I've been on a soup kick... I guess it's the cold weather and the storms - even here in Southern California. I hope you don't mind... I think you'll really love this one. It's a recipe from Julie Marie Sterner over at plantpurity.com and I didn't change a thing. I think it's awesome. And the cool thing is - it has no dairy! Instead, it uses a milk substitute (soy or almond) and nutritional yeast. Now if you've ever bought nutritional yeast, you know that it usually comes in a rather large container and can take a while to use. But this dish, uses 1 1/4 cups :) And, if case you've forgotten, if you're not eating meat, you'll need a good source of Vitamin B12. Nutritional yeast supplies 150% of your daily supply of it in 3 Tbl. What exactly is nutritional yeast, you might ask? It is yellow in color with a nutty, cheesy flavor and is made from an inactive yeast. It is a source of protein and vitamins, especially B-complex and is a complete protein. It is also naturally low in fat and sodium and free of sugar, dairy, and gluten. If you're interested you can read more about it at here.

printable recipe
Creamy Potato and Kale Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 box organic vegetable broth (32 ounces)
1 medium onion diced
1 large carrot diced
1 rib celery diced
1 cup of parsley chopped fine
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 clove garlic pressed or chopped fine
2 medium potatoes diced
3 large leaves kale cut into thin ribbons
1 box unsweetened soy milk (32 ounces)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 cups nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
Method:
Soup Base
1. In a stock pot combine vegetable broth, onion, carrot, celery, 1/2 parsley, sea salt, pepper, garlic, potatoes, kale and caraway seeds.
2. Bring to boil until ingredients are tender.
Creamy Sauce
3. In a sauce pot bring soy milk to a boil.
4. Incorporate cornstarch with 3/4 cups water
5. Add liquified cornstarch to boiling soy milk. Whisk thoroughly until thick
6. Turn off heat and add yeast. 
7. Once potatoes are tender remove soup base from heat. Add cream sauce and remaining parsley. Stir to incorporate.

After looking for a new, easy vegetarian / vegan dish for dinner guests, I happen upon a recipe from Eating Well. I love to visit with my friends and show them how yummy a plant-based meal can be. I changed up the recipe a bit by upping the greens with kale and adding beans so I could get more of  Dr. Fuhrman's suggested G-BOMBS in for the day - Greens, Berries, Onions, Mushrooms, Beans, Seeds. This is elegant enough for dinners guests and easy to prepare, as well. Here's what Dr. Fuhrman has to say about G-BOMBS: “G-BOMBS is an acronym you can use to remember the most nutrient-dense, health-promoting foods on the planet. These are the foods you should eat every day, and they should make up a significant proportion of your diet – these foods are extremely effective at preventing chronic disease and promoting health and longevity."

printable recipe
Vegetable Soup with Ravioli 
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup bell peppers chopped
1 cup onion, chopped (or use 2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion mix, thawed and diced)
1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
1 15-ounce can vegetable broth 
1 teaspoon dried basil or marjoram
1 cup cannellini beans
5-6 stems kales (depending on size) rough chopped
1 6- to 9-ounce package fresh or frozen ravioli
2 cups diced zucchini, (about 2 medium)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Method:
1. Add about 2 Tbl. water to the soup pot and add peppers and onions, carrots and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook an addition minute.
2. Add tomatoes, broth, water and basil (or marjoram), beans and kale; bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a separate pan, boil enough water for the ravioli's and cooking according to package directions. *NOTE
5. Add the cooked ravioli to each soup bowl and fill with soup. 
*Note: You can add the ravioli's to the boiling soup pot itself, but be careful not to overcook. If they are prepared separately, they are less likely to fall apart, especially as leftovers. 

