Shout out to my sister for sharing this recipe.  She sent it to me ages ago but I just now have (nearly) all the spices required.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger root, minced (or equivalent from jar)
• 1Tbs ground coriander
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric (haldi)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 15oz can chopped tomatoes
• 2 15oz cans garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 1-2 fresh Serrano peppers, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Cook the onion, garlic and ginger in 3 Tbs oil until soft.
2. Add all the spices and fry over low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add the tomatoes with juice, then add the beans. Cook 30 min over low heat.
4. Add the garam masala, chopped chili, lemon juice, and salt the last few minutes.
5. Serve with Indian bread or jasmine rice.

Hummus recipes are pretty straightforward, so there's nothing earth shattering here.  But I just found a fantastic, basic concoction that worked wonderfully.  No sun-dried tomatoes, no roasted peppers (both of which are awesome)...just standard hummus goodness.  Real tahini is an absolute must.  No substitute.  Trust me.

Ingredients

• 1 can (15.5 oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cloves garlic (or more)
• 4-6 Tbps lemon juice
• 1 tsp dried parsley (or 1 Tbsp fresh minced)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 - 1 tsp ground cayenne or chipotle
• 1/4 cup tahini

Instructions

1. In food processor, combine garbanzos, garlic, and lemon juice and process until smooth
2. Add tahini, parsley, cayenne, and salt and blend until desired consistency is reached
3. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with anything: fresh veg, pita chips, toasted pita bread, in whole wheat tortillas (served quesadilla style), or in your favorite recipe

I lifted this recipe from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen (original here).  Again, I use oil to sautee where her recipes attempt to cut out as much fat as possible.  I also added spinach and grape tomatoes to serve.

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 teaspoons good curry powder (or adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne or other ground red pepper (or to taste)
• 2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• Handful of raw spinach, chopped
• 12-24 grape tomatoes, halved
• Olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a medium-sized, non-stick sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and some salt/pepper.  Cook onions until they soften, stirring occasionally.
2. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
3. Add the chickpeas, curry powder, and red pepper, and stir briefly. Add the tomatoes and cooked quinoa, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Add salt to taste.
4. Serve in pita bread/pockets with chopped spinach and grape tomatoes.  Can also serve wrapped in lettuce leaves, wheat tortillas, other wraps, or naan.

Super simple and healthy recipe based on VeganDad's, but slightly adjusted for my taste.  Candice prefers to eat this cold.

Ingredients

• 16 oz whole wheat rotini (or other pasta variety - the cooked spinach twists nicely around the rotini)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup marsala, or red wine
• 1-2 15 oz cans canellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 28 oz can can diced tomatoes (italian seasoned if possible, include juice and all)
• basil (fresh or dried) to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups (or more) baby spinach, arugula, or a mixture

Instructions

1. Cook pasta in salted water until just slightly underdone (before al dente)
2. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion for 5-7 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and sautee 1 minute more.
3. Add wine and beans and mix well. Let bubble and reduce mixture on low heat for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and mix well. Season to taste with basil and salt and pepper.
4. Drain pasta and return to pot. Return pot to medium heat. Add in sauce and spinach. Bring to bubbling and let cook for 8-10 minutes, or until pasta and spinach has fully cooked and sauce has reduced.

The original recipe calls to serve this warm.  I made this as a side dish to the Black & Tan Burritos but we were too full to touch it.  So we ate it cold for lunch the next day and it was so outstanding I will only serve it cold henceforth.  Allowing it to cool gives the sauce an opportunity to bind to the ridges in the pasta noodles.  Fabulous.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat ziti or penne pasta (I might have used the whole box...who keeps track of these things anyway :)
• 8 ounces (one tub) Tofutti brand cream cheese substitute
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, rinsed, and minced (don't seed or rinse if you want mega heat)
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro (optional)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup spinach, chopped and cooked
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 2-3 tablespoons Tofutti Sour Supreme
• 2 teaspoons Penzey's Adobo seasoning
• salt

Instructions

1. In a bowl, bring cream cheese to room temperature to soften.
2. Add minced jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, green onions chopped, spinach, milk, sour cream, Adobo seasoning, and pinch of salt.
3. Mix well.
4. Warm over very low heat while cooking pasta - don't boil, burn, or scald.
5. Cook pasta al dente; drain and let it cool a bit.
6. Add pasta to the cream sauce and mix well.
7. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Incredibly easy meal.  Plenty for leftovers.  I bought Soyrizo to add to the mix but completely forgot to use it.  I used some leftovers to make another one for lunch and I ate it cold.  Just as good.  One could adapt this recipe and make tortilla roll-ups with toothpicks to serve as appetizers.

