Coconut oil quickly goes bad in clear plastic or glass containers because of exposure to light.  Even if you refrigerate the oil when you get home - how long has it been sitting in the direct light at the store?  Coconut oil develops a slightly rancid flavor from light exposure which gets worse as time goes on.  Omega Nutrition, smart folks that they are, package their coconut oil / butter in a dark, opague container.  I’ve never tasted even slight rancidity from Omega’s excellent tasting oil.  Note: it should be refrigeratered after opening.

This soup is so easy to make and really is delicious despite the simplicity of the ingredients.

This recipe is from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison with slight modifications

2 T. Olive oil or butter
2 Onions, finely diced
3 small bay leaves
2 pounds potatoes, peeld,
Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, add the onions and bay leaves and cook slowly. Meanwhile, slice up potatoes to the size and shape you like.

Add the potatoes, raise the heat and saute, stirring frequently until a glaze starts to build up on the bottom of the pot, about 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspons salt and 1 c. water. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the solids. Add 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered until the poatatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves, taste for salt, season with pepper.

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This recipe was hearty, satisfying, rich tasting and also fairly easy and quick. I made mine a bit ahead of time and left it in the oven at low to steep in the curry sauce. Delicious!

from Heaven’s Banquet: Vegetarian Cooking for Lifelong Health the Ayurveda Way by Miriam Kasin Hospodar

4 servings

STEP ONE
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon ghee or oil
Pinch of hing (optional)
3/4 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tomatoes, chopped

STEP TWO

1 teaspoon turmeric
3 cups (350 g) green beans, cut into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) pieces
Salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Heat the ghee or oil in a pot. Add the hing, mustard seeds, and ginger and saute over low heat until the mustard seeds "dance." Add the tomatoes and saute for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until they become mushy.

2. Stir in the turmeric, green beans, a sprinkling of salt, and the water. Cover and simmer until the beans are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Adjust the salt. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

VARIATION For heat, add 1 teaspoon or more black pepper in Step 3 or add cayenne or crumbled red chilies to the ghee or oil in Step 1.

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This is my favorite soup. It has an excellent combination of flavors and a lovely texture.

1 2 lb. butternut squash ( comes out well with pumpkin or acorn squash too)
4 T. butter
1 large onion, chopped in big pieces
2 leeks (white part only), sliced
4 c. water
Sea salt and pepper

Peel and remove seeds from squash, slice squash, onions and leeks. Saute onions and leeks in 2 T. butter for 2 -3 minutes. Add the squash and water, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until squash is tender. Blend and eat. This soup freezes well - although it’s most delicious completely fresh.

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Put 1 1/2 cups of mixed frozen blackberries and strawberries in a food processor with 1 1/2 T. Xylitol. Blend, slowly adding unsweetned almond milk until desired sorbet consistency is achieved.

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This is the best tasting gluten free flour mix I’ve found. There’s no predominating strong flavor that takes over the mix so the baked goods taste like . . . baked goods - not bean flour or quinoa or buckwheat. Not that those are bad it’s just sometimes a good old fashioned tasting pancake or muffin is just what is called for.

The basic idea for these came from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Use 1 batch of baking mix for each recipe below.

BAKING MIX
1/4 c. tapioca flour
1/3 c. almond meal/flour
2. T. ground flax seed (or your choice of gluten free flour)
1/3 c. brown or white rice flour
1/3 c. sorghum flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 baking soda
1/4 t. salt

FOR CUPCAKES
1 c. almond or rice milk
1/3 c. walnut or canola oil
1/2 c. xylitol
2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
1 egg (optional)

Mix these ingredients on medium speed and then mix in the baking mix above. Mix well - there’s no gluten so there’s no danger of overmixing. Preheat oven to 350F Oil muffin tin Bake 20-25 minute

OR PANCAKES
1 c. almond or rice milk
1/3 c. walnut or canola oil
2 eggs, separated

Beat the egg whites and set aside. Whisk milk, oil and egg yolks. Mix in the baking mix above. Fold in the egg whites. Make the pancakes over medium heat in a saute or frying pan.Good with blueberrries sweetened with Xylitol.

FOR COOKIES
1/2 c. butter or Earth Balance
1/2 c. xylitol
1 1/2 t. Stevia
2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
1 egg (optional)
1/3 c. coconut

Mix these ingredients on medium speed and then mix in the baking mix above. Mix well - there’s no gluten so there’s no danger of overmixing. Preheat oven to 350F Drop by spoonfuls on baking sheet Bake 12-15 minutes

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This is the best tasting chocolate treat I know of and it’s good for you too!

Crust
1 ½ c. almond meal
1 ½ c. organic dried cranberries

1. Blend in a food processor well.
2. Add cranberry juice or almond milk until mixture just begins to stick together.
3. Press into pie plate forming crust.

Filling
1 c. cacao nibs
½ c. coconut oil
½ c. cashews
1 vanilla bean
½ c. agave nectar or maple syrup

1. Grind up nibs and cashews in a clean coffee grinder.
   2. Blend ground up nibs, cashews, coconut oil, and vanilla bean (or vanilla) in a high-powered blender. Use a spatula to work mixture into blade. As the mixture warms up it will blend better.
   3. Add agave and blend briefly until mixed
   4. Pour into crust, smooth with spatula 5. Refrigerate or freeze for 3 hours

   (modified from a recipe called Chocolate Fantasy Pie by Bliss)

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12 oz. your favorite pasta (use rice pasta for gluten free) 2-3 T. water 1 1/2 broccoli spears 1 1/2 cups halved small mushrooms 1 1/2 cups sliced red peppers 1 1/2 cups canned artichoke hearts (not the marinated kind) 1 c. pitted whole black olives

Cook pasta until tender but firm. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside to cool.

In large, deep skillet, heat the water and sauté the broccoli, mushrooms, and bell peppers for 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Remove and rinse in cold water.

Toss with pasta, veggies, artichoke hearts and olives about a 1/4 cup of you favorite oil and vinegar dressing or use:

1/4 c. olive oil 1 t. garlic, pressed 1 t. salt 1 t. dried basil 1 t. balsamic vinegar black pepper

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