Moroccan Chickpea and Lemon Couscous Soup

"I did not expect this to be so hot, and I did NOT expect this to be SO GOOD!"

-The seven-year-old's ringing endorsement

(Adapted from)
This came together very easily, and two out of three kids devoured it (the third is on strike from any vegetables that aren't peas or corn at the moment). The flavors are all familiar, but a bit exotic combined in this way.

·         2 Tablespoon olive oil

·         1 whole onion, chopped

·         2 whole large garlic cloves, minced

·         1 Tablespoon tomato paste

·         1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1 teaspoon ground cumin

·         1/2 teaspoon paprika

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

·         1/8 teaspoon cayenne

·         1/2 cup dry white wine

·         2 whole carrots, peeled and chopped

·         2 cups cooked chickpeas (if canned, drain and rinse)

·         4 cups vegetable broth

·         14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)

·         1 Tablespoon butter

·         1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

·         1 teaspoon lemon zest

Lemon Couscous Ingredients

·         3 cups water

·         3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

·         1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1 1/2 cups dry uncooked couscous

·         1 teaspoon lemon zest

·         Fresh mint, thinly sliced, for garnish

·          

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, salt, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric and cayenne pepper, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Add white wine and reduce until almost completely evaporated. Add carrots and chickpeas, stirring to combine with spices.

Add vegetable broth and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

While the soup simmers, prepare the couscous. In a small saucepan, bring water, lemon juice and salt to a boil over medium high heat. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in couscous and lemon zest. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover the couscous and fluff using a fork.

Once soup finishes simmering, remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, lightly puree soup, leaving it slightly chunky. Stir in butter, lemon juice and lemon zest. Top each bowl of soup with a mound of lemon couscous and sprinkle with fresh mint.

Some meatless Friday lunches

My family tries to observe meatless Fridays year-round. After a lot of peanut butter or egg salad sandwiches, I have found that the easiest way to provide an interesting Friday lunch is to either serve a meatless meal (or meatless base with meat on the side) on Thursday night as well, so as to have some leftovers to work with. Outside of Lent, we have a family Friday night pizza and a movie tradition, so Thursday often ends up as our fish night. I lack the motivation to cut up fruit at lunch time, so the kids usually have frozen berries or homemade applesauce on the side.

My kids have enjoyed

Arugula pesto pasta with broiled fish

Shrimp salad with brie

Deviled eggs, corn salad, rye bread

Tuna rice salad

Vegetable pasta salad

Vegetable stir-fry with eggs

Shrimp pasta salad, tomatoes with buttermilk dressing, goldfish in beet hummus

Imitation crab salad open face, roasted sweet potatoes, applesauce

Meatless Meals: Fried Artichoke Hearts with Succotash and Cheese Grits

A most dolorous Lent to you all! If you're looking for what not to serve for Lent, head on over to Amy Welborn's Gallery of Regrettable Lenten Foods. I'm afraid the recipe below, on the other hand, is 100% free of Ched-O-Bit or Fish Supreme.

There are multiple components to assemble here, but if you have a good mise-en-place, it all comes together quickly. Well before dinner time, I had the liquid for the grits in the pan, the succotash all chopped and mixed, and the artichoke hearts draining on a paper towel. After that, everything came together in the time it took to cook the grits.

You can use almost any kind of meltable cheese in the grits. The original recipe calls for smoked cheddar, but plain sharp cheddar, chevre, or swiss would all be tasty in their own way, too.

Adapted from The Southern Vegetarian

serves four

Cheese Grits:

• 2 c vegetable stock
• 2 c milk
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c grits
• 4 oz cheese (1 c shredded)

Combine stock, milk, and garlic in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk in grits, reduce heat to low, and simmer until done, about 10 minutes. Add cheese, stir until melted. Salt and pepper to taste.

Succotash

• 1 T butter
• 1 T oil
• ¾ c fresh or frozen corn
• 1 medium green pepper, diced
• ½ c fresh or frozen peas
• 1 small minced onion
• dash cayenne or chipotle powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring only occasionally, until vegetables have browned a bit. Remove vegetables from pan.

