soup Archives - Pure Thyme

Hearty Minestrone Soup

December 5, 2013 By Jennifer

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)

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Jennifer Strohmeyer - Virtually Vegan Mama

Recipe type: Soup

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

Wild About Greens Giveaway

July 2, 2013 By Jennifer

125 Delectable Vegan Recipes for Kale, Collards, Arugula, Bok Choy, and other Leafy Veggies Everyone Loves

Nava Atlas serves up a comprehensive collection of scrumptious recipes, all featuring ultra-healthy, super-nutritious leafy greens.

Leafy greens are a breeze to grow and prepare, and these 125 dishes showcase the most commonly used varieties in an irresistible selection of soups, salads, stews, stir-fries, pastas, and more. Nava’s up-to-the-minute ideas range from using sturdy collard greens as wrappers for savory fillings to whirling tender arugula and watercress into incredible dips.

There’s even a section on beverages — green smoothies and juices have a growing legion of devotees. Leafy greens, including kale, collards, spinach, arugula, mustard greens, Asian greens, and others are considered the most nutritious foods on the planet, and Wild About Greens makes it easy and delicious to incorporate them into daily fare. A detailed green-by-green introduction helps cooks find just what to make after bringing bunches of greens back to the kitchen from the market or garden.

Nava Atlas is the author and illustrator of many books on vegan and vegetarian cooking, most recently Wild About Greens and Vegan Holiday Kitchen. I had the pleasure of reviewing Vegan Holiday Kitchen here where I made the most amazing Vegan Matzo Ball Soup and instantly became a huge fan.

This soup is my go-to recipe every year for Passover – it really is that good.

Her newest book Wild About Greens is amazing. I do a lot of my cooking/prep on Sundays so I don’t have to worry about eating healthy during the week. Having three kids is keeping me super busy nowadays and I need to make sure I have plenty of delicious sides on hand at all times. This way I can throw together quick, healthy lunches and dinners for my family.

This review is not complete without mentioning that the beautiful photographs in the book are by the lovely Susan Voisin from one of my favorite blogs Fat Free Vegan. Susan talks about the book and shares another recipe for Nava’s Three Potato Salad with Arugula. If you haven’t been to Susan blog – head on over there – it’s one of the best vegan blogs out there with tons and tons of delicious and creative recipes and information.

I have made several recipes from this book and haven’t been disappointed once. The White Bean & Greens Burgers are so hearty and tasty – great served with her Very Green Avocado-Tahini Dip and a big green salad. We really loved this recipe for Curried Sweet Potatoes with Chard & Chickpeas.

Curried Sweet Potatoes with Chard & Chickpeas

A superb fusion of flavors permeates this nourishing harvest dish. Serve it like a stew in shallow bowls, accompanied by warm flatbreads.

Author: Nava Atlas

Recipe type: Main/Side

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large sweet potatoes or 4 medium garnet yams, peeled and cut into large dice
1 16- to 20-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes (such as fire roasted, a particularly flavorful variety)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder, or more, to taste
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, more or less to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 to 12 ounces chard, any variety, or a combination of chard and beet greens
¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley, or more or less, to taste
¼ cup raisins, optional (but highly recommended)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large skillet or a stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and saute over low heat until golden.
Add the sweet potato dice and about 1½ cups of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, adding just enough additional water, if needed, to keep the mixture moist as it cooks.
Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes, scallions, curry powder, ginger, and cumin and bring the mixture to a simmer again; cook over low heat for 10 minutes or so, until the tomatoes have been reduced to a sauce and the flavors have mingled.
Meanwhile, strip or cut the chard leaves (and beet greens, if you're using them) away from the stems. Slice the stems thinly, and cut the leaves into strips.
Add the chard to the skillet, in batches if necessary, and cover. Cook briefly, just until the chard wilts, and stir into the mixture. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the chard is tender but not overdone. Stir in the cilantro and optional raisins. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.

Notes

Variation Stemmed, coarsely chopped mustard greens or spinach or whole baby spinach leaves can be used in place of chard, using the same directions as for the chard. If you'd like to try kale or collard greens in this dish, I'd suggest steaming or stir-frying these greens before adding them to the dish in the last step. You can also vary the kind of beans in this recipe. Try black beans, red beans, or pinto beans.

This Giveaway is now CLOSED, thanks to all for entering!

Now for the Giveaway and good luck!

To enter the contest, leave a comment telling me what’s your favorite way to eat greens. 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 Nava Atlas on Facebook and leave a comment on her wall.
Subscribe to Virtually Vegan Mama
Like Virtually Vegan Mama on Facebook and leave a comment on my wall.
Follow Virtually Vegan Mama on Twitter
Follow Nava Atlas on Twitter
Tweet about this giveaway and tell me that you tweeted in the comments section; “I just entered to win Wild About Greens Cookbook! @virtveganmama @navaatlas2″
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 Tuesday, July 9th 2013, at 11:59 p.m. EST.~~

Winner will be announced on Wednesday, July 10th 2013, 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

Vegan Holiday Kitchen Giveaway and Vegan Matzo Ball Soup

April 9, 2012 By Jennifer

I know, it’s been the month of Giveaways, but I had the pleasure of receiving several complimentary copies of vegan cookbooks and couldn’t resist checking these amazing cookbooks out and sharing some wonderful recipes with you.

