Category Archives: Soups and Stews

Creamy Chik’n Soup with Sweet Potato Gnocchi & Kale

Chik'n Sweet Potato Gnocchi SoupI don’t really want to rush time along, but this year winter has rudely muscled its way into spring and I’m aching for sunshine and warm temperatures.  This see-sawing act (hot…cold…hot…cold) is getting tiresome.

Because of the lingering chilliness, my stomach is still craving comforting stews and soups.  This one is particularly satisfying.  I’ve based this rich recipe on an Olive Garden concoction – except mine gets its creaminess from pureed white beans – not from cream.  The gnocchis are homemade with sweet potatoes rather than white potatoes, but you could use store-bought. Just make sure they’re vegan.

GIVEAWAY UPDATES:
If you’re into sprouts and you haven’t yet done so, please visit the Virtual Vegan Potluck blog and enter to win a bag of broccoli sprouting seeds from VVP sponsor Todd’s Seeds!  Todd has also created a 20% discount for anyone to use when ordering sprouts or sprouting seeds from his site.  For deets, head over to the VVP blog.

Also – I’m giving away three bottles of Kretschmer Wheat Germ on both of my Facebook pages – An Unrefined Vegan and Virtual Vegan Potluck.  All you have to do is leave a comment on my Almond Butter Maple Granola photo(s).  I’ll be selecting a winner (of all three bottles) on Monday.

Creamy Chik’n Soup with Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Serves 6-8

1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 cups seitan, cubed
3 cups seitan-cooking broth+7 cups water OR 4 cups vegetable broth+6 cups water
4 cups kale, chopped
1 15 oz. can great northern beans, rinsed, drained and pureed
2 cups sweet potato gnocchi, cooked and drained
ground black pepper, to taste

Soup Ingredients

In a large pot, saute the onions, celery and carrots in a splash of water, vegetable broth or Bragg Liquid Aminos until tender. Stir in the garlic, thyme, mushrooms and seietan and cook for another 5 minutes or so.

Pour in the 10 cups broth/water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until veggies are very tender. Stir in the kale, pureed beans, and gnocchi and cook until the kale is tender. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Bowl of Soup

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Creamy Tomato Soup

Tomato Soup in Small BowlKel and I got into a habit during the long hours in the car on a recent road trip.  As mealtimes approached, I’d use my phone to begin the hunt for vegan-friendly restaurants in whatever large city was coming up along the highway.  On the second day of our drive back through Florida on our way back to Oklahoma, Kel and I hit the lunchtime jackpot and were treated to the best meal of our trip.  Once inside the doors of End of the Line Cafe in Pensacola, there was no need to explain veganism, no asking for the mayo/cheese/sour cream to be removed from a dish – it was straight-up, 100% plant-based manna.

End of the Line Cafe sits right along the railroad tracks (hence the name) and not far from the waterfront.  It’s a humble setting and I’m not sure I’d be lingering in the area after dark.  No matter, it was a bright and warm day and our stomachs were loudly protesting their emptiness.  End of the Line was serving up a prix-fixe brunch that Sunday and the place was full – all of us clutching forks and knives in anticipation.  The meal started out with little cups of rich and flavorful creamy tomato soup.  After slurping our first sips, my eyes met Kel’s and in hushed tones we both murmured, “Wow.”  I have no idea what they put in there, but whatever it was, I want to bottle it and sell it.  The rest of the meal was also outstanding (photos below).

I have to admit, I didn’t even come close to End of the Line’s version, but this is still a tasty, easy soup.  For this recipe, I used the last of 2012′s homegrown tomatoes that Kel had cut into slices and put into the freezer.  They were real beauties and part of me hated to use them all up, but since we have new tomato plants starting in the greenhouse, we should be buried in the red beasts by July.  Canned tomatoes will work just fine in this recipe.

I’ve shared this recipe on Healthy Vegan Friday.

