Vegetarian Easter Menu

Appetizer

Chilled Avocado Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 large ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled
• 1 large ripe tomato, seeded, chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 (32-ounce) container Pacific Foods Organic Mushroom Broth
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

1. Scoop avocados into a food processor or blender.
2. Add tomato, lemon zest and juice. Puree until smooth.
3. In a medium saucepan, whisk together avocado mixture and broth until smooth.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Refrigerate until chilled and serve it cold.

From She Knows (www.sheknows.com)

Entrée

Chickpea Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Smokey Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce:

• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 roasted red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 inch of knob of ginger
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp spice blend of choice
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder or to taste
• 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 tsp oil

Stuffing:

• 11/4 cups cooked , divided.
• 3 Tbsp tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• cumin powder
• oil

•  2 Poblano peppers

Preparation:

1. In a blender, add all the ingredients under tomato sauce and blend to a smooth puree.
2. Take tomato mixture and mix in the 11/4 cups of chickpeas. Add salt, cayenne, garam masala, cilantro and mash.Taste and adjust salt and spice.
3. Slice the poblanos or other peppers. Remove seeds.
4. Fill the peppers with the chickpeas. Sprinkle a little cumin powder on top.
5. Spray or brush the peppers with oil.
6. Bake at pre-heated 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, In a pan, add a tsp of oil and heat on medium. Add the tomato puree and bring to a boil. 3-4 minutes.
   Lower the heat to low-medium and cook for another 6-7 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and spice. 
8. Serve the peppers with a generous drizzle of the tomato sauce and a sprinkle of sweet paprika, cilantro and lemon juice.

From Vegan Richa (www.veganricha.com)

Dessert

Raw Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 2 large carrots, peeled & chopped
• 1 1/2 cups oat flour
• 1 cup dates
• 1 cup dried pineapple
• 1/2 cup dried coconut
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Frosting:

• 2 cups cashews, preferably soaked for a couple hours
• 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons liquid coconut oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• water, as needed

Preparation:

1. To make the frosting: blend all ingredients in your high speed blender until smooth, adding as little water as possible. Taste it. Put in a bowl and set aside.
2. To make the cake: Throw all the ingredients in your food processor and pulse until it’s all in really small pieces and sticks together.
3. Assembly: Press half the cake mix into the bottom of an adjustable spring-form pan, mine was about 6 inches. Then spread on about 1/3 of the frosting. Put it in the freezer until the layer of frosting is hard. Then press on the rest of the cake mix. I let it set in the fridge overnight, then frosted the whole thing, but you can do it right away if you want. Take it out of the pan and use the remaining frosting, cover with whatever garnishes you like.

From This Rawsome Vegan Life (www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com)