Arugula, Potato and Edamame Salad

Ingredients

• 4 medium uncooked red potatoes
• 3 medium shallot(s), peeled and cut in half
• 2 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin
• 12 cup(s) arugula, fresh (washed and well-dried)
• 1 cup(s) edamame (shelled)
• 3 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Sherry vinegar
• 3 gm sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

* Preheat oven to 450ºF.

* Steam potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. Allow them to cool and then cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

* Place shallots on a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with oil and completely wrap foil around shallots; bake until very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove shallots from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

* Meanwhile, divide arugula between four plates; top each with 1/4 of potato slices and 1/4 cup of edamame.

* When shallots are cool, scrape them and any remaining oil from foil into blender.
Add water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper; blend to make a smooth dressing. If dressing seems too thick, add another tablespoon or two of water and blend again. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of dressing over each salad and serve.

Notes

* This dressing is really fresh and flavourful so make extra to serve over steamed artichokes or asparagus.

PointsPlus™ Value: 7
Servings: 4

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili w/Orange, Cumin & Cinnamon

• 2 oranges
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 c chopped onions
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 t chili powder
• 4 t ground cumin
• 2 t ground cinnamon
• 3 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained
• salt & pepper
• 1 1/2 c water to think if needed
• sour cream substitute, cilantro leaves & organic blue tortilla chips for garnish

1. Grate enough orange peel to measure 1 1/2 t & juice oranges (about 1 c juice).
2. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions & saute 5 min. Mix in garlic & spices. Add beans, tomatoes & half of orange juice.
3. Simmer over medium heat until heated through and flavors blend, stirring often, about 15 min. Mix in orange peel & remaining orange juice. Add water to think if necessary & season to taste with salt & pepper.
   
4. Ladle in bowls and top with sour cream substitute, cilantro leaves and a blue corn tortilla chip.

Vegan Texas Chili

• water/broth to saute
• small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 3 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 can rotel (I used mild)
• 1 can water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Saute-steam the onions until they are soft, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add all the spices and stir to combine. You can leave out the cayenne to reduce the heat a bit. Add the bulgur and stir everything together again. Combine the soy sauce and ketchup and pour the mixture over the bulgur. Stir continuously until combined.

Pour in the can of rotel (or about 10 ounces diced tomatoes). Fill the can with water once and add to the other ingredients. Add the tomato paste and stir everything once more. Bring everything to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Simmer covered for 20 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. Most of the liquid should be absorbed. If the chili is too dry, add some water. If it's too wet, simmer a few more minutes. Texas chili can be anywhere from moist to somewhat soupy, whatever your preference.

Mexican Soup

1 medium onion, minced
4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
2 TBS red chili powder
3 cups + 1 TBS vegetable broth
1 small to medium green bell pepper, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 small zucchini (courgette), diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup finely chopped collard greens
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen yellow corn
1 4 oz can diced green chili
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot. sauté onion, garlic, and green peppers in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
2. Add red chili powder and mix in well. Add broth, zucchini, collard greens, and tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes and add beans, corn, green chili, oregano, and cumin.
3. Bring to a boil on high heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes longer. (Simmering uncovered enhances the flavor.) Add chopped cilantro, pumpkin seeds, salt, and pepper.

Green Goodness Soup

1lb fresh broccoli crowns
1lb fresh spinach
1 small onion, diced
2 teaspoons Better than Bullion (or any veggie bullion or veggie broth)
Water
Rolled Oats, if necessary

Steam the broccoli for about 5 minutes or until slightly tender. While the broccoli is steaming, sautee the onion in about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Keep the flame low and continue cooking until the onion is golden and soft. Let the broccoli cool slightly then chop. Add to the onion along with about 2 cups of water and the spinach. Cover and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5-10 minutes. Add the Better than Bullion. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup well until it is smooth and creamy. It should have a thick consistency. If you've added too much liquid, add about 1/2 cup of rolled oats and continue cooking another 10 minutes. Puree again.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

2 cups chopped onions (2 medium ones)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 pounds white mushrooms
4 baby portobello mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and garlic in a large heavy pot in water or sherry. Add barley and nutmeg and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add chopped mushrooms, broth and sherry. Bring to a boil, reduce head and simmer for 40 minutes. Add parsely and cool soup slightly. Puree soup in batches in a food
processor or blender until very smooth. Return to the pot and season with salt and pepper.

