Tofu

     Although this recipe isn’t from the More-with-Less cookbook, it's in keeping with the spirit of the book’s low cost and international flavors. The recipe itself is from a slow cooker cookbook and one that I had wanted to try for several weeks. We used it on a meatless Monday. I know you are thinking, "Is chorizo meatless?" It is if you use Trader Joe’s Soy (Tofu) Chorizo. (This tofu chorizo is very close to the pork chorizo we use in our breakfast burritos). The recipe was fantastic, with just the right amount of spicy flavor. We paired it with a homemade bread.

        Split Peas with Chorizo Soup

 

1 pound of split peas

8 cups liquid (water or chicken broth)

12 oz soy chorizo

1 and ½ cups diced carrots

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. (From the foodnetwork.com)

            If you are familiar with tofu, you have probably heard people say it takes on the flavor of the ingredients it's cooked with. I suppose that may be true to a certain degree, but I don’t usually find that to be the case.

            This Saturday I will host a new member orientation. The participants will come, each bringing his or her faith journey from a variety of places in the United States and even from Africa. Some will be familiar with United Methodism; others less so. I always try to help new members get an understanding of who we are as United Methodists. I think I’ll say we are the tofu of denominations we take on certain flavors around us but do have some distinctive characteristics. Do you have a better food metaphor or image in mind for who we United Methodists are?