VeganMofo: Vegetable Black Bean Soup

So, I am sitting at home today, waiting out Hurricane Sandy. The actual storm hasn't really started, so we are thankful for the power. School and work are both closed and the family is getting restless. Instead of going completely bonkers indoors, we are trying to get things done.

Did a quick pantry clean-out to see what we have. I have no worries that we will ever go hungry during this storm. My kids might complain, but we're good.

Came upon plenty of canned goods and decided to make this fantastic and easy black bean soup.

The smells were intoxicating pretty quickly, I didn't want to wait to eat it, but it's definitely worth it. It cooks up pretty quickly.

Vegetable Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 small onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 ribs of celery, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

4 tsp. cumin

3 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground pepper

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cans black beans

1 can chopped tomatoes

1.5 cups frozen corn

non-dairy sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Heat up the vegetable oil in a large soup pot on medium-high.

Add in the onions, carrots, celery and chopped pepper. Cook for a few minutes. 

Add in the garlic and the spices.  Cook another 5 minutes.

Add in the canned goods and vegetable broth.

Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium low and cover the pot.

Cook for 30-40 minutes.

With a potato masher or an immersion blender, mash or puree some of the soup. You still want the chunks, but the pureed or mashed bits will help thicken the soup.

Cook another 10-15 minutes on low. Try it. Season with additional salt if necessary.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!

Categories: soup, vegan, VeganMoFo, vegetarian

Vegan Food Swap: October Reveal

This is my third month participating in the Vegan Food Swap, organized by Cat at The Verdant Life. I have had so much fun participating these past few months. It's so fun to go shopping for fun stuff and even more fun to get that yummy package in the mail.

This month, I was chosen to receive a package from the amazing Adrienne over at Crack the Plates. I can't get over how she just seemed to understand me in the package she sent over. Her box made me so happy.

As I opened the box, the first thing I noticed was the amazing smell! She knew I loved spices and sent several. There were a bunch that I didn't even have in my spice pantry! If you have seen my overstuffed spice cabinets, you would know it's a huge accomplishment to get me something that I don't have.

She got me some sage, rosemary, poppy seeds, savory, caraway seeds, fennel seeds, apple pie spice blend and cinnamon sticks.

She wasn't done there though! In addition to the amazing spices, there was quinoa and amaranth flour, some pumpkin spice rooibos tea and some amazing Halloween edition Trader Joe's Joe Joe cookies!

I really can't wait to cook with the apple pie spice and the caraway seeds!

Categories: vegan, VeganMoFo

VeganMoFo: Black Bean and Avocado Quesadillas

Avocados were on sale at my local store for something like 2/$1. When they get that cheap, I get really excited. So excited - I buy too much. It happens. I'm not complaining. It could have been worse.

So this quick dinner, like most dinners, was brought on by necessity. But it's amazing what necessity delivered! This dinner worked out perfectly. I wish I had thought of this meal before!

Black Bean and Avocado Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. pepper

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tbsp. water

1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil

tortillas

1-2 avocados

1/2 lime

Daiya Cheese (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in medium saute pan.

Add the onions to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium high. Add in the garlic cloves and the spices. Cook a couple of more minutes. Add in the drained black beans. Cook for several minutes. Add the extra water if the mixture seems a bit dry. After about 7 minutes, mash some of the beans.  Remove from heat.

Cube up your avocado and sprinkle with lime juice and a tiny bit of salt.

Take a tortilla and spread some of the bean mixture over one half. Layer on top some of the cubed avocado and the optional cheese.  Fold tortilla over.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a second pan.

Place folded and stuffed tortilla in pan. Cook for a couple minutes on each side.

Repeat with rest of mixture and tortillas.

Enjoy!

Categories: avocado, black bean, daiya, quesadilla, vegan, VeganMoFo, vegetarian

Cookbook Review: "The Kosher Baker" by Paul Shoyer

When I say I'm a hesitant baker, I really do mean it. I can tackle challahs and and make a mean oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, but when it comes to real baking - I get the jitters. I need good, easy recipes and techniques or a Betty Crocker mix to get me through the yummy sweet stuff.

So, when "The Kosher Baker" by Paula Shoyer showed up at my doorstep, I was excited and nervous. I have a lot of cookbooks on my shelves, but very few baking books. I asked my daughter to pick out a few recipes. Then I sat in a corner and paged through the book - deciding what to make first.

I was impressed by the variety of recipes in this book. From simple cookies and cakes to tarts and babkas to macarons and challahs. This cookbook has a baked treat for everyone.

