Sunday's Soup/Popeye's Spinach Soup

I can't remember when I first began to post recipes. I guess I could go back and look, but that's really not the point. The reason I began was because of a passion, a passion that families come back together, sit down at the table and share a meal. But, eat not items that are high in fat, and basically not good for us. Now, truth be told, I enjoy sweets, and fried foods just as much as the next guy, but in moderation. I wanted to show that a healthy meal can be easy to cook. I don't know that my goal has been met. I doubt that I ever will. But, I have received notes from some of you that have told me how much you've enjoyed recipes, and that warms my heart :)

I am a big believer in flooding my body with wonderful nutrients and vitamins. My day religiously begins with a drink that my husband calls "green muck." It really isn't that bad. I've started my day with it now for so long that I actually crave it, so it can't be that bad ;) Then throughout the day, I try to pack in as many vegetables as possible. Spinach is one of my favorites. In fact, a funny story...

As a child I absolutely loved the Popeye cartoon. I wanted to be like Popeye(I didn't like Olive Oyl in the least), and I believed that if I ate spinach like Popeye, I too would be strong and mighty. My mother could not give me enough spinach! I hated other vegetables, but I ate my spinach! I don't know if it was just propaganda in order to sell spinach, if so, it worked with me ;) And...I still love spinach. 

I recently had an idea for a creamed spinach soup, with spinach, parsley and mushrooms. To make it a little more robust, I served it with Forbidden Rice. Forbidden Rice is a lovely purple rice that has a wonderful taste, but can be hard to find. So, if you decide to give the recipe a try, use any rice that you have on hand. But, if by chance you come across Forbidden Rice, give it a try, it's wonderful!     

I began with 1 large onion, and sauteed it in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until it was translucent. Two cloves of chopped garlic was added and allowed to cook for about a minute to release the flavor.   

Chopped spinach, parsley, and mushrooms were added to the onion mixture. 

 

4 cups of coconut milk was added, along with 4 cups of vegetable broth. Add 1 tablespoon of dried thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until mushrooms are tender. Use a handheld blender or a free standing blender to puree the soup.

In a separate pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and remaining mushrooms. Saute until golden brown.

Before serving, add sauteed mushrooms to the soup mixture.

Ladle soup into soup bowls. Add a mound of preferred rice, and drizzle black truffle oil over soup. If you don't have black truffle oil, a little olive oil will be fine.

Popeye's Spinach Soup

downloadable recipe

ingredients;

16 oz. fresh spinach chopped

24 oz. mushrooms sliced

1 large onion chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 bunch parsley chopped

4 cups coconut milk

4 cups vegetable broth

5 tablespoons olive oil

hot cooked rice of choice

black truffle oil

directions;

Divide mushrooms in half.

Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large soup pot. When oil is hot, add chopped onion and saute until translucent. Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and saute for about a minute longer to release flavor, but not burn. Add chopped spinach, chopped parsley, and sliced mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms are tender. Add 1 tablespoon of dried thyme, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. 

While soup simmers, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet. When oil is hot, add mushrooms and saute until golden brown. Set aside.

Using a hand held blender, or a free standing blender, puree soup. Before serving, add sauteed mushrooms to soup mixture.

To serve, ladle soup into soup bowls. Add a mound of rice to the center of the soup. Drizzle a little black truffle oil over soup and rice. If you do not have black truffle oil, a little olive oil will be fine. But, not as robust as the black truffle oil. 

Serve and enjoy!

I can still remember the song;

I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. I'm strong to the finish cause I eats me spinach. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. Toot! Toot! (The toot, toot was his pipe ;)

I hope that you too will be strong to the finish!!!

Eat Well!

Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Glazed Maple Carrot Soup

 It's been quite a while since I've posted a soup recipe, but I'm back with a good one, if I say so myself. I've posted a number of carrot soups, but what I especially like about this one is that it is truly perfect for the upcoming holidays. And such a nice change from the traditional pumpkin soups. It's quite easy to make, and will freeze beautifully. And too, it's quite aromatic, so it will make your home smell so inviting. 

Begin with 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot. Add 2 large yellow onions and saute until tender.

  

Add 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic and 3 pounds of chopped carrots. Saute until the carrots glisten, and are glazed with the oil. 

Add 8 cups of vegetable broth, and 3 bay leaves. Cook over medium heat until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, and 1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice. Remove bay leaves, and using a blender or hand held blending wand, blend soup to a smooth consistency. 

Ladle soup into your favorite soup bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and a drizzle of maple syrup. YUM!!! :)

Glazed Maple Carrot Soup

serves 12

Printable Recipe

ingredients;

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large yellow onions chopped

3 cloves garlic finely minced

3 pounds carrots chopped

3 bay leaves

8 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

fresh cilantro for garnish

salt and black pepper to taste

directions;

Pour olive oil into large soup pot. Add chopped onions and saute until tender. Add minced garlic and chopped carrots. Saute until carrots are glazed with oil, about 5 minutes.

Add vegetable broth, and bay leaves, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add maple syrup, lime juice, and coriander. Remove bay leaves. Using a blender, or hand held mixing wand, puree soup until smooth. 

Serve soup with freshly chopped cilantro and a drizzle of maple syrup. 

If you give the soup a try, I so hope you enjoy it!

Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Happy Monday Everyone!!!

I had intended to get this post up yesterday, but my day simply got away from me. But, rather than wait until next Sunday to post the recipe, I thought I would go a head and share it now. Of course, all of us in the U.S. know that this Thursday is Thanksgiving. If you are looking for a lovely soup to incorporate into your meal, you are a little tired of pumpkin soups, and would like something easy to make, as well as delicious, this is the soup to make!

Begin with Roma tomatoes, cut in half and spread out on a large baking pan.

Cut up 2 purple onions, 4 cloves of garlic, and 1 red bell pepper. Spread over the cut tomatoes. 

Sprinkle sea salt, fresh black pepper, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/2 cup of olive oil over the vegetables.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until tomatoes have browned around cut edges. 

Allow vegetables to cool. Place everything in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. 
Transfer blended soup to a pot. Add 1-2 cups of vegetables broth. Bring mixture to a boil, and then simmer for a few minutes. Serve with a topping of basil oil. You and your guests will be in heaven! And, since there is no cream, the soup will make your vegan friends and family happy as well! 

Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
downloadable recipe

Soup Ingredients;

4 lbs. Roma Tomatoes sliced in half
1 red pepper chopped
2 red onions chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
sea salt
fresh black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1-2 cups vegetable broth

Basil Oil Ingredients;

1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
salt to taste

For Soup;
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Slice tomatoes in half and place on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle chopped red pepper, onions, and garlic over tomatoes. Sprinkle sugar, salt, black pepper and olive oil over vegetables. Place in oven and bake until tomatoes are golden brown on cut sides, approximately 1- 1 1/2 hours.

Remove from oven and allow to cool. Put vegetables along with all juices in food processor or blender and process until smooth. You will most likely need to do this in 2 batches. 
Place pureed mixture in soup pot. Add 1- 2 cups of vegetable broth to make soup desired consistency. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve.

For Basil Oil;
Place basil and oil in a small processor, or blender and puree until smooth. Add salt to taste. 

Both the soup and the basil oil can be made ahead a day ahead. The soup can also be frozen until ready to serve. 

A note;
Please do not leave out the sugar. The sugar helps to take any bitterness out of the tomatoes.    

For just a little fashion inspiration this morning;
I saw this picture of the gown that Taylor Swift wore to the American Music Awards. LOVE IT!!! For myself, I will make the underskirt longer. While I love the boots, I think I would wear a pair of lovely evening shoes. 

    
Have a wonderful week!

Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Green Garden Gazpacho

The summer here in Chicago started off so cold. I was wearing a jacket to walk the dogs until the end of June. So, when the super hot temps rolled in, whew...I was taken by surprise! 

When I was growing up, my grandmother would do all of her cooking in the early morning hours while the house was still cool. I am not as disciplined. I resort to salads, sandwiches, anything that doesn't require me to heat up the house. 

