Big Bite

1 ham bone
12 cups cold water
1 package HoneyBaked Ham Bone Soup Mix
2 bay leaves (optional)
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (I like to dice mine)
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onions
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. black pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

Place ham bone in large pot. Add 12 cups cold water and bring to a boil. Add soup mix with contents of seasoning packet. Return to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.

Simmer for 2 hours. Remove ham bone and allow to cool. Add remaining ingredients and continue to cook over moderate heat for approximately 60 minutes or until beans are tender. Remove the meat from the ham bone and dice until fine. Return the meat to the soup.

(Soup mix ingredients: small white beans, lentils, blackened peas, black beans, small reds, dark red kidney beans, baby limas, large limas, green split peas, Great Northerns, pink beans, yellow split peas, garbanzos, pearl barley, pinto beans, light red kidney beans, navy beans, cranberry beans)

(Seasoning: Salt, malto-dextrin, dextrose, onion powder, paprika, spices, garlic powder, dehydrated parsley)

1 to 1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 can Campbell's beef bouillon soup (or 2 gluten-free bouillon, dairy-free cubes or 1 can beef broth)
2 cans Campbell's tomato soup
2 cans of water (or more as needed)
1/2 tsp. celery seed
Dash of pepper
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 potatoes peeled and cubed
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 package of frozen corn
1 package of frozen lima beans
1 can of green beans, drained
Salt to taste

Put all in crock pot and cook on low all day or put in a Dutch oven and cook on low until the potatoes and carrots are tender.

Recipe courtesy of Sabrina Ballenger

1 medium to large onion, peeled and chopped
2 or 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
Drizzle of olive oil
Handful or two of baby carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3-4 stalks of celery, cut in half lengthwise and then into 1/2-inch chunks
Two zucchini, ends cut off, sliced into spears and then into 1/2-inch chunks
Couple of handfuls of fresh green beans, ends cut off beans snapped into 1-inch pieces
Two 16-ounce cans of chopped tomatoes (plain or flavored, such as green chile or roasted garlic)
Couple of of big handfuls of shredded cabbage (can use packaged kind for cole slaw)

In a big soup pot, drizzle a little bit of olive oil, turn heat to medium and cook onion until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and stir for a minute. Add the carrots and celery and cook for a few minutes. Add the zucchini and green beans. Add the tomatoes and can of water. Let the soup cook for about 10 minutes, then stir in the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let cook another 15 minutes or so.

Extras: You can add oregano or other spices as you'd like.

For heartier flavor, add some canned beef consommé.

If you want the soup to be less chancy, add water or tomato juice.

This recipe is loosely based on a Weight Watcher's Vegetable soup recipe.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup dairy-free vegetable shortening
6–8 tbsp. ice water

Mix together flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using a pasty blender or fork, cut in vegetable shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Mix in ice water one tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to form a ball. Dough should be moist enough to stick together without crumbling, but not overly wet. Divide dough into two balls. Roll dough to quarter-inch consistency. Place one rolled crust into pie pan. Chill for a few minutes and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Lesley Stanford, as adapted from What's To Eat? The Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook, by Linda Coss.

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups water
1/4 cup flour or cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1 tbsp. (dairy-free) margarine
Baked piecrust or graham cracker crust

Mix first four ingredients and cook over medium or high heat until thick, about six to eight minutes. Stir all the time the mixture is cooking.

Add the vanilla and margarine; stir until dissolved.

Pour into crust. Chill 3 hours before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Patsy Ray in Heavenly Helpings Seasoned with Love.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 (10-ounce) box silken tofu
2 large, very ripe bananas, peeled and broken into chunks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl and melt in the microwave set on low power just until the chips begin to lose their shape. Remove the bowl and stir until completely melted and smooth.

Place the tofu and half of the banana chunks in a blender and purée. Add the remaining banana along with the vanilla, brown sugar and salt and purée until completely smooth.

Scrape in the melted chocolate (it's OK if it's still warm). Purée once more until the chocolate is completely incorporated. Scrape the mousse into a glass or metal bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours, before serving.

Top each serving with some sliced banana and additional chocolate chips, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of Sheri Castle

1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 can (14 fl. oz.) full-fat Thai Kitchen® coconut milk
2 Tbs. tapioca flour
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (see notes)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup water
2 tsp. agar-agar powder (not bar or flake, see notes)

In a blender, blend the pumpkin, maple syrup, coconut milk, tapioca flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

Pour the water into a saucepan, sprinkle the surface with the agar-agar powder and whisk. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the simmering agar-agar. Return the mixture to a boil and gently simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour the hot pie filling into a prebaked pie shell (see recipe). Refrigerate until firm and set, 3 to 5 hours. Serve chilled or bring to room temperature. Either way, with the help of the agar-agar, the pie will remain firm.

Notes: Thai Kitchen® coconut milk may be found in the Asian section of most major grocery chains. Agar-agar is a plant-based gelatin derived from seaweed. Agar-agar powder may be found at Asian markets, many natural grocers and on Amazon. Be sure to buy agar-agar powder, not bars or flakes. Alternatively, in place of the pumpkin pie spice, you may use 2-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg and 1/8 tsp. ground cloves.

Recipe courtesy of Williams-Sonoma

Makes two pies

1 package Marjon Soft Tofu
1/2 stick safe margarine/butter, melted
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups sugar

Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into two graham cracker pie shells (I have also used a baked Pillsbury/allergy safe pie crust) and chill. Cover with safe whipped topping if desired.

Recipe courtesy of Theresa Nguyen

Makes about one dozen funnel cakes; active time about 45 minutes, total time about 45 minutes

4 ounces (1 cup) white rice flour
2.5 ounces (1/4 cup) sweet rice flour
2 ounces (1/2 cup) cornstarch or tapioca starch
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, whisked
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil for frying, about one quart
Powdered sugar for dusting

1. In medium mixing bowl, whisk together white rice flour, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Add milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Allow to stand for ten minutes. (Begin preheating oil while batter rests.)

2. In either a deep fryer or deep, heavy pot with four-inch sides, heat oil to 375°F. Pour batter into either a funnel, a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip or plastic squeeze bottle with a large opening. Don't overfill. Cover funnel opening and place over deep fryer. Allow the batter to flow into the fryer. Starting in the center of the oil, swirl the batter to make a four-inch disk. Fry disk for about two minutes. Carefully turn and fry until golden brown.

3. Remove funnel cakes and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Recipe courtesy of: www.seriouseats.com