Ingredients

• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1/2 cup salsa (plus extra for topping/dipping)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1-2 cups cooked corn kernels
• 4-8 flour tortillas (get the 10" burrito size)
• 2 cups shredded raw spinach (or lettuce)
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• Tofutti Sour Supreme (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the black beans, corn, salsa, and rice in a large saucepan and heat slowly for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. In an ungreased skillet, heat a tortilla until warm and soft,
4. Remove from skillet and spread a line of the bean mixture down the center.
5. Top with spinach, tomato, and more salsa, if desired.
6. Roll the tortilla around the filling, then repeat with the remaining tortillas.  Some tortilla packages have burrito rolling instructions printed on the back.

Lifted this recipe from the sweet beet and green bean blog and made some customizations and clarifications.  They are the best veggie burgers I've made to date.  I used Penzey's "Barbecue of the Americas" seasoning plus a little cumin.  Money.  In fact, you could doctor them up to replicate any of the store bought veggie burger varieties: roasted garlic, tomato/basil, spicy southwest, etc.  Be advised, I tried to bake these at first and it was a mistake.  Definitely pan fry them.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c dry kidney beans
• 1/2 c dry quinoa
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp cumin (or any other flavorful spice or spice combo)
• 1/4 c corn starch
• 1 tbsp olive oil (plus some for frying)

Instructions

1. Soak the kidney beans for 6-8 hours.
2. Add the beans and dry quinoa to 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
3. Cook the beans and quinoa covered on low heat for about 20-30 minutes until most of the water has cooked off and the beans and quinoa are tender.
4. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
5. In a medium sized bowl mash the beans with a potato masher or fork until large chunks are gone.  Mix in the spices, corn starch and oil.
6. Heat olive oil (about 1 tablespoon per patty) in a frying pan over medium heat.
7. Fry the patties until they are brown on each side, which should take about 2 minutes per side.
8. Serve immediately or keep warm on a plate in the oven.

I pinched this recipe from vegweb.com.  My first attempt was very good as I used a combination of dried cranberries, dried "tropical" fruits (pineapple, mango), and soy nuts as the mix-ins.  The possibilities are endless.  If you cut the mass into 9 bars, I estimated ~350 calories per bar.  Rolled oats bring the caloric thunder.

Ingredients

• 1 cup vanilla flavored soy protein powder
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup oat bran or wheat bran
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, (depending on how sweet you like it)
• 1 cup mix-ins (dried fruit, nuts, etc.)
• 1 1/2 cups plain or vanilla soy yogurt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan and a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Mix together the protein powder, flour, oats, bran, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  Add in the brown sugar and mix-ins.
3. Combine the yogurt, oil, and vanilla in a separate bowl, stirring well. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix until thoroughly blended.  For best results, use a hand or countertop mixer.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared 9 by 13-inch pan, patting it even and level with your hands.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and cut into bars of any size.
6. Place the bars on the prepared cookie sheet about a half an inch apart and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

I lifted and slightly modified this recipe from ieatfood.net, a very cool vegan cooking blog.  It called for pre-made seitan but I created my own using an adaptation of the Vegan Campus method.  I served the seitan cutlets over raw spinach & arugula over a bed of seasoned rice.

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken-style seitan
• 3 Tbsp light miso paste
• 2″ piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (or red chili paste)
• chopped scallions, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place all of the ingredients except the “chicken” and scallions into a food processor, blender, or mini-chopper.
3. Process until smooth.
4. Coat each piece of “chicken” with the miso/ginger sauce, place on a baking sheet or pan, and cover with any remaining sauce.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Got this one from FatFreeVegan.com.  I modified it slightly to include some fat because fat is good.  I also had 1/2 a red bell pepper in the fridge so I chucked it in there as well.  I imagine most/all curry powders would do, but the one I used is a standard, yellow curry - mild heat.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces pasta — penne, ziti, elbow macaroni, whatever
• 2 Tbps Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion — chopped
• 2 cloves garlic — minced
• 1/2 or 1 medium green bell pepper — finely diced
• 4 cups cauliflower flowerets — cut in bite-sized pieces
• 28 Oz diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 16 ounces chickpeas, canned — drained & rinsed
• 1/2 cup raisins, seedless
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat parsley - finely chopped
• salt and pepper — to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta per instructions until al dente, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until golden.
3. Add the cauliflower, pepper, tomatoes, curry powder and basil. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is just tender.
4. Add the chickpeas and raisins and simmer for 5 minutes longer.
5. In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the cauliflower mixture. Stir in the parsley, then season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

