Soups and Stews Archives

Vegan Slow Cooker for Beginners Cookbook Giveaway

February 1, 2014 By Jennifer 41 Comments

Vegan Slow Cooker for Beginners (Rockbridge Press) will take the time and frustration out of cooking vegan at home. This cookbook has 150 easy and delcious vegan slow cooker meals perfect for the busy vegan.

This is a great starter book for creating hearty vegan slow cooker meals. There are recipes for breakfast, snacks, sides, appetizers, soups, stews/chilies, beans/grains and vegetables.

Vegan crowd-pleasers, such as Black Bean Breakfast Burritos, Vegan Eggplant Parmesan, and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cake – this cookbook has it all!

I had to offer up this wonderful chili recipe for the giveaway today. It is Superbowl weekend – if you didn’t know – and who isn’t looking for a chili recipe to serve at a party? I know I am!

This is a super easy chili to make, it took no time at all to throw all the ingredients into the slow cooker and hit the timer. It’s cooking now and it smells delicious! So, make it today for Superbowl because chili is ALWAYS better the next day.

Black Bean and Chipotle Pepper Chili

Black Bean and Chipotle Pepper Stew/Chili

Author: Rockbridge Press

Recipe type: Stew/Chili

Serves: 6-8

Chipotle Peppers are ripe red jalapeno peppers that have been smoked and dried. Chipotle literally means "smoked chili." The vast majority of these peppers come from Chihuahua, a state in northern Mexico

Ingredients

4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups vegetable stock
¾ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 large red onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 or 2 chipotle peppers
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Diced avocado, optional

Instructions

Combine the beans, tomatoes with their juices, vegetable stock, quinoa, onion, green and red bell peppers, garlic, and chipotle peppers in the slow cooker.
Stir in the chili powder, coriander, cinnamon, sea salt, and black pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Removed the chipotle peppers
Ladle the stew into bowls, garnish with the fresh cilantro, and serve hot with diced avocado, if desired.

Notes

I diced the chipotle peppers and did not remove them. I also cooked the quinoa separate. Reheat the quinoa when ready to serve the stew/chili and stirred it into each serving.

***** This Giveaway is now closed ******

And now for the GIVEAWAY and Good Luck!

To enter the contest, leave a comment sharing some of your favorite Superbowl recipe.

Don’t forget to leave your contact information so I can let you know if you win. =)

BONUS ENTRIES

You MUST leave each entry as a SEPARATE comment or only one comment will count.

Like Virtually Vegan Mama on Facebook and leave a comment on my wall.
Subscribe to Virtually Vegan Mama
Follow Virtually Vegan Mama on Twitter
Follow Virtually Vegan Mama on Pinterest
Tweet about this giveaway and tell me that you tweeted in the comments section; “I just entered to win Vegan Slow Cooker for Beginners! @virtveganmama”
Share this giveaway on your Facebook Page and tell me that you did so in the comments section
Pin it

All entries must be completed no later than Saturday, February 8, 2014, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Winner will be announced on Sunday, February 9th, 2014, on my blog, and the winner will also be notified via the email address they provided in the comments section.

Giveaway open to U.S. and Canada residents only. =)

Good Luck!

xoxo,

Jen

Can’t wait and you need this book now. Well, don’t fret, you can buy it here: Vegan Slow Cooker for Beginners

Hearty Minestrone Soup

December 5, 2013 By Jennifer 24 Comments

I’m finding it hard to believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone! We had a wonderful, mellow Thanksgiving at our house, but we sure did eat a lot of rich foods. So, in order to lighten it up a bit in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I am sharing this bowl of healthy deliciousness with you.

This soup is exactly what my family needed this week since everyone has come down with some variation of the same cold. Isn’t it interesting how a cold can manifest itself differently for each person? Well, we are on the mend thanks to this hearty minestrone soup. I hope it’s just what you need too!

This soup is hearty, filling and pairs nicely with a big green salad – as all soups should. You can also serve this with some warm crusty bread.

Hearty Minestrone Soup (vegan, oil-free)

Author: Jennifer Strohmeyer - Virtually Vegan Mama

Recipe type: Soup

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¾ cup celery, thinly sliced
1 leek white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
2 cups Napa cabbage, chopped
¼ cup dry sherry
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 bay leaves
¾ cup canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
¾ cup canned white northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked elbow noodles
no-salt seasoning of choice or sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Instructions

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and two tablespoons of vegetable stock and stir. Water sauté the onions, adding small of amounts of veggie stock when needed to prevent sticking, for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, celery, leeks, cabbage and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Raise heat to high and add dry sherry, vegetable stock and diced tomatoes. Whisk in tomato paste and add bay leaves. Bring to a Boil. Cover and simmer on low-heat for 15 minutes.
Stir in the beans and cover. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove bay leaves and stir in pasta noodles. Season with no-salt seasoning or sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
Remove from heat. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

I only used 3 cups vegetable stock in this soup because I wanted it to be hearty. If you want more broth add an additional 1 cup of vegetable broth. You will need to add another tablespoon of tomato paste and adjust the seasonings a bit.

