Baked Barley with Shiitake Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

Source: Cooking Light

Slow baking allows the barley to absorb the woodsy flavor of the mushrooms and the sweetness of the caramelized onion.

2 tablespoons butter (substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a vegan version of this recipe)
4 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon sugar (for vegan, skip or sub raw sugar)
3 cups sliced button mushrooms (about 9 ounces)
3 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups uncooked pearl barley
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups vegetable broth
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sugar; cover and cook 25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Add barley; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce, salt, pepper, and thyme.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pour broth over barley mixture; cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until barley is tender. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 292(17% from fat); FAT 5.4g (sat 2.6g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 9.5g; CHOLESTEROL 10.4mg; CALCIUM 42mg; SODIUM 908mg; FIBER 10.7g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.1g

Jeanne Lemlin
Cooking Light, MARCH 2003

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Soy-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Source: Cooking Light

1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar (for vegan, sub raw sugar)
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 sweet potatoes, each cut lengthwise into 4 wedges (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Combine first 6 ingredients; stir well with a whisk. Arrange potatoes in a single layer in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour soy sauce mixture over potatoes. Cover and bake at 400 for 50 minutes or until tender; baste with soy sauce mixture. Bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 wedges)

CALORIES 325 (14% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 0.8g, mono 1.8g, poly 2.2g); PROTEIN 4.8g; CARB 65.2g; FIBER 6.9g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 440mg; CALC 82mg

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Garlic and Herb Roasted Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, quartered (or cut smaller if they are not bite-size)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh (or any herb of your choice)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 500º. Mix together all ingredients except potatoes. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Layer potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned, checking to make sure they don't get too browned.

Sesame Roasted Green Beans

Source: based on a recipe from Cooking Light

1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons sesame oil (this can easily be reduced to 1 teaspoon or less)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place a jelly-roll pan in oven for 10 minutes. Mix together sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Add green beans and toss well to coat. Arrange green bean mixture in a single layer on preheated baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Cold Sesame Noodles

Source: Food Network, Tyler Florence

12 ounces angel hair pasta
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (I used bottled)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red chili paste, such as sambal
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (I used 2, would use 1 next time)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Fresh chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
Cook the noodles in large pot of boiling unsalted water over medium heat until barely tender and still firm. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water until cold. Drain the noodles really well and transfer to a wide bowl; toss with the sesame oil so they don't stick together. Chill.

In a blender combine the peanut oil, ginger, garlic, chili paste, lime juice, brown sugar, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, and hot water. Blend. Toss the noodles with the peanut sauce until well coated. Serve at room temperature or chilled; garnish with the sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Garlicky Sautéed Spinach

This is my own recipe, based on a dish I had at Francesca's on Taylor in Chicago - Spinach Aglio e Olio. This is, by the way, a great restaurant. It's casual and inexpensive, but the food is phenomenal. We appreciated that we could also feel comfortable bringing kids - it's wonderful to have restaurants that welcome kids but are not geared toward kids, if you know what I mean. That said, it's also wonderful to have restaurants that aren't so kid-friendly too, for those date nights. If you know what I mean...

5 ounces of baby spinach
1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
pinch of crushed red pepper
kosher salt (or other coarse salt) and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Add garlic and sauté for several minutes to release the flavor but do not brown the garlic. Add the spinach and quickly toss to coat with oil. Turn off heat and continue to toss spinach until only slightly wilted. Serve. Serves about 3 adults or 2 adults and two reluctant children.

Gazpacho

Source: Adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Book

1 large cucumber, peeled and halved lengthwise and cored to remove seeds, divided
1 large tomatoes, peeled, cored, and seeded, divided
1 green pepper, halved and seeded, divided
3 scallions, chopped
3 cups tomato juice, divided
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or an indeterminate amount of Frank's Hot Sauce)
1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed
dash Worcestershire sauce (optional - sometimes I do, sometimes I don't)

In a blender, combine half the cucumber, 1 tomato, half the green pepper, and 1 cup of the tomato juice. Puree the ingredients at high speed.

Chop the remaining cucumber, tomato, green pepper, and scallions. Place the vegetables in a bowl, cover it, and refrigerate it until serving time.

Pour the puree into a large serving bowl or tureen, and add the remaining 2 cups tomato juice, the vinegar, oil, Tabasco, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add chopped vegetables. Refrigerate the gazpacho, covered, for at least 2 hours.

Just before serving the soup, add the reserved chopped vegetables to the puree mixture. Check seasonings before serving and adjust if necessary.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Harira with Roasted Onion

Source: Cooking.com

From what little I've read about Harira online, this does not appear to be a very traditional recipe. Said to be served to break the Ramadan fast, most recipes I found included lamb, noodles, lemon and a different mix of spices - often cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and maybe cayenne, but no cardamom. Still, I was looking for a recipe using cardamom, not for a traditional Harira, so I decided to make it anyway. It is very tasty and easy to make. The boys enjoyed it but didn't rave over it. Still, I'm thrilled that they are so open to such different kinds of foods.

1 medium onion, peeled, halved, roasted and finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 14-oz. cans vegetable stock (approximately 7 1/4 cups)
2 cups dry garbanzo beans (soaked overnight in cold water and rinsed) (I used canned)
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
2 cups diced, peeled tomatoes (or a 16-oz. can)
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro (I skipped this)

Peel and halve the onion. Place on sheet pan and roast at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown; approximately 15 minutes. Chop onion finely.

Heat olive oil in a 4-qt pan and sauté the celery until softened. Add the roast onion, garlic, and spices. Cook for a few minutes until the spices are fragrant. Add the chicken (or vegetable) stock and bring to a boil.

Add the garbanzo beans, lentils, tomatoes, and cook approximately 45 minutes or until the garbanzo beans are nearly tender. Skim during the cooking process and stir occasionally.

At this point, soup is ready for final seasoning. Taste for salt and pepper and add 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro.

Vegetarian Chili

Source: Adapted from Jane Brody's "Chili Without Carne" in her Good Food Book

Serving Size : 6

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 or 2 small zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (wear rubber gloves)
2 (28-ounce) cans pureed tomatoes
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon whole cloves, or generous pinch of ground cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice berries, or generous pinch of ground allspice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 cans cooked kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups boiling water
(1 lb ground beef, browned)

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and sautee the zucchini, onions, garlic, green pepper and jalapeno pepper, until they are softened. Add the tomatoes (and puree), coriander, cloves, allspice, oregano, black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and beans. Bring the chili to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer the chili for 30 minutes.

While the chili is cooking, in a medium saucepan add the rice to the boiling water, reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer the rice for 15-35 minutes, according to package directions. Serve the chili over rice and garnish with items of your choice - such as grated cheddar cheese.

Obviously, skip the meat and/or cheese for vegetarian and/or vegan versions of this recipe!

I talked about this recipe HERE and HERE.

Tempeh with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Source: sauce based on Cooking Light, Tempeh based on recipe from The Modern Vegetarian

For the Tempeh:

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons mirin (rice wine)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces tempeh, cut into cubes

Peanut Sauce:

1/4-1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1-2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic
2 garlic cloves, minced

*Note - you can add any sauteed vegetable you like. Red bell pepper or snow peas would go nicely. I used zucchini - not something I would normally pick, but it's what we had on hand at the time.

To prepare tempeh, in a bowl, whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, ginger, and garlic.

Arrange the tempeh in a single layer in a wide sauté pan. Pour the marinade over the tempeh and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat, and cook until nearly dry. (My pan kept going dry before 20 minutes was up, so I kept adding water - tempeh needs to cook to get rid of the bitterness.) At this point, the tempeh may be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for up to a week.

For the sauce, mix all of the ingredients, except water, in a small saucepan, whisk to combine, and warm over low heat. Add water to achieve desired consistency. Heat to a simmer, then pour sauce over tempeh and heat through.

Serve over your favorite rice. I used brown basmati, but white basmati or jasmine would work well too.

According to Mastercook - Per Serving (assuming 5 servings): 543 Calories; 20g Fat (32.0% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 73g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 744mg Sodium.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Amish Coleslaw

Source: Based on a recipe from AllRecipes

1 6-ounce package of shredded slaw
2 tablespoons of finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed (skipped - didn't have any on hand but would try)
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
3 tablespoons of prepared horseradish or to taste (I would up this next time)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, onion, and 1 cup sugar. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, salt, celery seed, 1 teaspoon white sugar, mustard and oil. Bring to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes. Cool completely, then pour over cabbage mixture, and toss to coat. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Vegetable Kabobs

Source: Sunset

1 small (about 3/4 pound) unpeeled eggplant, cut into 2" cubes
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 dozen small thin-skinned potatoes (2 inches is diameter)
3 medium zucchini, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
2 small red or green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
1 large onion, cut into wedges and layers separated
16 whole large mushrooms

Herb Marinade:
3/4 cup salad oil (I use 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar (I use 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dry basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1/2 teaspoon dry rosemary
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook eggplant in 1 inch boiling water for 3 minutes; drain. Cook carrots in 1 inch boiling water until crisp-tender (about 6 minutes); drain. Cook unpeeled potatoes in 1 inch boiling water just until tender (about 20 minutes); drain and cut in half.

