Chili

We're in the second full week of September, which means that the weather should start cooling off fairly soon. What better food to fix when it starts to get cooler than chili? Yes, you can enjoy chili while being a vegetarian; after all, there's no rule that says you have to have meat in your bowl of chili.

That said, here are six yummy vegetarian chili recipes to help you through the day, including Super-Easy Slow-Cooker Three-Bean Chili and Vegetarian Skillet Chili Topped with Cornbread. Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO CHILI

This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "Whether looking for a vegetarian meal or you simply want a healthy, plant-based dish the whole family will enjoy, this black bean and sweet potato chili is a clear winner. The sweet potatoes and carrots perfectly counteract the spiciness while combining with the beans to create a hearty texture.

"All of the ingredients in this recipe are both vegetarian and vegan, and, if you use water or a gluten-free vegetable broth, it is gluten-free as well. This dish is an excellent source of protein for anyone, whether vegetarians, vegans, or kids. Serve with your favorite chili toppings and a side of cornbread."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Makes 5 to 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/black-bean-vegetarian-chili-sweet-potatoes-3377973.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 medium carrots, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped, optional

1 (15-ounce) can black beans

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, or tomato sauce

1/2 cup water, or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot, over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the chopped sweet potatoes, sliced carrots, and chopped bell pepper (if using) to the pan and cook until the onions are soft, 5 to 6 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add all of the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine well.

Allow the chili to simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally over medium-low heat, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the flavors have mingled and the sweet potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers are soft.

Serve in a bowl with desired chili toppings.

Tasty Chili Toppings

Consider a toppings bar for your black bean and sweet potato chili, including salsa, chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, diced avocado, and crushed gluten-free corn tortilla chips. Sour cream, shredded cheese, or vegan substitutes are also good offerings (check labels if gluten-free foods are desired).

How to Store

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for two to four days and reheat in the microwave. You can also freeze individual portions for later meals. Allow the chili to cool, place it in individual freezer containers, label with the contents and date, and freeze. The chili will maintain its flavor for up to six months. You can defrost it in the refrigerator (6 hours or overnight) before reheating.

Using Dried Black Beans

This recipe uses canned black beans for convenience. You can start with dried black beans but you will need to soak and cook them before adding them to the recipe. Soak a little less than 2 cups for at least 3 hours (or overnight). You can add the soaked beans to the recipe and increase the cooking time to 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Alternatively, you can bring the beans to a boil and let them simmer for 2 hours before adding them to the recipe.

COMFORTING CHILI [VEGAN]

This is from Jeunesse Pouchet on One Green Planet. She wrote, "Sometimes we just need a warm, comforting and hearty bowl of Chili, especially for those cozy rainy days. And this Chili is all of the above! Better yet, it's quick and simple to make. Accompanied with pickled cabbage, grilled plantain, and a dollop of vegan sour cream. This bowl of goodness is packed with flavor and healthy ingredients."

This dairy free recipe serves 2, and can be found online at https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/comforting-chili-vegan/.

Ingredients

For the Chili:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 cans black beans, drained

1/2 cup whole corn kernels

2/3 cup pumpkin (medium), diced

2 Tomatoes medium, diced

1/4 Cup Onion (small), diced

2 tablespoons garlic, finely diced or minced

2 tablespoons chive or cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon roasted Geera or cumin

1 1/2 - 2 Cups water

For The Pickled Cabbage

2 cups purple cabbage, diced or shredded

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (adjust quantity to taste)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

For The Grilled Plantain:

1 Plantain medium ripe, sliced

2 tablespoons coconut oil

For The Sour Cream:

1/4 cup vegan mayo

1 tablespoon fresh chive, chopped

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Preparation

For the Chili:

Add the coconut oil to a pot and place on medium heat.

Then add the diced onion, garlic, chive, apple cider, paprika, chili, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and geera. Stir and saute for a minute until fragrant.

Toss in the tomatoes and pumpkin, then stir and saute for another minute.

Add the black bans and corn kernels and stir to combine. Then pour in the water and partially cover. Cook for approximately 20-22 minutes until the chili has reduced and thickened. Remove from heat.

For The Pickled Cabbage

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Set aside to marinate until ready to serve.

For The Grilled Plantain:

Using a pan, place on medium heat and coat with the coconut oil.

Place the plantain slices on the heated pan and grill each side until golden brown. You can reduce or turn up the heat to suit.

For The Sour Cream:

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.

VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI TOPPED WITH CORNBREAD

This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, "A hearty chili made with butternut squash and fluffy cornbread come together in this single-skillet meal. Serve with extra sour cream and pickled jalapenos on the side for topping."

Active Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Chili:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound (about 4 cups) store-bought diced butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with chiles, drained

One 14.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoons sugar

5 ounces (about 6 cups lightly packed) baby spinach

Cornbread Topping:

3/4 cup fine cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons sugar

Kosher salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

1 large egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Pickled jalapenos, for serving

Directions

For the chili: Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and a pinch of salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Remove the squash from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add the chili powder (use less if you like milder chili) and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, beans, sugar and cooked squash and bring to a simmer. Cook until all of the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. (If the liquid reduces to less than three-quarters of the way up the sides of the squash, stir in a little water.) Stir in the baby spinach by the handful until all is incorporated and wilted.

For the cornbread topping: Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, sour cream and egg together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until well combined. Stir in the melted butter and Cheddar. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on top of the chili, leaving space in between. (The batter will not completely cover the chili.)

Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back when touched and the chili is hot and bubbly, about 18 minutes. Serve with more sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

VEGAN LENTIL CHILI

This is from Chloe Coscarelli on The Today Show site. She wrote, "Hearty lentils and meaty mushroom take the place of animal protein in this rich chili. This healthy swap makes the dish so much better for you without leaving out any of the satisfying flavor or comforting texture from this cold weather classic."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Serves 6

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/vegan-lentil-chili-recipe-t172426.

Technique Tip: Sacue will thicken as it sits; add a little water as needed.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2-1/2 cups (8 ounces) mushrooms, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

One 15-ounce can lentils, drained and rinsed, or 1-1/2 cups cooked lentils

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until softened.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes, until almost soft.

Add the garlic, salt, chili powder and red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute more, until fragrant.

Stir in the lentils, tomato sauce and brown sugar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Season with black pepper and reduce the heat to medium.

Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the flavors come together. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

EASY BLACK BEAN CHILI

This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "We love chili for its rib-sticking deliciousness, and this meatless version is no exception. Just because it’s made with beans, and no meat, doesn’t mean it’s not filling. Cumin, chili powder and chiles add heat, while fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans and sweet corn give it extra flavor."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online, go to https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-black-bean-chili/f273db4a-5710-4ced-b099-205c9f3c1d70.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded, finely chopped

2 cans (15 oz each) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed

2 cans (14.5 oz each) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted or plain diced tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt

1 cup Cascadian Farm® frozen organic sweet corn

Sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired

Shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired

Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Directions

In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and chiles; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.

Stir in black beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.

Top each serving with remaining ingredients.