The soup recipe that I am sharing today, if I may say so :), is absolutely delicious, beyond easy to make, and it won't heat up the house, or you! 

The soup is tangy, a tad bit spicy, and so cool and fresh. Begin with the juice of 1 lemon, and then add more depending upon your taste. Great for lunch, or a light supper.     

Green Garden Gazpacho
4-6 servings

Ingredients;

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
10 stalks celery chopped
1 avocado chopped 
Juice of 2 lemons
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups water
salt and black pepper to taste

For garnish;
Grated radish
Plain Greek Yogurt(optional)

Place all ingredients(except garnish)in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If the soup is a little too thick, add more water and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate until cold. 
To serve, garnish with a tablespoon of yogurt and grated radish.
Will keep in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I even turned the soup into a smoothie by placing a handful of broccoli in my blender and then pouring in about a cup of the soup, blending until smooth. The perfect way to get an abundance of vitamins racing through your body. 

If you give the soup a try, I hope you enjoy it!

Rhonda 

Sunday's Soup/Cabbage Confetti Soup

A few years back, I read a book about the nutrients and vitamins contained in vegetables and why we should eat them at a certain time of year. I was blown away by cabbage...of all things. Did you know that while the cabbage seems to be similar to lettuce, it's actually related to broccoli, kale, and cauliflower? Who would have thought? Not me! It's packed with vitamin C and K, helps to improve digestion, and also has an anti-inflammatory response in the body, so it helps to protect against infection, such as colds. Cabbage has also been found to lower blood pressure as well as cholesterol. Pretty amazing for this simple vegetable. So, eating cabbage at this time of year is especially great. It may actually help ward off a nasty cold :) 

I decided to call this soup Cabbage Confetti Soup, as it is rather colorful, with celery, carrots, fire roasted tomatoes, green and yellow split peas, and finally cabbage.   

Begin with 1 large yellow onion, and 1 cup of chopped celery. Saute under tender. 

Add 1 cup of green, and 1 cup of yellow split peas. If you would rather, you can choose one or the other. Split peas are pretty much...split peas. I just like the added color :)

Add in 2 large sliced carrots, 1 large can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, 6 cups of chopped cabbage, 12 cups vegetable broth, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of celery seed, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary. 

Bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until split peas are tender. Serve and enjoy!

Cabbage Confetti Soup

ingredients;
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 cup celery chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
2 large carrots sliced 
6 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup yellow split peas
1 cup green split peas
1 28 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
12 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt and black pepper to taste

directions;
Begin by heating oil in large soup pot. Add onions and celery and saute until tender. Add garlic and continue to saute for another minute, stirring so as not to burn garlic.
Add split peas, cabbage, carrots, canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaves, celery seed, rosemary, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until peas are tender, about 30 minutes. 
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

The soup may be served as is with a nice piece of warm, crusty bread. You may also serve it over a bed of wild rice, a delicious addition. 

The soup freezes well, so have some now, and save some for later. Another idea is to freeze in small batches for lunches.

I hope you enjoy the soup, and I hope that it will help to ward off those nasty winter time colds :)
Enjoy!

Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Cauliflower, Leek and Sage Soup

It is a gorgeous fall day here in Chicago! Yesterday marked our 12th week anniversary since Berkley came to live with us, so today, we took he and Gracie to my favorite nature preserve for a lovely hike in the woods. What a joy this little dog has been. He has added love, laughter(us laughing, not him), and enough mischief to make it all the more fun. Some of you will think I'm crazy, but hear me out...

From the beginning, Berkley has stood up on his hind legs with his front feet up in the air whenever he is excited. Without thinking, each and every time, I have said, "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!" My husband said, "I think he is saying, Hallelujah! Praise the Lord...I live with Rhonda now!!!" Believe it or not, I have actually taught the dog to stand on his hind feet and put his front feet in the air on command. I raise my hands up, and then say, "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!," and little Mr. Berkley follows suit. I'll have to get a video made to prove it. For those of you who may feel it a bit sacrilegious, I apologize, but it really is quite sweet :)

Since I began sharing soup recipes, we have had MANY versions of Cauliflower Soup of some sort. You can find them all HERE. In the link, you will also see links to my cauliflower wraps, as well as my mac and cheese with roasted cauliflower. That's a Christmas Eve favorite! Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable.

