Full Bellies

Nothing says winter like Sunday afternoons spent in the kitchen with the smell of roasting onions and garlic.  But I'm increasingly finding that, although I love these slow-cooking days, sometimes I need something a bit faster or something that will last us several meals.  Here are two options that cover both those criteria.  And they're delicious, nourishing, and warming.

Sweet Potato Macaroni and Cheese (vegan)
*This is a variation of Super Creamy Mac and "Cheese" from www.veganyumminess.com

16oz. dried rotini
1 cup sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup onion, roughly diced
1-2 garlic cloves, whole
3/4 cup water from the cooked veggies
1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 tbsp tamari
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
pinch red pepper flake (optional)
two 16 oz. packages frozen broccoli or any combination of frozen veggies (mixed veggies, greens, etc.)

Fill a large pot halfway with water and boil the sweet potato, carrots, and onion in a saucepan filled for about ten minutes, until soft.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the veggies into the blender; add 3/4 cup of the cooking water, the whole garlic cloves, and the remaining ingredients into the blender.  Puree.  Add more water to thin out the sauce if necessary.  Using the same pot from the veggies, fill again with water.  Bring to a boil and put in the frozen veggies; cook until soft.  Strain.  Fill the same pot again with water and cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Strain the pasta into the same strainer as the veggies.  Put the sauce into the pot and then the pasta and veggies.  Toss and enjoy!  (If you want to do this in fewer steps, you can use three different pots to cook everything simultaneously but I'd rather take more time and do less dishes but that's just me ;-)

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Mushroom, White Bean, and Greens Soup with Barley (vegan)

1 cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 pound mushrooms (baby bella, shitake, whatever you have), chopped
1 cup white wine (or vegetable broth, water, red wine)
2 portabello mushrooms
1 bunch dandelion greens
1 bunch escarole
2 cans white beans (or about 5 to 6 cups)
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp ground sage
1 salt (or more to taste)
1 tbsp ground sage
1 tsp black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes (optional) or parmesan cheese (optional)
about 6 cups water or vegetable broth (or water and two vegetable bouillon cubes)
1 cup barley

In a large soup pot, sautee the onion and garlic for a few minutes then add in the mushrooms.  When the mushrooms have shrunk in size and brown bits are just starting to stick to the bottom of the pot, deglaze with the white wine.  Stir to scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pot.  Add the greens, beans, tamari, seasoning, nutritional yeast flakes, and barley.  Stir and cook for two minutes, watching to be sure it doesn't burn.  Add the water.  Bring to a simmer, turn down heat, and simmer for at least 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

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