By |

3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 carrots, thinly sliced into matchsticks
2 tablespoons white miso
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bag fresh spinach, stems removed
1/2 package firm tofu, cut into cubes
Scallions (thinly sliced)
sea salt and fresh pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, bring broth and water to a boil.
Add carrots, reduce temperature to low heat and cook for two minutes.
Dissolve miso into 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add to the soup.
Add the spinach and tofu cubes. Cook for 5 minutes, or until spinach wilts.
Add thinly sliced scallions.
Add sea salt and fresh pepper, if needed.

Serves 4

By |

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 – 14 1/2 ounce cans vegetable broth
15 ounce can diced tomatoes
15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained
15 ounce can kidney beans, drained
½ cup small pasta
½ pound spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of oregano, optional

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes.
Add broth, tomatoes, beans and pasta. Cook for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
Add spinach, salt and oregano.
Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6

By |

2 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms (can substitute with other dried mushrooms)
2 tablespoons nondairy butter
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery with leaves, diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound fresh porcini or other mushrooms, sliced
2 quarts vegetable broth, mushroom broth or water
1 cup whole barley, rinsed
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Soak dried mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for a half hour.
Strain through a filter (I place a coffee filter inside a fine strainer over a bowl).
Reserve the water.
Coarsely chop the dried mushrooms (throw away any pieces that are not soft).
Melt butter in a soup pot. Add the onion, celery, 2 tablespoons parsley, carrot, garlic and fresh mushrooms and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the broth or water and bring to a boil.
Add the chopped dried mushrooms, reserved mushroom water and barley.
Stir well and add salt to taste.
Simmer, covered, for about an hour or until the barley is tender and the soup is thickened, stirring often.
Add additional chopped parsley, mix thoroughly, and adjust seasonings.

Serves 6-8

By |

4 tablespoons nondairy butter
4 carrots, cut into coins
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup chopped yellow onions
32 ounce carton vegetable soup stock
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
15 ounce can kidney beans, in liquid
15 ounce can chopped tomatoes, or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 package of frozen spinach
1/2 cup cooked lentils
dashes of: red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, curry, salt and pepper
cooked noodles, optional
vegan Parmesan cheese, optional

Melt butter in a large pot. Add vegetables and saute until beginning to soften. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer.
Cook for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through, the longer, the better.
Add cooked noodles and vegan Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves 4,

By |

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 garlic clove, minced
6 cups (or more) water
2 cups lentils, rinsed
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup diced celery
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, optional
Pinch of dried, crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

1 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes or 3 ounces of tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped watercress or parsley (optional)

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan or Dutch oven over
medium heat. Add onions and saute until golden, about
10 minutes. Add garlic and stir 2 minutes. Add water
through red pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to
medium, cover and simmer until lentils and vegetables
are tender, adding more water if soup is too thick, about
45 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Add tomatoes to the soup;
simmer 5 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with watercress or parsley, if desired.

Serves 4

By |

46 ounce can tomato juice, not from concentrate
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cucumbers (pickling are the best) peeled, seeded and chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Chopped cilantro, optional

Combine in a large bowl tomato juice through pepper.
Add vegetables and mix well. Garnish with the cilantro.
Chill. The longer gazpacho sits, the more intense the flavor.
Mix well before serving.

Serves 8

Note: Hothouse (English or seedless) cucumbers can
be used if pickling cucumbers are not available.

By |

4 beets, washed, long strands removed
1/4 cup beet stems, finely chopped (only use if crisp)
2 medium peaches, cut into wedges; pits discarded
1 shallot, or 1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup sweet bell or cubano (cubanelle) pepper, finely chopped
2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
handful of fresh basil leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Wrap beets individually in foil and place on a baking sheet.
Roast for approximately 30-40 minutes, depending on size of beets.
Remove from the oven.
Unwrap beets and let cool completely.
Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins off (they should slip off easily).
Cut beets into quarters or eighths.
In a large bowl, toss the onion, pepper and beet stems with olive oil, lemon juice; add salt and pepper to taste.
Add beets and peaches. Gently toss to combine.
Add the basil leaves for garnish just before serving.

Serves 4-6

By |

1 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of dill weed
black pepper to taste
Coffee cream substitute, or plain, unsweetened soy milk, optional

In a bowl, blend the vegan mayonnaise through black pepper until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Note: For best results add the cream after the dressing has been refrigerated to thin it, if too thick.

By |

Ingredients for Salad
Bunch of kale, coarsely chopped, large part of stems removed
Baby spinach, torn or chopped
Shredded carrots

Ingredients for Dressing
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese substitute
4 tablespoons walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Mix lemon juice with chopped garlic and pepper flakes.
Add walnut oil and olive oil. Mix vigorously.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in Parmesan cheese substitute and nuts.

Place salad in a bowl. Pour dressing over it and toss.

Serves 4

Note: Cheese substitute may be omitted. Just adjust seasonings to modify the acidity of the lemon juice. This salad has infinite possibilities.