Vegan Recipes from Cherl

My good friend Cherl has been vegetarian for awhile, but just decided to take the plunge to vegan. I am always up for trying something new and taking a break from meat. So, tonight I made the Broccoli Soup she recommended.

Creamy Broccoli Soup (Vegan)
adapted from Whole Living Magazine, January/February 2011
serves 4

1 head organic broccoli (1 pound), cut into florets, stems thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
One 15-ounce can organic Great Northern beans, drained (Cannellini beans would work here as well)
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Steam broccoli florets and stems until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup florets for garnish.

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add beans and broth and bring mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat and add broccoli; puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish each bowl with broccoli florets, toasted pine nuts, and shaved Parmesan or cheddar cheese, if you wish.

2 out of the 3 kids ate it no problem and I thought it was really good. The only problem was I used fresh Northern beans and I don't think they were soft enough. We will definitely have this one again! I served it with drop biscuits.

She also just emailed me a Vegan Burger recipe that sounds good.

Mediterranean Lentil Burgers (from peas and thank you, you have to scroll all the way down her chatty blog post to find the recipe and photos but this is the recipe as she posts it)

• 8 oz. precooked lentils (I use Trader Joe’s Beluga Lentils, but you could make your own)
• 1/3 c. oats
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 t. vegan worcestershire sauce
• 2 t. reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 T. fresh basil
• 3-4 sundried tomatoes
• 1/4 c. chopped onion
• 1 t. dijon mustard
• 2 T. chopped kalamata olives
• salt and pepper to taste

I combined everything but the olives in the food processor, and then stirred the olives in at the end.