The BEST Vegan Creamy Tortellini Soup!
The BEST Vegan Creamy Tortellini Soup! Has been my best creation all winter. Honestly, my sister and I scarfed this down and then laid comatose on the couch for about 30 minutes afterward. It was SOOOO good! We ate it too fast, therefore, we ate too much, then digested silently on the couch. When we stop drinking our wine because we are too full, you know we’ve hit our limit. LOL.
I had leftover Kite Hill Tortellini in my fridge which is how this idea came to be. Honestly, it had probably been about twenty years since I’d had tortellini soup. One of the most important parts of this deliciousness is using a GOOD marinara sauce. Don’t skimp out!
Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! We ate and drank too much and it was amazing. Loads of FT and Zoom calls with friends and family from my sister’s house. I ended up crashed in a teepee with my kiddo on my sister’s bedroom floor. LOL. Didn’t feel fabulous for my body when I woke up; however, didn’t give two-shits when I went to sleep. 😉
I can’t believe how fast Christmas is approaching. I say this every year like it is somehow shocking. LOL. Anyway, this The BEST Vegan Creamy Tortellini Soup! Would be an awesome addition to any Christmas dinner. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to post some more Just Egg recipes and a bunch of holiday recipes. Enjoy the first week back to the grind! I’m on a 3-hour work reprieve (I have an incredibly odd and disjointed schedule) and fucking exhausted.
Enjoy The BEST Vegan Creamy Tortellini Soup! And let me know if you have soups that you make for Christmas!
Click HERE for more great wintery soup recipes!
One of my holiday faves…
The BEST Vegan Creamy Tortellini Soup!
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients –
1 package (not frozen) of vegan cheese tortellini (I use Kite Hill -their package is 9 ounces)
1 1/2 C small white beans (navy beans)
4 C fresh baby spinach (can swap out for kale)
12 oz vegan sausage (I use Gimme Lean Plant-Based Ground Sausage – roll up in little balls)
3 cloves of garlic – minced
1 medium yellow onion – diced finely
1 Tbl ground oregano (can use fresh)
1 tsp ground basil (can use fresh)
1 tsp fresh thyme – finely chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary – finely chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper – to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 C vegetable broth
1/3 C vegan milk (I use oat milk)
1 (8-oz) can GOOD tomato sauce (I use Mezzetta Marinara Sauce)
Directions –
Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Once warm, add sausage and cook until lightly browned – about 3-5 minutes
Add garlic, onion, and herbs, salt & pepper – cook for about 3 minutes
Whisk in the flour – about 1 minute
Slowly whisk in vegetable broth and tomato sauce
Add tortellini and beans- let boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes -stir occasionally (tortellini should be cooked and sauce should thicken)
Add spinach until wilted but still bright green – 1 minute
Add vegan milk and any salt & pepper you’d like – stir well – about 1 minute
Done!
Wine pairings –
Red – Amarone
White – Sauvignon blanc
The BEST Vegan Pasta e Fagioli
The BEST Vegan Pasta e Fagioli, aka “pasta and beans,” or as us ‘muricans say it, “pasta fazool” (okay, so maybe we’ve derived that from Southern Italy – I dunno) – I have ever made is for your viewing and slurping delight below. I actually didn’t set out to make Fagioli at all. I was rummaging through my fridge and cabinets to concoct something for lunch from whatever the hell I had leftover. I do this often; however, this time, it was pure gold! I had a box of ditalini pasta in my cabinet forever in hopes to park it in some kind of soup. That was the day, and it was DAMN DELICIOUS!
I’d like to think that my inner Sicilian (or so Ancestry.com has stated) allowed me to make this fabulous vegan Pasta e Fagioli juuuussst right for my soup slurping soul. Yeah, we’ll go with that. 😉 This is FGG’s version of the perfect vegan Fagioli.
Honestly, COVID cooking has been the tits! I’ve been chefin’ shit up daily, and sometimes, even remembering or thinking to photograph it! My next conquest is going to be adding a tutorial video with every post. Hoping to start that next week. And, regarding my post the other day, MY SHOP IS UP AND RUNNING!!! WOO-HOO!!! I’ve had some sales, too! Okay, so I have no doubt it’s my family and the bf but hey, it’s something. 😉 You can just click on “My Shop!” in the tab on the top of the page. Happy shopping!
If you make The BEST Vegan Pasta e Fagioli! – please leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts! Buon appetitio!
For this post about soup, I only thought of one song because there IS only ONE perfect soup song in this world. That’s right, if you were a lover of Woodie Guthrie but have never heard of Cisco Houston, welcome to a new realm of awesome! They worked together often. Houston died in ’61 but this song, and many others, carry on his classic American folk music tunes. Houston’s, “Soup Song!”
The BEST Vegan Pasta e Fagioli
Serves: 6-8
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients-
1 1/2 C ditalini pasta
Optional – 1-2 C vegan Italian sausage (diced until it is basically minced or just very finely diced – I love Tofurky’s Italian Sausage the most)
4 cloves garlic – chopped
1 yellow onion – diced
2 stalks celery – diced
2-3 carrots – diced (I recommend peeling first!)
3/4 C sliced white or crimini mushrooms
1-2 C baby spinach or Italian (Lacinato) kale (depending on how much you deem necessary – personally I use 2. If using kale, de-stem and chop)
2 cans of Great Northern Beans OR Cannellini Beans – drained
Olive oil for pot
4 C vegetable broth
1 1/2 cans good diced tomatoes (with juice from can)
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh rosemary – finely chopped
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper (I used a 4 pepper blend) to taste
Vegan Parmesan to taste (some vegan parms are mild, some are goat-y, some are pungent, etc. For this soup, I prefer pungent, so I used Go Veggie)
Directions-
In a large pot, cook pasta
Heat olive oil in an additional large pot on medium
Once hot, add onion and cook for 1-2 minutes – stirring occasionally – then add garlic and stir occasionally for another minute
Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt – stir occasionally for about 3 minutes or until they start to soften nicely
Add carrots and celery – stir occasionally for about 3-5 minutes (make sure veggies are tender)
Add vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and herbs. Add more salt and add pepper – bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer whilst covered for about 10 minutes. If using kale, add now and cook for 5 minutes more. If using spinach, cook for 13 minutes and add spinach for the last 2 minutes
Add the pasta and beans – stir occasionally for about 2 minutes, until everything is nicely combined
Serve and garnish each bowl with vegan parmesan (I used rosemary sprigs for a garnish, too)
Done!
Wine pairing-
Red – A light Chianti
White – Vernaccia or Pignoletto
4 Vegan Soups & Sandwiches
4 Vegan Soups & Sandwiches are perfectly paired for your dining enjoyment. 😉 All easy, all healthy, and all crazy delicious. We’ve been having a pretty mild winter in Portland, OR. No complaints here! Love wearing my winter clothes but have yet felt the need to wear a coat on a daily basis. I went to the mountain to go sledding, soooo voila. Snow fix done. Will most likely go back in March (for my bdayyyy) to go skiing. Hopefully, my Beach Body madness will make me stronger so I don’t feel like I’m dying a slow and snowy death on the slope. Worrrkkk iiittt!!
Sooo… I will soon be posting far better vegan Beach Body recipes than the shit that is currently out there. Most of my soups and sandbos will make an appearance as well. The colored Tupperware totally freak me out b/c it looks like an anorexic move, however, I completely get it. Portion control is everything! Moderation is everything! If only life were that fucking easy. If only self-control was that easy… ; )
Anyway, enjoy the grub! If you have a favorite soup/sandbo combo please, by all means, let me know. Happy Thursday! -FGG
PS- I love this Tribe Called Quest song. It was on my mind the other day…
*CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THE RECIPE TO BRING YOU DIRECTLY TO THE LINK.
1. Lentil Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms (Vegan) & The Most Bitchin’ Broccoli & Eggplant Veggie Burger Ever! -(Use vegan eggs, vegan parm, and vegan mayo)
2. Classic Vegan Chili & Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel!
3. Creamy Vegan Carrot Sweet Potato & Mushroom Soup & Tofu Tuna
4. Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup & Lentil Sloppy Joes To Die For! – (Use a vegan cream cheese and vegan shredded cheese)
Classic Vegan Chili
Classic Vegan Chili is one of my all-time favorite winter warmers! Incredibly easy, delicious, and healthy. Packed with flavor for all vegans and non-vegans alike! It’s getting coooold, so my body needs some warmth. I LOVE soups in the fall and winter seasons. Sometimes, I need something super hearty though. For me, that is almost always in the form of some kind of chili. I wanted to keep it simple so I made my Classic Vegan Chili and actually had the foresight to style and shoot this meal. So glad because it looked so very pretty. Yes, food can totally be pretty, sexy, sultry, beautiful, and badass. 😉
When I made this, I was sick with a crazy head cold. Doped up on DayQuil, kava kava tea, and a muscle relaxer. I remember thinking that everything was oh sooooo pretty. LOL. I was convinced it was my most beautiful photo shoot ever. Yeah, well, it’s nice and all, but the best? Fuck no! Gotta love drugs. 😉 Today, I am literally sick with the SAME shit… so, I thought it would be fitting to post this recipe today. Honestly, this school year has been brutal! I’m sure staying up to all hours of the night working on my “branding” – a full time job – after coming home from teaching 10 classes mostly back-to-back, and then mothering, cooking, and cleaning, is starting to take its toll on me. I need more sleep and more exercise. My friend just gave me a 14-day free trial of Beach Body. I’m crazy excited about it! Mostly, because of the insanely large variety of workouts it offers. I love me some Jillian Michael’s but I’ve done that shit SO many times that both my body and my mind need a change. My goal is to be back to my normal weight, where I’d been for years prior to the past 17 months, by this summer. Seventeen months ago is when I began taking a medication that completely changed my appetite, and in turn, my body. It did wonders for me otherwise, but I blinked and gained 60 lbs. TOTALLY INSANE! I switched my meds almost 2 months ago and dropped 14 lbs in 6 weeks. This was a HUGE relief for two reasons: 1- Losing it felt like I could actually get my body back, and 2- I was thrilled to know that it was, in fact, the medicine, and not me! Weight is crazy! It totally changes you, and I don’t mean physically, that’s a given. It fucks with your mentality. My confidence is still okay, thankfully, however, I haven’t felt sexy in about a year. I’ve lost the motivation to do things like paint my nails, wear nice clothing – because as I say, “I refuse to invest in my fatness” – and, if you know me, you’ll know how into fashion I’ve been my entire life – like, since the womb! 😉 It’s been rough. Anyway, there’s now a light at the end of the tunnel.
Back to Classic Vegan Chili. 😉 It’s crazy delish and perfect with a margarita – naturally. Send me pics of your creations! -FGG
PS- Since “oh so pretty” seems to be a theme in this post about both body AND food, as I was writing this, one of my old and all time favorite songs popped into my head. “It’s Oh So Quiet,” by Bjork. So awesome! Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjIFGaN_iVk
Classic Vegan Chili (Serves approximately 8)
Ingredients:
1 Tbl cooking oil
4 cloves of garlic – diced
1 onion – diced
1 jalapeno deseeded – minced
1 1/2 C (12 oz) ground veggie beef crumbles (I like Lightlife’s Smart Ground Meatless Crumbles – I used Original, however, you could use the Mexican flavored one)
2 cans (15 oz) of kidney beans – DO NOT DRAIN
2 C non-chunky tomato sauce (use something you like!)
2 Tbl chili powder
2 tsp cumin
Salt to taste
Optional (for garnish) – avocado, chives, fresh cilantro/oregano
Directions:
Heat the oil in pot over medium-high heat
Add the onion and jalapeño – stir occasionally. About 3-5 minutes,
Add garlic and stir occasionally for one minute more
Add the ground veggie meat, chili powder, cumin and salt – stir until fully mixed
Add the tomato sauce and beans
Turn up the heat until the pot is almost boiling and then reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer
Stir occasionally, about 1 hour
Done!
Pairings:
Wine – Tempranillo
Beer – Pale Ale
Cocktail – Margarita on the rocks
Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes & Menu
Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes & Menu is your go-to guide for faux T-day this November. All things delicious, all things festive, and all things healthy. Say whaaa?! I was encouraged to serve vegetarian and meat last year for T-day. I said, “fuck that!” That is demeaning to both myself and my kitchen. Why would my vegan grub taste any different than my vegetarian grub? So, naturally, being who I am, I did what I wanted. After all, it was me, and only me, who was cooking for 8 people. I’m not complaining, I love doing it solo, just don’t tell me what to do in my kitchen. Now, hope you’re not thinking I’m a cruel, control-freak kinda asshole, I assure you, I’m not. I am speaking in defense of food. If you make it well, it tastes good. Simple as that. A lesson to be taught to many who think that no food can be a meal without meat or cheese. That’s nuts-o. It’s 2018. I think by now, we should all be aware that plant-based food is DOPE! Just like any food! If you cook chicken or pasta without flavoring, it sucks. It’s alllll about flavor. I had 2 meat eaters, a gluten free-er, 5 vegetarians and moi last Thanksgiving. The result? Everyone loved the food! And I mean alllll of the food. I made everything GF as well. For me, this holiday is about eating amazing food, drinking copious amounts of delicious wine, shoveling some pie in your overflowing and about-to-burst belly, unbuttoning your pants, or losing the tights, and then enjoying good company with some good games. Last year, we somehow made it to the dart board. I have NO idea how anyone was standing long enough to make that happen. It was awesome.
Below are recipes for: soups, salad, appetizers, entrees, and an amazing cocktail. Enjoy the grub and please leave a comment if you make these, or even one of these recipes, and let us know what your thoughts are! -FGG
Click on recipe to bring you directly to the link!
PS- Sorry for the day-late post! It was my kiddo’s bday party (HUGE) on Saturday, and his actual bday on Sunday. He got all of me. No time for anything or anyone else. My heart, G-man. 😉
PPS- The featured image is by: RUNNING ON REAL FOOD
PPPS- I remember seeing this when it aired. I LOVED Adam Sandler. Cheers to the past! 😉
Creamy Vegan Carrot Sweet Potato & Mushroom Soup
Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup
Sauteed Veggie & Farro Spiralized Zucchini Salad
Artichoke Balsamic & Basil Hummus (If you use the parm, my favorite vegan parm is “Go Veggie Vegan Parmesan)
Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup
Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup! Welcome to bein’ green and feelin’ oh so goooood. 😉 Vitamin packed, protein packed, and flavor packed makes this my soup of the month! As usual, it came to be because I had a bunch of veggies that I needed to use up before they went south. Also, my kiddo is still refusing to eat vegetables in their true form so I am constantly making pureed soups, pureed sauces, and smoothies so that G-man is getting in his greens, oranges, reds etc. For this soup, I used kale, spinach, broccoli, white beans, oregano, garlic, leeks, and veggie broth… pure heaven.
Being that I’m trying to lose some weight before summer comes a’ knockin’, ’cause I know that’ll be around the corner if I don’t hop on that train now, I am really gettin’ down with soups, salads, veggies, and grains. I did something hilarious: didn’t drink for the month of January. Then I said something even MORE hilarious: I wouldn’t drink until June. Then reality had a big f’in laugh out loud and handed me a glass of wine… and I’ve been imbibing ever since. 😉 Life’s too short, right? Also, it’s twelve o’clock somewhere! My point being, I can justify anything, anytime, anywhere. Life is too short however to eat shitty food and diet like a nutter, so I eat amazing foods that are healthier. Even if you’re not trying to shed some lbs (though I feel like everyone I know is always trying to do that), this Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup will hit your special soup spot – no doubt. Sip, slurp, repeat! -FGG
Fun facts: These beautiful shell spoons were purchased on my amazing trip to Indonesia a few years ago. The wine is a pinot noir rose from the best winery around my neck of the woods – Ponzi! Lastly, that beautiful wine glass was my grandma Rugile’s. I was living with her in Asheville, North Carolina when she passed away. Had a stroke on her opening night on stage (was an actress). I was working backstage. We drank wine out of these glasses every night. She loved when I played the piano for her, and she could keep me out until 11pm with friends drinking B&B. What a lady!
PS- Being that I always listen to tunes when I cook and am constantly touting the amazingness of Billie Holiday and dinner time cooking, I’ve added my all time favorite Billie Holiday tune in my all time favorite arrangement of hers at the bottom of this post: You Go to My Head (Strange Fruit is a second close) 😉 Enjoy!
My Yum Print recipe card template is not working so here is the recipe sans template!
Title: Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup
Description:
Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup is packed with healthy ingredients, easy to make, loaded with protein and vitamins, and is CRAZY DELICIOUS! Lunch or dinner!
Serves: 6 Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
10 oz bag of tuscan kale (this equals more than 1 1/4 C – it is about 4-6 loosely packed cups of chopped kale)
2 cups broccoli florets
4 C baby spinach – loosely packed
1 15 0z can of canellini beans – do NOT drain
6 cups of veggie broth (I used 1 1/2 Tbl of Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base Stock & 6 cups water)
2 leeks – chopped (use every part but the leaves at the top)
6 cloves garlic – diced
Dried oregano to taste
Pinch of salt
Pepper to taste
Olive oil for pan
Directions:
Heat pan with olive oil on medium (medium high depending on your stovetop) and then add the leeks and salt – cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add garlic and cook for approximately 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally (I like my leeks to brown a little bit)
Add canellini beans and stir occasionally for 1 minute
Add broccoli and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add kale and cover pan with lid. Let cook on medium for approximately 5 minutes, remove lid, stir occasionally for about 3-5 minutes more
Remove from heat
Option 1:
Put contents of pan in pot on medium or medium-low depending on stovetop, add broth, spinach, and oregano if using, cook for 5 minutes, then puree with immersion blender, heat for another 5-10 minutes
Done!
Option 2:
Put contents of pan in crock pot on high, add broth, spinach, and oregano if using, let cook for 30-40 minutes
Blend with immersion blender and let cook on high for 2 hours
Turn crock pot to medium and let cook for 1 hour more
Turn crock pot to warm and let simmer for 30 minutes
Done!
Notes:
Wine pairings:
Red- Rosso di Montalcino, Chianti Classico
White- Chardonnay, Riesling
(I used a pinot noir rose because that’s what I had in my fridge. Was an okay pairing)
Creamy Vegan Carrot Sweet Potato & Mushroom Soup
Creamy Vegan Carrot Sweet Potato & Mushroom Soup was originally going to be my classic Carrot Mushroom Barley Soup. That is until I realized I had a sweet potato. I’ve been wanting to try a different take on this soup using a sweet potato for more sweetness and creaminess. Result? I LOVED it! It was crazy creamy, incredibly packed with flavor, and super healthy. Not to mention, very easy to chef up.
Garlic, onion, fresh oregano, sweet potato, carrots, and cremini mushrooms are the flavor explosions in this dish of delish. I was literally slurping it up, and it sounded a lil’ somethin’ like this:
sip, slurp, oh shit, wipe, sip, slurp, oh shit, wipe, repeat etc.
It wasn’t graceful, but I was slurpin’ solo and didn’t give a shit. If you like the ingredients listed in this soup, you’ll love this recipe.
Slurp responsibly. 😉 Love, FGG
- 2 bunches of carrots (about 4 cups) - chopped
- 1 sweet potato - chopped
- 2 C cremini mushrooms - sliced relatively thin
- 1/2 red onion - diced
- 1/2 yellow onion - diced
- 5 cloves of garlic - diced
- 1/4 C fresh oregano - loosely chopped
- 1/2 Tbl Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Based Broth (this is a paste)
- 2 C water (or more or less depending on the thickness you'd like to achieve)
- 2-3 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper to taste (I used little salt due to the use of veggie broth)
- 1/4 C olive oil
- Boil the carrots and sweet potato until soft enough to cut through (about 10-15 minutes)
- In a sauce pan, heat olive oil over low/medium - medium heat
- Add onions, a pinch of salt, and stir occasionally for about 3-5 minutes
- Add garlic and stir occasionally for about 1-2 minutes
- Add mushrooms, pepper, fresh oregano, and red pepper flakes - stir occasionally for about 5-7 minutes
- Remove pan from heat
- Using a fork or tongs, remove mushrooms from sauce pan and place in separate bowl
- In a high powered blender (I used my Vitamix), add sweet potatoes, carrots, veggie broth, water, and contents from sauce pan. Puree until completely smooth - no bumps
- Return contents of blender to pot and add the mushrooms. Add any remaining water, salt or pepper you like now. Heat pot of soup on low for about 15-20 minutes to let flavors fully soak in - stir occasionally
- Done!
- Serves 4-6 bowls depending on how large of a bowl you're serving.
- White- Riesling or chardonnay
- Red- Beaujolais or pinot noir
4 Amazing Soups for Wintery Warmth! (Vegan)
4 Amazing Soups for Wintery Warmth! (Vegan) is really a post for both autumn and winter alike. We’ve definitely entered soup season in Oregon, and I’m loving it! Soup with bread is one of my favorite meals. I feel like soups are a fabulous way to use the leftovers in your fridge, get loads of veggies in (especially for my wee man), and they’re quick and easy. Sold. In this post I have the following 4 soups (click on soup title for link to recipe): Creamy Tomato & Cauliflower (my FAVORITE), Pumpkin Coconut Curry, Creamy Broccoli, Lentil & Sauteed Mushroom.
I’ve been on a soup kick lately for two reasons: COLD WEATHER & my kiddo has sadly become anti-veggie. UGH! I get his vegs in by giving him pureed soups, smoothies, and pureed sauces. He used to eat raw tofu and virtually any veggie. So.Stinkin’.Frustrating. 🙁 Anyway, my soups are always crazy flavorful. I need my food to be loaded with flavor. I’m not a fan of blandness. I promise you that you’ll get loads of veg and protein from these awesome soups as well! Enjoy your fall & winter warmth with me and slurp these up with a dope homemade or rustic bread of sorts. Make Saturday your official soup day! Taco Tuesdays & soup Saturdays are my fave. ‘Til next time, peeps… 😉
Creamy Tomato & Cauliflower Soup
Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup
Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup
Lentil Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms (Vegan)
Lentil Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms (Vegan) is now definitely making an appearance on Thanksgiving… though not on my original menu. If you are a lover of the lentil like myself, I have no doubt you’re a lover of lentil soups. This is a classic lentil soup recipe that I’ve topped with loads of sauteed mushrooms and fresh cilantro because that is what I had that lying around in the fridge. Waste not! My food philosophy that I am constantly touting “(like the mind, food is a terrible thing to waste).” Mushrooms are my ultimate fave as well, and I nominate autumn as the season of the shroom! I used white mushrooms, as they were in my fridge, however, you could use any mushroom in this soup.
Personally, I deem this soup to be simplicity in its finest form. It’s a small twist on a classic soup but it is delicious, healthy, easy, and displays itself beautifully, especially if you’re serving guests. It’ll make you look like a savvy chef for sure! Bust out the dusty apron and fool people into thinking you’ve been slaving all day! That is, unless, it’s Thanksgiving. In which case, you’ve undoubtedly been slaving all day. For T-day, I drink wine whilst cooking. This makes everything better. 😉 Naturally, some good tunes and food sampling (duh) will sweeten the deal, too.
Hope you enjoy and have a fabulous Thanksgiving with those around you. Gobble, gobble, gobble up! 😉
- 1 lb dry lentils (rinse first)
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 carrot - diced
- 1 stalk of celery - diced
- 1 onion - finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
- 1 cup cilantro
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 8 cups veggie broth
- 3 Tbl olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat a large pot with olive oil
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt - stir occasionally
- Add the garlic for the last minute (about minute 7)
- Cook for approximately 8 minutes
- Add the lentils, broth, bay leaves, and cumin
- Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low (about 40 minutes)
- Meanwhile, heat a pan with oil and add the mushrooms with salt
- Add the cilantro in the last minute (about minute 9)
- Cook until lightly browned (about 10 minutes)
- When lentils are done, add salt & pepper to taste
- If too thick, slowly add more veggie broth until you reach your desired consistency
- Pour the soup into bowls and then top with the mushroom mix
- Done!
- Serve with a rustic bread
- Wine- Chianti OR Sangiovese
- Beer- Winter Ale
Carrot Mushroom Barley Soup
Welcome back! This super easy, healthy, vegan, and flavorful Carrot Mushroom Barley Soup is a fall favorite of mine. This is my first food post since moving to Oregon from Beijing and it feels amazing to be posting about food again! Pictures? Well, terrible. I didn’t anticipate on shooting this recipe and made a quick last minute decision to do so… sorry for the horror! I have been beyond crazy busy since returning to the US. Not enough minutes in the day to accomplish everything I’d like to be doing. I’ll be trying to hone in on my amateur food photography shots over the next few months with more planned recipes – especially soup since this is most definitely soup season. Anything soul warming is a must! *Side note: Been overindulging in hot apple cider (from the farm of course – this is Oregon!) with spiced rum. So warm everything for the fall for sure. Took two weeks to figure out why I was so bloated! 😉 Was worth it, however, currently back on the less caloric concoctions. As usual, I digress. I had been craving barley and a different style soup. In this particular Carrot Mushroom Barley pot, I did not add small white beans, though this is my recommendation. Takes it to a new level! Sometimes, I cut the carrot portion in half and sub in sweet potato for a slightly different, and yes, sweeter flavor. Remember, any recipe can be used as just a base recipe for you. Feel free to substitute, add, adjust etc to your taste buds or simply to use whatever is left in your fridge. Waste nothing! Slurp, spill, slobber, and sip yourself into autumn… Enjoy!
- 9 small to medium carrots- diced loosely
- 3/4 package sliced (medium in thickness) mushrooms - I prefer white or cremini
- 10.5 ounces cooked barley
- 32 ounces veggie broth (I usually add a couple teaspoons of Better than Bouillon as well)
- 1 medium yellow onion - diced loosely
- 3 cloves garlic - diced loosely
- Olive to coat pan
- Salt & pepper to taste (be mindful of your salt usage pending upon how much sodium your veggie broth has)
- Oregano to taste (I enjoy quite a bit)
- Optional (but extremely recommended): 1 can of small white beans
- Place olive oil in pot on low-medium heat. Add onion and a dash of salt. Cook for about 3 minutes
- Add garlic. Cook for about 1 more minute
- Add mushrooms and a dash of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes more
- Add carrots, oregano, and veggie broth (bouillon as well if using). Cook until carrots are soft. Approximately 10 minutes
- Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender
- Return pot to low-medium heat and add barley and small white bean (if using). Stir occasionally and add any remaining oregano, broth, salt/pepper you'd like
- Let cook on low for approximately 10-15 minutes
- Enjoy!
- Substitute half the portion of carrots for sweet potato!
- You can also add 1/4 dry white wine for a different flavor.
- Pinot Noir
Creamy Tomato & Cauliflower Soup
Dear April & Fraya,
I will never forget the first time we hung out together, came back from the cold arboretum, and headed to April’s kitchen for the making of this amazing vegan, healthy, and delicious Creamy Tomato & Cauliflower Soup. What a freakin’ day we’d had thus far! Let’s just say I most certainly cannot and will not share the contents of our hilarious day. I’ll let your mind try and concoct crazy ideas of its own. It was a very, crazy, fun day, for sure! Oh to be 25 again. I don’t know that I could survive it twice though! Thanks for the recipe, April! Miss you girls daily! Xo
To everyone else reading this post: This recipe is so ridiculously easy and delicious. It is loaded with flavor, requires very few and super cheap ingredients. I love creamy soups that are actually healthy. Who doesn’t?! Winter blizzards need winter warmth. Wrap yourself up in this soup with some awesome hearty bread, and a nice glass of wine. Enjoy and stay warm!
Creamy Tomato & Cauliflower Soup
- 1 lg head of cauliflower cut into florets
- 4 cans of good diced tomatoes
- 2 cans of white beans (save liquid from cans)
- 1 lg onion - diced
- 3 cloves of garlic - diced
- 2 C vegetable broth
- 1/4-1/2 C dried oregano (I like a lot)!
- 3 Tbl olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- In large pot, heat oil. Add onions & salt - cook for approximately 3-5 minutes
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds to a minutes more-stir constantly
- Add white beans with liquid from cans. Add more salt and add pepper. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes and turn up heat a bit
- Add tomatoes & half of the oregano. Cook & stir for about 10 minutes
- Take off heat and blend with immersion blender
- Put back on heat and add the broth, cauliflower, and the rest of the oregano
- Cook for about 10-15 minutes
- Serve with a hearty & healthy bread
- *If you want it thicker, use more beans or less broth. Thinner, add more broth.
- Serving sizes varying depending on if this is a meal or a side
- White- Pinot Grigio
- Red- Rioja
Best Veggie Inspired Pho Ever!
As promised, here is my follow-up recipe that is in the picture below with the Sesame Noodles. Also, I’d like to mention that I am desperately trying to get all of my ancient photos into my recipes so that I can solely move forward with proper food photography. If you’ve read my “About Me” you’d know that in order to get this blog up and running I needed to use crappy iPhone and other crappy photos from well before I’d ever owned an amazing camera and had thoughts of food blogging or food photography. Bear with me! Soon enough I’ll be able to only post my newest and ‘best-est’ photos for you. Until then, you’re stuck with this.
Onwards, this dish was served in addition to my Sesame Soba Soy Scallion Noodles for hubbies bday. I had absolutely no idea how this was going to turn out but thankfully, it was amazing! Full of flavor, pretty, and instantly popular. After a few bday beers let’s just say we were indeed slurping it up, however, not slurping gracefully. It reminded me of my teenage years when my mother told me to never order pasta on a date. Not because one should never do that, but because I, specifically, should never do that. Thanks for the advice, mom! I think you just may have been right. With that in mind, slurp sloppily and enjoy!
- 8 oz rice noodles - cooked
- 1/2 C shitake mushrooms - loosely diced
- 1 small head of broccoli - loosely chopped
- 1/4 edamame beans - (optional)
- Large handful of cilantro
- Large handful of basil - chopped very loosely
- 1/4 C soy sauce or Braggs Amino Acids
- 4 C vegetable broth
- 1 onion - diced
- 2 Tbl sesame oil
- 2 red chilis - seeded
- 2 pieces or 1/4 inch piece of ginger - chopped
- 1 lime - juiced
- 3-4 cloves of garlic - minced
- 3 stalks lemongrass - diced
- 4 scallions - diced
- 1/2 C bean sprouts
- 1 Tbl peppercorns
- 1 Tbl toasted black sesame seeds
- Add 3-4 cups water, vegetable broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, onion, chilis, ginger, garlic, lime juice, lemon grass, peppercorns into a pot. Bring to boil for 15 minutes and then simmer for 15-20 minutes more.
- Stain the broth when done to remove everything but the actual broth itself.
- Add noodles, broccoli, mushrooms, bean sprouts, basil, and edamame. Stir.
- Separate into individual bowls and smother in cilantro, scallions, and sesame seeds.
- Done!
- Serves 2 large bowls or 4 average sized bowls.
Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup
PUMPKIN COCONUT CURRY SOUP
- 20 oz pumpkin puree
- 3 cups veggie broth
- 2 Tbl grapeseed oil
- 1 small diced onion
- 2 cloves diced garlic
- 1- 1 1/2 Tbl Thai red curry paste (pending upon the strength you'd like)
- 1 1/2 C coconut milk (plus extra for a drizzle if you'd like)
- salt to taste
- cilantro & pumpkin seeds to garnish
- Heat the pot with grapeseed oil and add onion. Pinch with salt. Cook for approx 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the pumpkin and stir in for about 30 seconds-1 minute.
- Add veggie broth and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and puree. Bring back to stovetop.
- Add coconut milk and curry paste then stir.
- Stir occasionally on low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
- Drizzle coconut milk (optional)
- Top with cilantro and pumpkin seeds
- I make my own pumpkin puree by steaming and blending the pumpkin with a little bit of water.
Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup
A delicious Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup. Vitamin and protein packed! Healthy, quick, easy to make, and delish! Slurp up and enjoy on a cold day!
- 3 Tbl olive oil
- 2-3 C vegetable broth (depending on the thickness you prefer)
- 1 onion- diced
- 2 heads of broccoli
- 1 carrot-diced
- 1 can of cannellini beans
- 2-3 Tbl flour (depending on thickness wanted)
- salt & pepper to taste
- Heat the oil in the pot and add the onion. Let cook for 3-5 minutes
- Add the carrot and cook for another 3-5 minutes
- Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes
- Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute
- Add a pinch salt, white beans, and broth. Let cook for 3 minutes
- Take your immersion blender and blend until smooth
- Heat, stirring occasionally, the soup for about another 5-10 minutes. Add the rest of the salt & pepper
- This is so easy and delicious! Perfectly creamy soup for a cold day.
