Vegan Thai Butternut Squash Soup

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut to 1-inch cubes
2 1/2 c vegetable stock
salt and fresh ground pepper
2 T coconut oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
1 T garlic, minced
1 T ginger root, minced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 can (14 oz.) light Thai coconut milk
3 T Thai red curry paste
1/3 c natural peanut butter (no sugar added)
1 T agave nectar (or other natural sweetener)
1 T soy sauce
1/4 t ground cloves
1 lime, juiced (about 3 T)
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
extra chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)
Sriracha for serving (optional)

1. Add the butternut squash and vegetable stock to a stock pot. Salt and pepper generously. Boil the squash over medium high heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Turn off the burner and transfer both the squash and the broth to a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot.

2. In a large pan, sauté the onions in the coconut oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and red bell pepper and sauté for 5 more minutes. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, and peanut butter and heat just until the curry paste and peanut butter have melted into the coconut milk. Transfer the mixture to the stock pot. Then add the agave nectar, soy sauce, and cloves.

3. Turn the heat back on to medium and stir everything well. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the lime juice and cilantro and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

4. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro and peanuts and Sriracha.

Baked Talapia with Ginger and Cilantro

Super quick, easy and delicious. It would be great served over wild rice and with a side of roasted asparagus and garlic. I found this recipe on another blog and only made a few minor changes.

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS
4-6 tilapia fillets (about 2 pounds)
1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves
2 T grated ginger
4 T soy sauce or Bragg Amino Acids
1/3 c white wine or chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 t sesame oil
2/3 c cilantro, chopped
chopped green onions for garnish
extra cilantro for garnish
salt and fresh black cracked black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Pat the tilapia fillets dry and place each on an individual, large piece of aluminum foil. Lightly season with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Place the jalapeños, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, wine or broth, sesame oil and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse or process until blended. Spoon a generous amount onto each fillet then lightly rub the sauce into the fish. Fold the foil to enclose the fillets.

3. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through. Place the fillets over a bed of wild rice and drizzle some sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

This is the healthier version of a traditional Cuban soup. Its thick, super filling, and full of flavor. There are only about 250 calories in a serving and almost 10 grams of protein and fiber.




















SERVES 6 (1 cup portion size)

INGREDIENTS
2 T vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 t salt
2 t ground cumin
1 t chili powder
1 t cayenne powder
2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c chicken broth
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, green pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until onions and peppers are soft. Add the cumin, chili powder, and cayenne and cook until you can smell them, about 1 minute.

While onion is cooking, puree half the beans in a food processor with a 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Add the bean puree to the soup with remaining whole black beans, the remaining 1 1/2 cup chicken broth, the tomatoes, and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Serve the soup warm, garnished with cilantro and a lime wedge (and a dollop of sour cream if you need to tone down the spices).

I served my soup along with a vegetable enchilada.

This recipe was adapted from You Can Trust a Skinny Cook by Allison Fishman

Asian Turkey Meatballs

We tried this recipe for the first time on Chinese New Year. Its just the right amount of spicy and  is very filling. Perfect paired with Carrot Rice.

SERVES 3-4


INGREDIENTS
3/4 c fresh breadcrumbs
1 lb. ground turkey, pork, or chicken
3 scallions, sliced thinly
1/3 c fresh cilantro leaves
4 t fish sauce*
4 t Sriracha (or other hot pepper sauce)
1 t hot pepper flakes
4 t sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 t vegetable oil
1 lime, for serving


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, breadcrumbs and 3 T water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add turkey, scallion whites, cilantro, fish sauce, Sriracha, hot pepper flakes, sugar, garlic, and 1 1/2 t salt. Gently mix to combine and form into meatballs. In a large skillet, heat 1 T oil over medium-high heat. In batches, brown meatballs on all sides. If too many meatballs are in the oil at once, you can't keep as good of an eye on them. Transfer browned meatballs to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until cooked through, 10 minutes. Serve meatballs with Carrot Rice, scallion greens, and lime wedges.


*Fish Sauce can be substituted with soy sauce, a small amount of ground cloves, and garlic