We all love dishes with fabulous flavor, and we also like to be able to present our families with wholesome food. The soup I am sharing today is really quite basic, but so versatile. In fact, this evening, I am mixing a little soup in with some leftover Lentil Nut Loaf that I have crumbled, and will pour over egg noodles. A great way to stretch out an item that isn't quite enough for more than 1. 

This cauliflower soup is full of leeks. I love leeks! Begin with 6 cups of chopped leeks, the white part only. Saute the chopped leeks in oil until tender, and then add 3 chopped cloves of garlic, along with 1 tablespoon of celery seed. I could have used celery in the recipe, but I love the full, rich flavor of celery seed. 

Once the leeks are tender, add 2 heads of chopped cauliflower to the pot. Add 8 cups of vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Cook until the cauliflower is tender and begins to fall apart.

Another favorite of mine is sage. Sage just tastes like fall to me, and there's nothing like fresh sage. For this recipe, I used 3 tablespoons of fresh, chopped sage.

At this point, you are ready to puree the soup. I like to use a handheld mixing wand, but a blender will work well too. Once the soup has been pureed, add more vegetable broth to bring the soup to desired consistency. Add salt and plenty of black pepper to taste. Simmer the soup until it is warmed through.

I didn't do this before I took the picture, but a lovely touch for your soup is to fry a few sage leaves as a topping. Simply add a bit of oil to a small pan. Place the sage leaves in the hot oil for about 5 seconds per side. I could eat an entire bowl full of fried sage! Garnish the soup with the fried sage leaves.

Cauliflower, Leek and Sage Soup

ingredients;
2 large head of cauliflower broken into florets
6 cups chopped leeks
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 bunch fresh sage
1 tablespoon celery seed
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
12 cups vegetable broth

directions;
Heat oil in large soup pot. Add chopped leeks and saute on medium heat until tender. Add chopped garlic. Saute another minute to release flavor, but not burn the garlic. Add celery seed, along with the cauliflower and 8 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is tender and beginning to fall apart.

Puree soup until creamy. Add 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh sage. Adjust the consistency of the soup. Bring the soup to a boil once again, reduce heat and simmer until heated through.

To serve, fry fresh sage leaves in a small amount of olive oil, 5 seconds on each side. Place soup in bowls, top with fried sage and enjoy!

This recipe makes a very large quantity of soup. Freeze smaller batches to use in any dish where a cream soup is called for, or just to enjoy at another time. 

This past week, I warmed up a bowl of the soup and made a grilled cheese sandwich for my lunch. That and a cup of tea...HEAVEN!

Hope you enjoy the soup!

Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Flu Buster Mushroom and Spinach Soup

The flu was a real worry for so many this past winter. My husband had a flu shot, but I did not. I decided to do what I could on my own to try and make sure that I stayed healthy. One measure I took was to drink a glass of green foods first thing every morning. Actually, I do this year round. It is not my favorite thing to drink, by no means, but as I drink it down, I keep in mind that I am doing something good for myself, at least I hope so. The green foods pictured below is one that I ordered. It's not my favorite as it has stevia in it and so it has a sweet taste. There's one that I purchase at Whole Foods that does not include stevia and I like it better. For many though, one with stevia would be much more palatable. 

I also take a probiotic capsule every morning and every night. And then...I made this soup, lots of it, and ate it throughout the winter. Now, the soup is MUCH more enjoyable than drinking that green drink. But, I would grow tired of eating the soup every morning ;) 

Early in the winter, my husband and I were out for lunch and I saw that there was a mushroom soup on the menu. I love mushroom soup! Well, it wasn't the best, but it made me think of what I would do to make it really good. One that if I owned a restaurant would be something people would want to come back for. 

I began with lots of mushrooms, 6 cups, along with a large onion and 3 cloves of garlic. All sauteed until the mushrooms were tender.     

I then added  1/2 cup of barley, 1/2 cup of wild rice, and 4 cups of vegetable broth. 

