Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup with Roasted Portobello Topping, by Diane

This recipe is part 4/4 of my vegan lunch buffet experience (along with Rosemary Chili Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic Rubbed Cabbage Steaks, and Spicy Jicama Salad). It was warm and filling, easy to make, and the combo of the soup and the mushroom/pepita topping was unusual in a really good way! I am a big fan of ginger, and use it in large quantities in almost anything, but this soup had WAY too much ginger for me. I would suggest cutting it to a 1/4 inch of ginger instead, as it was very overpowering and made the dish hard to enjoy. I also used about a 3/4 of a can of coconut milk instead of the 3 tbsp in the recipe, which really helped to balance out all the flavors and hide some of the ginger.

One final substitution- I am all parnsipped out. I have used them so much lately, especially in soups, that I decided to go with something else. I've also used a lot of turnips lately, so they were out as well. I finally came up with golden beets, which happen to be a latest obsession (they are less earthy and more sweet than the red ones), and it went great with the carrots and remaining ingredients in the dish!


Recipe from: http://deliciouslyella.com/carrot-ginger-coconut-soup/


Ingredients:

6 carrots, in small cubes
4 parsnips, in small cubes
2 sticks of celery, in small slices
3 cups of boiling water
3 tablespoons of coconut milk
1 knob of ginger, about an inch long
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
Chilli flakes (amount depends on the amount of heat you desire)
1 teaspoon of paprika
Salt & pepper to taste
4 portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
Large handful of pumpkin seeds


Directions:

1. Place the veggies into a sauce pan with the peeled ginger, paprika, chilli flakes, salt & pepper.

Add the boiling water to the pan and then allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes.

2. Once the veggies are cooked transfer them add in coconut milk and apple cider vinegar. Blend until creamy – you may want to add more water at this point depending on how you like your soup.

3. Sauté the mushrooms in a frying pan with olive oil, dried mixed herbs, chilli flakes and salt, adding in the pumpkin seeds as they begin to brown. Use this as your topping, with a swirl of coconut milk if desired.

Spicy Jicama Salad, by Diane

 

This recipe is part 3/4 of my vegan lunch buffet experience (along with Rosemary Chili Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic Roasted Cabbage Steaks, and Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup with Roasted Portobello Topping). This recipe hands down was the best and most surprising addiction I made. It is like nothing I have ever tasted, and the combination of flavors works incredibly well to satisfy every single taste. This dish is nutty (tahini), tart (lemon), salty (sea salt), sweet (dates), minty (obvious), and spicy (red chili flakes), and the crunch factor is off the charts!! I ate so much of this on Sunday when I was cooking by accident that as as result there will not be enough left for all of my lunches this week!!

A note on my substitution, I went for jicama instead of celery because I still kept the crunch but got rid of the taste of celery, which is too strong for me in large quantities. I'm sure it would taste just as good as celery. Jicama, in case you haven't used it, is a super crunchy and thirst-quenching root that is often referred to as a Jamaican potato due to it's versatility in the Caribbean. It pairs so well with the other ingredients and I am glad I made the switch!!

Recipe from: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/spicy-celery-salad?utm_source=email&utm_medium=&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=2014_03_19_Recipes

Ingredients:

4 large pitted dates (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (optional)
1/2 bunch celery (about 8 stalks), with any inner leaves, thinly sliced on the bias
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup whole almonds, toasted and roughly chopped  

Directions:

 

1. Put dates in a heatproof bowl or cup, add 1/2 cup boiling water and set aside to let soak for 10 minutes. Transfer dates and soaking liquid to a blender. 

2. Add lemon juice and zest, tahini, chile flakes and salt, and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with celery, parsley and mint. Sprinkle with almonds and serve immediately.

