Vegetable and Tofu Soup
Ingredients:
6 cups of water
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 lb fresh Shiitake mushrooms (or 8-10 dried Shiitake mushrooms)
1/2 lb of fresh bok choy or similar Chinese vegetables
1 package of firm or soft tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
5 slices ginger, cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons white pepper
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
1 teaspoon Mirin
1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
2 green onions, finely chopped
Directions:
* If using dried Shiitake mushrooms, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes and drain.
* Bring water to a boil in a large pot and then add salt.
* Cut the mushroom stems and then cut each mushroom in half.
* Wash and rinse the vegetables, removing any dirt, any tough or wilted stems, and separate the leaves.
* Add the mushroom to the boiling water, and let the water return to boil, then add the tofu, ginger, white pepper, soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine and Mirin. Return to boil on medium flame, cover with lid and simmer for about 15 minutes (or 20 minutes if using dried mushrooms).
* Add the vegetables and stir, let water return to boil and simmer for 1 more minutes.
* Sprinkle chopped parsley and green onion prior to serving.

(via Food 4 Wibowo: Vegetable and Tofu Soup)

Broccoli, Baby Potato and Comte (Gruyere) Cheese Tarts in Saltine Cracker Crust
makes 6 mini tarts
4oz or 5 small baby potatoes (or use a medium baking potato instead)
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3/4 cup comte or gruyere cheese, cut into tiny cubes
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley
salt and pepper (keep in mind the cheese, mustard, saltines are all already salty!)

for saltine cracker crust
4oz or 1 sleeve of saltine crackers
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2-3/4 cup hot water

Pre-heat oven to 375f.
Wrap the potatoes in a paper towel and micrrowave for 2 minutes or till half cooked. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the milk, flour, and dijon mustard. Then add the cheese, broccoli florets, potatoes, parsley, salt and freshly cracked black pepper and mix well.
To make the saltine cracker crust, place the saltine crackers in a food processor and crush them to a powder. You should get about 1 1/2 cups of crushed saltines. Place this in a bowl, add melted butter and hot water and stir till it comes together like a dough. Now press the saltine cracker crust dough into a non-stick pie or tart pan. Press down on the crust to compact it and also push it up the edges of the pan.
Pour the cheese, broccoli and potato mixture into the tart/pie pan with the saltine crust. Place the pan on a foil lined baking sheet and bake on 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or just till the top of the tart starts to turn golden. Cool tarts a little, then gently lift them off the mould using a knife. Serve tart warm with a salad of your choice.

(via http://www.veggiebelly.com/2010/04/broccoli-comte-tarts-saltine-crust.html)

Super duper easy and add vegetables to your heart content
1/2 cabbage head
2 tomatoes ( I peel the skin off)
2 red bell peppers
3 large carrots peeled
1/2 red onion (optional) cut into cubes
1 cup spinach
6-8 garlic cloves
pepper according to taste
salt according to taste ( I used garlic flavored salt)
1. Grate all the above vegetables except onion,tomatoes and garlic in a food processor or chop them finely by knife
2. Add the grated vegetables ,cubed onions and tomatoes into a pressure cooker , add salt ,pepper and water just to cover the veggies and cook till you hear two whistles.
3. In a separate pan add a tbsp of oil and add garlic and saute till garlic turns golden brown.
4. Remove lid from pressure cooker and add browned garlic and puree using hand mixer. If you like yours chunky just use hand spatula to mush the veggies.
5. Allow it boil for 2-3 minutes and check for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.

(via Sreelus Tasty Travels: Have You Had Your Five Today - Hearty Soup)

Faux Guac(amole)
Serves 4 - 6 
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups frozen peas, cooked and well drained
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp chile powder or 1 red chile, deseeded and diced
3 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt (or nonfat plain yogurt)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 plum tomato, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
Method:
1. Put all ingredients except the tomato and onion in a food processor. Pulse until fairly smooth.
2. Stir in the tomato and onion.
3. Let the spices mingle for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

(via Dishing Out the Good Stuff: Faux Guac(amole))

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars
Ingredients:
* 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1/4 cup honey
* 2 cups plain granola
* 1 cup rice cereal (Rice Krispies, etc.)
* 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 1/4 cup peanut butter chips

1. Combine honey and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar after butter starts to melt.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
3. Add the granola and rice cereal into the saucepan and fold them into the sauce until evenly coated.
4. Spread the mixture into a 9×13 inch ungreased baking pan and press firmly with a spatula to evenly fill. Sprinkle the chocolate and peanut butter chips onto the top of the granola and gently press them down.
5. Put the pan in the refrigerator until cooled and firm, about 15 minutes, then cut into bars. 18 servings

(via No bake, chewy Granola Bars (just like Quaker!) | Back to the Cutting Board)

Rosemary Cheddar Crackers
makes about 1 quart of crackers
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (optional)
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
3-4 tablespoons water
Pulse the flour, salt and pepper in a food processor, then add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add grated cheese a little at a time until the mixture again resembles coarse meal.
Pulse in 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms into a ball. It will probably take a minute or so.
Remove from the food processor and knead in the rosemary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Roll the dough out to 1/8th-inch thickness directly onto a baking sheet. You don’t want to roll them paper thin, neither do you want to roll them too thick. If they are too thin, they will not puff up as much. If they are too thick, they will not be as crispy. Using a knife, pizza cutter, or cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes.
Bake at 350° F for 15-20 minutes or until crackers are golden brown. Watch them after the 10 minute mark.