One year ago today: 7 Days of Salad: Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Couscous with Sweet Lime-ginger Dressing
One year and one day ago today: 7 Days of Salad: Orzo w/ Black-eyed Peas, Olives & Cucumber

Creamy Tomato Soup
Serves 6

2 large onions, sliced
water and/or Bragg Liquid Aminos, for sautéing
~8 cups tomatoes (peeled), or two 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can white beans
1 head garlic, roasted and the cloves squeezed out
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp. white miso
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. curry powder
~1/2 cup nut milk, optional

orange gremolata, recipe below

In a large pot, slowly and patiently caramelize the onions in splashes of water and Bragg Liquid Aminos.  For buttery, soft and brown onions, this should take about 30 minutes.  Don’t skip this step – it gives the soup its rich flavor.

Once the onions are caramelized, add the tomatoes and cook down for about 10 minutes.  Stir all of the remaining ingredients, except for the nut milk, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the soup for 30 minutes or so, tasting to adjust the seasonings.

Using a blender or a stick blender, puree the soup. Stir in the nut milk, if using, and heat gently while you prepare the gremolata.

Garlic, Onions Collage

Orange Gremolata

1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup or so of parsley, finely chopped
zest of one orange
1/4 cup or so of raw walnuts, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

GremolataDivide the soup between bowls and top with gremolata.

Bowls of Tomato Soup

Brunch at End of the Line Cafe:

Tofu Migas

Two salads plus rice and tofu migas at End of the Line Cafe.

macaroon

And for dessert: a luscious macaroon.

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Cashew Creamy Lentil Soup

Creamy Lentil SoupYou don’t need to say it. I’ll say it for you: my, but that’s a homely soup. Homely, yes, but delicious.

Now maybe this is knowledge held by every vegan out there except for me. I’ve always felt a little wasteful tossing out the seitan cooking water. It smells pretty good! Certainly it could be put to good employ somewhere. Like in soup. After my last batch of seitan, I decided to hang on to the broth – and I used it in this soup. I have to say, it really did something special. If you haven’t tried using all of that good seitan broth before, I’d suggest giving it a whirl.

One year ago today: A Peek Into the Man-cave (a.k.a. The Greenhouse)
One year and one day ago: German Chocolate Bundt Cake

Cashew Creamy Lentil Soup
Serves 4

1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 cups vegetable broth (or seitan cooking broth)
1-2 tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup dried brown lentils
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup cashew cream (or nut milk)
2 tbsp. dry sherry
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, saute the onions in the Bragg Liquid Aminos for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sweet potatoes, carrots and celery and sauté for another 5 or so minutes. Then add the lentils and broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about an hour, or until the vegetables are very soft.

Using a stick blender or food processor, or blender, puree the soup until it’s mostly smooth. Return to the pan, stir in the cashew cream (or nut milk) and the sherry. When soup is thoroughly heated (do not allow to boil), it’s ready to serve. Garnish with something green, if desired.

Creamy Lentil Soup

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Smoky Chickpea Stew with Spinach, Sausage & Cashew Cream

Smoky Chickpea StewCongratulations to Dena B. for snagging a fabulous Vegan Cuts Snack Box!  Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Virtual Vegan Potluck blog to enter.  It was our most popular giveaway yet!

Here’s an über simple, spicy bean stew that is perfect for a quick lunch or weeknight meal.  I served mine over a thick slice of toast and topped it with cilantro and a garlicky cashew cream.

One Year Ago Today: Chunky Monkey Muffins
One year and one day ago: When the Cupboards Are (Almost) Bare

Smoky Chickpea Stew with Spinach, Sausage & Cashew Cream
Serves 4

Cashew Cream
1 cup cashews, soaked for a few hours
1/2 cup water
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos

Stew
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4+ cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 link spicy vegan sausage (such as Field Roast’s Mexican Chipotle sausage), chopped
5 oz. fresh spinach
1 tsp. dry sherry, optional
generous squirt of fresh lemon juice
4 slices thick, crusty bread – preferably garlic bread – toasted
cilantro, for garnish

Make the cream:
Rinse and drain the cashews and put into a blender along with the other ingredients. Process until very smooth – give it a minute or two. Pour mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Make the stew:
In a medium-sized pot, saute the garlic and onion in a little bit of the vegetable broth until tender. Stir in the paprika and cook for about 1 minute. Add the 1/4 broth, white wine and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and add the garbanzo beans. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until thickened slightly.

A few minutes before the stew is finished, toast the bread.

