Jeweled Rice Pilaf with Carrots

[nverland]

Jeweled Rice Pilaf with Carrots
ACTIVE: 25 MIN TOTAL TIME: 1 HR SERVINGS: 6

INGREDIENTS
½ cup sliced almonds
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 ½ ounces angel hair pasta, broken into 2-inch pieces (1 cup)
2 cups basmati rice
Pinch of saffron threads
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
3 ¾ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
½ cup chopped pitted Picholine olives
¼ cup chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 450°. Spread the almonds in a pie plate. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the carrots until golden and tender, about 15 minutes. While the carrots are cooking, toast the almonds until golden, 3 to 4 minutes; let cool.
Meanwhile, in a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the leeks and angel hair pasta, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, saffron and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, until the rice is golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer.
Cover the rice and cook over low heat until all of the broth has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from 
the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Fluff the rice and stir in the carrots, toasted almonds, lemon juice, olives and parsley. Transfer the rice to a bowl and serve with lemon wedges.

MAKE AHEAD
The rice can be refrigerated overnight and rewarmed before serving.

Black Bean Soup

[alexcat]

We had this for dinner this week.

Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, including the liquid in the cans
• 2 chipotle peppers from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce* (I used a few slices of fresh jalapeno pepper instead)
• 1½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
• Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, sour cream, or vegan sour cream, pickled onions, serrano peppers, pepitas

Instructions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili powder and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the beans and their liquid, chipotles, adobo sauce, and broth. Simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Let cool slightly, then transfer half of the soup to a blender. Puree until smooth, then add it back to the pot with the remaining soup and stir. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree half the soup in the pot. Stir in the lime juice.
3. Season to taste and serve with lime wedges and desired toppings.
Notes
*If you're sensitive to spice, feel free to scale back to one chipotle pepper.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

[alexcat]

Tuscan White Bean Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans (like cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
- 2 cups kale or spinach, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or basil, chopped (for garnish)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)

Instructions:
1. Sauté the Vegetables: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
2. Add Garlic and Herbs: Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
3. Add Tomatoes and Broth: Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
4. Add Beans: Stir in the white beans and let the soup simmer for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
5. Add Greens: Add the chopped kale or spinach to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes, until the greens are wilted and tender.
6. Season: Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed.
7. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or basil. If desired, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese before serving.