Soup's On!

As the weather cools off, nothing hits the spot like a bowl of warm homemade soup. I have plenty of memories of my mom serving homemade soup out of a soup tureen. But even if you serve it directly out of the cooking pot, as I do, it's still yummy. That said, here are six vegetarian soup recipes to start off your week. Enjoy!

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VEGETABLE-MINESTRONE SOUP

This comes from the August 2015 issue of Taste For Life, page 53. The recipe begins, “A vegan, gluten free, nut free soup recipe that is delicious!” Prep Time: 40 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to http://tasteforlife.com/retail-partners/gluten-free/vegetable-minestrone-soup.

Ingredients

1 c dried gluten-free pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

5 c chopped mixed vegetables (your choice of celery, onions, carrots, red bell peppers, spinach)

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

4 c low-sodium gluten-free vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set pasta aside.

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add vegetables and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add diced tomatoes and their juice and broth. Bring mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to soup.

Notes: You can swap out the pasta for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cooked beans.

AFRICAN BEAN SOUP

I'm occasionally amazed at where I find recipes. This one comes from GE Appliances. It begins, “It's the season for soup and what better way to warm up than this hearty, protein packed stew! This dish works well on it's own, or for a more substantial meal, serve over brown rice and spinach.” Serves 6 to 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 onion, chopped

2 small yams, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup cilantro or parsley

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons curry powder

Directions

Heat olive oil in stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion and sweet potato for about 5 minutes.

Add celery, carrots, bell pepper, soy sauce and curry powder and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, beans, cilantro or parsley and vegetable stock.

Blend peanut butter with 1/2 cup warm water and add to soup.

Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.

PUMPKIN SOUP

Yield: 5 servings (1 cup each)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/409.shtml

Note: This recipe originally calls for homemade or canned chicken broth. I've changed it to vegetable broth. I'm not sure how (or if) it changes the nutritional info, but my guess would be very little.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons margarine

3/4 cup chopped onion

One 16-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

2 cups Homemade vegetable Broth OR canned reduced-sodium vegetable broth

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or ground nutmeg

1 cup fat-free milk

Directions

Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan. Saute the onion until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the pumpkin, broth, sugar, salt, and cloves; stir to mix well. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree until smooth in a blender or food processor. Return to the saucepan. Add the milk; heat thoroughly but do not boil. Serve at once.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 89; Protein: 4 g; Sodium: 318 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch

OCTOBER BISQUE

Prep Time: 20 Minutes - Cost: $

Servings: 8 - Difficulty Level: 2

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/173.shtml

Note: This recipe also originally calls for chicken broth. I've changed it to vegetable broth. That's the nice thing with cooking: if you find a recipe you want to try, but need to replace one ingredient for another, many times, it's entirely possible. Obviously, there are some times when that's just not possible, but if you run across a recipe that lists, say, beef or chicken broth, you may very well be able to substitute vegetable broth; ground beef in a recipe can frequently be substituted with frozen veggie crumbles or tofu crumbles.

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped

4 tbsp butter

4 cups vegetable broth

1 (28oz) can whole tomatoes, undrained

1 tbsp sugar

2 (16oz) cans pumpkin, or 4 cups pureed pumpkin

2 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley

2 tbsp chopped, fresh chives

Directions

Sauté onion in butter until tender. Add broth and simmer 15 minutes.

Process tomatoes in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add tomato and remaining ingredients to broth. Heat to serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 154; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 7.5 g; Sodium: 764 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread; 1-1/2 Vegetable; 1-1/4 Fat

APPLE RUTABAGA SOUP

This came from Brett Moore, About.com’s Gourmet Food expert. He wrote, “Here's a beautiful comfort soup from Chef Patrick O'Connell (The Inn at Little Washington). Delicious and complex flavors with a velvety texture. Perfect for those cold winter days.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

Note: This recipe also calls for chicken stock (broth). And yes, I changed it to the veggie version.

1 stick (1/4 pound) butter

1 cup onion, roughly chopped

1 cup Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped

1 cup rutabaga, peeled and roughly chopped

1 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

1 cup carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 cup sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped

1 quart good vegetable stock

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup maple syrup

Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, apple, rutabaga, squash, carrots and sweet potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until all of the vegetables are cooked through and tender.

Puree the vegetables in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into the same pot you used to cook the vegetables. Add the cream, maple syrup, salt and cayenne pepper.

