Basque Soup
This soup has hearty and rich flavored. I used oil and almond milk, so the soup was vegan. You could use milk and butter, if you prefer. It tastes great, either way. It also comes together quickly, with ingredients you can keep on hand, so it is a great homemade soup when you don’t have a lot of time. The combination of milk, tomatoes and corn also makes it a pretty dish to serve. I used a jar of my home canned tomatoes and corn I had frozen last summer.
While the soup calls for canned butter beans, you can also cook up dry beans and add them to the soup after cooking them.
Basque Soup
1 c. chopped onions
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. oil or butter
1/4 c. flour
3 c. milk*
1 (16 oz.) jar stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can whole kernel corn, undrained- I used frozen corn
3-4 cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 cups water and 1T. paste-type vegetable soup base
or 3-4 cups vegetable broth
pepper to taste
hot pepper sauce to taste
shredded mild cheese, optional
Sauté onions and celery in oil until tender. Stir in flour until smooth and add milk, stirring to keep lumps from forming. Stir over medium heat until milk has thickened and begins to boil. Stir constantly as mixture simmers for an additional minute or two. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese and bring up to a simmer. Adjust seasonings. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, if desired. Serves 8-10.
Note: You can use almond, rice, oat, coconut or soy milk in place of the dairy milk, if you like.
Curried Vegetables
On a cold winter day, a bowl of curried veggies can really warm you up. There is something about curried dishes that always feel like comfort food to me. The flavor and fragrance of curry always warms me up.
This dish is really a simple one to make. I just sauteed some veggies, then added curry powder and let them all cook together until the veggies got tender. I wouldn’t call it a stew- there is no added liquid, sauce or gravy. Feel free to use the veggies you have around. I used what I have and what I like.
Curry is one of those flavors people seem to love or hate. I am a curry lover. Curry is a blend of spices, so it may vary from one recipe to the next. Depending on the ingredients used, curry can be mild (sweet) or hot. You can buy curry powder at most grocery stores, but the selection will be better at stores that carry international foods. I actually prefer to make my own curry powder. That way I can adjust the seasonings to my taste preference. A recipe for homemade curry powder follows the recipe for the curried veggies.
This dish can be a side dish, a main dish, served on its own or spooned over rice or pasta.
Here is the recipe. Hope you give it a try.
Curried Vegetables
3-4 T. oil – I like avocado oil
1 large onion, cut in chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 ribs celery, trimmed and cut into chunks
2 c. chopped cabbage
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
1 sweet yellow pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
salt to taste
1-2 T. curry powder –recipe follows
1/4 t. cloves
Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion and saute until tender. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and cabbage and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients and cook, covered, over low heat until all vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add more curry powder if you like. Serves 6-8.
Curry Powder
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. ground coriander
2 t. ground turmeric
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. salt
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. cayenne pepper
¼ t. ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients and store in a cool dry place.
Broccoli with Hummus
When you think of hummus, I bet you think of it as a dip. It is a great dip, paired with some pita bread or fresh veggies. But hummus can be more than a dip. I love to toss hot veggies with hummus. I especially like to do this with broccoli. I started doing this years ago for a friend who was vegan. The hummus was a nice substitute for butter or a cheese sauce.
You can use homemade hummus, but store bought is fine, too. Hummus is made from chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and a few seasonings. Of course, you can make all sorts of variations. You just combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Doesn’t get much simpler. I prefer to make my own, so I can flavor it the way I want.
One of my favorite combinations is hummus with broccoli. The flavors work great together. You just toss hummus with hot, freshly cooked broccoli. So yummy.
Since I had some cauliflower, I added some of it to the dish as well.
So the next time you have some hummus around, try tossing it with hot, cooked veggies for a fun side dish or an easy vegetarian main dish.
Steamed Broccoli with Hummus
1 lb. fresh broccoli, you can also use cauliflower or a combination
1/2 c. hummus, homemade or store bought, recipe follows
Cut broccoli into long spears, peeling and trimming tough stems. Steam until just tender. Warm hummus over low heat or in a microwave and spoon over the cooked broccoli. Toss to coat evenly. Serves 4 as a side dish, 2 as a main course.
Hummus
1 can garbanzo beans, drained- or about 2 cups cooked chick peas
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 cloves garlic
salt and hot pepper sauce to taste
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings. Chill. Serve with pita bread, crackers or fresh vegetables. Also nice spread in a pita bread with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. Freezes well.
Lentil (Dal) Soup
Also called Dal Soup, this is a recipe I love to make when the weather is chilly. Satisfying and just spicy enough. It is a great dish to serve when vegetarian friends or family are over and still hearty enough for the meat eaters. The mix of spices gives it great flavor.
