Healthy and hearty soup

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (or Thanksgiving turkey)
1 10oz container mushrooms, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
10 cups chicken broth or water
1 15oz can pinto beans (or any kind you like)
4 cups kale or bok-choy, or both, chopped
1/2 cup millet
1 cup couscous
2 bay leaves
1 tsp turmeric
1/3 cup parsley, dill, and cilantro, chopped (or any one of them)
olive oil
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 black pepper
1 tsp paprika


Heat oil in a large pot and saute onions, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes.
Stir in garlic and the rest of the ingredients except for the herbs and kale, and bring to a boil.
Cover and turn the heat down and cook for 15 minutes. Add the herb mix and the kale and cook for another couple
minutes.


Serves 10

Homemade Vegetable Wash

This recipe is from TheSilverEdge.com

Cabbage Stew

1 medium head cabbage shredded in food processor
1 lb ground beef (turkey or pork)
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 cup broth or water
1 cup mushrooms chopped (optional)
1 medium onion sliced or chopped
1 red or green bell pepper chopped
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1/3 cup chopped mixed herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro)
1 tsp dry basil
olive oil
salt and pepper


Heat oil in a Dutch oven pot and add onions. Let them get a little brown on the edges. Add ground beef, mushrooms, dry basil, salt and pepper and cook until the meat gets nice and brown. (If you are using pork sausage, no need to season the meat). Add the cabbage to the pot and stir a few times until the cabbage shrinks and gets moist.
Put the remaining ingredients, except for the herbs, into the pot, cover and let it cook until the cabbage is tender but still a little crunchy. Finish it off with the fresh chopped herbs.


Serves 6-8

Quinoa, Kale and chicken dish

I ordered a salad in Florida that was so good. When we got home from our trip I tried to replicate the dish. After a few tries, this one is the best! I think we love this even more than the original dish in the restaurant.


2 cups raw kale, chopped
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup shredded carrots
1 big tomato, chopped
1 can fire-roasted red peppers, sliced
1/3 cup pesto*
salt and pepper to taste




Combine all of the ingredients in a big serving platter. It can be served warm as soon as the quinoa is cooked and everything mixed together or just at room temperature. It will taste really good to squeeze some fresh lemons on top.

Serves 6-8


*Araksya's tip: I make my own pesto by blending fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper with olive oil in a blender. I also make pesto using dill, Italian parsley, and cilantro instead of basil.

Easter Trout in water

1 trout cut in 4 pieces (any kind of fish will work)
4 slices of lemons
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh mixed herbs (dill, cilantro, parsley) chopped
1/2 cup fresh green onions chopped
salt and pepper
1 TB butter
1 tsp seafood seasoning (optional)



Stuff each piece of fish with herbs and green onions, season them with salt and pepper, and seafood seasoning.
Place the lemon slices in a deep skillet, put the fish on the lemons, add butter and water to the skillet. Cover and cook for 5 minutes then gently turn the fish over and cook for another 3 minutes or until the fish looks pink.


Serves 4

Armenian Rice Pilaf with raisins and dried fruits

This is my favorite Armenian Easter dish!

1 cup rice

1 cup raisins and dried fruit (apricot, dates, chopped)
2 TB butter
1 TB honey
a pinch of salt


Cook the rice following the instructions on the package. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet and add the raisins and dried fruits. Cook them for 2-3 minutes until they look shiny and moist. Add honey, and a pinch of salt.

Mix the raisins with the pot of rice and stir well. If it looks a little dry, add more butter.



Araksya's tip: You can only use raisins if you don't have other dried fruits. I used regular and golden raisins, dried apricots, peaches, and dates.

Ginger, bok-choy soup

Ingredients


4 cups bok-choy
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup rotisserie chicken shredded
3 oz Chinese noodles
3 cloves garlic mashed
1 TB fresh ginger minced
2 TB soy sauce
2 TB olive oil
1 egg
1/4 cup green onions chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill and parsley (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of paprika


Heat oil in a pot and add chicken, garlic, and ginger. Cook for a minute stirring constantly.
Add the broth, soy sauce and bring it to a boil. Cut the bok-choy into thin strips and add them and the noodles to the pot. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Beat the egg in a small bowl and slowly add it to the hot soup while stirring the soup.
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for another minute. If the soup isn't salty enough, just add more soy sauce.

Serves 4-5

Easy and simple fried veggies

Bok-choy with veggies



4 cups of chopped pak choi
1 eggplant, diced
1 tomato, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
sunflower oil
salt and pepper
soy sauce (optional)


Heat oil in a big skillet. Once the oil is hot, cook the eggplant until they start browning. Add the tomatoes, pak choi, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
If you decide to use soy sauce then leave the salt out, and just add some soy sauce at the end of the cooking.

Serves 3-4

Araksya's tip: You can use kale, turnips, swiss chard or spinach instead of pak choi.


Fried veggies


2 skinny eggplants or 1 big eggplant
1 big bell pepper (yellow, orange, or red)
2 tomatoes, chopped
sunflower oil for frying
salt and pepper



Heat enough oil on medium heat to cover the bottom of a big skillet. While the oil is heating, peel the eggplant in stripes leaving some skins on. Cut them in half lengthwise and slice them. Clean the pepper and slice them in stripes.

Fry the eggplant and peppers in small batches until they start browning. Add tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Serves 3-4



                                   

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