Late Winter Soup.

We're a week into March and I think I'm about ready for a little milder weather.  I'm not a huge fan of the summer but I'm getting awfully tired of traipsing around in 6 layers.  As much as I'd love to dive into fresh fruit and light salads, the snow today and a lingering cold has me hankering for more wintry fare.  This soup is rich in deep winter root flavors without being too heavy and the bright orange color is a welcome treat on such a dreary day.

I like mine on the thick side so its really more of a purée but it can easily be thinned out to taste.  The orange veggies are rich in beta-carotene, which supports eye health and cell growth in the body.  They are also loaded with natural sugars and starches which makes for a sweet and creamy soup without adding any dairy or processed sugars.  Vegetables! Vitamins! Vegan! Whole foods for the win!  I had several already baked sweet potatoes in my fridge, so I just added it in after the other vegetables were cooked, but a raw sweet potato could be added at the beginning just as easily. 

Also, an immersion blender makes this soup so very easy to make.  It can be done in a standard blender, just do it in batches if need be and take the cap out of the middle of the blender lid to let the steam escape, being careful not to burn yourself.  
 

To flavor my soup I mixed in a tiny bit of umeboshi plum paste.  Umeboshi plums are grown mostly in Japan and then packed in salt and shiso leaves until they are cured.  The paste is made by removing the plum pits and puréeing the rest.  It has a very strong flavor, mostly salty with some sweet and tangy in the background.  A little goes a long way, but a smidge mixed into this soup adds a little umami or deep saltiness to the otherwise sweet and basic soup.  Umeboshi is on the expensive side, but it is very concentrated and can last a long time in the refrigerator.  It can be found in Asian food markets and some grocery stores.  I buy it at Fairway here in New York City.  The paste and plums are sometimes used in simple teas and soups to help an upset stomach or a cold.  It is very contractive, in the Macrobiotic sense, balancing expansive foods and conditions, but that's a whole other topic.  In this soup it just adds some flavor that really makes it pop, of course a little salt and pepper can do the same job if umeboshi isn't available.   

Enjoy!

 

Late Winter Soup

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 2 as a meal or 4 as a starter

1 large, yellow onion, chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
3-5 carrots (depending on size) peeled and diced
1" knob of ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped
water or stock of choice
salt
umeboshi paste, to taste

Place all vegetables and ginger in pot and add water until vegetables are covered half way.  Sprinkle with salt.  Bring to boil, cover and boil gently until vegetables are soft, about 25 minutes.  Purée mixture with immersion blender until desired consistency, adding water or stock if necessary.  Stir in umeboshi paste, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until desired flavor is reached.  Serve hot. 

Salad soup.

I know Salad Soup sounds gross, bringing to mind soggy and limp leaves of romaine floating in broth.  But trust me, this is a tasty soup that is versatile and, I promise, void of soggy lettuce leaves.  I came up with this for those winter days when you really want the crisp, crunchy goodness of a salad but it's too chilly outside to eat a plate of cold greens.  It's salty, a little sweet, warm, crunchy and filling satisfying many cravings in one big bowl.

The soup is based around the method of Japanese clear soup or Vietnamese pho with some flavors borrowed from the rest of Asia.  Thanks to lots of rich greens it is nutrient dense and low calorie.  It's also a quick meal, especially if the prep is done on the weekends and then all you need to do is assemble the pieces.  This would make a great dinner party, allowing each guest to add what they want to their bowl.  Added bonus: the recipe is Whole30 compliant and easily made vegan.

Below I have written out the basic veggie version, but you could easily add in some tofu pieces or strips of cooked chicken for a little protein.  Or if you really want to get fancy (and make my new favorite version of the soup) swirl a beaten egg or two into the broth when it is heated for an egg drop soup effect.

Note that the broth of this soup is front and center, so now would be a great time to use a flavorful, homemade stock.  The veggies do add plenty of flavor, so canned would do in a pinch, just make sure to taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Also, leeks can be tricky to work with.  There is often dirt hiding inside the many layers so make sure to wash them well.  Some people prefer to use only the white ends.  I don't mind the greens, though because they are tougher they take a little longer to cook.  Because of the fresh garnish, this soup is best eaten immediately, but I have done the chopping and sautéing ahead of time, then simply heated the stock and assembled later on with success.

Enjoy!

Salad Soup

Prep: 10 minutes Cook time:  20 minutes
generously serves 2

For the soup:
1 Tablespoon coconut oil, plus 1 teaspoon, if needed
1 yellow onion, sliced in half moons
2 small leeks sliced
2 baby bok choy, quartered
4 cups broth of choice (homemade or canned; chicken, fish or veggie)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten (optional)

Garnishes (pick and choose at will):
fresh spinach leaves
Noori strips (Roasted, shredded seaweed)
tofu chunks
sliced, cooked chicken
bean sprouts
celery ribs, sliced in long, thin strips
green onion, sliced
cilantro, roughly chopped
fresh basil leaves
lime slices
sesame oil
chili flakes or sriracha

Heat coconut oil in large pan over medium high heat.  Add onions and leeks and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until onions are translucent and leeks are tender, about 8 minutes (a few tablespoons of water may be helpful to cook the leek greens, in this case cook until water has evaporated).  Move onion and leeks to one side of the pan and increase heat.  Add additional oil, if needed.  Place bok choy pieces cut side down in pan.  Cook until whites are lightly browed on each side and greens are softened, about 1 minute per side.  Divide vegetables among soup bowls.  Meanwhile, heat stock to boil in separate pot.  If using egg: lower heat until stock is still hot, but not boiling.  Slowly pour in beaten egg while stirring the stock.  The egg with separate and flower out.  Remove from heat.  In soup bowls, top leek and bok chop with spinah leaves, Noori, chicken and/or tofu if using.  Then pour hot stock over top, leaving room for other garnishes.  Top with other fresh garnishes as desired.

Cauliflower Soup.

I suppose I should call this creamy, white concoction Snow Soup in honor of the impending "storm for the record books" about to hit New York City and New England, but I'll stick with Cauliflower Soup for now.

Regardless, it is a hearty and creamy bowl of deliciousness perfect for the cold winter days.  I first made this soup based on this recipe from Gourmet Traveller Australia for a New Year's Eve treat.  While that version is rich and wonderful, I couldn't help but think how I could make a healthier version for easy weekday meals that is also Whole30 compliant and can easily be made vegan.

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that is said to be anti-cancer and holds a creaminess in and of itself, so the soup already has a great base.  Then instead of a potato, I used a turnip and celery root which also belong to the cruciferous family, are rich in vitamin C and fiber, and provide more flavor than a potato.  I used coconut oil rather than butter and skipped the cheese, instead infusing the flavorful vegetables with a little curry powder, mustard powder, and my homemade stock in lieu of canned.

The vegetables alone blend into a pretty creamy soup and you could easily stop here for a low calorie meal, but I added a can of coconut milk to bulk it up a bit.  If you want to make it extra special (and you eat bread and cheese) the croutons from the original recipe are delicious, otherwise some toasted, sliced almonds are a nice garnish.

Also note that an immersion or stick blender makes this soup very quick and easy.  A standard blender or food processor could be used just as easily, just be careful if the soup is hot because the steam could cause the lid of the blender to pop off.  Take out the plastic cap in the middle of the lid, if there is one and be sure to hold around the outside of the lid to avoid a steam burn.  As an added bonus I have found this soup to freeze well.   Once soup is room temperature, place in sealable container and freeze.  I defrosted it in the fridge, which took a day or two.

Enjoy and stay warm!

Cauliflower Soup
Adapted from Gourmet Traveller Australia
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves 4

2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 turnip, peeled and diced
1 celery root, peeled and diced
1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
7 cups stock of choice (canned or homemade, chicken or vegetable)
1 can full fat coconut milk, preferably Native Forest Organic (optional)

1 teaspoon mustard powder (optional)

1 teaspoon curry powder, plus more for garnish (optional)
4 teaspoons sliced, toasted almonds for garnish (optional)
sprinkle of cinnamon for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add onion, garlic, turnip and celery root and cook until tender, about 7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add cauliflower and stock and bring to simmer. Cook over medium heat until cauliflower is tender, about 25 minutes.  Purée soup in pot with an immersion blender until smooth (or allow to cool slightly and blend in batches in a standard blender or food processor, then return to pot).  Remove from heat and stir in coconut milk, mustard powder and curry powder, if using.  Divide soup among bowls.  Sprinkle with curry powder and briefly run a spoon through the top of the soup to create a yellow design through soup.  Top with sliced almonds and cinnamon, if desired.