Vegetable “Clean out the Fridge” Soup

1 can plum tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup vegetables (suggested: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
½ cup peeled cubed sweet potatoes or squash
¼ cup uncooked farro or quinoa
2-3 teaspoons Taco Seasoning Mix (or a mix of cumin, cayenne, and paprika)
¾ cup beans (suggested: mix of chickpeas, edamame, and black beans)
2-3 tortillas
½ cup salsa (optional)
Cubed avocado, for garnish (optional)
Cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Vegan cheese, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
In a small saucepan, cook farro or quinoa according to directions on package.

Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, pour can of tomatoes, taco mix or seasoning and begin to heat.

If necessary, cut vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Soften vegetables and squash in the microwave until tender, 4-6 minutes.

After about 10 minutes of simmering, add beans, squash, and cooked farro. Simmer for additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut tortillas into fourths. Place one tortilla chip at a time on a plate and microwave for 2 minutes, flip, and microwave for an additional minute until crisp.

Transfer soup to bowl and serve with microwave tortilla chips (which make for excellent dunking) and cilantro, hot sauce, avocado, or whatever else your heart desires.

10-Spice Vegetable Soup

FOR THE SOUP:
3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked
6 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced sweet onion (about 1 medium)
1 heaping cup peeled and chopped carrots (about 3 medium)
1 red bell pepper or 1 cup jarred roasted red pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potato, regular potato, or butternut squash
1 heaping cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
1 (28-ounce/796-millilitre) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 to 2 tablespoons Homemade 10-Spice Mix, to taste
Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 to 3 cups baby spinach or destemmed torn kale leaves
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or other beans, drained and rinsed
HOMEMADE 10-SPICE MIX (MAKES 1/2 CUP):
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
Place cashews in a bowl and add enough water to cover. Soak the cashews overnight, or for 8 hours. For a quick-soak method, soak the cashews in boiled water for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain and rinse the cashews.
In a blender, combine the soaked and drained cashews with 1 cup of vegetable broth and blend on the highest speed until smooth. Set aside.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Season generously with Herbamare or sea salt.
Add the carrots, bell pepper, potato, celery, and diced tomatoes with their juices, the remaining 5 cups broth, and 10-Spice Mix. Stir well to combine . Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Season with salt and black pepper.
Simmer the soup uncovered for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and black pepper. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the cashew cream, spinach (or kale), and drained beans. Add more 10-Spice Mix, to taste.
To freeze, ladle the soup into containers (leaving 1 inch for expansion), cool completely, secure lid, and place in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
Tips:

If you don’t wish to make the 10-Spice Mix, feel free to use your favorite store-bought Cajun or Creole seasoning mix and add to taste.
You will have leftover spice blend. Store it in a container and keep it handy anytime you want to spice up a dish! It's great in pasta sauces, soup, as a tofu seasoning, in a stir-fry, and more.
When thawed, this soup's broth looks a bit grainy, but rest assured when it's heated up again it will return to its former smoothness. Regardless, it'll taste just as good!


Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2014/10/02/10-spice-vegetable-soup-freezer-friendly-vegan-gluten-free/#ixzz47KPdpdtQ

Farro Soup with Mushrooms

• 1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 medium potato, chopped
• 1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup farro, rinsed
• 6 cups beef broth (or vegetable for vegetarian)
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste

In a bowl, cover dried porcini mushrooms with a cup of boiling water and set aside for about 20 minutes. Remove from bowl and finely chop the mushrooms; reserve soaking liquid. Slice crimini mushrooms and set aside.

In a pot, heat oil and sauté shallot and potatoes over medium heat until onions soften, for 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for a few seconds. Add sliced crimini mushrooms and cook until they begin to release liquid, 7-10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, then raise heat and add the farro and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Stir in broth and sherry.

Add reserved porcini liquid and porcini mushrooms to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 40 minutes, until barley becomes tender. Stir in balsamic vinegar; then adjust seasonings and serve.