I adore simple soups like this that are done in a flash, especially when I have sick babies to heal and comfort. Soups like this always have a way of making everyone feel better.

What’s your favorite comforting soup to feed your family when they are sick? Don’t be shy and leave a comment – your comments make my day!

Enjoy!

xoxo,

Jen

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

November 12, 2013 By Jennifer 21 Comments

With the cool weather here and fall in full-bloom, my craving for warm and hearty soups is here. I made this soup and sat on my back deck basking in all the colors as the sun peaked through the leaves like fire. In Georgia you get the cool crisp falls with an extra added warmth from the sun which we didn’t get up north. I’m so glad I live in a world where there is fall and of course warm soups to enjoy. Just look at the beautiful colors that my hubby captured early one morning last week.

But, fall is over for a lot of you and it’s winding down here in Georgia. It’s snowing up North and a cold front is coming in here tonight! But I am holding on to the last hints of my favorite season with this post and this soup. This soup just looks like fall to me, but it can also warm your stomach and your soul in the cold winter months to come. There are very few ingredients and it can whipped up in a short amount of time – who doesn’t love simplicity when it comes to cooking?

You can get all fancy with this soup and use different mushrooms if you want. I will definitely be doing this! This soup is great on its own, or with a half sandwich or a salad. You can add more vegetables to this soup or add some beans. It’s also a great base for a hearty casserole. I will be using this to make a vegan version of a traditional Thanksgiving side that I love – which of course I will share shortly. =)

A vegan cream of mushroom soup has been on my mind for some time – so here it is. =)

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

Author: Jennifer Strohmeyer - Virtually Vegan Mama

Recipe type: Entree, Side

Serves: 4

Ingredients

16 oz button mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sweet onion, diced
½ cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 4 hours
4 cups vegetable stock, plus 2 tablespoons
½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice (I used almond milk)
½ cup white wine
1 tsp dried thyme
4 tbsp no-salt seasoning (I used Benson's Table Tasty)
1 tablespoon flour
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
ground paprika, for garnish

Instructions

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and two tablespoons of vegetable stock and stir. Water saute the onions, adding small of amounts of veggie stock when needed to prevent sticking, for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add a little veggie stock if need, but the mushroom will add enough liquid you will probably not need to do this. Raise heat to high and add white wine, cook for five minutes stirring often.
Add 4 cups of vegetable stock, dried thyme and no-salt seasoning to pot and stir. Cover and simmer on low-heat for 15 minutes.
In a food processor or high-powered blender, puree soaked cashews (drained of water) and ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice (I used almond milk). Add 1 cup of soup and puree until smooth and creamy. Slowly whisk in soup and cashew puree to the pot and stir.
In a small bowl, add one tablespoon of flour. Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable stock until smooth. Slowly whisk into soup and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until desired thickness.
Remove from heat and season with freshly ground pepper, to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with ground paprika and fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

There are many brands of no-salt seasonings, so you might have to adjust the amounts you are using. For example, Mr's Dash has a lot of pepper, so I would not use 4 tablespoons in this soup. Use your intuition and season to taste.

Thank you to Wendy over at Healthy Girl’s Kitchen for turning me on to Benson’s Table Tasty. It’s my new go-to and by far my favorite no-salt seasoning! Wendy has a great post on No-Salt Seasonings that I recommend checking out.

I added this note to the recipe, but I want to reiterate. There are many brands of no-salt seasonings, so you might have to adjust the amounts you are using for this soup. For example, Mr’s Dash has A LOT of pepper, so I would not use 4 tablespoons in this soup. Use your intuition peeps and season to taste. =)

Have you ever tried Benson’s Table Tasty? What do you think about it? If not, what’s your favorite no-salt seasoning?

<br />

Enjoy!

xoxo,

Jen

Summer Fest: Thai Corn Soup

August 17, 2011 By Jennifer 27 Comments

Welcome to my new blog design. I am just loving it and I hope you all love it too. I’m still working on some sections so bear with me while I get it all done. It has been a lot of work to get it switched over, but well worth it! Now I can concentrate on posting all the wonderful recipes I have planned to make for my wonderful family and share with all of you. I started a Facebook Page so please give a LIKE if you like, thank you!

