Simple Vegetable Soup

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I’m not too sure what this is, but it look soooo good. Pea soup, maybe. 

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fourgreensteps:

Apple and Acorn Squash Soup

It looks good but the name is not appetizing. I’ll try it though. Winter is coming and so are the warm foods!

Posted - YogaJournal: Soup’s On by Lynn Alley

     I don’t know about you, but where I live, those telltale signs of approaching fall are in the air. A slight chill in the evening, a certain smell to the air, and even the odd urge to make soup with my bumper crop of tomatoes has been creeping up on me.

     It’s for that reason that I thought I’d introduce a couple of soup recipes this week.  That and the fact that my latest cookbook, 50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker (Andrews McMeel, 2011), is due to be released next month.  Although there is no meat used in my recipes, the word “vegetarian” doesn’t appear in the book title.  That’s because I can’t think of any reason why meat-eating should continue to be the “default setting” of the American diet.  We’ll see what happens!

Real Cream of Tomato Soup:

Practically every person I know ate Campbell’s Tomato Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches when they were growing up. Cream of tomato soup has recently enjoyed a resurgence of “retro” popularity, with upscale restaurants offering their versions on their menus. Here’s a super easy and delicious version. 

• 2-3 pounds tomatoes
• ½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup cream (or soy cream)
• salt
• chili flakes (optional)
• 4 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

1. Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a 6-7 quart slow cooker. (If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can just as easily make these soup recipes in a pot or Dutch over following the same instructions. Just watch it closely so nothing burns or boils over.) 
2. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, until the tomatoes are soft and falling apart. 
3. Using a handheld immersion blender, puree the mixture until the desired texture has been achieved. 
4. Stir in cream and add salt to taste. If needed, you can add additional water. 
5. Add chile flakes to taste and serve each bowl garnished with a sprinkle of basil strips.

Swedish Rhubarb Raspberry Soup:

I love the tart flavor of rhubarb in just about anything:  pies, tarts, cobblers, and in this case, soup. You can serve this a starter, a main course, or even as a dessert course. Try it hot, cold or even room temperature. And should you have any left over, try it as a sauce over ice cream or yogurt.

• 2 pounds fresh or frozen rhubarb, sliced
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries or the same amount of fresh raspberries
• ½ cup sour cream, whipped cream or Greek style yogurt
• honey for drizzling
• ground cinnamon for sprinkling (optional)

1. Place the rhubarb, water and sugar in a large slow cooker (or pot or Dutch oven for stove top version). 
2. Cook on low for about 6 hours or until the rhubarb has “melted.”
3. Using a handheld immersion blender, puree some or all of the rhubarb to your preferred texture. 
4. Add the raspberries and cook for 30 minutes longer, or until the soup is once again hot.

Serve the soup warm in bowls topped with a dollop or sour cream, whipped cream or yogurt, a sprinkling of cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey.

Low-Fat Clam Chowder: (4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds cherrystone clams, scrubbed
• 2 large red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 slice lean center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Put the clams and 2 cups water in a pot. Cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the clams open, 5 to 10 minutes (discard any that do not open); transfer the clams to a bowl. Pour the liquid into a large measuring cup. (You should have 3 cups liquid; add water if needed.) Wipe out the pot.
2. Pour the liquid back into the pot through a paper towel-lined sieve. Add the potatoes, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove one-third of the potatoes. Continue to cook the remaining potatoes, covered, until soft, about 10 more minutes. Puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot.
3. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook, stirring, about 3 more minutes. Add the bacon mixture and reserved potatoes to the soup. Cover and cook over low heat, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop. Stir the clam meat and half-and-half into the soup; remove from the heat, cover and set aside, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Discard the bay leaves. Season the soup with salt and pepper and reheat. Serve topped with a slice of butter, parsley, chives and paprika.

Lazy Man’s Rich ‘n Creamy Tomato Soup:

Make your own decadent soup in 5 minutes with some leftovers.

Here’s how:

• Use one 6 oz. can of tomato paste, 12 oz. water (you can run the water into the tomato paste can first to get the leftover paste)
• 1 dollop of sour cream or a 1/4 cup of half ‘n half or milk – whatever you have on hand 
• A generous splash of just-past-drinking red wine (a few days old). 

Add to a standard size soup pot and cook over medium heat. Chop up a handful or two of any over ripe tomatoes, like those little grape tomatoes you always forget to eat. Add in a generous pinch of salt, black pepper, and either thyme or sage. If you have some chopped garlic add a teaspoon or so, but it’s not necessary. Cook until hot, mashing the tomatoes a little with your cooking spoon, and serve. For extra rich flavor, sprinkle with a few chile flakes.

Tofu Chili with Veggie Cheddar

Makes 3-4 Servings

Ingredients: 

• 1 onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 teaspoon coriander, ground
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 large can tomatoes, diced with their juice
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 block tofu, extra firm, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 package Veggie Shreds Cheddar Flavor (or simply substitute the Veggie Shreds with your favorite Galaxy product)
• Kosher salt and black pepper, as needed

Directions

In a large saucepot or crock pot heated to medium high, add the oil, garlic and onion. Cook for a few minutes until softened and starting to color. Season as needed with salt.

Add the spices, and cook for about half a minute, to allow the ingredients to become fragrant. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer.

Cook for 20-30 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender and the chili is thickened. Add the tofu and half of the package of Veggie Shreds, stirring to incorporate and continuing to cook for a few minutes to warm the tofu through.

Add the chili to a large casserole or crock pot. Add the rest of the Veggie Shreds to the top of the chili. Place under a hi broiler until the Veggie Shreds are melted and lightly browned.

Chef’s Note: This dish would be great with diced or ground chicken or pork, if desired. Just substitute for the tofu. For a spicier version increase the cayenne to 1 tsp.