Black Eyed Pea Soup

We took this to a church luncheon and it was a hit! So easy, too.
It is from "Twelve Months of Monastery Soups". A great cookbook that my friend Carla gave me years ago, and it is still one of my favorites. I use potatoes instead of a turnip just because I always have potatoes.

Serves 6 (I always double this as it is yummy the next day, too!)
1/4 C Olive Oil
2 onions, chopped
3/4 potatoes, chopped
1 C Black eyed peas or 1 15 oz can
7 C vegetarian broth
2/3 C rice
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
6 T lemon juice (important!)
pinch cumin
1/3 C fresh parsley minced

1. Pour olive oil into a soup pot and saute the onions for 2 or 3 minutes, or until they are golden.
2. Add the potatoes, black eyed peas, broth, rice, salt, pepper, and bay leaf and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low-medium, cover the pot, and simmer the soup slowly for 45 minutes, or until the peas are cooked.
3. Add the lemon juice and the cumin and stir the soup well. Allow it to sit, covered for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot. Sprinkle some fresh parsley on top of each serving.

Spinach-and-Orange Salad with Almonds and Honey-Sesame Dressing

This salad is really all about the dressing! I used clementine oranges instead of large oranges, they worked great. The dressing was used for dipping and even on the brown rice. We served this at Jessica and Eric's baby shower....

Ingredients:
Serves 4

Salad
* 1/4 cup slivered almonds
* 5 oz. baby spinach (6 cups)
* 2 large oranges, peeled and sectioned
* 1 Tbs. sesame seeds
*
Honey-Sesame Dressing
* 1/4 cup honey
* 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
* 2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
* 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
* 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
* 1 Tbs. dark sesame oil


The Asian-flavored dressing for this salad also makes a great dip for raw veggies, spring rolls, and dumplings.
Directions

1. To make Salad: Toast almonds in dry skillet over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until light brown. Cool.
2. Arrange spinach on a platter, and top with orange sections and almonds.
3. To make Honey-Sesame Dressing: Blend honey, vinegar, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes in food processor. Pour in vegetable oil and sesame oil, and blend until smooth. Drizzle 1/4 cup Honey-Sesame Dressing over salad, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.