Soups
Cooked Soups
Green pea and basil soup
Ingredients:
1.25L water
2x stock cubes or tsp powder (msg & yeast free) or 1ltr fresh chicken stock
1kg frozen or fresh baby peas
1 bunch washed and picked basil leaves
Method:
Put water in a saucepan and add stock cube and heat.
Add peas and simmer until cooked (ready when they float) about 5 mins
Take off heat and add basil leaves
Allow to stand and cool for 10-15 mins – allows for infusion of basil as well as blender friendly.
Blend with hand blender or process in blender till smooth.
Add back to saucepan heat and add salt and pepper as desired
Serve hot with a small basil leaf as a garnish.
Spicy tomato soup
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup raw cashews
3 cups water
1 can tomatoes or 6 fresh
1 diced onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander, fennel
1 chilli fresh or dry finely diced
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
Method:
Blend the cashews water and tomatoes and put aside. Sauté in a little olive oil the onion and garlic, then add spices. Combine with the tomato cashew mix and add lemon or lime juice and warm the mixture before serving.
Sea vegetable bouillabaisse
Ingredients:
20g mixed sea vegetables – Wakame, Arame, Kombu soak in 750mls water
1 chilli diced
1 onion diced
1-2 leeks sliced
4 bay leaves
1 grated or finely diced carrot
3 tomatoes diced
Method:
Sauté the onion, chilli and leek in a little olive oil, then add the bay leaves, the seaweed chopped up (remove any veins first) add the soak water from the seaweed and add extra 500-750mls water. Add the tomatoes and carrot and then simmer for about 20mins. This mix is also great with some sauté marinara mix. If doing this add the seafood (cooked) at the end or it will be tough if cooked for the 20min simmer time. Season to taste.
Red lentil and beetroot soup
Ingredients:
1 cup washed and drained red lentils (can soak & sprout if poor digestion)
1Tbs sesame oil
1 large white onion diced
2 chopped or grated carrots
2 medium chopped or grated beetroot
Note: grate veggies if going to puree or leave as chunks
6 bay leaves
6 cups water
10cm strip of Kombu seaweed (soak 10-15min)
Umeboshi plum vinegar to taste
Method:
Sauté onion in sesame oil, add washed lentils, beetroot, carrot, bay and water. Simmer 30mins skimming off any froth, add Umeboshi plum and salt and pepper to taste.
Asparagus Soup with Almonds and Tarragon
Serves 6
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 bunches asparagus, washed, trimmed, and diced
1/2 a purple onion, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 a bunch of tarragon
1 bay leaf
8 cups water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons raw almonds, chopped fine (optional garnish)
Place a medium stock pot over medium-high heat and add extra virgin olive oil. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season to your taste with salt and pepper. Add asparagus and stir well. Saute vegetables for an additional 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes until the amount of liquid is at the level of the vegetables. Remove from heat, place in a blender or use a hand puree stick, and puree until very smooth. Adjust seasoning and garnish with a sprinkling of almonds and a sprig of tarragon. Serve.
Roasted Vegetable and Fresh Herb Soup
Serves 6-8
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
1 large or 2 small parsnips, peeled and cut into rounds
1 small turnip, peeled and cubed
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced, white parts only
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
8 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Scatter the fresh herbs and bay leaves on the vegetables. Roast for about 50 minutes or until vegetables are tender–turn them occasionally while they are roasting. Remove from oven. Remove the herbs and bay leaves and put vegetables into a large pot. Add stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Puree until smooth.
Minestrone Soup
Serves 6
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
2 large zucchini, thinly sliced
2 leeks, washed and chopped, white parts only
2 parsnips, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 can of organic crushed tomatoes
4 cups organic vegetable stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 can of cannellini beans, drained
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the garlic, oregano and rosemary, onions, carrots, celery, leeks, and parsnips and stir-fry slowly for about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Add crushed tomato, beans, and stock. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer until all of the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more stock.
(I like to cook this soup over low heat for about an hour and a half to allow the flavor to develop. It tastes even better the next day.)
Raw Soups (can be cooked if desired)
Corn soup
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups filtered water, 3 cups fresh corn, 1 cup avocado, 1/4 cup celery, 1/4 cup onion, 1 Tablespoon wheat free tamari, 1 tsp garlic (optional), 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt (or to taste) 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional), 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (optional), 2 teaspoons coriander (optional), 1/2 cup red capsicum.
Preparation:
Cut corn from cob using a sharp knife. Dice celery and onion; peel and mince ginger and garlic; chop up coriander and dice capsicum.
Directions:
Place 2 cups corn in blender (reserve one cup for topping). Add remaining ingredients, except for the coriander and capsicum. Blend until smooth. Warm at less than 45° C. or serve at room temperature. Pour into warm serving bowls and top each with remaining one cup of corn, coriander and capsicum.
Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
6 cups butternut or Jap pumpkin cut into small cubes
1 purple onion
1 clove garlic
1tsp salt
1tsp tamari
½ cup fresh herbs – coriander or parsley
1 cup cashew pieces or almonds soaked
4tsp chicken style vegetable stock powder or cubes
Water to cover ingredients in blender
Method
Blend in high speed blender till smooth. Adjust taste with salt pepper etc to taste.
You can also add coconut milk for a creamy coconut taste.