Return the pot to the stove, bring the soup to a simmer, and serve.

ROASTED PUMPKIN AND LEEK SOUP

This comes from Jen Hoy, About.com’s Whole Foods Cooking expert. Jen wrote, “This roasted pumpkin and leek soup brings the quintessential flavors of fall to the table. It's an easy recipe and can be made with Cinderella pumpkin (pictured), the small, richly flavored sugar pumpkin, or from Hokkaido squash, Red Kuri, Kabocha, or any other deep orange, dense squash. Orange squash and pumpkin are marvelously rich in nutrients, especially beta-carotene, and very nourishing to the spleen and stomach. Roasting the vegetables creates a rich and more complex flavor, and actually makes for an easy soup: all you do is add water to the roasted veggies. You can add a dab of Romesco Sauce when serving to give a bit of extra richness to the soup, but we like it as is!” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Yield: Serves 4 - 6.

The recipe originally called for 6 cups water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth. For this blog, I'm leaving out the “or chicken broth.”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds pumpkin or deep orange squash, peeled and cut into 1” chunks* (See note below)

1 large onion, cut into 1” chunks

2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped

2 leeks, washed well and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 cups water or Vegetable Broth

1 branch of fresh thyme

2 teaspoons ground cumin, curry or other spice as desired

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.

*Note: If you don’t want to peel the squash ahead of time, cut it into larger (3-inch or so) pieces and remove the skin before adding it to the soup pot. Unlike raw, cooked squash is very easy to peel.

Toss the vegetables with the olive oil in a roasting pan and spread them out corner to corner. Roast the vegetables in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes, or until they are beginning to soften and take a bit of golden color.

Remove the tray from the oven. (If you need to peel the squash, let the vegetables sit until the pumpkin is cool enough to handle).

Place the veggies in a soup pot with water or broth to cover and add the thyme and desired spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Puree the soup with an immersion or standard blender, season to taste and serve.

Wednesday Recipes

Enjoy!

VEGETABLE-MINESTRONE SOUP

This comes from the August 2015 issue of Taste For Life, page 53. The recipe begins, “A vegan, gluten free, nut free soup recipe that is delicious!” Prep Time: 40 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to http://tasteforlife.com/retail-partners/gluten-free/vegetable-minestrone-soup.

Ingredients

1 c dried gluten-free pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

5 c chopped mixed vegetables (your choice of celery, onions, carrots, red bell peppers, spinach)

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

4 c low-sodium gluten-free vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set pasta aside.

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add vegetables and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add diced tomatoes and their juice and broth. Bring mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to soup.

Notes: You can swap out the pasta for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cooked beans.

AFRICAN BEAN SOUP

I'm occasionally amazed at where I find recipes. This one comes from GE Appliances. It begins, “It's the season for soup and what better way to warm up than this hearty, protein packed stew! This dish works well on it's own, or for a more substantial meal, serve over brown rice and spinach.” Serves 6 to 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 onion, chopped

2 small yams, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup cilantro or parsley

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons curry powder

Directions

Heat olive oil in stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion and sweet potato for about 5 minutes.

Add celery, carrots, bell pepper, soy sauce and curry powder and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, beans, cilantro or parsley and vegetable stock.

Blend peanut butter with 1/2 cup warm water and add to soup.

Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.

MEERA SODHA'S NAAN

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times' Cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “The British cookbook author learned this recipe from her aunt Harsha, and included it in her “Made in India: Recipes from an Indian Family Kitchen” in 2015. It is simple to make, and results in crackly-soft flatbreads singed by heat and yielding to tenderness within, with a faint tang of yogurt. It is exactly the sort of thing you’d love to dip in a pool of curry again and again. Just set up an assembly line to roll out the dough and cook it in a hot pan. Once you make the recipe two or three times you’ll never buy naan again.” Time: 90 minutes; makes 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola, plus a teaspoon more

4 tablespoons whole-milk yogurt

1 packet of active dried yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 level teaspoon baking powder

1 cup whole milk, warmed

Preparation

Put the flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle, and add two tablespoons of the oil to it, along with the yogurt, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Use your fingers to combine the ingredients until they resemble crumbs, and then add the warm milk in splashes, mixing until it comes together into a dough.

