AFRICAN BEAN SOUP

yep, good, even in the summer months

AFRICAN BEAN SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 onion, sliced

2 small sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 red or green bell pepper, diced

1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

3-4 cups vegetable stock

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 Tbsp. peanut butter

1-2 tsp. curry powder

DIRECTIONS:

Heat 1/2 cup of water and the soy sauce in a large pot.  Add onion and sweet potatoes.  Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Stir in carrot, celery, and bell pepper.  Cover and continue cooking another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the tomatoes, stock, garbanzo beans and cilantro.

Blend the peanut butter with 1/3 cup of water then add it to the soup along with the curry powder.  Stir to mix.

Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook 20 - 30 minutes.  

Serves 6 

OUTSTANDING ARTICHOKE AND GARBANZO BEAN DIP

	use a blender or a food processor/ takes just minutes to make INGREDIENTS: 2 (15 1/2 oz) cans garbanzo beans
	1 large jar artichoke hearts, drained
	2 (7 oz) envelopes Good Seasoning Italian dressing mix
	1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice DIRECTIONS:

the finished product, delish
1. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine beans and artichoke hearts. Pulse until finely chopped. Add Italian dressing mix. Pulse to combine.
2. With the food processor running, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Add lemon juice and pulse until desired consistency is reached. Serve with French bread rounds, cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks and asparagus spears, if desired. Or you can just serve with pita chips or crackers.

A VEGETARIAN & SEAFOOD EATERY

Every once in a while I am fortunate enough to stumble upon a fabulous vegetarian eatery.  I've actually dined at this one, VEG,  numerous times and sampled a variety of dishes, from appetizers to main courses.  This restaurant is located in Sarasota, Florida.

Marty and Maggie Glucklich, while living in South Africa, had a dream.  They have the goal of supporting local growers and producers and are ever so mindful of global sustainable fishing and farming practices.

Their menu says it all :

"Our philosophy, quite simply, is unpretentious.  Veg offers a variety of seasonal, creative and flavorful foods that bring a fresh perspective to vegetarian, vegan and seafood cuisines."

On this particular day I started with a South African red wine, a cup of mushroom barley soup and the fish tacos.  These tacos are made with the fish, BASA.  They are served in a soft corn tortillas with cabbage salsa fresca and an oriental ginger dressing.  YUM!

Check out their site:  http://www.vegsrq.com/

more chatter about BASA:  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/287687

SPINACH SPOON BREAD

While staying at my brother Bills last Tofu Day, I discovered this recipe while perusing his cookbooks and became determined to make this one.  It's addictive.

everything bakes in the crockpot

INGREDIENTS: 

1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cottage cheese
1 pkg. (5 1/2 oz.) cornbread mix
6 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup Earth Balance, melted
1 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Lightly grease a slow cooker insert; preheat on HIGH.

2.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.  Pour batter into slow cooker.  Cook, covered with lid slightly ajar to allow excess moisture to escape, on HIGH 1 13/4 hrs. or on LOW 3 to 4 hrs.or until edges are golden and knife in center of bread comes out clean.

3.  Serve bread spooned from slow cooker.  OR, loosen edges and bottom of bread with knife and invert onto plate.  Cut into wedges to serve.

Yields 8 servings

like most food, goes great with wine  :)

RAWTELLA

thank you Jon / great recommendation for a substitution

I must admit that lately I've "fallen" into the bad habit of eating my very favorite breakfast...almost daily.  Carrs Whole Wheat crackers topped with almond butter and Nutella...hmmmmmm ...nothing better.  Normally, I check labels on everything but think I neglected this with my recent craving for Nutella;  I simply didn't want to know.  Today my brother Jon send me some wonderful information. (please read below)  Because of this new info,  tomorrow I'll be returning an unopened jar of Nutella to Publix and visiting the local health food store to purchase this new, to me, substitute.

Reader's Digest BEST YOU says:

"BETTER THAN NUTELLA
A chocolate concoction you can be proud to spoon
A friend of ours once ate half a jar of Nutella with a spoon. That's right. Good thing she doesn't shame easily. Still, poor her. She might have been spared the 21 grams of sugar, 22 grams of carbs, and 3.5 grams of saturated fat per two tablespoons of the dastardly hazelnut-chocolate spread (multiplied by however many tablespoons in a half-jar divided by two) if she'd only known our friend Stephanie Middleberg, a nutritionist. Stephanie would have suggested Rawtella, one of her favorite new snacks. Rawtella, which is available at health food stores and through rawtella.com, is like Nutella, only simpler and slimmed way down-it's made with hazelnuts, cacao nibs (crunchy bits of roasted cacao beans), and coconut sugar. No oil, no preservatives, and a whole lot less sugar. "With heart-healthy fats and only three grams of sugar per serving, Rawtella will satisfy your cravings and won't make your blood sugar spike," Stephanie says. She likes spreading a tablespoon of Rawtella on a whole-wheat crepe and topping with a sliced banana. But, please, tell your friend not to eat half a jar of this either. "

read more:

http://www.rawtella.com/
http://www.rawguru.com/rawtella-gourmet-chocolate-butter-review.html
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=487319790910&comments&ref=mf

FORKS OVER KNIVES PRE-ORDER

GREAT NEWS...the film is now available for ordering.
read the press release:

Forks Over Knives DVD and Blu-ray are NOW AVAILABLE for pre-order!* Includes 6 bonus features, and will ship by August 9--weeks before major retailers. Companion book, DVD/book package and more also available.

http://shop.forksoverknives.com/category_s/45.htm

VEGAN PARMESAN CHEESE

note the veggie topping in the picture above

this is a vegan substitute for Parmesan cheese OR try the following recipe:

VEGAN PARMESAN CHEESE:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup blanched almonds or white sesame seeds

2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes

1 to 2 tsp. light or chickpea miso

heaping 1/4 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:

Pulverize almonds or seeds. 

Add the remaining ingredients and pulse till well mixed.

Store in an airtight container in the frig.

Keeps for 1 month or longer.  May be frozen.

Use on pasta, pizza etc.

variations:  You can also use raw pumpkin seeds, roasted pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts, sunflower seeds or any other nut or seed choice.