Mustard Pan Sauce

• ¾ c vegetable stock
• 1 T whole-grain mustard

Deglaze the succotash skillet with the stock, add mustard and cook until reduced by half.

Panfried Artichoke Hearts

• ⅓ c cooking oil
• 3 large artichoke hearts, quartered, or one 12oz jar, drained and patted dry
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ½ c flour
• salt and pepper to taste

Toss artichoke hearts in egg, then in flour. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet until shimmering, then fry artichokes for about 2 minutes per side until browned.

40 Meatless Meals: Migas

Crispy strips of stale tortillas (or tortilla chips- I won't tell) are scrambled with eggs and cheese. What's not to love? This recipe is inspired by The Homesick Texan, but my crew favors a heartier ratio of tortilla to egg (and as with the slow cooker tortilla soup, I prefer baked tortilla strips to fried). My youngest son is allergic to dairy, so we pass the cheese at the table. This quick supper easily becomes a meal when combined with a salad and slow cooker re-fried beans. Serves 4.

Vegetable oil
8 corn tortillas

8 eggs
1/4 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup grated cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 400. Brush tortillas with vegetable oil and cut into strips. Arrange on cookie sheets and bake 10 minutes or until crispy and golden.  Reserve.

Whisk together eggs and spices in a bowl.

In a skillet, saute onion in oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook a minute more. Add tortilla strips and egg mixture, scrambling gently until eggs are set but not firm. Top with cheese and cook until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

40 Meatless Meals: Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup

 

Think of this soup as a great way to use up all the leftovers from taco night- corn tortillas (of course),  rice (Spanish or otherwise), grated cheese, even some pico de gallo, sour cream, or guacamole if you have it. Inspired by The Homesick Texan, but with the heat level turned down a bit, because even my crew (who eats South Indian food most nights) found the original too spicy. Also, I maximize tortilla strips (baked, instead of fried) for direct consumption and thicken the soup with cornmeal instead. The tortilla strips and tomato/chile blend can be prepared ahead of time (refrigerate the latter until needed). Serves 6 to 8.

1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight

1 dried pasilla chile, stem and seeds removed

6-8 corn tortillas

vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced

6 cloves garlic

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 t chipotle powder, optional

2 t ground cumin

2 t dried oregano

1/4 t ground cloves

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 T cornmeal

1/2 t anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce

1 t paprika

2 T lime juice

salt to taste 

1 cup cooked rice, optional

cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, or guacamole for garnish (optional).

Cook soaked beans in 6 cups water in a slow cooker on low for 6 hours.

Place the chile in a heat proof bowl or jar and rehydrate in boiling water for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. Brush tortillas with vegetable oil, then cut into strips. Arrange on cookie sheets lined with foil and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Reserve.

In a skillet, saute onion in oil until tender;  add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Put onion, garlic, canned tomatoes, chipotle powder, cumin, oregano, cloves, cilantro, and cornmeal in blender; blend until smooth, adding 1/2 cup bean liquid if necessary. Cook tomato mixture in skillet for five minutes, then stir into beans. Cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir in anchovy paste, paprika, lime juice, salt, and rice just prior to serving. Garnish as desired.

40 Meatless Meals: Carrot Lentil soup

 

Simple pantry ingredients thoughtfully flavored come together in this hearty soup inspired by Zuppe: Soups from the American Academy in Rome

1 1/2 cups dry lentils

2 lbs carrots, divided

1/4 cup vermouth or 2 T cup apple cider vinegar

1/8 cup olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 pinch paprika

1 t fennel seeds

red pepper flakes, optional

salt

1 t lemon juice

Cook lentils in 6 cups water for 6 hours on low in slow cooker. Lentils should hold their shape but not be crunchy.

After lentils are cooked, prepare carrots. Peel them all, then cut half into large coins. Microwave cut carrots in vermouth and 1 cup water until tender; puree. Grate remaining carrots and reserve. 

Saute onion and grated carrot in olive oil in a skillet until onion is translucent. Add garlic, paprika, and fennel seeds and cook one minute more.

Stir pureed carrots and onion mixture into lentils. Add salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Cook on high for 15 minutes, then add lemon juice just prior to serving.

 

40 Meatless Meals: Provençal Seafood Stew (Weeknight Bourride)

 Reading through the second volume of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I was intrigued by her recipe for bourride, a Provencal fish soup enriched with aioli, with the bouillon and fish served separately. I have learned so much from Julia Child, but my inner frugal soul can't bring myself to use cups of vegetables only to flavor a broth or marinading a roast in a bottle of wine when a cup or two will suffice. So I took the ingredients of the bourride, increased and retained the vegetables, and served it as a stew. With the fish stock prepared ahead of time, this dish can come together quickly on a weeknight. Serves 6-8.

 

Seafood options are limited here in the wilderness, and the firm white fish Julia recommends are non existent. I opted to bolster the softer catfish with a bag of mixed seafood. 

An herby olive bread just crying out for aioli

It might have been a weeknight, but I pulled out the soup tureen.

  
Soup

3 T olive oil
2 cups each: thinly sliced onions, carrots, leeks
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
2 quarts fish or shrimp stock (can be part clam juice)
2 cups dry white vermouth
1/2 t each: fennel seed, thyme, and minced orange zest
1 T turmeric

3-4 lbs firm white fish, cubed or other seafood

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Sautee onions, carrots, and leeks until tender. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, fish stock, vermouth, and spices; bring to a simmer. Prepare aioli (recipe below).  Bring soup to a boil and add fish/seafood. When fish is cooked through, whisk in half of the aioli. Serve immediately with remaining aioli with bread.

Aioli
3/4 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise
4 egg yolks
6 garlic cloves, minced
Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

40 Meatless Meals: Cream of Fennel Soup

 

Fennel lovers, this soup is for you. Inspired by Twelve Months of Monastery Soup, this frugal and nourishing soup uses all parts of the vegetable. Serves 6.

2 T butter

1 leek (white and light green parts), chopped

1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 lb parsnips or carrots, peeled and chopped

2 fennels: bulbs chopped, stalks finely chopped, greens finely chopped and reserved

1/4 cup flour

10 cups vegetable stock

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 t fennel seeds

1/8 t red pepper flakes

Juice of one lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in large Dutch oven or soup pot. Sautee leek, potatoes, parsnips, fennel bulbs and stalks. When vegetables are all dente, work in flour to form a roux and cook until golden brown. Whisk in vegetable stock, then add garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice and simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until no lumps of flour remain.  When vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes, blend soup in batches until smooth, then return soup to a simmer. Stir in fennel greens and cook until they are wilted in the hot soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

40 Meatless Meals: Pumpkin Chestnut Soup

A few years ago, my extended family added a soup course to Thanksgiving dinner; they are often pumpkin based. Admittedly, I tested this soup (whose flavor profile was inspired by Twelve Months of Monastery Soups) in the fall, when chestnuts were plentiful. But after going through all the effort of roasting and shelling chestnuts, I think you can get a close approximation with almonds or almond butter. This creamy soup pairs well with crusty bread or a grilled cheese sandwich.

Serves 4-6.

2 T butter

1 T olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, sliced

2 garlic cloves

1 16 oz can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

10 cups stock

1 lb chestnuts, roasted and shelled OR 1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted OR 1/2 cup almond butter

1 t each: sage, parsley

1 t cider vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven. Sauté onions, potatoes, and carrots until onions are tender. Add garlic and pumpkin and continue to cook for one minute before adding stock. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes, then add chestnuts or their substitute, herbs, and vinegar. Purée in batches until completely smooth. Reheat gently and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

40 Meatless Meals: Black Bean Soup

A simple slow cooker black bean soup pairs well with pumpkin bread for a nutritionally balanced Good Friday meal. I have often frozen the pumpkin bread with excellent results, so this meal can require very little hands on time on this somber day.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup (Serves 4-6)

1 lb dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained

7 cups water or vegetable broth

1 lb frozen corn

1 T olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 t cumin

1 t oregano

1 t lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Plain yogurt and grated cheese for garnish, optional

Combine beans and water in slow cooker and cook for eight hours on low. Right before serving, add corn to crock. In a skillet, sautee remaining onion, garlic, and peppers until tender, then add to crock. Season; garnish before serving, if desired.

