Vegetable Minestrone

A hearty, healthy, and tasty soup; makes a perfect weeknight dinner with enough to freeze for a day when you’re too busy to cook. With the Italian trick of cooking a bit of parmesan cheese rind in the soup for added flavor and the variety of vegetables, this minestrone surpasses the bland bean & pasta versions as a palate-pleaser.

Serves 10  (adapted from an October, 2007 Sunset recipe) Simply leave out the cheese rind and grated parmesan to make this vegan : )

1 bunch Swiss chard, rinsed thoroughly

1 can (14½ oz.) no-salt added diced tomatoes

2 cans (14½ oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, divided

1 can (14½ oz.) chick peas (garbanzo beans)

2 T. olive oil 4 cloves garlic minced 2 carrots, peeled and diced into ¼” pieces

1 med. zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into ¼” pieces

2 c. shredded savoy, or green cabbage

3-4 inch  parmesan cheese rind

5 c. reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut stems from Swiss Chard leaves by making a V-shaped cut along the length of the stem on each side.  Finely chop the stems and cut the leaves into ribbons and set aside separately.
2. Using a hand-blender (or regular blender if you don’t have one of these), add ½ cup of water to the drained beans from one can and puree.
3. Cook olive oil and garlic in a large soup pot over med-high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add carrots, zucchini, chopped chard stems. Cook, stirring, until veggies are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 c. water and cabbage. Cook, stirring, another 2-3 minutes until cabbage is wilted.
4. Add broth, chard leaves, remaining cannellini beans, cannelloni puree, chick peas, and parmesan rind. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a steady simmer. Cover and cook until flavors are blended and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.  Serve hot, topped with shredded fresh parmesan.

Wow, I feel so healthy!  This week I dined at Au Lac in Fountain Valley, a restaurant that specializes in what they call Humanese cuisine with an extensive menu of raw and vegan Asian dishes with a few Italian and American staples such as spaghetti, pizza, and burgers. Au Lac has been serving healthy vegan food for 15 years and has a loyal following – they were quite busy for a Tuesday night and some of the diners were regular customers.

With a newfound interest in vegan fare, I began experimenting with the Nori Wrap recipe from Chef Priscilla Willis’ healthy cooking demonstration at the Hyatt Regency, Huntington Beach.  Nori wraps may not be something you want to spring on your kids but it is definitely a delicious way to add veggies to a dinner of purchased sushi and some children, depending on what they’re used to eating, may actually like it wrapped in a tortilla (see below).  Plus, during the holidays, eating lean and healthy during the week is an excellent way to try to avoid (or keep to a minimum) the average weight gain of 3-7 pounds.

First, I bought Nori Sheets and tofu at Ebisu Supermarket, a Japanese market in Fountain Valley. The rest of the ingredients I purchased at Trader Joe’s – I added enoki mushrooms because they’re cute and add texture and crunch and, instead of regular cucumbers, I tried Persian cucumbers which are smaller and sweeter with a thin skin. You can buy tofu at Trader Joes, but when I was at Ebisu I picked up some broiled tofu which, to me,  has a more appealing appearance because of the browning on top. I had miso paste in my fridge, but that is another ingredient you would probably have to get at a health foods store or Asian market.

Nori Wraps

1 pkg. Firm Tofu, sliced into ½” strips

1 pkg. shredded carrots

2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

2 avocado, sliced

1 pkg. sliced mango

1 pkg. enoki mushrooms (optional)

1 pkgs. Nori Wrapper (roasted)

1 head Bibb (butter)  lettuce

Miso Peanut  Sauce:

1 T. Low-sodium White Miso

½ c. water

2 T. rice wine vinegar

1 ½ t. Splenda

3 T. creamy peanut butter

1 T. light soy sauce

Whisk all ingredients in a small saucepan, taste test, cook over med-low heat until warmed and slightly thickened. The Nori wraps are wonderful as an appetizer, which is how they were presented at the cooking demo.

OPTIONS:  More kid-friendly and more filling – make it a wrap with tortillas (I used Sonoma low carb, high fiber tortillas – from Trader Joe’s) and add a scoop of brown rice to the filling.

Not into vegan? Add grilled chicken or salmon.  Be creative, own it! : )