ACORN SQUASH AND WHITE BEANS WITH AUTUMN PISTOU

November is the perfect time to make this delicious dish, especially if you'd like to make it a bit festive with Beaujolais wine as a drinking companion. It is a fantastic food and wine pairing.

Serves 4

1-1/2 cups dried white beans, soaked overnight and drained
6 small garlic cloves, plus 1/2 tsp mince garlic
4 carrots, cut into 1" lengths
2 celery ribs, halved crosswise
3 large leeks-white parts halved lengthwise, 1 leek green reserved
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 parsnips, quartered lengthwise
7 tablespoons olive oil
Two 2-1/2 pound acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded, or
peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2" wedges
1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley (definitely use fresh. Leftover parsley
is great chopped with chopped tomatoes and oil & vinegar)
4 teaspoons rosemary leaves (I used 1 tsp dried rosemary leaves
crunched)
1 tbs thyme leaves (I used a little over 1/2 tsp dried)

You can make it according to the recipe or the way I did it.
See my way after the following procedure:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the beans with 3 garlic cloves,
1/4 of the carrots, the celery, leek green and bay leaf. Cover with
2" of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for 40
mins. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the beans are
tender, about 1 min. Drain the beans, reserving 2 cups of cooking
liquid. Discard the vegetables.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 450. In a roasting pan, toss the remaing
carrots and garlic cloves, the the parsnips, leek whites, and 3 tbs of
olive oil. Place the squash halves beside the vegetables. Season with
salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast for 15 mins. Uncover and
roast for 30 mins,stirring occasionally, until the vegtables are tender
and browned. Alternatively, toss the squash wedges with the
vegetables and roast them together.

3. Meanwhile, in a processor, make the pistou: Chop the parsley,
rosemary, and thyme. Blend in the minced garlic (used 3 garlic
cloves) and the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the beans, the reserved cooking liquid and 2 tbs of pistou
to the vegetables and warm over moderate heat. Serve in the squash
halves or in deep bowls with the pistou.

My way: I roasted the parsnips, leeks, carrots, all together.
I did not add any veggies to the cooking beans. I roasted the acorns
separately because I used a toaster oven and a convection oven.
I did not cover the veggies with foil. I thought the dish
would be tastier with more roasted veggies, plus I hate tossing out
good veggies.

Then I sauteed the celery and garlic.

Once the beans were cooked according to recipe minus the veggies,
and the veggies roasted and sauteed, I added them all together with
enough water to allow them to simmer for awhile blending all
flavors. The original recipe calls for 2 cups of liquid, so add according
to how soupy you want it. First add enough to simmer, then more if
desired. I then used the acorn squash as bowls, ladeled in some
veggies, poured the pistou over each bowl, and voila!

Then I sauteed the celery and garlic

SUCCOTASH

The month of November we celebrate Thanksgiving. I will be cooking American foods in honor of that holiday. There won't be too much activity on my end because I am quite busy this month, so the recipes that I do post will be pretty easy.

One of the first Indian recipes adopted by the colonists was a mixture of boiled beans and corn. The natives called it m'sick-quotash, but to the English it became simply succotash.

This was a surprisingly delicious recipe.

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
10 oz frozen babyLima beans
10 oz frozen kernel corn
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy butter added at the end
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Saute onion and green pepper until onion is golden

Add frozen beans, corn, and the water, and simmer
covered, until veggies are tender, about 15 mins

Season with soy butter and salt and pepper.

Recipe adapted from The Art of American Indian
Cooking by Yeffe Kimball and Jean Anderson

RUSSIAN PEA AND BARLEY SOUP

This thick and warming soup, Grochowka, makes a substantial appetizer, or it may be served as a meal in its own right, eaten with hot crusty bread.

This recipe originally called for bacon and butter, but I omitted both. Between the marjoram and the celeriac it still retained an interesting and tasty flavor.

