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Tag: soup

  • Spring Lentil Wild Rice Soup

    Spring Lentil Wild Rice Soup

    Spring may be technically here, but it was snowing most of the day today, so I am still into warming hearty soups at the moment. It’s the perfect weather lately for staying inside, being cozy and cooking something delicious!  Like this Spring Lentil Wild Rice Soup I recently made!  It was so good I had to share the recipe!

    I love wild rice in soups, it is so hearty and earthy and delicious!  I think it is perfect paired with lentils like in this soup, and they both add fiber and protein!  For the veggies, I added celery, onions and garlic to to start.  These are the main 3 vegetables I like to always add to my soups because they give it a good flavor base.  I don’t normally have vegetable broth on hand so I rely a lot on the vegetables I put into my soups for flavor.

    Since this is a Spring soup, I added asparagus, greens and crimini mushrooms.  This combination is so delicious in soup, and it is the perfect time of the year to enjoy asparagus!  I also added miso, tamari and nutritional yeast into the base of this soup to give it a delicious savory flavor!  The instructions for this soup are to make it on the stove, but you can also make it in the Instant Pot if you prefer that.  Just cook the wild rice separately but add everything else to the Instant Pot except the asparagus, miso, and greens.  Cook it in soup mode on the Instant Pot, and at the end, as soon as it finishes cooking add in the asparagus, miso, wild rice and greens.

    This soup was so delicious!  I served it with some crusty bread and it was a wonderful hearty meal for a chilly day!  If you are in the mood for something warming and delicious but still spring appropriate, definitely give this Spring Lentil Wild Rice Soup a try!

     

    Spring Lentil Wild Rice Soup
    Serves2-3

    Ingredients:

    • 2/3 cup uncooked wild rice
    • 2 1/2 cups filtered water
    • 4 large celery stalks, sliced
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 1/2 cup sliced green onions
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
    • 1/3 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
    • 2/3 cup French lentils
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 1 Tbsp tamari
    • 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
    • 1 Tbsp white miso whisked into 1 Tbsp water
    • 1 large handful greens

     

    Directions:

    1. Place the wild rice in a pot, cover with filtered water by at least 3 inches and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until the rice has “bloomed”, about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes depending on your rice. Drain the rice and set aside.
    2. Combine the 2 1/2 cups filtered water, nutritional yeast, tamari, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms, sea salt, thyme, and lentils in a pot and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for about 40-45 minutes until the lentils have are tender.  Add the asparagus and cook a few minutes until bright green. Stir in the wild rice.  Add the nutritional yeast, miso mixture and greens cook until greens have wilted.
    3. Serve!
  • Creamy Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

    Creamy Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

    At pretty much every restaurant in Minnesota you will find some version or other of creamy wild rice soup, usually with chicken, and everyone claims that theirs is “famous” and the “best”.  I tried a few growing up, and I never thought any of them were that great, except for the version that my Mom made, which was pretty good.  I now make my own version, Creamy Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup and I think it is pretty darn delicious!  I always cook off some wild rice ahead of time because it takes a while, so it doesn’t take a super long time to make.  Some people complain about the smell of wild rice, but I actually like it.  It is an earthy delicious smell.  Something that reminds me of special salads and soups when I was little because wild rice is also considered kind of gourmet.  Or at least it was when I was little.  It is a bit more spendy than regular rice (and is actually not rice at all, it is a grain producing grass), but if you buy it in the bulk section at your health food store (which is what I do), it is cheaper.

    For the protein source in my soup, I use French lentils.  They happen to be my favorite, and they are honestly a staple in my kitchen.  I admit when I was younger I used to be intimidated by them and I thought that they were inferior to beans, but that was before I went vegan and began to discover what a great source of protein they are and how deliciously savory they are! They go awesome with the wild rice too, since they both have that sort of earthy flavor.  I keep the rest of the ingredients pretty simple, mushrooms, celery, onions, and garlic.  Thyme is my herb of choice, and actually my favorite cold weather herb.  It goes beautifully with the wild rice. At the end, I add  a bit of thickened oat milk to make this creamy and crave worthy.

    The soup is sooo good!  It was way better than any of those soups I had as a kid, and my Mom has tried this soup as well and approved!  If you are looking for a delicious soup to make for a cool day, this Creamy Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup is a winner. It makes me think of chilly nights warming up by the fireplace in warm sweaters in some Northern Minnesota café.

    Creamy Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
    Serves2-3

    Ingredients:

    • 2/3 cup uncooked wild rice
    • 2 1/2 cups filtered water
    • 4 large celery stalks, sliced
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
    • 1/3 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 2/3 cup French lentils
    • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 1 1/2 cups plant based unsweetened milk (I used Oatly oat milk, you want to use something thicker, coconut milk would also work or soy milk)
    • 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water

     

    Directions:

    1. Place the wild rice in a pot, cover with filtered water by at least 3 inches and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until the rice has “bloomed”, about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes depending on your rice. Drain the rice and set aside.
    2. Combine the 2 1/2 cups filtered water, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms, sea salt, thyme, and lentils in a pot and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for about 40-45 minutes until the lentils have are tender.  Stir in the wild rice.  Add the nutritional yeast, milk, and arrowroot mixture and cook until thickened.
    3. Serve!

     

     

  • Vegan Instant Pot Chickpea Chili

    Vegan Instant Pot Chickpea Chili

    I have always loved chili.  My family didn’t really make it, they just made regular soup and stew usually.  But my friend’s Dad that lived next door to us made the best chili, and the ingredients in it were grown in their garden.  It was spicy, since they grew hot peppers, but it was so good! Now, as an adult I make my own vegan chili and I enjoy it so much I make it every week for a few meals.  I vary the recipe somewhat, but this is my latest version which I discovered by using what I had on hand.  Vegan Instant Pot Chickpea Chili!  Yes, I always use my Instant pot since it makes it super easy and that way I can walk away and do other things while it is cooking and not burn it.

    I start off with celery, onions, jalapenos and garlic in my chili.  I am not a big fan of carrots in my soup, since I feel like they flavor it too sweet in a weird way, but I like the savory celery and onions.  I like jalapeno in the chili to add a little kick.  But sometimes I will use even hotter peppers like habaneros if I have those.  I use plenty of canned tomatoes in my chili as well, and I like the combination of oregano and cilantro for my herbs.

    I like to add plenty of spices as well.  Cumin, coriander, and chili powder are always staples in my chili, but I have begun to add turmeric recently and I really enjoy it in there!  I have mostly made my chili with black beans or pinto beans in the past, but I had chickpeas on hand when I came up with this recipe so that is what I used, and I really loved them in here! Lastly, a splash of apple cider vinegar and some sea salt and the combination of flavors in this are really delicious!

    I have always enjoyed topping my chili with things too, it used to be cheese and sour cream, but I now like to do brown rice, avocado and green onions.  It is so delicious and this is my favorite savory meal as of lately.  If you are looking for something to make for dinner, this Vegan Instant Pot Chickpea Chili is delicious! I have also included directions below if you want to make it the old fashioned way not in an instant pot as well.

    Vegan Instant Pot Chickpea Chili
    Serves 2-3

    Chili:

    • 1 yellow onion, diced
    • 1 jalapeno, minced
    • 1 small bunch celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
    • 3 cups diced tomatoes (canned are fine)
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 1 tsp chili powder
    • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • cooked brown rice for serving (I used jasmine rice)
    • Sliced avocado for serving
    • sliced green onions for serving

     

    Instructions:

    1. In an Instant Pot, combine all ingredients but the beans.
    2. Put on the lid, and set to the soup/broth setting for 40 minutes with the keep warm setting turned off. (Alternatively, if you are not using an Instant pot and are cooking on the stove, add to a regular pot, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer with the lid on.  Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are getting tender.)
    3. When the Instant Pot is done cooking, let it set until the pressure valve goes down by itself, then open it and add the beans and stir in.
    4. Remove from heat, and serve with the rice in bowls topped off with the avocado slices and green onions.

