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MY FAVORITE VEGETARIAN RECIPES

Simple Tomato Soup

12/27/2021

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What do you do when you have way too many tomatoes and a good size loaf of rosemary sourdough bread sitting around? Tomato soup and grilled cheese! I found this recipe and was delighted that I actually had all the ingredients to make a quick and soo tasty tomato soup.

I also happened to have some leftover heavy cream, which added to the richness, but it's not necessary if you want to stay on the lighter side.  

4 tbsp Butter
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, cut into thick wedges
5-6 Medium Tomatoes (or 28 oz can whole peeled or crushed)
1-1/2 cups Veggie Broth (I make mine with Better than Bouillon)
Couple pinches of salt
Fresh ground Black Pepper 
1./4 cup Heavy Cream (optional)
Handful basil 

Melt butter in a medium saucepan, Add tomatoes, onions, broth and a pinch of salt to the pan. Simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Add more salt (to taste), pepper, cream and torn basil to pan and use an immersion blender to puree to desired consistency (leave a few chunks in for a more rustic feeling soup). 

Makes about 4 small servings.    
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Mushroom Ramen

10/15/2021

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Cold winter days call for my favorite soup ever! I get rice ramen noodles (and usually the shiitakes) from Costco, then throw in a bunch of other staples I usually have around the house. Even my kiddo eats this, even though he professes not to like soup.    

1 lb Firm Tofu, drained and pressed 
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Garlic, minced 
1 tbsp Ginger, minced 
12 oz Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced and washed  
Sprinkle Bacon Salt
Sprinkle Red Pepper Flakes or 1 tbsp Sriracha 
6 cups Veggie Broth (I make mine with Better than Bouillon)
1.5 tsp White Miso Paste 
2 tsp Soy Sauce 
1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
7.5 oz Ramen Noodles (3 of the rice ramen portions from the Costco package)
2 cups Spinach or Bok Choy, torn 
6-minute Egg, halved lengthwise* 
Sesame seeds, green onion, grated carrots or whatever other garnish you prefer

Heat sesame oil, add garlic and ginger over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, cook until soft and slightly brown. Add more oil if needed.

Add broth, miso paste and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.  

Cut tofu into thin strips and place in dry pan. Let sit until golden on one side, then flip. Remove from pan when done and cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside. 

Add vinegar and ramen noodles to mushroom broth, separating with a fork after awhile, and cook for about 3 minutes. Add torn spinach and cook for another minute. Or use sliced bok choy, adding at the same time as the noodles.  

Top with garnish, tofu and soft boiled egg.     
 
*Place desired number of eggs in pot of cold water until just covered. Heat on high until boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and dunk in ice bath to halt cooking.  
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Curry Coconut Veggie Soup

1/27/2021

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This is one of those "kitchen sink" recipes that make good use of veggies that might be ready to leave their home in the fridge. The soup is good today, good frozen or saved for whenever you need a hearty soup. Plus it's vegan! I considered frozen broccoli too but felt like I had enough veggies in there to make it substantial.  

Here's what I put in mine...and as always, keep adding flavor as needed!   

1 tbsp Veggie Oil (I used Avocado)
1 tsp minced Garlic
1 tsp minced Ginger  
1 Leek, well washed and sliced
5-6 Baby Bella Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced  
1-2 Carrots, peeled and trimmed and rough chopped 
1-2 Celery Stalks (including tops), trimmed and rough chopped  
1/2 head of Cauliflower, rough chopped 
2 cups Veggie Broth
2 cups Coconut Milk (like, the kind you drink, not the cans)
1 tsp Curry Powder, to taste 
Salt & Pepper, to taste 
A good handful of sliced Basil 

Add the oil to a soup pot warmed over medium-high heat. When warm, add the Garlic, Ginger, Leeks and Mushrooms and saute until hot and slightly caramelized. 

Meanwhile, add the chopped vegetables to a food processor to get them ready for cooking. Pulse til they're finely diced and set aside.  

Add all veggies, broth, milk, curry and salt and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve with whatever carb-filled side dish you're craving :).  

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Simple Miso Soup

1/12/2021

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On cold winter days (or days I just don’t feel like eating a big breakfast) I reach out for an umami-filled soup like miso to warm me up. I didn’t realize until recently that this soup can be as simple as melting some miso paste in hot water until it develops that rich color and flavor. 

Once I got it down, I decided to give it even more flavor with a few of my favorite things. Of course, all of these ingredients are optional, but I like them together. I generally use Mellow White Miso, but you could experiment with different types. 


I always taste at the end to make sure there is enough miso flavor in there. 
Finely cut strips of dried seaweed are optional, but they definitely up the fishy flavor! Add a dash of Sriracha and Sesame Oil at the end, if you want.   