Place eggplant, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and mushrooms in a plastic bag. Perpare the herb marinade by mixing all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour marinade over vegetables. Seal bag and refrigerate for 2 hours or until the next day.

Drain and reserve marinade from vegetables. Onto 8 sturdy metal skewers, alternately thread vegetables. Place on a lightly greased grill 4 to 6 inches above solid bed of low-glowing coals. Cook, turning often and basting with reserved marinade, for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender (we like to cook them until the vegetables are slighly charred). Sprinkle lightly with salt before serving. Makes 4 servings of 2 skewers each.

My notes: This is one of those recipes that you can change around to your liking. I tend to use mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, onions, tomatoes and sometimes potatoes. It is definitely necessary to cook the potatoes until just tender before grilling - otherwise it takes a very, very long time for the potatoes to get fully cooked on the grill.

The shrimp worked really well with this marinade - the shrimp retained the flavor of the marinade nicely. Often marinades just don't lend all that much flavor, but this one did. It would probably work nicely with chicken as well.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Sesame Roasted Asparagus

Source: Cooking Light, May 2001

36 spears asparagus
1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 450º.

Snap off tough ends of the asparagus spears. Combine asparagus and the remaining ingredients in a jelly-roll pan, turning asparagus to coat.Bake at 450º for 10 minutes or until the asparagus is crisp-tender; turn once.

Yield 4 servings (serving size: 9 asparagus spears).

Calories 43 (44% from fat); Fat 2.1g (sat 0.3g, mono 0.7g, poly 0.9g); Protein 3g; Carb 4.9g; Fiber 1.2g; Chol 0mg; Iron 0.9mg; Sodium 53mg; Calc 23mg.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Mexican Rice

Source: The Vegetarian Epicure (I think)

2 large onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups long-grain white rice
3 cups crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Peel and coarsely chop the onions, mince the garlic, and sauté them both in olive oil until the onions are golden. Add the ginger, cloves, and pepper, stir, then add the rice. Continue sautéing the mixture, stirring often, until the rice is slightly colored.

Add the puréed tomatoes, the salt, and the boiling water. Stir the mixture once, then cover and simmer the rice over low heat for another 25 minutes. All the liquid should be absorbed.

Serves 8.

My notes: I am going to try this recipe in the rice cooker, setting the cooker to Quick Cook to saute the onions and garlic and then setting it to Regular/White Rice to finish cooking.

I'm not sure exactly how authentic this recipe is, but it has a lot of great flavors and I really like it.

Spinach and Arugula Salad with Indian-Spiced Chickpeas and Charred Red Onions

Source: Jack Bishop's A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen

2 medium red onions, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
8 cups packed flat-leaf spinach with tough stems removed
4 cups packed arugula leaves with tough stems removed
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Move an oven rack to the top position and heat the broiler. Place the onions on a baking sheet, brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Broil the onions, turning once, until lightly charred, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Coarsely chop the onions and set them aside.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds and stir-cook until the seeds begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Cover the pan and continue to cook until the seeds finish popping, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chickpeas and cook just until warm and coated evenly with spices, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the mint and salt to taste. Cool slightly.

Toss the spinach, arugula, onions, warm chickpeas, and lime juice together in a large bowl. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt to taste. Serve immediately.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Roasted Cauliflower

Source: Epicurious

1 medium head cauliflower (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cut into 1 1/2-inch-wide florets (8 cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss cauliflower with oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and roast, stirring and turning over occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Curried Red Lentils with Caramelized Onions

Source: A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen, by Jack Bishop

Serves 4 as a main course

For the Curried Red Lentils:
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced gingerroot
2 teaspoons curry powder
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I used one whole can and cut back on the water)
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over to remove any stones
salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I skipped)

For the Quick Caramelized Onions:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for a vegan version, use oil)
3 medium onions (about 1 pound), halved and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

For the Rice Pilaf:
1 1/2 cup basmati rice (or long grain white rice)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or canola oil (for a vegan version, use oil)
6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed with the side of a chef's knife (or one cinammon stick)
2 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

(Note: I did the rice in the rice cooker. If you have a fuzzy logic cooker, you can set the rice cooker to "Quick Cook" and heat the butter or oil. Follow the directions for the cardamom pods and rice and when finished sauteeing, add the water and simply reset the cooker to the proper setting for whatever rice you are using.)

1. For the rice pilaf: Place the rice in a medium bowl and fill with cold water. Swish the rice around in the water with your fingers. Carefully drain off the water, keeping the rice in the bowl. Repeat the rinsing and draining steps until the water is no longer cloudy, 4 or 5 more times. Set the rice aside.