Pumpkin bread notes: I usually bake the batter for Smitten Kitchen pumpkin muffins (whole wheat version, with dried cranberries) in a greased loaf pan at 375 for 70 minutes.

40 Meatless Meals: Broccoli Sunshine Pasta

This quick pasta salad is good to have on hand as we approach Holy Week and the comings and goings associated with its additional liturgies. Traditional Broccoli Sunshine Salad becomes a vegetarian meal by swapping bacon/ham for legumes and tossing it with pasta. My family's version of the original salad did not include cheese, but there's no reason why you can't add some.

Broccoli Sunshine Pasta (Serves 6)

1 lb box short pasta

3 cups broccoli florets, cut in spears

1.5 cups cups cooked legumes or canned equivalent (I think kidney beans are prettiest, but anything goes- I used garbanzos in the version pictured)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 T minced red onion

1 T poppy seeds

2 T cider vinegar

1 T sugar

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup sunflower seeds (optional)

Prepare pasta according to box directions, adding broccoli in last minute of cooking. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, prepare the dressing by combining mayonnaise, onion, poppy seeds, vinegar and sugar. Drain pasta/broccoli mixture, and toss with dressing and beans. Gently fold in dried cranberries and sunflower seeds, if using. Chill before serving.

40 Meatless Meals: Salade Nicoise

 

 In my neck of the woods, we tend to get a few 70 degree days toward the end of Lent. Salade Nicoise is a perfect entree for those warmer days. I admit to painting with broad strokes- the traditional tuna, green beans, eggs, potatoes, and olives often find themselves paired with anything that looks good. My family favors a simple dressing of olive oil and lemon juice, but if you want to go all out, here's a recipe for the traditional version. Serve with crusty bread.

Salade Nicoise (serves 4)

1 head Bibb or romaine lettuce

1/2 lb green beans, blanched

1/2 lb new potatoes, boiled and cooled

12 oz can tuna packed in oil, drained

4 hard boiled eggs, quartered

1/2 cup black olives

other seasonal vegetables as desired

Dressing, as desired, in a small jug or pitcher

Arrange ingredients on a bed of lettuce on a large platter. Let each person serve themselves and dress the salad as desired.

 

40 Meatless Meals: Carrot Soup

Carrot Soup (Serves 4)

2 T butter

1 lb carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 onion, minced

1/4 cup flour

4 cups milk

salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste

1 T lemon or orange zest (optional)

This formula works for almost any vegetable or combination of vegetables, fresh or frozen. For maximum aesthetic appeal, use vegetables similar in color if combining.

In a dutch oven, sautee carrots and onion in butter until the onion is tender.  Work in the flour to form a roux.  Cook a few minutes until the roux is lightly browned. Add the milk and stir continuously until the roux is worked in and no lumps remain. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Puree soup and transfer to tureen or clean pot. Season to taste.

Delicious as this soup was, my family was hungry 90 minutes later, so I would recommend serving it with some cheese or an omelette.

Spargel (White Asparagus) Soup

The first hints of spring have finally arrived here this week, but there's still plenty of snow left in the shady spots. This soup is perfect for this transitional time of year, combining the delicate flavor of spring vegetables with a rich, creamy base. Go easy on the seasonings here; the asparagus is the real star of this dish.

Serves six.
Adapted from.

