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):

• 5 lbs. fresh ripe tomatoes, diced (or 2 big cans of diced tomatoes)
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 6-10 cloves of crushed garlic
• 8 colorful sweet peppers (green, red, yellow, orange etc…) diced
• 3 jalepeno peppers, minced, seeds, pulp & all)
• jamaican hot sauce as required

Directions:

Chop all the vegetables and place in a big bowl with a lid.
[Wear gloves, or keep your hands in a plastic bag while
handling the jalepeno. I didn't once, and accidentally
rubbed my eye (AFTER I washed my hands) and it burned for
hours!] Keep salad refrigerated – use it right away or
within a few days. Serve it with crunchy tortillas, baked
potatoes, pancakes, veggie burgers, etc. Add black beans
and yellow corn, to pretty it up and make it a meal. When
we make this it’s an event. We all chop. It’s made by the
half-barrell and it’s all we eat for days!

Serves: lots!

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• cooking oil
• 1 medium onion,chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced thin
• 1 medium zuccini, sliced thin
• 2 cubes vegetable boullion
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried bazil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 3 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 package fresh soy tortellini

Directions:

Saute’ garlic and vegetables in oil until soft, about 10
minutes. Add water, vegetable broth cubes, spices, and
tomato paste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add tortellini and cook according to package.

This is a very healthy, hearty, and nutritious soup. ENJOY!

Serves: 5-7

Preparation time: 35 min.

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• However much pasta you want to use
• About 3 carrots diced small per bag of pasta
• Celery diced small (keep the amount close to the amount of carrots)
• Whatever other vegetables you want to put in diced
• Italian dressing preferably freshly made(a cup or so per bag)
• Any spices such as salt or pepper or oregeno are good

Directions:

Cook the pasta until it is soft and not too chewy (about 20 minutes). Drain the pasta and
run under cold water until its cold. Or put it in the refrigerator and let it chill.
Add the diced vegetables, spices, and dressing.

Enjoy

Sorry about the vagueness of this recipe. Just make it the way you like and you will be
much happier with it.

Preparation time: about 20 miniutes

Serves: