Category: Soup - Naturally Nourished

Chick(pea) Noodle Soup

10/14/2018

Few things say comfort more than a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup. Except for the chicken of course! On a cold and snowy day, all I could think about was curling up with a blanket and getting cozy with a bowl of this ultimate comfort food. By substituting the chicken for chickpeas, swapping the chicken stock with vegetable stock and adding some fresh herbs for the classic flavor, this soup is like a hug in a bowl.

Chick(pea) Noodle Soup

1 tablespoon coconut or avocado oil (I used Nutiva’s butter flavored coconut oil)
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks of celery, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 cups of chickpeas, cooked and drained
8oz gluten-free pasta, uncooked (I love Banza pasta!)
2 quarts No-Chicken Broth (you can also use vegetable broth but the flavor will not be the same)
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
1.5 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
Salt to taste

In a soup pot or dutch oven, heat oil of choice over medium-high heat. Add carrots and celery and cook until veggies begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add broth, chickpeas, bay leaf and thyme to the pot. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Add the pasta to the pot. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir and lower heat back to medium (to prevent the pasta from being broken) and cook until pasta is tender (cooking time will vary depending on the type of pasta that you use).
When the pasta and veggies are tender, stir in parsley and add more salt if needed.

Jackfruit Pozole

7/20/2018

Pozole is a traditional stew from Mexico, made with hominy, shredded pork and fresh toppings. To me, it is one of those dishes that can bring comfort on a cold day and still be enjoyed in the summer's heat. My take on pozole keeps the hominy but ditches the pork. Instead, I use jackfruit, which provides a great texture while keeping the dish kind. This stew is so yummy, even the meat eaters will be pleased. Added bonus, it is even better the next day as leftovers! Quick, tasty and sure to please!

Jackfruit Pozole

1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cans of jackfruit, drained and rinsed
1 can hominy, drained and rinsed
4 oz diced green chiles, I used frozen but you can use canned
4 cups veggie broth
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cumin- split
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
optional: 1/2 tablespoon vegetable Better than Bouillon
Toppings: diced avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced raddish, sliced fresh jalapenos, lime, tortillas

Rinse and drain jackfruit. Shred the jackfruit and remove any seeds you may find. I like to use my hands for this step.
In a Dutch oven, add coconut oil over medium-high heat. Saute onions until they become soft and slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon of cumin and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the jackfruit and stir well to coat with the onions, garlic and cumin. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until jackfruit starts to brown slightly.
Add in the rest of the cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Add the hominy, green chiles and broth. Stir well and add the bay leaves.
Bring stew to a boil, lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes. After soup has simmered, give it a taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I added a little vegetable Better than Bouillon to mine, as it provided a deeper flavor. This is not traditional and totally optional.
Once the pozole is ready, add to serving bowls and pile on the toppings! For me, the toppings are what really help bring this dish to life. I love the flavor of the fresh lime, cilantro and jalapenos. The radishes are traditional and provide a nice texture. The avocado and warm tortillas (I love Siete brand!) are what complete the dish. Enjoy!

Roasted Carrot & Ginger Soup

10/13/2017

Carrots and ginger are the perfect match for this healing soup. Bringing loads of vitamin A and antioxidants, carrots form the base for this soup. The addition of ginger not only adds a warming element, but also contributes many bioactive compounds which have been found to relieve nausea and pain, reduce inflammation, and possibly help to prevent cancer. This soup is the perfect meal on a cold day when you need to be warmed from the inside out. It is also quite medicinal when you are feeling under the weather and need something to help boost the immune system.

Roasted Carrot & Ginger Soup
(serves 4)

3 cups of carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 lb.)
1 1/2 - 2 Tablespons fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, diced
the juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk
2 Tablespoons of oil (avocado or coconut), divided
salt and peper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss chopped carrots with 1 tablespoon of oil and a little salt and pepper. Spread carrots evenly onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender (about 20 minutes).
While carrots are roasting, add 1 tablespoon of oil to your soup pot. Cook the shallot over medium heat until lightly translucent (about 4-5 minutes). Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute more).
Add the vegetable broth to the pot and stir. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to help remove bits that may have stuck to the bottom.
From here you have two choice. A) Once the carrots are cooked thoroughly, place them along with the vegetable stock, shallots, ginger and garlic into a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. Return mixture to your soup pot. This is how I like to prepare this soup because I love the smooth texture my Vitamix give the soup. OR B) Once the carrots are complete, add them to your soup pot. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.
Add your coconut milk and lemon juice to your carrot mixture. Bring to a light boil, stirring well, and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Taste soup and add any additional salt and pepper you may need. Serve with your favorite toppings- hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sliced almonds, toasted pistachios, or croutons.

