Millet and Miso vegetable soup

I found this recipe in Janella’s Super Natural Foods by Janella Purcell. I like miso but have never cooked with millet, so I thought ‘why not try something new?’.  I had to do a bit of a search for it in the shops. Although we are seeing quinoa in the supermarkets these days, millet has not appeared yet. I ended up getting a bag of it from a health food shop.

I mostly stuck to the recipe but I did double the amounts, as I wanted more than 2 serves the original made.  You can use any type of miso and either paste or powder form is okay.   The other change I made was cooking it for a bit longer, so the vegetables not as firm. You can play around with the times,  as you wish, but perhaps stick to  10 minutes for the millet.

What you will need:

4 cups of finely chopped vegetables ( such as spinach leaves, Zucchini, bokchoy, snow peas, carrots)

2 cups miso

1/3 cup millet

1 litre vegetable stock

You can also add 1 tsp of any seaweed  or 2 tsp grated ginger to the stock, if you like.

Method:

Bring the stock to simmer over medium heat in a pot.

Rinse the millet and add to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the miso and cook for another 5 minutes.

Turn off heat and let stand with lid on pot, for about 10 minutes before serving.

Broccoli Pasta Soup

You can’t get much easier than this for a quick, low fat meal. I found this one in The McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook: Over 300 Delicious Low-Fat Recipes You Can Prepare in Fifteen Minutes or Less by John and Mary McDougall. This is a nifty little recipe for throwing together something for dinner after you get home, too tired from a day’s work to cook something too involved.

What you will need:

8 cups vegetable broth (I use Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon powder. I have found it in several healthfood shops. )

4 cups broccoli cut into florets (about 1 medium to large head of broccoli)

250g (approx.) uncooked pasta (I like to use Orgran Vegetable Rice Pasta which you can find in health food shops and supermarkets, in their healthfoods section)

1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce (optional, as it depends on how salty your stock is)

Dash or two of Tabasco sauce

Method:

Place the broth in a large pot and bring to boil. Add the pasta and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until almost done. Add the remaining ingredients, stir and turn off heat. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes. Serve with bread. I like having this with plain toast - gluten free, of course! 

Dr. McDougall's Right Foods

I have been trying out quite a few recipes from Dr McDougall's website lately, and have been reading his books (check out his book "The Starch Solution"). There are also quite a few of his food products on the shelves at Coles (in the health foods section) and in health food stores.
Although there is quite a range, I have only seen a handful available here, so I will cover those that I have tried. Note that all of the range is vegan though only some are also gluten free.
These are for light lunches and snacks. I tend to boost the noodle cups by adding some chopped up cooked veggies to them.

In the Noodle Cup range, my fave product, hands down, is the Miso Ramen Noodle Soup. So tasty! Not gluten free, though, so this is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. I have found this one to be the easiest to find in Coles. The next more common one is the gluten free Pad Thai, which I also like though not as much as a the Miso Ramen. I have seen in some health food stores, the Tortilla Soup with Baked Chips which I wasn't all that keen on.





There is also an Asian Noodle Cup range. These are 'entree' size which means, even bolstered by cooked chopped vegetables, there really are only snack sized. My two favourites from this range are the Teriyaki Noodle and the Spicy Kung Pao Noodle. These tend to be a little harder to find, but have sometimes found them in Coles.

Apart from the noodle cups, I have also found the Ready To Serve Soups. Some of these come in Low Sodium varieties. I have also found these in Coles, in amongst the health food section. They are just the right amount for a lunch meal and are super tasty. I think my favourite is the Split Pea Soup. Again, there is quite a few varieties in this range but I have only seen a few in the shops - the Lentil Soup and the Minestrone Soup. Both are flavoursome.

It is good to know that a major supermarket stocks some vegan convenience food. Sure, nothing beats home cooked but when you are tired or lacking time, or even travelling, having these kind of products to hand is great!

Potato and Fennel Soup

This is a simple recipe that I found and adapted from the book “Party Vegan” by Robin Robertson.  If you are not overly keen on fennel or new to it, you will be pleased to know that the taste of it is not too overpowering in this soup.

What you will need:

1 large shallot, coarsely chopped (optional)

4 cups vegetable broth ( I use either Massel stock cubes or Marigold Bouillon powder. Both are vegan and the former is available in supermarkets, whilst the latter is a health food/organics shop item)

Approx.. 400g potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes

1 large fennel bulb, chopped

½ cup rice/soy milk (I use Bonsoy, as it does not have sweet flavour)

Dried or fresh tarragon

Method:

If using, cook shallot over medium heat, in half a cup of water until soft.

