Zucchini Soup

From allrecipes.com

Serves 6

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 Tb curry powder (S&B Oriental Curry Powder is our favorite)
salt to taste
3 largish zucchini cubed (about 8 cups), cubed
1 QT chicken stock (or veg)

1. Heat oil in a soup/stock pot. Add onion and cook until soft. Add curry and stir to combine. Add zucchini and stir, cooking until soft. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Remove soup from heat. With an immersion/hand blender blend until smooth. Serve warm. (Nice with a few croutons on top.)

Glazed Carrots

from marthastewart.com

3 Tb dark brown sugar
1/4 c unsalted butter (or vegan equivalent)
2 1/2 lbs baby carrots, or other carrots, peeled and cut
1 Tb fresh thyme leaves, chopped
coarse salt and pepper

In a large skillet bring 1 1/3 cups water, brown sugar and butter to a boil. Add carrots and reduce heat. Partially cover and reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook gently, tossing often until carrots are tender and glazed, about 6 minutes. Add thyme and turn off heat. Add salt and pepper, serve warm.

Black Beans and Corn Salad

From PCC (will update quantities when I work it out)

Sweet corn
Black beans
Red onion
Red peppers
Lime juice
Olive oil
Sunflower oil
Cilantro
Garlic
Salt
Cumin
Red pepper flakes
Black pepper

Cannellini Bean and Leek Soup with Chili Oil

From River Cottage Veg by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

For the soup
4 leeks, trimmed (white and pale green parts only)
1 Tb olive oil
1 Tb butter or vegan alternative
a few sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1 bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 cups vegetable stock
2 14-oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
a handful of oregano, coarsely chopped
a bunch of parsely, coarsely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the chili oil
4 fresh red chiles, seeded and sliced
3/4 cup olive oil
a few sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1 garlic clove, unpeeled and smashed

First, make the chile oil. Put the chiles in a small saucepan with the olive oil, theyme leaves, and unpeeled garlic clove. Heat slowly until the oil is bubbling very, very gently and cook the chiles until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

For the soup, halve the leeks lengthwise, wash well, and slice thinly. Heat the olive oil and butter in a sucepan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks with the thyme and bay leaf, and sweat gently, stirring from time to time, for about 15 minutes, until very soft. Add the garlic and stir for a minute.

Add the stock and cannellini beans, the oregano, and half of the parsley. Season with salt and plenty of pepper, increase the heat, and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf, taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Stir in the rest of the parsley. Serve in warmed bowls with a trickle of chile oil over the top.

Tomato and cucumber salad

• From allrecipes.com, altered

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cup cucmbers, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 c cilantro, chopped

1/2 c basil, chopped

2 Tb garlic, chopped

2 Tb white wine vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix together all ingredients. Serve chilled.

Kale & Carrot Salad with Candied Walnuts

Adapted from a recipe in Every Day with Rachael Ray July/August 2013

1/4 c olive oil
6 Tb white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
10 cups stemmed and torn kale
1 carrot, shredded
1 c store-bought candied walnuts (or make your own!)

In a large bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, honey and mustard. Add kale and carrot, toss and season. Let stand 10 minutes, toss again, then sprinkle with nuts.

Butter Bean Salad

By Me.

2 cups canned butter beans
2 Tb fresh oregano
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 Tb chopped fresh chives
1 shallot, minced
1/4 tea salt
1 tea Dijon
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 Tb red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup olive oil

Make vinegarette:

Mix together shallot, salt, dijon, lemon juice, and vinegar. Add garlic clove, to be removed later. Let sit 20 minutes, remove garlic, add olive oil, set aside.

Make beans:

Warm beans on stovetop in olive oil. Remove from heat, add oregano, walnuts and chives and mix. Add vinegarette to taste. Enjoy cold or warmed.

Oven Fried Potatoes

From Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 3 medium russet potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds, scrubbed and dried
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or a neutral tasting oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Pinch cayenne, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Leaving peel on, cut the potatoes into 6 lengthwise to make long wedges, about 3/4-inch to 1-inch wide. Combine the potatoes, oil, salt and cayenne on the baking sheet and toss to combine. (1 less bowl to wash) Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer, so a cut side is in contact with the pan, but evenly spaced so the potatoes aren't touching each other. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Slip a spatula under the potatoes to turn them over and cook for 5 minutes more.

Transfer potatoes to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Red Apple Baked Squash

From the Red Apple grocery store produce department

Preheat oven 350. Cut an acorn squash in half and clean out the seeds. Put raw cranberries in holes of squash. Place squash on baking sheet and add 2 Tbs brown sugar and 1 Tb butter (or vegan butter) to the top of each cranberry pile. Put in oven and bake until squash is soft (approx. 1 hour).