Brought it all to a boil, reduced the heat, and then let it simmer for about 45 minutes until the rice was cooked through.

I then added 3 sliced carrots, and 8 cups of chopped spinach, along with at least 2 more cups of vegetable broth, and the spices. The soup was once again brought to a boil, the heat reduced to a simmer and allowed to cook until the carrots were tender. 

The result was a very satisfying and delicious soup.

Flu Buster Mushroom and Spinach Soup
printable version

ingredients;
1 large onion chopped
6 cups sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic chopped fine
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup wild rice
3 carrots sliced
8 cups chopped spinach
6-8 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano 
salt and black pepper to taste

directions;
Pour olive oil into a large soup pot. Add chopped onions and sliced mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms are tender. Add chopped garlic and saute for another minute. 
Add barley, wild rice and 4 cups of vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until wild rice is tender, approximately 45 minutes.
Add chopped spinach and sliced carrots to the pot. Add enough broth to gain the consistency of soup you would like, 2 to 3 cups should be fine. Add dried thyme and oregano. Once again bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to cook until carrots are tender, no more than 20 minutes.
Serve and enjoy! 

I was in a grocery store doing a little shopping one Saturday afternoon. A company was there promoting their products and one was a green pressed juice of some sort. I took a sample and a man came up from behind me and said, "oh, that can't possibly taste good." Actually, it wasn't bad, but I understand how he felt. Believe it or not, there was a time in my life where I found every possible way I could think of to get out of eating my vegetables. Miracles happen :)

Wishing you great health! :)

Rhonda

Sunday's Soup...On Wednesday! Get Healthy One Step at a Time

For years, I had a membership to a gym, and I always found it interesting that come the first week of January, it would suddenly be packed with people. And then sure enough, by the end of January, the crowds once again thinned, and within a few more weeks, everything was back to normal. 

I ultimately gave up my gym membership as I much prefer to just be outside. I love walking out my front door and having my gym laid out in front of me. Nothing better than a vigorous morning walk :) My niece feels the same way. Rather than a formal gym membership, she bikes to work everyday...even in the winter!!! And remember, that's Chicago winter :/ We both enjoy incorporating exercise into our daily routine. More often than not, I grab a bag and walk to the grocery store. And then there's Gracie, my built in exercise motivator ;) I do attend yoga classes, but that's as formal as it gets for me.

So yes, this is the time of year that many make a resolution to lose weight, eat healthy, exercise more and so on. I think that a part of the problem though is that rather than setting healthy, easy to attain goals, so many try to do too much too fast. Shows like the Biggest Loser where people drop lots and lots of weight in a short amount of time are just not realistic. 

I wanted to post this recipe today because, number 1, it's SOOOO easy to make. And number 2, since it's so easy, it's something that you can quickly whip up, have on hand. A nice easy step toward a little more of a healthier lifestyle.

Over the holidays, our niece and her husband invited us to come for dinner. Her husband is a marvelous cook. If he invites, I'm there!!! And what's so very nice is that he always makes an entirely vegetarian meal for me. 

On this visit, he had made a broccoli soup. It was so very good, and I was surprised by how simple it was to make.

Begin with 6 crowns of broccoli, about 3 pounds. Place them in a large pot. Add water for boiling along with about 2 tablespoons of sea salt. Chop 6 green onions and add to the broccoli.

  
Boil the broccoli until tender, 10-15 minutes.

Remove the broccoli from the pot, and reserve the water. Place broccoli in a blender. It's quite a bit of broccoli, so you will need to do it in batches. Blend until pureed.

Add the reserved salted water to the broccoli until soup is desired consistency. And that's it!!! How much easier does it get??? Broccoli, green onions, water, and salt. And it's delicious!

I added crumbles of feta cheese to my soup for a little protein, and lots of black pepper. I LOVE pepper :)

Broccoli is packed full of vitamins. It's especially great at this time of year when colds are lurking around every corner. And with this soup, you are getting mega doses of all those wonderful vitamins that love to attack colds. Kinda like creating your own little war in your belly ;)  The title of this soup is going to be War of the Worlds Broccoli Soup. On Sunday, I'll have another fun recipe for you and I'll have the link up then for a printable recipe of the War of The Worlds Broccoli Soup. 

