A giant salad

Summer.

Vegan Português kale soup

This recipe is adapted from Rachel Ray, and inspired by my friend Heather (check out her photography).

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
* 1/2 cup diced onions
* 2 diced carrots
* 1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
* Chorizo seasoning (see below) or [1-2 store-bought soy chorizo, but omit lentils]
* 1 TBL tamari
* ½ cup red lentils
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 TBL parsley
* ½ tsp thyme
* 2 not-beef bullion cubes
* 8 cups water
* 1 14 oz can kidney beans, drained
* 1 cup diced tomatoes
* 3 red potatoes, diced

**Chorizo seasoning mix: 1 TBL granulated onion, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 TBL dried chili flakes, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/8 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp turbinado sugar

In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, and carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the kale, chorizo spices (or soyrizo), bay leaves, parsley and thyme and mix well. Add the “beef stock”, beans, lentils, potatoes, and tomatoes. Bring the soup to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and serve hot.

Super salad meal

Like most other people who write or don’t write food blogs, we’re ready to eat lighter again. This spring salad is a complete meal for nights when you don’t have time to prepare, but you want something filling and easy.

Super salad meal

2 green onions, chopped for dressing
2 TBL rice vinegar
1 TBL white vinegar
pinch of salt
1 TBL peanut butter
2 cups baby arugula
2 TBL fresh basil, chopped into ribbons
1 avocado, chopped
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh pineapple pieces

6-8 grape tomatoes, halved
1 green onion, sliced thinly
Black pepper to taste

Hot sauce to taste

Blend 2 green onions (reserve 1 for salad topping), rice vinegar, white vinegar, peanut butter, and salt with an immersion blender. Arrange arugula on plates, then layer basil, avocado slices, beans, pineapple, and reserved green onion. Pour dressing over the salad and season with black pepper and hot sauce.

Kidney bean curry with green beans and potaotes

We made the most delicious curry out of leftover kidney bean dip and vegetables,  served with leftover tomato rice.

1 c. leftover kidney bean dip (kidney beans, lots of fresh parsley, cumin, lemon juice, tahini, garlic powder, salt, water)

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 onion, diced

4 Yukon potatoes, cut into eights and boiled for 10 minutes, drain and set aside

1.5 c. green beans (frozen)

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cayenne

salt to taste

1-2 c. water

Boil potatoes, drain but reserve a little of the cooking water, and set aside. Meanwhile, in a dutch oven, saute onion in olive oil with the ginger, cook about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add bell pepper and cook another 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and spices, bring to a boil. Add bean dip and stir well. Add 1 cup of water and return to a boil. Add green beans and potatoes. Add more water if needed. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with tomato rice.

Julia Child inspired lentil-kidney bourguignon

Neither of us have ever eaten boeuf bourguignon, but it sounds cozy and we love stew and Julie & Julia, and so on.  The Cinnamon Quill came up with an amazing adaptation for boeuf bourguignon, sans boeuf, which I was about to make until I realized how many steps were involved, and now many ingredients I didn’t have (dates, pearl onions, lots of wine). In true Beans, Figs and Katz fashion, I put this LARGE stew together.

1/2 TBL Earth balance

1/2 TBL olive oil

2 onions, sliced thinly

3 carrots, sliced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 sweet potatoes, chopped into bite sized piececs

2 bay leaves

1 TBL tomato paste

1/2 TBL molasses

1 TBL balsamic vinegar

1 tsp turbinado sugar

2 bouillion cubes

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp rosemary

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp parsley

2 cups red wine (that’s all I had in a leftover container in the fridge. You could add more)

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1.5 cups lentils

1 15oz. can kidney beans (with liquid)

1 TBL tamari

water to cover

salt and pepper to taste

Mushroom Sauce–to be added later

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

another 1 TBL tamari

additional 3 garlic cloves, minced or garlic powder

1 cup water

Yes, this is a ridiculous number of ingredients. In a stock pot, heat olive oil and Earth Balance, then saute oninions, garlic, and carrots on medium heat until the onions turn slightly mushy, about 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally, and work on your other prep in the mean time. Add the remaining ingredients, except the mushroom sauce. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Stir occasionally and cook 20 minutes. (Add a little more water if needed.)

Meanwhile, in a small pot, saute mushrooms in a small amount of Earth Balance until they release their juices, about 5-7 minutes. Add tamari and garlic. Cook another 5 minutes or so. Add water to cover (approximately 1 cup), bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Pour the mushroom sauce into the large pot and stir. Bring to a boil and then cover to simmer again, about 10 minutes.

Pour stew into a dutch oven (or two smaller baking dishes with covers), and bake at 325 for an hour or so. Add more wine or broth if needed.