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Featured Recipes

MINESTRONE SOUP
This is our favorite vegetable soup.  It makes a wonderful meal with a loaf of fresh bread. It also reheats well and we like to have it for several lunches during the week. 

Preparation Time:  30 minutes
Cooking Time:  3 hours
Servings:  8

1 ¼ cups dried red kidney beans
8 cups water
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
6-8 fingerling potatoes, chunked
½ cups fresh green beans, cut into 1½ inch pieces
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup parsley flakes
1½ teaspoons basil
1½ teaspoons oregano
½ teaspoon marjoram
¼ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1  15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1  15 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 zucchini, chopped
1 ½ cups shredded cabbage
½ cup uncooked whole wheat elbows 

Place the beans in a large pot with water to cover.  Bring to a boil, cook for 2 minutes, turn off heat and let rest for 1 hour.  (To eliminate this step, soak beans overnight.)  Drain off water.  Add onion, garlic and 8 cups of fresh water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 1 hour.  Add celery, carrot, potatoes, green beans, tomato sauce and all the seasonings.  Return to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes.  Add the garbanzo beans, canned tomatoes and zucchini.  Cook for another 30 minutes.  Then add the cabbage and pasta and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Hints:  I have many varieties of minestrone that I make throughout the fall and winter months, but this one is our favorite.  You may use any type of uncooked pasta that you like, we also like spaghetti broken into 2 inch pieces in this soup.  To change the flavor of this soup a bit, stir in a tablespoon or two (or more) of oil free pesto.   See the recipe below for a delicious version of Pesto created by the McDougall Program dietitian, Jill Nussinow.

PESTO
By Jill Nussinow, RD
Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Servings:  makes about ½ cup

2 cups chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 slice white or sourdough bread or ¼ cup dry bread crumbs
3 cloves minced garlic
1-2 tablespoons light miso (to taste)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
¼ to 1/3 cup water

Place everything except the water in a food processor.  Pulse until finely minced.  With machine running, slowly add water until desired consistency is reached.

Hints:  Coarsely chop the basil and parsley because the food processor will mince them later.  Add some blended silken tofu to make a creamy pesto sauce for pasta.

POTATO SOUP
By Marilyn Borton
Marilyn is a past participant in The McDougall Program in Santa Rosa, CA.  She sent me this recipe and said it is an old favorite that she has been making for years.  I made it a few days ago for John and myself and we loved it!  The potatoes break up a bit while cooking to make a rich, creamy broth.  We also enjoyed the leftovers for lunch over the next couple of days.
Preparation Time:  15 minutes
Cooking Time:  45-60 minutes
Servings:  6-8

6 cups vegetable broth
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
¼ to ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
dash salt

Place a small amount of the vegetable broth in a large soup pot.  Add the onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, until vegetables are tender and potatoes have started to break apart.  Serve with some fresh bread to dunk into the flavorful broth.

CARIBBEAN VEGETABLE STEW
This spicy bean stew reheats well so it can be made ahead and refrigerated until needed for mealtime.
Preparation Time:  35 minutes
Cooking Time:  60 minutes
Servings:  8-10

1/3 cup water
1 large onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
3 cups peeled & chunked sweet potatoes
1  15 ounce can tomato sauce
1  15 ounce can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1  20 ounce can pineapple chunks with juice
2 cups chunked green apples (unpeeled)
1  4 ounce can chopped green chilies
½ cup vegetable broth
1  15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1  15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1  15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Place the water in a large pot.  Add onion and bell pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.  Add sweet potatoes, tomato sauce, tomatoes, pineapple, apples, chilies and vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add beans and seasonings, mix well and continue to cook over low heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve over brown rice or other whole grains.

BARBECUE TOFU WRAPS
This may be made ahead and reheated just before serving.  It is wonderful as a leftover for lunch the next day or two.
Preparation Time:  20 minutes
Cooking Time:  10 minutes
Servings:  8-10

16 ounces firm, water packed tofu (not silken)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoons rice vinegar
½ cup vegetable broth
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1  15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1½  cups cooked brown rice
1 cup barbecue sauce
8-10 fat free flour tortillas

Drain the tofu and cut into small cubes.  Place in a shallow bowl and sprinkle with cumin, chili powder and vinegar.  Stir gently to mix.  Set aside, mixing occasionally.

Place the vegetable broth in a large non-stick frying pan.  Add onion and bell pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.  Stir in corn, black beans, brown rice and barbecue sauce.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Add tofu and continue to cook about 3 minutes longer, stirring gently when needed.

Warm tortillas.  Spoon about ½ to ¾ cup of the mixture down the center of the tortilla.  Fold up bottom of tortilla, roll up sides and eat.

Optional:  Set out bowls of shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions and additional barbecue sauce or salsa. Another option would be a small amount of bean guacamole (Quick & Easy Cookbook, page 262) or broccomole (New McDougall Cookbook, page 116).   Top the tofu-bean mixture with any of these items before rolling up.

Variation:  Use pinto or white beans instead of the black beans.

2004 John McDougall All Rights Reserved