Red Lentils with Coconut and Kale

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch garlic, minced
2 red chiles, thinly sliced
2 cups vegetable stock
14 ounces coconut milk
2 cups red lentils
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
4 cups kale, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cook cumin, fennel seeds, and turmeric in oil until fragrant. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and half the peppers.

Add vegetable stock, coconut milk, lentils, and half the cilantro. Cover and bring to a simmer.

Add the kale and lemon juice and spoon into bowls.

Garnish with caramelized onions if desired, remaining peppers and cilantro, and lemon wedges.

Palak Pallow

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon coconut oil
a pinch clove
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup basmati brown rice
2 bunches spinach, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green chiles, chopped
1 tablespoon garam masala
4 ounces paneer, cut into cubes
salt, to taste
1/2 cup cashews

Cook rice and set aside.

Saute clove, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin in the coconut oil until fragrant. Add onion, garlic, garam masala, and peppers and cook until onions are softened.

Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are softened and add spinach and paneer. Season with salt. When Spinach is wilted, add the prepared rice. Remove from heat and stir in cashews.

Lemongrass Soup

Ingredients

4 lemongrass stalks, bottoms only
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
4 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon sriracha
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces tofu, into cubes and pressed dry
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/4 cup cilantro
soy sauce, to taste

Bruise lemongrass with back of knife.

Cook garlic and ginger in oil and add lemongrass, stock, and sriracha. Bring to simmer and add mushrooms.

Meanwhile, shallow fry the tofu pieces in a bit of oil.

When soup reaches simmer, add tofu pieces and lime juice.

Stir in cilantro and soy sauce before removing from heat. Remove lemongrass stalks.

Spiced Kamut and Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup kamut, cooked
1 cup chickpeas
cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 sprig thyme
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve cold.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup barley
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste

Presoak the barley.

In a saucepan, heat oil and cook onion until tender. Add mushroom and bay leaf and cook until softened. Add thyme and garlic.

Pour stock over mixture and add tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and barley. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer until barley is cooked through. Season as needed and remove bay leaf.

Soyrizo and Potato Burritos

Ingredients:

12 ounces soyrizo
4 ounces queso fresco (or pepper jack)
6 tortillas
1 poblano pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 small onion. chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
6-8 small red potatoes

Cut potatoes into equal sized chunks and parboil. When potatoes are partially cooked, continue cooking them in a skillet with oil. When they are nearly cooked through, add onion an peppers and cook until tender. Add soyrizo and cook through.

Add cilantro just before removing from heat.

To assemble Burritos, spread out some of the potato mixture in the center of the tortilla and sprinkle cheese in the center. Add sour cream or avocado if desired. Roll burrito and cut in half to serve.

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons honey
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons soy sauce
6 ounces rice noodles
1 carrot, julienned
1 cucumber, chopped finely
1 serrano pepper, minced
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup white cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roasted peanuts

Combine garlic, honey, lime, and soy sauce. Set aside.

Cook noodles until al dente. Rinse and set aside to cool.

Combine remaining ingredients and toss with the noodles and the dressing.

Persian Pomegranate Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 leek, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup spinach, chopped
vegetable stock
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup brown basmati rice
1/3 cup yellow split peas
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
salt and pepper, to taste
pomegranate arils

Soak rice and split peas overnight.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Cook leek for 10 minutes. Add herbs and cook for an additional few minutes until wilted.

Add vegetable stock, rice, and peas. Bring to a simmer and add lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until rice and split peas are tender.

Garnish with pomegranate and more parsley.

Middle Eastern Pita Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 pita pockets, split in half
1/4 cup hummus
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1 teaspoon zatar
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup cucumber yogurt sauce
salt and pepper
pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Toss tomato, cucumber, zatar, parsley, oil, and lemon.

Lay pita on flat surface and spread hummus and sprinkle pine nuts. Top with the salad mixture then the cucumber yogurt sauce.

Roll into a wrap and cut in half.

Daal Makhani

Ingredients:

1 cup brown lentils
1/4 cup kidney beans
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick, broken
4 bay leaves
4 cloves
1-1/2 tablespoons ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup tomato puree
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons coriander
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons fenugreek leaves
3 tablespoons cream

Soak lentils and kidney beans overnight and simmer until tender. Reserve cooking liquid.

Cook cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cloves in the oil.

Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, and cayenne pepper.

Stir in tomato, chili powder, and coriander. Bring to simmer.

Add lentils and kidney beans with some of the reserved liquid. Bring to simmer and add butter, fenugreek, and cream. Remove from heat.

Serve with basmati brown rice or millet and yogurt.