Expert Tips

You can vary the heat level of this chili by decreasing or increasing the amount of chiles that you use.

Serve this veggie chili with warm cornbread or corn tortillas.

SUPER-EASY SLOW-COOKER THREE-BEAN CHILI

This comes from WW (Weight Watchers), and begins, "This chili recipe makes enough to serve ten people. Using almost entirely canned items, you can have a filling, flavorful warm dish. And don't let the total cook time scare you: The majority of that time is for the ingredients to boil down. For a huge chunk of that time, you just have to monitor it. If you don't have 10 people to enjoy this with, you can meal-prep it for the week, or use the leftovers to fill tacos or a burrito."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 3 hours; Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes; Serves: 10; Difficulty: Easy

To view this yumminess online, go to https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/recipe/super-easy-slow-cooker-three-bean-chili/5626a63b2084d63a3401c10f.

Ingredients

1 large uncooked onion, minced

Garlic clove, 1 medium clove, minced

30 oz Canned black beans, rinsed and drained

30 oz Canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

30 oz Canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained

29 oz Canned diced tomatoes with chilies

15 oz Canned tomato sauce

Spiced seasoning mix, 1 1/4 oz, chili variety

Frozen corn kernels, 14 oz, thawed

Fresh lime juice, 1 Tbsp, or to taste

Cilantro, 1/2 cup(s), fresh, chopped

Directions

Combine onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours (or low heat for 4-6 hours). Add frozen corn during last hour of cooking. Stir in lime juice and cilantro just before serving.

Serving size: about 1 1/3 cups

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Best Black Bean Soup and Vegan Lasagna. Enjoy!

VEGAN ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

This was in the June 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 10), and begins, “These ice cream sandwiches are the perfect treat to satisfy your (and your kiddos’) warm-weather sweet tooth - and they’re bound to make you love summer as much as you did as a child.” Unfortunately, there was no link on the website going directly to this recipe.

Ingredients

Ice Cream

3 ripe bananas

1 Tbs. non-dairy milk

2 tsp. maple syrup, optional

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cookies

1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter, smooth or chunky

1/2 cup cooked white beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats

2 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce

1 Tbs. pure maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup non-dairy chocolate chips, optional, plus more for rolling, optional

Directions

To make Ice Cream: Line 4-by-6-inch baking dish with parchment paper, allowing paper to hang over sides.

Bland all ingredients in high-speed blender until smooth. Spread in prepared dish, and freeze 2 hours, or until set.

To make Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Blend all ingredients (except chocolate chips) in food processor until dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips, if using.

Roll dough into twelve 1-Tbs. balls, and place on prepared baking sheets. Flatten down into 2-inch circles.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until light brown along edges. Cool on baking sheet. Transfer to freezer until ready to assemble.

Unmold Ice Cream, and cut into 6 disks using 2-inch round cutter. Place each disk between 2 cooks. Roll edges in chocolate chips, if desired. Freeze until fully set.

HONEY BEE AMBROSIA

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients

4 medium oranges

1 medium banana

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup flaked coconut

Directions

Pare oranges. Cut crosswise into thin slices. Place in serving bowl. Peel bananas. Cut thin slices. Place in the bowl with oranges. Toss fruits. Blend orange juice, honey & lemon juice. Pour over fruits. Sprinkle with coconut.

VEGAN LASAGNA

This comes from Lena Abraham on Delish, and begins, “A lasagna you can feel good about.”

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 10-12

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Lasagna

1 box lasagna noodles

1 (14-oz) package firm tofu, drained

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. dried oregano, divided

1 (8-oz) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced

2 (10-oz) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid

For the White Sauce

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 1/2 c. almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

2 tbsp. nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 c. marinara

3 tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/4 c. thinly sliced basil, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Drain.

Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels and place on a large plate. Place a pan or heavy plate on top of tofu in order to press out as much liquid as possible. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. When drained, crumble with two forks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp oregano. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thawed and drained spinach until completely combined. Remove from heat and set aside vegetables.

Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat to make white sauce: Add olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook until lightly golden and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in nut milk until smooth. Stir in nutritional yeast and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Build lasagna: In a large baking dish, spoon 1/4 c marinara into an even layer, then add a layer of noodles. Top with an even layer of vegetable mixture, tofu, marinara, and white sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending in marinara. Add a single layer of tomato rounds and season with salt, pepper and remaining oregano.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked and lasagna is heated through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with basil and serve.

BEST BLACK BEAN SOUP

This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This American classic can be a perfect dish: big-tasting, filling, nutritious, easy and very possibly vegetarian. With their rich natural broth, turtle beans do not need bacon, ham or any meat ingredient to make a satisfying soup. Black bean soup recipes have a tendency to turn out sludgy or bland, but the trick here is to season generously, and purée sparingly. The beans should be swimming in liquid, not sitting in sludge: The more beans are puréed, the more starch is released into the soup. For flavor, this recipe deploys marinated chipotle chiles, but a tablespoon each of ground cumin and ground coriander make a good heat-free substitute. (A note: Since there is acid from the wine here, if your tap water is hard there might be a reaction that will prevent the beans from softening. To be safe, add the wine later, along with the stock. And if there is any question about the hardness of your water, use distilled.)”

Yield: 10 servings; Time: About 2 hours

This was featured in “Rediscovering Black Bean Soup”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018592-best-black-bean-soup.

Ingredients

For the Soup

1 small (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo (see note)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 onions, peeled and chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup red wine

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped

1 pound dry black beans (do not soak)

2 quarts mild vegetable or chicken stock

1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Red wine vinegar, to taste

For the Pickled Onions and Garnishes (Optional):

1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes

Salt

Sour cream or Mexican crema

Whole cilantro leaves

Thinly sliced fresh chiles

Sliced avocado

Preparation:

Empty the can of chiles into a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth, scrape into a container, and set aside. Put on a teakettle of water to boil, and keep hot.

In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add carrots, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes.

Pour in wine and let simmer until pan is almost dry and vegetables are coated. Add jalapeños and cook, stirring, just until softened, 2 minutes. Push the vegetables out to the edges of the pot and dollop 2 teaspoons of chipotle purée in the center. Let fry for a minute and then stir together with the vegetables.

Add beans, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Stir, bring to a boil, and let boil 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed to keep the soup liquid and runny, not sludgy. Continue cooking until beans are just softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 hours. Add salt and pepper and keep cooking until beans are soft.

Meanwhile, make the pickled onions, if using: In a bowl, combine sliced onions, lime juice and a sprinkling of salt. Let soften at room temperature until crunchy and tart, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze dry in paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve. If desired, chop coarsely before serving.

Adjust the texture of the soup: The goal is to combine whole beans, soft chunks and a velvety broth. Some beans release enough starch while cooking to produce a thick broth without puréeing. If soup seems thin, use an immersion blender or blender to purée a small amount of the beans until smooth, then stir back in. Continue until desired texture is reached, keeping in mind that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits.

Heat the soup through, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, drops of red wine vinegar and dabs of chipotle purée.