Stir in the chorizo and spinach, cover and cook for a few minutes to allow the spinach to wilt. Remove from the heat and stir in the sherry and lemon juice.

Divide the toast among four bowls and ladle with the stew. Garnish with chopped cilantro and big dollops of the cashew cream.

Smoky Chickpea Stew

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Other People’s Food 7: The Comfort Food Edition

Slow-Cooker ChiliIf you had to pick the ultimate comfort food, what would it be?  Pot pie?  A spicy curry?  Macaroni and cheese?  Or maybe hot cocoa (hot cocoa sounds more comforting than hot chocolate) or a warm brownie topped with ice cream?  Winter is just around the corner – though some days it feels as if it’s already here – so my cooking changes from quick and cool to hearty, warm and comforting.

Chili, in almost any form but the ones including meat, is one of my favorite comfort foods.  You can put it together quickly and let it simmer gently for hours – and it tastes better the next day.  I recently made the version from In Vegetables We Trust (Slow-Cooker Chili) which includes a hint of unsweetened cocoa to mellow and deepen the beany, peppery flavors.

Double Chocolate Coconut Pecan CookiesWhat’s comfort without cozy chocolate?  If you didn’t see this recipe on Somer’s blog, Vedged Out, then you must be hibernating.  And I wouldn’t blame you one bit if you were.  I mixed up a batch of her Double Chocolate Coconut Pecan Cookies and my belly and I felt contented, satisfied and downright happy despite the flurries blowing outside.  In fact, I laughed at them between bites.

Kalamansi Coconut RisottoFor me, rice is one of the most comforting foods around.  This may be because when I was a kid my mom made the most delicious rice on the planet – buttery and creamy and heavy on the ground black pepper.  When I was a young lass living on my own there were evenings when it was me, the TV and a big bowl of steaming, hot rice.  This is why I included AstigVegan’s delicious Kalamansi Coconut Risotto recipe in my comfort food hall of fame.  It’s got all the things I love: creamy rice, coconut milk, lemon zing and mushrooms.  (Sorry, Richa, I couldn’t get kalamansi here in Utah so I made due with lemon juice and some orange zest!)

Maple Coconut Coffee ChocolatesIf there’s anything more comforting than chocolate, it’s…more chocolate.  I made these babies one Sunday afternoon when I needed a heavy dose of comfort.   Big fat flakes of snow were flying outside.  The foothills of the Wasatch were barely visible in the fog of white.  Ike had wisely tucked himself back into his doggy bed and Paul Westerberg provided background music with one of his most plaintive tunes, Here Comes A Regular.    The enticing smell of melted chocolate takes the cold edge off of any winter day.  I got the original recipe from  Things My Belly Likes (Maple Coconut Chocolates), and I hit the print button before you could say Give me a Mounds bar!  I messed around (i.e., made it more complicated than it needed to be) with the recipe and have included it below.

One year ago today: Pesto Pasta e Fagioli
One year and one day ago: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cherry-Apricot Compote

Maple Coconut Coffee Chocolates with Add-ins
Makes ~30 (using small muffin cups)

1 cup coconut oil
1 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 heaping tbsp. Dandy Blend (herbal coffee substitute), optional
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-4 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/8 cup sweet cacao nibs (with a little extra for sprinkling on top of the chocolate)
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped (with a little extra for sprinkling on top of the chocolate)
1/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (with a little extra for sprinkling on top of the chocolate)

I lined up my paper and silicon mini muffin cups on baking sheets and got all of the ingredients ready to go before I melted the chocolate and coconut oil.  Mise en place.  It’s a good thing.  Sprinkle the pecans into the bottoms of 1/3 of the muffins cups; sprinkle the cacao nibs into the bottoms of 1/3 of the muffin cups.  You’ll be stirring the flaked coconut into the remaining 1/3 of the melted chocolate/coconut oil mixture – so hold off on sprinkling that into the bottom of the cups.

In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil and chocolate over low heat  Whisk occasionally.  Remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup and vanilla extract.  They’ll sizzle so watch your eyes.  For really smooth chocolate, put the cocoa powder and Dandy Blend through a sieve and add to the melted chocolate.  Whisk until smooth and melted.