     

     

  • Vegan Chili Verde

    Vegan Chili Verde

    I love any kind of chili.  In fact, I make chili at least once a week, usually my Vegan Chili Mole with Rice  because it is my favorite.  But sometimes I like to switch it up, like last weekend when I decided to make some Vegan Chili Verde! I have made it before, and enjoyed it, but this time I made it to share with Eric, and type up the recipe to share it with you all! It isn’t quite as spicy as my other chili in my opinion.  But then again I eat habanero hot sauce and ghost pepper flakes a lot so maybe I am not the best judge of spicy, especially in Minnesota where some consider black pepper spicy.  This chili had just enough spice so you could taste all the flavors, but with a little kick!

    What gave it a kick you might be wondering?  Well I included jalapenos and hot green chilies.  Which I consider to be medium on the hot scale but they have so much good flavor!  Since this was green chili, I also added both poblanos and green bell peppers, both of which are mild, but give good flavor!  Can you tell I love peppers? I wanted more veggies in the chili so I also added some sweet corn and zucchini because I had them both on hand.  One can never have too many veggie add ins with a soup!

    I flavored the broth with garlic and onions, cumin, coriander, lime juice and cilantro and it was so delicious! If you happen to have an Instant Pot by the way, this can be made in there if you don’t want to have to keep an eye on it on the stove.  Just add everything but the beans, corn, cilantro and lime juice to it, then cook it as soup/broth on the settings. Then add the remaining ingredients, stir in and let sit until they are heated through.

    This soup is good served with some brown rice and avocado on top, or with some fresh corn bread or just crusty bread for dunking!  I have tried it with all of them and they all pair well with it. If you are in need of a warming soup while we are still in the chilly season, give Vegan Chili Verde a try!  Eric, who was the other taste tester besides me said it was awesome, so I will be making it again soon!

    Vegan Chili Verde

    Serves 3-4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 yellow onions, diced
    • 2 cloves organic garlic, minced
    • 1  jalapeno chili, minced
    • 2 poblano chilies, seeded and diced
    • 2 organic green bell peppers, diced
    • 1 medium zucchini, cut in half and sliced thickly
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1/4 tsp coriander
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 2 4 oz cans hot or mild green chilies
    • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 15 oz can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
    • 1 cup sweet corn
    • 1/4 cup lime juice
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh organic cilantro
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk or other unsweetened plant based milk

     

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a pot, combine the onions, garlic, peppers, spices, salt, chilies, vegetable broth, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until everything is tender.
    2. Add the beans, corn, lime juice, and cilantro and cook until heated through.
  • Savory Mushroom Vegetable Stew

    Savory Mushroom Vegetable Stew

    Last weekend in Minnesota it was a bit chilly with only highs in the single digits (F), and snow showers happening frequently. I don’t let the cold stop me from enjoying the outdoors though, I feel that fresh air is important to enjoy year round and the snow is actually really beautiful!  It beats staring at brown grass and dead trees.  On Sunday we grabbed some hot coffee at our favorite shop, then visited a snow sculpting competition, and went for a walk outside despite the temps wearing multiple layers.   We enjoyed our time outside, since we both hate being cooped up indoors, but coming home to a warming meal was needed.  It was a good time to have something cozy for dinner, so luckily, I had whipped up a batch of Savory Mushroom Vegetable Stew the night before.  It tastes even better the next day, so it is something I like to make ahead and this time it was sooo good!  Everything tastes better when you are hungry and cold though lol.

    When I was little, my Mom used to make a beef stew that I really enjoyed in the cooler months, and this is loosely based off of that, the beef being replaced with mushrooms. It has a savory base with broth, tomato paste, thyme and rosemary plus a touch of red wine, and some miso and nutritional yeast to give it that umami flavor.  I used a vegetable base of celery, carrots, onions and garlic the classic combo that my Mom always used, and it actually tasted really similar to hers!  Minus of course the Lipton French onion soup packet she used to use.  I think I replicated the flavor well though and my Mom would approve of this, since she doesn’t eat a lot of beef now either and more veggies.

    I used a mixture of crimini mushrooms, and some dried hen of the woods mushrooms that Eric and I foraged last Fall while we were on our honeymoon while visiting his Dad along the way in Michigan.  His Dad was nice enough to dehydrate them for us for later use.  We picked 3 giant ones, that probably weighed at least 10 lbs each!  So we had quite a bit of mushrooms, and I am enjoying using them in recipes like this one!  If you wanted to make this soup in the Instant Pot instead of on the stove, that is possible as well for an easier option, I have done that before.  You just throw everything in except the nutritional yeast and miso, and cook on the soup/broth setting for 40 minutes and everything cooks just right. When it has finished cooking in the Instant Pot, then add the nutritional yeast and miso mixture and voila! Soup is ready to go!  I admit I use my Instant Pot a lot during the week because I don’t want to sit and watch the stove so I figured I would give you guys both options in case that is your case too!

    This soup turned out so yummy!  I served it with some crusty sourdough bread for dunking I was gifted by a talented coworker (she seriously makes the best bread I have ever had), and it was the perfect meal for a chilly day! I hope you are all staying warm this winter, and if you want something delicious, healthy and warming for dinner, give this Savory Mushroom Vegetable Stew a try!

    Savory Mushroom Vegetable Stew

    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 yellow onion, diced
    • 4 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 4 medium sized carrots, sliced
    • 3 cups sliced mixed mushrooms (I used hen of the woods and crimini)
    • 4 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
    • 2 Tbsp red wine
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
    • 4 large yukon gold potatoes, cubed
    • 1 Tbsp miso dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water
    • 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a large pot, combine the onion, celery, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, vegetable broth, tomato paste, red wine, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.
    2. Add the potatoes and cook until they are tender, about 10-15 minutes more.
    3. Add the miso mixture and yeast and cook until incorporated into the soup.
    4. Serve!
  • Chipotle Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup

    Chipotle Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup

    Happy 2022!  I know new years was a few days back, but I am getting around to typing up a post now so Happy New Year!  I decided to take a few weeks off of making recipes over the holidays because it was just too hectic and I wanted to enjoy them.  But now I am ready to get back into new recipes!  It is the time of year when everyone is trying to be more healthy, and although I try to eat healthy all year round, I decided to make something more healthy and savory too to start the year off!  I am a big soup fan in the winter and this Chipotle Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup that I made last weekend was so delicious I had to share!

    I make huge batches of soup at work, so you would think I wouldn’t enjoy making them at home, but actually creating a new one is exciting!  Eric loves anything with chipotle peppers in it, and I thought they would pair well with sweet potatoes in a warming soup.  We definitely need some warmth here right now as it has been pretty chilly in MN.  So I wanted a warming soup to serve with some crusty bread that we could enjoy after being outside.

    For the base, I used tomatoes, veggie broth and the chipotle peppers, along with plenty of veggies to give the soup lots of flavor.  I cooked the first part, then added in the sweet potatoes so they did not get too mushy.  At work we actually steam them separately so they don’t get mushy, but I find that adding them the last 15 minutes works fine. If you wanted to make this soup in an instant pot, I would suggest cooking it the first half in the pot (up until you add the sweet potatoes chickpeas and coconut milk), then remove it from the pot and cook it on the stove for the sweet potato part. I have done this before.

    The Chipotle Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup turned out super delicious!  It is packed with flavor, a little spicy, but just the right amount and the sweet sweet potatoes are the perfect partner for the chipotles!  This is so good served with crusty bread or corn bread!  I hope you all are staying warm this winter!

    Chipotle Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup

    Serves 3

    Ingredients:

    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 red bell pepper, diced
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced
    • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
    • 1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
    • 3 Tbsp chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp chili powder
    • 1 1/2 cups veggie broth or filtered water
    • 1 large yam, cut into cubes (about 3 cups)
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (canned and drained well is fine)
    • 1/3 cup coconut cream (not sweetened)
    • 2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup filtered water

    Instructions:

    1. In a large pot, combine the onions, garlic, bell pepper, celery, cilantro, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, cumin, chili powder and veggie broth and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
    2. Add the sweet potatoes and chickpeas and cook until the sweet potatoes are softened, about 15 minutes more.
    3. Add the coconut cream, and cornstarch mixture and cook until the soup has thickened and the coconut cream is mixed in.
    4. Remove from heat, and serve!
  • Vegan Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup 

    Vegan Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup 

           

    Wild mushroom foraging season is now over in the upper midwest, but a few weeks back while we were on our honeymoon to the upper peninsula of Michigan it was a great time to go foraging for mushrooms! I honestly have never seen so many varieties of wild mushrooms in my life at one time.  We live in Minnesota and there are plenty here, but while we were hiking there it seemed like the perfect mushroom growing conditions because it had just rained a lot and was fairly warm so they were popping up all over. Eric’s Dad, who lives in Michigan took us mushroom hunting to the places he typically goes to pick them and we found a good haul. 

    I hadn’t previously done anything like this before and although I can recognize some mushrooms as edible (like oyster, puffball and chicken of the woods) I didn’t really want to pick them and bring them home without a guide who could verify them as edible since some mushrooms look alike and some have to be picked at a certain point to be edible.  Also you wouldn’t want to end up with something poison.  So if you are going to go mushroom hunting, bring someone who knows for sure what they are!  But I highly recommend it, it is so satisfying to pick your own and enjoy them later! 

    Our stash included 3 large hen of the woods mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, gem-studded puffballs, some lion’s mane and bricktop mushrooms. We took the hen of the woods and dried them for later use, and vacuum packed  the rest to freeze and use later.  If you can’t go mushroom hunting it seems like you can get a pretty good variety at a lot of farmer’s markets lately from growers at least where I live in Minnesota. So not to worry if you want to make a dish like this Creamy Vegan Wild Mushroom Soup I am going to share the recipe for in a minute! As a side note, did you know you can make a delicious lion’s mane coffee, or tea?  I found this recipe  for a lion’s man coffee and tea made with dried lion’s mane, and I am going to have to try with plant based milk it because I am always looking for new ways to enjoy warm drinks when the cooler weather hits! You can find it on this website: Benefits of Adding Lion’s Mane Mushroom.

    So back to that soup recipe, a couple weeks after we got back, I finally got around to making something with the mushrooms.  I wanted them to be the star, so I thought a creamy soup would be perfect!  People use a lot of cream of mushroom soup here in Minnesota for casseroles and whatnot and I have always liked it but to be honest, home made mushroom soup is best!  This one is substantial enough to be a meal alongside some crusty bread, which is what I served it with! 

    First, I sauteed some leeks, onions and garlic for the base, then added the mushrooms, stock, some thyme to make It savory (I love thyme and mushrooms together), and it made a lovely flavorful stock!  To make it substantial, I added potatoes, and of course the creamy elements, which were coconut milk, and cashew butter.  To give it a more savory flavor I added some nutritional yeast and miso.  The broth was soooo good and so flavorful!  I loved how it turned out, and me and Eric both ate large bowls of it, and there were no leftovers for the next day.  If you are a mushroom lover, give this Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup a try!

    Vegan Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup 

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tsp avocado oil
    • 2 large leeks, sliced
    • 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
    • 1 stalk celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 4 cups sliced mixed wild mushrooms (if you can’t get wild, just use what you can find at the store)
    • 3 cups yukon gold potatoes, cubed
    • 1 15 oz can full fat or lite coconut milk
    • 1 1/2 cups veggie broth (or as needed)
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp white miso dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water (optional)

     

      Instructions:

    1. Heat the oil in a medium soup pot with a lid, and add the leeks, onions, celery, and garlic.  Sautee for a few minutes until starting to turn translucent, and add the thyme, potatoes, mushrooms, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper.
    2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook about 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
    3. Add the cashew butter and nutritional yeast, and cook until they are well blended into the soup.
    4. If it is too thick, add a little more broth. Enjoy!
  • Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Kale Soup

    Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Kale Soup

    The weather is starting to cool off here, I am seeing a touch of color starting on some of the maple trees, and I am getting the comfort food cravings.  So I thought I would make some warming soup last week.  We had a few rainy days here, and it was just the thing to warm me up.  Especially the day Eric and I decided to go for a bike ride then got rained on half way through and had to ride an hour in the cold rain. I made some butternut squash, chickpea and kale soup!  One thing I am super excited about right now is squash coming into season. It is one of my favorite veggies ever!

    For this I used half my butternut squash for soup and I used the other half to roast and stuff for dinner another day.  I love making home made soup. I don’t think I have actually bought any soup at the store, especially canned since my Mom taught me to make soup when I was in college.  The flavor is so much better, and there is just no comparison.  Plus most soup is pretty cost effective to make anyhow, especially if it lasts for a few meals!  This one did for us!

    This is really simple to make!  I used my favorite soup base, which is just celery, onions and garlic with a little thyme.  If you use a flavorful broth for this, it makes it even more delicious. I used some home made broth, but you can use store bought if there is one you like!  After the less tender veggies simmered, I added the squash and let it cook for the last 10 minutes or so just so it didn’t get too mushy. Lastly the beans and kale. I like to add the kale at the last minute so that it retains more nutrients.  This is something I do often, add greens to my soup at the last minute to add extra goodness!

    This soup turned out super delicious! I served it with some home made bread to dunk in it, and the broth was nice and flavorful. I love the sweet squash with the other savory veggies!  Which fall vegetable or fruit are you most excited about?  I love the squash but I am also excited for apple season!

    Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Kale Soup
    Serves 3-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1/4 cup diced red onion
    • 4 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tsp thyme
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 4 cups flavorful vegetable stock
    • sea salt
    • 4 cups cubed butternut squash
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 2 cups fresh kale, torn into small pieces

     

    Instructions:

    1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan.
    2. Add onions and celery and sauté until tender.
    3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, thyme, sea salt, pepper, and filtered water.
    4. Bring to a simmer, and allow to cook until the veggies are very soft and the flavor has melded, about 20 minutes.
    5. Add the squash to the pot, and let cook for about 10-15 minutes.
    6. When the squash is tender, stir in the beans and kale until kale has just wilted.
    7. Serve!

     

  • Vegan Creamy Potato Leek Soup

    Vegan Creamy Potato Leek Soup

    When I was little, one time when my Mom and I were out shopping on a Saturday, we stopped at this restaurant that I considered a little bit fancy at the time. Fancy was anything with ingredients I couldn’t pronounce or where the wait staff wore nice uniforms.  They had a leek soup on the menu and we ordered it.  I had never heard of leeks in my life.  But I ended up liking it, because it was packed with rich flavor.  After that my Mom made a leek soup at home and it was even better.  I decided that I liked leeks.  I was making something with them the other day at work and I decided that I should cook with them more often. 

    So, I decided to make a creamy potato leek soup when I got home.  I knew it would be fairly simple and easy to make which is always a win on a week night when I am tired.  The thing about leeks though, if you have never cooked with them before, is that they are very sandy.  Even when you think you have washed the outside all nicely, when you cut into them you find sand.  So I like to clean them once, then plunge them into a bowl of water, swish them around, let the sand settle, then scoop them out and use them in my recipe.  Then they will be all good and delicious in your soup. 

    For this soup, there is no sauteeing required, and I did not use any oil for this reason.  You just add the veggies and stock to the pot, let it simmer until it is all tender, and then add the “creamy” part of it.  For that, I could have just added some coconut milk and called it a day, but instead I wanted to add a little more protein so I pureed chickpeas into the coconut milk as well as a little cashew butter.  It made for a thick cream that was perfect in the soup! 

    I could not wait to try it!  It smelled amazing and tasted even better.  It has plenty of rich onion and leek flavor, a smooth rich texture and it is perfect served with crusty bread for dipping!  That is one of my favorite uses for crusty bread besides bread pudding, dunking into my soup!  If you are in need of some comfort food, give this a try! 

    Vegan Creamy Potato Leek Soup

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
    • 1 large leek, sliced thinly (and washed very well, I like to put mine in water after cutting, then drain)
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 3 cups yukon gold potatoes, cubed
    • 1 cup carrots, sliced
    • 1 1/2 cups veggie broth (or as needed)
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
    • 1 cup full fat or lite coconut milk
    • 1 cup chickpeas
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp white miso dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water (optional)
    • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
    1. Add the onions, leeks, garlic, thyme, potatoes,  veggie broth, salt and pepper to a medium sized pot.
    2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook about 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
    3. Add the coconut milk, chickpeas, cashew butter, and nutritional yeast, miso and cornstarch to a blender and blend until smooth.
    4. Add the mixture to the soup, and cook until they are well blended into the soup and it has thickened.
    5. Enjoy!
  • White Bean, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

    White Bean, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

    The weather can’t seem to decide what it is doing here lately.  It was thawing out and above 35F degrees, and then it was down to below zero then back to above freezing again. I will take the warmer days though, it is not often we see days above the teens and twenties this time of the year.  Last year we had a polar vortex and it was -60 windchill for a few days.  So I am grateful for this weather. One thing I enjoy to kind of take the chill off is warming soups.  I make at least 3 different kinds during the course of the week.  I have my favorites, but sometimes I like to come up with new ones.

    I was craving something hearty and filled with veggies and greens, and what I came up with was this white bean, sweet potato and kale soup!  I make soups like this a lot at work (not this exact one, but similar ones), and a lot of times they sound really good to me so I go home and make something similar.  I happened to have all of the ingredients for this on hand so it was perfect!  It always makes me happy when I don’t have to spend extra money to buy more ingredients.

    For the base, I went with home made veggie stock and tomatoes.  If you are wondering what I put in my stock, it is mostly onions and garlic (because they have the most flavor), plus a bit of celery. I know some people put carrots in their stock, but I find that they make it a bit too sweet for my liking. So I keep it to the other 3 veggies.  If you just keep your scraps in a bag in the freezer, later on when you have a lot you can whip up some stock with them.  Just simmer the veggies in filtered water on the stove on very low heat for about 4 hours, then strain and cool down.  Also, it is nice to portion out and freeze for later.

    Back to the soup though, I added oregano and basil to give it an Italian flavor, as well as some red pepper flakes for a little kick.  I would usually go with regular potatoes in a soup like this but I went with white fleshed sweet potatoes this time since I had them on hand.  Lastly some white beans for protein and some kale to get my daily greens in.  I try to eat a good amount of greens several times a day, so I include them in my lunch salads, as well as stir them into my soups at the last minute so they are just wilted but retain their nutrients.  This soup turned out so good!  It was dinner for a few nights, and it was nice to have something already made when I got home.  It was packed with flavor, was nice and warming and hearty and we both felt good after eating it. If you are in need of some healthy comfort food, give this a try!

    White Bean, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup
    Serves 3-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1/4 cup diced red onion
    • 4 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups crushed canned tomatoes or fresh roasted*
    • 2 cups flavorful vegetable stock
    • sea salt
    • 4 cups cubed white fleshed sweet potatoes
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
    • 2 cups fresh kale, torn into small pieces

     

    Instructions:

    1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan.
    2. Add onions and celery and sauté until tender.
    3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, herbs, sea salt, pepper, and filtered water.
    4. Bring to a simmer, and allow to cook until the tomatoes are very soft and the flavor has melded, about 30 minutes.
    5. Add the sweet potatoes to the pot, and let cook for about 10-15 minutes.
    6. When the potatoes are tender, stir in the beans and kale until kale has just wilted.
    7. Serve!

     

     

  • Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chowder

    Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chowder

    We are full swing into soup season, and in the deli I work in it is just flying out of the pots because it is the most popular thing we have right now.  I mean, I don’t blame people, I go home and eat warming soup too this time of the year most nights.  You would think that I would get tired of making soup at work and not want to make it at home, but that actually isn’t the case.  I love warming soup!  I was going through our box of recipes the other day at work and I came across a soup that I used to enjoy but can’t eat anymore because it isn’t vegan.  Well, I might just have to go home and make it I thought to myself. It was a butternut squash parmesan chowder and I remember it being really delicious. 

    I have been there 13 years, but it was 7 years ago I went vegan so I haven’t had it since then.  I do remember how it tasted though, enough to recreate it!  I had some butternut squash and all of the ingredients at home already so it was the perfect thing to make!  Don’t you just love when you don’t have to shop to make a recipe you are craving?! The original one was loaded with heavy cream, cheese, butter and refined flour.  I wanted to make mine a bit healthier while veganizing it.  I think I succeeded pretty well.

    For the creamy base, I used a mixture of coconut milk, broth and a little cashew butter instead of the cream.  It was just as thick and creamy as the original and I didn’t need to even add anything to thicken it, it was pretty thick on its own. To give it a cheesy flavor, I added some nutritional yeast and miso and it tasted as if I had added parmesan which is exactly what I was going for. For the veggies, it had to have butternut squash of course, but I also added in potatoes since it was a chowder, and celery and garlic for flavor. I figured it didn’t need carrots since it already had the sweet squash. Lastly, I added in some chickpeas for protein. 

    It smelled amazing and I couldn’t wait to try it!  It was soooo good!  Rich and creamy with a cheesy flavor, aromatic thyme and tender sweet squash and potatoes!  I only wished I had some crusty bread to dip in it.  Because I love doing that with soup!  If you are in the mood for comfort food, give this a try!  It is pretty quick and easy to make!

    Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chowder

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tsp avocado oil
    • 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
    • 1 stalk celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
    • 2 cups yukon gold potatoes, cubed
    • 1 15 oz can full fat or lite coconut milk
    • 1 1/2 cups veggie broth (or as needed)
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp white miso dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water (optional)
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    1. Heat the oil in a medium soup pot with a lid, and add the onions celery, and garlic.  Sautee for a few minutes until starting to turn translucent, and add the thyme, potatoes, squash, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper.
    2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook about 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
    3. Add the cashew butter and nutritional yeast, and cook until they are well blended into the soup, then add the chickpeas and cook until heated through.
    4. If it is too thick, add a little more broth. Enjoy!
  • Vegan Broccoli Cheese Chowder

    Vegan Broccoli Cheese Chowder

    Growing up, I used to eat a lot of canned soup and I thought nothing of it. That is, until me and my Mom started to make our own soups at home when I was in high school from a soup cookbook we had bought and when I later started working in a deli that makes its own soup. I never went back to the canned. It just tasted tinny to me and just over all inferior to the home made stuff. I guess I am just sort of s soup snob, or have been for a while.

    I am even super picky if I order soup in a restaurant and it is sub par because I make so many soups at my work and they have to taste good. So, one time (before I was vegan) I decided to order a broccoli cheese soup at a restaurant that was supposed to be good and I was really disappointed. It was really bland, and too thin, and cooked to oblivion. There has to be a better way to make this at home I thought, and I ended up making a version that was really good that I later made at work and the customers loved it! I hadn’t really made a veganized version of it yet, that is until last weekend. I decided it was time I make some because it used to be so good and I was sure I could come up with an even better animal product free version.

    I wanted it to have plenty of veggies in it, not be just pureed broth with a cheesy flavor. So, I added in broccoli, carrots, onions, potatoes, and garlic. Really I guess it was more of a chowder, which is why I am calling it that. I made a silky creamy broth with coconut milk, cashew butter and nutritional yeast to give it a cheesy flavor and it was so good you would swear it has dairy in it.

    I think I like this version even better than the original, and it is much better for you instead of the loads of cheese in the other soup. Even my boyfriend Eric likes it and he is not vegan, so that counts for something! If you are looking for a soup that is pure comfort food but still filled with veggies, give this a try!

