Meatless Fridays in Lent

Mushroom and Squash Wellington (Veggie Roast)

INGREDIENTS

1 large frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
2 large sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
3 medium carrots, peeled and halved
1 cup butternut squash, small dice
8 oz. maitake or shiitake mushrooms, brushed and cleaned
3 cups spinach
4 large Portobello mushrooms, de-gilled, cleaned, and roughly chopped
½ cup raw cashews, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
8 sprigs thyme
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

 Recipe courtesy of Blue Zones.

Big-Batch Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS

4 carrots, diced

4-6 stalks celery, diced

1 big handful diced shallots

½ cup of sliced peppers (red, yellow)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 potatoes, large dice

4 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs oregano

1 teaspoon of Better than Bouillon vegetable base

½ cup of carrot juice

12 cups vegetable broth (We recommend Imagine Vegetable Broth)

Large handful of lentils and/or brown rice

2- 3 dollops of white, rose wine or bourbon (optional)

1 tangerine or small orange (1/2 zest, and all juice)

Handful chopped flat leaf parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Saute carrots, celery, shallots, and peppers in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 3 minutes.
2. Add broth and all other ingredients except for citrus and parsley.
3. Turn up heat to boil and turn down to low-med to simmer.
4. Simmer for 45-50 minutes.
5. Finish by squeezing in citrus juice and zest and parsley (if using).

Note: Customize this soup as you like! You can replace the lentils and/or brown rice with tofu or cooked grains or pasta towards the end of cooking time. Peas or edamame are also good additions.

Recipe courtesy of Blue Zones.

Tex-Mex Bowl with Avocado and Chunky Salsa

INGREDIENTS

1/4 Avocado

1/4 cup Brown rice

1/2 cup Frozen corn

1/2 cup Green cabbage

2 1/2 cups Kale

1/4 cup + 1 1/4 tbsp Low-sodium salsa

1/4 can No-salt canned black beans

2 tbsp Pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the brown rice according to the directions here.

2. Rinse all the produce. Rip the kale leaves off by hand into small, bite-sized chunks. Dice the stems. Steam the stems and the leaves for just a couple minutes, until lightly wilted.
3. Heat the corn until room temperature. Dice the red pepper and mix it in with the corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Dice the green cabbage into small strips. Cut the avocado lengthwise around the pit. Twist to open. Cube the avocado.
5. Drain and rinse the beans.
6. Add the steamed kale to a serving bowl. Pile on the rice, beans, and veggies. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and optional ingredients on top. Add salt and pepper to taste with a scoop of salsa. Enjoy!

 Recipe courtesy of Blue Zones

Creamy Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS

1 small onion, cut into 1 ¼ inch dice (about 1 cup)
6 small garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
6 to 7 cups no-oil, low‑sodium vegetable stock
6 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 6 fresh cobs or about 24 ounces frozen)
1 large russet potato (about ¾ pound), scrubbed and cut into ¼ inch dice (about 3 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼ inch dice (about 1 cup)
1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1⁄3 cup almond flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large stew pot or Dutch oven, place the onion, garlic, and 1 ½ cups of the vegetable stock. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the corn, potato, and 4 ½ cups of the remaining stock. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potato is soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Transfer half of the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pot. Add up to 1 cup stock to adjust the consistency if necessary.
4. Add the bell pepper, parsley, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes, until the flavors have blended and the pepper is tender.

Meanwhile, place the flour and 1⁄3 cup water in the blender and blend until smooth. Stir the almond cream into the chowder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Storage: Cool soup completely and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Red Beans and Sweet Potato Hash

Red beans and sweet potatoes is an irresistible combo of fun flavor and serious nutrient goodness—and a great way to use up a leftover sweet potato if you have one hanging out in your fridge. You can also substitute any other kind of potato (raw or baked) to use up what’s already in your kitchen—or what your potato-loving taste buds might prefer.

Yield: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 garlic cloves very finely chopped
1 large sweet potato (8 ounces), cooked (see Chef’s Tip), peeled, and diced
1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, then stir in the sweet potato, thyme, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Place the beans in a bowl and mash them with a fork or potato ricer. Add the mashed beans to the skillet and stir to combine with the onion mixture. Cook, turning frequently, then pressing the spatula down on the mixture, until the bottom is lightly crisped and browned when turned, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.
CHEF’S TIP: For this recipe, the sweet potato should be tender but still firm enough to dice.

To bake sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork in three places. Wrap each sweet potato in foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the size of the potatoes) or until tender.

To microwave sweet potatoes: If you don’t have a cooked sweet potato (or the 45 minutes to an hour it takes to bake one), you can microwave one in minutes: Pierce the sweet potato with a fork in three places. Place the potato on a microwaveable plate and microwave on high for 5 minutes, rotating halfway through. You may need to microwave it a minute or two longer, depending on the size of the potato, until it is tender.