This recipe came from a local restaurant that is now closed. So the only way for me to enjoy this soup is to make it myself.
I cook it just until the lentils are tender, but not cooked to mush. Serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze on the soup before eating.
Lentil (Dal) Soup
8 c. water
1 ½ T. ground turmeric
1 T. ground coriander
3 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ t. cayenne pepper
2 2/3 c. Lentils, rinsed (about 1 pound)
¼ c. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 t. fresh minced ginger
1 t. cumin seed
½ t. mustard seed
2 T. fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
Lemon wedges
Bring first 6 ingredients to boil in large pot. Add lentils; reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in skillet over medium heat cook onions and seasonings in oil until onion starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Add this mixture to lentil mixture and cook until soup reaches desired consistency. Add salt to taste. Serve in bowls and garnish with lemon wedges. Serves 8.
Spiced Applesauce Cake -Vegan
This is a favorite recipe of mine. The cake is moist, lightly spiced and very easy to make. I shared it with my goddaughter yesterday and she loved it. The applesauce adds moisture and flavor.
I used olive oil in the recipe, because Gwen is vegan. You can make this recipe with butter instead. The spices work so well together. Sometimes simple is the best. Before someone asks, it is not a misprint, there are no eggs in the recipe. The cake rises just fine without them.
I wish I remembered where this recipe came from. I have a piece of flowered stationery, a little crinkled around the edges, creased from being folded many times, with the recipe written on it. It is not my handwriting. I would love to credit the source of this wonderful recipe.
Spiced Applesauce Cake
2 c. unsweetened applesauce
½ c. butter, coconut oil, olive oil or avocado oil
2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1 T. baking soda
½ t. salt
1 t. each cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg
¼ t. cloves
1 c. raisins or chopped nuts
Heat together applesauce and butter until butter melts. Cool down a bit. If using coconut oil, also heat up the applesauce. For other oils, just use room temperature applesauce and mix with the oil. Preheat oven 375 and grease 9×13-inch pan. Stir all ingredients together bake 30 minutes. Cool in pan.
Rainbow Salad
When you hear green or yellow split peas- do you think of soup? You probably do. But when cooked until just tender, split peas make a great salad ingredient. I often just add some cooked split peas to a tossed salad. They add flavor, protein and a nice texture to salads. An added bonus is that split peas can be cooked from dry to tender in about 20 minutes. That makes them a great choice when time is tight.
This is one of my favorite salads using both green and yellow split peas. Fresh and colorful, it is a big hit with vegetarian and non-vegetarian friends. If some of you are looking for new meatless meals ideas, this one is a winner.
The salad uses both green and yellow split peas, along with black beans, butter beans, red lentils and assorted veggies. It is a great combination of colors and textures. It does make a lot, but you can easily cut the recipe in half.
The dish was inspired by my nephew Danny’s love of sand art when he was a kid. The ingredients are layered in the bowl for a pretty presentation. It is also an homage to the layered salads I remember from my youth. I like this one a whole lot more.
Rainbow Salad
1 c. each green split peas, yellow split peas and red lentils
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. diced sweet onion
1 c. diced sweet pepper
1 c. grated carrot
Cook split peas and lentils separately just until tender. Split peas, both green and yellow will take 20 minutes. Red lentils will take about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse each under cold water when done and set aside until ready to use, or you can cook them a day ahead and keep chilled. Each will yield about 2 1/2 c. cooked.
In large glass bowl, place the following ingredients in this order.
Black beans, butter beans, green split peas. yellow split peas. onion, red lentils. carrots and peppers. Pour over dressing and chill several hours or overnight. Serve on a bed of greens. You can also leave the salad plain and serve dressing on the side.
Dressing *
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. vinegar, I like apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2-3 T. sugar
1/2 c. parsley or cilantro
1 t. each chili powder, cumin and salt
dash hot sauce
Combine in a blender or food processor until smooth.
*Note: Any fresh or bottled dressing you like can be used. Balsamic works very well. I often serve it with homemade Italian dressing.
Corn, Black Bean and Pepper Salad
Corn, Black Bean and Pepper Salad
I had some friends over for dinner the other day. I made this salad as one of the sides. It was so tasty. I love a dish I can prepare ahead of time, especially when I have company.
The salad was a last minute addition to the menu. A friend who was bringing a bean salad could not attend. I needed a dish to fill the gap. I used ingredients I already had around.
I used frozen corn in this dish. Fresh corn season is too short around here. I always buy extra corn for freezing. I just blanch the shucked corn for a few minutes in boiling water, then drop into ice water. Once the corn is cool enough to handle, I cut the corn off the ears. Then I package up the corn and freeze it.
You could also grill corn and cut it off the cob to freeze.