Up next is the fabulous Vegan Holiday Kitchen from Nava Atlas. Trust, me you are going to want to enter to win this fabulous cookbook. I made her Vegan Matzo Ball soup and I was overjoyed with the result. This is one recipe that was on my list to veganize, but I was a little wary of doing this. I mean I have in my memory traditional Mom-made perfect Matzo Ball Soup and wasn’t sure if I could ever recreate it vegan. Boy, was I wrong! Seriously, the only difference is removing the chicken broth, all the flavors are there from the vegetables, seasonings and fresh dill. Nava took care of the matzo balls falling apart with out the use of eggs by using quinoa flakes as a binder and it worked perfectly. This is a no-fail recipe and unbelievably delicious, my family absolutely loved it. Nava, thanks for this wonderful recipe, you nailed this one. =)

This gorgeous and exciting cookbook by author Nava Atlas brilliantly fills the biggest gap in the vegan repertoire with more than 200 delectable, completely doable recipes for every festive occasion. Atlas, one of the most respected names in vegetarian and vegan cooking, addresses everything from Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas –to celebratory brunches, lunches, dinners, potlucks, and buffets. Such mouth-watering dishes as Coconut Butternut Squash Soup, Green Chili Corn Bread, Hearty Vegetable Pot Pie, delicate Ravioli with Sweet Potatoes and Sage, and Cashew Chocolate Mousse Pie will convince even the most skeptical eater that vegan cooking is well worth celebrating.

Nava Atlas is both the author and illustrator of many well-known vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including Vegan Express, Vegan Soups, The Vegetarian Family Cookbook, and The Vegetarian 5-ingredient Gourmet. Her first book was Vegetariana, now considered a classic in its field. Nava is also a visual artist, specializing in limited-edition artists’ books and text-driven objects and installations. Her work has been shown nationally in museums, galleries, and alternative art spaces and is part of many museum and university collections.

I almost didn’t want to giveaway away this cookbook it’s so awesome.

PRINTABLE VERSION

Simple Vegetable Soup with Vegan Matzo Balls – Gluten-free (by omitting matzo balls), soy-free, nut-free

Vegetable Soup

8 Servings

This soup served at traditional Passover seders is very much akin to this one, except that’s made with chicken broth. In truth, the Passover soup course functions primarily as a venue for the matzo balls

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil or other healthy vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 celery stalks, diced

1 32-ounce carton vegetable broth

6 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced

6 to 8 medium carrots, sliced

Handful of celery leaves

1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning blend, or use a Kosher for Passover brand

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, or to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Vegan Matzo Balls (recipe follows)

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and celery and sauté over medium heat until golden
Add the broth, potato, carrots, celery leaves, seasoning blend, and 2 cups water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then cover and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the dill, then season with salt and pepper. If time allows, let the soup stand for several hours off the heat to develop flavor. It can also be made a day in advance.
Just before serving, bring to a simmer. Adjust consistency with more water if needed be, and taste to adjust seasonings. Add warmed matzo balls to individual servings of soup.

Vegan Matzo Balls – soy-free, nut-free, can be made Gluten-free using gluten-free option

Makes about 24

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa flakes

2 cups boiling water

1 cup matzo meal (see gluten-free variation, below)

1/4 cup light vegetable oil (such as safflower)

1/4 teaspoon salt

A few grindings of black pepper

Pinch of onion and garlic powder, optional

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, cover quinoa flakes with the water. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes.
Stir in the matzo meal along with the oil, and mix until well blended. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Just before baking, preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Roll the matzo meal mixture into approximately 1 -inch balls; don’t pack them too firmly. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, carefully turning matzo balls after 10 minutes, until firm to the touch; don’t let them brown.
If making ahead of time, let the matzo balls cool completely. then cover until needed. Warm them briefly in a medium oven and distribute them among the soup bowls, allowing 3 or 4 matzo balls per serving.

Variation: to make these gluten-free, substitute 1 1/4 cups quinoa flakes for the matzo meal. Don’t add them to the original quantity of quinoa flakes; this is a separate measure to use dry. A bit more is needed than the quantity of matzo meal for the purpose, as the quinoa flakes are less dense.

Learn more about Nava at VegKitchen.com, and navaatlasart.com.

And now for the GIVEAWAY!!

One lucky reader will win Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas!

To enter the contest, leave a comment telling me what’s your favorite recipe(s) to serve during the Holidays. 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.

Subscribe to Virtually Vegan Mama
Like Virtually Vegan Mama on Facebook and leave a comment on my wall.
Follow Virtually Vegan Mama (@virtveganmama) on Twitter
Tweet about this giveaway and tell me that you tweeted in the comments section; “I just entered to win Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas @virtveganmama”
Share this giveaway on your Facebook Page and tell me that you did so in the comments section
Stumble this giveaway
Pin it

***This Giveaway is now closed…thanks to all for entering!***

~~All entries must be completed no later than Monday, April 16th 2012, at 11:59 p.m. EST.~~

Winner will be announced on Tuesday, April 17th 2012, on my blog, and the winner will also be notified via the email address they provided in the comments section.

Good Luck!!!

xoxo,

Jen

Summer Fest: Thai Corn Soup

August 17, 2011 By Jennifer

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

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

Red Lentil Soup with Fresh Cilantro and Lemon

January 20, 2011 By Jennifer

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

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!