Ingredients
4 cups raw shredded hubbard squash
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup orange juice
1 TB orange zest
1 TB honey
Directions:
Combine cranberries, orange juice, orange zest and honey in a small saucepan and cook for 5 minutes. Pour it warm over the squash and mix well.
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients
1 lb pasta
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup fire-roasted red peppers* chopped
1 cup chopped Swiss chard or spinach
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
1 cup homemade Italian dressing (recipe below)
Italian dressing recipe
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dry basil
1 tsp dry Italian parsley
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup oil (any kind)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Directions
Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Mix all the vegetables and herbs in a big bowl and add pasta to the bowl. Add the dressing and mix well and chill everything in a fridge for an hour or so.
Makes 10 servings
* Araksya's Tip: If you don't have fire-roasted red peppers you can use fresh red or green bell peppers.
Cucumbers and/or radishes are also good additions to this salad.
Ingredients
1/2 cup minced white onions (about 1 small onion)
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup frozen cut Italian green beans or canned
1/2 cup minced celery (about 1/2 stalk)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
4 cups vegetable broth
2 TB olive oil
2 cups dry red beans
1 cups dry broad beans*
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrots shredded
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 TB fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil2 TB minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup small shell pasta or any kind you have
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.
Add vegetable broth to the pot, plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, herbs, and spices. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.
Makes 8 servings
Araksya's Tip: You can add cooked shredded chicken to the soup. I like it with ground turkey sausage with no spices in it.
* You can use any kind of beans you have or like. You can also use canned beans.
Ingredients
1 medium cabbage shredded
1 small beet peeled and diced
2 carrots diced
1 bell pepper coarsely chopped
3-4 potatoes diced
1 onion chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
2 TB tomato paste
1/4 cup Italian parsley chopped
2 TB olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry basil or 2 TB fresh
1-quart broth (beef or chicken) or water
salt and pepper
Directions
Heat oil in a big pan, add onions and cook until transparent. Add tomato paste and sauce, basil, paprika, and stir well. Then add the rest of the vegetables to the pan, the broth, salt, and pepper and let it cook for 30-40 minutes or longer until the vegetables are cooked well but still a little crunchy. Add parsley and turn the heat off.
Makes 8 servings
Araksya's Tip: You can add beef (ground or chunks) to this dish. If adding ground beef then cook the meat with onions. Or you can cook any beef pieces in water with bay leaf and use that broth for the soup with the meat.
