Lentil Soup

Super flexible, try different veggie combinations depending on what you have on hand, add some fresh herbs if you have any. The parmesan rind adds a pretty awesome depth of flavor, but this is great without it.

1 T olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
1 c celery, sliced
1 c carrots, sliced
2 c mushrooms, sliced
4 c kale, torn
9 c vegetable broth (or water and bouillon)
optional: one parmesan rind or .25 cup nutritional yeast
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
4 oz tomato paste
2.5 c brown lentils
2 heads garlic, diced
a drizzle of your best olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a large pot. Saute onions in oil until almost translucent. Add celery, carrots, mushrooms, and kale, saute for five minutes. Add broth, diced tomatoes, the tomato paste, the parmesan rind if you're using it, and the lentils. Bring to a boil and simmer until lentils are almost done, about 30 minutes. Add garlic for the last 10 minutes of cooking (add it earlier if you want a less intense garlic flavor). Remove the parmesan rind. Serve bowls of soup with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.

Apple Crumble

Filling:
6 c apples, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 T flour (add a little extra if apples are very juicy)
1 T cane sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
1/8 t cloves
dash dried ginger

Topping:
1/4 C margarine, melted
1/3 C brown sugar
3/4 C pastry flour
1 C quick-cooking oats
1/4 t salt
1/8 t each allspice and cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325F.
Toss apples with remaining filling ingredients until coated.
Place apple mixture in a pie pan.
Combine margarine and sugar. Add remaining topping ingredients and mix until an even, but still coarse, texture is reached.
Spread topping evenly over apples.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until crumble is lightly browned on top and apples are cooked through.