Serves 6

1-1/4 cups yellow split peas, rinsed in
cold water
1/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed in cold water
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock (I used Vogue)
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 oz celeriac (celery root - can be found
at Fresh Market) small cubed
1/3 tbs dried marjoram or a bit more to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Corn or vegetable oil

1. Put the peas and barley in a bowl, cover with
plenty of water and leave to soak overnight.
2. The next day, drain and rinse the peas and
barley. Put them in a large pan, pour the stock
and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and
simmer gently for 40 minutes.
3. Saute the onion and garlic in corn or vegetable
oil and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the
celeriac and cook for a further 5 minutes, or
until the onion is just starting to color.
4. Add the softened vegetables to the pan of stock,
peas, and barley. Season lightly with salt and
pepper, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or
until the soup is thick. Stir in the marjoram, add
salt and black pepper to taste.

Recipe from 400 Soups (www.hermeshouse.com; www.
annesspublishing.com) Cookbook bought at Costco.

EASTERN EUROPEAN CHICKPEA SOUP

Chickpeas form part of the staple diet in the Balkans, where this soup originates. It is economical to make, and is a hearty and satisfying dish. It's an easy simple dish to make.

Serves 4-6

2-1/2 cups dry chickpeas, soaked overnight
4-1/2 cups of vegetable stock (I used Bouillon
veg stock as it is darker and richer than Vogue
veg stock)
3 large potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks
Just under 1/4 cup olive oil
8 0z spinach leaves
salt and ground pepper to taste
spicy vegan sausage (I used Tofurky Kielbasa and
fried it till nice and crispy brown and added to the
soup at the last minute so that it would retain the
crispiness and not get soggy. I'm not sure if it makes
a huge difference, but I think if not laying in broth
too long it will stay more tasty.)

NOTE: DO NOT ADD SALT & PEPPER UNTIL YOU TASTE
THE SOUP. I THINK THE SAUSAGE MAKES IT SALTY.

1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse under cold water. Place
in a large pan with the veggie stock. Bring to the boil
then reduce the heat and cook gently for about 1 hour.
(In the end, add more broth if you want more liquid.)
2. Add the potatoes and olive oil. Cook for 20 minutes
until the potatoes are tender.
3. Add the spinach and sliced, cooked sausage 5 mins
before the end of cooking. Serve.

Recipe from 400 Soups www.hermeshouse.com
Published 2005, 2008 www.annesspublishing.com

OLD COUNTRY MUSHROOM, BEAN, AND BARLEY SOUP

Wow, it has been vitually impossible to find vegan recipes for German month. Luckily, I found a few hearty soups from Russian or Jewish heritage which I included in the German food. We ate lots of vegan hot dogs and sausage this month, which went very well with these types of soups/stews.

Mushroom barley soup is found in most Jewish homes and restaurants. This was the best I ever tasted.

Serves 6-8

2-3 tbsp small navy beans (haricot beans), soaked overnight
3-4 tbs green split peas
3-4 tbs yellow split peas
6-7 tbs pearl barley
1 onion chopped
2 carrots sliced
3 celery stalks, diced or sliced
1/2 large baking potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 oz mixed flavorful mushrooms (I used half shitake
and half regular cremini white mushrooms)
5 garlic cloves, sliced
8 cups water
2 vegetable stock cubes or 2 tsps of veggie broth
(I used Vogue vegebase)
salt and pepper
3 tbs chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

1. In a large pan, put the beans, green and yellow split
peas, pearl barley, onion, carrots, celery, potato,
mushrooms, garlic and water.
2. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat,
cover and simmer gently for about 1-1/2 hrs, or until
the beans are tender.
3. Crumble the stock cubes or add the tsps of stock
into the soup and taste for seasoning. Ladle into
bowls, garnish with parsley and serve with rye or
pumpernickel bread.

PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT ADD THE STOCK CUBES UNTIL
THE END OF COOKING AS THE SALT WILL STOP THE
BEANS FROM BECOMING TENDER.

Recipe is from 400 Soups (http://www.hermeshouse.com/)
Published 2005, 2008 http://www.annesspublishing.com/

QUICK WHITE BEAN STEW WITH SWISS CHARD

This recipe is low in fat but high in protein. You can also use garbanzo beans or flat gigante beans: the bigger and creamier the beans, the better.

