Carrot soup with miso and sesame

 

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4 regular or 6 small garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated ginger, or more to taste (it could easily be doubled)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup white miso paste, or more to taste
Directions
 
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion and garlic sauté until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add broth and ginger. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
 
Puree soup in batches in blender, or all at once with an immersion blender. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso an a half-cup of the soup. Stir the mixture back into the pot of soup. Taste the soup and season with salt, pepper or additional miso to taste.
 
Ladle into bowls and garnish each with a drizzle of sesame oil.
 

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas with Lemon

 

Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons oil or ghee
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger, from a 3-inch piece
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 large lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
  • 1 dried hot red pepper or dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
  • 1 pound baby spinach
  • 15-ounce can coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
 
Directions
 
Whole roasted sweet potatoes
Cilantro leaves, to garnish 
Toasted unsweetened coconut, to garnish
 
Heat the oil or ghee in a large, deep Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and red pepper, if using. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
 
Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion and garlic mixture.
 
Toss in the spinach, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minutes; stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been stirred in, pour in the coconut milk and stir in the salt, ground ginger, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are warm through. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary.
 
Serve hot over roasted sweet potatoes, with cilantro leaves and toasted unsweetened coconut to garnish.
 
Serving note: This is thick enough to eat on its own with a fork; it's not terribly soupy. But it's saucy enough to eat over pasta, rice, brown rice, quinoa, or another grain.
 
serves 4 as a main dish or 6 as a side
 

Thai peanut sauce

Ingredients

  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 inch ginger root, peeled and minced (I use way more than this)
  • 1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup lemon juice (I just use the freshly squeezed juice from two lemons)
  • 5 tablespoons tamari
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 cups vegetable stock

Directions

  1. Combine all the incredients in a sauce pan
  2. Heat gently for 15 minutes, or until hot (keep the heat fairly low and stir often - peanut butter can burn)
  3. Use an immersion blender if you like your sauces smooth.
  4. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Add more water or vegetable stock if the sauce is thicker than you'd like.
  • Serve this is with rice and marinated tofu cubes (pour the sauce on the tofu cubes to heat them up) and pile on your favourite veggies (I like raw grated carrot, tomato, cucumber, and sunflower sprouts with this combo).
  • The absolute best way to use ginger is to freeze whole fresh ginger root, and use a micro grater to finely mince as much as you need. Put the unused ginger back in the freezer until it's needed again.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large sweet potato, cubed
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 796mL cans diced tomatoes
1 398mL can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 398mL can adzuki beans, rinsed and drained
1 hot banana pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves, washed and dried

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion, cook until soft.
  2. Add red pepper, saute until slightly soft.
  3. Add the sweet potato and lime zest, and cook 10 to 15 minutes more, continuing to stir occasionally.
  4. Add the garlic, tomatoes, beans, hot pepper, lime juice, cumin, and chili powder, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the sweet potato is soft.

    Serves 6.

 

Mediteranean Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

  • crushed organic tomatos (1can)
  • onion (half)
  • garlic (1 clove)
  • fennel (half a bulb)
  • portobella mushrooms (6 oz)
  • fennel fronds (2 tbls)
  • kalamata olives (a dozen or so)
  • sun dried tomato (a few slices)

 

Directions

  • sautee the onions in butter and olive oil, add the fennel and when the fennel softens, add the mushrooms.
  • add the garlic, and as soon as you smell it (very quickly), add the tomatos
  • add the sun dried tomatos and kalamata olives
  • add the fennel fronds just before serving over your pasta of choice

 

New Buddha Sauce

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cooking onion, diced
  • 6 tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1-1/3 cups carrot juice
  • 3/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • 2 cups natural smooth peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2/3 cup tamari
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup sunflower oil

Preparation

  • Heat oil in a pot.  Add onion, ginger and garlic.  Cook 5 minutes or until onion is soft.
  • Add curry powder and cayenne pepper.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
  • Add remaining ingredients.  Stir and let cool.  Puree in a blender until smooth.
  • Before serving, heat gently in a saucepan over low heat.
  • Serves 6. 
  • Sauce lasts for about 5 days in the fridge and also freezes well.

Recipe ~ 'fresh at home'  Everyday Vegetarian Cooking.
Restaurant ~ Fresh BY Juice for Life (Toronto).

Roast Red Pepper Sauce and Baby Spinach and Bowtie Pasta

Ingredients

  • 4 x red peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 x large onion, chopped
  • 1 x head garlic, peeled, whole cloves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 lb. farfalle or rotini pasta, cooked and drained

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Place peppers, onion and garlic cloves into a 9" x 13" baking pan.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil, add fennel seed, salt and pepper and toss well.
  4. Put in oven and roast for about 45 minutes, or until very soft and caramelized.
  5. Pour vegetables into a medium saucepan and puree with an immersion blender, adding a splash of water to help it along.
  6. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Add hot, cooked pasta and toss well. Adjust seasoning.

Broccoli and potato soup

Ingredients
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 onions, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and grated
  • 1 head of broccoli, stems cut into chunks and florets reserved
  • Salt and pepper
  • A large pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 cup soy milk
Directions
  1. Place a 4 quart pot over medium-high heat and add oil.
  2. When it's hot, add onions and sauté until they have softened.
  3. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute. Add stock, grated potatoes and broccoli stems.
  4. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until they are tender and potatoes have broken down.
  5. Add nutmeg and adjust seasoning and puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor.
  6. Reheat soup prior to serving and add reserved broccoli florets and soy milk.
  7. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until soy milk is heated and florets are tender and bright green.
  8. Serve hot.

Curried squash and sweet potato soup

Saute for 15-20 minutes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large red onion

Add and saute for another 2-3 minutes

3 cloves garlic

1-2 tbsp fresh ginger

Add, bring to light boil, reduce heat and cook covered for 30 minutes

2 cups veggie stock

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs butternut squash (cut into chunks)

2 sweet potatoes

2 cups rice/soya minute

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garam masala

After 30 minutes, add 1/4 cup fresh parsley. Simmer for another 15 minutes

Cool slightly and puree.

Lentil and broccoli soup

Saute:

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1 shallot

1 medium onion

Add:

6 cups veggie stock

2 celery stalks

2 cups cauliflower

6 cups broccoli

3/4 cup lentils (rinsed)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

few peppercorns

Bring to a light boil and reduce heat. Cook covered for 45 minutes.

Add 1 tsp parsley

Cool slightly and puree.