Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup

The Ultimate Daniel Fast recipes inspired me.  I removed the salt and changed up the beans and tomatoes.  Delicious and provides great protein.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups Simple Vegetable Stock (or water)
2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15.5-ounce) can black eyed peas
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Heat olive oil in skillet, and add onions. Cook until translucent. Stir in garlic, and cook about one minute. Transfer to a large saucepan. Add vegetable stock, 1 can black beans, 1 can of the black eyed peas, crushed tomatoes,  pumpkin, cumin, salt, and pepper. Process 1 can of black beans into food processor or blender until smooth. Add to soup mixture, and heat to boiling. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
Optional: Sprinkle Pumpkin Seeds on top of each serving.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1.5 cups)

Sweet Potato, Chili, and Lime Soup

One of my favorite recipes from James Peterson's Splendid Soups.  I took his recipe and lightened it up.

2 medium sized onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 T unsalted butter

2 pounds sweet potatoes, about 4, peeled and slice 1/2 inch thick

1 quart chicken broth

2 jalapeno chilies, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and finely chopped

3 poblano chilies, roasted, peeled and chopped

juice of 2 limes

salt

pepper

3 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

lime wedges

Gently cook the onions and garlic in the butter in a 4 quart pot over medium heat until the onions turn translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes and broth to the onion mixture; bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and keep at a slow simmer until the sweet potatoes have softened and are easy to crush against the side of the pot with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Add the jalapeno and roasted poblano chilies to the soup and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes more.

Puree the soup in a blender or put it through the fine disk of a food mill and strain it through a medium-mesh strainer.

Stir in the lime juice to taste and season with salt and pepper and chopped cilantro

Ladle the soup into hot bowls and drizzle the top of each one with the greek yogurt if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Servings 6.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 215
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4 g	7 %
Saturated Fat 3 g	13 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 10 mg	3 %
Sodium 157 mg	7 %
Potassium 885 mg	25 %
Total Carbohydrate 43 g	14 %
Dietary Fiber 7 g	27 %
Sugars 16 g
Protein 4 g	9 %
Vitamin A	590 %
Vitamin C	141 %
Calcium	8 %
Iron	9 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Rhubarb-Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 3/4 cup dried petite red lentils
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups finely chopped carrot
• 1 3/4 cups finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups chopped rhubarb
• 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over lentils in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes.
2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add carrot, celery, onion, and parsley to pan; sauté for 4 minutes. Add rhubarb, and sauté for 3 minutes. Drain lentils, and add lentils to pan. Stir in chicken broth and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes. 
4. Blend part of the soup for a thicker consistency.  Use an immersion blender or remove 3 cups of the liquid to blender (be careful of steam while blending)
5. 6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups soup)

Nutrition Facts  Per Serving
calories 136
Total Fat 0 g
Total Carbohydrate 24 g   Dietary Fiber 6 g
  Sugars 6 g Protein 10 g

FP4H Live It Tracker Count: 3 vegetables or 2 Vegetables & 1 Protein 

When serving add a dollop of lowfat sour cream or greek yogurt.    Garnish with dill sprigs, if desired.

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Crust

Nutrition Data Per Pizza Serving: 298 Cal, 28g Carbs, 13g Fat, 802mg Sodium, 6g Fiber, 16g Protein. 

FP4H Live It Tracker Count: 2 veg, 1 protein, 1 dairy 

Ingredients:

•2 cups spaghetti  squash, cooked
•1 egg, beaten
•1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•1/2 teaspoon oregano
•1/4 cup pizza sauce
1 slice of low fat cheese
•6 cherry tomatoes
•2 Tbsp fresh basil
•6 cherry tomatoes
•1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven 400 degrees, place pizza pan in oven as it preheats.
Pat spaghetti squash with paper towel to remove any additional moisture.  Mix egg, squash, cayenne and oregano.

Cut parchment paper to line pizza pan.  Place pizza crust on parchment paper in pizza pan.  Return pan to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until crust is brown.

Top browned crust with pizza sauce, cheese, tomatoes, basil, and sliced cherry tomatoes.   Bake for 5-7 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Cool 5-10 minutes on rack and enjoy.

Thai Tofu Recipe: Butternut Squash Tofu Stew

This is soup is a meal to itself.