Coleslaw

From blog.julesglutenfree.com - modified

1 lb. shredded green and red cabbage & carrots (precut bag okay)
1/2 cup GF mayo (dairy or non-dairy)
4 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs milk (dairy or soy)
1/2 Tb celery seed
1 1/2 Tbs sugar (to taste)

Mix the first 5 ingredients together. Add sugar in small amounts until it tastes as you like it.

Fuyu Fruit Salad

From Edible Seattle November/December 2012
by Beth Maxey

Serves 4

5 Fuyu persimmons, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 Comice pears, unpeeled, cored, and cut into 1/2" cubes
Seeds from one pomegranate
Juice from 1 small lemon (about 2 Tbs)
2 tea honey
2 tea fruity olive oil
1/8 tea salt

Combine the cubed persimmon, pears and pomegranate seeds in a bowl. Squeeze the lemon over the fruit and drizzle with honey and olive oil. Season with salt and toss gently. Serve immediately.

Massaged Kale Salad

1 large bunch Dinosaur Kale, remove stems and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons
1/4 tea sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 c olive oil
1 apple, cored and cut into chunks
1/4 c dried cherries or craisins
1/4 c sunflower seeds

Put kale into a large bowl, sprinkle with sea salt, oil and lemon juice. Using hands, massage kale for 2-3 minutes. The salt and lemon juice will wilt the greens. Toss in apple chunks, craisins and sunflower seeds.

Spicy Cashew Salad

From Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

Veg oil for frying
1 cup fresh raw whole cashews (or peanuts)
1/2 tea salt
3 Tb coarsely chopped shallots
3 Tb thinly sliced green onions
2 tea dried red chili flakes
2 Tb freshly squeezed lime juice

Line a plate with a double layer of paper towels, and place it by the stove, along with a slotted spoon or an Asian-style wire-mesh strainer. Heat 2-3 inches veg oil in a medium skillet or wok over medium heat until a raw cashew begins to sizzle a few seconds after you add it to the oil, 4-5 minutes. Keep one raw cashew handy by the stove to help you judge the changes in color as the nuts cook.

Gently add cashews and cook, stirring gently and often, until the nuts turn a soft, pale golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Scoop the cashews out onto the prepared plate, using a slotted spoon or a wire-mesh strainer. Let them drain and cool a little whilte you set out a medium bowl and a small serving platter.

Turn the still-warm cashews into the bowl and toss with the salt. Add the shallots, green onions, and chili flakes and toss well. Just before serving, add the lime juice, toss well, and mound on the serving platter. Serve warm or at room temp, with small spoons for eating or as finger food.

Sofrito

From Everyday Food March 2012

Makes 3 cups

Coarsely chop 2 lbs plum tomatoes, 2 red bell peppers, and 2 medium yellow onions. Combine with 5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled, and 1 bunch cilantro, large stems trimmed. In batches, pulse mixture in food processor until finely chopped. In a large pot, heat 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced, 25-30 minutes (reduce heat if browning at edge). To store, let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container; refrigerate, up to 2 weeks, or freeze, up to 6 months.

Ideas for use:
Mix with mayo for a sandwich spread
Combine with softened butter and use to top a steak or fish
Toss with steamed vegetables
Spread on toast and top with tuna and parsley
Use as a base for soup or beans
Stir into dry rice, cook, then mix in peas

Quinoa and Kale Salad

Ingredients:
1 C Quinoa
1 bunch kale (lacinato or curly --- I also use swiss chard or any other hearty green if I don't have kale on hand)
Handful dried cherries, currants, or cranberries given a rough chop
For Vinaigrette (I don't really measure)
shallot (minced)
red wine vinegar
Mustard
Olive Oil
Salt

Simmer in covered pot 1 cup quinoa in 1 1/4 cup water until water is absorbed (this is less than the normal 2 cups because you don't want the quinoa mushy). Fluff with fork and remove lid to let quinoa begin to cool.
Meanwhile de-stem the kale and cut it into small strips (chiffonade) and wash in a salad spinner.
Make dressing by adding mustard, shallot, vinegar, and salt to a jar and shaking until mixed. Let sit for a few minutes, taste, and if all's well then add olive oil and shake again.
Combine quinoa, kale, chopped dried fruit in bowl and toss with dressing to taste!
I serve this at room temp, but it is still great cold the next day!

Kale with Walnuts

From Epicurious

3 lbs kale, stems and center ribs discarded
1 c chopped walnuts (3 1/2 oz)
3 Tb veg oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Tear kale into large pieces, then cook in a large pot of well-salted boiling water, uncovered, until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain kale, and, when cool enough to handle, press out excess liquid.

Cook walnuts in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add kale and salt and pepper to taste and cook, tossing, until heated through.

Serve kale warm or at room temperature.