Turmeric Rice with Tomatoes

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 tablespoon thyme
2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegan butter
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
salt and black pepper
3/4 cup basmati rice, soaked
1 cup vegetable stock
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped

Cook the seasonings in the oil. Add the lemon, turmeric, and salt as well as the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes without agitating them until they start to blister. Add rice, stock, and black pepper. Cover and cook until rice is soft. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Let sit 5 minutes before removing from heat.

Turkish Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups (1 lb) butternut or kabocha squash, diced
3 cups vegetable stock
1-1/2 tablespoons basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup greek style yogurt
isot pepper, to taste

Cook onion and leek in the oil. Add the garlic and spices and stir until aromatic. Add the stock, squash, rice, and sugar. Cover and simmer until the squash are tender. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth, adding more water as needed. Return to saucepan and simmer, adding more salt if needed.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of isot pepper