Black Bean Avocado Soup

2 California Avocados
1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 cup potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup fresh spinach
1/3 cup cilantro leaves and stems
1 can black beans (15 oz)
1 cup chicken broth
3 teaspoons cumin
3 TBSP salsa (or 1 tablespoon tomato paste)
3 slices Canadian bacon, chopped

Peel and quarter one of the California Avocados.
2) Place quarters in blender.
3) Season with salt and your other favorite guacamole mix-ins, pureeing until creamy smooth.
4) Spoon creamy avocado into plastic bag for piping. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Directions for Black Bean Avocado Soup:
1) Peel and quarter the other California Avocado. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside until ready to use.
2) Separate 1/3 cup whole beans from can of black beans (liquid reserved).
3) Saute carrot, onion, red bell pepper and celery in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until softened (5 minutes). Season with salt and black pepper.
4) Add garlic, jalapeno, Canadian bacon and potatoes. Stir in chicken broth and salsa.
5) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until tender (15-20 minutes).
6) Add spinach and cilantro. Stir and simmer uncovered until spinach begins to wilt (5 minutes).
7) Add black beans with liquid to the broth mixture. Simmer an additional 5 minutes.
8) Carefully transfer mixture to blender. Puree until smooth. Return puree to pot.
9) Stir in reserved black beans, chopped tomato, chopped California Avocado and cumin. Salt and pepper to taste.
10) Serve piping hot. Garnish with California Avocado spider web.

HEARTY WHITE BEAN VEGETABLE SOUP

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 large leek, sliced into ½″ rings, washed well to remove any sand and drained in a colander
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1½ cups cooked white beans, rinsed (one 15 ounce can or homemade from dry beans)
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 6-8 cups vegetable or chicken broth, or water
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cups diced butternut squash
• 4-5 kale leaves, ribs removed, roughly chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onions starts to soften. Add the carrots, celery, and leeks. Continue cooking, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, being careful not to let it burn.
2. Next add the tomato paste and stir well. Let cook for 30 seconds then add beans, diced tomatoes, broth, thyme, and butternut squash. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste. (It might not need much salt if the broth is salted.) Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
3. Add the chopped kale and let cook for another 5-10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
4. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with warm rolls or bread on the side.

Read more at http://hellonatural.co/hearty-vegetable-soup-weekly-meal-plan/#uErChDm3VfcRImQx.99

Easy Green Minestrone

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 whole celery stalks, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (1/2 teaspoon dry)
1 bay leaf
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 pound waxy red potatoes (4-5 small potatoes), cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pound small-shaped pasta, like shells or elbow macaroni
6 ounces greens, like spinach, kale, or chard, cut into ribbons
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, like Great Northern or canneloni, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated parmesan cheese, optional, to serve

In a large soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and cook until the onion and celery are soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the chicken broth, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer the soup for 5 minutes. Add the green beans and simmer for another 5 to 10 minuets, until both the potatoes and the green beans are tender.

While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and set aside.

When the vegetables are tender, stir the greens and the white beans into the soup. Simmer until the greens are wilted and tender, 1 to 3 minutes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

To serve, add a scoop of pasta to each bowl and ladle the soup over top. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese and pesto over top, if using. Store pasta and soup leftovers separately; they will keep refrigerated for 1 week.

Recipe Notes:

• Parmesan Broth: If you're in the habit of freezing parmesan cheese rinds, add one to this soup as it simmers for extra flavor.
• Drizzle of Pesto: In the summer, a drizzle of pesto over the top of this soup is a beautiful thing. If you have some in your fridge, I recommend it!

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-easy-gre-15249

Slow Cooker Italian Vegetarian Bean Soup

• 1 lb. dry Great Northern Beans
• 2 ribs of celery, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. fennel seeds
• 2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 Tbsp. finely grated parmesan cheese (opt)

1. Combine the beans, celery, onion, carrots, fennel seeds, oregano, garlic powder and red pepper flakes and 5 cups of cold water in a 3 quart slow cooker. Cook on high for 5 hours, until beans are tender.
2. If desired, drain to remove the bean cooking liquid which sometimes causes gas. Whether you drain the beans or not you’ll need to add more liquid. Add enough water to achieve desired soup thickness (it will be between 2-4 cups). Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon of the parmesan cheese

Coconut Lentil Soup with Lemongrass and Ginger

• 2 cups red lentils (or yellow split peas), sorted and rinsed well
• 1 onion, diced
• 6-8 cups vegetable broth (can also use chicken broth or water), add less for a thicker soup
• 2 cups diced pumpkin or butternut squash
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1 Tablespoon lemongrass paste
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated (use a microplane)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh garlic
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder (or to taste, some powders and pastes are spicier than others)
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or frozen (or strips of lime zest)
• salt, to taste
• a little sugar
• fresh cilantro, garnish
• sliced green onions, garnish
• sliced green or red Thai chiles, garnish
• hot cooked rice, for serving (optional)

