Edamame and Celery Salad with Roasted Peppers

I'm getting ready for our anniversary trip, so I haven't had a lot of time to cook. My aunt from Vietnam just came for a visit.  She happens to be a vegetarian as well. I met her seven years ago when she came to visit my family in Paris. I remembered that she loves edamame, or baby soybeans boiled in salt water.

I decided to make a nice salad for her that incorporated edamame. I added roasted red bell pepper, perlini mozzarella and celery, along with Beluga lentils for color. I made a dressing with garlic, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and walnut oil.

The salad has a really nice contrast of flavors, colors and textures. If you've never tried edamame before, this is a great way to get acquainted with this tasty ingredient.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup Recipe

I had 5 tortillas left-over from the burritos we made over the weekend that were going stale, so I decided to make a large pot of tortilla soup. I use the tortillas as a thickening agent in the soup, and also as a garnish on top of the dish. To the tortillas I added tomatoes and tomato paste for a little tartness, jalapeños for a little heat, and some kidney beans and soy chorizo for protein.

The spices give the soup an earthy flavor and the Cotija cheese and sour cream that I top each serving with are very soothing for the taste-buds.

Tortilla soup is a really hearty dish that's the perfect cure for the dreary weather we've been having here as of late.

Vegetarian Orzo Pasta Salad

Orzo is a rice shaped pasta that is very convenient for making salads. Just dice all the vegetables the same size as the orzo grains, add a vinaigrette, and you're all set. If you need meat in your meal, diced smoked turkey is a healthy and tasty option.

The reason I made this is that Lulu's family organized a fun picnic for Memorial weekend in Big Basin. It was a pot luck, and I volunteered to make the veggie dish. The orzo pasta salad is easy to make and easy to transport, which are both important considerations when you're planning a picnic. Just drizzle the vinaigrette when you're ready to eat.  Make it for your next family picnic or barbecue; it's guaranteed to be a hit!

Israeli Couscous and Lentil Salad with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Gelee

I think Israeli couscous and lentils are a great combination. Lentils are often eaten with rice, and couscous is really just a grain shaped semolina pasta, so it's a perfect replacement.  

I added a roasted red bell pepper gelée for texture and flavor. It is basically a red bell pepper and walnut caviar, un caviar de poivrons aux noix in French, that I mixed with a little agar so it would hold its shape when I stack the layer of lentils, bell pepper and israeli couscous in a circle cutter for a nice appealing presentation.

Tarragon Sweet Potato Roast Bell Pepper Soup

I recently posted the garlic parmesan bread. Per Anna's request, this is the recipe of the tarragon sweet potato roast bell pepper. It's a very soothing soup, especially when you are as sick as I am today. It's my version of comfort food.  But don't wait until the next time you have a cold.  It's super easy to make, so try it out tonight!

I roasted the sweet potatoes to bring out their natural sweetness. And of course, I added some heavy cream to give it a richer mouth feel. It's always nice to infuse a strong herb into a soup, and I chose tarragon for its peppery and sweet liquorice flavor. I have a ton in my garden; it's an easy to grow perennial, and if you're looking for something to add to you herb garden, tarragon is a great choice.