I also pinched this one from FatFreeVegan.com but made some modifications. I use oil to saute instead of water or broth.  I also found this recipe needs more heat and more cooking time than she suggests to heat it all the way through.  Maybe my oven is weak ass.  Despite this recipe being void of cheese, the tortilla layers really soften up nicely and offer a quasi-gooey texture.  Great comfort food, but you will get power gas.  Be warned.

Ingredients

• Olive Oil
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (choose your heat level)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• corn tortillas - at least 12
• Large can (28-30 Oz) fat-free or vegetarian refried beans
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1-2 tsp. chili powder, divided
• 1/2-1 tsp. cumin, divided
• 3 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• sliced black olives (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the peppers, garlic, and onion for about 3 minutes, or until softened. Set aside.
3. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the bottom with a layer of tortillas (depending on the size of these, you may need to cut some of them to fit). Make sure you cover the entire bottom of the pan.
4. Loosen the refried beans by stirring in a bowl and spread half of them evenly over the tortillas.
5. Cover the refried beans with half of the pepper-onion mixture and half of the tomatoes; sprinkle with half of the seasonings and half of the black beans.
6. Add another layer of tortillas and repeat the layers of the other ingredients. Spread the cup of salsa over the final layer of black beans.
7. Cover with a final layer of tortillas, pour the enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with black olives.
8. Cover and bake for about 1 hour or until hot throughout.
9. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

My sister introduced me to this recipe during one of our Illinois football tailgates.  Wish the Illini were as good as this dish.  I adapted it to my tastes.  Quantities in this recipe carry a 10% a margin of error.

Ingredients - Salad

• 1 16 oz package shredded coleslaw mix
• 16 oz shredded red cabbage
• 4-6 green onions, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 2 packages of ramen noodles, broken up inside bag
• Toasted sliced/slivered almonds, to taste
• Sunflower seed kernels, to taste

Ingredients - Dressing

• 1 cup vegetable oil (I usually have corn in the house, but canola, etc will work)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4-1/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1-2 tbps sesame oil
• Ramen noodle seasoning packets (from above)
• Soy sauce to taste

Instructions

1. In large (massive) bowl, combine coleslaw mix, red cabbage, green onions, both peppers, and ramen noodles.  Toss well
2. In small to medium bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and whisk well until sugar is dissolved
3. Serve salad in bowls, garnish/top with sunflower seeds and almonds.
4. Dress and enjoy

This approach to seitan yields a very meaty, beef style protein product.  I will soon adapt this recipe to Greekify it for vegan gyros.

Ingredients

Seitan

• 1 1/2 Cups Vital Wheat Gluten Flour
• 1 Cup Vegetable Broth
• 1/8 Cup Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 1/8 Cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes
• 1 Tsp. Wheat Germ
• 1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Simmering Broth

• 5 Cups Water
• 5 Cups Favorite Vegetable Broth
• 1 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbs. Lemon Juice
• several thick rings raw onion

Instructions

1. Assemble dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
2. In a separate, smaller bowl, mix together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, tomato paste, and olive oil. Stir or whisk until smooth.
3. In the center of the dry ingredients, create a well. Pour in the wet mixture.
4. Using hands or a wooden spoon, mix the liquid with the wheat flour. Firmly push down on the covered liquid and then cover it again with unmixed gluten flour. Continue this process until you have formed a sticky ball of gluten.
5. Knead the ball for about two minutes. Then let it rest for 10 minutes while you get your pot on the stove.
6. Assemble liquids and onion rings in large pot but do not turn on heat.
7. Take the gluten ball and cut it into three equal pieces. Place the chucks in the broth and turn on the stove. Cover and bring to a boil.
8. When the seitan comes to a boil, remove the lid half way and reduce heat to medium low or whatever yields a simmer.
9. Simmer for 60-90 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool for 30 minutes in simmering brine.

Store any unused seitan in the liquid. This keeps for about 2 weeks.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, cook the onion until translucent.
2. Stir in the garlic and chili flakes; cook until the garlic has begun to soften, about 1 minute.
3. Add the carrots, tomatoes, artichokes, garbanzo beans, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the carrots are tender.
4. Season with sage, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes more to meld the flavors.