I love that right from the beginning, the table of contents breaks the recipes down by ease of preparation. It makes someone like me more at ease. I also love that this cookbook is dairy-free. It gives options for margarine and soy-based dairy alternatives, allowing  the home cook to delve in to all areas of baking. Throughout the cookbook, you will also find that the recipe ingredients are not very complicated. Many of the ingredients are those that you already have in your home and the others are very easy to find in a regular supermarket.

Paula Shoyer eases the home cook in to baking with a nice introduction to baking - instructing cooks on the basic tools and pantry staples. She also gives us some helpful cooking tips to help with the process. From how to crack eggs, to baking in water baths - Shoyer explains the various tricks of the trade.

In addition to the nice overview of the kitchen to help you, there are numerous photos to draw you in to each recipe.  I know that the photo is often the deciding factor of whether or not I will try that recipe. Her photos even include some lovely step-by-step shots for some of the more intricate recipes.

The first recipe I was pulled in to, were the Scones au Chocolate. The chocolate oozing out of the scone got to me. I had to make that first. The recipe and instructions were spot on. The Scones pleased everyone in the room.

Later, I decided to try out something fruity. I turned to her rasbperry bars. I am always a sucker for raspberry bars and I had all of the ingredients in my house. I was also struck by her technique for the crust topping - which included shaving the dough on to the raspberry filling. So creative!

When I set out to make the raspberry bars, I was once again left feeling happy. Paula Shoyer's step-by-step instructions leave nothing out and are very easy to understand. The rasbperry bars came out perfectly, with no complaints.

Overall, I would definitely recommend "The Kosher Baker" for someone looking for a baking book to ease in to. If you are looking for simple and easy to follow recipes that happen to be pareve, then this is the book for you. I am sure I will be turning to this cookbook when the holidays come around again, as there are so many recipes to pick from.

I am sharing with you her raspberry bar recipe. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.

Raspberry Bars
by Paula Shoyer, "The Kosher Baker"

Crust: 
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) pareve margarine, frozen for 15 minutes, plus extra for greasing pan and parchment paper
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:
12 oz (1 1/2 cups) seedless red raspberry jam

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with some margarine.

Place a piece of parchment in the pan that is large enough to go up the sides and hang over a few inches. Grease the top and sides of the parchment.

To make the crust:Place the flour and sugar into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process for 10 seconds. Cut the margarine into pieces and add to the bowl with the vanilla. (You can also make the crust by hand by cutting the margarine in to the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two knives.) Process or hand mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.

Divide the dough in to two parts, 1/3 and 2/3 of the dough. Wrap the smaller piece in plastic, flatten and place in the freezer. Take the larger piece and break it into pieces and scatter over the parchment. Press the pieces into the pan as evenly as you can. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.Use a silicone spatula to spread the jam all over the crust in the pan. Remove the other dough piece from the freezer, and using the large holes of a box grater, grate the remaining dough over the filling. Use your hands to spread the grated dough all over to cover the filling.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges start to brown. Let cool. Trim off about 1/4 inch of the sides and then cut into squares or long bars.

Enjoy!

Categories: baked, cookbook, product review

Creamy Mashed Parsnips

There is often that dinner scene in the movies. The one where everybody sits around a massive wooden table passing around platters of steaming food. The food I prepare is rarely seen in those movies. You never see Ryan Reynolds asking Mila Kunis to "please pass the tofu curry" It just doesn't happen. They always have amazing bowls of pasta and plates piled high with filet mignon. There's always a big salad and a serving dish of peas. Why are there always bowls of peas?

Another food that makes it to the big screen family dinner is mashed potatoes. You can always hear the splat of the potatoes as they hit the plate. Peas and mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are homey. There's something about the creaminess and warmth of the potatoes that tell you that you are home. We never eat mashed potatoes though.

I was looking for that warm and creamy texture when I came up with tonight's side dish. My kids are not big potato fans and neither am I. This creamy parsnip mash fit the bill.

Creamy Mashed Parsnips
Ingredients:

5 parsnips
1 medium potato
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 cup non-dairy sour cream
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
3 tsp. garlic powder
salt
ground pepper

Directions:

Peel and cube up the potatoes and the parsnips.

Place in a pot.

Cover the cut up veggies with some salted water.

Bring the pot to a boil. Turn down to medium and cook for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.

Turn off the stove.

Drain all but about a tablespoon of the cooking liquid.

Add in the sour cream and olive oil.

With an immersion blender, puree the parsnip mixture.

Add in the spices. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve!

These were great paired with a stew and its' gravy.

Enjoy!

