This is a great pantry recipe. Most ingredients in this recipe are kitchen basics (at least in my kitchen). If you do not have anchovies or parmesan-you can still make this recipe. Also, you can sub dried herbs in place for fresh. Kali Orexi! 

Roman Pasta and chickpea soup

Ingredients:

•          Anchovies (2 filets)
•         Olive oil 
•          1 clove Garlic (chopped in half)
•          1 Large carrot (small dice)
•          1 Regular onion (small dice)
•          1 Celery stick (small dice)
•          2 cans chickpeas
•          4-5 Cups of broth
•          1 small piece Parmesan crust
•          1 Sprig Rosemary
•          1 sprig Sage
•          2 Bay leaves
•          2 Tbsp crushed tomatoes
•          Salt and pepper to taste
•          Ditalini Pasta (1 Cup cooked)

Instructions:

1     1)   In pot add olive oil. Sauté garlic until fragrant. Add onions, celery and carrots and sauté for a couple minutes. Add anchovy and let dissolve in sofritto.
2)      Add parmesan crust and the chickpeas.
3)      Add 3 cups of broth. Add rosemary, sage, bay leaf, pepper and red pepper.
4)      Add two Tbsp of crushed tomatoes and cook until chickpeas are nice and soft.
5)      Add cooked pasta. Turn off fire.
6)      Salt to taste.
7)      Finish off with parmesan cheese and olive oil. Mix for one minute to get consistency creamy. 

This is a special basil pesto.  It is DAIRY FREE but tastes like there is cheese! The miso in this recipe provides the umami flavor we love with cheese. I hope you try this and enjoy. You can use this to make a salad dressing or toss with your favorite pasta or use as a dip. Another amazing thing about this recipe is that you are getting your greens in! Toss this with some garbonzo beans and you have a delicious lunch!

Basil pesto with tahini and miso:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1/2 Cup toasted pine nuts 
• 2 Tbsp Tahini 
• 2 Tbsp White Miso 
• 2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar 
• 3 Cup Basil 
• 4 Cups Arugula
• 2 Garlic clove 
• Veg stock to taste 

Instructions:

Toast the pine-nuts until fragrant.  Add everything to food processor and process until smooth. Add more water or stock as needed to desired consistency. 

Braised Cauliflower with Chickpeas

This is a recipe from my mom. This vegan friendly dish is high in fiber and protein.  This recipe is fast and easy and requires minimal ingredients. You can eat it as main dish or as side dish. You can eat is as a stew or serve it on top of a whole grain-I would suggest an ancient grain like quinoa.  

·       1 large head cauliflower roughly chopped

·       2 medium beef steak tomatoes (medium dice)

·       1 o

nion small dice

·       6 Tbsp olive oil

·       1 Tbsp tomato paste

·       ½-1 can chickpeas

·       Salt and pepper to taste

·       1 Tbsp Garlic powder

1. Coat big pot with olive oil. Once hot, put in onions and sauté until translucent
2. Add cauliflower and stir for 5 minutes
3. Add tomatoes and stir for a few minutes
4. Add tomato paste and garlic powder
5. Add ¼ cup water or broth and chickpeas
6. Cover pot and let cook for 15-20 minutes or until Cauliflower is fork tender
7. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired 

30 Minute Easy Black Bean Soup

I LOVE making soup! This soup is easy, and quick. For more flavor development, you can cook it for longer time. I like to garnish it with cashew sour cream, avocado and green onion. YUM. Black beans are such a versatile bean. I use them in desserts, dips and so on...They give you a healthy punch of fiber and protein. ENJOY! KALI OREXI! Which means happy eating in Greek :) 

Easy Black Bean Soup

·       3 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed

·       3 celery ribs with leaves, chopped

·       2 large carrots chopped 

·       1 large onion, chopped

·       1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

·       1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

·       2 tablespoons olive oil

·       1 Tbsp Tomato paste

·       4 garlic cloves, minced

·       2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) vegetable broth

·       1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices

·       1 Tbsp ground cumin

·       1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

·       1/4 teaspoon pepper

·       1 bay leaf

·       1 teaspoon lime juice

·       1/4 cup chopped green onions for garnish

1) In a large saucepan, saute the celery, onion, carrots, red pepper and jalapeno in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

2) Mix tomato paste with 3 Tbsp of water and incorporate into saucepan. Cook for one minute.

3) Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, hot sauce, pepper, bay leaf, black beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

4) After 20 minutes, take an immersion blender or potato masher and mash some of the black beans up. You want about 50% of them mashed and the other 50% to half structure still.

5) Discard bay leaf. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream (I like to use lime cashew sour cream-recipe to come) and 1-1/2 teaspoons green onion.