Veganuary

 This is a silly challenge that seems to make the rounds each year. It has never appealed before, but my sister has become increasingly vegetarian and I was curious to see how I would do for a month. My doctor wants me to eat more fibre, I like ethnic food and I like beans. I don’t like eating imported/out of season or highly processed/packaged food, so that adds a complication. Things got a lot better when a friend mentioned sauerkraut soup (I had a lot of sauerkraut in my fridge), and suggested I look at the recipe in a Ukrainian cookbook we both own. It turned out to be a brilliant idea. So far, I have made the vegetarian sauerkraut soup, the Barley mushroom soup, and noodles with cabbage (and sauerkraut). Next up will be cabbage and split yellow peas. I have also made a spiced lentil soup with preserved lemons from the Chez Piggy Cookbook. Chez Piggy is a popular restaurant in Kingston, Ontario; apparently I love their leek and Gorgonzola soup so much that I have acquired two copies of the cookbook.



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