    Vegan Broccoli Cheese Chowder

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tsp avocado oil
    • 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 2 cups yukon gold potatoes, cut into cubes
    • 1 large head broccoli, flowrettes removed and stem peeled and diced (cut off the tough end)
    • 2 medium carrots, cut in half and sliced
    • 1 15 oz can lite coconut milk
    • 1 1/2 cups veggie broth (or as needed)
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water
    1. Heat the oil in a medium soup pot with a lid, and add the onions, celery and garlic.  Sautee for a few minutes until starting to turn translucent, and add the thyme, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper.
    2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook about 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
    3. Add the cashew butter, nutritional yeast, and cornstarch mixture and cook until they are well blended into the soup and it has thickened slightly.
    4. Enjoy!
  • Creamy Coconut Curried Split Pea Soup

    Creamy Coconut Curried Split Pea Soup

    We went from 40F degrees here at the beginning of the week to a cold snap of below zero temps in a matter of one day.  It is kind of a shock to the system, and sometimes I wonder how as a high schooler I spent every day in the Winter practically outside at nordic skiing practice.  Lots of layers I guess and moving around a lot.  But it feels so much colder now for some reason.  I shouldn’t complain though, we are having a warmer than average Winter over all and it is supposed to warm up again soon.  Either way, I have been making warming comfort food dishes to take the chill off after being outside.  One of which was a Creamy Coconut Curried Split Pea Soup!

    One of my coworkers in the deli I work at had recently made a split pea soup for the customers and I thought it sounded good.  I hadn’t made any in a really long time at home, and I had a bunch of split peas in the cupboard ( I bought way to many the last time I bought them) and I knew that use them up soon.  The reason I hadn’t made split pea in a while was because the last time I made it was kind of a disaster.  I am one of those people who tries to squeeze in too many things at once to multi task at because I want to get a lot done, and I had the split pea soup cooking on the stove while I did other things and I burned it on the bottom.  That is like the worst feeling in the world, when you have to throw a pot of soup away because it tastes burnt (I hate wasting things).  And, it happens quickly with split pea because it is thick.  So just so you all know, I have kitchen disasters too.  One time someone said to me she imagined me like I had a magic kitchen where everything goes perfect and I had spices dancing around and whatnot, but that is so far from the truth.  It is sometimes a disaster area and it is not usually neat until I am done cooking and clean up.  So never feel bad if you mess up once in a while when you are making things.  Anyways, back to my soup I made this week.

    I made it similar to a classic split pea, and included the carrots, onions and celery as well as hearty potatoes.  But for the flavor, I used mild curry powder to give it a nice warming spices quality. It was so good with the split peas!  I wanted to add a little richness too, since this recipe actually isn’t made with any oil, so I added in some full fat coconut milk at the end.  It made the texture smooth and silky.  This soup is so good!  Even though split peas take a while to cook, this really doesn’t require much hands on time or anything and is pretty simple to make.  So if you are a split pea soup fan or you just want some healthy warming comfort food because it is cold right now where you live too, give this a go!

    Creamy Coconut Curried Split Pea Soup
    Serves 2

    Ingredients:

    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 cup dried split peas
    • 3 cups filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp mild curry powder
    • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less depending on the spice level you want)
    • sea salt to taste
    • 2 medium organic carrots, sliced
    • 3 medium organic red potatoes, diced
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a pot, combine all ingredients but the carrots and potatoes, and bring to a boil.
    2. Lower to a simmer, and cook until the split peas are softened, about 40 minutes, then add the carrots and potatoes and cook until they are tender and the split peas are falling apart.
    3. Stir in the coconut milk until well combined and serve!
  • Tuscan Chickpea Vegetable Soup 

    Tuscan Chickpea Vegetable Soup 

    We make soup like crazy in the deli I work in this time of the year, so you would think I would hate making soup at home. But that is not the case at all!  I love soup just as much as the customers do, I just prefer to make a big batch for myself and eat it for a few days (less work to get dinner on the table later in the week is always a good thing).  I tend to be boring and monotonous with my soup that I make though, often times it is the same two soups every week.  What can I say, I know what I like.  But This week I decided to be a little different and make a soup very similar to one that I make at work, a Tuscan bean soup. It is actually my recipe that I make at work, that I first made at home back when I was just out of college, but I haven’t made it in a really long time and I have never shared it on my blog before surprisingly.  I decided to make it this week mostly because I was making dinner for me and Eric and I think he is getting just a little sick of chili every week.

    This soup is actually pretty easy to make too.  It requires a little cooking time, but it is ready to enjoy in under an hour.  I have to say too, it is even better the next day if you let it all sit together overnight.  I love that this soup is loaded with good veggies!  Although I consider it essential for my soups to be mostly veggies.  I am not a fan of soups that are mostly completely broth, or just a cream base and pureed. I have to have chunky veggies in there!  This soup is so aromatic while it cooks, the scent of Italian herbs, basil, oregano, and rosemary fill the air along with sweet tomatoes and garlic.  I know some people hate garlic but I love it, and we all need it to stay healthy this time of the year.

    This soup always turns out super delicious.  Not only that, I love the heartiness of it, without it being heavy at all.  At the end, I even stirred in kale because I like to try to get greens with at least once of my meals every week.  And stirring them into your soup at the last minute when you pull it off the stove (so they don’t get over cooked) is a great way to get a bunch in (since they wilt and you can fit more).  If you are in need of some healthy comfort food, give this a try!

    Tuscan Chickpea Vegetable Soup 
    Serves 3-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1/4 cup diced red onion
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 large carrots, cut in half and sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1/2 tsp fennel seed
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 3 cups crushed canned tomatoes or fresh roasted*
    • 2 cups flavorful vegetable stock
    • sea salt
    • 3 cups diced potatoes
    • 2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 2 cups fresh kale, torn into small pieces

     

    Instructions:

    1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan.
    2. Add onions, carrots and celery and sauté until tender.
    3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, herbs, sea salt, pepper, vinegar, and filtered water.
    4. Bring to a simmer, and allow to cook until the tomatoes are very soft and the flavor has melded, about 30 minutes.
    5. Add the potatoes to the pot, and let cook for about 10-15 minutes.
    6. When the potatoes are tender, stir in the chickpeas and kale until kale has just wilted.
    7. Serve!

     

    *To roast the tomatoes, cut them into 2 inch wedges, and spread them out on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Place in a 400F degree oven and roast for about 30-45 minutes until tender and starting to brown at the edges. Remove from oven and you are ready to use them in this recipe.

  • Root Vegetable Lentil Stew

    Root Vegetable Lentil Stew

    In the deli I work at, we sell so much soup it is unreal.  We sell at least 24 quarts a day.  I understand.  We do make really good soups  and stews from scratch, using organic ingredients.  I am the vegan soup maker.  Of all of the soups I make, my favorites are the soups involving beans and lentils.  Chili of course, but also just hearty comfort food lentil soups or curries.  After making so much soup at work lately you would think I would not want to make soup when I got home, but I have made 3 already at home this week!  The latest was a delicious lentil root vegetable soup that was so good I decided to share the recipe with you all.  It was snowing and sleeting outside the day I made this and I was feeling a bit chilled after work and needed warming stew.

    The best part was, I had all of the ingredients on hand.  That is usually the deciding factor on what I make for dinner.  Even though I work at a health food store and I could buy ingredients for things on a whim, I like to save money and use what I already have.  As far as I am concerned, soups have to have a lot of vegetables.  In fact, they should be the main ingredient. For this soup, I used a mixture of root veggies.  They are so good this time of the year in pretty much anything.  I had made a root vegetable mash as a side dish the night before and I had just the right amount left over for the soup.  Rutabagas, sweet potatoes, and yukon gold potatoes.  Starchy, delicious veggies are just what I was in the mood for.

    I use sweet potatoes and potatoes all year round in things, but rutabagas are a bit more special because I only use them in the cooler months when they are in season.  As a kid I disliked them just because I thought they were weird (even though I don’t think I had ever actually tried them but you know how kids are about things), but I grew to love them in college when branched out with veggies and I discovered that they are delicious roasted or included in your mashed potatoes.  They are nice in a soup like this because they do not fall apart and get mushy.

