This is a family favorite and always a hit for feeding a big crowd. As I teach cooking lessons to a lot of students with various dietary restrictions, I wanted to create a vegan version of my favorite Bolognese sauce. In my humble opinion, the vegan version is just as delicious and has been a big hit in one of my recent vegan cooking classes. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb ground meat (beef or pork)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (or more for a little spice)
• 2 tablespoons basil
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 onion, diced
• 3-4 oz tomato paste
• about 46 oz of diced tomatoes (or pureed)
• finely chopped vegetables, optional but recommended: 1 cup mushrooms, 1-2 zucchini, 1 bell pepper
• optional: broth or red wine for deglazing

Ingredients for Vegan Bolognese: 
All of the ingredients above, except ground meat. Substitute with: 

• 1/2 cup walnuts chopped finely in food processor
• add an additional cup of mushrooms --> total of 2 cups mushrooms
• 1-2 cups cooked lentils (I prefer brown lentils but any type works)

Instructions:

1. Heat large pot and then add oil.
2. Once oil is hot, saute onions until translucent. Then add spices, salt and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes but make sure not to burn the garlic!
3. Add any other vegetables that you want to add and saute together until softened.
4. Now add honey and tomato paste and "brown" it with the vegetables for about 3-4 minutes. This will also improve the flavor of the dish instead of adding it later on with the liquids. Don't worry if some of it sticks to the bottom!
5. Deglaze any brown bits on the bottom of the pot with a few splashes of red wine or broth. Just add liquid to pot and scrape up any brown bits. This will add richness and more flavor to your dish. 
6. Depending on how big your pot is, you could try to add the meat and brown it or transfer your vegetables to another dish and then brown your ground meat. (if you are making a vegan version, add your lentils and walnuts instead of the ground meat)
7. Once meat is browned well, add vegetables back to pot and add diced tomatoes. 
8. Cook for at least 1-2 hours on low heat. The longer it cooks, the better it will taste. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Cashew "Parmesan" Cheese:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Instructions: 

1. Place everything in a food processor or blender and process until powdery. If using a blender, make sure not to process too long, otherwise it will become clumpy. 
2. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. 

I like this dish because it comes together quickly and it allows you to make use of any leftover veggies in your fridge. Eggs are not only for breakfast but can make a great dish for dinner with a side salad or roasted potatoes. 
Ingredients: 

• 8 large eggs
• 1/3 cup sour cream (or yogurt, coconut milk)
• 2/3 cup shredded or crumbled cheese (goat or feta cheese)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground pepper
• up to 3 cups chopped raw or previously cooked vegetables of your choice: zucchini, mushrooms, onions, garlic, bell pepper, peas, sun-dried tomatoes 
• optional: chopped ham, sliced sausages

Instructions: 
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2) Grease pie pan or oven-safe skillet with butter or oil
3) Place the eggs, sour cream, and the cheese in a medium size bowl. Whisk together and add the salt and pepper
4) Saute onions, garlic and any raw vegetables you want to use and leave in oven proof skillet or place in baking dish
5) Pour egg mixture over vegetables
6) Bake just until the eggs are set, 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

• coconut oil  or other oil for cooking
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 cups canned coconut milk
• 2 cups broth
• 1.5 cups dried red lentil
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
• 1 tablespoon cilantro
• 2 cups frozen green peas (or mixed vegetables)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 
1) Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat and saute onions until translucent
2) Add garlic and minced ginger and saute for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Avoid burning garlic!
3) Stir in curry powder, turmeric, and salt and saute for another 30 seconds.
4) Add coconut milk, broth, and cashews 
5) Rinse your lentils and then add them to the pot. Reduce heat and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until lentils soften. 
6) Stir in frozen vegetables, shredded coconut and cook for 3-5 minutes. 
7) Add lemon juice, and more salt and pepper to taste. 
8) Serve by itself or over rice, quinoa or millet. Top with chopped cilantro.