1 lb. fresh white asparagus
2 T sugar
Salt, to taste
12 tbsp. butter, divided
2 T fresh lemon juice
12 T flour
¼–½ cup heavy cream (optional)

Bring twelve cups of water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. Meanwhile, trim off the bottom ½" of the asparagus. Peel the skin from each, starting 1½'' from the top and running the length of the spear. Reserve peels. Gather spears into 2 bundles and tie loosely with kitchen string.

When water in pot comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Add the reserved peels, sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 3 T butter, and lemon juice. Return to a simmer, then add asparagus and cook until tender, 8-30 minutes, depending on thickness of asparagus (test by piercing with the tip of a knife held perpendicular to the length of the stalk). Remove asparagus from pot and drain on paper towels, then set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce stock by one-third, about 30 minutes. Strain stock and keep hot over low heat.

Melt the remaining 9 T butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for two minutes, do not brown. Whisk in hot asparagus stock 1 cup at a time and continue whisking until smooth. Simmer soup, stirring often, until thickened, about 15 minutes. If desired, add cream to taste and continue simmering for 2 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and a little more lemon juice or white wine, if you like.

Untie asparagus bundles, then cut spears into 1'' lengths and add to soup. Simmer until spears are warmed.

40 Meatless Meals: Tuna Pie

 

This tuna pie (serves 4-6) is a meatless riff on the Like Mother, Like Daughter meat pie recipe. It's equally good warm or at room temperature.  Following their preparation directions, substitute this filling:

Tuna filling (combine all ingredients)

1/4 cup grated onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 5 oz cans or one large can tuna packed in oil, drained

5 oz frozen spinach, thawed and water well squeezed out

2 cups grated Italian mix cheese

1/2 cup Kalmata olives (optional)

salt, dill, and red pepper flakes to taste

On Last Night's Table

We've had the flu (or something like it) for the past week here, and I'm slowly emerging from the fog to realize that a lot of the produce here is in dire need of using-up. First on the triage list: some lovely mulit-colored cherry tomatoes.

I drastically simplified this tomato tart recipe by laying out a piece of freezer puff pastry, slashing part way through about 1" from the edges (this helps the crust to rise), and adding mustard, honey, tomatoes, cream cheese (a more assertive cheese would have been better with these sweet tomatoes, but we use what we've got), and rosemary.

400º for 20 minutes, and all we needed were a couple of fried eggs to call this dinner.

40 Meatless Meals: Coconut Braised Chickpeas

Slow Cooker Coconut Braised Chickpeas (Serves 6-8)

1 lb dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
2 T oil
1 t ginger
1 T garam masala
1 T sambhaar powder
1 t turmeric
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
2 cups root vegetables, cubed
1 can coconut milk.
10 oz frozen spinach
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add the spices and toast for a few minutes, until fragrant.  Add onion and garlic and sautée til tender.  (Usually I do this the night before and refrigerate it, so I can just dump everything and go in the morning).

Add drained chickpeas and onion mixture to crockpot.  Add just enough water to cover chickpeas (3-5 cups, depending on how long they soaked).  Add root vegetables.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8.

At the end of cooking: depending on the amount of liquid, you may want to drain some or purée some liquid and chickpeas.  Add coconut milk and spinach and let heat through before serving.


Serve with flatbread or rice.

Tomato Soup from Scratch

For the longest time, tomato soup seemed a bit mysterious to me. I can't really put my finger on why, but I suppose I wasn't sure how one could start by simmering tomatoes and end up with something that wasn't begging for pasta. Really, though, it's as simple as getting past the tomatoishness of it, and just putting soup first in your mind. Start with a mirepoix, deglaze and simmer everything with stock. It's really just a matter of swapping tomatoes for your meat.

I certainly haven't ceased keeping a can around to crack open for lunch, but being able to use really wonderful tomatoes, which are becoming more readily available in the supermarkets, turns this into a feast in its own right.

