3 Bean and Kale Soup

1 lb pork chorizo sausage
1 cup diced tomatoes*
1/2 lb dry beans (kidney, northern or Christmas)*
1 cup dry garbanzo beans*
1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1 can V8 juice (or 1 cup tomato sauce)
3 cups water or broth
1/2 cup carrots diced
1/2 cup celery diced
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cups chopped kale
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
Parsley
Salt and pepper


The night before put the dry beans, bay leaf and water in a slow cooker.
Cook pork chorizo sausage in a skillet for 5 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the meat mix to the beans and water and turn on the slow-cooker on low heat to cook overnight.

In the morning add the rest of the ingredients to the slow-cooker and continue to cook on low heat for 4 more hours.

Optional topping for the soup: shredded cheddar cheese, sour-cream, tortilla chips.


*Araksya's Tip: You can use canned beans instead of dry beans and canned tomatoes, and skip the cooking overnight. I prepared my veggies the night before by chopping them and putting them in the containers and kept it in the fridge.

Roasting and freezing veggies

eggplants
peppers
tomatoes


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover cookie sheet with foil to make clean up easier. Place eggplants, peppers and tomatoes on a cookie sheet with the skins on. Roast them for 30 minutes or until the skins look burned. Take them out and place them in a grocery bag for a few minutes until they are cool enough to touch. Peel them and put them all mixed in a gallon or several quart size bags and freeze them. when ready to eat, heat them in a skillet with butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

You can make this and eat it before freezing, too. Just peel them and add butter while it's hot, salt and pepper and enjoy! You can also chop and add some Italian parsley, and or garlic.

Salmon and veggies in foil

2 4oz salmon fillets
1 cup carrots chopped
1 medium onion sliced
1 bell pepper chopped
1 yellow squash or zucchini chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chopped green beans
1 cup chopped kale
2 TB lemon juice
2 TB fresh Italian parsley chopped
1 tsp. dried basil (or 1 TB fresh)
salt and pepper
2 TB olive oil
Foil



Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a cookie sheet arrange 2 big pieces of foil. Divide all of the veggies into 2 and arrange them on the foil, piling them on top of each other. Drizzle 2 TB olive oil on top of each veggie pile, salt and pepper and garlic. Put Salmon on top, drizzle just a bit of olive oil, lemon juice (1 TB) season with salt and pepper, parsley and basil. Bring the ends of the foil together and seal them tightly. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Put them on plates and serve.
Carefully open the foil as the steam will come out, and eat right off the foil.


Serves 2

Slow-Cooker Lentil and Kielbasa Stew

1 lb lentils, rinsed and drained
1 or 2 cups of sliced kielbasa
10 cups chicken or beef stock or broth
1 lb carrots sliced
2 cups zucchini coarsely chopped
1 cup bell pepper coarsely chopped
1 onion chopped
1 can corn
2 cups spinach (fresh or 10 oz bag frozen)
2 TB minced garlic
2 TB dried Italian parsley or 1/2 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Oil


In a big skillet heat oil and brown the kielbasa. Place lentils in slow-cooker, and add the stock or broth, and the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Makes 8 servings

Split Pea Soup

2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp marjoram
1 lb pork sausage
1 lb (2 1/4 cups) green split peas
3 quarts water
1/2 cup flour
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced potatoes


Wash split peas and sort. In large saucepan combine water and seasonings (top 3 ingredients) and bring to boil. Add peas gradually so water doesn't stop boiling.
Cook sausage in the skillet, and add flour when the sausage is browned. Cook for a minute, and then add to the soup, cover, and simmer until peas are tender - 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add veggies and cook for another half hour to an hour.

Fiesta Casserole

1 lb ground turkey (beef or pork)
2 cups cooked rice
1 can beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup corn
1 jar salsa
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups shredded cheese
1 TB chili powder
3 cloves minced garlic
oil
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350 F.

