Fasolada - Greek Bean Soup - KindSoups

Fasolada - led by Shauna Simon and her husband Stefan, who is from a small Greek town

Not many ingredients to prepare, and very delicious.  The pepper gives it a kick.  Also added 2 parsnips. It's filling and can be a main dish. 

Ingredients

• Fasolia, dry white beans 3 cups or 6 cans (Cannellini, Northern White)
• About ½ cup Olive Oil (approx.)
• 6 stalks Celery, chopped
• 9 medium-sized Carrots, chopped
• (2 parsnips, chopped added)
• 3 big yellow Onions
• 12 cloves of Garlic
• 36 oz crushed Tomatoes, can or fresh
• 6 bay leaves
• 12-15 Cups water
• 2 Tablespoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup of chopped fresh parsley – depends if you love Parsley or not (less or more is fine)

*Dry Beans need to soak for 8-12 hours. You can add 1 tsp. of salt to the soaking water. OR Use Canned Beans, already cooked.

Instructions

• Chop the celery and the carrots. Chop the onion thinly, and chop the garlic.
• In a pot, heat the olive oil and cook the vegetables for 10-15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes & beans, stir. Add water & bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and add spices except parsley. Let the soup simmer about a 1/2 hour.
• Add a few Tablespoons of Olive Oil & Chopped Parsley at the end.
• Optional – Add small chunks of Feta when serving soup, or serve on the side.

 

Vegan Cauliflower Gratin

From Love and Lemons Every Day Cookbook  p 227

Here's a recipe for a 'creamy' cozy main dish casserole.  This time, I prepared this for the shelter, so I doubled the recipe, tripled the cashew sauce (although didn’t use all of it) and doubled the topping, and those proportions seemed good, with all of the following additions.  I added a sweet potato, spinach, mushrooms, and red onion.  Basically, I like color in my food, so I added whatever I had available.    I'll add more onions and black pepper next time to give it a kick, maybe some cayenne in the topping.  The doubled recipe fit in a 13 x 17” casserole. 

It would be reasonable to increase the sauce even for a single recipe, just to make sure it stays moist.  If all of the veggies are added, prepare double the recipe and save what you don’t need. Be sure to cover lightly with foil if the cauliflower is burning in some areas. 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cauliflower - core and florets separated, per instructions

1-2 medium sweet potatoes (I microwaved it whole for a few minutes, then cut into ~3/4” dice)

Optional - 5 oz spinach, roughly chopped; 1 cup mushrooms sliced; carrots sliced and possibly microwaved a bit; anything else you like

 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in 3/4 cups water (include the water w/ cashews for the sauce)

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (~2 lemons)

1 yellow onions, thinly sliced (can use red onion too)

1 Tbsp miso paste

3 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (can use more)

3 Tbsp EVOO plus more for brushing

1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

Fresh ground black pepper

TOPPING:

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup crushed pine nuts or hemp seeds (used hemp seeds)

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley for topping 

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and brush a 9 x 13 baking dish (or larger if using all the veggies noted below) with olive oil

2) Break the cauliflower florets into small bite-sized pieces and set aside for later use.

3) Roughly chop the cauliflower cores.  Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and boil the cores (NOT the florets) for 5 minutes or until fork-tender.  (I did this in the microwave for ~3 minutes).  Transfer to a blender with the cashews, water, lemon juice, miso paste, garlic, mustard, 2 Tbsp of the OO, the salt, and several grinds of black pepper.  Blend until creamy.

4) For the topping, in a small bowl, mix together the panko, pine nuts/ hemp seeds, and sea salt.  Set aside.

5) Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp OO in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and pinches of salt.  Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the caul florets and half the sauce.  Toss to combine and transfer to the baking dish.

6) Toss in the sweet potato and spinach if using.  Evenly pour the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with the panko mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden brown and tender.  If the topping browns first, cover loosely with aluminum foil.  

7) Top with the parsley and serve.  

