Yellow Split Pea Soup

This is a very easy meatless pea soup recipe. It takes time but requires very little effort on the part of the cook. Try adding dumplings for something extra filling!

1 lb. yellow split peas
3 quarts water
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
4 whole allspice
4 whole peppercorns
1 cup diced carrots

Boil all the ingredients, but the carrots, slowly for about 4 hours or until peas are tender. Add carrots 2 hours before soup is done.

Italian Beans with Sundried Tomatoes

I've had a little fascination lately with cooking with pasta sauces in place of regular tomato sauce. I'm not one for opening a can of tomato sauce anyway, so when a recipe calls for it, I usually just mash up some tomatoes as a replacement. But when the snow is blowing, it's not the time for tomatoes. To avoid canned vegetables, I often turn to good jarred tomato sauces. There are lots of sauces on the market with no preservatives or added unnecessaries. The one I used here is Delallo Sundried Tomato Pasta Sauce, but you could use any one of your choice here, with a few sundried tomatoes thrown in for added flavor. This is a recipe fresh from my kitchen today. I served it with Italian sausage and a green salad.

2 cups dried navy beans
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs. salt
Fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup Sundried Tomato Pasta Sauce (Delallo) or 1 cup sauce your choice with a few chopped sundried tomatoes added

Boil the beans, changing the water a few times (to reduce gas issues later!), until the beans are almost soft. At this point, keep only enough water in the beans to avoid sticking to the pan. Add all other ingredients but the sauce. Cook until the beans and the onions are soft, stiring occasionally and keeping the water level so there's just enough to avoid scorching. Remove the bay leaf and add the sauce. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Refried Black Beans

Black beans are incredibly healthy. They are loaded with fiber and iron, and they help stabilize blood sugar levels while reducing the risk for heart attacks. They're also full of antioxidants. If you're looking for a good way to reduce your meat intake, black beans and other legumes are the perfect way to do that. They are rich in protein. Here is a tasty way to enjoy all their benefits. One more great thing - this recipe is even better the next day!

3 cups dried black beans, soaked overnight
1 Tbs. sea salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 cup olive oil

Boil the beans in water until slightly soft. (Changing the water and rinsing the beans a few times will cut down on "gas" issues!) Add the garlic and salt. Cook until beans are very soft. Drain beans, reserving some of the liquid. Either mash the beans with a potato masher or put them in the blender, adding some of the reserved liquid and the cumin, chili powder, and olive oil. Stir in the onions and serve wrapped in warm tortillas. If you prefer, add chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, and shredded cheddar cheese to the burrito as well.

Basil & Tomato Pasta Salad

Here's a nice dish when you want to forgo the meat for dinner. The whole wheat pasta makes it filling and full of flavor, and if you're lucky enough to have leftovers for lunch the next day, it's even better! Great for those potlucks too.

1 pint grape tomatoes
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 handful chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tbs. red wine or balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
12 oz. whole wheat organic pasta
4 quarts water, boiling
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup black olives (optional)

In a large bowl, lightly mash the grape tomatoes. Add garlic, basil, olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Toss well to mix and set aside. Cook the pasta per package instructions, drain, and add to tomato mixture. Toss; serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

My goal on this blog is to provide healthy, easy recipes for you. On occasion, we all want something a little more complex; and a little more challenging recipe is fun every now and then. This one is added to my blog on special request for "Shmenkie", who asked that I include it. Bon Apetit!

2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. butter, melted
2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 Tbs. ground cumin
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup water
1 cup uncooked couscous

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C)

Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes or until tender. Dissolve the sugar in the melted butter. Brush squash with the butter mixture, and keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

Pour the water into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Stuff squash halves with the skillet mixture to serve.