Serves 4
Time: 35 minutes

2 lbs Swiss Chard, large stems discarded and leaves cut
crosswise into 2" strips
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
One 16 ounce can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
Salt

1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the chard and simmer
over moderate heat until tender, 8 minutes. Drain the greens
and gently press out excess water.
2. In saucepan, heat oil. Add garlic and crushed red pepper
and cook over moderate heat until the garlic is golden, 1 minute.
3. Add tomatoes and bring to boil. Add the beans and simmer
over moderate high heat for 3 minutes.
4. Add the chard and simmer over moderate high heat until the
flavors meld, 5 minutes.
5. Season with salt and serve.

Recipe from Food and Wine, October 2009

LEMONY WALDORF SALAD

I have read that we shouldn't eat fruits and vegetables at the same time, but it is the latest thing in salads and it certainly tastes delicious. This salad is crunchy, refreshing, a bit tangy and sweet at the same time, and the cumin gives it an interesting flavor.

I am trying to ease my way into raw foods as part of my diet, so I think this is a good start. It's really a meal in itself and I think it will do well as a leftover, unlike most salads.

Shallots last a long time and is a great alternative to onion. And not much is needed for great flavor.
Oils last a long time if kept in the fridge.

1/2 cup walnut halves (2 cups)
1 tbs minced shallot
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest*
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs white wine vinegar**
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs canola oil
2 tbs walnut oil (see Walnut Oil salad dressing on blog)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of shredded romaine lettuce (I added extra because
I did not use frisee-see below)
4 large radishes, halved lengthwise and thinly
sliced crosswise (1 cup)
1 cup thinly sliced celery (sliced 1/4" x 1-1/2")
1 small head of frisee lettuce, chopped (I just used
romaine. Frisee is hard to get but it is delicious. I
bought it at Fresh Market & Whole Foods previously)
1/4 cup golden raisins (dark raisins would be too sweet)
1 Fuji apple - peeled, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
crosswise.

Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 350. Spread walnuts
in a pie plate and toast for about 8 mins, until golden and
fragrant. Let cool, then break into pieces.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the shallot and lemon
zest with the lemon juice and vinegar. Whisk in the
canola and walnut oils and the cumin. Season with salt
and pepper.

Add the romaine to the bowl along with the toasted
walnuts, radishes, celery, raisins, and apple. Toss well
and serve. (I added the romaine last)

Recipe from Food & Wine November 2009

*Lemon zest is grated lemon peel.
**White wine vinegar can be purchase at Publix. It
is very expensive at health food stores.

GARDEIN BEEF, BARLEY, AND SWEET POTATO STEW

This is a great stew that sounded very German to me. I guess it was the barley. I used Gardein Beef Tips. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I don't eat too many fake meats. I think they are a good transitional food for meat-eaters wanting to go veg, but not nutritional enough to be a main ingredient in my diet. I think Gardein Beef Tips are a really good substitute for beef and I usually rinse them before using in a recipe.

Serves 4

1 tbs olive oil
1 package Gardein Beef Tips (cut each chunk
in half while semi-frozen, rinse)
1 cup chopped onions (plus 1/2 small onion for
flavoring for beef tips)
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 cups veg stock (Better than Boullon is more
like beef broth than other brands)
1 bay leaf
A little less than 3/4 cup hulled barley, rinsed
and drained (original recipe called for 3/4 cup,
so since I cut recipe in half you will need half of
3/4 cup)
2 cups peeled sweet potatoes ( 1" chunks ) About
3/4 lb
1 cup sliced carrots, 1" rounds
3/4 cup cubed parsnips
1/4 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 14.5 oz can whole tomatoes in juice, broken up
3/4 cup frozen peas

Heat oil in large pot on medium-high. Saute onions
and celery for 5 minutes or until onions are soft.
Add veggie broth and bay leaf. Mix well, than add
the sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, Worcestershire
sauce, and oregano. Cover and simmer for about 1
hour or until veggies are tender.