Serve in deep bowls, garnishing each serving with sour cream, pickled onions, cilantro leaves, sliced chiles and avocado as desired.

Tip

If chipotle chiles are unavailable, use 1 tablespoon each ground cumin and ground coriander. Add to vegetables at the same point in the recipe, in Step 3.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

Enjoy!

ROASTED SQUASH AND APPLE CHOWDER WITH COLORFUL POTATOES

This is from the October 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 76. It starts off, “Puréed roasted butternut squash provides the creamy base for a hearty chowder. If making the chowder ahead, prepare the recipe through step 3, then assemble and reheat just before serving.” Serves 8.

Ingredients

2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks (6 cups), divided

3 medium apples, peeled and diced (3 cups), divided

2 large leeks, white parts cut into 1-inch chunks (1 cup), plus 1/2 cup thinly sliced leek greens, divided

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. pure maple syrup

1 lb. multicolored potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

1/2 cup apple juice

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine 5 cups butternut squash chunks, 2 cups diced apple, leek whites, oil, and maple syrup in large bowl, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread squash mixture in single layer on prepared baking sheet, and roast 30 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Cook potato chunks and remaining 1 cup butternut squash in boiling, salted water 5 to 7 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.

Purée roasted vegetables in blender until smooth. Add purée and apple juice to large soup pot with 4 cups water. Whisk in vinegar, and heat over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Add boiled potatoes and squash, remaining 1 cup diced apple, and leek greens, and simmer 5 minutes, or until hot.

nutritional information Per 1 1/4-cup serving: Calories: 162; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 12 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 12 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

Taco Tuesday

In case you wondered if you were somehow missing yesterday's post, there's a reason: I took the day off. I rarely do that, unless it's a holiday (think Thanksgiving or Christmas). But such is life.

Anyway, today is Taco Tuesday. For anyone wondering if it's possible to have vegetarian tacos, the answer is a resounding yes. Today's meatless tacos include Cocoa Black Bean Avocado Cream Tacos and Banana Chocolate Tacos, along with several other yummy tacos. Enjoy!

BOLD RANCH IMPOSSIBLE™ TACOS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Meatless Monday just got a new favorite recipe with our Bold Ranch Impossible™ Tacos. The Impossible™ Burger filling is made from plants, and Old El Paso™ Bold Ranch Stand ‘N Stuff™ Taco Shells bring a blast of flavor to every bite. Shake up your taco night, top the tacos with shredded cheese, crisp lettuce, tomatoes, onions and Old El Paso™ Crema Mexicana. The only thing that's impossible about these tacos, is how impossible it is not to love them."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 5 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/bold-ranch-impossible-tacos.

Ingredients

1 package (12 Oz) Impossible™ Burger

2/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1 package (10 count) Old El Paso™ Bold Ranch Stand ‘N Stuff™ Taco Shells, heated as directed on package

1 1/4 cups Old El Paso™ Shredded 3 Pepper Cheese Blend (5 oz)

1 1/4 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 cup chopped plum (Roma) tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup Old El Paso™ Crema Mexicana

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through.

Stir in water and taco seasoning mix; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Divide taco filling among heated taco shells. Top with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and green onions. Top with crema.

Expert Tips

For a slightly sweeter and milder taste, chop up red onions instead of yellow. They'll add color and a mild flavor. If you use raw onions, they'll also add a sharp crunch to your Bold Ranch Impossible™ Tacos.

Drizzle Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce on top of these Impossible™ Burger meat tacos. Or if you want more heat, try Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.

Try Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican 4 Cheese Blend instead of Old El Paso™ Shredded 3 Pepper Cheese Blend for a different flavor twist on the Impossible™ Burger taco.

Add a fresh squeeze of lime for a bright burst of flavor.

HOMEMADE TORTILLAS

This, as well as the next two recipes (Cocoa Black Bean Avocado Cream Tacos and Banana Chocolate Tacos), are from the May 2016 issue of Runner’s World, and can be found here. This one begins, “Corn tortillas are rich in flavonoids, which help protect against certain cancers.”

Ingredients

2 cups masa harina (corn flour)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups warm tap water

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine masa and salt. Slowly pour the water into the dry ingredients and mix until the dough is just moistened and forms small clumps. Add more water, if needed by the tablespoon, but don’t let dough become too moist. It should feel like play-dough.

Divide dough into 12 golf-ball size balls. Cover with a damp paper towel. Cut a quart-size ziptop plastic bag up both side seams. Place one ball of dough between the plastic sheets and press down firmly with a medium pot or a tortilla press to form a 4 -5” circle about 1/8” thick.

Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium and lightly brush with some oil. Cook the tortilla for 1 minute, or until darkened in some spots and the dough looks dry. Flip and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and fold over to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas, brushing the skillet with more oil as needed.

Nutrition Information: Calories per serving: 69; Protein: 2 g; Carbs: 15 g; Fiber: 1 g; Total fat: 1 g; Saturated fat: 0 g; Sodium: 99 mg

COCOA BLACK BEAN AVOCADO CREAM TACOS

This one begins, “Cocoa adds richness to this hunger smashing fiber-rich bean filling. As a giant cousin of the banana, plantain contains twice as much vitamin C to keep your blood pressure from boiling over. The creamy avocado sauce adds a dose of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.”

Ingredients

2 tsp. canola or grapeseed oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 ripe plantain, lots of black spots on skin, peeled and diced

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 1 large lime)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 avocado

8 small corn tortillas

1 jarred roasted red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, plantain, black beans, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, 1/4 cup water, and 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper; cook 3 minutes more. Stir in cilantro and 2 Tbsp. lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Blend together sour cream, avocado, remaining 2 Tbsp. lime juice and a pinch of salt until smooth.

Top tortillas with beans, red pepper, avocado cream and pumpkin seeds. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information: Calories per serving: 408; Protein: 11 g; Carbs: 59 g; Fiber: 12 g; Sugar: 12 g; Total fat: 16 g; Saturated fat: 5 g; Sodium: 320 mg

BANANA CHOCOLATE TACOS

Chocolate? Bananas? On tacos? Sure, why not? This one is from the May 2016 issue of Runner’s World, and begins, “This taco is a smart dessert choice as research shows dark chocolate can improve brain functioning. Each bite also has the carbs needed to restock your muscles after a spirited run. Plus, ricotta is rich in whey protein to make it easier to build stronger muscles.”

This can be found here.

Ingredients

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

2 Tbsp. almond butter

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1–2 tsp. orange zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 oz. chopped dark chocolate

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 small bananas, sliced into 1/2" pieces

4 small (6") whole-wheat tortillas, heated according to package

1/4 cup unsweetened toasted coconut flakes

Instructions

Stir together ricotta, almond butter, syrup, orange zest and vanilla.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is melted. Stir in cinnamon.

Spread ricotta mixture on tortillas and top with banana. Drizzle chocolate sauce over top and sprinkle on coconut flakes. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information: Calories per serving: 439; Protein: 14 g; Carbs: 54 g; Fiber: 13 g; Total fat: 20 g; Saturated fat: 9.5 g; Sodium: 342 mg.

BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS WITH WARM SALSA VERDE

Originally from Rachael Ray, this was on page 52 of the June 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, "With tangy tomatillos softened by creamy avocado in a Warm Salsa Verde, this Southwestern-inspired dish qualifies as contemporary comfort food. Fresh tomatillos are available in the produce section of most grocery stores. Look for firm, unblemished fruit inside a papery husk. Adapted from Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals."

Made in 30 minutes or less; makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/black-bean-enchiladas-with-warm-salsa-verde/.

Ingredients

Enchiladas

8 soft corn tortillas

1 recipe Black Bean Filling

1 recipe Warm Salsa Verde

10 1/2 oz. grated Mexican cheeses

Black bean filling

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small white onion

1 jalapeo, seeded and minced

2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained but not rinsed

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 Tbs. tomato paste

Warm salsa verde

12 tomatillos, husked and halved

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 small white onion, grated or minced

1 jalapeo, seeded and minced

1 14-oz. can vegetable stock

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 ripe avocado

Preparation

To make Enchiladas: Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil, and heat in oven at 275F until fillings and sauce are ready.

To make Black Bean Filling: Heat oil in large skillet, and add garlic. Grate onion into pan with a hand grater. Add jalape96o. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add beans, and mash with back of a fork. Stir in cumin and tomato paste, and season with salt.

To make Warm Salsa Verde: Place tomatillos in a food processor, and pulse to a coarsely ground paste.

Heat garlic in oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. When garlic begins to sizzle, grate onion with a hand grater directly into pan. Add jalapeno. Heat onion and jalape96o through for 1 to 2 minutes, and add ground tomatillos. Simmer tomatillos with onion for 5 minutes. Add stock and seasonings.

Halve avocado with skin on by cutting in and down to the pit all around avocado. Separate avocado halves, and scoop out pit with a large spoon. Scoop flesh out of skins and into pot. Mash with back of a fork. Stir avocado into sauce to thicken it. Return sauce to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to warm until enchiladas are assembled.

Preheat broiler.

Scoop some sauce onto bottom of a casserole dish or shallow serving platter. To make an enchilada, place 1 to 2 scoops of filling down center of a tortilla, and roll. Place filled tortillas seam side down into sauce on platter or casserole. Line up tortillas, one next to another, and top with remaining sauce and grated cheeses. Melt cheeses under broiler, and serve immediately with Warm Salsa Verde.

GLUTEN-FREE LENTIL QUINOA TACO PIE

This was on the Vegetarian Times web site, and begins, "Sometimes you want a complex, engaging cooking project that results in an exciting, creative meal, perfect and elegantly plated. Other times you just want to mix a couple things together, stick one pan in the oven, and have dinner for six people (or one person with leftovers for days) come out the other side. This lentil-quinoa taco pie is the latter type of recipe.

"The casserole features black beans, lentils, and quinoa, so you know it’s going to be hearty. As written, the recipe calls for egg and cheddar cheese, but plant-based versions of both will work well here. Customize the spices and garnishes in the taco pie to your preferences. For best results, cook and cool quinoa ahead of time, or use frozen cooked quinoa and thaw before using."

Prep Time 25 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Pie

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 15-oz BPA-free can black beans, drained and rinsed (TRY: Eden Organic Black Beans No Salt Added)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil (TRY: Origin 846 Unfiltered Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

1 small yellow onion, diced

1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped

1 tbsp ancho chile powder

1 tsp ground cumin (TRY: Simply Organic Ground Cumin)

2 cups BPA-free canned crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1 19-oz BPA-free can lentils, drained

1/4 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper (TRY: Simply Organic Ground Black Pepper)

Garnishes

1/4 cup sour cream, optional

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

2 tbsp pickled sliced jalapeño peppers

2 tbsp chopped tomato

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Make pie: Preheat oven to 375°F. Mist a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together quinoa, beans, one-half of cheese, beaten egg and cilantro. Set aside.

In a medium skillet on medium, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add bell pepper, chile powder and cumin; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, water and lentils. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.

Spread half of sauce over bottom of prepared baking dish. Top with quinoa mixture. Top with remaining sauce. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining one-half of cheese and bake for 10 minutes more.

Serve taco pie topped with sour cream (if using), lettuce, jalapeños, tomato and cilantro.

Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. While this might not be a three-day weekend, like last weekend was, at least it was a shortened week.

Today's offerings will help you get through the weekend, and includes Garden-Style Lasagna and Ina Garten's Mac and Cheese. Enjoy!

BROCCOLI AND CHEESE CRUSTLESS QUICHE

This is from the May 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 42). It is in an article titled Calci-yum!, and begins, "Enjoy this no-crust savory custard pie with a salad for lunch or dinner. For a variation, substitute 5 cups spinach for the broccoli. Serve with warm whole-grain bread."

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/broccoli-and-cheese-crustless-quiche/. Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

5 cups broccoli florets

1 1/4 cups 1% milk

1 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

4 large egg whites, lightly beaten

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 Tbs. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, 1 1/2 minutes. Add broccoli, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Spread mixture in pie pan.

Combine milk, cheese, mustard, egg whites, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg in large bowl. Pour over broccoli mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake 40 minutes, or until top is golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

HARVEST VEGETABLE MEDLEY

This was in the November/December 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 84. It begins, "Roasting vegetables with whole garlic cloves makes this main dish extra-flavorful. For a leftover treat, spread veggies on bread, top with cheese, and broil in the oven." Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/harvest-vegetable-medley/.

Ingredients

1 lb. small Brussels sprouts, trimmed

1 butternut squash, halved, cut into chunks (1 1/2 lb.)

1 head cauliflower, separated into 2-inch florets (1 lb.)

1 lb. fingerling potatoes, halved

4 medium leeks, white parts only, trimmed and quartered lengthwise

1/2 lb. baby carrots, trimmed

1/2 lb. baby parsnips, peeled and trimmed

24 cloves garlic, peeled and halved (2 heads), plus 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbs.), divided

4 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage, plus 24 leaves, divided

1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary

2 small red bell peppers, quartered

Preparation

Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 450°F. Bring saucepan of water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook 3 minutes, or until bright green. Drain, rinse under cold water, then pat dry.

Toss squash, cauliflower, potatoes, leeks, carrots, parsnips, garlic cloves, 3 Tbs. olive oil, chopped sage, sage leaves, and rosemary in large roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, and spread into single layer. Roast 25 minutes, tossing vegetables twice. Add bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, minced garlic, and remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Roast 15 minutes more, or until vegetables are browned on edges and tender. Season with salt and pepper, and serve over Chestnut-and-Apple Stuffing.

GARDEN-STYLE LASAGNA

This recipe is by Cooking Light and posted on MyRecipes. It begins, "Vegetable lasagna is a crowd-pleaser and a classic make-ahead dish. You can use precut onions, matchstick-cut carrots, and broccoli, in addition to precooked noodles, to speed up preparation. If you make it ahead, let it cool completely, then cover and chill. The next day, heat single servings in the microwave. Freeze leftovers for dinner."

Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/garden-style-lasagna.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

2 cups chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 cups chopped zucchini (about 8 ounces)

2 cups chopped yellow squash (about 8 ounces)

2 cups thinly sliced carrot (about 8 ounces)

2 cups chopped broccoli (about 6 ounces)

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2-1/4 ounces)

3-1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk

1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dash of nutmeg

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1-1/2 cups 1% low-fat cottage cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

12 precooked lasagna noodles, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Spoon onion mixture into a large bowl.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; sauté 4 minutes or until tender and just beginning to brown. Add to onion mixture.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced carrot; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add chopped broccoli; sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add to onion mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.

Place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stir until smooth. Stir in spinach.

Combine cottage cheese and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella; stir well. Spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over spinach mixture in dish; top with half of cottage cheese mixture (about 1 1/2 cups), half of vegetable mixture (about 2 1/2 cups), and about 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining spinach mixture over noodles; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.

Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

PASTA AL POMODORO

This is from Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Eric wrote, "modoro, the Italian word for tomato, comes from pomo d’oro (“golden apple”), and also refers to this sauce. A good pomodoro leans into the inherently savory, umami-rich flavor of the tomatoes, so use the best ones you can find. Any combination of low-water, high-flavor tomatoes like plum, grape, cherry and Campari, cooked down to their purest essence, makes for the most vibrant result. Thin spaghetti works best here, as its airy bounciness catches the pulpy tomato sauce beautifully, but regular spaghetti would taste great, too. Add basil at the end, if you’d like, or a dusting of cheese, but a stalwart pasta al pomodoro made with peak-season tomatoes needs neither."

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Serves 4

This was featured in "Late Summer Tomatoes Are Perfect for Spaghetti al Pomodoro", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023408-pasta-al-pomodoro.

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled

3 pounds ripe tomatoes (any mix of plum, grape, cherry and Campari), coarsely chopped

Salt

1 pound thin spaghetti

Preparataion

Add the olive oil and garlic to a large Dutch oven or high-sided skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the garlic, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden, and small rapid bubbles form around the cloves, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pot and discard (or eat).

Carefully and gently lower the chopped tomatoes into the hot oil and cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes let off some liquid and the sauce starts to bubble steadily. Season generously with salt. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce reduces significantly, about 40 minutes.

Set a metal sieve, strainer or food mill over a medium bowl. Carefully pour in the tomato sauce. If using a sieve or strainer, push the sauce through with a spoon or flexible spatula, until all that remains are seeds and skins. Be sure to repeatedly scrape off the valuable pulp collecting on the bottom of the sieve (by holding the sieve down against the edge of the bowl and pulling it back). You should have about 2 cups of sauce in the bowl. Taste and add more salt, if needed, then return the sauce to the Dutch oven.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce.

Turn the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce reduces slightly and the pasta is well coated but not drowned in the sauce, about 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit so the pasta can absorb the sauce further, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING CASSEROLE

This was on the Vegetarian Times web site, and begins, "Before you start assembling this hearty dish, steam the spinach first, using just the water remaining on its leaves after rinsing. The steaming wilts the spinach so that it is easy to work with. You may prefer to layer all the cheese on top instead of interspersing it throughout." Serves 8.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/savory-bread-pudding-casserole/.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

3 large eggs

1-1/2 cups milk

1 tsp. hot sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

4 cups diced stale bread

1 lb. spinach, well rinsed and wilted

1 cup corn kernels, preferably scraped from cob

1 cup chopped scallions

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly oil bottom and sides of high-sided 9×13 pan or soufflé dish.

Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add milk, hot sauce and salt, and mix. Depending on size of dish, pour 1/3 to 1/2 of milk mixture into pan, add 1/3 to 1/2 of bread cubes, and push down into milk mixture. Layer in about 1/3 to 1/2 of spinach, then corn, scallions, bell pepper and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layering, reserving 1 cup cheese and some milk mixture. When complete, pour last of milk mixture over top, making sure it soaks all bread.

Bake 1 hour. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese, and return to oven to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve while hot.

MAC AND CHEESE

This recipe is from Ina Garten and was posted on the Food Network. Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Kosher salt

Vegetable oil

1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi

1 quart milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)

1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Pies

Most of us love desserts. If you're a dessert-lover, what is your favorite type of dessert? If it's pie (which happens to be my favorite type of dessert), today's post is sure to please. Check out the No-Bake Yogurt and Cool Whip Pie, the Strawberry Pie, and the rest of the pies in today's post, then go ahead and make up a pie or two. Enjoy!

WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE PIE

This is from Diana Rattray at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This pie is made extra tasty with baker's chocolate and homemade whipped cream topping."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 14 minutes; Total Time: 34 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/worlds-best-chocolate-pie-3053489.

Ingredients

Pie:

1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker pie shell

1 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups of milk

3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)

4 (1-ounce) squares Baker’s unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)

2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon Hershey’s cocoa

Directions

Blend the sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, and 1 cup of milk together with a wire whisk.

Whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk.

Cook over medium heat for 8 to 9 minutes, until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and whisk in the egg yolks.

Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate squares, butter, and the vanilla. Stir until smooth and all the chocolate is melted.

Cool for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into graham cracker pie and shell refrigerate for 4 hours.

For the topping, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.

Add the sugar slowly and beat until stiff peaks form.

Spread onto the cooled pie.

Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of Hershey’s cocoa and serve.

CRANBERRY PIE



My dad sent this recipe in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.”

The pie can be made with either one or two crusts. Dad's recipe, though, only called for one.

This can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

Ingredients

2 T cornstarch

1 C sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1-1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T butter

2 C cranberries

Pie crust

Directions

Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)

VARIATION

2 Tbls cornstarch

3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses

1/4 tsp. salt

1-1/4 C hot water

1 C raisins

1 T margarine

1-1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)

Pie crust

Make as above.

NO-BAKE YOGURT AND COOL WHIP PIE

This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "If you're looking for an easy no-bake dessert, this Cool Whip pie recipe is the one to try. It will be a welcome treat on a hot summer evening and can be the prettiest dessert at the next cookout; it's also the perfect recipe to get the kids involved as there is no stovetop or oven required. This pie is completely customizable since you can choose the yogurt flavor, matching it to whatever fruit happens to be in season. Consider strawberry or peach slices, cherry halves, mandarin orange segments, or whole blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. It's also a healthier dessert option so you can enjoy a piece of pie without all of the guilt.

"This recipe comes together quickly, calling for just a container of Cool Whip, flavored yogurt, a ready-made graham cracker crust, and some fresh fruit. Just keep in mind the pie will have to firm up in the freezer for about 2 hours before serving."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Freeze Time: 2 hours; Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/cool-whip-pie-recipe-3376704.

Ingredients

8 ounces whipped topping

18 ounces yogurt, any flavor

1 prepared graham cracker crust

Fresh fruit (e.g., berries, peaches, oranges), for garnish

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the Cool Whip and yogurt until smooth.

