Italian Married Soup

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I like to make this soup when I have extra tempeh meatballs – it’s easy, it’s soup, and it’s not spaghetti and meatballs. It’s my version of Italian Wedding Soup which apparently is a mistranslation of the Italian phrase “minestra maritata” (“married soup”). It is a reference to the marrying of greens and meatballs – a perfect match!

Makes 2 nice size bowls of soup

1/2 small red onion
1 carrot
1 stalk of celery
3 cups water or veg stock
1 big handful of spinach
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
Meatballs, 3 per bowl
S and P, to taste
Nut parmesan, for garnish

Dice the onions. Drop into a soup pot and start sautéing with either oil or a few tablespoons of water. Cut the carrots into half moons and the celery into similar size pieces. Drop into the pot and season with a pinch of salt and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the water or stock and bring to a boil, cooking until the vegetables are soft. This shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes.

Clean the spinach very well and add to the pot. When it has wilted, add the quinoa and meatballs to heat through. Sprinkle with parmesan and enjoy!

Winter Vegetable Soup with Pumpkin Sage Pesto

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Any soup is super warming on a very cold winter day. This one is particularly good because it took no time at all. I used half of a big butternut squash plus everything else that was in the refrigerator. We topped the soup with a dollop of leftover pumpkin sage pesto from the other day because butternut squash, pumpkin and sage are a perfect match! Roasted Brussels sprout leaves would be another great topper. This bowl of loveliness is great with fresh bread!

Note: Vegetable sizes differ so use these measurements as a guide. Use what you have. It will be good no matter what!

1 onion
1 clove of garlic
2 Russet potatoes
2 parsnips
1 small butternut squash
1 big carrot
Vegetable stock or filtered water, enough to cover the vegetables
Salt, a few pinches

Rough chop the onion. Mince the garlic. Peel and chop the potatoes, parsnips, squash and carrot.

Add the onions and garlic to the soup pot and either water or oil sauté until softening. Add the rest of the vegetables and toss around. Cover with stock/water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until everything is soft.

Serve as is or use an immersion blender (or blender) to puree the soup. Enjoy!

Lentil Vegetable Soup

IMG_7167Post cleanse craving filled: lentils. Lentils are a real super food because they are full of fiber and iron. I made myself a big bowl of this broth-y soup filled with lentils, potatoes, spinach, carrots and celery.

I accidentally bought lentils that had to be soaked prior to cooking. I didn’t realize it until making this soup (the first batch) because the lentils didn’t cook through while the rest of the vegetables melted into oblivion. So, I soaked a new batch, cooked the lentils separately and vegetables separately before incorporating. Note to self. don’t buy lentils that have to be soaked again. Read the label!

When making my usual lentil soup, I call for 3 cups of liquid to 1 cup of lentils so if you are using regular lentils remember the adapt the recipe so the lentils cook properly.

1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
2 yukon gold potatoes
1 cup cooked green lentils
1 cup fresh spinach
2 to 3 cups of filtered water or vegetable stock
Salt, a big pinch

Prepare the mis en place. Dice the onion, carrot, celery, and potato. Press the garlic.

Water or oil sauté the onions. When just softening, add the garlic. Add the carrots, celery and potatoes. Season with a pinch of salt.

Cover with water or stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just soft enough to eat. Add the lentils and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted and the lentils are heated through. Enjoy!

Winter Healthy Soup: Ginger & Curry Coconut Butternut Squash Soup

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This is my winter health and get well soup. Fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric along with the warmth and sweetness of a big butternut squash makes for a perfect soup. In my opinion.

Butternut squashes vary in size and so do garlic cloves and pieces of garlic and turmeric. This is one of those “recipes” that is more of a guideline than an exact science. But the spices are really personal so use as much or as little as you want. And if you don’t have fresh spices, you can use the powdered kind. I also like to top the soup with pumpkin seeds because they contain zinc which is great for staying healthy.

1 butternut squash
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated fresh turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder
Pinch salt
Pinch coconut palm sugar
1 can coconut milk
1 to 2 cups filtered water
Pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Cube the squash.

Coarsely chop an onion and add it to a soup pot. Water or oil sauté until just starting to soften. Press the garlic or run it over a microplane and add it to the onions. Then grate the ginger and turmeric on a microplane over the onions. Add the curry powder, a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar. Add the squash and toss to coat with the spices.

Add the coconut milk and enough water to just cover the vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft, about 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender, the Vitamix or a blender and blend until you reach a smooth consistency of your preference.

Garnish with pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Soup Roundup

Yesterday I posted my sandwich roundup. What goes perfectly with sandwiches? Soup!

I can’t believe it but I have almost 40 soup recipes on the blog. It makes sense. Soup is a great one pot meal. It’s great any time of year. It’s great for company. And, it’s great left over.

1. Lentil Soup. Super nutritious and a year round favorite. Add noodles and spinach for an extra something special!

2. Broccoli Corn Chowder. A big pot goes a long way. I make this all winter with frozen corn and it is the best comfort food in the world.

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3. Carrot Soup. Loved by my husband and son, it is in the rotation all year. It is so easy to make I can whip it up and serve it in under half an hour!

4. Curried Coconut Red Lentil Soup. A staple in my house and a great way to cook with red lentils. I add pasta for my son and he cleans his bowl fast!

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5. Chickpeas are a great addition to soup. Here are my three of my favorites and I especially love the play on words! I make both New England and Manhattan chowder. I spent a lot of time in Boston but I am a native New Yorker. I don’t want to have to choose!

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Chickpea Noodle Soup

New England Chickpea Chowder

Manhattan Chickpea Chowder

6. Corn is my number one favorite food group especially in the summer. Here are two recipes for corn chowder. Sweet Summer Corn Chowder and an oil free version Corn Chowder v2.

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7. Cold summer soup in the form of gazpacho is the best excuse to buy perfectly ripe tomatoes and beautiful cucumbers at the farmer’s market! I have two recipes for gazpacho. My original Gazpacho and my spicier and oil free Gazpacho v2.

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8. Vegan Penicillin is my winter immune boosting and feel better soup.

9. Stew. Not an official soup, but my version of one of my mother’s staple dishes. Loved it growing up, love it now.

10. Chili. Also, not an official soup, but what other food group does it belong in? This is hearty, bean-y, lentil-y, and really delicious.

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