Calabacitas Chowder

8/31/2016

A few years ago I had the opportunity to stay in Albuquerque. NM, for an extended period of time. During my stay I fell in love with all things hatch green chile. I had green chiles in the past, but growing up in the Atlanta area, nothing came close to comparing to these! Best of all, they were used in almost everything and in ways I would have never imagined.

So here I am, back in Atlanta, and still loving (and missing) hatch green chiles. While at Trader Joe's one day I came across frozen hatch green chiles and was so excited to find them. Inspired by these tasty peppers and enjoying the flavors of summer these last few weeks before the Equinox, I have created a Calabacitas Chowder. Calabacitas is squash in Spanish, and was another dish I discovered in New Mexico. I have combined each of these elements into a tasty, hardy vegan chowder. I hope you give it a try and get a little taste of my love of New Mexico.

Calabacitas Chowder

2 Tablespoon grapeseed oil, split
1/2 large vidalia onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 summer squash, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 1/2 cup corn (about 3 ears if using fresh, shucked)
1 1/2 cup pinto beans, prepared (1 can rinsed and drained can be used)
1/2 cup Hatch green chiles, diced (I used frozen, which I find better than canned. I'm sure fresh is even better but not an option where I am)
1/2 cup cashew cream (see note below)
3-4 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Once hot, add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add squash and saute. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once squash starts to break down, add 1 cup of vegetable stock and simmer covered until squash becomes translucent, about 10 minutes or so. Transfer squash to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Mixture will be on the thicker side, smoothie like consistency.
With squash mixture set aside, add oil to soup pot and allow it to heat over medium setting. Once hot, add corn to the pot. Saute corn until it begins to brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
Add beans followed by cumin and coriander. Stir well and allow to cook for about 2 minutes.
Add green chiles and stir.
Add squash mixture, lower the heat to low or medium low, and stir to incorporate everything together.
Add in your cashew cream. This will thicken the chowder even more. If too thick add more vegetable stock until you reach your desired consistency. I recommend adding 1/2 cup at a time. Allow this to simmer over low heat for another few minutes. Stir to prevent any sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Taste soup and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve and enjoy!

** To make the cashew cream for this soup I soaked 1/2 cup raw cashews for 2 hours. Drain cashews after soaking, add to high speed blender, and add 1/2 cup vegetable stock. Blend until smooth.

Creamy Corn Chowder

3/2/2016

Spring is just around the corner, but that does not mean soup season has to end. Truth is, I love to eat soup all year round. Corn chowder has always been one of my favorite soups. The combination of corn and potatoes tastes like a bowl full of comfort. As I have continually cut dairy out of my diet, finding a corn chowder recipe that is rich and creamy has been tough to come by. I am pleased to say the search for that is now over! I have omitted the heave cream that you typically find in corn chowder, and replaced it with cashew cream. The results are truly delicious and better than any other gluten-free and vegan corn chowder recipe I have ever had. Give it a try for yourself and see what you think.

Creamy Corn Chowder
(makes about 6 servings)

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 shallot, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag frozen corn (organic,non-gmo), thawed
3 medium Idaho potatoes, cut into cubes
6 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, stems removed
salt & pepper to taste
crushed red pepper to taste (optional)

Soak raw cashews for two hours. Drain and add cashews to high-speed blender. Add one cup of water and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minutes more.
Add vegetable broth and potatoes, and bring to a boil. Allow potatoes to boil for about 8 minutes.
Add corn to the soup and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 minutes more.
Add cashew cream to the soup, along with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for for 5-8 minutes more. Stir occasionally to prevent soup from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Give soup a taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve and enjoy!

Tortilla Soup

2/3/2016

This easy tortilla soup is great for anytime of year. I enjoy it equally on summer nights or cold winter days. Loaded with lots of veggies, it is both vegan and gluten free. You can add your favorite toppings, making this soup specific to your taste. The best part, you don't have to spend all day in the kitchen preparing it.

Vegan Tortilla Soup
(serves 6)

1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 Tablespoons cumin
1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
4 cups vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
1.5 cups black beans
1.5 cups pinto beans
1 cup corn
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 jalapeno, chopped with seeds removed (jalapeno is optional)
2 cups fresh chopped spinach
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1/2 a lime
Toppings: avocado, addition lime juice, cilantro, tortillas or tortilla chips, cheese (vegan), sour cream (vegan)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft (3-5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more. Add cumin and chili powder and cook for 1 minute, continuously stirring. Add vegetable broth, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add beans, corn, chopped green chilies, and jalapeno. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add spinach, cilantro, and lime juice and cook for five minutes more. Remove from heat and serve with your favorite toppings.

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

9/28/2015

We are officially in fall which means I can eat all the butternut squash I want! Butternut squash soup felt like the best way to welcome the season so I put together an easy soup with lots of flavor. Topping with hemp seeds not only give a nice texture, but also provides a great source of protein, omega-3s, fiber, antioxidants, and many other valuable nutrients.

