Hollyhock Dressing

Back when I was in the midst of my Mindfulness Studies program, I had to attend a 7-day silent retreat. Which, by the way, is much harder than it sounds! But anyway, I discovered this fantastic dressing. When I got back home, I looked up the recipe on their website, but maybe you can see the problem:

3 cups apple cider vinegar

15 garlic cloves

2 cups soy sauce

4 cups canola oil

2 cups water

12+ cups large flake nutritional yeast

Combine all ingredients with a hand blender. Makes 1 gallon; serves 44.

A gallon? Oy!

So, here is my tweaks:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup water

1 cup oil - I use 1/2 cup EVOO and 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup large flake nutritional yeast

Combine with a hand blender or small blender. (Will last for a month without refrigeration. 50 cals/serving.)

As on retreat, this is best served on Buddha bowls - like a salad bar for vegetarians - with your choice of grains, legumes, greens, and raw and/or cooked veggies. Dowse the whole affair with hollyhock dressing and you are good to go. 

If you are interested, here is the retreat center I attended:

CLOUD MOUNTAIN RETREAT CENTER 

Namaste!

Comforting Minestrone Soup

In a dutch oven or soup pot, saute together in 2 Tbsp EVOO:
1 cup each diced carrots and celery
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 clove minced garlic

Add and cook together about 10 - 15 minutes:
1 tsp dried oregano (or Italian seasoning, if you like)
1 tbsp all-purpose salt-free seasoning (your choice)
1 can stewed tomatoes, your choice
1 can beans (red, kidney, or cannellini), drained/rinsed

1 cup sliced (or diced) zucchini (optional)

1 cup diced (smallish) yellow potato

Add and bring to simmer:
1 box veggie broth (4 cups)
1-2 tsp veggie paste (optional)
3 T red wine

Add:
3 handfuls med. or small shell pasta, uncooked
salt & pepper to taste

Return to simmer and cook until pasta is done, about 10 mins., or so.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley, if preferred.

Crockpot Dal

I think I finally have landed on a dal that I really, really like! The crockpot is a great way to make dal, since you can just throw everything in and let it do its thing.

Crockpot Dal

1 lb dried brown lentils (one bag, or two cups)
1 can Rotel (w/juice)
1 can garbanzo beans, drained/rinsed
2-3 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots or a handful of baby carrots, diced
1 medium onion, yellow or sweet, diced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp Special Curry Spice Mix
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 or 2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 cups veggie broth
1-1/2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 clove garlic, minced/crushed
1/2 tsp each paprika, cumin

All ingredients go into the crockpot; cook on high for 5-6-ish hours. Prior to service, mash a bit with a potato masher (in the crock) to thicken dal.

Serve over rice (I like Jasmine, myself).

Yom Teruah 2013

nothing is as good as festival challah - yummy!!
(Shabbos Challah with golden raisins and cinnamon with glaze)

 This year the Rosh Hashana menu is vegetarian - wonderful!

Manhattan-Style Veggie Chowder

Broccoli Cashew Salad

Ceasar Salad

Festival Challah

Pomegranate-Honey Coolers

try this!!

Interesting Rosh Hashanah article

Chag Sameach!

Broccoli Cashew Salad

DESCRIPTION

Fresh Broccoli chopped with cashews, dried cranberries and red onions mixed in a mayo vinegar dressing. You will love the wonderful blend of these ingredients. Make this dish even lighter using a low calorie sugar substitute and light mayonnaise.

INGREDIENTS

• 3  Each Fresh Broccoli Tops, coarsely chopped
• 1/2  Cup(s) Cashews, roasted, unsalted, chopped
• 1/2  Cup(s) Cranberries, dried
• 1  Each Red Onion, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash your broccoli then cut off broccoli tops from stalks. Chop the broccoli coarsely and thenChop the cashews in half or to your liking. Next finely Chop your red onion and mix all ingredients including dried cranberries in a bowl.
2. To make your dressing: In a separate bowl mix your mayonnaise quick dissolving sugar (or splenda) and vinegar then taste. You can add more sugar or vinegar if you like.
3. Pour dressing over your ingredients and mix well ensuring you coat all of the ingredients. Cover put in fridge and let the salad marinate for a few hours.
4. If you would like to add more cashews you can salad will keep for up to 48 hours serve chilled

Source: http://www.idealchef.com/recipe/broccoli-and-cashew-salad1.html

Tri-Color Bean & Veggie Salad

 Tri-Color Bean & Veggie Salad (eVeggies)

4-5 cups spring greens or spinach mix (torn in small pieces)
2 cups fresh broccoli in bite-sized sprigs
2 handfuls of baby carrots, diced
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

house dressing:
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced
1 tsp tahini or (dry) grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp water
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt & pepper, to taste

Prep dressing and set aside. Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl. Add dressing and toss.

