Forks Over Knives (20 page)

SERVES 4 TO 6

¼ cup barley or brown rice

4¾ cups water

1 cup red lentils

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

¼ cup finely chopped onion

¼ teaspoon green chile paste

½ teaspoon grated ginger

¼ cup finely chopped tomato

¼ teaspoon minced garlic

¼ teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup cauliflower, cut into small florets

¼ cup carrot, cut into small pieces

¼ cup green beans, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

1.
If using barley, cover the barley with water and soak for 3 to 4 hours. Rinse thoroughly. Put barley and 1½ cups of the water into a pot and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

2.
If using brown rice, wash the rice and put into a pot with 1½ cups of the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes, then cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.

3.
Wash the lentils thoroughly, then put into a soup pot with 3 cups of the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook until tender.

4.
Lightly roast the cumin seeds in a sauté pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onion, chile paste, and ginger, and cook for a minute, stirring constantly, then add ¼ cup of the water. Cook until the onion is translucent,
3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato, garlic, turmeric, salt, and black pepper and cook until the tomato softens, about 5 minutes.

5.
Add the tomato mixture and the cauliflower, carrot, and green beans to the lentils. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the cooked rice or barley and bring the soup to a boil. Add the lemon juice and serve hot, garnished with the cilantro.

MARY MCDOUGALL | THE MCDOUGALL PROGRAM

THIS IS ONE of our favorite soups. I make this at least once a week.

SERVES 4

3¼ cups water

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dried red lentils

One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 cups chunked Yukon Gold potatoes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 to 2 teaspoons chile paste (sambal oelek)

2 cups chopped chard

Sea salt, optional

1.
Heat ¼ cup of the water in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.

2.
Add the ginger, paprika, cumin, and black pepper to the pot and stir well. Add the remaining 3 cups water and the lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Add lemon juice, chile paste (start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste), and chard. Cook for 5 to 7 more minutes, until chard is tender. Season with a bit of sea salt, if desired. Serve hot.

MATT LEDERMAN AND ALONA PULDE |
KEEP IT SIMPLE, KEEP IT WHOLE

TRY THIS HEARTY soup for a delicious meal, with a little bit of a kick from the peppers.

SERVES 4

1½ cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

Six 15-ounce cans black beans

1 pound frozen corn

Four 16-ounce cans crushed tomatoes spiced with green chiles

2 banana peppers, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, chopped

3 bunches of greens (such as kale, collards, or chard), chopped or torn, with stems removed

½ to 1 cup fresh cilantro

Oil-free corn chips

1.
Put 1 cup of the onions and the carrots, celery, black beans, corn, tomatoes, banana peppers, and jalepeños into a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

2.
While the soup is cooking, sauté the remaining ½ cup onions and the kale, collards, and chard in a saucepan with a little vegetable broth or water for about 10 minutes.

3.
Puree the cooked greens and fresh cilantro in a food processor. Add blended greens to the soup and stir well. Serve with crushed-up corn chips mixed in.

CHEF AJ |
UNPROCESSED

THE MEXICAN OREGANO called for in this recipe is bolder than typical oregano, in aroma as well as in texture. The aroma is said to stand up better to the hearty flavors often used in Mexican dishes, and has a distinct, pleasing citrus note. If you can’t find it, regular oregano is fine.

No one will guess that there are two pounds of greens hidden in this delicious soup. And because it will be pureed, there is no need to cut anything up. This recipe makes enough for a party!

SERVES 30

12 cups (3 quarts) low-sodium vegetable broth

Six 15-ounce cans salt-free black beans

2 red onions, peeled

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1 pound cremini mushrooms

1 pound baby bok choy (about 3 stalks)

1 pound greens (kale, collard, mustard, chard, or a combination), chopped

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled

Two 16-ounce bags frozen corn, defrosted

2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons Mexican oregano

1 tablespoon chipotle paste or ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder

Juice and zest of 4 limes

Pepitas, optional

Fresh cilantro, optional

1.
Pour the broth into a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the beans, onions, garlic, mushrooms, bok choy, greens, and sweet potatoes; stir. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

2.
Remove the soup from the heat and blend with an immersion blender. Stir in the corn, sun-dried tomato powder, cumin, oregano, chipotle paste, and lime juice. Add more chipotle paste to taste and garnish with pepitas and cilantro, if desired.

Tip
If you can’t get salt-free canned beans, be sure to drain your beans and then rinse them thoroughly before using.

Tip
If you do not have a handheld immersion blender, you can carefully blend the unseasoned soup in small batches in a regular blender, then return it to the pot before stirring in the remaining ingredients.

Tip
Chipotle paste, which gives this soup an authentic flavor, is available at Whole Foods Market and online at
www.shop.chipotlepeople.com
. It has only 10 milligrams of sodium per teaspoon and is a wonderful addition to chili, guacamole, and salsa. If you can’t find it, you can substitute one to three canned chipotle chiles, which are readily available in the international foods section of most supermarkets.
Muy sabrosa!

MARY MCDOUGALL | THE MCDOUGALL PROGRAM

THIS IS A quicker version of our favorite minestrone soup that uses canned beans instead of the dried kidney beans. All of the delicious flavor is still here, though, and with a loaf of fresh bread it makes a hearty meal for several people.

SERVES 6 TO 8

1 onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

6 cups vegetable broth

½ cup chopped green beans

1½ cups chunked potatoes

1½ cups shredded cabbage

One 14½-ounce can chopped tomatoes

One 8-ounce can tomato sauce

One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup parsley

1½ teaspoons basil

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup uncooked whole wheat or brown rice pasta

1.
Put the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in a large pot with ¼ cup of the vegetable broth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, until vegetables soften slightly.

2.
Add the remaining 5¾ cups broth and the green beans, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chickpeas, cannellini beans, parsley, basil, and black pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.

3.
Add the pasta, stir well, and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.

ANN CRILE ESSELSTYN |
PREVENT AND REVERSE HEART DISEASE

WE COULD EAT this for every meal in summer, even breakfast. It is the salad I make when I have to take a dish to an event because it is so quick to make, everyone comes back for seconds, and it is the best advertisement for delicious
NO OIL
eating. It is easy to expand by adding more tomatoes or frozen corn.

SERVES 4

Two 16-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed WELL!

1 very large tomato, chopped

1 package frozen corn

½ Vidalia onion, chopped

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

½ lime, juice and zest

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or more to taste