Creamy mushroom barley soup
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked*
1 cup water*
7 cups low-sodium vegetable stock*
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3/4 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup pearl barley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp msg
1/2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar
1/2 tsp salt + additional salt and pepper to taste
* If not using the cashew cream, omit the cashews and water and simply use 8 cups stock
Soak the cashews and then blend along with the water until smooth. Set this and the vegetable broth aside.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often, then add mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in the blended cashew cream, vegetable broth, barley, bay leaves, thyme, minced onion, and msg, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer until barley is tender, about 50 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, then stir in the lemon juice or vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
White bean and chard soup
1/2 bunch chard, chopped
3 large carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 potato, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 15 oz. cans great northern beans
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp dried minced onion
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt, divided
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add the carrots, celery, potatoes, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the minced garlic and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, stock, thyme, minced onion, paprika, and bay leaf. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 35 minutes. Add the chard and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, then stir in the remaining 1 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a slightly thicker soup, use an immersion blender to puree some of the beans and vegetables into the soup.
Summery Lentil Soup
3 medium carrots, diced
3 medium zucchini, diced
3 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried minced onion
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup green and/or red lentils, rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
juice from 1/2 lemon
black pepper and additional salt to taste
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add the carrots, zucchini, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and onion and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, lentils, vegetable broth, water, and the herbs. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, then add the remaining 1 tsp salt, the cayenne, and the lemon juice and stir. Use an immersion blender to puree the whole vegetables into the soup. Add additional salt and pepper as needed.
Curry Lentil Soup
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1.5 tbsp grated ginger
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 jalapeño, de-seeded and diced
4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
2 cups hot water
1 cup green lentils, rinsed well
3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed well
2 small red or purple potatoes, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 tbsp lime juice (from half a lime)
1 tsp salt
Add the vegetable oil to a large pot and place on medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the ginger, garlic, cumin seed, coriander, curry powder, garam masala, and jalapenos and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the vegetable stock and hot water, the green and red lentils, and the potatoes and carrots, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and cook at a mild simmer for 1 hour. Add the salt and lime juice and cook for 2 more minutes, uncovered. Add more salt to taste if needed. Use an immersion blender to slightly puree to desired thickness.
Vegetarian Chili
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 serrano or green bell pepper, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn
4 oz can diced green chiles
1 15 oz can kidney beans
1 15 oz can pinto beans
1 15 oz can black beans
1/2 cup dry TVP
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tbsp ground chiles
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cane sugar
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
juice from half a lime
salt to taste
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the garlic, peppers, zucchini, and potato. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients except for the lime juice and salt, then bring the chili to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add lime juice and salt to taste.
Groundnut Stew with Lentils
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried minced onion
1 tbsp ground chiles
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup peanut butter
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup green lentils
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 3/4 tsp salt
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the ginger, garlic, coriander, ground ginger, dried onion, and ground chile. Cook for one minute, stirring frequently, then add the tomatoes and peanut butter and stir to combine. Stir in the vegetable stock, then add in the lentils, carrots, and bell peppers. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Stir in the salt and lemon juice, cook for another 2 minutes, then add additional salt to taste.
Chickpea Peanut Stew
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp fresh ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried minced onion
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 15 oz cans chickpeas
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 bell pepper diced
1 cup water
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cane sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the ginger, garlic, coriander, ground ginger, paprika, dried onion, and pepper flakes. Cook for one minute, then add the tomatoes and peanut butter and stir to combine. Stir in the water and add the chickpeas and peppers Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered over low heat for 20 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Add additional salt to taste.
Crockpot White Bean Chili
2 15 oz. cans white beans
2 15 oz. cans chickpeas
3 cups vegetable broth
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried minced onion
1 cup chopped green chiles
1 cup frozen corn
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
10 grinds black pepper
1 tbsp non-dairy margarine
1 1/4 tsp salt
Drain and rinse the beans, then add to the pot of a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except for the margarine and salt and cook on low for 8 hours. When finished cooking, add the margarine and salt, then add additional salt to taste.
Crockpot Black Bean Soup
2 cups dried black beans
6 cups vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 medium sweet potato, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp liquid smoke
1 tsp dried minced onion
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
First things first, we're not soaking these black beans for very good reasons, but we are going to rinse and pick them over first. Add the rinsed beans to the slow cooker along with all of the ingredients except for the salt and the lime juice, then cook for 10 hours on low. When the soup is finished, remove the bay leaf and add the salt, lime juice, and black pepper. Add additional salt if needed. To finish the soup, use an immersion blender just long enough to thicken the soup, keeping some beans whole. The soup can also be cooked in a pot on the stovetop: saute the garlic in the oil, add the sweet potato and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients except for the the salt, lime juice, and black pepper, then cover the pot, bring to a boil, lower the heat to low and simmer for two hours before seasoning. Makes 10 cups.
Crockpot Red Lentil and Squash Curry
1 3/4 cups dried red lentils
6 cups vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can coconut milk
2 large carrots, diced
1 acorn or delicata squash, diced
1 cup frozen green peas
2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp salt
Add all of the ingredients except for the lemon juice and salt to a slow cooker. Cook for 8 hours on low. When finished, stir in the lemon juice and salt. Add additional salt if needed.