Vegetarian ‘chicken’ soup with matzo balls - KindSoups

Carol Weil led this vegetarian version of soup in advance of Passover.  I added our family’s matzo ball recipe.  The soup was very good, with miso adding the umami missing from the chicken.  It’s helpful to cut the veggies into bite size pieces, and leave them in the soup.  I also chopped about 1/3 of the dill and parsley after cooking, and returned them to the soup.  It was very tasty! 

To make it vegan, you can try using an egg substitute like flax egg.

Vegetarian Jewish “chicken” Matzah Ball Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of miso (or more depending on umami taste preference)
• 6 large onions, quartered through the root 
• 18 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 
• 9 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 
• 9 celery stalks, cut into chunks 
• 3 large parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks 
• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pound), peeled and cut into chunks 
• 3 tablespoon onion powder 
• 4 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 
• 1 1/2 small bunches dill, plus chopped dill for serving  
• 1 1/2 small bunches flat-leaf parsley 
• 6 bay leaves 
• 4 1/2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt, plus more as needed 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add the carrots, celery, parsnips, sweet potatoes, onion powder, and garlic powder. Tie the dill and parsley bunches together at the stems with kitchen twine and add to the pot along with the bay leaves and 9 quarts of water. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by about a third, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove the vegetables and strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Return the broth to the pot and stir in the salt and pepper. Discard all the vegetables and herbs except the carrots and celery. Cut those into bite-size pieces and return to the pot.
• Stir in miso and, if desired, more salt, 1 teaspoon at a time.
• Serve hot, topped with chopped dill.

OPTIONAL Matzo Balls Recipe: makes about 8 balls

this is just an add-on for soup that will become family dinner, not a general add-on for all the donated soup

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup seltzer
• 3/4 cup matzo meal
• 1/8 tsp salt, or more to taste
• Ginger powder, depending on your preference (optional)
• 1 Tbsp grated onion or sprinkle of onion powder (optional)
• 2 Tbsp canola oil

Directions 

• Beat 2 eggs.
• Add seltzer, matzo meal, salt, and optional ginger powder and onion. Then add oil.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
• Remove from refrigerator while you boil a pot of water. Wash hands, then coat them with canola, roll mix into 1-1.5 inch balls. Drop each into the pot as you go. Keep at a slow- medium boil, allowing the balls to rise to the top and remain there. Cook with the lid mostly on, for about 30 minutes.
• Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate then add to heated broth or refrigerate until ready to use.

*Feel free to experiment and add your favorite herbs or spices in small quantities. 

Pomegranate, Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip / Muhummara

From Amy Riolo’s. The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook 

“This piquant sweet and sour dip has origins in Persia and is now popular across the Middle East and in Turkey.  Recently touted as a ‘beauty dip’ by American magazines for the skin enhancing qualities found in its three main ingredients - red peppers, walnuts and pomegranate - this recipe is quick to become a favorite of those who try it for the first time.”

Pomegranate juice and seeds were used in natural medicines for curing a wide variety of ailments; they appeared in records back to 1550 BCE.  They made their way to America with Spanish settlers in 1769, and are now grown in California and Arizona.  

INGREDIENTS: 

7 oz roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs or almond flour

1/3 cup walnuts

4 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

4 Tbsp pomegranate molasses (I used ~2)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt

1/4 cup EVOO

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the all the ingredients except the oil.  Pulse on and off until a thick paste forms.  Then, gradually pour EVOO into the running food processor.  Taste the purée and adjust the salt as needed.  Serve at room temperature. 

Okra and Rice Casserole with Cajun Spice Mix - for lady docs book club

 https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/149221/cajun-spice-mix/

https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/okra-rice-casserole

Okra is delicious deep-fried, but more versatile than you think. The smaller pods are the most tender, so look for ones 3-4 inches long and refrigerate and cook within a few days. Okra "slime" naturally thickens stews and soups. The substance is released as you cut the pods, so we suggest cutting them into larger chunks, rather than thin slices. This dish is simple to make, but it packs an amazing amount of flavor from tender sautéed okra, sweet corn, Cajun spices, and buttery garlic breadcrumbs.  I made it a few days ago and froze it for Sunday book club - we’ll see how it goes! Tasted good right out of the oven.