Add broth, potatoes and fennel and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are soft – about 20 minutes.

Puree until smooth. Mix in the rice/soy milk and sprinkle tarragon over the top. 

Easy Spinach, Lime and Ginger Soup

This is so simple to make and tastes good too. I found it “Mouthwatering Vegan” by Miriam Sorrell.

What you will need:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 ½ tsp finely grated/minced fresh ginger

1 medium onion, chopped. Optional. I left it out and soup tasted fine.

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped. Optional. Again, I left it out and the soup was fine without it.

400g frozen spinach or 600 fresh

4 cups of vegetable stock (You can find the Massel range at supermarkets and yes, it is vegan.)

Juice of 1 lime

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground cardamom

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add onions and ginger. Saute for a minute and then add garlic. Sauté for another minute.

Add spinach and cook, stirring got a minute or if using fresh, until wilted.

Add stock and cover. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Remove from heat and using a hand held immersion blender, blend the mixture.

Add the lime juice and spices. Process for 1 minute and then serve. Add salt and pepper if you wish.

Spicy Red Lentil Soup

This is one the most gorgeously tasty soups I have had in a long time. I found it in “Veganissimo!” by Leigh Drew, who happens to be Australian. (Yay!)  I would recommend doubling the ingredients because you WILL want seconds or leftovers for the next day.  I decided to not blend the soup at the end, as I like chunky soups. If you do this, I suggest finely grating the ginger instead of chopping.  I omitted the onion and garlic (still tasted great without them) and used water instead of oil for the sauté step. I also omitted the tomato paste, as I felt it didn’t need it but feel free to use if you like.

What you will need:

½ cup water

1 small carrot (finely chopped)

1 celery rub (finely chopped)

1 small onion – optional (finely chopped)

1 garlic clove – optional (minced)

1 piece ginger (approx. 2.5 cm), peeled and finely chopped or grated

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp ground cumin

1 ½ cups dried red lentils

½ tbsp tomato paste (optional)

1 can diced tomatoes

5 cups salt reduced vegetable stock (I use  Marigold vegan salt reduced )

Method:

Heat water in a large pot, over medium heat. Add carrot, onion (if using), celery, garlic (if using) and ginger for 15 minutes or until vegetables have softened.

Add the chili flakes, ground coriander seeds and ground cumin. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.

Add red lentils and tomato paste (if using) and stir well to combine.

Pour in canned tomatoes and vegetable stock. Reduce heart to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lentils should have broken down and be soft. If not, cook for longer.

The next step is optional. Remove pot from heat and use a stick blender to bend the mixture until it is smooth.  Serve.

LaZuppa Classic Bowls

I am finding that more and more vegan friendly products are showing up on our supermarkets, which is great. My latest discovery is the LaZuppa Classic Bowls range. These are available in Coles and Woolworths, found in the same section that has the canned and packet soups. Whilst not all the range is vegan, a lot of it is.




The portions sizes are perfect for lunch, as they are the equivalent of a good sized bowl of soup. I have been having one a week for lunch at work, during the cooler months. All you need is microwave oven and about two minutes. Easy.




I have tried all the vegan varieties and they all get the 'thumbs up' from me: Spinach and Chickpea; Pumpkin; Minestrone; Ribbolita Tuscan Vegetables;  and Moroccan Pumpkin with Chickpea. They are as close to home made tasting soup that I found on store shelves, so far.
And they are also gluten free!

Recipe: Creamy Potato Soup

I have really been using my slow cooker, lately, thanks to "The Vegan Slow Cooker" by Kathy Hester. This is another recipe I lifted from her cookbook. This is good on its own or you can use it as a base for other creamy soups, adding broccoli, spinach or carrots.

What you will need:
4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into medium sized cubes.
1 clove garlic (optional)
2 cups water
2 tbsp chicken flavoured vegan bouillon (I use Massel brand, available in supermarkets
1 sprig fresh rosemary
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup soy milk ( I use Bonsoy, as it is not sweet. Available in supermarkets)

Method:
Combine potatoes, garlic (if using), water, bouillon, rosemary, salt and pepper in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Add the soy milk. Remove rosemary sprig.
Puree the soup with a hand held immersion blender.
You can serve topped with shredded vegan cheddar cheese, if you like.