Pour the yogurt and Cool Whip mixture into the pie crust. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Remove the pie from the freezer approximately 20 minutes before serving.

Slice the fruit if necessary and top the pie with the fruit.

Cover and refrigerate any leftover pie, or freeze for later.

Tips

Cool Whip is sold frozen and will need to be defrosted beforehand. This can be done in the refrigerator, microwave, or in cold water. Thawing in the refrigerator will take some planning as it needs to sit in the fridge for about 5 hours (or overnight). The microwave method is simple, but you will need to pay close attention; remove the lid and microwave on the defrost setting for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until smooth. A third method is to place the tub in a bowl filled with cold water and let it sit for 30 to 40 minutes.

To give the pie a more sophisticated look, arrange the fruit slices on top before you fully freeze the pie. Depending on the weight of the fruit, you might want to freeze the pie for an hour before adding the slices or whole fruit so they don't sink into the yogurt mixture.

What Is Cool Whip Made Of?

Cool Whip is made from water, hydrogenated vegetable oil, corn syrup, skimmed milk, and natural and artificial flavors, as well as other additives. If you'd rather not use this whipped topping, you can substitute with whipped cream.

Recipe Variations

Although a store-bought graham cracker crust is convenient, it is easy to make your own graham cracker crust or a sugar-free graham cracker crust.

Instead of a graham cracker crust, you can use a cookie crust. Vanilla cookies go nicely with a lemon yogurt filling, or a chocolate cookie crust pairs well with coconut flavored yogurt topped with coconut flakes.

This light pie is fairly low in calories for a dessert, but if you'd like to reduce the fat and calories, this recipe can be made with reduced-fat or no-sugar varieties of Cool Whip, yogurt, and graham crackers.

STRAWBERRY PIE



Several summers ago, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?

Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.



Ingredients

1 quart strawberries

1 C sugar

3 Tablespoons corn start

3/4 cup hot water

1 pie crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.

Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.

Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.

Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!

MANGO PIE

This is from Kanta and Hrishikesh Kirway, and adapted by Samin Nosrat in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Samin wrote, "When Hrishikesh Hirway was a kid, his parents, who immigrated to the United States from Maharashtra, in western India, began hosting Thanksgiving. The meal soon evolved into a hybrid of a traditional Thanksgiving and an Indian potluck. “Out of that cultural mash-up, my mom started making this mango pie,” he said. She’d gotten the idea from other Indian aunties in the States, but their versions weren’t as good. “They weren’t making it with the best kind of mango,” Hirway explained. “The Alphonsos have a stronger, more intense flavor.” That Alphonso flavor shines as brilliantly as the pie’s bright filling, made tangy and rich with the addition of cream cheese and whipped cream. And the salty, crumbly graham cracker crust is the perfect foundation for the golden cloud of custard that sits atop it. It’s so satisfying that you'll catch yourself cutting sliver after mouthwatering sliver of pie."

Yield: 2 9-inch pies; Time: 50 minutes, plus 5 hours' chilling

This was featured in "A Very American Mango Pie, Inspired by Indian Aunties," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019974-mango-pie.

Note: I found the featured article very interesting, and hope you will, too. Please, take a look at it. Nothing like combining the old and new cultures and food!

While we're at it, check out Melissa Clark's guide titled "How to Make a Pie Crust." Helpful stuff there!

Ingredients

For the graham-cracker crust:

2-1/2 cups finely ground graham-cracker crumbs

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 large pinch sea salt

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the mango custard:

3/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin (2-1/2 packages at 2-1/2 teaspoons per pack)

cup heavy whipping cream, chilled

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 30-ounce can Alphonso mango purée (3-1/4 cups)

1 large pinch sea salt

Preparation

Stir crumbs, sugar, cardamom and salt together in a medium bowl. Add butter, and stir with a fork until evenly combined.

Pour half the crumb mixture into a 9-inch round metal pie pan, and spread evenly. Press down with fingers, a metal measuring cup or a second pie pan to compact the crumbs as much as possible across the bottom and up the sides of the pan into an even crust. (The more compressed the crust, the less it will crumble.) Repeat to form the remaining crumb mixture into a crust in a second pan.

Heat oven to 325. Transfer both crusts to freezer, and chill for 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Place 3/4 cup cold water in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar with the gelatin; sprinkle mixture evenly over the surface of the cold water. Let sit a few minutes to bloom.

In the meantime, whip the cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar together until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 1 cup of the mango purée to body temperature (stir to make sure you are just warming it and not bringing it to a boil). Pour warmed mango purée over gelatin mixture, and whisk until well combined. Gelatin should dissolve into mango completely. Gradually whisk in remaining mango purée.

Use a rubber spatula to beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until it is soft and smooth, then add to mango mixture along with a large pinch of sea salt. Use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth, tipping the bowl to make sure you’ve incorporated everything well. Gently tap the bowl on the counter once or twice to pop any air bubbles. Use the spatula to gently fold about 1/4 of the mango mixture into the whipped cream, then fold cream into the larger amount of mixture until no streaks remain.

Divide custard between cooled crusts. Use a rubber spatula to smooth out the filling. Refrigerate 5 hours or overnight until firm and chilled. Serve chilled.

Tip

You can find Alphonso mango purée — which is a variety, not a brand — at most Indian grocery stores. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a food processor or a countertop blender to blend the custard mixture.

CHOCOLATE LOVER'S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE

This recipe is from FamilyTime, and begins, “Chocolate crust with a milk chocolate coating, fluffy chocolate filling, whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle: this pie is not for the faint of heart!”

Serves: 12; Prep. time: 25 minutes; Cooking time: 11 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup NESTLÉ ® TOLL HOUSE ® Baking Cocoa

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

2-3/4 cups (16 ounces) NESTLÉ ® TOLL HOUSE ® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

2 teaspoons Powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, cocoa and granulated sugar in 9-inch pie plate. Stir in butter until all ingredients are moistened; press onto bottom and up sides of pie plate. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup morsels over bottom of hot crust; let stand for 10 minutes or until all morsels are shiny. Spread chocolate over bottom and up sides of crust. Cool to room temperature.

Microwave 2 cups morsels and 3/4 cup cream in large, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

Beat remaining cream, sugar and vanilla extract in chilled small mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Spoon into crust; swirl top. Garnish with remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until firm.

Microwave remaining 1/4 cup morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag on HIGH (100%) power for about 30 seconds; knead until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle chocolate over pie; let stand a few minutes before serving.

Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate Mousse Pie,Strawberry Pie,Cranberry Pie,Mango Pie,No-Bake Yogurt and Cool Whip Pie,World's Best Chocolate Pie,New York Times,

Soup

It's now after Labor Day, and the days should start cooling off a little fairly soon. Soup is the perfect thing to make as the days and evenings start to cool off. Check out the six yummy homemade soups to warm you up, including the West African Peanut Soup and the Autumn Vegetable Minestrone. Enjoy!