I like to boil the cobs after the corn is cut off, for a corn stock, which I also freeze. The cobs have a lot of flavor.
When using the frozen corn in a salad, you’ll want to drain it after thawing.
So here is the recipe. Pretty simple. You could add some sweet onion, if you like, too.
Corn, Black Bean and Pepper Salad
4 c. cooked corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
¼ c. olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. Balsamic vinegar
2 t. Italian seasoning- I used my Tuscan blend
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste, optional
Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Stir to combine well. Chill before serving. Serves 6-8.
Peanut Butter Coconut Shortbread – Vegan!
Peanut Butter Coconut Shortbread
I knew I was going to be spending some time with my Goddaughter and I wanted to bake something for her. I actually made her great grandmother’s shortbread recipe. She always loved them. Did I mention that Gwen is vegan? So the pound of butter normally used in them was out.
I needed to change them, to make them work for her. Rather than using butter, I used a combination of crunchy peanut butter and coconut oil.
They came out just right, with the crumbly, dry texture of a traditional shortbread and the added flavor of the peanut butter, coconut and vanilla.
I used crunchy peanut butter- it was what I had. I like the bits of peanuts in the cookies. I could see adding a few more chopped peanuts the next time I make these cookies
Peanut Butter-Coconut Shortbread
1 c. sugar, plus 1/4 cup extra for sprinkling
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. coconut oil
4 c. flour
2 t. vanilla
Cream together sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil and vanilla. Stir in flour until mixture forms into a dough. Press into 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle extra sugar over the cookies dough, and cut into squares. Bake in a 300 degree oven for an hour or until light brown around edges. Re-cut while warm. Makes 4 dozen.
Vegetarian Bean Salad
Layered Bean Salad
When you hear green or yellow split peas- do you think of soup? You probably do. But when cooked until just tender, split peas make a great salad ingredient. I often just add some cooked split peas to a tossed salad. They add flavor, protein and a nice texture to salads. An added bonus is that split peas can be cooked from dry to tender in about 20 minutes. That makes them a great choice when time is tight.
This is one of my favorite salads using both green and yellow split peas. Fresh and colorful, it is a big hit with vegetarian and non-vegetarian friends. If some of you are looking for new meatless meals ideas, this one is a winner.
The salad uses both green and yellow split peas, along with black beans, butter beans, red lentils and assorted veggies. It is a great combination of colors and textures. It does make a lot, but you can easily cut the recipe in half.
The dish was inspired by my nephew Danny’s love of sand art when he was a kid. The ingredients are layered in the bowl for a pretty presentation. It is also an homage to the layered salads I remember from my youth. I like this one a whole lot more.
Layered Bean Salad
1 c. each green split peas, yellow split peas and red lentils
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. diced sweet onion
1 c. diced sweet pepper
1 c. grated carrot
Cook split peas and lentils separately just until tender. Split peas, both green and yellow will take 20 minutes. Red lentils will take about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse each under cold water when done and set aside until ready to use, or you can cook them a day ahead and keep chilled. Each will yield about 2 1/2 c. cooked.
In large glass bowl, place the following ingredients in this order.
Black beans, butter beans, green split peas. yellow split peas. onion, red lentils. carrots and peppers. Pour over dressing and chill several hours or overnight. Serve on a bed of greens.
Dressing *
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. vinegar
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2-3 T. sugar
1/2 c. parsley or cilantro
1 t. each chili powder, cumin and salt
dash hot sauce
Combine in a blender or food processor until smooth.
*Note: Any fresh or bottled dressing you like can be used. Balsamic works very well. I often serve it with homemade Italian dressing.
Peanut Butter-Coconut Shortbread – Vegan
Peanut Butter Coconut Shortbread
Friends are coming in for the holiday weekend and I wanted to bake some cookies. My friends are vegan, so butter and eggs were out.
I ended up making shortbread cookies. I needed to change them though, to make them vegan. Rather than using butter, I used a combination of crunchy peanut butter and coconut oil.
They came out just right, with the crumbly, dry texture of a traditional shortbread and the added flavor of the peanut butter, coconut and vanilla.
I used crunchy peanut butter- it was what I had. I like the bits of peanuts in the cookies. I could see adding a few more chopped peanuts the next time I make these cookies
Peanut Butter-Coconut Shortbread
1 c. sugar, plus 1/4 cup extra for sprinkling
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. coconut oil
4 c. flour
2 t. vanilla
Cream together sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil and vanilla. Stir in flour until mixture forms into a dough. Press into 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle extra sugar over the cookies dough, and cut into squares. Bake in a 300 degree oven for an hour or until light brown around edges. Re-cut while warm. Makes 4 dozen.
