Sunday's Soup/Rustic Potato Soup

I have really neglected the blog of late. Everything's fine, just life. I have been sewing, and I have been cooking, just not posting. 

The soup recipe that I'm sharing today is a favorite of mine during the cold winter months. Although, I don't make it that often as it does contain butter and cream. But, it's one that makes my husband smile, so from time to time, I figure, a little butter and a little cream is not going to be the end of the world ;)

Rustic Potato Soup

I call this a rustic soup as the skin is left on the potatoes, and it's not your typical creamy, potato soup. 

This soup came about because I had leftover small boiled potatoes. I'm sure the soup will be just fine, and taste just as good if you begin with raw potatoes. But, you will need to adjust the liquid as the raw potatoes may absorb more of the broth than the pre-boiled potatoes.   

I began with 1 pound of small golden potatoes that were previously boiled, and then sliced. Small red potatoes would work just as well. 

Heat the oil and the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion. The butter will turn the onion a beautiful golden yellow. Saute the onion until tender. 

Add 1 cup of sliced small portobella mushrooms and cook until tender. They will turn a lovely dark brown. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, and saute for about a minute just to release the flavor, but not burn the garlic. 

Add the sliced potatoes and allow them to saute in the onion and mushroom mixture until they just start to turn a little brown. This will only take a few minutes. To be honest, you could actually stop here and just enjoy the potatoes as they are :) But don't!!! I think you'll love the soup! 

Add 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped stalks of celery, 1/2 cup wild rice, and 6 cups of vegetable broth. Stir in 1 teaspoon of rosemary, thyme, and sage, along with 2 bay leaves. Bring the soup mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and allow the soup to cook until the wild rice is tender, about 45 minutes. 

Once the wild rice is tender, add 1/2 cup of cream. The rice and the potatoes will thicken the soup, so adjust the consistency at this point by adding in more vegetable broth. Two more cups may be needed. Heat the soup over a low flame, and do not allow the soup to come to a boil once the cream has been added. Before serving, remove the bay leaves. 

Rustic Potato Soup
downloadable recipe

ingredients;
1 pound boiled small red or golden potatoes sliced
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 cup sliced small portobella mushrooms
2 cloves garlic minced 
2 large carrots chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1/2 cup wild rice 
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
6-8 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup cream
salt and black pepper to taste

directions;

Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until tender. Add minced garlic and saute for another minute to release garlic flavor, but not burn. 
Add sliced potatoes, and stir well into onion and mushroom mixture. Allow the potatoes to slightly brown. Add chopped carrots, celery, wild rice, and vegetable broth. Stir in sage, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and cook on low heat until wild rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in the cream, and adjust the thickness of the soup by adding more vegetable broth. Both the potatoes and the rice will absorb the liquid and make the soup rather thick. Up to 2 cups more of the vegetable broth may be needed to thin the consistency of the soup. 
Add salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer the soup on a low heat until heated through. Once the cream has been added, do not allow the soup to come to a boil. Before serving, remove bay leaves.

Ladle into soup dishes, and enjoy!

This is a hearty soup, perfect for winter. Serve with a nice slice of hearty bread.

This is a soul warming soup, at least for me. I hope that you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Rhonda 

Sunday's Soup/Eggplant, Kale, and Chickpea Stew

I have been working on a very fun project. You won't believe what it is, and you won't believe who it's for!!! So pop back by tomorrow, and I will share all the excitement with you :)

This is just the best time of year with all the fresh vegetables coming into the market. One that I love is eggplant. That rich purple color, the color of royalty, it is just so inviting. 

Today's soup is really more of a stew. Just the perfect dish for loading up on lots of vitamins for the coming months of winter. There's eggplant, baby kale, chickpeas, tomatoes, parsley, and lovely aromatic spices.   

Begin by cutting the eggplant into bite size cubes. Place in a colander and pour 1 tablespoon of sea salt over the eggplant. Stir well to coat. Allow the eggplant to sit for 1 hour.  

While the eggplant is sitting, saute 1 medium chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. For this dish, I like to let my onion brown slightly.
 

Add 3 chopped cloves of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper. Saute for about a minute to bring out the flavors of the garlic and red pepper.

Now add the spices, cumin, coriander, and caraway seed. Add the chickpeas and saute for another minute allowing the spices to enhance the flavor of the chickpeas. 

Add the tomatoes, chopped kale, parsley, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer. Allow soup to simmer until eggplant is ready.

Once eggplant has sat for 1 hour, rinse well and then dry with paper towels, or a clean kitchen towel. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet. Cook eggplant in hot olive oil until nicely browned. This should be done in 2 batches,adding more olive oil to the second batch. 

Add the browned eggplant to the soup mixture. Bring to a boil once again, and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste. The soup is now ready to serve! If you would like, make a pot of brown rice and serve the soup/stew over the rice. Makes for a heartier meal.

Eggplant, Kale, and Chickpea Stew
Makes 4 hearty servings

ingredients;
6 cups cubed eggplant
2 cups canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
4 cups chopped baby kale
1 cup chopped parsley
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon caraway seed
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted if possible)
4 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
salt and black pepper to taste 

directions;
Begin by placing cubed eggplant in a colander. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Mix well to coat. Allow to sit for at least 1 hour.

While eggplant is sitting, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to large pot. Add chopped onion and saute until slightly browned. Add crushed red pepper and garlic. Saute for about a minute being careful not to burn. Add cumin, coriander, and caraway seed, stirring well to combine. Add chickpeas and and allow to cook with the spices for about a minute to infuse chickpeas with the spices. Add crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and add chopped kale and chopped parsley. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow the stew to cook until eggplant is ready.

