Tuscan White Bean Soup

Tuscan White Bean Soup

.ingredients.

1 pound dried white navy beans
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 stalks celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 carrots, scrubbed and dice

3 leeks or small onion, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

1 cup lentils, rinsed

5 cups good-quality vegetable broth, 4 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Soak beans in water overnight, then drain and rinse well. Or use canned beans (rinsed).

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot and add leeks/onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until leeks/onion begin to soften. Add celery, garlic, and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add stock, rinsed navy beans, zucchini, squash, lentils, herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring soup to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and allow to simmer over low heat for 1 hour.

3. Puree 3 cups of soup in a blender (to make the beans creamy) and pour back into the pot. Add lemon juice, and more self and pepper if needed.

Serves 6.

I got this recipe from my friend Natalie, so a special thanks to her for sharing!

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

.ingredients.

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped 

1 red bell pepper, chopped 

1 medium zucchini, chopped 

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed 

1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 

3 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 

2-3 tablespoons chili powder, depending on your taste (we used 3, if you like it spicier) 

1 tablespoon ground cumin 

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Cook Quinoa. Put in saucepan with water, cook on medium heat until water is absorbed (about 15 minutes)

2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over high heat, add onion & saute until tender (about 5 min). Add garlic, jalepeno, carrots, celery, zucchini & peppers - cook until tender (about 10 min).

3. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce and cooked quinoa. Season with chili powder, cumin & salt & pepper. Simmer on low for about 30 minutes, Serve warm.

Tropical Green Smoothie

[TROPICAL GREEN SMOOTHIE]

INGREDIENTS

makes 1 serving

1 C Unsweetened Almond Milk

1/2 banana

1 T ground flaxseed

giant handful of kale or spinach

approx 1 1/2 C tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, papaya, strawberry)

*I get this fruit in the freezer section at Costco. I recommend thawing the fruit out a bit before trying to blend.

I put everything in my Blendtec blender & use the 'whole juice' preset.