Thanks to John Piland for this unique pasta dish.  I made this with homemade wheat spaghetti noodles and it kicked ass!

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves - chopped
• 2 lg red jalapenos - seeded and finely chopped (green will work too)
• 2 lg fennel bulbs - cut into thin wedges
• 1 1/2 c. low-salt broth
• 4 T Italian flat leaf parsley - chopped
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 t fennel seeds - lightly toased in a dry skillet
• 1 lb. spaghetti
• 1 1/2 c. nice Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat oil, saute garlic and peppers 1 min over med heat.
2. Add fennel, cook until beginning to soften - 5 mins.
3. Mix in broth, 2 T parsley, lemon juice, fennel seeds.
4. Bring to boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until fennel is very tender - 20 mins.
5. Remove from heat and season with s&p.
6. Cook pasta and drain. Heat fennel mixture until nearly dry. Add pasta and combine.
7. Top with parsley and Parmesan.

Ingredients

Sauce

• 1 cup soy yogurt, unsweetened
• 1/2 large cucumber, peeled and grated
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon raw sugar (to taste)

Seitan

• 1 lb seitan, shaved into thin, bite-sized bits
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

Sandwich Toppings

• 2 small tomatoes, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cups lettuce, shredded
• 6 pieces pita bread, warmed

Instructions

1. Peel and grate the cucumber. Put the grated cucumber into a strainer and set in the sink for 10 minutes to drain.
2. Squeeze the cucumber to remove excess moisture and place into a small bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Cover and place in the fridge to let the flavors meld while you cook.
3. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the seitan bits and garlic and stir until the seitan begins to brown. Add all of the seasonings and stir well. Sautee until the seitan is well cooked and fragrant. Turn off the heat.
4. Assemble the sandwich with the shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and onions, cooked seitan and cucumber sauce.

Ingredients

Marinade

• 1/2 large white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Seitan

• 2 cups seitan, cut into thick strips
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 onion, thickly sliced (about 1 cup)
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and thickly chopped

Instructions

1. Prepare the marinade by pureeing all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Some chunks are ok.
2. Place the seitan in a shallow bowl and pour the marinade on top. Cover and let sit an hour.
3. In a skillet, sautee the onions, and pepper in the olive oil over medium heat.
4. Remove the seitan from the sauce and add to the skillet and brown, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the remainder of the sauce and cook about 2 minutes, until hot and all is coated.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 2-3 large carrots, chopped
• 4 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 bag frozen peas
• Herbs (basil, oregano, tarragon, etc) and seasonings (garlic or onion powder) to taste
• 2-3 C vegetable broth

Instructions

1. Heat oil in stock pot; sauté onion, garlic, and celery until tender.
2. Add potatoes and carrots; cook 3-5 minutes
3. Add broth, herbs, and garlic; bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.
4. Stir in crushed red pepper. Blend all broth and approx. 1/2 vegetable mass until creamy. This ensures some chunkiness. If you want creamier soup, blend everything.
5. Return to pot.  Add frozen peas and salt/pepper to taste.  Simmer until peas are cooked through.

This is a non-creamy cole slaw recipe from my great Aunt Virginia passed to me by my mother.  The slaw evidently freezes well so you can mass produce and stash it away for a sunny (or snowy) day.

Ingredients

• One medium sized head of green cabbage
• 1 Tbps salt
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 C white vinegar
• 2 C white sugar
• 1 tsp whole mustard seeds
• 1 tsp celery seeds

Instructions

1. Shred cabbage into fine strips and set in large colander. Sprinkle salt over cabbage and let set for an hour
2. Squeeze moisture out of cabbage; add carrot and green pepper
3. In medium sauce pan, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, and celery seeds
4. Bring to a boil and continue boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly
5. Cool dressing to lukewarm, pour over vegetables, and toss evenly
6. Let sit in refrigerator for a minimum of 45 minutes before eating, or spoon into storage containers and freeze

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 5 carrots, sliced
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water (you can use all broth for more salt/flavor)
• 1-2 cans Italian style diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 1 (15 ounce) can canned kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannelli beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can green beans
• 2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
• 2 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
• 1 yellow squash, quartered and sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (I used 2 teaspoons of dried)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup whole wheat seashell or elbow macaroni pasta
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (to serve)

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add vegetable broth, water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney/canelli/green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, squash, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.
3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.
4. Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Spray with olive oil and serve.