At this past Friday evening’s cooking class at In the Kitchen, I shared with the students a favorite recipe of mine, adapted from the original Moosewood Cookbook. By adapted I mean that all the flavorful goodness is there, I’ve simply made it easier and less time consuming. By using canned beans and roasting the veggies, the stove/sauté time is taken out of the food prep, making this the perfect high-protein, nutrition-packed dinner for the busy person to enjoy and be nourished by. It’s fabulous as a leftover lunch, also!

VEGGIE CHILI

(adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 2 cans kidney beans
• 1 ½ cup tomato juice
• 1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 6 – 8 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large celery stalk, diced                                      
• 2 small zucchinis
• 1 large red, yellow, or orange pepper
• 1 large can tomatoes
• 2 Tbs tomato paste
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. basil
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• black pepper and cayenne, to taste
• finely chopped purple cabbage (as a topping)

optional toppings:

• finely minced parsley
• grated cheese

Preparation:

1. Add the chopped veggies, onion and half of the chopped garlic together in a baking dish; toss with olive oil, salt and pepper; roast for 20 minutes total at 350 degrees, turning the veggies over once, at the10-minute mark.
2. While the veggies are cooking, heat the tomato juice to a boil. Add the bulgur to the pot, stirring it up well, cover, and let it sit for 15 minutes.
3. In a large pot, heat the beans and the bean juice. Add in the rest of the minced garlic and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and bring to a boil – just for a moment, then turn down the heat to medium-low.
4. Add the tomato paste and let it completely mix in, stirring gently.
5. Add the roasted veggies and bulgur. Add spices to your desired taste. You can add more tomato juice if you like a thinner consistency.
6. The purple cabbage on top adds a lovely crunch and gorgeous color finish. Additional topping options are minced parsley and grated cheese. Yum!

Spinach Barley Sauté

This is one of my favorite dishes! It can be eaten warm in the winter, yet it is also delicious, cool and refreshing in the summer.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup barley, rinsed
• 3 cups fresh spinach, washed and torn
• ½ cup raisins
• olive oil
• garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preparation:

1. Place barley in a pot with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Set aside.
2. While the barley is cooking, sauté the garlic and raisins in the olive oil, for just 90 seconds!
3. Add the spinach, sauté until it is wilted and not overcooked.
4. Mix spinach sauté to cooked barley and season.
5. Just before you are ready to enjoy this dish, sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.

Tuna and White Bean Salad
A simple meal, refreshing and cool: perfect for summer!

Ingredients:
• 2 6-oz cans of tuna, drained
• 1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 roasted red peppers, packed in a jar also works
• 2 Tablespoons capers

• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped (optional)

• 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• Toasted bread, for serving

To Prepare:
In a large bowl, combine the tuna, beans, red peppers, capers, lemon zest, and tomato (if using). In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, salt, and black pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the tuna mixture and toss. Serve with the bread.
**For a variation, try adding olives, red onion, or jarred artichokes. **

Roasted Veggies Delicious as a side dish or as an addition to a green or grain salad.

Ingredients:
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves – crushed and minced

• 3 medium eggplants – sliced lengthwise into 8 wedges, each wedge cut into 3 pieces

• 3 large red bell peppers – cut into bite size pieces

• 2 medium red onions – cut into 8 wedges, layers separated


• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)

• Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

To Prepare:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Put all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the thyme leaves in, and drizzle the olive oil over the mixture.

3. Use your clean hands to mix the vegetables with the oil and herbs.

4. Arrange the mixture on a large baking sheet, spreading them in an even layer. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the vegetables and place in the oven.

5. Roast vegetables for 15 – 20 minutes, turning over once during this time, until the eggplant is tender when pricked with a knife. Remove from the oven and either serve immediately, or let them cool for later use in a green or grain salad.