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Soups

Roasted Garlic-Beet Soup from Whole Living Magazine

Makes 4 cups

Heat oven to 400.
Drizzle 3 medium beets with olive oil and roast in parchment lined foil until tender, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile drizzle 6 unpeeled garlic cloves with oil and roast in separate foil packets, about 30 minutes.
Unwrap beets, let cool, peel, and quarter.
Squeeze garlic from skin. Set aside.
Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
Add 1 thinly sliced large leek and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add beets and garlic, 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, 1 bay leaf, and 3 cups water.
Season with coarse salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer, 5 minutes.
Discard bay leaf.
Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth.
Stir in 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and adjust seasoning.

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup from Whole Living Magazine

Makes 8 cups

Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add 1 inch grated fresh ginger (2 Tbsp.),  ½ tsp. turmeric,  1/8 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. cardamom, and dash ground cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add 2 peeled and chopped carrots, 1 peeled, quartered, and chopped tart apple, 4 cups chopped butternut squash, and 3 cups water.
Bring to boil; cover partially and reduce to a simmer.
Season with coarse salt and pepper.
Cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Let cool slightly.
Working in batches, puree in a blender until smooth.
Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Weight Watchers Garden Vegetable Soup

Makes 6 servings

½ cup carrots, sliced
¼ cup onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free broth
1 cup green cabbage, diced
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup zucchini, diced

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray, and heat.
Place, carrot, onion and garlic in saucepan. Sauté vegetables over low heat for 5 minutes, until softened.
Add broth, cabbage, spinach, tomato paste, basil, oregano and salt. Bring saucepan to a boil.
Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Stir in zucchini, and cook 3-4 minutes.

Carrot-Spinach Soup With Dill from Whole Living Magazine

Makes three 3-cup servings

Make the base and then simply add fresh greens and herbs each time you serve.
For the big batch:
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 cups diced carrots
¼ tsp. turmeric
1 Tbsp. coarse salt
8 oz. green beans, cut into ½” pieces
For each serving:
1 packed cup baby spinach
3 Tbsp. freshly chopped dill
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

In a pot over medium heat, cook onion in oil until tender, about 6 minutes.
Stir in carrots, turmeric, and salt.
Add 10 cups water, bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes.
Add beans and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes.
To serve, fill a bowl with spinach and dill. Ladle 3 cups hot soup over greens, cover with a plate and let steep 5 minutes.
Add lemon juice.

Fiddlehead, Broccoli & Asparagus Soup

1 cup fiddleheads (I cook the fiddleheads first)
1 cup broccoli
1 cup asparagus
2 onions
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups half & half
1 1/2 cups real milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. nutmeg (optional)

In saucepan cook broccoli, asparagus and onions in butter until tender
Add cooked and drained fiddleheads
Remove from heat
Stir in flour, salt, cayenne
Gradually add the half & half, milk and broth, stirring until blended
Bring to a gentle boil
Add remaining ingredients and place in blender until very smooth
Adjustments may be made to suit your taste or changes to any of the ingredients

Carrot and Ginger Soup

Saute some celery and onions in the bottom of a pot
Add 12 carrots and 7 cups of water
Cook til the carrots are soft
Puree all of that with some additional fresh sage and ginger. (Keep adding ginger to taste)

A nice warm treat with some interesting spiciness. Also this is quick to reheat over several days.

SOUPE AU PISTOU (Vegetable soup with basil sauce) – The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Total cooking time: 35 40 minutes
Serves 6-8

2 medium onions
1 leek
3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
1 large sprig fresh thyme
1 large sprig fresh marjoram
1/4 cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) olive oil
1 bay leaf
375 g (12 oz) pumpkin, cut into small pieces
250 g (8 oz) potato, cut into small pieces
1 medium carrot, cut in half lengthways and thinly sliced
2 small zucchinis (courgettes), sliced
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups (2 liters) water or vegetable stock
1/2 cup (90 g/2 2/3 oz) fresh or frozen broad beans
1/2 cup (80 g/3 oz) fresh or frozen peas
2 tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup (45 g/1 1/2 oz) shell pasta

Pistou
1/2 cup (15 g/ 1/2 oz) fresh basil leaves
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup (80 ml/ 2 3/4 fl oz) olive oil

Directions:
1. Thinly slice the onions and leek. Tie the parsley, rosemary, thyme and marjoram together with string. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan; add onions and leek. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until soft.

2. Add herb bunch, bay leaf, pumpkin, potato, carrot, zucchinis, salt and water or stock. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are almost tender.

3. Add broad beans, peas, tomatoes and pasta. Cover; cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and pasta is cooked (add more water if necessary). Remove herbs, including bay leaf.

4. To Make Pistou: Process basil, garlic, pepper and cheese in food processor for 20 seconds or until finely chopped. Pour in oil gradually, processing until smooth. Refrigerate. Reheat soup and server with Pistou spooned on top.

Minestrone – The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook

Preparation time: 30 minutes and overnight soaking
Total cooking time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Serves 6-8

1 1/4 cups (250 g/8 oz) haricot beans
2 Tbsp. oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 Tbsp. chopped parsley
9 cups (2.25 litres) vegetable stock
1/4 cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) red wine
1 carrot, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 zucchini (courgette), sliced
1/2 cup (60 g/2 oz) sliced green beans
1/2 cup (80 g/2 2/3 oz) macaroni elbows
salt and pepper
shaved Parmesan cheese, for serving 

Directions:
1. Soak haricot beans overnight in water; drain.  Add to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes;  drain.  Heat oil in a pan, add onions and garlic.  Cook, stirring, until onion is soft.

2  Add tomatoes, parsley, haricot beans, stock and wine.  Simmer, covered, over low heat for 2 hours.

3.  Add the carrot, turnip, potatoes, celery and tomato paste;  simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes.

4.  Add the zucchini, green beans and macaroni. Simmer, covered, for 10-15 minjutes, or until vegetables and pasta are tender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve topped with shavings of Parmesan cheese.


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