Melanie and Heidi's Red Lentil Soup

8 c. water

1 c. red lentils

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

2 large onions, chopped finely

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons white rice

1 teaspoon salt

Saute onions in oil, and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 1 hour until lentils and rice are completely cooked.

Joelle's variations: 

1. Cook in crockpot on high for 4 or 5 hours.

2. For barley soup: Instead of 1 c. red lentils, do 1/2 c. red lentils and 1/2 c. uncooked barley. Add 1 T. chicken style seasoning, 2 sticks celery, chopped finely, 1 onion, and only 1 t. cumin. Leave rice out. 

4. 2 celery

Peanut Butter Granola

Melt together the following in a small cooking pot:

1/3 c. oil

1/2 c. honey

1/2 c. molasses

1/2 c. peanut butter

2 t. vanilla

Mix in a separate bowl:

6 c. rolled oats

1/2 to 3/4 c. sunflower seeds

1/2 c. wheat germ

1/3 c. bran

1 c. nuts (I've used slivered or chopped almonds, pecans, etc.)

10 c. flaked cereal (Special K or Corn Flakes)

Mix dry ingredients, and then pour hot wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Place by thin layers on cookie sheets, and bake at 275 degrees for approx. 1 hr., stirring every 15 minutes. Granola is finished baking when it looks golden brown. Let cool in a brown grocery bag. After reasonably cool, add shredded coconut, raisins, date pieces, dried cranberries, etc. Let cool completely before storing in plastic containers. 

Frozen Carob Peanut Butter Pie

It was suggested by the Alistair Huong that we post this recipe since they seemed to have some requests for it, so here it is. All credit for the recipe is due to Cooking with the Micheff Sisters cookbook.

1 baked pie shell (or can use a graham cracker crust)

1 12-oz pkg. firm Mori-Nu tofu

3/4 c. plus 1 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. honey

1 t. honey

1/4 c. oil

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt

2 c. barley-sweetened carob chips

1 1/2 c. crisp rice cereal

Directions:

In blender, blend tofu, 3/4 c. peanut butter, honey, oil, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy.

In a glass bowl, spread 1 c. peanut butter evenly, covering bottom and sides of bowl. Add carob chips. Microwave approx. 1 minute, until melted. (Note: DO NOT overheat as mixture will harden, curdle, and become unusable. Stir together until smooth. Add cereal. Spread carob mixture into pie shell. Freeze for 4 hours, until set.

Pour peanut butter and honey mixture into pie shell and return to freezer until completely frozen. (Alistair's note: When I made this, I just poured this second layer directly on top of the carob layer and froze them together. It seemed to work just fine.)

Serve when just slightly thawed. Garnish with carob curls and/or chopped peanuts. 

Enjoy!

Al