Creamy Potato Soup

My stomach had a very rough few weeks. I loved the food in Nepal, but my stomach did know it was new. The 31 hours of travel home did nothing but fill me with mediocre plane food that, well, didn't want to leave. Returning to work, there was a nasty bug making the rounds that put me in bed from Friday until Sunday when I had to drag myself to the airport for another flight.

After all this, my stomach needed a little R&R. Sometimes your cravings are just what you need, which was true in this case. The only thing I thought I could eat was smooth, simple potato soup.

About 5 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
4-5 cups vegetable stock, depending on how liquid your potatoes are
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt
pepper
kale powder

Heat vegetable stock over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Blend with an immersion blender, or in a standing blender in portions so it doesn't overflow. Add seasonings to taste. Sprinkle with kale powder when serving.

My sister made this kale powder by blending homemade kale chips until they turned into a powder. This stuff is great as a rice seasoning, in burritos, and on tops of sandwiches and soups. It's made its way into all sorts of stuff in the kitchen.  

Chickpea & Cashew Cream Soup

This soup, adapted from Post Punk Kitchen, revealed the wonders of cashew cream. I had no idea that this little nut could make soups and stews creamy and delicious. It's a secret weapon ingredient.  

3/4 cup cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours or overnight
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 cup rice 
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, diced chunky
5 cups vegetable broth
1 24 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
4 cups chopped kale

Drain the cashews and place them in a blender with one cup of fresh water. Blend until completely smooth, scraping the sides occasionally. 

Preheat a pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute in olive oil with a pinch of salt until translucent. Add garlic, salt and pepper and saute a minute more.

Add rice, celery and carrots to the onion and then pour in the broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, add the chickpeas, and let cook for about 15 more minutes, until rice is cooked and carrots are tender.

Add the cashew cream and kale, and simmer until kale is wilted, 3 to 5 more minutes. You may need to add water to thin the soup if it seems too thick. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Winter Squash + Black Bean Pozole

I've succumbed to the awful cold that's making the rounds everywhere these days. At work people are sniffling and downing tea. At the grocery store the cashier is coughing while telling me my total. The man on the treadmill at the gym keeps sneezing. And now I am one among them. Properly coughing into my elbow...most of the time anyway.

I made this soup because I had pumpkin that was getting soft. It took a little time to prep because I soaked dry beans overnight, cooked them the next day, and then stuck them in the refrigerator to use in this soup the following day. But it was well worth it - this soup is like medicine. Only it's delicious.

This is also great warmed up the next day (or a few days later) after the spices have married. It becomes even more flavorful.


Pumpkin & Black Bean Pozole

1 large yellow onion, cut in chunks
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups vegetable stock
4 cups black beans
1 lb pumpkin and/or winter squash, cut in 1-inch chunks (I used one small pie pumpkin and one calabaza)
14 ounces hominy
4 tsp Chipotle Chili Pepper (quite spicy, decrease for taste)
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
2 Tbs lemon or lime juice
salt to taste

Toppings

cabbage, cut in strips
jalapeno pepper
diced tomato
chopped cilantro

Directions

1) Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and allow to cook while mincing the garlic. Add the garlic and cook a few minutes until the onion is translucent.
2) Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the pumpkin and squash are tender.
3) Remove from heat and squeeze in lemon juice.

4) Transfer to serving bowls and top with toppings.

Glazed Carrot and Spinach Soup

I find it really hard to get a good picture of soup. Especially this one, because it has a little butter which creates a lovely sheen on the surface. This lovely sheen means that it reflects light, and ends up looking like a little puddle of swamp water in pictures. But believe me, in real life, it looks just like it tastes - delicious!

I know this soup is destined to become part of my regular repertoire, if I ever form one that is.

First of all, it's a carrot soup. Carrots are that thing I always have in my refrigerator. It's usually a very lonely bag of mini, ready-to-eat carrots lying in the produce drawer in their plastic bag, one corner unceremoniously ripped off. I munch and crunch them standing in the kitchen, leaning on a counter while trying to figure out what's for dinner.

Secondly, it's a glazed carrot soup. The butter and honey add just a little sweetness, balanced by the cayenne, black pepper, salt, and stock. Yum!

Third, it's pretty healthy and light, while being thick and rather creamy. The added spinach gives a little extra goodness. It's good hot and cold.

Glazed Carrot and Spinach Soup

*adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

1 1/2 lbs carrots, sliced

2 Tbs butter

1 tsp honey

salt, black pepper, and cayenne

6 cups vegetable stock (or 6 cups water and 2 vegetable bullion cubes)

cream to top (optional)

1) Put the carrots, butter, 3/4 cup water, and honey in a large saucepan on high heat. Add salt and peppers and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook for about five minutes.

2) Uncover and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the carrots are cooking in the butter. Reduce heat and cook until the carrots are tender.

3) Add stock and stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until it thickens slightly (about 10 minutes).

4) Puree soup, either using an immersion or regular blender. Serve hot or chilled, with a teaspoon of cream on top if desired.

Coconut Curried Carrot Soup & Israeli Couscous Salad

This soup is pretty simple. It starts with a little oil and a couple of onions, sauteed in a pot. Add curry powder and continue to sautee for a moment or two, until it becomes quite aromatic. I put in about two tablespoons of curry. Then add vegetable stock and carrots and boil away. Once the carrots are tender, blend to get a nice creamy texture. Add a tablespoon or two of coconut milk and swirl in.



The soup was great with this salad. It's romaine lettuce, beets, tomatoes, and Israeli couscous. I saw Israeli couscous at the farmers' market and just had to try it - it's so big and puffy looking for couscous! It's also very good. This is dressed with a little olive oil and a little salt.

Flu Soup

No, I don't have H1N1. No need to close your browser and disinfect your internet connection. I don't really have the flu at all, but a few weeks ago I felt a bit under the weather. Soup seemed the only thing I wanted, and this one left me feeling much better. It's made in the tradition of all great soups in our house - thrown together from the pantry.

FLU SOUP

1 can condensed tomato soup

2 cans of water

2 garlic cloves

1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated

1 red banana pepper

oregano, salt, and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup (dry) Ditalini pasta, or other small shape

1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas

2 carrots, sliced

two handfuls of fresh spinach

1. Combine soup and water in a large pot. Add garlic, ginger, pepper, and seasonings. Boil.
2. Once it comes to a rolling boil, add pasta and cook until almost done. Add chickpeas.
3. Once pasta is al dente and the chickpeas are hot, add spinach and stir to incorporate. Cook another minute, remove from heat, and enjoy!