This is absolutely one of my favorite soups and so easy to make. It's warm and comforting while providing a great burst of plant-based nutrition with cauliflower, yams, red peppers and garbanzo beans for a little protein. The coconut milk kicks it up a notch and adds the creaminess. Enjoy this satisfying soup with a large bowl of salad greens or munch on it as a snack when you get that afternoon urge. This soup is easily made in the slow cooker, too.

printable recipe
Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup
Serves 5-6
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1/2 lb. yams peeled and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1 large head of cauliflower cut into about 1 1/2" pieces
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots (3 medium)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped red pepper (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
1 14-oz can unsweetened light coconut milk
Method:
1. Combine potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, sweet pepper, onion, and beans in a large pot.
Sprinkle curry powder, ginger and red pepper and salt over vegetables and beans. Pour broth over all.
2. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low-heat for about 1 hour or until vegetables are tender.
3. Stir in coconut milk and heat through.
Note: If using a slow cooker, set on high for 4 hours or low for 8.

Read about a raw diet vs cooked here. In the meantime, make the hearty vegetable soup from what you have in the fridge. Although I have Dr. Fuhrman's book, Eat for Health, and I love the recipes, I don't always have everything that's called for. So, I improvise with what I have. It's hard to fail with most soups and easier to use up what you have around. For this recipe, I had carrots, onion, brussels sprouts, lentils, beans, and home-grown beets. And, I accidentally used tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes. It turned out great. Many of Dr. Fuhrman's recipes call for carrot juice and I did use that here, but it adds sweetness and if you don't like that in a soup, use water or veggie stock instead. I love a bit of it, myself. If you don't have everything you need for this hearty, plant-based soup use what you do have and up your nutrient density for the day. Mix match with these main ingredients, liquid: stock, water, carrot juice, vegetables: any combo will do, but you can keep it in the cruciferous family or mix it up. Carrots and onion are always good and don't forget yams or sweet potatoes. Beans: lentils, split peas or any bean. Fat: chopped or ground nuts or nut butters. Enjoy!

printable recipe
Tomato, Carrot, Brussels Sprout Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, cut into rounds
1 large beet, cup into 1/2" cubes
3 cups brussels sprouts, cut int half or fourths
1/3 cup green lentils
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 cup kidney beans
1, 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups carrot juice
1/3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. garam masala
2 T. almond or peanut butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Metod:
1. Bring 4 cups water to boil and add the green and red lentils. Cook for a few minutes until they start to soften.
2. Add the remainder of the vegetables, juice, tomato sauce, beans, spices and nut butter.
3. Simmer soup, covered for 30-45 minutes until the vegetables are crisp tender and the lentils are soft. 

We're having a heat wave of sorts here in San Diego. The hurricane near Baja is adding to the humidity. I know, we're spoiled with our mostly mild climate compared to the rest of the country. We're wimps, I admit that :) But on this "hot" night, I just wanted to eat something cold and refreshing. I made low-fat broccoli salad, baked yams (from a few nights ago) and this cold soup. Yes, I did have to use the oven for the roasted cauliflower, but it goes quickly. There's something rich and cozy about the texture of this soup. Very satisfying... I hope you like it.


Ingredients:
Serves 3-4
1 head of cauliflower, cut into chunks
1 onion, slice into thick moons
2 lemons, juiced
1 tsp. curry powder
1 can low-fat coconut milk
1 tsp thai red curry paste (optional)
2 cups water or vegetable juice (pour over ice to chill if you are serving chilled)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup ground cashews

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with oil. Spread cauliflower and onion over sheet. Drizzle lemon, curry powder and 1/2 tsp. salt over vegetables. Mix with your hand to combine. Bake in oven for 20-15 minutes or until mostly tender. Let cool for a few minutes on the counter.
2. Add the coconut milk, lemon, red curry paste and remaining salt to the container of your high-speed blender and slowly increase speed until the soup is blended to smoothness.
3. Add more water or stock as needed to thin and adjust seasonings to your taste, adding more heat from the Thai curry paste or more salt.
4. Chill in refrigerator or if you really in a hurry, in the freezer for about 10 minutes. If you want to serve it hot, pour soup into a pan and heat through. 
5. Top with a few teaspoons of ground cashews for decoration and crunch. 

