Chickpea and Rice Soup

I have a new recipe that I know you are going to love.  This is one my family races to the fridge the next day, and this only if we didn't pig out on it the night before!  I found it on one of my favorite blogs http://www.theppk.com/.  I tweaked it for my needs and it turned out so delicious!  It reminds me of a creamy chicken soup - except there is no chicken.  I made it for my parents and a non-vegan friend of theirs and it was definitely a hit!  My mom is not a big fan of chickpeas, but she loved the soup!  The chickpeas are so creamy they almost seem to melt in your mouth.  And if you are new to kale - this is a good recipe to try.  This is one soup you will want to make over and over again!

Chickpea and Rice Soup
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour
Makes:  4-6 servings

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours or overnight
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried rosemary
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 cup brown rice, rinsed
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, diced chunky
5 cups no chicken broth (Better Than Bouillon)
2 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
4 cups chopped kale

Directions:
Drain the cashews and place them in a blender with one cup of fresh water. Blend until completely smooth, scraping the sides of the food processor with a spatula occasionally to make sure you get everything. This could 1 to 5 minutes depending on the strength of your blender.

Preheat a stock pot over medium heat. Sauté onion with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté a minute more.

Add rice, celery and carrots and then pour in the broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring down to a simmer, add the chickpeas, and let cook for about 30 more minutes, or until rice is cooked and carrots are tender.

Add the cashew cream and kale, and simmer until kale is wilted, 3 to 5 more minutes. You may need to add water to thin the soup if it seems too thick. Taste for salt and seasonings and let sit for 10 minutes or so to allow the flavors to marry.

It thickens as it cools, so if you have leftovers, just thin with a little water when you reheat.

Hawaiian Haystacks

This is probably my favorite summer dish.  It is a fun one to do with your kids or when you have friends over.  It is kind of like visiting a salad bar, or baked potato bar - so many yummy things to stack on your plate.  My kids like being able to decided what goes on there plate and how much. This recipe is a good starting place, but feel free to add to or decrease the amount of each ingredient according to your family's taste. You can also use your own favorite gravy if you want. 

It is a nice, light dinner for a hot summer day and filling.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Hawaiian Haystacks
Serves 4

1 cup brown rice (or favorite grain - quinoa is also really good!)
1 15 oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups crunchy chow mein noodles
1 tomato, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, or chives are good also
1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup shredded coconut
shredded vegan cheese, optional

Gravy
1 cup water, plus 1/4 cup cold water
1 tsp vegan chicken bouillon
2 Tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice according to your package's directions.

To make gravy, pour 1 cup water into sauce pan.  Stir in bouillon.  Mix 1/4 cup water and flour in a small bowl and whisk together.  Pour into the broth.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir for 1 minute.  Take off heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make your haystacks spread rice out on your plate.  Then stack the chow mein noodles, beans and gravy.  Add tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, and green onions.  Top with pineapple, cheese (if using), almonds and coconut.  Then dig in and enjoy!