Recipe courtesy of Blue Zones

White Bean Pozole Verde

Roasted tomatillos, jalapeños, and poblano peppers create a rich base with a beautiful green hue, while white beans add buttery texture and added protein and fiber. Serve this spicy soup with tortilla chips, fresh lime juice, and ripe avocado for added creaminess.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 poblano peppers (35g)
• 3⁄4 pound (340g) tomatillos, outer husk removed
• 1-2 jalapeños, depending on preferred heat
• 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil or grape seed oil
• 4 cloves garlic (2 Tbsp or 12g), minced
• 1⁄2 medium white or yellow onion (55g), diced
• 4 cups (960ml) vegetable broth
• 1 15-ounce (425g) can white or butter beans, rinsed + drained
• 1 15-ounce (425g) can hominy or yellow corn, drained
• Sea salt + black pepper, to taste

TOPPING INGREDIENTS

• Lime juice
• Tortilla chips
• Ripe avocado, cubed
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Pomegranate seeds or thinly sliced radish

DIRECTIONS

• Heat oven to high broil and position rack at top of oven.
• Place whole poblano peppers, tomatillos, and jalapeños (use one for less heat) on baking sheet and once oven is hot, broil on high until charred on top side. Then flip over and continue broiling until the other side is blackened. (The tomatillos will likely take longer, so remove peppers from oven once charred and continue roasting tomatillos until blackened on top and bottom.)
• While peppers are roasting, heat large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, garlic, and onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent and slightly browned—about 4-5 minutes. Once done, add to blender (or if using an immersion blender, remove from heat and leave in pot.)
• Remove charred peppers and tomatillos from oven and wrap peppers in foil to steam. Wait 3 minutes, then remove skin, core, and seeds from poblano and jalapeños and any stems from the tomatillos.
  Add to a blender with garlic and onion. Blend/purée until semi-fine consistency is achieved. A little chunkiness is OK and even good (depending on texture preference).
• Add mixture back to pot over medium heat. Add vegetable broth, beans, and corn or hominy and stir. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low and continuing simmering until beans have absorbed flavor of the broth—at least 15 minutes. The longer it cooks, the more flavorful it will become.
• Sample and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve as is, or with desired toppings.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, or freezer up to 1 month.

Recipe courtesy of Blue Zones

Sardinian Pasta Fagioli

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 lb great northern beans
• 5 stalks fresh celery
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• Fresh garlic or garlic powder to taste
• 1-8oz can whole tomatoes, chopped or diced
• 1 cup flat Italian parsley, chopped
• 2-3 cups vegetable broth to start (more to add as it cooks down)
• 1/2 lb ditalini or elbow pasta
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup pecorino cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and soak beans for 2 hours.
2. Rinse beans and bring to a boil with lid on pot. Don’t let it boil over.
3. Use 1/2 gallon, or more, water. Cook until semi tender.
4. Add all other ingredients except pasta, including vegetable broth, and cook over medium to high heat, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
5. Continue to cook until the beans are tender (about 2-3 hours). Add broth as needed.
6. Cook pasta separately in boiling salt water until al dente. Rinse, drain, and cool.
7. Mix the pasta and beans, add a sprinkle of pecorino cheese (optional), and serve.

Recipe Courtesy of Blue Zones.

Spinach Pie

Also called spanakopita in Greece, where it is commonly found all across the islands, Greek spinach pie is a savory dish that can be made traditionally with spinach or can be substituted with other greens such as chard or dandelion greens.

INGREDIENTS

Pie Crust (makes 2)

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp olive oil
• 5 tbsp ice water

Spinach Filling

• 3-10 oz packages frozen spinach (thawed, water squeezed out)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb block feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tbsp dried parsley)
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp dill

DIRECTIONS

Crust

Stir flour and salt together.

In a separate bowl, whisk together oil and water until creamy.

Add flour and stir with a fork to combine.

Divide dough into two.

Swipe your counter with a wet washcloth and place a 12-in square of waxed paper on top.

Place the ball of dough on top and cover with a second 12-in piece of waxed paper.

Roll out the dough between the waxed papers into a circle slightly bigger than your pie plate.

Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and invert the dough over the pie pan; peel off bottom paper.

If pre-baking the crust, prick the entire surface with a fork.

Filling

Sauté green onions and garlic in olive oil until fragrant.

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into pie crust.

Cover with top crust. Slash for slits.

Put on crust shield and bake for 45 minutes at 425 degrees.

Remove pie shield for the last 15 mintues.

Serves 12
per serving: calories 365, fat 28g, sodium 659mg, protein 11g

Source: Beach Bunnies Moai