In the meantime, saute 1/2 small chopped onion.
Add thawed Gardein Beef Tips. Half-way through
the stew cooking, add the tips to the stew. I did
the onion thing feeling that it would flavor the
tips more, but this step is optional.

As the stew is approaching completion, add the
tomatoes and peas. Reheat and simmer another
10-15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe adapted from Delicious Living Magazine,
January 2008

SAUTEED KALE WITH GARLIC, SHALLOTS, AND CAPERS

This recipe was in a gourmet food magazine along with other German recipes in the month of October, celebrating Oktoberfest. I love finding recipes for greens such as kale, spinach, collards, etc. For so many years I've been eating them either plain or with just garlic and/or onions. Such a nice change.

Serves 2

1 bunch of Kale, any kind
(thick bottom stems and center stems
removed
1/8 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (1 large)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs drained capers, chopped
salt (I didn't chop them, but think it
would have been more tasty had I done so)

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add
kale and cook until almost tender, about 5
minutes. Drain. Rinse kale under cold
water. Drain again. Coarsely chop kale.
(Can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled)

Heat oil in large skillet (preferably nonstick)
over medium heat. Add shallots and saute
until tender but not brown, about 3 mins.
Add garlic and capers; stir 1 minute.

Stir in kale and saute until tender and heated
through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt
and pepper and serve.

Recipe from Bon Appetit, October 2009

POTATOES WITH CABBAGE

It has been difficult finding green vegetable recipes for German food. There are however, lots of recipes for potatoes, beets, and cabbage. I've been trying to eat less carbs, but I will have to make an exception this month with potatoes - at least, they are healthier than pasta and bread. And I do love them.

The original recipe calls for savoy cabbage. I used regular cabbage because I don't care for savoy, unless it is in Asian food.

Serves 6 to 8

3 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1-1/4 lbs)
1/2 of a large head of cabbage (about 2 lbs)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbs of soy butter (I added one tbs while cooking
and one after it was cooked.
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Peel potatoes and cut into quarters.
Remove core of cabbage and discard. Cut
cabbage into 1" chunks.

Bring 4 quarts of water to boil; add potatoes
and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add
cabbage to potatoes and cook until both
vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain vegetables thoroughly. In a 12"
skillet, cook crushed garlic in hot oil for one
minute.

Add potatoes, cabbage, butter,
crushed red pepper, and salt. Cook and
stir over medium heat about 15 minutes
or until veggies are very tender, using your spoon to
break the potatoes into lumpy chunks.
Serve immediately.

I think this recipe is from Traditional Home and
and I have no idea how old it is.

GREEN BEANS AND ZUCCHINI WITH SAUCE VERTE

During October I will be cooking German food. This will be very difficult as the Germans are known for their meat dishes. Instead of sticking to just German, I will also use eastern European, Jewish and Russian dishes, if necessary. Although I did not get this recipe from a German cookbook, I am including it this month because of the mustard, a very German condiment. For those of you who don't like mustard on your veggies, just add a little for flavor.

Sauce verte is French for "green sauce." In this recipe, the sauce gets its vibrant color from basil, green onion, parsley, and capers. Any leftover sauce can be stirred into couscous or rice.

6 Servings

SAUCE VERTE
1/3 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
(I would not substitute dried herbs)
1 green onion (scallion), chopped
2 tbs (packed) fresh Italian Parsley
(Italian Parsley is more flavorful)
2 tbs drained capers
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsps Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 tbs olive oil

VEGETABLES
1 tbs olive oil
1 pound green beans, stem end trimmed
12 ounces zucchini, halved lengthwise, each
half cut lengthwise into 1/3" strips (I think
this cut does make a difference)
3 tbs water
2 tbs fresh Italian parsley for garnish

SAUCE VERTE: Blend first 7 ingredients
in processor until finely chopped. With
machine running, gradually add olive oil.
(I added when machine was off) Process
until coarse puree forms. Season to taste
with salt and pepper. Can be made on day
ahead and refrigerated.

