Pear and walnut soup with pomegranate seeds and scallions

/0 Comments/in , , /by

A very simple soup that relies on a handful of ingredients for a balanced, but complex flavour and a smooth mouth feel. A little nutritional yeast (about 1T) also goes well with this dish, although it changes the colour.

Ingredients

4 pears, cored and chopped (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup of walnuts
1T of lemon juice
1 scallion, minced, with about 2″ of green reserved for garnish
2T of pomegranate seeds
1T of pomegranate juice
Sea salt and fresh chili or pepper to taste

Directions

Puree the walnuts until smooth (like a nut butter).
Add the lemon juice and sea salt and puree.
Add the pears and puree.
Add the minced scallions and stir to combine.
Chill for 20 minutes.
Season to taste.
Ladle into bowls.
Garnish with 1T of pomegranate seeds and scallion greens.
Dot the surface of the soup with a little fresh juice.

Raspberry, red pepper and pomegranate gazpacho

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Normally a summer soup, this keeps some of gazpacho’s traditional elements, heirloom tomatoes, red onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, but adds some fall flavours.

2 red peppers, 1/4″ dice (about 1 1/2 cups when diced)
1 cup of heirloom grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup packed of flat leaf parsley, minced
2 cups of fresh raspberries
1 small red onion, 1/4″ dice
1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds
1/2t of coarse seal salt
1/4t of ground black pepper
1T of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of olive oil
1T of lime juice
1T of balsamic vinegar
1t of tamari
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Toss all the ingredients and chill for 4 hours.
For more of a pureed soup, puree 1/2 cup of the tomatoes with 1/2 cup of the raspberries. Use multi-coloured tomatoes for a brighter presentation.

Tomato soup with black lentils, potatoes and cabbage

/0 Comments/in , , /by

A hearty soup for fall, accented with garlic and dill, garnished with arugula, scallions and savory lime cashew butter.

For the soup
1 cup of water
1 sprig of dried kombu (about 2″)
1/2 cup of black beluga lentils
1T cooking oil
1/2t coarse sea salt
2T fresh dill, minced
2T fresh garlic, minced
1 scallion, minced (about 4″ of green reserved for garnish)
1/2 cup tomato passata (or puree)
2 cups mushroom stock
2 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup diced potatoes (about 1/2″ dice)
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the garnish
1 cup of fresh arugula, minced
1/4 cup of cashew butter
1/4t of coarse sea salt
3-4T of water
1T of lime juice
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium pan with a lid, bring the water to a boil on high
Add the lentils and the kombu, reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Drain the lentils and kombu and return to the pan.
Add the cooking oil and sea salt to the pan on medium high.
Saute the garlic, scallion and dill for 2 minutes.
Add the mushroom stock, the vegetable stock, the lentils and kombu and the potatoes back to the pan.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes on medium-low.
Remove the kombu.
Add the cabbage and simmer for another 15 minutes uncovered, or until the potatoes and lentils are done.
Add the nutritional yeast and stir to combine.
While the soup finishes, whisk together the cashew butter, lime juice and water, until dissolved and thick. Add additional water only if necessary.
Season the soup to taste.
Ladle out the soup.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of minced arugula the surface of each (assuming four bowls).
Garnish with 2T of lime and cashew mix and sliced scallion greens.

Roasted rutabaga, green apple and fennel soup

/0 Comments/in , , /by
Accented with with ginger and scallions, this is a simple soup with a luxurious texture and comforting, subtle flavours. Add a little minced garlic (1T) for a little extra flavor.

2 cups peeled and diced rutabaga*
2 cups trimmed, cored and diced fennel
2 tart baking apples (preferably granny smith)*
1 scallion, minced (2″ of green reserved for garnish)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2t coarse sea salt
1T fresh grated ginger
2 cups of unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Toss everything up to (but not including) the soy milk in a large bowl until well-coated.
Spreading in a shallow even layer and roast until lightly browned (about 1 hour). Ovens vary; use the colour and texture as your guide.
Set aside about 2-4T of roasted vegetables for garnish and puree the remainder.
Add the soy milk and puree further until smooth.
Bring the soup to a simmer on low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the nutritional yeast and stir to combine.
Ladle the soup out into bowls and garnish with a little roasted vegetable and scallion greens.

*Produce is often waxed to preserve moisture (including apples and rutabagas), and the wax may be made using animal products. Apples, for example, are still often coated with shellac made from insects. Organic apples are more likely not to be coated, but even some organic apples in the United States in particular are coated with beeswax. Choose unwaxed to be safe.

