Heinen’s Sunday Supper: A Smith Family Favorite Vegan Dinner

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2 mins read

Just over a year ago, our family moved to Barrington after years of living in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. During our last year in L.A., every Saturday morning we would wake up early and head to the beach in Malibu and then the local Farmer’s Market in Calabasas where we’d pick up produce and head home to start cooking an early dinner. It was a rhythm that brought calm during years of navigating many big moves with young kids. It was those Saturday afternoons, cooking at home, where we were able to experiment and learn how to make new nutritious recipes, many of them vegetarian and vegan. It’s these recipes that we most often enjoy for our favorite family meals here in Barrington, and I thought I’d share two of them with you for this week’s Heinen’s Sunday Supper.

When we moved back to the Midwest, we were in search for a grocery store to carry the freshest organic products in town and found that at Heinen’s. We are so grateful for our time in California—those years shaped us and taught us so much, including new ways to eat and enjoy food. And we are thankful to live near Heinen’s—always stocked with nutritious produce and helping us to eat well, even in these winter months.

Making this lentil soup is a comfort food during the cold weather and is a staple in our house. This recipe is from California food and lifestyle blogger Yummy Mummy Kitchen and is a family favorite. If you prefer, you can temper the spices and amount of lemon to your taste. It’s oh-so-healthy, and I always make a double batch and either give away or freeze the other half.

Lemony Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups diced or sliced carrots
  • 1 1/2 cups diced celery (1 full head)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
  • 2 1/2 (32 oz.) boxes vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons dried turmeric
  • 2 cups green lentils, rinsed
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • juice of 2 small lemons

Instructions:

  • Heat oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté another minute longer. Add the broth, turmeric, and lentils.
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and simmer another 30 minutes. Add more broth if needed.

(Serving this soup with a french baguette is delicious, but usually not a vegan option)

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This Healthiest Chocolate Mousse dessert was inspired by a friend who made a variation of this for a snack, and then I found this recipe at Deliciously Ella, a food blog featuring plant-based recipes. It does have an avocado in it, but I promise you won’t taste it.  Our kids love it and we do too!

Healthiest Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

  • 2 really ripe bananas
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 6 medjool dates
  • 4 tablespoons of water
  • 2 heaped teaspoons of almond butter
  • 2 heaped teaspoons of raw cacao powder
  • Optional:
    • Sprinkling of chia seeds
    • Sprinkling of flax seeds

Instructions:

Pit the dates and then put all the ingredients into a Vitamix or food processor until blended smoothly. Enjoy immediately or chill in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

Almost every night for dinner, we turn down the lights and then light a pair of candlesticks. It’s a visual reminder for us that the time we have around the table together is special.  It’s a time of gratitude, enjoyment, laughter, nourishment and making memories. Enjoy! xo

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Heinen’s Grocery is located at 500 N. Hough Street, between E. Main Street and Route 14 (next to Meathead’s) in Barrington, Illinois. They’re open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit Heinens.com.

Heinen's Grocery Store in Barrington, Illinois

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