Garlic Rubbed Roasted Cabbage Steaks, by Diane

This recipe is part 2/4 of my vegan lunch buffet experience for the week (along with Rosemary Chili Roasted Cauliflower, Spicy Jicama Salad, and Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup with Roasted Portobello Topping). The photo is a combination from several baking trays, hence why some look browned and some just look cooked! The reason for this- I would suggest roasting these babies at 350 not 400, lest you want to set off your smoke alarms and throw away your first batch before you even get halfway into your cooking time! I would also suggest placing the extra pieces that don't stay intact with the 'steaks' underneath them or just tossing them, as these will be the first to blacken and burn!

The second time around was a charm- and these things were amazing!!! The recipe promised to turn anyone into a cabbage lover, and it was easy to see why. The roasted garlic and olive oil combo on the softened and crispy cabbage was quickly addicting and I became very sad that I lost my first batch...

Recipe from: http://www.everydaymaven.com/2012/garlic-rubbed-roasted-cabbage-steaks/


Ingredients:

1 (approx 2lb) head of organic green cabbage, cut into 1″ thick slices
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 large garlic cloves, smashed
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
spray olive oil OR non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Pull outer leaf off cabbage and cut into 1" thick slices (top to bottom).

2. Rub both sides of cabbage with smashed garlic, salt and pepper, and EVOO.

3. Roast on middle rack for 30 minutes, flip and roast for an additional 30 until edges are brown and crispy.

Rosemary Chili Roasted Cauliflower, by Diane

This recipe is 1 of 4 that I made this week to simulate a trip to the Whole Foods buffet (along with Garlic Rubbed Cabbage Steaks, Spicy Jicama Salad, and Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup with Roasted Portobello Topping). There is always something enticing about the foods on that buffet, and really all they are is just someone's creative twist on roasted or cooked veggies. So, I made a buffet of my own that I could pick and choose from for my lunches and snacks this week- all vegan, all hot, all anti-inflammatory- so it would seem more exciting to stick to the diet I know works best for me. The result- easy and delicious!


This cauliflower recipe could not have been more simple- or addictive. You can custom blend your own spices, or even add things like cheese if you like. It's great for a snack or a side dish!


Ingredients:

 Cooking spray/Misto EVOO
1 head cauliflower
1 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp sea salt


Directions:

1. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and preheat oven to 350.

2. Cut cauliflower into bite size pieces, and place in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss until all pieces are coated.

3. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast until softened and browned, about 20-30 minutes.

Butter Thyme Roasted Carrots, by Diane

I don't know why but simply roasting certain veggies makes them seem much more fancy and desirable than simply eating them plain or in a salad. For me, carrots are the best example of this. I could take or leave carrots in ranch or in a salad, but roasting them makes them irresistible to me. This recipe could not have been more simple, as I didn't even have to prep the carrots except for scrubbing them lightly with a brush under water since they were organic. The sauce took about 1 minute to make (I did it in the microwave) and I got a lot of other things done while the carrots roasted (which took closer to 45 minutes for me). They are delicious and a fancy side for when company is over. I also used a misto sprayer for the olive oil which makes situations like this so much easier, except halfway through I had to re-mist the carrots as they were drying out. 


Recipe from: http://www.insockmonkeyslippers.com/butter-thyme-roasted-carrots

Ingredients:

2 bunches small carrots, about 2 pounds
1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice


Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash and scrub carrots or peel carrots if you desire. In a large bowl, toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2.  Place carrots on a baking sheet and place in oven. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes until tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

3. In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Once butter is melted, add thyme, lemon juice, and carrots. Toss to coat carrots in the butter. Remove from heat and serve.

Spicy Lamb Meatball and Swiss Chard Soup, by Diane

This recipe is loosely based off something I saw in Real Simple. I recently had spicy lamb sliders at a local Greek restaurant, and this soup reminded me of them. Of course, it has my changes to it, so I'm posting what I made as opposed to the original recipe (link here: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/lamb-meatball-stew-00100000117724/index.html

This was my first time eating/using swiss chard. It came in a rainbow pack (the roots and veins are colored in different varieties of hot pink, yellow, and white), and the taste is somewhere between spinach and kale. I will definitely use this ingredient again, it was delicious!!!


