Cauliflower Bread Soup

From: A Tuscan In the Kitchen
This is considered one of the great soups from the Montalcino area of Italy. It has very little broth, looking almost like a sloppy bread pudding. Serve right away.

-salt
-olive oil
-black pepper
-garlic
-parmesan cheese
-cauliflower
-Italian bread

Remove the outside leaves from the head of the cauliflower and boil them in a large quantity of salted water for about 10 minutes. Coarsely chop the cauliflower into florets and add them to the pot. Cook at a low boil until completely tender.

Drain the leaves and florets and keep the water they were cooked in.

Slice the bread, toast it, and rub both sides with garlic. Soak the bread in the cauliflower water.

Now start to build the soup. In a large bowl, or individual bowls, make a layer of bread. Sprinkle it with olive oil, salt, papper, and Parmesan. The spread a layer of cauliflower florets and leaves over the bread. Make another bread layer an dkeep building until you run out, working quickly so the soup stays hot. Serve it right away when it's hot.

VEGETARIAN CHILI with Corn and Avocado

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste
• 1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespooon ground cumin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 3 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable stock, or water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Cooked brown rice, accompaniment
• Sour cream or strained plain yogurt, garnish
• Diced avocado, garnish
• Chopped green onions, garnish
• Creole seasoning mix, below:
  

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

To serve, place 1/4 cup of brown rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the chili into the bowls over the rice. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and spoonful of avocado. Sprinkle with Seasoning Mix and green onions and serve.

Serves 6-8

Creole Seasoning Mix:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

TOMATO SOUP

From The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters:

Warm a heavy-bottomed pan. Add:
-3 T. olive oil
-1 medium onion, thinly sliced
-1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced
-pinch of salt

Cover and cook until soft but not brown. Add water to keep from browning if necessary.

Add:
-2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced or crushed

Cook for about two minutes, then add:
-2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, washed, cored and sliced.. or two cans of good quality diced tomatoes.
-1 scant T. white rice
-large pinch of salt
-1/2 bay leaf
-1 small sprig of savory, thyme or basil

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes fall apart. Add:
-1 cup water or broth
-1 T. olive oil or butter

Continue cooking for another ten minutes, until the rice is tender. Remove the herb sprig. Blend until smooth. Taste for salt. Add more water if the soup is too thick.

-Garnish with mint or croutons, or with torn basil or finely cut chives and olive oil

Vegan Sweet and Russet Potatoes Anna

Makes 8-10 servings

If making up to one day ahead, let cool, cover airtight and chill. Reheat, covered, in a 425 degree oven until hot in the center, 25 to 30 minutes

One-and-a-half pound of yams or sweet potatoes

One-and-a-half pound russet potatoes

olive oil

2 large leeks

1 red onion

1 sweet onion

Several tsp dried rosemary or finely chopped fresh rosemary

Salt and pepper

1/2 - 1 cup plain, unsweetened hemp milk

1/2 - 1 cup vegetable broth

Slice leeks and onions thinly, then saute in olive oil until soft and lightly browned. Add salt, pepper, and rosemary.

Peel yams and russet potatoes. Cut yams and potatoes into uniformly thick 1/16" slices. As cut, immerse russets into water to prevent browning.

Generously grease a 12" pan with olive oil.

Overlap potato slices in layers, alternating with layers of leek/onion mixture. Repeat layers, alternating russets and sweet potatoes.

Mix together vegetable broth and hemp milk. Pour over the potatoes - you may use only part of this mixture, you just want enough to moisten the potatoes well. Drizzle top with olive oil.

Cover pan tightly with foil.

Bake on the lowest rack in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until potatoes are tender when pierced and edges are brown and crisp, about 35-45 minutes longer. Let stand 5-10 minutes.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Pumpkin Bars

Generously grease a 9 x 13" pan with canola oil, and preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust:
Combine in large bowl:
21/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (dairy, soy free kind)
1 cup rice or other gluten free flour
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt

Mix together, then pat crust evenly into the bottom of the pan.

Topping:
Mix together 1 and 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 T. cornstarch

Beat 4 large eggs, and stir in 1 large can (29 oz.) pumpkin, 2 tsp. vanilla, and sugar/spice mixture. Gradually stir in 24 oz. plain, unsweetened hemp or rice milk.

Spread on top of unbaked oat crust and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Scatter chopped pecans over the top, or dust with cinnamon and nutmeg. Let cool before cutting; keep refrigerated.

Potato/Corn/Tomato Soup

These amounts are approximate...adjust according to your tastes...

Saute in olive oil in a big pot:
-2 celery stalks, minced
-1 large onion, minced
-3 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. pepper

When all is soft but not browned, add:
-3 russet potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
-1 large can tomato sauce, or 1 large can chopped tomatoes, or 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
-about 1/2 bag frozen corn, thawed
-1 bay leaf
-1 tsp. dried oregano
-1 tsp. dried basil
-4-6 cups of liquid (depending on if you want this to be more like a stew or soup - I use half broth and half water.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 45 minutes

Wild at Heart Salad

1.5 cups wild rice
1 can artichoke hearts
1 can of chopped black olives
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1 cup chopped cheese curds, feta cheese, or farmers cheese

Dressing:
These amounts are approximate, just mix ingredients to taste
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp mustard
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt

Cook rice per instructions on package and let cool a bit. Add vegetables, walnuts and dressing, stir, then put in the fridge. Add cheese once the rice is cool.