This week for Summer Fest, corn is on the menu and I knew exactly what I wanted to make. I wanted to make my favorite Thai soup because I have been craving it. I just love spicy soups like my Toasted Quinoa Mexican Soup and have been eating that often. Now that delicious Jersey Corn is in season – I guess you could use frozen corn in the winter months, but fresh is best when you’ve got it – I had to make this fresh soup to eat all week and I hope you try it because you will not be disappointed.

If you want you can decrease the coconut milk to one can – which will decrease the fat – and just add more vegetable stock. If you want more vegetables in this soup, add some sliced mushrooms and/or carrots. To add more protein and fiber, a can of beans wouldn’t hurt or some jasmine rice or quinoa – definitely toasted. Get creative, add what you like, the base is so tasty anything would work. I served this soup warm, but it would also be delicious chilled. I’m having it that way myself today for lunch. How about some toasted coconut and/or peanuts in there as well?

YUM! Enjoy!

Thai Corn Soup

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

2-3 ears fresh corn, kernels scraped from cob, 2 cups

4 cups fresh baby spinach

1 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 (15 oz) cans light coconut milk

1 cup no salt added vegetable stock

1-3 tsp red curry powder, adjust to taste

1 tbsp date syrup or maple syrup, optional

Black pepper, to taste

Fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, add the onions and two tablespoons of water. Saute until onions are translucent, stirring often adding a tablespoon of water if onions start to stick, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute.

Add corn and sauté for 5-8 minutes stirring constantly, adding a tablespoon of water when needed.

Add bell pepper and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.

Add coconut milk, vegetable stock, date syrup, and curry powder. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Add spinach and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper and adjust to taste.

Serve with fresh chopped basil and lime wedges.

Summer Fest is a season long event where Food Network Editors team up with blogs to share tips and recipes about seasonal produce. During Summer Fest, we celebrate the season’s bounty of fresh fruit and veggies. This week we are sharing recipes using cucumbers. For more inspired dishes cooking with cucumbers, be sure to check out all these great sites that are participating in Summer Fest this week.
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Fresh Corn Salsa with Basil and Mint
Zaika Zabardast: Fresh Corn Risotto
What’s Gaby Cooking: Spicy Corn Salsa
CIA Dropout: Truffle Roasted Corn Kohlrabi Soup
Cooking Channel: Fresh Corn Muffins
Food for 7 Stages of Life: Corn on the Cob Korma
FN Dish: Southwest Corn Recipes
Daily*Dishin: Sweet Corn and Couscous Main Dish Salad
Pinch My Salt: Peter Reinhart’s Fresh Cut Corn Bread with Bacon
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Corn & Watermelon Salad
Virtually Homemade: Summer Corn Salad
Food2: Creamed Corn Cornbread
Sunshine and Smile: Scallops with Corn and Pepper Sauce
Spices N Aroma: Corn Pilaf
The Sensitive Epicure: Fresh Corn Fritters with Chive Lemon Chipotle Yogurt (Gluten-Free)
Dixie Chick Cooks: Fresh Corn with Basil Slaw and Feta
Cooking With Books: Corn Favorites
Purple Cook: Corn on the Cob with Cilantro

Glory Foods: Skillet Corn Muffins

Summer Fest Fire-Roasted Tomato and Cucumber Gazpacho

July 19, 2011 By Jennifer 9 Comments

I don’t know about you, but we are having a heat wave here in New Jersey right now. I need something refreshingly cold and delicious to feed my family and keep us cool during these hot summer months. The trip to our local farmer’s market this past weekend left me with some cucumbers and of course, beautiful and juicy jersey tomatoes. What better way to use these fresh veggies than to make the perfect summertime gazpacho soup.

Traditionally, Gazpacho is made with uncooked vegetables, but I couldn’t resist grilling the tomatoes and roasting some peppers for some fire-roasted goodness. Add some other fresh diced vegetables to this like celery or corn. I also added some fresh diced mango because my kids love fruit and that was the perfect addition.

This is my version of this classic Spanish soup.

Enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from The Barefoot Contessa.

Summer Fest Fire-Roasted Tomato and Cucumber Gazpacho

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

4 medium tomatoes, sliced and grilled

4 plum tomatoes, sliced and grilled

1 cup roasted red pepper, diced

1 cup roasted poblano pepper, diced

2 cups cucumber, diced

1 cup red onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 sliced

¼ cup white wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp ground coriander

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

¼ cup cilantro, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)

Directions:

Roast peppers over a gas flame on your stove, turning with tongs until skin is evenly charred. Transfer to plate and allow to cool. Peel the charred skin by hand. Once peeled cut away the stems, seeds and veins.

