Creamy Broccoli Soup

Serves 8 to 10

• 6 cups broccoli florets and sliced peeled stems, or substitute up to 3 cups with chopped cauliflower (leftovers are fine)
• 8 cups vegetable broth or bouillon and water
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 cups unsweetened nondairy milk
• 1/2 cup cornstarch to thicken, optional
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

If using fresh broccoli, in a large saucepan bring broth to a boil, add broccoli, cover and simmer 8 minutes. Add garlic and simmer 2 minutes longer, or until broccoli is tender. Or, if using leftover broccoli in a sauce, rinse in hot water before using. Bring broth to a boil, add garlic and simmer 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add broccoli.

Puree using an immersion blender, or countertop blender in batches, until very smooth; return soup to saucepan.

If planning to thicken soup, whisk cornstarch into milk until smooth. Reheat soup to a simmer. Add milk and stir constantly until soup thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. Alternatively, to serve thin soup cold, omit the cornstarch, stir in the milk off-heat and chill before serving.

Granola Nut Bars

Makes 12 bars

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup tahini, almond butter or peanut butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup roughly chopped or slivered raw almonds
• 1 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
• 1 cup rolled oats or quick oats
• 8 ounces dried cherries, raisins, currants, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pepitas in an ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake 5 minutes; remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl mash bananas. Add tahini, maple syrup and salt and mix well. Add nuts, seeds and fruit, and mix well. Grease the 9 x 13-inch baking dish, pour in mixture, press into corners and flatten top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Let cool to room temperature. Cut crosswise into quarters, then lengthwise into thirds. Wrap each bar in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Keeps refrigerated up to 1 week.

Mushroom Barley Casserole

Serves 6 to 8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 16 ounces crimini and/or button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups barley, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt to taste, if necessary

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in a Dutch oven and sauté onions until browned. Turn off heat, add broth, mushrooms, barley, soy sauce, pepper and thyme, and mix well. Cover and bake in the center of the oven 1 hour, until liquid is absorbed and barley is tender. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt if desired.

Matt’s Chik’n Salad Wrap

Makes 3 wraps

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 Gardein “chick'n filets” or “chick'n scallopini” cutlets
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Cayenne, to taste
• Granulated garlic, to taste
• 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise such as Follow Your Heart Vegenaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded (4 cups)
• 1/2 cup vegan shredded cheddar or Jack such as Daiya
• 1 tomato, halved, seeded and sliced into thin strips
• 3 thin slices red onion or sweet onion, halved into semicircles
• 3 wraps or pitas

In a small skillet heat oil to shimmering and add chick’n cutlets. Cook on each side about 5 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic. Slice into pieces 1/4- to 1/2-inch wide. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, yeast, oregano and parsley. Add lettuce and toss to coat well. Add cheese, tomato, onion and chick’n, and toss. Divide mixture between 3 wraps or pitas, and serve.

Charoset

For Passover

• 1 cup shelled walnuts
• 6 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon or to taste
• Malaga or Concord wine as needed

Pulse nuts in food processor until finely chopped. Add apples and cinnamon. Pulse, adding wine as needed, to form a paste.

Israeli Salad

For Passover

• 6 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 6 kirby cucumbers, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 1 carrot, grated, optional
• 2 or more radishes, finely diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill, optional
• 1 teaspoon celery seed, optional
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a bowl mix tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, carrots and radishes. In a blender or food processor blend oil, lemon juice, parsley, dill and celery seed. Toss veggies with dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Egg-Free Matzo Balls

Egg-Free Matzo Balls with Veggie Soup

For Passover: egg free and kitniyot free (no legumes).

Makes 24 matzo balls
1 serving = 3 to 4 matzo balls

• 2 cups matzo meal
• 6 tablespoons potato starch
• 1/2 cup light vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh dill leaves, or dried dill weed, to taste
• Veggie Soup, for serving

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet; set aside. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

With oiled hands, roll mixture into walnut-size balls and drop into boiling pot, 12 to a batch. Simmer very gently and do not disturb for 10 minutes or until balls float.

Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove matzo balls, drain well, and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake matzo balls 15 to 20 minutes to firm them up. If making ahead, refrigerate until ready to use. Warm in the microwave, or in the oven covered with foil.

To serve, place 3 or 4 matzo balls in a bowl, ladle soup over, and serve immediately.