Vidalia Onion Soup with Wild Rice

• 1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 pounds (about 4) Vidalia onions, or other sweet onions, quartered and very thinly sliced
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• Herb bundle (see Note)
• Salt and pepper
• 8 slices baguette
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces Maytag or other young, not too sharp, blue cheese, at room temperature

Note: This soup calls for an herb bundle that’s roughly 3/4 cup of your favorite fresh herbs, chopped. (He calls for 3 tablespoons chopped chives, basil, flat-leaf parsley and 4 tablespoons chopped tarragon, though I don’t think you need to be overly rigid in adhering to a formula.)

Cook the wild rice in a small saucepan according to package directions.

Melt the butter in the bottom of a 4- to 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over moderately low heat. Add the onions, toss to coat them in oil and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to real low and let them slowly steep for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, uncover the pot, raise the heat slightly and season the onions with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook onions, stirring frequently, for another 15 to 25 minutes, until they are tender, limp and sweet. Add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Wrap the herbs (see Note up top) in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string. Trotter suggests you drop the bundle into the broth for one minute, then remove it, but after going through such an effort to make one, I decided to leave mine in a little longer; it made me feel better. Adjust seasonings with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with oil. Bake on a baking sheet until light golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. While the croutons are still warm, spread them with cheese.

To serve, divide the rice among four bowls, and ladle broth and onions on top. Float two croutons in the center of each bowl, and sprinkle with more pepper. Eat immediately.

Serves 4.

VERDICT: I took some liberties.  Instead of chopping herbs, tying them up and floating the bundle for ONE MINUTE, I grabbed a bunch of un-chopped chives, tarragon, and flat-leaf parsley with tongs and floated them in the soup for a few minutes.  I also added chopped tarragon, parsley, and chives to the soup and left them there, which was pretty and delicious.  I also somehow neglected to buy either baguette or cheese, so there were no croutons.  But, it was still good--slightly sweet, with a really nice note of tarragon.  It's relatively cheap to make, especially if you have millions of chives in the garden.  Keep.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Parsley-Chive Swirl

• 2 1/2 pounds cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets 
• 1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 3/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoons ground pepper, divided
• 1 1/4 cups fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup fresh chives
• 6 cups low-sodium no-chicken or chicken broth
• 2 1/2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 2 large rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.

Toss cauliflower and leeks with ½ cup oil and 1¼ teaspoons each salt and pepper in a very large bowl (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Divide the vegetables evenly between the prepared baking sheets. Roast, switching the pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway, until soft and browned on the bottom, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place parsley, chives and the remaining ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a blender; pulse several times to chop, scraping down the sides once or twice. With the motor running, slowly add the remaining 1 cup oil and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and rinse out the blender.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large pot and add broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in a blender. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Stir in vinegar. Serve with some of the herb sauce swirled on top.

To make ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Serves 6; 329 calories.

VERDICT:  This reminded me strongly of our family spinach dip, which I think comes from the black pepper.  It's a fair number of dishes, but few enough ingredients, one of which is the ever-present chive!  We made this with the first chives of the season--just before they started to flower.  Keep.

Lentil Soup

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 cup lentils
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Crumbled feta cheese for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the onion, celery and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer. Add the tomato paste, stir until smooth and add the stock and lentils. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are very soft. Add 1 cup of water if the soup seems too thick. Puree in batches in a food processor or blender, return to the pot and stir in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with feta cheese.

Serves 4; 210 calories.

VERDICT: I made this as part of one of the Medica Journeys and to use up some celery and tomato paste, and it was surprisingly delicious!  Keep.

Vegan Corn Chowder

• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped (~1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 small red potatoes (or 1 small russet), quartered (peeling, optional)
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 3 ears corn (or 1.5 cans), kernels sliced off
• 2 cups low sodium veggie broth
• 2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk (or regular milk if not vegan)
• 2-3 green onions (garnish), chopped
• paprika

To a large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil, onion, and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add potato, season with a little salt and pepper, and cover to steam for 4-5 minutes. Add most of the corn, reserving a little for garnish, and stir.