Brush tomatoes with 1 tsp of olive oil. Place the tomatoes on grill and cook 5-7 minutes on each side, or until slightly charred. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add grilled tomatoes, ½ cup diced cucumber, ½ cup roasted red pepper, ½ cup roasted poblano pepper, garlic, coriander, cumin, cilantro, juice of 1 lime and red wine vinegar to cuisinart or blender. Puree until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl and mix in remaining ingredients. Season with fresh black pepper and chill in the refrigerator minimum 4 hours to allow the flavors to combine. The colder the better with this soup. To serve garnish with fresh minced cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

I would definitely make this next time with fresh tomato juice instead of canned. I am making it again very soon, so watch for the update. I don’t know why I used canned in the first place when I am surrounded by so many gorgeous tomatoes!

*I have updated this recipe and removed canned tomato juice – it was keeing me up at night and giving me nightmares! 😉

Pinch My Salt: Chilled Cucumber, Kefir and Avocado Soup

What’s Gaby Cooking: Cucumber-Basil Gimlet

In Jennie’s Kitchen: Radish-Cucumber Crostini

Big Girl Small Kitchen: Spicy Cucumber Salad with Shallot, Ginger and Mint

Grecian Kitchen: Summer Cucumber Salad

And Love It Too: Cucumber, Mint and Watermelon Salad

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cucumbers Coolers with Agave Simple Syrup

Cooking With My Kid: Cucumber Limeade

FN Dish: Summer Fest: Cucumber Recipes

CIA Dropout: Relishing Cucumbers

Healthy Eats: Cool Cucumber Soup

Food for 7 Stages of Life: Cucumber Cherry Salsa

Cooking With Elise: Green Tea Cucumber Pops

Glory Foods: Cucumber and Shrimp Boat

Food2: When Life Gives You Cucumbers, Make a Cucumber Cocktail

Cooking Channel: Cucumbers Stuffed with Crab-Mango Salad

Recipe Girl: Bread and Butter Pickles

Taste With the Eyes: Spicy Pickled Cucumbers with Wakame and Garlic Blossoms

Virtually Homemade: Cold Thai Cucumber-Mint Soup

Add a Pinch: Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

The Cultural Dish: Ahi Tuna with Cucumber Sauce and Salad

Daily*Dishin: Cool n’ Zesty Cukes: 7 Minute Summer in a Jar

Daydreamer Desserts: Cubanita Margarita

Purple Cook: Cucumber Gazpacho with Indian Flavored Shrimp Relish

Indian Simmer: Cucumber at its Best with Chaat Masala

Big Apple Nosh: Quick and Easy Homemade Pickles

Sweet Life Bake: Agua de Pepino

The Sensitive Epicure: Tzatziki with Grilled Gluten-Free Pitas and Fresh Cucumbers and Peppers

Zaika Zabardast: Cucumber Gazpacho

A Way to Garden: Cucumber-Growing Q&A and the Best Pickles

Cooking with Books: Summer Fest: Cucumbers

Vegetarian Three Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

February 4, 2011 By Jennifer 11 Comments

Here’s my reinvented nutrient-rich NO MEAT version of my husband’s oh so delicious chili recipe that he has made for years. The verdict….dun dun dun! He loves it! WOOHOO! This actually is quit fabulous so if you haven’t made your game day chili yet make this one. It’s sure to be a hit at any Super Bowl Party! Try it out and let me know what you think (That’s all I’ve got for blogging today, back to my poor little 11 month old with a double ear infection and pink eye taboot…BOOOOO!). Oh, and make sure everything you use is no or low sodium! If canned beans have too much sodium, buy dry and soak beans 6-8 hours in water. This is the best way to cut the sodium out. =)

Vegetarian Three Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion (diced)
1 large red bell pepper, (chopped)
4-5 cloves garlic (minced)
1 (8 oz/226g) carton button mushrooms (chopped)
2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into ½-inch/1 cm pieces)
1 (28 oz/794g) can diced tomatoes, regular or fire-roasted (undrained)
1 (28 oz/794g) can crushed tomatoes, regular or fire-roasted
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (15 oz/424g) can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (15 oz/424g) can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (15 oz/424g) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 medium jalapeno (chopped)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
½ teaspoon mexican chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
3 teaspoons raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
handful of fresh chopped cilantro for garnish
Daiya Dairy-free Cheddar Style Shreds or other dairy-free cheddar substitute

Instructions

Heat a large stockpot on medium heat.
Add onions, garlic and mushrooms. Add two tablespoons of water and stir. Sauté for 5 minutes adding a little more water when needed so not to burn the vegetables.
Add the rest of the ingredients, but leave out the beans. Bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Add beans and stir. Continue to cook uncovered for 30 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and vegan cheddar shreds.

