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Add the onion, carrot, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are golden and the juices have evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and add the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and sugar. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Fifteen minutes before mealtime, place the sauce over medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until hot. Bring a sauce-pan of water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook for 1 minute, or until warm.

Place half of the pasta onto each plate and top with half of the sauce. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the pasta and serve immediately.

Cooking 101:

Fresh mushrooms should be brushed off, rinsed briefly under running water, and patted dry with a paper towel. Never soak them in water; they are like little sponges and will absorb water and become soggy.

Chapter 9:

Desserts

Vegan Cheesecake

Chocolate Cake

Tofu Pumpkin Pie

Vegan Raspberry-Almond Bread Pudding

Peach Pie with Crumble Topping

Vegan Chocolate Pudding

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Fried Ice Cream

Cherry Turnovers

Pecan Phyllo Spirals

Vegan Cheesecake

I know I continually say that I’m skeptical about tofu, especially something as weird as tofu cream cheese. However, I have to say this vegan cheesecake is actually better than a lot of cheesecakes I’ve had. In fact, it’s so good that when I finished my first piece I went back for a second. Like any cheesecake, it’s great with any kind of fruit on top, especially strawberries. –J

Serves 6

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

¼ cup melted margarine

24 ounces soy cream cheese

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup egg substitute

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and margarine in an ungreased 9-inch pie pan and press down to cover the bottom and sides of the pan.

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, egg substitute, and vanilla and stir until completely combined. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 30 minutes. Turn down the oven to 250°F and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until set in the center. Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving.

Bargain Shopper:

You can save several dollars by buying a box of graham crackers and smashing them up yourself. Just put them in a plastic bag and smash them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan. Or you can give them a whirl in a food processor if you have one. It takes about 15 graham crackers to yield 1½ cups.

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake

This type of cake recipe—using oil, not butter, and without eggs—was first developed during the Depression era, when milk and eggs were scarce and expensive. Rather than forgo sweets entirely, families developed recipes that worked around the limited availability of certain foods. Obviously, the availability of dairy isn’t an issue anymore, but this history means that there are plenty of pretty good dessert recipes ready-made for vegans. –J

Serves 12

Oil or cooking spray

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

⅔ cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons white vinegar

2 cups water

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with oil or cooking spray.

Stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Make a well, or funnel-shaped indentation, in the center of the dry ingredients and add the oil, vanilla, vinegar, and water. Stir until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the pecans. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Food Trivia:

The Aztecs first prepared a hot chocolate drink for a European in 1519. It was then introduced to the Spanish court in 1528, and it gradually spread through Europe. However, chocolate wasn’t prepared