By Southern Living Editors 

 

Published on January 8, 2019

Tried this in the wok and it came out well.  Increased the fire roasted tomatoes to 28 oz, only 2 cups of broth, added some Asian eggplant, which took a while to cook.  Left the okra whole.  Made sure to buy small ones, and all but one were edible.  The celery is really good, and used the full amount of Cajun spice, and dried fenugreek.  Didn’t use bread crumbs.  Served with ramen noodles or farro.  Overall, a better dinner than I expected.  And next day even better. 

Total Time:

 

1 hrs 10 mins

Yield:

 

Serves 8 (serving size: 1 1/2 to 2 cups)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (can use whole wheat) - used millet flour

• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

• 1/2 cup chopped celery - essential

• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper - or not 

  Added 1 Asian eggplant

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 28 oz can diced tomatoes - preferably fire-roasted

• 3 cups vegetable broth

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh okra, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces

• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears) - 1 can drained

• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (see recipe below if you don’t have some)

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  Added dried fenugreek

• 1/4 cup (2 oz.) salted butter, melted (used less)

• 2 garlic cloves, pressed

• 8 (1-inch-thick) French bread slices (used the Bullet to make the bread crumbs) - or panko

• 2 (8.5-oz.) pouches microwavable basmati rice (or just cook some stovetop) - used ramen noodles or farro

Directions

1. Use wok or preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Whisk together oil and flour in a Dutch oven; cook over medium-high, whisking, until mixture is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in onion, celery, bell pepper, and minced garlic, and cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Stir in tomatoes, broth, okra, corn, Cajun seasoning, fenugreek and pepper, and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine melted butter and pressed garlic. Brush both sides of French bread slices with garlic butter, and bake in preheated oven until lightly golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from oven, and process in a food processor until coarsely crumbled.

4. Squeeze rice pouches to separate grains. Tear a 2-inch vent in each pouch. Microwave both pouches at the same time at HIGH for 2 minutes. (The rice will be slightly undercooked.) Spoon into prepared baking dish. Top with okra mixture and breadcrumbs.

5. Bake in preheated oven until breadcrumbs are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes (it only took about 15 - so watch carefully). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

   
   

Ingredients

• 2 ½ teaspoons paprika

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 ¼ teaspoons dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (Optional) - did use some

1. Gather all ingredients. Mix together.  Store in an airtight container

Turkish Lentil Soup - KindSoups

Turkish Lentil Soup

Loved the combination of spices before the lemon and mint were added.  Almost didn’t add them because I didn’t want to ruin the taste - but it was even better afterwards.  Relatively easy prep also.  I had sweet potatoes on hand, so used them instead of Russets - all delicious.  Part of KindSoups Around the World in 2023.  Unfortunately, there was another earthquake in Turkey on the day of the zoom meeting.  The KindChef, Alexa Abelatey, whose husband is from Turkey, showed us the geography and where the 3 earthquakes occurred.  

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium yellow onions, diced
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and diced (or sweet potatoes)
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoons black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoons cayenne OR Aleppo pepper
• 15 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 cups red lentils, picked through (for small stones) and rinsed
• 3 teaspoons dried mint
• 3 lemons
• 
  
• Instructions

•  Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onions and sauté for 4 minutes.
• Add the diced carrots and diced potatoes to the pot. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic cloves and stir for 30 seconds.
• Add the tomato paste, cumin, salt, paprika, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir for 30 seconds and then deglaze the bottom of the pot with a small amount of the chicken or vegetable stock.
• Add the remaining stock and lentils. Stir and increase heat till the soup is boiling. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• If the soup is getting too thick, add water or more broth. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the dried mint. Using an immersion blender or a stand blender, blend the soup till it’s creamy and all the ingredients are incorporated.
• Optional Paprika Oil – Heat the oil in a small pot and add the paprika. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Continue to stir till fully incorporated.
• Serve with lemon wedges. If you’d like, add a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a drizzle of paprika oil

