Minted Lentil and Bulgur Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
2/3 cup lentils, soaked in water
2/3 cup #4 coarse bulgur
water (or vegetable stock)
salt, to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons dried mint
fresh mint leaves
lemon, cut into wedges

Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add tomato sauce and hot pepper sauce. Stir and bring to a simmer. Add lentils, mint, and 6-8 cups of water, cover, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Add bulgur. Cover and cook until lentils and bulgur are tender, about 15 minutes. Add salt and chili powder.

Garnish with fresh mint and serve with a wedge of lemon.

*Variation: substitute freekeh for the bulgur

South African Curried Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger
1 jalapeno, sliced
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/4 small head cabbage, chopped
4 carrots, julienned
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup peas

Fry potatoes in the oil until partially cooked through. Add the carrots. Cook for 2 minutes then add the onion, cooking until soft. Add tomatoes and spices and simmer 15 minutes. Add cabbage and cauliflower and cook another 15 minutes. Add peas and allow to cook 5 minutes.

Serve with freekeh.

Red Lentil Spread

Ingredients:

2 large carrots (about 2 cups), cut into chunks
1/2 onion, cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt
1-1/2 cups cooked red lentils
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon aleppo pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Toss carrots and onions separately in olive oil and salt. Bake onions for 45 minutes at 475 until golden. And onion for 30 minutes.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until pureed.

Use as a dip or sandwich spread.

Zucchini Chips

Igredients:

zucchini, cut into thin slices
salt
grapeseed oil

Toss zucchini with olive oil and salt. Layer on a baking dish. Bake 45 minutes at 225.

Flip zucchini pieces over and rotate pan. Bake 30-50 minutes longer.

Spicy Buckwheat Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup buckwheat
1 cup vegetable stock
2 medium tomatoes, diced small
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup mint, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 english cucumber, chopped
1 cup cooked chickpeas
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
salt, to taste

Dry roast buckwheat then soak in vegetable stock for an hour. Cook the buckwheat on low heat for 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Toss together all ingredients with the cooled buckwheat.

Serve on lettuce leaves if desired.

Hummus Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 large whole wheat pita

1/3 cup hummus

3 tablespoons olive tapenade

1/4 cup shredded carrots

english cucumber, thinly sliced
red bell pepper, sliced (optional)
kale, lettuce, or spinach (optional)

zatar seasoning (optional)

Layer all ingredients in the center of the pita and wrap.

Green Tea Lime Coolers

Ingredients:

3 cups water
1 green tea bag
1 jasmine green tea bag
3 tablespoons honey
3 mint leaves (optional)
juice of 1 lime
ice
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Boil water and measure three cups into small pitcher. Seep tea bags in the water for 10 minutes. Add honey, mint leaves, and lime juice and refrigerate. Serve with a handful of ice and chia seeds.