August 6, 2000

Hope all of you are having a great summer thus far. I sure am, the summer weather has been a bit unpredictable but overall hasn't effected my enjoying summer to the fullest. Personally I've been taking time for nature walks, farmers markets, county fairs, and the company of good friends on a warm summer's evening. Recently I helped plan a back yard party with a friend. The bold and spicy flavors of Mexican cuisine fit perfectly with our hot summer night and what was abundant in the garden. This installment of recipes reflects that night's menu and I hope it will inspire you to through your own Mexican fiesta! Enjoy. As always, be good to one another, and remember to eat your veggies!

In a blender, combine the watermelon, tequila, Chambord, sugar, and lime juice, and puree until smooth. Add the ice and process until the ice is finely crushed. Divide mixture between 4 cocktail glasses, garnish with a slice of lime, and serve immediately.

Serves 4

In a small glass bowl, combine the avocados, lemon juice, and salt, mash until smooth with a fork, and set aside. On a large platter or in a large bowl, place the Smoky Chipotle and Black Bean Dip and spread to a smooth and even layer. Evenly spread the reserved mashed avocados over the bean dip, followed by the Cilantro-Tofu Cream and Sunburst Salsa, and then sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the top. Cover and chill for several hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

Serves 10-12

In a small non-stick skillet, saute the green onions and garlic in olive oil for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the cumin, saute 3 additional minutes or until fragrant, remove from heat, and set aside. In a food processor or blender, combine the green onion mixture and the remaining ingredients, and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, you can also add more chipotle puree if you like spicy flavors. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or veggies.

Yield: 2 Cups

In a food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients and puree until smooth. Transfer mixture to a glass bowl. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. Serve as a topping for soups, salads, and Mexican dishes just as you would use sour cream.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups

In a glass bowl, combine all of the ingredients, and toss well to combine. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Yield: 4 Cups

In a food processor or blender, combine the cilantro, jalapenos, and garlic, and pulse a few times to finely chop. Add half of the remaining ingredients, except garnishes, and process with the cilantro mixture until smooth. Transfer the puree to a glass bowl. Puree the remaining ingredients and stir the batches together. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. Garnish individual servings with a swirl of the Cilantro-Tofu Cream and a sprinkle of the roasted red pepper and chives.

Serves 6-8

In a large bowl, combine the baby greens, baby spinach, arugula, radicchio, basil, parsley, and cilantro, and toss gently. Just before serving, scatter the pansies and nasturtium blossoms over the mixed greens and toss gently to combine. Drizzle a little of the Herbal Red Wine Vinaigrette over individual servings.

Serves 6-8

In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper, and whisk well to combine. Stir in the herbs. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly, until the vinaigrette is emulsified.

Yield: 2 Cups

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and toss well to combine. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: 10 Cups

In a saucepan, place the water and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain off excess water, transfer to a bowl, and fluff with a fork. Meanwhile in a non-stick skillet, cook the pumpkin seeds over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until toasted. Transfer the toasted pumpkin seeds to a bowl and set aside. In the same non-stick skillet, saute the red and orange pepper in 1 T. olive oil, for 3 minutes. Add the corn and garlic, and saute an additional 3 minutes. Add the green onions and saute for 1 minute. Add the sauteed vegetables, reserved pumpkin seeds, and the remaining ingredients to the quinoa, and toss well to combine. Serve warm.

Yield: 10 Cups

In a steamer basket, place the whole blocks of tempeh, steam for 10 minutes, and set aside. In a bowl, combine the orange juice, cilantro, olive oil, brown rice syrup, lime juice, zest, vinegar, liquid aminos, oregano, thyme, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and pepper, and whisk well to blend. Place the steamed blocks of tempeh in a small casserole dish and place the zucchini, summer squash, onion, and peppers in a large casserole dish. Drizzle 1/3 of the marinade over the tempeh and 1/3 of the marinade over the vegetables. Place both of the casserole dishes in the refrigerator and leave to marinate for several hours. Place the tempeh and vegetables on the grill and brush both with the remaining marinade while grilling. Grill the tempeh until well-browned, about 5-7 minutes per side, and grill the vegetables until tender, about 3-4 minutes per side. Cut the blocks of grilled tempeh into strips. Transfer the tempeh strips and vegetables to a platter. Allow guest to build their own fajitas, by filling tortillas with strips of tempeh, an assortment of the grilled vegetables, and topped with a little of the Cilantro-Tofu Cream and Sunburst Salsa.

Serves 8

In a large glass bowl, combine all of the fruit and toss gently. Sprinkle the orange juice and mint over the top, and toss gently again. Cover and chill or serve immediately.

Yield: 14 Cups

In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, zest, baking powder, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut in the Spectrum Spread until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the orange juice and stir well to form a dough. Place the dough between two sheets of waxed paper and roll out to 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough into shapes with a small diamond-shaped cookie cutter or knife. Carefully transfer the cut cookies to non-stick cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yield: 2 Dozen

Drain the crushed pineapple and reserve the juice. Line a large casserole with plastic wrap, and spread the drained pineapple evenly over the plastic. Place the peeled bananas around the edge of the casserole dish. Place the casserole dish in the freezer for several hours or until fruit is thoroughly frozen. In a blender or food processor, combine the frozen fruit, reserved pineapple juice, and the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Serve immediately in chilled glass.

Serves 6