Categories: VeganMoFo, vegetables, vegetarian

VeganMofo: Product Review - Sol Cuisine Tofu Ribs

As you probably I already know, I love food shopping. I love finding new foods.  Just the other week, I was browsing the frozen foods section at Whole Foods. I came across the line of products by the brand Sol Cuisine. Was happy to see that all of their products are certified kosher. Was also happy to see that the products were priced pretty reasonably.

I decided to pick up some of the Sol Cuisine Tofu Ribs, which are certified kosher and organic, as well as vegan. When browsing the selection, I figured that I have had many veggie burgers in my life, and the tofu ribs sounded good - the box promised lots of good flavor from these tofu nibbles.

Categories: product review, tofu, VeganMoFo

VeganMofo: Italian Sausage and Peppers Sandwich

I was at Trader Joe's the other day, doing my weekly spending binge. I was wandering the refrigerated case and peering at their selection of fake meats. I usually stick to the same stuff each time, but on this trip I decided to check out their Tofurky Italian Sausage. I usually just buy the Trader Joe's brand, but this one was slightly cheaper and looked decent enough, so I tossed it in my cart.

I usually just slice and saute these sausages with veggies and pasta. I wanted to do something different this time. I thought about the sausage carts near my office. An old coworker of mine used to pick up sandwiches from these carts often. They were cheap eats. While I never really crave street meat, the smell coming from my friend's sandwich was always pretty good. I am so glad that I chose to recreate this sandwich at home. These were so good. And I highly recommend the Tofurky sausages. These had great flavor, better than some of the other fake sausages we have had. My meat-eating, pepper-disliking husband had three helpings of this! I call that a successful meal!

Categories: sandwich, soy, VeganMoFo, vegetarian

VeganMofo: Gluten Free Rosemary Crackers

A while back, I went with my parents to a fabulous Italian restaurant. We were starving, and as we waited for our food, we stuffed our faces with these fabulous rosemary and olive oil flat bread crackers. They were super thin and super yummy.

Since then, I have been wanting to recreate these great crackers at home - both with and without the gluten.  Today, I am sharing with you a gluten free rosemary cracker, that while not as thin as the cracker from the restaurant, the rosemary flavor in these crackers, combined with the sea salt and olive oil, give me the flavor and crunch that I'm looking for.

Categories: gluten free, snacks, VeganMoFo

VeganMoFo: Crispy Oven Roasted Kale

I picked up some beautiful looking kale at  the farmer's market the other day. .

I still remember the first time I had kale. It was around this time about 6 years ago. It came in my weekly CSA and I had no clue what to do with it. There was a ton of kale in that box. I could have probably made 3 meals worth of kale.

I have come a long way since that day, but my favorite way to prepare kale is still the way I made it that first time - a simple oven roasted kale. You come out with some lovely crispy kale. It's a perfect side dish to any meal and so easy to make!

Categories: side dish, VeganMoFo, vegetables

VeganMoFo: Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant

There's a farmer's market in front of my office twice a week - on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I get so excited with anticipation as to what veggies will show up on any given day. I love being surprised as the seasons change. I especially love the colors that await me as I climb out of the subway station and over to the booths.

I recently came upon this beautiful pink eggplant. If you haven't tried this variety, I highly recommend you do. It is more tender and has a softer eggplant flavor than other varieties. It lends itself to more recipes and doesn't need to be treated prior to cooking to remove bitterness.

And the colors of the eggplant...love it!

Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant
Ingredients:

4 small pink eggplants
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 package of extra firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 red pepper, diced
5 oz. cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cups quinoa, cooked (I used the tri-color blend)
3 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce.
3 tsp. salt
3 tsp. ground pepper flakes
3 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3/4 cup Daiya Vegan Cheese (mozzarella or cheddar would work in this)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Wash the eggplants. Slice them down the middle lengthwise.

Scoop out the eggplant leaving a 1/2 inch skin all around. Chop up the scooped out eggplant.

Heat up a large saute pan. Add the olive oil.

Add in the onions and cook for a few minutes. Add in the chopped garlic and crumbled tofu.  Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add chopped eggplant to the pan and the other chopped veggies. Cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the quinoa, spices and Daiya cheese. Make sure everything is incorporated well together.

Taste the mixture to see if it needs additional salt or other spices.

Place the eggplant shells in a large baking pan.

Place a heaping amount of the eggplant/veggie/quinoa mixture back in to the eggplant shells.

Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Bake in oven for about 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Categories: dinner, grain, vegan, VeganMoFo, vegetables, vegetarian

VeganMoFo: Mushroom and White Bean Tart

After making the recent batch of mushroom soup for the holidays, I was left with over a pound of assorted mushrooms in the fridge. I had to use them up. I love mushrooms and would never want to waste them.

