Here’s a nice and simple lentil soup recipe.

Lentil Soup Ingredients

• 2 Cups Dried Lentils
• 1 Large Yellow Onion, Diced
• 1 Large Carrot, Diced
• 6 Vine Ripe Tomatoes, Seeded and Diced
• 1 – 28 oz. Can of Diced Tomatoes
• 4 Garlic Cloves, Finely Diced
• 1 Teaspoon of Thyme
• 1 Teaspoon of Tarragon
• 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 6 Cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 or 2 Pinches of Kosher Salt to Taste
• A Few Cranks of Freshly Ground Pepper From the Mill

And here’s how you make it:

1. Soak the lentils in cold water for an hour beforehand.
2. Over medium heat, in a large soup pot, saute the onions and carrots with a teaspoon of olive oil for about 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, thyme, and tarragon, and saute for a couple of minutes more.
4. Add the fresh tomatoes, give it a stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes until it starts to bubble.
5. Add the vegetable stock, can of diced tomatoes, lentils (rinse them first), bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes covered.
7. Uncover and simmer for 15 more minutes.
8. Remove the bay leaf and enjoy.

I found this carrot cake recipe on Dr. Weil’s site. And while it does taste great without the cream cheese frosting (I’ve made it 4 times without), other family members wanted me to try including it the next time I made it. I did end up using only half of the recommended amount of confectioners’ sugar in the frosting, so it’s not as fattening as it could have been, and it still has a nice tangy sweetness. Adding a bit of vanilla extract adds even another layer of flavor! If it means that I get more people choosing a healthy carrot cake over cookies, I can live with the few extra calories. The hardest part is grating the carrots, the rest is easy. I grate half of the carrots on the ‘fine’ side of the grater, and the other half on the ‘rough’ side for added texture in the cake.

Dr. Weil’s Carrot Cake Ingredients

• 2 Cups Firmly Packed Finely Grated Carrots (about a pound)
• The Juice of 1 Large Orange
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Cup honey, Liquefied in Microwave (2 Minutes at Half Power)
• 1/2 Cup Crushed or Chopped Pineapple, Drained
• 1 Cup Unbleached White Flour
• 1 1/2 Cups Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
• 3/4 cup Chopped Walnuts

So here’s how you make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the carrots, orange juice, vanilla, olive oil, honey, and pineapple until well blended.
3. In another bowl, stir together the flours, baking soda, and spices. Mix in the walnuts.
4. Blend the dry ingredients into the carrot mixture, stirring until just mixed.
5. Pour the batter into a nonstick 8-inch-square baking pan and bake for 45-60 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and remove from pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
• 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) of Unsalted Butter, Cut Into Pieces, Room Temperature
• 1 Cup of Confectioners’ Sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions For Making The Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Don’t over mix or it will get grainy! Add vanilla, and stir to combine.

My friend, Suzanne Seldes, heard that I was adopting a vegetarian lifestyle and took the time to dig this recipe out of her archives for me. I think that was just so awesome and thoughtful of her and I am so very appreciative. This is a delicious soup that takes advantage of the Yukon gold potato’s buttery texture and deep rich flavor. Summer squash is in season now so I thought it was the perfect time to give it a try. It tastes like a cream soup without the cream! I loved it! This could easily be adapted to a vegan dish but I wanted to follow the instructions the first time around.

Yellow Squash and Potato Soup Ingredients

• 3 Yellow Summer Squash
• 1 Pound of Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 4 Cups of Vegetable Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 3 Tablespoons of Dry Dill Weed
• 1 Sliced Scallion to Garnish
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions

1. Cut squash into 2-inch pieces, leaving the skin on and place into a large soup pot or dutch oven.
2. Peel and dice the potatoes into 1-inch cubes
3. Cover the vegetable with stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the squash and potatoes are tender.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of the dill, butter, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.
5. Puree the soup in small batches in a food processor or blender. Return to the cooking pot, stirring in the remaining 2 tablespoons of dill, and heat through.
6. Sprinkle sliced scallions on top just before serving. Add a few croutons if you like!