• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 1/2 c red lentils, rinsed
• 1 1/2 c cauliflower, diced
• 2 tbsp curry paste
• 3-4 c vegetable stock or water (McKay’s Chicken-Style Seasoning works)
• 1 c coconut milk
• 2 c spinach leaves
• juice of 1 lime

Heat olive oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and saute, stirring frequently, for about 10-15 minutes, until they soften and turn a bit golden brown. Stir in curry paste and add the stock and lentils. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer, partially covered, for 8 minutes. Add the cauliflower and coconut milk, and simmer for another 8 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until leaves are wilted. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt or more curry paste.

• 1 lg butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1 or 2 carrots, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, minced
• 1 large onion, minced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can white beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes with chilis (use plain tomatoes for a less spicy chili)
• 1 small can diced green chilis
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp cumin

Put in a crockpot and simmer on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

On the stove, mix all ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Beans

• 3 c cooked red kidney beans
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 of a medium onion, diced
• 1/4 of a green pepper, diced
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c chunky tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/8 tsp oregano

Simmer beans over low heat in a covered sauce pan. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and saute the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add to beans along with the tomato sauce and seasonings. Simmer 5 minutes, then serve over rice.

Rice

• 2 c cooked brown rice
• 1 c cooked wild rice
• 1/2 c cooked red rice
• 3/4 to 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 of a medium onion
• 1 small can diced mushrooms, or about 1/2 c fresh diced mushrooms

Cook the different types of rice as directed, then mix together with salt. Saute onions and mushrooms in olive oil until tender, then stir into cooked rice.

• 3 c pinto beans, rinsed and picked over
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp olive oil

Stove:

Soak the beans overnight in three times as much water. Alternately, you can bring them to a boil for about five minutes, then turn the heat off and soak them for an hour.

After soaking, drain and rinse the beans and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil and add onion and garlic. Reduce heat and boil slowly for an hour or so and add the salt and seasonings, but not the olive oil. Boil slowly for another 30 minutes or so; add more water if necessary.

Crockpot:

Place all ingredients except the olive oil in the crockpot and cook for 1 hour on high, then 4 or more hours on low. When I made the beans this way they didn’t require any soaking.

To make the re-fried beans:

When beans are tender, heat olive oil in a skillet and ladle some of the beans with juice into the skillet. Mash with a potato masher or something similar. (I actually use a pastry blender because I don’t have a potato masher!) Allow to re-heat and adjust seasonings to taste. You’ll probably have to do this in several batches.

• 2 c water
• 1 c lentils, uncooked
• 1 c frozen or fresh corn
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 1 onion, diced
• Mexican seasonings to taste (crushed red chili peppers, garlic, dill and/or cumin)

Boil the lentils for 30 minutes and drain. Combine the remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

• 2 c diced carrots
• 1 c diced onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp McKay’s chicken-style seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 c butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 15 oz can garbanzo beans, with juice

Saute the first four ingredients. Add seasonings and vegetables. Simmer together until vegetables are tender and flavors are blended.

• 1 c lentils
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed (this replaces the 1 egg in the original recipe)
• 1/4 c oil (original recipe calls for 1/2 c)
• 1 1/2 c corn flakes
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• 1/2 c raw walnuts, chopped
• 1 lg can evaporated milk (I’ve tried using soymilk but it doesn’t have quite the same substance, so this time I gave in and followed the original recipe)
• 1/2 tsp sage
• salt and pepper to taste

Boil lentils for 35-45 minutes and drain any excess water. Combine all ingredients and bake in oiled baking dish at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with cranberries or brown gravy.

Click here for my complete traditional vegetarian holiday dinner menu.

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