I wanted the mushrooms to be a part of a main dish, so I came up with this recipe - using ingredients I had on hand.


Mushroom and White Bean Tart (serves 4)
Ingredients:

For the White Bean Puree
1 can small white beans, rinsed and drained
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
juice of one lemon
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper

For the Mushroom Mixture
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound assorted mushrooms, sliced (baby bella, shitake, white button)
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground pepper

1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted
1/4 cup Daiya Cheese (I used Cheddar)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Process the white bean puree ingredients in a Cuisinart or other food processor. Set to the side.

Heat up some olive oil in a large saute pan. Add in the sliced onion and cook for a few minutes. 

Add in the chopped garlic, mushrooms and spices and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until soft.

Roll out your puff pastry dough. Lay on a parchment paper lined baking tray.

Prick the dough with a fork along the inside of the edges. Leave about 1/2 - inch of clearance. This will form your crust.

Spread the white bean puree on the inside area of the puff pastry. You don't need to use all of it. I ended up using about 3/4 of the mixture and set aside the rest to use as a dip for later.

Layer the mushroom mixture over the bean mixture and sprinkle some Daiya Cheese on top.

Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and puffed up.

This tart is great when served with a salad.

Enjoy!

Categories: vegan, VeganMoFo

VeganMoFo: Gluten Free Pretzel Sticks (Mary's Gone Cracker Sticks & Twigs Remake)

I have mentioned in the past about my love for Mary's Gone Cracker's Sticks &  Twigs pretzel sticks. At the time, it inspired me to create these crackers. From the moment I tasted these awesome pretzel sticks, I was determined to figure out a way to make them that would cost less than the $4+ to buy the bags. I had been studying the ingredient panel and studying (and eating) the bagged pretzel sticks. I have finally come up with a solution! And they taste even better than the bagged variety (according to my 10-year-old taste tester)!

It has a similar ingredient list to the wonderful crackers and are similarly adaptable to other flavors. You can add herbs or sauces to infuse them. I usually just like a simple sea salt flavor or maybe some rosemary and thyme added to the mix. Nothing too complicated.

Since we are doing this by hand, unlike the store-bought, the consistency comes out a bit different than the bagged variety. In many ways, I prefer the homemade version better.

Gluten Free Pretzel Sticks (Mary's Gone Cracker's Sticks & Twigs Copycat Attempt)
Ingredients:

1/2 cup millet (dry)
1/2 cup amaranth (dry)
3/4 cup quinoa (dry) 
3/4 cup brown rice (dry) 
1 tbsp. water
4 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
1/2 cup whole, toasted flax seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup black sesame seeds (could also use gomasio)
3 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cook the millet, amaranth, quinoa and brown rice as stated on the package directions.

Add cooked brown rice to Cuisinart and process with a small amount of water. You should process brown rice to a mush.

Add the quinoa, millet and amaranth and process a bit more to incorporate. Do not pulverize those grains though. You want them to stay mostly whole.

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the tamari, salt, pepper and various seeds. Let sit a few minutes.

Fill up a piping bag with some of the mixture. I found that a piping bag works best, but you could use a heavy duty ziplock bag if that's all you have.

I used a disposable piping bag and cut off a small tip. Should be about a 1/2" in diameter if you are using the piping tools.  If it's too thick, it would crisp up well.

Brush your baking sheet with vegetable oil.

Pipe the mixture on to the sheet in sticks. You can do long or short sticks.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes and flip sticks over. 

Bake another 10 minutes or so and transfer to a cooling rack.

You will want to check on the pretzel sticks often to check for doneness. You don't want them to burn, but there is a small window between too soft, done and burnt.

When done, store in an airtight container or bag. Enjoy!

Categories: gluten free, grain, pretzel, pretzels, snacks, vegan, VeganMoFo, whole grain

VeganMoFo: Sweet Potato Burritos

I'm always looking for ways to tinker with our standard recipes. One easy meal in rotation at my house is a vegetarian burrito. They are very filling, easy to make and are easily adaptable.

A while back, at a restaurant, I had some fantastic sweet potato tacos. I loved the way that the sweet potato mingled with the other flavors. I wanted to do something similar with a burrito, and I had some sweet potatoes sitting on the counter that needed to be used up.

Sweet Potato Burritos
Ingredients: (made 6 burritos)

1 cup dry brown rice, cooked
2 sweet potatoes
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne (optional)
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Daiya Cheese - Cheddar Flavor
Tofutti Sour Cream
6 tortillas

Directions:

Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork a few times and microwave for about 6 minutes. The sweet potatoes should be tender but not too soft.

Peel and cube the potatoes.