But don't wait until Sunday to make the soup. Make it now!!! 

Actually, anytime will be fine :) But if you like broccoli, I think you'll love the soup. Oh, and it freezes well too. So make plenty and then store in small containers for an easy lunch.

Enjoy!

Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Voodoo Hippie Chili

There was an episode of the television show, 'Friends,' where Phoebe wanted so badly to be Monica's maid of honor. But, of course, Rachel thought she should be the maid of honor. Realizing that she had lost the battle, Rachel said, "well, okay, let's see how Monica likes your Voodoo Hippie bridal shower." My quote isn't exactly perfect, but it was the Voodoo Hippie part that stuck in my mind as I thought it was hilarious! Now, I finally have a place where I can use the words!!!

I love chili. There's just something about a bowl of chili that warms my soul. My only problem with making chili is that I like it rather spicy. After setting many mouths on fire, I have learned to turn down the heat, and allow all to add their own level of fire! So, the only magical aspect of this chili is that it tastes great just as it is, and all can customize it for their own level of heat.

This is a super simple recipe, and can easily be made during the week when time is at a premium, especially during the holiday season . So no excuse not to have a nutritious, and delicious meal.  It's also FULL of protein, so it will leave you very satisfied :)    

Begin by sauteing the chopped onions in olive oil until tender. Add the chopped red and green bell peppers. It will look a little like Christmas in a pot :)

Add garlic, canned tomatoes, red lentils, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, bay leaves, oregano, dried cilantro, chili powder and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer until lentils are tender, about 20-30 minutes. 
Serve and enjoy.
   

Voodoo Hippie Chili
printable recipe

ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 25 oz.cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 14.5 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed
2 bay leaves
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
8 cups vegetable broth
salt and black pepper to taste 

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute until tender. Add green and red peppers and saute about 10 minutes over a medium flame. Add garlic and saute another minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. 
*If you would like a non-vegetarian version, add meat or sausage of choice at this point. Brown until cooked through.   
Add lentils, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, chili powder, dried cilantro, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and cook until lentils are tender, about 20-30 minutes. 
Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Top with slices of jalapeno peppers, chopped green onion, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or sliced avocado. 

A great idea for a casual party is to make the chili and then have toppings available on a buffet so all of your guests can customize to their preference. 

Serve with a hot pan of cornbread and lots of butter ;) 

   
I've learned that entertaining doesn't need to be an elaborate meal. Something as simple as a pot of chili can bring people together and make the best of evenings. So in a way, I guess it is rather magical :)

Hope you will make a little magic of your own!
Rhonda     

Sunday's Soup/Fiesta Fun Hominy, Tomatillo and Poblano Soup

There's little I love more than to go to the grocery store and allow what's there to inspire me. I also LOVE hominy. I grew up eating hominy with eggs and as a side dish. However it's given to me, I love it!

On a recent trip to the store, the tomatillos seemed to just jump right out at me. The poblano peppers also looked great, so I decided to try my hand at a little something different. 

Below you see the poblano peppers, fresh cilantro, and tomatillos.

If you've never used tomatillos before, they look like little green tomatoes in a paper thin husk.

I began by roasting the tomatillos and the poblano peppers on the grill. If you decide to give the soup a try, don't skip this part as the roasting gives the soup such a wonderful flavor. Just be sure that the grill is nice and hot before putting the vegetables on the grill.

Roast the tomatillos until they are brown and have softened. Place in a blender and blend well.

The poblano peppers should be roasted until they are really quite black on the outside.

Pull off the blackened skin and pull the seeds out of the peppers. Poblano peppers are not hot, so this is not a hot, spicy soup.

Chop the peppers and put aside.

Add oil to a large soup pot and add the chopped onions. Saute until tender. Add garlic and saute another minute to allow the garlic to release its flavor, but not burn.

