Soup Recipes from Club Members
The history of soup is likely as old as the history of cooking itself, according to food historians, with evidence of the first soup dating back 6,000 years. The word comes from the French word, "soupe" and the Latin word "suppa," which means, "bread soaked in broth." Homemade soup can be a wonderful compliment to any meal, or can be a meal in an of itself. Check out these fantastic soup recipes -as healthy as they are delicious.
Basic Miso Soup
a vegan recipe contributed by Steve and Toni Roberts
1 to 1½ quarts of water
a large pinch of ready-to-use wakame
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrot, daikon or other root vegetables
1 cup greens (kale, cabbage, collard, etc.)
Miso to taste, up to ¼ cup
Any other vegetables desired (broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini squash, etc.)
Optionally, add cooked quinoa to taste
First, add wakame to water and bring to boil while cutting up onions and root vegetables. Add them after cutting. As water approaches its boil, add greens and cook until almost done. After a brief boil, reduce to a simmer and add miso, making sure soup is not too hot, which could kill the enzymes of the miso, and let simmer for a few minutes, being sure not to bring back to a boil. When adding miso, draw off a cup of the liquid soup and mix the miso in well to ensure that it dissolves, then mix it back into the entire soup. Keep repeating this (a tablespoon or so at a time) until desired flavor is achieved. Add the cooked quinoa at the end, or serve on the side. Note: A lot of variations of vegetables can be used with miso soup. Add them after the onions and root vegetables and before the greens. Shitake mushrooms and/or cubed tofu can also be added, and are best added early to ensure adequate cooking. Miso is very good for the digestive system and wakame is a sea vegetable, full of healthy minerals. Purchase high quality miso and cook this soup at least once per week.
Apple-Butternut Squash Soup
a vegetarian recipe contributed by Donna Blankenship
1 tablespoon ghee
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 red or golden apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, plus
1 apple, finely diced and tossed in lemon juice, for garnish (optional)
2 teaspoons sea salt
1½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper- optional
¼ teaspoon kelp seasoning
2 cups homemade or store-bought, low-sodium vegetable stock
2 ½ cups water, plus more if needed
1. Melt ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. 2. Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, kelp, stock, and the water (just enough to cover). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes. 3. Puree in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, and return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary. To serve, ladle into shallow bowls; garnish with diced apples, and sour cream if desired. Helpful Hint-The soup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to a month; let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Reheat gently before serving (thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator). A Thanksgiving-worthy soup blends tangy, sweet apples with mellow butternut squash; cumin, coriander, ginger, and cayenne add vibrant flavors. Serves 6
Cream of Mushroom Soup
a vegetarian recipe contributed by Donna Blankenship
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ghee
½ med. onion, chopped fine
1 med. portabella mushroom, cubed
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1 tsp. kelp granules
5-6 tablespoons arrowroot powder (mix into small amount of water then add)
2 cups broth or water
3-4 cups rice milk
In a large saucepan or frypan, melt olive oil and ghee over moderate heat. Add onions and mushrooms, cook until onions become transparent. Add thyme and kelp. Stir in arrowroot mixture and cook 2-3 minutes. Add broth, bring to a simmer, whisk in the milk to desired consistency. Serve immediately or add to other dishes.