Cauliflower Bisque with Roasted Red Peppers

(I don't know where this recipe is from)

3 Tbsp. oil
1 yellow onion, diced
sea salt
1/8 tsp. saffron threads, soaked in 2 Tbsp. water
2 new potatoes, unpeeled, diced
1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 cups water
cracked black pepper
2 roasted red bell peppers, diced
2-3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Place oil and onion in a soup pot over medium heat.  When the onions begin to sizzle, add a pinch of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add saffron (and soaking water) and potatoes, add a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add cauliflower and stir well.  Add milk and water; cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook until cauliflower is quite soft, about 20 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes more.

Transfer soup to a food processor and puree until smooth.  Return to the soup pot and keep soup on low.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls.  Mix roasted peppers and parsley together and use to garnish soup.

Tempeh Chili

(recipe from DrWeil.com)

2 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-oz. cake of tempeh, crumbled
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 small can chipotle chili en adobo (optional)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan.  Add the chopped onion, red and green peppers, jalapenos, and crumbled tempeh and stir-fry for 5 to 6 minutes.  Stir in the cumin and salt.  Add the canned tomatoes, kidney beans, chopped cilantro, and chipotle pepper.  Allow the mixture to simmer for about 40 minutes.

(Super easy.  You really can't go wrong with tempeh chili - you could add any veggies you like to this.  The chipotle pepper makes it killer!  So good.)

Sesame-Peanut Noodles

(recipe from WholeFoodsMarket.com)

Serves 4.

1 (8-oz.) pkg. 100% whole grain soba noodles
2 cups snow peas, strings removed (I used snap peas, and I roughly chopped them.)
2 Tbsp. roasted, unsalted, unsweetened smooth peanut butter or almond butter
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame tahini
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced green onions
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Cook soba noodles according to package directions.  Add snow peas with 1 minute cooking time remaining.  Drain noodles and snow peas thoroughly.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, vinegar, tamari, tahini and crushed red pepper.  Add a splash of warm water if needed to thin the sauce so it will coat the vegetables and noodles.  Add noodles, snow peas, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, and sesame seeds.  Toss to coat noodles and vegetables thoroughly with sauce.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.

(I actually doubled the sauce for this, I think because I had a little more vegetables than called for.  This is a simple salad, but it has a nice taste.  Perfect to bring for work lunches.  Nice for the summer.)

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Quinoa Salsa

(recipe from Whole Living magazine)

Serves 4 to 6.

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
pinch red pepper flakes
4 red bell peppers
3 cups vegetable broth
coarse salt
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 small onion, diced
1 avocado, diced
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro
1 lime

Char peppers over flame of a gas stove, turning, until blackened and blistering.  Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plate, and let stand until cool.  Scrape skins off with a paring knife and clean with a paper towel.  Then remove stems, ribs, and seeds.  Avoid running the peppers under the faucet; water quickly dulls their flavor.  Cut peppers into quarters.

Heat 1/2 cup broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add roasted peppers and rest of broth.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, 10 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth.  Season with salt.

In a small bowl, mix together quinoa, red onion, avocado, and cilantro.  Season with salt.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls, top with quinoa salsa, and squeeze with lime.

(This soup is delicious!  So refreshing!  I think the quinoa salsa would be good on its own with chips, etc.)

Sweet Potatoes with Collards and Adzuki Beans

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
4 green onions, sliced and dark green parts reserved for garnish
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 bunch collard greens, thick stems removed and leaves sliced 1-inch wide
1 (15 oz.) can adzuki beans, rinsed and drained (or about 2 cups cooked)
4 tsp. toasted sunflower seeds
juice of 1 lime

Preheat oven to 400F.  Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until tender when pierced with a fork, 45 minutes to an hour.  Let cool, then peel and cut into 1-inch chunks.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, bring 1/2 cup broth to a simmer over medium high heat.  Add white and light green parts of green onions and red bell pepper and cook about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.  Reduce heat to medium and stir in remaining 1/2 cup broth, collards, and beans.  Cover and cook 10 to 12 minutes, or until collards are wilted and tender, stirring occasionally.

Divide greens between 2 bowls.  Top with potatoes, sliced reserved green onions, sunflower seeds and lime wedges and serve.

(I made this to bring for my lunches, so did not plate as recommended.  Instead, I mixed the potato chunks, sunflower seeds, and lime juice into the peppers, collards, and beans after they'd cooked.  This dish was really good - very delicious vegetable combination, which didn't need much in the way of salt and pepper.)