VEGETABLES: Heat oil in heavy large non-
stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add
vegetables; stir until coated. Sprinkle with
salt and water. (I browned the zucchini a
little before I added the water). Cover, cook
until almost crisp-tender, stirring occasion-
ally, about 4 mins. Uncover; cook until veggies
are just tender, about 2 mins. Stir in enough
sauce verte to coat generously. Season with
salt and pepper, if needed. Serve.

Recipe from Bon Appetit, June 2010

MARINATED VEGETABLE SALAD

As I am starting to eat more raw foods, I am discovering that it is the dressing that makes the difference. We don't need dairy-based dressings. This is a simple, but delicious dressing, and considering the amount of vegetables, very little oil was used.

Serves 8

1 stalk of fresh broccoli
(some cauliflower too, if desired)
8-10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and
drained
1 6-ounce can of ripe black olives (not
calamatas or greek - the mild black
olives) drained and sliced
1 cup slivered snow peas
3 scallions, chopped
1 medium carrot, cut into thin slices
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1-1/2 tsps chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp of dried
basil
1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine broccoli florets and next 7 ingredients in a large
bowl.

Process oil and next 6 ingredients in a blender
until smooth; add to vegetables, tossing to coat.
Cover and chill 5 hours. (I only cooled for one
hour and it was delicious.)

Recipe submitted to Southern Living, May 2005
by Stephanie Searle of Brentwood, TN

CUCUMBER, RED ONION, AND BASIL SALAD

This is a refreshing and simple salad. According to Chef Phil, "Take this salad on the road-toss the ingredients together and let them marinate on the way. The salad will be ready when you arrive."

Makes about 4 cups.

2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
I used 2 regular cucumbers. English cukes have
less seeds.

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (1-1/4 cups)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Cover and chill 1 hour. Makes 4 cups.

Recipe from Coastal Living, 2005
Submitted by Chef Phil Conde,
Yankee Pier, Larspur, California

FENNEL, TOMATO AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Soup, Zuppa, Sopa, Soupe, Potage, Suppe, Caldo - No matter how you say it, it is the most nourishing, satisfying, simple meal to cook. And, yes, it is a one pot meal. What I love the most about soup is the thousands of recipes from all over the world. If we are low on money or high on pounds, soup will help. This recipe is simple and easy - and delicious.

Serves 8
Work Time: 25 minutes Total Time:1 hour

1 onion
1 small bulb fennel
14-1/2 ounce can tomatoes
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
5 cups vegetable stock
1/4 pound fresh spinach (3 cups)
1 cup cooked white beans

Chop onion. Trim fennel and cut bulb into
thin slices. Drain tomatoes, reserving
juice, and chop.

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat.
Add onion, fennel, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp
pepper, cover and cook until onion is soft.

Add thyme, chopped tomatoes and bay leaf.

To the pot, add juice from tomato and stock,
cover and simmer over low heat until fennel
is very soft, about 30 minutes. Remove bay
leaf.

Meanwhile, trim stems from spinach. Wash and
cut into shreds. Rinse beans with cold water
and drain.

Just before serving, reheat soup if necessary,
add spinach and beans, heat until spinach has
wilted, about 5 minutes.

Recipe adapted from First 4/15/1991

TUSCAN SMOKY RIBOLLITA SOUP

In Italian, ribollita means twice boiled or re-boiled and this Tuscan classic would reheat minestrone soup. Why? Perhaps to make it richer. This recipe calls for a regular once cooked method. I think this soup is one of the most delicious vegetable soups I've ever tasted. The roasted tomatoes and the paprika give it a very smoky flavor. The original recipe called for pecorino cheese to be sprinkled on soup, but as with most Italian soups, the cheese is absolutely not necessary. I think sprinkling cheese on everything is just a traditional Italian condiment and should always be ignored as it takes away from the actual taste of the soup.

1/3 cup olive oil
3 large celery ribs, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
2 medium onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika*
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

One 28-0z can chopped fire-roasted
tomatoes and their juices (I seeded, sliced
and broiled a few tomatoes in the toaster oven
until they got dark and crispy around the edges.
Then I chopped them. They stuck to the pan in spots
and I added water to the pan, then scraped the pan
juices into the soup.

