Tortilla Soup

This vegan recipe is hearty, spicy, and delicious. Don't be put off by the number of ingredients; it isn't difficult to make and SO worth the time...

Salsa:
Whisk together 1 T. olive oil, 1 T. fresh lime juice, 2 tsps. minced fresh jalapeno chile, 2 minced cloves of garlic, and 1/4 tsp. sugar. Then gently stir in 1 avocado, pitted and cut into small dice, 1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, 2 T. minced red onion, 2 T minced fresh cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside

Soup:
In big pot, warm 1 T. olive oil, then add one coarsely chopped onion, 1 coarsely chopped red or yellow bell pepper, one stalk celery chopped, and 4 cloves minced garlic. Stir and cook for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp. cumin and stir well.

Add 3 cups vegetable stock (or half stock and half water), one 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes, one 15 oz can black beans, drained, 1/2 tp. black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in 2 T. minced cilantro and salt to taste

Top each bowl of soup with corn chips and a mound of salsa. You can add some grated cheddar cheese if you like, but it's not needed for protein or taste.

Spinach Panini

Spinach and Red Pepper Panini

As if spinach weren’t enough, the roasted red peppers in these delicious panini add another set of nutrients: the carotenoids found in red vegetables and fruits, as well as vitamins C, A and B6. Use a whole grain bread.

Serves four (use one bag of spinach for 2 sandwiches)

12 ounces (2 bags) baby spinach

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt, preferably kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper

1 large or 2 smaller roasted sweet red peppers, sliced

1/4 pound mozzarella, grated

8 slices whole grain country bread

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Add the spinach to the boiling water and blanch for 10 to 20 seconds. Transfer to the ice water to cool for a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in the spinach. Toss together to coat with oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

3. Preheat a panini grill. Top four of the bread slices with the spinach, and top the spinach with strips of roasted pepper, then with cheese. Top with the remaining bread, and press together. Brush the outside of the bread (top and bottom slices) with olive oil. Place in the panini maker and grill for five minutes, until the cheese has melted and the bread is toasty. Slice in half, and serve hot.

Advance preparation: You can prepare the spinach through step 2 several hours or even a day ahead of assembling the panini.

Cauliflower Marranca

Adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook

Cook one cup brown rice, stir in one tsp. of salt and 2 T. butter (makes about 3 cups cooked rice)

Saute one large chopped onion in olive oil until soft.

Add one large head cauliflower, separated into florets. Saute with the juice of one lemon, 3 cloves crushed garlic, one tsp. dried basil, salt and pepper.

Stir together sauteed cauliflower/onion, brown rice, and two-and-a-half cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese. Pour into buttered casserole dish, and bake, covered for a half hour at 350 degrees.

Good additions include fresh basil or a few tablespoons of pesto

Moroccan Carrots with Cumin and Lemon

Cut the leafy tops off one or two bunches of organic baby carrots, and scrub well.

Steam for 7 - 10 minutes, or bake in olive oil at 400 for 25-30 minutes, until tender

Sauce:
Mix together 3 T. lemon juice, 2 tsp. olive oil, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin,
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika, 1/2 tsp. sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt.

When the carrots are done, drizzle sauce over them, rolling them in sauce to make sure they're thoroughly coated.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics Cookbook

Heat 3 T. olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add 2 red onions, chopped, 2 unpeeled carrots, chopped, and 2 stalks of celery, chopped. Saute for 10 minutes.

Add 3 cloves minced garlic and saute another minute

You can use either fresh or canned tomatoes. Add 5 large fresh tomatoes, chopped, or two 14 1/2 oz. cans of chopped tomatoes, 3 cups vegetable broth, 2 tsp. sugar, 1 T. salt, 2 tsp. pepper (a little less if you like less heat), 1 T. tomato paste.

Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a bit, then stir in 1/4 cup cream or milk.

Transfer to the blender in a couple of batches, swirl until fairly smooth, then return to the pan and reheat.

Serve topped with a generous swirl of basil and a handful of crunchy croutons.

Grandmother Hathaway's Angel Gingerbread

My mother made this pale, light-textured gingerbread at least once a week when I was growing up. It's quick, easy, and delicious served with ice cream, whip cream or frozen yogurt.

Combine 1/2 cup golden(light) molasses, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and one beaten egg. Beat well.

Add 1 and 1/4 cup sifted flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. soda, 1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and ginger.

When well mixed, add 1/2 cup boiling water and beat well.

Bake in greased 8" square pan at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Best served right out of the oven.

Scalloped Potatoes with Leeks and Slow-Cooked Onions

Makes a 9" x 13" pan
This recipe is from Palisades; the measurements are approximate (like making a lasagna). It's important to blanch the potatoes as a first step. Best if made a day ahead.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled, blanched and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Parmesan cheese - one cup, grated
Gouda cheese - one cup, grated
black pepper
sea or kosher salt

Leek/onion mix:
2 T. olive oil
1 large sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium leeks, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp. ground thyme

White sauce:
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 cup vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

Heat olive oil in large frying pan. Add the onion, garlic and leeks. Saute until the mix begins to caramelize, Add thyme, reduce heat to low and let onion mixture cook and mature until tender.
De-glaze with white wine and reduce until mixture is almost dry.

To make the white sauce, begin by melting the butter in a sauce pan. Whisk in the flour, creating a roux. Cook without scorching for 3-4 minutes. Add the broth, whip cream and bay leaf. Whisk to blend, and cook until sauce is smooth. Turn off heat and blend in the sour cream and salt. Remove bay leaf before assembling the dish.

To assemble:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Evenly layer half the potatoes in buttered pan. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Layer half of the onion-leek mixture on top of the potatoes

Mix grated parmesan and gouda together, and scatter half on top of the onion mixture

Layer the rest of the potatoes evenly into the pan. Season with the remaining salt and pepper.

Top with the rest of the onion/leek mixture

Pour the sour cream sauce over the potoatoes (you don't need to use all of it if the pan seems to full). Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Cover the pan with foil and cut a couple of vent slits in the foil.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, then remove foil and bake another ten minutes.

If making ahead, cool, refrigerate and re-heat for 25 minutes until heated through.