Easy Minestrone Soup

by Susan Balcerzak

Ingredients:

1-2 heads of cabbage
2 cans mixed vegetables
2 cans black beans
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 can diced potatoes
½ cup of ketchup (may season to taste with the ketchup)
Salt & Pepper to taste
4-6 tablespoons McKay’s chicken seasoning
1 cup of onions (dried or chopped)
5 tablespoons of olive oil
1 box of the small penne rigate

Directions:

In large stock pot, fill with ½ water and add McKay’s chicken seasoning, cabbage, olive oil and onions. Bring to a boil and simmer until cabbage is tender (about 20-30 minutes).

Add tomato paste and stir. Rinse cans of beans (to remove extra salt). Then, add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, and then simmer for about an hour. Add penne about 30 minutes before ready to serve. 

Note: For smaller quantity, use medium stockpot and cut recipe in half. 

Tofu Egg Salad Spread

by Faith Durkin

Ingredients:

1 14oz. Extra firm (waterpacked) Tofu. (We used NaSoya brand but you can use any brand as long as it is waterpacked)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of Vegenaise. May use any Soy Mayonnaise
2 to 3 Tabs of Bill's Best Chick'Nish This is the only vegetable chicken seasoning that works for me in this recipe
Salt to taste

Directions:

Drain the tofu and place on a towel until it is as dry and you can get it. Then add the other ingredients, mix well and add salt or onion and garlic powder to your taste. Let set in refrigerator for about 30 minute before serving.

For the recipe that was made for the luncheon I added about 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.

For the dressings that we used go to thevegetarianexpress.com web site and look at their seasonings. Greek Isle seasoning and Saucy Ranch seasoning were the ones that we used. They have great recipes and other seasonings that are equally as good.

Potato Soup

by Faith Durkin

Ingredients:

2 qts of water
6 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced. Red potatoes are supposed to have a lower gylcemic index and if you want  more fiber, leave the skins on.
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks diced
4 teaspoons of McKay's chicken style instant broth and seasoning. This was the No-MSG-added jar. There is a vegan and No-MSG jar. The one I used had Whey in it. If I would have had the other I would have used it instead.

Place all of the above in a pot and cook for about 20 minutes and mash with potato masher. If you want it thicker add 1 cup of soy milk with 4 tablespoons of flour or corn starch.

Salt to taste.

I also added about a 1/4 cup of Tofutti "Better than tofu sour cream". It's the one in the blue, red and white container as the other has trans fat in it. This does make it a little richer but the recipe is good without adding it.

To make these recipes your own, play with them and add things that you like. Have fun Cooking healthy!