Health and Safety Information

In order to protect the the quality of our KindSoup program, we ask that volunteers conscientiously observe the following guidelines:

• Start with clean hands and wash again frequently as needed throughout the cookiprocess.
• Start with clean kitchen surfaces and utensils (antibacterial wipes do a great job).
• Keep longer hair tied back.
• Follow other common sense procedures, such as never returning a tasting spoon to the pot!

Thank you for maintaining a high cleanliness standard for our KindSoup donations!

Rainbow Farro Salad with Tahini Dressing

From Fiber Fueled Cookbook 

Love farro.  This is a hearty salad that could be used as a main dish.  I brought it so a dinner at someone's house, so I left out the beans and changed the broccoli to a generous amount of spinach.  Everyone liked the dressing.  In the book, this is part of the low histamine diet, which doesn't apply to most people.

4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cups cooked farro or other short grain

1.5 cups finely chopped broccoli florets (or change to few cups of spinach) 

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 c finely shredded red cabbage

2 cups cooked white beans

2 Tbsp tahini

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp OO, broth or water (I used olive oil)

2 small garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pink or black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1) In a large bowl, combine the farro, broccoli, bell peppers, cabbage and white beans.

2) In a separate small bowl, whisk together the tahini, vinegar, OO, garlic, salt and pepper.  For a thinner dressing, whisk in an additional Tbsp or two of water.  Season to taste then add to the farro salad and toss well. 

Roasted Golden Beet Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

 from loveandlemons.com

Roasted golden beets are great, prepared as below.  I also had some roasted butternut squash that I added.  Use a generous amount of dressing - goes very well with these ingredients.  

Photo 2/19/23

for vinaigrette: https://www.loveandlemons.com/lemon-vinaigrette/

This roasted golden beets recipe is a healthy, delicious side dish or light lunch! See the post above for my favorite variations and serving suggestions.

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 medium golden beets
• Lemon Vinaigrette - see below - leave out the thyme and add the cumin, coriander and honey.
• ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon honey
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups arugula
• ¼ cup crumbled feta - I prefer goat cheese. 
• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pistachios - very coarsely, leaving bigger pieces. 
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Microgreens, optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Place each beet on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Wrap the beets in the foil and roast on a baking sheet for 40 to 90 minutes, or until soft and fork-tender. The cooking time will depend on the size and freshness of the beets. Remove the beets from the oven, remove the foil, and set aside to cool. When the beets are cool to the touch, peel off the skins. I like to hold them under running water and slide the skins off with my hands.
• Slice the beets into halves, quarters, or bite-sized pieces, and place them in the fridge until ready to use.
• Make the lemon vinaigrette dressing according to this recipe, omitting the thyme, and adding the coriander, honey, and cumin.
• Arrange the beets, arugula, feta and pistachios on a platter. Drizzle with some of the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Top with microgreens, if desired, and serve.
  
  
  LEMON VINAIGRETTE DRESSING:
  This easy lemon vinaigrette recipe is a great one to have in your back pocket. It's delicious and versatile - perfect for tossing with salads, roasted vegetables, and more!  For this salad, add the coriander, cumin and honey as above, and leave out the thyme.

  Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, optional
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, optional

  Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, and honey, if using.
  • Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking and continue to whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, combine everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.
  • If your dressing is too tangy, add more olive oil, to taste.
  • Add the thyme, if desired, and season to taste. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. The olive oil will solidify a bit in the fridge. To soften, let the dressing sit at room temp for a few minutes and stir before using.

  Notes

  Makes 1/2 cup.