Put the dough on a clean, well-floured cutting board. It will be very sticky. Flour your hands, and knead the dough for five minutes or so, then scrape off your hands and knead it again, making it into a round ball. Rub a teaspoon of oil over the exterior of the dough, and place it in a clean mixing bowl. Cover with a dish towel, and place in a warm spot to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.

Using a knife, divide the dough into 12 pieces. Take each piece, roll it into a ball and flatten it between your palms. Dust the dough with flour, and roll each piece out into an oval of about 5 by 8 inches.

Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and allow it to get hot. When it is, cook one naan in it for 30 to 40 seconds on one side, or until it begins to bubble, then use a spatula to flip it over to cook the other side for about the same amount of time, checking regularly to make sure that it does not burn. Flip the naan one more time, and press on it lightly with your spatula for 10 to 15 seconds, then remove to a warm platter. Repeat with the rest of the dough. (Keep the finished naan in a low oven, or wrap in foil until ready to serve.)

ULTIMATE VEGAN CHILI

This comes from the February 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 51. It begins, “This chili is made with a base of seitan and mushrooms for a rich, thick dish that is, for lack of a better word, meaty! In lieu of chili beans such as Bush's Best Chili Beans, you can substitute or 1 can each black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans, partially drained. If you like your chili three-alarm hot, add an extra chipotle chile or two.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

2 8-oz. pkgs. seitan, chopped (3 cups)

3 Tbs. tomato paste

2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

3/4 tsp. celery salt

3 15-oz. cans chili beans, partially drained

1 cup chopped carrots (2 to 3 large carrots)

2 Tbs. low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

1 Tbs. vegan Worcestershire sauce

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 7 to 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown, stirring often. Add garlic and chipotle chile, and sauté 1 minute more. Stir in mushrooms; cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add seitan, tomato paste, paprika, oregano, chili powder, celery salt, and 1 cup water; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans, carrots, tamari, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 1 hour, or until carrots are tender.

nutritional information Per 1-cup Serving: Calories: 276; Protein: 24 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 844 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan

MILLET CORNBREAD WITH SPICY HONEY BUTTER

This comes from the October 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 72. It begins, “Cooked millet replaces wheat flour in this simiple cornbread recipe.” Makes 9 slices.

To view this online, click here.

Spiced Honey Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tsp. honey

1 tsp. hot sauce, or to taste

1/4 tsp. salt

Cornbread

1/4 cup millet

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

2 large eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup fine corn flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

4 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)

To make Spicy Honey Butter: Blend all ingredients in mini food processor until smooth, or fold together in small bowl with rubber spatula until thoroughly combined. Shape into log, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill.

To make Cornbread: Combine millet with 2 cups water in small bowl. Let soak 8 to 10 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

Cook corn in medium pot of boiling water, 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and reserve 3/4 cup cooking water.

Transfer corn and cooking water to blender, and purée until smooth. Cool purée 5 minutes.

Whisk together corn purée, eggs, and oil in medium bowl. Sift together corn flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in separate bowl, then fold into corn purée mixture. Fold in 1/2 cup drained millet and green onions.

Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes, or until top springs back when touched in center. Serve warm Cornbread with Spicy Honey Butter.

nutritional information Per Per slice with 1 tbs. butter: Calories: 264; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: 68 mg; Sodium: 540 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 4 g; Gluten-Free

BLACKBERRY CRISP WITH MAPLE-PECAN TOPPING

This recipe comes from the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 60. It begins, “Tangy blackberries have a great affinity for pecans and maple, but you could certainly make this crisp with blueberries or a combination of berries. Leftovers are delicious for breakfast!” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

5 Tbs. maple syrup, divided

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

6 cups fresh blackberries (1 3/4 lb.)

3 Tbs. sugar

16 Tbs. all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 tsp. Plus 1/8 tsp. salt, divided

2/3 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 Tbs. canola oil

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat deep baking dish with cooking spray.

Whisk together 2 Tbs. maple syrup and vinegar in bowl. Place blackberries in large bowl, and drizzle maple mixture over them. Add sugar, 3 Tbs. flour, and 1/8 tsp. salt to berries; toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.

Combine remaining 13 Tbs. flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in separate bowl. Drizzle oil and remaining 3 Tbs. maple syrup over dry ingredients. Use fingers to combine thoroughly until small clumps form. Arrange topping clumps over berries.

Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and berry juices are bubbling just around edges of crisp.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 319; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 50 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 115 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 27 g; Vegan