Add broth and almond milk, cover, and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook until the potatoes are soft and slide off of a knife when pierced - about 5 minutes.

If blending, add 3/4 of the soup to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Transfer soup back to the saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Cook for at least 10 minutes to let thicken. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will be.

To serve, top with chopped green onion, remaining fresh (or lightly sauteed) corn, and black pepper. Add a sprinkle of paprika for color.

Serves 3; 220 calories

VERDICT:  Surprisingly good flavor for the small number of ingredients and minimal seasoning.  I doubled the recipe to use up the last of the (not-red) potatoes from the garden and a bunch of leftover almond milk.  Eight cups of liquid seemed like a lot for the amount of potatoes and corn, so I only put five in, which turned out fine.  Keep!  From the Minimalist Baker.

Corn Chowder with Chive Oil

Chowder

• 1 1/2 T. olive oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. new potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 t. smoked paprika
• Kernels from 6 ears of corn (3 1/2 c.)
• 4 c. vegetable broth, plus more if needed
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1/2 c. coconut milk
• pepper

Chive oil

• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 oz. chives, coarsely chopped
• salt

To make the chowder, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute until barely tender, 4-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for another minute.  Add the paprika and potatoes and cook, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes.

Stir in the corn, broth, and salt and bring to a boil.  Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes, adding a bit more broth if the soup starts to resemble a thick stew.  Don't add too much broth, or the final soup will be too thin.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it is about half pureed, with some texture and visible pieces of potato remaining.  Stir in the coconut milk, then season with black pepper.  Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired

To make the chive oil, put the olive oil and chives in a blender and process until smooth.  Season with salt to taste.

Serve the chowder with the chive oil drizzled on top.

Serves 6.

VERDICT:  I used water instead of broth and needed eight ears of corn to get 3 1/2 cups of corn kernels.  Possibly the water substitution left the soup a bit blander than it should have been, but I liked the crunch of the corn, and the whole soup tasted fresh and light.  Plus, chives!  Keep.

Double Barley Posole

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 (12-oz.) bottle pilsner beer
• 3 1/2 cups unsalted vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup chopped peeled butternut squash (about 4 1/2 oz.)
• 1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (15-oz.) can white hominy, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 4 lime wedges

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and flour; cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Stir in beer; cook until liquid is reduced and glossy, about 7 minutes. Stir in vegetable stock, squash, barley, black pepper, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until barley is tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in hominy and zucchini; simmer until zucchini is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes.

Divide soup evenly among 4 bowls; top servings evenly with diced avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Serves 4.

VERDICT:  I had such high hopes for this--a vegetarian posole, and with an interesting use of beer--but it turned out oddly bitter and unpleasant.  Toss.

Pasta e Fagioli with Escarole

• 1½ cups dried cannellini (white kidney) beans, soaked overnight 
• 1 Parmesan rind (about 2 ounces), plus shaved Parmesan for serving 
• 2 medium carrots, scrubbed, halved crosswise 
• 2 celery stalks, halved crosswise 
• 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise; plus 2 cloves, chopped 
• 6 sprigs parsley 
• 1 sprig rosemary 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 2 dried chiles de árbol or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more crushed for serving 
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more 
• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 1 14.5-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes 
• ¾ cup dry white wine 
• 3 ounces dried lasagna or other flat pasta, broken into 1–1½-inch piece
• ½ small head of escarole, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces

Bring beans, Parmesan rind, carrots, celery, head of garlic, parsley, rosemary, bay leaves, chiles, and 2 quarts water to a boil in a medium pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, adding more water as needed, until beans are tender, about 1½ hours. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and let sit 30 minutes. Discard vegetables, rind, and herbs.

Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over medium. Cook onion and chopped garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8–10 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands, and cook, stirring often, until liquid is almost completely reduced, 12–15 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Add beans and their liquid; cook until flavors meld, 12–15 minutes. Add pasta; cook, stirring and adding more water as needed, until al dente, 15–20 minutes. Add escarole and cook until wilted, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper.

Serve soup drizzled with oil and topped with Parmesan and more chile.

Serves: 4; 550 calories.

VERDICT:  This takes forever, but is really good--creamy, with deep, savory flavors.  I put way more shaved Parmesan on than strictly necessary, which probably didn't hurt.  Keep!

Sweet Potato and White Bean Soup

• 1/4 cup water 
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise into quarters 
• 2 teaspoons butter 
• 1 cup chopped red onion 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 
• 5 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson) 
• 1 cup canned unsalted cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk 
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 
• 1 cup diced apple 
• 1/4 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt

Place 1/4 cup water and potatoes in a microwave-safe 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap; pierce plastic 3 or 4 times with a fork. Microwave at HIGH 15 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Remove plastic wrap; cool.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, sage, and garlic; cook 7 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add stock; bring to a simmer.

Remove potato skins; discard skins. Place potatoes, stock mixture, beans, milk, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in lid; process until smooth. Return pureed soup to pan over medium heat; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Divide soup among 4 bowls; top each serving with 1/4 cup apple and 1 tablespoon yogurt. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Serves 4; 354 calories.

VERDICT:  Easy, and with sage from the garden, cheap.  I used water instead of stock and still thought it was tasty--the toppings add a lot of texture and flavor.  The soup does, unfortunately, look a little like vomit, but the toppings help with that, too.  Keep!

Lemon and Spinach Orzo Soup

• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 pinch of red chili flakes (optional)
• 5 cups of vegetable broth or water
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of orzo 
• 1 cup of coconut milk 
• 1 lemon, zest and juice 
• 2 - 3 cups of spinach (lightly packed, hard stems removed, and roughly chopped if needed)
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat olive oil on medium-low heat, add in carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and red chili flakes. Sauté for 5 - 10 minutes or until onions become translucent. Pour in vegetable broth or water and turn heat up just a bit and bring soup to a boil. Then add in your Orzo and let that boil for about 8 - 10 minutes until pasta is almost done cooking. Then bring heat back down to a low simmer, and stir in half and half, spinach, lemon zest and juice. Taste and add in salt and pepper to your liking. Allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes or so. 

Serves 4.

VERDICT: Light and delicate and lovely.  I threw in baby spinach without chopping it, which was easy, but left big floppy spinach blobs.  Chop it!  Keep.

Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew with Kale

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about two large), chopped into 1 inch chunks
• 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped OR 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• 2 teaspoons cumin, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, ground
• cayenne pepper 
• 4 cups vegetable broth + extra as needed
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 cups curly kale, chopped into small pieces
• pepper
• 1/4 cup green onion, tops only, chopped
• 1/4 cup roasted and salted peanuts, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large pot set on medium heat. Add the onion and saute until onion starts to become translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and ginger, and saute for another 3 minutes, until garlic is fragrant. Add the sweet potatoes, lentils, tomatoes, salt, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and a pinch or two of cayenne and stir to combine.

Add 4 cups vegetable broth. If there isn't enough broth to cover everything by at least 1 inch, add more broth as needed. Stir well and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes, or until sweet potatoes and lentils are very tender, adding more broth as needed if the stew gets too dry.

Add peanut butter and stir until evenly incorporated. Using an immersion blender, blend until about half pureed, with some texture remaining. It should be creamy, but still have visible chunks of sweet potato.

Stir in the kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender. Season with pepper, then taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary.

Serve, topped with green onion and crushed peanuts.

Serves 4.

VERDICT: This smells fantastic and is creamy and savory.  Keep.  From Food52's Vegan.