Tomato, Lentil and Coconut Soup

• 8 to 10 ripe tomatoes, skinned
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 medium onion
• 1 tbsp. olive or other vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion in the oil, then chop up tomatoes and add along with tomato puree. Cook for a couple of minutes then add stock and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Using a blender or food processor, blend soup until creamy, return to pan, add grated coconut and lentils and cook on low heat for 5 - 10 minutes.
Place two or three falafel balls in each bowl, add soup, and serve hot.

Pumpkin Soup

2 onions, chopped
1 tbsp. olive or other vegetable oil
flesh of 1 pumpkin
3-4 cups soya milk
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Saute the onion in the oil until soft. Add the pumpkin and cook for a few minutes. Add the soya milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the pumpkin is soft. Place soup in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Asparagus Vichyssoise

Traditionally, vichyssoise is served cold but I prefer it warm.

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 medium potatoes, any type, peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 pound of fresh or frozen asparagus, cut into 1-inch lenghts
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 5 cups of vegetable broth or unchicken broth

1. Place oil in large, deep saucepan and turn heat to medium. Once oil is hot, add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, stir occasionally.

2. Add stock and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Puree soup until very smooth using either a food processor, blender or immersion blender (I love my immersion blender! )

4. Eat!
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Grilled Portobello Burgers

INGREDIENTS

4 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1/2 cup tomato-based barbecue sauce or olive oil mixed with 1 crushed garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
4 whole-wheat rolls, halved

Optional toppings:
grilled onion slices
lettuce leaves and sliced tomato
Cajun hot sauce
fresh minced herbs
guacamole
sliced avocado, chopped raw onion, sprouts
Chopped mushroom stems sautéed in olive oil with garlic and fresh herbs

1. Prepare a medium fire in the grill.

2. Brush the mushroom caps with olive oil or barbecue sauce.

3. Grill mushrooms (and onion slices, if you like them), turning occasionally until tender and grill-marked, about 10 minutes. Grill the rolls until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes on each side.

4. To assemble the sandwiches, lightly brush the cut side of the toasted rolls with the remaining olive oil or barbecue sauce. Add Portobello burgers and desired toppings.

5. If pan-frying the mushrooms, simply cook in a little olive oil over medium heat until tender, turning occasionally.

Serves 4.

Red Lentil Soup

Dr. Neal Barnard's Red Lentil Soup

Makes 6 1-cup servings

This soup is so nutritious and so simple to prepare, you'll want to make it often. Its flavor is exquisite.

7 cups water
2 1/2 cups dry red lentils
1 large onion, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 large pinch cayenne pepper
2-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 salt
1 black pepper

Combine water, lentils, onion, turmeric, and cayenne in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer until lentils have disintegrated, about 30 to 60 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, cumin, salt, and black pepper to taste.

bean soup

Start with a couple of cups of mixed beans. Wash beans, and, if possible soak in water overnight then rinse. Put in a pot with plenty of water.

Cook beans till they are tender

After beans are cooked, add:
-- chunks of potato
-- chunks of carrot
-- chili powder
-- a few cloves of crushed garlic
-- a can of chopped tomatoes
-- lots of fresh spinach
-- chopped mushrooms

Cook until the vegetables are done.

All the items added at the end are optional, and, of course, you could add whatever else you like.

Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 large onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 large Butternut Squash (peeled, cut and cubed)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 granny smith apples (peeled and sliced)
• 4 cups veg broth
• grated nutmeg,
  
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Sauteed the onion till translucent with little water, added celery, then garlic and Butternut Squash.
2. Added veg broth. Put in apples. Thyme. Brought to boil then simmered about 20 mins till Butternut Squash is tender.
3. Added seasonings and then pureed the heck out of it.
4. If you wanna be daring splash in some apple cider vinegar at the end.

Thick. beautiful color. and ooooh so good!!

Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups plain soymilk or almond milk
* 2 1/2 Tbs. white flour
* 1 1/2 Tbs. large flake nutritional yeast
* 1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
* 1 Tbs. granulated garlic
* 1 Tbs. granulated onion
* 2 Tbs. vegan margarine, melted
* 1 tsp. yellow mustard
* 1 8-oz. pkg. corkscrew pasta

Directions

1. Whisk together soymilk, flour, yeast, soy sauce, granulated garlic, and granulated onion in saucepan. Simmer 4 minutes, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Whisk in margarine and mustard, and simmer 10 minutes more.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, and toss with sauce.

