Roasted Summer Vegetables

These vegetables are perfect for the summer - such a beautiful collection of colors. Plus, they're super easy - a lot like the Roasted Potatoes I did a few weeks ago.

Ingredients:

1/2 a yellow pepper

1/2 a red pepper

1/2 a green pepper

2 small zucchini

1 small yellow squash

half an onion - yellow, red, it doesn't matter

1 to 2 Tb. olive oil

2 tsp. garlic powder

salt (usually around 1 1/2 tsp.)

pepper

Seed all the peppers and cut all the vegetables into chunks that are roughly the same size.

Spread all the vegetables on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to mix vegetables all around and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Place in 400 degree oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes - depending on the size of your vegetable chunks. Remove from oven when vegetables are tender and transfer to a serving dish. Let them cool a bit and then eat.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 bell peppers (I used green and orange), chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained
- 2-4 Boca burgers, thawed and crumbled
- 2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
- Almost 1/4 cup chili powder (probably about 1/6 cup-ish)
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
- 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the celery, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, garlic, and green chile peppers. Season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook until vegetables are tender. Mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes.

2. Put the tomatoes into crock-pot. Season chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, black beans, and corn. Add vegetable mixture. Cook for 30 minutes on high, then 4 hours on low.

This chili has 31 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber. Forrest ate the Boca burger with no complaints.

Ginger & Sweet Potato Soup with Cilantro

This is my favorite soup...

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium leek ( white part only, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed well between layers and thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, chopped

2 lbs. sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cubed

1 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped, plus 1 tsp grated

4 cups chicken broth

3/4 tsp salt- to taste

Fresh Cilantro leaves for garnish

lime wedges

1. Heat oil in a 4-6 quart dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add leek and carrot; cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes

Stir in sweet potatoes and chopped ginger. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until sweet potatoes are soft- about 30 minutes.

2. In batches, if necessary, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Return the soup to pot, season with salt and reheat. Just before serving stir in grated ginger- garnish with cilantro and squeeze lime into soup. ( if you like-- put a little plain yogurt in bottom of serving bowl and swirl in.)

**** The cilantro and lime make this soup sooooo goood.