Soups:
Lentil Soup:
Lentils are a staple in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking and make a thick, rich, and delicious soup. They're also a good source of calcium, iron, and vitamins A and B. With bread and a salad, it's a whole meal. I like to cut up some tofu wieners in it near the end of cooking. (Yves brand from Canada is the best.) But most of all, on a cold night, a filling soup like this is perfect nourishment for warming body and soul.
1 pound green (regular) lentils Bay leaf
3 large carrots
2 stalks celery
1 large yellow onion
2 cups crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil Vinegar (red wine, cider, or balsamic, optional) Salt and pepper to taste
1. Pick over lentils to remove any stones, dirt, and other foreign objects. Wash them well in cold water and place in a large pot with enough cold water to cover lentils by 6 inches. Add 1/3 of the bay leaf.
2. Bring to a boil, skim off foam, lower heat, and boil gently, partially covered, until lentils are just tooth-tender, about 45-60 minutes.
3. Add carrots, peeled and sliced, celery, sliced, and the onion, halved and thinly sliced. Cook partially covered till carrots are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
4. Add olive oil, salt and pepper, and crushed tomatoes. Simmer, partially covered, until lentils become very creamy and soft, at least 1 hour more. Stir occasionally and add boiling water if necessary to prevent sticking.
5. Add more pepper if desired, along with some vinegar. Remove bay leaf before serving.
6. Serve up hot with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese as a garnish and enjoy.
Pumpkin Soup: One of Australia's favorite winter soups:
1/2 x Butternut pumpkin cut into 2.5cm cubes (skin removed)
1/2 x Queensland blue pumpkin cut into 2.5cm cubes (skin removed)
2 cups vegetable stock
1 onion, finely diced
1 glove of garlic
1 tablespoon butter
250g sour cream
1/4 cup chives stilton cheese (optional)
1. Saute onion and garlic in a large heavy-based saucepan.
2. Add vegetable stock and bring to boil
3. Add both types of pumpkin pieces and bring to boil
4. Turn down heat to slight bubble and cook until pumpkin is tender
5. Use hand blender and puree
6. Return to stove to reheat
7. Serve in individual bowls
8. Add dolop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped chives. Bon appetite. If you cannot get Queensland Blue or butternut pumpkin, just ensure use two different types of pumpkin for flavour. For extra flavour, add some stilton cheese after it has been pureed, before returning to reheat.
Roasted Vegetable Soup:
3 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 stalks celery, trimmed and roughly cut
1 large onion, roughly cut
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
4 cups water
1/4 cup dried mushroom pieces (Italian porcini, if possible)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme salt and black or red pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 500°F. Place the carrots, celery, and onion in a small (8 x 8 inch) nonstick pan or dish with the olive oil. Toss to coat the vegetables. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. Remove pan from oven, add the garlic, and toss again. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are browned.
3. Remove pan from oven, add 1 cup of water and stir to loosen any vegetables that may be stuck. Pour this into a pot with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Season to taste with salt and black or red pepper, and serve or use as the base for other soups, stews, or pasta dishes.
Servings: 4.
Calories 239,
fat 5 g (19% of calories from fat), saturated fat 1 g,
protein 8 g,
carbohydrate 42 g,
cholesterol 3 mg,
fiber 5 g
Nutritional benefits: Monounsaturated fat; micronutrents, including carotenoids in carrots
Creamy healthy tomato soup:
This delicious soup is a great source of lycopene, a chemical that may help prevent cancer, & this recipe uses soy milk instead of milk or cream.
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds fresh, ripe Italian tomatoes, chopped (about 6 cups)
8 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked
1 cup soy milk salt and black and red pepper to taste
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, basil, or dill, chopped
Directions:
1. In a large pot, saut the onions in the olive oil until they are soft, then add the fresh tomatoes and stir until the mixture boils.
2. Remove the dried tomatoes from their soaking water and chop them coarsely. Add them and their soaking water to the pot and cook, stirring to prevent sticking.
3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the soy milk, and season to taste with salt and black and red pepper.
4. Serve in bowls with the chopped green herbs as garnish.
Servings: 3.
Calories 196,
fat 7.5 g (31% of calories from fat), saturated fat 1 g,
protein 7.1 g,
carbohydrate 30 g,
cholesterol 0 mg, fiber 8 g