Yum, another delicious vegan recipe! Use green split peas, and you’ll get your green in today, too! If you want, you can add several handfuls of chopped spinach or a couple of stems (pull the leaves off the stem) of chopped kale to this (see, we’re serious about greening you up for St. Patrick’s Day).
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Split Pea Soup Blue * Serves 8
2 cups split peas, washed
2 quarts water
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup diced onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1 garlic clove minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch cayenne
Combine all ingredients in a stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer one hour or until peas are cooked through. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Confetti R&R is a Purple Week staple for many followers of Marilu’s Total Health Makeover®, You can use up leftover Rice & Rye, or make some fresh for this.
You can adapt this recipe to add or substitute other veggies you have on hand. Especially good? Chopped fresh spinach or kale.
2 cups of cooked brown rice and rye*
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup julienne red cabbage
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/8 cup chopped fresh basil
In a large sauce pan, combine vegetable broth, red onion, celery, cabbage, and peas. Bring to a simmer. Add cooked rice and rye, parsley, and basil. Heat at low temperature for an additional 3 -5 minutes.
*To prepare rice & rye if you don’t already have some in the fridge or freezer –
Measure 1 cup brown rice and 1 cup whole-grain rye (sometimes called rye berries – NOT rye flour or rolled rye flakes) into a medium saucepan. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
We’re ready to start thinking about St. Patrick’s Day (yes, already). Maybe it’s all the snow that’s still on the ground, or even still falling in some places. Maybe it’s the days getting just enough longer to notice the sunrise each morning. Maybe it’s a need for a rainbow and a pot of gold. But we’re thinking GREEN.
And today, that means the king of green vegetables – kale.
Here’s an unusual snack that is kid-tested (and kid-approved). Yes, really – by middle school students even. Kale chips are delicious. The woman who made this video is pregnant, but you don’t have to be eating for two to be looking for a healthy and delicious alternative to potato chips.
Make this dessert when you need something simple and sweet – and automatically portion-controlled. Put them in school lunches (or your own brown bag lunch), or toss a few in a small container when you’ll be out running errands all day. You’ll be able to skip the junk food at the checkout counter or food court if you have something healthy to snack on.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Crunchy Crisps Yellow * 16 pieces
1/2 cup natural chunky peanut butter (or any thick nut butter)
1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, or agave (or a combination totaling 1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups crispy brown rice cereal
shredded coconut or sesame seeds, optional
In a large bowl, mix the nut butter, sweetener, vanilla, and cinnamon until well combined. Add the cereal adn fold in gently until evenly coated. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes. Place a dish of water nearby and cover a cookie sheet or plate with parchment paper or waxed paper. With wet hands, squeeze mixture into walnut-sized balls and place them on the sheet to harden. If desired, roll in shredded coconut or sesame seeds.
Chickpea dishes are traditionally served during Purim to show honor and respect to Queen Esther, who was a vegetarian. This version is from Linda’s Kitchen: Simple and Inspiring Recipes for Meat-Less Meals by Linda McCartney. Serve a steamed green vegetable and a salad on the side.
Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans or ce ce beans.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Curried Chickpeas with Onions Blue * Serves 6-8
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 onions thinly sliced
1 cloves minced garlic
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon curry powder or to taste
2 cans chickpeas (drained, reserve 1/2 cup liquid)
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
cooked brown rice
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and garlic gently, covered, until soft and golden. Stir in the sesame seeds and curry powder. Season with salt and cook uncovered for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Add the chickpeas to the pan with the reserved liquid and cook, stirring frequently, until the chickpeas are hot and almost all the liquid has evaporated
Stir in the lemon juice, tamari, and parsley. Serve hot over prepared brown rice.
Risotto is one of those dishes that seem hard. It’s not hard; it just takes patience and some time. This vegan version is worth the time, so set aside some time to make it. It’s filling and really good on a cold winter day.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Risotto with Roasted Root Vegetables Green * Serves 4
4-1/4 cups organic vegetable broth (try Imagine Foods brand)
3 cups root vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, squash — not red beets as they will color the entire risotto)
2 Tablespoons Earth Balance margarine
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1-1/2 cups Arborio or medium grain rice
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
3 sage leaves sliced in chiffonade
salt and pepper to taste
Cut veggies in small (1 inch) cubes and lay flat on a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt and stir to coat. Bake in preheated 350F degree about 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
In a medium saucepan, warm the broth over medium heat. When heated through reduce to low and keep warm.
