Chilled Cucumber Soup with Watermelon Salsa

Chilled Cucumber Soup
Serves 2-3
1 english cucumber, skin on
1 avocado
1 bunch scallions, green parts only
1 handful cilantro, stems and leaves
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed
juice of 1 lime
salt, to taste
cold water to thin out soup to desired consistency

In a blender combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste and season with more salt if necessary.

Watermelon Salsa
1 cup yellow corn kernals
1 cup watermelon, small dice
1/2 cup minced radishes
2 tbl cilantro leaves
salt, to taste

On a small grill pan or grill top, cook the corn kernals until lightly charred. Combine with the remaining ingredients and sprinkle with salt. Top on soup and enjoy.

Spicy Almond, Chickpea & Kale Stew with Vegan Chorizo

This stew is rich, and spicy and full of flavor. The addition of almonds adds an unusual, light crunch you don't usually find in stews. Almonds and Chorizo are a natural pair in Spanish cuisine so it's no wonder they work beautifully in this dish. The taste of this dish will vary greatly depending on what type of vegan chorizo you use. I used Field Roast which is slice-able and stays firm unlike most vegan chorizos that are meant to crumble and lean towards more Mexican flavors. Serve with a crusty baguette to sop up all the broth and you've got yourself a meal you will be making over and over again.

Spicy Almond, Chickpea & Kale Stew with Vegan Chorizo
serves 4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, small dice
1 red chile pepper, seeds removed, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
3 Field Roast chorizo sausages, 1/2" slices
1/4 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
1 head kale, stems removed, chopped into medium sized pieces
4 cups vegetable broth
1-15oz can tomato sauce
1-15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

In a medium sized pot, combine the olive oil and garlic and turn the heat on medium to allow the garlic to slowly infuse the oil.
Once the garlic starts to lightly brown, add the onion, red chile and season with salt and pepper. Saute 5 minutes.
Add the sausages and almonds and saute 3-4 minutes.
Add the kale, broth, tomato sauce and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 25 minutes.
Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Creamy Tortilla Soup with Hominy

Hominy is criminally underrated and underused in the food world. Even in Mexican food I don't see it used often. What gives? It tastes like a corn tortilla and bean combined in one! It's perfect to bulk up soups and stews, tastes great in tacos and burritos and even makes a great salsa. The only drawback I've noticed is that I can only find it in 28oz cans which is sometimes just way too much. Thankfully this recipe calls for the whole can and none will go to waste.

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Creamy Tortilla Soup with Hominy
serves 4
2 tbl canola oil
1 medium red onion, small dice
1 jalapeno, minced (seeds removed, optional)
1 1/2 cup minced napa cabbage
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-28oz can white hominy, drained and rinsed
10oz frozen yellow corn kernels
10 yellow corn tortilla chips (I highly recommend Juanita's brand)
1 tbl salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1-15oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1-15oz can tomato sauce
1-15oz can coconut milk
1/2 cup minced cilantro
2 avocados, medium dice, for garnish
vegan sour cream, for garnish
tortilla chips, for garnish

In a large pot, saute the onion and jalapeno in oil until tender and fragrant, 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and garlic and cook until the cabbage has wilted, 5 minutes more. Add the hominy, corn, tortilla chips, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and oregano and stir to combine. Cook 3-5 minutes more. Add the pinto beans, tomato sauce, coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 25 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro, reserving a bit for garnish.
Serve in bowls with avocado, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Potato Corn Chowder

This soup fills all the requirements of a great chowder: thick, rich, creamy and satisfying. One batch of soup serves two purposes. Half of the soup stays chunky with potatoes and corn and the other half is blended with cannelini beans to transform into a silky, hearty broth. No flour or cornstarches are needed to make a great chowder.
As you can see, this soup is served in a bread bowl. The soup itself is gluten free, the bread bowl is not!