Jamaican Jerk Chili with Quinoa and Kidney Beans

• 2 T. coconut oil
• 1 white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 poblano chili, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 c. quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
• 3 c. cooked kidney beans
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 2 1/2-3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 small Hass avocado, sliced, for garnish
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, bell pepper, and poblano, and saute until the onion is tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes longer.

Stir in the quinoa, tomatoes, kidney beans, salt, chili powder, cinnamon, thyme, nutmeg, allspice, and 2 1/2 c. of the broth and bring to a boil.  Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is plump and tender, with little tails emerging from the grains, about 25 minutes.  Stir in the remaining broth as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.  Serve hot, garnished with the avocado and cilantro.

Serves 6.

VERDICT:  Very good, with warm, balanced flavors.  Keeps and reheats well.  Keep!  From Food52's Vegan.

Butternut Squash Soup with Miso and Coconut

• Olive oil
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon white shiro miso
• 1large yellow onion, diced
• 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 1/2teaspoons cumin
• 1/2teaspoon cayenne pepper, or slightly more to taste
• One 3-pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

First, make your miso stock. Put 4 cups of water into a saucepan and heat to a simmer. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of water together with the miso, and pour that into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, but don't let it boil. 

Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of a large, heavy pot. When it's hot, add the onion and sweat it until it's translucent. Stir in the ginger, cumin, and cayenne, and toast spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Deglaze with a ladle-full of your miso stock. 

Add the cubed butternut squash and the salt, mixing everything to combine, and then pour in the rest of the miso stock. Simmer until the squash is completely tender, about 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat, and purée the soup in a food processor or with a hand blender, being careful of the hot liquid. At this point you can strain for a super-smooth soup, or you can leave it how it is -- up to you! 

Return the puréed soup back to the pot, and stir in the coconut milk. Taste, adjust for seasoning and spice. 

Serve warm, with bread on the side.

Serves 6-8.

VERDICT:  Perfectly fine, and a nice way to use up miso.  Keep.

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 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 coarse salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 1/2 cups water, plus more if needed
• 1 jalapeno chile, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
• Sour cream, for garnish (optional) 

Melt butter 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.

 

 

Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, 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.

 

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, jalapeno slices, and sour cream if desired.

 

Serves 6.

VERDICT:  I made this to use up the last of the butternut squash from the farmer's market, as well as some apples and froze it before we left for Ireland.  It reheated well and tasted good--spicier than I'd anticipated.  I skipped the suggested garnishes, but swirled in some yogurt and sprinkled on some pepitas.  Keep--a good pantry soup. 

Kale, White Bean and Savoy Cabbage Soup

• 1/2 cup dried cannellini beans or other white beans
• 6 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups diced baking potato (about 1 pound)
• 1 1/2 cups diced onion
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 1 large)
• 8 cups thinly sliced kale (about 1 bunch)
• 4 cups chopped Savoy cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large garlic clove, minced

To prepare the soup, sort and wash the beans, and place in a large Dutch oven. Cover the beans with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours. Drain beans. Return beans to pan; cover with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt; simmer 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a stockpot over medium-low heat. Add potato, onion, and leek, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, kale, cabbage, chopped parsley, pepper, and minced garlic. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 30 minutes. Add bean mixture; cook 30 minutes.

Serves 6.

VERDICT:  A little bland (you're supposed to serve it with garlic toast), but acceptable as a way to use up cabbage.  The thing that dooms it is that you make it from dried beans, which I don't have the patience for.  Toss.

Red Pepper, Corn, and Black Bean Chowder

• 1 c. onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 red peppers, broiled, peeled, and chopped
• 2 T. olive oil, divided
• 2 c. unsalted chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp. chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 15 oz. can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 c. fresh corn kernels
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 8 T. plain 2% Greek yogurt
• cilantro
• lime wedges

Saute onion and garlic in 1 T. olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat 3 minutes.  Place onion mixture, peppers, stock, 1 T. olive oil, and chile in a blender; blend until smooth.  Return to pan.  Stir in beans, simmer 10 minutes over medium heat.  Stir in corn and salt.  Place 1 c. soup in each of four bowls, top with 2 T. yogurt, 1 T. cilantro, and 1 lime wedge.

