CARROT GINGER TOFU SOUP

a recipe from the Vitamix collection

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium carrots, halved

1/4 small onion, peeled

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 Tbsp. oil - I omit this, use a bit of water or veg broth instead

1/2 tsp. salt

pinch of white pepper

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, peeled, chopped

1/3 cup light silken tofu

2 cups vegetable broth

DIRECTIONS if using the Vitamix:

Place carrots, onion and garlic into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.

Select Variable 1

Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 4 or 5

Blend for 10 seconds or until chopped.

Heat the oil (if using) in a small pan and saute chopped ingredients until onion is clear and carrots are tender.  Add a little broth, if needed.

Place remaining ingredients into the Vitamix container, add sauteed ingredients and secure lid.

Select Variable 1

Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.

Blend for 3 to 4 minutes or until heavy steam escapes from the vented lid.

NO VITAMIX?:

Chop the vegetables and saute in a saucepan.

Add the sauteed vegetables all other ingredients to a blender and puree together until very smooth.

Put the soup mixture into a saucepan and heat till ready to serve.

does it all!  chops, purees AND cooks

comes out ready to eat, thick, creamy and delicious

HARVEST TIME

And the produce just keeps rolling in.

first ever Asian pear

MEDITERRANEAN BEAN BURGERS

burger pictured here with two types of tomatoes,

red onion and vegan mayo, all on a whole wheat roll

Dreena Burton's recipe from the Summerfest 2012

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans (14 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 - 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped.

1 1/2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine or balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

3/4 cup green onions, sliced, using green portion

1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

2 to 2 1/2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped

1/2 tsp. sea salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 1/4 cups rolled oats

1/3 to 1/2 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, combine the kidney beans, garlic, tomato paste, vinegar, and mustard.  Pulse until pureed.

fresh oregano

all in the food processor

Add the green onions, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste, and process to break up and blend.

Add the oats and pulse to begin to incorporate.  Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the olives. 

Refrigerate the mixture for 30 to 45 minutes, then shape into patties with your hands.

I used a griddle on my stove top and did not need the use of oil except for a spray of PAM olive oil.

Cook over medium or medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

Makes 7 to 7 patties.

the "meaty" mixture

cooked until golden brown

LENTIL LETTUCE WRAPS

use as a filler for lettuce wraps OR as a taco filling

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed

1 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. oregano

14 oz. water

1 cup salt-free salsa, use my recipe listed on the blog

salt-free seasoning to taste OR salt

DIRECTIONS:

Put everything in the crock pot and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed.

This taco filling can be used and where you would normally use a meat taco filling, such as in taco shells and on salads.

the everything thrown together in the crock pot

the cooked "taco" filling / I used mine in lettuce wraps

Thanks to Chef AJ for her great recipes and lectures at the 2012 Summerfest.  I'll definitely be making this one again.

CARROT DAWGS

boil or steam the whole peeled organic carrots

I got this recipe from a lovely woman that I met at Summerfest 2012.  Penny told me her sister-in-law originally made these as a joke.  Penny and husband liked them so much, they started eating them regularly.  I made them last night for the first time, LOVE THEM.  They are meant to be served on a whole wheat roll with "the works" but I served them as a side dish.  Next time I'll try the rolls.

INGREDIENTS:

4 carrots - cut bun length
1 Tbsp. sesame oil or olive - I do not use any oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. tamari
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. liquid smoke
pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Boil water, add carrots, cook till you can pierce with for, run cold water on them, drain. (or steam)

Mix together the marinade and add the carrots for a few hours or up to several days.

Grill or may heat in 350 degree oven 10 - 15 minutes.

Penny says to save the marinade and boil more carrots so that you can have a continuous supply.  We both use the Forman electric grill.  It's sooooooooo easy.

grilling the dawgs with foil-lined parchment paper filled with greens etc.

parchment wrapped grilled greens with carrot dawgs

2nd batch served as the intended use / HOT DAWGS

with all the fixings

these would be great served with my butternut squash fries

FRESH TOMATO JUICE

use fresh herbs for high quality

pictured:  basil, oregano, thyme, fennel

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 lbs. vine-ripened tomatoes, unpeeled and quartered

12 basil leaves

1 sprig oregano

6 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs Italian parsley

1/2 tsp. sea salt

lots of fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Place the tomato pieces, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until finely chopped.

puree in the food processor,

better yet, use a Vitamix

Scrape the sides of the bowl.  Then process until pureed, about 20 seconds.  Do not over-process or the tomato puree will become lighter in color and yield a less-attractive cocktail. 

Transfer to a bowl and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes so the flavors develop.

NOW at this point you either have a very fine tomato juice (Vitamix) OR you have a juice with way too much texture for my taste.  My Vitamix hasn't arrived YET so I put all of this through a strainer.  The result was smooth and delicious.

this can so easily be turned into a blood mary

GREENS IN PARCHMENT

necessity is the mother of invention:

lots and lots of food available in my garden, hence:

greens mixture

mixed well together to incorporate the sauces

and spices

mixture laid out on foil-wrapped parchment paper

I secure my ends with bull-nose clips

INGREDIENTS:

an assortment of greens, 1 large bowl; I used Swiss chard and beet tops

1 red onion, cut in slivers

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, each cut in half

1 green pepper, sliced thin

4 cloves garlic, sliced

3 long green onion stems, cut into small pieces

fresh fennel fronds

fresh oregano

fresh parsley

fresh thyme

salt and pepper

tamari

fresh ginger

fish sauce (omit if vegan)

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

All the herbs are to taste; you can't ruin this one. 

Mix all ingredients together.  Place onto a large piece of parchment paper.  Wrap up and secure the ends, using bull-nose clips. 

If using the foil-lined parchment paper, then just put right on the electric grill or in oven.  For regular parchment paper, place it on a cookie sheet or baking dish.

Cook about 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve with brown rice.

I served mine with carrot dawgs.