Trying Wai Lana's Recipes take 2

With the weather so cold, all I've been thinking about is eating. I know it's bad. I did try two more recipes from Wai Lana today.

Here's one:

Wai Lana's Chunky Corn Soup

My daughter has never liked the taste of milk, but she loves this creamy soup with chunks of vegetables and the sweet burst of juicy corn.

3 cups potatoes, diced
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 cups water

1 Tbsp. butter
2 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 cup zucchini or string beans, diced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup milk
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

1. In a large saucepan bring the potatoes, 1 cup corn, and water to a boil. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes until soft. Mash the potatoes and corn slightly, allowing them to break up a little but not completely.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat. Add the 2 1/2 cups corn, zucchini, celery, and onion and sauté until the vegetables are tender.

3. Add the sautéed vegetables to the potato mixture. Stir in the milk and the seasonings and mix well. Add a little more liquid if necessary. Gently reheat, then serve.

Serves 10

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 131, Fat 2.4g (21 cal), Carbohydrate 23.9g (96 cal), Protein 3.5g (14 cal)
Added information: Saturated Fat 1.2g, Cholesterol 6mg, Sodium 372mg, Dietary Fiber 2.6g

And here's the other:

Wai Lana's Herb and Onion Rolls

These soft and tender rolls are not traditional bread rolls, but actually pieces of bread dough wrapped around either an onion or a fresh herb filling. They are perfect for picnic baskets or packed lunches, but they are also good accompaniments for a bowl of homemade soup or a light salad.

Dough:
1 cup low-fat plain soymilk
2 heaping Tbsp. mild clover honey
1 Tbsp. active yeast
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups unbleached white flour, plus extra as needed
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated soy margarine
2 Tbsp. maple syrup for basting
Salt for garnishing

Onion filling:
1 tsp. olive oil
3 cups onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp. raw sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. unbleached white flour

Herb filling:
1 cup assorted fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, cilantro, rosemary, oregano, mint, and tarragon (use small amounts of strong herbs like tarragon and rosemary)
5 tsp. eggless mayonnaise
5 tsp. maple syrup

1. Heat the soymilk and honey in a small saucepan until just warm. Remove from the heat and mix in the yeast. Cover and let sit until frothy, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the onion filling by heating the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add the water and cook until the liquid has completely dried up and the onions are soft. Add the sugar, salt, and flour and mix well. Set aside to cool. Wash and dry the fresh herbs for the herb filling, removing any woody stems. Finely chop and set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine the flours for the dough. Rub in the soy margarine with your fingertips until crumbly. Add the bubbly yeast mixture and mix to form a soft dough, adding a little more flour if necessary. Knead for a minute.

4. Turn the dough onto a floured counter. Divide into 5 pieces. Roll one piece into a 6x12-inch rectangle. Cut in half to make two squares. Place 2 Tbsp. onion filling down the center of each piece, spreading it to form a 2-inch strip. Fold one side of dough over the filling, then fold the other side on top. Press the ends together to seal. Spread 1 Tbsp. onion filling on top of each roll, then place them on a large oiled baking tray, leaving 2 inches between each one. Repeat for 3 more onion rolls. The sixth roll will be an herb one.

5. For the herb rolls, repeat the same process for rolling and cutting the dough. Spread 1 tsp. mayonnaise down the middle of each roll, then arrange 2 Tbsp. chopped herbs in a 2-inch strip down the center. Drizzle 1 tsp. maple syrup on top, then fold the sides in and seal the ends. Sprinkle 1/2 Tbsp. chopped herbs on top of each roll.

6. Baste all the rolls with maple syrup, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Loosely cover the rolls with plastic wrap and let rise for 35-45 minutes until puffy. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls on the middle rack for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool before serving.

Makes 10 bread rolls, 5 onion and 5 herb

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 297, Fat 10.8g (97 cal), Carbohydrate 44.1g (176 cal), Protein 5.9g (24 cal)
Added information: Saturated Fat 1.9g, Cholesterol 1mg, Sodium 82mg, Dietary Fiber 3.8g

I tried some other onion bread too - which is my sister's recipe - and it turned out looking more like this:


I loved it and everyone else in the family loved it. Success. :)