Serves 8

-1 pound of fresh green beans, washed, remove any dry stems or tips and cut on a slant into 1-inch pieces
-1/2 medium head of red cabbage, sliced in 1/4 inch ribbons
-2/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
-2-3 shallots, finely sliced
- 1 cup blanched almond slivers or slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon
- sea salt, black pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread out almonds on a baking sheet and place on the middle rack. Allow the almonds to bake for a few minutes and stir once. Remove them from the oven when they become a light golden brown color. 5-7 minutes.

In a large pot boil 6 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Once the water boils add the green beans and stir for about 1-minute or until the beans are tender and bright green. Drain the beans once they have cooked to your liking (keep them fresh and brightly colored, try not to overcook them) and run cold water over them to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan on medium high, add oil, add shallots and stir, allow to cook for about 1 minute. Add red cabbage and stir well so that all the pieces are coated in oil. Add a pinch of salt and continue to stir and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the cabbage becomes somewhat soft but is still vibrant in color.

In a large mixing bowl combine green beans, almonds, cabbage, dill and the juice of one lemon. Mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cold.

Makes 5 servings

For the stock:

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1/2 pound dried mushrooms, any variety
1 onion, coarsely chopped (including onion skin)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
any left over stock vegetables (carrots, celery, potatoes, even lettuce. Vegetables that you want to use up)

For the soup:

3 tablespoons of butter or olive oil
1 onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms stems and caps (any variety), finely sliced. Set aside 1/3 of the mushrooms.
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 slice of thick bread or bread crumbs
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup cream or coconut milk (coconut milk will change the flavour significantly, you can also use soy or nut milk)

To prepare the stock:

Heat a large soup pot on medium high, add butter or olive oil and sauté dried mushrooms for 1 minute, add chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes more until the onions are slightly browned add star anise, cinnamon and black pepper and stir for 30 seconds. Pour in 6 cups of water and add the rest of the stock ingredients. Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for one hour. After one hour strain out the liquid and place in a separate container, discard the solids. Rinse out the soup pot.

For the soup:

Set aside one third of the sliced mushrooms for later.

Heat the same large soup pot on medium high, add 2 tablespoons of oil or butter. Add mushrooms and sauté on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes or until the mushrooms become soft, add onions. Add a tiny pinch of salt and stir, let the onions and mushrooms cook until the mushrooms release their liquid. Add garlic, parsley and bread, stir for one minute and then pour in the red wine. Add mushroom stock and cook, uncovered for 15-20 minutes.

During this time heat a small sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon oil or butter and brown the sliced mushrooms that you set aside earlier.

Remove soup from heat and blend in a blender until the consistency is quite smooth. Return the soup to the pot, add more salt if needed and swirl in the cream.

Serve soup with a garnish of fresh parsley, browned mushrooms and freshly ground black pepper.

Are you ready for the truth? The Meatrix gives it to you straight- the truth about factory farming and the meat industry. Much more accessible than a lot of the meat-media out there, The Meatrix is informative, entertaining and kid friendly. Another reminder to be aware of what we’re eating and where it comes from… Don’t forget that industrialized agriculture is just as brutal to the earth and many labor workers as the meat industry is to the animals (and the earth as well). To get out of the food matrix choose the local, independent and organic pill… and the vegetarian one tastes better ; )