1. Place lentils, onion and vegetable broth in a 3-4 quart pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until lentils start to soften, about 15-20 minutes. Add the diced squash, coconut milk, lemongrass paste, ginger, garlic, and kaffir lime leaves. Season well with salt, to taste. Bring back to a low simmer and cook until the lentils have completely broken down and squash is tender. Taste and adjust any seasonings as desired. Add a pinch of sugar.
2. To serve, ladle soup over hot, cooked rice and garnish as desired.

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http://www.thekitchn.com/the-5-best-types-of-soups-to-freeze-tips-from-the-kitchn-214854

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Moroccan Lentil and Vegetable Stew

• 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.16
• 1 medium yellow onion $0.36
• 4 cloves garlic, minced $0.32
• 4 stalks (about half a bunch) celery $0.65
• ½ Tbsp ground cumin $0.10
• 1 tsp turmeric $0.10
• 1 tsp cinnamon $0.10
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
• 1 (19 oz.) can chickpeas $1.89*
• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes $1.39
• ½ lb. frozen cauliflower florets $0.83
• 6 cups vegetable broth $0.63**
• 1 cup brown lentils $0.68
• 1 bay leaf $0.15

Instructions

1. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté both in a large pot with olive oil over medium heat until softened. Dice the celery while the onions and garlic are sautéing, then add to the pot and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes more.
2. Add the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Stir and cook the spices with the vegetables for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), chickpeas (rinsed and drained), and cauliflower florets (no need to thaw). Stir the pot until everything is well mixed.
4. Add the vegetable broth and bay leaf, turn the heat up to high, place a lid on the pot, and allow it to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, add the lentils. Stir and let it come back up to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Let the stew simmer on low, with the lid, for 30 minutes.
5. After simmering for 30 minutes, the lentils should be tender. Remove the bay leaf and give the stew a taste. Add salt if needed (this will depend on the type of vegetable broth used. I did not add any additional salt), then serve.

SIMPLE BLACK BEAN SOUP

• 1 pound dried black beans (about 2 1/2 cups), rinsed
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 ripe avocado, chopped

Soak the beans overnight or 6 to 8 hours prior to cooking. Drain and rinse.

In a large pot, bring 1/2 cup water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in cumin and chipotle and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add drained beans and 10 cups water. Bring soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until beans are tender. Remove 4 cups soup and carefully purée in a blender. Return purée to pot and stir in cilantro, nutritional yeast and lime juice. Spoon into bowls for serving and garnish with avocado.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/simple-black-bean-soup

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

• 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice blend
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (from about 1 small onion)
• 1 cup diced carrots (from 2 medium)
• 1 cup diced celery (from 2 - 3 stalks)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (measured from 3 14.5 oz cans)
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp lemon zest

• Prepare rice according to directions listed on package.
• Halfway through the rice cooking, in a separate large pot, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and saute until slightly tender, about 4 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Add chicken broth, thyme, marjoram, sage, rosemary and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high, add chicken and bring mixture to a boil. Cover pot with lid and allow mixture to boil 12 - 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (rotating chicken to opposite side once during cooking for thicker chicken breasts - if they don't fully immerse in broth). Remove chicken and set aside on cutting board to cool 5 minutes then shred into small bite size pieces. Meanwhile reduce heat to low and add cooked rice. Add shredded chicken to soup.
• In a separate medium saucepan (I just rinsed and wiped out the rice pan), melt remaining 6 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook 1 1/2 minutes, whisking constantly. Then, while whisking vigorously, slowly pour milk into butter/flour mixture. Cook mixture, stirring constantly until it thickens. Add milk mixture to soup mixture in pot and cook about 5 minutes longer, or until soup is thickened (at this point, you can simmer the soup for a longer period of time if you want the rice to soften more, just cover with lid first and stir occasionally. You can also add what's left in the remaining can of chicken broth). Stir in heavy cream and lemon zest and serve warm.
• http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/02/creamy-chicken-wild-rice-soup/