tomatoes and their juice. Smash up the tomatoes with a big wooden spoon (put on your apron first).
3. Stir in the sugar and then the cashew cream and then the other 2 cups of broth and bring the mixture to boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the mixture to blender (let it cool a while first if you do this - or the lid will cave in, or worse pop off and it's a mess - trust me - and even after it has cooled a bit take the middle of the blender cap out to let steam escape) or user an immersion blender.
6. Return soup to boil, add salt, and season to taste with freshly-ground black pepper.
7. Garnish with freshly chopped basil.

Roasted Veggie Lasagna

Ooey, gooey, and delicious - this is my go-to dinner party pleaser. You can make it the day ahead and do the final bake just before your guests arrive (to a house that smells like awesome).

Get yourself:
1/2 lb of no-bake flat lasagna noodles (or, be awesome, and make your own)
2 medium eggplants
4 large zucchini
4 large yellow squash
2 large red bell peppers
1 large sweet onion
2 portabella mushroom caps (or 8 oz cremini mushrooms)
2 cups sage cashew cream
2 cups super simple pomodoro
2 cups vegan mozzarella shreds (optional, but delicious)
Preheat oven to 450. Lightly oil a 9x13 glass baking dish. Spray three or four large cookie sheets with oil.
First, you want to roast allllll of your veggies:

1. Slice up your eggplant, zucchini, squash, and onion into semi-uniform slices (meaning, try to get your eggplant slices about as thick as your squash about as this as your onion).
2. Brush all of your slices, along with your mushroom caps and your bell peppers, with olive oil. Lightly salt the eggplant.
3. Lay everything out on your cookie sheets (I generally need 4 cookie sheets and do it in two rounds in the oven)
4. Roast at 450 for 30-45 minutes, flipping at 15 minutes and every 15 thereafter.
5. Turn your oven down to 350 if you are baking the lasagna the same day.
6. When cooled, slice your red peppers and mushroom.

While your veggies are roasting make your two cups of sage cashew cream and your super simple pomodoro. Then in your baking dish, layer your lasagna noodles, veggies, and the two sauces in whatever way your heart desires. I have done it in every conceivable combination, and it always turns out delicious!
Store in fridge for a day or two, or bake right away at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered and then 15 minutes uncovered until bubbling on the sides. (Note: if you do store it in the fridge, make sure you pull it out and let it warm to room temp before you bake it!)