Meatless Mondays: Carrot Yam Ginger Soup

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Top of the Apple

(adapted from Mixed Plate)

Makes about 8 cups.

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 bouillon cube (I use Rapunzel)
• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 cup minced red onion
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 cucumber, seeded and diced into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 large avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
• 1 cup chopped mint
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup lemon juice (Meyer if you’ve got them)
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a small saucepot, bring water to a boil. Stir in bouillon until dissolved.
2. Add bulgur, lower heat to a simmer; cook until water is absorbed and bulgur is dry, about 8 minutes. Fluff with fork and remove to a large bowl; set aside.
3. In same pot over medium-high heat, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil until hot. Add onions and sugar; cook and stir until fragrant and glossy, about 2 minutes.
4. Remove to bowl with the bulgur. To bowl, add cucumber, avocado, mint, raisins, almonds, lemon zest, lemon juice and remaining 3 teaspoons of oil; toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Top of the Apple

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 (17.5-ounce) package whole wheat potato gnocchi
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch kale or swiss chard, roughly chopped
• 4 cups diced butternut squash (about 20 ounces)
• 1 portobello mushroom, thinly sliced and halved
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 12 ounces ricotta
• 1/3 cup pecan pieces (I used hazelnuts but pecans would’ve been better)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt to a large pot of water; bring to a rolling boil. Add gnocchi. Cook until gnocchi float to the top, about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In same pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add greens and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; cook and stir until wilted, about 3 minutes.
4. Once greens are cooked, add butternut squash, mushroom, pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, maple syrup and remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt; stir and bring to a simmer. Remove to a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
5. Spoon heaping tablespoons of ricotta cheese over casserole; sprinkle with pecan pieces. Bake in oven until squash is tender and ricotta is slightly brown, about 35-40 minutes. Serve warm in bowl; drizzle with additional maple syrup if desired.

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Bon Appetit

B&O American Brasserie in Baltimore, Maryland, offers everything from juicy steaks to local seafood, but our money's on the brick-oven pizzas (or flatbreads, as they're called at the restaurant). Savor the arugula, asparagus, and fried egg version while taking in the scene at the restaurant's downstairs bar.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (packed) fresh spinach (about 2 ounces)
• 1 cup (packed) arugula leaves (about 2 ounces) plus additional (for garnish)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional (for brushing)
• 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup (or more) warm water (110°F to 115°F), divided
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 1/4-ounce packets active dry yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• Cornmeal (for sprinkling)
• 8 ounces fingerling potatoes, cooked, cooled, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch slices
• 8 ounces asparagus; thin stalks cut into 1/2-inch pieces, thick stalks cut into 1/4- to 1/3-inch pieces
• 2 large ears of corn, husked, kernels cut from cobs
• 2/3 cup fresh peas or frozen peas, thawed
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese (not drained)
• 8 large eggs
• Parmesan cheese shavings

• Special Equipment

Heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook attachment

Preparation

• Place spinach in microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle with water. Microwave until wilted, about 20 seconds. Drain, pressing on spinach to release liquid. Place spinach, 1 cup arugula, 1/2 cup oil, and garlic in blender. Blend until coarse puree forms. Transfer pesto to small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Stir 1/4 cup warm water and honey in small bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Place flour and coarse salt in stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment. Add 3/4 cup warm water and yeast mixture. Mix on medium speed until dough comes together and pulls away from sides of bowl, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if too dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Brush large bowl with oil. Form dough into ball. Place in bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic; place in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Place pizza stone or baking sheet in oven (if using rimmed baking sheet, invert sheet, rim side down). Preheat oven to 500°F. Knead dough in bowl. Cover and let rise again until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Form each portion into ball. Place on floured work surface; cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle rimless baking sheet with cornmeal. Working with 1 ball at a time, roll out dough on floured surface to 12x7-inch oval. Transfer to sheet. Spread 2 tablespoons pesto over dough, leaving 1/2-inch plain border. Sprinkle 1/4 of potatoes, 1/4 of asparagus, 1/4 of corn, and 1/4 of peas over pesto. Spoon three 1-tablespoon dollops ricotta over vegetables. Slide pizza onto stone; bake until crust is golden brown on bottom and around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush nonstick skillet with oil; heat over medium heat. Crack 2 eggs into skillet; cook just until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer pizza to work surface. Place 2 fried eggs atop pizza. Scatter shaved Parmesan and arugula leaves over. Cut pizza into wedges and serve. Repeat with remaining dough, pesto, potatoes, asparagus, corn, peas, ricotta, and eggs.

Want more meat-free ideas? Try this luscious Polenta with Green Beans, Mushrooms, Peas and Leeks or Spicy Thai Tofu with Red Bell Peppers and Peanuts.

Recipe and photo editor courtesy of Healthycrush.com

These healthy little nori rolls are exquisitely good and fun to make! I was turned onto the idea of nori rolls last week by my homegirl Robyn, who taught me how to make them. I adapted this recipe a little bit from the one I found in Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet. They are so easy, totally vegan, and make the perfect meal!

Ingredients:

     Directions:

• Place your nori sheet shiny side down. Spread a thin layer of rice evenly over the nori.

• Mix the juice from 1/2 the lemon into the tahini to make a thin sauce. Spread a very thin layer of the tahini sauce on the rice.

• Cut the other 1/2 of the lemon into a few slices.

• Place cucumber, carrot, avocado, scallions and sprouts on top of the rice. Squeeze a slice of lemon over the toppings.

• Roll nori tightly from the bottom and wet your fingers with water to seal the roll.

      • Either cut up into small pieces, or simply cut in half!

      • Mix the grated ginger into the tamari and use it as a dipping sauce! I put the ginger & tamari into my Vita-Mix and blended it up.

*If you’re not a fan of seaweed, you can make lettuce wraps instead, using collard greens or other lettuce of choice!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Healthy Crush

These savory little pot pies—named for blogger Jenny Sansouci's sister Lisa—are both meat- and dairy-free.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

Other ingredients needed:

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Lay down 4 sheets of fillo dough. Cut fillo dough into squares that are big enough to fill a muffin tin. Brush the muffin tins lightly with coconut oil before adding the dough squares.

Add the vegetables to a large skillet. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and add to the skillet along with the veggies.

Cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat until the veggies and sauce form a thick mixture. (You can always add a little more liquid or a pinch more whole wheat flour if the mixture seems either too dry or too thin.)

Spoon the mixture into the tins.

Cut out smaller fillo dough squares that fit on top of the pies.

Use a pastry brush and coconut oil to brush the tops of the pies and fold the corners of the bottom dough layer over the top square.

Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until pies look golden brown.

Remove from tins and serve.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Umami Girl

This recipe makes a satisfying plant-based main dish with a big green salad alongside.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (uncooked) brown basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 6 cups mixed fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (chanterelles, chestnuts, shiitakes, and oysters are good choices)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• About 6 ounces baby spinach
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped chives

Instructions

1. Place the rice in a medium pot with two scant cups cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until water is absorbed, about 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, still stirring occasionally, until they have reduced in volume by about half and reabsorbed any water they’ve given off during cooking, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, one minute more. Add the spinach to the pan and cook, stirring, until just wilted.

3. When the rice and the mushroom mixture are both cooked, scrape the mushroom mixture into the pot with the rice. Add the soy sauce and chives and stir together gently but thoroughly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 40 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6

Recipe and photo courtesy of Bon Appetit
Recipe by Ivy Manning
Photograph by Marcus Nilsson

Check out two more great recipes from Bon Appetit: Farro and Celery Salad and Almond-Banana Smoothie.

Courtesy of Generation Y Foodie

INGREDIENTS

2 medium delicata squash (approx. 1pound), sliced in half and seeded
1 pound fingerling potatoes, washed and halved
1 cup lactino kale, washed and chopped into 1-inch  ribbons
1 cup radicchio, washed and chopped into 1-inch ribbons
1 medium leek, halved and chopped (white part only)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, washed and chopped


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Cut delicata squash into 1/2-inch slices and arrange in a large baking dish.

3. Toss squash, leeks and potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

4. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until slightly crispy.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and rosemary.

6. Remove squash/potatoes from the oven.

7. In the roasting pan, toss the kale and radicchio with the squash and potatoes.

8. Drizzle with the dressing and toss thoroughly.

9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. The heat will wilt the greens.

10. Serve with fresh pepper and a lemon wedge.

We know what you've been thinking. How am I going to keep my Meatless Monday resolution this year? There are so many blogs and too many recipes to pick through. Jinx! We were just thinking that too. So this year TakePart's food editors will be combing the web to bring you an amazing vegetarian recipe every Monday (thanks to our friends at Bon Appetit and lots of our favorite food blogs). Whether you're just gearing up or a longtime herbivore, your plant-based dinners are about to get far more delicious.

MONDAY, JANUARY 2: BLACK BEAN CHILI WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH