Red Lentil Soup and Walnut Salad

We are full swing into soup weather. When I grocery shopped last weekend, I included ingredients for a big batch of red lentil soup on my list, and I've been looking forward to it ever since. I first made this recipe last year when I found it in the New York Times. I don't deviate much at all from the original recipe. I make my own curry powder using cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and cinnamon, so I just make enough to total the 6 tsp of spices the recipe calls for. I also swap vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock, and skip the lime juice. Finally, I garnished with fresh parsley and some homemade curried croutons (so good, just sprinkle cubed bread with curry spices, a drizzle of canola oil, and bake at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes).

I usually work in some raw veggies to my meals, especially if the main course isn't heavily vegetable based. I had some walnuts kicking around since I had purchased a big tub of them to make walnut bread last week, so I decided to work them into a fresh salad to jazz it up. The recipe below makes enough for 2, so multiply as needed.

WALNUT SALAD
-1 large romaine heart, chopped
-2 stalks celery, sliced
-1 carrot, sliced
-3/4 cup walnut halves or pieces
-2 tbsp brown sugar
-2 tbsp water
-dash cayenne pepper
-2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
-1 tsp mustard
-1 tsp honey
-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
-3 tbsp walnut oil

-Divide the lettuce, celery, and carrots between two salad bowls.
-Make the candied walnuts. Heat the brown sugar over medium high heat in a saucepan. Once it starts to melt, add the water and stir to make a syrup. Add the walnuts and stir constantly until the walnuts have picked up most of the syrup. Add a dash of cayenne pepper, stir, and remove from the heat. Spread the nuts out on a sheet pan covered in foil, and bake for about 5 minutes (until just fragrant and lightly colored) at 450 degrees. Remove the nuts, let them cool, and then divide them between the salads.
-Make the walnut vinaigrette. Whisk together the parsley, mustard, honey, and vinegar. Drizzle in the walnut oil while whisking and continue to whisk until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and divide evenly over the salads.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

With springtime rapidly approaching, I'm trying my best to get my fill of all my favorite wintry vegetables. And sticking with the season, I've been using them often in soups. Tonight I decided to make a soup that would warm up your body as well as your palate, so made a batch of curried butternut squash soup. Very simple, very tasty, very healthy. I served it with some toasted bread (just some salt, pepper, and olive oil on top) and a simple green salad with a homemade sesame soy vinaigrette.

CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
-1 medium onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
-1-2 tbsp curry powder, to taste (I make my own, but you can find curry powder in any spice aisle)
-1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 4 cups worth)
-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
-4 cups vegetable stock
-1 cup coconut milk (I used a light version)
-canola oil, salt, and pepper

-Heat a couple teaspoons of canola oil in a soup pot over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook until starting to soften, and add the garlic. Cook for another couple minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
-Add the grated ginger and the curry, and cook for about 1 minute while stirring.
-Add the vegetable stock, butternut squash, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes, until the squash and carrots are fork tender.
-Remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes. Then, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add the coconut milk and blend until incorporated. *Alternately, blend using a traditional blender, in batches. As always, never fill the blender more than halfway with hot liquids, and never seal the lid on tight, as you might have a butternut squash explosion.*
-Put the soup back on the heat, give a final stir, and serve.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup

I love sweet potatoes. They are very nutritious (fiber, vitamins A, B6, and C), they are filling, they are versatile, and most importantly, they are delicious. To create this recipe, I used the base of another sweet potato soup that I've been making for a long time. Then I added a twist with chipotle peppers. I served this soup with a side of Spanish rice (Near East is my brand of choice). This soup is quite spicy, which I love, but you can always reduce the quantity of chipotle peppers to tone the spicy factor.

CHIPOTLE SWEET POTATO SOUP
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-2 large sweet potatoes, diced
-1 onion, diced
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-2 carrots, diced
-4 chipotle peppers, seeded and chopped, along with 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (recommended: Goya chipotle peppers in adobo)
-salt and pepper
-pinch nutmeg
-pinch ground ginger
-1 tbsp brown sugar
-5 cups vegetable stock
-scallions, cilantro, or other green garnish

-Heat oil in a large pot, then add onion, red bell pepper, and carrot. Cook about 7-8 minutes, until softened.
-Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Stir and cook about 1 minute.
-Add vegetable stock and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
-Remove soup from the heat. Use either an immersion blender or a traditional blender to puree the soup until desired smoothness. *WARNING* If using a traditional blender, be sure to only fill the blender a third of the way and leave the lid cracked to prevent explosions. I am not kidding! Take the time to blend in batches and avoid a catastrophe. Or just get an immersion blender. It's worth the expense if you make a lot of soups and purees.
-Bring soup back up to temperature, and serve, topped with scallions or cilantro.

Tomato Soup

There's nothing better than something simple, warm, and comforting for dinner after a long day of work. So tonight, I made a big batch of tomato soup, more than enough to feed 6 people (good thing my parents had dinner with us tonight, and I need lunch for the next couple days). This is a recipe I mocked up after checking out a whole bunch of recipes, none of which I entirely liked. This recipe, despite my trepidation, came out wonderfully. It's certainly a keeper, and I'm sure it will be made again in the not too distant future.

TOMATO SOUP
-2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes (I used the Jersey Fresh brand that I have been finding in Whole Foods)
-1 32 oz. box veggie stock, low sodium
-1/2 cup water
-olive oil
-1 large onion, diced
-2 carrots, diced
-2 celery stalks, diced
-8 garlic cloves, minced
-bouquet garni of 15 peppercorns, 3 springs thyme, and 2 bay leaves
-salt and pepper
-3/4 cup half and half
-1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

-Saute the diced onion, carrot, and celery for about 5 minutes over medium heat in a large pot coated with olive oil.
-Add the garlic and saute for another 5 minutes.
-Add the tomatoes, veggie stock, water, and bouquet garni.
*TIP: Instead of doing a traditional bouquet garni tied up with string, I use a tea filter instead. It is much easier to prep, and you don't have to worry about it falling apart when you stir.
-Bring the soup to a boil, and then simmer for about 20 minutes.
-Remove the soup from the heat, and using an immersion blender (thanks mom!) blend the soup to desired consistency. I made my batch quite smooth.
-Add the half and half and balsamic vinegar, and stir to combine. Serve.

This soup was thick and hearty, and the flavor was great. I can't stress how important it is to use good tomatoes for this. In a tomato soup, you can't skimp! I am usually a San Marzano only cook, but these Jersey Fresh tomatoes have been fantastic, and are a lot cheaper (probably since they are so local, another plus). The prep is easy, the cooking time relatively fast, and the result is tasty and healthy. Don't let the half and half fool you; it is a small amount over 6-8 servings, and it really adds a touch of needed creaminess to the soup. In conclusion, I beg you. Do NOT buy prepared tomato soup when it is this easy to make your own! After making just one batch, I'm sure you will be convinced.

Not Quite Homemade Soup

Let's face it. While I'd love to make soup from scratch every night of the week, it is simply impossible. Some nights just don't have enough hours and minutes in them to do it. Luckily, I have discovered some good starters that I trust. One of them is Bean Cuisine. I have had a few different varieties, but my favorite by far is Lots of Lentil. The way this works is, the mix provides the lentils (or beans depending on the variety) and the spices. You provide the veggies, stock, and meat if you choose.

Lots of Lentil is very easy. You add carrots, onions, garlic, a can of diced tomatoes, and veggie stock. That's it. The package provides the rest, including a spice packet that smells incredible. Toss in a little salt and pepper and you're done. This does take a while to cook, but rest assured that the package recommends a lot more time than is needed. On Lots of Lentil, it suggests 1.5 to 2 hours at a simmer, but after 45 minutes, my lentils were tender and done.

These soup starters make a ton of soup, so it's a good bet if you plan on freezing it or sharing it. I made this a few nights ago for just Mark and I and packed the fridge with leftovers. Today I brought them to a friend's to reheat and share during Sunday football. If you want a big batch of hearty, homemade tasting soup, give Bean Cuisine a try. Once you do, your pantry won't be without this staple.

Carrot Soup

This past weekend, Mark and I hosted a reunion of sorts with a few good friends who have not had a meal together in far too long. It was sort of a spur of the moment thing, so I didn't have long to plan, shop, and cook for 6. I decided on soup, since it is an easy, economical way to feed a crowd (and we all know how much i love soup in general). I also had a vegan guest, and soup is an easy way to accommodate that. After trolling through a number of carrot soup recipes online, everywhere from vegweb.com to martha stewart's website, I concocted a recipe that I thought would turn out the best. I was a bit apprehensive about trying out a new recipe for so many guests, but I figured that it would be exceptionally difficult to make a recipe with these ingredients taste bad. This recipe fed 5 hungry boys and myself, and there was about a serving and a half left over.

CURRY/GINGER/COCONUT CARROT SOUP
-olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, chopped
-2 pounds carrots, scrubbed and chopped (no need to peel them, the skin is full of vitamins)
-1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
-4 cups vegetable stock, low sodium
-1.5 cups coconut milk
-salt and pepper
-1.5 heaping tsp coriander
-1.5 heaping tsp cumin
-1 scant tsp turmeric
-.5 scant tsp cayenne pepper

-Cook the garlic and onion in the olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
-Add the carrots, cook for about 3 minutes.
-Add the spices and grated ginger. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
-Add the veggie stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat in order to maintain a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
-Take soup off the heat, cool for about 10 minutes, and proceed with blending the soup in small batches. REMEMBER! Never fill the blender more than halfway and never seal the blender lid when working with hot liquids! Bad things happen, like explosions!
-Once soup is all blended and returned to a soup pot, put it back over medium heat and stir in the coconut milk. Get soup hot again and serve.

One of my guests commented on the fact that he was a little nervous about a carrot soup initially, but really liked it after all. I can see why. The flavors in this soup are bright and the texture is silky. Even the color is great. The coconut milk adds a much needed fat to the soup and makes for a nice consistency, but doesn't weigh it down. Add another soup recipe to your fall repertoire!

Corn "Chowder"

I have fulfilled my own prediction. Another soup post. Tonight, it was not so much the weather as my schedule that made me decide on this recipe. This one is as quick as it is tasty. First off, I should thank my mom, since this is her recipe that I have been enjoying for years. Tonight is the first time I have taken a stab at it, and it was just as delicious as it is out of her kitchen. The "chowder" part of the recipe is slightly deceiving; this is not your traditional chowder. No bacon fat, no milk, no cream. I suppose it isn't really chowder at all, but the name stuck, and it is a thick and almost creamy-textured soup. There is also an extremely short list of ingredients, which is always good on an evening that you just don't have time to stop at the store to pick anything up. Anyway, here's the recipe.

CORN "CHOWDER"
-1 can whole kernal corn, preferably no salt added
-2 cans corn, creamed style
-1 can vegetable stock, low sodium
-1 onion, small diced
-3 potatoes, small diced (I used 5 smaller potatoes tonight)
-2-3 tbsp butter
-black pepper

-In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and potatoes, and saute about 5 minutes.
-Add the stock, and bring to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until they are tender, 10-15 minutes.
-Add the 3 cans of corn and stir to combine. Add black pepper to taste. Cook for 10-15 minutes more. Serve.

That's it! The only thing I added was some parsley, strictly for color and a little freshness. This is by no means necessary to the recipe's success, so if you don't have it, don't worry. I just happen to have an enormous amount of parsley in my garden that needs using. I served this soup with a small french roll, and it was just enough for a filling dinner. This recipe is a great way to avoid take-out or some other generally unsatisfying dinner options on a busy night. The ingredients are easy to keep on hand, and it takes only about 30 minutes to prepare. The next time you think you don't have time to cook, pull this recipe out and give it a shot. You can thank my mom!

SOUP WEATHER!

Obviously, I am excited that summer is over as far as I am concerned, because that means it's soup season! I am one of those people who does not eat soup at all in the summer. i can't get behind eating hot, liquid based meals when it's sweltering outside. but today the high was 71 and that was all I needed. To celebrate impending autumn, I made one of my all time favorite soup recipes. It's called Nutty Sweet Potato Soup, and the recipe is care of Ellie Krieger. Now, Mark and I differ on our opinions of Ellie. She might be overzealous about healthy eating (which some people might say about me), and her eyes might open a little too wide when she gets excited, but I don't even care. She makes lots of tasty meals, and a many of them are vegetarian. Anyway, this soup is stellar. You can find the recipe here.

Do NOT change a thing, because this recipe is perfect. Well, tonight I did switch out regular sweet potatoes for white sweet potatoes. Still delicious. And on top of that, this meal is super nutritious. There is literally nothing bad for you in this recipe, and it includes a few nutritional powerhouses, like the sweet potatoes and the carrots. You even get some protein and healthy fats with the peanut butter in there. Plus, it's the perfect meal to make if you are vegan, or having vegan guests over.

My inspiration tonight was soup and sandwich. Obviously, I went all out with the soup, so I cheated on the sandwiches. I picked up a loaf of fresh bread on my way home today and simply cut a few slices, put some shredded Cabot reserve cheddar cheese on top, and toasted them up in the oven. Voila, cheater grilled cheese. Healthier too, since you avoid all that butter you would need in a pan on the stove. This hit the spot with the soup. So, be prepared! I apologize in advance if this turns into a soup blog until June, but at least you won't be disappointed when you try this recipe (and many others to come)!