Yes you do have the time to cook! Success with these easy to follow recipes will make your day a good one.

• Home
• Choices
• Meditation
• Nonviolent Communication
• Vegetarian Recipes
• About
• Contact
• Movie Reviews

• Dinners
• Starters
• Dhall/Split Pea Soup
• Rice Dishes
• Salads & Sambals
• Desserts

Clear Soup with Avocado

This is a very recent recipe that I created. My husband had an upset tummy and wanted a meal that was not rich, and easy to digest. With this in mind, I decided to make a soup that was tasty, quick and easy, yet without artificial flavorings or stock of any kind that could cause any irritation.

The soup is cooked for a very short time, so that the vegetables are still al denté. Do not allow the vegetable to become limp. The result was a very delicious & nutritious soup. The flavors were enhanced with the combination of the ginger, garlic & cilantro.

The recipe is below

I used the vegetables that I had in my fridge. The soup was very tasty and of course very easy to do. I also fried some tofu to accompany the soup. To add variety to the tofu, I added a tablespoon of soya sauce, a teaspoon of garlic and a handful of cashew nuts at the end of frying the tofu. See recipe for fried tofu on this page. Please note that chili refers to the pepper, and not the dish, chili.

Sautéd Olives

This can be served as a starter or as a side dish accompanying pasta or pizza. I first tasted it at an Italian restaurant and liked it a lot. I have imitated it and it tastes very much like the restaurant style. This is really, really quick and easy. Of course olives just by themselves are tasty and nutritious. This version just adds a spicy variety.

Easy Lettuce and Tofu Starter

Separate leaves so that it remains whole, like a bowl. See picture. When the tofu has been fried, take a lettuce leaf, add a few tofu pieces, and flavor it with sauces such as Sriracha sauce or any spicy sauce, soya sauce and plum sauce. Have plenty of napkins around as you learn to manage this delicate combination. The taste is worth the little mess. The images illustrate the seasoning of the tofu and the seasoned, fried tofu, ready to be eaten.

Tofu Facts

Tofuis a food that is a staple in Asia. It is made from soybean curd, is spongy, and is cheese-like in texture. It has no cholesterol and is also low in saturated fats. It is rich in high quality protein and contains B vitamins and irons. Tofu is bland and has no distinct taste. You can add tofu to a variety of dishes and it takes on the flavor of the spices in that dish. It is especially nice in stir-fry dishes. I have tried it in macaroni and cheese and pizza as well, with very good results. For a newcomer, a good introduction to developing a taste for tofu is to try fried tofu with dipping sauces. This is a good source for more information on tofu

Nutritious & Healthy Edamame Starter

Edamame (ed-ah-MAH-may) is frozen soy beans pods which is a complete protein containing all the essential amino acids. It is often served in Asian restaurants as a starter. It is cholesterol free and and low in carbs and very easy to make. The directions are on the package but I will include them here as well.

When it is ready to be eaten just take a pod and scoop the beans into your mouth. The pods are tasty as they retain the salt. The package directions suggest that you discard the pod after sucking on it. It is really a healthy, easy starter and you will have fun scooping it into your mouth. Edamame is available in a variety of brands. Just check the vegetable section in the frozen food department in your supermarket

Simple Tasty Vegetarian Stew

This stew may be eaten as a starter or as a meal in itself. The images show the vegetables that are used as well as the cooked stew. You may vary it with the addition of other vegetables. The addition of lentils such as pinto beans and garbanzo beans, also known as chick peas or Channa is very tasty and makes a very nutritious meal. If broccoli is used it is a good idea to add this about 5 minutes before the the stew is done as it cooks very easily and tastes and looks better when it is not soggy and limp. The recipe has an option for either spinach or cabbage. Of course you can use both as well.

If you prefer the stew to be less liquid take 4 teaspoons of flour and mix with ¼ cup of water. Add this mixture to the stew a few minutes before removing from the stove. If the potatoes are soft you can also mash a few pieces against the side of the pot. This together with the amount of flour that is used will determine the thickness of the stew.