3/4 pound (one bunch) Tuscan kale-stems
and center ribs removed and discarded,
leaves coarsely chopped

4 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 quarts vegetable stock**
Two 15-1/2 oz cans of white beans, such
as cannellini, drained (I always try to use fresh
beans cooked in a crock pot)
2 tbs sherry vinegar (try not to eliminate this as
it adds a distinct flavor to the soup)

1. In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the celery,
carrots, and onions; cook over moderate heat,
stirring occasionally, until softened. 8 minutes.
Stir in garlic, paprika and crushed red pepper
and cook until fragrant. 2 minutes. Add the
tomatoes, kale, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf
and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato
juices have evaporated, 5 mins or until the roasted
tomato has been incorporated into the soup.
Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the vegetable stock and beans to the pot;
simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30
mins. Discard the rosemay and thyme stems, and
the bay leaf. Stir the vinegar into the soup and
season with salt and black pepper, if necessary.

Serve with Crusy bread.

*I found this paprika in Aroma kosher grocery
store, and I think it can also be found in Middle
Eastern stores. Whole Foods probably carries this
as they have a huge selection of spices.
**There are two types of veggie broth I use. One
is a yellow powder in a container that doesn't need
refrigeration, but the one I use when I want to have
a darker richer base is Better than Bouillon, which
must be kept in the fridge once opened.

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, May 2010

BROCCOLI WITH TOASTED GARLIC AND HAZELNUTS

I have always liked plain veggies, but now I love them with all these added healthy ingredients. This dish is amazing - I didn't even want to share it with my husband. As with most recipes, I cut this one in half.

Total Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8

1/2 cup hazelnuts
2 bunches broccoli (about 3 lbs), cut into
long florets
1/2 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 375. Spread the hazelnuts on a
rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing
occasionally, until fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes;
roughly chop

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with 1" water
and fit with a steamer basket. Bring to a
simmer. Place broccoli in steamer basket,
cover, and steam until tender, 4-5 mins.
Transfer to plate.

Meanwhile in a small saucepan, cook the
oil and garlic over low heat until the garlic
is just golden, 4-6 mins. Transfer to a small
bowl and stir in the hazelnuts, lemon juice,
and 1/2 tsp each of salt an pepper. Drizzle
over the broccoli.

Recipe from Real Simple, December 2008

WATERCRESS, AVOCADO, AND WALNUT SALAD

I have been eating salads my whole life, but it always consisted of just lettuce, maybe tomatoes and/or cukes. But now that I am cooking gourmet vegan, I am making lots of interesting salads. This one is yummy and although we ate it with a bean dish, it really is a meal in itself because of the very filling avocados.

This salad is made at Pizzeria Mozza in LA. Marcos, the chef, makes it with agretti, a naturally salty Adriatic green, but watercress is used in this recipe instead. Sure wish we had Pizzerias like this in Florida.

Total: 25 mins
Serves: 4

2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 medium shallot, minced
3 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup walnut halves
2 firm, rip Hass avocados, each cut into eight
wedges
Two 12-oz bunches watercress, stems dis-
carded (Watercress is time-consuming in
cleaning because all stems must be removed
otherwise I find it too bitter. Also, use this
veggie very soon after purchase as it yellows
quickly.)

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl,
combine the lemon juice and minced
shallots and let stand for 10 mins.
Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season
with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, spread the walnuts in a pie
plate and toast in oven until golden brown
and fragrant, about 6 mins. Cool. Chop.
3. Lightly season the avocado wedges with
salt. Add the avocado, walnuts, and water-
cress to the dressing and toss well. Season
with salt and pepper and serve right away.

Recipe from Food and Wine, March 2009

SAUTEED GREENS WITH CANNELLINI BEANS AND GARLIC

Italian month is proving to be delicious - even without the pasta, bread, or rice. There are a zillion different beans that are used in Italian cooking and they all go so well with greens. If you don't like to eat just a bowl of greens, this is a great way to get the same benefits.

5 tbs olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1 large bunch greens (spinach, mustard greens, kale,
or broccoli rabe-about one pound. I used kale)
Remove thick stems, spinach left whole, other greens
cut into 1-inch strips, about 10 cups)
1 cup (or more) vegetable broth
1 15 oz can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed,
drained (I used my crockpot and made fresh-so easy
and no more burnt beans)
1 tsp (or more) Sherry wine vinegar

Hat 4 tbs oil in large nonstick skillet over medium
heat. Add garlic and dried crushed pepper; stir
until garlic is pale golden, about 1 min. Add greens
by large handfuls; stir just until beginning to wilt
before adding more, tossing with tongs to coat with
oil. I cooked my greens a couple of days earlier and
then just added to garlic and red pepper.

Add 1 cup of broth, cover, and simmer until greens
are just tender, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls
if too dry, 1-10 mins, depending on type of greens.
Add beans; simmer uncovered until beans are heated
through and liquid is almost absorbed, about 2 mins.
Stir in 1 tsp vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle with remaining 1 tbs oil and serve.

Recipe from Bon Appetit, April 2008

RED POTATOES AND ARTICHOKE BAKE

Artichokes and potatoes are my favorite vegetables, so I love this dish. I always use frozen artichokes if I can't find fresh. Jarred artichokes just don't taste like the real thing, but they are good as an appetizer. I rarely eat canned, except when breaded and fried, even then, I prefer the frozen. This recipe is quick and easy and can be eaten as a main meal or a side.

6 cups water
1-1/4 pounds baby red potatoes
20 small baby artichokes (I used two
packages of Bird's Eye frozen. Thaw before
starting to cook)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
8 large cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
3 tbs chopped fresh parsley or 1 tbs dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Heat water and potatoes to boiling. Reduce
to medium and cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim artichokes by removing
outer green leaves,stopping at the point where
the leaves are half green and half yellow. Cut each
stem even with base; cut 1/2" off each top.
If you've never tried these fresh baby artichokes,
they are delicious. You can eat the entire artichoke
after removing the outer leaves, etc. You cannot do
the same with frozen as they are too watery and are
not as flavorful, but work well when mixed with
other veggies.

With slotted spoon, remove potatoes to colander;
set aside to cool slightly. Add artichokes and lemon
juice to same water in which potatoes were cooked.
Heat to boiling over high heat; cook 10 minutes.
Drain well and set aside to cool slightly. If using
frozen, just cook for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, cut cooled potatoes lengthwise into
quarters; cut quarters in half crosswise. When
artichokes are cool enough to handle, cut them
lengthwise into quarters. Cut out any interior
leaves that are purple or pink. If you are using frozen,
no need to cut as they are already cut.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the
artichokes, potatoes, oil, garlic, parsley, salt and
pepper. Spread mixture in single layer (or not) in
a baking dish and roast on bottom rack of oven
for 10 minutes. With spatula, turn mixture
until lightly browned - 5 to 10 mins.

Origin of recipe unknown.

MACARONI AND PEAS

This is an old recipe that I learned from my ex mother-in-law decades ago. I didn't cook it this time around, but have eaten it a lot and I wanted to list it in my Italian recipes. It is an unusual pasta dish, that most people have never heard of. Unless, of course, you are Italian, probably Sicilian.

Serves 4

1 15 ounce can of peas
1 large onion, chopped
Enough Ditali macaroni for 4 people*
Olive Oil for cooking onion and a bit extra
Salt and Pepper

Cook macaroni according to directions on box

Cook onions in olive oil until starting to brown.
You don't want to brown every piece, but at least
half, as this will give it lots of flavor.

To the onions, add the entire can of peas, including
water in can. Cook a few minutes until hot. Then
just add to macaroni.

Add salt and pepper to taste. I usually add extra
pepper as it goes well with the peas.

*Ditali macaroni is traditionally used. I usually
eat this dish with a spoon. A larger macaroni
will not go well with the small peas.

Recipe from Grace DiSalvo, a beautiful spirited
Italian woman.