French Lentil and Fennel Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup green lentils, presoaked
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, chopped
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
1 star anise
oil
salt and red pepper to taste
vegetable stock

Boil the lentils with the ginger and star anise until they are tender. Remove star anise, drain half the liquid, stir in veggie stock, and set aside.

Saute leeks and fennel in oil until tender. Pour in lentil mixture, add salt and red pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Garnish with fennel fonds and serve with bread.

Chickpea and Dandelion Salad

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup chickpeas
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
salt, to taste
red pepper, to taste
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
3/4 cup red quinoa, cooked
2 green onions, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 cups dandelion greens, cut into 1 inch pieces (may substitute arugula, baby kale, or frisee)

Marinate chickpeas in lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt, and red pepper. Set aside for at least half an hour.

Combine almonds, quinoa, green onion, and tomatoes, and dandelion greens. Toss with the chickpea mixture.

Mushroom, Lemon, and Lentil Salad

Ingredients:

2/3 cup lentils, presoaked
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 portobello mushrooms, sliced
8 cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 button mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 cup arugula
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil

Boil lentils until cooked, drain, and set aside to cool.

Cook mushrooms in oil and add garlic and seasonings. Drain mushrooms from the juices and add lentils and parsley. Stir in lemon juice and olive oil.

Toss arugula with lemon juice and olive oil and layer on a plate. Spoon warm mushroom mixture over it. Serve immediately.

Cellophane Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup cellophane noodles
1 cup carrot, shredded
3/4 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 cup banana blossoms
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cucumber cut into very thin strips
1/2 heart of romaine, chiffonade
1 serrano pepper, minced
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 block tofu, cut into thin rectangles and fried
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons coconut cream
1 teaspoon honey or palm or coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Cook cellophane noodles, drain, and cut into small pieces. Toss with some sesame chili oil and set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients. Toss with noodles and dressing ingredients. Garnish with peanuts, cilantro, and a wedge of lime.

Bolani

Ingredients:

3-1/2 cups flour
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 leeks, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup oil

Prepare dough by combining flour, water, salt, and olive oil. Cover dough and set aside for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, steam potatoes. Add leeks 15 minutes before potatoes are done.

Place potatoes and leeks in a bowl. Add oil, salt, pepper, coriander, turmeric, red pepper, and paprika and mash with a potato masher. Stir in cilantro.

Divide dough into 8 even pieces and roll out as thinly as possible. Spread potato filling over half of each circle and fold dough over. Seal the edges. Place on a floured surface.

Heat griddle and add oil. Shallow fry each of the bolani on either side until golden brown. Serve with yogurt dipping sauce or cilantro chutney.

For dipping sauce, combine 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon water, 1/2 small clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon dill, 1/4 teaspoon coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. and 4 mint leaves.

For cilantro chutney, combine 1 cup cilantro, 1 small clove garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, 2 tablespoons lime juice, salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 2 teaspoons sugar in a food processor. Add water to thin as needed

Baked Churros

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup butter
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons  fine turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or more)

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add brown sugar, salt, and water. Bring to simmer and remove from heat. Add flour and stir until smooth.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs and vanilla together. Add dough to the eggs and beat until dough is smooth.

Immediately spoon dough into a pastry bag with a large star tip and pipe into desired shapes on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

While churros are baking, toss sugars and cinnamon together. When churros come out of the oven, immediately toss them in the cinnamon sugar to coat, brushing with butter or coconut oil as needed.

Gobi Aloo Wrap

Ingredients:

1/2 cup red lentils, soaked
1 tomato, chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
sriracha, to taste
salt, to taste
1/2 cup green peas
1 potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cauliflower
1 green chili, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon fenugreek
1/2 small red onion, sliced
cilantro, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
whole wheat lavash or naan
greek yogurt (optional)

Boil lentils, tomato, and garlic in water until lentils are very tender. Add cumin, cayenne pepper, sriracha, and salt. Mash with a potato masher. Set aside.

Meanwhile, toss potato and cauliflower with chili, cumin, onion, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala, coriander, fenugreek, and a bit of oil. Bake on parchment paper for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Add peas and bake an additional 10 minutes. Set aside.

To assemble wraps, spread the lentil paste on the bread. Place potato mixture in the center and add red onion, cilantro, tomato, and yogurt.