Recipe: Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Another slow cooker recipe from "The Vegan Slow Cooker" by Kathy Hester. This one is  a thick, creamy soup, and very easy to make.

What you will need for the Sour Cream:
1 1/2 cups raw cashews OR equal amount of silken tofu (This is the super soft kind)
1 cup water
juice of half a lemon


Method for the Sour Cream:
Combine the ingredients in a blender and puree until fairly smooth.

What you will need for the soup:
2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized onion, minced (optional)
Approx. 600g mushrooms, chopped
4 cups water
1/2 tbsp vegan chicken flavoured bouillon ( Massel are a good brand. Available in supermarkets.)
Juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp paprika

Method for the soup:
If using onion, saute in a pan, over a medium heat, using the olive oil. 3-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown and give off their liquid, 8-10 minutes.
Combine the sauteed vegetables, water, bouillon, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and paprika in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Add the sour cream and sir to combine. Serve.

Recipe: Split Pea and Apple Soup

I would not have thought that apple would have gone well with the other ingredients in this soup recipe, but oddly enough, it does.

This recipe is from the book "The Vegan Slow Cooker" by Kathy Hester. As indicated by the title, you will need a slow cooker for this recipe.

This recipe is gluten free.

What you will need:
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 medium sized carrots, chopped
1 medium sized apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
6 cups water
2 tbsp vegan chicken flavoured bouillon (the Massel brand is available in supermarkets and is vegan)
2 cups split peas
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt to taste
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method:
Combine all the ingredients except for the balsamic vinegar. Cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Remove the bay leaf and add the balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine and the puree soup with a hand held immersion blender. Serve.

Recipe: The 5 C's soup

With the current heatwave we are having in Australia, I think this raw vegan soup would be ideal. No slurping of hot food or heated up kitchen, preparing it. Lifted from  the cook book “Raw Food Kitchen” by Dunja Gulin.

What you will need for the soup:

3 medium cucumbers or 2 continental cucumbers

1 medium zucchini

1 large avocado

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup coconut milk, unsweetened (I used light coconut milk)

½ tsp curry paste or powder

Dash of chilli powder

1 to 2 cups warm water

What you will need for the pesto:

4 tbsp chopped raw cashews

4tbsp olive oil

Handful fresh coriander

Method for soup:

Peel and chop cucumbers. If using continental variety, no need to seed. If using others, with large seeds inside, remove.

Peel and chop zucchini and avocado.

Place chopped vegetables, lemon juice, coconut milk, curry paste/powder, chilli powder, a pinch of salt and 1 cup of water in a blender . Blend until smooth. Add more water if you wish. Add more salt in needed and stir well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Method for the pesto:

Put all ingredients in a food processor or use a hand held blender and process until you get a thick paste.

Ladle soup in bowls and top with a tbsp. of pesto. Dust extra chilli powder on the top and serve.

I found that this recipe makes enough to serve 4.

Recipe: Sweet potato white bean soup

This is another slow cooker recipe that I have lifted from 'The Vegan Slow Cooker' by Kathy Hester.
It calls for the use of Swiss chard which I could not find in the supermarkets. I did end up finding it in a farmer's market, like the Stirling Markets in Stirling but that was after I made this. I substituted the Swiss chard with sliver beet which worked well but next time I will give it a go with the Swiss chard, now that I know where to find it.

What you will need:
1 medium sized sweet potato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
5 cups vegetable or vegan chicken-flavoured stock. (I suggest using Massel or Marigold)
2 cups chopped Swiss chard or sliver beet is you can't find the chard. (If you prefer, stem parts can  be discarded and use onlt the green leafy parts of the silver beet.)
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme or half that if using dried
2 sprigs parsley, chopped

Method:
Combine the sweet potato, garlic, celery, tomatos, beans and stock. Cook on low in the slow cooker, for 6 to 8 hours.
20 minutes before serving, add Swiss chard or silver beet , thyme and parsley. Cook until the Swiss chard or silver beet is tender. Add salt to taste, if desired.

Recipe: Split pea and lentil soup

A little while back, I was browsing in Planet Books which has a considerable vegan cookbook collection, when I came across this beauty: "The Vegan Slow Cooker" by Kathy Hester. I like using my slow cooker because it is so easy and you can plan do most of the work overnight, switch it on in the morning, go to work and then come home to a hot meal and a house full of aromas. And I do believe slow cooked meals are tastier, too.
My main problem, however, was finding a cookbook with just vegan slow cooker recipes. So imagine my glee when I found this book.
Over the last few weeks, my partner and I have been trying out a few recipes. This one is absolutely delicious. The split pea gives it a nice thick consistency and the herbs make it very aromatic. Try it!