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Potato Corn Chowder
serves 4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, small dice
4 medium sized red potatoes, skin on, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tbl fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup unsweetened, plain almond milk
1-15oz can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

In a large soup pot, sweat the onions in olive oil until translucent and fragrant, 5-7 minutes. Add the potatoes, garlic, corn and thyme. Season with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper. Add the almond milk and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Transfer half of the soup to a blender along with the beans and blend until smooth. Pour back into the soup pot and mix to combine.
Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Simple Cabbage Stew

A trip to the Farmer's Market today yielded everything I needed to make this dish. Thankfully there was a break in hot summer weather and I welcomed the overcast with my favorite meal: soup. As you can see from the picture below, I was able to get my hands on a beautiful array of tomatoes. Lightly sauteing them with a bit of garlic provided a wonderfully rich and hearty broth.

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 Simple Cabbage Stew
serves 3
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 white onion, small dice
1 large carrot, small dice
2 cups small diced fingerling or yukon gold potatoes, skin on
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 small green cabbage, cored, roughly chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, smashed
salt, to taste

In a stock pot, saute the onion and carrot in 2 tbl olive oil for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to become tender. Add the potatoes and season with dill, pepper and 1 tsp of salt. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add the cabbage and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and prepare the tomato broth.
In a small pot, saute the tomatoes, whole and garlic in 1 tbl of olive oil. Season with salt and cook over medium high heat for 7-10 minutes until the tomatoes burst. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
Add the tomato broth to the soup and cover the pot. Cook over medium-low for 10 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Asparagus Dumplings in Spring Onion Broth

Making your own wontons are easy and can be custom made to fit your palette. Once spring rears its head, I like to incorporate asparagus and onions into my diet. These asparagus dumplings still have a little crunch to them, making the silky onion broth a perfect companion.
 
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Fresh asparagus, ginger & tofu wrapped tightly in wonton wrappers and floating in a warm bowl of spring onion broth infused with scallions, more ginger and water chestnuts.

Spring Onion Broth
4 cups vegetable broth
2 bunches scallions, roughly chopped (3 tbl reserved for dumplings)
1" piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1 tsp tamari
salt, to taste
1-4oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed

Combine the broth, scallions and ginger in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain into a medium sized pot and add the tamari. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and add the water chestnuts.
Continue to simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Asparagus Dumplings
serves 2-3
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, minced
3 tbl reserved chopped scallions
1 tbl fresh lemon zest
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
6oz firm, silken tofu, mashed
1 tbl tamari
1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp pepper flakes
salt and black pepper
15-20 wonton wrappers
3 tbl fresh basil, roughly torn
3 tbl fresh cilantro, roughly torn

Saute the asparagus and scallions in olive oil until just tender, 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest, garlic and ginger and toast. Add the tofu, tamari, toasted sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Cook together for 10 minutes over medium heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Prepare a pot of boiling water.
Lay the wrappers on the counter top. Spoon a small mound of asparagus mixture into the center.
Dip your finger into a bowl of water and lightly wet the edges of the wonton wrappers. Fold up each wrapper into triangles, pressing the edges together to seal.
Once all of the wrappers are sealed, drop in the water and cook for 4 minutes.
Gently scoop out the wontons and serve in a bowl of onion broth. Garnish with fresh basil and cilantro.

Locro: Argentinian Hominy Stew with Quiquirimichi

Hominy is something I love but often forget about. When looking for different hominy recipes, I came across a popular Argentinian recipe for stew and thought I'd put my own spin on it. This would also be a great crock pot recipe, left for hours to stew and simmer while you are out.

 
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White hominy, tender butternut squash, soyrizo, chickpeas, garlic, corn and tomatoes make up this hearty stew served with a spicy red bell pepper sauce.

Argentinian Hominy Stew
serves 6
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, medium dice
10 oz vegan chorizo
2 cups butternut squash, small dice
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbl salt
1 tbl tomato paste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cayenne
1 bay leaf
1-28 oz can white hominy, drained
1-15oz can chickpeas, drained
1-15oz can diced tomatoes
4 cups water
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup scallions, roughly chopped, for garnish

In a dutch oven or large pot sauce the onion in olive oil until tender, 5 minutes. Add the chorizo, squash and garlic and saute 5 minutes more. Season with salt, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, pepper, cayenne and bay. Stir to combine and cook 5 minutes more. Add the hominy, chickpeas, tomatoes, water and corn.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a low boil and cover. Cook for 30 minutes until the squash is tender.
Pour into bowls and garnish with scallions and quiquirimichi sauce.

Quiquirimichi Sauce
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1/2 red onion, small dice
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp pepper
2 tbl water

Saute the bell pepper and onion in olive oil until tender and caramelized, 10 minutes. Season with paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, cayenne and pepper. Cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a blender and blend with water until smooth.

Broccoli Pistachio Soup

This soup is AWESOME. It's so creamy and full flavored from salty pistachios and a drizzle of coconut milk at the end. It's a no fail recipe that tastes less than 30 minutes to make and have on the table.

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Full heads of broccoli and pistachios are slowly simmered together then blended into a creamy, lucious soup with a hint of coconut milk and garlic.

Broccoli Pistachio Soup
serves 3-4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 heads broccoli, stems and florets roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
salt, to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup pistachios, plus more for garnish
3 tbl coconut milk, for drizzling

Saute the broccoli plus stems and garlic in olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat until bright green and slightly tender, 7 minutes. Season with salt.
Add the broth and pistachios and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
Taste and season for more salt if necessary.
Divide among bowls and garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk and some pistachios.

Miso Soup with Homemade Shiitake Dashi

Now a days you can find miso soup sold in stores but nothing compares to the flavor of miso soup made with your very own dashi and a clever combination of miso pastes. A bowl of this soup with undoubtedly cure any ailments, any case of the Mondays and wash stress right out the door. My recipe is for a double batch because I love it so much but feel free to half the recipe.

While a well stocked grocery store and probably all natural foods stores will have these ingredients, I reccomend checking out the local Asian grocery store in your town to pick up your supplies. Not only will they have everything in one stop but they will be much MUCH cheaper than anywhere else.
To compare:
5 oz dried shiitake mushrooms at my Asian grocery was $2.89 but at my normal grocery store 1 oz of dried shiitake costs $5! It would have cost me $25 to make this broth!
A pound of dried seaweed cost me 99 cents, at the normal store, $4.
A pound of fried onions cost me 2.39, at the normal store, $12.
Not to mention the tofu is cheaper, fresh (meaning it is not sitting in water and only good for a few days)and already pressed for me.
It really pays to shop out of your comfort zone and check out a new store that has all the ingredients you need and so many more you will use in the future. FYI- coconut milk comes in 21oz cans for $1.49 but at the normal grocery store they come in 15oz cans for $3.69. Stock up people!

Rich, savory homemade dashi steeped with dried shiitake mushrooms and seaweed and ladled hot into bowls with tofu, scallions and fried onions. This soup is soul changing.

Shiitake Dashi
16 cups cold water
5 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup dried seaweed

Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot over medium heat. Heat up the broth, the longer it takes to come to a boil the better. Once it starts to boil (this should take about 20 minutes), immediately strain the mushrooms and seaweed out. Remove the dashi from the heat until ready to make the soup.

Miso Soup
serves 6 -this recipe and the dashi can easily be cut in half
1 batch shiitake dashi
2/3 cup red miso paste
1/3 cup yellow miso paste
1 lb firm (silken or not) tofu, drained and pressed for at least 1 hour, cut into medium cubes
1 bunch roughly chopped scallions, green parts only
2-3 tbl fried onions, optional but VERY recommended for garnish

Heat the dashi up in a pot over medium heat. Once it begins to boil, remove 2 cups and set aside in a large bowl.
Add both miso pastes to the 2 cups of broth and whisk to combine.
Pour back into the large pot and stir. Return the both to a light simmer and add the tofu and scallions. Make sure the broth does not boil. Cook for 10 minutes then serve with a sprinkle of options fried onions.

Cauliflower & Sweet Onion Soup with Beet Chips, Rosemary & Sourdough Croutons

After a long day of work, making a pot of soup with minimal effort is just what I want and crave. Skip the beet chips and sourdough if you don't want to deal with frying, or pop them in the oven and crisp them up that way while the vegetables continue to roast. Either way you can't lose.

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Silky smooth cauliflower soup blended with caramelized sweet onions, garlic and fresh rosemary. Serve with crispy beet chips and crunchy sourdough croutons for a warming dinner that you will make over and over again.

Cauliflower & Sweet Onion Soup
serves 2-3
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 medium sized sweet onions, roughly chopped
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, stems removed, plus more for garnish
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups vegetable broth

Preheat the oven to 425.
Toss the garlic, onions and cauliflower with olive oil, rosemary and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 30 minutes until tender and caramelized then transfer to a blender with the broth. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Reheat if necessary.

Beet Chips & Sourdough Croutons
peanut or canola oil
2 small/medium red beets, very thinly sliced
1 sourdough roll, torn into uneven pieces
sea salt & pepper

Heat a shallow pan of oil to 350.
Fry the beet slices in batches until crispy, about 1 minute. Fry the sourdough chunks until golden and crispy.
Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle the beets sea salt and the croutons with salt and pepper.

Lao Khao Soi

Lao Khao Soi is a Burmese influenced noodle dish that takes plenty of variations all around the world. Some are made with fermented bean paste and some with pickled vegetables and crispy noodles. My version follows more of the Laotian diet filled with plenty of cilantro, tomato and shallots. Dried chilies give this thick broth a wonderful, rich depth of flavor. Find all different kinds of dried chilies in the Mexican section of the store and play around with which one you like better.

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Homemade chili paste made with guajillo chilies, cilantro, shallots and ginger slowly simmered until thick and served in a bowl with fresh noodles, watercress, seitan and chili oil.

Lao Khao Soi
serves 3
4 dried guajillo chilies, whole
2 shallots, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
1" piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, leaves and stems
1 tbl ground coriander
1 tbl turmeric
1 tsp yellow curry paste
2 tbl coconut or canola oil
8 oz soy curls(left as is) or seitan, roughly chopped in small pieces
1-15oz can coconut milk
1-15oz can tomato sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
6 oz udon noodles
3 tbl tamari
1 tbl palm sugar organic light brown sugar
garnish:
lime wedges, bean sprouts, thinly sliced red onion, watercress leaves, cilantro and chili oil

Cook the dried chilies in boiling water for 10-15 minutes until tender. Remove the chilies (reserving the soaking liquid) and discard the stems and seeds.
Combine the chilies with shallots, garlic, ginger, cilantro, coriander, turmeric and curry paste in a blender or food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of soaking liquid and blend into a paste. Add more soaking liquid if necessary to smooth out the paste.
In a large pot, heat the oil and add the paste and seitan or soy curls. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until the paste darkens and the seitan is firm. Add the coconut milk, tomato sauce and broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
While the broth is cooking, cook the noodles according to the package instructions.
Add the tamari and palm sugar to the broth and stir to combine. Taste and season with more tamari if necesary.
Divide soup and noodles into bowls and garnish with toppings.

Navy Bean & Kale Soup

Every day it gets closer to spring, I cringe at the thought of warm weather ruining my soup streak. I have to get in as much soup as possible. This navy bean soup hit the spot just right tonight.


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Creamy navy beans, kale, carrots and leeks in savory mushroom broth comes together with bay and dried thyme for a near perfect bowl of soup!

