HASHWEE RICE AND FAT-FREE LEEK SOUP

I can't seem to catch up since I got back from Grand Rapids! I'm working hard and trying my best, but "catching up" eludes me still!

Anyway, I just wanted to give you a couple of easy and delicious recipes we had in the last few days. They are not spicy or elaborate, but they are comforting, cheap, quick, easy, and tasty!

Hashwee is a Lebanese rice dish, which can also be used as a stuffing for vegetables (cabbage, chard, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, etc.). It is an aromatic rice and ground meat dish, and using vegan "hamburger crumbles" makes it easy to veganize. We ate it "as is", but it is sometimes topped with boiled or grilled poultry, so you could top it with grilled vegetables, tempeh, tofu, or seitan, perhaps in a lemony baste or marinade, or with a spicy Middle Eastern-style marinade to offset the aromatic, but mild-tasting rice.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S QUICK VEGAN HASHWEE (LEBANESE RICE) (CAN BE MADE IN A RICE COOKER)
Serves 4 as a main dish

This is a delicious quick meal to eat with a salad. PS: If you would prefer, use brown basmati rice and use 4 cups broth instead of 3 (but it will take longer to cook).

Place in a large heavy pot, or rice-cooker:

3 cups vegetarian "chicken-style" broth
2 cups white basmati rice
1 packet vegan "hamburger crumbles
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (or you can use allspice, or a combination of allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg)
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

If using a rice cooker, cover and cook according to the directions for your cooker. if using a pot, bring to a boil, then cover, turn down to low and cook 20 minutes.

Just before serving, fold in:

1/4 cup more fresh parsley (and have some for garnish, too)
1/3 cup pinenuts (I used chopped cashews because that's all I had) browned in a little Earth Balance (save a few for garnish)

Serve each portion with a little chopped parsley and a few nut pieces, and lemon wedges on the side to squirt into the rice.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 524.9 calories; 11% calories from fat; 7.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 948.2mg sodium; 811.4mg potassium; 89.9g carbohydrates; 8.7g fiber; 3.5g sugar; 81.2g net carbs; 27.6g protein; 10.3 points.

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Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S CREAMY FAT-FREE LEEK AND POTATO SOUP 
Serves 4

Recipes for leek soups usually tell you to use only the whites, but I can't figure out why. I love the green part, too, and the color, so I use the whole leek.

1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb. leeks (white and green part; trimmed, cleaned, and sliced)
2 medium russet potatoes (1/2 lb.), peeled and diced
3 c. vegetarian "chicken-style" broth
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Optional Garnish: Tofu Sour Cream (Tofutti); a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil; minced fresh parsley, mint, basil or cilantro; paprika; curry powder; croutons; dillweed; chopped green onions or chives; etc.

In an oiled (preferably nonstick) medium pot over high heat stir-fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water only as needed to keep from sticking. Don’t brown.. Add the leeks, potatoes, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, turn down, and simmer about 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Puree right in the pot with an immersion hand blender. OR, with a slotted spoon, transfer all the solids to the food processor or blender and puree until smooth (IMPORTANT CAUTION: leave an escape in the lid for steam, or else hot veggies will explode all over you!). Add a bit of the broth, then stir the pureed mixture back into the pot.

Taste for salt and pepper.

Serve with one or two garnishes.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 179.5 calories; 3% calories from fat; 0.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 814.0mg sodium; 701.6mg potassium; 39.6g carbohydrates; 5.8g fiber; 7.5g sugar; 33.8g net carbs; 6.5g protein; 2.9 points.


Enjoy!