Ingredients:

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp each sweet paprika, cumin, chili powder
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Salt and black pepper
1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 large carrots, sliced
2 parsnips, sliced
1 large turnip, cubed
1 medium sweet onion
1 large bunch rainbow Swiss chard (about 11 ounces total), stems chopped and leaves sliced, separated
1 small handful fresh dill
8-12 cups low-sodium chicken broth


Directions:

1. Combine ingredients through lamb in a bowl, mix well and form into 18 small meatballs. Cook 4-6 minutes until browned, they do not have to be cooked through.

2. In a large soup pot, heat EVOO over medium high heat. Add in carrots, parsnips, turnip, and onion and cook covered until tender, stirring often.

3. Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add meatballs and boil for 3-5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer for 10 more minutes.

Peruvian Roasted Chicken, by Diane

This recipe is from a newsletter I receive from Whole Foods. It caught my eye because it was different and looked easy to make. Overall, this was just average, but was good served shredded with saffron rice as pictured above.

Recipe here: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/peruvian-style-roasted-chicken-sweet-onions


Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoon expeller-pressed canola oil, plus more for oiling the pan
1 1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 large sweet onions, thickly sliced
1 chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
2 red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
1 lemon, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Oil a large roasting pan and set aside.

2.  In a small bowl, combine paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar and oil to make a paste. Place onions in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the paste. Rub chicken pieces with remaining paste and place in prepared pan, then cover with onions, peppers and lemon. 

3. Roast, basting occasionally with pan juices, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Vegan Portobello, Sweet Potato, and Sundried Tomato Saute with Reisling, by Diane

This is a creation based off my lunches last week, Sundried Tomato and Kale Salad. Experts say that you should constantly rotate your veggies and greens to get the maximum amount of nutrients, so I switched up the kale for spinach, the butternut squash for sweet potatoes, and the sauce from a parsely red wine vinaigrette to a reisling based tomato sauce (wine still has nutrients!!). The result was delicious, and easy to make- I actually ran out of time to cook my weekly lunches on Sunday but I was able to cook this Monday morning as I was getting ready for work without being late!


Ingredients:

2 tbsp. EVOO
2 large sweet potatoes, cubed (on the small side so they cook faster!)
2 packages sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 cup sliced sundried tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp reisling
1/4 cup plain tomato sauce
Salt/Pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp each: turmeric, cumin, ginger, chili powder
1 large bag spinach


Directions:

1. Heat a large saucepan/medium size pot on medium high heat, add in EVOO and then first three ingredients. Cook until sweet potatoes have softened, then add in beans and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

2. Add the reisling in to deglaze the pan, then lower heat to low and add in tomato sauce and salt/pepper/spices, stirring well. Add the spinach on top of the pan/pot, then cover for 5 minutes.

3. Once the spinach has wilted and the reisling has evaporate, mix well and remove from heat.

Lentil Soup, by Cheryl

It looks like mush, but it's delicious!

I've had a bag of lentils in my closet for months… actually, I think it might be years. We had them in Italy and I did not buy the bag there! Anyway, I found this recipe on the Food Network by Alton Brown. It is so filling and healthy (and very tasty!), you will be eating this often! It makes a lot of servings, maybe 8, so you can use the leftovers for lunch all week. Pair it with some bread and you've got a delicious meal. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed
1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon grains of paradise (I substituted this for some ginger and black pepper)

Directions:

1) Place the olive oil into a large Dutch oven and set over medium heat. Once hot add the onion, carrot, celery, and salt, and sweet until the onions are translucent, about 6-7 minutes. I actually put the onion, carrot, and celery into a food processor first instead of chopping and it came out well.

2) Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander, cumin, and grains of paradise, and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, 35-40 minutes.

3) Use an immersion blender to blend the soup together. Or put the soup in the blender in batches. I left about 25% unblended in order to have some texture in the soup.