Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 3 cups cooked Lima Beans
• 1.5 cups prepared vego chichen stock
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• fresh herbs of choice chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In medium saucepan fry oil in just a dash of cold pressed
oil, add garlic then lima beans. Continue until fragrant
then add stock, keep on medium heat until beans are soft.
Add seasonings, heat through for one minute. Put bean mix
through processor until the right consistency is reached.
It is important to add flavourings as this soup can be a bit
tasteless without them. Adjust the consistency by adding
water or more stock if needed.

I haven’t worked out the nutritional info, but if you use
just a small bit of oil it is quite good for you. If you
want to omit the oil try sauteing the onion in a little
stock.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 20 min

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 1/2 cup dry shiitake mushrooms
• 2 large yellow onions
• 6 stalks celery
• 6 carrots
• 1 pkg Quaker Quick Barley
• 8 cup water
• 2 tablespoon vegetarian chicken style seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Directions:

Shiitake mushrooms have the perfect chewy texture to go with the barley. Even
die-hard beef stock folks won’t miss the meat.

Rinse the shiitake mushrooms and set them aside to soak in plenty of water.
They will need about an hour to soak. Chop the onions, celery, and carrots.
Put the vegetables and the seasoning in a large stock pot with the
water. When the mushrooms are soft, snip them into smaller pieces (approx. a
square inch each) and drop them in the pot. Bring the pot to a boil, turn
down to simmer. Cook until the carrots just start to soften. Add barley and
simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Taste the broth occasionally while cooking,
add salt to taste and more of the seasoning if needed.

Note on Shiitake mushrooms for those of you new to dried Shiitake mushrooms:
These guys are sandy, so rinse them WELL in a colander to start. More sand
will fall out of them as they expand. I like to soak them in a mixing bowl
with lots of water to keep them floating well above the bottom. I even turn
the gill sides down. Always remove them from the soak with a slotted spoon
without sloshing the bowl around, don’t dump them through a colander.

You can then ladle some of the soaking water into the soup, if you do it
carefully and don’t disturb the bottom. I’m sorry to state the obvious to
people who already know, but I learned this a little at a time, and would have
been nice to know the first time!

Serves:

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup salsa, thick and chunky
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and simmer
20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Serves: 5

Preparation time: 10-15 min.

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 cup red lentils ( masoor dal )
• 1 cup chopped cabbage
• 2 small or 1 medium tomato
• 1 hot green chilli pepper
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• some chopped cilantro for garnish
• salt and lime juice to taste

Directions:

Wash the lentils and set to cook with 2 cups water.
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and stir till
they slightly darken in color. Add the chopped up hot pepper
and cabbage. Saute these two ingredients and when slightly
soft add the cooked and mashed lentils, turmeric powder,
chopped up tomato and salt.
Bring to a rolling boil and take off the heat. Add a squeeze of
fresh lime and sprinkle the cilantro on top.
Serve over hot rice.
This is really easy and delicious !
A more watery version will do nicely as lentil soup.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: approx 20 mins

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 2 cups water
• 3 small tomatoes (or 2 large), chopped
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1/2 of an onion, or 2 scallions, chopped
• Dash of red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons bazil
• Several mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Directions:

Bring the water to a boil and add chopped tomatoes and
onion. Bring to a boil and cook until tomatoes are soft.
Remove from heat and cool until lukewarm. Puree in a
blender (if you have a small blender, puree in two batches)
until smooth. Return to pan and bring to a boil. Add the
grated carrots and the spices and basil. Add the sliced
mushrooms 5 minutes before serving, or use as a garnish on
top with a sprig of parsley.
Per serving (2 per batch):
Calories: 79.8 Protein: 3.185 Fiber: 7.72 Carbohydrates:
18.345 Fat: .53

Serves: 2 large, 3 small

Preparation time: 1/2 hour, tops