In large heavy saucepan, melt the margarine and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add wine and cook on low heat until wine is completely absorbed.
Add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring slowly on low heat until each addition is absorbed. (Risotto is not difficult but it takes patience and should be “loved into being.” If you try to hurry the process your rice will be undercooked and the risotto will be ruined.)
Remove from heat and gently stir in the roasted vegetables and salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with the fresh sage.
This is another family-friendly and simple meatless meal. Pair Peanut Butter Spirals with a nice green salad and you are set!
Here’s a tip for thawing the peas –
Put the frozen peas in a colander in the sink. When the pasta is cooked, drain it right over the peas, allowing the hot water to thaw them. Pour out the pasta over the peas, too, and shake the colander to finish draining the pasta.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Peanut Butter Spirals Green * Serves 4
12 ounces uncooked whole-wheat spiral pasta (or brown rice pasta, or other whole grain pasta)
2/3 cup no-salt, no-sugar peanut butter
3/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon raw honey or brown rice syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1-1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
Prepare the pasta according to the package directions; drain. Meanwhile, combine all the remaining ingredients except the peas in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Add the peas and sauce, stirring to combine. Serve warm.
Every winter needs a good tomato soup. This one goes together easily with the help of some pantry items, and it’s heart healthy!
If you have extra soup, serve the leftovers on top of cooked brown rice and sprinkle with a little hot sauce for a whole different taste.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Tomato Basil Soup Blue * Serves 6
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and chopped (optional)
2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes (try Muir Glen fire-roasted), with liquid
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups tomato juice (try R.W.Knudsen tomato or very veggie, or low-sodium V8)
1/2 cup fresh basil, packed down, then chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup fresh spinach, packed down, then chopped
pepper to taste
In a soup pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute 3-4 minutes, or until onion is soft. Do not let garlic brown. Add tomatoes and their liquid, water, tomato juice and bring to a low simmer. Simmer for 1 hour. Add basil, spinach, corn, and pepper to taste. Cook for 15 minutes.
This is a simple meal for busy days. Mix everything in the crockpot in the morning, and just cook the rice and make a salad. Dinner is ready without a lot of trouble.
The beans freeze well after cooking.
Serve with brown rice and a big green salad.
Or mash the finished beans a little and serve in whole-grain tortillas, as burritos. Serve with green salad, chopped tomatoes, and sliced avocado.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Black Beans and Rice Blue * Serves 8
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and sorted
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (try Muir Glen fire-roasted diced tomatoes)
5 cups water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
5 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper (optional)
Mix all ingredients together in a crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 6 to 8 hours or until beans are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Serve over brown rice, and with a big crisp green salad.
This year Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year fall on the same day. So why not serve an excellent Chinese meal to your special valentine? Then let out your inner tiger (it’s the start of the year of the tiger, after all) – you won’t be weighed down by a heavy meal.
Both of these recipes are easy to make and don’t require too much advance preparation.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Gingered Snow Pea Stir-fry Blue * Serves 2
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 12.3 ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 cup vegetable broth
1-1/2 Tablespoons arrowroot
1 cup sliced organic carrots (about 2 carrots)
1 teaspoon peeled and minced ginger
1/2 pound organic snow peas, ends trimmed
soba noodles or brown rice noodles, prepared according to package directions
Heat the oil in a wok or large non-stick skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add the tofu and garlic and stir-fry 7 minutes, or until the garlic barely starts to brown. Add 1 Tablespoon of the soy sauce; stir-fry 2 minutes, or until the tofu is browned. Remove from the pan; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, vegetable broth, and arrowroot. Stir until smooth and set aside.
Add the carrots and ginger to the pan and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add the broth mixture and snow peas and stir-fry 2 more minutes. Return the tofu mixture to the pan. Cook until heated through, stirring gently. Serve over prepared noodles.
Braised Baby Bok Choy Blue * Serves 2
1 cup vegetable broth
3 Tablespoons soy margarine (try Earth Balance)
3/4 pound organic baby bok choy, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
pepper to taste
Bring the broth and soy margarine to a simmer in a large, deep, heavy skillet. Arrange the bok choy evenly in the skillet and simmer, covered, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bok choy with tongs to a serving dish, cover and keep warm. Boil the broth until reduced to about 1/4 cup, then stir in the sesame oil and pepper to taste. Pour the broth over the bok choy and serve.
by Linda McCartney. Serve a steamed green vegetable and a salad on the side.