¼ cup Miso Paste

4 cups Water 
1 cup torn Spinach  
¼ cup chopped Cilantro 
1 cup diced Silken Tofu  
Juice of 1 lime 

​Throw everything in a pot until it’s hot. Enjoy.
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Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

9/15/2014

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A few years ago I got to go to Ojo Caliente Hot Springs Resort outside of Taos, NM…my husband was skiing and I was looking for something a little more relaxing. I booked myself a massage, soaked in the springs and treated myself to lunch at their fantastic little restaurant. It was there that I had the most amazing Tortilla Soup of my life.

Since then I’ve been searching for something comparable, and now that rumors of fall are twinkling in the air, soup seems just about the only thing I want to eat these days. Luckily, I happened upon this recipe from Blue Apron and made it for the first time tonight. It was sheer bliss. A warm, tangy, salty soup with all of my favorite flavors. I even had to tweak the recipe a bit since I didn’t have everything perfectly right, and it still tasted amazing. Here’s what I came up with.   

6 Corn Tortillas (6-Inch, Taco-Sized)
1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed
1 Anaheim Pepper, seeds and membranes removed
1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
4 cups Vegetable Broth (I used 2 veggie bouillon cubes and 4 cups of water)
1 14.5 oz can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1 Avocado, diced
2 Ounces Queso Fresco, crumbled or cubed
1 Bunch Cilantro, separated from stems
1 Lime, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 475*. Stack the tortillas and cut them into ½ inch by 2 inch strips. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to cookie sheet, and toss strips to coat. When oven is hot, bake for 6-8 minutes, until lightly brown and crispy.

Dice onion, garlic, jalapeno and anaheim peppers. Add to soup pot with 1 tbsp olive oil and heat on medium. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until veggies are soft. Add cumin and combine. Add tomatoes and vegetable broth and increase heat until it comes to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add black beans. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium again and let sit for 10-12 minutes, until soup starts to thicken.

Divvy diced avocado, tortilla strips and queso fresco among 4 bowls. Ladle soup into the bowls and top with a handful of cilantro and serve with lime.  

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Vegetarian Tom Kha Soup

1/24/2013

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So I have some friends at work—MC and LB—who are workout buddies and cooking buddies. The catch is that MC is on the Paleo diet, and LB is a long-term vegetarian. Amazingly, these two things seem to mesh pretty well when they’re cooking! (MC even has a Paleo blog, where she posted a non-veg version of this recipe.) This is their take on all the different tom kha variations they found out there.  

My first experience with this soup was at my favorite Thai restaurant in Chicago. There it was pure white, and stocked only with cilantro, tofu, green onion and mushrooms. Simple, but the perfect combination of flavors, and it quickly became one of my takeout go-tos.

Here, MC and LB futzed until they found their own version of tom kha, chock full of healthy veggies and spice.    

4 cups Vegetable Broth
1 stalk Lemongrass, about 5 inches
3 cloves Garlic 
1-1/2 inches Ginger, peeled (1-½ tablespoons minced)
2 Thai Chili Peppers  
1/3 cup Red and/or Yellow Peppers
1 Carrot, thinly sliced
2/3 cup Butternut Squash, cooked and diced
½ cup Button, White or Straw Mushrooms, cut into quarters
14 oz can Coconut Milk 
Juice of one Lime
Soy Sauce, to taste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

To prep, peel lemongrass until you see pale yellow. (If you already bought it peeled, you will skip this step.) Chop off 1/3 of stalk and set aside.

Bring vegetable broth to simmer over medium heat. Add 1/3 of stalk to pot and simmer for 5 minutes.

Mince the remaining 2/3 of lemongrass stalk, garlic, ginger and Thai peppers and add to pot. Simmer for 5 more minutes.

Add yellow peppers, carrots, squash and mushrooms. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add coconut milk and lime juice.  (If you’re using soy sauce, splash that in now too.)

Serve and enjoy!

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Hearty Lentil and Veggie Soup

12/13/2009

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Last weekend we went on a hut trip with a bunch of friends (20, to be exact). The huts in Colorado's 10th Mountain Division System are amazing--comfy beds, great wood-burning stoves, and kitchens stocked with pretty much everything you need to make a great dinner. While some people think it's easier to just bring in the dehydrated stuff (and keep your pack lighter for the several-mile snowshoe/ski in), I think the meals are an important part of the whole experience.

We divided our 20-some into groups, and my group was responsible for dinner one night. As we brainstormed interesting options, I came across a lentil soup recipe from Food and Wine mag. The ingredients were simple enough, and I thought I could tweak it to make it tastier without the smoked turkey the original recipe called for. We chopped the veggies ahead of time in the food processor and brought them up in well-sealed bags. Here's what I ended up with--the most amazing lentil soup I've ever had! It got great reviews from the hungry hut-trippers, too. 