Heat oil in a big skillet and cook the meat until lightly browned. Add onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes and chili powder. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Then add tomato sauce, salsa, garlic, salt and pepper and cook another 5 minutes.
In a big bowl mix the cooked veggie-meat mixture with rice and half the cheese. Put it in a casserole dish and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and turning brown.


Serves 8-10 people

Armenian Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked chopped beef, ham or bologna
2 cups canned green peas, drained
2 potatoes
2 carrots
2 eggs
1 cup pickles, diced
1 1/2 cups sour-cream
2 TB oil (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste


 Directions:

Put raw potatoes, carrots and eggs into a medium pot with water to cover the veggies and cook on the stove until they are all tender. Drain and peel them once they are cool to touch and then dice them. Mix everything in a big bowl. You can add more sour-cream if you like.


Araksya's Tip: You can cook the meat with the veggies or you can use leftover meat for the salad.

2 in 1: Greek Mousaka & American Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant (2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can (14.5oz) stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms 
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2-3 large potatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 cup (9 ounces) ricotta cheese*
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• red paprika
• olive oil 
• 2 TB butter 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss eggplant with oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer, and roast in the oven until soft and golden, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer eggplant to casserole dish, spreading in an even layer. In a large saucepan, warm oil over medium heat. Add onions, and ground meat; cook, stirring to prevent sticking, until meat is browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add peppers and mushrooms and cook a couple more minutes then stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes. Spread the mixture evenly over the eggplant. 

In a pot boil potatoes in water until cooked. Drain and mash them with butter. Add ricotta, egg, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and salt to taste.  

Pour mixture over the casserole, and spread evenly to the edges. Sprinkle some red paprika on top. 

Heat broiler.  Broil until topping is browned in spots, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot. 

Makes 6 Servings   

*Araksya's Tip: You can use other kinds of cheeses you have. You can replace cheese with sour-cream.

Araksya's Spaghetti Sauce

My husband says it's the BEST spaghetti sauce he has ever eaten!

Ingredients:

1 jar spaghetti sauce with basil (store bought or homemade)
1/2 eggplant peeled and diced
1/2 yellow squash diced
1 onion sliced
1 green pepper diced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 lb bacon pork sausage (I added some hot sausage to it)
2 TB tomato paste and 1 cup hot water mixed together
1 tsp dry basil
2 TB fresh parsley chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper
coconut oil

Directions:


In a big skillet heat oil. Cook pork sausage until golden brown. Add onions and let them cook until translucent. Push the meat and onions aside and cook the eggplant, squash and mushrooms in small batches for couple minutes each time you add more veggies. After they get cooked, mix everything together, add tomato paste, the spaghetti sauce, garlic and spices/herbs. Turn the heat down, cover the lid and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve over any kind of pasta with Parmesan cheese.

Makes 8-10 servings

Armenian Eggplant Spread (caviar)

This is my favorite eggplant/vegetable spread I grew up eating in Armenia! Very delicious!

Ingredients

2 eggplants
6 red or green bell peppers
3 big onions
3 carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 TB tomato paste
1 pinch sugar (or stevia)
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
1 cup vegetable oil


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line big cookie sheets with aluminum foil and arrange the eggplants, peppers and onions on them WITH the skins on! Don't even peel the onions. Roast them until the skins look dark brown (about 45 minutes or even longer).

In a small pot or a microwave steam the carrots with little water until soft. Mash them well with a potato masher. Blend the tomatoes in a blender and set aside.

Once the vegetables are roasted well put them into a bag and let them sit for a few minutes to get the skins loosened up. Once they are cooled enough to handle, peel all of the roasted vegetables, remove the cores and seeds from the peppers. Blend the onions in the blender and then put in a big skillet with oil and then start sauteing over medium heat on the stove. Cook the onions until they are golden brown. While the onions are cooking blend the rest of the vegetables and parsley.

