Your Wish is My Command

Easy Corn Chowder

from The American Vegetarian Cookbook from the Fit for Life Kitchen

by Marilyn Diamond

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups diced white onions

1 1/2 cups celery

1/2 cup diced carrot

3/4 cup diced bell pepper (any color)

4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

8 cups water

2 tablespoons light miso

3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

3 tablespoons minced green onions

1. Measure oil into a large soup pot. Add onions, celery, carrot, and pepper and saute until vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add potatoes and sage. Mix well and saute an additional 3 minutes.

2. Add water, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender but not mushy.

3. Remove 1/2 cup of broth and dissolve miso in it. Add to soup and mix well. Cook soup an additional minutes, stirring continuously.

4. Remove 1/3 of soup with lots of vegetables in it and set aside. Blend remaining 2/3 of the soup until smooth with hand blender or food processor. Stir in reserved soup, corn, and green onion.

5. Bring soup to a low boil, stirring frequently, and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat, continuing to stir so soup does not stick to the bottom.

Mujadarrah (Lentils and Rice with Fried Onions)

from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

by Deborah Madison

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 very large onion, sliced into rounds 1/4 inch thick

1 1/4 cups green or brown lentils, sorted and rinsed

salt and fresh black pepper

3/4 cup white or brown long-grain rice

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it's a rich, dark brown, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, put the lentils in a saucepan with 1 quart water and 1 teaspoon salt, Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Add the rice, plenty of pepper, and, if needed, additional water to cover. Cover and cook over low heat until the rice is done, about 15 minutes. Stir in half the onions, then cover and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes. Spoon the lentil-rice mixture onto plates or platter and cover with the remaining onions. (I don't do this, as my kids hate onions, but love lentils and rice!)