Nutritional Information

Serves 4

Per SERVING: Calories: 364, Protein: 15g, Total fat: 9g, Saturated fat: 1.5g, Carbs: 56g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 534mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 6g

Fresh Corn Chowder

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups almond milk
* 2 1/2 cups raw corn kernels, from about 5 ears or thawed frozen
* 1 small avocado, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Pureé almond milk, 2 cups corn kernels, 3/4 cup avocado and salt in blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls, garnish with remaining corn and avocado, and sprinkle with cracked black pepper.

Nutritional Information

Serves 4

Per SERVING: Calories: 352, Protein: 9g, Total fat: 16g, Saturated fat: 2g, Carbs: 52g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 807mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugars: 15g

Simple Split Peas

I am watching videos and reading blog by vegans and getting so much inspiration. (Did you see this one!?! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdeC3OJJIzA What a great advertisement for veganism!) I find it so motivating to hear their experiences and to see them and hear what they have to say, reminds me that I am not alone in what I am doing. It gives me ideas about things to try. It motivates me to go further, to do more.

I wanted something simple to make yesterday for my lunch and I reached for the split peas. I decided to experiment and it turned out great! It was the simplest version of Split peas I have seen but everyone in my house devoured my vegan lunch instead of their omnivore one, so that was a good sign. Prince Charming had only one request, make more next time LOL.

Simple Split Peas

1 cup Split peas
6 cups water (or veggie broth)
2 Tbsp veggie bullion (leave out if using veggie broth)

Put in pot and simmer on stove until the peas have broken up and the peas have reached the desired soup consistency. (About 2 hours in my house) That's it. Very simple and very good. In fact, I have some simmering now to have for my supper tonight. (but this time I doubled the recipe to have enough for the family to steal some too. I LOVE when they munch on my vegan foods.)

Chip and Salsa Soup

* 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
* 1 15 can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/4 cup chopped green onions
* 1 1/4 cups fresh salsa, mild or medium
* 1 tablespoon canned diced green chilies
* 1 cup corn kernels
* 2 cups fat-free tortilla chips, broken into bite-size pieces
* 1 cup avocado chunks


Place the broth, beans, salsa, corn, green onions and chilies in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

Place 1/2 cup of chips and 1/4 cup of avocado in each of four bowls. Ladle the soup over the avocado and chips and serve at once.

Yummy Soups

Broccoli soup

Ingredients:

2 small cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon fresh gingerroot, grated
¼ cup skim milk (soy milk can also be used as a substitute for milk)
¼ teaspoon soy sauce, low sodium
1 tablespoon red onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Boil vegetable broth in a saucepan on medium. After it is boiling, reduce the to low. Add ginger, garlic, broccoli and simmer for 5 minutes or till broccoli is tender. Remove from heat and cool at room temperature.


Golden lentil soup

Ingredients:

1 oz orange lentils
1 cup vegetable stock
½ carrot, chopped
¼ onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon curry powder
A pinch of cayenne
Salt to taste

Method:

Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and boil on medium. After it comes to a boil reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. After the lentils are done remove the mixture from heat and cool at room temperature. After cooling blend it to get a smooth liquid. Keep in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. Tip – you may soak the lentils in warm water for 30 minutes before cooking.

This recipe serves 1 and provides 150 calories.


Garden Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1/8 cup fresh carrot, sliced
1/8 cup red onion, chopped
½ cup green cabbage, chopped
1/8 cup green beans
½ tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup vegetable broth
1/8 cup zucchini, dried
¼ teaspoon basil, dried
1/8 teaspoon oregano, dried
Salt to taste

Method:

Sauté onions, carrots, and garlic in a little broth on medium. After 5 minutes add vegetable broth, beans, cabbage, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt and bring it to a boil. Covers the sauce pan with a lid and simmer on low for 10 minutes or till the vegetables are tender. Add zucchini and simmer for more 2 minutes. Serve hot.

This recipe is about 50 calories and 1 gm fat.

5 can soup

Mix together:

1. 1 can of diced tomatoes,
   
2. 1 can of mixed vegetables,
   
3. 1 can of minestrone soup,
   
4. 1 can of beans (any kind)
   
5. 1 can of corn.

1 point per cup.

roasted cauliflower

1. Break the cauliflower into small pieces
   
2. toss with olive oil, garlic, salt & pepper and any other seasoning you want(cayenne or chili powder are good).
   
3. Roast in 350 degree oven until brown.