Kale and White Bean Soup

This is my first week of summer vacation . . . and 65°F has been the highest temperature. And it has been raining. Wonderful.

When I think of summer foods, I think of fresh fruits and vegetables, bright salads, delicate cakes, and chilled smoothies. Kale and White Bean Soup doesn't really come to mind. However, if you're having a cold and rainy week like we are, this soup would make an excellent lunch. Pair it with some fresh whole-wheat bread and you have yourself a satisfying, nutritious lunch. I made two batches this week, and paired the second with King Arthur's No-Knead 100% Whole Wheat Bread.

This recipe is from the Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook, which is filled with recipes that are "crazy delicious" and "good to the Earth and great for your bod." Yay for veganism!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 cup (130g) peeled and chopped carrots

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/2 cup (75g) peeled and cubed potatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

6 cups (1.4 l) water

2 tablespoons white miso paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups (135g) chopped kale with the hard spine removed

1 (14 ounce/400g) can white beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Pinch of Pepper

Directions:

Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, about four minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, and tomato paste until the ingredients are well combined. Add the water, white miso, cumin, coriander, and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add the kale, white beans and thyme and simmer another half hour. Garnish with basil and pepper before serving.

Cal: 150 Fat: 5g Sat Fat: 0g Carb: 21g Fib: 5g Pro: 5g

Notes:

• This recipe makes six servings.
• I chopped up everything at the beginning.

Weekend Cooking: Lentil Seitan Sloppy Joes

Although we're trying, weekly Vegetarian Night (should I call it Meatless Monday?) has not become a tradition. I've experimented with several tofu, bean, and pasta recipes, but my husband prefers a more traditional dinner. This week, we finally hit on a winner.

Margaret got Kim Barnouin's Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook for Christmas and immediately requested the Lentil Seitan Sloppy Joes. Huh, seitan? What is it and how do you pronounce it? After learning seitan is actually wheat gluten, I dragged my feet another month before discovering it readily available at the local Wegmans. The real surprise came when my husband declared them better than "regular" sloppy joes.

LENTIL SEITAN SLOPPY JOES
(from Skinny Bitch)

1 1/2 cups (360ml) water
1/2 cup (170g) dried lentils, rinsed
1 Tablespoon safflower oil
1/3 cup (55g) minced onion
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup (85g) seitan, finely chopped
1 (6 ounce/170g) can tomato paste
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons tamari
1/4 cup (60ml) ketchup
6 whole wheat burger buns
1 avocado, sliced
pickles, sliced for garnish

In a medium saucepan, heat the water over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the lentils. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.  In a separate saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and saute the onion, bell pepper, and carrot until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add in the seitan.  Add the tomato paste to a blender or the work bowl of a food processor and puree.

In a medium bowl, mix together the tomato puree, mustard, vinegar, tamari, and ketchup. Then add the tomato mixture to the pan of vegetables. Combine thoroughly. Drain the lentils, but save the cooking liquid in case it's needed. Add the lentils to the pan of vegetables and simmer 5 minutes. If the mixture seems dry, add some of the cooking liquid.

Toast the burger buns. Serve the mixture on the toasted buns with  avocado slices and sliced pickles.

This is my March submission for The Foodie Challenge: Whip Up Something New.  Elise is collecting links for this month's recipes.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.

Weekend Cooking: Easy and Decadent No-Knead Wheat Bread

After returning from Denmark, I've been craving freshly baked bread. I knew I'd be able to find a healthy and easy recipe on vegweb.com. Sure enough, after searching through the bread category, I discovered this recipe for Easy and Decadent No-Knead Wheat Bread.

This bread has a harder crust, but the inside is soft. The only thing I would change is the sugar. It calls for 1/3 cup of sugar, but I think I'll try 1/4 next time.

With only six ingredients and no kneading required, this is a great go-to recipe. And it's vegan!

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.

Weekend Cooking: Happy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the new year so far.

These cookies are yummy--and vegan! (Do we have any vegan followers?!) I found the recipe on vegweb.com in the popular recipes section at the very top of the list. With 585,151 views and 380 reviews (and counting), I thought I'd give these a try.

Click for the link -- Happy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I used one cup of vegan carob chips, and I added a splash of almond milk at the end. Also, I flattened the cookies slightly after placing them on the ungreased cookie sheets.

Even my mom, JoAnn, says they're surprisingly delicious!

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.