Nutrition Data Per 352 g Serving: 406 Cal, 30g Carbs, 30g Fat, 241mg Sodium, 7g Fiber, 12g Protein, high Saturated Fat, low Cholesterol, good source Vit C, Vit A, Manganese. Estimated glycemic load 10

Ingredients:

•1 butternut squash, 2 - 3 lb
•2 stalks celery or 1 fennel bulb
•2 medium carrots
•1 jalapeno pepper, seeded. If you don't have it, use 1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne or dried Jalapeno from Pensey's Spices.
•2 thin slices raw ginger, peeled, or 1/2 - 1 tsp dried ginger, if you don't have fresh
•2 Tbsp sunflower oil
•1/2 tsp ground cumin seed
•1 tsp. ground coriander seed
•1/2 tsp turmeric
•2 cups coconut milk  (Walmart has it with no added sugar)
•1/2 lb firm tofu
•1/2 cup blanched toasted almonds (recipe below)
•Fresh cilantro and/or basil leaves for garnish

Blanched Toasted Almonds:

•Roast dry in the oven on low, 250 - 275 degrees, stirring frequently

Sliced Tofu:

•Use 1/2 of a 1 lb block of firm tofu
•Rinse and pat dry
•Cut in 2" X 1/2" X 1/2" sticks
•Keep covered in the fridge until you need them

Directions:

1. If you're serving this with a grain, put that on to cook first, or while the veggies simmer, depending on how long the cooking time
2. Cut butternut lengthwise, scoop out seeds, roast in oven 50 minutes on 400 degrees. (can be done ahead of time)
3. Heat oil on med. in a large shallow saucepan
4. Mince the fresh jalapeno and ginger, if you're using them
5. Cut the squash in thick rounds, and peel by cutting down around the sides
6. Remove the seeds, and dice in 1" pieces
7. Thinly slice the celery or fennel,and carrots
8. Add the veggies to the oil, turn the heat up a bit, and sauté for five minutes
9. Add the remaining spices, and stir another few minutes
10. Add the coconut milk and salt, bring to boil, then simmer on low until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring several times
11. Add the tofu and toasted almonds, and simmer another 5 minutes\
12. Garnish with cilantro or basil, and serve with a grain (basmati rice is good

Inspired by http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/

Ratatouille with beans

Ingredients

1 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 small Italian eggplants, peeled and chopped into 3/4 to 1 inch dice

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4 to 1 inch dice

1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4 to 1 inch dice

1 orange pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4 to 1 inch dice

3 small zucchini, cut into 3/4 inch dice

1 yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice

15 to 20 ounces beans (garbanzo, great northern, navy), canned, rinsed

2 cups tomatoes, crushed

1/4 cup fresh basil

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 to 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, according to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Spray olive oil in sauté pan. Add garlic and onion and heat until translucent. Add eggplant; season with salt and pepper and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Turn heat to low and cover to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker or large deep casserole.
2. Add peppers, zucchini, and garbanzo beans to slow cooker or large deep casserole.
3. In a separate bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Blend and pour into slow cooker or large deep casserole. Mix to combine.
4. Crock Pot, temp high for 4½-5 hours, until vegetables are softened or cover with foil and lid and bake in oven on 350 degrees for 1 hour.
5.   Adjust seasoning and serve.  Garnish with cilantro or basil.

Adapted from Rival Crock Pot Slow Cooker Recipes for All Occasions

Indian Mixed Vegetable Soup

This recipe was inspired by James Peterson, Splendid Soups, page 224-226

The Bean Puree Base:

1 cup red lentils
1 medium onion diced
4 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1-1/2 TBSP ground coriander
1 cup drained seeded canned tomatoes
6 curry leaves (optional)
5 cups water
pepper

The Vegetables
2 cups trimmed vegetables, alone or in combination:
   Yukon potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes (20 minutes cooking time)
   carrots, cut into 1/2 inch lengths (20 minutes cooking time)
   eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch dice (15 minutes cooking time)
   squash, sliced or cut into 1 inch dice (10 minutes cooking time)
   zucchini, sliced (10 minutes cooking time)
   cauliflower, 1 inch wide florets (10 minutes cooking time)
   mushroom, whole or quartered (5 minutes cooking time)
   peas, frozen ( 1 minute)   fresh (5-10)
   green beans, cut in 1 inch length pre-cooked until slightly soft (2 additional minutes)
   spinach leaves (1 minute cooking time)

The recipe calls to add ghee (a clarified butter).  I do not add this fat to my healthy soup.

Finish with fresh Cilantro on the soup.

Rinse the legumes and combine them with the rest of the ingredients for the bean puree base in a 4-quart pot.   Bring mixture to a slow simmer and cover pot.  Simmer gently until legumes are completely soft, depending on the type of bean or lentil, from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

  Puree the mixture in a blender or use an immersion blender.  Season the puree to taste with pepper.  Bring the puree back to a simmer and add the vegetables in the order of their cooking times.  Potatoes  and carrots first, then 5 minutes later, eggplant, then 5 minutes later squash, zucchini, cauliflower, 5 minutes later mushrooms, then last peas and spinach.

Eat or Freeze.  

When ready to serve, add fresh Cilantro and additional cumin, pepper as desired.  Yogurt or coconut milk can be added as well.