Navy Bean & Kale Soup
serves 3
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks, small dice
1 carrot, small dice
1 celery stalk, small dice
1 dried bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 head kale, stemmed, roughly chopped in small pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-15oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups mushroom broth

Saute the leeks, carrot and celery over medium high heat until the vegetables start to become tender and golden. Add the bay, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the kale and garlic and stir to combine and wilt the leaves. Add the beans and broth, scraping off any of the bits on the bottom. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper and serve.

Eggplant & Fennel Stew

Sometimes nothing is better than a big bowl of stew on a cold day. If this stew is also jam packed with nutrients then that is also a big plus. This stew is low carb, low calorie, low fat and high flavor. Go ahead and feast on this for days!


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Caramelized eggplant and sweet fennel, fresh basil, zucchini and broccoli slowly simmered in tomatoes and broth make this chunky stew incredibly wholesome and filling.

Eggplant & Fennel Stew
serves 4-5
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 chinese eggplants, skin on, medium dice
1 fennel bulb, cored, medium dice
salt and pepper, to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 zucchini, medium dice
1 head of broccoli, roughly chopped florets
1 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped, divided
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups vegetable broth
1-28oz can crushed tomatoes

In a large pot, saute the eggplant and fennel in olive oil. Season with salt and cook until tender and caramelized for about 25 minutes. This is an important step to really develop flavor so don't skimp on time!
Add the garlic, zucchini, broccoli and half of the basil and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook to toast the garlic then add the broth.
Scrape the bits of the bottom of the pan and add the tomatoes. Cover and cook for 40 minutes over medium low heat. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish each bowl with the remaining basil.

Cream of Mushroom & Leek Soup with Cashew Miso

Cream of ____ soups don't have to have cream in them to get that same lusciously smooth texture and flavor. In fact, there are many ways to make cream soups using vegetables and grains already in your house. Potatoes for starters are a great component to use but oats also work. Cooking down some starchy russet potatoes in this mushroom and leek soup before pureeing it will yield a perfectly smooth mouth feel and a hearty taste.

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Velvety smooth cream of mushroom soup with leeks and russet potatoes, thyme and a dollop of cashew miso cream.

Cream of Mushroom  & Leek Soup
serves 3
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 lb russet potatoes, peeled, small dice
1 lb leeks, stalk only, small dice
2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
5oz mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped (I  recommend any kind except button mushrooms, they don't have much flavor)
2 tbl white wine vinegar
3 cups vegetable broth

In a large stock pot, saute the potatoes and leek in olive oil until the vegetables start to become tender, 7 minutes. Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and vinegar and cook 5 minutes more. Add the broth and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until everything in very tender. Transfer to a blender and blend until silky smooth. You might have to add a bit of broth if your blender is having a hard time. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with a dollop of cashew miso.

Cashew Miso
1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours if you don't have a high powered blender)
3 tbl water
2 tbl white miso
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
pinch of sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process for 3-4 minutes until thick and creamy.

Seitan Enchilada Soup

Enchilada soup is a lot like tortilla soup but with a spicy, tomato base sauce instead of a broth. Most recipes online involve using canned enchilada sauce as the base but I wanted to make it myself. Red sauce is extremely easy to make and tastes miles apart from the canned stuff. Void of any preservatives, sugars or weird items you can't pronounce, this sauce is full of flavor.

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Orange and yellow bell peppers, caramelized seitan and onions, fresh corn and zucchini simmered in a homemade red sauce and served with avocado and crunchy tortilla chips. A great alternative to tortilla soup.

Seitan Enchilada Soup
serves 3-4
Red Sauce
3 dried ancho chiles
1-28 oz can tomato sauce
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl masa harina
2 tbl chili powder
1 tbl apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 cups water

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the chiles. Boil for 5 minutes then turn off the heat and let soak for 20 minutes until soft and pliable. Remove the stems and seeds.
Combine all of the ingredients except the water in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large pot and add the water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Let the sauce simmer while you cook the soup portion ( or at least 20 minutes.)