Heat up the vegetable oil in large saute pan.

Add in the sweet potatoes and let them brown a bit.

Add in the onions and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add in the garlic and black beans and cook a few minutes.

Stir in the spices and the Worcestershire sauce and cook a few more minutes.

Now it's time to assemble the burritos.

On each tortilla spread a bit of the vegan sour cream, then layer on some rice, next the sweet potato mixture and then finally the vegan cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in a baking dish.

Warm in the oven for about 10 minutes on 350. Alternatively, you can place in ziplock bag and freeze and reheat in microwave or oven whenever you're hungry. These burritos reheat very well.

If you'd like the burritos to have a bit more heat, feel free to play with the flavors. Add some chopped jalapenos or maybe more cayenne, or even a fresh salsa at the end!

Enjoy!

Categories: dinner, lunch, vegan, vegetarian

VeganMoFo: Hungarian Mushroom Soup

With the fall holidays pouring in this month, I have been cooking up a storm. Very glad that the weather is finally cooperating for fall cooking season.

This wonderful mushroom soup is a special request that comes every year. Usually a last minute request, and I always oblige. We all enjoy it and it is pretty easy to make.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
3 shallots, sliced thin
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped 
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 pounds assorted mushrooms, sliced (Combo of Cremini, Portabella, Shitake, Button, etc.)
2 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground pepper
8 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
Tofutti Sour Cream (for garnish)

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot.

Add in shallots and onions. Sauté for about five minutes.

Add in the other veggies and cook for another five minutes on medium. Stir in the paprikas and some salt and pepper.

Add in the vegetable broth and bay leaves. Let it come to a boil.

Turn the heat down to medium low and cover and cook for about an hour. You can leave it cooking if you have something better to do. I've forgotten it for an hour or two and it only gets better.

Once cooked, remove the bay leaves.

With an immersion blender, puree until mostly blended. You want to keep some chunks of mushroom.

Serve with a dollop of Tofutti Sour Cream.

Enjoy!

Categories: soup, vegan, VeganMoFo, vegetarian

VeganMoFo: Red Lentil, Red Pepper and Coconut Soup

Fall is my favorite month. It's the perfect weather for anything. I throw on some layered clothes, and anything goes (within reason, of course). I am never too hot or too cold. The colors outside are gorgeous.

Fall means that I can play in the kitchen without melting. The stove and the oven can be on - without the air conditioner. The windows are open. The house is perfect.

Fall also means warm foods. Warm foods mean soup. Soup is one of my favorite things.

This soup came about because I needed to use things up and I didn't want to go to the grocery store. We recently cleaned out our pantry and learned that we have enough red lentils to last a very long time. No idea why I keep buying them. I am doing my due diligence and cooking from my pantry as much as possible.

Was very happy I found that mountain of lentils. This soup was fantastic and I will be making it again.


Red Lentil, Red Pepper and Coconut Soup
Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp. ginger, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 large red pepper, chopped
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 tsp. sea salt salt
2 cups dried red lentils, washed and drained
9 cups vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can coconut milk

Directions:

Heat up the olive oil in a large soup pot on medium-high.

Toss in the onion and ginger and saute a minute or two.

Add in the rest of the chopped veggies and the spices.

Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until softened.

Stir in the lentils.

Add in the vegetable broth, coconut milk and diced tomatoes.

Let the mixture come to a boil.

Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the pot and cook for about an hour so.

After the lentils are soft and cooked through, remove the lid.

Blend about 3/4 of the soup with an immersion blender. Don't blend it all of the way. You want a few chunks.

Serve or freeze for later use.

You can garnish with some fresh chopped pepper.

Enjoy!

Categories: legumes, soup, vegan, VeganMoFo

VeganMoFo: Roasted Butternut Squash

I decided to participate in this year's VeganMoFo - it's a full month of posting delicious vegan dishes. Every year I check out my favorite blogs and wish I caught on to the VeganMoFo craze in time. This time, I managed to sign up just in time. Of course this month, it coincides with all of the Jewish holidays, making my ability to post a bit challenging. I am going to try to attempt to post at least two recipes a week. I will feel extremely accomplished if this happens. Also going to try and squeeze in a couple of giveaways during this time. Stay tuned!

Tonight, I want to share with you one of my favorite fall side dishes - roasted butternut squash. It's so easy and so perfect as we begin to see these wonderful fall vegetables.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash

1.5 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. rosemary (fresh is better)

2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and cube the butternut squash. Discard the seeds.

Toss the squash with the olive oil and the spices.

Roast in oven for around 30 minutes. You want to see a bit of browning.

Enjoy!

Categories: side dish, vegan, VeganMoFo