What you will need:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced (optional)
1 cup lentils
1 cup split peas
6 cups water
2 tbsp vegan chicken flavoured bouillon (You can use Massel which is gluten free and vegan. I have fond it at IGAs and in health food shops.)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried tarragon
Half tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried rosemary
170g baby spinach
salt, to taste

Method:
You can do this part the night before if you wish: If you are using the onion, saute it over medium heat in a pan, for 3 to 5 minutes. Store it in a container in the fridge, ready to use the next morning.

In the morning: combine the sauteed onion, lentils, peas, water, bouillon, bay leaves, tarragon, marjoram, rosemary and salt in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Approximately 30 minutes before serving, add spinach and stir through.

Recipe: Mediterranean lentil soup with spinach - slow cooker style

I have included a few other recipes on this blog, that feature lentils but this is the first one in which I have used a slow cooker to prepare them. I am a big fan of slow cookers. You prepare, switch on and then forget about them for a few hours. You can even go out of the house for a while and come home to a gorgeous aroma. And I do truly believe that food tastes better for being prepared in a slow cooker. This recipe is a definite winner.

What you will need:

1 cup green or brown lentils

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped (optional)

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

Half tsp ground cumin

1 potato, peeled and grated

6 cups vegetable stock

250g of spinach leaves, roughly chopped or whole

1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

Rinse lentils in cold water and set aside.

In a pan, heat oil over medium heat and add onions, celery and carrots.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring.  Add garlic and cumin, and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Transfer mixture into slow cooker and add lentils, potato and stock.

Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 6 hours, until vegetables are tender. Add spinach and lemon juice. Cover and cook on High for 20 minutes and then serve.

Recipe: Peasant Cabbage Soup

Winter has been a great excuse for me to finally try out all the new soup recipes I have been collecting over time. This one has to be one of the easiest ones I have tried. Finding a tin of haricot (navy) beans proved to be surprisingly hard. I ended up finding some at an organics store. If you have trouble finding them as well, just substitute with cannellini beans instead.

What you will need:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped (optional)

1 large carrot, chopped

1 large potato, chopped

Quarter cabbage, finely shredded

1 red bell capsicum, chopped (optional)

4 tomatoes, chopped

1 tin haricot (navy) beans

1 litre vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

Method:

Heat oil in a pot and add onion, carrot and potato. Saute,  stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer gently for approx. 30 minutes. Serve.

Recipe: Country House Soup

Where I got this recipe from is a mystery to me, but what I can tell you is that it is delicious, easy and chunky, with root vegetables forming the basis of it.

What you will need:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, roughly chopped (optional)

3 carrots, cut into chunks

1 large turnip, cut into chunks

1 large swede , cut into chunks,

1 parsnip, cut into chunks

1-2 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp dried oregano

Half tsp dried marjoram

Half tsp dried basil

1.5 litres of vegetable stock

1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes

Half cup dried small macaroni ( I use gluten free)

1 can (400g) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

Heat oil in a large pan and add onion, cooking over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables, canned tomatoes, tomato puree and dried herbs.

Pour in stock and bring to boil. Stir, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add pasta and bring to boil, stirring and then simmer, uncovered for 5-10 minutes, so the pasta is cooked.  Add beans and cook fir further 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add parsley. Serve hot.

I have topped my bowl of soup with a product called Rawmesan which is a vegan version of Parmesan. It is made by Gopal's Healthfoods, of which I have blogged about before. Their Rawmesan is delicious on soups and gives that cheesy flavour. It is gluten free and although it is not cheap, it will last you quite a while. I got mine from Alive Organics.

Recipe: Pumpkin Chickpea and Fivespice soup with Lemon Cashew Pinenut Sour 'Creem'

My partner got this recipe from a friend who got it from a friend who....? It calls for something called ‘Chinese 5 spice’ which I had never heard of before and was thinking I had to go to some asian grocer to find. Not so. It is available in supermarkets right there next to all the other spice jars.

This soup is sweet and spicey and the sour ‘creem’ is very tangy. Together, they are very complimentary.  I was advised that Chinese 5 spice is quite strong, so I opted for half of what the original recipe suggests and that turned out to be good advice. But if you are use to and like spiciness, go for the whole teaspoon or more if you like.