Carefully pour the chocolate into the pecan- and cacao nib-fille cups.  Now, stir in the 1/3 cup flaked coconut into the rest of the chocolate and pour into the remaining muffin cups.  Sprinkle the tops of the chocolate cups w/ the corresponding add-in so that later you know which chocolate you are popping into your mouth.

Chill the cups until firm.

Ingredients

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VeganMoFo: Loaded Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup, Salad I’m like the Princess in the Princess and the Pea.  It doesn’t matter how many layers of goodness you have covering up that tiny pea.  I will find it.  I don’t want peas baked into pot pie, hanging about in my vegetable coconut korma, mixed into stir-fries or tossed into minestrone.  There are two ways I like to eat peas: straight out of the pod or cooked up into split pea soup.  Like this one.

One year ago today: Goodbye, Basil

Loaded Split Pea Soup
Serves 8

4 cups vegetable broth + more for sautéing
4 cups water
1 tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
1 cup butternut squash, diced
1 tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 cup green split peas
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 links seitan sausage (I used a couple of links of apple-sage)

Saute the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and parsnip for 8-10 minutes in a splash of vegetable broth and stir occasionally, adding more liquid if needed.  Stir in the butternut squash, curry and cumin powder and saute for about 1 minute.  Add the 4 cups broth, water, Liquid Aminos and the split peas.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a gentle simmer.  Cook until the peas and vegetables are very tender.

Meanwhile, slice the seitan sausage into 1/4″ rounds and brown on low heat using water or vegetable broth sparingly to keep the sausage from sticking to the pan.  Remove and set aside.

Stir in the corn and the sausage and cook for a few minutes – just to heat them through.

(For another awesome split pea recipe, check out Somer’s smoky version at Vedged Out.)

Aerial Split Pea Soup

Vegan MoFo

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VeganMoFo: Roasted Tomato and Red Lentil Soup with Pepita Gremolata

SoupAnother one of my favorite vegan-friendly restaurants in Salt Lake City is Mazza Cafe.  It’s also another great place for vegans and non-vegans to sit down together for some seriously good eats.  I’ve never been disappointed.  One of my favorites on the menu is their roasted tomato and red lentil soup.  It’s rich and dark and warmly-spiced.  I have no idea how they make it, but here’s my take on it.  Mine is also rich, dark and warmly-spiced.  They serve theirs unadorned, but I thought it would be pretty with a little green on top, so I modified the classic gremolata with crunchy pepitas.

VVP Logo

If you are vegan or vegan-friendly blogger and are looking to meet and greet with other foodies, be sure to sign up for the Virtual Vegan Potluck happening world-wide on November 1.  Go here!

Roasted Tomato and Red Lentil Soup with Pepita Gremolata
Serves 4-6

Soup:
1 1/2-2 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut into two
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
8 cloves garlic, peeled (leave the cloves whole)
splash of vegetable broth or water and Bragg Liquid Aminos
ground black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste

1 cup red lentils
1 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves, minced
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. white miso
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chile powder
1/2 tsp. coriander
ground black pepper, to taste
~ 4 cups water

Gremolata:
big handful of parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
zest of one lemon

Roasted Tomatoes

Make the soup:
Preheat the oven to 425F.  In a deep-sided baking dish, toss the tomatoes, onions and garlic with the vegetable broth/water and Liquid Aminos.  Sprinkle with black pepper and garlic powder.  Roast, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes, onions and garlic are very soft and beginning to brown, 20-25 minutes.  Set aside to cool slightly.

When mixture has cooled for a bit, process in a blender until very smooth.  Set aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan, saute the carrots, onion, celery and garlic in a little bit of water.  Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until they begin to soften.  Stir in the soy sauce, miso, tomato paste and spices.  Add the lentils and 3 cups of the water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are extremely tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.  If beans are still firm, add liquid and continue to cook.  Set aside to cool slightly.

When lentils have cooled for a bit, process in a blender until very smooth.  Now combine the tomato and lentil mixtures in a big soup pot.  Add water to reach desired consistency.  Gently warm soup, divide among bowls and top with gremolata.

Make the gremolata:
In a food prep or processor, combine the pepitas, garlic, parsley and lemon zest.  Process until chunky.