Seitan Soup
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, small dice
8 oz seitan, medium chunks
1 orange bell pepper, small dice
1 yellow bell pepper, small dice
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
3 tbl roughly chopped cilantro
1 avocado, thinly sliced
vegan sour cream and tortilla chips, for garnish

Saute the onion and seitan in olive oil until the seitan starts to caramelize, 7 minutes. Add the bell peppers, zucchini, corn and garlic. Season with salt and cook 10 minutes more until the vegetables start to become tender.
Pour all of the seitan mix into the red sauce and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with cilantro and garnish with avocado, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Tofu & Bok Choy Wonton Soup with Porcini Broth

This soup was exactly what I needed tonight. Hearty, flavorful, healthy with real depth of flavor and easy to prepare. Don't be intimidated by making your own wontons, they are incredibly simple to make and assemble and you can never make too many!

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Dried porcini mushrooms, sriracha, cilantro and soy make up this dark brown broth used to cook the wontons in. Stuffed with bok choy, tofu, garlic and scallions, you won't be able to resist these tiny Asian dumplings.

Tofu & Bok Choy Wonton Soup with Porcini Broth
serves 3
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 bok choy, 1 cup white stalk-small dice, green leaves-thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, white parts- minced, green parts-medium dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
3 tbl chinese black bean & garlic sauce
1 tbl sriracha hot sauce
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 cup cilantro (leaves & stems)
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 tbl soy sauce
1 cup frozen peas
4 oz dried vegan beef strips (optional)
18 gyoza (round) wonton wrappers
1 tsp salt

Saute the white parts of the bok choy, white parts of the scallions and garlic in olive oil until tender, 5 minutes. Crumble in the tofu and add the black bean sauce and hot sauce. Saute over medium high heat for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
While the tofu is cooking, combine the broth, water, cilantro, porcini mushrooms and soy sauce in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and cover. Cook for 15 minutes then remove the mushrooms and cilantro with a slotted spoon and disgard. Add the green parts of the bok choy and scallions, along with the peas and vegan beef if using. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat while you assemble the wontons.
Lay out 18 wrappers on a counter top. Spoon a small amount of tofu filling inside each one, around 1-2 teaspoons. Use your finger dipped in water to wet the edges of each wonton and fold over to seal.
With the broth at a simmer, add the wontons and cook for 4 minutes. Taste and season the broth with salt, if necessary and serve.

Black Eyed Pea Stew & Dumplings

Another New Years Day is upon us so that means we are all obligated to eat a meal with black eyed peas and some greens. Ok, I don't exactly feel obligated. I love black eyed peas as much as I love dark, leafy greens so tonight's dinner wasn't hard for me to prepare. It was even easier to eat.

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 Black eyed pea stew loaded with carrots, green beans, corn, garlic, pearl onions and tender, dense dumplings cooked right in the broth.

Black Eyed Pea Stew with Dumplings
serves 3
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
6 oz thawed pearl onions
2 carrots, small dice
2 celery stalks, small dice
1 tbl salt
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 handfuls fresh kale, chopped finely (from about 1 small bunch)
2 cups medium diced fresh green beans
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1-15oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
3 tbl all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tbl fresh minced parsley

Saute the onions, carrots and celery with salt, thyme, oregano, pepper, red pepper flakes and cayenne until the vegetables start to slightly caramelize and become tender, 7 minutes. Add the kale, green beans, garlic, corn and black eyed peas and cook until the kale has wilted, 5 minutes.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine thoroughly, cooking for about 1 minute. Add the broth and stir to inhibit the flour from clumping. Bring to a boil, reduce to a hard simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
While the stew is cooking, make the dumplings.
Taste and season before adding the dumplings.
Drop the dumplings in the stew, making sure they have space to grow. Cover and cook for 7 minutes.
Flip the dumplings over and cover, cooking 7 minutes more.
Garnish with parsley and serve.