Add the blended tomatillos, chopped peppers, and hominy, to the pot along with 4 to 6 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Add 1 cup of finely chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon of coriander, 2 teaspoons of cumin, and salt and black pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, just giving the spices time to flavor the soup.

The final soup is absolutely delicious, low in calories, and yet the flavor is so robust that you'll feel you've sinned! I have loved every bite!!!

Fiesta Fun Hominy, Tomatillo, and Poblano Soup
printable recipe

ingredients;

12 tomatillos, husks removed
2 poblano peppers
1 bunch of fresh cilantro finely chopped
2 25 oz. cans hominy, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
2 cloves garlic finely minced
6 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon corinader
 2 teaspoons cumin
salt and black pepper to taste

Place tomatillos and poblano peppers on a hot grill and roast until tomatillos are brown and have softened. Poblano peppers should be blackened.

Place tomatillos in a blender and blend until smooth. Remove blackened skin from peppers and remove the stem and seeds. Chop peppers and sit aside.

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute another minute to release flavor. Add tomatillos,  poblano peppers, hominy and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Begin with 4 cups of broth and add more as the hominy begins to thicken the soup. Add  cilantro, coriander, cumin, salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

If you would like, top the soup with crumbled chihauhau cheese and chopped green onions. Serve with tortilla chips or a hot pan of corn bread.  

Enjoy! 
Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Winter Root Vegetable Soup with Kale

Happy Sunday Everyone!!!

Thank you for all the wonderful comments that were left on my Grateful post. A couple of you had me laughing so hard with the idea of the antics of my girlfriend and I sounding like an episode of I Love Lucy!!! Like I said, we've been friends for 35 years, and have done some pretty crazy things. Yes, we could be our own comedy show ;) Thanks for the laughs, I really needed that. Nothing like a good laugh to cleanse the soul :) 

Have you ever heard of the Moosewood Cookbook? It's a funky, vegetarian cookbook that I absolutely love. In fact, the same friend from the Grateful post gave it to me over 30 years ago. My copy is now a very well worn book, loose pages and a taped together spine. 

One of the things that I especially enjoy, other than the recipes, are the cute little drawings that accompany each recipe. When I began putting the soup recipes together, my goal was to eventually publish a cookbook/soup book. I'm now working on the book(finally), and rather than photographs, I'm doing drawings that are similar to what you might find in the Moosewood Cookbook. 

I'm currently going through my recipes and testing/tweaking them just to make sure that when they are published, and tried, it will taste just like what I make. 

Back in 2013, I published a recipe for a Creamy Winter Root Vegetable Soup.   I love a good cream soup, but when I began to test the recipe, I decided to make it into a vegan version, and that's what I am going to share with you today. 

The ingredients are basically the same, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, garlic and fresh basil.

No butter was used in this recipe, just olive oil. The onions were sauteed until tender in the olive oil, and then the vegetables were added, along with the vegetable broth.

Another change with this recipe is the addition of chopped kale, green pigeon peas (for protein), and dried rosemary. 

If you have never used green pigeon peas before, they are a lovely little pea that has a bit of substance to it, not at all mushy.

This is not a creamed version of the soup, just a nice hearty winter vegetable soup.

Winter Root Vegetable Soup with Kale

printable recipe

Ingredients;

3 tablespoons of olive oil
4 parsnips sliced, about 3 pounds in total
4 Irish potatoes, chopped
4 carrots sliced
1 large yellow onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
4 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
2 cups finely chopped kale
1 14 oz. can Green Pigeon Peas drained and rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary 
10-12 cups of vegetable broth 
salt and black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot. Add chopped onion and saute until tender. Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, bay leaves, and garlic along with 8 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, 20-30 minutes. Add chopped fresh basil, chopped kale, pigeon peas, and rosemary. Adjust liquid. Depending upon the size of your vegetables, you may need to add up to 4 more cups of broth. If more broth has been added, bring to a boil once again, then reduce to simmer and cook for another 10 minutes, giving the herbs and kale time to flavor the soup.

Serve with warm crusty bread, or my favorite, a pan of fresh made cornbread. 

The recipe yields 8 hearty servings. 

If you give it a try, hope you enjoy it!
Rhonda