Pink Bean, Quinoa, and Spinach Soup

1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

8 baby carrots, quartered lengthwise

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 natural, salt-free vegetable bouillon cubes

One 14- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder

Pinch of cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1/2 cup quinoa

2 cups pink beans, cooked-drained-rinsed (Boise Coop Bulk Aisle)

5 to 6 ounces baby spinach leaves, well rinsed

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the carrots and garlic, and continue to sauté until all are golden, about 5 minutes.

Add 6 cups water, followed by the bouillon cubes, tomatoes, quinoa, beans, and spices. Bring to a rapid simmer, then cover and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender.

Add the spinach and cover. Cook for just a minute or two, until it is wilted, then stir in. Adjust the consistency with a little more water if the soup is too dense; season with salt and pepper and serve.


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Beet and Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Sherry Wine Vinegar

• 2 teaspoons Gluten-Free Dijon Mustard

• 10 tablespoons Safflower Oil

• 3 large raw Beets, peeled, coarsely grated

• 1/4 cup distilled White Vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Wheat-Free Tamari

• 1 tablespoon Sugar

• 6 cups very thinly sliced Green Cabbage

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Mint

Preparation:

Whisk vinegar, mustard, wheat-free tamari, and sugar in another large bowl. Gradually whisk in oil, then mix in beets. Mix in cabbage and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Let salads stand 30 minutes and up to 2 hours at room temperature, tossing occasionally.

Thai Heavenly Pineapple Fried Rice (Vegetarian)

1 small can Pineapple Chunks, drained, OR 1 whole pineapple (see instructions below)

3 cups cooked rice, preferably several days old (Tip: if fresh, leave for an hour or more in the refrigerator uncovered)

3-4 Tbsp. Vegetable Stock for stir-frying

2 Shallots, thinly sliced

3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped or pressed

1 red or green Chili, thinly sliced (reduce or leave out if you prefer very mild fried rice)

1 Egg (vegans can omit)*

½ cup frozen Peas

Optional: 1 small Carrot, grated (about 1/4 cup)

½ cup raw unsalted whole Cashews

3 Green Onions, finely sliced

1/3 cup fresh Coriander



Stir-Fry Sauce:

3 Tbps. Wheat-free Tamari

2 tsp. Curry Powder



Mix 1 Tbsp. oil with the rice, using your fingers to separate any chunks into grains. Set aside.

In a cup, stir the wheat-free tamari with the curry powder.

Drizzle 1-2 Tbsp. oil in a wok/large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, and chili, stir-frying until fragrant (1 minute). Whenever the wok/pan becomes dry, add a little stock (1/2 to 1 Tbsp. at a time to keep the pan sizzling).

Crack egg (if using) into wok and stir quickly to cook.

Add the carrot, peas, cashews. Stir-fry 1 minute in the same way, adding more stock if needed.

Now add the rice, pineapple chunks, and currents. Drizzle the tamari mixed with curry powder over and gently stir-fry to combine over medium-high to high heat until the rice "dances" (begins to make popping sounds) - about 3 minutes. Tip: Avoid adding any more stock from here on, or your rice will turn out soggy. The wok/pan should be hot and dry.

Remove from heat. Do a taste-test for saltiness, adding a few shakes of salt or up to 2 Tbsp. More tamari, as needed. (If you happen to over-salt the dish, add a squeeze or two of lime juice.)

To serve, top with spring onions and coriander, and ENJOY!
Serves 2 - 4

*Note: Vegans may omit the egg without losing the flavor or nutrients of this great dish (cashews provide the main protein source).

Daikon Radish And Ginger Salad

2 thumbs Ginger, minced

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

2 teaspoons Organic Canola Oil

1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

3 tablespoons Wheat-Free Tamari

1 large Daikon Radish, peeled and thinly sliced

2 medium Carrots, grated

3 Green Onions, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, whisk together the ginger, oils, vinegar and soy sauce. Prep the daikon by peeling it, cutting it into 2-inch chunks, then slicing it into matchsticks. Toss all the vegetables in the bowl with the vinaigrette, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Baby Lima Soup with Chipotle Broth

1 pound dried Baby Lima Beans, picked over and rinsed

10 cups Water

1 head Garlic, top lobbed off to expose the cloves and loose skins removed

2 tablespoons Olive Oil or Clarified Butter

1 Onion, halved top to bottom and sliced into thin crescents

1 to 2 Chipotles in adobo sauce

2 teaspoons fine-grain Sea Salt

Squeeze of Lime juice (optional)

Pick over the beans, looking carefully for any pebbles or dirt clumps; baby limas seem to be magnets for dirt. Rinse the beans, then combine them with the water and garlic in a heavy soup pot. You might think putting a whole head of unpeeled garlic in the pot is strange, but just go with it. Bring the beans to an active simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until just a touch al dente and not mushy or falling apart. Test their doneness by tasting; you really can't tell any other way.

Heat the olive oil (or butter) in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion, chipotles, and 2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce, and sauté over medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the onion starts to soften. You can always add more adobo sauce later for a spicier soup; just don't overdo it on the front end.

Add the salt and the onion-chipotle mix to the pot of beans and simmer gently for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. The broth should be thin, so add more water if needed. Add more salt and more adobo a bit at a time if the flavors aren't popping. Finish with a squeeze of lime if you like. I usually remove the garlic head at this point or serve around it.

Serves 6.

Pear-Beet Salad with Lemon-Ginger Dressing

A colorful, hearty, juicy salad! Quick, easy, and oh so yummy! This salad contains about 250 calories!

• 2 Pears, chopped
• 1 small Beet, grated
• Juice of 1/2 small Lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh grated Ginger (more or less if this amount doesn't suit your tastes)
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped raw Walnuts/Pecans (optional)

 In a small to medium-sized bowl, toss all of the above ingredients--that's it! Chop, toss, and eat!
(Feel free to substitute apples for pears in this recipe.)