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 4-5 cups)
2-3 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup whole fat, unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoon curry
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, diced
1 tablespoon coconut oil
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper to taste
hemp seeds for topping

In a large pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat
Once hot, add shallots, garlic, and ginger. Saute 2-3 minutes.
Add curry, nutmeg, and allspice, and cook for 30 seconds.
Add butternut squash, salt and pepper, crushed red pepper if using, and stir well coating squash with all seasonings.
Add vegetable stock and coconut milk to the pot. Bring to a boil, stir, cover pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow soup to simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until squash is soft.
Remove soup from heat and use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth.
Give soup a taste and add any additional seasoning you may need. Simmer soup for a few more minutes to further combine flavors.
Serve soup topped with hemp seeds.

Coconut Curry Veggie Soup

7/9/2015

I love soup regardless of the season and coconut curry Thai soup is one of my favorite. For this recipe I have loaded it with green veggies for extra nutritional goodness. The soup is light and satisfying, and way healthier than what you would get if you ordered Thai take-out. Plus, it's easy to make and tastes delicious!

Coconut Curry Veggie Soup

1 cup uncooked basmati rice
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed & greens chopped
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
3/4 cup green peas
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3 tablespoon red curry paste
2 cans unsweetened coconut milk
4 cups vegetable broth
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro + more for garnish
salt to taste and crushed red pepper for spice (optional)

Prepare rice according to package directions and set aside
In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and red bell pepper and cook until onion becomes translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger cook for about 1 minute more.
Add vegetable broth and coconut milk. Stir in curry paste one tablespoon at a time, until well combined.
Bring soup to a boil. Add broccoli, peas, and collard greens and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow soup to simmer until veggies are soft but not over-cooked, 8-10 minutes.
When veggies are ready, remove soup for heat. Add in salt and crushed red pepper to taste, rice, lime juice, and cilantro.
Serve immediately.

Samosa Soup

6/18/2015

I am a lover of yummy foods packaged in little pillows of dough. Empanadas, spring rolls, pierogies, pupusas, you name it! I love them all and could eat them for every meal. Of all the yummy pockets of food, samosas might be my all time favorite. Because these savory pastries are high in fat and almost always contain gluten, I was inspired to create a samosa soup, which would offer all the yummy flavors of a samosa without the fat and gluten.

Samosa Soup
(serves 4-6)

5-6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes cubed. leave skins on if organic
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion roughly chopped
1/2 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 Tablespoon cumin
1/2 Tablespoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
3 cups of vegetable broth (may need more if soup is too thick)
1/3 cup coconut milk (do not use lite milk)
juice of 1/2 lime
1 cup green peas
salt to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
fresh cilantro

Place cubed potatoes in large pot of boiling water and cook until fork soft (about 20 minutes). Drain once cooked and set aside.
In a large pot melt coconut oil over medium heat and cook onion until it starts to become soft. Add garlic and ginger and cook for about 2 minutes more. Add in seasonings and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Add 2/3 of the cooked potatoes to the pot, leaving the remaining to the side. Pour in 3 cups of the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and blend until smooth with a stick blender.
Once blended add the remaining potatoes, peas, coconut milk and additional stock if needed. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add lime juice, salt and optional red pepper, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve soup topped with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Spring Pea Soup

6/3/2015

One of my favorite travels thus far is the trip I took to Ireland a couple of years ago. Though the food wasn't necessarily a highlight, there is one thing that I absolutely loved eating: the mushy peas. I know, I know, mushy peas do not sound all that appealing. In fact, I know several people who will not even think about eating peas, mushy or not. The truth is, I have always loved green peas. Because of that and the fact that mushy peas will warm you up on a cold drizzly day, I instantly loved them.

I have created a green pea soup that is reminiscent of the mushy peas I loved so in Ireland. Peas are a great source of B vitamins, vitamin K, manganese, fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory. This soup is also vegan and gluten free. Plus, the beautiful green color is perfect for spring!

Spring Pea Soup
(Makes 4-6 servings)

2.5 cups green peas, frozen or fresh
2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & chopped
1-2 T grape seed oil
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot chopped
1 leak, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 small container of plain coconut milk Greek yogurt
3-5 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot once oil is hot. Cook for about 2 minutes

Add the leaks. Cook for about 5 minutes more, or until onion is translucent.

Add in potatoes and peas. Stir to mix well. Add vegetable broth, cover and cook for about 20 minutes.

Once potatoes are soft, soup should be cooked long enough. Taste soup to decide if you need any salt and pepper. I added a few cracks of fresh pepper and just a dash of sea salt. Remove thyme from the stem and add to soup.

Remove pot from heat. Add in the coconut Greek yogurt. Using either and immersion blender or regular blender, blend soup until smooth. If using regular blender, be sure to to in a few batches, so that the blender is not too full.

Serve and enjoy!