Once the onions are golden brown add tomato paste and ground-up tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the rest of the vegetables, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper and cook for an hour to 1 1/2 hours on a low heat stirring occasionally. It will be ready when the liquids are evaporated and it looks thick enough for a spread or dip.

this is what it should look like after it's done cooking

Truffle Cookies

Ingredients

2 sticks of butter
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl mix all the ingredients together with a hand mixer except for the last 3 ingredients, until everything is blended nicely.

Take some batter into your palm and with the tips of your fingers shape them into cones/pyramids. I like to use 1 tablespoon batter for each truffle. Put them onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake them for 17 minutes. Don't let them brown or even get pink, so that they melt in your mouth once they are cooked.

Meanwhile prepare the topping by mixing the powdered sugar and cocoa powder (and the nutmeg, if using) on a big plate or in a shallow container. While the truffle cookies are HOT dip them into the powder and set them on a tray until you have done so with each one of them. You'll need to do the same for the second coating and then dust the rest of the powder over them to look nice.

Makes 44 truffles (if using 1TB batter for each one)

Quote of the week

"Don't take a butcher's advice on how to cook  meat. If he knew, he'd be a chef"

Andy Rooney

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup regular oats
• 1 1/2 cups milk (I used Almond Milk)
• 2 cups chopped raw sweet potatoes
• 1 ripe large banana mashed
• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/3 cup raisins and chopped dried apricots
• 2 tbsp molasses
• a pinch of salt

Crunchy Topping:

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 3 packets Stevia* 

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

  In a medium size pot combine sweet potato and 1 cup of water and cook until the potatoes are tender. Mash them coarsely with a fork. Empty it into a bowl and set aside.
  In the same pot add the oats and milk and bring to a boil. Add the rest of the ingredients including the sweet potato (except for the crunchy toppings) and cook for about 5 minutes.
  Make the crunchy pecan topping by mixing together the pecans, flour, butter, and Stevia with a fork until very clumpy. Pour the oatmeal into a small baking dish and sprinkle on the pecan topping.
  Bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 350F. Then set oven to BROIL and broil on for a couple minutes, watching very closely so you do not burn the topping.

Makes 3-4 servings


*Araksya's Tip: If you don't have Stevia you can use any dry sweetener you have, or just 1/4 cup brown sugar.

Spaghetti Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 package (16 oz) spaghetti
1/2 lb pork sausage
1 small onion chopped
1 jar (24 oz) spaghetti sauce*
1 cup peas, canned or frozen
1 cup corn, canned or frozen
1 cup chopped broccoli
3 roasted red peppers chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic minced
2 eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 TB butter softened
2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Cook spaghetti to al dente. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook pork sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is brown; drain. Add the vegetables and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in spaghetti sauce and garlic, and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
Makes 10 servings.

*Araksya's Tip: I made my own spaghetti sauce by blending fresh tomatoes and other vegetables (celery, beets, carrots, onion, garlic).

Quote of the week

Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art.
It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements.

Marcel Boulestin

Cracked Wheat with veggies

Ingredients

2 cups cracked wheat*
4 cups water
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 onion halved and sliced
1 cup shredded butternut squash or hubbard squash
1 can shredded chicken or turkey
1 cup tomato sauce
1-2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 TB olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Put cracked wheat into a big pot with water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and cover to cook until the water is mostly absorbed and the wheat is soft. Add some salt to taste. Turn off the heat but keep the pot covered with the steam inside to continue softening the wheat.

While the wheat is cooking heat oil in a skillet and saute onions until they turn golden brown. Take the onions out and add mushrooms and peppers and squash to the hot skillet. You can add more oil if needed. Once the veggies are soft bring the onions back to the skillet and add chicken or turkey, tomato sauce, garlic, salt and pepper and parsley. Bring it to a boil and pour the veggie sauce over the cooked wheat and let it cook for 5 minutes or so.

Makes 6 servings

*Araksya's Tip: I crack my own wheat with a blender by pulsing small batches at a time for 4-5 seconds!

Hubbard Squash Salad

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

Healthy Pasta Salad

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.

Minestrone Soup

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.

Borscht (Cabbage and Beet soup)

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.