This is so fast to make and loaded with good nutrition. I recommend investing in a Vitamix Blender. It has so many uses for a plant-based diet and is strong enough to do the trick.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups veggie or tomato juice
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1 medium cucumber, roughly chopped
1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
1 green or red pepper, roughly chopped
3-5 dashes of Tabasco or other hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Place all of the ingredients into the blender's container.
2. Start with a low speed (variable 1) and quickly turn up to 5.
3. Blend for 30-45 seconds.
4. Serve or chill.

I've had an urge to make another yummy cold soup. This soup is brimming with vegetable and fruit goodness and is a great snack, any time of the day. It's rich and soothing with a little kick and the combination of tomato and pineapple juice is awesome. I'm not sure where it came from, but we had this at one of our gourmet group dinners years ago. 

Ingredients: Serves 6, makes 5 cups
1 1/2 cups tomato juice or tomato-veggie juice
1 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 ripe papaya or mango, peeled, seeded and diced
1 green (or any color bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 avocado, cut into 1/4" dice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
6-10 dashed of Tabasco
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Method:
In a large bowl, gently mix all of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. 

It's not quite hot enough for cold soup, but I just couldn't wait to have this again. It's so satisfying, delicious and easy to make. It calls for mint and this really makes the dish. Don't leave it out. I did leave out the 2 tablespoons of olive oil since I'm on the plant-based way of eating. This elegant recipe comes from Viviane Bauquet Farre and foodandstyle.com. I used lactose-free yogurt, by the way. See a picture of it below.

Ingredients: Serves 6 
1 3/4 lbs cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into 3" pieces
1/4 of a red onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, skinned
8 large mint leaves
1 tsp. maple syrup
2 T. lemon juice
6 oz. plain yogurt
1/2 - 3/4 cup water
avocado, chopped
salt to taste

Method:
1. Place all the ingredients in a Vitamix or food processor with 1/2 cup of the spring water. Pulse a few times so the ingredients are coarsely chopped, then process until smooth. Thin with more water if needed.
2. Transfer to a bowl an refrigerate 2 hours or overnight, until well chilled.
3. Ladle soup into soup bowls and top with the chopped avocado.

A great way to easily eat a lot of vegetables is to make a soup or stew that you can then keep for days and eat when you get the urge. Combine that with a salad every day and you rock in the "plant-based" arena. This soup was inspired by a recipe from Dr. Fuhrman's 2-volume book, "Eat for Health." I didn't have all of the ingredients that it called for so this is modified. And, I discovered, quite by accident, a new addition that I think you're gonna love when I needed something to replace the carrot juice. Canned pumpkin - which, by the way, is quite nutritious. I opened a can that I thought was just plain pumpkin, but it turned out to be pumpkin pie mix. Yes, it contained some sugar, but the spices were just perfect - cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg - no milk or cream. I decided to use it anyway. What a pleasant surprise. It was excellent. I know added sugar isn't the best, but the original recipe called for 2 cups of carrot juice which is sweet, too (although more natural). Give it a try.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup red lentils
4-6 cups water
1/2 head cauliflower florets, bite-sized
2 medium bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 cup carrots, cut 1/2 inch thick
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch kale, washed, leaves removed from stems and chopped
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can pumpkin pie mix (or straight pumpkin)
1 can red or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Method:
1. Place lentils and water in a large soup pot and begin to simmer.
2. Add all of the prepared vegetables to the pot and simmered covered for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add more water is necessary.
3. Add the pumpkin and the beans and heat through.
4. Serve with a green salad.

This soup is awesome! And, what a great way to start off the new year. It's satisfying and totally healthy. Indulge by adding coconut milk at the very end, but it's great the way it is, too. This is inspired by a Mulligatawny Soup recipe from The Food Network.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup orange lentils
1 1/2 cup green lentils
1 1/2 cup split peas
8 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup lowfat unsweetened canned coconut milk
Salt & pepper to taste


Method:
1. Heat water in a large pot and add the onion. Saute a few minutes and then add the celery and carrot. Add garlic and spices. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
2. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Add the lentils and peas to the thickened broth, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until tender, about 45 minutes. 
3. Whisk in coconut milk (if using), lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.