Bulgur, easy to eat not to say

Old habits die hard, yes? Who doesn't have cozy memories of warm Campbell's tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches? This is a nice replacement soup when those cravings come a calling. Ironically, we paired this meal with lima beans--the worst childhood memories.

Tomato Bulgar Soup with Warm Spices

Serves 4
This weeknight-friendly soup is made easy by using quick-cooking bulgur. Note that the bulgur will continue to absorb the liquid if kept overnight so you may need to stir in additional broth when reheating to return to desired consistency.
Ingredients
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth,

divided 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat 1 (14-ounce)

can no-salt-added diced tomatoes (I pureed tomatoes in a magic bullet before adding them. In summer, I replace canned tomatoes with fresh)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (I omitted)

1 tablespoon feta cheese crumbles (optional) (didn't do this either)

Method
In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring 1/2 cup broth to a simmer. Add onion and garlic and cook about 5 minutes or until onion is translucent and tender. Stir in coriander and cinnamon and cook 1 minute. Add bulgur and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add remaining 3 1/2 cups broth and tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until bulgur is tender. Stir in lemon juice. Garnish with parsley and feta.

another thanks to WholeFoods

Hello my name is Sydnee and I'm a vegetarian.

Do you know what happens to vegetarians that move to the south? I do. They stamp our chest's with a scarlet V and toss us into the not normal pile. I have committed an offense and am just learning how serious it is. I have been told by church-goers, scriptures in hand, that the Lord wants us to eat meat. Oh dear, this is serious.

You want a taste of my crime? This one's pretty good.

Quinoa with Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms

Serves 6
Mushrooms roasted in a simple oil-free pear balsamic dressing are delicious tossed with quinoa, spinach, green onions and almonds. Serve this dish warm, room temperature or cold, as a side dish or the main event.

Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 small pear, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

1 garlic clove, halved

2 pounds portobello mushrooms, stemmed and gills scraped out

1 cup red or white quinoa

3 cups tightly packed spinach, chopped

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 475°F. Put vinegar, mustard, pear and garlic in a blender with 1/3 cup water and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Cut mushrooms into chunks and combine in a large mixing bowl with 1/4 cup of the pear balsamic dressing. Spread mushrooms in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast mushrooms until tender, stirring occasionally, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

While mushrooms roast, prepare quinoa. In a medium pot, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil. Stir in quinoa, cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and set aside, covered, 10 minutes more. Uncover and fluff quinoa with a fork.

Combine mushrooms, quinoa, spinach, green onions, almonds, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup more pear balsamic dressing in a large, wide serving bowl. Stir to mix well. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.

Thanks is given to WholeFoods for this recipe.