Vegetarian Recipe #6: Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

10 small-medium carrots (smaller carrots, with no cracks, are sweeter)

3 medium potatoes

1 c. spinach

1 bunch leeks

1 Tbs. butter (for saute)

1 Tbs. fresh tarragon leaves

1/4 c. agave nectar

2 c. milk

4 c. vegetable stock

1/2. c. dry white wine

salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and chop carrots into chunks. Rinse and quarter the potatoes. Fill a large sauce pan 1/3

full of water, bring to a boil. Add the carrots and potatoes. Return the water to a boil, then let simmer until vegetables are soft. I choose to leave the potato skins in my soup, but you can easily remove them once the vegetables are soft, if you choose.

Rinse and chop leeks, spinach, and tarragon. Saute leeks in butter and add the spinach and tarragon once the leeks are almost soft.

Add 1/3 of potato/carrot/water mixture to a food processor or blender. Add 1/3 saute mixture as well. Add some of the vegetables stock to aid in blending. Blend until smooth. Pour back into large pot. Repeat until all ingredients have been blended. Add milk, white wine, salt, and pepper.

Let mixture simmer on stove for at least 20 minutes. Serve.

My advice: freeze half the soup and reheat in a month when you need a healthy quick meal!

Vegetarian Recipe #3: Veggie Stuffed Omelet!

Need to use up some vegetables in the bottom drawer? Try throwing them in this easy Saturday morning omelet. I always recommend free range eggs....you'll see a big difference in the color of the yolk!

Ingredients:

2 free range eggs

a splash of skim milk

a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese

1 clove garlic

salt and pepper

butter or olive oil for pan

1/2 c. chopped raw vegetables (your choice)

My favorite omelet veggies are:

• broccoli
• peppers
• onion
• asparagus
  
• spinach
• sun-dried tomatoes

Chop vegetables and garlic. Saute in small pan. Add spinach and sun-dried tomatoes after other vegetables are almost finished cooking. I prefer leaving the vegetables slightly crunchy.

In a small bowl, crack the eggs and add a splash of skim milk, salt, and pepper. Mix with a fork until egg yolks are evenly distributed. Coat large frying pan in a thin layer of butter or olive oil. Pour egg mixture into pan to form a thin layer.....it will almost look like an egg-tortilla. Let cook on medium heat until the top surface of eggs begins to dry. Use a rubber spatula to make sure the egg-tortilla does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

When eggs are finished cooking, add cooked vegetables to the top of one side of the egg-tortilla, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and fold the other half of the eggs over the vegetables. DONE!

Gently transfer your omelet to a plate.

Add salt and pepper to taste. If you're lucky enough to have an avocado in the fridge, add a few slices to the top of your omelet. Everything is better with avocado.

Vegetarian Recipe #1: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Maple Basil Dressing

This one is easy! Graham and I make it on nights we get home late (which is often) and need to throw something together in a few minutes. We keep our freezer stocked with Trader Joe's Butternut Squash ravioli just in case! I invented the dressing when we first bought Butternut Squash Ravioli and wanted an alternative to regular tomato sauces and cream sauces (which the internet recommended).

The sweetness of the maple syrup mixed with balsamic vinegar is great!

Ravioli Ingredients:

1 pack Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Ravioli

(found in refrigerator section, near hummus)

Basil Maple Dressing Ingredients:

10 fresh basil leaves

2 Tbs. sundried tomatoes

3 Tbs. real maple syrup

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

Add Butternut Squash Ravioli to a pot of boiling water. Boil 10 minutes, watching carefully so ravioli doesn't explode. Believe me, you don't want the squash filling to ooze out into the water.

Chop basil leaves and sundried tomatoes. Combine with all other ingredients, except ravioli, in a small dish. Do not heat, let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.

When Ravioli is finished cooking, strain but do not rinse. Divide evenly into two shallow bowls. Pour dressing over ravioli.

Enjoy immediately!