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2. Blend the squash, along with all of the other ingredients, until totally smooth.

Variation

• Cashews can be substituted for the squash, although they are not low-fat. Start with ½ cup and add more if you desire a thicker consistency.

Quicker and Easier

While we are on the topic of cooked squash, a quick and easy suggestion for serving baked squash is to drizzle it with your favorite oil and top with nutritional yeast and salt. You can mix this in with some cooked quinoa as well, or serve it in a salad. Of course there is theI ever-popular drizzling with pure maple syrup and topping with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. A Thai restaurant in our area also serves cooked squash swimming in sweetened coconut milk, as a dessert.

TAHINI-MUSTARD DRESSING

Tahini salad dressings are more of a whole food dressing and are so rich and creamy as well. This is but one flavor variation amongst many. Lemon-Miso Tahini is a big favorite at our home. Like nut butters, the consistency of tahini varies quite a bit from brand to brand, and you’ll need to stir the jar well to get a uniform consistency. Otherwise, you’ll have oily tahini at the top and rock-hard tahini at the bottom.

MAKES 1 CUP

½ cup tahini

1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

½ cup water or more, depending on the consistency of the tahini

Blend or whisk all of the ingredients together.

Variations

• Try replacing the mustard with red curry paste, for a spicy dressing.

• For Lemon-Miso Tahini dressing, replace the apple cider vinegar with fresh lemon or lime juice and substitute 1 teaspoon of miso paste for the mustard. For a Miso-Tahini Spread for rice cakes, crackers, or sandwiches, leave out the water in the Lemon-Miso Dressing.

VEGAN RANCH DRESSING

We were surprised to learn that ranch dressing originated from a dude ranch in 1950s California, and that it’s actually one of the most popular dressings in the United States. Sometimes you just want to smother your salad in a rich, creamy dressing. This is the one to choose. To turn this into a phenomenal ranch dip or spread, leave out the soy milk.

MAKES 1¼ CUPS

¾ cup Vegenaise, Vegan Mayonnaise (page 288), or other vegan mayo

6 tablespoons soy or rice milk

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons minced green onion, white part only

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of cayenne

1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley

1. Blend all of the ingredients except the parsley, until creamy. Pour into a small bowl. Add the parsley, stir well, and enjoy.

2. This dressing will thicken if left in the fridge. Reblend or whisk in some additional soy milk to return it to a pourable consistency.

Variations

• Replace the parsley with an equal amount of fresh dill.

• Add 2 teaspoons of nutritional yeast for a cheeselike flavor.

• For Green Garden Dressing, add another tablespoon of minced parsley and include it in the blending step.

ARUGULA, PERSIMMON, AND SNOW PEAS WITH KIWI VINAIGRETTE

The sweetness of the kiwi balances the spiciness of the arugula. Look for the supersweet kiwis to make this dressing a hit. If you’re unaccustomed to arugula, feel free to replace some with mixed salad greens. Persimmons are a real treat, when in season. Make sure you use Fuyas, not Hachiyas, which are not ripe until they are too soft to slice. If this delicacy is not available, replace with fresh or dried figs or cherry tomatoes, sliced.

SERVES 4 TO 6

6-8 cups arugula, loosely packed

2 large persimmons, chopped

1 small fennel bulb, sliced thinly and minced

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

2 cups halved snow peas

Sunflower sprouts (optional)

Kiwi Vinaigrette

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 1 CUP

3 kiwis, peeled and chopped (¾ cup)

¼ cup safflower oil

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

¼ cup