Recipes from our Equinox feasting...

Warm and Spicy Indonesian Peanut Dip
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1 or 2 cloves garlic
1 inch cube of peeled fresh ginger
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and deveined (or chile pepper of your choice)
1/2c coconut milk
1/4 c water
1Tbs tamari
1c natural unsweetened peanut butter (preferably chunky, but smooth works, too)
juice of half a lime (or lemon)
handful of chopped cilantro 
1/4 c of desicated coconut (optional)
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Place garlic, ginger, jalepeno, coconut milk, water, and tamari in a blender and blend until all is pulverized.
Add peanut butter and lime juice and quickly pulse just until peanut butter is incorporated.
Turn mixture into a small saucepan and warm on the stove over medium heat just until it begins to bubble.
Stir in cilantro and dessicated coconut (if using) and serve immediately with raw veggies.
(We used thick slices of cucumbers, carrot sticks, red pepper strips, and sugarsnap peas)
Makes almost 2 cups of dip...leftovers blended with additional coconut milk  to thin make an AWESOME pasta sauce .



Lemon-Spinach Orzo Soup
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3/4c orzo
1 onion - chopped (can substitute 3 leeks , especially in springtime!)
1 bell pepper - chopped (preferably a yellow, orange, or red one)
3-5 cloves garlic - chopped
olive oil for sauteing the above
6 c broth (veggie or chicken)
4c chopped fresh raw spinach
1/2 c chopped parsley
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
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Cook orzo until al dente , drain, rinse well in cold water, and set aside.
In a soup pot, saute onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Add broth and bring up to a simmer...simmer for 10 minutes.
Add fresh spinach, parsley, cooked orzo, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Serve immediately...serves 6



Spanish Potato Torta  (Sodie's specialty)
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1lb. red potatoes - peeled and sliced thinly - 1/8th  inch if possible
1 large yellow onion - sliced into thin rings
3Tbs olive oil
5 eggs - beaten
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream blended with chopped parsley (or other herbs) to serve
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*In a 12" well-seasoned pan (or nonstick omelet pan) heat olive oil and gently cook potatoes and onions over medium heat for about 12 minutes, or until potatoes soften.
*Season the beaten eggs with salt and pepper (potatoes can take a good dose of salt!) and pour into the pan over the onion/potato mixture.
*Quickly stir it all around just enough to make sure the eggs have coated all the potatoes.
*Cook gently over medium-low heat until eggs begin to set.
*To flip the torta over and cook the other side, place a large dinner plate over the top and holding the plate with one hand and the pan handle with the other, flip the torta upside-down onto the plate. Then slide it back into the pan with the golden-brown cooked side facing up.
*Let  the bottom set and slide onto a serving dish. Serve with sour cream if desired
*Serves 12 as an appetizer, 6 as a side dish, or 4 as a main dish
*May be served hot, but is traditionally served at room temperature.