Getting Into The Fall Spirit With Delicious Italian-Inspired Vegan Dishes

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Were getting you in the fall spirit, and one way to do that is cooking up a great meal.

How about impressing your friends with some healthy vegan dishes that don't even taste like vegan food?

Beatrice Tosti, co-owner of Il Posto Accanto in the East Village, stopped by to show CBS2's Andrea Grymes and Cindy Hsu how to do just that.

Below is a full list of the recipes from Tosti's kitchen to yours:

Farinata Con Verdure - Savory chickpea tart with vegetables:

Chickpea flour is ever so present in Italian cooking, Liguria with the "Farinata", Tuscany with their "Cecina" and the delicious Sicilian fried 'Panelle" just to name a few.  All naturally vegan, eaten by people thatching if they just ear the word "vegan".

INGREDIENTS

1.5 CUPS OF CHICKPEA FLOUR

2 CUPS OF WATER

SEA SALT

EVOO

2 MEDIUM CARROTS GRATED

2 SMALL ZUCCHINI SLICED

1 LARGE ONION SLICED

1/2 RED OR YELLOW BELL PEPPER DICED

1/2 JALAPENO SLICED (optional, if you like heat put a whole one)

HANDFUL OF BABY SPINACH OR WASHED "ADULT" SPINACH

1 11" NON STICK PAN WITH LID

DIRECTIONS

PLACE CHICKPEA FLOUR IN A BOWL, ADD 2 TABLESPOONS EVOO AND A TEASPOON SEA SALT AND MIX. ADD WATER A LITTLE AT A TIME SO YOU WILL AVOID LUMPS IN THE BATTER. SET ASIDE

PREPARE YOUR VEGGIES, SET ASIDE CARROTS AND SPINACH, AND SAUTEE WITH A 1 OR 2 TABLESPOONS OF EVOO AND.1 TEASPOON SALT. LET COOK FOR 7 MINUTES OVER MEDIUM FIRE, ADD CAROTS AND SPINACH. COOK ANOTHER 4 OR 5 MINUTES. TASTE FOR SEASONING AND ADJUST IF NECESSARY. SET ASIDE IN A PLATE.

PLACE AN 11" ROUND NON STICK PAN OVER MEDIUM/LOW FIRE AND LET IT HEAT UP SLOWLY. USING A SPOON REMOVE THE FOAM THAT NATURALLY FORMS ON THE SURFACE OF YOUR CHICKPEA BATTER.

POUR ENOUGH EVOO TO generously COVER THE PAN (this will create a crispy skin). ADD THE SAUTEED VEGGIES TO THE BATTER, MIX AND, BEING VERY CAREFUL OF NOT BURNING YOURSELF, POUR YOUR MIX INTO YOUR HOT PAN. KEEP THE BOWL AS CLOSE TO THE PAN AS POSSIBLE SO THERE WILL BE NO SPLATTERS.

COVER WITH A LID AND COOK FOR 10 MINUTES OVER MEDIUM HEAT. REMOVE LID AND CHECK THAT YOU FARINATA HAS SETTLED, IF IT IS TILL RUNNY COVER AND LET COOK LONGER.

ONCE YOU SEE IT DOESN'T GIGGLE, USE THE LID TO TURN IT AND COOK 10 MINUTES ON THE OTHER SIDE.

ENJOY WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

YOU CAN USE ANY COMBINATION OF VEGETABLES YOU WANT, SQUASH, BEETS, KALE, BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER…GO FOR IT!!!

Lenticchie In Umido - Lentils slow braised in Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1/2lb LENTILS I prefer Umbrian but any lentil will do. Washed.

1 ONION CHOPPED

1 CARROT CHOPPED

1 CELERY STALK CHOPPED

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

20 FRESH BASIL LEAVES

SEA SALT

PEPPER

1QT STRAINED TOMATOES (passata)

SPICY CHILI FLAKES

5 SPRIGS OF THYME TIED IN A BUNDLE

DIRECTIONS

PLACE 1/4 CUP OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE IN A SAUCE PAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT. ADD CHOPPED VEGETABLES, A TEASPOON OF SALT AND LET COOK UNTIL IT SMELLS NICE, AROUND 5 MINUTES. ADD LENTILS AND LET THE FLAVORS MARRY,  ADD CHILI FLAKES TO TASTE AND COOK FOR 3 MINUTES. NOW ADD 3/4 OF THE TOMATO "PASSATA" MIX WELL ADD THE THYME BUNDLE AND CHOPPED BASIL AND LET COOK.

BECAUSE ALL LENTILS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL AND ARE NOT THE SAME AGE, COOKING TIME AND AMOUNT OF LIQUID TO ADD VARIES. I SUGGEST TO START TASTING AFTER 20 MINUTES, IF THE LENTILS LOOK DRY AND THEY ARE TOO AL DENTE, ADD THE REST OF THE PASSATA OR A LITTLE WATER. WAIT FOR THE LIQUID TO ABSORB, AND TASTE AGAIN. ADJUST SEASONING.

THIS DISH IS DELICIOUS HOT OR COLD AND ONLY GETS MORE DELICIOUS THE DAY AFTER.

Whole Wheat Soft Tart

INGREDIENTS

4 APLLES peeled cored cut into 1/2inch pieces and placed in a bowl with the juice of half a lemon

2 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

1 SCNT CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

3/4 CUP UNSWEETENED APPLE SAUCE

1 CUP BROWN SUGAR plus a bit more to sprinkle on top of the tart

ZEST OF 2 LEMONS

1 PINCH SEA SALT

1 TABLESPOON VANILLA EXTRACT

2 TEASPONN BAKING POWDER

DIRECTIONS

PRE HEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES

PLACE EVOO IN A BOWL AND ADD APPLE SAUCE, WHISK TO MIX. ADD SUGAR, VANILLA EXTRACT, SALT, LEMON ZEST AND MIX UNTIL COMBINED, ADD WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR AND BAKING SODA. MIX UNTIL THE INGREDIENTS ARE BLENDED, LESS THAN A MINUTE, ADD CUT APPLES, MIX AND POUR IN A 11" ROUND TART PAN LINED WITH PARCHMENT PAPER.

PLACE ON THE BOTTOM PART OF THE OVEN FOR THE FIRST 15 MINUTES, THEN RISE TO THE MIDDLE RACK AND COOK FOR ANOTHER 30 TO 45 MINUTES.

THE RESULT IS A DELICIOUSLY MOIST CAKE THAT KEEPS VERY WELL IN OR OUT OF THE REFRIGERATOR.