 

 

Pineapple, red pepper and baby kale gazpacho

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Accented with cashew butter, apple cider vinegar and scallions, this is a simple soup with a lot of bright flavours and colours.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh pineapple, 1/3″ dice
1 large red pepper, 1/4″ dice (about 1 cup)
1 cup packed baby kale, finely chopped
1 scallions, minced, 2″ of green reserved for garnish
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/2t coarse sea salt
2T apple cider vinegar
1T lemon juice
1/4t black pepper
2T cashew butter
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Add all of the ingredients except for the cashew butter to a bowl.
Chill covered for 3 hours, stirring periodically.
Using an immersion blender or food processor, process 2 cups of the mixture with the cashew butter until liquid, but not quite pureed.
Set aside 2T of remaining diced fruit for garnish.
Toss the soup back together until well-combined.
Season to taste.
Ladle out and garnish with 1T of diced fruit and scallion greens.

Creamed artichoke and walnut soup with kale and kalamata olives

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Served with red Thai chili spiced tomato ribbon and scallions, this soup combines enthusiastic flavours and colours.

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable stock
1t coarse sea salt, divided
1/4t black pepper
1t dried, rubbed thyme
1T lemon juice
2 cups artichoke hearts
4 scallions, minced (6″ of greens reserved for garnish)
2T fresh garlic, minced
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup and 1T nutritional yeast
4T kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1/4 cup passata (tomato puree)
1/4t red Thai chili paste (or to taste)
1 cup kale, finely chopped
2T tapioca flour whisked with 2T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Soak the walnuts in warm water for 1 hour.
When ready to make the soup, preheat the oven to 400F.
Toss the kale with 1/4t of coarse sea salt.
Add the kale to a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until lightly browned (approximately 15 minutes). Ovens vary; use the colour and lightness of the kale as your guide.
Bring the stock to a light simmer in a pan with a lid.
Add 1/2t sea salt, lemon juice and black pepper
Add the artichoke hearts, scallions and garlic.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Remove the kale from the oven when ready.
Toss with 1T nutritional yeast and set aside.
When the soup has simmered 10 minutes, pull out the artichoke hearts with a spoon (and some stock is fine).
Drain the walnuts.
Using an immersion blender, puree with the artichoke hearts until smooth.
Add the pureed artichoke hearts and walnuts to the pan.
Puree soup together until smooth.
Return to a simmer on low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
While the soup simmers, mix the passata with the chili paste and 1/4t of coarse sea salt.
Whisk the tapioca flour and the cold water.
Stirring constantly, add the mixture slowly. to the soup until it thickens.
Add the 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and stir to combine.
Remove from heat.
Season to taste.
Ladle out the soup into bowls.
Sprinkle the soup with roasted kale.
Dribble the passata over the soup and the kale.
Sprinkle about 1/2T olives around the soup with 1/2T in the center.
Garnish with scallions and serve.

Potato and cabbage soup with roasted portobello mushroom slices

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Thickened with sesame and tapioca and garnished with scallion, parsley and nutritional yeast, this is a flavourful and rich soup with lots of body.

Ingredients

2T cooking oil, divided
1t coarse salt, divided
3 scallions, minced (reserve 4-6″ of green for garnish)
1T fresh garlic, minced
1T lemon juice
2 cups vegetable stock
1 large white potato (about 1/3lb or 2 cups) in 1/2″ dice
2T sesame seed butter (thick tahini)
2 cups shredded cabbage (I use coleslaw)
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast, divided
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 large portobello mushrooms (about 200g), 1/2″ slices
2T tapioca flour dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water.
2-4 sprigs flat leaf parsley

Directions

In a large pan with a lid, bring 1T cooking oil with 1/4t coarse sea salt to heat on medium high.
Saute the scallions for 2 minutes.
Saute the garlic for 1 minute.
Add the potatoes and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and deglaze the pan.
Add the stock, bring to simmer, cover and reduce to low.
Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Add the sesame seed butter and 2T of nutritional yeast.
Puree the soup until smooth.
Add another 1/4t sea salt and the cabbage.
Return the soup to a simmer, cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes until the cabbage is lightly tender.
While the soup cooks, make the mushrooms.
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Clean, stem, and slice the mushrooms and toss the slices in 1T cooking oil and 1/2t coarse sea salt.
In a lightly oiled roasting pan, roast the mushrooms until they brown (about 20 minutes), turning once. Ovens vary; use the colour and tenderness of the mushrooms as your guide.
When the cabbage has softened, whisk the tapioca and water.
Stirring continuously, slowly add the mixture to the soup until thickened.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes to cool.
Season to taste.
Ladle out and garnish with the remaining nutritional yeast, then the mushrooms, and finally the scallion and parsley.