    I included lentils in the soup for protein, and aromatic thyme, sage, garlic and onions and it smelled wonderful while cooking.  It tasted even better than it smelled too!  I served it with some fresh parsley and it was lovely!  This is the sort of comfort food I love, things that are hearty and delicious but also healthy!  If you are looking for a warming weeknight meal, give this a try!

    Root Vegetable Lentil Stew

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 small red onion, diced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2/3 cup french lentils
    • 4 cups vegetable broth or filtered water
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 1/4 tsp dried sage
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
    • 2 medium rutabagas (2 cups), cubed
    • 1 medium yukon gold potato, cubed
    • 1 medium sweet potato (2 cups) cubed
    • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine the onions, garlic, celery, lentils, water, thyme, sage salt and pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, add the rutabagas and cook until the lentils are starting to soften, about 30-40 minutes.
    2. Add the sweet potatoes and potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 more minutes.
    3. When the lentils and veggies are tender, add the fresh parsley and serve!
  • Italian Pasta and Chickpea Soup 

    Italian Pasta and Chickpea Soup 

    So apparently Winter is never going away here.  They are predicting even more snow, even though it is mid April and the tulips should be blooming by now.  I am so over it.  Last year the first week of April I was wearing shorts outside.  So, I am not quite into the light Spring food yet, I am in comfort food mode until it warms up.  Which will probably be another month from the looks of it.  The soups are flying out of  the deli I work in, and I feel like soup making and serving is non-stop.  I can’t blame people, I feel the same way about soup right now.  So a few nights back I made myself a big pot of warming comforting soup.  I was in the mood for something with Italian flavor because I had made one at work and it just tasted and smelled so good I wanted my own. I had all of the ingredients on hand as well, so it was perfect!  I love it when I don’t have to go shopping for things to make dinner.

    It was really pretty simple to make as far as soups go. I have made my own soup ever since my Mom taught me how to make soup when I was in high school.  She had gotten this soup book and we would pick different recipes and make them together.  I thought that was pretty exciting, and it taught me a lot. It was useful knowledge when I decided I wanted to cook for a living.  My favorite soups out of that book were the Italian ones, so that is what we made most often, and those memories are what I based my Italian soup I made this week off of.  One called pasta e fagioli, or beans with pasta.  It had plenty of vegetables in the base, it was flavorful thanks to the herbs and alliums, and it was definitely comfort food. This one came together in about 45 minutes and it was just as delicious!

    The only things I changed were I swapped the usual white beans we used to use for chickpeas, and used elbow pasta instead of little alphabet shaped pasta I loved so much when I was younger, just because that is what I had on hand.  If you are making this for yourself, feel free to add in your favorite vegetables, or pastas or use a different bean.  Because that is what cooking at home is all about, making it work for you, and using what you like and have on hand!

    Italian Pasta and Chickpea Soup 

    Serves 3

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1/4 cup diced red onion
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 carrots, cut in half and sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1/2 tsp fennel seed
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups crushed canned tomatoes or fresh roasted*
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • sea salt
    • 4 oz gluten free elbow pasta
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

     

    Instructions:

    1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan.
    2. Add onions, carrots and celery and sauté until tender.
    3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, herbs, sea salt, pepper, vinegar, and filtered water.
    4. Bring to a simmer, and allow to cook until the tomatoes are very soft and the flavor has melded, about 30 minutes.
    5. Add the pasta to the pot, and let cook for about 5 minutes.
    6. When the pasta is cooked, stir in the chickpeas and fresh parsley.
    7. Serve!

     

    *To roast the tomatoes, cut them into 2 inch wedges, and spread them out on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Place in a 400F degree oven and roast for about 30-45 minutes until tender and starting to brown at the edges. Remove from oven and you are ready to use them in this recipe.

  • Tofu Vegetable Noodle Soup

    Tofu Vegetable Noodle Soup

    I feel like everyone around me (including myself a few weeks ago) has been sick lately.  The cold and flu are going around like no other.  At least I just had a cold and it went away fairly quickly.  But others around me are not over it yet, and so I thought I would make some soup to share.  Because warm brothy soup and netti pots are your friend when you have a cold.  Of course the classic that my Grandma always made is chicken noodle, and I think that is the most popular thing that people buy at the store.  But this girl is vegan, and I think you can be just as healthy without chicken in your soup!  So, I made the classic, but my way.  Tofu vegetable noodle soup!  I was never a fan of chicken growing up anyhow, but I would have gladly eaten a bowl of tofu noodle.  To start off, I used a bunch of veggie scraps to make a flavorful stock for the soup.  It is important to start out with a flavorful base when your soup is going to be brothy.  Plus home made vegetable stock is healthier than store bought.  Many store bought brands have artificial flavors or sugar in them.  So, I make my own.  It is really easy and a good way to use veggie scraps.

    If you would like to make your own, you need about a cup of onion ends (or just 1 onion), about 2 cups of celery (or 3 stalks), about 1 cup green onion trimmings (or 1 bunch), and about 5 cloves of garlic, crushed.   Throw it all into a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook it slowly for at least 4 hours.  I make this at work a lot from scraps from my other dishes, which is why I say use onion butts etc.  But I know not everyone has that many left over if they have not been saving them in a bag in the freezer, so you can just use veggies that are not scraps if you wish.  Anyways, it made a great base for my soup.  I went with the classic carrots, celery, garlic and onions for my veggies, and my favorite Winter herb, thyme. It smelled amazing while it cooked on the stove!

    I added in some gluten free chickpea pasta for the noodles.  I know it is not traditional, but I love to add extra protein, and so gluten free bean noodles are a life saver!  I cooked my tofu in the oven and it was ready by the time the soup was ready.  Once it was added in and the soup came together, I could not wait to try it!  It was way better than any chicken noodle soup I ate as a child.  Rich with flavor, loaded with veggies and packed with protein.  So it was a win all around!  If you are feeling under the weather, give this soup a try!  The warm flavorful broth will definitely make you feel better!

     

    Tofu Vegetable Noodle Soup
    Serves 2-3

    Ingredients:

    Tofu:

    • 16 oz organic extra firm tofu, cut into cubes
    • 3 Tbsp sesame oil
    • 3 Tbsp tamari

     

    Soup:

    • 1 16 oz block 4 cups vegetable stock
    • 3 celery stalks, sliced
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 2 carrots, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/3 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 4 oz Explore Asian chickpea fusilli or other bean based pasta

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
    2. Toss the tofu with 3 Tbsp sesame oil, and 3 Tbsp tamari in a bowl until the tofu is coated, and spread out on an oiled sheet pan.  Place in the oven, and bake until the tofu is starting to brown, and get crisp at the edges, about 45 minutes.  Set aside.
    3. Meanwhile, to make the soup, combine the stalk, celery, onion, carrots, garlic, sea salt, and thyme in a pot and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until the veggies have softened, then add the pasta and continue to cook until it is tender, about 10 minutes more.
    4. Add the tofu.  Remove from heat, and serve!

     

  • Smokey Yam and Lentil Chili

    Smokey Yam and Lentil Chili

    We sell so much soup in the deli I work at that it is not even funny.  4 quart pots are emptied out in no time, and we are always making soup.  You would think it would slow down a lot in the Summer, but it still sells like hotcakes! Even more of course in the Fall and Winter. Especially Fall though, as people are feeling shocked by the cooler weather and wanting something warming.  To be fair, our soups are really good, some of the best I have tried anywhere.  I tend to be disappointed when I go out to restaurants and order soup because ours is top notch.  I like to think I make good soup at home too though.  My Mom taught me how when I was younger when we got a big soup book and made about 20 different soups from it.  We hardly ever bought canned after that.  I never buy canned now because I like home made so much more. My Mom gave me an idea for a chili to make combining lentils and yams, and I had to go right home and make it!

    I had all of the ingredients on hand, and I was excited.  I had never actually made chili with lentils, it was always beans. But I actually prefer lentils.  This chili was really easy to make, you just throw all of the ingredients but the yams in a pot and cook it, then throw in the yams.  I used tomatoes from my Grandpa’s garden instead of canned and I think that made it extra good.  I added a bit of liquid smoke to give it a little smokey flavor and make it more interesting.  It smelled so good while cooking!  Chili always reminds me of watching fall football games, or chilly fall evenings after spending the day outdoors.

    It turned out really good!  The thing I didn’t like so much about traditional chili growing up was always the ground beef.  I have never liked it and the smell of it turned my stomach.  But if lentils were added instead of the beef I think I would have liked it a lot more.  Because this lentil chili was awesome!  Also, they cook a lot faster than dried beans, so if you want your chili faster consider lentils.  The smokey chili was delicious with the sweet yams too!  If you are cooking for one like I was, this is even better and more flavorful the next day, so you will be excited when you have that second bowl for lunch the next day.  Or, of course you can double the recipe if you are cooking for two.  Either way, give it a try on a chilly Fall evening, you won’t be disappointed!

    Smokey Yam and Lentil Chili
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 2/3 cup french lentils
    • 1/2 cup diced onion
    • 1 carrot, cut in half  lengthwise and sliced
    • 1 stalk celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 cups diced tomatoes (canned are fine)
    • 4 cups filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp chili powder
    • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
    • 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
    • 2 tsp liquid smoke
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 2 small yams or sweet potatoes, diced

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a pot, combine all ingredients but the yams.  Bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer.  Cook on low heat for about 40 minutes or until the lentils are getting tender. Add the sweet potatoes, and cook for about 10 minutes more until they are tender.  Once everything is cooked, remove from heat, and enjoy!

     

     

     

  • Moroccan Lentil Stew

    Moroccan Lentil Stew

    Moroccan Lentil Stew Tomatoes

    I visited my Grandpa last Sunday and came home with about 10 lbs of fresh tomatoes from his garden.  What does one do with that many fresh tomatoes besides make sauce?  Well, I found lots of uses for them!  I love my Grandpa’s Tomatoes, and every year I anxiously await them.  It is so nice of him to share so many with me, and I am very appreciative.  My grocery bill always goes down, because I enjoy all of the tomatoes in my recipes when they become available instead of buying canned, dried or of course fresh for my salsas, soups and sauces.  Many of the tomatoes end up fresh in my lunch salads or roasted and paired with pastas, but I immediately dried a bunch of these in the dehydrator.  They are honestly the best tasting dried tomatoes I have ever had.  I dry a bunch every year and enjoy them for the next couple months (because they only last me that long, I use them a lot).

    Moroccan Lentil Stew Tomatoes 1

    Some of the batch I dried on Sunday was put to use right away.  I decided to make a Moroccan Lentil Stew because it was kind of a rainy day, and I am ready for Fall.  Normally I might have used canned tomatoes in something like this, but the dried ones are so lovely, and way more flavorful.  Lentils are a staple in my diet.  I eat them almost daily, and whenever any omnivore asks me where I get my protein they are my first answer (of the long list because as fellow vegans know, there are lots of vegan protein sources).  I enjoy simple stews made with them the most.  They are comforting, always delicious and easy to make because lentils cook faster than most beans. Lentils are just awesome!

    Moroccan Lentil Stew 1

    Anyways, I had some cauliflower and zucchini on hand, and they made it into the stew as well.  I used my Moroccan spice blend in this which is super aromatic and once you start cooking this people will show up in the kitchen in no time!  My home smelled delicious. It cooked up in less than 45 minutes and very little hands on time (which is always important, I know you all have other things to do while you are home as do I).  It was super satisfying.  The intensely flavored tomatoes infused the spiced broth, and the veggies and lentils had soaked it all in.  Sooo good.  If you had some flatbread to serve this with, that would be awesome, because trust me you want to soak up the juices.  If you would like to make your own dried tomatoes like I used in the recipe, simply cut them into 1/2 inch thick wedges, spread them out on a lined dehydrator tray, sprinkle with a little sea salt and dry for about a day and a half at 115F degrees or until they are completely dry.

    Moroccan Lentil Stew

    Moroccan Lentil Stew
    Serves 1-2

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tsp olive oil
    • 1/4 cup diced onion
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/8 tsp chipotle pepper
    • 1/2 tsp thyme
    • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
    • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
    • 1/3 cup dried lentils
    • 2 1/4  cups filtered water
    • 1 cup cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces
    • 1 cup zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice

    Directions:

    1. Heat the olive oil in a medium stock pot.  Add the onions and sautee for a few minutes until softened, then add the garlic and herbs and spices and sautee a minute more.
    2. Add the salt, tomatoes, lentils, and water and bring to a simmer.  Cook for about 30 minutes until the lentils are starting to get tender.
    3. Add the cauliflower and zucchini and cook for about 10 more minutes until they are tender.  Add the lemon juice and serve!



  • Irish Lentil Stew

    Irish Lentil Stew

    irish lentil stew 2

    We make an Irish Stew in the deli I work in, and every time I make it I think of St. Patrick’s Day.  Well now St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner so I should definitely make it soon!  Seems appropriate. Well, I thought I should make my own version of it at home.  The one I make at work doesn’t really have a protein source so I don’t consider it a main dish, but I wanted mine to be.  So, I added lentils.  Lentils are my go-to dinner protein most nights of the week, and I love them like crazy.

    irish lentil stew 1

    I added some Irish veggies, potatoes and cabbage, as well as my soup basics, carrots, celery, and onion, and it was really good!  Simple, and quick to make but good.  I shared some with Eric to bring to work, since I made a larger batch than this one I am sharing, and it tasted even better the next day.  If you are looking for something to serve for St. Patty’s Day dinner that is healthy and delicious, this is your meal.  But, I also think it is just a good meal to make in general year round.

    Irish Lentil Stew

    Irish Lentil Stew

    Serves 2

    3 cups filtered water

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    1 small onion, diced (or 1/2 cup)

    2 stalks celery, sliced

    1 tsp dried thyme

    1/2 tsp celery seed

    1 bay leaf

    1 Tbsp tamari

    1/2 cup French lentils

    1 medium carrot, sliced

    2 cups cubed yellow potatoes

    1 cup cabbage, cut into chunks

    sea salt to taste

    In a medium pot, combine the water, onions, garlic, celery, thyme, bay leaf, celery seed, tamari, and lentils and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until the lentils start to soften. Add the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage and cook for about another 10-15 minutes until they are tender.  Taste the soup for seasoning, and add more salt if needed.  Serve!



  • Veggie Edamame Noodle Bowl

    Veggie Edamame Noodle Bowl

    Edamame Bowl 1

    Eric was saying that a noodle bowl he saw on Facebook looked really good, so that got me to thinking I should make one.  I haven’t made anything like that in years, but it is the perfect dish for dinner on a chilly winter evening.  I used the random vegetables that I happened to have on hand which were acorn squash, summer squash, red bell peppers, and scallions.  But of course if you decide to make this, use whatever you have on hand as well.  Celery, carrots, mushrooms or bok choi would make wonderful additions or swaps with the veggies I added.  I made a quick and flavorful miso broth to simmer it all in.  It smelled amazing in my kitchen.

    Edamame Bowl FV

    I used an edamame pasta that I have been loving lately for the noodles.  I am just not a big fan of regular wheat pasta or grain pasta, but this edamame pasta packs about 24 grams of protein per serving, and I like the flavor. If you are soy free, they have adzuki bean and other types of bean pasta in this brand as well.  Anyways, this noodle bowl turned out delicious! I shared it with of course Eric because he gave me the idea to create it. It was warming, filling, and a party in my mouth!

    Veggie Edamame Noodle Bowl
    Serves 2 generously

    1 small onion, diced
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 small chunk ginger, minced
    1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste (less if you don’t like spicy)
    1 tsp sesame oil
    2 Tbsp tamari
    4 cups flavorful vegetable broth, or filtered water
    3 cups diced or sliced winter squash
    2 cups thickly sliced zucchini
    1 cup thickly sliced yellow squash
    1 cup diced bell peppers
    4 oz edamame spaghetti

    3 Tbsp white miso
    scallions, sliced

    In a pot over medium heat, combine the onions, garlic, ginger, chili flakes and sesame oil. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often.  Add the tamari, vegetable broth, and squash and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, and cook until squash is almost tender, then add the zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, and edamame pasta and cook for about 4-6 minutes more at a simmer until the veggies are tender and the noodles are done. Add the miso and cook over very low heat until it dissolves, garnish with scallions to serve!



  • Smokey Vegan Split Pea Soup

    Smokey Vegan Split Pea Soup

    We have been flying through soups in the deli I work in lately, people are just craving them like mad, because it was below zero for a few days last week.  I don’t blame them, I am the same.  I cant say I have been out much to work out, because I just don’t feel like bundling up to run outside and I have a treadmill where I can run nice and warm in shorts.  I do however have to go out to run errands and go to work of course, and when I get home I feel chilled sometimes.  So I have been making warming comfort food dishes at home, most of them soups. Mostly healthy things, because comfort food doesn’t have to equal gut busting.  I recently made a split pea soup at work, and I decided that it was so good that I needed to make one at home.

    vegan-smokey-split-pea-soup-1

    I have made so many different soups over the years I can not even count, but not one of them was ever split pea.  I don’t know why, because I like split pea…so I thought it was about time!  Traditional split pea usually has ham to give it a savory smokey flavor, but I obviously don’t eat ham, so I used smoked Spanish paprika and chipotle peppers in mine instead to give it a good flavor.  Plus a little kick, which I always enjoy, especially when I am chilled.

    vegan-smokey-split-pea-soup-2

    Although this soup takes a while to cook, it is nice to just put it on the stove, and get all your other stuff done while it is cooking.  Like typing up recipes…that is what I did while it was cooking, all of them making me hungrier and hungrier for the soup.  But it was worth the wait.  Even better than the traditional split pea I remember from childhood!  You know what is awesome as well?  Split peas have a good amount of protein! So this soup will keep you full, and help repair your muscles!

    vegan-smokey-split-pea-soup

    Smokey Vegan Split Pea Soup
    Serves 2

    1 small onion, chopped
    3 stalks celery, sliced
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    3/4 cup dried split peas
    4 cups filtered water
    2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
    1/4-1/2 tsp chipotle powder (more or less depending on the spice level you want)
    sea salt to taste
    2 medium yams or sweet potatoes, cut into cubes

    1 large handful spinach leaves

    In a pot, combine all ingredients but the yams and spinach, and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, and cook until the split peas are softened, about 40 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the split peas are falling apart. Stir in spinach and serve!



  • Sunshine Curried Chickpea Stew

    Sunshine Curried Chickpea Stew

     Chickpea Soup 2

    Love is about taking care of those who are close to you when they are having trouble taking care of yourself. We all need a little help sometimes, and you never know when it might be you that needs it.  At least that is how I feel.  Eric wasn’t feeling the greatest last week, like he might have picked up a touch of something so I thought I would make him some warming soup with things that help you stay healthy in it.  It was a little chillier day than the rest, rain falling in the afternoon, so a good day for soup.  I included plenty of veggies, some chickpeas for protein, and most importantly ginger, turmeric, alliums and hot peppers.  All for immunity and anti-inflammatory purposes.  I added in some coconut milk at the end for richness as well since this soup had no other fats in it.  It turned out delicious, warming and the most beautiful sunshine color fit to brighten anyone’s day.  Eric loved it, since he didn’t feel like cooking for himself at that point.  You never know when you will have the opportunity to help someone out, but when you do, you should take it.

    Chickpea Soup

    Sunshine Curried Chickpea Stew

    Serves 2-3

    1 small onion, diced

    2 carrots, halved and sliced

    2 celery stalks, sliced

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    2 medium red potatoes, diced

    1 yellow bell pepper, diced

    1 jalapeno, minced

    1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

    1 tsp turmeric

    1 tsp ground cumin

    1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste

    3 cups filtered water (or as needed to cover veggies)

    1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or a 15 oz can will do)

    1/2 cup full fat coconut milk

    3 Tbsp arrowroot starch dissolved in 3 Tbsp filtered water

    Combine all ingredients but the chickpeas, coconut milk, and arrowroot in a pot and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, and let cook for 20 minutes, or until the veggies are all tender and the flavors have combined.  Add the chickpeas, coconut milk and arrowroot and stir in until the coconut milk has dissolved and the soup is thickened.



  • Spicy Simple Veggie Lentil Soup

    Spicy Simple Veggie Lentil Soup

    Veggie Lentil Soup 1

    I am trying to teach my Man the habit of healthy eating, showing him recipes that are delicious, easy to make and simple, so that he can make them for himself during the week when he is not working.  Things using staples like lentils for protein that require little cooking time compared to beans.  I made this simple veggie lentil soup just for him, to show him that even with only a few things you can have a delicious meal.  I know he would rather me just cook for him, but I am not always there, and nothing is sexier than a Man who can cook for himself right?!

    Veggie Lentil Soup

    I have an organic lentil mix with beluga, red and green and it is wonderful in soups or stews so I thought this was just the soup to use it in.  I combined it with beet, carrot, celery, bell pepper and garlic, keeping it simple then added in some spice Mexican style. Although Eric likes his food smoking hot and spicy, I kept this just spicy enough so you could taste the other flavors. It ended up being delicious, and he loved it as well.  A total of 20 minutes cooking time is all you need here.  No sautéing necessary, this is a low fat dish as well if you are into that.  All that mattered to me is it was tasty and we both liked it and that is exactly how it turned out!  I thought I would share it with you all in case you need to make a quick hearty and tasty dinner sometime too.  Feel free to use the veggies you have on hand, tomatoes or sweet potatoes would be good in here as well.

    Veggie Lentil Soup 2

    Spicy Simple Veggie Lentil Soup

    Serves 3

    1 cup mixed lentils (I used a mix of beluga, red, and green)

    4 cups filtered water

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    1 medium beet, diced small

    2 carrots, sliced

    2 stalks celery, sliced

    1 bell pepper, diced

    1/4 tsp ground chipotle powder

    1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

    1 tsp chili powder

    1 tsp ground cumin

    1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste

    Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the veggies and lentils are tender.  Serve warm.

     

  • Red Lentil, Yam and Mushroom Stew

    Red Lentil, Yam and Mushroom Stew

    Red Lentil Yam Mushroom Stew 2

    Last Sunday was a full but wonderful day for me!  I woke up, had a wonderful workout, made a delicious cake, and then decided to go downtown with Eric to see the Macy’s Art in Bloom Flower Show and walk the skyways.  We saw some beautiful flowers, and it was a nice taste of spring, since it happened to be snowing outdoors.

    IMG_1741 IMG_1745 IMG_1749 IMG_1750

    We walked the skyways afterwards, and it was fun to people watch and go for a walk and see the city from above out of the chilly snow outdoors.  When we arrived home, we were both pretty hungry, so I decided to make something hearty for dinner.  Something that I have been making so often lately I could do it in my sleep practically, a red lentil, yam and mushroom stew that makes me forget all about the fact that it is cold outside.  It is hearty, cost effective to make, delicious and warming.  Eric told me that it is one of the best dinners I have made lately, and I have to agree, I love this stuff!  Which is why I thought I needed to share it with you! I will be enjoying this often until it warms up here again.

    Red Lentil Yam Mushroom Stew

    Red Lentil, Yam and Mushroom Stew

    Serves 2

    2 tsp coconut oil

    4 garlic cloves, minced

    1 tsp dried thyme

    3 cups sliced crimini mushrooms

    2/3 cup red lentils

    3 1/2 cups filtered water (or as needed)

    1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste

    3 cups diced yams

    2 large handfuls spinach or other greens

    In a medium pot, over medium heat, warm the coconut oil.  Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.  Add al remaining ingredients but the kale, and bring to a simmer.  Simmer until the lentils are tender and starting to fall apart and the yams are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the spinach just before serving.

    Red Lentil Yam Mushroom Stew 1