Dumplings
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup almond milk

Combine the flour, powder and salt in a bowl. Drizzle in the oil and use a fork to combine so the oil is mixed in, in small coarse balls.
Add the almond milk and stir to combine. The dough should be more wet, than dry.
Use a small ice cream scoop or a spoon to drop small dumplings about the size of a large grape into the boiling stew. They will expand and double in size while cooking so make sure they are spaced apart.

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Ka Gai)

This vegan version of Tom Ka Gai has all of the flavor you would expect in a traditional bowl of Thai soup. All of the ingredients can be easily found at any Asian grocery near you but if you don't have the access, substitute Thai basil for regular basil, tamari for soy and palm sugar for brown sugar. The flavor will be different of course, but still delicious and close enough to the real thing.

 
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Coconut milk tames down the otherwise very spicy broth of this Thai chicken soup. Green chiles, cilantro, Thai basil and lemongrass give light floral touches that work perfectly with coconut, lime and ginger.

Tom Ka Gai- Thai Chicken Coconut Soup
serves 3
2 tbl coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cup sliced chanterelle mushrooms
8 oz vegan chicken strips (thawed if frozen)*
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
1 serrano chile, minced
1 lemongrass stalk, white parts only, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
1-15oz can coconut milk
3 tbl fresh cilantro, minced, divided
3 tbl fresh thai basil, minced, divided
1 tbl palm sugar (or organic brown sugar)
1 tbl tamari
1 tbl lime juice
2 tsp sambal or any hot chile paste

In a medium sized pot, saute the mushrooms in oil over medium-high heat until browned, 5-7 minutes.
Add the chicken, garlic, ginger, chile and lemongrass and saute 5-7 minutes more until the chicken has lightly browned.
Add the broth, coconut milk, half of the cilantro, half of the basil, sugar, tamari, lime juice and sambal. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Taste to season with salt, if necessary and garnish with the remaining herbs.
* for a gluten free version of this soup, use drained and pressed tofu.

Butternut & White Bean Soup with Winter Greens

My take on a minestrone soup made with butternut squash instead of pasta. This soup couldn't be easier to make, just chop and dump all your ingredients in a crock pot and let the machine do all the work for you.

A simple and savory butternut squash and swiss chard soup with diced tomatoes, white beans and basil topped with those crunchy onions you still have leftover from Thanksgiving.

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Butternut & White Bean Soup with Winter Greens
serves 4
2 cups medium dice butternut squash
1 head swiss chard, roughly chopped
1 yellow onion, small dice
1 carrot, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
1-15 oz can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbl nutritional yeast
1 tbl salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup french fried onions

Combine all of the ingredients (except the crispy onions) in a crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with crispy onions.

Two Soups in One Bowl-Red Lentil & Cauliflower Cilantro

Serving two flavors of soup in one bowl is the ultimate way to enjoy lunch or dinner. Why choose just one kind of soup when you can have two pots simmering away at the same time to enjoy all in one? You can enjoy this nice trick with any combination of soups as long they are both the same consistency.
Last year I made a sweet potato and roasted tomatillo soup combo that married together so well, after seeing the old post I thought I'd try it again.

Ginger spiced red lentil soup and creamy cauliflower soup with cilantro and cumin.

Red Lentil Soup
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, small dice
1 carrot, minced
1" piece fresh ginger, minced
salt and pepper
1 cup dry red lentils
2 tbl tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water

Saute the onion and carrot in olive oil until tender, 7 minutes. Add the ginger and season with salt and pepper. Add the lentils and tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the lentil are tender and fully cooked.


Cauliflower Cilantro Soup
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, small dice
1 russet potato, peeled, small dice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/2 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water

Saute the onion in olive oil until tender, 5 minutes. Add the potato, cumin, coriander, curry powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cilantro and stir to combine. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Transfer to a blender, or use an immersion blender to blend until creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper.