Creamy dreamy kale and broccoli

24 Jan posted by

I don’t know about you but around this time of year when the snow is falling and I’m bundled in sweaters I find it very hard to eat salad.  I love a fresh salad in the spring, summer and fall but come winter I find myself having to force those greens in and I’m always looking for ways to creatively include them in my diet.  As the snow fell today and I realized we were going to be housebound I started rummaging through my fridge and found one lone bunch of kale, some broccoli and left over rice.  I instantly knew what to do and from these three simple ingredients a creamy dreamy kale and broccoli soup was born. The rice gave the soup some body and provided a little thickness while the kale and broccoli added a huge hit of nutrition.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  It’s definitely going to be a staple from here on in!

Creamy Dreamy Kale and Broccoli Soup

Creamy dreamy kale and broccoli soup
Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli – largish
1 bunch of kale
2 c brown rice cooked
8 c of vegetable stock (approx. 2 boxes from the store)
4 c water
1/2 c nutritional yeast
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

After cleaning the broccoli and kale place the pieces into a large stock pot along with the brown rice.
Add the stock and water.
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium.
Cook the soup until the kale and broccoli are very soft.
Remove the pot from heat and carefully begin to puree the mixture in your blender.
Once the soup is pureed return to to the stove and add the nutritional yeast and salt and pepper.
Stir well and continue to heat on low until you are ready to eat.

Extra Information:

This soup was so easy and had a wonderfully silky texture. I recommend pureeing your soup and putting it in a large bowl so you have time to clean out the pot.  I did this as there was a lot stuck to the sides of my pot and I didn’t want it to interfere with texture.  I’m glad I did, it was worth it!

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Filed Under: Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Healthy Living, Plant Based Diet, Recipe, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

26 Sep posted by

It’s fall. I’m sure you are aware of this but I absolutely love fall and feel the need to announce it’s entrance at every opportunity. The produce, the sweaters, the leaves and the crisp air come together to create a season that is absolutely majestic and quite a delight to the senses. When we arrived home one of the things I couldn’t wait to get my hands on was some local produce. The first thing I was able to find was some cauliflower which I immediately knew would be turned into a soup of sorts.

There is a sort of a cleansing period that happens after holidays for me. I don’t know if you feel the same way but after a period of indulgence I need to take a step back, clean out my system and discover the healthy foods I love once again. I came home with a craving for cauliflower soup and I knew it would have to be clean and fresh. I wanted something that had flavor but wasn’t heavy at all. This roasted cauliflower soup fit the bill perfectly. In roasting the vegetables you get a richer, deeper flavor. Adding a bit of nutritional yeast allows for a hint of cheesy taste without any heaviness.  It was the perfect end to a lovely fall day.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Serves 4-6 people

 Ingredients:

  • 2 heads of cauliflower
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 8 cloves of garlic
  • 4 c of vegetable stock
  • 4 c of water
  • 1/2 c nutritional yeast
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Cut the cauliflower into small pieces and place on the sheet.
  • Cut the onion into rings and place on top of the cauliflower.
  • Toss the garlic cloves in with the cauliflower and onion.
  • Roast the vegetable mixture in the oven until the vegetables are browned for about 25-30 minutes.  Keep a close eye on the vegetables to prevent burning.
  • When the vegetables are brown remove from the oven and place in a large stock pot along with the veggie stock and water.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat.  Cook until the cauliflower is soft.
  • When the cauliflower is finished remove the soup from the heat and puree until desired texture is reached.
  • Stir in the nutritional yeast.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Enjoy!

Extra Information:

  • You could of course substitute Daiya cheese shreds or cheese in place of the nutritional yeast but it will definitely give the soup a heavier texture.
  • We enjoyed our soup with a loaf of crusty whole wheat bread.  It was perfect!
  • This would be a lovely first course for a fall dinner party.

 

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Filed Under: Food, Healthy Living, Plant Based Diet, Recipe, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

Warm Spicy Carrot Soup.

2 Feb posted by

As I looked in my fridge this afternoon and pondered what we should have for dinner I noticed 3 bags of shredded carrots that I purchased earlier this week on sale and hadn’t done anything with.  It was a dreary, cold day here with brown grass staring at me through the window so I needed something warm and comforting.  Looking at the carrots and thinking of soup I thought I’d try something a little different than the usual Curried Carrot Soup I make.   As I looked in the cupboard I found I was still moved towards an Indian flavor but wanted something milder with a fuller flavor.  This Warm Spicy Carrot Soup was the answer.  Because it was late when I began this venture I took a few shortcuts.  As a result it came together in less than 30 minutes and my husband absolutely loved it!

Warm Spicy Carrot Soup 

Ingredients:

  • 3 lb of shredded carrots
  • 8 c veggie stock
  • 3 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp tumeric

Instructions:

  • In a large stock pot place the shredded carrots, veggie stock, onion powder and garlic powder.  Stir a few times to combine.
  • Bring mixture to a boil, stirring a few times while cooking.
  • In a small bowl combine the garam masala, chili powder and tumeric.  Set aside.
  • Once it is boiling, turn heat down to medium and continue to cook until the carrots are soft.
  • About 15 minutes into the cooking process add the spice mixture.  Stir well and continue to cook.
  • Once the carrots are cooked, blend mixture well.
  • Serve!

Extra Information:

  • I use an immersion blender for this but you could easily blend it in a stand alone blender or food processor.  Don’t over blend.  A little texture is a good thing.
  • This serves 4-6 people or one very hungry husband {and his wife}.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Eat Clean, Food, Healthy Living, Plant Based Diet, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wellness on Whatever Day
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