Thanks to the marvelous Miss Whistle, I read the Guardian’s article previewing 15 recipies from Ottolenghi’s upcoming cookbook. Tonight I made his “Chickpea, tomato and bread soup,” which is quite similar to a Tuscan ribollita.

Let me just say that even though there are just two of us, there were no leftovers.

For the past five months, my husband and I have been eating a largely vegan diet. I know that saying “largely vegan” is akin to saying “somewhat pregnant,” so let’s just say that we severely limit the amount of animal product we eat, and save it for very special occasions. Let it be known: I will NEVER give up cheese entirely!

So, most of what we eat is comprised of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains – you know, things that don’t have to have an ingredient list when you buy them. My friend Martha Stroud asked me to post links to some of my favorite healthful recipes and here they are.

Soup Au Pistou

Yellow peppers Stuffed with Quinoa, Corn and Feta Cheese

Spinach and Zucchini Soup

Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf

Quinoa Salad with Lime + Fresh Mint

Three-Bean Salad

“California Roll” Salad

Lemon-Roasted Green Beans with Marcona Almonds

Not available online is our favorite vegetarian chili recipe, which is in Anna Thomas’ book Love Soup.

This recipe was sent to me almost a decade ago by my Aunt. It was from the February 2001 issue of Food & Wine Magazine, and credited to Alex Urena, executive chef of Manhattan’s Blue Hill Restaurant.

Servings: 2 to 4
Ingredients:

3 tablespoons canola oil
One 14-ounce vacuum-packed jar of cooked and peeled chestnuts (2 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium leek, white and tender green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 teaspoons honey
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons Cognac or brandy
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Steps:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add 4 of the chestnuts and sauté over moderately high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Add the onion and leek to the pan, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the honey and stir until melted. Stir in the remaining chestnuts and the stock, season with salt and pepper and simmer over moderate heat for 10 minutes.

2. Finely chop the sautéed chestnuts. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth, or use an immersion blender right in the pot. If you like, strain through a fine sieve (although I prefer it thicker). Season the soup with salt and pepper and stir in the Cognac. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls. Garnish with the chopped chestnuts and parsley and serve.

Note: I garnished with spiced heavy cream and balsamic glaze instead of the parsley. For the cream, I used ½ C whipping cream, and added a few pinches each of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and sugar, then whisked it till thickened. For the balsamic glaze, I reduced a pint of balsamic vinegar reduced slooooowly (at a simmer) in a heavy saucepan down to ½ C. It takes hours and the house smells, but it’s lovely stuff J. I put them in squeeze bottles (the kind you get to put your shampoo in while traveling) in order to drizzle them on the way I did. Or… you can buy Balsamic Glaze already made

Make Ahead: The chestnut soup can be refrigerated overnight. Garnish with the sautéed chestnuts and parsley before serving.