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan, preferably nonstick, over medium heat until foaming. If using, add the cardamom pods (or cinnamon stick) and cook until it (for cinnamon stick: begins to unfurl slightly and) is aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice smells toasted but has not colored, about 3 minutes. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook (without opening the lid), until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the rice to finish cooking. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

(Note: In order to get the onions really caramelized, I started the onions first, then moved on to the lentils.)

2. For the lentils: Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the water, coconut milk, lentils, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the lentils have fallen apart, about 20 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat, and simmer until the lentils thicken a bit (they should be loose but not liquidy), about 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and adjust the seasonings, adding salt to taste.

3. For the onions: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the foaming subsides, add the onions, salt, and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to color slightly, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very tender and nicely brown, about 15 minutes. (If the onions start to burn at any point, reduce the heat)

4. To serve: Spoon some rice pilaf into individual shallow soup or pasta bowls. Spoon some lentils over the rice, top with a tangle of caramelized onions, and serve.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Butternut Squash Soup with Chipotle Chiles and Garlic

Source: A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen, by Jack Bishop

Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 small canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced, with 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (I used one and found it on the verge of being too hot)
5 cups water (I would probably use vegetable broth)
Salt

Paprika-Brown Sugar Croutons

2 slices sandwich bread, crusts removed, bread cut (I used whole grain sourdough)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
Salt

Minced fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (skipped)

1. For the soup: Halve the squash lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out and discard the strings and seeds. Cut the squash into pieces about the size of your hand. Remove the skin and a layer or two of flesh (you want to remove any whitish or green flesh beneath the skin) with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Cut the peeled squash into 1-inch chunks.

2. Heat the oil and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add the chiles and adobo sauce and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the squash and cook, stirring constantly, until coated with garlic and chiles, about 1 minute. Add the water and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer briskly until the squash is very tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until very smooth. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt to taste. The soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days. Warm over low heat.

4. For the croutons: While the soup is cooking, move an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the bread cubes, oil, paprika, brown sugar, and salt to taste in a small bowl until the bread is coated evenly with spices. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until the croutons are toasted and crisp, about 10 minutes.

5. To serve: Ladle the pureed soup into individual bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with a few croutons and some cilantro and serve.

Seared Tempeh Wraps with Thai-Style Peanut Sauce

Source: A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop

1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
8 ounces tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and diced
1 medium carrot, shredded
4 medium scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
1/4 cup whole fresh cilantro leaves (I chopped them)
2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil (I used sesame oil)
4 12-inch flour tortillas (Ours were a little too small. I warmed them wrapped in foil in the oven.)
4 small romaine lettuce leaves, torn in half

Whisk the hot water, soy sauce, lime juice, peanut butter, and pepper flakes together in a medium bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons of the peanut sauce to a small bowl and reserve. Add the tempeh to the bowl with the remaining peanut sauce and marinate, tossing occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Place the cucumber, carrot, scallions, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Set the salad aside.

Reserve any marinade the tempeh has not absorbed (my tempeh absorbed it all). Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the tempeh and cook, turning the pieces several times, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes. (I cooked the tempeh slowly at first, then browned it since a cooking time of at least 20 minutes seems to really help cut down the bitterness.) Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and cook until the tempeh is glazed, about 30 seconds. Transfer the seared tempeh pieces to the platter.

Pour the reserved 3 tablespoons peanut sauce over the cucumber salad and toss to combine.

Lay the warm tortillas flat on a work surface. Place 2 pieces of lettuce on the bottom half of each tortilla. Spoon some cucumber salad over the lettuce, then top with several pieces of tempeh. Roll up the wraps, tucking the sides toward the center to form neat bundles. Slice each roll in half and serve immediately.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Curried Tempeh with Brown Rice and Peas

Source: A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop

3 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup tamari (I used low-sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon minced gingerroot
8 ounces tempeh, cut in half the long way and then cut into 1-inch squares
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 small onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup long-grain brown rice (I used brown basmati)
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves (I forgot to add this - we actually had some on hand!)
salt

1. Combine 1 cup of the water, the tamari, curry powder, and ginger in a medium saucepan. Add the tempeh and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover, and allow tempeh to cool to room temperature in the liquid. Drain the tempeh and discard the liquid. (I reserved the liquid and added it to the brown rice - see notes below - why waste all that good seasoning??)

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the tempeh and cook until nicely browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer the tempeh to a bowl and set aside.

3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan along with the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

4. Add the remaining 2 3/4 cup water (I used the reserved liquid from the tempeh and enough water to equal 2 total cups of liquid. 2 1/4 cups might have worked better - the rice was quite firm, but I prefer it firm rather than too soft.) to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently until the rice is done, 40 to 45 minutes. Stir in the peas, cilantro, and tempeh and heat through for several minutes. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt to taste and serve.

I talked about this recipe HERE.