Creamy Vegetable Pasta

Creamy Vegetable Pasta (eVeggies*)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 can Rotel
1 zucchini, halved and sliced
1 yellow squash, halved and sliced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp oregano (or Italian seasoning)
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tbsp fresh, grated Parmesan cheese
5-6 oz dried pasta, any variety, cooked & drained

Prepare pasta and set aside.

In a saute pan, heat olive oil--add zucchini, onion and garlic, saute until tender. Add Rotel and spices, let simmer for a few minutes. Add pasta and ricotta cheese, heat through for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Add a tossed green salad on the side, just for fun.

Serves 2-3

*eVeggies are vegetarian recipes found online and tweaked by yours truly :-)

Veggie Tostadas

OK, here's a vegetarian winner! And very easy, too.

Veggie Tostadas

1 pkg hard tostada shells
1 pkg bean dip (we chose an organic variety from our local Tacoma Boys)
1 can vegetarian refried beans
1 sweet onion, halved 'n sliced thin-ish
1 green pepper, sliced thin-ish
1 zucchini, halved 'n sliced
a handful baby carrots, sliced on the diagonal
2 tbsp Perfect Pinch Southwest (salt-free) seasoning
lettuce (we prefer spring mix and leaf lettuce)
shredded mexi-cheese
your choice of salsa, or make your own
lite sour cream (optional)
homemade guacamole


Saute in olive oil the onion, pepper, zucchini and carrots with seasoning until soft. Mix the prepared bean dip with the refried beans and heat in saucepan on the stovetop (or in the nuke).

Assemble your tostadas with a shell smeared with a generous helping of the warm bean dip mixture. Add a heaping spoonful or two of the sauted veggies, followed with lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream and quacamole.

These are awesome! Serve with my favorite margaritas on the patio. Perfection.

Manhattan-Style Veggie Chowder

There is a lot of good reasons to go vegetarian. No, really, it is a truly wonderful way to increase energy and feel 'leaner' overall. Here is a good article extolling the benefits of eating vegetarian. After reading, you may want to whip up this wonderful soup to get you headed in the right direction!

Manhattan-Style Veggie Chowder

1 tbsp olive oil (for saute)
2-3 cups chopped cabbage
1 sweet onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups veggie broth
1 small can tomato paste
2-3 stalks celery, sliced
1 small-ish zucchini, diced
1 cup diced baby carrots
2 cups diced gold potatoes
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen green beans
2 tbsp italian seasoning
2 tsp kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper,  to taste

In large soup pot saute onion, cabbage, and garlic in oil about 4 minutes (or until soft).

Stir in broth, tomato paste and rest of ingredients.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Simmer 30 mins or so, uncovered.

Indian Dal

I do love dal. I have been trying to duplicate this seemingly simple lentil dish with nominal success. Here is my latest attempt:

Hendel's Dal

Saute in large soup pot until somewhat carmelized:
3 tbsp olive, canola, or veggie oil
1 large sweet onion, diced small
4 large cloves garlic, minced

Combine in a small bowl:
2-1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp ground red pepper (not chili powder)
1 tsp ground ginger

Add spices to pot along with 4 cups lentils (I used brown). Let cook for less than a minute, stirring concoction (careful, don't want to burn those spices). Gradually add 4 cups veggie broth. Stir and let come to a simmer.

As mixture gets thicker add more liquid - gradually add 4 more cups veggie broth. In a blender slightly puree 2 cans Rotel with juice and add to pot along with 2 peeled potatoes, diced small. You should be stirring frequently to keep it from sticking or burning. Expect it to be thick, soup-like consistency. As it cooks, add another 3-ish cups of veggie broth or water.

This recipe is pretty spicy; you can cut back on the ground red pepper to make it a little less so. My favorite dal is pretty thick, so this time I took about half of the dal and puree'd it in the VitaMix and then added it back to the pot. The last thing to add is kosher salt to taste - be sure to truly taste it to make sure it's the way you like it.

This batch was put into the crock pot for Shabbat enjoyment.  It will be served along with Jasmine rice, na'an bread and a green salad.

Shopping list:
veggie oil
large sweet onion
4 cloves garlic
spices (see above)
4 cups lentils (brown or other)
7 cups veggie broth
2 cans Rotel tomatoes
2 medium potatoes

Lentil Bolognese

I love lentils. They are definitely a 'comfortable' food to eat and a great stand-in for meat. This recipe is probably my most favorite way to eat lentils.

Lentil Bolognese

1 cup lentils
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 cans Rotel, any variety, undrained
1 T Italian Seasoning
pepper & salt, to taste

Bring 1 cup lentils to a boil in 2-3/4 cups water until soft.
Saute veggies in 1 T olive oil until tender.
Add tomatoes and seasoning and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Add cooked lentils and simmer together for another 10 minutes or so.
Serve over rice.

Speaking of rice (again), I served the Lentil Bolognese over Jasmine rice prepared in the rice cooker. This time, I used 1 cup rice and 1 cup water combined with 1 cup veggie broth (and 1 tsp kosher salt).

Most excellent and so easy!