Slow-Cooker Lentil Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

3-4 Carrots, sliced

3-4 Celery Stalks, sliced

3 T Dried Minced Onion

1 t Garlic Powder

2 C Dry Green Lentils, rinsed

8 C Chicken or Vegetable Stock (for vegetarian)

1 14oz Can Diced Tomatoes, undrained

1 Bay Leaf

1 t Dried Thyme

2 t Sea Salt, plus more to taste

1 t Ground Black Pepper

1 t Ground Cumin

1/2 T Red Wine Vinegar

2 C Chopped Kale or Spinach, fresh or frozen

Directions:

Add all ingredients to slow-cooker and stir together. 

Cook on low 8-9 hours. 

Remove bay leaf before serving. 

Yield: 6 Servings

* Adapted from https://www.everydaymaven.com/2011/crockpot-lentil-soup/

Black Bean Hummus

Ingredients:

2 C Black beans, cooked

1/2 t Dried chives

1 t Dried cilantro

1 T Tahini

1 Garlic clove

1/2 T Lime juice

2 t Ground cumin

1/4 t Salt

2 T Olive oil

Water

Directions:

Combine black beans, chives, cilantro, tahini, garlic, lime juice, cumin and salt in a food processor. 

While pureeing bean mixture, slowly add in olive oil. 

Add water as necessary to bring to desired consistency. 

Top with a little extra oil and cilantro. 

Note: To make pinto bean hummus, replace black beans with pinto beans and then follow original recipe. Also great with Lima beans!

* Adapted from http://www.bakeyourday.net/black-bean-hummus/

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

2 T Olive oil

2 Leeks, trimmed and sliced

1 Garlic clove, crushed

1 t Ground ginger

1 t Ground cumin

2 C Canned Pumpkin (or fresh cooked pumpkin, puréed)

3 C Chicken broth

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

4 T Sour cream

Cilantro leaves, for garnish

2 Small pumpkins, optional

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pan. Add leeks and garlic. Cook gently until softened but not colored. Add ginger and cumin and cook, stirring, for a further minute. 

Purée the mixture in a food processor or blender. 

Mix pumpkin and chicken broth in a medium-large pot. Add puréed mixture and heat to boiling. Cover and simmer for as long as desired to blend the flavors. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro. 

Optional pumpkin bowls: Carefully cut pumpkins in half. Scoop out insides, scraping well. Place upright on a baking sheet and brush top edges with oil. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Brush with oil again. 

Serves: 4

* My mom's recipe

Easy Homemade Hummus

Ingredients:

1/4 C Tahini

1/4 C Lemon Juice

2 C Cooked Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 Garlic clove, minced

2 T Olive oil

1/2 t Kosher salt

1/2 t Ground cumin

2-3 T Water

Dash of paprika

Directions:

Combine Tahini and lemon juice in food processor and process for 1 minute to whip. Add half of the beans and process for 30 seconds. Add remaining beans and process another 30 seconds. 

Add garlic, Olive oil, salt, and cumin and process. 

Add water to bring to desired consistency. 

When serving, sprinkle a little paprika on the top. 

* Adapted from http://www.inspiredtaste.net/15938/easy-and-smooth-hummus-recipe/

Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

3 T Butter

1 T Olive oil

1 Medium onion, diced

1 Large carrot, diced

1 Celery stalk, diced

2 Garlic cloves, pressed

2 T All-purpose flour

48 Oz. Chicken broth

6 Medium red potatoes, diced

1/2 C Greek sour cream

1/2 C Unsweetened almond milk

6 Oz. Roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 t Thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, and mix in the olive oil. Saute the onion, carrot, and celery for about 5 minutes, until onion is lightly browned. Stir in the garlic, and continue to cook 1 minute. Mix in the flour. Whisk in the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Place the potatoes in the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Mix the sour cream and almond milk together and stir into the pot. Stir in the roasted red peppers. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking until heated through.

* Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-red-pepper-and-potato-soup/

Baked Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

1 Acorn squash

Water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Using a strong chef's knife cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving.

* Adapted from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/classic_baked_acorn_squash/

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Linguini Alfredo

Ingredients:

2 Whole Red bell peppers
1 Medium onion
1 t Garlic powder
1 C Almond milk
6 oz Goat cheese
1/2 cup artichoke hearts (optional)
1 lb. Linguine, cooked to al dente
1/2 t Herbes de Provence
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place red peppers and onion on baking sheet and bake 20-30 minutes until peppers are charred. Remove from oven and cover with foil 10 minutes.

In the mean time, combine almond milk, goat cheese, garlic powder, Herbes de Provence, and salt and pepper in a pan. Stir to melt goat cheese into sauce and keep warm over low heat.

Uncover peppers, peel off skin and remove stem and seeds. Chop into large pieces and place into sauce along with onions.

Pour sauce into blender and puree. Place back into hot pan and toss with cooked pasta (and optional artichoke hearts). Taste and adjust seasonings. Top with parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and parsley, if desired.

* Adapted from http://www.laurenslatest.com/roasted-red-pepper-goat-cheese-alfredo/

Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients:

1 Fresh pie pumpkin (firm and bright orange, a 6-inch pumpkin should be enough for 1 pie)

Directions:

Wash the exterior of the pumpkin with cool or warm water (no soap). Cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and scrape the insides (you can save the seeds for planting or for roasting!).

Steam Method:

Use a steamer basket inside a large pot to steam the pumpkin. Cook until the insides are soft and easily pull away from the skin (this will probably take 20-30 minutes).

Roasting Method:

Place pumpkin halves face-down in a 9x13 casserole with about 1/2-inch of water at the bottom. Bake at 400 degrees until pumpkin meat is soft.

Scoop out the pumpkin.

Add the pumpkin to a food processor or blender to puree!

This puree made be used in recipes in place of canned pumpkin. Freezes well.

* From http://www.pickyourown.org/pumpkinpie.php

Garlic Sauteed Artichokes

Ingredients:

2 Large artichokes (about 1 pound each)
3 Cloves garlic, chopped
2 T Olive oil

Directions:

Rinse artichokes under cold water, and use a sharp knife to cut the top 1/3 off of each one. Trim the stems to about 1 inch, and remove the smaller leaves from around the base. Use scissors to remove any remaining leaf tips. Cut each artichoke in half from the bottom to the top, then use a spoon to scrape out the hairy choke. Rinse again to remove any residual hairs.

Add the olive oil to a large skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic, and saute for about 1 minute to flavor the oil. Arrange artichoke halves cut-side down in the skillet.

Saute for about 5 or 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Reduce heat to low, and pour in about 1/4 cup of water, cover, and let steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender. A fork should easily pierce the stem.

Yield: 4 Servings

* Adapted from http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/48464/recipegarlic-sauteed-artichokes

Guacamole

Ingredients:

3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat.

Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated.

Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice.

Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

* From http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/guacamole-recipe/index.html

Summer Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

1 T Olive oil
1 Red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 C White onion, diced
1 1/2 C Zucchini, sliced
1 1/2 C Yellow squash, sliced
1 C Fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 C Chicken broth, as needed
1 1/3 C Non-dairy cream of mushroom soup substitute (or 1 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup)
1/2 C Greek sour cream (or sour cream of choice)
1 6 oz pkg Cornbread stuffing mix

Directions: 

Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease a 7-inch casserole dish. 

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bell pepper, onion, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Use more broth if needed to keep the mixture moist. 

Remove the vegetables from the heat, and stir in the mushroom soup, sour cream, and 3/4 of the stuffing mix; pour into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining stuffing mix over top. 

Bake in the preheated oven until browned on top, about 30 minutes.

Yield: 6 Servings

* Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Country-Squash-Casserole