Mountain Soup

Gather up the nearest 8-year-old, who happens to be named Mountain.  Ask him what sorts of things should go into a vegetable soup.

3/4 pound baby carrots
1/2 pound frozen chopped broccoli
2 potatoes
1 cup TVP (optional)
6-8 cups vegetable broth
(or 6-8 cups water, and 6-8 cubes vegetable bouillon)
1 tablespoon dehydrated chopped onion
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon MSG
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/8 teaspoon dill weed
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
2 bay leaves
Olive oil

Chop the baby carrots into 3rds.  Allow Mountain to chop a few; cringe while supervising.  Peel the potatoes; chop the potatoes in half the long way, then slice thin.  Put the vegetables into a crock pot; add enough water to cover.  Crush up bouillon cubes and stir into the soup.  Ask Mountain to sniff various herbs and spices, to see which should go into the soup.  Cook on "high" for 3 hours.  Serve, adding olive oil to taste.

Notes: the TVP was ultimately rejected by Mountain, who ate around it.

Creamy Avocado Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

5 quartered Roma tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, sliced

1lb uncooked pasta

4 cloves garlic, to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (or 2 tbsp dried basil)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 ripe avocados, pitted
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and toss tomatoes and garlic in a bit of olive oil and sea salt. Place cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish. Then set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

3. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce: In a food processor, combine the garlic and basil and pulse to mince.

4. Add the lemon juice, oil, avocado flesh, and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water.

5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Drain the pasta and place it back in the pot. Add the avocado sauce and stir until combined. You can gently rewarm the pasta if it has cooled slightly, or simply serve it at room temperature.

6. Top with lemon zest, pepper, and fresh basil leaves, if desired.


based on: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/31/15-minute-creamy-avocado-pasta/#ixzz3NUZB1C00

Vegan Fried Rice

Rice
5 cups cooked long grain rice

Scrambled Tofu
½ block extra firm tofu, pressed for at least 20 minutes
½ tbsp nutritional yeast
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, julienned

Vegetables
2 tsp olive oil
5 brussel sprouts, cut in 8ths
1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
4 Green onions for garnish (optional)
1 cup bean sprouts (optional)

Sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tbsp tahini
1 medium garlic clove, minced or grated
½ tsp onion powder
1½ tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar


Scrambled Tofu
-Crumble the pressed tofu in a small bowl.
-Add nutritional yeast, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat.
-Add minced garlic and cook for a minute or so, or until the garlic has browned lightly.
-Add tofu mixture and cook for about 5-7 minutes more, stirring often. Remove from pan and set aside.

Sauce
-Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Putting it all together
-In the same pan that you used to cook your tofu, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat, then add in the carrots, peas, and brussel sprouts.
-Cook for about 5 minutes
-Add rice and sauce, then tofu and chopped green onions.
-Cook for about 5 more minutes