Carrot Fries

Frites de Carottes aux Epices

- 1 kg (2 lbl.) carrots
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- cumin, ginger
- salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Wash, srub and peel the carrots. Trim the top and bottom of each carrot, and cut in fries. Put the carrots in a baking dish, spoon in the honey, and pour a dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Toss with a wooden spoon to coat. Add more oil and vinegar if necessary. Sprinkle cumin, ginger, salt and pepper generously, and toss again.

Put the dish in the oven to bake for roughly an hour, checking on the progress regularly after the first half hour, tossing the carrots from time to time for an even browning. The carrot fries are ready when they are thoroughly cooked, and start to get a little crisp at the edges.

From Chocolate & Zucchinis (http://chocolateandzucchini.com/)

Pierce Street Vegetarian Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, chopped
1-2 cups carrots, diced
1-2 cups celery, diced
8 small/med garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
10 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (canned is fine)
1 1/2 cups black lentils
3/4 cup French green lentils
2/3 cup pearled barley or pearled farro
2/3 cup bulgur wheat
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt (or to taste)

In a large stockpot pot over medium heat add the olive oil, leeks, carrots, and celery. After a few minutes, add the garlic, ginger, chili powder and cumin. Stir well and cook for a minute of so, until everything gets quite fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and 8 cups of the broth. Now add the chickpeas, lentils, barley/farro, and bulgur - stirring between each addition. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer. Take a taste of the broth a few minutes into the simmer - you can make adjustments for salt here - if you're using water in place of broth, you can add a teaspoon of salt for starters and add more later if needed.

Simmer away for about 35- 45 minutes or until the lentils and grains are cooked through. You will likely need to add the rest of the water, a cup at a time, if the chili thickens up too much. Before serving do your final adjustments - add more chipotle, salt, or whatever you think it needs and enjoy! I love this chili with a bit of feta or goat cheese on top and a big drizzle of olive oil.

A huge pot of chili - serves 12 or more.

Modified from 101 Cookbooks (http://www.101cookbooks.com/)

The Best Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

■3 cups pasta sauce (like Classico Spicy Tomato and Pesto)
■16 ounces 2% cottage cheese
■1/2 cup grated parmesan
■9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
■8 ounces mozzarella cheese
■Approximately 4 cups mixed vegetables (I used spinach, carrots, sundried tomatoes, and zucchini)
Preheat oven to 400*. Spray 11 X 8 glass casserole dish.

1.Combine cottage and parmesan cheeses.
2.Place 3 uncooked noodles in pan.
3.Cover with 1 cup pasta sauce, 1/3 cheese mixture, 1/3 vegetables, and 1/3 mozzarella.
4.Repeat 2 more times.
5.Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake one hour.

Makes about 8 servings, ~350 kcal per serving.

From Kath Eats Real Food (http://www.katheats.com/?page_id=1947)