Parsnip, ginger and miso soup

/0 Comments/in , , /by

A rich and filling soup for winter, garnished with smokey bourbon and brown sugar coconut, spinach chiffonade and black pepper.

Ingredients

For the soup
2T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T fresh garlic, minced
2T fresh ginger, minced
3 cups parsnip, 1/2″ dice (about 4-5 cored parsnips)
1T lemon juice
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
2 cups vegetable stock
1T white miso
2T nutritional yeast
1T tapioca starch dissolved in 2T cold water
1/2 cup baby spinach
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the coconut
3T coconut flakes
1T bourbon (1)
1/2T tamari
1/2t brown sugar (2)
A dash liquid smoke
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

First, core and dice the parnship.
Bring the oil to heat with 1/4t sea salt in a large pan with a lid on medium high.
Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 minutes until they’re aromatic.
Add the parsnip, and fry for 4-6 minutes, until the pan is starting to brown lightly.
Add the lemon juice to the pan and deglaze.
Add the soy milk, stock and miso.
Return to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
While the soup simmer, make the coconut.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Toss the coconut in the other ingredients until well-coated.
Arrange the coconut in a a small glass or ceramic baking dish in an even layer.
Bake on the middle rack until brown, about 10-12 minutes, stirring here and there. Ovens vary; use the
color and dryness as a guide and be careful not to overcook.
When ready, remove the coconut from the oven and set aside.
When the soup is ready, remove it from heat.
Add the nutritional yeast.
Puree the ingredients.
Return to a light simmer.
Stirring continuously, add the tapioca solution to the pan, stirring until thick.
Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes to cool.
Season to taste, and ladle into bowls.
Garnish with a few grinds of fresh black pepper, 2-3 whole spinach leaves, 2-3T spinach chiffonade and
coconut.

  1. It’s rare that bourbon is manufactured with animal
    products, but some are.
  2. An increasing amount of cane sugar is made without animal bone charcoal. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and otherwise unrefined sugars are typically fine.

Purple yam soup with ginger and garlic, fresh dill, bean sprouts and walnuts

/0 Comments/in , , /by

The purple yam gives this very simple soup a vibrant dark purple colour; the walnuts and bean sprouts, a rich texture.

1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T fresh garlic, minced
1t fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup fresh dill fronds and 2T minced
2 cups purple yam, peeled and diced (1/2″)
4 cups vegetable stock
2T nutritional yeast, divided
1T tapioca flour dissolved in 2T cold water
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

In a larger pan with a lid, bring the cooking oil to heat on medium high.
Add the sea salt, garlic, and 2T dill; saute for 2 minutes.
Add the yam and saute another 2 minutes.
Add the stock and deglaze the pan.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the yam is fork tender.
Remove from heat, add 1T nutritional yeast, and puree the soup.
Return the pan to a light simmer.
Add the tapioca solution slowly stirring continuously until it thickens.
Season to taste.
Ladle out the soup and garnish with bean sprouts, dill fronds, walnuts and nutritional yeast.

Miso soup with lentils and tofu garnished with slivered almonds and scallions

/0 Comments/in , , /by

A simple, warm and nourishing soup with a little extra spice good for the cold of winter or the heat of summer.

Ingredients

4 cups water, divided
1/2 cup dry French lentils
1 sprig kombu (about 1″)
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2t coarse sea salt
200g tofu, cubed (1/2″)
1T fresh garlic, minced
4 scallions, minced (4″ green reserved for garnish)
1T tamari
1/2t toasted sesame oil
2T white miso
Sea salt to taste
2T slivered almonds
2T nutritional yeast
Black, white or cayenne pepper, red Thai chili paste, or similar to taste

Instructions

In a large sauce pan with a lid, bring 2 cups water to a boil.
Add the lentils and kombu, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Drain and rinse the lentils and kombu.
Bring the remaining 2 cups water and the stock to a boil.
Return the lentils and kombu to the pan.
Add the sea salt, tofu, garlic, scallions, tamari and sesame oil.
Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer another 15 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
Remove from heat, add the white miso and nutritional yeast.
Stir until the miso is dissolved, and let stand 5 minutes to cool.
Season with salt to taste.
Ladle out the soup and garnish with 1T almonds, scallion greens sliced on a 45 degree angle and the nutritional yeast.
Spice the soup up with black, white or cayenne pepper, Thai chili, or similar.