1 tbsp Olive Oil
3 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Celery stalks, finely chopped
2 Carrots, finely chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped
3 Tomatoes, chopped
1 small can Tomato Juice
1 Bay Leaf
4 Rapunzel Vegetable Bouillon Cubes (or other good veg version)
2 quarts Water
1 cup Green Lentils
4 small Red Potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, celery, carrots, and onion. Saute until soft, stirring often, about 7 minutes.

Add tomatoes, juice, bay leaf, bouillon cubes, water, and lentils. Mix thoroughly, and allow soup to come to a boil. Partially cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for one hour, stirring once in awhile, until the lentils are tender. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, until potatoes, too, are soft. Remove bay leaf before ladling out into small bowls. 

We served with some amazing rosemary-sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches...a perfect and hearty combination.




 
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African Groundnut Stew

6/30/2009

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This is the first of a bunch of soup recipes I’ll post from my friend Amy and her pals. This one comes from the Sundays at Moosewood cookbook (via Amy). She says “groundnut stews are a staple of the West African diet, and vary greatly according to region–fiery or mild, gingery or not, with or without garlic, some with okra, others with eggplant … The liquids used can also change, i.e. coconut milk, veggie stock, or other fruit and veggie juices. Experiment as your tastes prefer, but don’t forget the most basic ingredients, peanut butter and cayenne!”

Anything with peanuts and cilantro is a must in my house. I tried this and amended with a smaller amount of sweet potatoes and a little more green veggies to even out the flavor. And peanuts for garnish are a must to add some crunch.

2 cups chopped Onions
2 tbsp Peanut or Veggie Oil
1/2 tsp Cayenne or other ground Chili
1 tsp pressed Garlic
2 cups chopped Cabbage (purple gives stunning color)
3 cups cubed Sweet Potatoes
3 cups Tomato Juice
1 cup Apple or Apricot Juice
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp grated peeled fresh Ginger
4 tbsp chopped Cilantro
2 chopped Tomatoes
1 Green Pepper, chopped
1/2 cup Peanut Butter

Saute the onions in the oil for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cayenne and garlic and saute for two more minutes. Add the cabbage and sweet potatoes and saute, covered, for a few minutes. Mix in the juices, salt, ginger, cilantro, and tomatoes. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes., until the potatoes are tender. Add the green pepper and simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter, turn heat way down, and simmer gently until ready to serve. Add more juice or water if too thick.

Serve with a starchy side dish like rice or millet, and add side garnishes like whole or crushed peanuts, chopped scallions or cilantro, cubed papaya, mangoes, oranges, or grated coconut.

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Butternut Squash Ginger Soup

6/30/2009

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This recipe comes from my neighbor Joy via my once-neighbor AK. We had it at AK’s house last night, and it was the perfect, filling soup for a chilly evening. AK was delighted that she found pre-cubed squash at Costco, but if you prefer to do it yourself, directions follow. Serve with Joy’s other fave, Pesto Chango sandwiches.

1 medium/large Butternut Squash (or about 4-5 cups of pre-cubed squash)
2-3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 White Onion, chopped
1 carton Vegetable Broth
1 tsp Cinnamon 2 tsp Cumin (more or less to taste)
1 tbsp fresh grated Ginger

To prepare squash: Cut the stem off, then cut it lengthwise in half. Scoop out the seeds. Cut each half in half again and peel the squash pieces. Cut into 2-inch chunks.

Heat oil in stock pot and add chopped onion. Saute until onion is translucent. Add chopped and peeled squash, then add enough vegetable broth to cover. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

IN SMALL BATCHES, blend soup to a puree. (AK’s/Joy’s note: If done in large batches, the heat will cause the soup to explode out of the blender and go everywhere, and possibly burn you. Don’t do this).

Once it’s all has been pureed, return to soup pot and add remaining ingredients. Serve warm.

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Moroccan Pumpkin and Lentil Stew

6/30/2009

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My grad school friend Joanna gave this to me, since she’s got a fabulous garden overflowing with pumpkins! She says peeling, seeding, and cubing the pumpkin is a little labor intensive, but worth it to have baked seeds afterward. But canned pumpkin would also work. Goes well with rice or cous cous.

2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (bell pepper works too)
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (or about 4 tomatoes, chopped)
1 cup lentils, rinsed
1 tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1/2 cup tomato puree or tomato sauce
2-1/2 cups water
3 cups fresh spinach or arugula (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat olive oil, onion and jalapeno for 10 minutes or until onion is clear in a large sauce pan
Add tomatoes, lentils, and spices, and cook 2-3 min. Toss in the pumpkin and tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2-1/2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 40 minutes, adding more water if stew gets too dry. Throw in spinach/arugula in the last five minutes to steam up with the rest of the stew. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

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