Notes

Make this a day before. Chili is always better the next day! I've also added some canned chipotle in adobo sauce for an extra smokey kick, about a half of one should do.

Enjoy!!

XOXO,

Jen

Enjoy!

Red Lentil Soup with Fresh Cilantro and Lemon

January 20, 2011 By Jennifer 12 Comments

I’ve always loved lentil soup; it’s creamy, filling and absolutely delish in my opinion! Lentils are a good source of protein, iron, dietary fiber, vitamin B1, folate and essential minerals (“Lentil: An Ancient Crop for Modern Times.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia). Soups are a big part of the Eat to Live diet created by Dr. Joel Fuhrman and I base the way I cook my food on his style of eating. I have been enjoying cooking my food with the limited use of salts and extra added fats. I have learned to season my food naturally. You will be surprised how unappetizing food that is heavily salted and drench in butter/oil begins to taste. Just forgot about what you have learned about cooking and at least attempt this style of eating. You will be amazed at how wonderful you will feel. So why not start reaping all the health benefits a nutrient-rich, plant-based diet can give you and your family?!?! Go for it!

This recipe is inspired by the Eat to Live style of cooking. Pretty much all the recipes you will find here are. I use two products to come up with a great tasting way to make a soup base and then I throw in the ingredients I want to cook, season it and garnish it with fresh herbs. The fresh herbs always make a big difference in taste to me. I always keep fresh herbs in the fridge and use them all week in everything I cook. Oh, and I love fresh lemon squeezed on this soup right before serving. The lemon really compliments the coriander. I’m also really into cilantro lately and it tastes great in this soup too. The whole family enjoyed this one. YUMMY!

Red Lentil Soup with Fresh Cilantro and Lemon

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

6 cups no salt added or low-sodium vegetable broth (or 3-4 Tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman VegiZest mixed w/ water)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (1 large onion)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2-2 cups chopped carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise

1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Fresh lemon juice

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, add 6 cups of water, stir in VegiZest and Swiss Bouillon or add vegetable stock if using that instead.

Add chopped onion, garlic, coriander, paprika and fresh ground pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to break up any chunky seasonings. Boil gently uncovered for five minutes.

Add red lentils, reduce to simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Add chopped carrot, cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes until lentils are thoroughly cooked and soup is thickened. Stir often to prevent sticking to the bottom of your pan.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and fresh lemon.

Enjoy! YUM!

Reference list

S S Yadav et al. Lentil: An Ancient Crop for Modern Times. (2007) In Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation Inc. Encyclopedia on-line. Available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentil. Internet. Retrieved 16 January 2011.

Vegan Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup

January 13, 2011 By Jennifer 4 Comments

Tomatoes are full of all kinds of health benefits. They contain lycopene which is a vital antioxidant that helps fight against cancer and they are loaded with vitamin A and C. Tomatoes are highly versatile and can be used in so many recipes. One of my favorites is cream of tomato soup. I absolutely looooooooooooooove cream of tomato soup! Let’s face it though, it is not healthy or low fat after all the cream is added to the soup, but boy is it delicious! So, with a lot of thought and years of eating this stuff, I was able to come up with my own super nutrient-rich version. My sister-in-law, who is also a wonderful chef, always roasts her tomatoes in the oven like this for sauces, so she definitely inspired this soup. Try it and let me know what you think!

Vegan Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix ’em up, use what you like or whatever looks good!)
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 large vidalia onion, sliced
4 cups low or no sodium vegetable stock (homemade or store bought)
3 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman’s VegiZest or other no-salt seasoning.
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup raw cashew nuts
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Slice the tomatoes into halves. Stuff the tomatoes with the garlic. Line two trays with parchment paper or use non-stick trays. Spread the tomatoes and onions onto the baking trays. Roast for 30 minutes.

Remove roasted tomatoes and onions from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot. Reserve a couple tomatoes for garnish. Add the vegetable stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Remove bay leaves. Add the soup to a high powered blender or cuisinart with cashew nuts to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with some chopped roasted tomatoes and fresh chopped basil.

This soup is a great base and it freezes well too. I use it for stuffed peppers and I often throw fresh spinach, kale and/or other vegetables into it for a heartier version.
Enjoy! YUM!

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