HERBED CARROT SOUP



From the December 2005 issue of Runner's World; reprinted from HerbWise: Growing, Cooking, WellBeing, by Bruce Burnett



Ingredients

2 pounds of carrots, chopped

1 large onion, diced

6 sprigs of fresh parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 6 six black peppercorns, bundled together so that they can be easily removed after cooking

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 Tbs of butter

6 C of vegetable stock

Freshly grated mace or nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Lightly sauté the onion and garlic in the butter. Add the stock and carrots and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bundle of herbs and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, allow the soup to cool, and put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup over low heat while adding the mace or nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with some fresh, homemade bread and garnish with some fresh parsley and a little chopped fresh thyme.

Note: The original recipe called for vegetable or chicken stock.

SIMPLE POTATO SOUP

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 4 servings; Time: 30

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter or extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium potatoes, any type, peeled and cut into small cubes

2 large leeks, well washed and chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 cups vegetable stock, preferably warmed

1/2 cup cream or milk

Directions

Place the butter or oil in a large, deep saucepan or casserole and turn the heat to medium. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes.

Add the stock and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. (You may prepare the soup in advance up to this point. Cover, refrigerate for up to 2 days, and reheat before proceeding.) Adjust seasoning and serve hot or puree and serve cold.

CORN CHOWDER

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 4 servings; Time: 30 to 40 minutes

Ingredients

4 to 6 ears of corn

4 cups water

1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves, optional

Directions

Shuck the corn and use a paring knife to strip the kernels into a bowl. Put the cobs in a pot with 4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover, and simmer while you continue.

Put the butter or oil in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, add the onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes; add the tomatoes if you’re using them and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.

After the corn cobs have cooked for at least 10 minutes, strain the liquid into the onion-potato mixture; bring to a boil, then turn the heat down so the mixture simmers. When the potatoes are tender, add the corn kernels and milk and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, garnish with the parsley and serve.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN AND BARLEY SOUP

This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 25. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)

This recipe begins, "An Italian twist on a classic bean band barley soup, this hearty bowl of goodness is pantry-friendly and sure to keep you warm on a chilly fall night." Serves 4

I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.

Note: This recipe originally called for either vegetable or chicken broth. I’ve changed it to only the vegetable broth.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 celery stalk, trimmed and chopped

1 carrot, peeld and chopped

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 cup barley

1 can (15.5 oz) cannellini beans, drained & rinced

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 1/2 cups unsalted vegetable broth

2 Tbls greated parmesan cheese, optional

2 Tbls chopped fresh basil, optional

Directions

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and pepper. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add garic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute more. Add barley, beans, tomatoes and stock, and stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until barlye is tender. Season to taste with salt and more pepper. Divide among serving bowls and garnish with parmesan and basil, if desired.

BEST BLACK BEAN SOUP

This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This American classic can be a perfect dish: big-tasting, filling, nutritious, easy and very possibly vegetarian. With their rich natural broth, turtle beans do not need bacon, ham or any meat ingredient to make a satisfying soup. Black bean soup recipes have a tendency to turn out sludgy or bland, but the trick here is to season generously, and purée sparingly. The beans should be swimming in liquid, not sitting in sludge: The more beans are puréed, the more starch is released into the soup. For flavor, this recipe deploys marinated chipotle chiles, but a tablespoon each of ground cumin and ground coriander make a good heat-free substitute. (A note: Since there is acid from the wine here, if your tap water is hard there might be a reaction that will prevent the beans from softening. To be safe, add the wine later, along with the stock. And if there is any question about the hardness of your water, use distilled.)”

Yield: 10 servings; Time: About 2 hours

This was featured in “Rediscovering Black Bean Soup”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018592-best-black-bean-soup.

Ingredients

For the Soup

1 small (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo (see note)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 onions, peeled and chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup red wine

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped

1 pound dry black beans (do not soak)

2 quarts mild vegetable or chicken stock

1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Red wine vinegar, to taste

For the Pickled Onions and Garnishes (Optional):

1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes

Salt

Sour cream or Mexican crema

Whole cilantro leaves

Thinly sliced fresh chiles

Sliced avocado

Preparation:

Empty the can of chiles into a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth, scrape into a container, and set aside. Put on a teakettle of water to boil, and keep hot.

In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add carrots, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes.

Pour in wine and let simmer until pan is almost dry and vegetables are coated. Add jalapeños and cook, stirring, just until softened, 2 minutes. Push the vegetables out to the edges of the pot and dollop 2 teaspoons of chipotle purée in the center. Let fry for a minute and then stir together with the vegetables.

Add beans, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Stir, bring to a boil, and let boil 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed to keep the soup liquid and runny, not sludgy. Continue cooking until beans are just softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 hours. Add salt and pepper and keep cooking until beans are soft.

Meanwhile, make the pickled onions, if using: In a bowl, combine sliced onions, lime juice and a sprinkling of salt. Let soften at room temperature until crunchy and tart, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze dry in paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve. If desired, chop coarsely before serving.

Adjust the texture of the soup: The goal is to combine whole beans, soft chunks and a velvety broth. Some beans release enough starch while cooking to produce a thick broth without puréeing. If soup seems thin, use an immersion blender or blender to purée a small amount of the beans until smooth, then stir back in. Continue until desired texture is reached, keeping in mind that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits.

Heat the soup through, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, drops of red wine vinegar and dabs of chipotle purée.

Serve in deep bowls, garnishing each serving with sour cream, pickled onions, cilantro leaves, sliced chiles and avocado as desired.

Tip

If chipotle chiles are unavailable, use 1 tablespoon each ground cumin and ground coriander. Add to vegetables at the same point in the recipe, in Step 3.

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP

This interesting soup comes from Drumnwrite in Allrecipes. The recipe begins, "Tomatoes and peanut butter? YES! The first time I tried this at a health food restaurant, I was hooked. About 5 years of tweaking the recipe to my personal taste has created a spicy, sweet favorite amongst my friends and family. Luckily there is always enough for everyone!"

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Servings:10

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/68530/west-african-peanut-soup/.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, very finely diced

2 large bell peppers, (any color) finely chopped

6 large cloves garlic, minced

1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes with juice

8 cups vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1 (18 ounce) jar creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Add rice to soup and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes, or until rice is tender.

When rice is cooked, whisk in peanut butter and return to a simmer, and serve. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired.

AUTUMN VEGETABLE MINESTRONE

This is from an older Weight Watchers' emailing list.

Ingredients

2 14.5 oz cans vegetable broth

1 18 oz can crushed tomatoes – undrained

3 medium carrots, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

3 small zucchini, cut into 1/2" slices

1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2" pieces

8 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 teaspoons dried marjoram

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup uncooked instant rice

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

Mix all ingredients except rice and basil in a 3-1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in rice. Cover and cook on low heat setting for about 15 minutes or until rice is tender.

Per serving: WW Points: 1; 195 Calories; 2g Total Fat; 7g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 1mg Cholesterol; 1198mg Sodium

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday, because not everyone loves tacos (gasp!). Today's offerings include Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Vegan Chili, and Yogurt Custard Pie. Enjoy!