• 1 medium sweet pepper (optional)
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 medium carrot
• 2 large stalks of celery, with plenty of leaves included
• 1 small onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 2 lbs tomatoes, peeled (see below), or 1 large (28oz) can tomatoes
• 3 c. vegetable or chicken stock
• salt, pepper, and paprika to taste

Roast the bell pepper, if using, directly over an open flame. Leave it until it is popping, crackling, and blackened, then turn to another side, and continue until it is blistered and black all over. Place it in a small mixing bowl, cover with a plate, and let steam for 10 minutes or so.

 Meanwhile, coarsely chop the onion, carrot, and celery, and saute until softened. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. When the pepper is ready, rub off most of the peel with your fingers or a kitchen rag, slice up half of it and add that, too. (Save the other half for tacos, salad topping, pasta, or just about anything. You could just add it to the soup, too; just change the name to "Tomato and Roasted Pepper Soup.")

Add the tomatoes (here, frozen from my garden), along with the stock. (If your tomatoes require peeling, add just a bit of the stock at first, cover and steam for a few minutes. Pull out the tomatoes and cool until you are able to handle them, and the peels should slip of fairly easily.)

You might just find yourself using this stuff, too.
I won't tell.

About that stock, did you know that it's permissible to use chicken stock on meatless days? Or that you can make stock for free? Whatever you do, make sure you scrape up all those lovely blackish-brown bits at the bottom of your pan after you've added it. They're pure flavor.

Cover your pot, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for about 20 minutes, until your vegetables are quite soft. Now, if you prefer a chunkier soup, and your tomatoes are fairly well mashed, you can just season to taste and serve right here. If you want a traditional dip for your perfect grilled cheese, however, you'll want to blend this thoroughly.

If you have an immersion blender, your job is quite easy. Just put it in the pot and turn it on until it's as smooth as you like. If you're using a regular blender, though, you should:

• let the soup cool down for at least 10 minutes, 
• fill the blender no more than  2/3 full
• put the lid on, then throw a kitchen towel over it,
• and hold the lid on tightly while you blend.

All of the above should prevent a highly messy and potentially scalding soup-splosion in your kitchen.

Once blended, you may return the soup to the pot to warm it back up again, and you should check your seasonings at this time. Tomatoes vary widely in flavor, as do tastes in tomato soup, so you may find yourself adding any of the following to a batch:

• for an overall lacklustre soup:
• ½ can or more tomato paste
• red or white wine
• a healthy dash balsamic vinegar
• a half-tablespoon of lemon juice
• for overly acidic tomatoes:
• white or brown sugar
• molasses
• a bit more salt
• if the soup is too cloying, or lacks "meatiness":
• worchestershire sauce
• soy sauce
• hot sauce
• mustard
• celery salt
• basil, powdered garlic, or a bit of smoked paprika can be nice additions as well. However tempting it may be, I would not recommend adding too much oregano, lest your diners find themselves wondering if you have repurposed last week's marinara sauce..

40 Meatless Meals: Italian Beans with Polenta

This simple slow cooker meal is ideal to come home to on cold Friday evenings after Stations. The beans can be prepared ahead of time and reheated. If you have never made polenta in your slow cooker, you'll be amazed to find how creamy it is without arduous stovetop stirring.

Italian Beans with Polenta (serves 6)

Beans

2 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Italian seasoning
1 lb dried beans of choice, cooked (or 3 cans of beans)
10 oz box of frozen spinach
salt and red pepper flakes to taste

Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and cook until spinach is heated thru.

Polenta
1 T olive oil
2 cups cornmeal
7 cups water or vegetable broth
pinch of salt
Parmesan cheese for serving

Grease slow cooker with oil. Add cornmeal and water and cook on high for 2 hours. Stir before serving.

Serve warm beans over polenta, garnished with cheese.

40 Meatless Meals: Tomato Poached Eggs

2/20 8:32 AM Edited to correct recipe link

I can take no credit for this recipe, but only attest to its simplicity. Basic groceries come together in an elegant entree that is greater than the sum of its parts. Plan on one to two eggs per person, and pair with a loaf of bread for a meal in under ten minutes, or with pasta to satisfy heartier appetites.