Once eggplant is ready, rinse well with cold water. Drain on paper towels, or a clean kitchen towel. Divide in half. Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in skillet. Add half of the eggplant and cook until browned. Add to stew mixture. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. Bring the stew to a boil once more. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Serve as is, or over brown rice for a heartier meal. Top the stew with a little fresh parsley and a bit of lemon juice. 

  
The soup will freeze well, so make up a big pot and have some on hand for later.

Hope you enjoy the stew!

Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/A Soup With Options

Little Mr. Berkley has now been with us for 2 weeks. He is the happiest dog I have ever seen. Believe it or not, he actually wags his tail while he sleeps :) What a gift!

Back in May, my husband and I spent 3 days touring around Wisconsin, visiting creameries, and tasting cheese. In my book, heaven! We try to do this about once a year. It's such fun. One of my favorite creameries is Union Star Cheese Factory. It's a family owned business that has been in existence since 1911. They make a 5 year aged cheddar that is my absolute favorite.  

I had given a friend of mine a block of the cheddar. She had thrown away the wrapper, so didn't know where it came from, but wanted to share the information with a friend of hers. So, I looked up the site. While I was there, I noticed that they had a recipe section. I like recipes :) Come to find out, they had a recipe for a Beer Cheese Soup. Now, typically, I would have passed right over the recipe, but what caught my attention was the list of ingredients with all the vegetables. Really?!! I always thought that Beer Cheese Soup was just that, beer and cheese. While I do love cheese, I absolutely hate beer, at least to drink it. But, there are a few recipes where I will use beer. So, I decided to give it a try.

The vegetable ingredients consist of carrots, green pepper, onions, celery, and mushrooms. You can find the recipe HERE.  

Since I had not made the soup, I followed the directions pretty much as written, but with a couple of exceptions. Rather than saute the vegetables in butter, I used 3 tablespoons of olive oil. I also deleted the ham, so mine is a vegetarian version. 

Once the vegetables are tender, but still crisp, flour and cornstarch are added  to thicken the soup. The recipe says to stir the flour/cornstarch into the vegetables and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. You'll find that it seems quite thick at this point.  

Rather than chicken broth, I used a vegetable broth. Milk is also added to the mixture. I decided to use my hand held blender and slightly puree the vegetables. So, they are somewhat pureed, but still have texture. Once the spices have been added, the soup is delicious without the cheese and the beer. So, you could actually stop here and enjoy the soup as is.   

I added the cheese and only 1/2 cup of the beer. 1/2 cup of the beer blended nicely into the soup, an entire cup, in my opinion would have been too much.

What I ended up with was a velvety smooth, delicious soup.

Union Star does have a mail order service, but they only ship cheese from October-April. I sent some to a friend of mine who now lives in Galveston, Texas, but grew up in northern Wisconsin. She said that it tasted like home. Their 5 year aged cheddar crumbles when sliced and has a true sharp cheddar taste. Delicious!

Even if you can't get the Union Star Cheese, get a really good sharp cheddar from your grocer and give the soup a try. A wonderful treat! Just in case you missed it, you can find the recipe HERE :)    

Sunday's Soup/Summer Roasted Corn Chowder

What says summer more than roasted corn on the grill?!! Well, there are a lot of things, but I really do enjoy roasting fresh corn on the grill. Add some roasted corn to soup, and I am all in :)

Now, I also enjoy a bit of spice. I especially enjoy poblano peppers as they have a bit of spice without actually being hot.

To begin, I take 2 poblano peppers, and 6 ears of corn. Roast the peppers until the outside skin is charred. Place in a plastic bag and allow to steam for about 15 minutes. Remove the charred skin as well as the stem and seeds. Set aside.

Roast the corn until it is toasty brown, being careful not to let it burn. 

Once the corn has browned, allow it to cool, and then cut the kernels from the husk. Divide the corn in half. Place half in a food processor along with the poblano peppers. Puree the mixture. Set aside.

In a large soup pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute 1 medium red onion with 2 stalks of chopped celery until tender. 

Add 2 medium chopped white potatoes, reserved corn, and 2 cups of vegetable broth to the onion/celery mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.

Add pureed corn/pepper mixture, and 2 cups of buttermilk. Heat until hot, but not boiling. Add more buttermilk to obtain the consistency of soup that you would like.  
  

Ladle into bowls. Top with grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh snipped chives. Serve with some freshly made cornbread, and you will have a feast!

Roasted Corn Chowder
serves 6
downloadable recipe

ingredients
6 ears of fresh corn on the cob
2 poblano peppers
1 medium red onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 medium white potatoes chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
fresh grated Parmesan and snipped chives for serving

Roast poblano peppers and corn on the grill. Roast peppers until skin is charred. Place charred peppers in a plastic bag and allow to stem for approximately 15 minutes. Remove charred skin, stems, and seeds. set aside.

Roast corn until browned on all sides. Allow to cool, and then cut corn from husks. Place half of the corn, along with the peppers in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Heat butter and olive oil i  a large soup pot. Add red onions and celery. Saute until tender. Add potatoes, unprocessed corn, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Add pureed corn mixture and buttermilk. Heat until warmed through. Do not allow the soup to boil. Add more buttermilk if soup is a little too thick.

Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh chives.  

If by chance you are having a cookout, plan to cook a little extra corn and the peppers. They will last a couple of days in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the soup.
Enjoy!
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