BEST LENTIL SOUP

BEST LENTIL SOUP RECIPE
I think this is my favorite one.  So good! Good comments on the website.  I took the suggestion of one person and did 1 can regular diced tomatoes and 1 with chiles and didn't add red pepper flakes.  Just the right spice level.  Could easily be doubled.  I thought the kale would cook down,but it didn't so next time need to chop or cut smaller. This is what the person put who posted the recipe:

https://cookieandkate.com/best-lentil-soup-recipe/

This simple vegan lentil soup recipe comes together quickly with mostly pantry ingredients. Be sure to have your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking! Recipe yields four large bowls of soup, or six more modest servings.

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil - didn't add
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, lightly drained (1 regular, 1 with chilies)
1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water - don't remember adding this since I had already precooked lentils
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes - didn't add
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale, tough ribs removed (chop small)
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ to 1 medium lemon), to taste (had a fresh lemon)

Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.
Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Securely fasten the lid, protect your hand from steam with a tea towel placed over the lid, and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot. (Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.)
Add the chopped greens and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. For spicier soup, add another pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
Serve while hot. Leftovers will keep well for about 4 days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for several months (just defrost before serving).

ROASTED VEGETABLES - SPICES

Have been making lots of roasted vegetables lately.  Usually I do potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and kale.  The kale is always ready first (make sure and take out middle part).  On the kale we like just salt (lightly sprinkled)

Here is one I tried on potatoes & cauliflowr

1 tsp oregano (did 1 drop essential oil)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Thyme (did 1 drop essential oil)
3/4 tsp sea salt (just did normal)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

EASY CRUSTY VEGAN BREAD

EASY CRUSTY VEGAN BREAD
https://veggiesociety.com/easy-crusty-vegan-bread-recipe/

This was very easy and so yummy, but it did take some time to make.  I did it on a Sunday and started in the morning and we had with dinner.  I will definitely make again.  Would go perfect with any soup.  Lots of good tips and suggestions on the website.  Didn't have semolina flour so just used all purpose.  Next time I am going to try with 1/2 whole wheat flour.


3.25 cups all purpose flour + more for sprinkling (organic non-gmo)
1.5 cups warm water
2 tsp instant dry yeast
1 tsp sea salt

Instructions
Add the all purpose flour, yeast and sea salt to a large mixing bowl or your kitchen aid mixer. Mix in the water and stir well until incorporated. Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. ( you may leave it overnight as well but it is not necessary )

After about 2 hours check the dough and you should notice the surface dotted with bubbles. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and sprinkle it with a little flour. Shape it into a round loaf by folding it over on itself a few times. NO KNEADING Allowed! 

Meanwhile preheat your oven to 450"F with a pizza stone inside. I If you don't have a pizza stone preheat a cast iron dutch oven with the lid on instead). Place a baking dish with a couple of inches of water in it on the bottom rack to help create steam inside the oven for a crispy crust.
Sprinkle a pizza peel or a cardboard box with some flour and place the bread loaf on top. Allow it to rest for 45 minutes while the oven warms up. Using a serrated knife make a few slits on top of the loaf.

Sprinkle the pizza stone with a little bit of the semolina flour then gently slide the bread dough onto it just like you would do with a pizza. Cook for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool down before slicing. For an even crispier crust allow to bread to cool inside of the oven with the door slightly open. 

SLOW COOKER/INSTANT POT WHITE BEAN SOUP

SLOW COOKER OR INSTANT POT WHITE BEAN SOUP
https://www.budgetbytes.com/slow-cooker-white-bean-soup/

We really liked this.  We had a 2# bag of navy beans so we doubled.  I like to presoak the beans and then cook for about 2 minutes in instant pot and then rerinse again.  Then make soup as usual. I think this helps with flactuation.  We didn't have quite enough of the carrots and celery so might be enough next time or it could have more. Made Easy Crusty Vegan Bread recipe.  Went really well with it.  Did in instant pot for 25 minutes and added less water because they were presoaked and cooked.  I just put enough until it covered the beans.  Did have some vegetable stock in the fridge so added as much as I had.  Forgot to add salt at the end, so we just put some in each individual serving.

2 Tbsp olive oil - didn’t add
4 cloves garlic - used minced 
1 yellow onion 
4 carrots (about 1/2 lb.) 
4 ribs celery 
1 lb. dry navy beans
1 bay leaf 
1 tsp dried rosemary - 1 drop essential oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme - 1 drop essential oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika 
Freshly cracked black pepper (15-20 cranks of a pepper mill) 
6 cups water 
2 tsp salt, or to taste 

INSTRUCTIONS
Mince the garlic, dice the onion, slice the celery, and peel and slice the carrots. Add the olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots to a large (5qt or larger) slow cooker.
Give the beans a quick rinse in a colander and then add them to the slow cooker, along with the bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, paprika, and some freshly cracked pepper.
Add six cups of water to the slow cooker and stir to combine the ingredients. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
After 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, stir the soup and begin to mash the beans against the side of the slow cooker to thicken the soup. Once the soup is thickened to your liking, start adding salt to taste. Begin with 1/2 tsp and add more until the soup tastes flavorful to you. I used about 2 tsp total.  Serve the soup hot with crackers or crusty bread for dipping.

ARUGULA AND SPINACH STIR FRY

ARUGULA AND SPINACH STIR FRY
We doubled this but could of tripled it.  Cooked down a lot.  Scott made it and didn't add any curry, but it would have been so good with it.

1 cup chopped arugula
1 cup chopped spinach
1 large onion chopped (would not double)
3 green chilies chopped (used 1 can diced green chiles)
salt to taste
1 T oil (just use vegetable broth)
1 spring curry leaves
2 T grated coconut (used Trader Joe's chunks)
1/2 tsp mustard seed

Heat pan and add mustard seeds.  When they begin to splutter add the onion, green chilies and curry leaves and fry until onions are slightly brown.

Toss in greens.

Add salt and coconut.

Cover and cook for a few minutes till all the water dries.

ROASTED CHICKPEAS (GARBANZO)

Found on the Big Man's World
thebigmansworld.com

1 can garbanzo beans that have been rinsed (if you use canned rather than cooked they will be crisper).  Once rinse put them in a towel to dry them.  When you rub them together the outer skin will come off.  Throw that part away.  You can then put them on a cookie sheet to roast and sprinkle with salt or use one of the recipes below.  Cook at 400 for 45 checking every 15 minutes and stir.  To ensure maximum crispiness, you can turn off the oven but crack the door and let them cool for an hour.  Store in airtight container.  If you don't have time after baked they can be taken out and eaten once cooled.

Lemon Black Pepper
2 T lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Nacho Cheese
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt

Ranch
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt

Another mixture:
1 tsp onion
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt

PROTEIN BITES

ALMOND COCONUT PROTEIN BITES

1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 c honey
2 T coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1 cup oat flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
1 serving protein powder
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp salt

Mix ingredients together.  Scoop onto cookie sheets and chill.  Store in fridge or freezer.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BITES

1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 T honey
1 T peanut butter
1/2 T unsweetened coconut flakes
add water as needed, will vary depending on protein powder used

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Use a fork to smoosh it together. Add just a little bit of water at a time until mixture is moist enough to form a ball.  Divide 1 serving into 3 balls and roll in coconut flakes.