Alicia's Magical Healing Soup

Serves 2... but I double it and add plenty of extra veggies, so I always end up with lots of leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium carrot, cut into large chunks
• 1/4 medium daikon, cut into large chunks
• 1/4 red onion, cut into large chunks
• 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
• 3-4 small broccoli florets
• 4 button mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 trumpet mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 medium leek, halved then cut into large chunks ans swirled in a bowl of water to dislodge any grit
  
• ginger juice to taste (grate about a 1" piece of ginger and squeeze out the juice with your fingers)
• Shoyu to taste
• 1 whole scallion, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1/4 bunch watercress, tough stems discarded
  
• Mochi, chopped or shredded (optional)
• Toasted nori pieces (optional)
  

Directions

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the carrot and daikon. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the red onion, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery, broccoli, mushrooms, and leek. Add the ginger juice and shoyu to the broth to taste. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked through but still slightly firm, about 5 minutes. Add the scallion, and turn off the heat. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with some watercress, mochi, and nori.


The kids LOVE this. It is very simple, but it does wonders for getting them to eat vegetables. I use the recipe for using up vegetables that I know are going to go bad within a few days. Try bok choy, lotus root, garlic, collards, kale, cilantro, tomato, potato. I've yet to find anything that didn't work. :)

Recipe from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. (I am loving trying all of these recipes, they call for a LOT of Japanese ingredients that are very easy to find right now.)

Seared Scallops with Snow Peas and Orange

Photo by: Quentin Bacon

Serves 4 Hands-On Time: 25m Total Time: 25m

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 16 sea scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 orange
• 3/4 pound snow peas, halved lengthwise

Directions

1. Cook the couscous according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the scallops dry, season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and cook until opaque throughout and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm; wipe out the skillet.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 4 strips of zest from the orange; thinly slice the zest.
4. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the snow peas, orange zest, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, tossing, until the snow peas are just tender, about 2 minutes. Serve with the scallops and couscous.

We really enjoyed this. It is a very light meal, but add a salad and some yummy dessert and its perfect! Gavin chowed down on the Scallops and both kids ate the snow peas like candy!

Tri-Color Vegetable Saute

Start to finish: 45 min.
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen sweet soybeans(edamame), shelled
2 cups corn kernels, frozen or fresh
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
3 Tbsp. finely chopped sundried tomatoes
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, cut in ribons
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add the edamame. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the corn and cook until warmed through, another 3 minutes. Stir in grape tomatoes and sundried tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes more, until the tomatoes are softened but still retain their shape. Stir in basil and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Big-Batch Vegetarian Lentil Chili

Makes about 6 (1 1/2 cup) servings + leftovers.

Ingredients:
4 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz package frozen chopped green peppers (or use fresh)
1 12-oz package frozen chopped onions (or use fresh)
2 cups dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chili powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips(optional)

1. In an 8-qt Dutch oven combine undrained tomatoes, rinsed and drained beans, 3 cups water, green peppers, onions, dried lentils, chili powder, and garlic powder. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; heat through. Serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

Lentil Soup

Makes 2 servings. I double the recipe for us.

Ingredients:
1 zucchini, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup dried lentils
1 tsp curry powder
4 cups water or stock

Place vegetables and lentils in stock pot, cover with water/stock, add curry. Bring to a boil, then simmer 1 hour.

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Bars

PREP: 15 min
COOK: 30 min
YIELD: 1 1/2 dozen bars

2 cups finely crushed oreo cookies (the mint ones are yummy too)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 Tbs. peppermint extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons shortening
14 creme de menthe thin candies, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325. In medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 9-inch baking pan. Bake 6 minutes. Cool.
2. In separate bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, eggs and peppermint extract until smooth. Pour over cooled cookie base and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes; chill.
3. Just before serving, in heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Drizzle over top of chilled cheesecake bars. Sprinkle chopped chocolate mint candies over the top. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.

Potato and Boursin Frittata

8 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup fresh, chopped basil

1/4 cup olive oil

8 baby yukon potatoes

1 cup chopped onions

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper, and basil until just combined.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 9- to 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add potatoes and onions to oil, stirring once, then cover and cook until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir potato mixture once, then cover and cook 3 minutes more.

Pour beaten eggs evenly over potato mixture and crumble cheese over eggs. Transfer skillet to oven and bake frittata, uncovered, until set and just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Invert a plate over skillet and, holding them together with oven mitts, invert frittata onto plate and serve immediately.