Month: September 2024

Navy Bean Soup

With the drop in temperature to the chilly 60’s, rain and ominous dark skies I decided to bust out the big green soup pot and declare the official start of soup season. After all it is September and, according to some meteorologists, September 1st marks the start of meteorological fall.

Of all the soups I could possibly kick the season off with – why navy bean soup? Well – it was a special request from my mother in law. When the call came in for navy bean soup in I sprung into action and hurried on over for the soup delivery. Did she like it? She LOVED it and, in fact, ate it all and requested more!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound dry navy beans
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 large Vidalia onion chopped
  • 2 large carrots chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup unflavored almond milk

Directions:

  1. Place the dried navy beans in a collander and thoroughy rinse under running water.
  2. Put the 4 cups water in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Put the beans in the pot and boil for two minutes stirring intermittently. Take the pot off the burner, put the lid on and let the beans soak for one hour. Pour the beans through a colander to drain the water.
  3. Saute the onions, carrots and celery in a small amount of water in the soup pot.
  4. Add the vegetable broth, beans, garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and black pepper and bring to a boil then reduce the heat and gently simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes stirring occasionally until the beans are soft.
  5. Add the almond milk.
  6. Remove the soup from the stove and allow to cool down then puree using a hand held mixer or high speed blender.
Garnished with additional thyme and served with a Wasa cracker
Served with a whole grain French baquette. Most baquette’s have zero or less then 1 gram of fat in a serving.

Eggplant with Ancient Sweet Peppers Bake

I love eggplant.

I had a bumper crop this summer. I picked four last week and there are three more almost ready to be harvested. And all this from just one plant!

I have always been fascinated with this shiny purple fruit.

The growth process of eggplants is interesting. It starts with a freshly pollinated flower shaped like a star that hangs downward like a pendant light. The flower is the most beautiful shade of violet and develops into a small egg-shaped fruit within a few weeks. As the fruit matures it turns into a stunning shade of deep purple when ready for harvest.

I recently found out the flowers and leaves of the eggplant are poisonous. The fruit itself contains a compound called solamine which is toxic when consumed in large quantities. For this reason eggplant should not be eaten raw. Baking or roasting significantly reduces the amount of solamine. I now know why the deer in my backyard feast on the tomato and zuccini plants but never touch the eggplant.

That gorgeous shade of violet
The egg shape is how the eggplant got it’s name. I love how glossy and purple-black the flesh is.

I typically just grill eggplant slices and eat them that way. Last week I started thinking about my mother’s eggplant parmesan. It was hands down one of my most favorite childhood meals. It was considered a healthier alternative to lasagna because the eggplant slices replaced the noodles but all that mozarella cheese cancelled out any possible health benefit! So I came up with my own healthy version of eggplant parmesan which is 100% plant based and 1000% delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 1 eggplant cut in thin slices (leave skin on)
  • 2 ancient sweet pepper cut in rings (or red bell pepper)
  • 10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 2 14 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsps. tomato paste
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tsp. oregano
  • 2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup plant based milk
  • 1 cup kale ribs removed cut into small pieces
  • 10 fresh basil leaves cut in thin strips
Crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, eggplant, sweet pepper, cherry tomatoes, basil, kale, garlic, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes (almond milk not pictured)

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
  2. In a large oven proof or cast iron skillet add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, plant based milk, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir together. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes stirring intermittently. Add the kale and basil leaves and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Look at that wonderful creamy sauce!

3. Arrange the eggplant, ancient sweet pepper rings and cherry tomatoes in the creamy tomato sauce mixture. Sprinkle a little extra oregano, back pepper and ribboned basil leaves over the eggplant. 4. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until eggplant is soft.

Leave the skin on! The skin of the eggplant is edible and contains nasunin which is a special antioxidant that helps preserve and protect cell membranes
Everything about this eggplant bake is absolutely delicious. It is so full of flavor and I don’t even miss the cheese.
Impossible not to take seconds!
Veggie comfort food at it’s best!