(via The Cooking of Joy: Alphabet and Rosemary Cheddar Crackers)

Homemade Corn Tortillas
makes 16 five-inch tortillas
This recipe came right off the bag of Maseca instant corn masa flour. It’s pretty universal, and aside from altering the salt to your taste, there’s no reinventing the wheel here. Once they’re made, though, the sky’s the limit for creativity.
2 cups instant corn masa flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups warm water
Add all ingredients to a deep bowl. Using your hands, mix until it becomes a soft dough. Knead a few times on a clean countertop until it forms a smooth ball. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 16 equal pieces and roll into smooth, even shaped balls (this is best done rolling with the palm of your hand on a countertop). Place balls into a dish and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap, so they won’t dry out before pressing.
Place balls, one at a time, into a gallon-size zip top bag (leave it “unzipped”), and press ball down with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a dish. Finish rolling it into a 5-inch wide circle using a rolling pin. Remove from bag and transfer to a covered pot, again to protect it from drying out. Repeat with remaining balls of dough until all have been flattened out.
Heat a skillet over medium-low flame. Place one tortilla in the preheated pan, and cook for about 45 seconds, turn and cook for another 45 seconds to one minute. Transfer to a covered pot, this time to keep them warm! Repeat with remaining pressed tortillas. If making for the freezer pantry, let cool completely before storing in a zip-top bag and freezing.

(via In Jennie’s Kitchen: homemade corn tortillas)

Chickpea Burgers
Makes 17 patties
* 2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce can, drained, rinsed, and mixed with a spritz of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 2 1/2 cups cooked brown basmati rice
* 3 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
* 1/4 cup loosely packed minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the chickpeas, salt, turmeric, paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor and process until smooth and well combined, scraping the sides occasionally. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the rice, bell pepper, and parsley. Moisten your hands to keep the mixture from sticking, then shape the mixture into 1/4-inch-thick patties about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place them on the prepared pan and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the patties start to get dry and crisp on the outside. They will firm up as they cool.
Variations: For a crispy burger, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the patties for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Want a delicious dip for fresh, raw veggies? The chickpea and spice puree from the food processor makes a delicious hummus.
Storage: Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Burgers can also be frozen in cooked or uncooked form for 2 months

(via Project Foodie - The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen)

Homemade Gnocchi
Ingredients:
Potato Gnocchi:
1 pound Russet potatoes
1/4 cup flour, may need more or less
1 medium egg
salt & pepper

Sweet Potato Gnocchi:
1 pound Sweet potatoes
1 3/4 cups flour, may need more or less
1 medium egg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt & pepper

Directions:
1. For both versions of gnocchi, cook potatoes until tender and mash until smooth.

Tip: Here’s an easy (and cool) way, courtesy of my Aunt, to cook and peel a potato at once!
a. Clean potatoes and, with a sharp knife, score ~1/8 inch deep around the entire potato.
b. Boil potatoes for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes) until a paring knife can easily be inserted into the fattest part.
c. Take potatoes out of the boiling water, cool and when you’re able to handle them, slip the skins off. Cool, huh?!
2. Whisk and add one medium sized egg to each bowl of mashed potatoes. Add seasonings and stir until just combined.
3. Starting with the white potatoes, add 1/4 cup flour and kneed with your hands until just combined. If dough is too sticky, add a little flour. (You’ll be able to add more flour when you roll the gnocchi out, so it’s better to incorporate less now, than too much.) Do the same for the sweet potatoes, adding 1/4 cup flour at a time, until barely sticky.
4. Generously flour a clean, dry surface and knead the dough a couple times until it has come together in a ball.
5. Cut the dough ball into quarters and roll each quarter into a long rope until it’s the width of your index finger.
6. Using a floured knife, cut the rope into one inch sections.
7. Hold a fork, curved side up with one hand and with the thumb of your other hand, gently roll the dough from the top of the curve, to the bottom, keeping your thumb in contact with the dough the whole time.
8. Continue rolling your gnocchi until you’ve gone through the rest of the dough. Don’t worry if they don’t look perfect. You’ll get better with practice and they still taste the same, no matter how they look!
9. Repeat steps 4-6 with the sweet potato dough. You can roll these segments over a fork, or keep as-is, for a nice textural difference.
10. If you don’t plan to eat your gnocchi right away, place them on a cookie sheet and into the freezer until hard, ~20 minutes. Transfer to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for 4-6 months. Just like homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli and Gyoza, these cook the same from the freezer as they do fresh!

(via How To Make Gnocchi + Gnocchi Recipe! | Iowa Girl Eats)

Tropical Pineapple Fried Rice
* 1/2 yellow onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 medium sized carrot, diced
* 1 medium sized red pepper diced
* 1 medium sized green pepper diced
* 1 cup of peas
* 1 egg, scrambled
1 handful of chopped spring onions
* 1 cup cooked jasmine rice
* 1/4 cup pineapple juice
* 1/2 cup pineapple diced
* 1 tablespoon tamari ( or a dash of dark soya sauce)
* 1 tbsp. yellow curry powder
Start with cutting all the veg and setting them aside. Cook the rice till 95 % done, drain and spread out on a tray so they dry out.
Cook scrambled eggs, set aside. Now in a really hot wok cook onion, carrot, pea, garlic,the peppers & pineapple chunks, set aside.
Fry the rice for 1 minute and add the veggies back in. Now add pineapple juice, tamari, and curry powder. Garnish with the greens of spring onion, and for a beautiful presentation, scoop out the inside of a pineapple and stuff the rice inside. Serve immediately.

(via Tropical Pineapple Rice  | Aapplemint)