Vegetables

Abby's Spinach Soup

Combine 5 cups homemade meat stock + a pinch of salt unless stock is salty to begin with and 1/4 cup Arborio (short-grained) rice in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, cook 15 minutes.

1 pound or 14 cups (12 oz.) greens (I use spinach, not kale as in the original recipe).  Meanwhile, wash leaves and remove ribs. Abby suggested to not use pre-chopped bags of kale because all of the tough ribs are included and they are very hard to puree. Coarsely chop.

When the rice has cooked 15 minutes, stir in greens; return to simmer. Cover and cook until spinach is tender & wilted, about 15 minutes total. Use immersion blender to puree. Can drizzle in olive oil; a pinch of black pepper, to taste. Can add in more stock to thin soup if you think it is too thick. Ladle soup over crusty wheat-free bread. 

~~ <> @ <> ~~

Butternut Squash Soup

3 bags of frozen cubed butternut squash
2 1⁄2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups broth or 4 (1/2 cup) Souper Cube frozen bricks

1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ginger and cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add the coconut milk and broth to a soup pot and cook it on high until it boils. Add the 3  bags of butternut squash and maple syrup then turn heat down to a simmer. Using an immersion blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Add ground ginger and cinnamon, then serve!

~~ <> @ <> ~~

Grandma Marie's Cooked Turnips

1. Wash up turnips if they are fresh from the garden. Cut off tops, root end and thinly peel.
2. Slice turnips (abt. ¼" wide) into a saucepan and cover with water.
3. Bring to a boil and cook at least 10 minutes or until the slices are fork-tender.
4. Remove from heat, pour water off, then cover with fresh water. Return to medium heat, throw in a chunk of margarine (abt. 1 tablespoon) and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar. Cook until margarine is melted. Remove from heat and serve.

She said the first boiling removes the bitterness from the turnips. I've had these many times and they are very good. 

~~ <> @ <> ~~

Roasted Vegetables - 425* F., 45 min.

olive oil

2 pounds assorted root vegetables, peeled and cut into wedges (beets, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.)

1 teaspoon of rosemary

2 teaspoons dried thyme (or Salt-Free Herb Blend, see "Spice" post)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, including splashes of the olive oil and herbs, tossing until all veggies are well coated.  In a large shallow roasting pan or a jelly-roll cooking sheet, evenly spread out the vegetables. Roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender and crispy on the outside. 

~~ <> @ <> ~~

Salad Toppings

Black beans or peas, canned and drained

Blueberries, either fresh or freeze dried

Carrots, peeled and shredded

Croutons, wheat-free and toasted

Cucumber, peeled and diced

Dried cranberries or craisins

Frito or Tortilla Corn Chips, crumbled 

Hard-boiled eggs, sliced or crumbled

Hamburger meatballs, boiled

Homemade Salad Dressing (see "Condiments" for recipe) or olive oil and red wine vinegar

Pickled beets, slices or diced

Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Peppers, seeded and diced

Sunflower seeds, hulled

Violife or Follow My Heart plant cheese shreds 

Walnuts, chopped

~~ <> @ <> ~~

🔴 Meal Prep: Salad in a Jar - add ingredients to make 3 or 4 quart-sized canning jars at a time. Start with the bottom layer and work your way up to the top. Cover and store in refrigerator for lunches.  Yum! 🩷

1. Top layer (next to canning jar lid): any of the above salad toppings

2. Next layer down: a handful of lettuce and/or fresh herbs

3. Middle layer: Beans or peas (canned, drained)

4. Next layer:  Your choice of 1/4 cups of diced veggies - beets (drained, pickled), black olives (drained, sliced),  carrots (peeled, shredded),  corn (canned, drained), cucumbers (peeled, diced), dried cranberries,  red, orange or yellow bell peppers (seeded, diced), 

 

5. Bottom (wet) layer: favorite salad dressing or 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar  

To eat, flip jar upside down and shake ingredients into a salad bowl, add sliced deli meats and enjoy with wheat-free flatbreads or crackers. 

~~ <> @ <> ~~

Stacked Baked Potatoes

1. Layer: Bake (350*F., 1 hour) or nuke (high, 5-7 minutes) washed and unpeeled white potatoes. Cut open, mash the potato with a fork and slather insides with soy-free margarine on your dinner plate. Sprinkle salt-free herbal mixture (see "Spice" post) on top of the flattened potato.

2. Add your choice of meat next. 

3. Add your vegetables on top of that. I enjoy steamed broccoli or mixed vegetables. 

4. Lastly, add cooked bacon bits or a sprinkle of vegan cheese shreds on top of the vegetables.

5. Nuke in the microwave for about 1:30 seconds. The vegan cheese doesn’t melt down like real cheese, but it does get softer if you cook it for a little longer.

~~ <> @ <> ~~

Taco Salad

Base Salad -

1 large or 2 smaller bags of pre-cut salad mix

1-2 pounds of boiled hamburger or left-over broiled hamburgers, chopped

1 bag of safe tortilla chips, crushed

Mix all these ingredients together in a large serving or mixing bowl.

Other Family Members - small side bowls

1 package cherry tomatoes, rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained & rinsed

chopped spring onions

shredded cheese

1 bottle of Dorthy Lynch salad dressing or salsa

Mine - small side bowls

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 package dairy-free cheese shreds

Imitation Dorothy Lynch salad dressing (see "Condiments" for recipe) or olive oil & red wine vinegar

~~ <> @ <> ~~

 Vegetable Finger Food Snacks

Carrot sticks or baby carrots

Celery sticks or Ants on a Log

Red, orange, and yellow bell pepper slices