Gremolata Ingredients

VeganMoFo

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Black Bean Soup & Ginger Slaw: The Unprocessed Giveaway

Ginger Slaw

Tip: Add broccoli slaw for extra crunch.

Ginger Slaw and Nutrient Rich Black Bean Soup from Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight, by Chef AJ.  Details on how to enter the giveaway are below.

Bowl of Soup

Bowl of Soup 2

Tip: Top with chopped tomatoes, avocado and red onion.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment below or on any other Unprocessed blog post describing what you find most addicting: sugar, salt or fat.  Or, share your story of how you have cleaned up your diet and changed your life.  For additional entries you can also Like my Facebook pages, An Unrefined Vegan and/or Virtual Vegan Potluck.  Tomorrow is the last day to enter the giveaway!  

The Deets
Title: Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight
Author: Chef AJ (aka Abbie Jaye) with Glen Merzer
Publication Date: 2011
Page Length: 178 pages including 100+ recipes
List Price: $19.95
Publisher: Hale to the Kale Publishing
Websites: www.EatUnprocessed.comwww.chefajshealthykitchen.com
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Berried Treasures & Portabella Stroganoff: The Unprocessed Giveaway

Life is uncertain.  Eat DESSERT first. – Chef AJ

Frozen Blueberries

Blueberry Filling, Streusel Topping

Macadamia Nut Creme

Tip: Excess/leftover blueberry filling and date streusel make an excellent whole-grain cereal topper.

Berried Treasure Slice 1

Berried Treasure 2

Berried Treasures with Macadamia Nut Creme and Portabella Stroganoff from Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weightby Chef AJ.  September 25 is the last day to enter the giveaway - for details on how to add your name, see below.

Stroganoff Bowl 1Bowl of Stroganoff 2

Tip: Serve over steamed brown rice and top with fresh baby arugula.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment below or on any other Unprocessed blog post describing what you find most addicting: sugar, salt or oil.  Or, share your story of how you have cleaned up your diet and changed your life.  For additional entries you can also Like my Facebook pages, An Unrefined Vegan and/or Virtual Vegan Potluck.  The giveaway ends September 25.  Thank you!

The Deets
Title: Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight
Author: Chef AJ (aka Abbie Jaye) with Glen Merzer
Publication Date: 2011
Page Length: 178 pages including 100+ recipes
List Price: $19.95
Publisher: Hale to the Kale Publishing
Websites: www.EatUnprocessed.comwww.chefajshealthykitchen.com
Facebook
Twitter

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Searching for the Holy Grail of Raw Broccoli Soup

Broccoli Soup in BowlsI am on a quest.  A quest to replicate the raw broccoli (a.k.a. The Nectar of the Gods) soup from Omar’s Rawtopia located in the Sugarhouse neighborhood of Salt Lake City. It’s thick and creamy and nutty and very un-raw-broccoli-like.  After one sip even ol’ #41 (George Bush, Sr.) would fall to his knees in adoration of the mighty green Brassica oleracea after one sip of this soup.  Omar tops his with his tantalizing seed cheese (another recipe onto which I’d like to get my raw amateur mitts) and a delicious slice of “bread.”

My search began – as many a search has – with a quick stroll through Google, which yielded many results; none of which even hinted at coming directly from the kitchen of Rawtopia.  Perhaps employees sign a Confidentiality Agreement…  Anyway, I started with a recipe I found at Food.com and messed with it ever so slightly.  It’s delicious, no doubt about it, but it’s not It yet.  So the search continues.  In the meantime, it will take dedicated and prolonged taste-testing at Omar’s to suss out his secrets.  Someone’s got to do it.

Raw Broccoli Soup
Serves 4

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for a few hours
3 cups water
1 tsp. agave nectar
2 cups broccoli, chopped into small pieces
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp. onion, chopped
1″ nubbin of fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
dash black pepper
dash red pepper flakes

sliced radishes, chopped red onion, sesame seeds and fresh cilantro, for topping (optional)

Drain the cashews and add them to a high-powered blender along with the water and agave nectar.  Process until smooth.

Add the remaining ingredients (except for those used as the garnish) and process until smooth and creamy.  Divide among four bowls, top with the cilantro, red onion and radishes and serve immediately.  Best eaten the same day it’s made.

Broccoli Soup in Bowls, Spoons

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