What you will need:

For the soup:

1 onion (optional)

2 garlic cloves (optional)

4 cups vegetable stock

600g pumpkin

400g can of chickpeas

2 carrots

1 tbsp tomato paste

Half to 2 tsp Chinese 5 spice

1 tsp dried thyme

For the sour ‘creem’

Three quarters of a cup raw cashews (soaked in water overnight)

Quarter cup raw pinenuts (soaked in water overnight)

Half cup lemon juice

Method – soup:

Bake pumpkin and carrots with thyme and olive oil in a moderate oven for 20 minutes until soft.

If using, sauté chopped onion and garlic with a little olive oil until soft.

Once cool, place all ingredients into a blender and puree with additional stock if needed. (Set aside quarter of chickpeas and add later if you like a chunkier soup.)

Reheat soup before serving.

Method – sour ‘creem’

Discard water nuts have been soaking in. Rinse nuts and place in blender with lemon juice. Blend until smooth.

Swirl or just add sour ‘creem’ to top of soup when serving.

Recipe: White bean and Orzo Minestrone

Another super easy recipe from the book “The Everything Vegan Cookbook” by Jolinda Hackett and Lorena Novak Bull.

This recipe calls for Orzo which is a very small type of pasta used in Greek and Italian dishes. It looks a lot like rice in shape and size. I have been unable to find a gluten free version of this type of pasta but you can buy the regular wheat variety in supermarkets and failing that, continental/import deli-type stores.

So, without a gluten free variety on hand, I made this recipe with the smallest gluten free pasta I could find. Worked just as well.

What you will need:

3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

1 onion, chopped (optional)

2 ribs of celery, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

5 cups vegetable broth

1 carrot, sliced

1 cup green beans, chopped

1 large potato, shopped small

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp basil

Half tsp oregano

Three quarter cup pasta

Method:

In a large soup pot, heat garlic, onion and celery in olive oil until just soft – approx 3-4 minutes.

Add vegetable broth, carrot, green beans, potato, tomatoes, beans, basil, and oregano. Bring to simmer, cover and cook on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes.

Add pasta and heat another 10 minutes, until pasta is cooked.

Recipe: Peruvian Quinoa Vegetable Soup

As you might have guessed by looking at the recipes on this blog, I love soups. They are super easy to make, nutritious, and taste oh so good. I found this one in the book "The 30-minute vegan". If you are not keen or chili or a bit of a 'lightweight', as I am, you can just add a dash of some mild chili powder instead.


What you will need:
7 cups of vegetable stock
3 tbsp soy or tamari sauce
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 and a half cups chopped potatoes
1 large carrot
3/4 cup diced onion (optional)
4 garlic clove, minced (optional)
1 cup sliced cabbage
1tbsp seeded and minced jalapeno or other chili pepper
2 large tomatoes
quarter cup minced fresh coriander
quarter cup minced fresh parsley

Method:
Place the water or vegetable stock and soy/tamari sauce in a large pot over medium high heat. Add quinoa.
Begin prepping the vegetables and place them in the pot as you go, starting with the potatoes, carrot, onion, garlic, cabbage, jalapeno and tomatoes.
Cook until potatoes are tender and quinoa is cooked. (approx 20 minutes from when the quinoa was added)
Add coriander and parsley.
Serve.

Recipe: Quinoa Minestrone Soup

I love minestrone soup and I love quinoa, so when I came across this recipe in the book "Quinoa 365" by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming, I knew I had to try it. The book's recipe is vegetarian but veganizing it was very simple to do.

It is a an easy recipe and the results are unbelievably tasty! In fact,  I would suggest doubling all the ingredients to make enough for leftovers, as it tasted just as good the next day, reheated. The amounts given below will serve two very hungry people or perhaps 3-4 entree sizes.


What you will need:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion (optional)
1 medium carrot, diced
2 medium potatoes, diced
half tsp salt
1 can diced tomatoes, including liquid
half cup quinoa
2 tsp minced fresh garlic (optional)
1 small to medium zucchini, diced
1 tsp nutritional yeast
1 cup thinly sliced spinach
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
3 cups vegetable stock ( I use Marigold Swiss Vegan Vegetable Bouillon powder)

Method:


Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion (if using), carrot, potato and salt for about 7 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes and their liquid, vegetable stock, quinoa and garlic (if using).
Cook for approx. 18 minutes, until quinoa and vegetables are tender. Add zucchini and nutritional yeast, and simmer for 10 more minutes.
Stir in the spinach and parsley and cook for 1 minute.
Serve.