Caldo Verde "Green Soup"

This is a Portuguese soup that is easy to make with or without the meat because the base of the soup is olive oil, garlic, and onion. A quick alternative is below.

1 bunch of kale, shredded paper-thin
(some kids call this soup "grass soup", so that should give you an idea about the look of the kale. To shred, tightly roll 3-4 leaves and chiffanade. You should cut out any large tough stems.)

8 c. water
3 potatoes, peeled and diced as for mashed potatoes
1 small onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbls. olive oil
salt & pepper

Optional:
1/4 lb choriço (dried Portuguese sausage), halved and sliced thin
Acceptable substitutes: Goya chorizo, keilbasa- basically a spicy drier sausage. (Obviously for vegetarian/vegan, halal/kosher version, don't add the pork.)

In a large soup pot, sweat the onion and garlic with about a teaspoon of salt in the olive oil. When they are soft and translucent, add the water and bring to a boil with the potatoes. When the potatoes are cooked (about 20 minutes) break them up in the pot to make the base of the soup. Add the kale and simmer uncovered on medium low heat until the kale is tender, about 30-40 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the optional choriço while the soup is cooking or add to keep it meat-free until plated.

Quicker version:
If you don't want to chop and peel so much you can use 1 box of chopped frozen kale and 1 1/2 cups of instant mashed potato flakes or 1 envelope of instant mashed potato powder.

Split Pea Soup

4 cups green split peas, sorted and rinsed
1 lb smoked ham hocks or pork neck bones
1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
1 large carrot, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch peeled piece of ginger root
2 bay leaves
fresh ground pepper
8 c. water

Place the hamhocks in cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off the fat and add the peas. Lower the heat to medium, and add the onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, and bay leaves. Simmer until the peas disintegrate and the soup looks green. Add pepper to taste, salt shouldn't be necessary. Goes well with roti instead of daal.

cheating

These three recipes that I've just posted aren't actually mine. I got them through a chain mail that a friend started.
Zoe

Casamiento: red beans with rice

INGREDIENTS: for 2 people

-1 cup of rice

-1 cup of red beans (whole)

-1/4 onion

-1garlic

-red chile

-margarine

-salt

PROCEDURE:

-In a pan fry lightly onion and garlic until they are transparent.

-Add the red beans to the pan with onion and garlic and leave them fry for 20 minutes or until they are soft.

-In a separate pan prepare the rice according to the package instructions.

-Add the red beans to the rice and mix them together.

-Decorate with bits of red and green chile.

Haagse Bluf

Haagse Bluf the Hague boast.

Take the withes of 3 eggs

Half a cup of red currant juice

Some sugar

Beat with a silver fork until thick.

Serve!

Broccoli Floret Salad

this is from an organic cafe in Windham, NY.

BROCCOLI FLORET SALAD

Prep and mix the main vegetable and fruit part separately from the dressing half. Combine both together in a bowl.

As an option you can add 1/3 cup finely chopped celery and salt for taste.

This recipe will keep for three days max if well sealed with as little air as possible. Press clear plastic onto surface of salad and push out the air.b

Main Section

Broccoli - 2 heads of only the well washed florets, keep cutting to get the smallest florets, no stems

Craisens - 1/2 Cup ( sun dried fresh cranberries)

Sunflower Seeds - 1/2 Cup raw

Red Onion - 1/2 Cup finely chopped

Dressing (start off with lesser amount and add for taste, especially Veganaise, Vegetarian Soy Mayonaise)

Veganaise, 5 - 6 Tbl

Red Wine Vinegar, 5 - 6 Tbl

Agave Nectar, 3- 4 Tbl ( Nectar from Agave Dessert Cactus, the same cactus that makes tequila )

Linguine arrabiata with hot Italian sausage

Linguine arrabiata with hot Italian sausage

1 box of linguine
1 box Pomi diced tomatoes
5-6 links hot Italian sausage, cut into quarters, each piece one inch in length
1 bunch of basil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4-5 cloves of garlic minced
2-3 tbls red pepper flakes & Korean red pepper powder (kochu karu), adjusted to taste
2 tsp Italian seasoning

Cook the pasta acording to package directions for al dente, starting the whole recipe with a large pot of cold water that you'll bring to a boil. This will give you time to make the sauce. While the pasta water is coming to a boil, put the sausage in a large skillet with a lid. On medium heat, sprinkle in the hot pepper and kochu karu. Cover and brown the sausages. While the sausage is cooking, dice the onion, mince the garlic, pick the basil off the stems and wash the leaves. Put the onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and half the basil into the skillet and continue to cook until the sausage is cooked. When the sausage is cooked, add the tomatoes and stir everything together and simmer until the pasta finishes cooking. Drain the pasta when it's finished and return the pot. Drop the remaining basil into the sauce. Ladle some of the sauce into the linguini and toss to coat so it won't stick. Dish out pasta and top with sauce and sausages. Parmesean cheese is a good addition as well as some fresh ground black pepper.