Winter Vegetable Soup

(recipe from Cook Your Way to the Life You Want by Christina Pirello)

1-inch piece kombu
1 onion, diced
2 cups diced green cabbage
2 cups cubed winter squash (such as butternut)
1 cup rolled oats
6 to 7 cups water or vegetable stock
2 to 3 tsp. miso

Layer kombu and other vegetables in a soup pot in the order listed.  Top with oats, and add water.  Cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until vegetables are soft and oats are very creamy, about 40 minutes.  Remove a small amount of liquid, and use to dissolve miso.  Stir miso mixture gently into soup, and simmer, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes to activate the enzymes in miso.

(This soup needs way more seasoning!  Season to taste, and it is delicious.)

Crisp Arugula Salad

(recipe from Christina Cooks)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 cups baby arugula
10-12 strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup raisins (I used currants)

Combine dressing ingredients in the bottom of your salad bowl.  Add greens, fruit, nuts, raisins and toss to coat ingredients with dressing.

*You may use berries, pear or apple slices, tangerines, unsweetened dried cranberries, hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds.  You can change the salad completely by adding cherry tomatoes and cucumbers or olives and leaving out the fruit.

(Basic, simple, delicious.)