Stromboli, like pizza is one of those simple pleasures that can seem anything but simple when you do not eat cheese. That is, until you find the right non-cheese cheese to use.

I like quite a few different brands of Dairy-Free Cheese Substitutes, but lately, I haven't been able to get enough of Daiya Mozza Shreds, especially when it comes to baked dairy-free pasta dishes, pizzas, and quiches. It melts and stretches, it's savory but not too savory, it's rich but not overbearing. And it's totally vegan, dairy-free, and soy-free, so it's suitable for a variety of diets, but even people like my husband, who loves a good cheese pizza, asks for seconds.

This week, my Daiya recipe-of-the-week was this Vegan Broccoli Stromboli Recipe that I will definitely be making again (and often). Prepared with a simple pizza dough, broccoli, garlic and a generous amount of Daiya (or another vegan cheese of your choice), these savory rolls were fun to make and adorable to serve. Oh, and good. REALLY good.

Photo © 2011 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

It's hard to believe that there are only 6 weeks left in the Project: Food Budget Challenge, but there are! It's been over four months now of budgeting (at least trying to budget) and for the most part it's been a success. Choosing dried whole grains, legumes, veggies, and other whole foods has been the key to spending less while still eating healthy, delicious food. And, although I thought that we might have needed to skimp on desserts while maintaining a tight budget for all these months, we haven't at all.

This week, for example, I prepared a favorite of my husband's and mine-- Peanut Butter Chocolate Tofu Pie, the ingredients for which are all pretty basic and inexpensive. Every vegan I know has his or her own recipe for a vegan chocolate peanut butter pie made with tofu. It's like hummus: everyone has a way that they swear by. For me, I swear by this one; it's essentially a graham cracker crust topped with dark dairy-free chocolate, topped with a peanut butter custard swirled with more dark dairy-free chocolate. It's incredible, trust me. And because it's so rich, it lasted my household several days, which is perfect for budgeted gourmands.

Here are a few other things we made this week:

There are a lot of really great foodies participating in this challenge, so if you're looking for more budget-friendly recipes, check out some of these participating sites:

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

I know it's not the season, but lately, I've been making a lot of really simple casseroles and baked entrees like this Dairy-Free Baked Ziti for weeknight dinners. The leftovers are terrific for lunch and can even be enjoyed cold (and on picnics!), so although at first it seems wrong to enjoy comforting, hearty dishes during the warm weather, it actually kind of makes sense. And prepared with ziti, broccoli, tofu ricotta, and a creamy vegan sauce baked beneath a bread crumb topping, it's hard to say no, regardless of the season.

Photo © 2011 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

You've heard it a zillion times: tofu is only as good as its marinade and the flavors that surround it. While this is true, it is also true that, as with any food, the way in which your tofu is prepared is key to the success of your dish. As many of you know, tofu dishes are not among my weeklies; tofu is one of those things that I infrequently decide to prepare on a whim, usually when I've been inspired by something like the weather. Cold weather insists that I bake or broil strips of marinated tofu, on cooler fall and spring days I find myself craving rice dishes topped with spiced cubes of steamed tofu, and on summery days like those we've been having for the past few weeks (already!), I head for the grill.

This Easy Grilled Tofu is just that--super easy to prepare and super easy to enjoy. Soaked in a marinade prepared with tahini, coconut milk, lemon, soy sauce, sugar and salt and pepper, even tofu skeptics won't be able to resist; strong flavors and simple ingredients always make for a good meal. And the best part about this dish is that it's easy to make extra and then use the leftovers to make sandwiches the next day with some tomatoes, avocado, sprouts, or other warm-weather veggies..

Photo © 2010 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.