LAYERED VEGETABLE TORTE

This is from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, "Getting this vegetable torte right takes a little time. You really must grill (or pan-grill) or roast all the vegetables well — they have to become quite tender — before assembling the torte. Ultimately, you want the vegetables to almost melt together. Grilling is the technique of choice because it gives the vegetables a hint of smokiness."

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "A Vegetable Torte Starts at the Grill", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013213-layered-vegetable-torte.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed

Salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a grill pan over medium-high heat, or prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high, and the rack about 4 inches from flame. Brush eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms lightly with half the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; if roasting, grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Roast or grill vegetables on both sides until soft.

Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch springform pan with oil. Layer a third of the eggplant slices into bottom of the pan, then layer in half the zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, garlic and basil, sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat layers until all vegetable are used. Press the top with a spatula or spoon to make the torte as compact as possible. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon oil.

Bake torte in oven until hot throughout and browned on top, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing outer ring of pan, then let cool for another 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

YOGURT CUSTARD PIE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Yields: 8 Slices. It begins, “This quick and easy recipe is a great one to make with your children. With only a handful of ingredients, and very little preparation, this is a pie that everyone is sure to enjoy.”

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 cup plain lowfat yogurt

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup peaches, sliced

1/2 cup cherries, pitted, chopped

1 - 9 inch pie crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs until well blended & whisk in yogurt & sugar. Stir peaches & cherries (or any other of your favorite fruits) into mixture & pour into pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard sets around the edge. The inner 2-3 inches should still remain somewhat soft. Chill, slice and serve.

VEGAN CHILI

This comes from J. Kenji López-Alt at The New York Times cooking newsletter. The recipe begins, "This chili starts with a few different whole dried chiles, toasted and blended together, then fried with vegan ground meat and other aromatics to form the complex backbone of this stew. Along with tomatoes and kidney beans, I like to add some soy sauce (for umami depth), cider vinegar (for acidity and brightness) and a shot of hard liquor. The volatile alcohol in the liquor helps pull aromas up and out of the chili and into your nose. If you want to opt for a vegetarian version, feel free to use unsalted butter in place of the vegan butter, and garnish with sour cream or Cheddar."

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "How to Cook With Plant-Based Meats", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020866-vegan-chili.

Ingredients

For the Chile Paste (see Note):

2 whole dried ancho, pasilla or mulato chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)

1 whole dried New Mexico red, California, costeño or choricero chile, stems and seeds removed, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)

1 to 2 dried hot chiles, such as árbol or pequín, stems and seeds removed and torn into rough pieces (optional)

For the Chili:

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 pound vegan ground meat, such as Impossible or Beyond

1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 large garlic cloves, grated on Microplane (about 4 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt

2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 (16-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon whiskey, vodka or brandy (optional)

Diced onions, chopped cilantro, chopped pickled jalapeños, sliced black olives, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, fresh tortillas or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Make the chile paste: Add all the dried chiles to a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and giving off an intense roasted aroma, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn down the heat if they begin to smoke. Add 1 cup water; it should immediately boil. Reduce heat so water barely simmers, and cook until chiles have softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles and liquid to a blender and blend at high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, until a completely smooth purée is formed, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Prepare the chili: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fat has mostly rendered and it is starting to sizzle rather than steam, about 10 minutes. (I don’t mind leaving the rendered fat in the chili. It homogenizes as the chili reduces, so the end result should not be greasy. However, you can drain the mixture at this point if you prefer less fat in the finished chili.)

Add the onion, garlic, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chipotles, cumin and reserved chile paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste reduces to the point that it starts to sizzle and fry, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently until homogenous, about 1 minute.

Add chopped canned tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Add kidney beans, soy sauce and 1 cup water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors have developed and chili is thickened to desired consistency, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and liquor, if using. Adjust texture by adding water, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with whatever garnishes you like.

Tip

You can omit the chile paste, and substitute 3 tablespoons chile powder instead. Add chile powder with chipotles and cumin in Step 3, and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and continue with Step 4.

ULTIMATE VEGGIE FRIED RICE

This was in the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 64, in an article, “The Zen Kitchen.” It begins, “Add leftover cooked vegetables, an egg, or some beans, and you have a wonderful one-bowl meal. Recipe adapted from Tassajara Dinners & Desserts by Dale and Melissa Kent.” Makes 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 small carrot, diced (1/4 cup)

1 stalk celery, diced (1/4 cup)

1 tsp. herbes de Provence

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups cooked brown rice, crumbled or broken up

2 cups leftover vegetables, beans, etc., optional

Preparation

Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil. Sauté onion, carrot, celery, herbes de Provence, and salt 10 to 15 minutes, or until well browned. Add a little more oil if pan seems dry. Add rice, and stir-fry 5 minutes, or until mixture is hot and well combined.

Rice is now ready to be served, but if you have some time before your meal, turn heat to low, add a little more oil to pan, and let rice sit undisturbed 7 to 10 minutes, or until browned. If it begins to stick, scrape it up, stir tasty brown bits in, and continue browning with a little more oil. The more time and energy you spend at this stage, the tastier the rice will be. If using leftovers, add them just before serving and continue to heat thoroughly.

b>PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES

This is from Cara Harbstreet on Fruits & Veggies, a website I recently stumbled across. This salad can be served hot or cold, whichever strikes your fancy.

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, go to https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/pesto-pasta-salad-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/.

Ingredients

1 16 oz box cellentani, rotini, or bowtie pasta

1 cup pesto sauce

1 can chickpeas

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 head broccoli florets

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lemon (optional)

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry the broccoli, then cut into small florets. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 10 minutes on high heat or until the edges begin to brown and the broccoli is cooked to your preference.

While the oven is preheating, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on your pasta shape.

Meanwhile, chop the sun-dried tomatoes and drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside until ready to combine.

Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Remove the broccoli from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Add to the mixing bowl with the pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. If using lemon, squeeze over the top, being careful not to include the seeds. Gently fold together to combine all ingredients.

Top with parmesan cheese just before serving. Serve warm, or chill until ready to serve.

ROASTED AUTUMN VEGETABLE SOUP

This comes from an old Weight Watchers emailing list, and begins, “This warm, comforting soup will stick to your ribs on cold fall days. Roasting the vegetables helps bring out their natural sweetness.”

POINTS® Value: 2; Servings: 8; Preparation Time: 25 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Note: This recipe originally called for “3 cups fat-free chicken broth.” But since this is a vegetarian blog, I substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Ingredients

1 large onion, cut into large chunks

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

4 cups winter squash, cubed

2 servings cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)

3 cups fat-free vegetable broth

1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large roasting pan combine onion, carrots, parsnips and squash; coat with cooking spray. Roast for 15 minutes.

Place vegetables in a large pot; add broth and milk. Season to taste. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender in pot, and blend until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Puree soup in batches to prevent hot liquid from splatterng, if necessary. Or allow soup to cool before pureeing.) Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Notes

You can add more water or broth to the pureed soup to achieve desired thickness.