Serves 4; 222 calories.

VERDICT:  Don't be tempted to put in more chiles, thinking 1/2 tsp. isn't much out of that whole giant can.  It is plenty.  Even though I really hate roasting peppers, this is a keeper--easy, healthy and flavorful. 

Tomato-Basil Soup with Pearled Barley

• 1/2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 cups water
• 1 c. pearl barley, rinsed and drained
• 1 6-oz can organic tomato paste
• 2 cups Swiss chard or spinach, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 handful fresh basil, shredded

In a large pot, heat olive oil and garlic over medium heat and cook until fragrant.

Add water and barley, and raise heat to high.  When water boils, turn down to low and cover.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add tomato paste, chard, and salt, and stir to dissolve tomato paste.  Simmer for 15 minutes longer.  Add basil for the last 2 minutes, then remove from heat and serve.

Serves 4; 204 calories.

VERDICT:  I love the minimal ingredient list (plus, it uses the whole can of tomato paste!), and the soup itself is just fine. From Racing Weight.  Keep, and make during basil season.

Chickpea-Pesto Tomato Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 diced onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 15-ounce can drained, rinsed chickpeas
• 1/4 c. basil pesto

In a pot, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat till soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add sugar and black pepper.

Add one 15-ounce can drained, rinsed chickpeas. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Top each serving with a dollop of basil pesto.

Serves 4; 258 calories.

VERDICT:  Very easy, not bad result.  Keep.

Red Lentil and Black Bean Stew

• 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 2 minced garlic cloves 
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin 
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika 
• 4 cups vegetable broth 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 3/4 cup red lentils 
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed, mashing half the beans with a fork 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• juice of one lime 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and paprika; cook for 1 minute. Add broth and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Add the lentils, lower heat, and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes.

Add the beans (whole and mashed), lime juice, salt and pepper. Cook five minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4; 248 calories.

VERDICT:  Winner!  This is easy, hearty, healthy, and really, really good.  I'm already plotting to make it again.  Keep.

Cream of White Bean, Carrot & Ginger Soup with Cashews

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 15-oz BPA-free cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 lb carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 oz roasted unsalted cashews, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives

In a large saucepan on medium, heat oil. Add onion and sauté until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add broth, 2 cups water, beans, carrots, bay leaves and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove and discard bay leaves.

Using an immersion blender, purée soup. (TIP: Alternatively, carefully transfer to an upright blender, remove plastic stopper from lid and cover top with a towel to allow steam to escape.) Divide among serving bowls and top with cashews and chives.

Serves 8; 194 calories.

VERDICT:  I think I must have done something wrong--the soup was really thin (all the garnishes sank to the bottom of the bowl) and a icky salmon color.  Toss.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

• 4 pounds whole butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish (optional)

Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.

 

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the squash pieces cut-side up on the baking sheet. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush all of it over the tops and insides of the squash halves (alternatively, you can rub it on evenly with your fingers). Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until knife tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

 

Meanwhile, peel, core, and cut the apple into medium dice. Cut the onion into medium dice. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the apple, onion, and sage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

 

When the squash is ready, set the baking sheet on a wire rack until the squash is cool enough to handle. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into the saucepan with the sautéed apples and onions; discard the skins.
 

Add the broth, water, and measured salt and pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces of squash, until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream. 

 

Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap (the pour lid) from the blender lid and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with the pumpkin seeds, if using.
 

Serves 6-8.  

 

VERDICT:  Fine, but not great.  I thought the roasting technique had potential, but it was actually more bother than just chopping the squash.  Toss.  From Chow.com.